Tech Execs Tee Off With The Pros

Which of these Internet luminaries has the best golf handicap: Chief Yahoo Jerry Yang, Sun Microsystems Chairman Scott McNealy, or software entrepreneur Tom Siebel?See for yourself. They're all playing golf down in Carmel, Calif., for the 2007 edition of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am Tour. The annual trek to one of golf's most prestigious venues is in full swing (pun intended). Close to 360 players are battling the rain and other elements at three courses: Pebble Beach, Poppy Hills, and Spyglass Hill.

Alongside the leader board of Phil Mickelson, John Mallinger, and Jim Furyk are the usual cache of celebrities such as Bill Murray, George Lopez, Ray Romano, Kenny G, Emmitt Smith, and Tom Brady.

And then there are the business guys who just happen to have a hand in the way that the Internet is run and a pretty good handicap to boot.

Pebble is the granddaddy of the three courses and the hardest to play. That's where you'll find Chief Yahoo Jerry Yang with a 10 handicap. Jerry is traveling with pros John Cook, Troy Matteson, and comedian Tom Ryan.

Phil Mickelson's party includes BearingPoint CEO Harry You and finance legend Charles Schwab. Harry is close to a bogey golfer, which means that his handicap is around 20. Schwab knows how to swing a club. His handicap is 10.

Probably one of the most intriguing foursomes, however, is the one at Poppy Hills with Frank Quattrone and Jim Breyer. Quattrone is the former investment banker at Credit Suisse First Boston who was prosecuted for interfering with a government probe. Breyer leads at venture investment firm Accel and is currently on the board of directors of Wal-Mart Stores. Quattrone shoots with a 12 handicap; Breyer is listed with a 9-stroke differential.

Two parties behind Quattrone and Breyer is software entrepreneur Tom Siebel, who sold his business to Oracle last year. Despite his 13 handicap, if Tom meets up with Frank and Jim, I doubt highly that eagles, birdies, and bogeys will be the main topic of discussion.

Sun Microsystems chairman Scott McNealy is a much better hockey player than a golfer, but with a handicap of only 2, he likes to duff it up now and again. I certainly hope Scott likes easy listening pop music, though. His party is playing right behind Huey Lewis (sans The News) and two groups behind crooner Michael Bolton.

So the answer to my original question: Who has the least embarrassing golf swing? That award goes to McNealy. It must be all of that practice time on the ice.