The Grand Slam Is Back!

This just in: The PGA Grand Slam of Golf—a season-ending tournament featuring the winners of golf’s four major championships—will return to Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton, Bermuda for the next two years. “The PGA of America is honored to continue the PGA Grand Slam of Golf tradition on the island of Bermuda through 2012 at the Port Royal Golf Course,” said PGA of America President Allen Wronowski. “Bermuda has embraced the PGA Grand Slam of Golf over the past several years, delivering unmatched hospitality and community support for golf’s elite visiting foursome.” An elite foursome indeed. Last year’s tournament featured PGA Champion Martin Kaymer, U.S. Open Champion Graeme McDowell, 2001 PGA Chamption David Toms and three-time major winner Ernie Els, who won the 2010 Grand Slam trophy and the coveted Pink Jacket. The year before? Port Royal welcomed Lucas Glover, Stewart Cink, Angel Cabrera and Y.E. Yang, so clearly the Slam brings golf’s biggest names (if indeed they accept the PGA’s invitation to play; I’m talking to you Phil Mickelson). This year’s tournament will be played on October 18 and 19, but in case you can’t wait until the Fall to see what the hubbub is all about, be sure to watch the above video for a guided tour of Port Royal Golf Course by yours truly. Turn up your speakers, sit back and enjoy.

Live From Port Royal

It's been an interesting two days at the 2010 PGA Grand Slam of Golf at Port Royal Golf Course in Bermuda. U.S. Open Champion Graeme McDowell hit a ball while standing barefoot in a lake on the 17th hole, PGA Champion Martin Kaymer spent most of his time on the beach (ya know, in the bunkers). 2001 PGA Champion David Toms shocked the gallery by pitching in from the fringe. Twice. And three-time major champion Ernie Els wowed the crowed with a tremendous birdie on 16 and a triumphant march to victory two holes later. I'll have a full report from the event shortly, but in the meantime, check out this video I shot and edited from Port Royal. As you'll see, it's one of the greatest golf courses anywhere in the world and not just because the bartenders serve a mean Dark n' Stormy (but they do, as you'll soon see). Sit back, turn up your speakers and watch as I tour Bermuda's finest golf course.

VIDEO: Lucas Glover Wins!

The 2009 PGA Grand Slam of Golf ended with a roar on Port Royal's 18th hole, where U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover won the tournament by a commanding six strokes. Turn up the volume and watch his final approach here, or to see it in fullscreen, watch it on YouTube. It'll be another year before the Grand Slam returns to Bermuda, but until then, the famed Pink Jacket is Glover's and Glover's alone—a worthy champion of a world-class tournament.

Men at Work

There’s been much ado about four suspected terrorists who were recently transferred from the federal prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to their new homes here in Bermuda. I’ll spare you the details of their arrival and tales of the parliamentary protests that followed, but by all accounts it looks like the island’s newest ex pats have settled in quite nicely. Last week the New York Times reported the four men now have jobs as groundskeepers at Port Royal Golf Course—not a bad gig considering they’ll be clocking in on one of the most beautiful public courses in the world. Check out the sixteenth hole for example (see above). It just doesn’t get much prettier than that. Whether the community at large accepts these men into daily life has yet to be seen, but I for one applaud the decision to give them jobs at this public gem of a course. Nothing builds pride and self-confidence quite like a good day’s work and it seems the Uighurs will be getting just that, one ocean view hole at a time.

 

From the Links

I’ve never been much of a golfer, but ever since I moved to Bermuda I’ve been on the course at least once a month. Not bad for a guy whose clubs hail from the mid-fifties (seriously, they’re really, really old, passed down from my great uncle Al). Last month Joy and I played Tucker’s Point, a sprawling private club on the east end where we enjoyed Earl Gray tea in the clubhouse and cold Heinekens from the beverage cart along the way. It was a challenging course and by far the prettiest I’ve played yet, but I’m looking forward to tackling eighteen holes at Port Royal, a public championship course that recently got a $14 million facelift. Consider it a total extreme makeover with new tee boxes, cart paths, and fairways, plus the greatest change of all—a complete redesign of the back nine, which added sweeping water views from just about every hole. I was there just last night to celebrate the course’s official opening. It was a gala event featuring sports legends Dr. J and Bill Russell, plus fellow Maryland Terrapin and former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason who hit a mighty tee shot to christen the course (see above). Boomer’s blogging about his trip to Bermuda and although he said he’d be leaving the island today, he says he’ll be back just next week for an extended vacation with family and friends. That’s good news for Bermuda. Boomer’s got over 1 million listeners on his WFAN radio show, and no doubt he’ll spread the word that Bermuda is one of the greatest destinations in the world for a top-notch golf vacation. As for me, I've got one course down and seven to go. I just hope my old wooden driver holds up.