Midweek Musings

There's a still a bit of Masters detritus, but we'll shown some signs of moving on today....

All Things DeChambeau - The reviews are somewhat mixed, as a certain subset of the population finds him a tad arrogant.  To which I can only ask, only a tad?

The Golf Digest equipment geeks capture the endorsement details here:

In a move easily divined by several of his equipment choices in recent weeks, Cobra

Puma Golf announced on Tuesday that it had agreed to an endorsement contract with standout amateur and first-week professional Bryson DeChambeau.

In the last few weeks, DeChambeau, the current NCAA and U.S. Amateur champion and the low amateur at last week’s Masters, had put in play both a Cobra driver and a custom-made Cobra set of irons, the latter tailored to the single-length theory he espouses. DeChambeau has been playing a Cobra King F6+ driver set to 7 degrees of loft and configured to his unique specifications. While the King F6+ features an 18-gram weight that slides to five different positions from front to back in the sole, DeChambeau’s version has removed the weight entirely to get to his preferred swingweight of B-9. He also will play a Cobra King F6 fairway wood (14.2 degrees) and a Cobra King Utility iron (18.5 degrees).

I thought I heard someone say that his clubs are 13 degrees upright, is that even possible?  I'm not nor do I play an equipment nerd on TV, so it's all quite opaque to me, but he'll also be playing Bridgestone balls, or at least the few that float properly:

DeChambeau also will be sponsored by Bridgestone, and will play the Bridgestone Tour B330-S ball and wear a Bridestone glove. DeChambeau, who has been playing the Tour B330-S ball as an amateur, explained during his run at last year’s U.S. Amateur that he floats golf balls in an Epsom salt solution to determine each ball’s center of gravity. He said he often finds four out of every dozen that he won’t play because the ball’s center is off-center. Interestingly, the USGA’s technical chief John Spitzer says DeChambeau probably isn’t really benefitting as much as he thinks he is, suggesting the variances USGA testing of tour-level golf balls shows amounts to “less than one yard in carry.” 

Still, DeChambeau’s unique approach to the game’s technology will be a selling point for Bridgestone. In a new Bridgestone commercial, DeChambeau is called “part athlete, part scientist, part artist,” and it suggests that DeChambeau by opting to play Bridgestone “has dared to question the consensus and choose his own trajectory.”

I think this stuff is covered under the Blogger Full Employment Act of 2016.... Yes it's completely weird, but whatever floats your boat B330-S. 

We all know about the Hogan cap, a look that fellow Puma enthusiast Rickie is unlikely to copy anytime soon.  But did you know that the magical properties of the cap need to be carefully guarded?

During the news conference – two hours before the Cobra Puma

announcement – DeChambeau wore a more traditional golf cap. He saves the other style for game days. 

“That’s my cape,” DeChambeau said. “So I only wear that for tournament days.”

Hmmmm...maybe ab extra battery pack could have avoided the 18th hole difficulties last week?  Just spitballin' here...

As for that arrogance thing, I think these comments will feed that meme:

In fact, some people might label DeChambeau's level of belief in himself as cockiness (He allegedly told Jim Nantz he was going to win the Masters as an amateur). And surely, those people will love what the former physics major at SMU had to say on Tuesday. Ahead of his pro debut on Thursday at the RBC Heritage, DeChambeau was asked for his response to people who say he plays too scientifically. "I am an artist," he said. "I love creating things." OK then. 

DeChambeau could have dropped the mic and ended his presser there, but he kept talking about science vs. art, practice vs. feel, and. . . proprioception? Regardless of how you feel about the young man, he's a fascinating character and a captivating speaker. 

And in case you haven't heard, Bryson's family is dealing with this health issue:

Mike Watney isn’t looking to be a hero. He’s just trying to pay it forward by giving back to someone he has known for years. The retired former Fresno State golf coach and uncle of tour player Nick Watney had two healthy kidneys, and knew Bryson DeChambeau’s father, Jon, needed a new one. So he volunteered to be a donor.

“With Bryson playing so well and about to turn pro, I knew that Jon was going to start an exciting new part of his life,” Watney explained on the eve of last week’s Masters. “I feel like people should help people whenever they can.”

Wow, I think they call that perspective... and, as rebuttal to the arrogance bit, give a look to the SkratchTV video of DeChambeau channeling his inner Carl at the bottom of this Shack post.  

All Things Smylie - Of course he landed hard on Sunday, that's what first-timers do when they soar up where the air is thin.  If you saw his charming interview with Jim Nantz on Saturday, you know he's just a run-of-the-mill millennial living with his parents and driving an old wreck.

But strike that last bit, because Smylie's got new wheels:

Our gold buddy Myron used to have a Nissan in that color (I think it was an FX35), that we called his pimpmobile.

All Things Masters - Another critic piles on the CBS crew:

The Masters telecast has many things going for it: Stunning scenery, subdued (for the

most part) announcers and most of all, limited commercial interruptions. 

CBS apparently feels that it has something else to showcase at Augusta: Main analyst and three-time champion Nick Faldo. 

Throughout its weekend coverage, fellow commentators spend much of their time pulling in and deferring to the 18th-hole analyst, to a fault. Even on the most innocuous situations, Faldo was summoned for his input. For example, on Saturday, Frank Nobilo offered this: “As Nick Faldo was saying, surely anything under par will improve your position.’’ Ian Baker-Finch later added: “The wind makes a big difference, doesn’t it Nick?’’ When newcomer Dottie Pepper asked Faldo a question on Saturday, he responded with this: “Sorry Dottie, I just returned to the tower. What was your question?”

Ahhhh, where to begin?  I did notice that tendency, though to me the bigger issue is that Faldo's meandering ansers don't convey anything useful to the viewer.  I'd love to have a transcript of the broadcast with which to indict the man, but suffice to say that he's unacquainted with brevity.

And this:

Faldo has his share of shrewd comments about Spieth’s tendencies, but it all got to be a bit much. After Spieth hit his second shot into the water at 12 on Sunday, Faldo called it a “complete meltdown.’’ Baker-Finch, who seemed the most deferential toward Faldo, then asked him: “Nick, did you ever practice from the drop zone in practice rounds?” Faldo replied: “I actually didn’t, no.” 

Jim Nantz citied the similarities between Danny Willett’s win and Faldo’s last victory 20 years ago. “If Willett makes 4 here (on 18), he would shoot 67’’ -- the same score Faldo shot in his final-round comeback. CBS even closed the show with images of Faldo’s wins intercut with Willett highligthts.

See, while we in general agree on the quality of the broadcast, I disagree with pretty much everything in those two graphs above.  The IBF question about practicing from the drop zone is an interesting one, especially given Spieth's discomfort with where he took his drop.  And the comparisons to '96 were pretty obvious, and when you have that guy as your lead analyst you're gonna run with it.  If only that which came out of his pie hole was the least bit informative.... 

Obviously the absence of any modern technology in the broadcast doesn't help, and Shack had an interesting take on the Luddite-controlled experience for the crowd patrons:

The only payphones in the U.S. 

The inability to access cell phones during theMasters is indeed the firstidiest of first world problems, but as I explain, the dearth of information available to patrons is a glaring problem given (A) an increasingly connected world (B) only manual scoreboards and no standard bearers, and (C) the mission statement of Bobby Jones to provide an optimum spectating experience.

Lee Trevino could not be reached for comment....C'mon sheeple, revolt against the Man! 

How did we get here?  You'd like to take Billy Payne and slap him around a little, because it's all so misguided.  They do many wonderful things that show an ability to look forward, such as the Drive, Chip and Putt and supporting new amateur events.  But we spent the 80's and 90's denied the opportunity to watch golf on their front nine, because why?

All Things Prez Cup - I know you were on the edge of your seat, but the matter has been resolved:

Steve Stricker is the next Team USA Presidents Cup captain. 

Announced today by the PGA of America, Stricker will captain the American team at the 2017 Presidents Cup held at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, N.J. Nick Price will captain the International team. 

It will be Stricker's first time as head captain of an event, athough he'll get practice as a co-captain under Davis Love III for the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club this fall.

Fair enough, I suppose, though the multi-count indictment of Commissioner Ratched will include his crime against nature in taking us back to the dreadful Liberty National yet again.  Because, you know, there are so few quality venues in the New York area...

But this is mostly of interest in a reading of the tea leaves way, as relates to the 2020 Ryder Cup in Strick's home state of Wisconsin.  Pre-task force, that would have removed him from consideration, requiring him to wear a Scarlet "P".  These days, who knows?

All Things Olympic -  The drumbeat continues for Olympic golf, as I'm reliably informed that it's going to save our sport.... I know, they wouldn't lie to me.

But what happens when Olympic spirit and love of country has a head-on collision with a man that has made taking care of No. 1 into its own Olympic sport?  I know, it's hard to know which way this might go:

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – There has been plenty of speculation that not every player who qualifies for this year’s Olympics will play, and now the event has officially lost a player. 

Vijay Singh informed Olympic officials in Fiji that he will not participate in the event, which will be played in Brazil from Aug. 11-14. 

“The timing of it, you know I have to focus over here [on the PGA Tour]. I would like to play the Olympics, but the Zika virus, you know and all that crap,” Singh told GolfChannel.com on Tuesday at the RBC Heritage.

Wow, I am so profoundly disillusioned....  You're gonna go with Zika, eh?  'Cause it's gonna surprise a few folks that you're planning to get pregnant.

And as Shack reminded us, our hero allowed the Fijian Prime Minister to announce his participation. 

All Things Tiger - Fooled ya, that's Tiger Hood.  You can se ethe better-produced ESPN 30-for-30 video here, ot this Yule-themed video below.

He might want to float some of those milk cartons in Epsom salts, as more than you'd think are out of round.