A Legendary Golfer Will Dance With the Stars, Presumably in Purple

Dancing Golf Shoes          © Golf Girl Media          

He's the most successful European Ryder Cup captain of all time; an English golf icon with a passion for the game and a predilection for purple.

Tony Jacklin took the golf world by storm in the late 60s and held the British and US Open titles simultaneously in 1970. That remarkable achievement... along with his stellar Ryder Cup record... was an inspiration to a generation of European golfers and was instrumental in the growth of European golf.

These days the "Lion of Lytham" keeps busy designing courses.  He also actively promotes the game as a global ambassador, golf media personality and public speaker. And soon... it seems... the sprightly 69 year old will be demonstrating his hitherto unknown sense of rhythm in the popular British TV show Strictly Come Dancing, the original Dancing With The Stars.  

It may seem like a stretch to go from golf to ballroom dance but it's been done before.  Jan Stephenson did it on the Australian version of DWTS... she even used a golf club as a prop in one of her routines... but to no avail.  She was eliminated in the third round.   Tony Jacklin is certainly hoping for a longer run, and if his tenacity on the golf course is any indication he'll probably get it.  And it's a good bet he'll be wearing some purple.

A Social Media, Global Golf Get-Together... And A Gracious Golf Ghost

                              Photo: © MikeBelindo

David Amezqueta... aka @MikeBelindo... was instantly recognizable as he stepped off the train in the quaint village of Brewster, NY last week.

Descending the stairs of the cement overpass with his tousled hair, easy grin and casual clothing, there was no mistaking him among legions of tired, stressed-out commuters in their uniformly cheerless business attire.

Though it was our first real-life, in-the-flesh encounter, David and I go way back when it comes to shared experiences and spirited exchanges. Thanks to social media the distance between Danbury, CT and Pamplona, Spain (or any physical distance for that matter) is just... geography.

                              Photo: ©MikeBelindo

I discovered Twitter in March of 2007, and that's where I first encountered David.  With a common passion for golf and a shared interest in art, we found ourselves communicating quite regularly... in 140 characters or less... over the years. So much so in fact, that when I found out David was to be spending some time in New York (after his awesome Ryder Cup adventure) it seemed only natural that we finally meet... and possibly get together on a golf course.

So that's exactly what brought Señor Amezqueta to Brewster... and on to our house (aka Golf Girl Media World Headquarters) in Danbury.  Once there, we had a celebratory cocktail, followed by a dinner of Bourbon Barbecued Ribs... with an ample side of Mac'n'Cheese. What could be more American than that, right?  The rest of the evening we spent talking; about David's experience in Medinah, about the golf industry on both sides of the Atlantic and about the amazing opportunities, and vexing challenges, presented by "new media" and a global economy.  Then there was the subject of our gracious golf ghost.

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Hanging Out With The Strickster: A Google+ Hangout With Steve Stricker

In a couple of hours, we'll be hanging out with one of the PGA Tour's most affable and unassuming stars.

Steve Stricker will be taking part in a Google+ Hangout today at 1:45 p.m. ET, chatting live with PGA TOUR fans in a face-to-face video conference from the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola. 

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