IT WAS GENEROUS of Sergio Garcia to play the final two holes of the Players Championship in such a cringeworthy manner (+6).
A generous Mother’s Day present for Tiger’s mom, Kultida Woods, that is.
Garcia has provided a foil for Woods’ dominant career, serious (albeit overhyped) at the start, and now mainly comic, as the burdens of expectation and the limitations of Garcia’s game have melded as he’s aged.
I’ll have more thoughts on Garcia at the end of my column, here comes the local golf information.
Ping demo day today
Head up to Peninsula Golf Club in Port Angeles today for a demo with Ping from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Ping has some great-looking new clubs this year, G-25 drivers and irons and Anser fairway woods.
Peninsula will also host a Wilson rep with all the latest from one of the most venerable lines in all of golf from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Entries close Sunday for Peninsula’s 52nd annual Spring Shotgun, set for Saturday and Sunday, May 25-26.
The 36-hole medal play event features an $11,000 prize fund.
This is a big tournament, organizers can take up to 144 players across three gross and net divisions.
Entry fee is $120, and includes a Friday, May 24, practice round, plus a Friday night round of hors d’oeuvres at 6 p.m. and a team auction at 7 p.m.
Gross and net merchandise prizes will be given out.
Entrants must be at least 21 years old, and USGA handicaps as of May 15 will be used.
To get in the game, phone the Peninsula Golf Shop at 360-457-6501.
TaylorMade at Cedars
Cedars at Dungeness hosts a TaylorMade demo day today from noon to 4 p.m.
Special offers include $50 off drivers, $30 off fairway woods and $20 off of hybrids.
SkyRidge events
Ping’s northwest rep George Houlihan will visit SkyRidge for a demo day event from noon to 3 p.m. Thursday.
He will be out on the range with SkyRidge PGA pro Kelly O’Mera to help players try out and fit Ping golf clubs.
O’Mera is a past regional fitter of the year and has been fitting Ping Golf clubs for more than 25 years.
Soren’s Cafe will be open for lunch and cold beverages in the new clubhouse, so head on over.
Saturday, SkyRidge will host a two-person Centennial Scramble golf tournament, to help celebrate the Sequim Centennial.
The 18-hole medal play event tees off with a 9 a.m. shotgun start and is limited to the first 36 two-person teams.
Cost is $50 per team, with an optional $20 per team honey pot.
Entry includes green fees, range balls, KP’s and lunch.
Carts are $15 per seat.
To get in the game, phone SkyRidge at 360-683-3673.
Rhody Open slated
The two-event 2013 Rhody Open Jim Caldwell Memorial Golf Classic will be held Saturday and Sunday.
Players can choose to play in both events, or just one, as the two tourneys are each separate, stand-alone events.
The Saturday event is an individual gross and net tourney, with an 8 a.m. shotgun start to make sure players can make it in time for the 1 p.m. Rhododendron Parade.
Entry is $35, plus $12 green fees for nonmembers.
Sunday’s event is a two-person best ball gross and net tournament with a 9 a.m. shotgun start.
The fee is $30 per player, plus $12 green fees for nonmembers.
Remember, two separate tournaments, one name.
Port Townsend Golf Course is also starting up its Thursday (nine-hole) and Saturday (18-hole) skins games.
Entry is $10, plus reduced green fees for nonmembers. Play when you want, but submit your score before closing time.
The course’s Merchant League tees off Tuesdays at 5 p.m. If you want to substitute for an absent player, show up and let folks know you can play.
For more, phone 360-385-4547, or stop by and get signed up.
Discovery Bay deal
Golfers can take advantage of a good deal all month long at Discovery Bay Golf Course near Port Townsend.
If players start after noon each day, they can play 18 holes with a cart for $22.
For more information, phone 360-385-0704.
PT ladies play
Barbara Aldrich checked in with a report on the Port Townsend Women’s Golf Club.
If there’s even a hint of fog in Port Townsend, it will be foggy at Port Townsend Golf Course, so players started in the marine layer and finished up their game of “Mutt and Jeff” in bright sunshine.
Only the par-3 and par-5 holes counted, making it necessary for the women to tee off from the men’s tee on No. 4, ordinarily a par 4 for women.
Aldrich won the day, followed by Starla Audette and Lynn Pierle.
New club member Shelley Peterson was beaten out for fourth by Linda Deal.
The ladies meet each Tuesday at 9 a.m. to set up teams before a 9:30 a.m. tee time.
All women golfers are welcome as guests.
A final tally, and play
After a final tally, members of the Dungeness Lady Niners raised $1,175 for Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County at their Memorial Scramble last month.
The lady’s played “T to Green” last week, taking their real scores, subtracting their putts and half of their handicap to arrive at a final score.
Lisa Ballatyne was first in Division One with a 20, followed by Olympia Brehn and Jo Hendrickson at 24.
Vernice Quigley was first in Division 2 with a 23.5, while Stanley placed second at 25.
The ladies meet each Thursday at 9:30 a.m., and tee off at 10:30 a.m.
They’ll play a game of “Even Holes” on the back nine this Thursday.
Back to Sergio . . .
After a weekend of chips and quips back and forth with Woods, Garcia was tied with him for first place, and went for it on the Island green Sunday, going for the knockout rather than playing a safer right-to-left wedge to the center of the green.
His normal swing generates a right to left shot, perfect for a safe play with the tourney up for grabs.
Nope, an admittedly “amped” Garcia went right at the right-pin placement but with a softer shot, eventually leaving two TaylorMade balls short and wet.
Maybe he thought he couldn’t beat Woods in a playoff, but it was the same course (and same hole) where he earned his best win in a playoff, the 2008 Players Championship.
The two biggest moments of Garcia’s career have come on the island green and really symbolize his whole career: tremendous potential and solid success followed by unfortunate playmaking when the chips are down.
Golf would be a lesser game without him, as every sport needs a villain — or a spoiled brat.
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Golf columnist Michael Carman can be reached at 360-417-3527 or pdngolf@gmail.com.