My friends at the Golf Instruction Courses have done some research on amateur swing speeds and tempo times at a local (Michigan) best ball golf outing. There’s a lot of data in the post and I found it very interesting reading.

Among the findings:

  * Swing speed range for men was 79 mph to 122 mph with the average being 105.
  * Swing speed range for women was 71 mph to 94 mph with the average being 79 mph (Note: only 7 ladies participated in the measurement survey).
  * Tempo time range for men was 0.78 sec to 1.40 sec with the average being 1.03
  * Tempo time range for women was 0.88 sec to 1.47 sec with the average being 1.28 sec.
  * The longest drive for men, approximately 270 yards, came from a swing speed of 109 mph with a tempo time of 1.14 seconds.
  * The longest drive for women, approximately 215 yards, came from a swing speed of 94 mph with a tempo time of 0.88.

Read the rest of the post.

Jerry Sullivan of the Buffalo News writes that Michelle Wie is a most unusual rookine on the professional golf tours—and one that the LPGA desperately needs.

It’s hard to see her as a rookie. Wie is too young to buy alcohol or rent a car, but people act like she’s a has-been. Wie is in her first year on tour, and it feels like a comeback.

Wie is no longer being invited to play with the men. She hasn’t won an LPGA event. She failed to qualify for the women’s U. S. Open for the first time in six years. But if it were any other rookie, fans would marvel at her raw talent.

What Michelle Wie has to do is to learn to win—a tough task on the professional golf tours. Lots of players hit the ball long and straight, and yet don’t seem to be able to take home a trophy. But she no doubt has the talent.

I hope to see her in person at the Jamie Farr in Toledo this week. Perhaps I’ll be able to see all that talent on display.

Its likely no surprise that Tiger Woods is the odds on favorite to win his own tournament this week at the AT&T National at Congressional Country Club. What I how little action the others are getting. Jim Furyk is the second favorite at 16/1, Hunter Mahan at 18/1, then Paul Casey, Sean O’Hair, and Anthony Kim at 22/1.

I like Anthony Kim this week.

Read the rest of the post to see the complete odds for the AT&T National, provided courtesy of Bodoglife.Com, the world’s largest online sports betting destination.

Ashworth Freeport Watch

It seems as though clothing manufacturer Ashworth now produces watches.

Just a thought as I once again ascend the grassy knoll:

Michael Jackson was $400 million in debt, and reports were that due to various illnesses he was unable to sing and dance. No singing, no dancing. No Income. What better way to get out of it all than to fake your death. A couple of plastic surgeries to make him look normal and no one would ever know.

My guess is that he’s currently in Kalamazoo, sharing an apartment with Elvis and Tupak.