Tuesday Tidbits

There is some golf being played this weekend, you just need to know where to look for it (hint, it's likely down under from where you're searching.

The Spieth Retrospective Tour - How the time flies...it was a mere twelve months ago that we were wondering if Jordan Spieth would ever get that second win.  Well we have to wonder about something, but it all seems silly given that he's winning on demand and forget that second "W", he's got his second major...

For those needing a refresher, Jordan threw up a tasty Sunday 63 in strong winds to win last year's Australian Masters, then the following week torched the field in Tigers event in Florida.  For those with the time and inclination, Golf Channel will rebroadcast that round on Wednesday at 1;00 p.m.  And he's not taking his foot off the gas pedal it seems:

World No. 1 Jordan Spieth has reset his goals after his astonishing 2015 season, but has

not lost any hunger. In the words of his Australian coach, Cameron McCormick: "He aims for the stars and challenges himself to get there.'' 

Spieth told a media conference at The Australian today that he is hellbent on winning the Emirates Australian Open again as well as Tiger Woods' tournament in America next week, just as he did in consecutive weeks in 2014. 

"I believe my best is forward,'' he said. "I believe that my prime is ahead of me. I have to believe that, but I do. Sure, if last year happens to be the best I ever have in my career, I hope that I had a few that approached it at least.''

The editors cut of Spieth's presser is below, in which I particularly like his discussion of spending a week playing "bucket list" courses such as Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath (after the 7:10 mark):

As for the fact that he arrived a week early for the Aussie Open, whereas he showed up late Monday afternoon of Open Championship week with the Grand Slam hanging in the balance, we'll just have to agree to disagree.  Yanno, Jordan, there's a couple of bucket list worthy courses in Scotland as well.

As for his comments on the Olympics (at the 17:30 mark), I've no quarrel with his excitement about marching in the opening ceremonies and hanging in the village with Usain Bolt.  As for the Olympic gold medal being up there with a major, he's very young.

The Aussie Open is being played on The Australian, Sydney's highly-regarded track that was remodeled by Jack Nicklaus.  Here's Australian course architect Mike Clayton speaking of his favorite holes on the course prior to last year's event.  Pay particular attention as there's a quiz coming:

So, remember this video from a short while back?  Is it the same Mike Clayton?

In the videos above he seems to favor a baseball cap, whereas the player below is in a visor.  I e-mailed Geoff Shackelford, who does a podcast with the Mike Clayton above, but didn't get a response.

Solo Contendere - The USGA has been a hive of rules-making mischief, and today comes word of six changes to the handicap system.  This is the one garnering the most attention:

Of note is the inadmissibility of posting solo scores for the purpose of determining a handicap. As of the new year, golfers will not be allowed to count rounds played alone toward their handicap. According to the USGA under Section 5-1: Acceptability of Scores, "this change underscores the importance of providing full and accurate information regarding a player’s potential scoring ability, and the ability of other players to form a reasonable basis for supporting or disputing a posted score."

As someone that plays a fair amount of golf on his own (on summer evenings), I've always thought that this didn't make sense.  The basic premise of the handicap systems is to create a self-governing peer review system, and the admissibility of scores without witnesses seemed to violate both the letter and spirit of the law.

The other changes are fairly arcane, with this likely the most significant:

    • Definition of a tournament score: Additional guidance is provided to Committees conducting competitions regarding the definition of a tournament score, placing greater emphasis on “significant events.” The definition excludes fundraising events and regular league play, in favor of designated competitions such as a member/guest or club championship, local amateur tournament or national qualifying and competition. (Section 2: Definitions)

I just love the bit that equates member/guests and club championships, because of their obvious similarity... I mean the one has all-day drinking, tequila girls and certain Board Members dropping trou (Inside joke for WRCC members), whereas the other is serious business.  

Shack has the full press release here.

Tour Confidential, Unplugged - The Golf Magazine weekly panel tossed around some interesting questions this week.  Shall we listen in?  First, as relates to our favorite cart driver:

1. What do you make of Davis Love's decision to appoint Tiger Woods as one of his vice captains for the 2016 Ryder Cup? And could making the appointment nearly a full year before the event in any way demotivate Woods to try and make the team as a player?

Joe Passov, senior editor, Golf Magazine: When we last tackled this possibility, I couldn't understand why Tiger would point for this role, rather than embracing the prospects of a massive comeback as a player. Permit me to flip-flop. Perhaps this is the smart route. The move displays Tiger's willingness to be a team player, in contrast to what many felt about him in his Ryder Cup past. It also puts him in line for proper ascension to the Captaincy. Finally, maybe this takes the pressure off him to mount a Ryder Cup-inspired rally in terms of performance. This way, if it happens, great. If it doesn't, he's still an integral part of the team.

Other panelists used phrases such as "facing reality", but it still mystifies me, since Davis would have afforded him the same courtesy hold on an EX-Go as he did Phil.  After all, it was Tiger and Phil that gave Davis his mulligan.  I find it passing strange that three players, Phil, Tiger and Alas, Poor Furyk, seemingly similarly situated, were treated in three completely different ways.  All without any urgency to make announcements this far in advance.

4. On Sunday, 18-year-old Lydia Ko won the Race to the CME Globe for the second straight year and has already totaled nearly $5 million in earnings. Whose teen resume is more impressive: Lydia’s or Tiger’s?

BAMBERGER: Tiger's. Those six straight USGA title he won as a teenager is golf's equivalent to DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak.

SHIPNUCK: Ko by a million miles. Tiger's cameos on Tour as a teen were nothing special at all, though it must be noted he was an amateur, not a seasoned touring pro like Ko. But what she's doing is mind-boggling, and it's an absolute pleasure to watch her play.

How's that for a hung jury?  Both of those guys know their golf and seem quite certain of their response... one panelist said it was apples and oranges, but isn't more like apples and....lug nuts?  I mean there's just little basis on which to compare the two career arcs... though, as I've said many a time, Tiger's six consecutive USGA match-play wins might be the most incredible achievement of Tiger's career, and that ain't chopped liver.

But you'll readily understand why this final question is my fave:

6. It’s Thanksgiving week! In the spirit of the holiday, who was golf’s biggest “turkey” of 2015?

Call on me, teacher, pullllleaze!.  

SHIPNUCK: DJ and Scott are excellent choices but I think Allenby has retired the category.

Dustin and Adam, please consol yourself with the knowledge that it's an honor just to be nominated.  It's simply nor fair to hold you to Allenby's standards...

Strange Bedfellows -  The PGA Tour has boldly gone against the grain of the NFL and other sports leagues:

The PGA Tour has prohibited its players from playing with or endorsing daily fantasy sports providers like DraftKings and FanDuel. 

According to a Sept. 24 memo sent to players, “fantasy gaming websites that pay out money in exchange for an entry fee, as well as other wagering websites and apps, are considered illegal in many states. Therefore, the PGA Tour will regard any player participation in these games as conduct unbecoming of a professional.”

Now this is grey area to be sure, and the Tour has sent some mixed signals:

Golf has been a growing market for daily fantasy sports providers. FanDuel does not offer golf games, but DraftKings is heavily invested in the sport, having put up $11 million through four “Millionaire Maker” contests connected to this year’s major championships. In August, DraftKings' co-founder Matt Kalish toldGolf Digest "it's phenomenal how much golf has grown over the summer. Nothing's growing faster than golf." 

The Tour’s memo, however, raises questions about its own relationship with daily fantasy sports. In March, the Tiger Woods Foundation announced a partnership with DraftKings in which the company would be designated the “Official Daily Fantasy Sports Partner” of the Quicken Loans National and the Deutsche Bank Championship.

There seems little doubt that these daily fantasy games are a scam, perhaps even more so than casino gambling.  However, to the extent that its legal and they allow Phil to bet on football, it would seem that they would be on firmer ground to ban their Tour members from participating in any golf-related betting.  

But if you've a little time, Shack helpfully posts this humorous John Oliver video on the subject.  By far the best bit is John, a Brit, correcting an American reporter's Yiddish: