Geoffshackelford.com caught an article about Phil Mickelson's plans as a golf course designer. It sounds like he'll have some top-quality properties and projects. And, we all know about Woods' first effort in Dubai.

So, the question is: between Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, who will become the better designer?

Depends on who has the better staff.  PM used Gary Stephenson at the highly acclaimed first course at Whisper Rock in AZ. TW is supposedley using Fazio's staff in Dubai.

From the golfweek article:

 Mickelson is working on River Rock with golf course architects Todd Schoeder and Jeff Zimmerman of Design Workshop, a Denver-based company. Architect Gary Stephenson of Dallas, who collaborated on Whisper Rock, will work with Mickelson on Cabo and also has been very active in the Palmwood project.

How big is your crystal ball ?

Impossible question because they each have a full time committment to their games and advertisers, so until they do a Ben Crenshaw/Tom Weiskopf, neither will actually be responsible for the work that he supposedly produces, it will be their "ghost architects"

It appears Lefty isn't quite as Hefty before.  Take a look at this:

"The last three or four months, I've done a lot with my trainer, Sean Cochran, to address that," Mickelson said at the news conference "I immediately lost 20, 25 pounds and put on about 10 to 15 more with muscle from lifting."

30ish man.....gaining 10-15 lbs of muscle....I've seen this before.  Now if he can keep his scores under the record breaking number the other man set.

It appears Lefty isn't quite as Hefty before.  Take a look at this:

"The last three or four months, I've done a lot with my trainer, Sean Cochran, to address that," Mickelson said at the news conference "I immediately lost 20, 25 pounds and put on about 10 to 15 more with muscle from lifting."

I haven't seen the new Phil yet, and until I do, I will file this comment in the same folder that holds the "I hit it 30 yards farther with this new driver" comment.

Quote from: Kalen Braley on January 17, 2007, 06:18:29 PM

It appears Lefty isn't quite as Hefty before.  Take a look at this:

"The last three or four months, I've done a lot with my trainer, Sean Cochran, to address that," Mickelson said at the news conference "I immediately lost 20, 25 pounds and put on about 10 to 15 more with muscle from lifting."

30ish man.....gaining 10-15 lbs of muscle....I've seen this before.  Now if he can keep his scores under the record breaking number the other man set.

Maybe they do need Roid testing in golf.  I'm no expert in the matter, but its my understanding that even putting on 1-2 lbs of muscle per month is pretty darn good, and phil did 10-15 in 3 months?

I sure hope this won't affect his entrance to the Golf Hall of Fame like Big Mac  

PM used Gary Stephenson at the highly acclaimed first course at Whisper Rock in AZ. TW is supposedley using Fazio's staff in Dubai.

Is this true that Tiger is using Fazio's staff?   What does that mean, he isn't using Tom Fazio himself, only his labor?  The mock up with Tiger standing next to the golf course model didn't look that interesting.  You would have thought he would build 100 foot high sand dunes in Dubai but it looks like a development in Florida.

As for Whisper Rock, I have played it and talked with Gary Stephenson about it.  I really enjoyed it, the greens which Phil supposdly designed and helped shape are fantastic as well as the massive chipping areas around the greens.  There are a few strange quirky things on the course, a big out of place rock in front of the green on #9 and some weird walls on other holes but otherwise it is one of the best facilities in all of Arizona.

Golfweek's Forecaddie reports Tiger will receive $26 million for the work in Dubai, plus an undetermined share of the the real estate. Animus for Ernie and Phil?