Spc. Dustin Kendall, RIP

Sad news courtesy of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette:

Spc. Dustin Kendall...21, was killed in Baqouba, Iraq, on Sunday in a noncombat-related accident when his humvee struck an M 1 A 2 Abrams tank and rolled over, according to the Department of Defense. He was assigned to the Army’s 1 st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3 rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4 th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Kendall spent about two years in the Army Reserve before signing up for active duty last summer. He was deployed to Iraq in November, Ballew said.

“He was very outgoing, very flirtatious,” Ballew said. “He was just a happy-go-lucky guy.”

She said he had studied business but was considering a career in golf-course design. “He loved to golf.... He was very competitive in sports and in girls.”

Parrish recalls him purposely driving a golf cart into a pond one chilly February day.

A memorial service will be held for Kendall on Saturday in South Carolina, where one of his sisters lives. Bradford said about six or seven employees are planning to attend.

Kendall is the 39 th soldier with Arkansas ties to have died in the United States’ wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — 36 in Iraq and three in Afghanistan. To date 2,225 military personnel have died in the war in Iraq.

Lorne On Canadian Open, Coore/Crenshaw

Lorne Rubenstein looks at the lousy date given to the Canadian Open. 

But why that summer date? Ross said yesterday that the PGA Tour had been aware from discussions during the past 10 years of the RCGA's preferred dates. That would be around Canada Day, which would put the tournament two weeks after the U.S. Open and three weeks before the British Open.

Given those dates, Canada's national championship would fall around a time when Canadians take the time to appreciate where they live and when many celebrations occur across the country.

These factors, of course, don't matter to the PGA Tour, which gave the date to the Buick Open in Flint, Mich. Well, that's just an hour by car from the Canadian border at Sarnia, Ont.

"The PGA Tour has a big contract with Buick," Ross said. Draw your own conclusions as to why the Canadian Open didn't get the far better week between the U.S. and British Opens.

He also wrote a wonderful column a few weeks ago on Coore and Crenshaw, and the possiblity that they may do a course in Canada.  Interesting quotes from Coore too.

Achenbach On The Ball

After writing about how the modern golf ball is all things wonderful--and no one can argue with its amazing design and construction--Jim Achenbach's gets to the heart of the matter:

Touring pros, aided primarily by technology and greater athletic ability, have become longer because they have learned how to outmaneuver golf ball testing standards. The U.S. Golf Association's Overall Distance Standard now reflects a maximum combined carry and roll distance (under normal test conditions) of 320 yards.

Some players have been known to carry the ball farther than that.

Now, you'd think this notion would outrage the USGA and R&A, right? 

So when is enough enough for the bombers of the PGA Tour? It may be sooner rather than later.

If the USGA rolls back the golf ball – in a drastic alteration to the rules – it should reimburse golf ball manufacturers for the expense of adapting to the new distance standard.

You laugh, but I can't think of a more appropriate headache for all sides in this caper!

The USGA handing out millions of dollars to ballmakers? Absolutely. It is the only fair thing to do.

With a shorter golf ball, golf courses will move the tees up. Golfers can play shorter courses. Older layouts can regain some of the muscle they lost in the era of golf ball expansion.

Well, no one is going to move tees up. But if they stop wanting to move them back, that would be a nice, nice start. 

Annika: Euphoria...

...

Annika Sörenstam flew into South Africa on Monday to announce that she was set to stop a trend and make some golfing history in the process. She is to become the first lady of golf course design in Africa.

Until now the job of designing South African golf course has been the strict domain of males, some of the best known of these being Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Darren Clarke.

But that's about to change.

Retief Goosen and Darren Clarke have designed courses in South Africa?

You learn something new and meaningless everyday.

Now, for the first time, Sörenstam is to create the first lady's signature course in the country - to be called the Euphoria Golf Estate and Hydro and to be developed on a site north of Pretoria en-route to Polokwane, the hometown of SA number one, Retief Goosen.

Euphoria Golf Estate and Hydro? It's official, they have run out golf course names.

"South Africa is a country I have always wanted to visit and I'm absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to take part in this project," the 35-year old World No 1 told reporters. "Courses are typically designed from the back tees for men whereas the brief at Euphoria was to design a course that will challenge men, women and children equally."

The brief at Euphoria? Note to to Annika's quote-maker-up-er...you can't have her talking like a South African in the same release she's mentioning how she's always wanted to visit there.

Oh, and we non-lawyers in the States call them talking points, not briefs.  

Klein On Pasatiempo

Brad Klein returns to Pasatiempo for a look at the recent restoration work and a Golfweek review.

Can't say I'm wild about the look of No. 3 pictured here on the right and in the story.  The bunkers look a little 2-d, way too white and more Trent than Mac.

Trump International Aberdeenshire?

According to Frank Urquhart in The Scotsman:

Mr [Donald] Trump is believed to be determined to open an exclusive international course and luxury home development in Scotland to rival his company's flagship course, the Trump National Golf Club, at Briarcliff Manor, New York.

The potential development was welcomed yesterday by tourism and golfing organisations. Mike Young, the golf marketing consultant for VisitScotland Aberdeen and Grampian, said the staging of the seniors' championship last year had already done a lot to raise the profile of the area's golf courses with an American audience.

He said: "I think it is hugely exciting for Aberdeen and Grampian. I think somebody with Donald Trump's international reputation would bring a completely new focus to the area. He would arguably create a new market, rather than compete with what is existing. It is a huge opportunity and if we can do anything at all to help we will."

Tough = Fun, Vol. 9,231

Thanks to readers Josh and Scott for the heads up on Chris Baldwin's excellent rant on the impossible=fun mentality in modern day golf. 

Especially fascinating (well, depressing) are the quotes from Barrie McWha about 6,600 yards becoming the new minimum yardage that he sees many golfers perceiving to be the line in the sand for course legitimacy.

Wi' O' Wi'

From the Desert Sun:

Tribal leaders of Cabazon Band of Mission Indians on Friday chipped onto the first green of what will become an 18-hole, championship Ka´ Wé aH´ Golf Course at Fantasy Springs Casino Resort in an elaborate ground-breaking ceremony.

Renowned golf course architect Clive Clark will design the $10 million project. With carvings that look like alluvial fans already etched into the desert landscape of the 150-acre course, tribal chairman John James called the moment precedent-setting.

Huh? The desert already has a hundred other overbuilt, forgettable layouts. What's the precedent?

He is also the designer of the "Clive" Course at The Hideaway Golf Club in La Quinta and the new West Course at The Golf Resort of Indian Wells. Clark said he keeps getting asked how he'll fashion a course out of a flat piece of land.

"I believe that has advantages,'' as it can be shaped to fit the backdrop of the mountains.

Shaped to fit the backdrop of the mountains? People actually bought that?  

Clark said the Cabazon course will sport roughly 1,500 trees, and include lakes and waterfalls. The 18th hole will also include a water design element that Clark believes has yet to be tried in America, a tumbling water feature with a 30-foot drop. It has been designed in such a way golfers in their carts will roll along a path taking them out onto a lake and through a cave, emerging with a spectacular back view of a massive water fall.

Cutting edge, I tell you. Sad to break the bad news to Clark, but the Donald has "tried" the tumbling waterfall with cart cave at Trump Trails:

 

Golfers Prefer Well-Conditioned Courses...

How about that newsflash from the city!

At the sixth annual Golf 20/20 Conference last fall, attendees heard a variety of presentations on how to deepen the connection between the game and its best customers, as well as how to further golf among the corporate community...Among the presentations was a detailed look at a survey of avid golfers presented by Jon Last, vice president of research and development for the Golf Digest Companies. According to Last, there are a number of key factors that affect participation by golf's best customers – those defined as avid and core golfers. (Avid golfers play 25 or more rounds a year, core golfers play 8 to 24 rounds.)   Among those factors, the work of golf course superintendents ranked right at the top. When these groups were asked, "Do you generally prefer to play a course that is very challenging, not top condition" or one that is "challenging but in very good condition," 88 percent of them said they'd choose the course in very good condition.   

Really? You don't say? So hard-and-lousy condition lost out to not-as-hard and in great shape. Okay.

They were also asked to rank conditioning against course design in a decision to pay 25 percent higher green fees. The two key groups selected "better course conditioning" twice as often as "better architectures and layout." 

Better architectures? 

Finally, golf's best customers ranked the factors that drive their enjoyment of the game on a scale from 1 to 7. The conditions, people and their own performance received the following mean scores:   

Well maintained greens & bunkers - 6.34
Well maintained fairways & tees - 6.28
The people you play with - 6.24
Playing well on the course - 5.84
Availability of practice facilities - 5.68
Beautiful surroundings and scenery - 5.74
Scoring well - 5.65
Challenging course - 5.65
Fast pace of play - 5.39
Knowledgeable marshals and starters - 5.38

And they forgot to ask about the design of the course...score another one for architecture(s).  

So conditioning is why everyone is going to Bandon? We know it's not because of the weather.

Thanks to reader Josh for this. 

To Go Or Not To Go?

Listening to LA sports talk radio shows slam Pete Carroll over the decision to go for it on fourth down of yesterday's national title game, I got to thinking how rare it is in modern golf to have those essential do-or-die moments that are debated for days, weeks, or even years after. 

It should happen every few weeks. We're lucky if it happens once a year.

A reader told me today about watching Jack Nicklaus at Pebble Beach during the 1982 U.S. Open final round. Nicklaus was debating whether to go for No. 6 in two, concerned that he could not get the ball high enough to clear the hill that bisects the par-5. After an agonizing few minutes, Nicklaus finally decided to go for it. When he pulled his 3-wood headcover off, the crowd went wild.

How rare have those moments become when the player stands in the fairway, actually fretting and debating between a lay-up or go-for-broke shot as we fans debate the situation. How unusual are those memorable events (Curtis Strange at Augusta in 1985 and Chip Beck in 1993 come to mind) when the anticipation is so great that there is an emotional release from the crowd when a decision is made to go-for-broke?

It should happen a lot more in tournament golf, but sadly seems relegated to the times someone drives a par-4. 

Bland architecture is part of the problem, but mostly, the game is just played differently. With trajectory and questions of having enough distance so rarely part of the equation for today's player, we rarely see the golfing elite placed in that tempting, awkward, annoying but possibly rewarding situation that can make golf viewing so captivating.

Well, this rambling rant is just something to remember when you wonder why all of the questions here about the wonders of technology. Or if you wonder why television networks have trouble justifying an investment in televised golf, which just isn't the "product" it could be if the sport was in balance.

Yun's Wasted Youth

New Links editor Hunki Yun confesses what few golf writers would dare: he wishes he'd appreciated golf architecture at a younger age.

On Site Training

Links has posted my January cover story on player architects Love, Lehman, Faxon, Faldo and Mickelson. The five were included because they are devoting plenty of site time to their projects.

I know, that's not saying a lot when we can count the number of minutes certain legends spend trying avoid getting dirty. But these guys are looking to changethe image and practice of the typical modern player architect (you know, the whole impersonation of an orchestra conductor, designer sunglasses, fawning entourage, Rolex, film crew and design associate whispering-the-owner's-name-in-their-ear motif). 

The Links posting includes my top 5 player architects of all time (and I can already here Jack squealing about coming in fifth behind Weiskopf, Jones, Crenshaw and Old Tom). There is also a short sidebar that looks at Tiger and other young players' possible entry into design.

The Year In Courses: A Preview

My latest Golfobserver.com column is now posted.

2005 really spoiled us in terms of unique, exciting, and must-see courses hosting major events.  Still, there's Newport, Winged Foot and Prairie Dunes. Thank God the USGA Executive Committee still picks courses they want to play the day after.

I know, that doesn't explain going to Rees-stored Torrey Pines. But sometimes you have to pay the bills.

Poppy Hills: You Like Me, You Really Like Me

Poppy Hills is named National Golf Course Owners Association of America course of the year. The cutting edge addition of GPS to the carts made the difference.

In 2005, Poppy Hills made numerous improvements, including the addition of Global Positioning Systems to its golf carts and an Inpractis 4View video system for the driving range. Course conditioning has also been a priority with noticeably firmer and drier conditions now more prevalent.

"We're honored to have been given this award considering the numerous qualified courses across the country," said Poppy Hills General Manager Tyler Jones. "The hard work that [Superintendent] Manny Sousa and [Assistant Superintendent] Kregg Bush have put into course drainage and design improvements is really paying off."

Past winners of the National Course of the Year award include World Tour Golf Links in Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Bay Hill in Orlando, Fla.; and last year's winner, Saratoga National in Saratoga, N.Y.

Thanks to our in-house digital satirist Naccarato for his "Poppy Field" piece accompanying this thread.  

Rees-toration of a Rees-toration?

I can't keep up with all of these brilliant modern classics going under the knife.

First we had Best New Remodel of Best New's, and now we have Rees Jones renovating his own Rees-torations. A Rees-Rees-toration? Or a Ree-ees-toration? Eh, either way, thanks to reader Frenchie for this from PGA.com.

Atlanta Athletic Club is turning Rees loose on their Highlands Course...again. He apparently didn't make it forgettable enough prior to the 2001 PGA Championship, so he's back to install more tees, more 2-d bunkering and more nonsense just in time for the 2011 PGA.

 --All fairway and greenside sand bunkers will be reshaped and made deeper, with new drainage and bunker sand installed.

--The locations of all greenside bunkers will be studied in detail to promote variety and develop more challenging approach shots and hole locations. When reshaped, all greenside bunkers will be shifted closer to the adjacent putting surface.

To promote variety? Hmmm...guess that monotonous left bunker/right bunker thing made every hole bleed together? Shocking.

--Fairway mowing patterns will shift closer to the edge of each renovated fairway bunker.

--All fairways to be regraded and drainage to be installed.

--All tees, collars, approaches, green surrounds that are cut at fairway height and fairways will have Diamond zoysia grass.

All of the holes will undergo some revision, although the greens will not be rebuilt. Most holes will have a new championship tee built, adding length to nearly every hole.

Length? It was plenty long enough in 2002...what happened?