Note to Nike's Ad Men: Bo Knows Golf Too!

Suppose you were already considered to be one of the very best at whatever it is you do. Would that be enough to soothe your ego and competitive spirit? Or would you still maniacally strive for "elite" status in some other pursuit as well?

There's feature story in Golf Digest November issue that illustrates how _ for some stellar athletes in America's popular sports _ enough is never enough. They're serious enough about their golf games to maintain USGA Handicaps, and boldly share them with the public.

Here’s a sampling of some of the report's notables in order of handicap (note: handicaps without a decimal point are unofficial estimates).

1) Jerry Rice (plus -0.7) - How many of us are surprised that someone as competitive as Jerry considers par a bad score?

2) Livan Hernandez (0) - Cuban-born baseball pitcher aspires to play on tour: Any chance he’ll tee it up with Fidel?

3) Penny Hardaway (2) - NBAers are arguably the best athletes on the planet, so no wonder Penny’s prowess has translated to the links.

4) Clyde Drexler (2.7) - This NBA Hall of Famer now gives new meaning to "The Glide".

5) Michael Jordan (3) - Introduced to the game by fellow Tar Heel, Davis Love, III, he attends every Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup and started making golf "cool" before Tiger came along.

6) Ronde Barber (3.4) - While his twin brother Tiki attends production meetings for his TV gig, Ronde is chipping and putting.

7) Marshall Faulk (4) - During his stint as an Indianapolis Colt, Marshall was a member at Indy’s Donald Ross-designed Broadmoor Country Club.

8) Ray Allen (4.8) - He’ll wax you in a 3-point shooting contest and a long drive contest as well.

9) Emmitt Smith (6.0) - Ol' Twinkle Toes is breaking 80 on a regular basis.

10) Jason Kidd (6.6) _ Now we know why he sought the warmer climes of Texas.

11) Doc Rivers (6.7) _ Maybe success stems from exchanges with the Celtics' top players brass on the course.

12) Reggie Jackson (7) - And we thought classic cars were his only passion.

13) Stephon Curry (7.6) - A sharpshooter's range extends beyond the hardwood.

14) Marcus Allen (8) - A rare talent who, at times, makes ball-striking looks as fluid as toting the rock for long gains.


15) Jerome Bettis (8) - There's hope for the ‘big-boned’!

16) Ozzie Smith (8) - Check your pockets before playing The Wiz for skins.

17) Bo Jackson (9.9, top left) - All together now, “Bo knows golf!”

18) Freddy Adu (11) - Some may fear he'll turn out to be the over-hyped Ty Tryon of soccer, but this budding star keeps his eye on the ball.

19) Jason Taylor (11) - Shares Emmitt's propensity to age well, dance capably, grind on the gridiron and finesse the fairways.

20) Jim Rice (11.6) - Mr. Personality? No. Mr. Three-putt? Not suitable either.

21) Terence Newman (12) - He’d better not play his QB Tony Romo for any money, though.

22) Shane Victorino (12) - Probably the only one on the list who takes the game for granted – he’s a native Hawaiian.

23) Rod Carew (12.4) - Supreme hand-eye coordination in his days as a batting leader, so go figure.

24) Bill Russell (14) - How’s this for a dream foursome: Russell, Doc Rivers, Ray Allen & John Havlicek

25) Julius Erving (14.9) - Dr. J may be the only one on this list who owns his own golf course and, in fact, Dr. J’s course may have the highest slope rating of ANY course in Georgia, public or private.

26) LaDainian Tomlinson (15) - See: Jerry Rice (below).




27) Sugar Ray Leonard (16) - like fellow pugilist, Joe “The Brown Bomber” Louis before him, Sugar Ray is a golf fanatic and a very accomplished player.

28) Antwaan Randle El (17) - Talk about well-rounde: the ARE got a ton of consideration for the Heisman, played hoops for Bobby Knight and started in centerfield while at I.U.

29) Alonzo Mourning (18) - At 6’10”, he won’t be playing any clubs “off the rack”

30) Jason Campbell (19) - The 'Skins star QB can play ‘bogey golf’ with the best of them.

31) Chris Paul (20) - Former Wake Forest hoopster has a lot of past and present Demon Deacon golfers to glean tips from.

32) Shane Battier (20.1) - May have bragging rights amongst former Blue Devil players.

33) C.C. Sabathia (25) - Wonder if he wears his golf visor tilted ever-so-slightly to the side also.

34) Darryl Strawberry (25) - He and Doc Gooden could have sorely used this diversion during their Mets days.

35) Derek Jeter (35) - Building a monstrosity of a home in Tampa, so there had better be a chipping/putting area somewhere in the compound.

36) Charles Barkley (36) - Believe it or not, Sir Charles used to have mad game; in the words of Ricky Ricardo...'Wha'happen?!?!'

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Adidas Smells More of Rose's Marketing Potential

Pardon the South African golfer, Justin Rose, if he’s not updating his personal blog as often as usual.
His latest dispatch reads: “I’m currently in the Algarve playing the Portugal Masters”.
After rising from 114th place in the 2008 FedEx points standings to 85 in ’09, Rose is still criss-crossing the globe in hopes of surpassing the $1,047,854 in prize money he earned last year. At press time, PGAtour.com listed Rose’s ’09 earnings as $918,718. By the time he turns 30 next July, the fifth-year pro’s play will have carried him over the $10 million mark.
And that’s not including endorsements.
Apparently, Adidas thinks Rose’s future is so bright that he’s gotta wear shades. They’re shades.
This week the brand announced that it’s releasing its first collection of golf-specific sunglasses _ called “retego” _ which Rose helped design.
The eyewear can be customized to suit special vision needs, and comes standard with a lens tint intended to enhance the contrast between the ball, the turf and the target.
They weigh a feathery one-ounce, and carry a hefty ($140-&190) price tag.
We presume Rose get around, eventually, to mentioning them on his blog.

Fore!BlackGolfers Links Up With 19th Hole

There was considerable build up for The 19th Hole Magazine’s “Golf Rocks” Reception/Fashion Show/Party over the weekend, and the affair was definitely “as advertised”. The magazine and web site’s founder, Ian Paul Lawrence, most certainly has a flair for the aesthetically pleasing. Guests were treated to sensory overload at every turn.
From the Grey Goose open bar to numerous, gorgeous models sporting some sexy-but-tasteful golf apparel, to various stations featuring interactive golf activities. All the bases were covered.
The venue was the Primal club in Midtown Atlanta, which you can easily liken to a labyrinth with it’s interesting array of dance floors, bars and lounges on several levels. Much of the discussion overheard centered around how well presented and well attended the function was. We look forward to many more top-notch offerings from the folks over at The 19th Hole.
--Contributed by George Burnette

If you haven't already heard of Atlanta-based 19th Hole Magazine, take note of its growing presence and elevated taste level.
The glossy devoted to style on and off the course hosted a raucous party at Midtown's Primal lounge to re-emphasize it's commitment to quality, and a quirky approach to the game.
Take a quick look at the exclusive interview that FBG correspondent George Burnette conducted with 19th Hole publisher Ian Paul Lawrence. We welcome your response...

'Neo-Nazi' Pelts Black Couple with Golf Balls

Who says the game of golf isn't 'inclusive'?
An African-American couple in placid Port Huron, Mich. would beg to differ...and get a reprieve from whoever it is that has been pitching swastika-festooned golf balls onto their property.
Word's begun spreading worldwide that some cowardly knuckle-dragger'(s')idea of a good time is peppering a black family's domicile with balls crudely colored with slurs, black face caricatures and Nazi symbols.
The police have gotten involved, reportedly, and narrowed down some 'persons of interest'. But no hate-crime arrests have been made yet, and a neighbor of the offended _ who also happens to be one of the few blacks living in the area _ is wondering why racially insensitive range balls are winding up in his yard as well.
To make matters worse, the Associated Press reports that the Secret Service is now involved in the investigation of a 10x10 imprint of a Swastika carved next to the name Obama on the 18th hole of a Massachusetts course over the Columbus Day weekend.
If the game has a hateful tinge to it of late, the situation's not helped by the fact that the influential Politico.com recently ran a banner headline decrying: "Obama golfs fourth week straight".
If this trend continues, can some incident where a golf "fan" shouts words of racist derision while Tiger's in his back swing be far in the offing?
Photo: Port Huron Times Herald

Olympic Golf in Rio?: Hello, Sand Wedge!

Just as we suspected, the news that golf's won Olympic designation in time for the 2016 Olympics in Rio Di Janeiro, Brazil has landed with a resoundingly muddy thud. Who in the world cares?
Will there really be any drama left in the sport if Tiger Woods has or hasn't eclipsed Jack Nicklaus in major tournament victories by then?
Beyond that, there's the bigger question of what course the 2016 Olympic golfers (60 men and 60 women) will play on fir the 72-hole, stroke-play event.
Fore!BlackGolfers' research prior to the announcement is being confirmed by other media outlets who believe Brazilian courses that even casual visitors would describe as "decent" are few and far between.
This gives rise to the question of who'll design an Olympic-caliber course in Brazil now that one's sorely need. According to reports, a spokesperson for the Golden Bear has already raised a territorial paw on his behalf.
Any thoughts?
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Photo: Flickr.com

Jordan's cigars have S.F. in a huff

Since the Europeans are likely to get smoked yet again by America's best in the Presidents Cup tourney playing out this weekend at the Bay Area's Harding Park course, the golf press needed something to light a fire under fans to hold their interest.
They may have found it, temporarily, in the overblown fuss some San Franciscans made over NBA legend Michael Jordan's annoying habit of puffing his stogie smoke at will during the Pro-Am practice round.
According to Reuters, the park's head ranger,Phil Ginsburg, even went so far as to warn the PGA that Jordan's not welcome if he insists on lighting up during the event.
Jordan was installed as a "special assistant" to the U.S. team led by his close friend and fellow Nike pitchman, Tiger Woods. And the event's organizers are Harding Park should be glad to have him, cigars or not, just to infuse some much needed hype to this foregone conclusion of a "championship".
But what do I know? I'm not a cigar-smoker.
Special Fore!BlackGolfers correspondent George Burnette is, however, and here's how he weighs in...
"Stogies are part of golf's appeal; especially if you're in the fairway. I can imagine how someone may be bothered by the smoke sitting next to a cigar smoker in the stands, however. Frisco is a bastion of big government control, though.I'm surprised anyone can smoke anything within 20 miles of San Fran. I can deal with M.J.'s stogies. But I CANNOT deal with the gaudy hoop earrings!"
Agree or disagree?
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Photo: Yahoo News

Tiger Woods' billion-dollar legacy

Tiger Woods’ 2009 leap over the $1 billion benchmark for career earnings qualifies him as the single greatest African-American athlete of all time.
Or does it?
Is the barrier Forbes.com reports that Woods shattered any mightier than those conquered by Joe Louis, Jesse Owens, Jackie Armstrong, Arthur Ashe or Cassius Clay?
He’s a fascinating character, yes. But if we spend too much time fixating on Tiger’s mounting fortune and chase of a record number of Major golf titles, we’ll run the risk of forgetting the black sports pioneers who blazed the trails to greatness more than a century ago.
Oliver Lewis may qualify as the original black sports hero; in 1875, he rode a little brown pony named Aristides to victory in the very first Kentucky Derby. The son of slaves was 19 at the time, and his earnings amounted to little more than the cost care and feeding of a thoroughbred he regularly bunked with. Over the first two decades decade of the Derby, black boys as young as 15 would dominate in the event.
But, somehow, starting in the 1920s, black jockeys were exiled from the sport. Not until the year 2000 when Marlon St. Julien rode, was there a black jockey entered. Will the same sort of conspicuous absence strike golf once Tiger’s had his run? Forbes projects him to become a multi-billionaire before his career’s through.
Wouldn’t it be a shame if decades passed by before any other black golfer makes competitors on the PGA tour fear the sound of his gallop up the leader board?






Photos: Smithsonian.com,