You know what’s wrong with most grocery stores? You can’t grab a dozen balls and a push cart, while you’re out picking up baby wipes, eggs and some frozen beef vindaloo for dinner.
But now Lidl, the German discount supermarket chain with 10,000 stores worldwide (mostly in Europe, but there are several dozen in the U.S.), has you covered. Just in time for Masters week, the company unveiled a lineup of golf products that includes its own private label golf balls, tees golf bags, golf carts, putters and golf apparel.
FacebookPinterestLike much of Lidl’s items, the golf products come at bargain prices. That includes a dozen balls for $9.99 (a three-piece design with a Surlyn cover), a putter for $19.99 (33- or 35-inch mallet designs with plumbers neck hosels) and a waterproof cart-style bag for $69.99 (14-way divider, 9.5-inch top, six pockets). The products will hit Lidl stores April 15.
The golf products will go under Lidl’s Crivit brand, which also includes fitness and cycling items. Li..

The return of Tiger Woods and Tiger-mania has stolen golf's spotlight. And golf's other marquee at the Masters names don't mind.

Icon SportswireAttention, fans of baseball-adjacent jobs: If you live in Chicago, need some extra cash and don’t mind working for a dancing anthropomorphic bear, have we got news for you!
Five games into the 2018 campaign, the Chicago Cubs are in need of the following: Base hits, the ability to occasionally take a pitch, and, most importantly, someone to handle their mascot while they’re working out that other stuff. The position, which is about to destroy the grammar of this sentence, is officially called Part Time Handler, Mascot Program and frankly, it’s the most pressing of the three. Hits and plate-patience will come around, but if we know anything about Cubs fans, it’s that they’re not really excited or loyal about their team.
Here’s the official job description: “The Part Time Handler, Mascot Program will assist the Mascot Coordinator during all gameday and non-gameday appearances.” So if we’re reading this right, this person will assist the person handling the person inside the..

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) The Latest on the Masters (all times local):

5:25 p.m.

Jordan Spieth admittedly felt a little panic last month at the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Florida.

Article continues below …

Spieth shot a 6-over 76 in the opening round and missed the cut the following day.

”I made big strides in the last two weeks to get from kind of a panic place to a very calm, collected and confident place,” Spieth said two days before the Masters. ”It’s difficult to do in two weeks. Sometimes it takes years. And I feel like I’ve been able to speed that process up a lot over the last couple weeks.”

Spieth believes he got off to a slow start in 2018 partly because he was sick for most of December. Taking a few lengthy flights in January didn’t help him recover. He missed the cut in Phoenix in early February and reached a low point – especially with his usually steady putter – in the Tampa Bay area two months later.

He says, ”You’re like, `What the heck happened?”’

The 2015 ..

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) The Latest on the Masters (all times local):

2:45 p.m.

Rory McIlroy knows how significant this Masters could be in terms of golf history.

Article continues below …

Once again, he’s got a shot at the career Grand Slam.

The Masters remains the only major championship to elude McIlroy, who has won the U.S. Open, the British Open and the PGA Championship. Only five players have captured all four of the modern major championships, making it one of golf’s most exclusive clubs.

McIlroy says he needs to ”relish the opportunity that’s been put in front” of him, and then ”go out and grab it.”

Amazingly enough, McIlroy nearly won his first major at Augusta National in 2011. He led after each of the first three rounds and seemed to be cruising toward the green jacket, only to collapse on the back nine Sunday.

McIlroy says that experience made him ”a better golfer, a better person.” Without the lessons learned that day, he doubts that he would’ve had so much success.

Wh..

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we want to thank all of our readers for reaching out during our two-week absence. And by “all of our readers,” I mean the one guy on Twitter who noticed I wasn’t around. Seriously, is this thing on??? Anyway, like Sergio Garcia, I’m happy to report that I’m a dad to a little girl now — and our wives apparently have the same taste in baby hats.
FacebookPinterestI wanted to recreate the Garcias' lovely photo as a gag, but my wife wasn’t having it. She also wasn’t having any golf-related names like “Azalea,” which Sergio named his daughter after the 13th hole at Augusta National. Although, Julia Belle sounds kinda like “Golden Bell,” which is the name of the par-3 12th. . . Anyway, I’m back to talk some golf ahead of one of the most anticipated weeks in recent history. And I look forward to swapping dad stories with Sergio the next time we cross paths.
WE'RE BUYING
Ian Poulter: Say what you will about the guy, but he needed to do s..

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) The Latest on the Masters (all times local):

5:25 p.m.

Jordan Spieth admittedly felt a little panic last month at the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Florida.

Article continues below …

Spieth shot a 6-over 76 in the opening round and missed the cut the following day.

”I made big strides in the last two weeks to get from kind of a panic place to a very calm, collected and confident place,” Spieth said two days before the Masters. ”It’s difficult to do in two weeks. Sometimes it takes years. And I feel like I’ve been able to speed that process up a lot over the last couple weeks.”

Spieth believes he got off to a slow start in 2018 partly because he was sick for most of December. Taking a few lengthy flights in January didn’t help him recover. He missed the cut in Phoenix in early February and reached a low point – especially with his usually steady putter – in the Tampa Bay area two months later.

He says, ”You’re like, `What the heck happened?”’

The 2015 ..

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) The Latest on the Masters (all times local):

2:45 p.m.

Rory McIlroy knows how significant this Masters could be in terms of golf history.

Article continues below …

Once again, he’s got a shot at the career Grand Slam.

The Masters remains the only major championship to elude McIlroy, who has won the U.S. Open, the British Open and the PGA Championship. Only five players have captured all four of the modern major championships, making it one of golf’s most exclusive clubs.

McIlroy says he needs to ”relish the opportunity that’s been put in front” of him, and then ”go out and grab it.”

Amazingly enough, McIlroy nearly won his first major at Augusta National in 2011. He led after each of the first three rounds and seemed to be cruising toward the green jacket, only to collapse on the back nine Sunday.

McIlroy says that experience made him ”a better golfer, a better person.” Without the lessons learned that day, he doubts that he would’ve had so much success.

Wh..

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) Jordan Spieth wants to be sure he is fully prepared at the Masters this year.

That starts when he takes off his golf shoes Tuesday and puts on his green jacket.

In a tradition that dates to 1952 when Ben Hogan hosted a dinner for all previous winners at Augusta National, the ”Masters Club” is as exclusive as it gets. The defending champion serves as the host, selecting the menu and sitting at the head of the rectangular table next to Ben Crenshaw and Masters chairman Fred Ridley.

Article continues below …

Hosting is the easy part.

It’s what happens the following year that causes so much consternation.

Where is one supposed to sit?

There are no instructions. There is no seating chart, no stylish name placards. One year after hosting the dinner, Spieth was stumped.

”I didn’t know where to sit,” he said. ”And what was awkward about it was I figured that everyone had their seat. I didn’t want to sit in someone’s spot in between two people who are used to sitting..

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) Justin Thomas no longer gets questions about when he’s going to capture his first major title.

He took care of that last year at the PGA Championship, which made his news conference Tuesday at Augusta National a lot more pleasant.

”Not getting questions on a day like today: When do you feel like you’re going to get your first major? Or, do you feel like you’re one of the best players without a major?” Thomas said. ”I was glad to get that over with as quick as I could.”

Article continues below …

Thomas is coming off an amazing season that included five victories in all, as well as a FedEx Cup championship. He’s off to another stellar start in 2018 with a pair of wins.

That makes Thomas one of the players to beat at the Masters, the first major of the season.

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For more AP golf coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/apf-Golf