WAM Golf

New York Golf Course Offers 2012 Season Pass For $299

It's a competitive world and golf courses are always looking for an edge when it comes to getting golfers to their golf course. One New York area golf course has stepped up its marketing game by offering golfers the opportunity to obtain a 2012 season pass for $299. Considering one of the biggest complaints about golf is the cost (the other is time), this is a great opportunity for anyone looking to minimize their cost next season.

  (Putnam National is Located in Mahopac, New York)

Who is offering this deal? The golf course is Putnam National Golf Club located in Mahopac, New York. Putnam National is owned by Putnam County and operated by the RDC Golf Group. The standard greens fees for the regular season is $40 plus a $16 cart fee (per the course website). If the rates were to stay the same you could make up the cost in just about five rounds! Something most golfers would dream of. 

What's The Catch

Here's the fine print. The $299 value is only good for the first 50 people who sign up. After that, the 2012 season rate jumps to $349 for the next 50 golfers. If you're one of the final 50 golfers to try and sign up for the package, it's going to cost you $399, still a great deal to play golf all season especially within an hour and a half of New York City. 

The other half of the catch is the cart fee. Once you purchase the package you will be required to pay a cart fee whether your walking or taking the cart. The Putnam National website lists the cart fee as $16 for the 2011 season (18 holes) but when I called to confirm the 2012 cart fee I was told it was $17.50. As someone who walks the majority of his rounds, it was disappointing to read but if you take a cart for golf, this is one of the best deals going!

Team USA Adds Tiger Woods & Bill Haas To Presidents Cup Team

The Presidents Cup is less than two months away and with a buzz in the air, Team USA captain Fred Couples and International Team captain Greg Norman made their two captains picks. This year the biggest question was if Fred Couples would select the struggling Tiger Woods to join team USA. On Tuesday, the question was answered.

(Tiger Woods & Team USA at the 201o Ryder Cup. Photo: Zimbio)

Fred Couples announced Tiger Woods and recent FedEx Cup champion Bill Haas will be joining Team USA as the final two pieces when the Americans look to continue their Presidents Cup unbeaten streak which dates back to 1998. Haas finished 12th in the President Cup standings and Woods finished in 29th. 

What good is a captains pick without controversy? While the pick of Bill Haas may seem like is was made based on the TOUR Championship, we should remember the season as a whole. In 26 events, Haas made the cut 22 times including seven top 10 finishes. His first win came just a few days ago but he added two second place finishes, both losses coming in a playoff tiebreak. His $4 million in earnings (excluding the $10 million FedEx Cup) has him ranked 5th in earnings this season. If the Presidents Cup standings are important, his 12th place finish (Brandt Snedeker finished 11th) makes him a safe choice. 

Now the controversy can begin. Over the next month we will hear about Tiger and if he was a good pick. If we use the Bill Haas model, based on standings, numbers, and recent play, Tiger is less than an ideal choice. In eight events this seasons, Tiger made the cut in six and finished in the top 10 twice. He earned just over $625,000 and finished 132nd in the FedEx Cup Standings. In the Presidents Cup standings he finished 29th which out him behind Keegan Bradley, winner of the PGA Championship and the HP Byron Nelson Championship. 

This will be the 7th Presidents Cup for Tiger and the first for Haas. They will be joined by Matt Kuchar , Steve Stricker, Dustin Johnson, Webb Simpson, Nick Watney, Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, David Toms, Hunter Mahan and Jim Furyk. 

 

Bill Haas Wins TOUR Championship & FedEx Cup

Bill Haas defeated Hunter Mahan in a playoff to win the TOUR Championship and take home the FedEx Cup title. The combination of Haas's win and Webb Simpson finishing outside the top 20 allowed Haas to take the title by just 15 points. 

(Bill Haas hoists the FedEx Cup & Tour Championship trophies. Photo: USA Today)

 With the win on Sunday Haas earned a total of $11.4 million this weekend, $1,440,000 for the TOUR Championship and $10 million for the FedEx Cup. The win is the third career victory for Haas, he won the Bob Hope and Viking Classic in 2010. Prior to the TOUR Championship, Haas had finished runner up in two tournaments in 2011, losing both in a playoff.

FedEx Cup Falters In Final Event

 The TOUR Championship victory by Haas was impressive but in order to win the FedEx Cup he needed serious help. Coming into the final FedEx Cup event, Haas was ranked 25th out of the final 30 players, an unlikely candidate to win considering the names ahead of him. In order for Haas to win the FedEx Cup, the following had to happen:

The top ranked player, Webb Simpson needed to finished in 19th or worse. Dustin Johnson, who was in second place, had to finish 6th or worse. Luke Donald, the top ranked golfer in the world was third in the FedEx Cup standings, he needed to finish tied for 3rd or worse along with fellow Englishman, Justin Rose, Brandt Snedeker and Matt Kuchar. 

In one of the unlikeliest scenarios imaginable, it all came together for Haas. Simpson finished in 22nd place, Johnson in 23rd. Justin Rose finished tied for 20th with Matt Kuchar and Snedeker was 16th. Luke Donald, who many expected to pull it out, finished in a tie for 3rd, missing the FedEx Cup title by 193 points. 

 

The TOUR Championship Preview & Groups To Watch

The PGA TOUR season comes to an end this week as the final 30 players in the FedEx Cup standings head to Atlanta for the TOUR Championship. Webb Simpson is the leader and controls his own destiny but anyone in the top five can earn the title of FedEx Cup Champion with a win this week. 

(A win this week will give Webb Simpson his first FedEx Cup title. Photo: Zimbio)

While Webb Simpson holds the top spot, he is only assured a victory with a win. The FedEx Cup was setup so the players in the top five heading into the TOUR Championship all have a chance to be FedEx Cup champion. Along with Simpson, Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose, Luke Donald and Matt Kuchar can all claim the $10 million prize by winning in Atlanta.

It seems simple on paper but a win by anyone outside the top five makes things more interesting and considering the players ranked 6^th to 30^th, there is a good chance we can see one of them win. Leading the way is Phil Mickelson. Ranked 14th in the standings, Lefty has won here before in 2000 and 2009. He’s won on TOUR and with a small field, it could be time for him to pull it off again.

 Vijay Singh (23rd) and Adam Scott (19th) are the other two players in the field with wins here. Scott pulled it off in 2006 and Singh did it in 2002. Halfway through the season I don’t think anyone expected these two players to be a factor in the TOUR Championship. Now, a win by Singh would be a big upset but a win by Scott would be another building block for a player with a promising future.

 

Round One Groups To Watch

3. Adam Scott & Keegan Bradley: If you had asked me who the PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year was six weeks ago I would have said Keegan Bradley. Now, it’s looking like Webb Simpson will take that honor. A win here by Bradley would certainly make things more interesting. As for Adam Scott, see above. He’s my favorite player and my pick to win this week.

2. Luke Donald & Justin Rose: All of England will be watching on Thursday when these two guys tee off together. Justin Rose wasn’t on the radar until his convincing win last week, now he can be FedEx Cup champion if he can pull off back to back victories. The top ranked golfer in the world, Luke Donald, can earn the title “FedEx Cup Champion” with a win and silence a lot of critics.

1. Webb Simpson & Dustin Johnson: If nothing else, it will be exciting. Simpson is the hottest player in golf right now and Johnson is just behind him. A win earns either one of them the FedEx Cup title.

 

Justin Rose Wins The BMW Championship; Qualifies For TOUR Championship

Justin Rose moved into position to become FedEx Cup Champion by winning the BMW Championship at Cog Hill. Rose shot an opening round 63 on Thursday and didn't look back winning the third playoff event by two strokes over John Senden of Australia. 

(Justin Rose moved into 3rd place in the FedEx Cup Standings. Photo: Golf365.com)

Heading into the BMW Championship Rose was 31st in the FedEx Cup Standings and needed to move up one place into the top 30 to qualify for the TOUR Championship in Atlanta. With the win Rose jumped to 3rd place in the standings heading into the "finals", just behind Webb Simpson and Dustin Johnson. 

For Rose, it's his first win since 2010 AT&T Championship at Aronimink Golf Club which capped off a stretch last season where Rose won two tournaments in three weeks. The win earned Rose just over $1.4 million and moved him up 23 spots in the Official World Golf Rankings, he is now 17th in the world. 

Rose Not The Only Winner At BMW Championship

We can all agree no one likes to lose but John Senden's second place finish at the BMW Championship could be considered a big victory. Senden came into the BMW in 55th place in the FedEx Cup race and was considered by most to be on his out but by finishing second he earned enough points to not only move onto the TOUR Championship, he's in the top 10. 

Senden wasn't the only Australian to move into the top 30. Geoff Ogilvy came into the BMW Championship ranked 69th but a 3rd place finish earned him enough points to jump into the top 30. Ogilvy will head to Atlanta in 24th place in the FedEx Cup standings. 

Luke Donald and Webb Simpson showed why they are in the top five in the standings. Donald, the top ranked golfer in the world, finished the BMW Championship at 8-under, good enough for fourth place. The finish earned him enough points to remain in fourth in the overall standings and a chance to win the FedEx Cup. Simpson continues to hold the top spot in the FedEx Cup standings. His win at the Deutsche Bank and fifth place finish at the BMW make him the favorite to take home the $10 million. 

The top 30 golfers in the FedEx Cup standings head to East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia for the TOUR Championship. Jim Furyk won here last year to clinch the FedEx Cup title.