The year 2009 will go down in history as the year I played the least golf ever in a year. From that point of view it makes it a bad year. All these other things keeping me from golfing - work, work, and work - took their toll on the time budget left for family and after that golf. I am not quite sure if this will improve in 2010 with then two kids, but I’ll hope for the best.

But things haven’t all been bad:

My golf blogger highlight of the year is the blog of fellow Leading Golf Blogs colleague Ruediger Meyer with his blog http://linksgolfer.blogger.de/. Apart from his good writing and researching, a guy insane enough to put an 70 hours effort into creating a golf majors subway map deserves my massive respect and props.

So, there are things to improve in 2010 golf-wise, but it would not be golf if everything were perfect. Or - if things were perfect, it would get boring.

To all of you a happy 2010, keep up the spirit and the game.

Link: www.youtube.com

Wer hätte gedacht, daß zwei Wochen und eine unvergleichliche Medienhetzjagd reichen, um einen Titan zu stürzen? Tiger Woods nimmt eine unbestimmte Auszeit, mit Accenture zieht bereits der zweite große Sponsor sein Engagement zurück, diverse Kollegen auf der PGA Tour haben plötzlich was zu Tiger Woods Lebenswandel zu sagen, you name it.

Ich heisse TW’s Fremdgehen in keinster Weise gut. Aber einen Menschen, der seit frühester Kindheit unter dem Mikroskop öffentlicher Beobachtung aufwuchs und lebte und der seinen Sport in ungeahnte Höhen katapultierte, kann man vielleicht nicht mit denselben Mass bewerten wie “Joe Average”. Daß Tiger irgendwann in diesem von Kontrolle geprägten Leben ein Ventil benötigte, war meiner Ansicht nach nur eine Frage der Zeit.

Eugen Pletsch hat einen brillanten Artikel zum Thema geschrieben, “Das Imperium schlägt zurück”, den ich Euch wärmstens per Lesebefehl ans Herz legen möchte wie all denen, Tigers Verdienste um den Golfsport allzu schnell vergessen haben.

Wednesday, 16.12.2009
23:20 Eurosport, Golf Club

Meet the Garia Golf Cart, the Aston Martin of golf carts, including a double-wishbone front suspension, a drivetrain built by the company that produces Ducati gearboxes, a built-in refrigerator to keep your beverages nice and chilled along with a couple of strategically-located cupholders.

It hasn’t been reported, whether the Garia Golf Cart improves your game or not. But you’ll sure look good in the parking lot of your golf club.

The press conference just ended and the result is surprising, as the RC Deutschland comittee chose a golf course that has yet to be built as designated venue of the german 2018 Ryder Cup application (press release - german only).

I had my fingers crossed for Bad Saarow and the Nick Faldo course, not only being a beautiful golf resort but also a tremendously challenging golf course (and just outside my hometown Berlin).

Should you think this was a good shot:

Link: www.youtube.com

Look at this:

Link: www.youtube.com

F**k yeah!

Wednesday, 09.12.2009
19:30 Eurosport, Golf Club

One of my favorite “flickr! golf photo pool contributors” goobersmyn a.k.a Chuck (Dennis) Collet posted pictures of another beauty golf course: Hawktree Golf Club in Bismarck, ND.

I love the contrast between the green and the shadow lying over the bunker, the black bunker sand adds beautiful contours.

As I haven’t touched a golf club since 8 weeks, daydreaming at golf course pictures is as close as I get to the game right now….