"Five charts that prove PGA Tour players are driving it into the stratosphere in 2015"

As the sun sets on Peter Dawson's R&A tenure lowlighted by changing the Old Course (just so he wouldn't have to push his organization toward a messy marriage with the equally money-hoarding obsessed USGA against a ball manufacturer), we must remember that Mr. Dawson has told us things have hit a "plateau" on the distance front.

However, with the end to the PGA Tour season upon us, Joel Beall has already started crunching some numbers and you will be shocked--shocked!--to learn that there are more players than ever averaging over 300 yards, more greens hit in regulation than ever, and more par-5s rendered meaningless.

But, whereas these rockets used to be a feat that garnered "Can you believe that?!?!" elbows to your friends, they've now become routine. If anything, it's eyebrow-raising when someone doesn't cross the 300-yard barrier with their drive.

And just to spare you newer readers the trouble of posting: I know that the players are more athletic than ever. I know they are armed with the best-ever equipment, instruction and fitting tools in the history of the game. Which is all fine. But just remember, there are rules governing distance in place. All I'm asking is that they be shifted a bit to keep the courses we have relevant.

If the need for maintaining relevance and reasonable-amount-of-acreage part still perplexes you, that part I can't help you with.

Podcasts! Scottish Golf Travel On North Berwick, Old Course

There's really only one way to plan a trip to Scotland and that's by listening to Ru Macdonald's Scottish Golf Podcast. Last week's episode with listener Stuart Stein is a perfect example of why you can't do any better in preparing for those once-in-a-lifetime trips.

On episode 74 we discuss (what else) North Berwick, the Old Course, The Glen Club and Crail, as well as some tips born out of my most recent voyage to the Home of Golf (ship those clubs please, Luggage Forward and ShipSticks are your friends!). 

And yes, Ru asks me what my one must-have piece of equipment was and it was my--no paid endorsement--my Linksoul water resistant jacket. (The XL is still on sale at half off.) The fall version is not on sale and has gone up in price, but as someone who hates playing in rain gear and rarely has ever found a jacket that works for swinging a club in less-than-ideal weather, this was a keeper!

Also on the By-the-Minute-Golf Podcast last week, don't miss Lawrence Donegan and John Huggan talking to Mark Canizzaro of the New York Post.

WSJ: "It Only Took 600 Years for Golf to Return to the Masses"

John Paul Newport used the Open Championship green speed delay to check out the updated British Golf Museum and found a nice tie to today's interest in shorter rounds: "short golf" from 600 years ago.

He writes:

Short golf, which started in the 1400s, was usually played on Sundays and festival days when rural folk converged on the towns. The precise rules are unknown and were probably fluid. Evidence compiled by David Hamilton in “Golf: Scotland’s Game” suggests that participants used only one club, that alcohol and high spirits were often part of the deal and that the game could be dangerous. In 1632, a spectator in Kelso was killed by an errant ball.

Which brought him to Topgolf, naturally...

Topgolf, the chain of driving ranges with concentric-ring targets and automatic electronic scoring, as in bowling alleys, may be the closest modern counterpart to 15th century short golf. It doesn’t require much space, like street and churchyard golf back then, and alcohol is usually part of the deal. I recently spent a very enjoyable two hours at a Topgolf facility near O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. I basically just practiced. The targets used in Topgolf focus one’s attention far better than at normal ranges and the scoring creates a sense of pressure as you try to beat your best score. But as a singleton just practicing, I was in the minority. (I also might have been the only customer over 40.) Topgolf is date-night golf, where “one more round” typically means more drinks, not another batch of balls. When I left there was an hour-long line out the door.

State Of The Game 59: The 2015 Open And UK Golf

It's just Rod Morri asking Mike Clayton (still in the UK) and myself questions about The Open at St. Andrews, links golf and more. But there's just so much to talk about!

As always you can get it on iTunes or wherever podcasts are distributed.

Or get the MP3 here.

Check out past shows here. Or listen below: