Nike’s flagship ball has been updated for 2007. It’s got a 408 dimple pattern for consistent ball flight and an outer mantle that’s designed to offer moderate spin off aggressive mid irons and more spin off short irons. Nike says that its Progressive Density Core is softer in the center and firmer toward the edge to reduce excess spin off the tee.

But all your really need to know is that Tiger plays a Nike ball.

Several news organizations are reporting that Arnold Palmer has agreed to serve as Honorary Starter at The Masters.

“I have the distinct and personal pleasure of saying that Arnold Palmer has accepted our invitation to become our honorary starter,” Augusta National chairman Billy Payne told reporters on Tuesday. “Arnold Palmer will once again be on the first tee at Augusta National, a place where he belongs.”

Palmer won the Masters in 1958, 1960, 1962 and 1964.

The first honorary starters at The Masters were Jock Hutchinson and Fred McLeod, who served from 1963 to 1973 (Hutchinson) and 1976 (McLeod). Gene Sarazen and Byron Nelson took over the role in 1981. Sam Snead made it a trio in 1984. Sarazen retired in 1999; Nelson in 2001; and Snead in 2002.

Palmer, now 77, played his last competitive round at The Masters in 2004.

Information Fairway offers a set of easy-to-use tools that let any course, league or event set up an informational website. I tried the demo, and it’s pretty neat. You really don’t need any web skills to create a site. The price is steep, though. Prices start at $100 annually for a ten page site.

On the eve of his 50th appearance at the Masters, Gary Player is still repeating his mantra about physical fitness.

When you compare Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, Player says, the two are in a virtual dead heat for the title of Greatest Player Ever.

The difference maker, he thinks will be in conditioning:

“Jack Nicklaus for a time in his life was extremely strong. His legs were just as strong as Tiger’s and he hit the ball the exact same distance if you gave him… the same equipment.

“But Jack Nicklaus’s body went on the wane, it deteriorated at a certain age, where Tiger Woods, his body is going to go on for a long time.”

Even at his age, Player has no intention of letting Father Time catch up to him:

“I go into the gym and I do 1,000 crunches and I put an 80-pound weight (on my chest) and I do some with an 80-pound weight,” Player said, slapping his flat stomach to punctuate the point.

If you doubt the impact that hosing a US Open—or any big golf tournament—can have on an area, consider this: Some private homes near the Oakmont course are renting for as much as $50,000 for the duration of the tournament.

For $50,000, they could have my house for a month .

I heard an interesting line the other day: That Augusta National is America’s Home Course.

Most of us will never play there, but thanks to The Masters, Augusta National is the course that is indelibly burned into our collective consciousness. When your average guy dreams of a golf course, it’s one with azaleas and dogwood and towering pines lining the fairways. It’s the Amen Corner and the Hogan Bridge. Every brook we encounter is Rae’s Creek; every driveway is Magnolia Lane.

My home course is a classic track that dates to 1899. It’s beautiful and challenging. But it’s still Augusta I dream of.