A few equipment notes ... of note:

• Check out a great article on Golfweek.com about the long, glorious history - and slow, inglorious demise - of MacGregor Golf as an independent company and top-tier brand. Some great history here, involving the likes of Tommy Armour, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman, not to mention the MacGregor clubs and club designers themselves.

• Our most recent new equipment gallery includes Slotline putters plus a hybrid, a junior set from Cleveland, golf bag and several collections of apparel. Check it out.

• And we have several reviews of Srixon Golf releases. Take a look at the Z-TX driver, the Z-TX irons, and the Z-TX hybrids/fairways.

A Canadian doctor who has treated Tiger Woods, among many other professional athletes, is under investigation by the FBI for allegedly providing athletes with performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), and is under investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police "for smuggling, advertising and selling unapproved drugs as well as criminal conspiracy," according to an article in the New York Times.

The Times investigation does not suggest that the doctor is suspected of providing Woods with PEDs; and the doctor denies providing any athletes with human growth hormone. To me, there is nothing in the article that suggests there's any reason to suspect Woods of using PEDs, and so any dark inferences should be avoided. What was most interesting about the article (as it related to Woods, anyway) is the section that I quote at the bottom of this blog post, a section that makes clear Woods' recovery from knee surgery was much more painful and problematic - and ongoing - than previously revealed.

It's also important to note that the doctor - Dr. Anthony Galea, a sports medicine specialist based in Toronto - is not some shadowy figure, but is the team doctor for the CFL's Toronto Argonauts; has openly treated many prominent athletes; and is considered a pioneer of a technique known as "platelet-rich plasma therapy," or PRP. Some other prominent sports medicine doctors believe that PRP is a breakthrough technique that can dramatically speed recovery time from injuries and surgeries; other doctors believe the technique's benefits are as yet unproven and more research is needed.

Dr. Galea was arrested on Oct. 15 after his medical bag was found in the car of one of his assistants who was attempting to drive into the United States from Canada. The doctor's bag included human growth hormone (HGH) and a controversial drug called Actovegin. HGH is not illegal in Canada, and Dr. Galea insisted what was found in his medical bag was his own personal stash.

Actovegin is derived from calf's blood and some athletes apparently believe it speeds recovery time from injuries, aches and pains. The drug is illegal in the United States, but is not banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, mostly because nobody is really sure if the drug has any benefit to its users. Perceived benefits may just be the placebo effect, according to a drug expert quoted by the Times.

It is the platelet therapy that Dr. Galea administered to Tiger Woods, according to the Times investigation and confirmed by Dr. Galea. Read more...

Yesterday, Gillette said it would phase out advertising featuring Tiger Woods, but stopped short - for now, anyway - of saying it would discontinue its sponsorship deal with Woods.

On Sunday, Accenture took that step, announcing that "it will not continue its sponsorship agreement with Tiger Woods." And the reason? The scandals, of course. A press release posted on the Accenture Web site states:

... Given the circumstances of the last two weeks, after careful consideration and analysis, the company has determined that (Woods) is no longer the right representative for its advertising.

The company does, however, "(wish) only the best for Tiger Woods and his family."

Accenture, a consulting and outsourcing powerhouse, had built its marketing around Woods, exhorting potential customers to "Go on, be a Tiger." As the Associated Press put it in its article, "Accenture has used Woods to personify its claimed attributes of integrity and high performance." Hey, nothing Tiger's alleged mistresses have said undermine any talk about high performance (wink wink, nudge nudge). But integrity? Well, that's definitely been undermined.

Update: Tag Heuer isn't going anywhere. The Swiss watchmaking company said in a statement by a spokesperson that it will continue its sponsorship of Woods because he's the best in his field and because his private life is "not our business."

Update II: Not so fast. A statement released later Monday by Tag Heuer now sounds a more cautious not, with the company stating it will "spend the next few weeks assessing its relationship with golfer Tiger Woods."

See also: Tiger Woods scandals

There had been a few grumblings from sponsors, a few possible signs of things to come, prior to Tiger Woods' announcement on Friday that he plans to take an "indefinite break" from golf. But in the aftermath of that announcement - which included Woods' first explicit admission to marital infidelity - some of Woods' major sponsors have changed their tone from one of support to one of caution.

One, Gillette, said on Saturday that it is ramping down its use of Woods in company advertising, a company spokesman saying Gillette will help Woods "to take a lower profile" by "limiting his role in our marketing programs."

AT&T, which sponsors the July PGA Tour event hosted by Woods, issued a statement offering support for Woods, but also saying, ominously, "We are presently evaluating our ongoing relationship with him."

Nike Golf, on the other hand, remains steadfast in supporting Tiger. He is, after all, the very well-compensated poster child for the company. Tiger Woods had an endorsement deal with Nike before Nike even had golf clubs on the market. Nike Golf issued a statement that can be described as offering the company's full support, and included this: "(Woods) is the best golfer in the world and one of the greatest athletes of his era. We look forward to his return to golf."

Prior to Saturday, Gatorade announced a discontinuation of the Gatorade Tiger Focus line, although that decision apparently pre-dated the outbreak of the Tiger Woods scandals. Tag Heuer pulled in-store Woods displays from its Australian stores. And Accenture removed Woods from the homepage of its Web site.

We won't be seeing Tiger Woods on the golf course for a while. Woods announced Friday night, on his Web site, that he is taking an "indefinite break" from golf.

Woods begins his four-paragraph statement by saying that he is aware how much disappointment his infidelities have caused, and apologizing again for those infidelities. "It may not be possible to repair the damage I've done," he writes, "but I want to do my best to try."

He then writes:

"After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person."

There have been rumors leading up to this in the tabloid press that Woods would leave golf for a while; some even suggesting that he might permanently retire. That seems a bit of a stretch. But it also now seems a major stretch that we'll see Woods anytime in the next three or four months. Will he return in time for The Masters? Will he be back on the course in 2010 at all? What to you think?

I've written a couple times before this about how Tiger "tacitly" acknowledged cheating in his earlier statement, referencing "transgressions" and "personal sins." There's no more "tacitly" about it, however; with his new statement, Woods admits "infidelity."

As for the poll above, the PGA Tour and 99-percent of PGA Tour players will be voting for "by the 2010 Masters" because they desperately need Tiger on tour. During Woods' 8-month absence from golf following knee surgery in 2008, PGA Tour television ratings tumbled dramatically, golf Web sites lost tons of readers, print media buried golf stories. Bad economy plus no Tiger equals major headaches for pro golf.

But publicly, the PGA Tour isused this statement from Commissioner Tim Finchem: "We fully support Tiger's decision to step away from competitive golf to focus on his family. His priorities are where they need to be, and we will continue to respect and honor his family's request for privacy. We look forward to Tiger's return to the PGA Tour when he determines the time is right for him."

Here is the full text of Woods' statement:

I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children. I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness. It may not be possible to repair the damage I've done, but I want to do my best to try.

I would like to ask everyone, including my fans, the good people at my foundation, business partners, the PGA Tour, and my fellow competitors, for their understanding. What's most important now is that my family has the time, privacy, and safe haven we will need for personal healing.

After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person.

Again, I ask for privacy for my family and I am especially grateful for all those who have offered compassion and concern during this difficult period.

See also: Tiger Woods scandals

Do nude photos of Tiger Woods exist? As reported earlier this week, Playgirl magazine confirmed it has been approached by someone claiming to have such photos, and wanting to sell them.

In the UK this week, attorneys working on behalf of Woods took steps to prevent publication of any such photos there and in UK territories. Without admitting that such photos might exist.

Reuters reported:

British law firm Schillings, which specializes in protecting the reputations of celebrities, obtained the injunction on Woods' behalf on Thursday at the High Court in London, partner Simon Smith told Reuters by phone on Friday.

A letter from the lawyers accompanying the injunction contains a statement that "this Order is not to be taken as an admission that any such photographs exist."

The court order, which was acquired by and published on TMZ.com, prohibits publication of "any photographs, footage or images taken or obtained of the Claimant naked or any naked parts of the Claimant's body or of him involved in any sexual activity."

The law firm representing Woods in the UK case filed a letter to accompany the court order, which includes this:

"Our client is not aware of any images and in any event he would not have consented to any such photographs being taken nor would he have consented to the dissemination or exploitation of the same.

... in the event that these photographs do exist, and it is not admitted, any such images may have been fabricated, altered, manipulated and or changed to create the false appearance and impression that they are nude photographs of our client."

On the Web:

• Woods wins UK court ban against nude, sex photos (Reuters)
• Tiger gets order blocking nude photos, video (TMZ)

Greg Norman is a golfer who knows from controversy. He's a guy who knows about media scrutiny and tabloid headlines - and not just because of the nasty divorce he went through, and then the romance with tennis queen Chris Evert, and the subsequent separation of that marriage. Remember when his friend President Clinton fell on some stairs at Norman's house and injured his knee? Norman still gets ribbed about that.

Norman was interviewed by the Golf Channel on Thursday, ostensibly to promote the Shark Shootout, and wound up talking about the Tiger Woods scandals. And his comments - as reported by Randell Mell on the Golf Channel Web site - make a whole lot of sense:

"I hope Tiger sorts these issues out," Norman said. "Things like that should stay behind closed doors, but then again we are public figures. There are times when people feel like they can reach through the TV screen and say 'I own you, I know you because I buy a product you represent.' That's a part of it. You have to accept that responsibility."

...

"Unfortunately, the media are the media," Norman told Hammond. "They support you on the way up. And when you need them, we use you just as much as you use us. And when you step across the line, you've got to kind of take a little bit of the wrath of God, or whatever you want to call it."

This may be the most sensible thing anyone has yet said about the Woods situation, at least anyone speaking extemporaneously. Norman manages to look at both sides of the coin, and to essentially say this: You have to take the good with the bad. The good is massive fame and fortune. The bad is lack of privacy and media scrutiny. The good is media-driven publicity and fame when you're doing well; the bad is that when you screw up, the media is there to publicize that, too.

Norman's interview aired on the Golf Channel's Golf Central newscast at 6 p.m. ET Thursday night, and will be replayed at 11:30 p.m. ET.

You head to the practice green to work on putting. But after just a little bit of practice, your back starts to hurt. After a little more, your neck is getting sore. All that bending over takes its toll, and the aches and pains of a practice putting session can dissuade some golfers from putting in extra time on their putting.

Just like with the long game, it is important to warm up before working on your putting. And there are even some simple stretches or activities you can do during your putting session - and after it - that can help your body handle the strains.

Check out an article about exercises to make putting practice less painful.

MOI stands for "moment of inertia," and it's a physical property that relates to an object's ease or difficulty in rotating about an axis.

What does that have to do with golf? Everything, for manufacturers - and golfers - seeking clubs that are more forgiving on off-center strikes. Noted club designer Tom Wishon authored our FAQ on the topic, and answers the question, "What is MOI?"

Did PGA Tour players Ben Crane and Charles Warren blast Tiger Woods - and Elin Nordegren - in comments to Life & Style magazine? That's the story that set the golf Web abuzz earlier today - and sent me into a fingers-slamming-keyboard fury, penning a post in which I said some ... uh ... unkind things about the two golfers (I didn't care about what they allegedly said about Woods, but ripped them for what they allegedly said about Nordegren, who doesn't deserve any criticism).

But did I and many others in the golf media get punked? Thanks to the work of Yahoo Sports' Jay Busbee and the Associated Press' Doug Ferguson, we now know that both Crane and Warren deny ever talking to Life & Style magazine.

Ferguson noted that the magazine says a freelancer spoke to two golfers at PGA Tour Q-School finals this week who identified themselves as Crane and Warren, while also noting that Crane was not playing Q-School. The magazine told Ferguson that it is investigating the matter.

There have been a lot of stories reported in gossip magazines and on gossip Web sites the past couple weeks of these Tiger Woods scandals that I have declined to repeat here, because of the dubious reputations of the publications (and sometimes because of the salacious nature of the rumors). What the truth is in the Crane/Warren case is not yet known, but it's possible that we - and especially they - are the victims of some practical jokers.