Newport On Architecture As Art; Kuehne

Thanks to reader John for a pair of John Paul Newport stories in the Wall Street Journal's Weekend Report. The first looks at golf architecture as an art form, and includes a nice plug for GolfClubAtlas.com:

These days the best talkin' about golf aesthetics is done by course-architecture buffs, particularly the crowd that congregates online at GolfClubAtlas.com. (If you aren't familiar with the Web site, I recommend it.) In course reviews and forums there, a consensus has developed about what makes for the best courses: holes that blend naturally into the landscape, a variety of strategic options off the tee, routings that ebb and flow in pleasant ways, and occasional eccentric features that bring luck into play.

So naturally the story then includes a photo of the complete manufactured, strategy-free Shadow Creek, with this caption:

The Art of Golf: Golf-course designs (like Tom Fazio's Shadow Creek, top) can tap into some of the same emotions as landscapes like Cezanne's.

The other Newport story focuses on Trip Kuehne's life as an amateur golfer, and includes this motivational quote I know you'll all be jotting down for your whiteboards:

Mr. Kuehne, 34, has a compact, muscular build reminiscent of Bobby Jones's and wears his hair in a fifties-style crew cut. On the day we met last week, he was wearing corduroy trousers with a long-sleeved black pullover shirt, and sat at his desk in front of a large whiteboard scrawled with company "battle plans," client call lists and motivational messages such as "Master the ability to move people -- control the mood, mindset and pace."

Oy. And this claim is a bit hard to believe:

To balance work and golf, Mr. Kuehne is ruthlessly organized. He plays in only seven or eight tournaments a year, chosen for their point-generating impact on the amateur rankings and for promoting his selection to international teams such as the Walker Cup. Between October and April, he rarely picks up his clubs.

"When Mr Trump arrived for a fleeting visit this year, his comb-over haircut was given a battering by a moderate gale"

David Lister in the Times, writing about Donald Trump's Scotland development:

Although some, such as Mr Bennett, have vowed to resist the initiative, most appear to have been won over by Mr Trump. A detailed study of the development’s impact on the environment, and the public backing of Jack McConnell, Scotland’s First Minister, is also likely to head off concerns over the future of the many birds that breed in the 2½ mile stretch of sand dunes where the courses will be built.

Indeed, it seems that the main threat to Trump International Golf Links is from a source that the billionaire may have overlooked: weather. In winter, snow can drift up to five feet deep, and a typical day includes 70mph winds. When Mr Trump arrived for a fleeting visit this year, his comb-over haircut was given a battering by a moderate gale as he stepped off his jet. He appears not to have taken the hint.

Even in summer the sea haar — a fog that rolls in from the North Sea — can reduce visibility to just metres. Mr Bennett, 43, said: “We lose an average of two days per week from June to September from the haar.” His wife, Anne, 40, added: “It can be so bad that I’ve written off a car in daylight before.”

Whether anyone at Aberdeenshire Council has mentioned the weather to Mr Trump is not clear. One local said: “He’s going to need luminous golf balls or 40ft-high fans to blow it all away.”

Week(s) In Review, November 19-Dec. 2: Miscellany

Catching up on a couple of weeks of posts, the most spirited discussions took place under posts on the LPGA's ADT Championship, the FedEx Cup, steroid testing and the various assaults on classic courses.

After seeing the ADT play out, RB made a great point on the FedEx Cup: It's been brought up before but it's worth repeating given the NASCAR season is now complete: The FedEx Cup will likely diminish winning the Tour Championship. I don't know about your paper, but mine had a man-on-moon headline trumpeting Jimmie Johnson winning the Nextel Cup. You had to read to the seventh paragraph to get this little nugget: Greg Biffle won the race for a third consecutive year. What happens when Tiger and Phil are dueling down the stretch for next year's Tour Championship, but three holes back FEDEX Cup leader Furyk is struggling to finish in the top 10 to win the Cup? Where's the story? Who do the network's train their cameras on? Who came up with this silly race anyway?

CBell on the ADT:  As for the telecast, I agree there was little buzz - hardly a hum - but for that I blame the crowds and the course. You need either a wall-to-wall crowd or a, uh, storied venue (okay, anything with a bit of history) to create much electricity, and this lacked both. A year from now, though, even a Trumped-up course like this has a chance, given the Webb-Ochoa meltdowns on #17 which created sort of an instant legacy.

Regarding my Golfdom essay on catch basins and generally schlocky drainage design work in golf architecture, Kris Spence weighed in with this:  I was recently asked by a member what I thought of a newly renovated fairway and hole on an old Ross course in NC that had 9 very symetrically positioned basins within the fairway cut. My answer, this hole has more catch basins than all of the other 400 + Ross designed courses combined.

On the PGA Tour's reported $5 million price tag for performance enhancing drug testing, JohnV countered with this: According to an article I found on the internet, it costs about $105 to do a steroid test. If they tested the champions, nationwide and pga tour players it would be about 500 players. With 4 tests a year, it would only be $210,000.

After USGA president Walter Driver's latest Q&A where he suggested that he would like to beef up the USGA website, reader Chuck suggested this: one of the ways that the USGA could better communicate with its members is to publish some of this data that they are apparently sharing with the manufacturers, data that was been developed with such care and with such expense by the USGA. According to the USGA itself. As Mr. Driver indicated to one of my questions, the people who criticize the USGA "don't have the facts that we [the USGA] do..." Well, okay. Use the internet. Give us 'the facts that you have.'

And NRH on the PGA Tour's latest attempt to enhance its media coverage: I'm glad the Tour isn't shoved down the throats of Joe Sports Fan like the NFL and all of its ESPN fueled drama. Nothing can really be done (or measured) beyond the majors, Ryder Cup or Tiger in the field to attract the fringe fan. Maybe free tickets for pre-teens. Of course the exceptions are Phoenix, the Nelson and Warwick Hills, where the lure is a good party. Does the Tour want more of that?

More From Q-School

Nice to see all of this great coverage from the PGA Tour and LPGA Qualifyings. Kind of bizarre to get such coverage, actually. I guess this is what happens when there's no press tent to sit in! Just kidding guys!

John Strege points out the oddity of Brock Mackenzie and sister Paige playing in Q-schools at the same time, along with other notes from PGA West on the Golf Digest blog.

Jim Achenbach looks at Bob May's resurgence while John Reger talks to Ricky Barnes. At the LPGA school, Sean Martin profiles Naree Song's spirited attempt despite suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome.

Here's the AP game story and scores from round 2 of Q school.

Making The PGA Tour More Media Friendly

Garry Smits reports on the a PGA Tour hosted brainstorming session to make the sport more media friendly. Though I wasn't invited (shocking, I know), my NSA sources say they may have a transcript or two of the "break out" sessions reported on by Smits.

In the meantime...

More than 100 members of the media, tournament directors, equipment representatives and players agents met with PGA Tour officials Wednesday at the Sawgrass Marriott. They discussed issues such as on-and off-tournament site media relations and functions, non-traditional media exposure for players (such as appearances on David Letterman and Jay Leno's shows), the effect of new media such as the Internet, satellite radio and blogs and player accessibility.

Oh yeah, I'm sure Leno's bookers are clamoring to get Chad Campbell.

The debate was nothing if not lively during full and break-out sessions.

Much of the discussion began with the results of a survey conducted among members of the media that showed they believe agents have been whittling away at access, especially those representing the top players, and the PGA Tour is doing little to control them.

Hey, they have to earn their 10%.

On the other hand, a survey of agents showed they think the media frustrates players by asking the same questions at every Tour stop, that they write the same "stale" stories and increase their demands on the time of players who find time an increasingly diminishing commodity.

The same "stale" stories. Why is stale in quotes? This implies doubt that the reporting has become stale. There's no doubt!

"There's a feeling that these guys make a lot of money ... What's the problem?" PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said at the closing session. "But it's not that simple. Players' schedules have changed, and the job of the media is different. It's a real challenge, but it can work better."

Among the measures that will be launched or streamlined: weekly conference calls with key players, a smoother post-round interview process, and a Tour communications representative on duty at all times at practice areas to coordinate interviews.

The question is, will the communications representative also sit in on these interviews?

Wie Makes The Onion

She's officially become a joke. Thanks to reader David for this.

Another CMO In Golf

Since the USGA's CMO has been so productive in his nearly two years of touring the nation's finest layouts, I mean, strengthening the USGA brand, the LPGA Tour has hired their own Chief Marketing Officer according to Golfweek. 

Commissioner Carolyn F. Bivens Nov. 29 named William F. Susetka as the LPGA's chief marketing officer (CMO). He will assume the role Jan. 2, 2007.

Poor bastard. Oh, sorry, here's the rest.

Susetka will be responsible for all LPGA marketing functions – and will oversee the marketing, creative services, corporate sponsorships, original programming, concept development and emerging media departments – while working to strengthen the LPGA brand image among consumers and sponsors and raise the awareness level of the LPGA and its members.

Emerging media departments? Is that a euphemism for the Internet?

Most recently, Susetka served as chief operating officer of Nice-Pak Products (2005-06). Prior to that, he was president of Global Marketing for Avon Products Inc. (2002-05), where he led double-digit beauty growth for three years and introduced the most successful new product launches for skin care and fragrance in Avon history with Anew Clinical, Cellu-Sculpt and the Today, Tomorrow, Always fragrance trilogy.

He led double-digit beauty growth? Wow, he's good. 

Live From Q-School

If you have any friends or players to root for at Q-school, Golf World's John Strege is blogging from PGA West that's worth checking out. Day 1 was windy, as if playing at PGA West isn't hard enough.

The scoring average on the Stadium Course was 76.1, while the Nicklaus Tournament Course played to an average of 73.6. For context, we look to first-round averages here two years ago: 72.8 and 71.1, respectively.

This Golfweek.com story has a first day roundup as well. Rex Hoggard has his take on day one, while John Reger profiles Dennis Paulson.

One reporter teed off in heels. Another hit the runway before the ball.

Jill Painter reports on the latest Tiger-hosted media gathering to show off the new Nike driver.

Oh to have YouTube video of this...

After Woods was done doing the demo, Nike representatives informed reporters that they could take a crack at the new club. Woods then laughed. Then he told everyone to not hit the ball in the street.

Had he stayed to watch the weekend hackers, he would've been as entertained as he imagined.

FSN West reporter Michael Eaves sliced his first shot onto 120th Street. One reporter teed off in heels.

Another hit the runway before the ball.

"Elite players are not afraid of distance advances. None of them are campaigning for rollbacks."

The Belly and Groove Bomb and Gouge boys are still at it, arguing with Chuck about their lack of concern for throwing St. Andrews and Augusta out to the trash heap so that grown men can shop unencumbered by regulation.

From Gouge:

The game advances and we deal with it. Augusta of 41 years ago would not be a test for today's players. Well, we don't exactly know that, but let's assume that it wouldn't be a test. Big deal. It's changed to become more of a test.

I always would love to hear people argue that Augusta has "become more of a test" since the recent changes. Besides the fact it is now one-dimensional off the tee with defined fairways, I wonder if they would say this to the faces of Hogan, Nelson, Snead, Nicklaus, Palmer and Player. Or even Ballesteros, Faldo, Crenshaw and Langer.  Because the insinuation is that without rough it wasn't a full test and that somehow, those old Masters are tainted.

Here's another howler:

Elite players are not afraid of distance advances. None of them are campaigning for rollbacks.

Actually, that's just simply not true. As this list attests.

The USGA has also studied the new drivers vs. the old drivers. Misses three-quarters of an inch off the center of the face travel almost 20 percent farther than they did off a mid-1990s driver. Now, in none of those cases is that distance harming the game (nor does it harm the game at the elite level, as you can't win tournaments hitting it three-quarters of an inch off the center of the face), but taking it away would remove some of that potential for someone actually getting around a golf course. You would take that away all in the name of preserving some tedious anachronism. Good job.

Today's drivers allow for someone to "actually" get around a golf course.

It's a wonder the game survived before today's equipment saved it! 

For more of these profound musings go here, here, here and for my original low self-esteem diagnosis, here.

Donegan On Trump International Aberdeenshire...

...Or whatever it's going to be called. Here's his Guardian story. Warning, I'm quoted. Sort of.

Rackham Gets Historic District Status

Reader Smitty shares this Naomi Patton story on the Huntington Woods City Commission approving a proposal to designate the Donald Ross designed Rackham Golf Course a historic district.

Huntington Woods residents and Rackham supporters applauded the vote, but they should expect a legal challenge from the private developer that plans to purchase the property.

Arthur Siegal, attorney for Premium Golf LLC, called the vote "politics at work," and said, "The main event is the litigation."

This is an interesting bit from Jennifer Chambers' Detroit News story:

The 123-acre course, designed by Donald Ross, is one of the earliest integrated golf courses in America, starting from the early part of the 20th century. Its clubhouse, an Arts and Crafts structure with a heavy Prairie and Romanesque revival influence, is a 1924 state-of-the-art building with a tile roof and a long, sweeping veranda with Pewabic tile.

"There were no failed tests."

Curtis Eichelberger reports that the World Amateur Team contestants passed all of their drug tests.

"I am pleased to be able to tell you that all test results from the World Amateur Team Championships were negative,'' Dawson said in an e-mail. ``There were no failed tests.''

The tested golfers -- six men and six women -- were picked at random from the 70 male and 39 female teams of three golfers each at the championships, Fay said.

"`You are relieved when the results all come back negative,'' Fay said in a telephone interview from his office in Far Hills, New Jersey. ``But there was a high degree of education. These players were made aware there would be a random test and it confirms for these two championships that we're clean.''

The tests were conducted by the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport following guidelines set by the World Anti- Doping Agency, Fay said. The women's championship was held Oct. 18-21, and the men's Oct. 26-29.

"The USGA has more important things to worry about than thinking about changing the groove configuration"

Over at the Golf Channel's web site, former USGA technical director Frank Thomas was asked about grooves and spin and reiterated what he wrote (and what we discussed here) in Golf Digest.

Frank,
I really do enjoy your column and I know that you will be able to answer my question about grooves on wedges. Do new sharp grooves make a difference to the spin on the ball when I hit the ball from a tee? -- Jim, N.C.

Jim,
The answer is NO they don’t. If you have a sandblasted face this will probably do as much or more to increase the spin than a grooved face. When you are hitting out of the rough then grooves do matter and the better defined they are the better off you are to get some spin on the ball. The rough condition will always reduce the spin from a wedge when compared to a dry condition but from deep (4 to 6 inch) heavy rough it doesn’t matter what ball you play or configuration of grooves you have on your wedge.

Again, it will be interesting to see if the USGA will claim otherwise in the coming months. Let me guess: "Our rough is 3 1/2 inches."

And again, Frank offers up a perfectly wretched solution for the game:

The USGA has more important things to worry about than thinking about changing the groove configuration because some pros are able to get out of the rough relatively easily with out too much concern about being there. My proposal is to lengthen the rough for those situations where this is important. The upheaval of changing groove specifications is not worth it.

I wonder if ever occurs to people that rough has only been introduced into golf as a method to combat distance gains that begin to outdate architecture? 

After all, what caused Augusta to go from its roughless golf course to one with a silly looking "second cut?"

Sudden distance gains they couldn't keep up with.

And we've also learned that even when courses do catch up via lengthening, the fairways never get widened back out...

So I suppose the good news is that at 20-25 yards, they can only narrow so much more before rough harvesting and narrowing is no longer an option.

Tiger Playing Through

Since I complained about not getting to see Tiger hitting into the group in front of him, reader Aleid has posted the clip along with his other play on the short par-4. (Note that he hits 3-wood off the tee to drive it the next day!).