BMW PGA Championship - Round 1 Wrap

Paul McGinley has never made any secret of his love affair with the West Course and here yesterday he did everything but fall to his knees and start kissing Surrey's most famous piece of turf. An opening 65, that gave him the first round lead of the BMW PGA Championship, no doubt helped intensify this affection, although the Dubliner had a point to make amid all that salivating.

"When it's playing hard and like this, this is a real test of golf, a proper test," he declared. "We're not tested enough on course management anymore. A lot of the courses we play are soft and one-dimensional." McGinley did not go so far as to say that the modern golfer is thus soft and one-dimensional. Yet he would not be alone in believing it.

In fact, the demise of the shot-maker is lamented throughout the game. True, there is Tiger Woods, but how many chances does he get to parade these skills? Indeed, how many chances do any of the professionals get, including McGinley, who plotted his way around yesterday by chasing two-irons off the tee up the bone-dry fairways and, on the sixth, purposefully aimed a wedge 20 feet left of the pin? "It is the substantial majority," he confirmed when asked how many of the Tour's venues fall into the "long and one-dimensional" category. "Everyone just thinks 7,500 yards is the future of golf. But firm and fast is what makes courses tough for us.

Rummaging

I can often be found rummaging around disposal stores or army and police surplus stores because I just love all the weird and wonderful gadgets and supplies that can be found. I even picked up a GPS in one of these shops years ago that I still use for my golfing distance and yardage calculations today. One of the best sites for police gear like tactical gloves and much more is LA police gear and it is well worth a visit to their website.

Annika Sorenstam announces her retirement

ONCE, she was too shy to even try to win a tournament because she was afraid she would have to give a speech. Annika Sorenstam has proven a lot to herself and everyone else since then: playing well in a men's PGA Tour event, winning 10 majors and becoming one of the most dominant players in the history of women's golf.

Now she has proved one more thing: that she has the strength to say goodbye.

Sorenstam, 37, has announced she will retire after this season to pursue other interests. Top of the list is the desire to start a family. "This is something that came from the heart," she said at the Sybase Classic in Clifton, New Jersey.

A winner of 72 women's pro tour events, including three US women's opens, a player who once shot 59 in a competitive round, Sorenstam said she intended to have one last shot at overtaking Lorena Ochoa and reclaiming the world No.1 spot.

"I have other priorities in my life. I have a lot of dreams I want to follow, that I want to live," she said.

Those dreams include spending more time on her golf academy, her charitable foundation, course design business, clothing line and tournament-hosting duties.

Her last event will be the Dubai Ladies Masters in December, after which she will marry fiance, golf agent Mike McGee, in January.

"This is obviously a very difficult decision for me to make, because I love this game very much," she said. "But I know it's the right one. I'm leaving the game on my own terms."

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Car Rental (with room for the golf clubs)

When I travel I almost always rent a car simply because I prefer to drive myself around rather than rely on public transport or taxis and I like to hire a car with room for my golf clubs! One of the best sites when you are looking to rent a car is advantge.com. Their website is beautifully designed and is a pleasure to use. From the site you can choose the dates you need the car, the location and type of car you want to rent. Then you will receive a quote and be able to make a booking - it is that simple! They also have some great specials that are well worth checking out. If you are looking for a great car rental service then I recommend a visit to their website!

Spanish Open - Day 1 Wrap

A stunning putting round earned Swede Martin Erlandsson a course-record 65 and the first-round lead in the Spanish Open on Thursday.

Erlandsson, seeking his maiden win in his fifth full year on the European Tour, needed only 23 putts in a flawless seven-under-par round to beat the previous Real Club record by a stroke.

The 34-year-old sank putts of 40-feet, 25-feet and two from about 18 feet as he carded seven birdies, three to finish, to lead by a stroke from Spaniards Ignacio Garrido and Jordi Garcia.

Gary Clark was a further stroke back.

"I was putting my head off today and I holed a lot of big ones," Erlandsson told reporters.

"I need to get used to being up there (on the leaderboard), avoid putting pressure on myself and make a few good rounds at weekends to take the (next) step," added the Swede, whose best finish was second at the 2005 Welsh Open.

Used Cars

My first car was an absolute beast (not in a good way) and when it finally gave up I was only slightly sad. However, I didn't replace it with a new car as I am a firm believer that cars simply lose too much value and a second hand car is the way to go. Many people think scam, rip off or some other form of negative connotation when they think of used cars, but it doesn't have to be the case.

A used car can save you quite a decent amount of money and if you are careful second hand doesn't have to mean second best. If you are looking for a used car or just want some sound advice BuyYourCar.co.uk is a great resource. The used car search is one of the best I have seen and whether you are looking for a used ford or a hummer you will be able to find it here. You are also given the option of searching for cars available for private sale or through a dealer. The site also has many other useful features including car leasing, reviews, loans and insurance as well as a great section that features advice on avoiding scams. I would certainly recommend a visit to their website!

Resession hurting golf and the sponsors

A visitor to this week's Wachovia Championship in Charlotte might notice the opulence that envelops the Quail Hollow Club, one of the reasons this is among the PGA Tour's most popular stops.

Each and every one of the corporate skyboxes that surround various holes is sold out, giving those companies that purchased them the opportunity to wine and dine clients, employees and friends. The tournament has become so successful in its sixth year that high-end seating was added behind the 16th green and 17th tee. Regular tickets sold out months ago.

A few days spent watching golf in North Carolina would never lead to the conclusion that the country borders on recession, gas prices have hit all-time highs and the American economy is suffering.

But golf is certainly not above such issues, even if everything looks perfect at Quail Hollow...

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CD rates

Saving money was drilled into me as a kid and my parents made sure I learned the value of a dollar from an early age. Since I was young I have had a good part of my savings in a high interest certificate of deposit (CD) account earning interest. CD accounts are offered by major banks and financial institutions and pay you interest for your money you deposit and that money is locked down for a specific amount of time (that you choose). Basically, the longer the term you deposit your money for the higher the interest rate and your money makes money!

I know this all sounds great, but the problem is that there is so many of these accounts offered by many different financial institutions and the rates can vary up to a whole percent or two. Fortunately, there are some fantastic sites like eMoneyCentral.com that collects all of the information and provides an overview of the current CD rates and where they are being offered. They also offer information on the latest savings rates and checking rates. With this information you can find the best places to invest your money with federally insured banks and credit unions. If you have some money to save or would like to start I would recommend a visit to their website!