Bonus Weekend Content

I stiffed you nice folks yesterday when I got immersed in a couple of projects (and yes, some golf was played as well), so how about I make it up to you today?

Pebble, Back To The Future - Those that have been fortunate enough to hear my Pebble rant, will remember that there are two greens on that iconic course that require demolition, to wit the 14th and 17th.  The 14th requires more time than available, but the 17th is a short analysis.  It's an hourglass-shaped green that sits at an awkward angle to the tee, and the back section has become untenable in recent years.

It's not a big factor for the Crosby, as the softer winter conditions and the fact that they only play the pin there on Sunday (the same hole locations are used the first three days, always on the front on this green).  But at the 2010 U. S. Open it became painfully evident that the best players in the world couldn't hold that green in the space available.

I had previously read of plans to deal with the 14th, so I was glad for this news:

A project that will see the iconic 17th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links have a new, but

also familiar look continues to move forward. 

Since April 29, Pebble Beach Company has been busy refurbishing the green of the par-3 17th that will result in a wider and more playable surface—expanding to approximately 5,000 square feet from its current size of 3,600 sq. feet. 

In addition to the green expansion, the front left bunker face will be lowered by approximately 2½ feet and the mounds in front of the bunker will be lowered, allowing golfers the view of the lefts side of the green from the tee. Players will now be able to see their ball land on the left portion of the green.

What happens is that over time greens shrink, in this case that front bunker has actually expanded greatly from the years of bunker explosions shots seems to be the main culprit, but mowing patterns can also be a factor.  So this green is far smaller than after the Chandler Egan redesign in 1929, though they're playing the hole at longer yardage.

Shack has been all over this issue over the years, including this article and this blog post. Here are comparison photos I've run previously, that readily depict how that bunker has encroached.

Although it's not been said publicly, I have to believe that this was a condition of the U.S.G.A. awarding Pebble the 2019 Open (to celebrate their centenary) as well as the 2018 U.S. Amateur.

Welcome To My World - Getting my clock cleaned by the Missus is a longstanding family tradition, and after last Sunday's play friends Wally and Teddy can see all too easily how it happens.  But it happened to some gents for whom it's quite the new experience, and we can only thank reader and friend Mark W. for sharing this posting from the R & A Members website:

The Monthly Medal played over the New Course on Friday 15th May 2015 was won

Lady Bonallack

by Lady Angela Bonallack with a Net 71 (80-9), and after count-back over the

last nine holes against Mr F H (Fraser) McCluskey (71-0). The significance of

this result within the context of the Club’s history really speaks for

itself and it simply remains, on behalf of all her fellow Members, for the

Club to offer its congratulations to Angela.

Fraser McCluskey was by no means left empty handed. His Net 71 made him the

winner of the 2014/15 Monthly Medal Final (Derek Macleod Trophy), contested

in the same competition by the Winners of the Monthly Medals played over the

last twelve months. He was also the winner of the 2014/15 Monthly Medal

Scratch prize, for the lowest cumulative four scratch scores (75, 68, 70, 73

= 286) returned during the 2014/15 Monthly Medal Season. His total of 286 was

12 strokes clear of Mr J T (James) Bunch in second place with 298.

I'm guessing that Fraser will be the subject of a good amount of ribbing, good-natured or not...

Great Minds Think Alike - Have you caught Rio fever yet?  Don't be selfish now, I have it on good authority that it's going to save our sport.  Turns out that one guy see it as it is:

In an interview with Reuters at the Wells Fargo Championship, Scott referred to the

Olympics as an 'exhibition,' and said he doesn't think golf belongs there. 

"Most of the athletes at the Olympics, probably have trained four years specifically to peak at this one event," said Scott. "It’s the pinnacle of their sport...They get one crack at their big thing every four years. They have put their life on hold for this event and it’s so important to them, and I feel it’s their time." 

Scott still has a shot at making the cut for the Australian Olympic team, but says he won't rearrange his schedule just because of that. 

"I'm not definitely ruling it out but certainly I'm not planning my schedule around playing the Olympics,” Scott said. "I’m planning my schedule around playing majors the best I can. If I can fit going to the Olympics into that, it might be a bit of fun, then lucky me if I qualify.

Wait until he sees the 2016 schedule, the only saving grace for him being that he's unaffected by the Ryder Cup.  And while I like his concern for the other athletes, not to worry, Adam, no one will be watching the golf.

Moves Like Jagger - Recent pugilist and acknowledged gamer Miguel Angel Jiminez can still play a little golf as well:

Though to be fair those seem to be more the moves of Chi Chi than Mick.

For reasons that remain unclear to your humble correspondent, Miggy's prize for this feat was...288 bottles of beer.  Don't they know he's more of a Rioja kind of guy?

The Reviews Are In - Whattya know, the Apple Watch is a hit with golfers... well, at least with one particular golfer.  Geoff is the anti-Stephanpoulis, as he makes his conflicts of interest immediately known to his readers:

Full disclosure: The author is a First Team All-Conference, Executive Platinum, Apple Fanboy.

Noted.  So what's the deal with this crazy watch? It turns out that Geoff's experience (three weeks) with the watch is very positive, but in a very narrow manner:

Since Phil Mickelson is about the only golfer on the planet who doesn’t seem to mind wearing a watch as he plays — it helps to be paid to wear one — the idea of the Apple Watch embellishing a golf experience was not on my radar. Instead, the promise of text and email notifications, safer directions or inspirational fitness tracking seemed more appealing. Because we all need to look at our phone less. 

To date, the notification software has been incredibly seamless, with several fun software touches adding to the pleasure of owning the watch. In the case of a few apps, like rain-forecaster Dark Sky ($3.99), the notification element can be downright jaw-dropping. In other situations, simply sitting at dinner waiting on one person who texted their ETA, allowed an interesting conversation to go on uninterrupted.

OK, but as the Lady asked, Is that all there is?  Though admittedly the Dark Sky app (pictured at right) looks interesting.  We all struggle with controlling the invasive outside world while on the golf course, but so far this just seems to be a an alternative that may appeal to some.

But Geoff makes us wait on that which is most important:

Some big-name golf-specific apps are already Apple Watch-compliant and field testing with Golf Now and Arccos will be a necessity before drawing conclusions about the accuracy and speed of yardages provided. But on the surface, they appear to be well thought out and compelling.

Get back to us then, Geoff.