Best False Hope Provided By The USGA In Its Ongoing Efforts To Become Irrelevant

/

That would be Jim Vernon's excellent speech on the impact of technology on championship golf, delivered at the USGA annual meeting in Atlanta, and subsequently forgotten about with the organization's apparent focus on the evils of square grooves.

Oh and this from USGA President Walter Driver made it pretty clear that the organization will not honor it's 2002 Statement of Principles and instead has drawn a new line in the sand starting in 2003.

The facts are that the tour distances are nearly flat the last 3 years. It went down somewhat a few years ago and then leveled off. So the facts show that there hasn't been much increase to show us that we need to act from when we made those statements.

At least we know where they stand. 

Best Orwellian Statement Made By David Fay

/

2006yearinreview.gifWar is peace. Ignorance is strength. USGA is the average golfer.

The USGA's Executive Director has a knack for coming up with one of those seemingly brilliant thoughts that makes USGA groupees--minds dulled by way too many days in the hot sun with that walkie-talkie vibes eating away at brain cells--swoon over their bow-tied leader. And as we always do when weeding through his baseball analogies, further inspection reveals that Fay's remark will not pass the smell test.

This year's winner came when he was speaking in Colorado, crafting another brilliant excuse for the USGA's inability to regulate equipment properly.

"I understand people like Nicklaus, (Arnold) Palmer and (Greg) Norman want to do something about the ball, and I respect that," Fay said. "But who are we governing for — the elite players or the people like the ones at the Golf Expo? I'd say for the latter."

And as I pointed out back then, if they really are only governing for the average joe, then why regulate equipment at all?

Ah, because with out the elite player, the USGA becomes a handicapping outfit with a nice Green Section and a cool collection of memorabilia. In other words, just another downstairs booth at The Golf Industry Show.

Best TV Deal Beat Reporting Exposing Fun Little Facts You Won't Read Anywhere Else

/

2006yearinreview.gifAfter Golf World's Stu Schneider broke the news that ABC was out of the new PGA Tour TV deal, the newspaper scribes did the best work in highlighting the best and worst of the new contract.

Robert Bell had the Greensboro perspective, including the revelation that Mark Steinberg was earning some nice cash on the side as a consultant.

Garry Smits kept tabs on the TPC Sawgrass redo and for documenting some fine MBAspeak that justified the Players Championship's move to May.

Ed Sherman in the Chicago Tribune and and Len Ziehm in the Sun Times did stellar work covering the Western Open's demise

Steve Elling, Steve Campbell and Craig Dolch offered more general perspectives, but still good ones you can read here, here and here.

Sam Weinman on Westchester situation as well as coverage leading up to the U.S. Open at Winged Foot.

Lorne Rubenstein for eyeing the demise of the Canadian Open.

Brian Allee-Walsh in the New Orleans Times-Picayune for coverage of post Katrina and the TPC New Orleans recovery.

Bruce Berlet on the off and on Hartford situation.

Thomas Boswell for blasting and Len Shapiro for diplomatically criticizing the handling of the Booz Allen

Gary D'Amato on Milwaukee situation.  Larry Bohannan on the Hope Classic's move to the Golf Channel.

Gerry Dulac (here) and Mike Dudurich on the 84 Lumber Classic's demise.

And finally, Mick Elliott on the sponsor troubles in Tampa.

I'm sure I'm forgetting someone, but those were just the ones I stumbled across in reviewing all of the great coverage this year. 

Best Oy Vey Moment Of 2006

/

2006yearinreview.gifCarolyn Bivens provided two runner-up nominees when she said...
It's been a remarkable season on the LPGA Tour and these girls have really rocked out on the field.

And, save your oy veys for when she said...

We have to be able to what I call slice and dice our audience, know exactly who it is we're targeting, what messages works and what distribution channels.

But the winner is Walter Driver, who in accepting his nomination as USGA President, took the bold step of coming down off the podium in Atlanta to speak to the USGA staff and committee folks who had gathered to hear his speech. A true man of the people...well, except when he takes the USGA jet.

Best About Face By A Golf Organization In A Backpeddling Mode

/

You are thinking it's Tim Finchem's change of heart on drug testing after Tiger came out in favor, but no, this one goes to those mad hatters at, where else, the USGA!

Remember young Mackenzie Kline, with the weakened heart...

it was recommended if she kept playing golf, she use a cart and have oxygen available. However, her petition for a cart at Carmel CC in Charlotte in two weeks was denied on a technicality. USGA rules stipulate players must request a cart when they apply to the event. When Kline submitted her entry, she wasn't aware she would need a cart.

"Obviously you feel for her," said Marty Parkes, USGA senior director of media relations and communications, "but with those entry deadlines, we feel to be fair with everybody you have to hold to those."
And about a week and Lord knows how many conference calls later...

“The more we looked into it, it was clear that because of her condition she needed a cart,” Parkes said.

Least Subtle Self Reference By Johnny Miller In A Lead Analyst's Role

/

Shockingly, it did not occur on the airwaves, but in this Q&A with Jerry Stewart he's discussing the possiblity of equipment regulation and just couldn't help himself:

A: I don't see a real issue here. Even with all the new equipment, a 63 is still a heck of a score. I managed to do it in an U.S. Open. 

If only I had every 63 at Oakmont reference... 

Another Sigmund Freud Award For The Most Nuanced Complaint About Tiger Without Using His Name

/

2006yearinreview.gifPeter Kostis continue to rack up the hardware (his first award is here) and I know he feels blessed to have his subconscious fury highlighted on this web site.

Talking to Golf World's Stu Schneider, Kostis doesn't sound in any way threatened by Nick Faldo's arrival at CBS.

"Someone's going to have to define Nick's role," Kostis said. "Nick is a very funny guy, but he's not going to compete with [David] Feherty or McCord, and we don't need an excess of funny on our telecasts. I think he's being hired because of his golf knowledge and his ability to communicate it."

Don't worry Peter, there hasn't been an excess of funny for quite some time!

Best Comment By Bobby Clampett In His Role As The Announcer Who Mysteriously Remained Employed

/

2006yearinreview.gifSo much wit and wisdom from Bobby Clampett in 2006, and most of it delivered right to my email box by the poor souls at TNT who would document his thoughts.

There was his ridiculous attempt to claim that there was "no bad blood" between Faldo and Woods at Hoylake, along with the ensuing jibberish about the TV business.

There was this, uh, brilliant metaphor to describe the par-4 12th hole at Poipu Bay:  “That hole is placed like a candle on the side of a birthday cake.”

And his big phrase of the week at Hoylake. How could you forget? Why it was that course's propensity for...come on, you remember:  “This golf course lends itself towards “bunching.”  You have to take your medicine on a certain number of holes and birdies are hard to come by.  And the combination of the two leads to bunching on the leaderboard.”

But my favorite was his tribute to Yogi Berra during the Grand Slam of Golf telecast, which, mercifully, I did not watch. Speaking of Geoff Ogilvy... 

"If he wasn't a professional, he'd be out there playing every day."

Best Reminder That R&A Secretary's Should Not Design Courses

/
Peter Dawson, rambling on in such effortlessly obtuse fashion about his foray into design at Turnberry where he's trying to offset lax technology regulation:
"Sometimes you can't fully appreciate the impact of an alteration until it's been built and you have another look at them in reality rather than on a drawing," said Dawson yesterday.