Solheim Cup Hype

Ron Sirak writes about all of the scenarios and potential glory for the European's at this week's Solheim Cup. Bet this is the first time you heard the Solheim Cup was being played this week.

Spyglass: The Best Venue In All Of Pebble Beach

Ken Ottmar in the Monterey County Herald apparently wants to turn those First Tee kids into former golfers. Why do I know this?. Because he says they should play Spyglass Hill instead of Old Del Monte for the First Tee Open. Sadly, some of the Champions Tour geezers agreed with him.

Bayonet was too hard. Del Monte, too easy.

So here's my suggestion to the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, which runs the First Tee Open of Pebble Beach: Next year, rotate not with either one of those courses but instead choose what is truly the best venue in all of Pebble Beach.

Spyglass Hill.

Stop laughing and think about this for a minute. Truly the best venue in all of Pebble Beach?  Wish I could say I make this stuff up. But I merely copy and paste.

Maybe he meant it's the best venue that's not Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, Monterey Peninsula Country Club, Poppy Hills, Peter Hay...oh sorry.

Here's the case for Spyglass... 

The numbers don't exactly tell the whole story. After the first round of the First Tee Open, Del Monte played slightly tougher than Pebble Beach -- 71.538 to 71.359. It relinquished 10 rounds under 70, but also had two rounds over 80.

In a complete reversal, Del Monte became easier in the second round, playing to a 71.487 with zero rounds over 80.

Sold!

Ranking Rock Bottom

It's official. They've run out of rankings. Golf Digest ranks the best golfers in Washington D.C. Warning to small children or those with a low tolerance for &*%^$##@: way too many photos of politicians in shorts, straw hats and anklet socks talking about how politics would be more efficient if our fine Congressmen and women were able to play more golf.

Ballyneal Article

Thanks to reader Joe for this David Holland article on Rupert O'Neal's Ballyneal, a Tom Doak design 3 hours outside of Denver on the way to the Sand Hills of Nebraska. I think I'm touring the course in October and hope it is as promising as it looks. The long predicted "Prairie Trail" of courses in the Sand Hills region is finally happening.

Canadian Open Blues

Jeff Mingay points out that (yet again) a governing body has not placed enough importance on architecture, thus undermining their event.

Fans Perception of Technology

Rick Arnett at SI.com received an "avalanche of e-mails dared to oppose my stance on golf being the most honest sport.” He writes that “the responses made me wonder if I'm completely unaware of the public sentiment regarding the game” because many “mirrored this comment":

You dummy! Golf's cheating is embedded in the sport like no other. It lies in the "technology." All the cheaters race to get the next "edge" in equipment others do not possess. The cheating has gotten so extreme that venerable golf courses are rendered obsolete. You are too close to the sport, dummy!

Arnett goes on to recite the usual there’s no going back and so be it if some courses are as obsolete as old Stadiums argument. Fortunately, the USGA, R&A and PGA of America believe their overall credibility, ratings and championship results are greatly improved by going to classically designed venues. And the PGA Tour does not have nearly as many course options as people think, so the "we'll just go to the 8,000 yard courses" argument isn't feasible.

Anyway, here’s the interesting thing to note. A majority of Arnett’s readers perceive that an excessive embrace of technology is viewed as cheating.

Remember what Tim Finchem warned in 2003 should this perception become reality.

"There is some point--nobody knows where it is--when the amateur player feels divorced and really doesn't appreciate the game at this level, just because it's so different that it doesn't become particularly relevant. The second thing is, if everybody is driving every par 4, it's not particularly interesting to watch.

"We are anxious, because we are continuing to see some distance enhancements in a short period of time. Unless something happens, we may have to move to-ward bifurcating the equipment specs for amateurs and professionals. In that case, we would be more involved."

Looking at the driving distance increases in recent weeks along with plenty of behind-the-scenes feedback via ShotLink, you wonder if Finchem will act. Or perhaps he just has too much on his plate with the TV negotiations. But isn't fan perception key to the negotiations? 

To his credit, Arnett does go on to suggest that the Tour needs to have a drug policy. It’s almost unthinkable that they don’t have one.

This Week's Driving Distance Jump

We're now at 20 players averaging over 300 yards for the PGA Tour season. That's up from 17 last week. 15 the week before. 

Fo shizzle, I-ka-zizzle

For those watching the various golf events of late, you might be wondering after the 3 millionth airing of the Snoop Dogg-Lee Iaccoca Chrysler ad, that the course they are playing is Woodland Hills Country Club in (where else) Woodland Hills, California.

You know the ad by now. It's sandwiched between those 60 second Greatest Piano Solo spots that remind Tim Finchem he has a lot of work to do on the new TV deal. The punchline of the ad:

You know, I'm not too sure what you just said. Now everybody gets a great deal," Iacocca says in the spot.

"Fo shizzle, I-ka-zizzle," Snoop Dog replies.

Were you like me, thinking Iacocca couldn’t possibly need the money and yet Snoops to this level?

Well, don't I feel like a jerk after reading an article about it:

Iacocca is donating the money Chrysler is paying him to do these spots to a foundation he set up to battle diabetes, the disease which killed his wife. USA Today reports that Snoop Dogg told Iacocca during the filming that he has a brother with diabetes, and said he admired what Iacocca is doing.

"He's just a good kid," Iacocca told USA Today about his co-star. "I didn't understand half the things he was telling me, but it was fun."

Newport Awaiting Wie...Already

Chris Baldwin at Travelgolf writes that they're already excited about the arrival of Michelle Wie in Newport...for the 2006 U.S. Women's Open. Though her expected appearance can't be promoted because she is currently an amateur.

Yes, the biggest reason for all this fuss is not included in the advertising blitz. With Wie still holding onto her amateur status, she's not used in any United States Golf Association promotions. Instead, the signs tout Annika Sorenstam, Grace Park and even virtually forgotten oldies Meg Mallon and Juli Inkster. So Wie is unseen, but definitely not unspoken about in Newport.

That'll change in October.  

Norman Lends His Chopper

Greg Norman lends his helicopter to support the New Orleans relief effort.

Hannigan on Amateur Status

Frank Hannigan's latest Golfobserver.com column looks at the recent USGA/R&A Amateur Status change:

The recently announced liberalization of the Rules of Amateur Status is a classic example of the kind of thinking you get when people in power lust to exercise their power but don't know what they are doing.

Oh but this is more than a USGA bashing column, Hannigan points out something rather shocking, even when you think you've seen every USGA boondoggle.

The method of administering golf's version of affirmative action is a typical USGA cop-out in that the Association will neither pay for anything (even though it has a quarter billion dollar surplus) nor manage anything.

Instead, the burden has been lateraled over to the state and regional golf Associations, entities such as the Chicago District Golf Association and the Florida Golf Association.

According to the USGA's solemn press release, any amateur golfer can accept expenses to any golf competition provided the money is laundered through one of the associations.

As of Monday, the USGA had not issued any guidelines to the associations. It has not told them what to expect and what to do and whether they, the local bodies, have any role other than as accountants.

You would think they might run this by the local associations before announcing it. You know, in case they didn't want to do the USGA's dirty (paper) work.

Hannigan, who has long believed college golfers on scholarships should not be eligible for USGA amateur events, makes this suggestion:

The Amateur Public Links championship could again mean something other than being a means of entry into the Masters by a simple if dramatic step: deny entry to anybody who has played on a college golf team during the prior year. It would also be desirable to ban juniors — or at least those who attend or advertise "golf academies" linked to secondary schools.

Suttons and Toms Helping Out

Chris Lewis at SI on the efforts of David Toms and Hal Sutton to help hurricane Katrina victims.

Lupica On Presidents Cup

Mike Lupica says the Presidents Cup is better than the Ryder Cup.

I know, I know, even the suggestion that what was invented as another made-for-TV special event is better than the event it blatantly ripped off is something that is supposed to make old Ryder spin in his grave—though probably not the kind of spin you'd get with modern technology.

But I'm right about this.

Ah, the humility.

He goes on to present two utterly ridiculous reasons: the star power of the International team, starting with Ernie Els (oops). And the star power of captains Nicklaus and Player.

It's The Only Way You Lear

Thanks to reader Josh for this from the Telegraph. Writing about Colin Montgomerie:

Design is something the Scot has become more interested in. He said: "This is the first course in the UK which has my signature and for it to be in Ayrshire, just 10 miles up the road from where I first played golf, is really special.

"This is something I very much enjoy. To see this project from the start to completion in two years will be remarkable.

"I've been involved in dozens of courses all over the world now and we are ever expanding. I've played enough bad courses and enough bad holes in my time to know what is good and what I want.

"I've spoken to players past and present about golf course design. It's the only way you learn."

Kelly Gibson

Melanie Hauser talks to New Orleans resident and Tour player Kelly Gibson.