TaylorMade Rossa Giallo Inza Putter - New for 2007 !

I’ve seen these putters in play on several occasions recently, both on the course and on television. They’re weird looking, but like all of the strangely designed clubs, the goal is to maximize moment of intertia (resistance to twisting). The Inza also features TaylorMade’s ASGI anti-skid grooves on the face. These grooves are supposed to get the ball rolling sooner, producing a putt that stays on line.

There’s a new golf movie out: Who’s Your Caddy.

It looks horrible. You can see the trailer below:

Much will be made this week about the first appearance of the British Women’s Open at the Old Course and of the admitting of ladies to the R&A Clubhouse. It is, however, not quite the same thing as admitting a woman at Augusta.

The difference is that, unlike American courses, St. Andrews (and indeed, many Scottish courses) is owned by the town. Calling the course home are a number of clubs, including the R&A, the St. Andrews Golf Club, the “New” Club, the Thistle, the 19th Hole, the St. Regelus Ladies Golf Club, and the Ladies Putting Club of St. Andrews, which plays on the nearby Himalayas course. Each club organizes players, holds competitions and stakes out a claim to tee times.

So the R&A’s men’s only restrictions don’t have any real effect on the course. Lots of people play there who aren’t members of the R&A.

Unlike men’s only clubs like Burning Tree, women have been playing at St. Andrews for centuries. Mary, Queen of Scots played there back in the 1500s. (Her golf habit factored into her ultimate demise, as her subjects were distraught that she was playing golf while she should have been mourning for her husband.)

In more recent history, the Scottish Ladies Championship was first played there in 1903, and has returned on eight occasions. The St. Rule Trophy event has been held at St. Andrews since 1984. There has been a St. Andrews’ Junior Ladies Open since 1989.

It’s significant that this is the first tournament at St. Andrews that includes professional women. But its not really breaking any new ground for women’s rights.

DRIZZLE STICK Umbrella

I’ve seen these mini umbrellas in a number of pro shops and always thought they were kind of silly. But I was recently playing in an outing when it started to rain. I dug in my bag, got out the rain hood and started snapping it on; it was a pain. My partner, on the other hand, just opened this thing up easy as pie. His clubs stayed dry, yet it was easy for him to get them out of the bag. Best of all, they’re cheap ... around $12. I got one.

Congratulations Natalie for winning the Evian Masters.

For several years now, Natalie Gulbis has been one of the top players in women’s professional golf. In 2006, she placed sixteenth on the money list, and over the past three years has had twenty top finishes. And with her pinup swimsuit calendars, Natalie is one of the most recognizable players on tour.

But she hasn’t been able to pull off a win. With her incredible looks, she was in danger of becoming golf’s Anna Kournikova.

No more. At this past weekend’s Evian Masters, Gulbis shot a final round of two-under-par 70 for a four-under 284 total to get into a playoff with Jang Jeong. Gulbis got a birdie on the first extra hole for the win.

Now that the monkey is off her back, I think you can expect to see Natalie make regular appearances in the winners’s circle.

Congratulations Natalie!

CALLAWAY Lady FT-i Neutral Driver with Graphite Shaft

Callaway’s square headed driver now is available in a ladies model.

Here are the latest odds for the 2007 PGA Championship, provided courtesy of Bodog.Com, the world’s largest online sports betting destination.

It’s an interesting list. Tiger’s on top, of course, but I don’t think he’s going to win this one. Remember that Nicklaus went through a couple of years of Majors drought. It could be time for Tiger’s.

I like the field. It wouldn’t surprise me to see a relative unknown come out of the blue and win this one.