[Yoda]

Good luck to Martin of course. One of the good guys who could be the thin edge of the wedge if he gets to do 'guests'.

Well, now we see how it's all turned out: Martin Hall, Wayne Player and Karen Palacios-Jansen. http://www.thegolfchannel.com/instru...&emailAddress= I learned last week I had missed the cut courtesy of the TGC's boilerplate 'flush' letter. No biggie, I never expected anything, and the effort was its own reward. Still . . . .

I'm frankly surprised -- mystified, actually -- that Martin Hall is even in the contest. Martin is a huge industry and media presence, and his bio -- as published by The Golf Channel -- correctly states he is already a "featured instructor on The Golf Channel". http://www.thegolfchannel.com/florid...s/martin-hall/ In fact, he has starred on Academy Live on at least four occasions (probably more) and has 64 lessons posted on the TGC website (including these 26 here http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.a...ch=&x=35&y=12)!

What is this TGC marlin doing in our lowly trout stream?

Not much of a 'search' by the "team of experts" to uncover that elephant!

Martin is clearly deserving of his existing Golf Channel Instructor status. Is there anybody -- anybody?? -- on this site who did not know that Martin Hall has for years (since 2001) been a "featured" TGC instructor? What is with this 'double dip'? I mean, why even bother with a "contest"? At least, why bother in Martin's case? This shameless farce demeans him and embarrasses TGC. Just put him on the masthead -- oh, I forgot, he's already on the masthead http://www.thegolfchannel.com/florid...s/martin-hall/ -- and then get on about the true stated business of "finding" the "next" TGC instructor. If, in fact, that ever was the true purpose!

Don't you love farce?
My fault, I fear.
I thought that you'd want what I want -
Sorry, my dear.
But where are the clowns?
There ought to be clowns.
Quick, send in the clowns.

-- Stephen Sondheim
Send In the Clowns

And, good luck to Wayne Player. Never could find his video 'in the fray' on YouTube, but it's now available for all in the TGC 'voting booth'. He's got a good idea -- gotta get to that left foot! -- but, really, that's a pretty vicious sway he's got working! Gotta give'm credit, though . . . he only mentioned his famous father four times ("my Old Man"; "Dad"; "Gary Player"; and, "The Black Knight").



See Wayne's appearance on TGC, Tuesday, December 7th, and Gary's on Wednesday, December 8th.



As for Karen Palacios-Jansen, same story as Martin Hall. She has impressive credentials: 2008 LPGA Teacher of the Year; stints at the McLean and Leadbetter organizations; and is also a recognized Golf Channel Instructor http://www.thegolfchannel.com/north-...lacios-jansen/ (44 lessons posted since her first appearance on Academy Live on January 16, 2001 http://www.thegolfchannel.com/golf-l...h/1/?select3=8. Introduced by Kelly Tilghman more than six years ago (April 20, 2004) on Academy Live as "an old friend to me and The Golf Channel". Despite all this, she's not nearly so well known as Martin. In fact, two days ago her YouTube Instructor Search video views numbered only 363 (now boosted by her selection to 523). That versus my own -- pardon the statement of fact -- at 7,057. Next in line (by my quick survey, but there may have been others) was Jeff Ritter at 4,689.

For the record, here's a list of The Golf Channel instructors published by TGC itself prior to the contest starting. [Click the link and see the dialog box at the right of the page entitled Lesson Finder, then #3 "All Instructors"].

http://www.thegolfchannel.com/golf-l...h/1/?select3=8

Lastly, what is with this "three" finalists deal? Clearly, the contest rules stated there would be four -- that's one more than three . So, given Martin's and Karen's incumbency, the "hundreds" of the 'rest of us' were, in reality, gunning for just one spot. Tough game!

No sour grapes here. It was a fun experience, even if we never really had a chance. Meanwhile, web sales and private lessons at Lynn Blake Golf are booming . . .

And that's a good thing!