To think it’s not even officially winter in Wisconsin and already I find myself anxiously awaiting Spring.

Not because a young man’s fancy turns to love, I ceased qualifying as a young man long ago, but because I want to begin another golf season.  I pass by my clubs, forlornly tucked in the corner, several times a day.  Occasionally I’ll remove one, grip it, address a make believe ball, take my stance, and waggle a couple of times.  Sometimes I’ll even give one of those Mike Weir abbreviated backswings (it is the basement after all, low ceiling).  The club always winds up back in the back while I trundle off to whereever it is I have to go to do whatever it is that has to be done.  Perhaps that’s why I miss golf season so, I’ve no excuse for putting off household chores and no refuge from the demands of the five women who so thoroughly dominate my activities.

How do you choose between Tiger Woods and Lorena Ochoa for Golfer of the Year?  I can’t,  doing so would feel like slighting a remarkable performance.  Akin to deciding if Grandma’s chocolate chip cookies are better than her oatmeal raisin cookies. A decision that will be second guessed before it’s made.  Call it a tie, raise a glass of milk in salute to both.

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the Fedex Cup. I’m not sure why exactly except that I must have important things to think about that I’m avoiding.  This may come as a shock to some readers, but I can’t escape the conclusion that golf is not a playoff sport.  At least not in the format currently extant.  The World Match Play Championships is a playoff, and how many complaints have you heard, read, and personally muttered about that event? 

I think the complaints about Mr. Woods and Mr. Mickelson skipping events are bogus, the top two seeds always get a bye week, this is no different.  Where is the drama, beyond say the last 3 groups or so on Sunday.  How do you make this compelling?  Can’t.  Not possible.  Did anyone sit on pins and needles waiting to see that Ken Duke finished T52 at the Western, oops sorry, BMW Championship?  I don’t think I believe you if the answer is yes, you should be ashamed, unless of course you are a direct member of Mr. Duke’s family in which case I apologize for using him as my example of irrelevance in the playoff format.  What this Fedex Cup showed itself to be is a weird idea.  Note to Mr. Finchem:  Golf has Four Major Championships.  Those are your yardsticks of greatness.  This playoff do-hickey is acceptable for football, baseball, auto racing, and basketball but not for golf.  Scrap the idea.

Disclaimer:  My thoughts may be tainted because I am still bitter over the demise of the Western Open.  I will not apologize for that and have promised those closest to me I will no longer wail and gnash my teeth over this subject.  I will acknowledge this backslide and attempt to keep those folks away from the computer until this post has had time to disappear.