Pierre Fulke, a three time European Tour winner is retiring from golf at the age of 36.

“I’m not tired of golf but I’m tired of the travel,” Fulke told the Swedish Golf Federation’s website. “It feels good to sleep in my own bed. Now it’s time to explore other areas in golf. I’m involved in several new projects in Sweden as a course designer.”

The article really doesn’t go into any more details of Fulke’s decision to quit, but what’s left unsaid speaks pretty loudly: It’s not all fun and games on the Tour. I imagine that unless you’re one of the elite players—with a private jet and a “posse” to serve at your beck and call—it can really wear on you. Trying to squeeze in as many eents as possible means that you are living out of your suitcase in an endless procession of hotel rooms and wasting much of your life waiting in line at airports.

I can see that after a while it would simply cease to be fun.

When I hit the lottery, these are the shoes I’m going to buy. For my money, Eccos are the best golf shoes made. But they’re a little pricey. And at $399.99, these are a LOT pricey.

Still, you apparently get what you pay for. The Ecco World Class Wing Tips combine leather, GoreTex and thermoplastic polyurethane to create a lightweight, flexible, long-lasting, breathable shoe.

I love the Eccos I bought last year and it would take a great deal of convincing to get me to go to another brand. But $399? Whew.

Another interesting product that I saw this past weekend at the Michigan Golf Show was called The Glove Grabber.

With a high strength nylon front and a velcro back, the Glove Grabber attaches to your bag and offers a tidy place to hang your glove as you head to the green with your putter. Just stick the velcro on your glove to the velcro on the Grabber.

The grabber also is available with a leather front.

You can order them individually, but where I think the Glove Grabber really shines is as a promotional product. You can buy them in bulk, get them printed with your logo and give them out at outings, trade shows or other events. Beats the heck out of those foam beer can sleeves.

Score a couple for the local clubs.

Inverness in Toledo (just an hour south of the spacious GolfBlogger World Headquarters) apparently is slated for the 2011 US Senior Open, while 2012 seems to be the year for Indianwood in Lake Orion, Michigan (an hour north of GB HQ).

This week’s tournament is the newly renamed Arnold Palmer Invitational at Palmer’s Bay Hill golf club in Orlando, Florida. Here are a few pix. More after the jump.

I saw a set of these on a trip to Golf Galaxy the other day, and was intrigued by their looks. They are, in many ways, miniature versions of the HiBore driver, with their scoop backs and the hollow construction on the longer irons.

Cleveland claims thet they’re the easiest irons they’ve ever made. And just by looking at them, I can believe it. Those wide soles are goign to prevent digging, and the hollow heads give a 28% larger hitting surface than traditional irons.

This is a set that I’d really like to try out. If someone has, I’d love to hear your reactions. Just leave a comment below.

My five year old loves to hit golf balls. And it’s telling that on the first decent day in March, he’s out in the front yard, hitting them.

So why is he wearing a bike helmet?

I asked that very question, and I quote his reply: “Because, Dad. If I hit a ball in the tree and it bounces back at me, I’m going to need it.”

There’s no way to convey the sound of exasperation in his voice as he had to explain yet another of his plans to his dense father.