"Zach Johnson wins the Masters. Not a highlight exactly..."

Lawrence Donegan posts a year-in-review and player watch for 2008, with this item catching my eye:

2) Zach Johnson wins the Masters. Not a highlight exactly, more of a vindication for those who argue the changes made to the Augusta National golf course in an attempt to meet the challenges of modern golf technology have diminished Alistair MacKenzie's classic course to the extent that average players such as Johnson can now prevail at major championships.

It is fascinating that only a few years ago, any criticism of Augusta National would have been highly unusual (unless it was me mouthing off). Now it's rather commonplace.

Surely the club must notice this trend? 

"Unless Rory has a death wish, he better donate that money to Woods' charity, the tournament beneficiary."

Steve Elling and Ross Devonport debate the issues, with both agreeing that Rory Sabbatini needs to give back his Target World Challenge winnings.

Speaking of which, does anyone else find it odd that in our little 24/7 world, Rory's agent has not made sure to let every golf writer know that his client has decided to turn his winnings over to the foundation?  Here we are several days removed from his WD and the ensuing fallout, and not a word on his web site.

Does this mean he's sticking to his shin splits defense?

You have to figure if there is no gesture on Sabbatini's part soon, he will be the focus of media coverage at Kapalua. And that won't be pretty if he makes it into the interview room.

How Did We Get To This Point?

Alistair Tait is fed up and can't take it anymore. I love a good rant!

Royal Melbourne Deals With Severe Drought

Thanks to reader Mark for this Bruce Matthews story on the extreme measures taken at Royal Melbourne to help get through a drought.

A convoy of tankers will cart water to Royal Melbourne to keep the world-famous golf course alive over summer.

It will cost the club an estimated $100,000 each week to buy the recycled water from Melbourne Water's western treatment plant at Werribee.

And...

"We are unable to water fairways at all with our current water allocations and we can only rely on rain," club captain Peter Sutherland said in last month's club newsletter.

"If the situation worsens, the (club's) council may need to reduce traffic on the courses to prevent long-term damage."

Events on the club's calendar this month, such as the Victorian amateur championship starting today, will go ahead at this stage.

"We don't back away from the fact there are areas of the fairways that are particularly dry and obviously lacking good (grass) coverage. But it's something you have to accept in these conditions, that they will take a while to recover," Richardson said.

What Is The Sports Rights Owners Coalition Up To?

Looks like The Brand Lady was ahead of her time as the "Sports Rights Owners Coalition" (gee, I wonder what they are after) is, according to Doreen Carvajal in the International Herald Tribune....

"seeking international treaties to "protect and promote the special nature of sport" and its intellectual property rights in a fast-changing digital world.

In other words, they may want to get their hands on photos and the rights or even money made from shots taken at sporting events. I believe the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour are part of the coalition and as you may recall, the LPGA Tour rather ridiculously attempted to gain control of images in 2006, leading to an embarrassing media boycott and resolution.

"He had to go to the pro shop to buy golf balls before the playoff"

Doug Ferguson's weekly notes column features a fun bit on Tiger seeking and getting only his second autographed piece of memorabilia from Dodgers great Sandy Koufax, and these anecdotes from Open Championship winner Padraig Harrington's new book:

He used three drivers during the British Open, going from a 9-degree loft in practice to a 7.5-degree loft in the first two rounds to an 8.5-degree loft on the weekend. The latter, which he used to drive into the Barry Burn on the 72nd hole, is still in his bag.

He had to go to the pro shop to buy golf balls before the playoff because he couldn't find the extra balls he had set aside, although he located them moments before he teed off against Sergio Garcia.

41's Bobby Jones Award Win Overshadowed By Buddy Bill

George H.W. Bush wins the Bobby Jones Award, and as AP noted, "It was only the second time the award was given to a non-golfer. The USGA recognized Bing Crosy [SP] and Bob Hope in 1978."

However, the onslaught of media coverage that would have ensued--Today Show, Nightline, etc...--will be overshadowed by Bill Clinton's bizarre campaign gaffe.

"The entire business 'smelled of sleaze'"

I'm not well versed in Scotland's political system, but by the sounds of this Kate Devlin story in the Telegraph, The Donald's victory in Aberdeenshire is going to be scrutinized and could unravel.

The SNP leader is accused of breaking regulations by meeting representatives of the developer the day before his ministers announced they would make the final decision on the project, previously rejected by Aberdeenshire county council.

Damagingly, the proposed development is in his Gordon constituency and Mr Salmond claims he met the Trump team only in his capacity as MSP.

He also insists that he had no knowledge that his ministers were about to "call in" the application because, as a local MSP, he is barred from knowing anything of the process.

It also emerged that members of the Trump Organisation were in the office of Scotland's chief planner when he called the council to discuss ways to resurrect the application.

Last week Mr Stephen, himself an MSP for the Aberdeen area, told the First Minister that the entire business "smelled of sleaze".

Update on 2007-12-20 03:20 by Geoff

This Bloomberg story explains things better for those of us not up on Scottish politics.

Issue Three Of Tillinghast Journal

Now posted on Tillinghast.net is the latest issue, including an interview with architect Keith Foster.

Rory's Courtesy Car Spotted!?

The La Habra branch of this web site's vast art department was passing by LAX and nearby Hawthorne's classy Bare Elegance en route to a Monday evening church service when he caught a glimpse of this Target World Challenge-logoed courtesy car parked in front of the club.

Why, could that be Rory Sabbatini's lost courtesy car, ditched after the great one couldn't get an airport ride following his WD from the Target World Challenge? You be the judge...

 

"Golf is unprepared for its first big scandal, and maybe it will never come."

Michael Bamberger wonders what golf would do if a drug scandal comes along and whether fans would really care.

Donald Trump, the budding golf impresario who would own a baseball team in a New York minute if he thought he could make money at it, said a while back, "Do you care if these ballplayers are using steroids? I do not. I just want to see them hit home runs." Trump has a knack for saying what others are thinking, which may explain why baseball set attendance records in 2007, steroid scandal and all.

For golf fans, the question is really the same. It's the answer that makes all the difference. When a professional golfer clocks a drive 360 yards and straight, it's an awesome sight, right? But would you find it less awesome if you suspected the golfer was juiced?

The equipment has been juiced and most just want to know where they can buy the same fix. However, attendance in golf most certainly isn't setting records. Either way, the authorities have known the equipment was juiced and chose to do nothing, therefore the cost, pain and degrading nature of drug testing is the result. No need to sympathize.

On another note, the PGA Tour is already suggesting privately that writers will declare the testing insufficient or not-credible after no one tests positive.

It's a clever bit of spin, perhaps even dreamed up by the Powell-Tate folks, designed to make scribblers feel guilty when they sit down to write a column wondering why no one flunked the testing.  I'm of the school that the mere introduction of testing will serve the most important purpose: stopping kids from trying something that could do serious harms to their bodies.

I also believe that drug testing in golf will go the same way driver testing went: right off everyone's radar screen.

Thoughts? 

“There would be no Bandon Dunes if it weren’t for Howard McKee"

John Gunther reports on the passing of Howard McKee, probably best known to readers of Steve Goodwin's book on Bandon Dunes.

“There would be no Bandon Dunes if it weren’t for Howard McKee,” Keiser told me in a phone interview this week.

The two met nearly two decades ago, when Howard was the land planner for the proposed 1992 World’s Fair in Chicago, home of Keiser’s Recycle Paper Greetings business.

They became fast friends, and when Howard learned Keiser was looking for property on the East Coast to build an Irish-style links golf course, he suggested Keiser also look at the West Coast.

“I had never considered Oregon,” Keiser said.

They looked at various properties, and after choosing the site near Bandon, Howard took on the entire burden of the challenging land permit process that led to approval of the site for the resort.

A GolfClubAtlas.com thread includes remarks from Tom Doak. 

Add A Courtesy Car To Rory's Stolen Loot!

Rory's right, the media is to blame for his lousy reputation. They report his most basic activities!

From Doug Ferguson's story we learn he not only made off with $170,000, but also seems to have taken his Buick Enclave to LAX without telling anyone. Think he left it at the curb? Lot C? The In-and-Out parking lot?

A locker room attendant, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release information, said Sabbatini cleaned out his locker on Saturday afternoon and gave away sweaters and shoes. He told them he was headed to Hawaii, where he spends his Christmas vacation.

His agent, Bud Martin, said Sabbatini told him he withdrew because of shin splints.

``He had shin splints that were bothering him yesterday,'' Martin said after talking to Sabbatini on Sunday. ``He went home overnight and worked on them with his trainer, and they weren't getting any better. He said he wasn't going to risk it.''

Tournament director Greg McLaughlin wasn't informed until 8:30 a.m., although he had a hunch Sabbatini was leaving when he was checking out of the hotel and overheard the concierge trying unsuccessfully to book Sabbatini a limo for eight to get to the airport.

``We're disappointed that he withdrew,'' McLaughlin said. ``It's the first time in the history of the event that we've ever had a professional not complete four rounds of competition.''

By Sunday afternoon, McLaughlin still could not locate Sabbatini's courtesy car. Paul Casey said he saw the South African loading up the car in the hotel parking lot.

Rory's Shins Will Be Split If He Keeps This Up **

Karl MacGinty reports on Rory's latest brand-building moment.

Yet Rory Sabbatini was the talk of the Target World Challenge as he became the first player in nine years not to finish this end-of-season benefit for Tiger's Foundation. Sabbatini, who irked Woods a couple of times this year with controversial public comments, cleared out his locker on Saturday, saying he was heading for Hawaii, his usual Christmas retreat.

A third round 76 had left him in last place on 10-over and while PGA Tour officials announced he'd withdrawn for "personal reasons", Sabbatini's management later said he had shin splints.

Tiger simply shrugged when asked of Sabbatini's non-appearance but Fred Couples commented: "He (Sabbatini) is messing with the wrong guy."

Sabbatini's entitled to $170,000 for last place but Couples said "he should give that back to the Foundation."

Not our Rory!

Update on 2007-12-17 15:56 by Geoff

** From Thomas Bonk in the L.A. Times:

Woods acknowledged that Sabbatini did not telephone tournament director Greg McLaughlin to tell him he was injured and would not be able to play. Woods rolled his eyes when asked whether he was angry.

"I'd like to try to get to the bottom of it when I'm done here, and we'll see what happens," Woods said.

McLaughlin characterized Sabbatini's absence as disappointing and sad.

"Will he ever be invited to any of our events ever again? Highly unlikely."

Fred Couples was skeptical of the explanation from Sabbatini's agent, Bud Martin, when he said the absence was because of shin splints.

"Of course he did, and Roger Clemens' agent said he didn't do steroids," Couples said. "Until we hear from Roger . . . "

And this is just beautiful...

Mark Calcavecchia said Sabbatini was simply being himself.

"I think I could have toughed out one more round. But no big deal. I don't think the fans missed him anyway."

My "Can you break 100?" Entry

According to NBC's Dan Hicks, Golf Digest has received over 4000 entries now for the pre-U.S. Open reality show.

Well, I've decided to enter and need your help. Here's the challenge:

Can you break 100? Tell us what you think you would shoot, and why you should be the Golf Digest reader in the foursome with three celebrities. Max 100 words.

So here's what I wrote: 

Yes, I can break 100. I feel a 99 is definitely possible, particularly if I'm inspired by playing with one of my heroes, such as Donald Trump or Danny Gans. I should be the Golf Digest reader playing because (A) I love famous people and what little they stand for, (B) I can explain to viewers how Torrey Pines is one of the great missed opportunities in golf course design history, pointing out the remarkable sameness of the bunkering, the horribly insufficient use of the clifftop edges, and the almost completely lack of risk-reward opportunities, and finally, (C) I can tell viewers about all of the great things the USGA should be doing but is afraid to try.

What do you think? How would you touch it up before I hit the send button?