Contests Galore

One of the best things about golf's major championships is the number of "pick em" contests available to golf fans via the Internet. They come in all shapes and sizes. If you have somehow managed to avoid the "e-mail reminders", you can't help but see the rash of banner ads. Most mainstream golf and sports sites offer them, as do a number of sports fantasy sites.

You're probably reading this during, or just after the British Open. Too late to play this one. Set your sights on the PGA in August. If I can remember, which is highly unlikely, I'll run a list of available contests prior to that event.

With some minor variations, the "pick 'ems" ask you to select the top 3 to 5 finishers along with the winning score. There will also be a tie breaker of some sort. Often, this is the total number of birdies made by the field over the course of the championship. Of course, fabulous prizes await the truly clairvoyant.

This year's British Open offers some intriguing choices for the courageous prophets among us. It's laden with European Tour players and past champions.

Personally, I favor a comprehensive approach. My entries into the various contests do not resemble each other in the least. My thinking is that if I throw enough darts, one will eventually hit the board. Please note that I have never come even remotely close to winning anything.

I've picked American Tour players to do well in one contest. Yes, I picked Mr. Woods to win in that one. Do you think they'll be getting many of those? I picked European Tour players to do well in another. Jesper Parnevik is scheduled to win on that site. I even have one entry with Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller, and Tom Weiskopf faring well. Hey, it's the cradle of golf. If strange things can't happen at St. Andrews, they can't happen.

You're pretty smart. You should participate. When the PGA rolls around, pick a contest or two and take a stab at it. After you enter and make your choices, send shortcuts to your desktop. If you feel somewhat guilty about wasting time picking and tracking these games, rename the shortcuts with official or important sounding names. Just have some fun.

The point is, you have a variety of alternatives to that cheesy office pool. One more shining example of how the Internet is improving our lives. After all, you never really

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