At Stracka.com you can post your scores and maintain your handicap at a variety of courses you’ve played, tracking your own progress on your golfing career. Better yet, though, is the fact that you can type into a community of like-minded golfers, sharing tales from the links, browsing discussion forums, and even maintaining your own golfing blog.

 Forum discussions cover every aspect of the game, including swing tips, equipment recommendations, and other tips, stories, and comments about the game of golf.

The site also provides course yardages, yardage maps, pinsheets, greens guides, and flyovers for a ton of courses around the country, so it’s not all just fun and games, and can provide useful tools for the serious golfers out there looking to shave strokes off their scores.

In addition to all the data and info about US golf courses, there’s also a section for courses worldwide, so you’re not just limited to links in the US. and can find the info you need to enjoy a great game of golf around the world.

The Swedish golf star bested the field by two strokes yesterday to win at the SBS Open in Hawaii. She shot a three under on the final day. It was her first victory in 17 months after a winless 2007 that was shortened by a series of injuries.

In a strange turn of events, 2007 rookie of the year Angela Park missed taking second in the tournament because she was assessed a two-stroke penalty for holding up play. Golf has a shot clock? I’m not sure what the time limit is, but maybe the LPGA should consider shortening it a bit, say to like 30 seconds or something. That might get a few people interested.

What would also get people more interested in golf, and ladies’ golf in particular, is having more players like last year’s SBS Open winner Paula Creamer out on the links. She finished well behind the leaders with a four under, but that doesn’t stop me from posting a picture from her 2008 calendar (available only in Japan, I guess).

“We knew that image would grab attention, but I didn’t anticipate the enormity of it,” Dave Seanor, vice president and editor of the weekly magazine, said from the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla.

“There’s been a huge, negative reaction,” he said. “I’ve gotten so many e-mails. It’s a little overwhelming.”

Seanor said editors at the magazine debated several choices for a cover, and he took responsibility for the noose.

Makes one wonder exactly which cover choices they rejected, before going with the hot sexy noose one. Nice choice, fellas.

According to a post at Golf World, in her 2008 calendar the LPGA pinup girl will be showcasing more fashion than in previous editions of her monthly time-keeping publication. This is disappointing news for many of us who have enjoyed her bikini wearing talents in years past.

Fortunately for the softcore golfing porn enthusiasts out there, Sophie Sandolo is also putting the final touches on her new calendar. Everyone’s favorite French model/golfer (or is that golfer/model?) will not be making any dramatic changes to her barely-there attire, at least if this video of the photo shoot is any indication.

Sure enough, that channel you always skip past to get to something that doesn’t induce a coma actually have a reality show that follows the life and times of LPGA star and total hottie Natalie Gulbis. I’ll let the show description speak for itself:

At the center of a cast of characters swirling around her – her father, agent, friends and business contacts – rising LPGA star Natalie Gulbis remains calm in the storm. Follow her in The Natalie Gulbis Show as she competes, makes appearances and engages a variety of activities from her calendar shoot to learning to drive a stick shift.

Not enough excitement there for you? Well you obviously have never seen the show’s star:

So no more smack talk about the Golf Channel from me, I’ll be tuning in. VERSUS on the other hand still gets kicked to the curb.

I guess what I’m saying here is it was hot. But not enough to stop a Tiger.

Nice work, Elsie, nice work. Granted, it took you eight years, but we’ll cut you a little slack on that one.

There is a little thing called the NCAA Final Four happening on Saturday. UCLA takes on defending champion Florida in a rematch of last year’s title game, while the biggest of the big men — Greg Oden and Roy Hibbert — are set to do battle in the paint in the Ohio State-Georgetown tilt. I know, your bracket was long-ago blown out, but these are going to be some fantastic matchups, so you better tune in.

For those of you hoping to see a fight or two, the NHL is heading into the final stretch before the playoffs. Calgary plays in Vancouver on Saturday looking to hold onto their slim grasp on the final postseason spot in the West, while Nashville battles Dallas in their bid to steal the Central division away from the Red Wings. On Sunday, NBC brings us some riveting action as Detroit takes on the Columbus Blue Jackets. (Sweet Sam Hill, even Versus would have passed on that matchup.)

The playoff picture is shaping up in the NBA as well. Who would have thunk that Toronto would be leading the way in the retched Atlantic division? What Svengali could have predicted the Wizards would have a chance to top the their division? Washington and the Raptors go head-to-head tonight at the Verizon Center. But you don’t care about the East, all you want to hear about is the stinking Suns and Mavericks. Well fine, the top two teams in the West square off on Sunday in Phoenix, with the Suns needing a win if they want to catch Dallas for the top seed. They might do it, too, with Dirk Nowitzki nursing a bone spur in his ankle.

What else? Well, baseball is still in preseason action, but who cares about baseball this early in the year? The MLS is gearing up to start their season soon (you’re a fan, you just don’t know it yet), and NASCAR has short-track action from Martinsville. Oh, and someone is probably playing golf somewhere this weekend (yawn).

No matter what sporting event trips your trigger, though, I’m sure the big plan for this weekend involves plenty of this:

Pretty nifty trick, no?

(Video via Lifehacker via tonari no shibfu)

Tiger explained away the flubbed putt, saying it was simply a failure to fix a ball mark in his intended line. Which, umm, seems to me to make it all the worse, but what do I know.

Either way the streak is over, Byron Nelson is still king with 11 straight victories, and we can all go back to bwallowing in post-Super Bowl depression, bemoaning the fact that, good lord, there’s not much in the way of good sports on telelvision to watch.

“As far as how special seven is, you’re in elite company,” Woods said. “There’s only one person ahead of you. He’s one of the greatest legends in the history of the game. To be in company like with Mr. Nelson … it’s pretty special.”

I think they might be happy to just be in the general vicinity of your company, Mr. Tiger, when it’s all said and done.