Weekend Wrap

Anchors away and all, I don't need no stinkin' broomstick....

Honda Hoedown - After Saturday's bizarre doings, Sunday proved to be quite anticlimactic, though a certain Aussie with movie-star good looks will  be offering no mea culpas:

In a tight duel with Sergio Garcia for the entire round Sunday at PGA National, Scott

stayed out of the water and closed with an even-par 70 for a one-shot victory. It was his first title since Colonial in May 2014, and his first time winning with a conventional putter since the 2010 Singapore Open.

The timing of his victory also was a big statement for the 35-year-old Australian.

Scott won in just his third start since a new rule took effect that bans the anchored stroke typically used for the long putter that he had the past five years. Scott switched back for good at the Presidents Cup. This was his 10th start since then, and only twice has he finished out of the top 10.

Adam deserves credit for accepting the rule change with grace and a good attitude, no doubt helped by the fact that by the fact that it went into effect after a year of dreadful putting with the broom.

He also benefited from his pairing with Sergio, who never pressed him all day.  A bit more on that in  a sec, but first a little typically Aussie cheekiness:

But as he said last week when he finished second in the Northern Trust Open and again this week, he has no issues now and said he thinks he will be a better putter going forward because of the switch. 

The good-natured Scott also revealed he sent a long putter to Peter Dawson, former chief executive of the Royal & Ancient who was instrumental in the anchoring ban becoming a rule.

Is that the putter with which he won The Masters?  Look for it on E-bay soon...

The Tour Confidential confab tackles the issue of why Sergio gets the vapors when he's near a lead on Sunday, and they all answer along the same lines.  here's a couple of examples:

Michael Bamberger, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: I agree--there must be a mental disconnect there for Sergio. Such a talent. But he also has more moving parts in his swing and in his putting stroke than most elite players and under Sunday pressure that creates problems. 

Josh Sens, contributing writer, GOLF Magazine (@JoshSens): Hard to believe is right, but it’s sure looking like it’s going to be the lingering legacy. The back nine today was pretty much his career in microcosm. It’s not just reflected in the stats. Garcia himself has been very open about his own mental frailties, which to my mind makes him all the more compelling to watch (and an easier guy to root for), even if part of me is wincing as I wait for the meltdown. I’d love to see him win a big one, but even the final birdie he made today on 18 was emblematic of the bigger picture and suggestive of why he probably never will. He drained that putt right at the very moment when it no longer mattered.

I'm gonna go with, "Because he's Sergio."  And like Josh says, it adds a level of drama to the proceedings knowing that he's fighting more demons than most.  I could almost see myself rooting for him, though at such times this image invariably pops into my head:

Now, to be fair, he didn't actually spit, he just let it go down....and he perfectly "flushed" it, so no need for any clean-up.... Glad we cleared that up.

But do we think Sergio helps himself with these comments Saturday night:

"There's something that I don't like, and when I hear guys say, 'Oh, yeah, you won in Vietnam, or you won in Qatar, but you haven't won on the PGA Tour,' it feels like, you know, those wins don't mean anything and it's such a wrong comment," Garcia told GolfChannel after his third round at PGA National on Saturday. "Every win, every victory is difficult. It doesn't matter, even if it's against your father in your home course. Every single victory is tough. The victory in Vietnam wasn't easy. I had to play well to get that. And the victory in Qatar, same thing." 

According to Garcia, victories on the PGA Tour don't carry more weight than victories elsewhere. 

"A win is a win. It doesn’t matter where it is. To me at least, they all mean a lot and a PGA Tour win doesn’t mean more than others. They all mean a lot."

I'd say that Sergio's play on Sunday confirms that he himself doesn't believe that... and that shirt he wore Saturday should have drawn a two-shot penalty for ugliness.

Be a man Sergio, handle it like Smylie Kaufman did....in case you missed it, after rinsing a ball in The Bear Trap he deftly snapped his club over his knee.  The video is unavailable, as the Ponte Vedra Family likes it.  No fun to be had out there, it wouldn't be prudent.

Though they did let us see this, Gary Woodland with the half-Stenson:

Ah, a Jockey man I see....kind of funny that we debate allowing them to wear shorts in practice rounds...

My Thai - A noted under-achiever had herself a week out of the spotlight:

CHONBURI, Thailand (AP) -- American Lexi Thompson won her seventh LPGA title

after a final-round 68 that completed a six-stroke victory over In Gee Chun of South Korea in the final round of the LPGA Thailand at the par-72 course at the Siam Country Club on Sunday.

The 21-year-old from Florida hit an eagle on the 10th to go along with three birdies and a lone bogey for a 20-under-par total of 268 to become the first American winner of the tournament.

"I never like to count it as a win until it's over. I just try to play aggressive and play my best out there," said the No. 4-ranked player whose four-shot advantage at the start of the final round was reduced to one after the Korean opened with three straight birdies.

Kind of curious that timing, you'll agree, since I've referred to Lexi previously as the Adam Scott of the LPGA.... Ron Sirak on Morning drive noted that she had a good week with the putter, and  is she putts well she can run away from the field.  Of course the obvious question is whether it's a one-off or she's actually improved.

Dinner at Jack's, The Backlash - Before we dive into the cognitive dissonance, a little perspective

from the man himself:

As for the Ryder Cup dinner, Nicklaus said he enjoyed telling stories and was flattered to be part of it -- although he wonders how much influence it will be when the Ryder Cup rolls around in September. 

"I can't imagine how them coming over to have dinner at an old man's house is going to help any," he said.

Something we should all keep in mind....I'll also recommend this Derek Lawrenson take on the evening from a location deep within the enemy camp:

So that's 3 of the 4 major
food groups.

There have been a number of captains on both sides who have organised well-meaning bonding events in the past and to be frank, almost to a man they have proven a disaster. 

Not this one. Not when Nicklaus sends out an invitation — as Sportsmail revealed last month. Dustin Johnson wasn’t even playing in the event Nicklaus was hosting last week, the Honda Classic, but he flew in. One vice-captain, Tom Lehman, flew 2,500 miles from Arizona to be there while another, Jim Furyk, drove six hours from his home in Ponte Vedra.

Why anyone would turn down dinner at Jack and Barbara's is a mystery....

There were a few absentees. World No 1 Jordan Spieth had a good excuse since he’s in the midst of a manic run leading up to his defence of the Masters in April while Patrick Reed had to visit a sick family member. But virtually everyone else was there, from legends like Tiger and Phil Mickelson to certainties like Rickie Fowler and Johnson, to wannabes who just felt privileged to be asked, like Ben Martin, Zac Blair and John Huh.

Huh?  Sorry, couldn't resist, but what was he doing there?  There's lots of happy talk about changing the culture, none of which would matter if they could, you know, make a few putts.

But Shack picks up on a thought I had, which was to wonder if anyone was overlooked.... 

This week's dinner at the Nicklaus home was notable for who was not invited: Justin Thomas. I didn't think much of who wasn't there until Tim Rosaforte explained the absence of Thomas today on Morning Drive. Even though Thomas won a tour event last fall (CIMB Classic), is ranked 40th in the world, and has spoken of his priority in winning a Ryder Cup over a major, he was outside the top 40 in Ryder Cup points when invitations were sent in mid-February. No invite for you Mr. Budding Star! 

Keegan Bradley, who has dropped to 88th, was invited because he was inside the top 40 when the invites were sent out, reported Rosaforte. He also noted that Thomas gave him a "whatever" when asked to comment on his reaction to not getting invited. (Whatever, in millennial-speak, lands somewhere between bummed and heartbroken and angry.)

So, Keegs, Zach Blair and John Huh got invited, but no Justin Thomas?  Here's Shack's coda:

If the Team USA leadership isn't more careful going forward, what seemed like a logical effort to create a "team" could actually fracture relations. And since we now know that you can lose two holes in one team match, it appears the first major initiative from the Ryder Cup task force and captain Davis Love has put Team USA two down after one.

And a note to Justin.... if you really want a spot on the Ryder Cup team, winning a major is a good way to make that happen.

But I've never worried about the guys getting along... now making some putts, that's a different matter entirely.

Adventure Golf Travel -  As some of you know, I take a particular pleasure in finding my way to some of the more out-of-the-way destinations in our game, such as Machrihanish and Askernish most recently.  But I'm a piker compared to this guy....

In a Nutshell: Pyongyang Golf Course is North Korea’s only golf course. As an avid golfer, I just had to play it. Made famous thanks to Kim Jong-Il’s miracle score, I added an 18-hole visit to my itinerary and it turned out to be a round I’d never forget. Inspecting a supermarket, coming within arms-reach of Kim Jong-Un’s luxury yacht and running an impromptu North Korean golf clinic — this was my day at Pyongyang Golf Course.

You will want to read the whole thing, as we don't get reports from the hermit Kingdom all that often.  here's a little more:

Bizarre, surreal and exclusive, Pyongyang Golf Course sits between a rock and a hard place, providing a morally conflicting spot of fun within an otherwise dark, oppressive nation of well publicised human rights violations. Situated across arguably the most secretive border on earth, the course is guarded by well over ten million active, reserve and paramilitary personnel and requires express permission to visit — Augusta eat your heart out. Technically a public course, you won’t find a soul here, it’s played only by a handful of the regime’s elite, and well…open to tourists both crazy enough to find themselves within North Korea and who want to play golf. Apparently that’s rare. 

But most famously to foreigners, Pyongyang Golf Course holds an interesting place in North Korean legend. Seemingly off limits to mere mortals; as the myth goes, it was here Supreme Leader Kim Jong-Il redefined golf as we know it, shattering the PGA tour record of 59 in his first ever round with a score of just 34 strokes. His feat was witnessed by a handful of state officials, the news shared to the people of North Korea. It even included five hole in one’s.

That'll put the Pine Valley Police Department to shame....  I think I most enjoyed the bit about getting lost trying to find the golf club.   And how about this Google Earth view of the golf course?

That white thing in the top-center of the frame is Kim Jong-Un's yacht.... When your boat can be seen from earth orbit it's really more of a cruise ship.

Read the whole thing, as it's a wild ride.

Sunday Supplement

Just think of this as that free standing insert in your Sunday newspaper... Do they still print FSI's?  Heck, do they still print newspapers?

Scenes From Moving Day - Move they did, in all sorts of crazy directions...  When last we spoke Rickie was Colossus bestriding the Earth.... Now, not so much:

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) One bad swing by Adam Scott led to two balls in

the water on the same hole Saturday in the Honda Classic. Even with a quadruple bogey, he managed to be satisfied with a 4-under 66 and a share of the lead with Sergio Garcia.

A bizarre and breezy afternoon ended at PGA National with two players whose fortunes changed mightily in the final hour.

Scott looked better than ever, 7 under through 14 holes and only once having to save par. He was three shots ahead going to the tee on the par-3 15th, and it was starting to look like a runaway. Some 20 minutes later, he was one shot behind Garcia.

''Pretty costly,'' Scott said. ''But fortunately, I had a couple shots to spare. Hopefully, it won't cost me too big in the grand scheme of things.''

To clarify, no matter how bad any one swing is, it doesn't cause two balls to rinse....that requires a second bad swing or misjudgment.  And while I'm as big a fan of alliteration as any, I'll grant him the bizarre but where was this breeze he speaks of?  

Thing is, before rinsing those two Scott was on one of those rolls that looks like he should have a big "S" on his chest.  Remember a few years ago when Kevin Streeleman birdied the final seven holes to win in Hartford?  You watch that kind of streak in some level of awe, but you still know it's Kevin Streelman and he'll regress to the mean.  But you watch Adam birdie seven of the first fourteen, and you think he should do this every day.  

For the first three rounds Scott's Strokes Gained- Putting is +.220, a level at which he's capable of winning due to his superior ball-striking.  But no doubt he was below average before he started holing everything yesterday, so he'll need to keep the putter at least at room temperature to seal the deal.  But still, 66 with a quad is something we don't see every day...

And how about the virus that infected the final pairing?  Shack got video of Jimmy Fowler being introduced on the first tee here,   Though Rickie Walker actually played far worse than Jimmy Fowler, posting a 79 to 74.  Though I might have those mixed up...  Geoff attributes the posting of that video to somebody in Fortress Ponte Vedra growing a funny bone... I don't know, let's give it a day and see if any of the VP's resigns to spend more time with his family.

In giving NBC props yesterday, I forgot to note the use of multiple anemometers to demonstrate wind speed and direction on different sections of the golf course.  Yes, NBC, we know you'll be covering the Open Championship, but still a cool graphic that shows the variability of wind, even on relatively calm days in South Florida.

Given that the two players that have separated themselves from the field both need a win pretty badly but are also known to lose control of their putters under pressure, who knows what could happen out there today?  Blayne Barber anyone?

Open Season on Trump - The intersection of golf and politics has been more than a bit depressing this year, though if you can put aside the little matter of the future of our way of life it offers its amusements.

Exhibit A has been the media's treatment of one Donald Trump.... Spy Magazine, a wonderful publication alas no longer with us, used to call him a short-fingered vulgarian, and that wa sback in the 1980's.... so where are all the exposes of his shady business deals and outrageous and irreconcilable public statements?  That's easy, they're in inventory awaiting the Field Marshall Rodham's order to commence assault...

Though in the last couple of days Chris Christie has informed me that Trump is the one candidate Hillary (and perhaps especially Bill) don't want to have to deal with...  Chris wouldn't lie to me, would he?  

It's that context that makes a couple of N. Y. Times hit pieces so curious.....mostly the timing thereof, though the items themselves seem laughably inept, the first under this header:

Donald Trump in New York: Deep Roots, but Little Influence

So, whattya got?  here's the lede:

It is impossible to miss when you fly into New York City and spot the golf course in the

shadow of the Whitestone Bridge. It is hard to avoid when you stroll along Fifth Avenue, or venture past the skating rink or carousel in Central Park. And it is there in bright lights, no less, when you pass the sleek hotel near the entrance to the Holland Tunnel: the name of Donald J. Trump. 

Mr. Trump has embraced his roots as a New Yorker as being crucial to his presidential bid, and in so doing, the Republican candidate has given the impression as he crossed the country that he is a force to reckon with in the city of his birth.

 Hey, you got Zamboni's with your name on it?  But here's the gist of Pravda's case:

His real estate holdings in New York are modest; he did not make the top 10 in lists of major condominium developers and power players in real estate in the city, as judged by several publications. He does not belong to trade groups like the Real Estate Board of New York or the Association for a Better New York. He rarely interacts with top politicians or government officials, or contributes to campaigns. Discussions about a bid for governor in 2014 never got off the ground. 

Though he portrays himself as a major developer, his companies’ highest profile ownership stakes in real estate in New York include an office building on Wall Street; part of another on Avenue of the Americas; commercial space at Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, where he lives; and parking below the Trump Plaza on East 61st Street. 

“It’s a very successful garage,” he said in a telephone interview.

I love the image of a group of Times' editors sitting around and talking as if this is some powerful indictment....  Really, he doesn't belong to the Real Estate Board?   The scandal...  And he might be leading the Republican race for President, but his feelers about running for Governor went nowhere.

And, as they make clear later on, Trump is no Bill de Blassio, and they say it as if that would be a negative.... he's not like the guy that decided to honeymoon in Castro's Cuba.  I'm OK with that...

And the latest hit piece by Joe Nocera does have a golf connection, though with this detour through the USFL:

When last we left Donald J. Trump, at least here on the sports page, we were recalling

the time he owned the New Jersey Generals in the short-lived United States Football League. Trump bought the Generals in 1983, after their first season, and immediately began pushing the league to move its season from the spring to the fall and take on the mighty N.F.L. His campaign generated a tremendous amount of publicity for Trump, but produced nothing but misery for the other owners. After a Trump-orchestrated antitrust suit against the N.F.L. backfired spectacularly, the once-promising U.S.F.L. went kaput.

Got it Joe, you're just following orders, but the USFL?  And a professional sports team owner promoting himself, I'll alert the media...Oh, right.  

But to the heart of the matter:

But I was recently alerted to a dispute at a Trump-owned golf resort in Jupiter, Fla., which suggests that his football follies weren’t a one-off. In this dispute, members say Trump, who in 2012 bought what is now called Trump National Jupiter from Marriott Vacations Worldwide, basically stiffed them out of their refundable deposits, many of which were in the range of $200,000. Some of the members had to swallow the loss (in return for some paltry benefits) because they had bought time shares or homes that were part of the resort development. Others negotiated settlements. Still others sued. One suit has gained class-action status, and if a federal judge doesn’t dismiss the case between now and June (unlikely), it will go to trial.

Did tat alert happen to come from a private server in a bathroom in Chappaqua, NY?

To be clear, Trump's business should be a gold mine of oppo research opportunities....  In a world where Mitt Romney was an ogre for running a reputable private equity firm, how is a NYC real estate developer going to look to the masses?  Wow, he didn't pay his subcontractors in full....get out much, Joe?

It's equally perplexing that his Republican took so long to start attacking him for this stuff (and really, Trump University and the serial bankrupting of the casinos seems like lower-hanging fruit) and that these Democratic operatives with bylines are seemingly attacking him just a tad too early.  Of course, they're under orders, and maybe Christie is right....

Thirteenth Reax - Will Gray talks to few players about yesterday's news from Augusta, and they seem really excited:

After completing his third round at the Honda Classic, Billy Horschel offered a candid dissent to potential changes. 

“If they move that tee back any more, if they buy land and move the tee back and move it back by 40 yards – I may get kicked out of there, but it’s the dumbest thing in the world,” Horschel said. “I mean, I’m being nice about it. I think it’s a great hole already. Golf is going in the wrong direction by adding length to the golf course.”

And Phil:

“Wow, I thought it made a big impact when they moved it back already,” said three-time Masters champ Phil Mickelson when told of the possible changes. “But there are still guys that can take it over the corner and take it over the trees. I mean, there’s only like five of them, but there’s still some. So I guess I understand it, they’re trying probably to eliminate that for the entire field.”

Like many, the shot that came to mind was Bubba's monster tee shot in the final round in 2014, but here's Horschel again:

According to Horschel, the aggressive tee shot those changes might eliminate is just an example of the risk-reward nature that makes No. 13 one of the best holes in its current form.

Bubba was more than  a little fortunate that that shot cleared, but we certainly wouldn't want to encourage players to take aggressive lines off the tee.... wouldn't be prudent.  Far better that they hit 5-irons off the tee and all lay-up to the same spot on fairway.

A Fun Day of Golf - Via Shack, I'll go out on a limb and guess that this guy didn't break the course record:

Do we think that the TaylorMade guys subscribe to the old adage that there's no such thing as bad publicity?

Loose Ends

Ski conditions are such that there's no need to rush up to the mountain early....Aren't you a lucky bunch of readers but just remember this when we get back to pegging it.

Honda Stuff - We could have a spirited debate about who is the best golfer on the planet, but there seems little doubt who the hottest golfer is:

Fowler got back to work last week in Florida after his big disappointment in the Phoenix

Open and shot the course record at The Medalist (66). The next day, he went an hour north to The Floridian and shot 60 to break the course record held by Justin Thomas.

He set a more obscure record Friday with his 4-under 66 to build a one-shot lead over Jimmy Walker. Fowler became the first player to go bogey-free over the opening 36 holes in the Honda Classic since it moved to PGA National in 2007. 

"That's a big accomplishment around this golf course - not just one day, but back-to-back," Fowler said. "So pleased with how I've managed my game."

It's just a hot streak, isn't it?  He's just in that place where you know you're going to play well, though it's all, as the man said, small potatoes for another five weeks.

The bogey-free streak is an oddity, but it's worth a quick look at this recovery shot that kept it intact.  Rickie of the jungle indeed....

And here's a rather unusual golf story:

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – PGA Tour player Jason Bohn suffered a “mild” heart attack following the second round of the Honda Classic and was listed in stable condition and resting at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center on Friday evening, according to the PGA Tour. 

The Tour confirmed through Bohn’s agent, IMG’s Justin Richmond, that Bohn experienced chest pains after finishing his round at PGA National on Friday afternoon and went directly to the on-site medical center, whose staff in turn recommended that Bohn get in an ambulance to the nearby hospital. Tests confirmed he’d had a mild heart attack. Further tests are scheduled to be conducted Saturday.

Bohn, 42, is in his 13th season on the PGA Tour, having won twice and made more than $15.7 million in career earnings. He told Golfweek on Wednesday that he had been feeling very sick of late, falling ill on the eve of the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He was diagnosed with two strains of the flu as well as bronchitis.

Did you watch any of it?  Props to NBC which quite noticeably upped their game this week from the dreadful CBS broadcasts of the West Coast Swing.  They used shot tracker liberally but to great effect, and while the Scotttrade plugs wear thin, it remains a net positive.  They also added a target graphic on a number of holes, very helpful on a typically feature-less South Florida course.

And as a fan of fun golf nbames, you know I'd latch onto the two young South Africans making their way onto tour, Dawie Van Der Walt and Tyrone Van Aswegan.  Does anyone have just two names anymore?  Can't wait to hear Sir Nick mumble his way through those....

It had seemed to me that Rory was going to play altogether too much golf in the run-up to Augusta, but perhaps it's only half as much as it initially seemed.... Have a nice weekend, Rors.

Ryder Ruminations - By now you know the story and have seen the photo.... For those just returning from interstellar travel, Jack and Barbara hosted a dinner for Ryder Cup hopefuls.  Here's the pic:

I think we can all agree that if Jack invites you to dinner, you go....  But folks will have their fun with the confab, such as this observation about Phil and Jamie Lovemark:

Lovemark's like, "Best! Night! Ever!" Phil's like, "This kid better not ask me for my autograph."

See that's why there's horse racing, because wouldn't itt have been funnier if Jamie Lovemark were the saying he better not ask for an autograph.

Duf just told Keegan he's regretting that third bratwurst.

Now that's unnecessarily hurtful for the newly-slimmed-down Duf... But more importantly, what's Keegs doing at a party for Ryder Cup hopefuls?  Was he Duf's Plus One?

Other folks there for unclear reasons included Ben Martin, Brian Harmon and the aforementioned Keegs and Jaime.... It appears the ability to fog a mirror was the standard applied.

Now, this helps us win...how?

Sigh - What do you do when you possess possibly the best golf hole in the world?  OK, that's a somewhat subjective category, but where would you start your list of the best Par-5's on the planet?  I know, the way overrated 18th at Pebble would garner many votes (whereas both the 14th and 6th are better golf holes), but no one could list five without naming the 13th at Augusta National.

It's the ultimate risk-reward hole, and it isn't unpleasant to look at either, though the effort to control the azaleas is a bit much.  So, back to my question, you'd of course change it....because you can.

Augusta National Golf Club's 13th hole is arguably the most famous par 5 in golf, and certainly, one of the most recognizable holes in the world. And now it appears headed for what will undoubtedly be one of the most scrutinized facelifts in golf history. 

Golfweek has learned Augusta National is close to a deal with its neighbor, Augusta Country Club, to purchase land that borders its 12th green and 13th tee. No changes are planned for the par-3 12th, but the club is looking to push the 13th tee back about 50 yards. The dogleg-left par-5 currently plays 510 yards. 

Currently, Augusta Country Club's ninth hole sits just behind Augusta National's 12th green and 13th tee. In addition to paying for the land -- a price tag believed to be $27 million -- Augusta National would offer to hire someone to redo Augusta's ninth hole, according to Golfweek's report. The move is also being done to add a service road back there and more of a buffer between the two courses.

Why?  What exactly is wrong with it as currently configured?

It's a classic Par-4 1/2, but it works because of the sharp dogleg on the tee shot.  But it's hole on which the player simply has to make a four to keep up with the field, and that brings risky shots into the equation (see: Mickelson, Phil).  

Now we'll get to see the best players in the world....laying up.  I can't contain my excitement.  Who knew Zach Johnson had that kind of influence?

OK, I was about to move on, but Shack just posted on the subject, with these amusing negotiation details from Alex Micelli:

The anticipated purchase price of the parcel is believed to be $27 million and they have offered services to an architect to build a new ninth hole for Augusta Country Club. 

However, a source indicated that getting to that price was not easy, with a low initial offer of just $1 million from ANGC and a counteroffer of $50 million from ACC.

The eventual back and forth of offer and counteroffer left some residual bad feelings around town, the source told Golfweek.

Does anyone remember the Masters where Tiger was almost hit by a ball from ACC while on the 12th green?

I'm officially depressed, so we'll leave things here. 

Friday Fragments

Another day of spring skiing awaits, so without further ado....

Honda Happenings - A good day for one of our faves in tough conditions:

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) -- Sergio Garcia made an eagle, avoided an alligator and wound up in a share of the lead Thursday in the Honda Classic.

Garcia holed out with an 8-iron from 142 yards into the wind on the second hole for an eagle, and he narrowly missed an eagle putt on the 18th hole at PGA National. The Spaniard shot 5-under 65 and shared the lead with Michael Thompson, the 2013 Honda Classic winner, who also birdied the last hole.

They were one shot ahead of Rickie Fowler and William McGirt.

It was much ado about nothing, though that's easy for me to opine after the fact.  And the rumor that Tiger tried to get a wager down on the alligator could not be confirmed  by press time.

Shack's got the video of Sergio, and also the funnier one of a goose that refused to take anything from Chesson Hadley.

Jeff Babineau assures us that Rory is headed in the right direction on his trek to Augusta:

And now McIlroy is healthy once more, and hungry once more, too. It was four years

ago at this very event that McIlroy not only won the tournament, holding off a hard-charging Tiger Woods – who stirred the masses with a Sunday 63 – but he also ascended to another post quite familiar to Woods, the world’s No. 1 ranking. 

“Enjoy the view,” tweeted Luke Donald, himself a former World No. 1. 

McIlroy did enjoy the taste, and now he’s trying to do the things he needs to do to get back atop the podium. Next week at Trump National Doral, just an hour south down Florida's Turnpike, McIlroy, Spieth and Day will tee it up against one another for the first time since the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Maybe, but I'm guessing that item was posted before his ugly 72, that again featured missed short putts.  Phil played better than Rory, but his best shot was this photobombing of a couple of unsuspecting spectators:

I'm guessing they didn't object.....

Awkwardness Ahead - I thought this to be a done deal, but it turns out that social progress does not adhere to schedules:

An admission by Martin Slumbers, the R&A’s chief executive, that it is “highly unlikely” Royal Troon will be a mixed gender club in time for its staging of the 145th Open Championship in July demands explanation, and the sooner the better. 

It was the Ayrshire club itself, after all, that used the word “shortly” in the press release issued on 27 January last year to announce it was to embark on a “comprehensive review” of membership policy and there was no disguising, surely, what that meant.

So, what's the hang-up?

In short, there is an element of the membership that want it to remain men-only, despite the lead having been taken by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews when it voted in favour of admitting women, and Royal St George’s subsequently following suit. 

Slumbers was being diplomatic when he said that Royal Troon deserved “respect and the freedom to consult with their members as they wish”. Privately, though, he’d surely rather be overseeing his first Open Championship since taking up the reins from Peter Dawson without this thorny issue hanging over the event.

An element?  C'mon guys, get with the program.  Allow in two well-connected yet elderly ladies, you know the kind that understand they're not to show up terribly often, and the world will move on.

Exit question:  The last Open held at Troon was in 2004.... anyone remember the winner?  Answer below if I, you know, remember....

Millennial Mishegoss - But I repeat myself.... If you think our national leadership is somewhat lacking, our game seems ti be in similarly-disappointing hands.  You will likely not have heard of Steve Mona, but he's the CEO of the World Golf Foundation, and oversees the First Tee Program.

He recently sat for an extended state of the game interview, and there's more nonsense than one blogger can handle....  Shack does quite the righteous job of Fisking his millennial madness here, and I'll pile on in a sec.  But first comes a short discussion of using alternative golf experiences to drive higher participation rates, things like TopGolf, computer and simulator golf and foot golf.  I know, it takes a committee to confirm that the guy on the golf simulator is already a golfer....  Never saw that coming.

But then there was this:

Steve Mona (r) with the PGA's pete Bevaqua.

We did see a connection with Top Golf and FootGolf. So we are going to be working with both of those entities to see if we can make the connection even tighter, if you will, so that we can bring people who are patronizing Top Golf facilities, or like facilities because there will be other versions of it under different brand names – it’s the American Way, right? – and formalize a process to go from Top Golf to Get Golf Ready, or whatever the program might be. The same effort will be made with FootGolf. It doesn’t have the same conversion percentage and not as broad in terms of participation as Top Golf, but the advantage is you are already at a golf facility. Long story short, that’s where we are going to put our emphasis in 2016.

Geez, Steve, any clue as to why that conversion rate might be lower?  How about because it's not, you know, GOLF!  Just spitballin' here....  But it's the millennial stuff where he makes me laugh, but also fear for the future of our game.

So, let's dive in:

GW: How is the industry trying to engage a younger audience? 

SM: The Millennial committee started meeting this year – I joined the first conference call, gave them the broad parameters and that was the end of me. It’s made up of all Millennials, as it should be. It’s a blend of people from inside and outside the industry, including people from some of the big tech firms. Long story short, the final report and recommendations aren’t officially made yet, but I can tell you the direction we’re heading.

 Wow, a committee....wish I'd a thought of that.  Shack is also all over the imagery:

Picture a group of twentysomethings--some ink, some beards, some flat-brims (backwards), sometimes looking up from their phones--sitting on the conference call with World Golf Foundation CEO Steve Mona to discuss their findings.

I'm guessing more than "some" ink and I don't see the bit about them looking up from their phones.  Ever....  but let's keep moving:

There are three separate strategies. One is ensuring that golf facilities are “Millennial ready” because if we start driving Millennials to golf facilities and they show up, and it’s not the experience we promised that defeats the purpose. 

GW: What does “Millennial-ready” mean? 

SM: It could mean different things to different facilities but what it means is that it is an environment that Millennials feel comfortable in. Addressing things like dress code and technology on the golf course.

Will we be certifying facilities as Millennial-Ready?  But is this all, because at most public golf courses you basically only need to be dressed and no one gives a hoot about your phone?

Things like music on the golf course and alcohol on the golf course.

That sound you hear is the palm of my hand meeting my forehead, because I know millennials invented everything, but reports of alcohol being sold on golf courses predate Da Anderson. 

But this is a man with big plans:

The other is go where the Millennials are.

Huh?  How are you going to get into their parent's basement?

There are places like Coachella (Music Festival), Lollapalooza, South by Southwest, that we don’t have a presence.

Ummmm...you need a presence at music festivals to do what?  There's more drivel to come:

Even if we can just go there and see what it’s about and figure out how we might be able to connect better, we’re going to do that. We tend to get very insular as an industry and talk to ourselves and we don’t get out as much as we should, in this case where Millennials gather and, learn from that.

The third piece is the whole communications message/marketing piece, and that is the least defined right now. Those are the three specific tasks being taken. In all four cases, I want to make the point that these are not one-and-dones.

As The Donald would say, it's gonna be YUUUUUUUUGE.  

Don't you get the sense that he's a bit embarrassed by his paymasters?  This is all so much nonsense that it's hard to believe that anyone believes it....  but isn't it all based on a sense that this generation couldn't possibly be interested in our stupid game?

For centuries each successive generation has found it's way to golf, admittedly in niche-like numbers.  So, it has to be asked, what's changed?  Now one obvious issue is the economics of it all.  An expensive hobby in a time of economic stagnation can be an obvious problem.  As the twenty-somethings struggle to start careers (hence the incredibly funny basement bon mot above), golf will be a luxury outside their grasp.

But we need to focus on mechanisms to get golf clubs into the hands of as many folks as possible, and ease their learning curve where possible.  That's why The First tee makes sense, especially as it grabs kids at a young age.  I'm skeptical of TopGolf actually creating golfers, but it at least involves an actual golf experience, as distinct from Foot Golf.  As always, struggling golf course operators will innovate to attract business, and they won't be taking dictation from Steve's Millennial Committee, and thank god for that.

Midweek Mishegoss

I'm safely ensconced in the Unplayable Lies Western HQ, so let the blogging commence....

The Florida Swing - While I still have a few weeks of turns ahead of me, the signs of Spring are irrefutable....  Pitchers and catchers have reported to Spring Training, The NBA and NHL are a mere six months from the start of their playoffs (I kid) and the PGA Tour is in Florida.

Now you don't need to be Charles Blair Macdonald to guess how our Shack will feel about these venues, but the header on his Forward Press feature gives the game away:

Forward Press: Goodbye West Coast, hello animal-branded golf!

C'mon Geoff, tell us how you really feel.  He'll do his best, but his heart really isn't in it:

The PGA Tour’s move this week kicks off with the Bear Trap Classic, also once fondly called the Honda. Branding the course’s finishing stretch as the Bear Trap after course architect Jack “Golden Bear” Nicklaus, while cute at first, threatens to make fans turn on what has become a strong kick off to the Florida Swing.

OK, I must have been out of town that weekend when it was cute....  

“There’s a contrast to between the beauty of the West Coast to the sort of do-or-die nature of almost every shot you see coming down the stretch at the Florida Swing,” says Chamblee. 

The most subtle contrast is in the grassing. Bermuda’s grayish lack of difference between fairways and roughs doesn’t pop on television like the west coast’s dark green cool season grasses or yellow-green desert contrasts. Instead, there’s water and sand. And plenty of over stretches of holes. 

The focus on some stretches and attempts to hype them at PGA National, Trump Doral and Innisbrook could be seen as a lighthearted bit of corny branding. Because who doesn’t love a bear and a snake and a monster?

I'll say it again in a few weeks, but the shame is Innisbrook playing along, which only diminishes the one interesting venue in the Florida Swing.  Of course they're far enough North that they have features such as trees and elevation changes to avoid the endless cycle of water, sand, rinse and repeat of South Florida.

Of course there's far more to the Bermuda grass that goes with the territory, as I think its biggest effect is on the greens.  

On a related subject, Van Cynical had this from his weekly mail bag:

Hey Van Cynical, Why do the TV commentators fuss about the Bear Trap, which

was golf course marketing, and not created by competition? #NoAmenCorner—Paul Emerson via Twitter 

Hang on there, Ralph Waldo—are you telling me you’re shocked that a TV network would hype one of its own entertainment shows? The Bear Trap is a mess, a perfect example of bad modern golf design--a stretch of golf holes designed to be unplayable in the wind which, oh yeah, it’s usually windy in south Florida. It only got worse when they put up that hokey bear statue. At least when fans see that, they’re more careful about dropping lit matches. I am on the same page with you, Ralph Waldo. I am not a fan.

They really are quite the mess....as for the commentators, they have qay too much airtime to fill.  

But the most significant aspect of the Florida swing is that it puts us into a manageable glide path to Augusta....  And that's to be celebrated.

Wither Tiger - I've not has much interest in the idle speculation about Tiger's rehab process, but if we're in the glide path to The Masters it's fair to ask whether we might see him there.  It would be far from the first time he'd play there without a tune-up....

You might be interested in this Tony Finau tweet:

Wanna bet Tiger did this as an F-You to Dan Jenkins?  The buried lede (per Shack) is that Tiger took care of the bill....  But Tiger has reclaimed his status among homo erectus (I know, Tiger had lifetime status there), so we have that going for us....

And the man himself posted this video of an actual golf swing...

Shack gets off a good one here:

**And Tiger posted this today...with a date in the upper left. Much more 21st century than trying to hit a golf ball holding today's newspaper.

The swing doesn't look so hot, but it's better than most. Better than most.

 OK, two good ones, actually, but I've always been a fan of hostage humor....

Wither The Donald - Eamon Lynch post an amusing take on the Donald and golf, though he may have fallen for the dreaded reverse-Costanza:

“Small potatoes.”

During a week in which Donald Trump sparred with the pope, accused George W. Bush of lying us into the Iraq War and repeated (favorably) a debunked tale of Muslims being shot with bullets dipped in pig’s blood, you can be forgiven for failing to notice his throwaway comment about tiny tuber crops.

Did you catch that URL?  Who knew that Newsweek still existed...  I mean, waiting for a news-weekly to inform as to what happened in the last week seems a business model uniquely suited to the 21st century.  But I digress....  Here's the gist of it:

While campaigning in South Carolina last week, Trump addressed a rally in Kiawah Island, the famed golf community. Speaking with his usual combination of incoherence and immodesty, he told the crowd that the developers of Kiawah had also built Doonbeg, the resort on Ireland’s west coast that Trump purchased two years ago. 

“I bought it a number of years ago, and during the downturn in Ireland I made a good investment. It is an incredible place,” Trump said. “We spent a lot of money on making it just perfect, and now it’s doing great.” (Recently filed accounts showed a loss of $2.7 million in the first year of his ownership.) 

It’s what Trump said next that matters. 

“But I don’t care about that stuff anymore. It is like small potatoes, right? I’ll let my kids run it, have fun with it, let my executives have a good time, but I don’t care about it. I care about making America great again. That’s what I care about.”

Small potatoes. That’s us, he’s talking about. Golf. 

While executives in the sport fretted about how best to break up with Trump, he’s pulled a George Costanza and broken up with them.

As much as I also use George Costanza as a how-to guide for decisions large and small, I think Eamon errs here.  The Donald has clearly staked out the "It's not me, it's you" turf, hence the reverse-Costanza.

Here's Eamon's best bon mot, before we move on:

For the PGA Tour, next week is the equivalent of a date night with someone you’ve already served divorce papers on.

It's pretty clear that he won't be there, as he'll be crowing about his sweep of Super Tuesday primaries and reviewing preliminary bids to add his bust to Mount Rushmore.  Ewan Murray, whose Guardian account of the Martin Slumbers press availabilty seems in a follow-up item to be singing a somewhat different tune:

One glance at Slumbers’ increasingly uncomfortable demeanour on Monday, however, illustrated the impact of the Trump/Turnberry union. The issue here is straightforward; can the R&A retain the Ailsa course as an Open venue while Trump – advocating blocking Mexicans, banning Muslims and causing widespread offence as part of his campaign to become president of the United States – holds the keys? Surely the alliance is at best incongruous, at worst impossible? 

Slumbers seemed somewhat taken aback by the level of scrutiny afforded to this topic, offering a continual willingness to “focus on the golf”. Good luck with that, as the world and its uncle offer opinion on what penalties or otherwise should be attached to Trump’s vociferously stated views. The chief executive slipped down the disappointing and cliched road of being unwilling to publicly mix sport and politics; not only is that crossover the very essence of this debate, it is ludicrous to insist the two never shall meet. 

Just when the R&A stepped into something approaching modernity with the acceptance of female members, another monumental narrative with far-reaching implications landed at the door.

Monumental?  My, aren't we the drama queen.....  We're staring down the barrel of a Hillary-Trump presidential race and he's worried about where an Open will be held sometime in the 2020's?  

Curmudgeonly James Corrigan is perfectly willing to sell the world's only super power down the river to, you know, save golf:

The PGA Tour must look at the R&A – which this week bought itself some breathing 

Edvard Munch, call your office.

room with its revelation that, due to scheduling requirements, Trump Turnberry could not host the Open Championship until 2022 at the earliest. 

But maybe there is some hope for the PGA Tour and for all those who do not wish once again to witness the putrid sight of Trump overshadowing a golf event, just as he did at last year’s Women’s British Open. When talking about his extensive golf portfolio last week, Trump said: “I don’t care about that stuff anymore. It is like small potatoes, right? I’ll let my kids run it, have fun with it… I don’t care about it. I care about making America great again.” 

It is perhaps as much as the game could possibly hope – he has bigger to fish to fry. The world’s loss could just turn out to be golf’s huge gain. Small mercies and all that.

Well, that's a relief....as long as Commissioner Ratched doesn't have to endure any awkward moments, it's all good.

But does it seem to you that the golf world is taking his comments a little too literally?  I get that if your focus is to Make America Great Again™ that chasing a little white ball might seem insignificant and all...

My sense is to view this as an ongoing negotiation between His Donaldness and the golf authorities, especially those that control major championships.  The R&A has just told him that they'll keep him in limbo for a few years and the USGA and PGA will do likewise, because what else could they do?  So, what's the only logical reaction given that there's nothing that can be accomplished in the present?  To say, as he just clearly did, it's not important to me.... it's, what's that phrase, small potatoes....  

If only someone had written a book about this...

The Road Ahead - Gary Van Sickle (yes, him again) and the unknown-to-me Jake Nichols hold up their binoculars and try to discern what's coming....  The former gives a pro-con for each of the big three, such as this:

1. Jordan Spieth is poised to defend his Masters championship and start another Grand Slam chase.

2. Jordan Spieth is already out of gas, and the first major is still more than a month away.

Right now they're both equally true, but that club he's tossing above will likely tell that tale... My guess, but it's just a guess, is that he'll struggle more than most folks expect.  Because, you know, golf.

The latter's header tells all you need to know:

Rickie and Phil Could Crash the Big Three's Party This Summer

That's a weird formulation, methinks, since the two are so differently situated.  But he has data, so it must be true... 

Certainly Rickie is on form and we know how hungry he'll be for a major....  but he's a threat every week.

Phil is another kettle of fish entirely.  I certainly agree that his early-season form is encouraging, though I still find the Pebble Sunday a bit of a red flag.  But with Phil there's only two weeks on the calendar that matter, one in April and the second in mid-June.

Though if we're talking Augusta, I think you need to have Bubba on your list as well.  I hear talk that the golf course suits his fickle eye...

Back to van Cynical's mailbag, with this about said Masters:

Hey Vance No-Pants Cynical, What happens if Tiger can’t play the Masters?—DeCinces898 via email 

Columnists and golf typists spend Tuesday and Wednesday during Masters week agozining, speculating and waxing poetic about the Decline And Fall Of Tiger. Then the first tee shot is struck Thursday morning and Tiger is as forgotten as Ralph Stonehouse, the man who hit the first-ever Masters tee shot. He’s a non-story after Thursday. Tiger, I mean—not Stonehouse.

I think at this point he's overstating the gnashing of teeth on Tuesday and Wednesday....  But in a crazy, mixed-up world without Tiger at the Masters who knows what could happen, I mean Donald Trump could win the Republican nomination...

The eyebrows of doom!

And one last unrelated Van Cynical snark, just because it's funny:

Hey Van Cynical, Which tour player would make the best Bond villain?—Brian Bailey via Twiter 

First choice, Briny, is Steven Bowditch. He’s got the supervillain eyebrows. “Do you expect me to talk, Bowditch?” “No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!” Second choice: K.J. Choi with the right tux and a bowler might be able to pass for Odd Job. I think he’s definitely got the arm for it. Third choice: Any player you put an eye-patch on. Tim Herron. Billy Horschel. Kyle Stanley. Your nominees?

And Bowditch is just a great name for a villain as well.   

'Dis and 'Dat

Yesterday's abbreviated Wrap has left us with extensive backlog.... and with tomorrow a travel day, put on a second pot of coffee.

Notes From the Far Side - Well, the other side of the pond, in any event.  There, it so transpires, that the delightfully-named Martin Slumbers has proven he's no Jeb Bush (and by that I mean, he's in no way a "low-energy guy").

Most folks are surprised to learn that the iconic Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews has nothing to do with the game as played by those with indoor plumbing or even the Women's British Open.  Well, please change that to "had", with this announcement:

The R&A has taken a leaf out of the USGA’s book by taking its first step toward

governing men’s and women’s golf in the British Isles. The governing body has announced a merger with the Ladies' Golf Union. 

The LGU will become incorporated within the R&A framework from Jan. 1, 2017. The LGU will continue as it is this year, a Curtis Cup year, with the R&A taking a much more influential role in running women’s golf from next year. 

“We’ve been talking to the LGU for three years now, if not longer,” R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said. “Just before Christmas, we came to an agreement with their board on a final proposal for a merger. 

“I think it’s a tremendous opportunity. We see that being able to bring the two organizations together for the good of elite amateur game is an opportunity for the R&A to add its knowledge and skill to that which already exists within the LGU.”

Since most folks on this side of the pond already assumed the R&A's jurisdiction over distaff doings, I can boldly predict such folks will notice no change....  I know, it's a gift.  

I'd like to propose a first project for the combined entity, the construction of ladies tees at certain Scottish and Irish golf clubs.... I'd be happy to provide a prioritized list.  The absence of such has required me to give Employee No. 2 far too many strokes during our travels.... I'm certain there can't be any more pressing concerns for the newly-combined entity, can there?

In other Slumbers, the R&A majordomo predictably punted, that being in the American sense of the term, when it came to a certain American Presidential candidate's resort:

The R&A has dealt a blow to Donald Trump by confirming the Open Championship will not be held at Turnberry before 2022. The chief executive of that governing body, though, still refuses to provide a public stance on whether Trump’s offensive opinions should exclude his venues from golf. 

Trump’s views on Mexican immigrants in the United States and Muslims have triggered a dilemma for a sport which is seeking to be as inclusive as possible. In April 2014 Trump confirmed his buy-out of Turnberry and subsequently promised to spend £200m on an upgrade of the property, with the approval of the R&A. “This is golf’s greatest canvas,” Trump said at the time. “People cannot avoid it now.” 

At that point, it seemed inconceivable there would be such a wait for Turnberry to host the third major of the year, as it last did in 2009. The R&A will not specifically cite the Republican party’s potential presidential candidate’s controversial statements as pivotal and seem anxious to kick the issue into the long grass, but the inference is clear.

The amusing part of this is that in the awkward dance between these two, it's the R&A that is seemingly playing the part of the two-faced political hack.  See if you enjoy the juxtaposition of these two irreconcilable threads.  On the one hand::

“We’re asking the very best players in the world to come and put their names to a championship which we’ve written down in history and we feel deeply that the quality of the golf course and the challenge we give them should be commensurate with the quality of the players and the commitment that the players make.

But on the other hand:

“But we are also very focused on the macro environment. We as an organisation have said that we believe golf should be open to all, regardless of gender, race, nationality or religion, and that’s where we sit.”

The reason I threw in that "seemingly" above is that even The Donald would understand that there's absolutely no reason for Martin to tip his hand.  If only someone had written a book about the art of the deal that would explain this... The Donald would have to agree that he's worth more alive than dead at least to the R&A....  And who knows what's coming?  In a few years President Trump might play to his base by granting amnesty to 11 million Mexicans, and make Lizette Salas the fourth Mrs. Trump.  I really shouldn't drink while blogging, i think you'll agree...

Notes From an Intervention - The equally-delightfully-named Tron Carter is proprietor of a blog called No Laying Up, in which he calmly and rationally analyzes CBS' golf coverage.  I was under the impression that waterboarding had been outlawed, but I stand corrected...  Here's his low-key lede:

Televising golf is inherently difficult. Eighteen new holes every week spread out over

150ish acres, each its own veritable arena with evolving weather conditions, variable topography, and different sunlight orientation. There’s a technology element – dozens of cameras and microphones, miles of cabling, satellite trucks, elevated mini-studios spread out across the course, graphics packages – a nerve system serving up dozens of feeds into a nerve center with a lead producer calling the shots. There’s a people element – a different tournament director, charity and corporate title sponsor at each stop, all of whom require back scratching. I’d imagine the most challenging part is the competition itself. 150 players, scattered about. All said, it’s a lot to handle and I don’t pretend to be an expert or intend to be an armchair quarterback. But at this point the entire golf world is simultaneously realizing that CBS golf telecasts have devolved into unmitigated dogshit over the last two seasons.

Let me make it clear, ladies and gentlemen, Tron's got the goods....  If you suffered through the Saturday telecast from Pebble or Sunday's should-have-been-exciting-but-left-me-screaming-at-my-television final from Riviera, you'll want to read every word.  I'd just suggest that you take off the turtleneck to avoid the friction fro your constant head-nodding...

Tron spends some time covering ground that will be familiar to my astute readers (but I repeat myself), including appropriate homage to The Ayatollah.  But it's how you cover the history that matters, and in this case the inclusion of this wisdom from God is most damning:

The guy was a pioneer; blimp shots, microphones scattered around the course, diverse camera angles, a propensity for showing as many golf shots as possible, the blueprint for the televised masterpiece that is The Masters – that was all Chirkinian. Most importantly, he understood this: “Bob Jones once told me, ‘Frank, the more golf you show, the better your product is.”

But how to fit actual golf into a telecast with FedEx Cup summaries, interviews with sponsors and painfully-long segments with Sir Nick in the gym?  Something has to give, and that golf stuff can be quite boring...

I'll grab just a couple of amusing bits, but you'll really want to find your own.  For me, this Jimmy double-dip is a minor but amusing catch:

Next we get the typical intro montage package, then one Adam Scott putt, then Nantz does the “Hello friends” routine (he actually “Hello friends the viewers at home and then greets Faldo with a “Hello friend” – crazy double dip!). At this point we’re essentially 13 minutes deep into coverage and have witnessed nine shots, six of which were putts. Imagine tuning into any other sport and missing pivotal live action due to sponsor promos, self-serving commentary and highlights of stuff that we missed. What glorious madness!

Do read his timeline of the broadcast, which is just genius....  I'm guessing that our Tron is not a college hoops fan.

And like Shack, I thought each of these observations was on the mark:

• A few issues with regard to technology: No effort made to show the design of the golf course. Flyovers, explanations, some way to show elevation changes, nothing. NBC often uses technology to show the slopes of each green (and does so without interrupting the action) – would be a cool feature on a classic course like this with, ya know, severe greens. Also very limited use of ProTracer. I get the sense that they’re on a budget and skimping hard. All of this is particularly ironic considering this Q&A with Mr. Barrow.

• Don’t recall hearing any caddie-player convos. Shame.

• At least half the top twenty players on the leaderboard did not have a single shot shown on television.

• It’s unbelievable how many PGA Tour produced commercials there are. We’re already watching your tournament, let the action speak for itself instead of putting together some splashy commercial that everyone resents after the third or fourth week of it airing.

Perhaps that's why Mr. Feherty moved on?  I do think that in Messrs. Baker-Finch, Kostis and Ms. Pepper, there's sufficient competence, and McCord is an asset in small doses or when the actual event loses interest.

But their 18th tower team has become cloying and soporific, almost a parody of a sports broadcast.  I'd like to suggest to Mr. Tron that his next project be an actual transcript of the drivel that comes out of the mouth of Sir Nick, whose next illuminating comment will be his first.  Either that or invent the technology that allows me to turn off the announcers but retain the remainder of the audio feed.

Notes From the Class Struggles - Golf clubs are notoriously poorly-managed, and it's of course difficult working with hundreds of bosses.  But occasionally one such civil war breaks out into the open, and they predictably remind of Henry Kissinger's famous comment about the Iran-Iraq war, i.e., that you want both to lose.

Such is the case at famed Wentworth, and let's start by meeting our protagonists.  First comes the unpronounceable new owner:

Wentworth – one of more than 140 golf clubs in Surrey – was sold for £135m in 2014 by restaurateur Richard Caring to the Reignwood Group, a Chinese conglomerate chaired by Dr Chanchai Ruayrungruang, one of China’s richest men. Last October, the club’s chief executive, Stephen Gibson, announced a “multimillion-pound investment to become the world’s finest private golf and country club”, including major renovations of the West Course. But alongside this came the intimation to members that in essence they would be financing the plans by being asked to stump up free loans.

Here's more on Mr. Rua.....sheesh, if he only had a nickname:

Chanchai Ruayrungruang, also known as Yan Bin, formed the Reignwood Group in Thailand in 1984. The business expanded into China in 1996. Reignwood sells Red Bull energy drinks in the country. Other businesses include golf and real estate - both at home and overseas.

Perhaps I'm over-interpreting, but he's Thai yet feels at home with the enlightened Chinese leadership.  Tom Friedman, call your office...

OK, so who could resist such a man of the people?

Inside, the club is spectacular, with windows affording vistas of the lawns and the lake. 

Add caption

Walls are lined with wooden boards, the names of cup winners cherished in gold. Cabinets are filled with trophies and the main lounge has a portrait of the revered Tarrant. The rooms move through the “traditional English club” of the Burma bar (the 19th hole) to a lighter, art deco vibe in the main restaurant. Members recline in chairs, reading the paper, sharing a bottle of wine with friends, watching the television. Few are dressed in golf attire, as if plaids and pastels are strictly the preserve of the greens.

Now almost 90% of those members are up in arms. Some have formed a group called the Resistance or the Wet Feet Action Group, so called after a Chinese proverb that says: “It never rains on your neighbours without getting your feet wet.”

Don't make me choose, each of those monikers is pitch perfect....though I would have gone with Wet Foot Brigade.  Now I just love this little history lesson:

Eric Leon is chair of the Wentworth residents’ association and has lived on the estate for 21 years. “Unlike other golf clubs, ours is very much a part of the life here. It was conceived as an integral part of the estate. Traditionally it has been a community. Tarrant’s idea was not only grand houses, but a mixed community – there are still bungalows on the estate that are reasonably modest, though obviously with the pressure on the market and the attractiveness of the area, a lot of these are bulldozed away and replaced with much grander houses.

“It explains some of the reaction – the changeover of the club could accelerate that trend. If you make the club appeal to the super-wealthy, it destroys the fabric of the community. Enjoying golf or tennis or even walking is something that doesn’t seem to have been understood by the owners, who may have seen it like a normal golf club. Not everybody is angry about it though – there are a number of very wealthy people at Wentworth, and a number of them would think a very wealthy club would suit them.”

Got it, Eric....We want to save Tarrant's (the creator of Wentworth) vision of the community, just not those unfortunate bungalows.  That's just the market at work, but this is, you know, different...

But really, these folks are just victims...it's a matter of national interest.  Yes, these people:

Owners of properties such as these are perhaps the target of the new Reignwood plans, but Leon points out that the vast majority of people are just wealthy, not super-rich. “They are maybe sitting on houses that are worth money, but a lot of the owners in Surrey are asset-rich but cash poor,” he says, before conceding that some of his neighbours are billionaires. Take Pyotr Aven, head of Alfa-Bank, Russia’s largest commercial bank; the King of Malaysia; Ron Dennis, chair of McLaren; and Adrian Heavey, founder of Tallow Oil. Leon smiles resignedly: “Next door to me they are rebuilding Villa Oman for the king of Oman.”

Viva La resistance!  I simply must get the T-shirt....  So, where can the members go with this?  Well, they might have a hostage...

Until now, Wentworth residents have been happy to live side-by-side. The club meant the well-off mixed with the wealthy, but now that the well-off have been told they are not welcome, they’re warning that disruptive direct action is entirely within their legal means. A document sent to Reignwood and seen by the Guardian warns that the new proposals are a “breach of the Wentworth Trust”, that it has a duty to preserve the character and nature of the club under a formal trust deed. It cites “breach of restrictive covenants” and points out that the Wentworth Estate Roads Committee has the right to enforce restrictive covenants under the deed, because its prior approval “is required for any future property development, use of sponsored advertising signage, erection of tents and grandstands and organisation of rock concerts”.

This is a subtle threat to the PGA Tournament to be held in 29 May. It goes on less subtly: “The PGA Tournament is a nuisance and causes significant disruption to the day-to-day quality of life of the residents of the Wentworth Estate for many weeks before. The disruption and nuisance is amplified by additional activities such as BMW-sponsored events, including rock concerts, which are not necessary or incidental events to a golf tournament.”

The author might take a look at his dictionary, since he seems unclear about the meaning of the word subtle... 

I'll apologize for the lengthy excerpts, but I've been cackling like a kid as I've been copying-and-pasting.... and how amazing is it that I've gotten this far without noting that the prior regimes have destroyed a Harry S. Colt masterpiece.  

Notes From the Remainder Bin - A solution to your sleeping issues may soon be at hand:

Turns out, there is a bit of Tiger Woods news on Monday -- just not anything golf related. While the 14-time major champ's playing status remains uncertain, publishing giant Simon & Schuster announced on Monday that the golfing giant will be the subject of a new biography. Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian will write the book, which doesn't have a publish date yet. 

"Very few individuals are known throughout the world by one word," said Benedict, a special features writer for Sports Illustrated. "Tiger reached that elite club by being the greatest golfer -- some would argue the greatest athlete -- in modern history. But his imprint on history transcends golf, and his influence reaches across the globe. Yet, he is vastly misunderstood. So much of his family history and his personality has been veiled in secrecy, mythical stories, partial truths, advertising campaigns, and scurrilous headlines. Our objective is to get beyond the veil and reveal in full a human portrait of a true, albeit reluctant, American idol."

The thing is, he's really boring.... just ask Lindsey.