It’s Sunday. I finally have a day off work. Except I don’t, I have my son all day. I hate paying high prices to play golf on the weekend, but I would’ve – if I had some free time on my only day off. This morning, my girl went to church, then came home & went to sleep. She works tonight. That means Lil man is mine all day. I don’t think I’ll be able to drive to The Players golf tournament with him. Last year we went to the practice rounds. During the real days, you have to be quiet while they play for thousands per shot. Oh well, there’s always next year. We’re gonna visit “Grandma”.

What I started to notice was the growing amount of television air time being devoted to putting. Every golfer has heard the phrase — Drive for show, putt for dough — but unless the putt goes in the hole from 300 feet and breaks 13 ways, I begin to lose interest in the broadcast. Admit it — when was the last time you search you-tube to view someone draining a four foot putt? Yeah, that’s what I thought. My goal isn’t to eliminate putting from television broadcasts, just limit them. Putts that give someone the lead or ties them for the lead should be shown, as well as those on the final green by those in contention. That would be tolerable.

What would I prefer golf television broadcasts to consist of? After my last paragraph, the safe answer is probably everything except mundane putts. I would like to see slow motion golf swing replays of golfers hitting driver. With time taken to illustrate how the golfer hit a draw or a fade and how can I incorporate that into my game. To go a step further, give side by side golfer comparisons of both players hitting a draw or fade.

The game isn’t just about the big stick, so I would like them to show more approach shots. Broadcasters can illustrate the differences in a golfer’s ball position or swing when they use a fairway wood or iron when compared to their driver. I believe the vast majority of us enjoy seeing approach shots that end up within a few feet of the flagstick. The shot can land a mile from the flagstick and still be shown on television if it has enough spin to back up at least six feet.

Golf shots that go extremely out of bounds or into water must be televised and replayed 10 times per broadcast. The average golfer that loses four balls per round should get reminded that the professionals hit bad shots too. Television broadcasts should also include both good and bad fairway and greenside bunker shots. Bonus points get awarded if the shot is replayed in super slow motion.

Finally, I would be interested in hearing more of the course management aspect of the golfer’s round and how we, the viewers, can apply the thoughts to properly navigate golf courses. Sure the goal is to bomb it off the tee, then stick an eight iron within four inches and tap in for birdie. Unfortunately it doesn’t work out like that for the weekend golfer. Take a moment to discuss what the course designer was doing with the hole. The slope of the fairway isn’t always obvious on television — and yes, I’m viewing it in high definition. Hopefully the announcers can go into more detail about — why — the players are hitting golf balls to a certain landing area.

Broadcasters may need to insert a golf instructor in the booth to discuss swing details during golf tournaments. That shouldn’t be a problem since plenty of them travel with or meet professionals at tournaments to fine tune things on the range. Consider it a way to promote their swing thoughts and sell their instructional products and training aids. Overall, the golf tournament may become more of an instructional aid to the weekend golfer, which would attract more viewers — especially if the “household names” aren’t playing.

Currently, golf tournaments aren’t must see television for me. If we can all pick up instructional suggestions that would improve our golf game, every tournament may get viewed and recorded on the DVR.

Twitter: @GameDayDog

I realized that many male events have comparable events for the ladies. Except I couldn’t think of a ladies version of the World Golf Championships. I realize that exciting things are on the horizon for the LPGA with the upcoming Olympic style golf event. The LPGA will also have five majors after adding The Evian in 2013. They have also replaced the Tour Championship with the CME Group Titleholders, which should be circled on every golf fans calendar. Still, I had to ask, where’s the World Ladies Golf Championships?

The LPGA uses the Rolex Rankings system which is sanctioned by the five major women’s professional golf tours: LPGA; Ladies European Tour (LET); Ladies Professional Golfers’ Association of Japan (LPGA of Japan); Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA); Australian Ladies Professional Golf (ALPG); as well as the Ladies Golf Union (LGU). The Rolex Rankings also incorporate player performances from the LPGA Symetra Tour, the official developmental tour of the LPGA.

With six tours to choose from, it would be possible to combine the top ten players from each tour for a battle royale. With the LPGA featuring members from around the globe, I believe it would be fair to rotate the hosting of the tournament by a course in each country. Six tours, seven continents — if it must be on one course, let us not forget that there will soon be an Olympic course in Brazil that will need a regular tournament.

Excited about my brilliant idea, I jumped onto Twitter to contact Kraig Kann (twitter: @KraigKann) the LPGA’s newly appointed Chief Communications Officer who favorably replied, “I like the concept.”

Who knows where the idea goes from here, but all it takes is a high-tech, whisper to the right person who might run it up the flagpole to get the ball rolling. What do you think of a WLGC? Encourage the LPGA (twitter: @lpga) by sharing your thoughts, comments and opinions with us here. You can also use the retweet and facebook like buttons to the left.

GameDayDog (twitter: @GameDayDog)

Sure this copy of Golf Digest went to press approximately two or three months ago and there was no way of knowing that the weekend before it would find its way into my mailbox, Tiger would rediscover his putting stroke and post a sixty-two on the field. Nor could it be known that on that day, a new number one would be crowned. Perhaps it’s all just one big coincidence — or is it?

There are a lot of people in the ABT (Anyone But Tiger) crowd that I predict will be extremely disappointed this golf season. Tiger Woods’ last win, albeit unofficial, was at the Chevron World Challenge against the top eighteen golfers in the world. Woods came from behind to defeat former Masters champion, Zach Johnson by one stroke. Will the addition of thirty two more golfers make a difference to Tiger after finishing second last week?

This weekend at the WGC Cadillac Championship at Doral, the top fifty golfers in the world are present.That’s common knowledge and I hate stating the obvious as a writer, but this weekend, Rory McIlroy won’t be paired in a final round with — no offense — Harris English and Tom Gillis. If the golf gods smile upon us, we will see McIlroy, Woods, Mickelson, Westwood, Kaymer, Garcia, Stricker and my sleeper pick, Jason Day in the final groups, battling for the trophy on Sunday.

The world golf rankings are calculated by stats over a two year period. Luke Donald’s consistency helped him gain the number one spot last year. For me, that doesn’t define a champion. The golfing public wants McIlroy in the group with the biggest names in golf, going birdie for birdie on the back nine on Sundays and win — like that guy in the red shirt used to do.

It is said that golfers, like NFL cornerbacks, must have the ability to immediately forget a bad moment and look forward to the next play or shot. As an amateur sports reporter and avid golf fan, I tend to remember those bad moments and why they happened. I can’t forget McIlroy’s stunning confession or admission after the 2011 Open at Royal St. George’s. At that tournament, golf’s current king in waiting claimed he was not a fan of golf tournaments in which the weather was a factor.

McIlroy stated, “My game is suited for basically every golf course and most conditions, but these conditions, I just don’t enjoy playing in, really. That’s the bottom line. I’d rather play when it’s 80 degrees and sunny and not much wind.”

I’m not predicting an epic collapse similar to his tumble down the leaderboard during the back nine at last year’s Masters tournament. The weather report for the final round has the golfer’s expecting twenty five to thirty five mile per hour winds and a fifty percent chance of rain, so it will be interesting to see if McIlroy will be able to ignore the uncomfortable, windy conditions and win the Honda Classic. If he does, then golf’s consensus — best male player in the world without the number one ranking — can finally receive his crown.

Too often, we the fans, journalists and the public in general spend too much time searching for the next great thing. It’s fine to keep one eye on the future as long as we appreciate what we have now. Like Tiger Woods years earlier, those who watch the ladies of the LPGA, are witnessing history in the making.

Right now, regardless of gender, Tseng is the greatest golfer on the planet. The youngest golfer ever to win five major championships by the age of 22. Yes, 22! While the world seems to wait for Rory McIlroy to win multiple majors and ascend to No. 1 in the Official Golf World Rankings, Tseng is sitting at the top of the mountain with seven wins last season and 14 top-10 finishes last year. She also started this year with a bang by winning the Honda Thailand tournament, the second event of the LPGA season.

Yani Tseng has stepped up and established her dominance over the field while learning the English language better. Americans may take the language for granted, but the extent of my foreign language skills is ordering from a menu at Taco Bell. I’m sure Tiger Woods would prefer another swing change than learn a foreign language. It’s that difficult.

LPGA followers wonder who is going to be the next Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa. I’ll give a round of applause to the players filled with potential, such as Lexi Thompson and Jessica Korda, but these players may have arrived too soon. I believe in 10 or 15 years, we will no longer wonder who the next Yani Tseng will be. Instead, the world will be admitting, there will never be another Yani Tseng.

2/9/12 4:59pm $5.50 $5.00 $0.00 Loss
2/9/12 9:00pm College Basketball 735 Iowa/Northwestern Under 144½ -110*

2/9/12 4:59pm $5.50 $5.00 $0.00 Loss
2/9/12 10:00pm College Basketball 741 Washington State/Oregon State Under 148 -110*

2/9/12 4:59pm $2.10 $2.00 $0.00 Loss
2/9/12 10:35pm Reduced Basketball 707 Oklahoma City Thunder -6½ -105* vs Sacramento Kings

2/9/12 4:59pm $1.30 $1.00 $0.00 Loss
2/9/12 7:05pm Reduced Hockey 9 Tampa Bay Lightning/New York Rangers Under 5½ -130*

2/9/12 4:59pm $1.22 $1.00 $2.22 Win
2/9/12 7:35pm Reduced Hockey 15 Los Angeles Kings/Florida Panthers Under 5 -122*

2/9/12 4:50pm $3.05 $4.38 $0.00 Loss 2 Team Parlay
Loss 2/9/12 7:05pm NHL Hockey 6 Washington Capitals -160* vs Winnipeg Jets
Win 2/9/12 7:05pm NHL Hockey 10 New York Rangers -200* vs Tampa Bay Lightning

Wow, I only went 1 for 5 tonight and I lost big because I bet heavy on the two games I was most confident about. My bankroll is taking a big time beating.

2/8/12 11:36am $1.75 $1.00 Pending
2/9/12 12:50pm PGA Golf 102 Tiger Woods (Tourn) -175* vs Phil Mickelson (Tourn)

2/8/12 11:36am $1.10 $1.00 Pending
2/9/12 11:10am PGA Golf 104 Nick Watney (Tourn) -110* vs Rickie Fowler (Tourn)

2/8/12 11:36am $1.15 $1.00 Pending
2/9/12 11:11am PGA Golf 148 Nick Watney (Tourn) -115* vs Phil Mickelson (Tourn)

2/8/12 11:36am $1.10 $1.00 $0.00 Loss
2/8/12 11:10pm European Golf 505 Alvaro Quiros (1st Rnd) -110* vs Thomas Bjorn (1st Rnd)

2/8/12 11:36am $1.10 $1.00 Pending
2/9/12 3:20am European Golf 512 Robert Rock (Tourn) -110* vs George Coetzee (Tourn)

2/8/12 11:36am $1.65 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 5:00pm Ladies Golf 401 Yani Tseng (Tourn) -165* vs Suzann Pettersen (Tourn)

I’ve been reading about systems and strategies that make betting profitable. You would like to think that it’s simple. Team X always beats Team Y, but the problem is players get traded or retire, coaches get hired and fired, things change. Everyone’s looking for a system, something simple that works. One of these days, I’m going to put these computers to work and analyze trillions of statistics automatically. But for now, I’ll leave it up to the people that are smarter than me. Hopefully, picking teams will occur right after they cure cancer.

Let’s start off with a three event parlay that I feel really good about….

2/8/12 11:24am $2.04 $8.56 Pending
3 Team Parlay
Pending 2/8/12 7:05pm NBA Basketball 501 Miami Heat -3½ -110* vs Orlando Magic
Pending 2/8/12 7:05pm NBA Basketball 509 Los Angeles Clippers -6 -110* vs Cleveland Cavaliers
Pending 2/8/12 7:35pm NHL Hockey 52 Detroit Red Wings -235* vs Edmonton Oilers

Next up.. 26 individual bets.. NCAA, NBA & NHL … Best of luck!

2/8/12 11:21am $1.10 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 7:05pm NBA Basketball 501 Miami Heat/Orlando Magic Under 191 -110*

2/8/12 11:21am $1.10 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 7:05pm NBA Basketball 505 Milwaukee Bucks/Toronto Raptors Over 185½ -110*

2/8/12 11:21am $1.10 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 7:05pm NBA Basketball 507 San Antonio Spurs/Philadelphia 76ers Over 180 -110*

2/8/12 11:21am $1.10 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 7:35pm NBA Basketball 511 Indiana Pacers/Atlanta Hawks Over 187 -110*

2/8/12 11:21am $1.10 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 7:35pm NBA Basketball 513 Detroit Pistons/New Jersey Nets Over 186 -110*

2/8/12 11:21am $1.10 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 8:05pm NBA Basketball 517 Minnesota Timberwolves/Memphis Grizzlies Over 188½ -110*

2/8/12 11:21am $1.10 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 9:05pm NBA Basketball 519 Dallas Mavericks/Denver Nuggets Over 196 -110*

2/8/12 11:21am $1.10 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 10:05pm NBA Basketball 521 Houston Rockets/Portland Trailblazers Under 198 -110*

2/8/12 11:21am $1.10 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 7:00pm College Basketball 547 Akron/Western Michigan Under 140½ -110*

2/8/12 11:21am $1.10 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 8:00pm College Basketball 575 Southern Mississippi/UAB Over 121 -110*

2/8/12 11:21am $1.10 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 8:00pm College Basketball 579 Rice/Houston U Under 146½ -110*

2/8/12 11:21am $1.10 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 8:00pm College Basketball 589 South Carolina/Tennessee Over 120½ -110*

2/8/12 11:21am $1.10 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 9:00pm College Basketball 601 Duke/North Carolina Under 157½ -110*

2/8/12 11:21am $1.05 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 7:05pm Reduced Basketball 501 Miami Heat -3½ -105* vs Orlando Magic

2/8/12 11:21am $1.02 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 7:05pm Reduced Basketball 507 San Antonio Spurs +3 -102* vs Philadelphia 76ers

2/8/12 11:21am $1.07 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 7:05pm Reduced Basketball 509 Los Angeles Clippers -6 -107* vs Cleveland Cavaliers

2/8/12 11:21am $1.05 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 7:35pm Reduced Basketball 511 Indiana Pacers +3½ -105* vs Atlanta Hawks

2/8/12 11:21am $1.08 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 8:05pm Reduced Basketball 515 Chicago Bulls -8½ -108* vs New Orleans Hornets

2/8/12 11:21am $1.05 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 7:00pm Reduced Basketball 556 Boston College +12½ -105* vs Florida State

2/8/12 11:21am $1.08 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 7:30pm Reduced Basketball 566 Massachusetts -3 -108* vs St. Bonaventure

2/8/12 11:21am $1.08 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 7:30pm Reduced Basketball 567 Wake Forest +14½ -108* vs Virginia

2/8/12 11:21am $1.35 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 7:35pm NHL Hockey 53 Boston Bruins/Buffalo Sabres Under 5½ -135*

2/8/12 11:21am $1.20 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 10:05pm NHL Hockey 55 Carolina Hurricanes/Anaheim Ducks Under 5½ -120*

2/8/12 11:21am $2.25 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 7:35pm Reduced Hockey 52 Detroit Red Wings -225* vs Edmonton Oilers

2/8/12 11:21am $1.50 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 10:05pm Reduced Hockey 56 Anaheim Ducks -150* vs Carolina Hurricanes

2/8/12 11:21am $1.78 $1.00 Pending
2/8/12 10:05pm Reduced Hockey 58 San Jose Sharks -178* vs Calgary Flames

Update: Talk about quantity over quality.. I was watching scores scroll at the bottom of ESPN and I’m thinking, “I got that one wrong … and that one wrong.. and that one wrong.” This isn’t going to be pretty. Perhaps I should limit myself to 5 bets per night?

Another thing: This month, I’ve been doing my record keeping wrong. If I make 10 wagers and go 7-3, I’ve been recording it as 7 – 10. Now it looks like I got 7 right and 10 wrong. I’m eight days into this, so I might need to backdate it.

February Monthly Record
Tonight’s Wagers – 14 – 14
Monthly Record –
Profit : -36.95 (-$3 tonight)

After these picks, I’m not going to retire. I was making these selections while visiting my mom in her retirement home! Yep, I’m a multi-tasker. Even better, my girl is stupid jealous and gets annoyed as I use my phone. So every pick was made while I heard – “Sigh, you and that phone. What ya doing on ya phone?” Hopefully I won tonight and got the trifecta.

2/7/12 6:41pm $1.10 $1.00 $2.10 Win
2/7/12 7:35pm NBA Basketball 703 Cleveland Cavaliers/Miami Heat Under 199½ -110*

2/7/12 6:41pm $1.10 $1.00 $2.10 Win
2/7/12 8:05pm NBA Basketball 707 Sacramento Kings/Minnesota Timberwolves Under 197½ -110*

2/7/12 6:41pm $1.10 $1.00 $2.10 Win
2/7/12 7:00pm College Basketball 713 Iowa State/Oklahoma State Under 138½ -110*

2/7/12 6:41pm $1.10 $1.00 $2.10 Win
2/7/12 8:00pm College Basketball 719 Creighton/Evansville Under 152½ -110*

2/7/12 6:41pm $1.10 $1.00 $0.00 Loss
2/7/12 9:00pm College Basketball 725 Alabama/Auburn Over 121½ -110*

2/7/12 6:41pm $2.10 $2.00 $4.10 Win
2/7/12 10:35pm Reduced Basketball 711 Oklahoma City Thunder -2 -105* vs Golden State Warriors

2/7/12 6:41pm $1.02 $1.00 $2.02 Win
2/7/12 7:00pm Reduced Basketball 717 Maryland +8½ -102* vs Clemson

2/7/12 6:33pm $2.69 $4.53 $0.00 Loss
2 Team Parlay
Loss 2/7/12 7:05pm NHL Hockey 6 New York Rangers -170* vs New Jersey Devils
Win 2/7/12 7:05pm NHL Hockey 8 Washington Capitals -145* vs Florida Panthers

Update: Tonight was a good night, if I wasn’t distracted, I probably would’ve wagered more. I wish I had hit the hockey parlay because the loss of $2.69 hurt the profit margin. I also should’ve taken Kentucky over Florida. If I wasn’t on my phone, this could’ve been a very good night.

February Monthly Record
Tonight’s Wagers – 6 – 8
Monthly Record – 38 – 83
Profit : -33.95 (+3.21 tonight)