Ben Crane is quickly becoming one of the most interesting men on the PGA Tour.
On the golf course, he’s a seven-time winner around the world – most recently in 2011 – but he is known more so for his pace-of-play (see: slow).
Off the golf course though, Crane is incredibly personable, engaging, and a social media wizard.
He’s got nearly 11,000 fans on Facebook, and has amassed over 14 million views of his YouTube channel thanks to his video series Slow Play Life (where he pokes fun at his on slow play tendencies) and the two Golf Boys videos (where he stars in music videos with fellow PGA Tour pros Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, and Hunter Mahan).
Yesterday evening though, Crane took to Twitter – where he has 100,000 followers – and ran a contest.
The prize? An opportunity to caddie for him during the Pro-Am of the HP Byron Nelson Championship, taking place this week in Irving, Texas.
He sent out the following tweet at 7:30 p.m., and the responses started flooding in:
Thinking of giving my caddy @JoelStock the day off tomorrow at the HP Byron Nelson Champ ProAm. Anyone want to carry my bag for the day?
He ended up choosing a recent college graduate, Morgan Johnson, whose birthday is today. Crane says that he thought choosing him would “make a good birthday present”
Introducing my @hpbnc ProAm caddy, @mojogolfng360. Tomorrow is his birthday. Thought caddying would be a fun gift. Let's go low, buddy!
Although many on Tour – and in the media – harp on Crane for his slow play, it’s hard to say the way he interacts with fans isn’t one of the best by a professional athlete, let alone a professional golfer.
PS: I love Twitter for random stuff like this. Thanks for all the submissions. Super entertaining. Hopefully we can do it again sometime
Twelve years after his first victory at The PLAYERS Championship at the iconic TPC Sawgrass in Jacksonville, Fla., Tiger Woods put on a clinic of sorts, and perserved a one-stroke victory on Sunday at the 2013 playing of the crown jewel of the PGA Tour.
The last time that Tiger won this often prior to June 1 was in 2000. He went on to to win the next four majors in a row – claiming the ‘Tiger Slam’ in the process – and dominated the golf world.
Is his most recent victory a foreshadowing of things to come for Woods?
His performance through 2013 has been, as the saying born at Sawgrass goes, “better than most,” and Tiger said after his round to a throng of reporters, “I’m getting better.”
We’ve seen week in and week out that the times have changed on the PGA Tour with respect to who can win. That answer is, of course, anybody.
But Tiger has made it look easy this year. He’s already racked up nearly $6 million in earnings thanks to his four victories, and his record looks like this: 1-t33-t37-1-1-t4-1.
The argument about whether Tiger is “back” should have been quashed as soon as he won again at the end of 2011. However, its the majors that Tiger wants, and that’s likely why he claimed he was just “getting better” after his latest triumph.
Tiger doesn’t need any more top-5 finishes at majors. He wants wins. He works towards those wins. And going into Merion for the U.S. Open next month, he’ll again be the favourite.
His game seems to be on track, along with his mental toughness. My girlfriend, a frequent-enough watcher of golf, mentioned last night that Tiger just “seems to not be intimidated like the other guys,” and that could not be more true.
Sergio Garcia is one of those ‘other guys.’ He’s a winner, a wonderful ball-striker, and a firey Ryder Cup competitor. But there’s something that he’s lacking: self-confidence.
He’s admitted he can’t win majors, and after he rinsed two in the water at the famed 17th island green (plus one more off the tee on No. 18) you just shrug your shoulders because that wasn’t unexpected.
What should be expected is Tiger back on the prowl, winning golf tournaments.
15-year-old Brooke Henderson won the CN Future Links Pacific Championship this weekend at the Crown Isle Golf Club in British Columbia… PGA Tour Canada is hosting a media call with Wildfire Golf Club in Peterborough tomorrow regarding a 2013 PGA Tour Canada tournament announcement… Fairways Magazine named The National Golf Club of Canada as the No.1 golf course in Ontario… Golf Canada has launched a mobile app for its members to post and track their scores on the go… the PGA of Ontario announced Warsteiner Brewary as its official beer… The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame is hosting a special meeting today to discuss the future of the museum and the Hall… Rick Young from SCOREGolf celebrated 30 years as a golf columnist last week (congrats Younger)…
Yesterday I had the opportunity to play Wooden Sticks in Uxbridge, and was honoured to be invited to attend the Golf Association of Ontario’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony in the evening.
Wooden Sticks, one of the top 100 golf courses in Canada according to SCOREGolf magazine, opened in 2000 to much fanfare, as it features 12 holes that are inspired by famous golf designs from around the world.
Want to play the island green on no.17 at TPC Sawgrass? How about a couple holes from the no.1-ranked golf course in the world, Pine Valley? You can do that at Wooden Sticks. A fun layout.
That aside, if I could sum up the day in one word, it would be “inspiring.”
A couple of quick thoughts from the day are below:
My foursome for golf featured winners of a ton of worldwide sports hardware. And me. I was lucky to play with:
Sami Jo Small: Former goalie for Team Canada’s women’s hockey team. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, and now a very accomplished public speaker
Mary-Ann Hayward: A Canadian and Ontario Golf Hall of Famer, who still competes at a variety of Senior Amateur events around the world (finding the winner’s circle frequently. And yes, she dusted me).
Billy Bridges: Married to Sami Jo, Billy is an all-around athlete who has won multiple world championships and Paralympic medals for sledge hockey and wheelchair basketball
Playing golf with Billy was incredible. Just two weeks ago he was in South Korea winning the 2013 sledge hockey world championship (a 1-0 victory over the U.S.) and now here he was. He was born with spina bifida, and has no feeling in his right leg. However, his left-handed swing (where he finishes with one hand) is incredibly powerful. And, he loves golf.
The speeches from both Ian Leggatt and Rod Spittle – two members of the Hall of Fame class of 2013 – were emotionally charged tributes to the people that have meant the most to them both on the course, and off. Some tears were shed, and not just by the speakers
Congratulations to the 2013 Ontario Golf Hall of Fame class: Ian Leggatt, Rod Spittle, Gord Witteveen, Alexa Stirling Fraser, and the Lorne Rubenstein Media Award winner: Jack Marks.
Perhaps it’s a hackneyed cliche, but, it summarizes the last month in my life quite well, as I’ve decided to pursue golf communications full-time.
I’m thrilled to announce that as of today, I’ve officially started to work for myself as a golf communications professional, based out of both Toronto and Ottawa.
I’ve been able to work for large companies in advertising and marketing since I graduated from university, but I’ve always wanted to follow through on a big passion of mine – writing.
When the opportunity came for me to combine my professional experiences with my passion for golf, I had to take it.
It’s a really exciting time for me. I just got back from an inspiring trip to Northern Ireland – the subject of an upcoming piece for Fairways Magazine – and I hope that there are more experiences like that on the horizon.
To leave with another quote, this time from the iconic Field of Dreams, “you know, we just don’t recognize the most significant moments of our lives while they’re happening […] I thought, well, there will be other days. I didn’t realize that that was the only day.”
For me, it’s all happening now. And I can’t wait to see the results.
Some more information:
I’m officially branded as: ADAM STANLEY COMMUNICATIONS
I’m available for freelance writing work – which will be my main focus – but I will also be providing social media & communications solutions for the golf industry
Looking to connect further? Click on the CONTACT tab above!
Last week, I spent a magical five days in Northern Ireland with a group of golf media members from around the world. It was a wonderful experience.My first time in the U.K., and my first time playing links golf.
There will be a full write-up of my adventure in Fairways Magazine in the coming months (July, I believe).
Here are a couple of highlights:
Visiting Holywood Golf Club, where Rory McIlroy started playing at age three, and seeing the shrine they have erected dedicated to him
Arriving at Bushmills Inn – our accommodation for the week – and seeing the Canadian flag flying on the top of the hotel
Going to a grocery store in town and ordering a donut from the Tim Horton’s kiosk
Taking a caddie for the first time at Portstewart Golf Club, a 40-year member named Cyril who was a long-time journalist at the BBC
Hitting driver-nine iron into a par-5, then driver-four wood into a par-4. That’s links golf
Visiting the future site of Bushmills Dunes Golf Resort – set to be completed in 2015. An incredible piece of property
Playing Royal Portrush – one of the top-20 golf courses in the world – in the rain, hail, and 35 MPH+ wind. A day that even the locals said was “one of the worst of the year”
Seeing Darren Clarke on the putting green at Royal Portrush in the wind and the rain
Touring The Giant’s Causeway – one of Northern Ireland’s top tourist destinations – at sunrise. Walking down to the ocean and taking it all in was one of the most inspiring moments of my life
Going to the Bushmills whiskey distillery for the ‘breakfast’ tour, and getting handing a shot of 12-year-old ‘Distillery Reserve’ at 9:20am. Obviously I drank it. It was delicious.
Learning about how inexpensive it actually was to join a golf club in Ireland, and finding out how many have reciprocal memberships with clubs in Canada
Meeting a real life Anchorman from Washington, D.C.
Spending a full day with a German writer who spoke little English, but bonding over golf. “Ich biu eiu sharfer golfer!”
Visiting the oldest golf club in Ireland – Royal Belfast, established in 1881
Staying awake for 23 hours on my journey home.
I could not have travelled without:
Rain gear. An essential for any European golf vacation. Luckily, it was sunny for two of my three golfing days; however, I still wore my rain pants on top of my regular golf pants each day. I snagged a pair of Mike Weir rain pants for only $40 at SportChek prior to leaving. My only complaint about these pants is that they only had three pockets. I also wore an Under Armour shell. For my next trip I’d like to get a golf-specific rain jacket, but this seemed to do the trick (with extra layers underneath).
Travel golf bag. This was the second time I’ve used my OGIO “Straight Jacket” bag (the other, when I went to Vancouver in 2010). It is incredible. Clubs were kept safe and secure. I wrapped a towel around the clubheads for extra coverage, but it’s unlikely I needed to.
A sturdy pair of shoes. The thing about links golf is that there are no even lies. You’re constantly walking up a hill, down a hill, or alongside a hill. I was lucky enough to receive a pair of FootJoy’s new M:Project shoes at the beginning of the season, and their bright neon green colour accents were very appropriate for Ireland. They were honestly the best pair of golf shoes I’ve worn, and were the perfect pair of shoes for the Irish terrain.
Buff. At first, bringing a buff was just something fun. I had seen Martin Kaymer wear one from BlackFly Outfitters at the WGC-Accenture World Match Play the last couple of years and thought it was a cool, but I soon realized that it was actually very practical. I wore it each of the three days I played and kept me warm and, my neck and face dry.
As mentioned, the full story will be up in a couple of months, but it truly was an amazing experience. Photos to come in the next few days as well.
Teeing off on No.7 at Portstewart Golf ClubNo.7 at Ardglass Golf ClubNo. 5 green at Royal Portrush
As the last of the rain drops fell on Augusta National, and the last putt of the 2013 Masters dropped, it was Adam Scott, the likeable Aussie with movie-star looks and unreached potential, who emerged victorious and slipped into the green jacket.
Adam Scott: 2013 Masters champion
Angel Cabrera, or ‘El Pato’ (The Duck), should have won on a wet Sunday at Augusta. The 2009 Masters champion had the experience, he had the unflappable nerve, and he had family support – his son donning the white caddy coveralls for the week with papá.
But he didn’t. That’s golf.
Instead it was Scott, the 32-year-old former Mr. Kate Hudson, who made three birdies on the back nine – on both par-5’s, and the tricky finishing hole – to get to 9-under 279.
He called out “Come on Aussie!” to no one in particular as his 25-foot birdie putt on No.18 dipped into the side of the cup. But, it seemed loud enough to be a rallying wakeup call to his brethren down under – around 9:00 a.m. on Monday morning Australia-time.
“Come on Aussie!”
Scott celebrated for about thirty seconds, as Cabrera was waiting in the middle of the fairway for his turn, his moment at The Masters.
He did not disappoint, landing his approach to the final hole to about three feet and then quickly, calmly, draining the birdie to send the first major of the year to a playoff. The second in as many years.
The two men could not look any more different. But as they say, don’t judge a book by it’s cover.
No one gave the tournament away. There were no lip-outs or snap hooks into the pine straw. Drives were hammered, irons were spun as approach shots danced closer to the hole, and thumbs-up gestures were pointed back-and-forth. Golf is a wonderful game.
It was a week filled with controversy, and yet, and the end of a long, wet Sunday, two competitors who just gave all they had walked off the tenth green – the site of the second playoff hole – arm in arm.
A 14-year old made the cut, despite being assessed a penalty stroke for slow play. He pressed on, unfazed, and won the Low Amateur title. He’s still one year away from being “too old” for the Drive, Chip, and Putt Championship Augusta National is hosting next year. He should come back and enter. That would be a story.
The greatest golfer of our generation, Tiger Woods, was nearly disqualified. A perfect shot he hit on Saturday careened off the flagstick and into the water. The subsequent drop – deemed illegal – cost him another two strokes. Four total strokes, the result of a perfect shot. That’s golf.
Even Scott’s win may be deemed controversial. He wields a long wand while putting, a technique soon to be banned by the USGA. His victory means that four of the last five major champions have used a long (or belly) putter, and the spotlight will shine ever brighter on this “issue.”
For two hours on Sunday evening, the patrons of Augusta National may have cooled down in the rain and cool late-evening air. But the golf heated up. There was sportsmanship, masterful shotmaking, incredible putting, and a deserving champion.
Congratulations to Adam Scott, from down under to the top of the world.
Round 2 is in the books at Augusta, and despite some threatening weather in the morning, by the time the afternoon rolled around it was a clear day, and the sun was shining through the Georgia pines.
The day was not without controversy, though.
Some of the stories:
Slow and Steady: TianlangGuan, the young amateur, was assessed a one-stroke slow play penalty. Whether you want to believe that he was singled out, or, if the rules official following his group was just doing his job – apparently Guan had been warned three times that he was on the clock – it did seem odd that the first slow-play penalty to be assessed on the PGA Tour since 1995 (three years before Guan was born) happened today. It will be interesting to see how close pace-of-play is monitored through the weekend. Tiger Woods’ group, for example, finished in about six hours. Epic.
Aside – Guan, at 14, secures low amateur honours as the only amateur to make the cut, and, breaks the record for youngest male to make a cut on the PGA Tour (previous record held by Canadian Bob Panasik)
Outta nowhere: There are few things for certain at Augusta: green jackets, pimento cheese, and Fred Couples in contention. He rarely plays on the regular tour, but he has had three straight top-20 finishes at The Masters, and is just one stroke off the lead heading into the weekend. Angel Cabrera – the 2009 champion – is also just two strokes back. K.J. Choi is another guy who just keeps showing up on the leaderboard each April. There are definitely no sure things in golf, but some courses just fit particular golfers eyes.
Bad Breaks: The golf gods giveth, and the golf gods taketh away. On No.15, Tiger Woods laid up and had a wedge in his hand. He hit his approach right on the money, unfortunately it was *too* good and it hit the flagstick, spinning back into the water. He escaped with bogey, but went on to three-putt No.18. If he ends up losing this Masters by a shot or two, he’ll remember that hit flagstick for a long time.
Just barely making the cut: The Kid(!), Bubba (on the number), Phil Mickelson, Keegan Bradley, Nick Watney
Notables missing the cut: Mike Weir, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen, Ian Poulter, Webb Simpson
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Early returns for predictions on Day 3 stories (I was 2/5 today): Dufner saunters up the leaderboard and will play with Freddie on Sunday, An Australian and an Englishman will be tied for the lead, Tiger shoots 68, One person shoots 80+
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Tweets of the Day:
Augusta officials also announced they plan to tell all kids at the tournament Santa is not real.
Day One of the 2013 Masters is in the books. Heavy rain is supposed to blow through Augusta tonight, however, they’re saying it shouldn’t effect play tomorrow.
A worldwide contingent of golfers blew through Augusta National today, though, and there were no shortage of story lines.
Some highlights:
Legends: What a wonderful start to the tournament. I had the opportunity to see some of the coverage of the Par-3 tournament online on Wednesday, and it was almost surreal to see Jack, Arnold, and Gary Player traverse the “little course” together. Who knows if that will ever happen again? Wonderful. Every Thursday would be better with a ceremonial tee shot. Nice shot, Arnie.
The Kid: 14-year-old Tialang Guan truly shocked the golf world putting up a 1-over 73, and being in a tie for 46th place after one round. Many did not believe he would break 80 – he barely hits the ball over 260 yards off the tee – including his soon-to-be coach, Sean Foley. A valiant effort. No one thought he could perform in this way, except for him. And perhaps, his mother.
Weirsy: You have got to love the toughness of Mike Weir really being in the spotlight today. The debut of the documentary about his victory the night before on TSN touched on that toughness, and few thought that he would be able to get around Augusta’s layout today not having played a full round of golf in weeks because of an injury. He did though, and with a birdie on No.18, finished at even par. Another round like that tomorrow, and he’ll make just his third cut of the year.
Colours: His lime green ensemble aside, Rickie Fowler’s scorecard on Thursday was nearly as colourful as his wardrobe. He started the day with a double bogey on No.1 (and added another double on No.10 for good measure) but also made six birdies and an eagle(!) for a 4-under total. Shows some mental fortitude to bounce back after being two-over after one hole. Also, some of the TaylorMade staffers decided to go with the team “uniform” fashion idea again on Thursday and for Sergio Garcia and Dustin Johnson is certainly worked. The guys wore matching shirts (again with the lime green) and had nearly identical scores – DJ at -5 and Sergio in a share of the lead at -6. Perhaps they should start dressing the same more often.
Freddie: You’ve got to think that the guy will slow down at some point, but alas, every April he shows up with just as much swag as the year before and just as much game as his fellow, younger competitors. No matter who shoots a 4-under 68 on Day 1 of The Masters, people will be talking about it. But the 53-year-old Couples (who has three straight top-20 finishes at Augusta) just makes it seem cooler.
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Early returns for the stories of Day 2: Guan nearly makes the cut, we’ll see one W/D, an Englishman will hold the lead into the weekend, Tiger prowls, Old is young again.
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Tweets of the Day:
Tradition like no other #4: How can I be delicate? Every time you use a bathroom stall, an attendant pops in after to clean. And spray.
Ah, the beginning of April. In the sporting world, all eyes are on small town Augusta, Georgia for The Masters.
NCAA basketball has just concluded, baseball season is still too young to mean much, the NHL and NBA seasons aren’t yet in the playoffs, and we’re still a few months away from NFL training camps.
Golf takes centre stage, and rarely does it disappoint.
It’s a tradition like no other, says Jim Nantz. He, of CBS broadcasting fame. He, who just completed calling the NCAA men’s basketball national championship game and will switch gears to become the lead announcer for the tournament coverage.
Whether you’re a PGA professional or just a weekend warrior, The Masters is still a dream. Get there as a player, and you’ve earned it as one of the world’s best.
Get there as a fan – excuse me, as a patron – and you’ve either done some unspeakable act, you’ve won the lottery, or, you’ve got a friendly hook-up. You’re free to roam the grounds (walking only, please), take in the sights and the smells (but leave your cell phone in the car), and load up on moderately priced souvenirs and wonderfully cheap concessions.
It’s an inspirational setting.
I’ve yet to attend. One day, I’m sure. One day, I’m hoping to cover the tournament. I’d likely break the first rule of sports journalism and become a fan, but not of a singular player. Of the atmosphere.
For now, like 99% of us, I’ll be enjoying the coverage from my couch. Augusta National in HD is, well, almost like being there. And the official Masters mobile and tablet apps are incredible accompaniments to the tournament coverage.
Nothing halfway for the men (and two women) in green.
It’ll be my 16th-straight year watching The Masters from my couch. In those 16 years, there have been four moments that have stood out for me.
Likely, moments that I’ll never forget.
Tiger Woods demolishes the field to win his first major in 1997. I was nine years old, and my family had gone to my great-aunt and uncle’s house for a Sunday dinner. But, I was allowed to watch the last of the final round. It was the moment when my Grandfather, who passed away just four years ago, introduced me to golf.
Sorry Len Mattiace, but I think the collective will of 30 million Canadians helped Mike Weir win that Sunday in 2003. It was a magical moment for all Canadians. Weir had won The Masters. The next day, he went to Sears wearing the green jacket, and dropped a puck at a Toronto Maple Leafs game. Oh Canada, indeed.
Tiger, again, with the chip heard ’round the world in 2005. I sprung out of my couch for this one. It was the year before YouTube took off (in fact, YouTube debuted in late 2005, it really took off in 2006) so I couldn’t immediately watch the clip the next day. But I’ve made up for it in the years since. Still one of the greatest non-advertisement advertisements I’ve ever seen. And, one of the greatest calls in sports. IN YOUR LIFE…
Just last year we had unseasonably warm temperatures, so I helped my family to open up our cottage during Masters weekend. It was okay though, I’d leave early on Sunday and be home by noon, I thought. Not so. I ended up getting into a car accident on the way home and had to wait for my parents to take me back to Toronto. Alas, I was still home before the leaders teed off. And at least I had a half-decent excuse to lay on the couch all afternoon. Plus I got to see this. And this.
Bring on 2013. Bring on Tea Olive, Flowering Peach, and Redbud. Bring on pimento cheese sandwiches. Bring on The Masters.
Thanks to John Daly and outfits like this (and this, and this) Loudmouth Golf has become synonymous with brash fashion choices. Even if you don’t remember the name of the company, you’d remember the outfit.
This week, Loudmouth Golf announced the release of its iPhone app named Loudmouth Golf Tour.
The app is branded in the same bold manor as the company’s clothes, but it allows golfers of all levels to keep score and track detailed stats, while connecting with their golf buddies on Facebook.
In addition to also keeping score, the app allows golfers to engage with their friends through golf groups and compete with one another, manage the group’s stats, and play against other Loudmouth players.
An extra fun element is also included, where golfers can earn ‘Loudmouth points’ where they can unlock achievements and win Loudmouth merchandise by playing in Loudmouth-sponsored competitions.
“Many of us at Loudmouth have technical Silicon Valley backgrounds, so when we partnered with Weekend Warriors to design this app our goal was to create a product that has a Loudmouth effect – give Loudmouth Nation a new tool that makes golfing more fun and throw some good data in as the Cherry Bomb on top,” said Larry Jackson, Loudmouth Golf CEO in a press release.
The app is available for iPhone only and is available in the App Store. And, although an intriguing concept, users can only download golf courses in the U.S. for now.
ADAM STANLEY 
