Archive for April, 2009

Golf Course Has The Most Amazing 19th Hole Ever Seen

If you had to pick just one guy to make a par on the world's longest par 3, for me, it would have to be Padraig Harrington. This tough Irish pro loves adverse playing conditions and even tougher golf courses. And he proved it by being the very first golfer to par the most bizarre par 3 hole golf hole I have ever seen! It's right out of Loyal H. Chapman, Fantasy Golf Holes series only this golf course and hole are real.

This hole they call the "19th" hole is part of the golf course at Legends Golf & Safari Resort , located on the Entabeni Safari Conservancy in the Waterberg Region of the Limpopo Province of South Africa. It's their signature hole and is officially the world’s longest and highest par three.

After playing a round on the featured golf course there you can elect to play their 19th hole. After reaching a teeing ground at the top of Hanglip Mountain (named for it's sheer dropoff and reachable only by helicopter), a dizzying 1,410 above the fairway, you are faced with some 830 metres or about 600 yards straight down to an African Continent shaped green. Hang time for a well-hit tee shot is estimated at between 25 and 30 seconds before either landing on the green or in the transition area surrounding the green.

Your average thrill-seeking golfer can play this golf course and bizarre hole in addition to the standard round of 18 holes, or as a stand-alone golf experience on its own, and a hole-in-one on this golf course will earn you one million US dollars! Mr. Harrington joins some esteemed company of well-known international golfers who have all designed holes at this golf course in Africa; Trevor Immelman, Bernard Langer, Colin Montgomerie, Justin Rose, Vijay Singh, K J Choi and Retief Goosen have each designed a hole at Legends GC.

Conceived by Graham Cooke of the UK, endorsed by CEO, Peet Cilliers, and designed by David Riddle, the Extreme 19 is a truly unique and unforgettable golfing experience and a great place for a golf vacation for the golfer who has done it all.

Fit And Fat?

Yep, it's a proven fact. All you need to do is look at some of the bigger players on your favorite NFL team to know that while these big guys might appear to be fat they are actually fit as a fiddle! And most of these guys can sit down at the trainers table and test well within normal ranges for blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure! By the way, I would never call an NFL player FAT, not if I want to live, I refer to them as BIG and it seems to be ok.

Size Doesn't Matter

At least when it comes to fitness! And, it turns out that those skinny little wide receivers are more prone to heart disease than their blocking buddies! It's enlightening (and encouraging, in a weird way) to discover that almost 25% of thin people are more prone to heart disease than their overweight brethren.

Fit And Fat?

All you need to do is look at some of the bigger players on your favorite NFL team to know that while these big guys might appear to be fat they are actually fit as a fiddle!

Size Doesn't Matter

When it comes to fitness, and it turns out that those skinny little wide receivers are more prone to heart disease than their blocking buddies!

2009 was the 52nd Masters for Gary Player, the South African and three-time Masters Champion. He says it will be the last and that spells the end of an era for this boomer golf enthusiast. Gary Player has been a part of my life in golf for almost as long as he has been playing. Goodbye, and thanks for the great golf memories, Gary!

So, what does it mean when you don't recognize most of the names on the PGATour? You can't take the club past parallel any more, you take a cart more than you walk 18 holes, you flush a drive and it goes 240 yards, and the 19th hole is a jacuzzi? Well, just like Mr. Player, everyone reaches a point where they are happy to let the youngsters have their stage. I don't mind, this boomer is still swinging.

I was looking for the video that this article on Fox Sports conveyed about his final two rounds, the standing O's for each of 36 holes, etc. But I do have this nice video which recaps his three wins at the Masters.

Funny thing about the Marines. As much as you think you hate it when you are in it, you tend to only remember the good times when you are no longer a part of it and woe the person who says a bad word about MY Marine Corps! Then, when you first step that un-booted foot on the civilian shore again your new concept of freedom takes on a life of it's own. Suddenly you can eat what you want, stay in the rack as long as you want, grow your hair down to your butt if that's what makes you happy and all sorts of un-marine things.

Naturally, this sort of attitude has great potential for disaster – and brother did I ask for it! All of a sudden I turn around and I am a FAT 55 year old capable of being weighed accurately only by a truck scale out on the interstate! Seriously, at 5'-9" tall and close to 400 lbs. that is nothing short of blobsville.

Long story short, self-esteem goes down the tubes, depression leads to eating, eating leads to depression, a cycle you can ride straight to hell if you aren't careful – and on this hog a helmet won't help! At the point where I thought I had reached bottom I discovered the book, Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution and saw light at the end of the tunnel. If I had learned anything at all about my yo-yo battle with weight over the years since leaving the Corps I had forgotten it and then it hit me; everything I had put in my mouth up to that point had done absolutely nothing for me but make me unhappy, why not try something new?!

And when I went through my Mother's losing battle with cancer my stress relief was eating. I am paying for that now but believe me, it's never too late to change, no matter what your age or condition. I have already lost a 120 pounds but a guy as big as me can lose that in no time.