"Too Much Sex Can Be a Bad Thing....For Little Tigers Too. Help Keep Your Cats (and Dogs) Out of Trouble: Always Spay or Neuter!"

Eloísa Ruano González of the Orlando Sentinel reports on the most brazen attempt yet to milk Tiger's misfortune. This one probably will end with an angry letter on really, really nice stock stationery.

The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals is searching for a local advertiser to put up a billboard in Windermere, which will include an image of Woods and text: "Too Much Sex Can Be a Bad Thing....For Little Tigers Too. Help Keep Your Cats (and Dogs) Out of Trouble: Always Spay or Neuter!"

It will be a challenge to find an advertiser to put up the sign, acknowledged Virginia Fort, a campaigner with PETA who is working on the project.

"It's a fun, tongue-in-cheek approach. We hope these billboard companies will understand," Fort said.

She said the billboard isn't meant to offend the golfer, his family or fans, but to prevent millions of cats and dogs from being euthanized at shelters each year.

Then again, Tiger's bio on his own website isn't helping matters, as reader Jon noticed this line: "In addition to his playing exploits, Woods is busy off the course, too."

"This is why they became rock stars, so they don't have to apologize. God bless them."

A different take on Tiger from Mark Morford of the San Francisco Chronicle:

But here's the bigger truth: Tiger wasn't apologizing to actual people, to his wife or kids or even his confused fans. Tiger was apologizing, straight up and to the bone, to capitalism itself. To his own brand. It was a scary attempt to shore up the multimillions in endorsement deals, his future as a billion-dollar icon. Tiger the man was apologizing to Tiger, Inc., mostly for tainting its earnings potential.

It's the golden rule of capitalism: Don't f-- with a hot brand. It's blasphemy of the highest order, made doubly potent by the fact that we're the ones who helped create the brand in the first place, who bought into the saccharine lie and absurd marketing BS of Tiger's impossible squeaky faultlessness.

It's a bit like Coca-Cola stepping forth and admitting, "Gosh, so sorry for making everyone obese and contributing to global diabetes rates, but you know what? You buy our garbage, don't you? You actully believe the silly commercials with the polar bears and the singing children. You really think sticky goopy chemical-laden high-fructose water is refreshing and healthy? Really?"

It also points up a terrifying trend, a broad and rather pathetic theme in our culture: Precious few are the celebrities, politicians, sports icons or rock stars who would dare step in front of a camera after some sort of "scandalous" misbehavior and smile, or even laugh, shrug it all off and tell everyone to lighten the hell up and go worry about something important. Well, maybe a few rock stars. This is why we love them. This is why they became rock stars, so they don't have to apologize. God bless them.

"Walking to the tee is kind of like seeing a police car in your rearview mirror, and you don't know if they're after you or not. If you're lucky and the police car roars by, you can take a deep breath."

I'm off to Scottsdale to see what the Waste Management Open is all about and to write a story for Golf World. I'm excited to attend a golf tournament where people show up (35,000 Tuesday according to a Jason Sobel Tweet??). Not so wild about dealing with drunk frat boys, but that's why we have the media center.

Steve DiMeglio looks at the spectacle that has become the 16th hole.

"There are obviously some players who probably don't like all the noise that's basically on every hole," Anthony Kim says. "But look, if you can't play in that kind of atmosphere, don't go to the tournament.

"It's a one-time-a-year deal. It's a great event."

It's the one week of the year where golfers pack a healthy portion of patience — and a good sense of humor — into their travel bags as they head to TPC Scottsdale. The tournament has earned its well-deserved reputation for attracting throngs of partiers who know or care little about golf etiquette.

And we're talking throngs. In one day the tournament attracts as many people as other tournaments attract all week. In the last two years, more than 525,000 people have attended the tournament — each year.

In the Valley of the Sun, a colossal gathering of fans of all stripes, shapes and sizes cranks up the volume with earsplitting enthusiasm, often lubricated by libations served at scores of concession stands. While the drivable par-17th can get downright ridiculous with its massive tee-to-green gallery, and the par-4 finishing hole can turn into a sea of people, the hot spot of the seven-day bash is the par-3, 162-yard 16th, the most untamed hole in golf.

And I loved this, even though I'm not entirely sure what he's talking about...but I think he's referring to the walk and eventual relief reaching 17 tee:

"That can be a very scary hole," PGA Tour veteran Joe Durant says. "Walking to the tee is kind of like seeing a police car in your rearview mirror, and you don't know if they're after you or not. If you're lucky and the police car roars by, you can take a deep breath."

I'm also curious about this element of the hole, as reported on by Jason Sobel:

There's more to it than simply reacting to golf shots, though. There's an element of creativity that helps set the scene.

"Somehow," said Jonathan Kaye, who won here in 2003, "they know more than everybody. Literally. They know your birthday. They know your kids. They know your dog's name. I don't know how they find out all that stuff, but they do."

It's all in the name of fun -- and there's no hole all season that provides as much entertainment as this one.

Snow At Augusta

These have been making the rounds online (thanks to the readers who forwarded the email) and there are a few more I don't have here at A True Golfer.

The images were captured February 13th. I cropped the date out to protect the innocent, not that Augusta National should find it offensive that these made it online. Then again, it is Augusta National.

Amazing to think that in less than two months the scene will be idyllic and the turf pristine.

Looks like the heating system is working under No. 12 green. And arguably one of the prettiest golf photos I've ever seen:

I Heart Fantasy Golf!

I finally caved this year and joined a Yahoo PGA Tour Fantasy League and I must say, it's given me new reasons to stay awake during PGA Tour telecasts. Granted I've cursed at a few of my selections posting some seriously awful final round scores, but the purpose of this post is mainly to jinx the rest of the season and to ensure punishment from the Golf Gods (not to mention my league-mates who took me into their group just before tour play started)...

Yes, ArtVandelay (just going with the Seinfeld-theme to the league) is in 139th place, 99th percentile baby! 

It won't last, I know. But I just wanted to enjoy this monumental moment in Fantasy League history.