Tait On Shaky Euro Situation
/Alistair Tait looks at the odd European Ryder Cup situation, with Jose Maria Olazabal sitting out and Monty questioning his devotion to the cause. Gosh, don't you just wish you could be in Ian Woosnam's shoes?
The only course that will remain difficult under all conditions will be one that is designed and kept for golf of a stereotyped, monotonous character, and this makes a most uninteresting proposition. BOBBY JONES
Available via Amazon (US): Golf Architecture For Normal People
Barnes And Noble (online and in stores)
Bookshop.org option to support local independent bookstores.
Reviews:
"Golf Architecture for Normal People . . . should be required reading for those who are not ashamed to admit they know little about the subject, and for those who think they do . . . . Golf course architecture geeks have trouble slimming their thoughts down to bite-sized chunks, but Shackelford has achieved a remarkable success here." —Independent (Ireland)
"From the relative newcomer who’s slowly getting hooked to those that have played the game for most of their lives and think they know a thing or two, Golf Architecture for Normal People provides a solid and sober perspective that will help everyone recognize why some golf courses are worth playing more than once while a single trip around others is all you’re ever likely to want or need." —Links Magazine.
“It’s a wonderful book. An easy read that arrives just in time for your summer reading list. If you’ve never thought about how an appreciation for course design could heighten your enjoyment of the game, you must check this out.”—The Peterborough Examiner
"As in his prior publications, in his newest book Shackelford shows a deep appreciation for what can be done to create a golf course that appeals to the broadest possible golfing audience…Shackelford’s prose is succinct, often witty, and accessible."—Cape Gazette
"Author, blogger and golf architecture expert Geoff Shackelford, who helped Gil Hanse design Rustic Canyon and restore 2023 U.S. Open host Los Angeles Country Club, taps into his passion by creating a guide that helps every golfer understand the nuances of course design. Published by Tatra Press, the 164-page hardcover book is a must-read for every golfer to better understand the game they love." —Golf Pass
"Shackelford provides an informative picture [and]...sprinkles in history lessons about those who planted the game's architectural roots, defines common terms and helps you hone your eyes when it comes to identifying some of the tricks of the trade."—FORE Magazine
"This new book does a great job demystifying golf course design ideas for average players, but can also be a beneficial read fro PGA Professionals and other golf course employees to get a better understanding of their home courses." —PGA Magazine
"We're here to bond"
/A few fun stories were filed on the U.S. Ryder Cup team's appearance at K Club. First, James Corrigan in the Independent:
Woods certainly looked motivated as he braved a downpour of Noah proportions to finish off the 18th, together with Jim Furyk and JJ Henry as Lehman interestingly put them out in three-balls. "It was fun," he said, his smile daring one to think otherwise. But then, Woods had triumphed the previous night in Ohio in a rain-sodden shoot-out over his team-mate Stewart Cink, and golf tends to be rather enjoyable when you have just won four on the bounce. "We're here to bond," he said, singing from the Americans' well- rehearsed hymn sheet.And the always entertaining Martin Johnson in the Telegraph:
Woods, though, cleared his diary to join the rest of the US team on a specially chartered jumbo 747 on Sunday night, at estimated cost to the PGA of America of £250,000. It was, as you might expect, slightly less painful than it was for those taking a scheduled flight across the Atlantic.
Not only were the players not required to divest themselves of their shoes and trouser belts, they were all offered a pair of complimentary pyjamas before entering a cabin remodelled to resemble a five-star hotel executive floor.
Woods has been trying to live down his perceived insouciance for an event in which America's declining fortunes have largely been put down - hence Lehman's idea for this visit - to a lack of cameraderie.
In particular, his pairing with Mickelson in the last Ryder Cup produced the kind of chemistry more reminiscent of Dr Jekyll's experiment with test tubes than an irresistible blend of the world's No 1 and No 2 golfers, and Woods himself has only won fives times in 16 outings with a partner.
And...
Listening to a succession of American golfers talking on auto-pilot about how good their team spirit was, and how happy they all were to be here, was certainly illuminating, but only if you'd just had a long audience with the Speaking Clock. Woods himself said that in his experience, every Ryder Cup boiled down to "who makes the most putts, and who wins the 18th hole".And Lawrence Donegan in The Guardian...
As competition for the most riveting insight into this year's Ryder Cup, it lagged far behind the news that there will be 40,000 square metres of tent, 300 car park attendants, and the allocation of 9600 toilet rolls to supply one hundred 1,100 litre portable lavatories. Maybe more if it's a tight finish.
What began with a card school at the back of a chartered flight across the Atlantic ended last night with a barbecue and a little fishing on the Liffey as the US Ryder Cup team completed day one of the most enthusiastic team-bonding exercise since Baden Powell was in short trousers.
Indeed if singing in unison was all it takes to win the most famous team event in the sport then Ian Woosnam's European squad might as well stay at home for next month's extravaganza at the K Club.
One can only hope this expression of team spirit was genuine because on this evidence the overnight trip seemed a very long way to come for a glorified group hug. The public was banned from the K Club and journalists' access heavily restricted, but as the US team set off in their buggies very little in the way of serious work appeared to be taking place. Woods, for one, admitted he had hardly bothered to hit any putts - "the greens were soft and they won't be like that at the Ryder Cup" - while Mickelson appeared more interested in taking copious notes.
To Walk Or Ride The K Club?
/This unbylined wire story covers the U.S. Ryder Cup team playing K Club today and notes that the players all took carts.
What about the caddies?
Match Play Lite
/Scott Michaux profiles Vaughn Taylor, who, try not to cringe, will be playing his first match play event at the Ryder Cup. Same deal with Brett Wetterich.
Reilly: "the single worst squad we've ever taken to a Ryder Cup"
/Rick Reilly in this week's Sports Illustrated:
Have you seen the U.S. team? It has all the intimidation power of the Liechtenstein navy. It would have a hard time beating the Winnetka Country Club ladies' B team. It's the single worst squad we've ever taken to a Ryder Cup, and that's saying something, considering the last batch got pummeled 181Ú2-91Ú2.Michael Bamberger says this team resembles a European squad from a few years ago...back when they were huge underdogs. And just in case you don't think you could pick J.J. Henry out of a lineup, SI.com features photos of the team members.
"We'll definitely be the underdog," Phil Mickelson says. "You lose four of the last five Cups, you're the underdog."
This outfit would be the underdog to a stiff breeze. Or do Brett Wetterich, Zach Johnson, J.J. Henry and Vaughn Taylor make your timbers shiver? It sounds like somebody's Webelos troop. None of those four have ever played in a Ryder Cup before. Three of them missed the cut at last week's PGA, and Henry finished 41st.
Wetterich has missed five cuts in his last eight starts. You look at him and think, Was he my waiter at Olive Garden last night? If he wasn't, he will be soon.
Won't Tiger be psyched to be paired with him?
That's the other thing: Tiger. He's the No. 1 player in the world by a light year, the Golfing Gladiator. Until he goes to Ryder Cups, and then he suddenly becomes Dead Man Walking.
He mopes around like a husband in couples therapy, only he talks to his partner less. It may the only thing he sucks at. His Ryder record is 7-11-2, and no wonder. He wasn't wired for team play. He trusts nobody. Why should he buddy up with people he's been trained to swallow in two bites or less? The hangman doesn't play on the prison softball team. Lions don't room with lambs.
Harmon: "I was appalled by what I saw with Brett Wetterich"
/I suppose Wetterich won't be signing up for a series after these remarks from Butch Harmon at the PGA.
Harmon told Sky Sports he was "appalled" by what he saw on day two at the 9th hole at last week's PGA Championship where Wetterich, destined to miss the cut by nine shots after shooting a 2nd-round 77, took four shots to get out of some greenside rough.
Harmon says he was infuriated by Wetterich's attitude.
"I was appalled by what I saw with Brett Wetterich," he told Sky Sports.
"That wasn't even his 36th hole or the last hole of the round, that was his ninth hole of the round and he literally gave up, he just walked along and made a few casual swings.
He just walks up, makes a pass at it, completely whiffs it, then he chunks it, now he just hits it again."
Harmon's comment was made shortly before US captain Tom Lehman finalised the team at the weekend when he named Stewart Cink and Scott Verplank as his two wild card picks.
"This isn't the kind of guy you want on your Ryder Cup team," Harmon said of Wetterich.
Well now we know what break the ice between Wetterich and Tiger: a good Butch Harmon ripfest!
Donegan On The U.S. Team
/Lawrence Donegan in Tuesday's Guardian, writing about Tiger and Phil's absence for next week's U.S. practice rounds at K Club:
As an exercise in preparing his squad for what lies ahead, the trip could not be faulted but as a statement of American team unity it had a fatal flaw: his two best players will not be there.
And...
Lehman said he hoped the Irish public would be allowed into the K Club to watch his team's practice sessions - another savvy public relations move on his part - although it did raise the question of how many would take him up on the kind offer, especially as his squad contains four players whom most casual fans would be hard pressed to pick out of a Garda Siochana line-up.
"These guys all deserve to be here. They all played themselves on to the team and I am extremely happy that they did," the US captain said when asked about the presence of the Ryder Cup rookies JJ Henry, Vaughn Taylor, Brett Wetterich and Zach Johnson.
Nor is there likely to be a rush at Dublin airport to get the autographs of Stewart Cink and Scott Verplank, the two players chosen by Lehman as his captain's picks. "Stewart has played steady golf throughout his career. He hits the ball great, is a strong putter and a great chipper of the ball," he said of Cink.
Cink and Verplank Are The Captain's Picks
/Ryder Cup Tom Lehman says Stricker, Love and Glover were the next three he agonized over, and that his emphasis was on guys who put the ball in play and who can chip and putt.
Ryder Cup Picks?
/Brian Wacker blogs at GolfDigest.com about the Ryder Cup picture "clearing up" thanks to so-so PGA play by Lucas Glover and Jerry Kelly.
In other words, no one made a move points wise, meaning the Ryder Cup points roster did not change. That's right, J.J. Henry, Brett Wetterich, Vaughn Taylor and Zach Johnson have made the U.S. team.
Who would you pick? I'd take Cink and Stricker.
Tom Lehman announces his picks at 9 a.m. EST Monday.
Ryder Cup Points Watch, Week 3
/
According to Jim Nantz on today's telecast, if Tom Lehman wins The International, he moves up to 7th on the U.S. list with one week to go.
With a loss to Dean Wilson on the second playoff hole, he instead moves up to 19th.
Ponder that!
1 1 Tiger Woods 36 4,150.000Meanwhile in Europe, the names with the dashes next to them are in right now.
2 2 Phil Mickelson 43 2,474.375
3 3 Jim Furyk 51 2,076.000
4 4 Chad Campbell 51 1,129.602
5 5 David Toms 49 1,072.250
6 6 Chris DiMarco 50 830.000
7 7 Vaughn Taylor 60 780.833
8 8 J.J. Henry 62 778.750
9 9 Zach Johnson 59 756.477
10 10 Brett Wetterich 46 746.000
11 11 John Rollins 58 685.000
12 20 Stewart Cink 52 676.894
13 12 Jerry Kelly 62 653.750
14 13 Lucas Glover 61 641.376
15 14 Davis Love III 48 631.875
16 15 Fred Couples 39 627.727
17 16 Tim Herron 54 621.667
18 17 Tom Pernice, Jr. 64 615.000
19 29 Tom Lehman 41 612.917
The Ryder Cup World Points List
Updated: 07 Aug 2006
Position Player Name Points
-1 David HOWELL 207.27
-2 Colin MONTGOMERIE 205.90
-3 José Maria OLAZÁBAL 202.09
-4 Henrik STENSON 201.76
-5 Luke DONALD 192.25
6 Sergio GARCIA 187.96
7 Paul CASEY 165.33
8 Padraig HARRINGTON 154.46
9 Carl PETTERSSON 154.12
10 Robert KARLSSON 151.46
The Ryder Cup European Points List
Updated: 13 Aug 2006
After the The KLM Open
Position Player Name Points
1 Colin MONTGOMERIE 2434316.11
2 David HOWELL 2274635.98
-3 Robert KARLSSON 1870581.77
4 Henrik STENSON 1782888.71
-5 Paul CASEY 1721833.85
-6 Sergio GARCIA 1634091.27
-7 Padraig HARRINGTON 1514027.44
-8 Paul MCGINLEY 1473112.24
9 José Maria OLAZÁBAL 1381698.05
10 Paul BROADHURST 1336905.57
Michaux On Ryder Cup Points Race
/The Augusta Chronicle's Scott Michaux with a different take on the Ryder Cup points standings as well as the likely Captain's picks:
For all of the criticism that has been levied against the revamped American Ryder Cup points system, it should be given credit for helping to uncover new blood that might never have been given the slightest consideration in the past. The Ryder Cup has been a closed shop for too long, and the Americans have been paying for it on the course against European squads that have been far more successful at finding fresh talent.
Consider this. There are only 28 active PGA Tour players under the age of 50 who have ever competed in a Ryder Cup. And that definition of "active" is very generous to include the likes of Ken Green, Steve Pate, Jim Gallagher Jr. and Hal Sutton.
Just how closed shop is it? Four-time PGA Tour winner Tim Herron (currently 16th in points) has never played in a Ryder or Presidents Cup. Neither has six-time winner and 1988 PGA Champion Jeff Sluman (23rd). Or double major winner John Daly.
The U.S. has a bad habit of putting too much stock in "experience." When most of that recent experience in Ryder Cups has been bad, maybe the old school thinking has to change.
Which is why the worst thing Lehman could do on the Monday after the PGA Championship is step up to the podium and introduce Davis Love III or Fred Couples as his captain's picks - leaning on their veteran leadership as the crutch for making a ridiculous decision that would in no way be in the best interests of American golf.
If that sounds too harsh, please check the 2006 records - which is what the new Ryder Cup points system is designed to accentuate. Other than fine performances (which ultimately displayed serious flaws) on his two favorite courses - Riviera and Augusta National Golf Course - Couples hasn't finished better than 24th in any event since October. And Love hasn't registered anything notable since his runner-up finish in the WGC Match Play in February.
Love and Couples, however, rank 14th and 15th on the current Ryder Cup points list, which masks their ineffectiveness this year and makes it tempting for a captain to play it safe with their 12 and nine prior at-bats in international team play.
Lehman, however, doesn't sound like a captain who will be prone to playing it safe.
"I think at the end of the day, I'm really looking for guys who are going the right direction with their game," Lehman said Tuesday. "If they were 25th three months ago, and they were 20th two months ago and now they are 15th or they end up 12th where they are improving and improving and getting better and better."
The only veterans with international team experience who fit that description are Jerry Kelly (12th), Stewart Cink (19th) and Scott Verplank (22nd). And if the team already includes five rookies, any of those three would be fine choices.
Writer's Ryder Picks
/An AP story reporting votes by some of our most esteemed scribblers suggesting who they see making the U.S. Ryder Cup squad (with their vote tally included):
Tiger Woods 18
Phil Mickelson 18
Jim Furyk 18
David Toms 18
Chris DiMarco 18
Chad Campbell 16
Scott Verplank 16
Stewart Cink 13
Zach Johnson 13
Fred Couples 12
Davis Love III 10
Lucas Glover 9
Arron Oberholser 9
Also receiving votes: Jerry Kelly 5, Vaughn Taylor 4, Tim Herron 3, Kenny Perry 2, Ben Crane 2, J.J. Henry 2, Fred Funk 2, Justin Leonard 2, J.B. Holmes 1, Brett Wetterich 1, David Duval 1, John Daly 1, Brad Faxon 1, Jay Haas 1.
Not much faith shown in J.J. Henry, John Rollins and Brent Wetterich.
Campbell On Cup Points
/Not the FedEx Cup silly, the Cup that matters...
The Houston Chronicle's Steve Campbell writes:
The Ryder Cup standings are as crude as they are contrived, with players scoring only if they finish in the top 10. In the Ryder Cup race, the guy who finishes 11th gets treated the same as the guy who misses the cut.
And makes this point:
The world rankings, imperfect as they may be, are a much better gauge of a player's overall performance. By that measure, the first six players on the team would be the same. Lehman would have Love, Kenny Perry (No. 32), Verplank and Couples in the 7-10 slots.
Captain's Picks: How About the Assistants?
/
Mike Aitken tries to kindly point out that Tom Lehman's assistant's might actually make for attractive Captain's picks.WHEN Tom Lehman, the US Ryder Cup captain, urged his men to win more tournaments in the run-up to the match against Europe at the K Club next month, it's safe to assume he didn't have either Loren Roberts or Corey Pavin in mind. On Sunday, however, it was Lehman's backroom assistants who showed the others the way with victories at Turnberry and Milwaukee.
While pleased for his friends, Lehman, privately, must be questioning the lack of experience in a side which is shaping up as stellar at the top of the order - the expected partnerships of Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk and Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco will be crucial to US hopes of success - but something of an unproven quantity further down.
As things stand, the last four places on the US side will be filled by JJ Henry, Zach Johnson, Brett Wetterich and John Rollins, rookies who would add an element of the unknown to the American team for the first time in years. With an injury doubt over the involvement of David Toms and fitness and form question marks also lingering against possible wild card selections such as Davis Love III and Fred Couples, even the Yanks (whose qualifying race ends after the US PGA at Medinah on 20 August) accept Europe go into the 36th match as favourites.
Ryder Cup Points Race Watch Vol. 1
/
A watch for us, agony for Tom Lehman? Hey, at least he doesn't have to worry about Chris Riley making it this time.
After Milwaukee, Jerry Kelly jumps to 12th place in the U.S. standings.
1. WOODS, Tiger* 3,775.000 3,775.000 (1) --
2. MICKELSON, Phil* 2,474.375 2,474.375 (2) --
3. FURYK, Jim* 1,896.000 1,896.000 (3) --
4. CAMPBELL, Chad 1,129.602 1,129.602 (4) --
5. TOMS, David 1,072.250 1,072.250 (5) --
6. DiMARCO, Chris 830.000 830.000 (6) --
7. HENRY, J.J. 778.750 778.750 (7) --
8. JOHNSON, Zach 756.477 756.477 (8) --
9. WETTERICH, Brett 746.000 746.000 (9) --
10. ROLLINS, John 685.000 685.000 (10) --
11. TAYLOR, Vaughn 660.833 660.833 (11) --
12. KELLY, Jerry 653.750 473.750 (22) 180.000
13. GLOVER, Lucas 641.376 641.376 (12) --
14. LOVE III, Davis 631.875 631.875 (13) --
15. COUPLES, Fred 627.727 627.727 (14) --
16. HERRON, Tim 621.667 621.667 (15) --
17. PERNICE, Tom 565.000 565.000 (16) --
18. OBERHOLSER, Arron 557.500 557.500 (17) --
19. CINK, Stewart 556.874 556.874 (18) --
20. MAYFAIR, Billy 489.166 489.166 (19) --
21. QUIGLEY, Brett 478.333 478.333 (20) --
22. VERPLANK, Scott 475.667 475.667 (21) --
23. SLUMAN, Jeff 471.250 311.250 (39) 160.000
T24. CURTIS, Ben 445.000 445.000 (T23) --
T24. STRICKER, Steve 445.000 445.000 (T23) --
The European team is shaping up, with the top 5 from each of these lists making the team. The guys with the dashes next to their numbers would be in if it were decided today.
-1 David HOWELL 207.27
-2 Colin MONTGOMERIE 205.90
-3 José Maria OLAZÁBAL 202.09
-4 Henrik STENSON 201.76
-5 Luke DONALD 192.25
6 Sergio GARCIA 187.96
7 Paul CASEY 165.33
8 Padraig HARRINGTON 154.46
9 Carl PETTERSSON 154.12
10 Robert KARLSSON 137.06
The Ryder Cup European Points List
Updated: 30 Jul 2006
After the The Deutsche Bank Players Championship of Europe
Position Player Name Points
1 Colin MONTGOMERIE 2413016.11
2 David HOWELL 2274635.98
3 Henrik STENSON 1782888.71
-4 Paul CASEY 1721833.85
-5 Robert KARLSSON 1692811.77
-6 Sergio GARCIA 1634091.27
-7 Padraig HARRINGTON 1514027.44
-8 Paul MCGINLEY 1455992.24
9 José Maria OLAZÁBAL 1381698.05
10 Paul BROADHURST 1336905.57
