Driving Miss Daly?

There’s something different about this year’s RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship women's winner, Lana Lawless, a 55-year-old bartender who can drive a golf ball 245 yards into a 40-mph wind. Lawless is older than the normal contestant, she’s a former police officer, and, oh yeah, she used to be a man.

James Achenbach of GolfWeek has all the weird details. As you might imagine, some are crying foul at Lawless’ presumed advantage, but transgendered women are allowed to compete under USGA guidelines, according to Achenbach.

The image of a policeman-turned-woman does not sit easily with many participants in a sport driven by power, muscle and speed.

“I am shocked more women are not complaining about this,” three-time world champion Sean “The Beast” Fister said. “It’s not an apples-to-apples deal. Men and women are different.”

Added former women’s world champion Lee Brandon: “In 2005, the USGA approved transgender involvement in competition, so I don’t see how we can dispute this. However, if a woman has the knees, hands and feet of a man, she has genetic real estate that is more gifted.”

Lawless had her supporters, including 2007 men’s champ Dobbyn, who observed, “When I watch her, I don’t see any advantage. She hits it like an LDA (Long Drivers of America) woman.”

The rules governing transgender golf competition are precise and numerous. For Lawless, they included mandatory doctor reports, lab results within normal female limits and onsite testing.

Transsexuals are allowed to compete in the Olympic Games, although none has yet qualified, according to this New York Times op-ed.

(Photo: Banggolf.com)

Own a piece of John Daly smash-story

I'm sure you've all been anxiously awaiting this eBay listing! Still haven't found that perfect holiday gift for your golf fanatic? The camera that John Daly smashed against a tree at the Australian Open, including the memory card with the picture that caused the blow up, is now up for auction. The current bid is $660 U.S. dollars, approximately $974.17 Australian. How much is a busted camera worth? We'll find out by the end of the day. The camera sold for $1,075.00, approximately $1,542.99 Australian.

Check out the auction here.

Boo Weekley to write Boo-ography

Boo Weekley, God bless him, is writing a book. A Boo-ography, if you will. I nearly fell out of my chair when I heard this. You might as well have told me Tiger Woods is retiring or Donald Trump shaved his head. I mean, Boo, the author? That’s like Keanu, the actor. Boo broke the news yesterday at Tiger’s Chevron World Challenge.

“We just trying to start out — we are trying to start it out and just trying to — of how I got into golf, you know, and what my past has been like and the things that I've come about and the thing that I've overcome, just different things like that. It's just mostly about golf, right now until we find a publisher and then I started throwing some other stuff in there.”

Other stuff? Like what? Pig Hunting 101? How to Sauté Squirrel? The Joy of Pabst?

I’m not hating on Boo. I’m actually quite fond of the guy. In fact, he and his ghostwriter (“I think his name’s Paul Brown out of Jackson, Mississippi,” Boo ventured) might just be on to something. Weekley is one of the Tour’s most captivating players, not so much for his Southern-fried eccentricities (although those ain't never get old), but because unlike just about every other player in the game’s elite ranks, he doesn’t tie himself in knots. 

“The Lord has blessed me to be able to come and [play golf], and it ain't my first true love. I think that's the reason why that I play the game as well as I do, or am as fortunate as I am to play it. Because I look at it as, what's the worst thing that can happen? If I miss the cut, hell, that just gives me two days to go fishing, you know what I mean?”

That’s genius stuff. Boo will never be great like Tiger or Phil. He’s more an easy-going, middle-management guy — happy with his lot, and not fueled by the fantasy of landing that corner office. Especially when there’s far more important prizes to bag, like a 12-point buck.

“I bring everything I do on the golf course is something that's happened to me in the woods,” Weekley explained yesterday, perhaps previewing the kind of inimitable insights that will fill his book. “That's how my focus is and what I'm thinking about, not just like a different shot. This is a shot right here, I've got to hit this cut shot. Well, if I shoot this bow, if I'm shooting my bow, I have to slide it right through this window; is that what I want to do, or do I want to try to wait for my opportunities later on the next hole?”

Yikes. Somebody call CliffsNotes.   

Write the Caption: John Daly at the Australian Open

John Daly once again found himself in trouble Down Under. After a fan tried to take a picture at close range, Daly grabbed the camera and smashed it against a tree. Below is the exclusive picture of the incident from the Daily Telegraph in Australia. What would your caption be? Enter it in the comments section below.

Putting dog hits the Today Show

Check out this pup’s performance on the Today Show with Al Roker and friends dug up by Geoff Shackelford. After a little stage fright, the aptly named Burrito finally manages to give the ball a little whack with his doggie-sized flat stick. Amazing? Not really. Adorable? Some might say so. Tragic? Definitely. I don’t see how PETA can spend all that time throwing paint on fur-toting celebrities and not take a few minutes to save a dog from being dressed up like the love-child of Art Carney and Payne Stewart.

What do you think about Burrito’s performance? Sound off below.

Now you can practice your putting ... in the bathroom!

Unsure of what to get the golfer in your life? Already purchased a lifetime subscription to Golf Magazine? Exhausted every option in the pro shop? The folks over at BaronBob.com have a new gadget that will take your enthusiast's putting to the next level -- and they don't even have to leave the house, or bathroom.

You get home from a long day at work.  The kids are bothering you.  The wife is being her lovely self.  All you want to do is practice your putt but you don't have the time to hit the course for a few weeks.  Well why not work out the kinks in your putting game with our new Potty Putter?

It's a true innovation in getting the most out of each trip to the restroom.  Get one for the office and one for home.  Finally, you can play some golf without all those bothersome people.  The Bathroom is perhaps your last bastion of freedom so don't let anyone invade it.

The best part? It comes with a complimentary Do Not Disturb sign!

Order the Potty Putter for your golf fan on BaronBob.com.

Bubba Golf clothing line no more

There's been a lot of talk that Tiger Woods didn't make sense as the face of old-person-car-producer Buick. But what about Bubba Watson representing and designing his own clothing line? Perhaps Steve & Barry's should have thought more carefully about that choice.

Golf Week is reporting that the affordable clothing store, which carries the Bubba Golf clothing line, is closing it's doors.

"Some people like black shirts, but I'm not big on the black shirts," Watson said when the clothing line launched in 2007. "I chose which colors I liked, which designs I liked, which stripe patterns, how many buttons I wanted. Down to every last stitch, I played a part in everything. Picking the tags, everything."

Watson showed off his handy work at the 2008 Masters tournament. Fashion Faux Pas Numero Uno: Hot pink. The coordination between his driver shaft and pants could be cute... if he were Paula Creamer. But even she wouldn't wear pink that hot. Two: Pleats. Three: The fit. Were these clothes made for John Daly or Watson? I'm not even going to mention the mint-ice-cream-colored visor or yellow alligator belt.

Perhaps Watson should take some cues from a player on tour who already knows how to dress.

(Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)