John Holmes's blog

The 2012 tournament season officially ended on Monday with the conclusion of Q-School for the Ladies European Tour. We generally don't cover much of the LET over here in the United States, but Q-School had a couple of newsworthy notes.

When Tom Watson was named captain of the U.S. team for the 2014 Ryder Cup on Thursday, a few people wondered whether the 63-year-old would be able to relate to the 20-somethings and 30-somethings that will make up his squad at Gleneagles.

That, however, is a ridiculous question. Why? Well, because only days before Watson accepted his new job, he was busy making friends with Asia's best 14-year-old golfer.

Graeme McDowell has had a pretty good run lately.

He got engaged in November. He won Tiger Woods' World Challenge three weeks ago. He's opening his own pub next month.

And on Saturday, he shot a 59.

Thanks in large part to his half-century association with the PGA Tour's Bob Hope Desert Classic (now known as the Humana Challenge), legendary entertainer Bob Hope is forever linked to both golf and Palm Springs. And now through April, the Coachella Valley is hosting a traveling version of the World Golf Hall of Fame's "Bob Hope: An American Treasure" exhibit.

Rory McIlroy and Nike Golf haven't yet officially announced that they have signed a big new endorsement deal, but already there's some serious consternation over it.

University of Texas star Jordan Spieth is calling it quits on his glittering amateur career and going pro, he announced on Friday.

I have witnessed a fair amount of accidental golfer-on-golfer violence over the years. One time, I was paired with a newly retired couple, neither of whom was very good nor hit the ball very hard. On the ninth tee, however, the husband took his mightiest cut of the day and swung so far over the ball that he somehow sent it streaking between his legs, where it hit his wife square on the ankle. She went down like she'd been shot, and I had to get an ambulance out to the tee box to take her to the hospital.

President Gerald Ford might not have been the best golfer, but he certainly was an enthusiastic one. And while spectators lining the ropes needed to keep an eye out whenever he had a driver in his hands, his clubs are now helping to keep young people in life's fairway.

Ford's golf clubs were auctioned off this week in Dallas, and brought in $26,000 – money that will be used to build a new student learning center at the Gerald R. Ford Museum in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Golf season might be taking a bit of a breather for the holidays, but the smallest swingers better have their A-Games ready. Why? Because it's time for the Best Pee-Wee Golf Swing contest.

For the third straight year, Little Linksters, LLC, the Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development and The Littlest Golfer, Inc. are looking for the best swings from kids 3-8 years old. And this year, the contest is open to children from all around the world.

The Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin, Fla., is making a unique offer for the week leading up to Christmas – that's next week! Guests who book a round on one of Sandestin’s three participating courses will receive a free night stay in either the resort's Luau or LeCiel communities.

Green fees for that week at the Links Golf Club, Raven Golf Club and Baytowne Golf Club are $89, with replay rounds going for $79. Carts and unlimited range balls and use of the practice facility are also included.