The Power of Drugs

Greg Stoda in the Palm Beach Post:

Let's say there's a sport in which the proliferation of power reaches such an extreme that it becomes an overriding element of the game.

Let's say, too, the governing body of the sport has no rule banning the use of performance-enhancing drugs... no stipulation making illegal the use of any supplement assisting an athlete in gaining physical strength or reducing recovery time needed after competition or practice.

 Why, under such circumstance, couldn't the PGA Tour someday have the sort of problem Barry Bonds currently presents Major League Baseball?

Why couldn't professional golf have a Perry Ponds in a not-as-cartoonish version of the Bonds body-type?

The notion shouldn't be considered folly. Not anymore, it shouldn't.

Not with sluggers so dominant in professional golf these days.

Week In Review, March 4-11: Ohio GA On The Ball

Another wild week in golf, kicked off by news that Torrey Pines has been put up as collateral.

At Doral, Johnny Miller and Dan Hicks talked about flogging and why perhaps it works, though they also left out a few reasons too. Tiger's won with some eye-opening flog numbers, prompting reader Greg to note that the "Johnny Miller ford 'flogging' was barfworthy."

Carolyn Bivens spoke to Golf World's Ryan Herrington and as usual, sounded ridiculous talking about "brand consistency" and other nonsense. Reader NRH summed the Bivens era best: The early returns show: "Resignation of a by the book, but well-liked 18 year veteran tournament official.The Wie and Annika-Creamer rulings controversies. Picking a fight with the AP in the name of 'protecting the brand.' The joke of the women's world rankings debut. Excitement over being included in the Oscars goodie bag...Wow, does this mean I care about the LPGA? Hey, at least their club selection is more in line with the average Joe."

We also saw the future of the LPGA attending Oscar parties, prompting reader Pete to comment: "LPGA = Divas hitting Drivers. Why don't we see Tiger and the fellas at the Oscars? Oh yeah, that's right. Because they're athletes not dress-up dolls."

MacDuff weighed in with his analysis of a possible FedEx Cup points list through Doral, and it definitely rewards those who play frequently (and great play).

On the subject of FedEx, it was noted here that you will notice the name "PGA Tour" disappearing and FedEx Cup replacing it next year. Big K said, "I just hope the 'FedEx Reliability Zone' does not become an integral part of golf broadcasts. I was pretty sick of that graphic by the end of the Doral tournament. I can't wait for the Cialis 'Knock it Stiff' shot of the day..."

George Peper continued to atone for editorial sins, and we readers are the beneficiaries. Well I'm enjoying his columns, anyway. Reader R.A.C. noted that "isn't there more than a twinge of irony in providing the 10 over-rated, in the same breath as confessing his sins???"  And about that overrated list of Peper's, reader Hank noted that "As far as TCC being overrated because its a "composite" course used only for majors. Well, that's not true. It is played many times during the year with all tee times full."

Speaking of awards, the GWAA handed out its usual awards. You can read my third place finisher, and Golfweek has posted Brad Klein's 1st place winner here.

Speaking of Klein and awards, the Golfweek rankings were posted this week, with Cypress Point finally overtaking Pine Valley as No. 1 (not that I think it's unworthy of the top spot, but Pine Valley's recent elimination of sandy waste areas in favor of turf is alarming).

The big story of the week was written by Jim Achenbach (but first revealed by Lorne Rubenstein in December). The Ohio Golf Association is going to try a reduced flight ball in a special invitational event this summer.

Reader Dan D'Arrigo wrote, "I think the OGA is taking a proactive approach to protecting the integrity of the game. In my thirty years of playing golf I have seen the game change dramatically and I am convinced that some of the changes have not been for the best long term interest of the game."

And Brett commented, "Ohio has figured it out. Why pay millions upon millions of dollars to stretch out existing golf courses, to then find your drive has ended up in the same fairway location as it did 8 years ago, and you still have the same club into that green as before? Instead of spending boo-kooos of dollars, their going to go back to a golf ball that makes total sense from a dollar and "sense" point of view. Way to go, BIG O!"

OGA Story By Rubenstein

It turns out that Lorne Rubenstein revealed the Ohio Golf Association's competition ball idea in a December 31, 2005 column. A few of the more interesting passages:

The Ohio Golf Association has been discussing during the past four years the inordinate advantages that a golfer who can swing the driver at, say, 120 miles (193 kilometres) an hour, gains over somebody who can't get higher than 110 mph, and on down the line. (The majority of golfers, by the way, don't swing much more than 90 mph.) The benchmark until hot golf balls came along in the past few years was an increase in distance of three yards for every mile an hour of swing speed.

The golfer who swung at 112 mph, for instance, might drive the ball 270 yards, and somebody who reached 120 would hit it 294. But the latter golfer is up to about 310 to 315 yards now, according to tour professionals who notice these things.

The cutoff point where the incremental distance is beyond three yards for a mile an hour is about 114 to 115 mph. Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh and other golfers who swing at the higher speeds gain a tremendous advantage, beyond the traditional benchmark.

And...

[Alan] Fadel wouldn't indicate the manufacturer, whose name won't appear on the ball. The point, he said, “is that we want the ball to react equitably for different swing speeds, not exponentially, but equitably. We're not drawing the ball back, but we think it's necessary to bring equity back in.”

Fadel was speaking publicly about the subject for the first time yesterday. He'll be doing more during the new year.

“The USGA is very interested in what we're doing,” he said. “But they can't really do something like this [at the U.S. Open or Amateur, for instance]. They have assets and are exposed, and they're involved in so many areas of the game. We don't have legal liabilities, so it makes sense for us to do this.”

Fadel explained that the material used for the ball and, perhaps, its dimple pattern, will help generate the equitable differences in distance.

A Plan For The Future

Jim Achenbach writes his latest online column a bit like Nuke LaLouche pitches (all over the place). But you have to love that he is writing about the issues, trying trying to generate discussion and attempting to consider all sides of the equation.

He first suggests that a competition ball would be the best way to go:

The answer is for the USGA to create a "condition of competition" that allows tournament officials to impose the use of a shorter ball. This ball would be used in PGA Tour events and any other tournament, professional or amateur, that elects to go with this detuned ball.

Sure, this notion is controversial. Regardless, it provides a workable answer to the distance dilemma.

Golf fans in the big world out there don't give a toot whether J.B. Holmes uses the exact same ball as you and I, but everyday golfers drool over the possibility of hitting some of the same irons into par 4s as Holmes does.

The one-ball rule was established as a condition of competition, and the same could be done with the velocity of the golf ball.

And he seems to be joining the growing chorus that feels the difficulty of relating to the pro game may be stifling the growth of everyday golf.

If we are serious rather than hypocritical, we will do whatever is reasonable to foster the growth of the game. I believe that equalizing the playing field between tour pros and the rest of us would make the game more compelling.

Fine. Now, here's where things start to get interesting...

Because golf is so difficult, we must be conscious of the regulations that are imposed on golfers and their equipment. If I were the czar of golf, I would change the maximum number of clubs from 14 to 15. This would help revitalize the industry and would allow golfers to take advantage of new clubs such as hybrids.

Don't expect a 15-club limit any time soon, but the point remains: We should be encouraging the expansion of all segments of the game, including golf equipment manufacturers.

Really?  Or maybe some pushed for such a rapid product turnover cycle that manufacturers have used up their best stuff?  Or dare I say, maybe they've created weary consumers who might feel like they are being taken advantage of?

My fear is that additional golf equipment regulations will stifle creativity within the golf industry. Too many rules could result in an environment in which golf clubs and balls are sold largely through smoke and mirrors rather than performance.

Lord knows that line has never been crossed!

If design creativity is limited, golf companies are smart enough to compensate with creative marketing. This can lead to greater confusion among golfers and less emphasis on the true sophistication of golf equipment.

I remember mentioning to a very well known equipment maker that he must really enjoy the creative side of designing clubs. His reply? "Nope, it's all about marketing." 

If golf is not healthy and does not grow, there is a trickle-down effect that touches many aspects of the game. We would be wise to consider the many golf jobs created among golf manufacturers, golf professionals, golf shops, golf course maintenance staffs, clubhouse employees and all golf-related businesses.

True, and just think how many more tips a member could hand out if he did not buy that 15th club!

Or...eh, forget it. Here's where things seem to unravel:

Golf is an outdoor sporting phenomenon that is played by all ages. It should not be diminished, thwarted or truncated. It should remain vital, dynamic and spirited.

All things considered, this is why USGA officials are so worried. We (and they) are standing at Ground Zero. We must choose the path to the future.

The final exam for Golf 101 has just one multiple-choice question:

(A) Do we really want golf to grow and prosper? Or . . .

(B) Do we want it to reflect and resemble the game it was 50 years ago?

Think hard, because in all likelihood there is no "all of the above" answer.

The conclusion seems to be: the game as it is now is much better off than 50 years ago, BUT...we need to fix the mess we are in now.

The More You Play It, The More You...

Todd Hamilton, on Mirasol's Sunrise Course:

"The more you play it the worse this course gets," Hamilton said."I didn't know any better the first year. Now I know what kind of course it is."

Ohio GA Competition Ball Event Follow-Up

Many potential ramifications loom from the Ohio Golf Association's decision to try out a shorter-flying ball this August. 

Readers of The Future of Golf know that a similar scenario was suggested. One in which such a grass roots uprising could be the equivalent Softspikes. 

Such a scenario may occur here, and you have to like the prospects of the ball company that ends up being the choice of the the Ohio Golf Association's competition ball.  

And don't shed any tears for the companies whose balls are not selected. They've had several years to prepare such a ball for this scenario.

They passed up the chance in the apparent hope this would go away.

And as for the USGA's likely chilly reception to this idea? Again, they've had plenty of time to act and have done nothing.

PS - Anyone care to nominate which ball Ohio might have found on the conforming ball list? I'd sure like to buy some and try them out, and I bet a bunch of other people would as well.
 

Helping Out The Dolchs

Lorne Rubenstein writes about the impressive gathering of support for writer Craig Dolch and his son Eric.

Hawkins: Wait and See

John Hawkins's latest blog entry says we should wait until after the Masters to analyze the latest lengthening.

Okay...but in the meantime, can we continue to complain about the rough and tacky pines?

SI Player Survey

SI Golf Plus published their 5th annual players poll (subscription req. for link to work).

Some of the more interesting questions and answers:

Who is the second-best player?
Vijay Singh ...... 68%
Ernie Els ...... 12%
Phil Mickelson ...... 8%
ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: Joe Durant, Sergio García, Retief Goosen, myself, Annika Sorenstam

Annika and Joe Durant? So much for the players liking that question!

Did the U.S. make a mistake by invading Iraq?
Yes ...... 12%
No ...... 88%

That thinking may help explain the 56% on this question:

Is having early-round coverage on the Golf Channel instead of ESPN good or bad?
Good ...... 56%
Bad ...... 44%
LOOSE LIPS: "[The Golf Channel] is going to have to get better."

Do you know any pro golfers who have used steroids?
Yes ...... 1%
No ...... 99%

Should the Tour have a written policy expressly forbidding performance-enhancing drugs?
Yes ...... 73%
No ...... 27%

Overwhelming player support, so why doesn't the Commissioner agree? And finally...

Do you favor a rolled-back ball for tournament play?
Yes ...... 28%
No ...... 72%

In 2003, 60% said yes.  

Strege Wins USGA Book Award

John Strege's excellent "When War Played Through" won the USGA's annual book award. A link to the amazon page is available on the left hand column. Here is my Golfobserver.com review.

Shot Hit Around the World?

John Johnson in the LA Times:

In what will easily be the longest chip shot in golf history, a cosmonaut is scheduled to hit a gold-plated golf ball this summer from a makeshift tee outside the International Space Station.

If all goes as planned, the 17,000-mph drive will travel 2.1 billion miles before burning up in the atmosphere, giving a Canadian golf club manufacturer the kind of publicity that can't be found back on Earth.

But even before the space golfer tees off, the event has drawn hisses from galleries of critics who fear that an errant shot could punch a hole in the yet-to-be completed $53-billion, 206-ton space station.

Although the risk of serious damage is small, critics say, the stunt sends the wrong signal. Instead of a state-of-the-art scientific laboratory, the station will be seen as a haven of commercialized blarney on a cosmic scale.

And...

The out-of-this-world tee shot is the brainchild of Nataliya Hearn, an engineering professor at the University of Windsor in Canada who is also president and chief executive of Toronto-based Element 21 Golf Co.

Three-year-old Element 21 Golf is developing a line of clubs made of an alloy of scandium, the 21st element in the periodic table — hence the company's name. Element 21 Golf unveiled its clubs at a golf show in January, but they haven't yet reached retailers, a company official said.

Scandium is used in light bulb filaments and, when alloyed with aluminum, it is used to make bicycles, baseball bats and other sports gear. "It's very light and very strong," Hearn said.

The idea to use the space station as a giant floating tee box came a couple of years ago, when Hearn and her partners were trying to figure out ways to market their space-age clubs.

"Is this the right message to be sending to taxpayers in America, Russia, Europe and Japan — that it's OK to do a stunt like this?" said Keith Cowing of nasawatch.com, a feisty website that frequently challenges NASA policies.

Deepdale Madness

Thanks to reader Tuco for the heads up on this story about what appears to be an extreme abuse of the eminent domain laws in an attempt to claim Deepdale Golf Club...all to turn into a public course.

They're Back!

Cart-free didn't do much for the Champions Tour, so they're coming back according to Bill Fields in Golf World.

Of course, the PGA Tour's Rick George remains sure he made the right move.

In a statement released today, George said: "The tour continues to believe the presentation of our tournaments and the on-site fan experience is enhanced when competitions don't features carts and players walk. However, due to ongoing requests made by a number of players, we have concluded that carts will be made available on a more frequent basis to those wishing to use them."

As recently as last month the seniors' player advisory council was in favor of upholding the ban. But when the policy board met Monday in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., the group's four independent directors and the four player directors on the PGA Tour were swayed by the unanimous stance to return carts by Champions Tour player directors Jim Colbert, Ben Crenshaw, Tom Purtzer and Leonard Thompson, Purtzer told Golf World.

"If the players are 4-0 for something, they traditionally haven't been overridden," said Purtzer, a cart advocate who is plagued by a painful back condition. "It came down to the directors voting because they knew a majority of the players wanted carts back. A couple of the independent directors said they weren't in total agreement but appreciated the fight we had put up. It kind of came to down to the belief that 'you guys know what's best for your tour.'"

Now, about the name of the Tour... 

Florida Swings

Steve Elling breaks the story on the long overdue name change of the Bay Hill event to the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

And Tim Rosaforte has the complete history of the Honda and new site PGA National while explaining the rationale for the event's latest move.

Ohio Golf Assn: Trying A Competition Ball

Thanks to reader George for the heads on Jim Achenbach reporting in the new Golfweek that the Ohio Golf Association will provide a designated golf ball to competitors in this summer’s Ohio Champions Tournament.

A new event on the OGA schedule, "it will be an event unlike any other."

That's for sure. From the online entry form: 

The Board of Trustees of the Ohio Golf Association has decided to take a stand against the eroding playability of our old courses due to the length of the modern golf ball. The Champions Tournament will be unique in the fact that the committee will identify a golf ball for use by all contestants.

The ball to be used will be a modern ball, with specifications as similar as possible to most popular balls, the only exception will be a lower compression. The ball to be used will be on the USGA’s approved ball list.

Like a tour event, the Champions Tournament will have several stations where ball flight, distance and swing speeds will be measured and documented for the entire field. The purpose is to extrapolate information that will prove useful in the ultimate goal of identifying a tournament golf ball.

If you wish to be part of this exciting experiment, contact the OGA at: tournaments@ohiogolf.org and you may be included in what will be the most revolutionary change in tournament golf since Softspikes.

According to OGA director Jim Popa, the 36-hole event will be played August 22-23 at Windy Knoll Golf Club in Springfield, Ohio, where the Ohio State Mid-Am was played last year. The field will be comprised of Ohio club champions, city champions and local golf association champions, many of whom played the previous year's state amateur.

Alan Fadel, a one-time PGA Tour player and top amateur golfer is chairman of the OGA ball committee and says this is the culmination of several years of research and contemplation by the association.

Though no ball has been selected, both Fadel and Popa revealed that the group is close to selecting one that likely will not significantly favor clubhead speeds over 105 m.p.h. as today's balls tend to do. It will be a 3-piece ball, with a compression of around 70 with a soft cover.

Fadel says they will likely share the name of the ball maker at some point, but both confirmed that the ball to be used is on the USGA's Conforming Ball List.

In phone calls today, both Fadel and Popa emphasized that the impetus behind this project is to create a starting point for dialogue and to amass some information, but ultimately, to find a way to restore relevancy to many of Ohio's classic courses and also to deal with pace of play issues brought on by today's driving distances.

"Here in Ohio we have 800 golf courses and 25-30 just fantastic, world class older courses," said Popa. "And we can't use them anymore."

And he added, "it's time to get this game back where its supposed to be, a game of skill."

The OGA has a history of bold moves that may not exactly be popular in Far Hills (perhaps explaining why so few Ohio residents have served on the Executive Committee). 

The OGA was the first golf association in the country to endorse the use of SoftSpikes.

Could they be influencing another potentially significant trend?

Let's hope so.