The results are in. Eighteen questions produced hundreds of answers in a column posted in this space in late October.
Without further ado, the results:
QUESTION 1: IF YOU COULD PLAY GOLF WITH ANY THREE PEOPLE, LIVING OR DECEASED, WHO WOULD THEY BE (NON GOLF PEOPLE ARE ELIGIBLE HERE)?
The winner: Arnold Palmer, by a slight margin over Jack Nicklaus. Among others receiving votes included this eclectic group: God, Dwight Eisenhower, George W. Bush, Pablo Picasso, Winston Churchill, Moses, Alice Cooper, Moe Norman, Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Teri Hatcher, Stephen Hawking, Jackie Robinson, Mark Twain and Charles Kuralt.
QUESTION 2: WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE GOLF COURSE ARCHITECT?
The winner: Donald Ross by a narrow margin over Pete Dye followed by Robert Trent Jones. Among others receiving votes: Nicklaus, Ben Crenshaw, Palmer, Rick Smith and Mother Nature.
QUESTION 3: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GOLF HOLE IN THE WORLD?
The winner: The 18th at Pebble Beach followed by the 12th at Augusta and the 13th at Augusta and the 17 at the Old Course at St. Andrews. Among others receiving votes: No. 16 at Cypress Point, No. 8 at Pebble Beach, No. 17 at TPC at Sawgrass and No. 4 at Whistling Straits.
QUESTION 4: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GENERIC HOLE?
The winner: The first followed by the 18th followed by the ninth.
QUESTION 5: WHO WILL THE NO. 1 RANKED PLAYERS, MALE AND FEMALE, IN THE WORLD BE AT THE END OF 2005?
The winners: Vijay Singh followed by Ernie Els followed by Tiger Woods on the mens side; Annika Sorenstam (by an overwhelming margin) on the womens side.
QUESTION SIX: WHATS THE BEST POST-GOLF MEAL (PICK AN ENTRE)?
The winner: Steak followed by Burgers. Among others receiving votes: Pizza, bratwurst, lobster, humble pie, blackened amberjack, hot wings, clam chowder and sea bass.
QUESTION SEVEN: WHO IS THE MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER IN GOLF?
The winner: (by a clear margin) Retief Goosen followed by John Daly. Among others receiving votes: Aree Song, Tony Jacklin, Lucas Glover, Mike Weir, Jerry Kelly, Kirk Triplett, Ernie Els and Justin Leonard.
QUESTION EIGHT: WHO WOULD YOU PICK FOR THE 2006 U.S RYDER CUP TEAM CAPTAIN?
The winner (note: question was posed before Tom Lehman got the post): Paul Azinger followed by Larry Nelson. Among others receiving votes: Fred Couples, Tiger Woods, Bill Murray, Mark OMeara, Fuzzy Zoeller and Jack Welch.
QUESTION NINE: WILL MICHELLE WIE WIN MORE OR LESS THAN 10 LPGA MAJORS?
In a close ballot more thought she would not.
QUESTION 10: WHO SHOULD BE THE FIRST FEMALE MEMBER AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL?
The winner: Nancy Lopez followed by Sorenstam followed by Sandra Day OConnor. Among others receiving votes: Martha Stewart, Tyra Banks, Oprah Winfrey, Kathy Whitworth and Wie.
QUESTION 11: WILL MICHELLE WIE WIN A PGA TOUR EVENT IN HER LIFETIME?
The winner: More thought she would not.
QUESTION 12: IF YOU COULD PLAY ANY COURSE IN THE WORLD TOMORROW AND MONEY OR GEOGRAPHY WAS NOT AN ISSUE, WHAT COURSE WOULD IT BE?
The winner: Augusta National followed by The Old Course followed by Pebble Beach. Among others receiving votes: Ballybunion, Royal Dornoch, Cypress Point, Pinehurst #2 and Pine Valley.
QUESTION 13: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE POST-ROUND DRINK?
The winner: Beer by an overwhelming margin. Among others receiving votes: Margarita, Gatorade, coke, martini, water, lemonade, tonic, frostee and apricot sour.
QUESTION 14: WHATS YOUR FAVORITE GOLF TIP?
The winner: Low and slow going back. Among others receiving votes: Tempo, be the ball, swing easy, relax, take dead aim.
QUESTION 15: WHO IS THE BEST PLAYER WHO EVER LIVED?
The winner: Jack Nicklaus by an overwhelming margin followed by Tiger Woods followed by Sam Snead. Among others receiving votes: Harry Vardon, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson and Arnold Palmer.
QUESTION 16: WHATS YOUR FAVORITE GOLF BOOK OF ALL TIME?
The winner: Harvey Penicks Little Red Book tied with A Good Walk Spoiled by a slim margin over Golf in the Kingdom. Among others receiving votes: The Legend of Bagger Vance, Missing Links, Billy Boy and Golf For Dummies.
QUESTION 17: IS TIGER WOODS BETTER AT GOLF THAN MICHAEL JORDAN WAS AT BASKETBALL?
The winner: Jordan by a slim margin
QUESTION 18: SHOULD GOLF BE IN THE OLYMPICS?
No, by a significant margin.
Thanks to the many hundreds of respondents.
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