Our Weekly Q&A

Last week's silly questions appear to have failed to kill the beast, so you're stuck with this feature for the foreseeable future.  Let's see if the Sports Illustrated gang actually discusses any golf this week...

1. After finishing second in Phoenix, Bubba Watson broke through at the Northern Trust Open for his first win since the 2012 Masters. Is Bubba back? If so, where did he go?

The Scribes Respond:  It's a mostly pro-Bubba crowd, though most realize that Bubba is inherently jittery and inconsistent.  Bonus Mark Fidrych mention for those that read the whole thing.

Best Line:  From Gary Van Sickle, "When Bubba is on, he is something to see. It's just what this golf season needed since we couldn't expect Jimmy Walker to carry the PGA Tour on his back for the whole year."

My Take:  I was harsh regarding that final putt at Phoenix, so give the man his due.  And 64-64 on the weekend at Riviera is just sick.  Hogan must be spinning in his grave...

2. The Winter Olympics are in full swing in Sochi, and in two years we’ll have golf in the Summer Olympics. What will golf bring to the Olympics, and what will the Olympics bring to golf?

The Scribes Respond:  This split as widely as any prior question.  From "The exposure will be huge for the sport" and "We’re underestimating how exciting this tournament will be. It’s going to be like having a fifth major in 2016" to "Has tennis done anything for the Olympics and has the Olympics helped tennis?" and "I'd be willing to bet that in 2020, we'll be doing Google searches to find out who won in Rio."

Best Line:  From Josh Sens, "Golf in the Olympics is sure to send the same ripples of excitement through the sport as those generated by the Sunday skins matches I play with friends."

My Take:  You likely already know my thinking on this, but it's gonna be a farm fresh, cage free jumbo egg.  Van Sickle points out that of the 60-player field, about half should not be in the field.  So it's a 30-player field and will generate the excitement of Tiger's December event.  And Mr. Walker, we already have a fifth major in 2016.  It's called the Ryder Cup.

3. Fred Couples was named an ambassador for the Northern Trust Open. Will Couples be able to convince Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott to commit to playing Riviera in the future?

The Scribes Respond:  No, no and no.  More substantively, some note that it's now a bad date on the calendar, though they don't lay that on the doorstep of the Wicked Witch of the West.

Best Line:  From Eamon Lynch "I think there's a better chance of Cheyenne Woods playing Riviera than of her uncle returning."

My Take:  No, next question.

4. Speaking of absences, what does it say about the status of this week's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship when Woods, Mickelson and Scott are missing from the event?

The Scribes Respond:  Venue, snow, and last-place money.

Best Line:  From Mike Bamberger, "It says that they cannot stand the course and that last-place money means nothing to them and, in the case of Woods and Mickelson, just a tiny little way of thumbing their noses at the commissioner."

My Take:  This is a shame, but Commissioner Ratched has made quite the mess of this WGC monstrosity. It's a damn shame, but the best players (I'm speaking to you, Tiger) just hate match play for its unpredictability.  And can you blame them for avoiding a Wednesday trunk-slammer?  But it's great for the fans to see them playing how we play in our weekend games, and it would be nice for someone to figure out how to make it work.  Maybe double-elimination would help, combined with a 32-player field.

I know that late in his career Bobby Jones avoided 18 holes matches like the plague.  He felt that over 36 holes talent was likely to prevail, but that 18 holes is just a crapshoot.   

5. Which format is better at identifying the best golfer, match play or stroke play?

The Scribes Respond:  Stroke play to determine the best golfer, match play to determine the better competitor.

Best Line:  From Josh Sens, "Stroke play. If match play were anywhere as good a barometer, this forum would be debating where Ian Poulter ranks among the all-time greats."

My Take:  I differ slightly from the esteemed panel, in that I think they're both great tests of golf, though different tests.  The problem with match play is that the length of match necessary to let the cream rise quickly exceeds the days available for an event with a field of more than 8 or 16.  But that doesn't mean we can't have one match play event on the calendar, just to mix it up a bit.

6. Our colleague Michael Bamberger wrote this week about playing a round at the storied Los Angeles muni Rancho Park. What’s your favorite muni or sleeper course?

The Scribes Respond:  Pacific Grove Links gets three votes, topping our list.  Two panelists mention the Old Course, which should get them ejected from next week's panel.  And believe or not, Van Cortland Park gets a shout-out.

Best Line:  From Mike Walker, "The nine-hole course at Highland Links in Truro on Cape Cod has some of the best ocean views in golf, and at $35 to walk, you've got money left over for oysters and beer at the Wellfleet Beachcomber.

My Take:  For the first time since we've been doing this, I have to acknowledge that that's a good question, and you should by all means read their suggestions.  I've heard wonderful things about the Truro course, a genuine links in the opinion of many.  I'd add Northeast Harbor Golf Club near Bar Harbor, Maine.  It's a charming old Donald Ross of a certain New England style, if that makes any sense.  I also remember getting lost in the woods between the 17th green and 18th tee... it's not so easy dragging a trolley through the woods, but Theresa and I were smiling all day.