Social Media Monitoring is one of the things I’m dealing with on my (main) job. But sometimes you can put it to good use when it comes to the personal interests.

So I had a look at the buzz in the social web following Martin Kaymers victory yesterday. “Martin Kaymer” received 4.158 mentions this month, 3.067+ in the last 24 hours alone

Here’s the general stats.

The share of voice is dominated by Twitter. This is no surprise as most (social) media sources post to twitter when having written something new or discussion takes places on twitter itself:

The geo heat map shows a vast interest in Germany, the UK and Canada,. The USA are only in fourth place although the most heard question in the US on Twitter probably was “Who the hell is Martin Kaymer?”

And apparently Martins victory sparked a huge interest in his girlfriend Alison Micheletti, as her name is the most searched related topic.

Waking up the next morning after such a thrilling finish in the 2010 PGA Championship, I am still wondering if all this really happened. Can’t think of how Martin Kaymer himself must feel after his stunning victory.

I think the Devil Ball golf blog sums it up pretty nicely:

Martin Kaymer — seen here just before plunging into one of Whistling Straits’ many invisible bunkers — currently stands fifth in the Official World Golf Rankings, and the way he played on Sunday, it’s not inconceivable that he’ll pass Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood and Steve Stricker before long. Kaymer demonstrated both power and grace, strategy and touch, en route to posting an 11-under round and holding off Bubba Watson for the Wanamaker Trophy. It wasn’t easy, but Kaymer made it look that way.

As for the stats, read this article on the European Tour website. And the Race to Dubai has a new leader.

From my side (and if you check twitter from many more sides) congratulations and all the best to Martin Kaymer. Can’t wait for the Ryder Cup now!

Well, the PGA Tour has had very good campaigns in the last year promoting itself (“These guys are good”), so the European Tour must have thought: “We gotta do something!” And they came up with a website called http://everyshotimaginable.com/ (and a YouTube channel) showing a video of David Howell, Paul McGinley, Marcel Siem and Rhys Davies skimming a ball 200 yards across a lake and trying to hit a gong.

This maybe the first of some challenges to come, but there’s also some all time great shots from the European Tour history to prove the fact that, well, these guys also are good. Personally, i loved this shot by Seve Ballesteros best:

Medium: www.youtube.com
Link: www.youtube.com

Wednesday, 11.08.2010
21:25 Eurosport, US PGA Tour 2010 – Turning Stone Resort Championship in Verona, NY
22:25 Eurosport, Ladies European Tour – Irish Open in Killeen Castle
22:35 Eurosport, Golf Club

Friday, 13.08.2010
23:00 Sport1, Golf Journal, Highlights PGA Championships, day one

Saturday, 14.08.2010
23:00 Sport1, Golf Journal, Highlights PGA Championships, day two

Sunday, 15.08.2010
23:00 Sport1, Golf Journal, Highlights PGA Championships, day three

Monday, 16.08.2010
23:00 Sport1, Golf Journal, Highlights PGA Championships, day four

Alex Cejka put on a solid performance so far a the Turning Stone Resort Championship as he has a two stroke lead heading into the final round. We keep our fingers crossed for him (with Cejka, almost anything can happen in a last round).

Here’s his yesterdayspost round interview

ADAM WALLACE: All right. We’d like to welcome Alex Cejka, the third-round leader at the Turning Stone Resort Championship to the interview room. Alex, great round today, bogey-free. You’ve only had three bogeys all week. If you could just talk us through your round today and your thoughts going into tomorrow.

ALEX CEJKA: I actually had a bogey on the second hole. I three-putted. But you know, I’ve been playing well all week. I like it out here. The course suits my eye, suits my game, and you know, I had a strong finish. I birdied 16, 17, 18. It was great. And I’m very pleased to be in that position.

Q. Alex, great day to play golf. Just about perfect conditions, or not so?

ALEX CEJKA: Almost, yeah. You know, obviously it was a little bit windy out there. I mean compared to yesterday it was nothing, but you know, it’s nice and warm. The ball goes a good distance here because it’s warm.

The breeze was a little bit, you know, affected, but really not as bad as yesterday.

Q. You noticed obviously that everybody seemed to be making birdies and putting up very low rounds, 63s, 64s, and obviously you started slow. How important is that approach shot on the fourth that nearly went in? Did that turn your round around?

ALEX CEJKA: Yes. Especially after the three-putt on 2. And I just told myself, just be patient. You know, I mean I know I’m going to have, if I play well, if I hit good shots, I’m going to have, whatever, eight chances, you know, and I gotta make some.

So you know, in the middle of the round when I look up at the leaderboard, I was trying to avoid it, but I saw suddenly I dropped down to sixth place, and I saw the scores, like 9-under, 8-under, 8-under.

So it’s possible on this course. The par-5s are reachable. You know, a couple par-4s, with that kind of weather you have only a wedge or sand wedge in. And as I said, I just told myself to be patient and wait for my chances.

Q. Alex, last three holes, anything special? Were you feeling especially charged up or what was the deal there?

ALEX CEJKA: No. I just hit good shots. I hit a great 6-iron on 16 to about six feet and I holed the putt.

17, you know, 17 is a tricky hole, but today the wind was a little bit helping off the right and I really hit a great drive. I hit only a 9-iron in. I think I hit a 5-iron yesterday into 17. So you know, that’s the difference.

And 18, I didn’t catch my drive yesterday. I hit it in the bunker. You know, today I just killed it and I hit it over the trap. And then from there it’s reachable.

Q. Alex, there’s a big pack up on the leaderboard right now. You’re two strokes up. Do you like your situation going into tomorrow or do you kind of feel people breathing down your neck, I mean anybody can do anything now?

ALEX CEJKA: Oh, no. I’d rather be two in front than four behind, you know. Doesn’t matter what happens tomorrow. The other will have to come, too, but it’s always nice to have the lead. You know, it doesn’t matter by how many.

And you know, it’s still a long way to go, 18 holes, especially with this kind of course where somebody who’s 10-under who can shoot a 9-under or 10-under, what we’ve seen over the last couple weeks that somebody shoots a 59 or 60. It’s possible. It’s doable.

I still have to go out there tomorrow and try hard and try to shoot a couple under. I cannot rely on my two-shot lead and trying to go out there and just shoot even par. I don’t think that would do it.

Q. Have you ever had a third-round lead before?

ALEX CEJKA: Oh, yeah.

Q. When was the last time?

ALEX CEJKA: Last time was New Orleans this year.

ADAM WALLACE: This is the third time.

ALEX CEJKA: Yeah. I think third time.

Q. What do you take from those experiences that — obviously neither time you won when you had the lead before. What do you take from those? What do you do differently this time? What’s your approach?

ALEX CEJKA: You know, it’s tough to say what I — it depends what the situation when I wake up tomorrow how the weather is, how I feel on the driving range.

I think in the past I was struggling a little bit with the putter the first couple holes when I had the lead, and suddenly the lead was gone after three, four holes because you know, you make one bad shot, you make a three-putt and suddenly someone makes a birdie and you’re not in the lead already.

You know, I hope I learned something out of it in the past and it will show tomorrow.

Q. On 17, it looked like Chris had basically the same putt as you. He went first; he missed. How much did that help you on your birdie putt? How big was that considering how hard that hole is? And it’s kind of like stealing a shot there.

ALEX CEJKA: Well, I knew my line. I knew I was going to hit it left edge, and after seeing him miss it to the right, so I definitely knew it’s going to break to the right. So I was just positive. I took my line left edge and just hit a positive putt.

Q. Alex, yesterday the stretch of holes from 13 to 15 were playing really difficult into the wind. There was a lot of wind out there. Can you talk about the difference between those three holes yesterday compared to how they played today?

ALEX CEJKA: Well, yesterday the wind was really, really strong. I had no — even on 12, is it 12, the par-5, I couldn’t reach it. You know, today some of the guys, the group in front of me could reach it. I was laying up only.

The next hole is at least a two-club wind. Today maybe one club only. You know, the next one is a pretty tough driving hole with the water on the left, the wind coming into your face. You know, but if you make good shots, you know, it’s — everything is possible, but you gotta focus. There’s a few holes really where you have to be extra careful.

Q. Alex, what would a win this week do for your confidence and your career?

ALEX CEJKA: I mean every win is nice. It doesn’t matter if it’s the first or the 10th or the 20th.

I won a couple in Europe already. It was great. I’m here now about seven years, I think. I had a couple chances. I never won. It would be great. I mean I can’t tell you how I would feel. I gotta wait. But I think what I hear from all my colleagues, it’s special.

Q. Alex, can you give a short version of your life story here? I know you left Czechoslovakia at nine.

ALEX CEJKA: Short version?

Q. Short version, yeah. We can speed it up real quick. How you wound up in golf.

ALEX CEJKA: The version is I was nine. My dad, we were living in the Czech Republic or Czechoslovakia back then, communism. And he just decided to give me a better life, probably give himself a better life and had the guts to take me on a long trip to Germany. For me I didn’t know what was going on. I was too young. Nobody told me anything.

I really don’t remember much. I just remember, it was maybe two weeks, the trip, and I just remember he hugged me. He started crying and said, “we did it, we did it.” But you know, as a nine-year-old, it was a fun trip for me. I had no idea how dangerous that is, what he went through.

You know, after years, when I got a little bit older, he told me and I understood. But when you’re nine, as even my kids say, they don’t understand when I take them, we go there and we go there. You know what I mean?

We were just having a good time, and he was entertaining me and he didn’t — you know, he probably was scared, but he didn’t show it really.

Q. So did you have to officially seek asylum?

ALEX CEJKA: What does that mean?

Q. Protection from another country. When you left Czechoslovakia and arrived in Germany, did you have to officially — did you go to like a consulate and say –

ALEX CEJKA: Yes. Yes. We went in a camp. We were in a camp for like refugees kind of for a while. I don’t know. I really can’t remember how long, but then I just know that my dad had a friend working in Frankfurt, and we stayed with him for a while. But when we got to Germany, I remember we were in some kind of a camp for a while. But I really don’t know.

Q. So how long from that point, from age nine, then, did you wind up playing golf?

ALEX CEJKA: Well, I started in the Czech Republic already. You know, back then it wasn’t, how you say it, it wasn’t as big as it is now. But in my village where I was growing up, there was a golf course where almost everybody who lived there was a member kind of. And I started to practice or play a little bit. Not practice. Play a little bit.

But really, when we got to Germany and I joined a club, that’s where I kind of got my first pro gave me — I couldn’t afford lessons or my dad couldn’t afford lessons, so he saw me practicing. And when he was in between lessons, he would walk by and say, listen, I see this, I see this. Try this. That’s how it kind of started. And I think I joined the club when I was like 12 or so. 12 or 13.

Q. So is it kind of safe to say, then, had your father not made that decision, you might not be sitting where you are or you would not be sitting where you are right now?

ALEX CEJKA: Yeah. Well, it’s tough to say. Who knew that the Iron Curtain was going to come down eight years later. But probably I think if we would have stayed there, if my dad wouldn’t have risked his life and would give us the chance, then I would be doing probably something else.

ADAM WALLACE: All right. Thanks, Alex. Good luck tomorrow.

ALEX CEJKA: Thank you. Thank you very much.

Wednesday, 04.08.2010
21:20 Eurosport, US PGA Tour 2010 – The Greenbrier Classic in White Sulphur Springs, WV
22:20 Eurosport, European Tour 2010 – Irish Open in Killarney (IRL)
22:50 Eurosport, Ladies European Tour – Evian Masters in Evian-les-Bains (FRA)
23:45 Eurosport, Golf Club

Thursday, 05.08.2010
23:00 Sport1, Golf Journal Das Golf-Magazin (1)
23:20 Sport1, Audi Golf News
23:40 Sport1, Golf Journal Das Golf-Magazin (2)

Saturday, 07.08.2010
09:45 Sport1, Golf Journal Das Golf-Magazin (1)
10:05 Sport1, Audi Golf News
10:25 Sport1, Golf Journal Das Golf-Magazin (2)

Vor fast genau einem Jahr spielte ich Baltic Hills zum ersten Mal. Damals hatte der Kurs noch kein DGV-Rating, das Clubhaus war noch nicht ganz fertig, alles war noch in den Anfängen. Mein Urteil von damals: viel Potential, muss sich aber noch etwas einwachsen.

In den letzten 10 Tagen habe ich drei Runden auf dem Kurs gespielt. Zeit für eine neue Beurteilung.

Das erste Schmuckstück des Clubs sieht man schon bevor man den Platz betreten hat: das Clubhaus ist wirklich schön geworden, mit kurzen Wegen von Parkplatz am Pro Shop vorbei zur Range. Die umlaufende, überdachte Veranda bietet einen guten Blick auf das Doppelgrün der 9 und 18 und hoch über das Mulliganloch zum ersten Abschlag. Nach der Runde warten eine gute Küche und freundlicher Service, lediglich die Gästeumkleide und die Dusche ist etwas sehr spartanisch ausgestattet, aber hier lässt sich leicht Abhilfe schaffen in Zukunft.

Aber kommen wir zum Platz: 18 Loch plus Mulliganloch, 6.047 Meter von Weiss, 5.771 Meter von Gelb. Die Idee des Mulligan-Loches (Par 3 115m) auf dem Weg zum ersten Abschlag finde ich nach wie vor großartig. Kleines Aufwärmloch oder ein kleiner Zock mit dem Flightpartner, es ist auf jeden Fall eine schöne Auflockerung bevor es auf die “richtige” Runde geht. In seiner aktuellen Ausgabe schreibt das GOLFmagazin, ob es nicht sinnvoller wäre, das Mulligan-Loch mit dem ersten Loch zusammenzulegen zu einem Par 5. Das würde den Platz auf einen Par 72 Standard bringen, aber in meinen Augen wäre das nicht notwendig, den Charakter des Platzes würde es nicht zwangsläufig schärfen. Das jetzige erste Loch als kurzes Par 4 lässt einen entspannt in die Runde starten, bevor man auf Loch zwei und drei gleich mal höllisch auf das Wasser aufpassen muss, vor allem wenn man drehende Winde hat wie bei der heutigen Runde.

Loch vier und fünf machen viel Spaß, wenn man platziert spielt. Die Bahn 5 erinnert mich mit ihrem stark ondulierten Fairway etwas an das Loch 15 auf dem von von Bernhard Langer designten Westplatz im Berliner GC Stolper Heide. Egal wo Du stehst, Du stehst am Hang.

Loch neun sieht einfacher aus, als es sich zumindest für mich spielt, der erhöhte Abschlag lädt ein, einfach mal den Abschlag ins Tal zu ballern, aber mit den rechts lauernden Pinien hatte ich immer Streit (von wegen Bäume bestehen zu 90% aus Luft). Doppelbogey wars für mich auf der Bahn im besten Fall.

Das prägende Element bei Bahn 11, aber auch bei der 12 und der 7 ist der zweite Schlag, den man meistens blind spielen muss, es sei denn man hat verlässlich über 210 Meter carry vom Abschlag. Was ich nicht habe. Hier zahlt es sich aus, wenn man den Platz schon ein paar mal gespielt hat. Oder ein Birdiebuch im Pro Shop erstanden hat.

An Bahn 13 konnte ich meinen eigenen – aus dem Score des letzten Jahres genährten – Ansprüchen nicht gerecht werden. Damals verhalt mir ein perfekter zweiter Schlag durch die schmale, rechte Gasse hindurch zwischen Waldrand und der Baumgruppe, die das Grün verteidigt zu einem sehr schönen Par. Dieses Jahr wollte ich irgendwie zuviel und habe es jedesmal schon beim Abschlag gepflegt verkackt.

Bahn 14 gehört für mich zu den schönsten Par 3′s, die ich bislang gespielt habe. Optisch wunderschön durch die Gasse zwischen den Bäumen hindurch, gut verteidigt durch einen das Grün umlaufenden Bunker, aber mit 120 Metern gut erreichbar mit einem gut platzierten kurzen Eisen.

Einen schönen Abschluss bilden die Bahnen 17 und 18. Die 17 ist ein 172 Meter langes Par3, von mehreren Bunkern gut verteidigt. Zugleich liegt das Green an der höchsten Stelle des Kurses und ist landschaftlich sehr exponiert, daß Winde immer die Schlägerwahl am Abschlag beeinflussen. Mit leichtem Rückenwind war es heute ein Eisen 6 pinhigh, ich habe aber auch schon ein 5er Eisen im Bunker zu kurz gelassen.

Die 18 ist ein Par 5 mit 445 Metern, da die Bahn aber komplett bergab geht, spielt sie sich eher wie ein langes Par 4. Ein entspanntes Par ist hier immer drin und bildet den versöhnlichen Abschluss für die Runde.

Im Vergleich zu letztem Jahr als der Kurs noch sehr jung war hat sich die Qualität der Grüns und Fairways deutlich verbessert. Nicht, daß sie letztes Jahr schlecht gewesen wären, sie haben jetzt aber einen sehr guten Standard. Wie auch im Bericht des GOLFMagazins erwähnt, würden etwas Feintuning in der Mähung der Fairways dem Kurs noch mehr Charakter verleihen. Mehr Abstufung zwischen Rough und Fairway und schmalere Landezonen auf einigen Spielbahnen würden den Kurs noch sportlicher machen.
Optisch etwas nackt wirken noch die Wasserflächen an Spielbahn 2 und 3 sowie an der 9 und 18, mehr Schilf und Seegras-Anpflanzungen würden hier dem Auge wohl tun. Was definitiv noch mehr Feintuning benötigt sind die Bunker, die streckenweise sehr ungepflegt sind. Gras und Unkraut wachsen in sehr vielen Bunkern, schlecht geharkt waren sie obendrein. Erst bei meiner dritten Runde auf dem Platz waren die Bunker frisch geharkt, das Unkraut war aber immer noch da.

Aber mal ehrlich: wochentags habe ich hier 40 € Greenfee für 18 Loch bezahlt, ein echter Schnäppchenpreis für einen sportlichen und interessanten Platz. Ein interessantes Angebot ist auch die Fernmitgliedschaft im Baltic Hills Golf Club für 199,00 € pro Jahr und für Berliner interessant sind die 25% Greenfee-Ermäsigung im Partner-Club Prenden bei Berlin. Wer also oft hier oben urlaubt und auch in Berlin Golfspaß haben will, der mag mal drüber nachdenken.

Wer also auf der Insel ist, lässt Balmer See mal besser links liegen und stellt sich den 19 Löchern des Baltic Hills Golf Club.

Mehr aktuelle Fotos des Platzes drüben bei flickr!

The second tournament of the 2010 Summer Tour of Arcos Gardens has successfully been hosted in a typical summer day with the participation of those who wish to the cause, as the tournament has been organised to benefit ALCER.... Admin

The second tournament of the 2010 Summer Tour of Arcos Gardens has successfully been hosted in a typical summer day with the participation of those who wish to the cause, as the tournament has been organised to benefit ALCER.... Admin

On the picture, Alvaro Venegas on the left and Pedro Romero on the right Alvaro Venegas Gil, one of our Junior Academy members is currently leading the Cadiz Golf Circuit. Alvaro has been in the top 3 for every... Admin

My backyard is prepared for this years Open Championship!

Wednesday, 13.07.2010
21:15 Eurosport, US PGA Tour 2010 – John Deere Classic in Silvis, IL (USA)
22:15 Eurosport, Golf Club

The first tournament of our Arcos Gardens Summer Tour 2010 was played today, July 10th, with visitors and members competing for points to win the tour. The Arcos Gardens Summer Tour comprises of participants playing at least two tournaments... Admin

Businesswise I have a lot of traveling to do these days. I don’t have to tell you that my golf game suffers tremendously due to this. But that’s not the point here.

Usually on a flight I reserve an aisle seat because I prefer to have at least one side where I am not crammed in between another person or the plane hull. This week, I chose different and had a window seat to my flight from Berlin to Stuttgart and back. And I left all the papers I took with me to read and review in my bag and just looked out the window during the whole flight. We had a perfectly sunny day, little clouds and it was a feast for the eyes to watch Germany from above.

The most fun was to spot golf courses from above. Or layouting a golf course in my mind once I saw a nice piece of land down there. Very entertaining and relaxing.

On the return flight I had a chance to take a picture of the Golf Resort Berlin Pankow as we approached Berlin Tegel airport from the east. This is where I usually go for practice, as the course is a mere 10 minutes from my house.

19:05 Eurosport, US PGA Tour 2010 – AT&T National in Newton Square, PA (USA)
20:05 Eurosport, European Tour 2010 – Open de France in Paris
20:35 Eurosport, Ladies European Tour – Tenerife Open in Santa Cruz (ESP)
20:45 Eurosport, Golf Club

Medium: www.youtube.com
Link: www.youtube.com

Just look close and repeat!

Ich habe gerade die Startliste für mein Turnier am kommenden Samstag bekommen. Sage und schreibe einundertacht (in Zahlen: 108) Personen werden sich auf der St. Pauli Kiez Tour im GC Prenden bei Berlin über den Platz schieben. Neun Tees werden doppelt besetzt, um überhaupt alle auf den Platz zu bekommen. Und das beste kommt noch: es werden bis zu 38° C erwartet. Und wer Prenden kennt, weiss, daß der Platz so ungefähr 2,5 qm Schatten hat. Bitte definieren Sie WTF?!? neu.

Last Saturday 26th June, Arcos Gardens members and guests played the yearly Summer Stableford competition. Despite high temperature results were good. Prizes were rewarded to he 3 first positions in the 2 categories and to the winner of nearest... Admin

Daß die Golfberichterstattung in den “klassischen” Medien in Deutschland meistens einem Armutszeugnis gleich kommt, muss ich keinem erzählen. Trotzdem könnte ich mich jedesmal aufregen, wenn ich derlei stumpfes Copy-und-Paste von Agenturmeldungen sehe wie hier:

Und diese Geunke wegen Rydercup-Nominierung hin oder her: letzte Woche schreiben alle noch brav die SID-Meldung ab, daß Kaymer angeblich seine Platzierung sicher hätte und diese Woche tröten Sie alle gemeinsam ins Rohr, daß selbige in Gefahr sei, obwohl die Nominierungen noch garnicht zur Diskussion stehen und die dicke Frau auch noch garnicht gesungen hat.

Echtjetzma!

We just had the US Open and in just three weeks time, the home of golf will host The Open Championship. Hop on over to their Facebook page, the guys are really excited!