Some of the more hysterical members of the golf media have been speculating not only on whether Tiger will win the Grand Slam this year—but also whether he will magage to go undefeated.

The answer is a “no” to both, and I predict that the questions will be answered at the Masters. I think another dark horse will win it this year.

But just for amusement, lets take a look at Tiger’s remaining schedule. In addition to the Buick, the Dubai Desert Classic and the Accenture Match Play, which he already has played, Tiger has the following on his schedule:

The Arnold Palmer Invitational
WGC-CA at Doral
The Masters
The US Open
The AT&T National at Congressional
The British Open
The WGC at Bridgestone
The PGA Championship
The Target World Challenge

You can also safely assume that he will play in three or four of the FedEx Cup events: The Barclays, The Deutsche Bank, the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship. (In addition, he’ll appear at the Ryder Cup.) As a member of the PGA Tour, he has to participate in 15 Tour sanctioned events. So he will add as many as three more events which he has not yet announced.

The problem for Tiger is that there’s no breathing room. Every tournament he plays also attracts the other fifty best players in the game. If he has an off week (and EVERYBODY has an off week), and one of the others is hot, then he loses. I am reminded as I write this of the old Highlander movie: “There Can Be Only One!. There’s just one first place in each tournament, and there are a hundred guys who want it.

What he has going for him, though, is that the rest of the Tour is completely intimidated by him. So any time he’s in the hunt, you can be sure that more than a few are going to melt down.

I’d love to hear your predictions. Leave a comment below.

TaylorMade TP Black 12 Pack Golf Balls

I really liked the initial release of the TaylorMade TP Red golf balls. And now that they’ve updated them, I’m going to have to give them another try.

The new ball sports a new LDP (Low Drag Performance) dimple pattern, and a new core material that TaylorMade says offers faster ball speed and increased distance. The four piece design has a NdV4 core, a distance mantle that’s supposed to boost Coefficient of Restitution and initial velocity, a Feel mantle that softens impact, and a cast cover for “supreme shear-resistance.”

I find it interesting that many of the new high-end balls are now four-piece designs. I remember when three piece was the mark of a better ball. Can five piece be far behind.

Every guy of a certain age remembers the thrill of watching Steve McQueen evade his Nazi pursuers on a motorcycle in the classic movie “The Great Escape.” Based on the real-life mass escape of prisoners from Stalag Luft III during World War II, the movie had an all star, all-testosterone cast that included not only ultimate-guy Steve McQueen, but also James Coburn, James Garner, Charles Bronson, Richard Attenborough and Donald Pleasance.

It turns out that digging tunnels was not the only thing the prisoners did, and that their ingenuity was not all focused on making fake passports and other gear. They also made golf equipment and constructed a golf course with the permission of the commandant.

There’s an article in the Birmingham Mail about one of the surviving hand made golf balls from Stalag Luft III. It’s in a case in a course in England.

Callaway Big Bertha 2008 Women’s Iron Set

Callaway’s 2008 Women’s Irons are designed specifically for women’s swings and to be their most forgiving ever. This set breaks out of the mold by substituting the traditional 4- through 7- irons for I-Brids.  The I-brids are Callaway’s new hybrid-iron blend that feature extremely wide soles and a very low center of gravity to help women amateurs with their biggest problem: getting the ball in the air. The mid and short irons in the set are super-game improvement models with increased offset and a huge hitting area. The entire collection has been designed to offer a progression with consistent distance and optimal trajectories.

Women’s golf is an underserved market. It’s not enough to simply rebrand a men’s club and color it pink and blue. Women have specific swing issues and designers need to work on them from the ground up. It looks like Callaway has taken this approach.

Two years ago, The Ginns Open made news by granting a dying woman’s final wish: to see her daughter play on the LPGA Tour.

Hearing the story, Bobby Ginn extended an invitation to Dakoda Dowd, in spite of her being just thirteen years old. She didn’t disappoint; in the face of overwhelming pressure from television and the knowledge that she was playing for her dying mother, Dakoda shot a 74 and 82, just missing the cut. She and her mother were given a replica of the trophy as a keepsake of the event.

Kelly Jo Dowd died a year later at the age of 42.

Now, the people at Ginns have renamed the real trophy the Kelly Jo Dowd championship trophy. It’s a pretty moving tribute that is designed to bring attention to the need for self-examination, and to raise money for the breast cancer cause.

More here.

Here’s a video of a pneumatic golf ball shooter at work. The inventor claims that it can shoot 400 yards, and after seeing it punch holes in plywood, I believe it. You can find building instructions here.

TaylorMade Rossa Tourismo Putter

The Taylormade Rossa Tourismo Putter’s unique shape is designed to offer exceptional stability and forgiveness for straighter, more accurate putts. The ASGI insert on the putter’s face has fourteen groves which TaylorMade says helps to get the ball rolling more quickly and accurately toward the hole. Finally, the TaylorMade trademark Movable Weight Technology allows the players to change the putter’s feel.

I can attest to the ASGI’s effectiveness. The Rossa Corzina that I use is exceedingly accurate. The ball starts out on line and stays there. Unlike some other plain face putters I use, there’s no sense of initial deflection.