John Holmes's blog

Is Lydia Ko a has-been at age 15?

When the word leaked out that Tiger Woods' ex-wife Elin Nordegren was tearing down a $12 million oceanfront mansion in Palm Beach County, Fla., to build a new house on the same site, there was plenty of snickering and eye-rolling. Turns out she did the smart thing.

Last week, world No. 1 Rory McIlroy made the season’s biggest equipment switch, as he officially moved over from Titleist to Nike. On Wednesday, world No. 3 Luke Donald did exactly the opposite.

Donald has re-upped his endorsement agreement with Mizuno, signing a multi-year agreement with the Japanese clubmaker whose equipment he has played for many years. Donald doesn't play an entire bag of Mizuno clubs, but he does use the company’s irons and wedges, and those clubs are the backbone of his steady short game.

The Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open is always a big event on the European Tour because it's played the week before the British Open and therefore features several top Americans along with the Europe's best. And for the next two seasons, the final two rounds will air live on NBC.

Playing golf at this time of the year can be a challenge because keeping warm can be as tough as a 200-yard carry over water. If you live in the three-quarters of the country that are freezing right now, you know what I mean.

Wow, what a Sunday – on the golf course and the football field. Unless, of course, you started the day in the lead.

Are you for the proposed ban on anchoring the putting stroke, or are you opposed?

Since the USGA and R&A announced their plans for the anchoring ban in late November, we've heard every possible opinion from every type of golfer. But with so many competing arguments flying through the air, it's been difficult to get a handle on whether the golfing public as a whole is for or against the proposal.

Is the honeymoon over already?

On Friday, Rory McIlroy reverted back to his old Scotty Cameron putter for the second round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship – after playing only one competitive round with his new Nike flat stick.

McIlroy, who was unveiled as Nike's newest brand ambassador in a big news conference on Monday, took 31 putts with his new Nike Method 006 putter on Thursday. On Friday, he went back to his trusty Titleist Scotty Cameron Studio Select Newport GSS – even though he kept it under a Nike putter cover.

Well, some of us might have imaginary girlfriends, but Dustin Johnson has the real thing.

Some eagle-eyed golf observers noticed Paulina Gretzky patrolling the grounds during the Hyundai Tournament of Champions two weeks ago, while others said they had seen the Great One's daughter out with Johnson in the evenings at Kapalua. There was no official proof, however, until Johnson himself tweeted out the photo posted above late yesterday.

The PGA Merchandise Show – where thousands of golf companies big and small gather in Orlando for the world's largest golf trade show – is next week, and we are routinely inundated with press releases in these days just beforehand. But one we got Thursday stands out above all the others.