When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
Increased Water Rates May Shutter New Mexico Course
/Albuquerque KOB TV's J.P. Murrieta reports on the likely closure of Desert Greens golf course due to a 19 percent increase in water rates. Thanks to reader Rick for what could be a story we see a lot more of in the next few years. (Then again, when you see the story and see them flooding the driving range landing area, perhaps a water usage review may be in order.)
Meng says the course paid approximately $130,000 in water bills last year. This year he says the course is on pace to have to pay $400,000-to-$500,000. "The business cannot afford to pay the water bill," Meng says.
Meng is expecting a $100,000 water bill this month alone. He says the course could close as early as sometime in the next 30-to-60 days.
Aronimink Eyes Another 500 Yards To Land A Major
/Joe Juliano talks to Aronimink club president Joe Brooks about courting both the USGA and PGA of America for a future major even as both have their venues selected through 2019 and 2018, respectively.
Read MoreChampions Geezers: If We Lose Distance No One Will Watch!
/E. Michael Johnson posed a ball/equipment rollback question to some Champions Tour geezers this week who apparently are laboring under the delusion that a mass audience still (A) cares about their tour and (B) watches them plays because they hit it a long way.
Read MoreShock: 21 Of Top 40 Executive Golf Salaries Based In Ponte Vedra
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Alan Pittman's annual Golf Digest look at executive salaries in golf really is a thing to behold. Those 21 PGA Tour execs account for a staggering $19,727,308 in pay, and that's not including the $1.3 million from three World Golf Foundation incomes.
Wannamoisett Must Go!
/Who cares if charming old Wannamoisett has hosted the Northeast Amateur for almost fifty years and has produced a wide array of champions while defending itself just fine. Looking at the scores and Ryan Herrington's Golf World Monday write about about the record low scoring by Peter Uihlein and the field, it's clearly time for the 50th anniversary next year to usher in a longer slog of a course that can cope with all the gym time these young lads devoting themselves too!
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"The entire sport of golf likely will be faced with a fork-in-the-road decision in charting its future."
/Jim Achenbach assesses the U.S. Open at Congressional and concludes that the "gulf" between regular golfers and the professionals has "grown dramatically" in recent years with the need for a resolution appearing more evident than ever.
Read MoreThe USGA's Merion Problem
/When the USGA awarded Merion the 2013 U.S. Open, most of the discussion centered around logistics and the financial hit the organization would take when playing at such an intimate venue.
Read More"The obvious question is: What the hell has happened to American golf?"
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There are a couple of good reads today about the continued decline of American performances at majors following the U.S. Open where Kevin Chappell and Robert Garrigus were the low Yanks (though it should be noted that Chappell, a former NCAA champion, playing his first U.S. Open finished T-3)."The coolest new wrinkle in the private-access game might be the Outpost Club."
/John Paul Newport looks at the many ways you can get on private clubs through the array of group membership concepts, including a nice shout-out for the architecture-driven Outpost Club.
Read More"If the goal with this new format is to grow the game of golf, why was there no talk of how to stage such an event at your own club?"
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I enjoyed the many suggestions from readers who watched the Power Play Golf event at Celtic Manor, and also thought this observation from Stina Sternberg, reviewing the event for GolfDigest.com, should be noted by the television folks.
If the goal with this new format is to grow the game of golf, why was there no talk of how to stage such an event at your own club? The UK commentators, mainly from SkySports, seemed like they were making things up as they went along and obviously weren't very familiar with the PowerPlay movement.
I think that was most evident when Ian Poulter hit an incredible drive next to the last hole to set up an eagle putt and the on course commentator acted like he'd hit a nice wedge in there, only to be rescued by the play-by-play man who noted what an amazing shot it was.
Jay Townsend, you of course were spectacular.
"There is no such thing as a really terrible golf course. If you’re playing golf on it, how awful can it be?"
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On Monday, Charles McGrath wrote about the beauty of even the most apparently wretched courses, even citing one of note that might look a little rough but which is actually great fun and well worth repeat visits: George Thomas's Marion.
