SPORTS

Technology of new golf balls creates impressive results

Sergio Garcia was the first PGA pro golfer to credit a ball for his tournament win.

His skill in winning was obvious, but he says his TaylorMade four-piece TP Red LDP is what gave him the edge. Amid 40 mph wind gusts, Garcia and his TaylorMade won the Players Championship.

The current generation of golf balls perform better in wind and spin less off the driver which gives them more distance. They spin more when hit with wedges which increases control around the greens.

Reporting in USA Today, marketers for Titleist, the industry leader, say that with the three-piece Titleist Pro VI golfers don't have to trade distance and durability for spin, feel and control into and around the green.

The large core improves feel and increases distance. The casing layer is made of Ionomer for speed and spin-control. The cover is made of Urethane elastomer. It allows lower spin off the driver and long irons. The 392 dimple pattern promotes a penetrating trajectory for long, consistent distance.

The four-piece Nike ONE Platinum's core reduces excess driver spin. Its power transfer layer increases distance with metal woods and irons. The inner cover enhances mid-iron control, and its cover of seamless urethane improves consistency. With 378 dimples, it provides added carry.

PGA Tour pros usually use balls with multilayer construction including Callaway's Tour I series.

Some want NBA pregame stunts toned down

National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern calls the pregame pyrotechnics and music "an assault on the senses." He's not the only one troubled by the pregame shows.

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich says the music is too loud, but the pyrotechnics are worse. Fans get powder from the fireworks on them and powder in the air makes it difficult for people with lung problems to breathe.

The coach thinks there could be an accident with the fire where someone would be hurt or killed. One pyrotechnic stunt used at the Spurs game with the Hornets didn't go as planned. The New Orleans maintenance staff had to work for 19 minutes to put out the fire on a flaming hoop and the fire left residue on the floor.

Commissioner Stern says the league has to review the safety level of fire and pyrotechnic displays.

For music, NBA arenas are equipped with state-of-the-art speaker systems that drive up the volume to rock-concert levels. Popovich says the volume just hits him when he walks through the tunnel. It's constant and deafening.

But most fans seem to like it. Players say the hype pumps up the fans and people like seeing it on TV and hearing the music. In their homes, of course, they can turn down the volume.

Class-action suit against NCAA

A suit filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles seeks to halt the NCAA's ticket lotteries for Final Four basketball games. It costs a $6 handling fee to apply for a Final Four ticket and fans can submit up to 10 applications. The fees aren't refunded. The suit contends that this is illegal gambling.

Filed by Tom George of Tempe, Ariz., who has entered the lottery unsuccessfully for several years, the suit also names Ticketmaster, which runs the lottery.

New version of cricket wins more fans

How about a cricket game that lasts just three hours. During breaks, fans sing along to Bollywood songs and cheerleaders do their thing.

A new cricket league in India is changing traditional British cricket from a game that lasts five days to a modern spectator- friendly event. The Indian Premier League was launched this year with teams and games in eight major cities. They will compete in 59 games during this year's six-week season.

The game is very popular on Indian television, and India has a population of 1.1 billion people to watch it. India dominates the global game financially with 70 percent of global income from the sport.

Star players are expensive. In the February auction, India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni earned the highest bid of $1.5 million a year for the next three years. If the team goes to the final, he will play 16 games at about $94,000 per game. That's about $14,000 more per game than Boston Red Sox star hitter David Ortiz will make during the regular baseball season this year.

The league's cheerleaders, some from other countries, are under scrutiny. Police are on the lookout for skimpy outfits and anything "obscene or vulgar."

Sorenstam retires

Two days after winning the Michelob Open, Swedish golfer Annika Sorenstam announced her retirement from professional golf. It was her third title of 2008, her 72nd career win and she has the rest of the season to add to that record. She won the LPGA tour player of the year eight times.

Sorenstam, 37, will marry soon and hopes to start a family. She will devote more time both to her business interests and to inspiring young kids to follow their dreams in playing golf.

LPGA tour Commissioner Carolyn Bivens predicts that Sorenstam will be instrumental in expanding junior golf, college golf and tour golf.

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