"Phil is only going to design about 10 golf courses"

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In the release covering Phil Mickelson's surprising move into course design (surprising because just a year or so ago he was downplaying his interest in this area for the time being), there is the usual stuff about projects and who he'll be working with (different people on different projects).

But reader Jordan caught this quote from his agent, which I thought was odd.

"Phil is only going to design about 10 golf courses, and RiverRock will be his mountain course," said Tim Ummel, Mickelson's agent.

Only 10? This year or ever?

"I used Callaway's technicians to help with the design of a driver that will eliminate that left shot"

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Phil Mickelson at the Hope, talking about what he's done to address the finish at Winged Foot:
I addressed it with Rick Smith and Dave Pelz who devised some devices to help me with the driving. Rick is helping me with why that happened; why after The Masters I was not able to pick up where I left off and get my swing back.

And then I used Callaway's technicians to help with the design of a driver that will eliminate that left shot because not only was it on 18, it was on 17 and it was all throughout the final round. And so we're working on designing a club that eliminates that, and I think we've got it right. So I'm excited about that.

A Solution To The Groove Problem

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After watching tee shots to Waialae's ridiculously narrow par-5 18th fairway (and not seeing too many drives finishing in it) I was thinking that maybe it was time for the club to simply abandon the 22 yards of width it already has, and just go with an all rough landing area.

After all, look at the scoring through three rounds (PGATour.com did not add the fourth for some reason):

Stroke Avg:      4.353
Hole Rank:     18th
Avg. Drive:     309.5
Longest Drive:     381 yards (Holmes)

So the 22 yards did not discourage birdies and eagles, nor did it prevent players from hitting long tee shots. And last I heard, preventing long drives and correspondoning low scores was the goal of such a narrow fairway.

But then I got to thinking about Peter Dawson's comments on grooves, rough and scoring, and by golly, I think we have a solution to all of this madness.

Dawson said, "We now see balls spinning more from 2in or 3in rough than they do when hit from the fairway. That cannot go on."

He's right, we can't allow this to keep happening.

So stop narrowing fairways if the grooves are allowing players to spin the ball more than they would from the fairway.

WIDENING fairways will solve this U-grooves from the rough problem!

A return to sane widths will set a wonderful example for the game and allow players to strategically pick the sides of fairways again. True precision via intelligent placement of shots will again be rewarded when all of those balls previous controlled from 2-3 inch rough will be coming from fairway lies!

Newsflash From The City!

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Golf Channel sent out a "newsflash" on this important note:

GOLF CHANNEL to Highlight Fujikawa’s Return to High School on Tuesday’s Golf Central

The GOLF CHANNEL will follow Tadd Fujikawa as he returns to classes on Tuesday at Moanalua High School in Honolulu, two days removed from finishing in a tie for 20th at the Sony Open in Hawaii and becoming the youngest golfer in 50 years to make a cut on the PGA TOUR.  The segment will air on Golf Central on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.

The GOLF CHANNEL’s Mark Rolfing will be on-hand to document the 16-year-old sophomore’s return to high school and the reception from his fellow classmates. On Wednesday's Golf Central, Fujikawa's first bowel movement will be discussed in an up close and personal sit-down interview with Rolfing.

Just wanted to see if you were still reading with that last sentence. 

The Standing O...

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Now, I love Tadd Fujikawa and it was great to see the fans so energized by his Sony Open performance.

However, did you catch the moment when he arrives at 18 and The Golf Channel's GOLF CHANNEL's Kelly Tilghman and Nick Faldo join the standing ovation and GC (just a bit too quickly) cuts to the shot of them standing and clapping for Fujikawa?

Did anyone else get a Broadcast News flashback?  

It's hard to imagine Faldo doing that without some instruction.

And needless to say, no major network would allow its announcers to be such homers.

So, was the GC "standing o" staged?  

Spin From Dawson

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On the post of John Huggan's annual chat with R&A secretary Peter Dawson, reader John G posted something that I think needs further consideration since I glossed over it in the inital posting:

"We now see balls spinning more from 2in or 3in rough than they do when hit from the fairway."

I'm sorry, this quote just doesn't pass the smell test. I can't believe Huggan didn't pounce on this. Has anyone seen any research to confirm this kind of statement?

I would believe that spin rates from 2-3" rough could be similar, but not quite as good as from a normal fairway lie.

But BETTER spin rates from rough than from a nice tightly mown fairway?? C'mon. I'm not THAT gullible.

These guys are desperate to say anything to distract from the real issues.

So do you think the USGA/R&A will actually be able to prove that this has been the case (better spin rates from rough than fairway), and if so, does anyone buy it? 

"Marketing solutions to elevate their brand presence on our air beyond commercial units."

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Shocking I know, but The Golf Channel GOLF CHANNEL has entered into a partnership that could call into question whether they might give favorable coverage to players with a certain affiliation. I know, I know...you're stunned.

Anyway, get out your MBAspeak bingo boards...

GOLF CHANNEL PGA TOUR Platform Secures Major Partnerships with TaylorMade-adidas Golf and UBS

ORLANDO, Fla., (Jan. 13, 2007) -The GOLF CHANNEL recently has secured multi-year partnerships with TaylorMade-adidas Golf and UBS, which provides the opportunity for both companies to maximize early the GOLF CHANNEL'S 15-year programming platform with the PGA TOUR, as well as the growth of the network.  

Maximize early the 15-year programming platform? Anyone care to translate?

TaylorMade-adidas Golf will hold a significant position within PGA TOUR-related programming on the GOLF CHANNEL throughout the golf season, while also becoming the network's official golf apparel and footwear company.  The company's golf apparel will be worn on all GOLF CHANNEL live tournament telecasts and in-studio programming.

TaylorMade-adidas Golf also will become the exclusive equipment and apparel sponsor of Live From the U.S. Open, a part of the network's signature wrap-around news and analysis franchise.  And the company will hold a major media position throughout the golf season in PGA TOUR tournament programming - as well as in franchise programming such as Golf Central and Sprint Post Game - to provide complete access to their core customer base.

Franchise programming, as opposed to just programming. Does this mean we'll have the set littered with R7's?

"We're extremely gratified that we've been able to work with TaylorMade-adidas Golf to establish and entirely new partnership" said Gene Pizzolato, GOLF CHANNEL executive vice president of advertising sales and new media.  "The demand for PGA TOUR product on our air has been strong, and we are thrilled that we were able to provide our partner at TaylorMade-adidas marketing solutions to elevate their brand presence on our air beyond commercial units."

Wow, reading Pizzolato is like watching Picasso paint or Michelangelo sculpt. A true master of his medium.

Though I have to say, maybe I watched Scarface too much as a child, but something about the use of product just makes me think of that white powdery stuff Tony Montana was peddling.        

Dawson Speaks

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John Huggan sits down for his annual gabfest with the R&A's Peter Dawson, who makes this stunning revelation:

"We always have a wonderful championship when the players like the golf course! And that is important. The reputation of the championship is everything, and something we must never let slip. Having good championships and fast running links is what we are about really."
Breathtaking I tell you. Uh, translation: Carnoustie was a disaster and we won't let it happen again.

Huggan asked if lawsuits were on the R&A's mind when it comes to running scared from the distance issue.
"We don't know how much a threat there is. None of the manufacturers have ever actually threatened to sue us if we change the rules on distance. So if it came to a crunch, I don't know whether they would sue or not. All I can say is that we have done all we can to create a non-litigious environment. And I can also say that even the possibility that they might sue has no effect on anything the R&A or the USGA do.

"I've never been in a meeting where that has been put on the table as a serious consideration."
See, they aren't afraid of manufacturers. They're afraid of acting, period. Big difference. One assumes an understandable fear of going to court, the other assumes a general indifference to the best interests of the sport.

Huggan asked how the pro game could be made more interesting via equipment regulation and Dawson broke into the groove nonsense.
"The biggest issue in front of us at the moment is the way the ball spins when hit from the rough. We now see balls spinning more from 2in or 3in rough than they do when hit from the fairway. That cannot go on.
God no, because rough is an integral part of setting up courses to keep scores "respectable" so that we are not embarrassed. 
"We are concerned at the lack of correlation between driving accuracy and success. One of the reasons players hit the ball so hard is that they can spin their approach shots from the rough. It doesn't matter to them where the drive finishes, within reason. So we need to restore the premium on driving accuracy and the differential in spin between fairway and rough.

Hey, how about regulating driver head size if you don't like them hitting it so hard? Oh no, that would make too much sense.

"We're not talking about people struggling to get the ball out of the rough; only that they should be struggling to control it from the longer grass. And to do that we have to come up with grooves that will create just that scenario. None of which will make any difference to the average player. Only for players of a certain standard does the combination of U-grooves and the modern, thin-covered ball allow the spin we want to remove.

"So, while any new rule would primarily affect the top end of the game, we could apply it universally, and not have it make any difference to the club golfer."

Except when their current clubs are ruled non-conforming Peter.

Huggan offers this:

Well, while this grooves thing does seem a little like giving a paper hankie to a pneumonia sufferer, it's at least a start. But I bet I'll be back in St Andrews for more of the same sort of chat next year.