"Since then the event venue has been for sale to the highest bidder."

Mike Clayton previews the Australian PGA and ponders the dynamics of choosing a host site. Thanks to reader Hugh for spotting this.

The players and their families love the resort, the locals have supported it in numbers Brisbane only dreamed about (even when Greg Norman was in the field) and whilst the course is not one of the best in the country it is a good test and the nature of professional golf all over the world is that commercial considerations are of fundamental importance when it comes to the choice of the golf course.

If you don't believe that, have a look at the courses the Europeans have chosen for the Ryder Cup. The last time a course was chosen on merit was in 1981 when they went to Walton Heath. Since then the event venue has been for sale to the highest bidder.

Golf Digest Best New 2007

Now posted at GolfDigest.com, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Doak's Sebonack takes the private category.

The Best New Public With Hot Beverage Cart Girls Over $75 goes to Virginia's Highland Course at Primland by Donald Steel and Martin Ebert.

Best New Public Where You Might Have To Change Shoes In The Parking Lot Under $75 goes to another Virginia course, Ed Carton's Spring Creek.

The Best New Public Remodel, Lester George's restoration of The Greenbrier, beats out in stunning fifth place position, the horrid Industry Hills, aka Misery Hills, oh, wait, it's been rebranded as Industry HIlls GC at Pacific Palms Resort. I think the rebranding put it in the top 5.

Best New Private Remodel, goes to Gil Hanse, Brad Faxon and Jim Wagner for their revitalization of TPC Boston, edging out Rees Jones remodels of Bellerive and Atlanta Athletic Club as well as Jack Nicklaus's work at Ohio State.

And Best New Canadian goes to Muskoka Bay by Doug Carrick.

Stephen Szurlej's exclusive photos of the winners are posted, but other than the aerials of Sebonack I wouldn't waste your time unless you want to see a bunch of TPC Boston ground views from behind greens guarded by lakes. Not as horrific as his photo of Rustic Canyon when it won, which actually was taken by a blind ground squirrel. However, considering how easy the two courses are to photograph (I know, I'm biased) and considering the landscape photography work of folks like Lambrecht, Dost, Brown, the Henebry's, Cuban, Furore and Scalletti, Golf Digest should farm this assignment out.

While not award winning, at least some of these images give you a sense of why TPC Boston edged out some tough competition. 

"I wouldn't mind that."

Thanks to readers Adam and Jon for catching Tiger's appearance on CNBC to plug the latest swollen spatula from Nike. You can see the video here, but be warned, lots of lame questions from giggly anchors.

I loved that Tiger pointed out how this latest ugly thing you won't find in his bag "sounds a lot better."

Eric Pfahler writes up the interview but mysteriously leaves out a key, key comment.

While other professional sports have standardized equipment, golfers have lots of leeway, though there is some debate about using a standardized golf ball.

“I don’t see how we could get the entire industry to (believe) and go with that,” Woods said. “There would be some serious fighting going on if that was the case because that’s what separates us from other sports.

“It could happen. Augusta threatened to do it, but they just lengthened the golf course so we’re playing from downtown Augusta. We’ll see what happens down the road.”

Whatever technological advances there are in the future could change the game even more, Woods said.

“Seven years, our entire industry’s changed,” Woods said. “How’s it going to be 15 years from now? I don’t know.” 

But this kinda key answer was left out, as you'll see on the video.

Asked about a ball rollback:

"I wouldn't mind that."

Works for me!

"I think it's the two best rounds anybody has ever played"

Really neat to see Todd Demsey make it back to the PGA Tour. And super news for Colt Knost: no Nationwide Tour event to conflict with Masters wee...oh wait, scratch that thought.

Pete McDaniel profiles the final round hits and misses.

Medalist Frank Lickliter is quoted by Steve Elling:

 Lickliter, a two-time tour winner, led a large group of tour-card retreads, thanks to opening with consecutive 62s, the lowest 36-hole total in tour history had this been an official event.

"It's unofficial, but nobody's ever done it before, which counts for something," he said. "It's not quite Neil Armstrong on the moon, but it's up there."

Lickliter, who has declined comment after every round this week because he didn't want to derail his concentration, was asked if his opening 36 marked the two best rounds he's ever played. He took a drag on his cigarette and paused for moment.

"I think it's the two best rounds anybody has ever played," he said.

No doubt, it's impressive to fire back to back 62's, but really, if you are the medalist of an event, it's not The Show.

Golfweek's Ray McCarthy featured notes and this rationale from Lickliter for ignoring the press all week:

 “Hogan didn’t talk to the press,” he said.

Moribund Legends Of Golf Finally Returning To Team Format

Apparently they wanted to wait until everyone had completely forgotten what a great event it once was to restore the format that only launched the Senior Tour. Bill Fields reports the news.

Seriously, how could it possibly take so long?
 

Strange Bedminster Fellows?

Another USGA-related beauty from Golfweek's Forecaddie:

The Man Out Front was hanging around the Bada Bing in "Joisey" a few weeks back when he ran into an intriguing "meeting" at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster; U.S. Golf Association president Walter Driver, incoming prez Jim Vernon, director of competitions Mike Davis and, later, the USGA's new chief business officer, Peter Bevacqua, were busy touring the place in carts with The Donald himself.

The Forecaddie has heard rumblings that Trump actually has considered leaving the golf course in his will to the USGA (with money set aside for operations) in exchange for a commitment to stage a U.S. Open there in his lifetime. 

So gang, if you are the USGA, would you take such an offer? 

And are they really strange bedfellows at this point?  

"His massive pool was adjacent to the house and the shark logo shone through from under the water."

His massive pool was adjacent to the house and the shark logo shone through from under the water.

Thanks to reader Hugh for this book excerpt from Dion's Kipping's Caddie To The Stars, Hanging with Norman, Baddeley, Tiger and the Gang.

Final Round Q-School Watch

Pete McDaniel at Golf Digest has the fifth round hits and misses, setting up the storylines for Monday's final round. And of course you can monitor the final day at the PGA Tour's official site.

Steve Elling profiles Brad Isles who won't be getting his Tour card, but nonetheless is just happy to be playing again. 

"That's where the course should be heading, not to provide 15-under."

Thanks to reader Mark for pointing out the tantrum by architect John Darby over a tee move forward and a subsequent course record at the New Zealand Open. Michael Donaldson wrote:

The hole, which is guarded by water and has a green that slopes away from a hill protecting one side of it, delivered some huge scores on Thursday after only 31% of the field hit the green with their tee shot and the average score was 3.6.

It was just as tough on Friday with only a third of the field able to stop the ball on the green, although putting was slightly easier and the field averaged 3.3 shots.

Yesterday, officials reduced the length of the hole from 167m to 152m and moved the tee slightly to the left where the green was more visible rather than being partially obscured.

As a result, more than 70% of the players hit the green and the scoring average came right down to 3.0.

Fowler shot a 10-under par 62, including a par three at the 16th hole.

"It's a great shame it can't be a course record because some of the holes were played off the women's tees, not the championship tees," Darby told the Sunday Star-Times.

"We designed the whole hole to be played, not part of it. That green is entirely appropriate from that [167m] tee."

The PGA disputed that claim, saying the course record would stand as it was common practice to move tees and pin placements throughout a tournament.

And the painful takeaway quote from Darby:

"We designed this course in the tradition of great opens and great links courses, to be played to par off the championship tees. That's where the course should be heading, not to provide 15-under."

Meanwhile, if you didn't catch John Huggan's column on Donald Trump, he wrote about Darby's design as precisely what the world needs less of and noted this about the "controversy." 

Just the other day, in fact, a young Australian professional, Michael Sim, called Darby on his design of the par-3 16th hole at the Hills when they played together in the New Zealand Open's pro-am. So perplexed was Sim - coincidentally, he was born in Aberdeen - by the position and angle of the green relative to the tee, that he spent at least ten minutes debating both with an increasingly-harassed Darby. The conversation did not go well, apparently.

All Darby had to offer was that he had tried to create a "defensive hole" between two birdie chances. For "defensive", by the way, read "stupid". Last Thursday, the field averaged 3.6, and at one point in the afternoon only one golfer out of 21 managed to hit the green.

Here's what I find most interesting about this little saga: that Darby takes it personally when someone goes low on his course.

And that is the essential difference between an architect creating something fun and interesting, versus something utterly boring.

The architects interested in strategy do not want to put golfers on the defensive. They want to encourage risk taking with reward for those taking a chance.

The architects interested in protecting par, protecting their ego and in general preventing great players from occasionally making a birdie, can easily accomplish their goal if they so choose. However it sure is boring to watch and most certainly boring to play. 

Gulbis Heir Apparent Misses Q-School Cut

Dave Seanor reports on the good, bad and beautiful from LPGA Q-school, where Australian Anna Rawson, who was looking to fill the void left by Natalie Gulbis's decision to possibly shed the hottness brand, missed by one shot.

Golf, Drugs And Denial

It occurred to me in reading John Paul Newport's WSJ column summarizing the latest on drug testing in golf that the people who touted the sport's nobility really sound more and more absurd as you hear doctor's quoted about the potential benefits of performance enhancing drugs.

'Clearly a golfer doesn't want to develop the physique of a Division I linebacker. That would be detrimental," Dr. Yesalis says. "But a 170-pound player could use low doses of steroids or a testosterone cream to help him add 15 pounds of lean, flexible muscle to his body. Please tell me how that wouldn't help him to hit the ball farther."

In such low doses, Dr. Yesalis said, steroids would have negligible if any effect on a golfer's ability to concentrate or stay calm -- another contention frequently made by those who argue that golf and doping are inherently incompatible.

I found this surprising. So much for my argument about testing to protect the children. Sort of: 

Nor would they necessarily be detrimental to the golfer's long-term health. Synthetic hormones like human growth hormone, or HGH, which also would be banned under the Tour's testing protocols, are routinely prescribed by doctors for middle-age people looking to build or retain strength.

For golfers, one of the prime benefits of low-dose steroids or HGH would be to let them practice longer. Long sessions at the range produce microtears in the body's tissues. Especially as players get older, slow recovery from these sessions is an obstacle to performance. Banned drugs could speed up the recuperation.

And...

The tradition of golfers playing by the rules and even calling penalties on themselves is undoubtedly one of the game's grandest and most admirable attributes. But given the increasing sophistication of every other aspect of player performance these days, from advanced physical and mental-game training to precise, technology-aided club fitting, how long can it be before at least a few players give in to the temptation of better living through chemistry? If they haven't already.

The Wit And Wisdom Of Bobby Clampett, Vol. 497

It warms my heart to learn that our friends Down Under are getting to experience the profound announcing insights of Bobby Clampett on the Sun City coverage. From reader Mike, two Clampett gems:

"I love the strategy on this hole. The fairway is only 17 yards wide."

Either hit the fairway, or do not the fairway. Such strategy! That's really something to be tout.

But my favorite:

"Designing courses is like duck's soup.It's a piece of cake if you've got a great piece of property."

Yes, that's so...not true. But don't let that discourage you Bobby from continuing to say what's on your mind.

"This has the potential to be one of the great sports stories of our time."

Don't miss Steve Elling's look at Madalitso Muthiya, whose backstory really is incredible and one of the all time great Q-school tales, even if after a fourth round 69 he appears headed for the Nationwide Tour he's obviously got game.

His presence is movie-of-the-week fare, probably best suited for the Hallmark or Disney channels. It's inspiration, perspiration and dedication rolled into one 5-foot-8, 160-pound package. Muthiya might be short on golf experience compared to many of his silver-spoon, coached and coddled American peers, but he's wise beyond his 24 years.

"I think he is more prepared than a lot of these guys, to be honest," said Glen Millican, Muthiya's college coach at New Mexico. "He's always had to figure everything out on his own.

"He showed up here with a golf bag and a duffel bag filled with his clothes, and that's it. But he was in our top 5 by the end of the year and he did it on his own."

No knock on Woods, who grew up in a middle-class neighborhood in suburban Southern California, but his tale doesn't hold a candle compared to Muthiya's personal perseverance. For perspective, consider some of the particulars about Zambia, a country of 11 million residents that, until 1964, was under British rule and known as Northern Rhodesia.

Donald Sends Out His Gumbas?

Granted, his gumbas would now be 59-year-old Scottish women, but either way, it looks like it's getting ugly in Aberdeen. Thanks to reader Alan for this Katrine Bussey story.

A councillor who voted against US tycoon Donald Trump's plans to build a £1 billion golf resort in Scotland claimed yesterday she had been assaulted after opposing the project.

Debra Storr said a woman came to her house outside the village of Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, this morning and pushed her.

The alleged incident happened the day after councillors narrowly rejected Mr Trump's proposals.

Grampian Police confirmed they were making inquiries into an incident at a house in the Balmedie area.

Ms Storr, a Liberal Democrat councillor for Ellon and District, said: "I heard a banging on the door and when I opened it there was a woman standing there who proceeded to hurl abuse at me, obscenities regarding the Trump application.

"She was very angry it had been refused and continued hurling abuse at me.

"I asked her who she was and if she would moderate her language. She told me who she was, but she did not moderate her language. She continued hurling abuse at me and then she stepped across the door, put her hands on me and pushed me."

A spokesman for Grampian Police said: "We can confirm that a 59-year-old female has been interviewed and charged in connection with a minor disturbance."

Meanwhile John Huggan just killed any chance of being the next architect The Donald fires after this Scotland on Sunday column celebrating the demise of Trump's project.

Step aside Seve. Move over Tiger. Take a seat Monty. I'm done with all of you. Your times have been and gone, as have your posters on my bedroom wall. This morning I have a new golfing hero to admire. Three days ago, one Martin Ford, chairman of Aberdeenshire Council, used his casting vote to throw out plans for what US entrepreneur Donald "My mother comes from Stornoway" Trump boasted would be the "best golf course in the world" on a spectacular and - thankfully - ecologically-important stretch of dunes land north of Aberdeen.

Mister Ford, I salute you.

Call me cynical, but this whole Trump thing rang alarm bells right from day one. I mean, consider the source. Anything emanating from that large hole below Trump's nose - let's not even get into that

“Come play where the pros pay.”

Golfweek's Beth Ann Baldry documents the perils of brand licensing, in this case the LPGA International hosting this week's LPGA Q-School. Baldry's tales remind me of playing in some really bad city amateur tournaments. Thanks to reader Bill for this.

Amie Cochran was sitting in the snackshop having a bowl of chili following her first round and immediately sat this reporter down to rattle off a list of complaints. Cochran arrived in Daytona earlier than most and estimates she’s spent $400 tuning up for the event.

And speaking of lunch, Cochran paid $3 for the iced tea she was sipping. On Wednesday, players were shocked to find a shoddy menu taped over the top of the existing one in the heavily-trafficked snack bar. The “Q-School Menu” featured $3 sodas and $10 sandwiches, served with chips and a drink.

$10 for a sandwich, but it's for a good cause.

Lorraine Vosmik, director of club operations, said the limited menu was being offered in an attempt to expedite service. When asked why the prices rivaled Disney, Vosmik said they hadn’t changed. A soda, however, normally goes for $2.50.

“We included tax and a tip,” she said. “And we didn’t want to deal with change.”

Except they forgot to note that on the new menu and left the tip jar on the counter. A small salad every other week of the year costs $5.50. This week, $7. And the service? There is none.

“No one’s been nice at this course,” Cochran said matter-of-factly. “Is unaccommodating a word?”

Why yes, Aimee, it is. In fact, it’s the perfect word to describe how players felt later that afternoon when they learned the range closed at 4 p.m., an hour and a half before daylight ends. Attendants walked up and down the range warning players that the range would close in 30 minutes.

“I was appalled,” said Bader, who was on the range with Bartholomew working out the kinks of an opening 4-over 76.

Hey, what's your beef? It's only a tournament that effects lives. Who gave you the impression it was important?

Hafeman said that in order for the range to be picked and the balls cleaned in time for a 6:30 a.m. start, it must close at 4 p.m. The hours, however, were extended to 4:30 p.m. Thursday after the round was delayed due to fog.

“How about a continuous picker this week?” asked Bader, pointing to an empty picker sitting by a tree near the range. Sounds like a reasonable suggestion.

If all this sounds rather petty, consider this: It cost non-members $5,000 to play here this week if they played both qualifiers, $4,000 if they played in one. Members payed $2,500.

But you can bet the LPGA operations people are on top of...well, not really.

Libba Galloway, the LPGA’s deputy commissioner, didn’t want to comment on the frustration of players until she’d spoken with them herself. There’s been a huge turnover at LPGA International in the last year since the former director of golf, Nancy Henderson, left to work for the tour. Even tour employees have felt the sting of its new management in recent months.

It makes sense for the LPGA to host its qualifying school here every year, but if they can’t accommodate the players or make them feel welcome, perhaps it’s time to find a new venue.

The slogan at LPGA International is “Come play where the pros play.”  But as one tour caddie wrote in his blog, a more accurate description might be “Come play where the pros pay.”