Sea Island Auction Looms As Tour Event Is Played Before Invisible Gallery

One reader likened it to a "club invitational-sized" crowd for the McGladrey Classic. I thought that was kind. But they certainly do seem to be sticking to their 7500-a-day gallery limit!

Meanwhile, Monday is auction day for Sea Island, as J. Scott Trubey reports. Just all around good vibes!

After two years of doubt, a measure of clarity should come Monday for Sea Island in the form of a bankruptcy auction.

The remaining assets of the bankrupt Sea Island Co. — the five-star Cloister and Lodge hotels and four celebrated golf courses among them— will be sold to the highest bidder at the headquarters of Atlanta law firm King & Spalding.

Walter Driver's old stomping grounds where diversity makes for prime Awkward Family Photos material!

But an auction is required by bankruptcy law, and a competing group of bidders has brought drama to a community known more for tranquil marshes, elegant hotels and plush service.

“We’ll be holding our breaths on Monday,” said Jane Fraser, a Sea Island member and resident.

The partnership of Oaktree Capital Management and Avenue Capital Group won a lengthy bid process to acquire the storied resort for $197.5 million. Its offer, known as a “stalking horse bid,” is said to honor Sea Island memberships, keep Sea Island’s 1,400 employees and retain Sea Island Co. scion A.W. “Bill” Jones III as chairman and CEO.

A competing team made up of Starwood Capital and Anschutz Entertainment is also cleared to bid at Monday’s auction.

Uh Oh! Tiger "Understands" Calls For Ball Rollback

Steve Elling reports on today's comments in Boston:

On Thursday, Woods was asked at the Deutsche Bank Championship about his view on the issue, which is being studied by the USGA. The organization has yet to release any findings from its various studies.

“It's just something, the guys are hitting it a long way,” Woods said. “For instance, last week, No. 8 is a par3 down the hill, playing 207 the last day, and I hit 7iron. I don't ever hit 7iron that far. Then I watched Dustin Johnson hit 9iron.

“It's just, I can understand them wanting to obviously pull the game back a little bit, because the guys are just becoming more athletic. Here I am 6 foot and I'm considered short. Most of the guys now are 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. Just like every other sport, it's evolved, become more athletic.

“The guys have speed, and now we're getting some great athletes playing the game.”

Tiger is in a no-win position if he takes a hard stance on the modern distance chase. Though he has made several statements about not minding a change, he has to be careful not to upset Nike and also to appear to be favoring a possible rule change that benefits his ability, which many believe a "spinnier" ball would.

Now factor in that his distance advantage has been passed by, and he has to be even more careful. Still, I like the comments today.

Arnie: "That should be one of the major things on our agenda, to slow the golf ball down so that we don't tilt the scale."

Mark Lamport-Stokes quotes Arnold Palmer talking about today's players and it seems The King slipped this in about the ball:

Palmer, who was a member of the so-called Big Three with fellow golfing greats Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, had no doubt about the one thing he would like to change most in the modern game.

"Because of technology, the players of today hit it too far," Palmer said. "That should be one of the major things on our agenda, to slow the golf ball down so that we don't tilt the scale.

"We have so many great golf courses but, as the players start hitting it so far, they are outdating our golf courses. We need to see if we can't just keep it in the range that we have known it for so many years."

Don't be so logical Arnie! Sheesh.

Now why is this interesting since he's mentioned the ball before? Well you might recall back in April we learned that the USGA's Dick Rugge said the groove rule change was motivated by Arnold Palmer telling that the USGA had blown it on grooves.

And as reader Andrew asked back when that item was posted, "I wonder what would have happened had Palmer said the biggest mistake they made was letting the ball go so far?"

Good question.