Midweek Musings

We have some actual fresh snow today....  Only three inches, but beggars and all that.  Tomorrow is a travel day, so I'd best get to it....

Pods "R" Us - Eamon Lynch has a fun piece chock full of juicy quotes on the relative merits of the U.S. vs. Euro Ryder Cup selection process.  He starts with some background:

The criteria for selecting U.S. Ryder Cup captains often has seemed to magnify qualities that are barely relevant to the task, emphasizing personal achievements of an individual over personality attributes that might galvanize a team. 

Twenty-eight men have led America into competition since Walter Hagen commanded the first team in Massachusetts in 1927. Every single one of those 28 captains won a major championship during his career. A winning record as a Ryder Cup player once mattered too, but that was when points were easier to come by for Americans. It’s not so important these days since the U.S. record over the last three decades has impoverished the résumés of most candidates for the captaincy. 

Yet Ryder Cup history suggests that teams rally around leaders, not legends. Europe learned that by necessity. Lacking many major winners from whom to choose (while still passing over Sandy Lyle and Paul Lawrie), it has had five Cup-winning captains since 1995 who never claimed a major title. But when led by its greatest-ever major winner, Nick Faldo, the old continent was spanked.

Now I do think there's less here than meets the eye, but there's fun to be had as well.  It's not like the Euro legends don't get their shots, Seve, Ollie, Monty and the aforementioned Sir Nick have all atken the helm.  As for overlooking Paul Lawrie, what were you guys thinking?

“We base our decisions on what the players who will be playing want, not on a circle of friendship,” he said dryly. 

But the European veteran insisted that captains aren’t the issue. 

“The problem is that many of their leaders don’t deliver on the course with points,” he said. “As a whole they weren’t prepared for the exam in France, or the dynamic of playing away and the course set up. They became complacent with their success in ’16 and the Presidents Cups.” 

He’s right, to a point. The captain doesn’t hit a shot, but he decides who does and who gets on the plane. Furyk reserved a seat to Paris for Mickelson, his task force buddy who was out of form and played poorly. Like his two immediate predecessors, Stricker will be crowdsourced into the captaincy from a select group of pals and invariably will face the same questions about whether his decisions are based on merit or loyalty, on sense or sentiment.

Yes, the triumphalism after 2016 was pretty insufferable...  But, as the wise man said, it all comes down to twelve players....

Waugh Is Me -  New PGA of America majordomo gave Adam Schupak a lengthy mind dump, and Shack is thinking he might have stepped in it.....Might have?  Egads, it's pretty silly....

Shack saves this for last, but I'm making an editorial decision to lead with it, because I can't even conceive of how it sounds to the 29,000 members:

AS: What is your current roster of golf memberships? 

SW: Seminole, Lost Tree and Old Marsh down here. I guess I'm a member at PGA National, too. Then there's Old Town in Winston-Salem [N.C., where his son played college golf, at Wake Forest]. I voluntarily gave up Pine Valley and Garden City because of the single-sex thing. I didn't think that would be fair to the clubs or the association if that came out. Deepdale, Westhampton, Quogue [Field Club], National [Golf Links], Shinnecock, Cypress Point and San Francisco Golf Club, Boston Golf Club, Lahinch in Ireland and Royal Aberdeen in Scotland. Too many.

Now, as Geoff astutely pints out, there are many senior folks in the golf world that have not given up their memberships at single-sex clubs, so there could well be feedback loop on this.

That said, I simply can't imagine the struggling assistant professional at the local muni feels that this man, with his 114 memberships at exclusive clubs, has his best interests at heart.

So, what does Seth have to say about his stewardship of the organization.  Well, he's all about big ideas and grand initiatives.  Perhaps one of you can explain this to me?

I think the PGA is in a unique position to be that United Nations of golf, if you will,

the Switzerland of golf. We're for the game at every level. We just want everyone to play and like and have as much impact as we can. Being that objective observer on things and uniter around the game and sort of thinking at the end of the day we just need to cook the biggest turkey so we can all eat the most meat, right, and that's what we're about rather than, do we get the breast or the thigh or the leg? That's certainly how I'm approaching it.

Can we agree that anyone whose ambitions are to replicate the United Nations should be banished from polite society?   Is there a more despicable organization in the world?  As for the turkey, you'll have to pry the leg from my cold, dead fingers....Sheesh!

Speaking of turkey, here's the bone he throws to the membership:

There's a natural cynicism of the members about HQ. There's this feeling that we get to drive our courtesy cars and we're sitting down there in Florida and all this money is rolling in and, What's in it for me? I've got three kids going off to school, and my lesson book is going down, and I don't have any health care and whatever. They're right.

We have to figure that out if we want this to work. We have an army of 29,000 people who are the best army in the game to make it better. We need to figure out how to make their lives better and incent them to do the things to make that all happen. The selfish thing is, if we figure it out, we'll have a more passionate group to get it done for us. That's what I'm hoping, and that's why I'm here.

I'm sure the membership will be happy with that....  In the interim, the valet has your courtesy car ready....

 Shack highlights the apparent hypocrisy in the treatment of Paul Levy's DUI vs. Ted Bishop's alleged misogyny, which is fair and Seth's responses will underwhelm.  But let's remember that Ted's real sin was to have chose Tom Watson as captain....  And just a reminder, the organization that runs our Ryder Cup effort wants to be Switzerland.  God help us all....

Golf is Dying, Volume LCVII - NPD Group, a market research firm, with some alarming news:

Golf sales in the mass/sporting goods retail space generated $2.6 billion and grew by 8 percent in the 12 months ending November 2018, after facing declines the year prior, according to The NPD Group.

"The macro environment for golf has been in a turbulent state, fueled by Golfsmith's bankruptcy, major brands cutting back on their golf business, and courses closing. But today, we're starting to see normalization in the market as those deep holes are now being filled," said Matt Powell, vice president and senior industry advisor, Sports, The NPD Group. "Major sports retailers are now investing in golf to pick up some of the business, and brands are also placing emphasis on the category to spur innovation."

All golf product categories grew in the last 12 months. Comprising around 50 percent of total market sales, golf clubs grew by +7 percent. Sales increases were also seen across balls (+6 percent), gloves (+7 percent), accessories (+21 percent), and training aids (+13 percent).

I just don't know what to say, as I'd been reliably informed that we're all gonna die.  

More Euro Trash - Care for a little more from that anonymous poll of Euro Tour pros?  Shack had this one:

WHICH AMERICAN PLAYER MOST IRRITATES YOU? 

Bryson DeChambeau: 16%

Bubba Watson: 11%

Several tied (including Mickelson): 5%

Declined to answer: 68% 

HOT TAKES

“Any of them that act like babies.”

“Wait, I can only pick one?”

As for babies, there are twelve I can think of off the top of my hat....  Of course, Bryson did throw that hissy fit during the summer at a Euro Tour event, though at least he showed up.

FUNNIEST EURO TOUR PLAYER? 

Henrik Stenson: 23%

Jamie Donaldson: 16%

Haotong Li, Andy Sullivan, Eddie Pepperell: 10%

Others/unsure: 51% 

HOT TAKES

“Eddie Pepperell’s Twitter game is tough to beat.”

“Pepperell speaks a special language.”

Unfamiliar with Eddie's game?

Definitely the latter.....

THE WHOLE “MOLIWOOD” THING… 

Timeless: 56%

Time to give it a rest: 44% 

HOT TAKES

“It’s a great bromance.”

“I prefer Fleet-Moli.”

“It’s brilliant.”

“The lifespan should be as long as they keep winning.”

They'll always have Paris....

These seem candid:

WOULD YOU RATHER WIN ONE MAJOR OR 10 EURO TOUR WINS? 

One major: 97%

10 Euro titles: 3% 

WHICH MAJOR TITLE DO YOU MOST COVET? 

The Masters: 59%

PGA Championship: 0%

U.S. Open: 3%

British Open: 38%

HOT TAKES 

“The British is the best.”

“I already know what I’d serve at the Champions dinner…but I’ll never tell.”

“The U.S. Open is the truest test of golf.”

Who are those 3%?  

I don't think these will make the Yanks feel any better about Paris:

TRUE OR FALSE: THE EUROPEAN RYDER CUP TEAM USUALLY WINS BECAUSE IT HAS BETTER PLAYERS THAN THE U.S. 

True: 8%

False: 92% 

TRUE OR FALSE: THE EUROPEAN RYDER CUP TEAM USUALLY WINS BECAUSE IT HAS BETTER TEAM CHEMISTRY THAN THE U.S. 

True: 92%

False: 8% 

TRUE OR FALSE: THE EUROPEAN RYDER CUP TEAM USUALLY WINS BECAUSE IT HAS BETTER CAPTAINS/LEADERS/PREPARATION THAN THE U.S. 

True: 50%

False: 50% 

TRUE OR FALSE: AMERICAN PLAYERS DON’T CARE AS MUCH ABOUT THE RYDER CUP AS THE EUROPEANS 

True: 56%

False: 44% 

IF EUROPE’S RYDER CUP HOPES CAME DOWN TO AN EIGHT-FOOT PUTT, WHO WOULD YOU WANT TAKING THE PUTT? 

Ian Poulter: 39%

Alex Noren: 18%

Justin Rose: 11% 

HOT TAKES

“Not Rory.”

Hysterical.  I'm doing to know who had the "not Rory" quip, though the answer might well be all of them.

DESCRIBE PATRICK REED IN ONE WORD. 

Arrogant: 20%

Misunderstood: 12%

Interesting/Confident: 8% 

Also receiving votes:

Complicated, annoying, Patrick, passionate, selfish, different, self-centered, divisive, tough, fiery

 You want him?  He is, after all, an actual Euro Tour member....

WILL RORY WIN ANOTHER MAJOR? 

Yes: 97%

No: 3% 

HOT TAKES 

“If he gets out of his own way.”

“I wish I could caddie for him at Augusta.”

I wish anyone but childhood friend Harry Diamond was on his bag, though at Augusta I'd like to see Jeff Knox loop for him.

And finally:

WHICH CURRENT EURO PLAYER WOULD MAKE THE BEST COMMENTATOR? 

Matthew Southgate: 17%

Nicolas Colsaerts: 17%

Alvaro Quiros: 8% 

Also receiving votes: Andy Sullivan, Edoardo Molinari, Jamie Donaldson, Padraig Harrington, Robert Rock, Luke Donald, Lee Slattery 

HOT TAKES 

“Lee has the most pleasant voice. He’d make any shot sound nice.”

“Some players think they are the smartest person in the locker room; Edoardo is that guy.”

“Padraig would be brilliant if you could get him to stop playing.”

Hmmm....no love for Eddie Pepperill?  

Travel day tomorrow, as I warned above.  There's more bad news about my blogging schedule on the horizon, but that can keep for the moment.