The A Position

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Despite the record-breaking heat, historic drought and wildfires that severely impacted Bastrop, Texas a dozen miles to the east, the Wolfdancer Golf Club at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa proudly sports its best-ever playing conditions since it first emerged onto the Austin golf scene five years ago. In fact, the resort’s picturesque setting played a major role in not only ... Read more

It is not often I see a really great idea for golf outings pop up.  This one is so simple, so perfect and so unique that I can't figure out why I've never seen it done before. First, let's backtrack a bit and examine the anatomy of a morning golf outing with the dreaded 8-9am, shotgun start.  For me, that means a whole litany of events:  I'll have to ... Read more

  When Ben Crenshaw returned to Augusta National after winning the Masters, his traditional honor as defending champion was a choice of what to have served at the pre-tournament Champion’s dinner. His choice? Barbecue from the Salt Lick, just outside Austin, TX, where he grew up and played college golf. I just returned from the Salt Lick where owner Scott Roberts, himself a golf fanatic who has played everywhere ... Read more

Texas is a great place to play golf. Just ask the Texans, the least bashful of Americans. I dismiss out of hand the “all hat, no cattle” blather about the “great” courses located in the dusty, pancake-flat areas of the state. But when they start drawling on about the Texas Hill Country and calling me pards, I listen up. Marked by hidden waterfalls, limestone outcrops and dramatic ... Read more

Having championed the idea for many years, especially as I grew older, I definitely agree that more golfers would enjoy the game of golf if they moved up a set of tees.  Barney Adams, the founder of  Adams Golf, has been rallying support for the idea, too, urging men to move up 500 yards and women 1,000 yads. It’s nice to see the PGA of America ... Read more

Earlier this year Nike introduced the VR Pro Driver to follow their irons of the same name.  The pear-shaped driver allows for more weight at the optimal center of gravity and delivers a hotter launch with optimal spin for better players.  The club also includes a Variable Compression Channel of different thicknesses across the clubhead, increasing speed and delivering greater distance on draws, stingers, high ... Read more

University of Michigan’s Lion Kim didn’t make the cut in the Master after firing rounds of 76-72 but he had a memorable week. Earning a spot in the field due to last summer’s U.S. Public Links title, Kim was joined by family and friends as well as his U-M coaches in Augusta. I happened to chat with him briefly on Wednesday when he cut short ... Read more

I’ve had the good fortune to play in a number of PGA Tour pro-ams, from the biggies, the FBR Open and Verizon Heritage, to smaller events like the Mayakoba Golf Classic and Reno Tahoe Open. Every one has been a unique and incredibly enjoyable experience. But none has been as much fun as on March 31, when I played in the Thursday pro-am at the Mississippi ... Read more

The family that plays together stays together, although maybe not all the time if Mom and Dad figure it out properly. There are three necessities for a family friendly golf resort--pressure-free golf, plenty to do besides golf, and time enough to do it all. Here are a few suggestions: WALT DISNEY WORLD This is pretty much a no-brainer. With four theme parks and two water parks ... Read more

A few years ago when I arrived at the Masters, the first place I visited was the new patron sitting area on the hillside overlooking the par-three 16th hole. For some reason, I’m always curious to discover and assess the many tournament and course improvements made over the past year.  Many of them are never announced or commented upon by the club. After some storm-damaged ... Read more