Tiger Woods has posted a message on his website about his recent affairs. Tiger Woods says he is taking an indefinite break from professional golf. He also apologizes for his infidelity.
I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children. I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness. It may not be possible to repair the damage I've done, but I want to do my best to try.
I would like to ask everyone, including my fans, the good people at my foundation, business partners, the PGA Tour, and my fellow competitors, for their understanding. What's most important now is that my family has the time, privacy, and safe haven we will need for personal healing.
After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person.
Again, I ask for privacy for my family and I am especially grateful for all those who have offered compassion and concern during this difficult period.
Over the past couple of weeks we have learned that Tiger Woods was repeatedly unfaithful to his wife and had affairs with at least a dozen women including porn stars. It isn't a surprise that he is taking a break. It won't be good for professional golf to lose its star but it is likely better for the sport in the long run if he takes a break and repairs his image, his personal life and his health before returning. Some of Tiger Woods sponsors are already using Tiger's exit as a chance to drop him.
CNN's Rafael Romo reports that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has declared war on the game of golf. Hugo Chavez thinks golfers are lazy. Chavez is seizing golf courses in Venezuela in order to turn them into public housing projects. Venezuela still has 23 golf courses but they are risk of being taken over by Chavez. Take a look:
Nullarbor Links is the World's Longest Golf Course
Nullarbor Links is the world's longest golf course. The 18-hole par 72 golf course will span 1,365 kilometers with one hole in each participating town or roadhouse along the Eyre Highway, from Kalgoorlie in Western Australia to Ceduna in South Australia. Each hole includes a green and tee and a somewhat rugged outback-style natural terrain fairway. Hazards include
You can find more information and photos of the course on the official website.
Golf will be returning as an Olympic sport for ths first time since 1904 at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Golfers are excited about the chance at a gold medal. It is also exciting for fans. It should be interesting to see golfering competing for such a huge non-monetary prize. Too bad we have to wait until 2016.
Tiger Woods said, "I think it's great for golf. It's a perfect fit for the Olympics and I think we are all looking forward to golf getting into the Olympics."
The key to designing the perfect golf ball is all in the dimples. Today's golf balls have between 250 and 400 dimples. Reuters reports that a Japanese rubber company has found a way to create the perfect golf ball with the optimal dimple pattern using complex computer software. The company doesn't yet have the solution but they believe they will eventually find it.
Media Life reports that Travel + Leisure Golf magazine will be folding. They say the ad pages for the publication plunged 14% in 2008 and 54% in the fourth quarter of last year.
"While the award-winning editorial product has enjoyed a loyal and passionate following, the current advertising climate has severely impacted the magazine's bottom line to where the short-term and mid-term prospects for the magazine are not viable," president and CEO Ed Kelly said in a statement.
The combination of the Internet and a recession is making print magazine closures a common thing but it's still sad when a good magazine is lost. The publication's website can be found here.
CNN's Jeanne Moos takes a look at President-elect Barack Obama's golf game. There is a lot of pressure on the presidents when they are playing golf because they are scrutinized so closely by the press. But if they can't handle a little pressure on their golf game then they probably aren't ready to be the President. Obama's golfing and Hawaii trip has been a boon to the Hawaii tourism industry.
Golf Course Designed by Jack Nicklaus in Neiman's Christmas Book
One of the items in this year's 2008 Christmas Book from Neiman Marcus is a golf course custom designed by Jack Nicklaus. The entry says Jack Nicklaus will study topography, aerial photos, and landscape maps for the site, then send his team to survey the property. It says Nicklaus will create a formal design plan and color renderings for up to three holes and a practice area. Your construction crew will do the building with supervision from Jack's world-class design team. When your course is ready Jack Nicklaus will even stop by to play the first round with you, personally. He'll sign his club and ball for your collection and throw in a custom set of Nicklaus clubs, including a personalized bag.
It sounds amazing and traffic but the price tag is out of this world too at a cool $1 million. The $1 million does not include construction and site preparation costs.
You can see more of the goodies in this year's Neiman Marcus book here on ShoppingBlog.com.
Speed golf is a new twist on golfing that combines running and golf.
A standard 18-hole golf course is used. In the video below, the AP says the goal is still to shoot the lowest score but you also want to do it in the shortest amount of time. Speed golf is clearly much better exercise and much faster than regular golf. It would be easier if you didn't have to carry your bag of clubs around. It sounds like a golfing marathon or golf fitness as the Golf Nut calls it. You can read some rules here on speedgolfinternational.com. You can read a Wikipedia entry here.
The Wall Street Journal has an article that says you know gas prices are high when Texans start driving golf carts. The vehicles the WJS is talking about do look like golf carts but they are actually small electric powered vehicles. A company named ZAP makes electric vehicles but there are many others that have been around for a while but were primarily used by businesses. Many streets do not allow these slow, small golf-cart-sized vehicles.
"It makes so much sense for getting around. We go everywhere in it," says Mrs. Peters, 41.
It's a sure sign electric cars have a future when they're catching on in Texas. Others here, too, are abandoning the family car and driving to the office in what appear to be fancy little golf carts. Small battery-powered vehicles have been on the market for years but have mainly been used by workers driving around factories and university campuses.
The small cars are powered by batteries charged by plugging them into regular 110-volt house current. Though they do look like golf carts, they have heftier frames and more powerful engines. Now, with high gasoline prices driving booming sales, many are going to ordinary folks like the Peterses, who have fallen in love with gasoline-free transportation.
Here's a video from the WSJ that shows people driving around in the vehicles that resemble golf carts.
Conde Nast Publications is ceasing publication of Golf for Women magazine with the July/August issue. Charles H. Townsend, President & CEO of Conde Nast Publications says the magazine no longer supports Conde Nast's "long term business objectives." Conde Nast purchased Golf for Women from the Meredith Corporation in 2006. The popular magazine had a rate base of 600,000.
"We came to this decision because we feel the magazine will not support our long term business objectives," Mr. Townsend said. "I would like to thank Susan Reed and Chris McLoughlin and the entire staff for their efforts throughout the years. Golf For Women attracted a loyal readership and we were proud to publish it."
Have you heard of Urban Golf? It sounds like a fun concept for those who can't make it to the golf course or are tired of that scene or can't afford it. You can play it just about anywhere but do be considerate of others. You can see a website with rules here (via BuzzFeed). There's also an Urban Golf Association.
Philadelphia Weeklyreports that the game is really catching on London, Seattle and San Francisco. They talk about people playing urban golf with an Almost Golf ball or a "leather orb."
Urban golf is just like its grass-cut cousin, but designed for fans of the gentlemen's game with no access to snooty clubs or expensive gear. Urban golfers just grab a thrift-store 5-iron, beers and some desolate cityscapes (Philly has a surplus of all three), and presto-the entire city is your fairway. No fees, no dress codes, no bans on Jews or blacks or Mexicans or women, no dressing like a total dick-just good, clean dirty urban fun. Anything can serve as a hole: trash cans, lamp posts, even storm drains (for that satisfying "sunk putt" feeling). Some golfers use a plastic Almost Golf ball that travels about a third the distance of a regular ball and won't break windows. Others prefer a leather orb filled with goose feathers, which won't roll into street gutters and just sits up to be hit. Now a common sight in London, Seattle and San Francisco, urban golf has yet to catch on in Philadelphia despite our 900 acres of vacant, blighted land.
In this video below golfers play an organized game of urban golf at USC. They write, "We actually were able to play through the USC campus without killing anyone. This ball was amazing. It is super light, but has CO2 pressure inside so it goes a nice 50 yards with a 9 iron, you can work it just like a golf ball, but it won't break windows or dent cars or kill anyone. That rules."
DCO and Associates and the Jenesse Center have announced the first annual Halle Berry Celebrity Golf Classic, scheduled for April 28, 2008. The event supports the Jenesse Center's efforts in continuing to expose the issues around domestic violence and invites men and women to join together in combating this societal problem.
"April 28, 2008 will be a day of great fun as we raise much needed funds to help families victimized by domestic violence. Working together we can stop the violence. I am looking forward to golfing with you. Let's have a great time," said Halle Berry.
Attendance is $1,000 per player. More details on the event can be found here.
The BBC reports that Donald Trump's ambitious plans to build a billion dollar golfing complex in Aberdeenshire have failed.
The US billionaire wanted to build a golf complex and housing development at the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire.
Senior councillor Martin Ford, who used his casting vote to turn down the plan, told BBC Scotland he was "quite certain" the right decision was made.
Mr Trump has the right to appeal against the decision.
He could also bring new plans forward.
The controversial project had been given outline planning approval, but fell when it came before Aberdeenshire Council's infrastructure committee.
The BBC says Trump has a right to appeal but Senior councillor Martin Ford told the BBC, "There's no possibility that I can see that we can go back to re-discuss an application which has been dealt with. As far as I understand it, it's dead." Poor Mr. Trump. At least he has monopoly and a magazine while it lasts.
Golf will be 
Media Life 
Conde Nast Publications is ceasing publication of Golf for Women magazine with the July/August issue. Charles H. Townsend, President & CEO of Conde Nast Publications says the magazine no longer supports Conde Nast's "long term business objectives." Conde Nast purchased Golf for Women from the Meredith Corporation in 2006. The popular magazine had a rate base of 600,000.
DCO and Associates and the Jenesse Center have announced the first annual Halle Berry Celebrity Golf Classic, scheduled for April 28, 2008. The event supports the Jenesse Center's efforts in continuing to expose the issues around domestic violence and invites men and women to join together in combating this societal problem.
The BBC 