Ottawa Golf Blog

CigarsDirect 2010 Basketball Challenge - Win FREE Cigars!
Our friends at Cigars Direct are putting on a great March Madness Challenge where you can win some awesome cigars if your good at picking the right teams to go through to the Final 4. Top 12 win prizes so your odds are pretty good if your College Basketball bracket knowledge is good. Brackets will be out this Sunday (March 14th).So get your picks in and you'll have some nice cigars for your next round of golf. I know I'll be signing up today.


Here's some more info from Cigars Direct:

Cigars Direct.com is looking for College Basketball fans and Cigar Aficionados alike. Welcome to our third annual March Madness Basketball Tournament. Sign-up by March 17th to be eligible to win 1 of  12 great prizes. Your entry is completely FREE and you are absolutely under no obligation to buy. 

It's very simple the top 12 contestants with the highest total points will win! Don't worry if you're not one of the top 12 winners because with Cigars Direct everyone wins.  We will be giving away more cigars this year than we ever have...I'm telling you don't miss out on this bracket challenge it will definitely be the talk of the web, I guarantee it!

Max brackets per user: 1

Prizes:

Place	Product	Retail Cost
1st	2009 Opus X Fuente Charity Box - 22 Count	$1,194.95
2nd	Opus X Fuente Fuente Box of 32	$926.40
3rd	Anejo No. 77 "The Shark" Box of 20	$584.95
4th	Padron 1926 Serie No. 35 Maduro Box of 24	$274.95
5th	2009 Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario Box	$224.95
6th	Ashton Aged Maduro No.30 Box of 25	$209.95
7th	La Flor Dominicana Ligero Salomones Bx of 10	$182.95
8th	Hemingway Short Story Box of 25	$149.95
9th	Partagas Sabrosos Box of 20	$103.95
10th	La Flor Dominicana Mysterio Box of 5	$79.95
11th	Opus X 1992 Rare Estate Reserve Robusto Tin	$79.95
12th	Ashton Variety Sampler	$49.95

* In addition For the entire month of March and the first week of April we are giving all participants 15% OFF anything in the Store. Just use this Promo Code when checking out: baller
Sign Up Today!

There has speculation about this for awhile now but now it's fact. A great move for Puma Golf. IMHO

It will be interesting to see what happens to Cobra Golf guys like Camilo Villegas and Ian Poulter and also Titleist guys like Fowler who wear Puma gear.

HERZOGENAURACH, Germany, March 10, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Sportlifestyle company PUMA announces today that it has signed an agreement to acquire 100 percent of the golf equipment brand Cobra Golf from Acushnet Company, the golf business of Fortune Brands, Inc. The acquisition includes the Cobra brand as well as related inventory, intellectual property and endorsement contracts and is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
"Through the acquisition of Cobra Golf, we reinforce PUMA's commitment to our sports performance business by strengthening our growing and successful Golf category," said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman and Chief Executive of PUMA. "Cobra Golf has a history of innovative performance products fused with an edge and is therefore a perfect fit for PUMA, reinforcing our overall mission of becoming the most desirable Sportlifestyle company. With Cobra Golf, PUMA will capitalize on the many opportunities in the Golf category and upside potential ahead of us."
Based in Carlsbad, California, Cobra Golf was founded in 1973 and produced one of the first utility clubs, the Baffler, long before use of such clubs became popular, manifesting Cobra Golf's hybrid leadership. This leadership and innovation continues today with recent releases such as the new ZL and S2 Drivers, as well as the Baffler Rail Hybrid. In 1996, Cobra Golf was acquired by American Brands Inc. (later renamed Fortune Brands) and has since then been managed together under the Acushnet Company umbrella with its other golf brands.
With this acquisition the combination of Cobra and PUMA Golf provides a competitive full range offering to become a better resource to its account base, being now in the position to provide Golf equipment next to footwear, apparel and accessories.
Pending regulatory approval, the effective date of the acquisition of Cobra Golf is expected to be in the second quarter of 2010. Financial terms of the transaction will not be disclosed.
Further information will be provided with the release of the first quarter results 2010.
PUMA
PUMA is one of the world's leading sport lifestyle companies that designs and develops footwear, apparel and accessories. It is committed to working in ways that contribute to the world by supporting Creativity, SAFE Sustainability and Peace, and by staying true to the principles of being Fair, Honest, Positive and Creative in decisions made and actions taken. PUMA starts in Sport and ends in Fashion. Its Sport Performance and Lifestyle labels include categories such as Football, Running, Motorsports, Golf and Sailing. Sport Fashion features collaborations with renowned designer labels such as Alexander McQueen, Mihara Yasuhiro and Sergio Rossi. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA and Tretorn. The company, which was founded in 1948, distributes its products in more than 120 countries, employs more than 9,000 people worldwide and has headquarters in Herzogenaurach/Germany, Boston, London and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit http://www.puma.com

I think I was the only one on the planet last week who didn't pick Camilo Villegas in their Fantasy Golf Leagues and of course he went out and won by 5 strokes. I figured he'd be tired from traveling down to his native Columbia to open up a Nationwide Tour event there as well as playing the previous 3 weeks. I thought mental fatigue would be his downfall. Boy was I wrong. He was strong through all 4 rounds for his 3 PGA Tour win. Now the big question is do I pick him this week, can he win back to back. Probably with his Red Bull he can!

This time of the year is always great with golf companies releasing their new apparel, latest clubs and accessories. For me the hat, le chapeau or lid is one piece of attire most golfers overlook. Some companies are really making in roads as far as style, fashion and color go . For some hats have taken on a new look just look at Camilo Villegas who at various times sports a military style hat, otherwise know as a painter hat or Castro hat as mentioned in an article by Woody Hochswender in the December issue of Golf Magazine. Woody felt the miltary style hat with its smaller brim and a fuller, less fitted crown was more forgiving on larger heads. I beg to differ in my experience so far with this style of hat

. Last year I got a nice Puma Clairmont Military Cap to review. I had to give it to my wife to wear because it just didn't fit my large melon. On her it looked awesome very stylish and fit her great. She was the definite envy of the other "Moms" but it didn't work for me.

So this year I haven't given up on the military style hat I'm just broadening my outlook for the ultimate golf hat.
Here are some styles that defintely stood out for me. So what do you wear?

 Sligo Wear has some nice releases with one of my favorites the Driver Cap.


Puma Golf again has a strong Spring collection with great stlyes and colors.




Scratch Golf the make of Custom wedges has some stylin' hats to offer this season as well with a pinstrip model as well as a military style hat that Scratch sponsored golfer Ryan Moore wears.

It seems lately there are way to many golf contests to keep up with, I especially like the ones that are only open to Canadians. Flagstick Golf Magazine was nice enough to post about a few that are going on now. The FootJoy Canada ICON Shoes Contest looks awesome for those looking to win some new golf shoes. Although I've never owned any FootJoys I've meet many who swear by them.

Flagstick also made us award of the new Titleist Canada NXT “Dozen a Day” Sweepstakes. Who can't use golf balls especially a hacker like myself. Can never have too many this contest is great as you can enter every day til it's over. Good luck and thanks Flagstick.

The Hackers Paradise known for having some of the best contests out there are just in the midst of finishing up one contest for some greats shafts by Miyazaki. If your a good scavenger hunter and lucky you just might win. Make sure you check out their new contest coming early next week regarding some sweet Kia Mia Putters.

Canadian company Sligo Wear has release their new 2010 line on their website. This year my goal is to try some of their apparel. A huge release again for them this season.  Really love the look of the the Scriver, O'Brien and Robinson polos as well as the vibe belts. The Sky plaid w/ slate shorts/trousers and the Slate stripe w/ McKenna  shorts as well are very cool. Be sure to check them out a style for just about everyone.

Cheers to the folks over at My Golf Spy for opening up another golf forum where we the golf obsessed can go and chat, vent, review and otherwise lose ourselves for a few hours.

Apparently the folks over at Putt Fashion feels Puma Golf isn't a Golf brand I beg to differ hence my comments on his post. What do you think? Let us know.

I'm still reveling in the after glow of Team Canada's win against the U.S.A. on Sunday so here's my thoughts on the Waste Management Phoenix Open although a little late. Was really disappointed that Brandt Snedeker didn't win after shooting rounds of 66,67,66. Playing at 7 over par for Sunday isn't going to cut it unless everyone else is shooting that score. Was very surprising considering his finishes as of late (T10, T2, T20, T21).

Having Hunter Mahan go low on the weekend with rounds of 65s was also a bit of surprise as his season hadn't been great up until Sunday (T27, cut, T64, T33) but he obviously wants to represent the USA again for the Ryder Cup so he was able to get things done.



Once again was real impressed with Rickie Folwer and not only for his stylin' Puma apparel (see below post) but his finishing round 68. Should he of gone for it on the par 5 15th probably yes considering he didn't birdie it and lost by one stroke to Mahan. But he felt that was the right move and went for it.

 “I felt that instead of bringing trouble into play…I took the safe route,”

You have to like his play so far this season. It will be interesting to see how he does this week at the Honda Classic.

I know a lot of guys here in the Ottawa area that are club hos (changing golf clubs left right and center) but it looks like there are some on the PGA Tour as well. Ryan Moore had a whole new bag last week according to Ari Techner the President/CEO of Scratch Golf.

Driver - 8.5* Adams Speedline 9032LS w Graphite Design Quattro Tech 65 X
3 Wood - 14.5* Adams Speedline Ti w Aldila RIP 70 X
Hybrid - 17* Adams A7 Peanut w Aldila RIP X
20* Scratch Tour Custom Satin EZ-1 DS grind w TT Dynamic Gold Lite Sensicore X100
25* Scratch Tour Custom Satin EZ-1 DS grind w TT Dynamic Gold Lite Sensicore X100
5-PW Scratch Retail Satin 2010 SB-1 DS grind w TT Dynamic Gold Lite Sensicore X100
54* Scratch Tour Custom Antique DOG grind w TT Dynamic Gold Lite Sensicore X100
60* Scratch Tour Custom Antique SPN grind w TT Dynamic Gold Lite Sensicore X100
Ping Ti/Tungsten Anser that he has had for years
Callaway HX Tour i(s)

After rounds of 66 in the first and second rounds he was well on his for another victory but a 74 Saturday put a dent into that big time. Nice to see him finish with a 68 and T14 in the tournament on Sunday though.



























Anthony Kim's season hasn't been great with finishes of  T52, T33. Nice to see him not mail it on on Sunday after a third round of 76. He finished a respectable T24 after a fourth round 67.

Since Rickie Fowler signed with Puma Golf there's been some very notable combinations of his Puma Attire, like the ever popular smurf look. My first intro to Puma clothes was both exciting, new and revealing. This week for Rickie his Puma attire looks great for those that like style, color and a nice combination of technology .

This week Fowler is playing at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and opening with a 65 bods well for playing this weekend (maybe he should of been one of my fantasy picks). It also looks like he got a replacement for his driver than he ran over as well. His numbers from round one don't lie.

Here's what Fowler will be wearing this week. What do you think?


The Cell Fusion shoes look amazing (white,black and blue my favorite) and it looks like Puma has improved on their Smart Quill technology from last year. Saturday's look definitely reminds me of the Poulter Tartan from Ian Poulter and Sunday is of course all Rickie with the flashy Oklahoma State-orange. So would you wear any of these combinations?