"Or do we just like losing golf balls and shooting high scores?"

There should be a rule at the New York Times: don't let anyone besides Larry Dorman write about golf.

Exhibit A? Check out Bill Pennington's links golf lede. It sounds more like it came from a story assignment email:

What is it about links-style courses that has made them so popular with American golfers and golf designers? Is it because they remind us of golf’s Scottish seaside roots? Is it the blind shots? The pot bunkers?

Or do we just like losing golf balls and shooting high scores?

Golfers in the United States are drawn to the many links-style courses that have sprouted nationwide. We pay from $75 to $400 a round for the right to get battered across 18 distinctive holes.

Who would have thought that tall fescue, which you can grow in your backyard without trying, would have such cachet?

Pennington's piece was embellished by the video of him sporting one of Bill Murray's AT&T Pro-Am outfits. It's not Matty G Ambush video bad, but it's close.

"The American press obediently reported it like he was having a routine operation."

For a good chuckle read Derek Lawrenson's doting account of Monty's wedding. A teaser:

For all the unrivalled splendour of the setting — whoever heard of two unbroken days of sunshine on the bonnie banks in April, for Heaven's sake? — and the lavish financial outlay, the most memorable thing about the day was the unforced happiness.

What really makes it fun though is the item a few slots below it on Tiger's knee:

So, what do we make of the fact that a supreme athlete like Tiger Woods requires six weeks to get over arthroscopic knee surgery?

The American press obediently reported it like he was having a routine operation. But if footballers are back playing a fortnight after having cartilages repaired through arthroscopic surgery, how standard can the procedure be when Woods needs three times that length of recuperation before he can play golf?

Obediently reported?

Well, based on that account of Monty's wedding, he would know about that kind of reporting.

"His aura is also propagated by the American media, for whom the word sycophantic barely scratches the surface."

Martin Johnson on Tiger's relationship with the U.S. media...tough, but funny!

His aura is also propagated by the American media, for whom the word sycophantic barely scratches the surface. When a fellow golfer (Phil Mickelson, Rory Sabbatini, Fuzzy Zoeller, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia) says something Woods doesn't much care for, they are all sentenced to a spell of 'purdah' on the back of Woods' intolerance of any kind of inference that he might be mortal.

He is never criticised for this by the American press, some of whom are handpicked for having their own egos massaged by the man himself. Those reporters who are onside with Woods are rewarded by being addressed by name at a press conference. To those that are not, he finds a way of conveying that the question is being asked by someone a couple of clubs short of a full set.

"Do you play in a Ponce?"

The Advocate called, they want their travel story back!

Yes, as strange as it was to read a review of a flaming red Mercedes coupe in the April Golf Digest, that oddity was supplanted by Matt Ginella's wince-worthy piece on "Ponces" (groups of straight men going on buddy trips that would set off Dr. Freud's radar). But the whole thing gets even more entertaining with an online video of the not particularly compelling "ambush" of this fabulous, fabulous extravaganza.

Come on, hit the link, you know you like the torture.

Mike Bianchi Makes It Official: He's Run Out Of Column Ideas

The Orlando Sentinel columnist writes: "Why there has not been more of an outcry about the Tour's tacit approval of smoking is harder to figure out than the World Golf Rankings."

Eh, eh before you think this is an April 1 beauty, check your calendars, we're still a week away. Hit the link if you don't believe me. Or read this, where even Tim Finchem offers his own version of "have you absolutely no other ideas for a column?"

Congress has made a major issue about pro sports sending the wrong message when it comes to steroids, but what about pro golf sending the wrong message when it comes to lung cancer? Scientific fact: A relative handful of deaths have resulted from steroid abuse; hundreds of thousands die every year because of nicotine abuse.

"I don't think we have a problem with smokers," PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said at last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational. "We have some. We don't have many. . . . I don't think it's worth spending any energy on."

A few years ago, Finchem was similarly nonchalant when it came to mandatory drug-testing of golfers, but finally capitulated amid public pressure. Why there has not been more of an outcry about the Tour's tacit approval of smoking is harder to figure out than the World Golf Rankings.

"Are you by any chance a member of the media?"

Got to give Bob Carney credit for posting an entertaining but not particularly flattering letter from a Golf Digest reader.

"Does the TV lifestyle make you soft? Apparently!"

From Alan Shipnuck and his golf.com Hot List: 

5. Rick Reilly. My esteemed former colleague and soon-to-be ESPN star was visiting NorCal and asked me to arrange a round for us at Pebble Beach, which I happily did. (And it was comped, too.) On the appointed day, a refreshing light mist was falling, so Reilly begged off, saying he doesn't like to play in bad weather. Does the TV lifestyle make you soft? Apparently!

Now, NOBODY gets comped at Pebble Beach. So to turn that down you really have to be special...in your own mind.

Golfweek Swears It Had Nothing To Do With Latest Controversial Cover

But maybe we know where Dave Seanor has landed after his noose cover...?

Courtesy of reader LPGA Fan, here's the story from Denver's Channel 7 News:

An illustration that accompanied an article celebrating the success of Mexican golf star Lorena Ochoa is stirring some heated feelings.

The image in the current edition of Colorado AvidGolfer Magazine features the Our Lady of Guadalupe image with Ochoa's face in place of the Virgin Mary's.

"It’s very offensive," said Ricardo Bracho, who subscribes to the magazine.

In a statement, the editor for the magazine said the intent was to promote an accomplished golfer, not to offend anyone.

The Patron Saint of Mexico is deeply important and respected by many Mexicans and Catholics. The Our Lady of Guadalupe image is held as a sacred, religious symbol.

Obviously Mr. Bracho does understand how popular Lorena is these days. S

Bracho believes the artist and editor for the article entitled "Our Lady of Guadalajara" stepped over a sensitive line.

"I don't want anyone fired," Bracho said, adding he is a big fan of golf and Ochoa's. "People need to be aware and some things are just off limits."

Father Jorge De los Santos of the Archdiocese of Denver agreed.

"I was so hurt when I saw that image," De los Santos told 7NEWS Monday.

Hurt?

"I think the freedom (of the press) has a limit. You should respect others and respect beliefs," said De los Santos, who is Vicar for Hispanic Ministry.

Editor Jon Rizzi e-mailed this statement to 7NEWS:

"Colorado AvidGolfer deeply regrets offending anyone with the illustration that accompanied our feature on Lorena Ochoa. Because the piece was so overwhelmingly positive, praising Ms. Ochoa's accomplishments and painting a glowing portrait of her as both a golfer and an inspiring humanitarian, we created a clearly iconic image for our illustration. We respect the opinions of those who objected to the image and apologize if it offended them, but we certainly did not intend to show disrespect to anyone."

A public relations representative told 7NEWS Monday Ochoa had not seen the image or article and could not comment.

I don't think she wants to see it either, unless she wants to see what she'll look like 40 years and 40 pounds later. 

GWAA Contest Judges Recovering At Undisclosed Hospital After Wading Through This Year's Best Entries On Death, Disease and Addiction

And I just want to say that it is sooooo great to see the judges expanding the writing contest horizons by recognizing golf's least appreciated scribes, the poor souls who craft press releases so that others can win writing awards.

Hogan, Shmogan?

In his latest Antiseptic Golfer column, John Hawkins already shows signs of running out of topics to rant about by picking on Ben Hogan and the people who respect his accomplishments. 

Anyone who wins six major championships after getting pummeled by a Greyhound bus deserves a ton of credit, but Hogan just passed 28 tons on the slobber scale, which exceeds the legal limit for a guy who couldn't make a four-footer and lost to Jack Fleck in a U.S. Open playoff. I'm thinking the crusty, old Texan himself would have objected to such an overdose of fawning.

"The crowd isn't the problem. It's the media that tries to get out on the golf course"

An unbylined Tucson Citizen story reports that Tiger Woods played a practice round Monday and noted this about his security.

According to one of those assigned to keep the peace during the tournament this week, Tiger has extra security.

"Some you can see, some you can't," said escort Russ Perlich.

Tournament organizers assigned extra escorts, too, but the crowds usually maintain their distance, Perlich said.

"The crowd isn't the problem. It's the media that tries to get out on the golf course," he said.

Since when has there ever been a problem with too much media on a golf course? Particularly one that no one likes to walk, much less visit.

SI Scraps Last Supper Master Preview Cover Idea Out Of Respect For Golfweek's Noose Cover

After all, there really is no competition at this point for lamest cover of 2008, is there?

Seriously, it seems the borderline creepy TigerWoodsIsGod.com broke the news that SI was kicking around the idea of some sort of Masters preview cover involving a "Last Supper" homage. SportsbyBrooks has the document in question. Of course, it's all moot because SI Editor Terry McDonell denied it. Sort of.

Published reports indicating that Sports Illustrated is considering a cover or any visual treatment referencing Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper" for its Masters preview or any other issue of the magazine are totally inaccurate.

A related concept tied to the magazine's 50th Anniversary cover, which depicted sports greats as Leonardo might have painted them, was discussed among a small number of editors without my knowledge. The casting call in question was a mistake and should not have been posted. — Terry McDonell, Editor, Sports Illustrated Group

So the casting call was a prank?  

I find it odd that SI even acknowledged the report.  

Two New Handy Blogs

A pair of blogs have recently appeared from occassional posters to this site that are worth adding to your daily browsing.

Author Daniel Wexler fills a nice void by summarizing tournament results each day while making it easy to find leaderboards for events around the world and if your life has come to it, easy to make fantasy league picks.

Longtime rules official and NCGA staffer John Vander Borght is keeping an eye on rules-related matters and I look forward to his thoughts the next time a controversial ruling is made (which should be any day now).

"Let him get barbecued."

Jim Thorpe on Kelly Tilghman and the Golfweek noose cover:

"We know there was no racist intent. It was just a bad choice of words,'' he said. "But the guy from Golfweek? Let him get barbecued. That's just a major mistake on his part.''

Just a suggestion to the Golfweek staff: I would not put an image of Jim Thorpe barbecuing Dave Seanor on this week's cover. Just my advice.  

Golfweek Considering Sensitivity Training...For Bad Cover Design**

I wonder how those different fonts of SORRY looked on the preview boards? Jerry Potter reports:

Jeff Babineau, newly appointed editor of Golfweek magazine, has a simple task this week.

"We're going to say we're sorry," said Babineau, appointed editor of the magazine Friday. "We know we've offended a lot of people. We want to apologize."

And...

Babineau sidestepped comment when asked Sunday if the magazine's advertisers threatened to cancel advertising.

"That's not my side (of the magazine)," he said.

Here's a newsflash from the city:

Babineau said Golfweek would continue to cover the Tour, adding it would not "shy away" from controversy. However, he added the magazine would have to do better work to regain the public's trust.

And this is disturbing considering that this cover was Seanor's idea and he ran with it:

He said management was studying the issue of diversity and sensitivity training for his staff.

Update on 2008-01-21 14:56 by Geoff

**As reader ??? noted below, Babineau said this to Richard Sandomir:

Babineau said he had not heard of any advertisers threatening to pull out because of the cover. “I’ve spent the day talking to advertisers, telling them we want to get things right,” he said. “I didn’t experience any strong anger. We have a publication with a 30-year body of work we’re proud of and we hope we’re not judged by one day. Advertisers here for a long time know that; we’re respected within the golf community.”

And then to Potter in the story linked above:

Babineau sidestepped comment when asked Sunday if the magazine's advertisers threatened to cancel advertising.

"That's not my side (of the magazine)," he said.