sports and celebrities

Top 10: Reasons To Love Tiger Woods

2010-11-26T03:41:00.000-08:00

No.4 - Tiger Woods always exceeds expectations

Every time the odds seem stacked against Tiger Woods, he pulls through. We just shake our heads that he’s done it again. We expect him to win a tournament by five strokes; he wins it by 15. We expect him to birdie an easy hole; he eagles it. In the 2008 U.S. Open, with knee surgery just around the corner, we didn’t expect him to endure four rounds and a playoff round to win -- but he did. At the 2006 British Open, just his third tournament after the death of his father Earl, Woods shot -18 to win when we may have thought the emotions would have gotten the better of him.

No.3 - Tiger Woods has mental toughness

Woods’ father, Earl, once said his son will be the toughest golfer to play against because no one will be able to beat him mentally. In the sport that’s perhaps the most mentally demanding, no one is better. Remember Woods battling through knee and leg pain to beat Rocco Mediate in extra holes during the 2008 U.S. Open? He could have withdrawn, but instead grimaced his way to his 14th Major victory. Back in 2003, Woods was so sick during the fourth round of the Bay Hill Invitational that he threw up several times during his play -- and still won the tournament by 11 strokes.

No.2 - Tiger Woods isn't flashy

In an era when many young athletes use hefty signing bonuses for rims, grills and diamonds, it’s refreshing to see someone who doesn’t flaunt his wealth. Tiger Woods is the richest pro athlete in the world today (late in 2009 he became sport's first billion-dollar man), but you’d never know it. Sure, we hear stories about his 155-foot yacht (aptly named Privacy) and his $65 million spot in the Hamptons, but we don’t hear about these from him. We appreciate that the man who could buy just about anything he’d like doesn’t rub our noses in his riches.

No.1 - Tiger Woods always comes up big

As men, we all fantasize about delivering big on the biggest stages -- in the boardroom, on the sports field and in the bedroom. Now that we know Tiger comes up big on at least two of those stages, it's even more impressive that on the golf course, he never seems to get beaten when it matters most. Sure, he has his share of defeats, but on Sunday, when he’s clad in red and chasing down an opponent, you know that opponent’s finished. Likewise, when Woods is leading the pack, no one’s going to catch him. Sports history is full of choke artists; Woods will never be a part of that group.

No.1 - Tiger Woods always comes up big

As men, we all fantasize about delivering big on the biggest stages -- in the boardroom, on the sports field and in the bedroom. Now that we know Tiger comes up big on at least two of those stages, it's even more impressive that on the golf course, he never seems to get beaten when it matters most. Sure, he has his share of defeats, but on Sunday, when he’s clad in red and chasing down an opponent, you know that opponent’s finished. Likewise, when Woods is leading the pack, no one’s going to catch him. Sports history is full of choke artists; Woods will never be a part of that group.

Top 10: Reasons To Love Tiger Woods

2010-11-26T03:23:00.000-08:00

No.9 - Tiger Woods is a hard worker

For all his talent, Tiger Woods’ work ethic is unsurpassed. The stories of his obsessive attention to detail and practice schedule are legendary. When we see Woods make a key shot on hole 18 on a Sunday, he’s already practiced that shot and visualized it more times than we’d like to think about. Woods is so private about his life that it’s tough to gauge just how much time he spends on the practice tees, but it’s believed to be thousands of shots a day -- especially during his formative years. Woods says his work ethic came about because he was always the youngest golfer at junior amateur events, and had to work harder than his opponents.

No.8 - Tiger Woods is in amazing shape

In most professional sports, having top-notch conditioning is a must. In golf, that’s not always the case. Player conditioning has improved in recent years, but every so often a player with a John Daly-like physique will succeed, making Tiger Woods’ desire to have a ripped body even more impressive. He could probably still win with a beer gut, but Woods is so dedicated to being the best ever that he’s in the best shape of anyone out there. Tons of pro golfers try to mask bellies and man boobs with baggy clothing. However, Woods’ Nike attire is tight enough to accentuate his pipes and pecks, but loose enough to avoid the all-spandex look.

No.7 - Tiger Woods is generous

When he’s not perfecting his craft or, um, sleeping around, Tiger Woods is a philanthropist, giving back to people throughout the United States. His foundation, which he and his late father launched more than a decade ago, is aimed at improving the lives of children in need. Development programs, grants, scholarships, and more have helped more than 10 million youth so far. The Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim offers courses on everything from math to golf to help students decide what to do with their lives.

No.6 - Tiger Woods is the best in his field

Whether you’re into cooking, architecture or golf, there’s something to be said about being the absolute best in your field. Woods hasn’t broken all of Jack Nicklaus’ records just yet, but once all the hype over his extramarital affairs and divorce dies down and he gets his head back in the game, there’s little doubt he will. From the time he first started to swing a golf club, Woods has obliterated records at every level and won virtually everything he’s competed in. He will go down as the greatest golfer of all time, and probably the 21st century’s most famous athlete.

No.5 - Tiger Woods has flaws

We love our heroes when they are imperfect -- think of the flaws of Batman and Spider-Man, and late last year, the world found out just how imperfect Tiger was. Even before that, though, every so often Woods would reveal that he's just like us on the golf course. When he makes a bad shot, he swears and throws his clubs. These times are few and far between, but on the rare occasion that Woods makes a blunder, he drops a bit of the “Robo-Tiger” exterior and shows that, just like us, he has flaws.

2010-11-26T03:01:00.000-08:00

Since Tiger Woods broke onto the professional golf scene in 1996, he’s gained millions of fans for his impressive plays. At the same time, however, he’s also picked up a great deal of detractors along the way. Why? Well, up until the news of his widespread extramarital activities broke, it was hard to say. Sure, any married man cheating on his wife deserves our criticism, but there’s still little doubt that Woods will retire as the best golfer to ever play the game. Dislike what he's done off the course as much as you like, but if you're a fan of golf, or even just a fan of sport in general, there are still plenty of reasons to love Tiger Woods. Here are 10 of those reasons, while Dave Golokhov’s piece will examine the flip side: Top 10: Reasons To Hate Tiger Woods.

So, even if you're on that flip side (and we're guessing a lot of ladies might be), it's time to check out the top 10 reasons to love Tiger Woods (come on, you know you want to).

No.10 - Tiger Woods has natural talent

There’s no question that Tiger Woods was born with a knack for playing golf. It’s his natural talent, and it’s enjoyable to watch someone who’s naturally good at what he does. Woods is said to have started copying his father’s golf swing at just 6 months of age, and by 2 he appeared on The Mike Douglas Show to show off his swing. At 3 he shot a 48 over nine holes at a course in California; and by 5 Woods was featured in Golf Digest. Though Woods’ work ethic is a big factor in getting him where he is today, in the early years his natural talent helped elevate him to success and fame.

Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun

2010-02-16T00:16:00.000-08:00

Maya-Cancun

Tournament coverage

TV SCHEDULE

Thu, Feb 18

6:30-8:30p

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RANK	PLAYER	EVENTS	POINTS
1	Dustin Johnson	5	771
2	Steve Stricker	3	758
3	Bill Haas	4	532
4	Ryan Palmer	4	527
5	Ben Crane	3	517

Dustin Johnson repeats at Pebble Beach

2010-02-16T00:09:00.000-08:00

Everywhere he looked, Dustin Johnson couldn't beat the scenery at Pebble Beach.

Most of that was on the golf course. Some of it was in the record book.

In a three-way tie for the lead and facing his most important shot of the final round, Johnson belted a tee shot down the famous par-5 18th fairway that set up a simple birdie from the bunker Sunday and gave him a one-shot victory over David Duval and J.B. Holmes.

Only later did he realize the elite company he joined.

Johnson became only the sixth player (with an asterisk) to win back-to-back in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, most of whom are in the Hall of Fame - Sam Snead, Cary Middlecoff, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Mark O'Meara were the others. The asterisk is attached to Snead, who won tournaments shortened to 18 holes and 36 holes, neither considered official these days.

"That's not a bad list," Johnson said. "Anytime you're on a list with those guys, you're doing all right."

He closed with a 2-over 74, the highest final round by a Pebble champion since Johnny Miller shot 74 in 1994. That's nothing to brag about, although it was a tough day with splotches of mud on the ball and tough pins. Only seven players broke 70.

The last player to win Pebble Beach with a birdie on the 72nd hole from the final group? That would be Davis Love III in 2003.

Perhaps the most impressive of all?

Johnson became the first player since Tiger Woods to go straight from college and win in each of his first three years on the PGA Tour.

The question is how much better he can get.

"As long as I keep playing the way I'm playing, I don't think there's anything that I can't do," Johnson said. "It's all up to me. I've got to keep working hard and keep practicing hard, and good things will come."

His victory included $1,116,000, the largest check of his career. He moved up to No. 2 in the Ryder Cup standings, and would seem to be an important cog on the U.S. team with his extraordinary length.

Ultimately, it was that length that carried him to victory on a day that had more twists and turns that most people could have imagined.

Johnson started the final round tied for the lead with Paul Goydos and lost it three times - on a bogey on the opening hole, a double bogey on the ninth hole when he three-putted from 15 feet, and when Goydos made a birdie on the 13th hole.

He regained control when Goydos took three chips and three putts on and around the 14th green for a quadruple-bogey nine. He won the tournament with a birdie on the last hole, starting with his tee shot.

"All world," Goydos said of the drive.

Johnson is one of the few players who could get home in two on the 525-yard closing hole, which played into an ocean breeze with fairways that are soft and damp this time of the year.

That's assuming he hits it in the fairway, which Holmes failed to do ahead of him.

"It's one of the toughest tee balls on the whole course," Johnson said. "I had a good wind today, in and off the right, so it's a wind that I like and I'm comfortable with. So it was just hit a draw off the trees, because I knew if I just got it in the fairway, then I would have a good chance to get it on the green."

He hit 3-iron into the right bunker, a good place to miss. With the ball on the upslope, he popped it out to 3 feet and made the putt.

Johnson finished at 16-under 270.

Duval promised "big things" were coming after he opened with a 67 at Spyglass Hill, and he wasn't kidding. He closed with a 69, the first time since the Buick Challenge in 2001 that he shot every round in the 60s at a PGA Tour event.

He failed to make birdie on the 18th when his wedge landed short enough below the pin to catch a slope and roll 30 feet away.

"I feel like I did most of the things I wanted to do today," Duval said.

It was a promising week, more than the U.S. Open last week when he tied for second. Duval stayed in the game with big putts at Bethpage Black; this was more about controlling the ball, which he found more impressive.

Holmes also failed to birdie the 18th, missing a 12-foot birdie putt, just as he missed from about the same distance on the 17th.

"Would have liked it to end a little better for me, but I had a good week," Holmes said after a 71. "Had my chances."

And then there was Goydos, who suffered the biggest heartbreak. Mud on his ball after the tee shot on the 14th ultimately left him more club than he wanted into the green (7-iron). Trying to chip over a huge hump toward the flag, it went off the green. The next chip came back toward his feet. The next one barely stayed on the green well past the pin. Then came three putts.

"It wasn't like I didn't try on all nine shots," he said.

Johnson's victory last year was nothing like this. Johnson effectively won the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on a Saturday at Spyglass Hill, with hardly any spectators around. He was declared the winner two days later, while eating breakfast on a Monday morning, when rain cut short the tournament to 54 holes.

"Walking down that 18th hole with all the fans out there was just unbelievable, especially with the clear day," Johnson said. "It's one of the most beautiful holes in golf."

The Simple Golf Swing System™

2010-01-19T06:12:00.000-08:00

Add amazing distance to every drive and cut your handicap by up to twelve strokes with the only instruction system proven to help almost any golfer break 80.

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You'll hit the ball straighter and further than you ever hit before.
You'll hit with greater distance and accuracy every time.
You'll hit more greens and get the ball consistently close to the pin.
You'll wonder what ever happened to that awful slice you used to have.
You'll gain a new outlook on golf with greater confidence in your game. Because you're armed with a proven system that actually works!

How fast? I'm glad you asked.

You'll learn the Simple Golf Swing in just three hours.
You'll lower your score by at least seven strokes within the first two rounds.
You'll start playing the best golf of your life by week two.
You'll drop at least 12 strokes off your handicap at the end of two weeks.
You'll be a different golfer in a month. That old bogey plus golfer that was you will be totally transformed. Just imagine the look on the faces of your golfing buddies.

You see, my goal is to have break 80 within 60 days. No matter what you're shooting now.

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In fact, it's been proven time and time again that

With the Simple Golf Swing System almost any golfer can break 80 regardless of physical ability.

Golf Breaks to St Andrews and Angus Golf Tour in Scotland

2010-01-13T06:30:00.000-08:00

AT A GLANCE

Golf courses

Book a golf tour to St Andrews and Angus and you will have the opportunity to tee off at some of the most renowned golf courses in the world including those at St Andrews Links, Carnoustie Golf Links, Ladybank Golf Club and Scotscraig Golf Club.

More information on golf courses

Accommodation

There is a great selection of hotels for your golf tour that provide the perfect retreat after a long day on the golf course. These fantastic hotels include Macdonald Rusacks Hotel, Ogstons on North Street, The Inn at Lathones, Fairmont St Andrews, Old Course Hotel and the Hilton Dundee.

More information on accommodation

Did you know?

The Old Course at St Andrews is set to host The Open in 2010 for the 28th occasion. Furthermore, the Old Course boasts the status of being Tiger Wood’s favourite golf course in the world.

Location

The traditionally Scottish region of Angus is situated on Scotland’s beautiful East Coast.

Maps and directions

Plan your Golf Vacation for the best Golf Vacation you Will ever have

2010-01-13T05:26:00.001-08:00

"What If You Could... Have the perfect group golf vacation, save money and have a sensational time setting it up?" Instead of buying "the package", design your own optimum, personalized vacation.

Remember last year?

You waited all year to get together with your friends for your annual golf vacation. It was supposed to be perfect, but you bought "the package" and your outing turned out to be simply adequate. You all had such high hopes, but you had to take what the package provided.

Sound familiar? Have you been on the receiving side of a less than perfect golf vacation? In all fairness, most golf packages are good. Some are great. But they truly are packages designed for the mass market with little flexibility and no individual flair.

A standard golf vacation package provides lodging and one round of golf per day, including a cart. The lodging usually means motel or hotel accommodations with two people per bedroom. In most cases, you can choose from several different courses, and select your advance tee times. They will even throw in a continental breakfast. The prices are fair, but varying from the standard package starts adding cost in a hurry.

Again, "the package" will yield a good to great vacation, but we need to discuss the perfect vacation. Envision this:

A beautiful vacation house with a separate bed or bedroom for each person.

Gourmet dining each evening.

As much or as little golf as you want, where you want and when you want.

Evening entertainment.

Maximum camaraderie.

How to Find the Best Golf Holidays in Scotland

2010-01-13T05:21:00.000-08:00

Scotland, famous for being the home of golf, has some of the best golfing holidays available. Set against stunning Scottish scenery in the Highlands and other beautiful locations, the courses are often the challenging links golf that make for the exciting sport we see at the British Open. Here's how to find the best of them.

Step1
Decide which part of Scotland you would like to visit. A golfing holiday in Aberdeen has a far different feel to one in the Highlands.
Step2
Have a look at a list of golf courses in Scotland. We've all heard of St. Andrews, but there are literally hundreds of courses. Which one would you like to visit on a holiday?
Step3
Research to see if the course you are interested in provides a golfing holiday package. You can book accommodation and golf sessions separately, but this can be expensive.
Step4
Take a look at tour agencies. Golfing holidays are very popular, particularly holidays in Scotland. Usually they include hotel accommodation, a game of golf everyday and food.
Step5
Go on a golf tour. St. Andrews, Royal Troon and Muirfield are all historic courses, but such choices make decisions about where to go very difficult. A golfing tour holiday transcends all that, encompassing three or more courses with transport provided.
Step6
Watch golf. Instead of playing you can catch the British Open. A holiday to the championship will include accommodation and meals.
Step7
Book well in advance. Scotland is the home of golf and as a result very popular with golfers, so you will need to book early to ensure you get what you want.

Golf Holiday Tips

2010-01-05T04:00:00.001-08:00

Planning for a golf holiday trip abroad can be quite a challenging task especially for the first time. Having adequate knowledge about planning for a trip abroad can save you plenty of time and money. When you did it right, it will avoid unnecessary frustration and disappointment. The tips provided in this article is especially useful if you plan for your golf holiday abroad for the fist time.

1) Decide where to go

It sounds simple but this is the starting point of you entire planning. There are many golf holiday destination around the world, you need to explore those golf resorts that can fulfill the needs of you and your family members. Do a search on the internet will give you plenty of choices but read from golf magazine provides additional information of the golf courses.

As a golfer, you like to play on golf course that are popular and reputable. Be sure to confirm with the golf course that you are allowed to play one ball (if you are the only golfer family members). Many golf course allow one ball play on a weekday.

At the same time, look for golf resort that has many other options for your non golfing family members to visit especially when you are on the golf course. Select a golf resort which is within short travel time to the city center will be an ideal choice.

2) Weather condition

One major consideration of a golf holiday abroad is perhaps the weather condition at the time of your visit. Not only you pick a season that is nice for golfing, it should be suitable for your family members for their tour as well. If you travel during winter time, then you need to prepare for the appropriate attire for the winter season for tour as well as for golfing. Additional consideration is the extra luggage you have to carry with you to accommodate those thick winter clothing and other apparels.

If you travel to tropical countries like Asia, try to avoid travel during the raining seasons which falls in the month of March-May and September-November. However, there has been changes to the weather condition in Asian Countries like Malaysia in recent years which is less predicable. Check with the targeted golf resort to confirm.

3) Golf Course Tee Off Times

If you are one ball, check with the golf club on tee off time. Some golf course has different tee off time for one ball play example only after 2 pm. This is the time slot you may want to spend time with your family members for a city tour. Another consideration is to confirm the golf course is not closed for tournaments or private events.

4) Have a Contingency Plan

Finally, have a contingency plan. It will be added advantage and choice for you to pick a destination where there are several golf courses within your willing travel time to golf, say one hour. Sometimes, the golf course is closed partially for maintenance and you may end up playing 9-holes. However, if you have other golf course nearby your hotel, you can opt to play there or be your alternative golf destination.

Dr. L M Foong is a senior golfer who travel abroad for his golf holiday. He writes articles of golfing and golf holiday trips. View more Golf Holiday here

Teen Thomas itches for more PGA TOUR experience

2010-01-05T03:58:00.000-08:00

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- The memories will last a lifetime for Justin Thomas. The Titleist tees could, too.
Thomas was the 16-year-old who became the third youngest player to make the cut in a PGA TOUR event at the Wyndham Championship in August. Thomas, who earned a spot in the field by winning a junior event, missed the second cut after three rounds and did not get to finish the tournament.
However, he still enjoyed the perks of his first taste of fame: Facebook friend requests, text messages from strangers and, best of all, access to a Titleist van at the tournament. His locker was pre-stocked with balls, hats and a glove. He received a much-needed new putter, too, but one item had him coming back for seconds.
Tees.
"I pretty much raided the Titleist van," Thomas said. "Every time I went in there, I took a handful. I was in and out."
Really?
"I took some, too," father and caddie Mike said. "You can't get those tees anywhere."
Thomas' golf bag was still stocked at the United States Junior Masters at the Ocean Course at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, which concluded Wednesday. Thomas, who owns more than 110 wins since age 8, lost in a playoff.
The Wyndham experience hasn't changed him too much. Like any budding golfer, he has good days (winning the Kentucky high school state championship) and bad ones (making a 10 on No. 17 at TPC Sawgrass in a September junior event).
College is more than a year away, and he's narrowed his choices to Alabama, Florida State, LSU and Texas A&M. First, he needs to get his driver's license. That may come in early 2010. However, he's not wasting time when it comes to getting back on TOUR. Thomas is pushing for an invite to next season's Travelers Championship.
"I might as well try," he said. "The worst that's going to happen is they're going to say no."
He'd also like to give the Wyndham another chance. This past season, he was tied for fifth after a first-round 65, during which he started "thinking of winning." Chills ran down when fans applauded his introduction on the first tee, a noise that grew louder each day as his story spread.
"After more and more people asked about it and wanted to know how it was, and I kept talking about it, I realized how cool it was," Thomas said. "It was a fun week, and I really didn't want to leave."
The one Wyndham memory few know about occurred early Friday morning, when the weather-delayed first round finished up. Thomas got to the course at 5:30 a.m. to ensure a precious spot on the modest driving range, anticipating a 7 a.m. start.
He went to eat. Nobody was there. He went to practice. The range was empty. Almost an hour passed, and no other golfers had shown up. Thomas began thinking somebody may have pulled some sort of prank when he found an official and asked what was going on.
"My dad thought the shotgun started at 7 [a.m.], but it started at 8," Thomas said. "It was a little rookie mistake right there."
His next big-time appearance could come at the Masters, though not as a competitor. Thomas said he may get to caddie for friend and 2009 U.S. Amateur champ Byeong-Hun An at the famed Wednesday par-3 contest.
In any capacity, Thomas wants another taste of the TOUR. Put the Titleist van on notice.
"That one tournament made me realize how awesome it was," Thomas said. "I really would like to get back out there."

PGA

2010-01-05T03:56:00.005-08:00

Tiger Woods is all about winning. So is the TIGER WOODS VICTORY ROOM, which celebrates his PGA TOUR success with details of each win, lists and rankings, essays and columns, photos, videos and more. To enter the Victory Room, click here.

VIDEO: Check out many of Tiger's key moments
THE MAJORS: Follow Tiger's chase of Jack
WACKER: What are Tiger's top 10 victories?
AUCLAIR: The folks in Tiger's victory circle
BY THE NUMBERS: Incredible facts and figures

golf celebrities

2010-01-05T03:54:00.001-08:00

Latino pop star Shakira has revealed she is a keen golfer. The Colombian-born singer says she is a natural at the sport, thanks to her well-practiced hip action. ‘I love golf,’ she told talk show host George Lopez. She went on to say ‘I’m really bad at sports, believe it or not. If you threw a ball at me, you would probably break my face because I have no reflexes whatsoever. She playfully added, ‘But in golf, you just need concentration, of which I have plenty, and hip swing is very important.’ Lopez, presented Shakira with a present – a new golf club with her name engraved on it. The curvaceous singer put her hands over her mouth and gasped with excitement as he revealed the surprise gift.

IF you've never played golf, perhaps you'll never understand the attraction. But if you're like many celebrities--whether they've been playing for years or just recently began to tee it up--you'll agree that the game has an unusual appeal that can consume you.

Golf has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years, so much so that the game--long and wrongly considered a less-than-physically-challenging sport--is inspiring yoga and Pilates workouts. Celebrity golfers, who often pay personal trainers big money to help them get in shape and help them stay physically fit--say there are some definite physical benefits associated with an outing on the links.

Experts say you can get the most out of a round of golf if you walk the course, the length of which can measure about 5 miles, depending on the course. Walking improves your cardiovascular health, builds endurance and allows you to burn a moderate amount of calories. If you carry your clubs, you can get an upper body workout as well. And hitting the ball actually can improve your hand-eye coordination, which can be useful in many other areas.

Many celebrities and professional athletes have begun playing to add another level of competition to their lives and to be able to spend more time together with their families, who are joining them on the course.

Some players like Oakland Raiders cornerback Ray Buchanan love the sport so much that he and his wife, Sheree, built their dream home at Sugarloaf Country Club in Duluth, Ga., home of the PGA Tour's Bellsouth Classic. Their multimillion-dollar mansion overlooks the 9th hole, and Buchanan, a former Pro-Bowler, plays two to three times a week during the off-season.

"At first, I didn't like golf," says Buchanan, formerly of the Atlanta Falcons. "But after a while, it was like a virus--so contagious that I wanted to keep playing and learn more."

Sheree Buchanan, who starred as part of the "NFL wives" team in the Emmy-winning reality TV series The Amazing Race 4, just started playing golf a few months ago, in an effort to spend more time with her husband. She took up golf; he took up her favorite sport--tennis. She's just beginning to understand why her husband loves the game so much--the competition with yourself and a desire to always do better. Eventually, the couple hopes that their four children will grow to love the sport as much as they do.

"[Golf is] still brand new for me," Sheree says. "For us, it's fun. He teaches me, and as long as we don't have a lot of people [playing] behind us, it's OK."

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad, who also owns an entertainment company and nonprofit foundation, says he started playing golf when he entered the NFL and "fell in love with it."

"Golf is something that is very relaxing for me," says Muhammad, who already is encouraging his 3-year-old son to play. "I think being able to play golf allows you to meet and associate with different people."

But it's not only professional athletes who enjoy time on the course. Actors such as Samuel L. Jackson and Will Smith, and singer Johnny Gill also love the game. Even celebrity couples make the rounds together.

Dondre Whitfield and Salli Richardson-Whitfield, who married in 2002, golf together often. Whitfield, a Brooklyn, N.Y., native, became hooked on the sport 11 years ago--after his first visit to the driving range. Richardson-Whitfield, who has been playing golf for six years, is still teeing off into her seventh month of pregnancy. The Chicago native began playing after she was invited to participate in a celebrity tournament in Jamaica about six years ago. The couple, who had just started dating around that time, found that they had a mutual love for the sport.

"We can spend five hours together, quality time," says Richardson-Whitfield, set to star in the upcoming movie, Anacondas: Hunt for the Blood Orchid. "And for me, it gives me a way to compete with myself."

"It's a physical game of chess," says Whitfield, who stars with Bernie Mac and Angela Bassett in Mr. 3000 in September. "You have to fight your emotions, because there can be highs and lows."

The couple says that they plan to encourage their child to play golf, too, because it's a sport that teaches you honesty. Whitfield says that because golf is generally an individual sport, if you cheat, you cheat yourself.

Considering the joy that the game has brought Dondr6 and Salli, they have only one regret when it comes to golf: "We wish we had started to play when we were kids."