Do Ads Have to be Everywhere?

Can't any activity be free of advertising anymore? The latest encroachment hit me Sunday while playing golf. I regularly use a cart because of bad feet and love the GPS units when they're available to give precise distance to the flag and hazards. I played Highland Meadows in Windsor and after driving and stopping to hit every shot, it didn't show the yardage, but was displaying an advertisement for some local outfit. I had to hit the "Show yardage" button on the display everytime in order to get rid of the ad.

I made a pact with myself that I would never do business with any company that interferes with the enjoyment of my round of golf. Take that!

The Girls Can Play

Some observations from attending the second round of the U.S. Womens Open Golf Championship today at Cherry Hills in Denver.

• I believe the average male golfer can get more out of watching the women play to help their game than watching men. Their slower tempo and lack of brute male strength show you how swinging harder is not the answer to making the ball go farther. Other than lack of familiarity with many of the women themselves, I'd rather watch a women's tournament live, than men.


• I'd give my left nut to play Cherry Hills just once. What a beautiful course and wonderful layout. I probably wouldn't break 100, but I'd love it anyway.


• Some definite hotties out there: Natalie Gulbis, Cristie Kerr, Karine Icher. Hard to tell if Gulbis came to play golf or a fashion shoot. She had on a completely matching mauve outfit and looked like she spent at least an hour on her appearance before even hitting the practice range.


• The fish don't listen. The 18th hole tees off over a lake that starts right in front of the tee box. Carrie Wood was just about set to hit her drive, the marshalls raise their hands for everyone to keep quite, when this fish flops up out of the water right in front of her. Twice. She still laced it right down the middle.


• Fairways & greens are the key to the Open. The rough is so bad that I saw no one go for a green after hitting it the rough. Stuff was just too long. Chip it out and hope to make a par putt.


• Most disappointing performace I saw was Laura Davies. Just two weeks ago she almost won the LPGA Championship. Today she was all over the course and finished her two days at +22. Most of the amateurs were better than that.


• I think the best place to watch one of these tournaments is to find a shady spot next to the green where you can sit and watch a bunch of players go through. Trying to follow one person is almost impossible since you can't get close to them around the tee box or green. You also have to deal with how they've roped off the course where you find yourself in a dead end as the course loops back around.


• I can't get over the number of teenagers in the field: Creamer, Wie, Pressel; and how well they play. You don't see that with the men.

Surprise, Surprise

Was anyone surprised by the Michael Jackson verdict? Not me, I predicted just this. I think he's guilty of molesting more than one young boy, but the evidence was not sufficient in this case. I would love to see film of the testimony of the accuser's mother. She must be a piece of work from the stuff you hear. Hope she goes back to the hole she came from, just like Jackson.

Can we now STOP reporting on this every night in the news. It's over, leave it, move on to something more important, like the Runaway Bride. Geez Louise.

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