Teleconference With Billy Payne

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This Billy Payne thing is basically a column writer's worst nightmare. Okay, I won't complain anymore...this paragraph.

His opening remarks:

If I may, I'd like to talk first about our golf course.   There will be some changes to the course for the 2007 Masters that Mr. Johnson has already initiated, but certainly, I think you'll agree, not as significant as in the past.   They will include adding five to seven yards in front of the tees on hole Nos. 11 and 15.   The length of the tees on our other par 4s and 5s average about 20 yards.   On those two holes, it's only about 13 yards.   So these changes will make these tees consistent with the other tees on our course, and will provide us with more flexibility if the holes are playing into a substantial head wind or if the fairway conditions are soft.

Wow, flexibility. I wonder if someone had to explain it to Fazio?

Also, we will be adjusting the mow line at hole No. 11 about three to five yards on the golfer's right.   This, we believe, will provide the medium-length player a wider fairway, especially at the 280- to 300-yard mark.

Also, on the 11th hole, and on the right, we will be removing the grass from under the pine trees and replacing it with pine straw.   This, too, is consistent with other parts of our course.

Once again, ladies and gentlemen, I'm very excited about today and look forward to your questions.

Here's what Billy's really thinking after sitting through plenty of press conferences: let the predictable questions begin.

Q.   Sounds like your first order of business is to make the course shorter somehow.

BILLY PAYNE:   Well, I think it gives us the flexibility, Doug, that we want, depending on the course conditions and weather conditions.

Q.   I wanted to ask you, one issue that has arisen during Hootie's tenure was the lack of female members.   Can you see that changing?

BILLY PAYNE:   Doug, I think I would answer that by saying as we've said and as you've heard many times in the past, on membership matters, all of them will be decided by our members, and we have no specific timetable to address that issue.

Well, that took all of 20 seconds.

Q.   I'm wondering if this teleconference is any indication that under your tenure as Chairman, there will be other media availabilities other than Wednesday the week of the Tournament.

BILLY PAYNE:   Well, I think I answer that specifically by saying that I certainly intend to come down there more than just Wednesday as I'm quite accustomed to the media center, made a lot of friends and feel a significant responsibility that the media continues to have all of the needs and services in order to do their job properly.

So I think you're going to see a lot more of me, and certainly have an opportunity to continue those relationships.

Q.   But does that include possible situations such as a teleconference other than the week of the Tournament?

BILLY PAYNE:   You know, I don't know.   I haven't yet taken over officially, so I haven't really thought about that.

Well, now that we got that vital topic of non-tournament week teleconferences out of the way...

Q.   Mr. Johnson mentioned the possibility in the future of adding PGA TOUR winners back to the exemption ranks.   Are there any other changes that you're going to be looking at right away?

BILLY PAYNE:   You're accurate.   We're looking at the issue of adding back PGA TOUR winners.   We're studying the issue.   We don't expect to do that by 2007.   In fact, it would actually be unfair to do so because there are golfers out there playing right now under the existing qualification standards.

So while you won't see it next year, I think it's a probability that you will see it sometime soon in the future.

Ah, the first Hootie mess he'll be mopping up.

Q.   Just wondered, you've only had a few days to think about it, but what do you regard as your greatest immediate challenge?

BILLY PAYNE:   I think I have -- I think it's safe to say that I will need to watch, to observe, I will need to learn a lot, get familiar with significantly greater detail about the operation of the Club and the Tournament than I now possess, and I've always felt that the best learning experience initially is certainly to listen and not talk.   So that's what I plan to do in the coming months.

Okay, this nonsense is just not going to fly.  How am I, as a column writer, supposed to work with humility?

Q.   A few of my questions have already been taken,

Oh you mean, like all of the predictable ones? Sorry, continue...

but can you tell me a little bit more, carrying on plans with some of the property acquisition around the golf course and plans for the practice facility and those types of things?

BILLY PAYNE:   Yes, sir, I can tell you a little bit, which will be the full extent of my knowledge at this point in time.   I am, of course, as are all of you aware, that in order to accommodate the growing support and parking needs of the Tournament, including a state-of-the-art practice facility, we have had this effort underway now for a couple of years.   It is ongoing.   We hope to have some renderings to be able to share with y'all sometime next year, so you can see for yourself what precisely the plan is.   And we continue to look for a completion date and utilization date in the 2010-2011 time frame.

We hope to have some renderings to share with y'all? No, no Billy, you need to be combative, petulant, arrogant, smug. I can't work with this!

You realize that if he keeps this stuff up, the focus will be on the Masters and the players, and not the Chairman?

That's just so wrong on so many levels, and so disrespectful to Chairman Johnson.

Q.   The idea of a Tournament ball has been floated the last couple years, Billy, what's your position on that?

BILLY PAYNE:   Well, I guess first I'll start off, Doug, by saying that I'm very encouraged that there's an ongoing dialogue among the governing bodies, USGA, the R&A, with input and participation by the PGA TOUR to look at limitation on advances in both the equipment and the ball technology.   And I remain very hopeful and encouraged that while a difficult issue, some equitable resolution will be made, which will have the effect of slowing down the distances or the gains and distances as we have observed over the last several years.

So many of our great golf courses are at risk of becoming obsolete.   And while I and we would hope that resolution would come as quickly as possible through that normal process of the governing bodies, we would not take that option off the table in the context of what lengths to which we would go to protect our own course in the future.

I don't know about you, but there just seems to be a different feel to his comments on this subject compared to his predecessor. Maybe it's wishful thinking, or maybe Payne has grown tired of listening to Walter and Fred's lame excuses?

Q.   Everything has pretty much been asked, but a couple of things, are we pretty much maxed out on the golf course as far as the major changes?   Are we pretty much going to see what we're going to get for a while here?

BILLY PAYNE:   Yes, sir, I think we have it just about right now.   Remaining hopeful as I do that some limitations will be placed on equipment which will diminish the game in distance.   I think we've got the golf course pretty much like we like it right now.
Okay, so we need to chip in and buy him a chainsaw and maybe he'll get the hint. But isn't it interesting how he keeps hoping for limits to be placed?
Q.   Sorry if this has been asked, but have you thought about what it's going to be like to be part of that Champion's Dinner next year?

BILLY PAYNE:   I've thought about it a lot and I've been told that I'm an invited guest and I'll have a great time.   My job is just to listen and have fun, and boy, I'm really looking forward to it.

Good lord, you actually get the feeling he respects the players and feels privileged to be in their prescense.

This has to stop!

MacDuff's Post-Wachovia Fed Ex Cup Points List

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Reader MacDuff reports that David Duval moved into the 149th spot, two places ahead of John Daly.

He also reported this to me prior to Wachovia: "We've had 18 events so far and there are 17 more up to and including the PGA -- which I take it is the cutoff point for the Fed Ex seedings. Looking at the MacDuff table so far, the top 30 players have an average of 8.6 events each to put toward a grand total; the bottom 30 players (down to no.140) have an average of only 5.7 scoring events to put toward that grand total. So the top boys should have about 17 results to choose from by end of PGA, and the bottom ones only about 11 positive scores to submit."

Here is how a FedEx Cup points race would stand after the Wachovia, and yes, that's right, Lucas Glover is second and Tiger 18th:

1    Mickelson    17509.37        11
2    Glover    15854.16        11
3    Furyk    15212.5        10
4    Singh    14746.87        11
5    Gf. Ogilvy    13762.5        9
6    C.Campbell    12837.5        11
7    Appleby    12662.5        10
8    Toms    12409.37        8
9    Sabbatini    12179.16        9
10    Pettersson    12058.33        12
11    Weir    12009.37        9
12    Goosen    11775        8
13    Verplank    11612.5        9
14    Van Pelt    10977.5        12
15    T.Clark    10897.5        10
16    Olazabal    10875        7
17    Parnevik    10767.5        12
18    T.Woods    10659.37        6
19    Pernice    10625        8
20    Mayfair    10479.16        9
21    Donald    10289.37        7
22    Cink    9708.83        9
23    Warren    9700        9
24    Oberholser    9687.5        9
25    Funk    9262.5        9
26    Lehman    9225        8
27    Ames    9162.5        7
28    Love III    9112.5        9
29    Vn Taylor    8912.5        7
30    Bohn    8733.33        9
31    Watney    8725        9
32    D.Wilson    8712.5        9
33    Els    8650        8
34    Jerry Kelly    8625        7
35    Gay    8500        9
36    Z.Johnson    8475        8
37    Chopra    8267        10
38    Senden    8225        7
39    Villegas    8225        8
40    Pampling    8217.5        8
41    Purdy    8200        8
42    Franco    8087.5        8
43    Choi    8050        7
44    G. Owen    7975        8
45    Harrington    7962.5        7
46    Garcia    7900        7
47    Hoffman    7870        8
48    A.Scott    7750        6
49    Rollins    7675        7
50    JB Holmes    7420.83        7
51    Howell III    7337.5        11
52    Branshaw    7325        8
53    Palmer    7291.66        7
54    J.Smith    7200        7
55    Immelman    7050        6
56    B. Quigley    7000        6
57    J.Ogilvie    6920        7
58    Jobe    6892.5        7
59    Baddeley    6850        7
60    JJ Henry    6837.5        6
61    Couples    6825        7
62    Beem    6768.75        8
63    Imada    6717.5        8
64    Barlow    6712.5        8
65    Rose    6654.16        8
66    RS Johnson    6580        6
67    Bertsch    6575        8
68    Baird    6517.5        7
69    Estes    6500        6
70    Fischer    6425        9
71    M.Wilson    6390        6
72    Langer    6354.16        7
73    Calc    6342.5        10
74    Olin Browne    6312.5        10
75    D. Howell    6262.5        5
76    Pat Perez    6262.5        7
77    Leonard    6220.83        7
78    Bjornstad    6217.5        7
79    Allenby    6187.5        6
80    Poulter    6175        7
81    Lowery    6175        8
82    Herron    6132.5        6
83    F.Jacobson    6075        6
84    Bryant    6050        6
85    B. Haas    6025        7
86    Bub Watson    5962.5        6
87    JL Lewis    5962.5        8
88    Crane    5907.5        6
89    Micheel    5887.5        7
90    Waldorf    5787.5        7
91    Flesch    5755        9
92    Gove    5737.5        6
93    Sluman    5725        10
94    Slocum    5687.5        8
95    N.Green    5662.5        7
96    Atwal    5625        5
97    Gore    5525        6
98    J.Byrd    5500        4
99    Durant    5400        9
100    DiMarco    5384.37        5
101    Curtis    5375        7
102    Wetterich    5350        5
103    Gronberg    5312.5        5
104    Barron    5306.25        6
105    Leaney    5225        5
106    Stricker    5212.5        4
107    Westwood    5187.5        5
108    Sindelar    5187.5        7
109    Hart    5137.5        6
110    Cabrera    5100        5
111    Sutherland    5100        7
112    Matteson    5037.5        7
113    Maggert    4937.5        7
114    D.Clarke    4900        4
115    Triplett    4800        5
116    Azinger    4762.5        7
117    Mahan    4462.5        7
118    Br.Davis    4437.5        7
119    Faxon    4362.5        7
120    Armour III    4275        5
121    Lickliter II    4250        5
122    Frazar    4187.5        6
123    Austin    4162.5        9
124    Geiberger    4100        6
125    S. Maruyama    4075        6
126    Veazey    4025        5
127    Cook    4000        4
128    Dickerson    3975        7
129    S.Jones    3967.5        6
130    Kenny Perry    3962.5        4
131    Lonard    3937.5        6
132    Andrade    3895        6
133    Pavin    3787.5        4
134    Goggin    3737.75        4
135    Ridings    3700        5
136    Kent Jones    3612.5        5
137    Kaye    3575        5
138    WMacKenzie    3562.5        4
139    Petrovic    3512.5        5
140    Garrigus    3492.5        6

First Payne Reviews*

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A somewhat encouraging start to the Billy Payne era:

"I think we have it just about right now," the 58-year-old Georgia native added. "We remain hopeful as that some limitations will be placed on equipment that will diminish the gains in distance.

"I think we have the golf course as like it right now."

Augusta National, controversially extended by 285 yards for the 2002 U.S. Masters, was stretched to 7,445 yards for this year's tournament, making it the second longest in major championship history.

Payne said limited changes would be made for the 2007 Masters, with the tee boxes on the 11th and 15th holes lengthened by five to seven yards.

"The length of the tees on the other par-fours averages about 20 yards," he added. "Those two holes are only about 15 yards long and this will provide us with more flexibility if the holes are playing into a substantial headwind."

In the only other changes for next year, the fairway on the par-four 11th will be widened around the 280-yard mark to help medium-length hitters while grass under the newly-planted trees flanking the right of that hole will be replaced by pine straw.

That's a nice start. Of course, just leaving the grass and taking out the trees would have been even better!

And an interesting comment about equipment restrictions. It will be nice to read the transcript to read his complete remarks.

 

Aberdeen in '11

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From the R&A:

ROYAL ABERDEEN TO HOST 2011 WALKER CUP

The 2011 Walker Cup match has been awarded to Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, the sixth oldest in the world.

In announcing the date and venue for the biennial match between Great Britain & Ireland and the United States , The R&A will be staging the contest at one of Scotland ’s true and most historic links courses located on the outskirts of Aberdeen and overlooked by the North Sea .

David Hill, Director of Championships for The R&A said: “We are delighted to be staging the Walker Cup at Royal Aberdeen which will provide a fitting showcase for amateur golf’s premier match between countries.

“Last year, the Senior British Open Championship was a huge success at Royal Aberdeen with the world’s top over-50’s players full of praise for the layout at Balgownie and with the condition of the course.

“I have no doubt that with the support of the knowledgeable golfing public in the North East, that the Walker Cup at Royal Aberdeen will match that success.”

Royal Aberdeen has been a venue over the years for championships at every level. It has hosted the Scottish Amateur Championship at regular intervals from 1924, the Scottish Stoke Play, the Scottish Boys, the Boys Amateur, the Scottish Ladies’ Amateur and most recently, in 2005, the Senior British Open Championship, one of the five senior majors.

In 2007 the Walker Cup will be played at Royal County Down, Newcastle , Northern Ireland and in 2009 at Merion Golf Club, Pennsylvania .

PGA Tour Driving Distance Watch Week 18

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pgatour.jpgThe PGA Tour Driving Distance average rose nearly a half-yard to 288.4 yards, up from 288.0 after the Wachovia Championship won by Jim "I'm backing off for the 900th time because my sports psychologish said so" Furyk. 

By the way, count me in as a big fan of Quail Hollow. I got in a strong power nap during that closing stretch today (well, CBS deserves some credit too...man are those telecast stale).

But mostly I just love how the holes all meld together into one seemless blend of trees and 3 inch rough. And love those wonderfully scaled greens. Such character!

Oh, I almost forgot to mention, there were 19 350-or-longer drives, with the season total now at 881.

Texas here we come!

Golf Pitches Found Takers

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From E. Scott Reckard in Sunday's L.A. Times Business section:

For $25,000 or more, investors were told they could own part of a company developing luxury resorts and residences, authorities say. One supposed project was next to an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course. At another resort, Greg Norman's company had been hired to design the course.

The salespeople pitching the deal also dropped the names of other golf greats, authorities say, and urged investors to get in quick before the company went public.

Carolina Development, the Irvine company peddling the real estate partnerships, recruited many of its 50 salespeople from an addiction recovery program operated by Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, authorities say. To help endear themselves to Christian investors, they said, some sales agents distributed copies of "The Purpose-Driven Life," a best-selling inspirational tome by Saddleback Pastor Rick Warren.

But Carolina and its founder, Saddleback member Lambert Vander Tuig, had other motives, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The SEC has accused the Rancho Santa Margarita man of fleecing about 700 investors across the country and in Canada of $50 million by exaggerating Carolina's holdings — in some cases fabricating its ownership of property and in other cases disguising the fact that it held only options on land or had taken on heavy debt to buy it.

This year, the SEC filed a civil complaint against Carolina Development, its 47-year-old founder and its vice president and sales chief, Jonathan Carman, 43, of Aliso Viejo.
And...
Authorities say that Warren and golf greats Palmer and Norman had no role in misleading investors. Warren said he was unaware of the alleged scam and did not know that his book was distributed by sales agents for Carolina, until he was contacted recently by a Times reporter.
And...
Alastair Johnston, chief operating officer of Arnold Palmer Enterprises, said his company became aware of Vander Tuig's operation last year, when a stock brokerage approached Palmer with questions about Carolina's investment pitch.

"It was quite clearly, in our opinion, a violation of North Carolina securities laws in making misleading statements," Johnston said.

An attorney for Palmer wrote cease-and-desist letters to Vander Tuig in July, August and October, warning that he was infringing Palmer's commercial rights and breaking trademark and securities laws by "falsely implying an endorsement," Johnston said.

Johnston said the company complained to the SEC and North Carolina regulators late last year when the misrepresentations continued.

Norman's golf course design company, by contrast, went into business with Carolina Development, accepting a $200,000 down payment for course architecture, according to Thomas Seaman, the court-appointed receiver.

Bart Collins, the president of Great White Shark Enterprises, declined to discuss how his company linked up with Vander Tuig. But Collins said it was not uncommon for Norman's firm to "enter contracts with people who own a piece of land and are developing private communities."

"We try to do what we can to protect ourselves from this type of thing," Collins said. "We try as best we can to complete our due diligence."

Luken Wins Villages Shoot Your Age, Prescription Cannister Cart Parade To Come

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From my friends at Brener-Zwikel PR:

LEONARD LUKEN SHOOTS 81 TO DEFEAT ARNOLD PALMER, GARY PLAYER AND 57 AMATEURS AND WIN THE INAUGURAL THE VILLAGES SHOOT YOUR AGE CHAMPIONSHIP

THE VILLAGES, Fla. – The 530th time was the most charming for 87-year-old Leonard Luken, an enchanting round of golf that must stand above any other in which he has shot his age. Luken carded an 81 – six strokes under his age -- to win The Villages Shoot Your Age Championship at the par-72, 6,251-yard Arnold Palmer Legends Country Club Saturday, besting a mostly amateur field of 60 players and headlined by PGA Tour legends Arnold Palmer and Gary Player.

“This is a great deal. It’s one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me,” said Luken, a Hilton Head, SC resident who actually played with Palmer’s father, Deacon, at Latrobe CC and Laurel Valley CC in Pennsylvania an estimated 35-40 years ago. “It was better than winning the fast-pitch softball World Series. I hit the ball pretty good. I missed three or four putts but I didn’t putt too badly. I hit a lot of greens that I don’t normally do.”

“I think it’s wonderful,” added Palmer. “The enthusiasm from (everyone) is wonderful. The (crowd) just came out like troopers. I’m looking forward to next year.”

After the round, Luken was serenaded in a Villages golf cart parade, where fans showered the winner with empty Flomax prescription drug cannisters (in lieu of ticker tape) while Arnold Palmer performed a flyover in his Lear jet.

The Harvest Has Begun

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Ed Sherman reports on all of the fun Medinah members will have this year playing the No. 3 course.

No. 3 is tough enough as it is without having a forest of rough under the corridor of massive trees. In some areas, it already is 7 inches high.

Some of those par 4s are going to turn into par 44s when the amateurs try to hack their way out of high stuff, provided they can find their golf balls.

"Our ball revenue in the pro shop should go up," Scully said.
Oh boy, don't give those manufacturers any ideas!
In addition to the rough, for those who truly like punishment and want to play from the back tees, players will find an added bonus on the fifth and 14th holes.

After watching the pros launch bombs at the PGA at Baltusrol last year, tournament officials decided to push back the tees on both par 5s.

The fifth is 20 yards longer at 550 yards, and the tee box was moved over to the left to bring the fairway bunkers more into play. The 14th was lengthened by 25 yards, pushing it back to 610 yards. It will require a poke of 240 yards just to carry the water, and a blast of about 350 yards to reach the top of the hill on the fairway, affording a look at the green.

All told, Medinah now will play to 7,561 yards, the longest in major championship history.

Makes you just really want to host a major, doesn't it?

"Whenever you see John Daly playing great golf..."

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Ed Sherman probably helps resolve any lingering doubt you have about picking up John Daly's book, sharing a trailer park trash episode between Daly and his father along with more of John's profound thoughts.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that Daly also has large appetites in the bedroom. He thinks sex helps his game. He credited an "active" tournament week with current wife Sherrie for victories in Germany in 2001, in San Diego at the Buick Invitational in 2004 and for his runner-up finish last year at the WGC American Express in San Francisco.

"Whenever you see John Daly playing great golf, you know his wife's taking care of his needs," he said.
It's good to know New York publishing is still only looking for quality literature to publish.

 

Oh and don't forget, Daly is on tonight's episode of 60 Minutes.