Telegraph's Corrigan: Roll Back The Ball!

Add The Telegraph's James Corrigan to the list of subversives out to end capitalism as we know it by suggesting that it's time to end the mad chase for distance. No free golf balls for James!

Topping his list of five things he says need to happen in 2015...

1. Roll back the ball - The horse has probably bolted on this one, but it is never too late. All of golf’s ills can be traced back to the negligence of the authorities to rein in the turbo-charged golf ball. The courses are too long, the golf is too boring and the game is suffering. Do something now.

And just to show he's a dreamer...

2. Slow play - Let’s face it, golf takes too long. Five-hour rounds on Thursday and Friday are actually welcomed on some tracks, while four hours for two players is absurdly acceptable. The action takes too long to watch and is far too long to play. The only way to speed up the pros is with shot penalties. End of.

Has Golf Shifted From Status Symbol To Entertainment Vehicle?

And is that a bad thing necessarily?

I ask because Tim Grant of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette looks at the state of golf and also of private golf clubs in the Pittsburgh area and features an interesting quote from Megan Hawk, internal auditor at 3 Lakes GC, who sees a change in perception after 9/11. (Thanks reader Big K for this story.)

Some private clubs in this area that continue to thrive on the old model where new members are handpicked by current members include Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont; Allegheny Country Club in Sewickley; and the Pittsburgh Field Club in Fox Chapel.

But for the most part, private clubs that insist on doing business as usual are finding it difficult.

“The game of golf was part of the success culture,” Ms. Hawk said. “It made people feel successful, especially if they belonged to a private club. They felt they had made it. Now it’s not as closely linked to prosperity. Now it’s more a form of entertainment than a status symbol.”

A lot of modern golf players “want to collect experiences,” Ms. Hawk said. “They want to play six courses in one summer rather than the same one with the same people.”

What do you think?

Podcasts! State Of The Game With Lloyd Cole; Scottish Golf

Podcasting is making a comeback (if it ever went away) thanks to the breakout murder mystery Serial, highlighted by David Carr in this week's New York Times media column on the continued strength of podcasting.

This is a convenient setup for not one, but two podcasts to consider for your Thanksgiving travel plans.

I recently sat in for episode 42 of the Scottish Golf Podcast with Ruairidh Macdonald to chat about Scotland golf travel. If you are planning a trip or thinking about one, check out the many fine episodes covering an array of important topics here and follow the show and/or Ru on Twitter. You can also subscribe via iTunes or via your preferred podcast app (my new favorite IOS app: Overcast.)

Meanwhile, after using his music to open State of The Game for 49 episodes, we finally got Lloyd Cole to appear while on break from touring and hickory golf. Cole recently released Standards in the United States where it was recorded and which has been the focus of his international touring over the last year.

Reviews of Standards have been oustanding, including The Independent suggesting it is Cole's best work, the Mail saying it's "a vibrant set full of wry wordplay," and 4-star reviews from the The Mail, Big Issue and The Independent. (His record label's purchase page including vinyl option, iTunes $9.99 download, Amazon CD $12.99 purchase. I highly recommend!)

As usual, Rod Morri, Mike Clayton and yours truly covered an array of topics, including how Lloyd got started in the game, his love of hickories and Hogan, the state of the game and how his affection for the sport is viewed by his music fans.

You can download the show as an MP3 here, listen to the show directly here, grab it on iTunes here or listen below. There is also this directory of past shows. Happy Thanksgiving!

Trevino: "Somehow we've got to get the caddie ranks back"

Golfweek's Adam Schupak attended the Western Golf Association's 4th annual Green Coat Gala and reports that former caddies turned stewards of the game look back at their looping days with increasing fondness.

This year Mike Keiser, Lee Trevino and Peter Jacobsen represented the past-caddie ranks, while Michigan State junior Jacob Mosley talked on behalf of the 870 students currently on Evans Scholarships.

For years, the caddie yard was the academy from which the likes of Trevino, Lee Elder, and 1985 Western Open champ Jim Thorpe graduated as professional golfers. Changing social patterns, and the golf cart, eliminated many of the caddie shacks making Trevino one of the last celebrated alumni of that hard school.

"Somehow we've got to get the caddie ranks back," Trevino said.