I was asked recently about how I thought I was doing in the "tournament of life," a poignant question for a man celebrating his 50th birthday. I wasn't taken by surprise, because it's a question I have pondered for a long time. Ultimately what I want to be able to do as I approach the latter stages of my life is to look at all that has happened to me as one 18-hole round. The front nine has been devoted to golf. The back nine is reserved for even more focus on my career beyond golf, specifically my family and my business interests. I'm happy to say it's been pretty good so far. I think I'm making the turn with a respectable 3- or 4-under-par score. Now I want to see if I can shoot another 3- or 4 under on the back and post a nice little 65.

Greg Norman said last week that he was looking forward to tackling the Champions Tour as a rookie this year. Norman turns 50 February 10 and so is eligible to play in lucrative senior tournaments after a professional career that netted him the 1986 and 1993 British Opens. The Shark, in Melbourne, Australia, last week for the Heineken Classic, said he felt like a rookie starting all over again. "I have never felt more at peace with myself," he said at a pre-tournament press conference. "The last two years have been the best of my life. I've really got a lot of things under control, and turning 50 is great. I have done a tremendous job of physically keeping my back in shape, this gives me the ability to play the tournaments this year that I would like to play."

The Greg Norman Collection recently introduced its PlayDry Weatherknit offering for Fall 2005. This innovative assortment of functional performance outerwear was officially unveiled at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, January 27. This collection, based in a technical proprietary knit fabric, features a soft suede finish and is water, wind and stain proof. Since the fabric is knit rather than woven, it is also breathable and exceptionally comfortable to play in, thus allowing golfers ease of movement. It is also much quieter to wear than traditional outerwear while offering a high level of performance. "Not only is the Weatherknit collection functional, but it's also very fashionable," said Michael Stein, Vice President Design.