Divot Mix

"Sports gear purchases are about all that's keeping the fragile U.S. economy alive, and you'd have to get into America's Cup yachting or cross-country airplane racing to find a sport that needs more gear than golf." -- P.J. O'Rourke (Men's Journal, 1992)

NewsWeekly off for the holidays

Due the holidays, there won't be any NewsWeekly on December 30. We'll be back online with a new issue on January 6.

NOAA says 2004 among 10 wettest years

For the United States, 2004 has been a year of hurricanes, wildfires, drought, snowpack and flooding.

But scientists at the National Climatic Data Center say that when the year ends next week, it will rank among the 10 wettest on record for the contiguous United States. It also is expected to be warmer than average based on preliminary data, and historical records dating back to 1895.

While parts of the West remained in drought, rainfall was above average in 33 states, especially in the South and East, partly due to the effects of tropical storms and hurricanes, which impacted 20 states. The NCDC is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

According to the report, the average temperature for the contiguous United States for 2004 should be approximately 53.5 degrees F, which is 0.7 degrees above the 1895-2003 mean, and the 24th warmest year on record. Based on data through the end of November, the mean annual temperature in Washington and Oregon is expected to be much above average, with 30 states being above average, 16 contiguous states near average and no state below the long-term mean.

Alaska's annual temperature is expected to be approximately 1.8 degrees F above the 1971-2000 average for 2004, one of the five warmest years for the state, since reliable records began in 1918. May, June, July and August were all record breaking for the state.

Nine tropical systems affected the U.S. including six hurricanes, three of which were classified as major on the Saffir-Simpson Scale of hurricane intensity. Four of them hit Florida, making it the only state to sustain the impact of four hurricanes in one season since Texas did since 1886.

In total, the hurricane season cost the U.S. an estimated $42 billion, the most costly season on record, going back to 1900.

In contrast to the excessive rainfall in the East, much of the West began the year with a long-term rainfall deficit. A four-to-five-year drought in parts of the West intensified during the first half of 2004 as precipitation remained below average. Drier-than-average summer conditions coupled with warmer than normal temperatures in the West exacerbated the drought conditions still further during June-August. Short-term drought relief occurred in the fall as two large storms impacted the West during October. The first major snowfall of the season was associated with these storms for the Sierra Nevada. As of early December, snowpack is above average in Utah, Arizona and Nevada, but below average throughout the Northwest and the eastern slope of the Rockies. Near year's end, moderate to extreme drought continued to affect large parts of the West.

Although the wildfire season got an early start in the western U.S., and record warm temperatures combined with low precipitation raised fire danger, the season ended as below average for the contiguous U.S.

However, a record number of acres were burned in Alaska due to a rapid increase in fire activity in June, which was sustained through August consuming over 6.6 million acres in Alaska. In Fairbanks, on 42 of the 92 days of summer, visibility was reduced from smoke associated with the wildfires. This compares to the previous record of 19 days in 1977.

The average global temperature for combined land and ocean surfaces from January-December 2004 is expected to be 0.55 degrees F above the 1880-2003 long-term mean, making 2004 the 4th warmest year since 1880

For more NCDC data and graphics on 2004, visit 2004 in Historical Perspective, or the 2004 Hurricane Summary visit.

PGA Tour wrap-up show set for Dec. 26

From Phil Mickelson winning his first major, to Todd Hamilton's overtime win at the British Open, to the remarkable season of Vijay Singh, the 2004 PGA Tour was memorable indeed.

But those are only some the stories featured in " A Storybook Season," a one-hour NBC TV special that airs at 3 p.m. ET, Dec. 26.

There also was Australian Adam Scott becoming the youngest Players Championship winner at age 24, and John Daly's emotional return to the winner's circle after a nine-year drought with his victory at the Buick Invitational.

Produced by PGA Tour Productions and hosted by Mark Rolfing, A Storybook Season Presented by FedEx captures these stories, following their unique paths to the common ground of becoming PGA Tour champions.

“The show captures the essence of the PGA Tour...that is, each year so many player's stories of success are unique,” said Stu Nicol, executive producer. “Phil Mickelson's triumph in winning his first major, Todd Hamilton's life long pursuit to earn his PGA Tour card reaps ‘overnight' success at the age of 38 and Vijay Singh's legendary work ethic and relentless pursuit of excellence earns him the number one ranking in the world.”

Survey shows men support environmental causes

According to the December issue of Men's Journal , a survey of the magazine's readers indicates that "environmental preservation" is their favorite cause. Was named by 36 percent of the voter, beating education (32 percent) and cancer research (24 percent). Human right came in a distant fifth with 18 percent.

Author Bill McKibben, scholar-in-residence at Middlebury College, suggests that some might see this environmental sensitivity as a contradiction to the "normal" male view of themselves are taming the world around them.

He insists that's not the case.

Instead, he says, "If our successes are to mean anything, we have to believe they are not coming at the expense of others," adding, "If you're going to be a master of the universe, you need a universe.

E-Z-Go sponsors golf coach award

E-Z-Go, manufacturer of golf cars and utility vehicles, is the sponsor of the newly created Labron Harris Sr. Award given by the Golf Coaches Association of America.

The Harris Award will be presented to college or high school coach who is a PGA of America professional and whose support of the game through teaching, coaching and involvement in the community has helped ensure the continued growth of the game and represent the finest qualities the game has to offer. A scholarship presented to a deserving man and women in the recipient's PGA section is included as a part of the sponsorship.

"E-Z-Go is pleased to be the title sponsor of the new Labron Harris Award, honoring an outstanding coach who is also a member of the PGA of America," said Kevin Holleran, vice president. "We believe that support of this award and the GCAA is consistent with our efforts to grow the game at all levels and our continued support of the PGA."

GCAA President Tom Drennan said, "The GCAA is pleased E-Z-Go will serve as the title sponsor of the Labron Harris Award. Recognition is long overdue for those individuals who have contributed to the game by serving in the dual capacity of PGA professional and coach. Coach Harris epitomized this position while serving as head coach at Oklahoma State University and golf professional at Lakeside Golf Course."

Harris was the head coach from 1947-73, where his teams won 24 conference titles and one NCAA championship, and posted 20 top-five finishes at the national tournament. He was also largely responsible for the building of Lakeside Golf Course and the Stillwater Country Club, both in Stillwater, Okla.