Snedeker looks good for rookie of the year award

How does one PGA Tour victory, 6 top 10 finishes and over $2.8 million in prize money sound? Pretty damn good for a veteran PGA Tour professional but these numbers aren't from such a player, these are the rookie season numbers posted by 26 year old Brandt Snedeker.

Of all rookies on the Tour this year, Nashville Tennessee native Snedeker finished highest on the money list (17th) and highest in FedEx points (20th)

Rookie of the year honors are voted on by the Tour players themselves and results are expected soon. Last year's Rookie of the year was South Africa's Trever Immelman.

Gut Check Time for Q-School Contestants

Wintergarden Florida
Imagine if what you do during the next 6 days will determine your livelyhood for the entire next year. It's a fairly intimidating prospect to be sure but that's what 166 golfers are currently facing during the annual Q-School qualifying tournament down in Florida this week.

Frank Lickliter II and Brendon de Jonge each shot 10-under 62 on yesterday during opening round play at Orange County National to share the lead in the six-round PGA Tour National Qualifying Tournament.

Only the 25 top finishers and ties will earn the golden ticket - a PGA Tour card for 2007. This of course means full entry into most 2008 PGA Tour events and with that, the shot at fame and fortune. The next 50 or so players earn full exemption to the Nationwide tour while the remaining players in the field will achieve conditional status on the Nationwide tour.

Lickliter as well as Jonge both lost tour cards this year by finishing 139th & 155th
respectively on the money list.

Justin Timberlake to host Fall PGA Event

In the decades prior to the 90's, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra & Glen Cambell were just a few of the many Hollywood Celebrities to lend their names to PGA tour events with the Bob Hope Desert Classic being the last celeb hosted tourney standing at the turn of the Century. Big news earlier this year when George Lopez took over as host of the Desert Classic but now even bigger news, Justin Timberlake has joined forces with the PGA and is getting his very own golf tournament. The 26-year-old singer will host the PGA Tour event in Las Vegas, which will be renamed the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

Timberlake states "We will make sure to make this event unique and memorable, and we will raise money for charity while participating in the greatest game ever played," Timberlake said in a statement Monday. "Raising money to better children's lives while playing golf? I can't think of a better way to pass the time."

While Lopez can coax out a steady stream of b-listers & TV stars, Timberlake should really be able to bring out the star power which will make this a must-see event next year. I'm curious if having his name attached to the tournament will help drag any top 10 players off their yachts for the week to compete in this thing.

The event takes place in the fall, after the FedEx cup is wrapped up so no real need for anybody to show up except for players hovering near the magic 125 number - or those with really big yacht payments!

Tattoo Golf will be there to report on all the action so stay tuned.

4 Ball Final Match

My golf partner Jim & myself have reached the finals in the 4 ball tournament at Chevy Chase CC (Glendale CA - not Maryland!). We played the semi-final match this past Sunday against a team that previously beat us on the 1st hole of a playoff so it was sweet revenge & a rather smooth sail into the finals. We ended up winning 3-2 but more important than that was my contribution to the teams winning holes - something I've not been doing much lately. I birdied a 165 yard par 3 by sticking the ball 2 feet from the cup & making the putt which vindicated me since I missed a 2 footer to lose to this team the last time we played - revenge is sweet!

Southern California Golf Expo

Tattoo Golf will be exhibiting at the Southern California Fall Golf Show out in Pomona this Friday, Saturday & Sunday. If you golf and are looking for some great deals then this is a great show to attend because there are tons of vendors (including us!) selling everything you can ever want to get your game on track. Tattoo Golf will be set up in booth # 320 so stop on by to say hello and check out our hot deals. Roger Dunn always has a massive shopping area at these shows featuring some reallys seet deals. I've got a new bag, a 9 iron & a hybrid on my shopping list so I'm fairly excited about doing a little shopping this weekend.

4 ball tournament

I just played the first round of my club's 4 ball tournament & my partner Jim & I closed out our opponents 6 & 4. We started out with 3 natural birdies on the 1st 3 holes so with handicap we were shootin net eagles while the other guys started off with 3 pars for net birdies! I think that took some wind out of there sails because they never chipped into that 3 up lead and we got it to 4 before giving one back then bringing it back up to 6.

I'm a 22 handicap but still stuck a couple of shots within feet of the pin on 2 separate holes to card 2 birdies (net eagles). I did go through a 4 hole stretch where I couldn't pull my head out & completely lost my swing but I did get it back though and finished the last hole with a crazy 25 foot putt to close things out. If my putter didn't work I'd be dead!

Help Wanted

Urgently needed - help finding my game!! I had it two weeks ago but now I've been out 2 times in the past 2 weeks & it's gone. Fat shots, shanks, pulls & pushes, it's completely frustrating and I've got a tournament tomorrow at my club so it better come to me in my sleep! This isn't the first time my game's gone AWOL which probably means that it won't be the last unfortunately.

Has anybody else experienced this & what the hell did you do about it?

What a crazy game golf is...

Wie can't go on like this.

Big news in the desert this weekend! Michelle Wie placed 19th in the Samsung World Championship played in Palm Desert at Bighorn Golf Club and this helped more than double her earnings for the entire year! Sounds good if it not for her total earnings so far this year being less than $10,000 plus the fact only 20 players participated in the Samsung tourney. Her 1 under 71 (only the 2nd sub par round this year) helped push her ahead of Germany's Bettina Hauert & come up just 36 strokes behind winner Lorena Ochoa.

Anyone else and I might be inclined to feel sorry for her but aside from winning the USGA Women's Amateur Public Links title in 2003, she's done absolutely nothing! She's really starting to embarrass herself and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. Someone needs to set her off on the right path quick. If I were her advisor (or her Daddy) I'd say "Golf or college, make a decision" If it's college then great - play maybe 2 or 3 LPGA exemptions a year & spend the rest of the time studying. If it's golf then let's focus on winning a woman's tournament before ever teeing it up with the men again. Unless she's absolutely stupid, why continue to go against the men? She can't win, damn, she can't even make the cut so what's the point?

Photo shoot

If you live in So. Cal. & you're a golfer then you've more than likely heard of Southland Golf Magazine. It's a fantastic super-gloss golf mag w/ tons of great product info, course reviews, player interviews, etc. & it's absolutely free! Tattoo Golf advertises in there every month & they've done some TG product reviews over the past year but now we're gearing up for a full-on editorial which should be rolling in out in their Nov. issue.

My partner Bill & myself met up with Eddie Meeks, Southland's photo editor, today at Chevy Chase CC in Glendale for a photo shoot to capture our mugs on film for the article. Eddie is Vietnam Vet & a real colorful character with plenty of great stories was just a blast to work with. He specializes in golf & auto racing but he's a real pro so he basically can do it all. Check him out at www.eddiemeeks.us or community.webshots.com/user/golfphotographer and don't forget to check out Tattoo Golf in November's issue of Southland Golf!

Swede's Golfing is Sweet

Jesper Parnevik, winless since 2001, seems to have found his game over the past 2 days down in San Antonio at the Valero Texax Open. In a field almost completely void of any top 50 ranked players, Parnevik is a stunning 14 under after 2 rounds and hopes to continue his amazing run when he tees off in a couple of hours.

It's a Swedish party at the top as Parnivik's playing partner is Mathias Gronberg who trails is countryman by 4 at 10 under.

Every since he lost his nanny to Tiger Woods Parnevik's played like a Swedish meatball but I'm rooting for him and maybe his time has come.

Woody Takes the Plunge

Even better than the solid beating the American's handed out to the rest of the world during the recent President's Cup was Woody (Aquaman) Austin's graceful dive/fall into a water hazard at the Royal Montreal Golf Club. Always the colorful character, Woody outdid himself this weekend! Gone were the flamboyant Tobasco brand scenery shirts but under the fashionable USA team garb lied our old, lovable Woody.

He was as animated as ever & a joy to watch as he made clutch putt after clutch putt during his pairing with Phil Mickelson to help pad America's lead during the 4 day event. Following his quick mid-round dip, Woody toweled off & proceeded to birdie the final 3 holes to lift him and playing partner David Toms to a tie in their 4 ball match with the South African team of Trevor Immelman and Rory Sabbatini.

Having now played in his first President's Cup at the age of 43, he's already got his sights set on 2009 and if he continue's playing anywhere near this level there's no way he doesn't make that goal.

Greg Shaw
Tattoo Golf

PGA to begin anti-doping policy in 2008

Football? Sure. Baseball? Yep. Cycling? Definitely. Track & Field? No question. But golf? That’s the question now that the PGA Tour will begin implementation of their own anti-doping plan in 2008 as part of an overall World Golf Foundation policy.

The World Golf Foundation not only includes the PGA Tour but also the European Tour, LPGA, the USGA, Augusta National and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club. With the Asian, Canadian, Japanese and Australasian Tours all signing on to support the plan, we’ve essentially got an anti-doping plan that reaches every corner of the globe.

PGA Commissioner Tim Finchem had long held fast to the belief that there was no need for anti-doping intervention but has changed his position during this past year. Said Finchem earlier this year “…there’s no sport that’s inherently immune to doping. It’s a sad commentary, but it’s true.”

Is it true? And is it really necessary? Golf has always been looked on as a gentleman’s game, one equated to honesty, integrity and good sportsmanship where players self-police and in many instances, call penalties on themselves for unseen infractions. But times apparently are a changing!!

Is this merely a sign of the times, a preemptive strike to keep up with the policies of other professional sports or is there some evidence of cheating that the PGA is hiding from us? Is there a potential Barry Bonds-like abuser lurking on the PGA’s leader board? The only player as beefy as a steroid popping ball player is Tiger Woods yet he’s also the most vocal proponent of this anti-doping plan and has publicly volunteered to be first in line for testing.

I can’t think of another player out there who looks or golfs the part of a doping violator. The guys that hit it 300 yards seem to have reached this mark via advanced technology (i.e. Hotter club faces & balls) mixed in with a bit of exercise but even assuming there is substance abuse on tour, you still have to hit the ball straight! And once the driver is in the bag, players don’t really need muscle, they need technique. They need to hit a wedge 100 yards to a tightly tucked pin location and I’m not sure there’s a drug out there that can help with this. And just how will any banned substance help a professional read and sink a 15 foot putt with a double break in it?

The illegal substances that generally get all the attention are the muscle pumping, strength inducing drugs so prevalent among the Popeye forearmed baseball players of recent years but what about some of the other prohibited substances on the list for testing? The list includes everything from anabolic steroids and hormones to beta-blockers. Now I can see how beta-blockers may be of help to a PGA Tour professional as they basically block the affect adrenalin has on your body. In other words they make you relax! Additionally they facilitate smooth muscle control which explains their prevalence as being a treatment for various heart ailments including cardiac arrhythmias and heart attacks (prevention post-attack).

Woods recently reminded reporters that Nick Price once admitted to using beta blockers but said they actually hurt his game rather than help but drugs have varying effects on people so who’s to say it won’t help the next guy? A few beers usually help calm me down but it certainly doesn’t seem to help my game any! It’s not farfetched to think that beta-blockers may help someone down the road.

It’s better to be proactive rather than reactive so Finchem’s making the right call here but I’m betting on betting on the players and believe golf will not be shamed and dragged into the mud like so many other sports these day.

Quick Tattoo Golf Videos

Argyle Is Back

Argyle fashion is back in style & Tattoo Golf's got a brand new jersey knit polo just in time for summer! Check out the pictures below to view this great shirt as well as a few other items to help keep you cool during these hot summer months. We'll be at the Pomona Tattoo & Body Art Expo this Friday, Saturday & Sunday so if you can't get a tee time, stop on by & say hello - it's indoors with plenty of air conditioning!! Remember that all TG customers and email subscribers always get a 10% discount just by entering coupon code tg10off when ordering online at Tattoo Golf.
Argyle Jersey knit polo shirts featuring the new design on the left front side & a small 'Tattoo Golf' on the bottom back. These shirts are comfortable, traditionally styled polos with just the right amount of TG attitude! Available in both white & black. Only $39.99 before discount.

The all new Tattoo Golf visor has been such a hit and now it's available in red & khaki! These visors are from Flexfit & are fully fitted and equiped with the patented Flexfit spandex stretch band. One size fits most melons. $22.99 before discount.


Enjoy and thanks for your support!

New TG Items

We've been busy working on new items & new designs so take a few moments to check out the latest additions to the Tattoo Golf line! Remember that all TG customers and email subscribers always get a 10% discount just by entering coupon code tg10off when ordering online at Tattoo Golf.

Our hot selling Stars & Skulls design is now available in the Poly-Dri microfibre knit fabric! This material wicks perspiration rapidly away from the skin, drawing it to the surface where it quickly evaporates. You will stay dry in even the hottest conditions. Only $47.99 before discount.
Tattoo Golfs # 1 selling shirt - the Trent - is now available in this hot new pewter color. This shirt is constructed of the Poly-Dri microfibre fabric and provides you with maximun breathability and comfort throughout the day. Also available in white, black and red. $47.99 before discount.


Ladies Stars & Skull Poly Dri!! This material wicks perspiration rapidly away from the skin, drawing it to the surface where it quickly evaporates. You will stay dry in even the hottest conditions. Only $44.99 before discount.
Our hot selling Men's Stars & Skulls shirt is now available in white. This super-soft 100% pre-shrunk combed cotton shirt features the Stars & Skull logo screen printed on the front and a TG stars design on the back right shoulder. These shirts are comfortable and carry just the right amount of attitude! - only $39.99 before discount.


Great new color for the ladies!! Our heavy-duty all metal constructed divot tool and our great selling cap clips now are available in pink! Each item includes a pink removable magnetic ball marker that features the skull design. $12.99 & $10.99