Time to Kill

I've a bit of time on my hands before our chariot arrives, so let's see whether we can amuse ourselves:

Working Class Solidarity - As noted above, I'm Biden my time until we start our journey (heh, did you catch that little pun?), but our Vice President is voting "Present".  Turns out he was in Detroit yesterday expressing solidarity with the downtrodden working class on Labor Day, and had these pearls of wisdom for us all:

• U.S. workers deserve a "fair share" of any improvement in corporate profits;
  
  
• A job is "about your dignity. It's about your place in the community. ... You can't do that unless you get a fair wage;
• Workers don't want a handout, Just give them a chance;
• He would repeal Michigan's right to work law, which makes union membership voluntary. He called it "right to work for less."

I know, suddenly I need a nap....it's all so drearily predictable.  And I'm even going to pass on the venue of Detroit, the city singularly destroyed by the "working man," or more accurately those allegedly representing them.

No, today's insight comes courtesy of a reader of Shackelford's, doing the job this American won't do.  This reader delayed throwing something through his flat screen long enough to notice the shirt Joe picked out for this august occasion....that "S" just happens to be the logo of tony Sebonack Golf Club, the one where initiation fees start at around $500,000.

'Cause nothing screams working class street cred quite like a golf club that costs the lifetime earnings of Joe's target audience.

Bucket List, Tour Pro Edition - Michael Whitmer had or was given a reasonably good idea, ask Tour players what course or courses they're still itching to play, and the results are alarmingly normal.  This is how Whittmer summed up the responses:

Those who have never played in the Masters often said Augusta National, and those who have never played in an Open Championship at the Old Course frequently included St. Andrews. Not surprisingly, private clubs that don’t host PGA Tour events were named the most, led by Pine Valley, Cypress Point, Seminole, San Francisco Golf Club, and the exclusive designs on Long Island: National, Shinnecock Hills, Maidstone, Friar’s Head, Sebonack. 

Here's one of the more thoughtful responses from one of the more thoughtful (and knowledgeable) pros:

“I’d love to do all of Long Island properly, and play them all as the members play them,” said Geoff Ogilvy (his list: National, Crystal Downs, Pasatiempo). “We see these courses in such ridiculous setups.”

You'll note two of Dr. Mackenzie's gems on that short list, no surprise from a guy who grew up playing the great Sand Belt courses near Melbourne.  But his comment about set-ups is also apt.

And of course nothing here will surprise you:

Bubba Watson, Boo Weekley, John Daly, Ryan Moore, Jeff Overton, Charl Schwartzel, and Phil Mickelson were among those who declined to provide even a single course they've never been to but still have an interest in playing.

“I've played them all. All the ones I've wanted to, anyway,” Mickelson said.

Bubba is just being cautious, because you never know when an impromptu long-drive contest will spring up.

There were a number of respondents that indicated that they don't play any recreational golf, only some of which seemed related to family obligations.  Golf is there job, but I can only suggest that perhaps it might feel like less of a grind if they could find a way to keep some hit-and-giggle golf in their lives.  Adam Scott, for instance, had this:

“I played at Shinnecock last summer because I was out there, and that was enjoyable,” said Adam Scott (Sand Hills, Royal Portrush, Bandon Dunes). “I like to go with my mom and dad if I can. It’s hard every year, but two years ago we took a golf trip to Tasmania and played Barnbougle and Lost Farm. If I can do it with them that’s good, because I don’t get to spend much time and they’re both golfers, so it’s fun for them. I like some social golf. It used to all be too serious. It’s just fun to play.”

That's the attitude I'd encourage others to take, find a way to periodically remind yourself of the pleasures of the game.  It might be your job, but you've got a better office than most... and good news, Adam, I think you'll have a tee time at Portrush in your future.

He'll Be Manning the Beer Cart - Our man Phil is buying himself a new gig, in case this touring pro thing doesn't pan out:

The Fairbanks Ranch Country Club, site of the 1984 Summer Olympics equestrian events, is being sold to U-T San Diego Publisher "Papa" Doug Manchester and golf legend Phil Mickelson by its roughly 400 members. 

Board President Mike Kendall said told members Thursday that Manchester and Mickelson had a signed a letter of intent and details will be shared at the annual meeting Sept. 9. The members will have to approve the sale.

The property includes three golf courses and is near to Phil's home in Rancho Santa Fe.  

Goose, Gander - Stephen Colbert recently speculated that a bad break-up is the ultimate PED, and in the case of Wozilroy that seems to be the case.  The entertainingly-named Flip Bondy files a report in the N.Y. Daily News on Caroline Wozniacki's upset win over Maria Sharapova, that includes this failed bit of gamesmanship:

“I deserve to have some chocolate,” Wozniacki declared, right there on the court. 

She also asked to be iced, though Sharapova had already attempted that tactic, to no avail.

Among Sharapova’s many distracting court habits — some would call them downright annoying — is her fondness for taking overlong bathroom breaks between sets. She pulled such a stunt against Madison Keys a few weeks ago, and the young American was forced to sit forever on a chair in wait, before dissolving in the third set. 

On Sunday, Sharapova dawdled again. While she stalled during a mandated heat break, Wozniacki managed to change her sweat-soaked dress and return to the court in plenty of time, less than 10 minutes. When Sharapova finally returned to the court, chair umpire Marija Cicak nailed her with a time violation warning. 

Sharapova argued, lost all momentum from the second set and committed 13 unforced errors in the next eight games.

But the take away was this lede:

Everyone but Rory McIlroy wants to marry Caroline Wozniacki right about now.

Yup, there'll be no shortage of candidates for that open position.

Methinks Someone's Compensating -  Sam Weinman catches us up on a raging Twitterstorm:

1. Jordan Spieth        ✔ @JordanSpieth

   Flying with @ZachJohnsonPGA @Keegan_Bradley @GaryWoodland and company.. Not enough storage for bags Going to ask @McIlroyRory to help haha

Rory Mcilroy        ✔ @McIlroyRory

Follow

@JordanSpieth need to get yourself a bigger plane youngster happy to help

It goes on in that vein, as they jostle over the size of their respective....errr...fuselages. I suppose it's possible they were talking about airplanes, but that was naturally not my first instinct.

How He Hit That - This is a recurring feature at Golf Diget's The Loop blog, typically describing a key shot struck by the winner of each week's event.  In this case, however, they're all over the ill-fated second shot of Billy Horschel yesterday on his finishing hole:

Horschel was in the middle of the fairway, 198 yards away from reaching the par 5 in two. He trailed Chris Kirk by a shot, but was playing a hole he had birdied the previous three times he played it.

Instead of setting himself up for the win -- or at least a spot in a playoff -- Horschel made what he called his worst swing of the week at TPC Boston, chunking his 6-iron so badly that it not only didn't carry the hazard in front of the green, it barely made it into the marsh. After dropping, pitching on and missing his putt, he signed for a 69 and a three-way tie for second with Russell Henley and Geoff Ogilvy.

It's always a complete shock when a Tour-caliber player lays the sod over one, but it does happen.  Here's a more technical dissertation on the phenomenon:

"A chunk isn't uncommon when pressure is at its highest," says Jorge Parada, a head instructor at the Tour Academy at TPC Sawgrass. "Your body is physically reacting to the pressure -- your pupils dilate, your muscles constrict and your breathing gets shallow. Your body moves slower, and your rhythm isn't the same. It's easy for a motion as complex as a golf swing to get thrown off."

And here's a gif of the shot:

Just a lay analysis, but I'm quite sure that constriction and dilation were in evidence, just guessing it had little to do with his eyes.

But let whoever amongst us hasn't experienced this cast the first stone.

Today's History Lesson - Loyal readers will know that I'm not a fan of the FedEx Playoff nonsense, but I do like great golf courses.  And if the circus goes to a place like Cherry Hills, which is both good and historic, then I'm apt to tune in (excepting, of course, when I'm out of the country).

So give a read to this Denver Post piece on the 17th hole at Cherry Hills, or at least resd this excerpt:

During the final round of the 1960 U.S. Open, the 48-year-old legend stood about 50 yards from the island green after his second shot on the challenging par-5 — two holes from what

would become the last time Hogan was in serious contention for a major championship. 

The cup was cut near the front of the green, situated just above the moat. Hogan was tied for the lead with Arnold Palmer. He could have played it safe by knocking a routine wedge to the center of the putting surface and all but guaranteed a par. But, as Hogan acknowledged later, he believed that Palmer, playing a group behind, would make a birdie on at least one of the final two holes. 

This was the time, Hogan thought, to take dead aim at the cup and put pressure on Palmer by making a birdie. Hogan waggled his club and attempted a delicate punch-cut pitch. His playing partner, 20-year-old amateur Jack Nicklaus, recalled in his 1997 autobiography that Hogan's pitch shot looked terrific while in the air and appeared headed straight at the pin.

But the ball landed about a foot short of perfect and it spun back into the water. Hogan removed the shoe and sock from his right foot, took a stance with that leg in the water and splashed his next shot safely onto the green, about 8 feet above the hole. He missed the par putt, however, and knew all was lost. 

No doubt you'll get your fill of that picture of Hogan with his feet in the water, though that's not how any of us should remember him. But it was truly an historic Open, with the best player of three successive generations battling down to the wire.  

And that, Dear Reader, is all for now.  Next time we meet I'll (hopefully) be on the other side of the pond.