Huggan On Uihlein: "He has to go."

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Remember Wally, I just copy and paste this stuff. In fact, reader David sent this to me, so I didn't find it, didn't write it, didn't think of it. That said, John Huggan has you on his Santa wish list...

2 A NEW LEADER AT TITLEIST: Sadly, the man in charge of the world's biggest golf equipment company is a world-renowned point-misser.

In a position to do the world of golf a favour and agree to withdraw his tacit threat to sue if the game's hard-pressed administrators should make rules that will shorten the vast distances the very best players can propel shots, Wally Uihlein chooses instead to follow a policy that can only damage the sport and, by extension, his own company, in the long term.

Look at some of the nonsense that we already have to put up with: courses covered in long grass and stretched to something like 7,500 yards so as to all but eliminate from contention anyone not physically big enough to hit drives over 300 yards on a consistent basis - goodbye Justin Leonard and Corey Pavin and Andrew Coltart.

All of which is largely down to Uihlein's intransigence.

He has to go.
Way harsh Huggy!

I also liked his plea for more Geoff Ogilvy's and fewer carts in the U.S., but this was especially good:

 

7 A DROUGHT IN AMERICA: Having not long returned from a visit to Australia, where water is currently in very short supply, Santa would like to see those conditions replicated in the US.

Having sampled fast-running fairways and greens that only enhanced the strategic qualities of the likes of Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath and the stunning Barnbougle Dunes, some of the same would do nothing but good in the land of 'hit and stick'.

Instead of wedging on to pudding-like greens from basically anywhere, Uncle Sam's nieces and nephews would suddenly be forced to consider where best to place their drives. Angles would have to be created in order that approach shots could be landed short and run up to the flag.

Thinking on the golf course? What a concept, eh?

"The one thing we did not change was our signature No. 1 hole that features a green in the shape of Texas!"

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From the press release wire... 

Four Seasons Resort and Club Completes Cottonwood Valley Golf Course Design and Greens Enhancement

Irving, Texas -- Friday, December 22, 2006 -- Four Seasons Resort and Club officials announced today that the exclusive Cottonwood Valley Golf Course is slated to re-open in a grand celebration golf tournament for its private golf members on Saturday, December 30, 2006.

Exclusive? Did I miss a press release? 

Cottonwood Valley Golf Course was closed to Sports Club golfers in July for a multi-million dollar enhancement to its greens and for some exciting design enhancements to several holes. The work took place under the direction of golf course architect Jay Morrish. In addition, the golf course's logo has been updated so that it can be placed on everything from pin flags, to tee markers and golf apparel.

That's good to know.

"We are very excited to showcase the enhancements to our golf course," Cowan said. "It is truly a gem. Jay Morrish has done a tremendous job of taking a really memorable golf course and making it that much better. We are especially excited to be able to offer a more consistent quality to our greens and a more challenging experience for our members - many of whom have been playing the course since it opened in 1982. The one thing we did not change was our signature No. 1 hole that features a green in the shape of Texas!"

That's really good to know. I wonder if the fronting bunker in the shape of Oklahoma was restored to its original dimensions as well?

Course Highlights:  Some of the most noteworthy enhancements to the Cottonwood Valley Golf Course include 1) slight lengthening of the golf course overall from the championship tees 7,011 to 7,030,

Boy that ought to really offset the increased athleticism... 

2) replacement of the turf with fresh Bentgrass on all of the primary playing surfaces including tees and greens, 3) complete renovation of all the bunkers including new drainage, new barrier fabric to reduce erosion and contamination,

...for the inevitable Byron Nelson Classic deluges... 

Davis On TPC Architecture

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When Davis Love sat down with the meager gathering of scribblers for a pre Target World Challenge press conference, he didn't even screw off the top of his Gatorade before someone asked him about...Phil Mickelson. Being a kind soul, Love went along with it and answered admirably (I of course would have said, next question).

A few minutes into the cart barn conference, I asked him this, which I think elicited some pretty frank talk:

Q.  On the subject of architecture, right now a lot of TPC golf courses are being renovated and changed.  Do you think this is a product of changes in the game or perhaps a statement about the quality of the architecture that a lot of these TPCs have had and is it a new direction for the Tour?

DAVIS LOVE III:  Well, it's obvious that some of them weren't successful financially and we're trying to sell them. And some of them weren't popular with the players, like Boston. I talked to Brad Faxon about Boston a couple nights ago, and they're just beside themselves how nice it is.

Unfortunately, you get a little aggressive and you just let a guy go and you don't get what you want, just like building a house. Sometimes you build a house and the kitchen doesn't work and you've got to fix it. Boston just didn't work for the tournament, and they're making it very, very nice.

TPC Jacksonville, it was just like the stuff that Augusta does all the time; we finally went and did it. We got excellent drainage, we got subair systems under the greens. We can play if there's a flood.  We can play. And then we re-did the mounds.  But there are a lot of courses built with the stadium concept that it hurt the architecture trying to build the stadium concept, so we learned.  We're evolving. I think David Pillsbury is doing a great job of while we need to rebuild a 20 year old set of greens, let's fix the rest of it and make it work.

I mean, Scottsdale and Jacksonville have made the Tour a lot of money, the players a lot of money. We've just got to get the rest of them to where they carry their weight. We've got a lot of good golf courses but we don't have a lot of great golf courses, and that's where we're trying to get.  Our level of service, running clubs, every facet of our business except for our architecture is at the top of its class, so we're just trying to update that.
 

Target Practice

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Tuesday's practice round at Sherwood was well attended by media eager to hear Tiger Woods address their questions in advance of the Target World Challenge.

I have to say it was the most boring Tiger press conference I've sat through, though there was one bizarre-bordering-on-awkward moment when Golf Magazine's Cameron Morfit asked a question and Tiger either didn't understand it, or just didn't like it.

Q.  You mentioned your skiing; are you a Black Diamond skier these days?  Black Diamond, the hardest?

TIGER WOODS:  It's not the hardest.

Q.  Double Black?
   
TIGER WOODS:  Mmhmm.  (Laughter).

Well it was more like (lots of long silence), mhm and (awkward laughter) at the strangeness of it all.

Naturally, I would not drive all the way out there with asking something, so here was my softball that actually seemed to stump him before he launched into his standard (and wonderful) diatribe on modern setup and design. Forgive my lousy phrasing...

Q.  Bobby Jones and Jack Nicklaus both when they did their design work, built dream courses or home clubs that hosted tournaments, do you see yourself taking on some sort of a project like that that's maybe your own concept for a course, and maybe it's a club just for your friends; and if so, what kind of course and place would it be?

TIGER WOODS:  Yes, and hopefully one day.  Obviously you have to get the right situation where you can do that, you can go ahead and design what you think is how golf should be played.  For me, I always believe in golf should have open front.  You should be able to utilize the ground and don't take away the short game.  I play golf courses on Tour and we all see it, miss the green, automatic lobwedge, hack it out of the rough.  That to me is not fun golf.  Fun golf is Pinehurst.  Fun golf is playing links golf.  Fun golf is learning to how to maneuver the ball on the ground and give yourself options.  One of the hardest up and downs is when you have options.  You have so many different ways to play and you see a lot of pros really mess up easy shots because they have so many different options.  I think that's taken away from the game of golf now, and ridiculous at how the modern golf courses are designed, that's how they are designed is they have taken that option away and that's too bad.

Redoing TPC Las Colinas...Again

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Todd Wills has the details in the Dallas Morning News.
The EDS Byron Nelson Championship, after its namesake's death, will be getting a redesigned TPC Four Seasons at Las Colinas to attract the PGA Tour's top players.

The renovations, which will cost $4 million to $6 million, will begin immediately after the April 26-29 tournament.

Tournament officials had been seeking major changes, highlighted by a redesign of the TPC, to maintain the Nelson's status as a top tour stop.

"We want an update that will generate a 'wow' on several holes," director of golf Paul Earnest said.

D.A. Weibring Golf Resources Group, John Fought Design and Gil Hanse Golf Course Design are the three finalists for the renovations, said Angela Enright, director of public relations for the Four Seasons Resort and Club.

Whichever one is chosen, the architect will oversee a project that includes new greens and several redesigned holes.

Earnest said they will look for two or three spots where 30 to 40 yards can be added to keep up with the players and new technology.

Rackham Photos

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Thanks to reader Smitty for these photos of the historic clubhouse at Rackham, the Donald Ross designed Detroit public golf course that may be developed.

I don't know what it looks like on the inside, but the exterior architecture is pretty extraordinary.

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Tiger Talking About Al Ruwaya

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Here's a clip of Tiger answering boring questions about his Dubai project. If anyone has seen the video presentation that was sent out to the press and which appeared on my local newscast, please let me see the link. Naturally, the footage of Tiger and entourage looking at the property (complete with massive power lines) is worth seeing.

First Ever Name Translation Contest!

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You all leave so many great comments on posts, but now it's time to test your creativity...and knowledge of Arabic in the first ever site translation contest.

I'm not sure what the winner will get, probably a signed copy of Masters of the Links since I can see a stack of those from where I'm sitting.

But here's the contest: translate Al Ruwaya, the name of Tiger Woods's first design in Dubai.

For bonus points, include the actual translation of Al Ruwaya. And please, have fun with this! Don't worry about insulting him. He's got 40 million reasons to not care.

PS - I see there's a novel named Al Ruwaya. That poor bastard of a writer will probably get sued any day now! 

Dubai, Here Comes Tiger!

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I really don't even know where to start...

Tiger Woods –in Dubai-Unveils His First-Ever Signature Golf Course

“The Tiger Woods – Dubai” a Residential Golf Course Development Designed by Tiger Woods and Developed by Tatweer

Dubai: December 3, 2006 –Tiger Woods, the world’s number one golfer and chairman of Tiger Woods Design, and Tatweer, a member of Dubai Holding a leading UAE holding Company, announced today plans for ‘Al Ruwaya’, the first-ever course designed by Woods in “The Tiger Woods – Dubai”.

“The Tiger Woods - Dubai” will be an exclusive golf community that will include ‘Al Ruwaya’, a Tiger Woods designed Golf Course, professionally-staffed golf academy; a 60,000-square-foot clubhouse with the latest amenities and comforts; an 80-suite boutique hotel for VIP guests; 300 luxury villas; 20 mansions and a community retail area.

‘Al Ruwaya’ will be a 7,700 yards, par 72 championship-quality course, embodying Woods’ vision of the ideal course design. The course will include dramatic elevation changes, lush landscaping, stunning water features and an overall design program that will challenge and entertain golfers of all playing abilities.

“Why Dubai? Because I am excited about the challenge of transforming a desert terrain into a world-class golf course,” said Tiger Woods. “I have a vision of creating something that is uniquely mine – from the detailed layout of each hole to the Mediterranean architecture to the top-line gym equipment in the clubhouse - unlike anything else. And through my partnership with Tatweer, I want to realize this vision in Dubai.”

Okay, I was wrong. I do know where to start. Yes, he just said he has a vision that includes top-line gym equipment in the clubhouse. Sign me up!

The landmark golf course community is scheduled for completion in late 2009 over an area of 25.3 million sq ft at ‘Dubailand’, the region’s largest tourism and leisure project along Emirates Road, an outer by-pass road in Dubai.

H.E. Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Executive Chairman of Dubai Holding said: “This initiative reinforces the great development pace that Dubai has achieved within diverse domains to become one of the most recognized cities in the world.”

Woods, who launched Tiger Woods Design in early November 2006, made a dedicated trip to Dubaito showcase his first golf project and to continue his hands-on involvement in the design of the golf course.

And...

About Tatweer

Launched in December 2005 Tatweer is one the region’s most promising enterprises and a Member of Dubai Holding. It owns nine market-leading companies and managing an ambitious business development plan.

Its current portfolio is divided into Energy & Healthcare, Tourism & Entertainment, Industry & Knowledge. Its entities are Dubai Healthcare City, the region's hub for world-class quality healthcare services; Mizin, one of the most advanced real estate companies in the region; Dubailand, one of the biggest leisure, entertainment and tourism destinations in the Middle East region; Dubai Industrial City, an industrial township to develop Dubai as a leading manufacturing hub; Bawadi, the world’s leading hospitality and entertainment project bringing 31 hotels and more than 29,000 hotel rooms; Dubai Energy, investing in regional and global energy opportunities and building a diversified investment portfolio; Dubai Mercantile Exchange, the first commodity futures exchange in the Middle
East; Global Village, which brings together 160 different countries showcasing myriad cultures; and Moutamarat, the first Arab initiative organizing research-based conferences and exhibitions.

A Member of Dubai Holding, Tatweer and its entities will continue to consolidate a group of life-improving industries. In addition, it has pioneered the market with joint venture initiatives with leading companies such as the New York Mercantile Exchange or the Saudi Research and
Publishing Company.

Tatweer will continuously strive for world-class performance implementing leadership development to drive and sustain business excellence, quality and high performance.

About Tiger Woods Design

The philosophy of Tiger Woods Design is to further elevate the standards of golf course design and create enjoyable, challenging courses worldwide.  At the heart of this vision is Woods’ desire to apply his first-hand knowledge and personal experience to the design of each golf course.  For more
information on Tiger Woods Design, visit www.tigerwoodsdesign.com.