"This is not Tiger’s issue, but a Tour management flaw."

That inevitable commentary you've been waiting for that analyzes the strange relationship between Tiger and the PGA Tour?

Naturally, just as she did with the technology issue, you finally get to read about it in provocative and fresh fashion from the New York Times' Selena Roberts.

Either way, Tiger is in charge. How do you please the host with the most? No event is cheap. As it is, the Tour donates about $240,000, according to tax documents, to Tiger’s Target World Challenge, an unofficial event. To co-sanction official Tour stops, PGA officials supplement the purses. The AT&T National and Deutsche Bank could run the PGA about $8 million this year, according to industry experts.

The payoff for Tiger is tucked in the pocket of his charity. Last year, his foundation received an estimated $1.5 million from the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Is there a money trail to Tiger’s heart? What’s wrong with buying Tiger’s affection, anyway?

It contradicts every tenet of golf’s righteous culture of integrity. “This is golf,” Finchem said repeatedly during an interview last week, as if the sport’s virtue inoculates it from scrutiny.

The PGA Tour doesn’t drug-test, because that would imply a steroid problem exists. Who knew willful ignorance was a marketing strategy? The Tour applies this see-no-evil approach to glaring conflicts of interest, too.

Whoa. Roberts didn't get the memo that you are no one in golf unless you have a conflict of interest!

More tough stuff...

Tiger has played only five events in four months. This weekend’s Byron Nelson is not among them. For years, Tiger played out of deference to Nelson. Now Nelson is dead and Woods is a no-show.

Woods is a schedule recluse, the J. D. Salinger of golf.

It's okay Damon Hack, Tiger'll talk to you again sometime this century! When you've won your Pulitzer, retired from the Times and write lucrative books!

As disturbed as Roberts is by Tiger's selective schedule, it's the PGA Tour she blames.
Now Woods is a Beltway power broker. He already legislates to the PGA.

“It’s only leverage if you use it as leverage,” Finchem said, adding, “I don’t have a concern about that.”

And Tim it's only murder if you kill someone!

But Tiger does exploit his sway, if passive-aggressively. Other voices are ignored on issues, but a suggestion by Tiger is processed as a demand. In 2000, Tiger complained that the Tour was taking financial advantage of him, that Finchem ignored him. Voilà, Finchem and Woods met and love was in the air.

Tiger wanted a shortened season. Tiger received a FedEx Cup race that ends in September. Tiger wanted a tournament like Jack’s. Tiger received the D.C. gala, which was delivered, as desired, with a reduced field of 120 to enhance its prestige, and, as Woods mentioned, to speed up play.

Don't forget driver testing.

Wasn’t Tiger supposed to bring inclusion to the game? Instead, the Tour is more polarized than ever, between the haves and the have-nots. Several tournament officials say privately that they are tempted to barter for Tiger with a donation, but others refuse to abandon their community aid.

“You have to ask, how long is Tiger going to be out there?” said Dave Kaplan, the tournament director for the AT&T Classic in Duluth, Ga. “Is it till he’s 50 or 35? Who knows? If he catches Jack Nicklaus, does he say, ‘That’s it’? And you’d hate to think it, but Tiger, like anyone, could get hurt tomorrow. Stuff happens.”

Stuff makes it a lateral hazard for the Tour to wrap itself in one player. The Tiger Boom could vanish as quickly as the dot-com high. Sports wither all the time, from American pro soccer after Pelé, to boxing after corruption, to a National Hockey League with a puny television deal.

For the Tour to empower Tiger above all is to create a petri dish for an abuse of fame, to lose the ability to tell its rock star no, to sanction its own tumble from virtue.

This is not Tiger’s issue, but a Tour management flaw. What is best for Tiger is not necessarily a 2-foot gimme for those below. It was, after all, a tiny turtle squeezed beneath the pond king that, with a wiggle, toppled Yertle.

"We don’t reach everyone. Just the people with all the money"

The New York Times's Michel Marriott files a piece on the PGA Tour's cool-looking new scoreboards which unfortunately provides a chance for one of the Vice Presidents to say something obnoxious. This time it's Tom Wade:

Although much of the PGA Tour’s fan base remains mature and affluent, Wade said, significant numbers in that group are “heavy technology adaptors.”

“As we say: We don’t reach everyone. Just the people with all the money,” Wade said.

Ugh.

Classic Club Blues

Larry Bohannan thinks the desert's much despised Classic Club was validated by the unplayability of Harbour Town.  Thanks to reader Scott for this.

The criticisms ranged from just complaining that the host course of the Hope tournament, Classic Club was built in a wind tunnel to more-whispered talk that Classic Club might have to be dropped from the tournament altogether, even though the Hope tournament owns the golf course on the north side of Interstate 10 near Cook Street.

Of course it would be silly to think that Harbour Town would be dropped as a tour course because a bad year of wind canceled play for a day and had flagsticks whipping at a 45-degree angle.

No one is going to say a bad word about Augusta National. It was just a bad year of wind, the pundits will say.

Yet at the Hope this year, with Classic Club in its second year in the tournament, people were questioning everything. They ignored the solid design of the Classic Course, ignored the fact that it was windy and rainy at the other three Hope courses and ignored the fact that the week before and the week after the Hope this year, conditions at Classic Club were calm and near-ideal.

Wind can impact play anywhere anytime, whether it's the desert of California, the pines of Georgia or the seacoast of South Carolina. But the Hope has taken more than its share of grief over the same weather conditions that hit the Masters and the Heritage.

Uh, but the course still stinks! 

The Bud Off The NASCAR Rose

The New York Times' Juliet Macar examines the decline in NASCAR ratings and attendance. It's hard to read this and not think of the PGA Tour...

No recent move by the Frances has been more significant than the introduction of the standardized Car of Tomorrow, which is supposed to enliven races by making it easier to pass. It made its debut last month at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee, receiving criticism from drivers. Wheeler, of Lowe’s Motor Speedway, said the Car of Tomorrow would produce close racing, which would produce rivalries and drama that could bring the fans back. “With this car, I can see that sparks will fly once again,” he said.

Of course, the Tour would have to acknowledge first that their races need enlivening! And not by narrowing fairways, growing rough and encouraging plodding golf.

Perhaps nothing has changed more than the television contracts, and the money at stake. Nascar is in the first year of an eight-year contract with Fox, ABC/ESPN, TNT and Speed valued at about $4.5 billion, or $560 million a year. Its previous contract was worth $400 million a year.

Kyle Petty cited NBC’s decision not to renew its television contract with Nascar as a warning flag. “That’s a big, big story that someone walked away,” he said. “That’s a huge blip on the radar.”

Well, at least that hasn't happened in golf!

Brand With A Capital B

Get your MBA bingo boards out. From the PGA Tour: 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 2, 2007

Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire Enters
Marketing Partnership With PGA TOUR

Becomes “Official Tire of the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour”

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla., and NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The PGA TOUR and Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT), have entered into a three-year official marketing partnership, whereby the Bridgestone brand receives exclusive designation as the “Official Tire of the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour.”

BFNT plans to leverage its new affiliation with the TOUR through an integrated, multi-media marketing campaign based on the theme “Improve Your Drive.” This includes short instructional videos featuring Bridgestone PGA TOUR players Matt Kuchar, Will MacKenzie, Brandt Snedeker and Kevin Stadler that will appear on PGATOUR.com and provide golf tips on how to Improve Your Drive on the golf course.

“We are extremely pleased that BFNT, whose parent company is the current sponsor of the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational, is broadening its relationship with the PGA TOUR by becoming an official marketing partner through Bridgestone Tires,” said Tom Wade, Chief Marketing Officer for the PGA TOUR. “Bridgestone is a great brand that plans to aggressively activate this new platform, which only helps extend the PGA TOUR brand.”

BFNT will also have an on-site component at select PGA TOUR events to help fans improve their drive on the road and on the fairway. The Improve Your Drive expo will feature the Bridgestone Golf Ball Fitting Challenge as well as display Bridgestone SUV/truck, sedan and performance tires. While fans are waiting their turn to find out which ball is best for their golf game, they can learn which Bridgestone tire is best for their vehicle. Along with informational displays featuring the tires, a video monitor will alternate showing golf tips from Bridgestone PGA TOUR players and the new “It’s Bridgestone or Nothing” commercials and test-track footage. Brand ambassadors will be on-site to distribute literature and answer fans’ questions.

Finally, BFNT will feature its brand advertising in golf-themed media outlets, including commercial advertising on CBS and GOLF CHANNEL and print advertising within golf publications such as Golf Digest and Golf World.

“We are thrilled to partner with the PGA TOUR,” said Phil Pacsi, Vice President of Consumer Tire Marketing. “The PGA TOUR and its fan base are a perfect fit for the Bridgestone Brand, and we look forward to sharing our exciting ‘It’s Bridgestone or Nothing’ campaign with them.”

Nothing A Full Field Can't Fix

SI.com's golf.com's Gary Van Sickle is the latest to weigh in on the sad state of the World Golf Championship events. As it relates to the recent debate over the AT&T National, Van Sickle notes that the WGC's have often been plagued by run-away wins, something easily curable by larger fields:

In a full field, half a dozen players shoot lights-out every day. In a half-field, only two or three do. Golf leaderboards are exciting because they're bunched, and that's a function of the numbers. With a full field, it's going to be more like the Tour de France — no one usually breaks away from the pack without taking a half-dozen pursuers with him. In a half field, well, Tiger or Darren Clarke or someone else can break away from the field and win in a runaway.

PGA Tour Returns To ESPN!

Well, sort of. Granted it's Big-Break-style programming, but a start. Oh and what's the "Challenge Event" schedule?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 29, 2007

PGA TOUR SIGNS MULTI-YEAR DEAL WITH
PEOPLE vs. THE PROS GOLF EVENT

Amateur Golfers to Compete Head-to-Head Against
PGA TOUR Professionals in Challenge Event

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL – People vs. the Pros, a unique tournament that features amateur golfers competing head-to-head against professionals from the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour, will continue its four-year run on ESPN as a multi-year deal was announced today by PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem.

The participants and site date of this year’s event will be announced in the near future.

“We are pleased to add the People vs. the Pros to our Challenge Event schedule,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. “It is a format that the players have enjoyed competing in over the past four years, and we look forward to seeing PGA TOUR and Champions Tour players competing in the years to come.”

“We have enjoyed developing the People vs. the Pros series over the last four years and our thanks go to the PGA TOUR for rewarding our event by making it part of the Challenge Event schedule,” said Andy Batkin, CEO of the Manhattan Beach, CA-based Innovative Media Solutions, creators of People vs. the Pros. “To have our unique event sanctioned by the TOUR validates our vision to provide a fully integrated media and marketing platform for our sponsors.”

The first People vs. the Pros tournament was held in 2003 at Lake Las Vegas Resort in Las Vegas, NV. John Daly defeated his amateur opponent, but golf legend Lee Trevino was defeated by his amateur opponent, validating the concept.

The 2004 event was held at historic Pinehurst Resort & Spa in Pinehurst, NC. Daly defended his title and the colorful Gary McCord was the Champions Tour player. The final matches were played on the legendary No. 2 course at Pinehurst, site of the 1999 and 2005 U.S. Opens. Daly and McCord were both defeated by their amateur opponents.

The 2005 event was held at Barton Creek Resort and Spa in Austin, TX. Justin Leonard was the PGA TOUR pro, while Ben Crenshaw represented the Champions Tour. The final matches were held on the Tom Fazio-designed Foothills course. Leonard won his match 4 and 3, while Crenshaw was taken all the way to the 18^th hole, prevailing 1-up.

Last year’s event returned to Pinehurst’s No. 2 course, where two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, the world’s third-ranked player, and McCord, in his second appearance in the event, both won their matches.

The format for People vs. the Pros features more than 200 amateur players competing over three days in a 54-hole stroke-play competition utilizing handicaps. The players are divided into two divisions: 49-and-under and the over-50 division, with each division producing a champion.

On the fourth day of the tournament, the amateur champions play an 18-hole match against the professionals representing the PGA TOUR and the Champions Tour. The matches are taped for telecast later on ESPN. The winners each receive $50,000 designated to the charity of their choice.

The event is open to U.S. and Canadian amateur golfers over 18 years of age with an established handicap; players can reserve a place in the tournament on the tournament website, www.pvpgolf.com.

PGA Tour v. LPGA Tour?

Ron Sirak suggests that the maneuvering between the LPGA and PGA Tour is unnecessary, but I say it's downright entertaining.

The LPGA may lack the star power of the PGA Tour (although, arguably, the latter's star power only goes as deep as Tiger Woods), but it presents a more compelling product than the Champions or Nationwide Tours. Determined to increase its exposure, the feisty LPGA has fought back by out-maneuvering the PGA Tour on a couple of fronts that have largely gone unnoticed.

The LPGA created the ADT Championship playoff model, and its $1 million first prize, last year before the FedEx Cup became the subtitle for the PGA Tour. And LPGA officials were clearly upset at the Golf 20/20 conference last October when the meeting to discuss ways to grow the game of golf morphed into a pep rally for the FedEx Cup, at the direction of the PGA Tour. LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens (pictured) was so angry she left and had to be talked into coming back for the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

Hearing something like that makes it tough to make fun of The Brand Lady. Oh wait, she gives her annual press conference today at the Nabisco Championship. I spoke too soon!

“You’ll see some interesting creative in that regard in the next several weeks.”

The "IMG World Congress of Sports" included a Wednesday panel gathering that featured USGA CMO Barry Hyde, The Golf Channel's GOLF CHANNEL's Dave Manougian, Golf World's Geoff Russell and the PGA Tour's Ty Votaw. Oh, IMG's Mark Steinberg was also listed as a participant at The Pierre, but he's not included in this snippet of topics, intros and highlights (we've been mercifully spared the full transcript.) Instead a suit from FedEx named Bill Margaritas filled in (no, this is not an excerpt from Dan Jenkins' next novel).

Anyway, brace yourselves. Lots of product and growth references in "Growing The Business of Golf in the Years Ahead."

The issue: What is the state of golf?

The skinny: In an audience poll on the health of golf, only 14 percent said golf is healthier now than it ever has been; 28 percent said it was healthier than in 2000. Votaw: “All indices (prize money, sponsorship, TV partnerships) are up.”

Yes, he said indices. It's not coterminous, but it's pretty good!

Russell: “I half agree with what Ty said. The business of golf is pretty healthy, but it’s always a challenge to keep it going. That success is going to be hard to maintain.”

Most panelists agreed that fan interest in the game is up. Manougian: “We think the sport’s in great shape.” Russell: “It is for you, you’ve got the (cable) contract now.”

You know these writer types Dave, always ready with a pithy comeback to taint the brand.

Manougian later added, “We must take the necessary steps to becoming a true, fan-friendly sport.”

Margaritas expressed excitement about the changing demographics of fans and top players in regards to sex, nationalily and diversity.

Top players are changing sex? I mean, I know about Mianne Bagger, but who else?

Greatest hit: Votaw: “I’m not sure it’s healhier than ever, but I think it’s certainly healthier than it was in 2000.”

In 2000, did they have to scramble to find sponsors and fill spots on the schedule to replace tournaments that died? Help me, my memory is just not what it used to be.

The issue: Tiger Woods’ effect on the PGA Tour.

The skinny: Russell: “If you’re a sponsor of a PGA Tour event and you look down the road and you know you’re not going to get Tiger Woods you’ve got a real marketing problem. You’ve got to come up with another way to make your tournament interesting.”

Votaw grimaced during some of Russell’s comments, then said, “There are a lot of dymanics about whether sponsors sign with tournaments, and that’s beyond Tiger.”

Ah, the MBA's answer to squirming out of a tricky topic: dynamics. There are many dynamics involved and all you idiots just don't understand them! 

The issue: Measuring the success of the new FedEx Cup playoff format.

The skinny: Margaritas: “I think its going to be good with or without Tiger. It’s going to cast the spotlight on some other players.”

Are we already conceding that Tiger is not going to be a full time participant in the playoffs?

Russell: “I’m waiting for Tiger Woods to say, ‘This is fantastic, I’ll be at all four events and I can’t wait to win the FedEx Cup.’ I don’t remember him saying that.”

Votaw: “You’ll see some interesting creative in that regard in the next several weeks.”

Some interesting creative. Oh goodie, more lame PSA's!

Russell: “I think when we do it once it will be interesting. But if Tiger doesn’t play then you’ve got a problem.”

Votaw: “If he does play every event are you going to write what an unqualified success it is?”

Russell: “You’ll probably see more positive words about it than if he didn’t show up.”

An audience poll found 45 percent of believe some top players won’t play more events this season.

Manougian: “When we get into the playoffs I don’t think there’s any question there will be more excitement about (those events) than ever before. People will debate the degree of success.”

Greatest hit: Russell: “For this thing to work you have to have those top players play.”

Glad we settled that.

The issue: The Tour as a TV product.

The skinny: Votaw addressed the type of the demographics of viewers watching Tour telecasts, saying, “I think you can say old is unnattractive, but you can say rich is very attractive. …The afflueunce, educational and income levels and executive levels make golf very attractive. We wouldn’t be fully sponsored or have the number of broadcast hours.”

And why is it again that you are consumed with youth and pandering to the 18-34 year olds? 

Hyde said, “When you’re talking to media buyers they’re saying they love golf because it’s the corporate office plus the high end consumer audience.”

Votaw said of the new cable TV deal with Golf Channel, “We’re not going to making short-term assessments or adjustments based on what’s a long-term deal. That’s why we made a 15-year deal.”

Oh that makes sense. A 15-year experiment to see how it works. 

The issue: Michelle Wie’s future in golf.

The skinny: An audience poll found 67 percent believe Wie should no longer play in men’s events. Most panelists agreed that she needs to find success on the LGPA [sp.] before attempting to cross over.

Russell said, “Being in the business of covering her, I don’t think it’s in her or our best interests when she doesn’t play well. It’s tough not to start to get jaded as a journalist to watch her withdraw from tournaments. … We’re in the business of being critical of people when they play like that.” Votaw said, “If that happens and you continue to be critical of her, the marketplace will catch up to that at some point and it will no longer be a compelling situation to have her in the field. The market will ultimately determine whether or not she should or should not play on the PGA Tour.”

Ah those market forces. And here I thought it was a matter of her breaking par.

And believe it or not there was one good suggestion on the panel.

Panelists where asked what they would do as LPGA or PGA Tour commissioner for a day.

Hyde said, “Create more difference week to week. Some alternative formats and work hard at creating a personality for every tournament.”

You see Barry, alternative formats require thought and for players to adapt. Same with varied course setups. Very dangerous ground we'd be on here. You risk engaging platforms that are very complicated like the Stableford scoring or match play. That distinct variety impacts the indices and delivers too many dynamics that might engender consumer confusion.

Manougian said, “Making the brand relevant to Gen Y.”

Greatest hit: Votaw said, “There’s no upside for me to answer that question, really.”

And on that note...

PGA Tour's Gambuzza Heading Up New York Office...And Already Bloodied?

This landed in my email box today and appeared just as you see it below. Captions please...

 
March 21, 2007

Norb Gambuzza Named VP-Business Development
at PGA TOUR’s New York Office

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL – Norb Gambuzza, a 15-year veteran in integrated marketing, media and sales, will join the PGA TOUR’s New York office as Vice President, Business Development and General Manager, effective March 26.

Gambuzza will be responsible for developing media and sponsorship relationships, with a particular focus on working with the TOUR’s network television partners, CBS, NBC and GOLF CHANNEL, to generate integrated advertising programs. He will report to Jon Podany, the TOUR’s Senior Vice President, Business Development.

“We are very pleased to have Norb join our business development team in the important role of leading our New York office,” Podany said. “Norb brings a diverse background with proven results in integrated media sales and sports marketing/sponsorship, and has a strong knowledge of the golf industry. We believe he will be a great representative of the PGA TOUR in New York.”

Gambuzza comes to the PGA TOUR after holding senior positions for the past five years with Golf Digest Publications in integrated marketing and events/sports marketing. Prior to that, he was with Fusient Media Ventures, where he was instrumental in developing the business plan for College Sports Television, as well as other consulting projects, including work with the TOUR and USA Network.

Gambuzza also has served as the Director of Sports Marketing at Sports Illustrated and held marketing and sales roles at ProServ Inc. and National Media Group.

“The portfolio of PGA TOUR media and marketing assets has never been stronger,” Gambuzza noted. “I look forward to representing the TOUR in New York and see great opportunity in putting those assets to work on behalf of marketers.”

The PGA TOUR office opened during the summer of 2004 with the purpose of establishing a New York City presence and enhancing the TOUR’s business development area, particularly in regard to integrated advertising sales to support its network partners. The office contact is Megan St. Germaine at 212-752-8687.

About the PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers. Its primary purpose is to provide competitive earnings opportunities for past, current and future members of the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour; to protect the integrity of the game; and to help grow the reach of the game in the U.S. and around the world.

In 2007, the three Tours will compete in approximately 110 events for approximately $340 million in prize money. Tournaments are being held in six countries outside the U.S. and in 36 states.

In addition to providing competitive opportunities for its membership, TOUR events also generate significant funds for local charities. In fact, the three Tours have surpassed the $1 billion mark in overall charitable contributions. The PGA TOUR's web site address is www.pgatour.com and the company is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

Limiited Fields, Limited Opportunities

The limited field issue appears to not be going away as Doug Ferguson tackles the issue of veterans not getting in Doral for that one last crack at Augusta. He also declares the WGC events a giant mistake.

The World Golf Championships have lost some zip the last few years, even when Tiger Woods wins them, which is often. They were designed to bring together the best players in the world. Now, the WGCs are best identified by players hardly anyone knows.

And a popular PGA Tour destination is worse off because of it.

The WGCs were a good idea when they were formed in 1999, but that was when the world's best players rarely got together outside the major championships. In this global environment of golf, the WGCs have quietly gone away — except they took Doral with them.

The Accenture Match Play Championship really is the only one left, and probably will stick around because of the format. The Bridgestone Invitational remains at Firestone, but look what it replaced in '99 — the World Series of Golf, which already was a WGC without the fancy title.

The other was the American Express Championship — now CA Championship with a new title sponsor — that alternated venues between the United States and Europe. Now it has been folded into Doral.

Instead of 144 players trying to keep it out of the white sand and blue water, there will be a 74-man field playing for free money. And there will be 70 other guys — more, really, considering the many non-PGA Tour members at Doral — who are home this week.

Worse yet, this is the last week to qualify for the Masters.

Golf.com's Cameron Morfit offers a different angle by making a case for the injustice of Ryan Moore struggling to find a place to play.

The problem is, thanks to limited fields, Palmer's Bay Hill party is a tough invite, just as Jack's is and the majors are, just as the WGC events are, just as the four FedEx Cup playoff events will be.

Rather than apply for a medical waiver last year, Moore played through the pain and found that by pointing the club directly out from his belt buckle at address, as if it were a fishing pole, he could minimize discomfort. He finished T2 at the Buick Championship and T9 at the PGA, his first major as a pro, and ended the year 81st on the money list.

It was reminiscent of 2005, when Moore, after making the cut in the U.S. Open, turned pro and made enough money in eight starts to earn his PGA Tour card without having to go to the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament. He was the first person since Woods in 1996 to advance directly to The Show without enduring golf's dreaded bar exam.

Moore has his foibles. He doesn't use a yardage book and only recently decided to use a professional caddie instead of his brother. But Tom Lehman was speaking for many when he said recently that Moore could start winning in bunches any day. Ping prominently features Moore, a UNLV product, in its TV advertisements, waiting for him to blow up.

He blames himself, not his injury or Tour policy, for failing to qualify for this week's WGC-CA Championship, or the Masters. But when one of America's top prospects says he's finally healthy again and nabs a top-10 to prove it, and when that player is then snubbed from the following week's invitational in favor of players like Rummings and Stanley and sponsor's invite Mike Hulbert (MC), something is out of whack.

Limited Fields and Pace of Play

During Friday's Bay Hill telecast (before I switched back to the NCAAs), Arnold Palmer endorsed limited field events because they're easier to operate and pace of play is faster. (In the same interview he also endorsed the idea of ending Q-School...)

On the subject of Tiger's new D.C. event as a limited field tournament, Ron Sirak pointed out the brewing battle over the emergence of the Tiger Tour.

The situation brewing here--a player revolt against the tour's most valuable player--is both unprecedented and potentially ugly. Beem says the players can override the PGA Tour Board with a two-thirds majority. If that happens it will formalize what we already know. There is the Tiger Tour--and then there is everything else. And the players will be biting the hand that has fed them well.

Now, I know this is probably an oversimplification of the issue, but it seems that pace of play should be the real issue here.  Tiger this week:

TIGER WOODS: Oh, I always liked reduced fields, because obviously play moves along a lot faster. You get around in a much more rhythmical pace. You know, I think that's important.

You can't blame the rank-and-file for today's pace of play, just as you can't blame the elite players. It's in everyone's best interest to adjust to the tepid pace of the rest of the field. This corresponding response has allowed the situation to fester as it has.

I guess it's hard to fathom how a problem that is so clearly impacting spectator interest (on the "Tiger Tour" or run of the mill PGA Tour stops) and lies at the heart of this limited field debate, is not being addressed more forcefully by the Commissioner and the Policy Board?

TPC Sale To Fund Avenel Facelift?

Golfweek's Scott Hamilton reports that the PGA Tour's new strategic alignment with sale of courses to Heritage is actually a capital-generating move to pay for the $20 million redo of TPC Avenel.

Buried Lede Department: PGA Tour Press Release Division

From PGATour.com:

TOUR forms alliance with Heritage Golf Group

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- The PGA TOUR's Policy Board announced Thursday that the TOUR has formed a strategic alliance with San Diego-based Heritage Golf Group, Inc.

The extent of the alliance remains to be fully defined, but is intended to leverage the assets and strengths of both companies to provide expanded golf experiences for members and guests throughout the TOUR's TPC Network of 22 premier clubs and Heritage Golf Group's portfolio of 16 distinguished private and resort courses located in California, Texas, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. These facilities include Valencia Country Club in Valencia, Calif., host site of the Champions Tour's AT&T Champions Classic; Oyster Reef Golf Club in Hilton Head Island, S.C.; Atlanta National Golf Club and White Columns Country Club in Atlanta, Ga.; and Weston Hills Country Club in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., former site of the PGA TOUR's Honda Classic. In the coming months, both management teams will work together to develop member and guest programs that are mutually beneficial.

So you ask, why announce this? And now a word from our MBA's.

"Our strategic alliance with Heritage Golf Group is a logical extension of our efforts to provide PGA TOUR Experiences for our members and guests," said David Pillsbury, president of PGA TOUR Golf Course Properties. "By harnessing the natural synergies between our companies, we can deliver a better, more valuable golf experience for our collective members and guests. Ultimately, we envision a network of more than 40 affiliated clubs, all of which share similar quality and service standards. This represents a significant step towards making this unprecedented alliance a reality."

Heritage Golf Group President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Husband, a 25-year golf industry veteran who is a current member of the PGA of America and a former PGA TOUR member, added, "On behalf of Heritage Golf Group and our more than 1,000 dedicated ambassadors, we are thrilled to work in collaboration with the PGA TOUR to continue our pursuit of providing members and guests with the best possible club experiences, while at the same time preserving the integrity and rich heritage of the game of golf."

Translation of harnessing those synergies? The PGA Tour is selling Heritage some of it's dogs less wonderful TPC's...

Under the terms of the strategic alliance, in addition to the development of joint programming, the PGA TOUR Policy Board approved the sale of four TPC Network assets to Heritage Golf Group, Inc. Included in the transaction are the sale of TPC Eagle Trace in Coral Springs, Fla.; TPC Michigan in Dearborn, Mich.; TPC Piper Glen in Charlotte, N.C.; and TPC Prestancia in Sarasota, Fla.. Under the terms of the sales transactions, which are expected to close sometime in the second quarter of 2007, the clubs will be managed by Heritage Golf Group, Inc. but will continue to operate under the TPC brand. In addition to their current membership benefits, members of TPCs and Heritage clubs will enjoy additional access privileges that will add value to their memberships.

"If the course is good, it’ll attract players"

Steve Elling, writing about the new look Florida swing, offers this from Luke Donald:

 “If the course is good, it’ll attract players, and that’s the bottom line,” said 10th-ranked Luke Donald, who won the Honda last year at nearby Country Club at Mirasol.