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Two of the Golf Boys gave an impromptu performance today during the third round of the Phoenix Open. Ben Crane even donned the helmet. Great stuff.

The Tour seriously needs more excitement like that generated on the 16th in Phoenix.

I’d guess that there’s potential at every tour stop. The Colonial’s par 3 thirteenth, for example, had that sort of vibe—to a much lesser degree of course, but it was there: lots of food and drink, side bets going on, etc.

John Daly is amazingly in a T7 going into the third (and final) round of the Qatar Masters. It’s being cut to 54 holes due to high winds.

I imagine in the desert, those high winds would send a lot of sand into the air. I wonder if any London bookies are taking bets on whether Daly blows up and walks off before the Tournament is over.

Morris had been playing golf for years and he had the finest golfing equipment, but his technique never improved a bit.

As his friend watched, he teed up at the first hole and promptly drove a brand-new ball into the woods. On the second hole, he drove another new ball into a lake. On the third, he lost a new ball in another part of the woods.

“Why don’t you use an old ball?” his friend Sam asked.

“I’ve never had an old ball,” Morris said.

- hat tip to Friend of the GolfBlogger D.F.C.

Ricky Fowler puts a shot in the water, and then makes a nice recovery from his drop.

Phil Mickelson has initiated a lawsuit against a Canadian Internet Service Provider to find the identity of an internet troll who has been making defamatory comments. From Fox News:

Phil Mickelson filed a lawsuit against an Internet service provider in Canada to learn the identity of a person who has been posting “vexatious statements” that the four-time major champion says is a deliberate attack on his reputation.
“I’m all for freedom of speech, but I won’t tolerate defamation,” Mickelson said Thursday after his opening round in the Phoenix Open.

The person or persons involved apparently have said that Mickelson’s wife had an affair and the he has fathered a child out of wedlock.

That’s not good. But it leads me to wonder about how the law works in Canada. Assuming Mickelson does obtain the name of the troll, what then? I’m no lawyer, but in the US, it seems to be fairly difficult for a public figure to obtain satisfaction. As I understand it, actual malice has to be proven. And while making such accusations may seem obviously malicious, it surely will be difficult to prove what’s in a person’s mind. The defense could argue that the suspect believed it to be true. And who is to say otherwise?

Good luck to Phil, though.

by guest blogger David F. Cline

Storing Your Cigars

So – your family and friends got you some cigars for Christmas, and while you were able to smoke one or two with the garage door open, the cold winter is preventing you from lighting up as much as you would like. What to do?

First of all, make sure you keep your cigars stored properly. If you don’t have a humidor, get one. The initial cost is worth the investment, and you will have peace of mind knowing you can keep your cigars stored for weeks at a time without them spoiling, drying out, or losing their flavor.

If you don’t have a humidor yet, get one. In a pinch, your local cigar shop will probably have plastic bags lined with a humidifying agent - that will work for the short term. Your best bet, depending on how many cigars you plan to keep at a time, is to invest in a good quality humidor. They are available online, and all good cigar stores should stock them. The key to a good humidor is properly seasoning it, then keeping the element moist. There are many options to choose from, from water pouches to crystal-filled tubes to the elements that come with most humidors. Find what works best for you, and check it periodically to make sure the inside of your humidor is not drying out.

As nice as it is to have a well-seasoned humidor full of cigars, that really is not the goal. After all, why have cigars if you don’t plan to smoke them? Ah, the chill of winter … but all is not lost. If your stogie preference is for a torpedo or robusto – five-inch or longer cigars with a ring gauge of 50 or 52 – you may want to get a few coronas of the same brand. Coronas are shorter and have a smaller ring gauge, so they won’t burn as long as other sizes – an advantage for cold weather days. Cigars with larger ring gauges allegedly have a deeper, richer flavor, but remember that each cigar has the same blend of tobacco. In other words, A Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Corona has the same blend as a Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Torpedo. The only difference is the size.

Speaking of Rocky Patel, have you taken part in any cigar auctions yet? I just picked up a 14-stick Rocky Patel sampler for $55 – less than half what I would pay in a cigar store. Give the auction sites a try – I think you will be pleased with the results.

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