Posts Tagged ‘golf trivia’

5 Free Golf Winners in August

Congrats to Matt Kuchar who won The Barclays yesterday with an improbable playoff against Martin Laird.  It’s painful to watch a golf professional 3 putt from 25 feet, but reminds us amateurs how tough golf really is.

For the regular Houston Golf Nut readers (if you exist), you know that I have a man-crush on Tiger Woods and I optimistically picked him to win the British Open.  Okay, I was wrong there, but you have to admit he’s close.  If he had putted better on Friday and Saturday (and not hit that wayward opening tee shot on Saturday), Tiger would have been in contention on Sunday.

Most of the year, golf writers and media folks have been writing Tiger’s career off, like he may never even win again, much less beat Nicklaus’s major record.  Well, where is the same criticism when it comes to Phil?  Here’s a guy who is consistently picked to win tournaments week in and week out, who’s had a small myriad of chances to take over the #1 spot, and hasn’t succeeded.  He didn’t even make the cut this week.

Logically, how can they act like Mickelson walks on water (age 40) and Tiger might as well quit (age 34)?  Doesn’t make any sense to me.  Well, that ends my latest Tiger rant for the week.

Okay, now what you all have really visited the site for.  The August Trivia Contest has ended.  The question was:

In match play, through the green, a player accidentally kicks and moves his ball during search. Which one of the following is TRUE?

(A) The player incurs no penalty.
(B) The player incurs a one-stroke penalty and he must drop the ball within one club-length of its original position.
(C) The player incurs a one-stroke penalty and he must play the ball as it lies.
(D) The player incurs a one-stroke penalty and the ball must be replaced.

This Rules of Golf question and answer were pulled directly from the USGA.org site.  The answer is (D), according to Rule 18-2a:

18-2. By Player, Partner, Caddie or Equipment
a. General
When a player’s ball is in play, if:

(i) the player, his partner or either of their caddies lifts or moves it, touches it purposely (except with a club in the act of addressing it) or causes it to move except as permitted by a Rule, or

(ii)equipment of the player or his partner causes the ball to move, the player incurs a penalty of one stroke.

If the ball is moved, it must be replaced, unless the movement of the ball occurs after the player has begun the stroke or the backward movement of the club for the stroke and the stroke is made.

Under the Rules there is no penalty if a player accidentally causes his ball to move in the following circumstances:

• In searching for a ball in a hazard covered by loose impediments or sand, for a ball in an obstruction or abnormal ground condition or for a ball believed to be in water in a water hazard – Rule 12-1
• In repairing a hole plug or ball mark – Rule 16-1c
• In measuring – Rule 18-6
• In lifting a ball under a Rule – Rule 20-1
• In placing or replacing a ball under a Rule – Rule 20-3a
• In removing a loose impediment on the putting green – Rule 23-1

The winners were chosen at random from the 19 correct answers.  They are:

Carrie Rosado – Free Golf* at Bear Creek Golf World (for 2)
Paul Thompson – Free Golf* at Clear Creek Golf Club (for 1)
Russell Bancroft – Free Golf* at Fort Bend Country Club (for 1)
Brad Rochman – Free Golf* at Houston National Golf Club (for 2)
Joshua Long – Free Golf* at Longwood Golf Club (for 4)

Congrats to all the winners and thanks to everybody who entered.  If you’re not already on the Contest Notification list, please add your email address to be notified for future contests.

*some restrictions may apply

One Contest – Five Winners

New putting grip sweeping the nation

This is the last contest before Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer.  For many people, this means that their golf season is winding down.  Not for us Houstonians though!  For many of us, the end of the summer heat ignites a surge in weekend golf outings.

The August Trivia Contest will be unique in that there will be 5 (count’em 5) winners.  Out of all the correct entrants, the 5 winners will be chosen at random.

The prizes up for grabs are:

• Free Golf* at Bear Creek Golf World (for 2)
• Free Golf* at Clear Creek Golf Club (for 1)
• Free Golf* at Fort Bend Country Club (for 1)
• Free Golf* at Houston National Golf Club (for 2)
• Free Golf* at Longwood Golf Club (for 4)

Read the rules and enter the contest by clicking on the August 2010 Trivia Contest Link or click on the banner in the header bar.  Good luck!

*some restrictions apply

More Monday Golf Winners – Casual Water Trivia

From the personal front, I played a full round on Saturday and hit the ball pretty well but still had some blow-up holes which killed my score.  Which if I think about it, is where I was about 2 years ago.  Damn!

I feel like I’m close (again).  I’m still reverting to my over-the-top swing at times, but when I hit the ball well, it’s better than when I hit the ball well in the past.  Next week, I’ll post another update on my lessons at golfTEC.

This past trivia contest (July part 3) didn’t have a clear answer among entrants.  Let me refresh your memory:

Well, with all the rain the last few weeks, it’s only appropriate to clarify what qualifies as casual water.  Which is correct regarding casual water?

A) Overflow from a water hazard is not casual water.
B) Soft, mushy earth without water visible on the surface is casual water.
C) A ball lying in a pitch-mark through the green filled with water is in casual water.

About 50% voted for A and the other 50% voted for C.  According to the USGA Rules, the answer is C.  Here’s an excerpt from the corresponding Rules Decisions:

25/1  Soft, Mushy Earth
Q. Is soft, mushy earth casual water?
A. No. Soft, mushy earth is not casual water unless water is visible on the surface before or after the player takes his stance — see Definition of “Casual Water.”

25/2  Overflow from Water Hazard
Q. If a pond (water hazard) has overflowed, is the overflow casual water?
A. Yes. Any overflow of water from a water hazard which is outside the margin of the hazard is casual water.

25/3  Pitch-Mark Filled with Casual Water
Q. A player’s ball plugged deeply in short rough. No casual water was visible on the surface, but the pitch-mark in which the ball came to rest is filled with water. Was the player’s ball in casual water?
A. Yes.

Out of the correct entrants, 2 winners were chosen at random.  They are:

Robert Jones – Longwood Golf Club
Bryan Kinsler – Southwyck Golf Club

Congrats to both gentlemen!  Contest update: next Guess that Hole is August 17th; next Trivia is August 24th.  I’m introducing a new type of contest within the next week or so.

Omaha Steaks is sponsoring a golf contest in August.   Check back on Wednesday for details and there’s a surprise giveaway on Thursday at 11am CST.  Check back exactly at that time for more details and a chance to win.

More July Golf Trivia Winners

The winners of the 2nd July 2010 Trivia Contest are:

Zak Fehrmann (Blaketree National Golf Club winner)
BJ Rieck (Bear Creek Golf World winner)

Here’s a recap of the question.  Do you know that Oosthuizen employs a mind-training trick to help him with his concentration on the course? The idea came from sports psychologist Karl Morris. What technique is credited with helping Louis Oosthuizen win the British Open?

A) Focusing on a small red spot on his glove during his swing
B) Thinking of the taste of his favorite sandwich as he setup to the ball
C) Right before each shot, extending his left index finger off of the club
D) During his pre-shot routine, looking up into the clouds for 2 seconds to clear his mind

Here’s a quote from The Independent (author Steve Connor) that details the answer:

A small red spot on the glove of golfer Louis Oosthuizen is credited with playing a critical role in his winning of The Open Championship at St Andrews last Sunday. The coloured spot was a visible manifestation of the growing influence of psychology in sport – it was designed to help the 27-year-old South African concentrate on his swing in the crucial moments leading up to a shot.

The next contest is starting tomorrow, so come back soon.

Win Free Golf at Bear Creek and Blaketree

The new Houston Golf Nut golf trivia contest is now officially open.  Enter here. The prizes are free foursomes at Bear Creek and Blaketree National.  Pretty good indeed. Good luck!

1st July Trivia Winner

Sorry I’m running a little late today.  Usually, I try to post winners by late morning, but I was trying to forget all about the game of golf for a few hours after the horrendous round I shot yesterday I got wrapped up into some work things.  You know how it goes.

We have a winner for the 1st Golf Trivia Contest of July.  To refresh your memory, the question was:

A player’s ball comes to rest inside a paper cup on the putting green. Then, the wind moves the paper cup with the ball inside to a new position. What is the ruling?

(A) He must play the ball from its new position since wind is not an outside agency.

(B) He must replace the ball and cup to where they lay prior to the wind blowing them.

(C) He must lift the ball and place it as near as possible to the spot directly under the place where the ball lay inside the cup prior to the wind blowing it.

According to Rule 18 (Decision 18-1/7) of the Rules of Golf, the correct answer is (C).

Wind is not an outside agency. However, if an object being moved by the wind moves a ball, the object is an outside agency in the circumstances — see Decision 18-1/6. In this case, the bag, not the wind, caused the ball to move. Accordingly, under Rules 18-1 and 24-1b, the player must drop the ball directly under the place where it originally lay in the bag.

Read it and weep.  The winner, chosen at random from the pool of correct entrants, is:

Vince Bange

Vince is a long-time participant and 1st time winner.  Congrats!  And enjoy your free round of golf at Fort Bend Country Club.  I just played there last month and had a great time.

Keep an eye open tomorrow and the rest of the week.  A new Guess That Hole contest is opening shortly.

July 2010 Trivia

Okay, ready to win some more free golf?  Check out July’s Golf Trivia contest and enter to win a free round of golf at Fort Bend Country Club.  It’s a Rules of Golf question, so bring your thinking caps.

Play Like the 2nd Man

As noted in an earlier post, I haven’t been playing much lately because I’ve been working on new swing mechanics.  I mustered up enough courage to go out and give it the proverbial old college try.  Instead of Brock Park, ended up going to Gus Wortham.  You know that short par-3, Hole 8?  You have to clear some water.

One of my playing partners, Paul, hit a shot that landed short and rolled back.  We thought it for sure went in the drink, but no one saw the splash.  We went up there and the ball rolled into the most bizarre spot – under the wood but not quite in the water.  Safe to say that Paul took the penalty.

Another guy we were playing with, Michael Moore (although not the famous one), said one of the best lines I’ve ever heard.
He said, “We need to play like the 2nd man.”
I asked, “Who’s the 2nd man?”
Mike answered, “You know when you hit a shot off the tee that sucks, and you get pissed off, so you tee up another ball, and you just walk up to it and knock it without thinking.  And that shot always ends up in a great spot… That’s the 2nd man.”

Golf course wisdom at its finest.

Now for the winners of the 3rd June Trivia Contest.  The question was:

The current format of the U.S. Open is four 18-hole daily rounds.  In the past, the U.S. Open used different formats, including 36 holes played on each of two days and 18 holes on each of two days then 36 holes on the third day.  What year did the present format of four 18-hole daily rounds begin?

The answer from the U.S. Open website is (http://usga.usopen.com/2010/history/index.html):

The format of the U.S. Open has changed several times. The USGA extended the championship to 72 holes in 1898, with 36 holes played on each of two days. In 1926, the format was changed to 18 holes played each of two days, then 36 holes on the third day. In 1965, the present format of four 18-hole daily rounds was implemented for the first time.

The winners, chosen at random from the correct entrants, are:

Brent Paugh – One Free Round of Golf at Clear Creek Golf Club
Robert Rosado – Free Foursome with Cart at Blaketree National Golf Club

Next contest is starting Tuesday, July 6th. Grip it and rip it over the holiday.

New Golf Trivia Contest

Do you want to see how it feels to win the U.S. Open?  Okay, maybe not that cool, but the winners of the latest and greatest Houston Golf Nut golf trivia contest will win either a free round at Clear Creek Golf Club or a free 4some at Blaketree National Golf Club.

Enter the contest here.  Maybe you’ll get your name on the Houston Golf Nut Winner’s List who have won over 60 rounds of free golf in the Houston area!

I Know a Good Therapist

Can I have a do-over?

Remember that scene in Dumb & Dumber where Jim Carrey is about to be assaulted by Sea Bass in the gas station bathroom?  Resigning to the fact that he’s about to be molested, Jim Carrey huddles in the corner of the stall, sucks his thumb, and whispers like a broken record to himself, “Find a happy place… find a happy place… find a happy place…”

Is that what Dustin Johnson went through yesterday?  We’ve seen some major meltdowns before, but the only way it could have gotten worse is if he actually shit his pants and had to walk around with the stain in his shorts all day.

Maybe that’s the one (and only) thing that NASCAR has in common with golf.  In NASCAR, fans are enamored with the possibility of a car wreck.  In golf, like we witnessed yesterday with Dustin Johnson, it’s the same thing.  You can’t help but peek between your fingers at a train wreck.

PREDICTION:  Don’t forget you heard it here first.  Tiger Woods will win the 2010 British Open at St. Andrews.  We saw a glimpse of the real Tiger on Saturday with a stunning 31 on the back nine.  He’s close.  Even as “poor” as he’s playing (relative only to his own legacy), he still came in 4th and tied with FIGJAM.  His “poor” would be a career tourney for most players.

The correct answer for the June Trivia Contest Part 2 is (B) Jack Nicklaus.  Easy as pie.  Over 30 people got it right.  Out of the correct entrants, the 2 winners chosen at random are:

Adrian Garcia – One Free Round of Golf at Fort Bend Country Club

Andy Walsh – One Round of Golf with Cart for Four Players at Houston National Golf Club

The next trivia contest opens up tomorrow, so check back then for the new contest.