He even admitted that the deepest reaches of his closet still harbor a few shirts from those wicked golf crony trips we did in the mid 90s. Even his wife has attempted to nudge those ancients out. He contends that when you buy the finest, they last forever! So true... but what about style? Is golf style so stoic that there's no room for freshness?

Enter Loudmouth Golf. With a slogan that reads "Loudmouth puts the fun back in golf", they're sure to get some attention. And if it's attention you want, I recommend you test drive a pair of their pants. My preference leans toward the Disco Balls myself, but several of those not-so-subtle patterns caught my eye. It gives a whole new perspective to the old adage, Go big or go home. Maybe Go LOUD or go home is a bit more fitting in this case.

What a great way to infuse a fresh look into your weekend golf apparel collection. Perhaps my diehard buddy could pair up a few of those oldies-but-goodies with a pair of Loudmouth A-Tisket-A-Tasket Argyles. I'm fairly sure his vintage golf shirt will go unnoticed.

I've got a cobalt blue Adidas ClimaLite shirt that might work with a pair of these babies. I just can't decide which way to go. I could use a suggestion from you!

1. Connect with family, friends, colleagues and neighbors. What better way than during a round of golf?
2. Excercise. It makes you feel good. A five mile walk plus lots of calisthenic golf swings will chase away the blues.
3. Take notice. Catch site of the beautiful. Savor the moment. Ponder those gorgeous trees, the dramatic sky, the wonder of it all.
4. Keep learning. Try something new. Discover swing theories, tips or new shots from books, magazines or your local pro. Then try them. Practice. Preserve.
5. Give. Do something nice for a friend or a stranger. Thank the pro, the starter, the ranger. Look for your opponent's ball. Concede putts. Donate a prize or volunteer for a junior program. Be generous with tips and smiles

So it's official, says the guru ...golf makes you happy. And true happiness is completely recession-proof!

Once again I'm reminded just how the game parallels life itself. I had to read over the list a few extra times. I found them all so true about life, and golf. So now it's your turn. How is the great game going to help you navigate your troubled waters?

So with sample bars in hand I decided to grip, rip and chomp! And in order to get some additional perspective, I opted to include a local confidant and loyal reader of golfnoise to join me in the test. Relatively speaking, she's a newbie golfer but she's all into the nutritional bar scene. She has a seventeen year old son and is in a constant search for quality snack foods. And being a southern California transplant, she's test driven them all! She's compared ingredients, nutrition value and cost for just about every snack bar out there.

For my own purpose and I suspect most of the casual golf snackers out there, I'm interested in evaluating flavor, so I called off the nutritional watch dog and decided we would pick which ones to recommend based on the single most important criteria... TASTE! Not that nutrition should be ignored but we figured you would make your own comparisons on Sun Valley's nutrition page.

With flavors in hand, we set out. Our first choice was Cranberry Almond.  Because these are the uber-trendiest ingredients that seem to inhabit every snack food on the market. We followed with Goji Lemon, all the while wondering what Goji is. I guess we're just simple people here at golfnoise. We moved on to Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip. This one made me a little nervous as my son is allergic to peanuts and any snack whose ingredients even hint at peanuts is not allowed near the noisemaker household. And finally, the flavor we assumed would be the hands-down leader ...Chocolate Chocolate Chip. We figured with a name that doubles up on the word "chocolate," you just can't miss!

And the winner is... Well, as it turns out, we weren't so quick to pick the best of the lot. And that's good news. Without one stand out taste leader we decided there were pros and cons to each. I can imagine stowing a variety of bars into my bag so I can follow whatever taste-mood I'm having that day. Suffice to say, they all had a uniquely different taste and with the health benefits associated with their whole food ingredients we concluded you would do well with any or all of them in your bag.

So the golfnoise crew gives the Par Bar a definite thumbs-up! And as it turns out, the Par Bar ranks up there with the best of the best of the all natural, whole food snacks out there. So the next time that cute little cart-missy pulls up to my foursome, I'll pass on the beer and chips choice and reach into my snack pouch for the Chocolate Chocolate Chip... or the Cranberry Almond... or perhaps the Goji Lemon. Hmmm. I still can't quite decide. Maybe you could pick up a selection and get back to me with your favorite. The Sun Valley folks would sure appreciate that!

So how's a proud father supposed to share the great teachings of life without getting out to the course to bang the little white one around... or maybe a little pink one in her case. There's an idea. How about some shiney fresh golf balls. Well the Pro Vs may be a bit too advanced for an eight year old. But just perfect for me... Santa, if your listening. Perhaps a sophisticated stand bag. Everyone needs one of these great golf bags, right? Yea... but her new set came with the cutest little girlly bag. And it hasn't seen much use.

I'm thinking it's all about me spending some quality time and effort with her on the course.  And who cares if she doesn't show the prowess potential of Michelle Wie. She's all mine... and I can't think of a better way to spend a few hours.

Tell us about that special someone on your list. And don't forget to shop golfnoise! 

I was recently invited to play a casual round at Norwood Hills Country Club. Now I've played many of the local private country clubs, but Norwood holds a special place in my heart as I was a member for a dozen years before my children came along. The circumstances of leaving my membership were not as much about a lack of cash, but a lack of available time. With the arrival of bright and shiney new twins in mid 2000 I just wasn't able to find enough time to play.

My good friend Spivey, who remains a Norwood member in good standing, recently issued a spontaneous invitation one sunny afternoon. I just couldn't resist. The course layout is amazing... with greens like greased lightning. I wasn't able to post much of a score but the afternoon was a delightful reminder of days gone by.

With busy days rushing past so quickly, we sometimes miss the small opportunities to enjoy the moment. That afternoon we settled back into the familiar rhythm that we owned nearly a decade ago. It was a rare treat and I am grateful for his generousity. I won't soon forget it.

Take a moment this weekend to think, remember and thank those who've made your season fun and exciting. Then fire up your favorite golf tale and tell us all about it!

Happy Thanksgiving.

But there was one who stepped well above the rest when they offered me a premium golf bag for nada expenditure on my part. How generous is that? They sent me a Burton Hybrid CSX bag. It's got a ton of nifty features including 14 individual full length dividers, an outside putter pod and clip, 8 pockets, a cool rapid access pocket and an easy-grab beverage pocket. It's a fantastic bag!

So what have we learned from this kind gesture of generosity? Well, after my first full season with this bag I now know that Burton manufactures excellent golf products as well as cool snow sports equipment.  I've also learned that the people at ForeFront Golf are serious golfers and their extensive web site is definitely worth a look. Did I mention that the bag came packed with a bunch of nifty golf resort ball markers, ditti bags in different sizes and materials, and some ultra cool head covers. It was a little like an early Christmas gift!

Now all you golf fanatics should grab your holiday gift lists and head on over to ForeFront Golf. They've got all sorts of spiffy golf goodies just waiting for you and your trusty credit cards! Get on with the giving. It feels good.

The tee balls are easier to loose sight of but I'm determined to improve my shot accuracy. When you're in the fairway they're always easier to find! Judging distance is a bit trickier but adjusting from playing in bifocals should ultimately be a walk in the park.

And then there's the new Titleists. When you retool the sticks from top to bottom you've got to give yourself enough time and space to re-find your playing equilibrium. It's an essential part of the retooling process. And as with every major shift in experience... time will provide the perspective you need to sharpen your skill set well beyond it's original place.

Patience is truly a virtue. Do I have enough?

Now comes the real test. Will I have the visual acuity from the tee box that I had with glasses? It's all unknown at present but I'm chomping at the bit to give it a whirl. I suppose the safest test would be a jumbo bucket at the range, but the range just doesn't thrill like the on-course tee ball. 

So I'm looking for a round this week. I wonder if I could squeeze a couple extra strokes from my regular foursome. Hmmm. Sounds like a plan. 

So let's give credit where credit is due and pay the appropriate homage to the forty-five year old crowd pleasing performance that nearly toppled the king of the game. Everybody knows that Tiger, on any given Sunday could and probably would blow Rocco off the links. But this time the old guard stood fast and forced the much admired top-dog to play to the bitter end and beyond to earn the trophy he wanted so bad!

Don't you love it when the game gives us what appears to be a completely upside down circumstance. Rocco was the one defying gravity this time, and that gives some street-cred to the guys who aren't super-young and super-fit!  

I just finished a fantastic golf weekend with a great group of golfing cronies. It's a yearly golf ritual we call "The Berger" and I finally had the chance to get some uninterrupted playing time with my fresh set of Titleist clubs. Some of you may remember the strange and unusual heist of my clubs in the middle of a casual Sunday round recently.

I was excited to test drive my new weapons and sure enough, all the planets seemed to align to give me the opportunity I had intended. Now, I've played a zillion rounds, with loads of different groups, but this particular weekend event gave me a fresh look at the game and it's mysterious magic. I ventured off into the rounds with few expectations as these clubs have zero mileage and I had no real feel for how the ball would fly off these club faces.

With this low-expectation notion in mind, I found myself noticing the peculiar relationships my playing partners have with their own equipment. Everyone seems to get really comfortable with a club or two in their own arsenal. The clubs they hit with the greatest confidence seem to become their personal favorites. And most don't hesitate professing their love and adoration at that precise moment of flawless execution.

At one particular point in the final round I found my own Zen moment. A weak tee shot left my approach in heavy rough with a severe uphill stance. Two of my opponents stood just twenty-five yards away in the fairway over their own well placed shots. As I went through the mental calculations of how to hit this difficult shot I couldn't help feeling that all eyes were upon me. My fresh AP2 eight iron was the weapon of choice and I ripped it through the grass hoping to land it somewhere close. It felt good as it took flight so I glanced up at my cart partner who was standing on the cart path well above me. With every player's view fixed on the green below he shouted, "GREAT SHOT! Eight feet from the pin!"

For that one millisecond my eight iron and I were masters of our domain!  As I climbed up and out of the rough and got a look at the green I turned to my cart partner and exclaimed "Life is Good!" His chuckle was the perfect confirmation of my heightened state of emotion and we moved on.

These little moments seem to propel us through round after round. They fill the after-round cocktail conversations and often resurface months and years later. Share one of your own moments of greatness with the golfnoise readers. Let them live on!

So, out I go with this motley collection of beautiful woods, primo wedges and twenty year old Ping Eye 2 irons with the crustiest grips I've ever touched. Needless to say, I spent most of the day putting myself into position to use these delicious wedges.

And I must admit that I'm glad I chose the oil can finish. Lots of critics warned me about the deteriorating finish. Even Titleist slaps a warning label on each shaft with a friendly but specific statement about how the finish will change over time.

These are some of the coolest looking clubs I've seen and the finish is already beginning to show wear. They rapidly became the focus of my day on the course. I even had to drop a few extra balls to get that second swing in. So sweet! 

We finished the day without much betting bloodshed and on my way home I witnessed one glorious sunset! All is good with the world. 

One my favorite holes to watch in professional golf is the 17th at Sawgrass. And I'm not alone. The attending fans swarm the 17th and rally around their favorite pro as he walks onto this infamous tee box. It's a real treat for the fans!

And as we watch each contestant step up, those clever programming pros at NBC split the screen with the standard trajectory shot and a static shot of the players reaction. And for one brief slice of time you get a real-time window into the heart and soul of some of these incredible athletes. And somehow I find a way to momentarily relate to some of these big strikers, even if it is with the unfortunate shots that find the drink.

I dig that story of Fred Couple's famous shot into the water followed by the hole-in-one. You know he was completely aligned with the universe when he penned that par on his scorecard.

Maybe you could give up a few of your own all-time favorite Sawgrass stories. Time to share...