Feeling a little sluggish this morning.... less likely the tryptophan than chasing a 3-year old all yesterday. I think he had fun, though I was a little put off that he doesn't read the blog.
First, One Has To Admit to the Problem - Joel Beall puts in the effort to save the Tour's Fall schedule, though the effort suffers from profound logic gaps. His lede demonstrates this quite vividly:
There's a common refrain this time of the year: "Does golf need an offseason?" It's a tired, witless argument because 1) the PGA Tour and commissioner Jay Monahan areemphatic that autumn play is here to stay and 2) from a player's standpoint, there's no obligation to compete, with many using the fall as de facto downtime.
But, at the core of this debate lies is a genuine concern: The fall portion of the wrap-around schedule is an imperfect conceit, a sentiment cemented by TV numbers and the absence of star power. That doesn't mean it's worth scrapping. In practice and in principle, this part of the calendar can set the stage for the campaign to come.
It could I guess... But since the first event of the new calendar year is the TOC, I'm already confused as to the objective....
I like this suggestion, not that it's remotely feasible:
Move the third/fourth rounds to Monday and Tuesday night
It's no secret that golf is trying to reach new audiences. In its present staging, the fall schedule is not helping that effort. If the two-month season is here to stay, the broadcast slate is in need of desperate overhaul.
The argument can be made that the (relative) lack of big names in the fall events doesn't help, but that's far from the root of the problem. Despite its own tribulations, the NFL remains king of the fall, with college football drawing similar eyeballs. Baseball’s postseason also takes a bite of the pie. Fighting this beast is, has, and will be a futile endeavor. Which is why the PGA Tour should experiment with final rounds on Monday and Tuesday, aired at night.
I've been arguing for this for years, but not for the big Tour. The NCAA's have jumped on this opportunity, and created one of my favorite events of the year. It would help if Mr. Beall could develop a rudimentary understanding of time zones and sunlight cycles, as the only possible location for this I can see is Hawaii, and that's on the dance card for January.
But here's where he really loses touch with planet Earth:
Create a crown jewel
Starting in January, every month of the golf season boasts at least one event that's a must-watch due to the field, course or stakes involved. No, seriously. Go take a look. We'll wait for you ... even in the depths of winter, there's Pebble Beach to save us from February's gloom and two WGC events in March to quench our thirst until Augusta.
Why do we bring this up? All due respect to the eight tournaments under scrutiny, there is nothing on the fall schedule that warrants such attention.
Cause and effect can be very subtle, but there's a reason none of those events are crown jewels.... It's the friggin' off-season Joel, and you want what, the U.S. Open? But he goes on....
How does the tour rectify this? Location is part of the problem, one that's somewhat unsolvable. Despite the WGC designation on the HSBC Champions event, the travel will keep a sizable contingent of top American stars from visiting on a consistent basis (two of the game's biggest draws, Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler, were noticeably absent this year). The courses on this trek aren't worthy of the early-a.m. rise for American viewers, either. Conversely, the Asian swing is essential to the tour's global growth; touching these events is a non-starter for the foreseeable future.
But riddle me this, Batman, why do we....and by we I mean you, accept the premise that the Tour needs to grow globally? I understand that we want the game to grow globally, but why should the U.S.-based tour be holding events in China and Malaysia? Isn't that, after all, a big part of the problem?
Jordan Spieth is in Australia this week playing an event unrelated to his home tour? Is that a problem? Not unless, like Commissioner Ratched, you think your organization should control golf year and worldwide.... Which, I argue, is part of the problem....
More Rollback - More Geoff Ogily on where we might be headed....
For those that don't want to deal with a long video, here's Shack's summary of the comments:
His comments on that come at the 15:50 mark in response to a question from Mark Hayes. Ogilvy believes a "rollback" can be achieved in a way that slows down distance for his ilk, while not harming the recreational golfer. But he concedes that should bifurcation of the rules be the only way, then "it's the way we need to go."
He goes on to discuss how this is a complicated thing but that based on the players, manufacturers and influencers talking, that a rollback of some kind "seems like it’s going to happen."
Ogilvy's stances is to take action "purely so we don’t have to change our stadiums," noting that when he started playing major events 300 yards "was a massive hit" and is now "legitimately short. Mostly, he reiterates how the distance gains have "changed the way we play the great courses" and how it has made "Augusta not function" as it was intended, reminding us that "Brooks Koepka didn’t hit more than 7-iron on the longest course in history" when winning the 2017 U.S. Open.But he also--Wally take note--points out the opportunity in this for manufacturers to sell more product and solidify their market position by making a great ball under specs different than the current rules. Though as he notes, "the implementation is going to be interesting."
Ogilvy was also asked about Brandel Chamblee's assertion this week that 8,500 yard courses are a must in golf to properly test today's players with strategic decisions (he still has not outlined who will pay for this expansion of major venues). Ogilvy agree that is the yardage to test players, but no with the idea of changing courses to fit today's player and equipment.
Greg Norman takes time out from posting topless photos on Instagram to tell us how a certain "influential club" can save us:
“I remember the eighth hole at Augusta was nearly impossible to reach in two and now these guys are hitting irons in there,” said Norman who finished second three times at The Masters, perhaps most notably in 1996 when he blew a six-shot lead and Nick Faldo took the green jacket.
“Augusta can’t lengthen itself anymore but the tech is going to allow these players to keep hitting it longer year after year.
“If they sent out an invitation to the players and said ‘you’re going to use a gutter percha ball and a hickory shafted golf club, go get them worked out, practice before you get there, the best player will still win that week.“The best players have that ability to make that adjustment no matter what they’re using.”
I guess he didn't hear about the land purchase from Augusta Country Club, because ANGC has in the past and can if they so choose add more length. Though, and this is likely the fault of auto correct or the reporter, but that "gutter" is a nice touch....
More substantively, the question is whether they should do that, especially in the face of the dereliction of duty from the governing bodies.... Ogilvy, of course, touches on the importance of getting the manufacturers to buy in, which will also help get the players supporting the forces of good.
Second Time, Much Improved - The second installment of the mellifluously-titled Yo, Gear Guy! is much improved, including this topical subject:
OldSportGolf on Reddit: How much distance should I expect to lose on balls in colder weather? Is there a variance, based on ball type (surlyn/urethane or high/low compression)? Is there a best type of ball for winter play?
Cold weather can affect ball performance in a couple of ways, and neither of them is good. First, cold air is denser than warm air and will typically cause shots to fly a shorter distance (according to Titleist you'll lose about 1.5% of distance for every 20-degrees of air temperature drop). To combat this issue, it's best to play with balls that are stored at room temperature (the car trunk is also bad in cold weather), as "cold" balls will have less resiliency, speed, and distance. It's also smart to keep a ball in your pocket on cold days and rotate it with another ball to help maintain a somewhat consistent temperature.
And speaking of balls in the pocket (which I practice in the cold weather), I received this golf joke from a most unusual source yesterday:
A man got on the bus with both of his front trouser pockets full of golf balls and sat down next to a beautiful blonde.The puzzled blonde kept looking at him and his bulging pockets.Finally, after many glances from her, he said, "It's golf balls."The blonde continued to look at him for a very long time, thinking deeply about what he had said.Finally, unable to contain her curiosity any longer, she asked,"Does it hurt as much as 'Tennis Elbow'?
They might be onto a strong feature there, as long as they can stay away from the phrase, "That depends."
Home for the Holidays - Justin Thomas with a great find from an old photo album:
OK, some cute stuff in the retweets, such as this common theme:
I know, I had the same reaction...And this of course:
How come Polo didn't think to sign HIM?
Asked & Answered - Alan Shipnuck's weekly mailbag starts with queries about his provocative Ryder Cup projection:
"Do you think your Ryder Cup piece would have been met with more than a shrug had you swapped the sides?" - Andrew (@andyjamesdalton)
A few hard-core Americans would have registered their displeasure but there would not have been anything like the outrage that flowed across the Atlantic. The Euro golf fans take the Ryder Cup (and themselves) very, very seriously. There was an undercurrent of Ugly Americanism in many of the comments, which I found curious, because I said explicitly in the piece the U.S. dominance would not be a good thing for the event. When it comes to the Ryder Cup I travel on no passport and am merely an impartial observer. In fact, I was often quite satisfied with the European victories in the aughts because it made for a better story, at least until those wins became repetitious. But I certainly enjoyed all the frothing-at-the-mouth from the European fans and no doubt my Twitter feed will be quite lively when the Cup rolls around.
"What’s the most credible death threat you received after your Ryder Cup article? #AskAlan" - Steve (@_SMisner)
Well, I got a text from a veteran of multiple European teams and all it said was, "I can’t wait to shove Sam Ryder's trophy up your ass next year." Does that count?
Poulter? To me the reactions are unsurprising, as the event has since the Seve days meant more to the Euros than to the Yanks.
This also on the subject:
"Is It crazy for Euros to just do away with Ryder Cup points and let the captain pick the hottest 12 hands?" - Laz (@Laz_Versalles)
I recall Paul Azinger floated this concept a decade ago for the American side. It certainly makes sense for the captain, who could avoid the nightmare scenario of a guy piling up a bunch of points nine or ten months ahead of the event but then falling into a deep slump and bringing his bad form to the matches. But Ryder Cup qualifying is a way to ensure continued support for the European tour — see Paul Casey’s recent announcement — so the season-long points race will never go away. It also provides a weekly drumbeat of hype for the event, as points are at stake at every tournament. It would definitely make sense to grant the captains more picks, though.
Not sure I agree about the value of hot hands, though mostly you'd end up with the same twelve....
This is a fun question, I mean fun if train wrecks are your thing:
"Have you seen a pro putt to win a tournament worse than Lexi's yesterday? #AskAlan" - @Joey1970
Amazingly, yes. There are plenty of horror shows in golf history: Scott Hoch’s blown two-footer that would’ve won the 1989 Masters, Doug Sanders' yippy 3-footer to boot away the 1970 Open Championship, Stewart Cink's whiff from 18 inches that ultimately cost him a spot in the playoff at the 2001 U.S. Open. But nothing can top the 1-footer for victory that I.K. Kim missed at the the Dinah Shore in 2012. I’m sorry all this misfortune befell such accomplished players but honestly it makes me feel much better about myself every time I miss a short putt.
This will be very much in the eye of the beholder.... My only issue with I.K. is that she seems to putt a fairly confident stroke on the ball....
The one I can't watch is Doug Sanders, even though Jack is my golf God. It plays out in slow motion to me and I find myself screaming at him to step away.... See what you think:
But of course many will default to Scott Hoch, merely because the name rhymes with.... well, you know what.
I'm off.... A busy Monday morning, so not sure when we'll meet again.
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