Golf is the best when you’re playing well, and the worst when you aren’t. So why not make it harder and tee off with a putter…
The European Tour’s annual Scottish Open traditionally takes place a week before the Open Championship. It’s an opportunity for Euro players, Americans and other PGA pros to come together and warm up prior the Major tournament. The tour also likes to get creative during the week of the Scottish Open with fun challenges like “Rory vs. the Robot” and “The Fastest Hole of Golf”.
The contest, this year, was for competitors to tee off from 210 yards out at Castle Stuart and see who could hit it closest to the pin. As you can see, it wasn’t very easy for some of the world’s best golfers…
A few golfers were able to rise to the occasion. Scottish PGA Tour pro Russell Knox hit the best, placing his ball just 9 feet from the hole.
If you happen to be at the golf course later today and there isn’t anyone playing too close behind you, maybe give it a swing with your putter on a Par-3. If you get it on video, share it with us on either Facebook or Twitter.
We all have that friend from Texas that’s never too shy to say, “You don’t know what REAL barbecue is.” Since winning the 2015 Masters at Augusta National, Jordan Spieth has been that friend.
Tuesday night, Spieth hosted the annual Champions Dinner and ordered “authentic Texas Barbecue” for all his green jacket wearing colleagues.
The Champions Dinner tradition began in 1952, when Ben Hogan suggested and hosted it. Each year, the winners of the Masters get together on Tuesday night before the tournament. It’s setup to welcome the winner from the previous year to their exclusive club of champions, which is officially known as The Masters Club. The previous year’s winner then selects the menu for the evening and also pays for it as well. You can do that after cashing the giant checks at the giant check bank.
Here’s what Spieth’s menu looked like for the evening.
It was the first time the group had Texas barbecue since Spieth’s fellow Longhorn, Ben Crenshaw, hosted in 1996. Apparently the meal went over well, according to Tiger Woods.
After Woods won his first Masters, he treated the champions in 1998 to cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, french fries and milkshakes. After both of his wins, Bubba Watson had an entree of grilled chicken breast with sides of green beans, mashed potatoes, corn, macaroni and cheese, served with cornbread, and a dessert of confetti cake and vanilla ice cream.
Competition for the next green jacket (and next year’s menu) begins Thursday, April 7th.
If you won The Masters, what would you have served at the Champions Dinner? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter!
While the Open Championship at St. Andrews took place this this weekend in Scotland (and wraps up today), something even more entertaining happened on a golf course in Lake Tahoe…
“Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” star and recent “Dancing With the Stars” winner Alfonso Ribeiro teed off Saturday afternoon from the 17th hole at the American Century Celebrity Golf Tournament. After sending his drive a little long and shaking his head, that seemed as good a time as any to break out his famous “Carlton” Dance…with Justin Timberlake.
I’m going to go ahead and assume that JT birdied the hole because he’s good at everything, especially golf. Be sure to let him (and me) know when the Fresh Prince reboot happens, and I’m sure he’ll gladly make a cameo.
For more fun in Sports, Music, Movies, TV and Food, head over to Facebook and Twitter and join the fun.
Monday morning, the Chicago Cubs announced the “secret” headliner for the fourth annual Hot Stove Cool Music charity concert, July 9th at the Metro. Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder will be performing alongside Cubs President Theo Epstein, Cubs broadcaster Len Kasper, Hall of Fame baseball writer Peter Gammons, 670 The Score sports talk radio host Matt Spiegel, members of Wilco, Cheap Trick, Umphrey’s McGee, Tributosaurus, and more. The concert benefits Cubs Charities and Foundation To Be Named Later, which helps aid disadvantaged youth and adults.
Vedder has a long history with his beloved Cubs, having grown up just north of the city in Evanston, IL. Fans recall multiple renditions of the 7th inning stretch, but he also recorded his own anthem for the Cubs. Pearl Jam and Cubs fans alike were treated to a “double header” in 2013 as the band played before and after a storm at Wrigley Field. The late Ernie Banks even came out to yell, “Let’s Play Two!”
We all have our interests and it’s always cool when we see those interests overlap. The fan in me always seems to geek out especially when music and sports come together. I recently had the pleasure of seeing Niklas Hjalmarsson and the Chicago Blackhawks crash a Mumford and Sons concert at Montrose Beach. I made involuntary noises as Hjalmarrson commanded the band to drink beer from the Stanley Cup…then mention he should’ve told them where the Cup had been beforehand.
Just the other day, JJ Watt played concert security for the Zac Brown Band and squared up on an “intruder”.
Following Hall of Fame basketball player and entertaining broadcaster Bill Walton on the Grateful Dead “Fare Thee Well” Tour has been a treat beyond words.
Part of the allure is seeing our favorite musicians or athletes come back to Earth in a way that we can relate. They are the best at what they do but can be so humbled and excited to be around someone of another profession. They’re fans like we are.
The other part is seeing someone offer you another dynamic that you weren’t aware of. When you hear about a professional athlete releasing an album, you’re interested to hear how it sounds (except for Shaq). When you see an artist or musician signed up to play in a celebrity All-Star game, you want to tune in and see how they fair.
Here are are some examples of worlds colliding in music and sports.
Athletes in Music
Bernie Williams
5-time Yankees All-Star centerfielder, 1998 AL batting title winner, and 4-time World Series champion Bernie Williams is also a Latin Grammy nominated guitarist. Williams recorded 2,336 hits and a .297 batting average in his baseball career, and 2 jazz albums in 2003 and 2009.
Former Vikings punter, gamer and excellent Twitter follow Chris Kluwe also started a band called Tripping Icarus. They have an EP and full length LP to their credit, all spawned from Kluwe’s love for “Guitar Hero”.
Jack McDowell
Former White Sox pitcher and 1993 CY Young winner, Jack “Blackjack” McDowell had a 12 year long baseball career, and a music career that has lasted for much longer. The alternative rocker recorded 6 albums with bands V.I.E.W. and stickfigure, and is still playing in clubs today.
The 1985 Chicago Bears
The ’85 Chicago Bears went 15-1, won a Super Bowl, had 4 players go to the Hall of Fame, and became the first sports team to be nominated for a Grammy. “The Super Bowl Shuffle” was organized by wide receiver Willie Gault, and performed by 24 members of the roster. This year will be the 30th anniversary of its release, a single that went to #41 on the Billboard charts and went Gold for selling half a million copies.
Sorry you had to hear Steve Fuller attempt rapping again.
Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan, Bubba Watson and Ben Crane – Golf Boys
Losing the collared t-shirts and khakis, these golfers decided to have some fun for charity. Producing 2 viral music videos, $1,000 is donated by State Farm per 100,000 views to charity.
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Alice Cooper is best known for heavy metal and live shows that feature guillotines, boa constrictors, electric chairs and fake blood. He also has a golf handicap of 5.3 and titled his memoirs “Alice Cooper: Golf Monster – A Rock ’n’ Roller’s 12 Steps To Becoming a Golf Addict.”
WE’RE NOT WORTHY!
Bruce Dickinson
Iron Maiden front man Bruce Dickinson is one of the world’s most interesting individuals. He is a military veteran, a licensed commercial pilot, melter of rock and roll faces…and a WORLD CLASS FENCER! At one point he ranked 7th in all the UK. Dickinson also sponsors youth soccer teams.
Garth Brooks
Country superstar Garth Brook has sold over 70 million records in his career, but his dream was to be a Major League baseball player. Brooks made that dream come true when the San Diego Padres signed him to play in Spring training in 1998. He also had Spring training stints with the New York Mets and the Kansas City Royals, ending his baseball “career” with a hit off pitcher Mike Myers in 2004.
Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake is one of the best entertainers of our era. Singer, dancer, actor…and a 6 handicap golfer. Timberlake once said he would be a pro golfer by the age of 30. That has yet to happen, but he is minority owner of the Memphis Grizzlies…so there’s that.
MTV Rock N’ Jock
Back when MTV was actually “Music Television” and played music videos, there was also a series where musicians, athletes and movie stars would come together to compete in basketball, football and bowling. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Chuck D, Brett Michaels and Queen Latifah would play alongside Chris Webber, Gary Payton, Rick Mahorn, George Clooney, and yes…Leonardo DiCaprio (That’s him on the bottom left). It was truly incredible television.
Do any other Sports and Music crossovers come to mind? Let me know on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03.
michaelpiff 