This Week at WorldGolf.com: Nov. 15, 2006

Will the Austalian Open be all about crocs and beer, or locals like Scott, Ogilvy and Appleby?

A nation's open golf championship always shows off what's unique about a country. At tournaments like the British and U.S. Opens Opens there is a sense of tradition that captures each nation's golf history in prestigious settings.

And then there's the Australian Open.

Promoted this year by the energetic and offbeat former tennis star Paul McNamee, the Australian Open promises to be everything that's good about Australia, which of course, scares golf traditionalists to death.

"I've had people come up to me saying absurd things like, 'I've heard you're going to have girls in bikinis caddying for the players'," McNamee told The Sun-Herald in an "exclusiv-ish" interview. "That's just ridiculous. Have you ever tried to find 100 swimsuit models strong enough to carry those heavy bags around for four days? I have and it's just not feasible."

Nonetheless, golf historians are atwitter at the possibility that too much Aussie and not enough golf will dominate the Open, especially with McNamee in charge. McNamee said he plans to overstock the water hazards with crocodiles in honor of the late Steve Irwin, and to have beer served after each hole.

Okay, so maybe the eclectic McNamee is enjoying a joke but there will be entertainment at the event, and more importantly, the field will be stuffed with entertaining Australian golfers who have been some of the hottest in the world this year.

Six Aussies won eight events on the PGA Tour in 2006, with players like Adam Scott, Geoff Ogilvy and Stuart Appleby becoming household names on tour, as well as some of the top-ranked golfers in the world. All told, there will be 19 Aussies on the PGA Tour in 2007.

All six of the winners will be at the Australian Open, which starts today, as well as Australia's most famous golfer in Greg Norman, in what should be an entertaining battle for the Stonehaven Cup, bikini models or not.

As always, WorldGolf.com welcomes your comments.

St. Andrews: The first golf
destination is still the best

You can find a golf destination on just about any part of the planet these days. From Myrtle Beach to Vietnam, each offers their own unique offering to golf vacationers. But the world's first golf destination remains the best after all these years. It's St. Andrews, Scotland, and you won't find a better to play anywhere, Brandon Tucker writes.

Podcast: How to get a tee time on the Old Course

Tempe, Ariz. has golf to make its
more famous Arizona neighbors proud

Despite being overshadowed by its more famous neighbors of Phoenix and Scottsdale, Tempe does its part to keep Arizona golf hot by offering its own array of stellar courses, S. Adam Cardais writes. From the Arizona State run course of Karsten to Phantom Horse Golf Club, there are plenty of great options for golf in this town which is better known for its party atmosphere.

Also: Scottsdale resorts will spoil you rotten

Chuck Evans golf tip: Verify impact
alignments for a good golf swing

In previous articles I have discussed the importance of "alignments." Let me clarify this a little further by saying that body alignments to the target are only a very small piece of the equation. Before every shot is played we must check and verify "impact alignments," which are: 1. Clubface to target line, 2. Grip to Clubface, 3. Hands to the ball, 4. Plane Angle, 5. Pressure Points, and 6. Right Forearm Position.

Golf for Beginners: Take a lesson from Tiger