Transition requires some downshifting

An apology is in order for taking so long to address queries by two Chase The Pea followers to explain a recent lack of posts on this blog. Support and words of encouragement from followers and friends of Oldgolfdawg during the past 10 months deserved better treatment, too.

The truth is a combination of factors has gone into the lack of activity. One is that with the conclusion of the Ryder Cup the serious golf season on the professional level has come and gone in 2010. Another is the golf season for regular duffers -- aka chasers of the pea -- is also winding down. I hate to say it, but it won't be long before the snow will be flying around again and we will be yearning for the sun-filled days of summer.

Beyond that, this blog was begun to keep Oldgolfdawg busy doing something while he tried to re-enter the workforce at age 56. In that regard, it has served its purpose. Oldgolfdawg began working last week as a licensed health insurance agent for NationsHealth. If he can get through a 90-day probationary period, he should have a full-time job in an industry with a brighter future than newspapers.

That doesn't mean Chase The Pea will go out of existence. It just won't have as many posts as in the past and will appear in moments of inspiration rather than following a specific agenda.

In regard to recent inspiration, Oldgolfdawg has had the chance to play Cooks Creek, Darby Creek, Cumberland Trail, Deer Ridge and Eaglesticks over the last several weeks and has decided to update his best-places-to-play-in-central-Ohio list accordingly:

5 dog biscuits: Longaberger (the alpha dog)
4 1/2 dog biscuits: East Golf Club
4 dog biscuits: Cooks Creek, Cumberland Trail, EagleSticks, Deer Ridge, Golf Club of Dublin, The Players Club at Foxfire
3 1/2 dog biscuits: *Apple Valley, Bent Tree, Blacklick Woods, Chapel Hill, Champions, Darby Creek, Granville, Indian Springs, New Albany Links, The Links at Echo Springs, Royal American Links
3 dog biscuits: Glenross, Mill Creek, Turnberry, Westchester
2 1/2 dog biscuits: Blackhawk, Crystal Springs Golf Club, Mentel Memorial, National Golf Links, *Licking Springs, Raymond Memorial, Safari Golf Club, *St. Albans, *Table Rock, The Links at Groveport
2 dog biscuits: *Airport, *Oakhaven, *Bridgeview, Marysville Golf Club, *Minerva Lake
1 1/2 dog biscuits: *Wilson Road, *Big Walnut (executive courses)
1 dog biscuit: Let's not go there
* Indicates Oldgolfdawg has not played the course in more than five years and needs feedback from others to adjust any ranking.

Tough loss for Team USA hard to explain

Hunter Mahan acted as though he felt responsible for Team USA's 1/2-point Ryder Cup loss to Team Europe at Celtic Manor in Wales today. While such a notion is understandable on his part, it holds little water. The truth is he had plenty of help.

Afterward, in a team news conference, Mahan tried to express his feelings but was repeatedly overcome by emotion. As Mahan fought back tears, Phil Mickelson took the microphone from him and partly blamed himself for the USA's loss. After all, Mickelson said, he had lost three of his four matches.

Added Steve Stricker: "It really doesn't come down to Hunter. You hate to see Hunter go through what he's going through."

Though it's true Mahan chunked a chip shot on the 17th hole that sealed his fate in a 3-&-1 loss to Graeme McDowell in the final singles match that decided the competition, Team USA as a whole has to be blamed for the weight he was asked to carry. If Stewart Cink hadn't three-putted for par on the 15th hole in his match against Rory McIlroy, he would have likely earned a full point instead of a halve and the Americans would have enjoyed a victory celebration instead of the Europeans. It was that close.

The key to the competition came in the third session when the Americans, who won 3 out of 4 sessions, were drubbed 5 1/2 to 1/2. Trailing 9 1/2 to 6 1/2 going into today's final 12 singles matches, put the Americans in a tough position. But they almost pulled off another miracle like the one at Brookline in 1999 when they rallied from a 10-6 deficit to win.

But a 7-5 advantage in the final session wasn't enough for Team USA. It just made the Europeans sweat a little before the celebration began. At 11:30 a.m. in Wales, Team USA trailed in 8 of the 12 matches. Three and half hours later, the Americans were in position to keep the Cup, but they came up short.

What could have been a blowout was made interesting by victories by Stricker, Dustin Johnson, Jeff Overton, Tiger Woods, Mickelson and Zach Johnson. Stricker set the tone for an American comeback with a 2 & 1 victory over Lee Westwood. Dustin Johnson dusted Martin Kaymer, the man who edge him in the PGA Championship, 6 & 4 and Woods was 9 under through 15 holes in a 4-&-3 drubbing of Francesco Molinari.

Ryder Cup rookie Rickie Fowler, who birdied his last four holes, showed his grit by earning a halve against Edoardo Molinari after being 4-down through 12 holes. But the gutsy comeback went for naught when Mahan couldn't extend the day's final match past the 17th hole.

Some are blaming captain Corey Pavin for the loss, saying he wasn't emotional enough and didn't seem to have his players wanting to win for him. But you wouldn't think the players really needed any motivation considering Team USA has won only two of the last eight Ryder Cups and hasn't won on European soil since 1993 at The Belfrey.

You can blame Pavin for Team USA's leaky rain suits, shoddy bags and ugly outfits, but you can't blame him if the players aren't fired up. That didn't seem to be the case. The will was there but the execution came up 1/2 point short. Maybe it was those ugly purple sweaters Team USA wore on Sunday. They were enough to make the golf gods puke. That's as good an explanation as any.

For Ryder Cup video highlights, check out: http://www.rydercup.com/2010/usa/multimedia/video/videohub.cfm

Information from ESPN.com and RyderCup.com contributed to this post.

Revisiting the bargain bin

As of noon today, here are some of the bargains available to central Ohio golfers for the coming week at Golfnow.com:

Monday (Oct. 4)
1 to 4 players -- New Albany Links at 8:50: $16.26 (58% savings)
1 or 2 players -- Cumberland Trail at 11:50: $15.43 (60% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Foxfire at 12:12: $13.02 (55% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:10: $18.56 (60% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Cooks Creek at 12:31: $21.45 (52% savings)

Tuesday (Oct. 5)
2 to 4 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:19: $22.74 (51% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Glenross at 12:20: $20.54 (47% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Westchester at 12:30: $18.74 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Longaberger at 1:30: $41.15 (48% savings)

Wednesday (Oct. 6)
1 to 4 players -- Foxfire at 12:12: $14.23 (51% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:19 $22.74 (51% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Glenross at 12:20: $20.54 (47% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Westchester at 12:30: $18.74 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Phoenix at 1:18: $16.13 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Longaberger at 1:30: $41.15 (48% savings)
1 to 4 players -- The Players Club at 1:32: $20.45 (55% savings)

Thursday (Oct. 7)
1 to 4 players -- Foxfire at 12:12: $14.25 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- New Albany Links at 12:40: $20.13 (48% savings)
1 players only -- Westchester at 12:48: $18.69 (51% savings)

Friday (Oct. 8)
1 to 4 players -- Foxfire at 12:12: $14.35 (51% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:19: $22.74 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Phoenix at 1:18: $16.13 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- East Golf Club at 1:40: $23.47 (51% savings)
1 to 2 players -- The Players Club at 2:30: $20.45 (55% savings)