Golf Blogger's A Few Good Eggs

For years I always wondered what this BLOG thing was all about and never
really followed or check them out. In the last year I have started to
follow a few and really have found it to be a great source of opinion
without the slant of the major networks.

I was a rabid follower of every thing the Golf Channel did and watched
them non-stop. Over the past 5 years, The Golf Channel, has really
become the Tiger Woods Network. Hey the guy is great and he is a human
highlight reel and it isn't hard to see why they would but it took on a
life of its own. My favorite is to learn about the other 124 players in the Top
125 and what goes on in there lives. All those "other" guys have great
stories most of us can relate to but they seem to fall by the way side.

So my loyal following wained and I started to look into other sources
for information. Some of the BLOGS that I began to follow give a wide view of the state
of the game outside the routine lead stories and scores of the day. Here
are a few that you should check out!

WERE TALKING GOLF- www.weretalkingolf.com Steve Umphlett, CEO and Chris
Hill have created the premier on-line radio network that follows the PGA
Tour, Nationwide Tour, E-Golf Tour and the Champions Tour. They really
take the time to concentrate on the lower tiered tours and give those
players a voice and its great to follow these guys that one day may be
on the PGA Tour. WTG content goes beyond following the tours by giving
us Wine Reviews, Cigar Reviews, Premier Resort information and Blogs
from the staff. I personally like Rocket's Ramble (selfish plug!).
http://weretalkinggolf.com/blog/rob-pritts/ Were Talking Golf has
reached out to me and has been a ray of sunshine in helping me launch
the FORE! Jack & Jill 2010 tournament series. This site has become my
home page and I encourage you to follow them over the 2010 Tour Season.

INTO THE GRAIN- www.intothegrain.com John Duval, Daytona, FL, has
launched a BLOG that gives you insight to great Equipment Reviews,
Resort Reviews and all things golf. Into The Grain is one site that I
enjoy reading for his straight forward talk on all the issues and he
seems to be a voice for the regular guy not pressured by an editor to
conform. John reached out to me on Twitter a few months ago and is one
of the good guys in the game that will make you want to share a beer or
two with! Try him out and I am sure you wont be disappointed!

WAGGLE ROOM GOLF- www.waggleroom.com Ryan Ballangee is a sports guy
through and through and has created a site that is a must for the avid
golfer. The site is a place to post you comments in Forums, List and
Find Events and Fan Spots that you can rant and get off whatever is on
your chest. Based out of Baltimore, MD this site is fun, interactive and
always gives me something new!

ZEN CHILI- Journey To Scratch- www.zenchili.com Seizo Mazer's site is a
new discovery and I am glad I stumbled on to it. Seizo and I met on
Twitter @zenchili and he was one of the Twitter guys that just stood out
to me. We have shared a few ideas and today we finally spent about 45
minutes together on the phone. Journey To Scratch is written by Siezo
who is a very low handicap player and he has some of the best swing
analysis on a site. Currently he has a feature on the new young hot shot
Ricky Fowler and his not so orthodox swing. If you like to break it down
this is a great place to hang out!

Now there are hundreds of golf Blogs out there for you to read but for
what its worth I say grab a few that you like. Hang out. Read. Interact.
Follow. And you will not only get a few nuggets of information but you
too may find a new friend just like I have.

Oh yeah the Back 9 Promotions Blog is a must as well! Did I mention
Rocket's Ramble?????? http://weretalkinggolf.com/blog/rob-pritts/ I love
these shameless plugs!

Your Friend In Golf!

Rocket

What May Appear Hopeless Provides Hope and Love

The year of 2009 brought us all to our knees with financial instability
and hopefully you were able to weather the storm. For me it was an eye
opener to say the least but was, frankly, the best year for me despite
what it would look like to many on the surface.

The final swan song of a 15 year plus career in banking wasn't an exit
as graceful as the likes of a Tony Dungey or John Elway walking into the
sunset after a Super Bowl win. It wasn't something I controlled or
sought but it allowed me the opportunity to reflect and dig into my
passion of this great game of golf.

Spending some quality time at home with my two young children 5 & 8, and
having my pity party, I heard of the plight of my daughter’s friend’s
Father, which forced me to reflect on my life’s ambitions and purpose. Mr. Kutsal was a single father with two young boys who was suffering
with Stage 4 Lung Cancer. A message went out to the school community
requesting a financial contribution , restaurant gift cards or any other
assistance to the family in support of his ailing health. Mr. Kutsal’s
illness rendered him in a predicament few of us can imagine. The
chemotherapy treatments left him nauseous and fatigued while trying to
care for two young children. He was also in a financial bind, being out
of work due to chemotherapy treatments and doctor appointments. I was moved by the hardship this family was undergoing and wanted to do
something to ease their suffering. Although I was not in a financial
position to assist Mr. Kutsal, there was plenty that I could do. My
financial experience and involvement with the community led me to the
collaboration of a golf marathon in hopes of raising $500 to help the
Kutsal family.

What happened next transformed two families indefinitely.

In just a 10 short days, friends, families, local church members and
countless others resulted in raising over $8,000 in support of my
daughter’s classmate’s family. Playing 72 holes of golf that day and the
vision of joy, relief and community compassion to this family in need
has created an even larger vision and personal calling. A vision and
goal to help others and Back9Promotions is the culmination of that
vision.

Back9Promotions is about helping others in the back 9 of life that need
a mulligan. Those who need a good bounce of the ball and a sense of hope
in a sometimes hopeless situation is what Back 9 Promotions is all
about.

My goal is simple: To help charitable organizations raise funds through
golf to better the lives of others who face overwhelming challenges in
their lives.

In 2010 we have 10 events scheduled across the U.S. to raise funds for
the Jack & Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation based here in Atlanta. The
task is large by the fight of those struggling is ten fold so I look
forward to a fantastic 2010!

A Gift Of Time

It's that time of year again when the stress level gets high, the bank
accounts get hammered and you're dragged to your spouses Christmas party
all in the name of fun and cheer. As I sit here tonight, I think about
all the people that are out of work or that are working but for a lot
less in this dismal economy.

The one escape for many is the open fairways, 4 hours without the
constant thought or worry of what their next move will be and doing what
they love to do but are probably doing a lot less of these days. The
serenity and peace that the golf course gives us is truly rejuvenating
to those that play this great game of ours.

My challenge to you this holiday season is to seek out a friend that is
down and out and take them to play golf. This person could be just an
acquittance or maybe even a co-workers husband that you don't know. The
key here is to be the conduit for giving them a break. By giving them a
chance to unwind, in what may seem to them as an endless run on a
treadmill, is priceless and can't be found in a sweater under the
Christmas tree.

Your action of reaching out and picking up the tab may be met with
reluctance or skepticism because after all why would you want to take
them out to play golf. Well, your answer is easy, you know how good you
feel when you get out and you just want them to have the same experience
regardless of their current circumstances. An act of giving more often
than not will make you feel great by seeing the true thankfulness in
their eyes when they are engaged in a shot and their mind is a million
miles away from where it was earlier in the day.

I would love for you to post your comments on the results of this
mission. The simple act of giving during the holiday season is
contagious and what your giving is clarity, in an otherwise mind numbing
grind of "What am I going to do next.".

I look forward to your comments and already know the difference you will
be making for those you reach out to.

Your Friend In Golf,
Rob

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Tiger's Hiatus, Unplayable Lie? I Think Not.

Tonight, after two weeks of daily breaking news of Tiger’s numerous
infidelities, he finally released a statement. “After much soul
searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional
golf,” Woods said. “I need to focus my attention on being a better
husband, father, and person.”

We all wanted to hear from Tiger right away, as we are so accustomed to
in this instant gratification age of 24/7 media coverage, but he waited.
If you compare this to Tiger on the golf course it isn’t too shocking.
He doesn’t hit a shot before taking full inventory of a situation. He is
focused on even the simplest of putts. That’s why he is the best 4 foot
putter on tour. He takes nothing lightly and expects the most out of
every shot.

In comparison to this situation, after sitting back and taking it all
in, I see the same Tiger. Taking full inventory of the situation with
his family, his image and his sponsors. I personally don’t think he is
all too worried about losing sponsors. He’s got a nest egg to say the
least. I think he is experiencing what the average Joe all too often
encounters and that’s having the rug pulled out from under him.

We all ride the highs and often change our swagger and feel
untouchable. I know that I did when I rode the mortgage train of gold
for 15 years and thought it would never end. You see it's not just
Tiger,
it's all of us. We start out cautious, grateful and proud as we ride the
highs but there comes a point when we expect it. We change our
perception to feeling this is the norm but frankly it's just a ride.

Granted his ride was insane, his access to whatever and whomever he
wanted was easy and he let his guard down. Now, none of us know what
goes on behind closed doors at anyone's house and what their boundaries
were as a couple. It’s their business and none of ours but in the lime
light, an image was formed and portrayed, which we all accepted. Maybe
just maybe, Tiger was shaped and molded into something he knew he
wasn’t. Tiger’s indefinite departure from golf/work is something I think any of
us would want if we were in his situation. For the average Joe we
don’t have that opportunity because the mail still comes every month
with our bills and we must continue to work and provide. We would have
to work on our marriage during our down time and that is very hard.
Tiger’s wealth allows him, if he’s sincere, to take all the time he
needs to try and salvage his family. Golf will always be there waiting for him, his wife may not. He has
shown in the past that his laser focus always results in a stunning
victory against all odds as we saw in the 2008 US Open. This too is
another situation against all odds. Salvaging his marriage is where his
focus should be if that’s his true dream. Time, they say, heals all wounds so we shall see if time is on his side
this time. It’s one thing to master a golf ball and that took a ton of
work but this task is going to take a monumental effort of earnest,
sincere effort on his part. We are a forgiving nation as a whole and most of us will move on and
forgive. My hope is to see Tiger, Elin and the kids come to a place
of peace in what most of us see as an unplayable lie.
- Rob Pritts

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Tiger Woods- Talking with your kids

You would have to be stuck in some sort of vacuum or on a secluded
island with no access to the outside world to avoid the Tiger Woods Saga
of the past 7 days. It has really taken on a life of its own and I do
not want to rehash the details but look at its impact on kids who look
up to him.

When the news was breaking a good friend of mine in the media called me
and I was unavailable for his call. After all, it was Friday after
Thanksgiving and any die hard golfer is doing what his wired to do and
that's sticking a peg in the ground with family and friends.

When I finished playing I picked up the kids and we went to Discount
Tire to get a new tire for our truck (gotta get the road hazard!). As we
were waiting I got another call from Steve and this time I took the
call...

Boy was I not excepting to hear the news of Tiger being in an accident
and listed in serious condition. Of course this news was breaking fast
and the details would get much clearer over the next 48 hours, I still
had the immediate questions everyone else did. Why would you be leaving
your house at 2:30 AM? Is he going to be OK? Was this going to be a 2009
Ben Hogan story of a golf legend hurt in a tragic car crash?

All that aside, my kids heard me say that Tiger Woods was in a car
crash. Sadie (8) and Payne (5 1/2) only know one thing when it comes to
golf and superstars and that's Tiger Woods. They watch him every Sunday
in his Red shirt hitting crazy shots and hoisting big trophies. They
play his EA Sports Tiger Woods video game, both playing as Tiger in
different colored shirts.

Sadie and Payne didn't have the questions most of us had, they just felt
horrible that a guy they look up to was hurt in a car accident. They
asked if he was o.k., was his car ruined and if he will still be able to
play golf. It showed me then and now that the circumstances are
irrelevant in a child's mind as to where he was going at that late hour
but they just did what kids do and that's show love and concern for a
friend.

Fast forward 6 days to where the story has unraveled to and its
unavoidable even to the eyes of the kids. I was looking at an email
of a doctored photo that showed the happy couple; her holding a 3-Iron
and he looking as if he just finished 12 rounds with Mike Tyson and
Sadie saw it.

She asked what it was and right there and then I had a decision to make.
Do I blow it off or do I tell her the truth. It was easy because the
truth being told on the spot is what's right and what I would want her
to do.

I explained it in the simplest of terms. Tiger was in trouble with Mrs.
Woods. Sadie said "Because he smashed up their car?" I told her "No,
because he did something wrong and she is very upset with him. He went
out on a date with another lady and that's not right or fair to his
wife. It would be like Daddy going out to the movies and dinner with
another Lady and not telling mom. You see Dad's and Mom's are there for
each other and God made marriage for Mom & Dad not Mom & Dad and
somebody else." She asked a few little questions and we left it at that.

Today when she came home from school I asked her how she felt about
Tiger and she said he's still her favorite golfer but he needs to be
nicer to Mrs. Woods. Its clear his golf is still what the kids like but as a father and a
husband he has a lot of work to do. As for his image I know that kids
forgive fast but that doesn't mean he doesn't have to answer to them as
well!

- Rob Pritts
President

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New Groove Rule- What does it really mean?

The buzz on the equipment front for the past few years has been
technology advancements in driver forgiveness & distance, better cavity
backed irons resulting in more forgiveness and putter various insert and
designs. Now the buzz for 2010 is the new Groove regulations implemented
by the USGA to compensate for the decreased effect of wayward tee shots
over the past 10 years.

The PGA Tour player in the past was penalized for missing fairways by
the lack of spin imparted from shots hit from the rough. Over the past
10 years the statistics have shown that their ability to recover from
the rough and impart spin has lessened thus the penalty for not hitting
fairways was not that big of an impact on scoring.

For the average player does this mean you have to ditch your trusty
wedges you have grown so attached to? The answer is NO you can play
those all the way until 2024 (if they don't wear out).

Professionals on all major tours will need to change by January 1, 2010.
The elite amateurs playing in the US Amateur, US Public Links and
International Amateur Competitions will need to conform by January 1,
2014.

As for all the details on the specific changes, Cleveland Golf has
prepared an excellent video on the changes and the effects on
performance. Check it out for all the details.

http://www.clevelandgolf.com/index.php?alias=cg_tv&bcpid=1896802188&b...

So for you the average guy, you don't need to upgrade your wedges but it
still isn't a bad idea to have your wife get you that gift certificate
to your favorite golf shop this Christmas anyway!

Happy golfing and keep it in the short grass!

- Rob Pritts
President

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WInterizing Your Golf Ball Choices

When the temperatures begin to drop this time of year you need to make a
few adjustments to your game. These chilly mornings with frost delays
and temps well under the optimum temperature for a golf ball of 80
degrees demands so thought.

I normally play the Bridgestone 330 or the Pro-V1 through out the spring
and summer golf seasons. We all know that the warmer it is the farther
that ball flies and but what about when the temperature dip to the 40's?

The softer high compression golf ball is really not the best choice in
the winter. Nobody enjoys the stinger of a miss hit in the cold! I have
heard that a lot of mini tour players change to the the Precept Laddie X
during the winter months and I gave them a try last year and was quite
happy. The other benefit was that I saved a lot of money!

For those brave enough to get out there in the frigid winter months,
consider changing to a lower compression ball. Choosing the nuggets that
have been chilling in your trunk or basement since last October is a
mistake. Air temperature wreaks more havoc on distance than the
temperature of the ball itself, but balls left in cold places tend to
harden, making mis-hits harsher on the hands.

"There are two important points to keep in mind about playing golf in
cold weather," said Steve Ogg, vice president of golf ball research and
development for Callaway Golf. "The first is that golf balls are not as
resilient, and the second is that the air is denser as compared to warm
temperatures. Both of these factors result in a loss of distance. You
may even need to adjust your club selection, depending on how cold it
is."

Helpful Hints:
1) Store your balls at room temperature the night before you are
playing.
2) Place a "Hot Hands" pouch in your bag where you keep your balls
3) Switch out your ball each hole to a warm one
4) Switch to a winter ball with lower compression and also save some
money because these balls are in the $18-$25 price point
5) Realize that you will be loosing distance so don't be afraid to take
an extra club or two.
6) DO NOT store your clubs in your trunk. This is true for any time of
year!

Ball Suggestions:
Bridgestone E Series
Maxfli Noodle Long & Soft
Precept Laddie X
Top Flight D2
Nike Juice

In conclusion, its smart to take into account temperature just as you
would compensate for wind, rain, uphill/downhill approach shots and
other outside factors.

Throw on a few layers, buy the cart cover and propane heater and get out
there and enjoy the open fairways!

Rob Pritts

Back 9 Promotions, LLC
www.back9promotions.com
Golf Tournament Consulting & Management

rob@back9promotions.com
C- 404.788.4425
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Chilly Golf Is Here & How To Handle It!

It's official winter golf season is here in Atlanta. Winter golf is a
relative term here because we get 12 months of golf but you need to pick
your days Dec-Feb.

I was playing in an event I put together a few years ago for my buddies,
the ROCKET RYDER CUP MASON DIXON CLASSIC. It is a fun event because with
so many "carpet baggers" here it is only fitting to have a North vs. South grudge
match.

Friday morning I awoke to a chilly 34 degrees and having a 7:00 AM tee
time I had to make a few quick decisions. The day was going to start
frigid but would reach 65 degrees by day end.

First, I dressed in layers with an Under Armour Heat Gear under layer.
If you don't have one of these you need to get one because it is the
warmest gear that doesn't restrict you swing. Over that a regular golf
shirt and a FootJoy Rain shirt and I was in business!

At 5:45 AM when my buddy picked me up I grabbed the cart cover and
propane heater and I was off for a great day of fun with the boys! I
have to tell you if you don't have a cart cover you need to go get one
along with a propane heater. The cover slips on in a minute and once you
fire up the heater life is good!

My friends all have a good chuckle at my expense when they see "The Pope
Mobile" but every guy that rides with me quickly becomes a convert! The
fact that you never get cold to the bone is so great. I use it all
winter long and even play in the high 20's low 30's and usually have the
course to myself for quick 2 1/2 hr rounds!

For the matches, although I was warm, my game was as cold as ice! I
received new irons from Mizuno just the day before and with one range
session under my belt I wasn't comfortable at all over the ball. This game is
so mental. My swing was fine but I just had no confidence in the sticks
yet and instead of standing over my shot and visualizing a great shot I
was hoping that I would just hit a decent shot. This is not the pre-shot
mental thoughts you want and it got the best of me.

The new sticks are Mizuno MX 300's with Projst X shafts. I will be giving a full review

once I work into them and can give you some good feedback!

The South team took it to the North with a 9 to 7 victory over the 36
holes of drama and misery. I wish I could say it was close but we were
down 6-2 after the morning matches. I now have the pleasure of suffering
through another year of hearing about how the South has dominated the
North for the last 2 years and it won't be fun.

As we enter the dormant Bermuda season here in the south it's a great
time to test new equipment and work on fine tuning the swing for the
2010 season. I think it's important to take this time to work on the
areas in your game that need some attention. Winter golf conditions, in
my opinion, are not for scoring but for the joy of just getting out and
playing. Take this opportunity to work on your game and find the right
equipment.

This winter get your clothing dialed in, splurge on the cart cover and
heater and enjoy the uncrowded fairways!
- Rob Pritts

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Hugo Chavez Declares War On Golf

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/sports/2009/11/13/romo.ven.no.golf.cnn

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has declared war on the game of golf.
He says golfers are lazy and he is closing golf courses to take the land
for housing. This guy has lost his mind!! The benefits of the game of golf for kids, adults and the overall
tourism benefits just go over this guys head. This story needs to be told!!!! God Bless the USA!!

Your Friend In Golf!
- Rob Pritts
President

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PGA Tour Drug Policy- Doug Barron renegade?

The first violation of the PGA Tours Drug Policy fell to Doug Barron a
professional journeyman of the PGA & Nationwide Tours. At first glance
it seemed that we finally had a renegade looking to enhance his power
and skills through performance enhancing drugs but as the facts emerge
it isn't that simple.

The PGA Tour doesn't release the facts of the violations and as is their
policy, they do not comment on such matters. Well on Friday, Barron's
attorney was in U.S. District Court in Memphis asking for an injunction
that would allow him to play next week at the second stage of PGA Tour
Qualifying. Now this will take its own course through the courts and the
tours attorneys but lets look at what is beneath the positive test
results.

Doug Barron has release a statement and it really shed some light as to
the real reason for the positive test results. Through his attorney and
agent, Art Thorne, he told us that Barron failed a drug test
administered in June when he competed in the Memphis St. Jude Classic.

Barron tested positive for testosterone and a beta blocker, both of
which had been prescribed legally by a doctor. The PGA Tour disclosed
Friday that last year Barron applied for -- and was denied -- a
therapeutic use exemption for the drugs.

Thorne claimed that Barron was in the process of weaning himself off the
beta blocker propranolol with a substitute medication -- that had been
approved to be used and said Barron has been taking these medications
for years.

"This is different than the blatant doping stories, like Marion Jones,"
Thorne said. "That is what is disheartening to us. You can look at Doug.
He is a personal friend of mine. He wasn't doing this to gain any
advantage. He just wanted to be healthy. It would be different if he
took something by accident. This is a situation where it took him some
time to wean off the drugs and the tour knew that. It was just longer
than they wanted him to."

Now this is very similar to the issues 2003 PGA Champion Shaun Micheel
has. Micheel has been given a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) to take
testosterone -- one of the drugs for which Barron has been suspended.

The real crux of this story is these players are not trying to enhance
their games but just trying to get to the normal testosterone levels of
any other man their age.

You see the lack of testosterone is something I am very familiar with. I
too suffer from Low-T and take the same medication. It isn't to gain an
edge but a true need to become active and stay up with the rest of the
world. When you have low-T you have very little stamina or strength, you
are constantly tired and very irritable. Trust me ask my wife!

The fact that one is lacking in the production of this hormone is no
different than a diabetic that needs to regulate insulin levels. This
too I suffer from and thanks to medical research the drugs available are
a blessing. For me the results were amazing by finally feeling normal again. As my
doctor said "You've got the testosterone levels of an 80 yr old sick
woman." Now that was weird but also liberating to know that there was a
legitimate reason as to why I felt the way I did.

For the golf benefits it did make a difference..... I had lost distance
and was constantly tired and had no energy after 10 or 11 holes. After
being on the Testim my levels returned to higher levels (still less than
my friends). I am close to normal on distance again and have the energy
to complete a round. I don't lift cart over my head, burst into a roid
rage after missing a 3 footer or bust out of my shirts like the
Incredible Hulk.

In my opinion these cases are rare and warranted for their therapeutic
needs and not "performance enhancers". Now I do understand the need for
testing and the need to keep the sport clean to avoid the issues MLB and
the NFL faced but there are exceptions and by no means are these
anabolic steroids.

I look forward to more of the facts to come out and by no means do I
claim to know everything. The one thing I do know is, if the reason for the
need is clearly therapeutic than so be it and let him play. If it is
deemed that they are not therapeutic I hate to be the one to break the news to
Barron that he chose the wrong drug to get an edge because these just
don't do it.

Let's stay tuned and now I have another reason besides my awful play not
to go to Q-School.

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