It's Official...
/...they've run out of things to debate over at ESPN.com. Because Jason Sobel and Bob Harig are quarreling over who has the better tournament: Jack/Memorial vs. Arnold/Bay Hill.
In golf construction art and utility meet; both are absolutely vital; one is utterly ruined without the other. GEORGE THOMAS
It’s back!
Twenty years later Tatra Press has kindly allowed me to bring back Grounds For Golf now that golf architecture is of more interest to the masses. A new Introduction looks at what’s driven the interest growth and two new chapters I had a blast adding (plus a few edits to keep things up-to-date).
The Amazon purchase page for the book arriving June 15, 2026.
Jack's Memorial Press Conference
/I'll spare you of reading the transcript which was filled with several nice rally kills. Here's Jack Nicklaus on the new fairway mowing patter, the new bunker raking concept, and other things he's done to the course (there's more hole-by-hole talk if you go to the full transcript):
The other thing that we did one thing we did with the fairways, was that about for the last couple, three years, I keep looking on television and seeing the checkerboard on the thing and I said I just don't like it. It's pretty, but it doesn't look like a golf course, it looks like something else. You know what I'm talking about? The way we cut the fairways in the cross cutting.And, this is where it gets kind of silly when you really think about it...
I liked the look of Augusta, but I don't like cutting the fairway into you, because I think that's I don't like that, because I think it makes you hit flyers, because the grass is lying into you, and I think it's not a it slows down the golf course, that's why they did it was to slow down the golf course. I felt like the other way around, I like my golf course fast, and I felt like it's much nicer lie to play with the grass lying down towards the hole. It's a much better shot, the fairways will play faster, so the balls can run farther. I don't mind that the course kept playing shorter, because it makes the fairways shorter. We cut the fairways all in one direction.
The last thing we did is a couple of weeks before the tournament I called and I said, "Would you make a call to the Tour and ask them what they want to do with the bunkers?" We spend money every year, to try and deep even the bunkers, do different things and the bunker has ceased to become a penalty. And I said if we came back actually even if we raked them the way we did when we started the tournament, we'd have an uncertainty of what the lie was. We were probably the cause of bunkers being perfect today. They used to rake them with a pretty good sized rake and it was clumpy, and the ball really never set very well in the bunker. And we started working here, how do you make a bunker so it really is a nice lie so you really have a clean lie out of it, and so that everything is consistent. We developed that rake that is used, the round rake, and that was our development here. And we took that and that's what everybody uses today.
Now all the bunkers are so perfect, there's no penalty anymore. Bunkers are really supposed to be a penalty. I don't care about them being a penalty, penalty, right now guys look at a par 5, if I don't get it on the green, and put it in the bunker, I know I can get it up and down and we move on.
I asked the Tour, and they have been telling the guys all year, the honeymoon is over, the bunkers are going to be a penalty. I said, "When are you going to do that?" We haven't done it yet. I said, "We can start it right here if you want to." And they said, "Fine."
We developed a rake here that put us on I think I think it's center of the middle of the tines are like two and a half inches, when means two inches spread between the spread of the rake. And it gives you a little bit of a waffling in the bunker, and it can be you can get a good lie or you might not get a good lie. And particularly in the fairway bunkers, if you hit it in the fairway bunker, you've got an option before you hit it in the fairway bunker that's most of the bunkers that were changed, to have a penalty off the tee shot, if you hit it in the bunker they hit it so far, and it doesn't make any difference, unless the bunker is 25 feet deep. I'll never forget the one they did at 5 on Augusta, and hoot I said no one is going to knock it out of here. I said, "That won't make a difference." And so anyway, that was sort of the issue. And so rather than having to change the bunkers all the time, we'll continue to change our bunkers, now we've got to get them consistent to all the bunkers on the golf course, we continue to change a few every year, but now I want them so when you hit the ball they say, "I don't really want to be in that bunker." But if they get in it then they have a chance of having a penalty. That was sort of the idea.
The Tour liked it, the Tour supported it 100 percent, and that's what we're doing.
Q. Jack, is there any strategy to raking the bunkers with these rakes? In other words, having the furrows run parallel toward the green or perpendicular?And...
JACK NICKLAUS: We had it going the other way, but the Tour said they wanted it the other way. I don't care how you do it, I could care less. I think the Tour probably said it's not quite as much a penalty if you go towards the hole. I don't care which way you go. All I'm trying to do is make the guy think he doesn't want to be in the bunker, and it's not the place to aim for. To the right of 18. They don't want to be in the water, guys have tried tried to drive over the bunker, some still can, but they didn't mind being in the first bunker to the right, because it was a fairly flat, low profile bunker and you could play the ball. I can't figure out a way to deep even that bunker, so let's just make the lie uncertain. That way the guy is not going to just want to be in that bunker.
Q. Compared to Oakmont type bunker, how do they compare?And...
JACK NICKLAUS: When I played in '62, you took a sand wedge and hit it out, that's all you could do. That was much deeper than what we have now. That was a big that was probably that deep (indicating), probably a ball deep and it was sort of like that (indicating). This is two inch spread, actually from edge of the rake to the edge of the rake, and it puts a thing but not nearly as severe as that.
Q. You talked about when you played at Oakmont you had to hit them out with sand wedges, would you like to see them back to that, or do you think that's too dramatic now?
JACK NICKLAUS: It would be okay. Why do you put a bunker on a golf course? I think there's two reasons three reasons, one, is esthetically it's very pretty, it gives you a framing issue. Two, it guides you around the golf course or three, it's penal. It could be one of those three. To this point in time they've been esthetically pleasing and they guide you around the golf course, but they haven't been penal. So I think that third element needs to come into it. I thought that for a long, long time.
The proverbial technology question...didn't even get out before Jack jumped in, followed by a nice rally killer...
Q. I was going to ask you what, as technology keeps on you have guys hitting
JACK NICKLAUS: I hope in technology, somebody wakes up, eventually, to technology.
Q. On the subject of psychology, has that changed the art of shot making, does that still exist, or do people just hit it as far as they can?
NCAA Men's Championships
/
Ryan Herrington makes his NCAA picks at GolfDigest.com, while Ron Balicki gives you the odds for every team in the field. Well, his odds.
If you want to track the scores, here's the link. While tee times can be found here.
The Family Feud
/Randell Mell, in doing a three part series on the controversial renovation of Coral Ridge Country Club, reveals the worst kept secret in golf: that brothers Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Rees Jones can't stand each other.
Like Acrisius and Proteus of Greek mythology, had Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Rees Jones been born twins, it's possible their quarrel would have started in the womb. It goes back nearly that far.
"There's a story that Robert once pushed Rees out of a tree when they were boys," said a former associate of Robert Trent Jones Sr. "The truth is a lot more complicated than that."
This much is certain, golf's quintessential sibling rivalry, a bitter but mostly private affair between renowned architects in their own right, is growing more public.
The brothers are at odds over plans to redesign the course their father built in Fort Lauderdale.
"Coral Ridge Country Club was the place my father was happiest," Rees, 64, said at his father's funeral.
Robert Trent Jones Jr., 66, called the club "hallowed ground to the Jones family."
There isn't much else about Coral Ridge the brothers agree upon.
Though the senior Jones left the club to both sons, their irreconcilable differences led to an impossible partnership.
Eighteen months ago, four years after taking over the club, with their rift leading to member complaints about deterioration of the "hallowed ground," the brothers agreed to sell to auto dealer Phil Smith and his partners. The new ownership is proposing to build a major housing development in the middle of the course to help fund major club renovations.
And in case you didn't know it, no one in golf channels the views of dead architects better than Rees:
"For the most part, Dad was always ahead of the curve, and he would be making changes today if he were still alive," Rees said. "This is my father's statement to golf, his baby, and I guarantee he would be very much in favor of the changes we are making."
While Robert Jr. sees himself defending his father's masterpiece, Rees sees something else. He sees his brother's opposition based solely on the fact that Rees is doing the redesign while his brother is left out.
"I stayed in [the club's ownership], and he didn't," Rees said. "I stayed in to maintain my father's legacy, to maintain it for the next 100 years."
Well, shockingly, that last part isn't quite accurate.
The brothers were so at odds, according to a source familiar with Coral Ridge Country Club's sale, that Smith had to negotiate with them separately, finally getting each to sell their half for a total that industry experts estimate being between $17 million and $20 million. It was actually more like two separate deals, one with Robert Jr. walking away with a larger share.
"Rees wouldn't negotiate until Bob agreed to sell his entire share and get out of the deal," the source said. "Once Robert was out, Rees negotiated to keep 5 percent ownership."
That means Rees not only gets to redesign his father's work, he gets to share in the millions of dollars that will be made off any housing development that's ultimately approved.
Nor is Bobby a victim in this either...
"The truth is Bob wanted to redesign the course for us," Smith said. "He lobbied me to do it. I hate to be drawn into this, but it's sour grapes on his part. To give him a podium now to go after his brother, I don't really think it's fair to the future of this club."
Rees and Robert Jr. declined comment when asked to speak about their rift.
They rarely speak directly to each other.
"They tend to communicate through lawyers," said Bradley Klein, who has closely tracked the brothers' careers as author of three golf course architecture books and Golfweek's architectural editor.
The sibling rivalry had a palpable effect on Coral Ridge's operation. With the course and clubhouse deteriorating and staff morale low, memberships plummeted.
"The brothers wouldn't agree on anything," said John Foster, the general manager who served under them. "An issue would come up in a board meeting, and they'd argue about it. You couldn't get them to agree to put any money into the club, and you couldn't get anything accomplished."
Foster remembers the brothers glaring at each other in one board meeting in New York. The contentiousness there led Foster to fire off a memo advising fellow board members that in future meetings he no longer intended to invite the owners. The Jones brothers nixed the idea.
Oh joy! Hey, think we could get them to agree on selling movie rights to their story?
Jones Sr., who didn't like his sons' defections from the family business, found himself competing hard against his boys for clients in the '70s and '80s. The father had a reputation among his rivals as a hard-nosed businessman who enjoyed stirring up controversy and who was not averse to bad mouthing his rivals.
Linn remembers going to the annual Jones family gathering at Coral Ridge between Christmas and New Year's Eve when the three Jones' staffs were all competing.
"There were such awkward moments when we found ourselves all together," Linn said. "Senior's staff would keep its distance, guys in Rees' staff would keep their distance, and we would, too. You could feel the tension in the room, and you'd just sit back and shake your head.
"Ione was always the peacemaker, and she negotiated among the three. When she died [in 1987], they all had to deal with each other. It changed the dynamics."
Though the father eventually repaired his relationship with both sons, the boys never did.
"It was their father's sincerest wish late in his life that his sons would resolve their differences," a former associate of Jones Sr. said.
There's a better chance that the USGA and R&A will agree to do something about the ball.
Robert Jr. and Rees each co-designed courses with their father, but the brothers have never collaborated on a design. The closest they've come is the construction of neighboring properties in Sandestin. Rees' 18th hole at Burnt Pine actually touches the 11th hole that Robert Jr. built on The Raven.
"Appropriately, the holes run in opposite directions," Klein said.
Essex County Club...
/
No. 7, par-3 (click to enlarge)...will be hosting the 2010 Curtis Cup. Arguably, one of the coolest old courses in golf.
Far Hills, N.J. – Essex County Club in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass., has been selected by the United States Golf Association as the site of the 2010 Curtis Cup Match. The dates of the Match will be June 11-13.
Essex County Club, the sixth member club of the USGA, originally opened in 1893. During Donald Ross’ tenure as the club’s head professional, from 1910 to 1913, he completely redesigned the course, finishing in 1917. Since then, the course has remained virtually unchanged.
The Curtis Cup Match, a biennial women’s amateur team competition played between eight-member teams from the United States of America and Great Britain and Ireland, has strong roots at Essex County Club. The Match is named in recognition of the efforts of two Essex members, Margaret and Harriot Curtis, in starting the event. Both sisters were U.S. Women’s Amateur champions – Harriot in 1906 and Margaret in 1907, 1911 and 1912, which was held at Essex. In 1938, Essex County Club hosted the Curtis Cup Match, won by the United States team.
The 2010 Match will be the fifth USGA event at Essex, which first welcomed the USGA in 1897 for the U.S. Women’s Amateur. In 1995, the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur was contested at the club. In addition, the club has also hosted numerous Massachusetts State Opens, Massachusetts State Amateurs, Massachusetts Women’s Amateurs and New England PGA Seniors.
"As the home of the Curtis sisters and a former site of the Curtis Cup, the Essex County Club is thrilled to have the competition returning,” said Bill Van Faasen, general chairman for the 2010 Match. “We are especially honored to welcome the Match back given its rich history here."
Essex County Club has other noteworthy ties to the USGA. Joe Lloyd, the head professional at Essex from 1895 to 1909, won the 1897 U.S. Open, and Herbert Jacques Jr., a member of Essex, was the USGA president in 1933-34. His father, Herbert Jacques Sr., the USGA president in 1909-1910, was an architect involved in creating the original clubhouse at Essex.
Prior to 2010, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Ore, will host the 2006 Curtis Cup Match, and the 2008 Match will be contested at the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland.
Unfairness of Furrowed Bunkers
/
(click to enlarge)A few of you emailed to ask about yesterday's Bobby Jones quote on furrowed bunkers.
Since some form of furrowing is taking place at Muirfield Village this week, I thought you might want to read the entire article, which appeared in The American Golfer and was later reprinted in a magazine style publication called Bobby Jones On Golf, which was reprinted again by Sid Matthew. It's a must if you don't have it and love Jones's writings (though I'm afraid it's out of print looking at Amazon).
Anyway, click on the window to read his take on Oakmont's furrowed bunker raking. You'll probably have to print it out, as I had to resize it to fit the screen.
"We need money to invest back into the brand"
/Jeff Murray of the Star Gazette of something had the misfortune of interviewing both former LPGA Commissioner Ty Votaw and current Commish/brand maiven, Carolyn Bivens.
First, the Votaw chat.
Former LPGA Commissioner Ty Votaw returned to Corning as a private citizen this week to watch his fiancee, LPGA player Sophie Gustafson, play in the LPGA Corning Classic. Votaw stepped down from the LPGA's top post last year and was replaced in September by Carolyn Bivens. He spoke with Star-Gazette reporter Jeff Murray about life after the LPGA and his new role with the men's golf tour.Oops.
Are you here officially or unofficially?
Very unofficial, as unofficial as you can get. I'm just here as Sophie's fiance. I've been to one (LPGA) tournament this year. My job with the PGA Tour keeps me busy. So this is the second time I've watched her this year.
Why did you choose this tournament to watch Sophie play?
Corning has always been one of my favorite places. Given it's a long weekend and the fact that I just got back from London, it worked out well.
When is the wedding?
We haven't set a date yet.
And the Bivens chat...
How do you compare your management style with your predecessor, Ty Votaw?
Each previous commissioner, we're all coming into it at different times. Each had specific things they wanted to accomplish. They all needed to do things to grow the tour -- find enough tournaments, find sponsors. So it's different times. It's hard to compare.
Such eloquence.
Do you see your role as continuing to build on that momentum?
Continuing to build on it, but also to make a business of it. So we have to come up with more endorsement opportunities, health care for players, retirement benefits. We need money to invest back into the brand.
Not the Tour, not the players. The brand.
One of the more contentious initiatives you've instituted is a new policy giving the LPGA more control over media images and stories about the tour. What was the genesis of that move?
The media policy is mine. Because the LPGA is the last major sport that had no control over use of images at tournaments. If you Google LPGA and put in the name of your favorite player, you can find there are many photographs you can buy. You can also buy things like beer mugs with the LPGA logo on them. These are things that we didn't give permission for. We just wanted to gain control of it.
I'm sure those LPGA mugs were just flying off the shelves!
What does the LPGA have to do to continue growing in popularity?
I have to believe the players are the most important aspect of making it grow out there, and they are there.
Where's there? Like, the brand marketplace?
TV ratings, we are year-to-year (growing by) double digits. NASCAR is the only other sport where you are seeing that kind of growth. You've got a variety of personalities and you draw a broad audience. We have a very wide range and appealing group of women.
What are your personal goals for the tour?
I want women to get closer to parity with men as far as endorsement opportunities and playing in major markets. Each sport has made a major move at the height of its popularity, the PGA, NASCAR. We have an opportunity through our wealth of personalities to make our move in the market.
So you plan on staying on the job for a while?
I moved from Los Angeles (to Florida). I didn't take that lightly.
Sunday Golf At The Old Course!?
/The R&A Gold Medal, apparently considered equal to the final round of the Open Championship (at least to you know who) was and will be played at the Old Course the next few weeks. Stuart Nicholson has the story and the reaction. Thanks to reader Chris for this.
Play has been banned on the Sabbath since the course was gifted to the town in the 16th century. Exceptions are made only for major tournaments such as the Open and the Dunhill Cup.
But the Royal & Ancient broke with that tradition last week and held its Gold Medal tournament on a Sunday for the first time. Tournaments are also scheduled to be held on the next two Sundays.
It sparked an angry reaction from local people, with some claiming golfers reacted aggressively to them walking across the fairways last Sunday.
Elizabeth McIntyre, who is organising a petition, said the course effectively turned into a park for all townspeople on Sundays.
"However, last Sunday we arrived on the course to be met, unbeknown to us and without posted due warnings, with golfers playing three-ball," she said. "The dirty looks we got were very disturbing."
Jane Liston, a local councillor, said: "It would be a shame if such an ancient tradition was to come to an end."
A spokesman for St Andrews Links Trust insisted that it was only in "exceptional circumstances" that any play was permitted on the Old Course on a Sunday.
He said: "In this case, we responded to a special request to hold the R&A's Gold Medal, one of the most important competitions in the annual calendar. In future, we will endeavour to publish a notice informing local people of any exceptional circumstances."
MacDuff's Post-Memphis FedEx Cup Standings
/MacDuff reports that only 5 of the top 40 in the FedEx Cup race played in Memphis, and for good measure he gives us everyone with 2000 points this week.
I'm thinking that at this point in the FedEx Cup season, there's going to need to be a prize that makes us give a hoot about this thing. But not more money, please. Maybe some NetJets time for the top 5 or something?
1 Mickelson 17509.37 11
2 Furyk 16475 11
3 Glover 15854.16 11
4 C.Campbell 15587.5 13
5 Singh 15221.87 12
6 Toms 14821.87 10
7 Gf. Ogilvy 13762.5 9
8 Van Pelt 13440 14
9 Pettersson 13258.33 13
10 Oberholser 12775 11
11 Weir 12734.37 10
12 Appleby 12662.5 10
13 Pernice 12600 9
14 Sabbatini 12541.66 11
15 Gay 12525 12
16 Donald 12014.37 8
17 Mayfair 12004.16 11
18 Goosen 11775 8
19 Pampling 11672.5 10
20 Verplank 11612.5 9
21 Cink 11408.83 10
22 B. Quigley 11200 9
23 Z.Johnson 11150 10
24 Funk 11100 11
25 Herron 10982.5 9
26 D.Wilson 10937.5 11
27 T.Clark 10897.5 10
28 Olazabal 10875 7
29 Ames 10862.5 8
30 Parnevik 10767.5 12
31 T.Woods 10659.37 6
32 Bohn 10575.83 11
33 Vn Taylor 10487.5 9
T34 Love III 10375 10
T34 Hoffman 10375 10
T36 Choi 10350 9
T36 Senden 10350 9
38 Els 10037.5 9
39 Villegas 10062.5 10
40 Jerry Kelly 10025 8
41 Warren 10012.5 10
42 Purdy 9925 10
43 RS Johnson 9880 9
44 Lehman 9825 10
45 A.Scott 9625 7
46 Palmer 9066.66 10
47 Immelman 9000 7
48 Chopra 8992 11
49 J.Ogilvie 8945 9
50 Watney 8912.5 10
51 Estes 8837.5 9
52 Bertsch 8725 10
53 Leonard 8708.33 10
54 Hart 8680 9
55 Imada 8680 10
56 Crane 8645 8
57 Waldorf 8525 10
58 JJ Henry 8275 8
59 Baird 8242.5 8
60 Howell III 8137.5 12
61 Franco 8087.5 8
62 G. Owen 7975 8
63 Harrington 7962.5 7
64 Couples 7925 8
65 Garcia 7900 7
66 Wetterich 7850 6
67 N.Green 7837.5 9
68 Flesch 7742.5 11
69 Lowery 7700 10
70 Rollins 7675 7
71 Rose 7654.16 10
72 S. Maruyama 7462.5 9
73 Allenby 7450 7
74 Maggert 7437.5 8
75 JB Holmes 7420.83 7
76 F.Jacobson 7337.5 7
77 Branshaw 7325 8
78 Beem 7293.75 9
79 Micheel 7275 8
80 J.Smith 7225 8
81 Sluman 7112.5 11
82 Olin Browne 7075 12
83 Jobe 7017.5 8
84 Bjornstad 7005 9
85 Bryant 6937.5 7
86 DiMarco 6859.37 7
87 Baddeley 6850 7
88 Barlow 6712.5 8
89 Lonard 6675 8
90 Calc 6655 11
91 Langer 6541.66 8
92 JL Lewis 6512.5 10
93 Fischer 6425 9
94 M.Wilson 6415 7
95 Gronberg 6350 7
96 D. Howell 6262.5 5
97 Pat Perez 6262.5 7
98 Stricker 6225 5
99 Barron 6193.75 7
100 Poulter 6175 7
101 Pavin 6087.5 6
102 Azinger 6075 8
103 B. Haas 6050 8
104 Geiberger 6037.5 8
105 Br.Davis 5992.5 8
106 Bub Watson 5962.5 6
107 Sutherland 5900 8
108 Cook 5875 5
109 Austin 5850 11
110 Gove 5737.5 6
111 Leaney 5712.5 7
112 Slocum 5687.5 8
113 Curtis 5662.5 8
114 Atwal 5625 5
115 Kenny Perry 5587.5 6
116 Gore 5525 6
117 J.Byrd 5500 4
118 Ws Short Jr 5437.5 10
119 Durant 5400 9
120 Faxon 5312.5 8
121 Sindelar 5237.5 8
122 Westwood 5187.5 5
123 Goggin 5125.25 5
124 Cabrera 5100 5
125 Triplett 5062.5 6
126 Matteson 5037.5 7
127 D.Clarke 4900 4
128 Armour III 4700 6
129 Sean O'Hair 4575 7
130 Mahan 4550 9
131 Dickerson 4450 8
132 Lickliter II 4275 6
133 Frazar 4237.5 7
134 Veazey 4225 6
135 Andrade 4207.5 7
136 David Duval 4175 5
137 McCarron 4112.5 7
138 Garrigus 4055 7
139 S.Jones 4030 7
140 Stankowski 4015.5 7
141 Overton 3987.5 7
142 Ridings 3912.5 7
143 Kaye 3862.5 6
144 D.Maruyama 3787.5 6
145 Riley 3762.5 6
146 Allen 3750 7
147 K. Cox 3662.5 3
148 Kent Jones 3612.5 5
149 Gamez 3587.5 7
150 WMacKenzie 3562.5 4
151 Petrovic 3537.5 6
152 Points 3487.5 5
153 Brehaut 3400 7
154 Jimenez 3387.5 3
155 Nick Price 3325 3
156 Kevin Na 3275 4
157 Tway 3237.5 6
158 Katayama 3171.87 4
159 Danny Ellis 3087.5 5
160 Dawson 3062.5 6
161 Daly 3050 5
162 Couch 3025 3
163 H.Stenson 3012.5 3
164 Sheehan 2937.5 7
165 Goydos 2925 5
166 Hjerstedt 2902.5 3
167 Axley 2837.5 4
168 Levet 2812.5 7
169 Huston 2762.5 3
170 Bateman 2750 5
171 C. Beckman 2740 3
172 O'Hern 2700 2
173 Celka 2645 6
174 Trahan 2625 4
175 Kendall 2612.5 3
176 Janzen 2612.5 4
177 Walker 2462.5 5
178 Dn. Stiles 2450 3
179 M. Cambo 2437.5 2
180 Bob May 2400 3
181 Ken Duke 2375 2
182 L. Roberts 2262.5 2
183 Whittaker 2262.5 3
184 McDowell 2225 3
185 Driscoll 2225 6
186 Mize 2162.5 4
187 Tambellini 2150 5
188 Uresti 2137.5 2
189 Bren Jones 2050 2
190 VanDerWalt 2012.5 3
191 Coceres 2000 2
192 Hansen 2000 5
PGA Tour Driving Distance Watch, Week 21
/
I caught about 10 minutes of Saturday's FedEx St. Jude Danny Thomas whatever it's called. What was with all the spectators dressed as grassy mounds? (My apologies to the late great Chick Hearn.)
Anyway, the PGA Tour driving distance average rose to 289.5 yards after Memphis, up from 289.2 following last week's Colonial.
There were 24 350-or-longer drives, with the season total now at 944. There were 2,059 last year.
And in case you are a new reader wondering why I'm following this, here's an explanation.
Weinman on Tiger, Phil Sightings at Winged Foot
/Sam Weinman offers all sorts of fun anecdotes about the practice rounds played by Woods and Mickelson at Winged Foot.
Furrowed Bunkers at Muirfield Village!?
/Bob Baptist in The Columbus Dispatch has the details:
Acting on an initiative to which the tour so far has only given lip service, the Memorial Tournament has switched to longer-toothed rakes to create small furrows in the bunkers on the course. The hoped-for result is less-consistent lies in the sand and tougher shots out of it when practice rounds begin Monday.
"Bunkers were meant to be a penalty," Jack Nicklaus said yesterday while playing the course, "and they haven’t been for quite a while."
Nicklaus, who designed and built Muirfield Village, said he has been thinking for a while about furrowing the bunkers as one more way to protect the course against never-ending technological advances that are propelling balls ever farther.
He said when he asked tour officials this past winter what they thought of the idea, he found that they were considering the same thing. They had not implemented it, however, until giving the Memorial the OK.
"The players wear us out (complaining) about the conditions of the bunkers, that they aren’t perfect," said tour official Frank Kavanaugh, who was on site yesterday setting up the course. "We’ve gotten to the point where they expect a perfect lie every time. We’ve got to change their attitude.
"There’s no more smooth ice. They’re on rough ice now."
Nicklaus said the bunkers will be reminiscent of how tour bunkers used to be and how they were the first few years of the Memorial, which started in 1976.
"The lies will be not as consistent," he said. "You’ll now have to look at your lie and play a bunker shot according to your lie.
"The guys that are good bunker players will like it more. The guys who aren’t as good won’t like it as much."
Now, I'm all for returning the hazard to bunkers.
But I'm curious why the Tour, as reported in this story, is looking for ways to make their setups more difficult? Shouldn't they be looking at the ratings and wondering how they can make their setups more entertaining? Do they even know the difference?
Either way, this ought to make Muirfield Village interesting...until it starts raining.
A Slow Play Penalty!
/Granted, reading about it might make you wonder if it was actually warranted. Still, nice to know a tour hands them out. Just not the PGA Tour.
"Reduced Playing Opportunities"
/Golfweek's Rex Hoggard on the emerging FedEx Cup schedule:
At the heart of the Tour's new FedEx Cup schedule is a Tour Championship that wraps up in mid-September, essentially shortening what was a 12-month season. To a middle-of-the-pack player, "shorter season" is Tour talk for "fewer playing opportunities."
The Tour has countered that perception with a Fall Series that will be played after the Tour Championship and mainly feature players vying for their Tour cards. But the circuit has been slow to release the Fall portion of next year's lineup, a sign sponsors probably aren't flocking to Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., to pony up a few million dollars to host what could essentially be the first stage of Q-School.
Although the phrase "reduced playing opportunities" has become a conversation killer around Tour headquarters, the reality is that the majority of PAC and Policy Board members ascended to the Tour via Q-School or the Nationwide Tour, and some of these players wonder what impact the schedule changes will have on the access for futures graduates.
"My biggest concern during this whole process is playing opportunities for these guys," said a PAC member. "We want the best field we can every week, but it's going to get to the point that there are only 12 Nationwide (graduates) who get to play regularly during the summer."
Huggan On Harrington
/John Huggan devotes his Scotland on Sunday column to Padraig Harrington.
In an era when the explosion in club and ball technology has all but eliminated any need for shot-shaping, imagination and flair from those at the sharp end of the game, "one-dimensional" is an easy label to hang on many leading professional golfers. While hitting the same straight shot time after time may make them feel consistent, the reality is that such tedium is but one reason that so many American viewers are reaching for their flickers whenever the PGA Tour appears on TV screens.
Still, let's not condemn them all. Not Padraig Harrington, anyway. Not if his performance during last Wednesday's BMW Championship pro-am is an accurate indication of his versatility.
