"It's soft rolling hills in Jackie Kennedy horse country. It's designed for majors..."

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Michael McCarthy files a nauseating puff piece on Donald Trump's desire to bring a U.S. Open to Trump Bedminster.

"Literally every single aspect of (Bedminster) has been designed for the highest standards of the USGA," says the 60-year-old tycoon-turned-TV-star of NBC's "The Apprentice." "It's 20 minutes from the Lincoln Tunnel. It's soft rolling hills in Jackie Kennedy horse country. It's designed for majors - and I'd be honored to have them.
Soft rolling hills in Jackie Kennedy horse country. You have to love The Donald! 
"The only thing that would stop Donald is the USGA being terrified he'll upstage the tournament by grandstanding - which he probably will," says Eamon Lynch, senior editor of Golf Magazine. "There's no question Bedminster can handle a U.S. Open. But some people will oppose anything Donald Trump is involved in. Why? Because golf is still full of stuffy people with cravats and blue blazers. They frown at anything that wasn't in existence when Old Tom Morris (a four-time British Open champion and golf pioneer in the 19th century) was playing the game.""

I know, how lame of golf to want to cling to the past when when its present could be represented by that bastion of class, Donald Trump!

And I guess this is why he makes $600,000 a year...

David Fay, executive director of the USGA, is a member of the private club and plays frequently, says Trump. And what a coincidence: Trump has placed Fay's locker right across from his own in a private corner of the men's clubhouse.

Fay is a man of the people...is he closing in on the 14-club limit?

The Bedminster course, nicknamed "Trumpminster" by Sports Illustrated, passes all the benchmarks to host a major, says the course's designer, Tom Fazio.

He would know, with all the major championship venues courses that he's messed up  claimed to have restored  designed worked with.

The Classic Club...Classic Tournament Killer?

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Bill Dwyre in the L.A. Times makes up for Saturday's Phil Mickelson column (Phil remembers the names of his pro-am partners!) with a succinct indictment on The Classic Club course, which frequently delivers winds like Sunday's.

Many said it was the worst wind they have experienced, and those were the former mountain climbers. The weatherman put the winds at 15-20 mph, with gusts up to 40. Mostly, there were gusts.
Now keep that number in mind when reading the next bit. First, Larry Bohannan in the Desert Sun:
It was an ominous question at best.

"Are they going to play this course again next year?" Phil Mickelson asked after his windy Sunday round on the final day at Classic Club in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

Yes, Phil, they are going to play this course again. They own the course.

"Who?" Mickelson asked.

The Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, came the response.

With that, Mickelson turned and walked away to sign some autographs without a response.
And here's where it gets fun...
Mike Milthorpe, the Hope tournament director, said he certainly hopes Mickelson and other players won't make decisions about whether to play in the Classic in the future simply on one horrible day of weather.

"I don't know that (Mickelson) questioned the course," Milthorpe said. "He may have questioned the conditions. It's a tough day today, no ifs, ands or buts. If anything, he may have just questioned the day."

Milthorpe said Classic Club isn't fighting a bad perception about wind among the PGA Tour players. The perception, he said, comes from media reports about wind and the so-called wind belt on the north side of the freeway.
I wonder where they would get the idea that it blows?
 

The trees lining the railroad tracks? The thousands of wind turbines? The fact no one in their right mind would build anything out there until the last few years?

That biased, negative, liberal elite media!

Last year's final round, for instance, was described as a blustery day, making it tough on the final groups down the stretch. But Milthorpe said the official tour report on the final day listed a wind speed of 17 mph.
Key word: unofficial.


Tod Leonard in the San Diego Union Tribune offered this:

Perhaps because he knew he would get queries, Milthorpe said he checked with the other three courses in the Hope rotation yesterday and said the wind conditions were similar.

“The perception is the media's perception,” Milthorpe said. “We had firemen gauging the wind today, and it didn't get above 25 mph. We got a tour report from last year for this golf course and the winds Sunday were 17 mph. But if you listened to the commentators and what the media wrote, it sounded like it was huge wind.”

They say the camera adds 10 pounds. Maybe it adds 10 mph too? 

Either way, you have a new 7,600 yard course that is so massive in scale that the amateurs clearly don't enjoy walking and playing it. 

You have a final round that took just under 6 hours (based on my TiVo calculation) and an event that drew only one player in the world top 30.

Those short, harmless little old desert courses like Indian Wells, Bermuda Dunes and El Dorado aren't looking so bad are they?

Oh that's right, they're dated because the guys are working out too much. I keep forgetting!

Few More Thoughts On Phil Entering Design

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In re-reading the story on Mickelson entering design (this Golfweek version pretty much regurgitates the press release), a few things came to mind.

First, it was refreshing that there wasn't the obligatory paragraph about how he wants to design courses that are challenging for the professional and yet playable for the average golfer. (It was probably T.R. Reinman who spared us that nonsense.)

But at the same time, it would be nice to know why Phil is entering the business now just a year or so after indicating that he was slowing down to focus on playing. (He was featured in a Links cover story I wrote on emerging player-architects, but his design career was downplayed because of this apparent dedication to his game while he was still at his peak).

I'm fascinated by the move of Tiger, Phil and Ernie into design when the money is really not that great compared to what they make on the course. That was one of Mickelson's reason for not being more interested, unless of course, like Tiger, his fee has skyrocketed into a stratosphere that us mere mortals.

Actually, I think I've answered my own questions here. Thanks for bearing with me. 

"Phil is only going to design about 10 golf courses"

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In the release covering Phil Mickelson's surprising move into course design (surprising because just a year or so ago he was downplaying his interest in this area for the time being), there is the usual stuff about projects and who he'll be working with (different people on different projects).

But reader Jordan caught this quote from his agent, which I thought was odd.

"Phil is only going to design about 10 golf courses, and RiverRock will be his mountain course," said Tim Ummel, Mickelson's agent.

Only 10? This year or ever?

Open Letter To Tiger

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Golfweek has finally posted Brad Klein's open letter to Tiger, which is the column I wish I would have written had I had the courage to upset the game's most powerful figure!

 Will everything be there right in front of the golfer to see, as with Firestone? Or will you build in the quirky, odd and occasionally arbitrary (perhaps even unfair) element just to test a golfer's patience, as is the case at St. Andrews? In the past you've expressed admiration for both courses, yet their basic design styles are wildly divergent. Not that you need to resolve the tension or opt for one style over another.

 

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...