Callaway Golf/CPGA Lesson Program

New state of the art golf clubs can help improve your game, but Callaway Golf is taking it one step further. Callaway has teamed up with the CPGA to offer a free 30-minute lesson to anyone who purchases a driver or iron set from the 2009 product line from a CPGA professional. To receive a lesson certificate, golfers must purchase a Callaway product between May 1 and July 31, 2009.

World-renowned golf coach, David Leadbetter, is spearheading the operation.

“The importance of instruction from a certified golf professional for players of all abilities cannot be overstated. The Callaway/CPGA lesson program was created to offer tangible benefits to help every golfer’s game.”

Many amateur golfers spend thousands of dollars on new clubs that they hope will improve their game, but neglect or are intimidated by seeking help from a professional. Lessons are expensive and usually hard to come by at times. Most golf clubs only have a single CPGA pro who most oversee hundreds of members throughout the shortened Canadian golf year.

Organizers of the program have set up a Website for golfers to validate their certificate and book appointments for lessons; www.mycallaway.ca/freelessons

The 2009 Canadian PGA lesson program is available at all Canadian Callaway Golf retailers.

So if you’re looking to upgrade your equipment this season, make sure to book your appointment with a CPGA pro near you.

Examiner Golf Guide

This past week the Peterborough Examiner published it's annual Golf Guide. It appeared on Wednesday and is full of great local golf information. There's a neat article on Steve Clancy and his vision to create a skins and fins event this year. Also be sure and grab a copy so you can check out the great tournament section where it runs down all the big events this coming summer. If you wish you can even read my article on "getting fit" for the upcoming season. Congratulations to the Examiner sports staff for once again putting together a great golf guide. Nice job. If you can't track down a copy you can always drop into the Examiner and I'm sure they will have some extra copies.

Pete

Alliance Golf Memberships

Tired of spending thousands of dollars on expensive golf memberships? Not only is the cost usually obscene to be a member at a golf club, the repetition of playing the same 18 holes all year long can leave you bored and unchallenged.

Kevin and Garrett Fitzgerald had a vision that would appeal to many golfers in 2007. They created Alliance Golf Memberships. It has created an opportunity for golfers in the Kawartha Lakes to have discounted green fees of up to 40% on numerous courses throughout the region.

Courses include:

Wolf Run Golf and Country Club
Lindsay Golf and Country Club
Whitetail Golf Club
Pine Crest Golf and Country Club
Baxter Creek Golf Club
Six Foot Bay Resort
Quarry Golf Club
Keystone Links Golf and Country Club
Warkworth Golf and Country Club
Salt Creek Golf Links

***And discounts for the On The Links Golf Tour and Ricarts***

AGM Membership Includes:

-Up to 40% off on green fees
-Online Access 365 days a year
-Last minute tee time bookings online
-Free online handicap tracker and shot tracker
-Full course details and contact information
-Free equipment testing
-course reviews by members

Registration is quick and easy online at http://www.alliancegolf.ca/ or call (705) 292 8065

Single members fees: $99.95
Couple members fees: $169.95
Junior (under 18): $49.95

Dundas Valley To Host 2009 Canadian PGA Women's Championship

The Canadian Professional Golf Association has announced that Dundas Valley Golf Club will host the 2009 Canadian PGA Women’s Championship. The tournament will begin on August 10th . The par 71, 6400 yard Stanley Thompson design will present a considerable challenge to the best female golfers in Canada.

The Niagara escarpment provides the backdrop for this picturesque championship course. The classic old-style setup presents some breathtaking views and terrifying shots. Consider yourself lucky if you find an even lie on this course. Downhill and uphill shots to well guarded greens make club selection a nightmare.

Assistant course superintendent, Alex Dickie, was ecstatic when he heard about the announcement.

“The tournament falls the weekend after our club championship….we will be conditioning the course for full championship playability. This is the biggest event that we have hosted since the 2004 CPGA Senior Men’s Championship.”

Dickie hopes that the exposure gained from holding this year’s event will skyrocket the private club’s rating.

“We want to get our course rated in the top 100….and in the next five years, the top 50. This event should put us over the top.”

If all goes well, Dickie sees no reason why the course shouldn’t be considered for the Men’s Amateur Championship in the future.

“The event that we eventually want to hold is the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.”

Course maintenance staff plan on letting the rough grow up to four inches, double mow and row the greens to add to the already difficult complexion of the golf course. Parking shouldn’t be an issue for the NIKE sponsored event, as a shuttle service could be made possible from nearby McMaster University in Hamilton.

Eventually, Dickie believes that the DVG could host the prestigious Canadian Open event given a few changes. They would have to initiate a “renaissance” plan that would convert their short nine-hole practice course into a 28 acre academy facility that would accommodate a driving range and an area for tents that are required for the open. The area is no stranger to hosting the tournament, as nearby championship courses include; Hamilton Golf and Country Club and Glen Abbey.

Sunday's Show

Be sure and join us Sunday at 10am for our second show of the season. We'll have On the Links Tour member Craig Williams on the show to talk about his quest to get his golf game on CBC's The Dragon's Den. We'll also talk with John Gordon of Club Link regarding a new Callaway Fitting Centre and Gary Morris will be along with another edition of Bam's in the Barn. This week Bam will interview Bob Dixon of Pine Crest Golf Club. Tune in and and enjoy.

Pete

On The Links Tour Dates Announced!!!

May 28th, 2009 @ The Quarry

June 11th, 2009 @ Six Foot Bay

June 25th, 2009 @ Timber Ridge

July 9th, 2009 @ Pine Crest

July 23rd , 2009 @ TBA-(Wolf Run, Tamarac, Bellemere Winds or Whitetail)

August 13th, 2009 @ Baxter Creek

August 27th, 2009 @ PGCC

September 15th, 2009 @ Wildfire-Wildfire includes green fee only. Cart $20/rider or
Fall Classic entry of $120 if you wish to take part in the full day.

Season Ending Banquet @ Ricky’s All Day Grill-TBA

***Most Tee times will be approx. 1pm. Tee times will be sent at least 3 days prior by email or call (705) 868-3575

Payment Options

Option #1 Pay in full for all 8 events and save. $525.00 for pre-April 30th registration. Receive a full registration gift pack including-Tour shirt, rain jacket and hat.

Option #2 First ½ of season-4 events for $249.00.
Or, Second ½ of season-4 events for $299.00. You will receive a full registration gift pack including-Tour shirt, rain jacket and hat.

Option#3 Tour trial membership: $75 registration and then pay as your play at each event. You will receive an On The Links shirt and hat.

***Please note Options #1 and #2 include green fee only at Wildfire. Carts, meals and gifting for the Fall Classic portion of the event will be charged the day of if you wish to participate in the full day.

Greg Warren

Sunday Should Be Fun

So Tiger is sitting well back at -4 going into the final round of the Masters. Tiger has never come from behind to win a Major. So there's always a first and playing in the same group as Lefty Phil might just give Tiger the fire in his belly that seems to have been missing so far this week.I'm sure it's been there all week but now it's ready to come out.

I think the boys at the top will fall back and the winning score at the end of the day will be -8. Tiger can get there.

So can Phil but I doubt he will. The Nike boys will be happy Sunday night because the winner is either going to be Tiger, Anthony Kim or Calgary's Stephen Ames.

I know I'm crazy, they are all at -4 right now but it's just a hunch. If it doesn't work out, no big deal, I can make this blog disappear real fast.

A Fond Farewell.....

A little wind wasn’t enough to stop the assault on Augusta National on day two. Well, if you ask Padraig Harrington, he may tell you otherwise. The winner of the last two majors was issued a penalty stroke when he addressed the ball while putting and a gust of wind carried it away three feet behind him.

Round one leader, Chad Campbell, had an up and down round, but still managed to cling to the lead after round two. He shot 2-under on the day. (70) Good enough to sit 9-under overall.

Kenny Perry’s sweet putting stroke and precision driving earned him a share of the lead after he shot a 5-under par. (67)

The day belonged to youngster Anthony Kim. After shooting a disappointing 75 in the opening round, Kim set the record for single round birdies at the Masters with 11. He shot the lowest round of the day and now sits in a tie for sixth position overall.

Friday can be an emotional day at the Masters. The cut line took its toll on two former champions who said goodbye to Augusta for the last time.

Three-time Masters’ winner, Gary Player, received a standing ovation as he walked to the 18th green alongside Canadian Steven Ames, ending a 52-year career at the tournament. He dropped to both knees in a praying position and looked up to the sky once he stepped foot on the green for the last time. He finished in last place.

Crowd favourite, Fuzzy Zoeller, won the Masters in 1979 and also was playing in his final Masters. Although, I am sure he will still be back for the free booze at the champions’ dinner next year at Augusta. A tip of the cap and a standing ovation set Zoeller on his way after he finished up on 18.

Greg Warren

The Masters?

Someone should have told Chad Campbell that he was playing the Masters this weekend. Clearly the hype and anxiety associated with arguably the most prestigious golf tournament in the world wasn’t an issue. Sunny, warm, no breeze and favourable pin positions allowed the world’s best players to open up and fire at will. This is not the kind of Masters that we are accustomed to. Many players voiced their concerns during cold and windy practice sessions saying that the course would play too difficult and that the winning score could potentially be over par.

Campbell breezed through the opening five holes of Augusta National. Five birdies in five holes. It didn’t stop there. The American cruised to nine-under par after 15 holes and flirted with the course record of 63, before stumbling in to the clubhouse with consecutive bogeys on the 17 and 18th holes to finish atop the leader board at 7-under par. (65)

Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan sit one stroke back in a tie for second after shooting a solid pair of 6-under (66) rounds to open the major.

The man with the best hat collection in golf, Shingo Katayama, sits in a tie for fourth position after a round of 5-under (67) with 50-year-old, 1987 Masters’ champion, Larry Mize.

It was a good day for the two Canadian golfers in the field.

2003 Masters’ winner, Mike Weir, eagled the 13th hole to finish at 4-under (68) for the day, good enough for a tie for sixth position after round one.

Stephen Ames eagled the second hole to get off to a good early morning start, but would eventually bogey four times throughout the round, which led him to a round of 1-over (73), putting him in a tie for 51st.

But, what about Tiger?

After a mediocre start, Woods caught fire on the back nine at Augusta. Woods has never shot a round under 70 in the opening round of the Masters. Birdies on 13, 14 and 15, salvaged a good round for the four-time green jacket recipient. He finished with a round of 2-under, (70) putting him in a tie for 20th.

Don’t expect the pin positions to be as generous tomorrow. The Augusta board of directors will ensure that the golfers return to reality.

Greg Warren

Show Debuts This Sunday

This Sunday is a big day. Not only will the Easter Bunny be visiting the Dalliday house bright and early but also two other big events will be happening. The first one of course is the season debut of On the Links Live. Air time is 10am and we can't wait to get on back to what we love doing best, talking about golf while sitting back enjoying a coffee and a donut ! This season Andy and I will be joined by our new OTL Insider Greg Warren. Greg will also be doing some writing for us and some blogging here as well. Greg's a great writer and will provide us with some great insight into what's going on with the CPGA, OPGA, The On the Links Tour and a lot more. We also hope that Wilf Hughes and Karl Lawson will be able to join us from time to time this summer as well.

Oh I almost forgot, the third big thing happening this Sunday is the final round of the best golf event in the world, The Masters in Augusta. I'm sure Tiger is going to win but if he doesn't then I think it might be a real shocker, perhaps a member of the over 40 club. Fred Couples, Mark Meara, Rocco ?? It's crazy I know, but it's not always the guy who hits it the longest, in fact it's the guy who hits it the least who wins !! Enjoy Masters week.

Pete