Associated Press — A Seattle man claims that seventeen year old sniper suspect John Malvo, was responsible for the slaying of two golfers in Arizona. The golfers were reportedly shot in Arizona last spring. Arizona police have traveled to Seattle to obtain more information from the man who made the claims. Malvo and his accomplice John Muhammad were in Tucson, Arizona, at the time of the shooting.

Popular Science — TaylorMade Golf's R500 driver series has been named one of the 10 "Best of What's New" recreation products for 2002 by Popular Science magazine. Last year, the ERC II won the award and three years ago, Taylor Made was honored for its Fire Sole irons.

Golf World Business — Pittsburgh based retailer Dick's Sporting Goods raised $100.6 million in their initial public offering October 16. With the Dow Jones Industrial Average losing 196.07 points that day, things looked bleak. Dick's was not to be denied. After opening at $12.25 per share, the golf retailer rose to $13.15. The corporation pocketed $33.3 million from the IPO, with the balance going to company insiders and underwriters.

Associated Press — The Shark is back. Greg Norman is coming back to the PGA Tour next year. He made the cut in all four majors this year but was not an official member of the Tour. Under the rules set by the PGA Tour, Norman is eligible for lifetime Tour status by virtue of his fifteen-year tenure with the Tour and his twenty PGA Tour victories. He has not disclosed how many tournaments he will participate in.

Improving your game at some point will involve instruction. Make no mistake, however, it is a myth that any certified pro can be an instructor. It's almost like saying that anyone who gets an 'A' in Algebra can teach Math. It's just not that simple.

To find an instructor that is right for you, you must first start by doing a little self-evaluation. Ask yourself these questions before seeking the help of a professional!

1. What level of golfer am I? (beginner, intermediate, aspiring pro)
2. Do I need to become more disciplined or do I need someone to help me ease up?
3. Do I respond better to playing while I learn or simply listening and watching?

By addressing these issues in your game, you will be able to select an instructor that is the best fit for you. Once you have gotten the answers to these questions start asking your golfing partners who they think would best suit your needs. Call the local driving ranges and golf courses to find out how many instructors they have. If they have more than one instructor, ask them who they would recommend for a beginner, for an intermediate and for an advanced golfer. Make your choice accordingly. If they recommend several, ask how many lessons, on average, each gives per week. If they are all full time, opt for the one who does the most instruction. There is a good reason they teach more than anyone else. Take advantage of local knowledge and pick your instructor accordingly.

Remember, however, that keeping one instructor for life, while comforting, can greatly impede your game. Just like a weightlifter in the gym switches up their routine to get better results, you need to get new and different views on your swing and how it can be improved.

We hope you find the right instructor for your game and if not, just keep chili dipping it around all eighteen and enjoy the scenery.

Phil Mickelson and the world's richest golfer have spoken their piece about the number of PGA Tour events played opposite a feature PGA Tour event. Case in point, the Tour Championship two weeks ago. Did anyone out there happen to notice the other tour event that weekend? You know, The State Farm Bureau Classic, where Luke Donald won his first PGA tournament.

The truth is, Phil and Tiger both stated that the events being played opposite the feature tour events were diluting the PGA Tour's quality of product. Seems they feel that there are too many events and not enough marquee players. The problem is that they didn't say it well. When asked about players at the bottom of the money list getting a last chance to make the top 125 on the money list cut, Phil and Tiger both responded, "Tell them to play better." This has offended some, while others have agreed whole-heartedly with the sentiment. The fact of the matter is that it's a very hard truth to accept. Nonetheless, it is still a truth.

The reason the purses for PGA Tour events got larger is because there was a demand to watch the product — tournaments. It's simple twelfth grade economics. Supply and Demand. There can only be so many stars and so many millionaires on tour before the product gets affected. (For those who disagree, please reference the NBA marketing plan.)

Suggestion to the stars on tour: zip it. This one is a no-win situation. Let the thick-skinned big-mouthed media types, like me, handle this one.

I know what you're all thinking about the ol' editor. You're thinking, "God, how can he continue to fall at the altar of El Tigre?" Well ... um ... hey wait a minute, wasn't that Annika Sorenstam winning her 10th event of the year the last weekend?!

Chuck the walking Nike billboard this year because the young lady from Sweden should be honored as, THE GOLFER OF THE YEAR! It has been all ladies all year, and Miss Sorenstam has stood head and shoulders above the rest. Annika, effortlessly dominated her way to the most successful season in LPGA Tour history and has been the best any tour has to offer.

You're right, but please stop talking.