To say it simply, when you think golf, you probably aren’t thinking that there’s much “hot” about it. That is unless you’re referring to soaking through your sweaty shirt playing 18 holes in sweltering summer heat (for me, the memory of walking around Southern Hills in Tulsa for the 2007 PGA Championship in August comes to mind). Among the reasons: A-if there’s a country club sport that is sexy, it’s the one where you think Maria Sharapova and short skirts and; B-even in the 21st century, golf straddles the line between being a “game” and a “sport.”
Nonetheless, as a golf fan reading this post, you certainly can connect golf with the word “love.” You know that tingly feeling you get when you take the plastic off brand new clubs and hit them for the first time. You know the exhilaration when you pull off a shot that you really had no business pulling off (or maybe you did…and you feel that surge of justification for all the time, money and energy you’ve spent on this crazy game). But that’s not just love. That’s sexy as hell.
So in that spirit, it’s my goal to bring you the sexiest, hottest people, places and things in golf each week. Because even if it’s too hot to play outside, you still can get a good thrill.
Bubba
Because he only has to change pee-pee diapers. True, but the Masters man is back in action this week in New Orleans and he’s as confident and smooth as I’ve ever seen him. There’s nothing sexier than confidence. Add to it he’s proactively trying to raise $1 million for the Bubba and Angie Watson Medical Center in Africa and you have not only a player, but ado-gooder too.
Luke Donald
Everyone loves an underdog. Okay, he’s not an underdog. But he is gunning to take back the No. 1 ranking in the world this week. He’s tops on my fantasy team as well as the name on the lips ofmany of the “experts” here at Golf Channel this week.
Classic Style
Payne Stewart did it in the 90s and women (as well as men) loved him for it. Props to the Zurich Classic for celebrating 100 years of golf style with a throw-back challenge to 1912, the birth year of the greats: Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson. While some guys looked better sporting the looks than others, the concept was completely cool.
Acme Oyster House
Oysters are an aphrodisiac and they’re in prime form this week at the Zurich Classic. I visited the long-standing establishment in the French Quarter prior to this week’s event for ‘Gone with the Win’ and will vouch for their deliciousness. So will Tour players who flock to this spot this week. No comment on the aphrodisiac effect.
Branden Grace
Because he has three. Granted his wins are on the European Tour, but you can’t argue with the talent and skill that brought him three trophies this year.
Jack Nicklaus
Not only does he have 11 more major titles than Arnold Palmer, he now too has a drink named after him. Arizona Beverages, the same company who makes the Arnold Palmer line of drinks, has released a line of lemonade beverages called “Golden Bear.” It is available in three flavors, regular lemonade with honey and ginseng, mango lemonade, and strawberry lemonade. The cans feature portraits of Nicklaus’ 1978 Open Championship victory, his 1978 PGA Championship win, and even a teenaged Nicklaus playing basketball for his high school team.
Sean O’Hair
$16.2 Million. The 29-year-old now leads the PGA Tour career money list of players under 30. Strong. Enough said.
