My Golf Bucket List

There are many things I want to do in life, but as a golf addict most of them include golf in some way.  That is why I have decided to ditch the traditional bucket list, and focus on my golf bucket list.  Every golfer has one, they may not be written down and posted on a blog like this one, but every golfer has courses they want to play, tournaments they want to go to, or things they want to accomplish in golf.  So here are a few of mine, in no particular order.

The Old Course

1. Play the Old Course at St Andrews.  This is the oldest course in the world, and where golf started.  I have always wanted to go to Scotland anyways, then I started golfing and I have even more reason to go.  St Andrews is a public course and during the low season you can play the Old Course for 80 Euro (approximately 85 US Dollars).

2.  Hole-In-One.  This should be every golfers dream, and I am no different.  How amazing would it be to be able to write a 1 on your score card, to tee off and finish the hole all in one shot, to walk from tee to green without any worries of needing to make a putt.  I think about this every time I step onto a tee box of a par-3.

Photo Cred: Saved by Southern Charm

3.  Go to The Masters.  I want to be there for it all, the practice rounds, the par 3 tournament, the ceremonial first tee shots, moving day, and the final hole on Sunday.  This has been on my bucket list since I first started getting into golf and Charl Schwartzel won in 2011.  Since that day I have been dying to be at Augusta National during the Sunday round.  Now, that I have grown in the game and became more familiar with The Masters Tournament, I want to be there for all of it, especially the ceremonial tee shots on Thursday.

4.  Meet Phil Mickelson.  I have a lot of favorite players, but Phil is really the one I would like to meet.  He is a great player, and seems to be such a genuine guy.  If I could meet anyone on Tour it would be a difficult choice, but I think I would choose Phil.  If I was even able to just get an autograph from him, I could cross this off my bucket list, and probably replace it with meet McIlroy, Fowler, or Spieth.

Photo Cred: Robert Fagan

5.  Golf in Hawaii.  Hawaii is a beautiful place, and their golf courses are amazing.  I have never been to Hawaii, but I will, and I will bring my clubs.  Bonus to golfing in Hawaii, amazing weather and beautiful views of the ocean!

6.  Golf in Paris.  There is no special link between golf and Paris that makes be want to play there.  Except for my obsession with them both.  I have been in love with Paris since I was in the 7th grade.  I have always wanted to visit, and now I have to put the two things I love together, and golf in Paris.  It would be amazing if I could get on Paris International which was designed by Jack Nicklaus, but it is a Private Club.

Photo Cred: Arizona Golf

7.  The 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale.  This item could get crossed off my list pretty soon, since I only live only about 7 hours away.  The Waste Management Phoenix Open is another one of my favorite tournaments to watch, especially with my friends who like to tell me golf is too quiet.  They have put some limitations such as no caddie races and players cant throw things into the stand, and I wish I could have been on the 16th hole before these limitations started, but this is still one of the funnest holes in golf.

8.  Go to a Ryder Cup.  The Ryder Cup is my favorite event in golf, although I have never seen the US Team win.  I have only seen the last two Ryder Cups, but I have fallen in love with this tournament.  It is so fun to watch some of my favorite players play as a team.  Although it can be hard when some of your favorite players are Europeans.

I have a lot of traveling to do to finish this bucket list of mine.  The only item I can complete while staying in Utah is getting a hole-in-one.  What is on your golf bucket list that I should add to mine?  Let me know in the comments below or on my Twitter @ChippingInGolf.

The Masters - Into the Weekend

We are just getting into the weekend and history has already been made in the first two days of The Masters.  There is 21 year old Jordan Spieth who is going into the weekend with a five shot lead ahead of Charley Hoffman.  Then there is Dustin Johnson who had quite the impressive eagle streak.  Before I get into the new records that were set I would like to talk about the leaderboard.  

The number to make it into the weekend was 2.  There are 55 players who made the cut and will continue playing at Augusta.  Phil went low in the second round with 5 birdies, 4 of which on the back nine, to make it to sixth place, 8 shots behind leader Jordan Spieth.  When Rory McIlroy was through 14 he was 2 shots over par for the tournament and close to following below the cut line.  He saved his weekend by making birdie on 15, 17, and 18.  He is going into the weekend 2 under for the tournament, 12 shots behind Spieth.  He is going to have to make a big move in the next two days to finish his career grand slam.  Last years champ Bubba Watson, who was one of my picks to win is also going to have to make a big move.  He is currently tied for 19th at 2 under par along side Rory McIlroy.  Another one of my picks, Rickie Fowler, who placed in the top five of every major last season made the cut, but is currently 1 over the par for the tournament.  Check out where your picks fell and the rest of the leaderboard here.

See the full story on Spieth here.

Now to the history that has been made in the past two days.  Jordan Spieth went low fast in the first round on Thursday posting a 64.  He continued his hot streak on Friday going 6 under posting a 66.  That sets him at a total of 130 through 36 holes, that is the lowest 36 hole score in Masters history.  

Photo Cred: Sports Center

Dustin Johnson also set a new record during Friday's round.  He posted 3 eagles on par-5 holes 2, 8, and 15.  That is the most eagles ever made in a single round at The Masters ever.

Check out the other stories going on this week at The Masters here on pgatour.com.   

The Masters - A Tradition Unlike Any Other

"If The Masters offered no money at all, I would be here trying just as hard."
-Ben Hogan

The Masters.  It is a tradition unlike any other.  It is the first major of the season, and played on one of the most respected courses in the game, Augusta National.  It is a dream of every golfer to play at Augusta.  However you do have to be a member to play and members are by invitation only.  Unfortunately, most of us will not have the chance to golf at Augusta and will have to settle for the Google Maps Augusta Pac-Man game instead.  As fun as Augusta Pac-Man may be, it is nothing compared to the honor it would be to golf at Augusta.  There is hope though!  Golf Digest has shared several ways how you can play Augusta without membership.  These include volunteering at The Masters, winning the media lottery, writing a book about Augusta or The Masters (do you think a blog would count?), working at Augusta, and several others.  What Golf Digest doesn't include is connections.  If you have any sort of connection to an Augusta National member, and you can work those connections, you can play by being invited by a member.  All these are legitimate ways to get onto the course, but have about the same probability of actually happening as being invited to be a member, but a golfer can dream!  So, while you dream get to know Augusta by a virtual tour of each hole, just in case your dreams come true, or just so you are fully prepared for The Masters this weekend!

The Masters is a tournament with a rich history.  The Masters started in 1934 and was originally called the Augusta National Invitational, five years later in 1939 it became The Masters.  Horton Smith won the first Masters in 1934 by one stroke, however he did not receive a Green Jacket.  That tradition started with Sam Snead with his win in 1949.  Horton Smith was not only the first to win a Masters, he was also the first two-time champion when he won only two years later in 1936.   The 1956 Masters was the first two be shown on television covered by CBS.  They provided coverage on holes 15 through 18 of the 3rd and 4th rounds.  To find out more history check out this timeline provided by augusta.com

Find this Info-graphic here. 

Find this info-graphic here

The Masters is not only rich with history, but also with tradition from the Green Jacket, to the par 3 tourney and the champions dinner.  One of my favorite Masters traditions is the ceremonial first tee shot.  I love watching these great players that helped to make the game and the tournament what it is today.  I love that they are still involved with the game, and I love the history and the legacy that each one of them keeps alive at The Masters.  Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus open the first round by each hitting a drive off the first tee, and this year will be no different.  Palmer is recovering from a dislocated shoulder but that is not going to stop him from keeping this tradition alive.  

"I'm looking forward to being out on that tee even if I fan it."
- The King Arnold Palmer

This years Masters is guaranteed to be as good as any other.  There is a very talented field, and a lot of players determined to get that Green Jacket.  Before the tournament starts Thursday be sure to look at the overlook that includes this weeks stories provided by The PGA Tour.  People have been making predictions on who will win this year's Masters since Adam Scott gave the Green Jacket back to Bubba Watson last year.  As it has gotten closer there are several players in particular that really want that Green Jacket.  

Rory McIlroy Under the Microscope

First we have Rory McIlroy.  He needs this Masters to finish his first Career Grand Slam.  He won the U.S. Open in 2011, The PGA Championship in 2012, and the Open Championship in 2014.  Golf Digest has came up with what they call a bulletproof plan for Rory to win his first Masters.  First he really needs to take advantage of the par 5's as well as numbers 13-18 to go low.  He needs to be able to control his irons and stay away from 3-puts.

Second, there is Ricky Fowler.  He placed in the top 5 of all four majors last season, but didn't win any tournaments.  As I talked about in my last post he has been working with a new swing coach, Butch Harmon, and his game had drastically improved.  Fowler is one of my top picks heading into Masters week.  

Tiger Woods is also making a come back this week after some time off to recover from back pain.  He announced last week that he would be coming back for The Masters.  It will be interesting to see how Tiger does this week.  He has not been on top of his game lately, but during his time off he has also been working with Butch Harmon to improve his game.  Will Tiger make it into the weekend at The Masters, or will he succumb to his injuries again?

So who should you be sure to watch this weekend?  Golf Digest has narrowed it down to 12 players, of these 12 they are certain one will be the winner.  They have chosen the 2012 and 2014 winner Bubba Watson, Jimmy Walker, Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Jason Day, Adam Scott who was the first Australian to win a Masters in 2013, Rory McIlroy, Louis Oosthuizen, Patrick Reed who made his frist ace this weekend at the Shell Houston Open, Matt Kuchar, Hideki Matsuyama, and Henrick Stenson.  They have also picked Brandt Snedeker, Angel Cabrera, and Phil Mickelson as alternates. 

Golf fans have a slightly different list.  PGA.com asked fans who their favorite to win this years Masters is.  Their top 5 responses are Fred Couples, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, Bubba Watson, and Rory McIlroy.   

A golf blog out of the UK has put together a list of players that might be a little of a long shot, but still have a pretty good chance of getting the Green Jacket this year.  They include Martin Kaymer, Luke Donald, Webb Simpson, and Padraig Harrington. 

As for me, I have three picks.  I would really like to see a win out of Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler or Jordan Spieth.  I am always rooting for Phil, and early this weekend he showed us that his short game is as good as ever at the Shell Houston Open.  I am just hoping that he can keep it together into the weekend.  As I have said before, Rickie's Major game last year was as good as you can get without winning.  I fully believe that Fowler has what it takes to get his Green Jacket, if not this year, very soon.  Finally Spieth, he has played very well in the past, and he has good momentum going into this major week.  He tied for second this weekend at the Shell Houston Open after just falling short in a playoff with J.B. Holmes and Johnson Wagner.

Whoever it is that will be taking home the Green Jacket on Sunday, it most likely be someone that listens to Jack Nicklaus' advice.  He advises players to stay in the middle of the green then look for your birdie putt.

Who are your picks to win The Masters?  Let me know in the comments!