Best tennis pro on the golf course around here? First choice is easy: ex-ATP near-star Todd Martin, who plays at Pablo Creek. Best club pro might be Timuquana's Darren Harper, who once qualified for the Gate Invitational (and finished just one show behind his own club's golf pro.)

Plantation's Hank Veno isn't in their class but he's a competitor, so give him credit for winning the Second Flight in the Hyde Park Club Championship.

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The LPGA made another curious choice when it hired Michael Whan as its commissioner. He seems to be a pretty decent fellow with the agressiveness that's needed, but he's hardly a guy who can walk where the commissioner of a struggling organization should walk.

His only golf experience was as an executive of an equipment company, and that was 10 years ago.

Maybe he's a PGA Tour stooge. Not a bad idea.

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The LPGA, as they say, never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity.

When they announced Whan as the new boss, they called a press conference. Trouble was, it was held in New York City and the media invitation came out ELEVEN HOURS before the event.

Hardly anyone showed. The Golf Channel, the LPGA's biggest booster, couldn't get people there.

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Final Jacksonville Area GA two-man comes Monday at Jacksonville G&CC. A good series that's held on despite the drop in golf entries this year in almost every tournament.

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Gate Senior entries are out and an indicator for 2010 will be if they fill the field of 90 for the December 8 qualifier for non-exempt players at Ponte Vedra's Ocean course.

The Gate is the best deal in golf. No question. Qualifier entrants get three practice rounds, gifts, the qualifier and a great lunch for $200. If you qualify, you pay another $75 and get more practice rounds, three tournament rounds and more lunches and gifts.

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Don't know if anyone noted the winner of the USGA's Women's Mid-Am even though it was in Ocala. It was Martha Leach, who you probably don't know but she has connections you do know: she's a big bud of Fred Funk's wife Sharon and she's the sister of Savannah's Hollis Stacy, who won three U.S. Opens.

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Golfweek is out with its Best 100 Residential Courses and nearest we have are Sea Island (two courses there) and Hammock Beach Ocean.