Fly and Spy

Thanks to reader John for John Paul Newport's column looking at various golf course related aerial image web sites and DVD's.

If Old Tom Morris Were Here Today...

Thanks to reader Stan for this Mark Hughes story on the resurrected Old Tom Morris design at Askernish that's opening this summer, and the controversy surrounding it's rebirth.

It has already been described as the "jewel in the crown of world golf". But this isn't Carnoustie, Prestwick or any of the other famous Tom Morris courses. It is the tiny Askernish Golf Club – a one-time nine-hole pitch and putt course on South Uist, an Outer Hebridean island with a population of less than 2,000.

But, while the golfing world has been vocal in its appreciation of the resurrection of Old Tom's lost course, and many of the islanders say it is a chance to provide a much-needed boost to the island's flagging economy, not everyone on South Uist is pleased about the proposals to restore the links course of Askernish to its 18-hole glory.

A small band of local crofters has started legal proceedings against the golf club, claiming that the expansion of the course will leave them with less land on which to graze their animals. They say that their rights to the land on which the golf course is situated – known as Askernish machair – were enshrined in 1922.

The club claims that isn't correct and that the golfers have more rights to the land than the crofters. The argument over who has the better claim has divided the small island community and has now spilled into the courts.

Both sides are confident they will win, the golfers so confident that they have already set a date for the official club opening – 22 August – and have named an honorary president, the former Liverpool and Scotland footballer Kenny Dalglish.

The crofters, meanwhile, are vowing to go to the highest courts possible to stop the golf course going ahead on land they believe is rightfully theirs.

It's fair to say that the rugged but beautiful island of South Uist, a tiny, windy speck on the north-west corner of the UK map, has never seen such a bitter divide.

Humane Society Latest To Confuse PGA Tour and PGA of America

While nothing is funny about this episode, Thomas Bonk reports on the letter mistakenly sent by the Humane Society's Wayne Pacell.

"By setting an example of compassion for the public, the PGA has the chance to make a difference for our communities and instill an ethic of animal protection," Pacelle said in his letter.

However, the humane society might have missed its mark. The PGA of America has no jurisdiction over Nationwide Tour players, who are governed by the PGA Tour.

PGA Tour Finds Isenhour "Incident Regrettable and Unfortunate"

Not much grey area here...

Statement from Ty Votaw, PGA TOUR Executive Vice President

We  are aware of the incident involving Tripp Isenhour at the Grand Cypress Golf Club in Orlando  last December that resulted in the death of a protected migratory  hawk.  Obviously, any set of facts which involve an individual  hitting a golf ball at a living target is clearly inappropriate behavior.

Tripp has publicly apologized and has expressed remorse and regret about his actions. We find this entire incident regrettable and unfortunate.

National Geographic To Expose How They Paint That Little Black Line On A Pro-V1

Courtesy of our faithful readers in Fairhaven Greater New Bedford:

TITLEIST GOLF BALL OPERATIONS TO BE FEATURED IN SEASON PREMIERE OF NEW SERIES ON THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL

Who Knew? With Marshall Brain Debuts March 13

Fairhaven, MA (March 6, 2008) ? Viewers of a new National Geographic Channel series, "Who Knew? With Marshall Brain," will journey into the world of product design, manufacturing and testing in a weekly one-hour series beginning Thursday, March 13, 2008, at 9 p.m. EST.

The season premiere will include a visit to the Greater New Bedford, Massachusetts facilities of Titleist, the world's leading manufacturer of golf balls, where host Marshall Brain explores the research, development and manufacturing operations of Titleist golf balls.

Quick, factory workers: take down those Spalding-patented ball specs!  The television crews are coming! The television crews are coming!

From the mixing of a combination of ingredients that eventually form the cores of a golf ball, to the stamping of the legendary Titleist script on the covers, each of the unique processes that go into making the #1 ball in golf are featured in the segment videotaped at Titleist's Ball Plant II.

But we don't get to sit in on a marketing meeting where we hear PR gurus brainstorming "creative," figuring out how to get Vijay to say as little as possible in a 30-second spot? Boo...

Following his visit to Ball Plant II, Brain [SP.] then visits Acushnet Company's Manchester Lane Test Facility where, with the help of Titleist engineers, he examines the aerodynamics of the golf ball and explains why it flies theway it does.  The fast-paced 15-minute segment is one of three separate features in the one hour program.

Naturally, this is a show The Golf Channel should have done, oh, ten years ago. Even a technophobic crank like me is fascinated by how things are made. But that might deprive us of Road Trip: Myrtle Beach...sorry I brought it up.

"He won't even go over there and look at it. I don't think he wants to play there."

Leonard Shapiro says the folks at Congressional don't want to see Tiger's AT&T National anywhere near Washington in 2010 or 2011 so they can sell those corporate chalets for the US Open. Oh but Ponte Vedra thinks otherwise...

Another Congressional source indicated the PGA Tour still would like to persuade the Woods Foundation to play the event in 2010 and 2011 at newly renovated TPC Avenel, about a mile from Congressional. The club is owned by the tour and had been the site for Washington's annual tour event since 1987, when the course first opened for play. Avenel is undergoing a $24 million course and clubhouse renovation scheduled to be completed in November.

Something tells me the USGA was on the phone to the club after word got out they were using the 2009 AT&T to pay for the greens reconstruction. And you wonder why they went to Chambers Bay?

They're upbeat at Avenel:

"It's going to be a lot different golf course for the pros," said Mike Sullivan, Avenel's general manager. "It would be ideal for us to have the [Woods] tournament here; we'd love to have it. All we can do is prepare and be ready."

Another Congressional source said Woods, who has not played in a PGA Tour event at Avenel, has heard so many negative comments about the course, "he won't even go over there and look at it. I don't think he wants to play there."

Sullivan confirmed Woods has never visited Avenel but said: "Maybe once we get some grass on it, we can persuade him to take a ride around here. It might change his perception."

Key word: might. 

Tripp Isenhour Cements Lead In Lowlife Of The Year Award Race

Thanks to reader Tony for a fine reason, courtesy of Sarah Lundy in the Orlando Sentinel, to hope Tripp Isenhour never breaks 75 ever again.

And people wonder why golf has a lousy reputation with environmentalists.

Update on 2008-03-07 06:58 by Geoff

Quick spin by his agent after apparently not returning the AP's initial call: 

PROFESSIONAL GOLFER TRIPP ISENHOUR ISSUES APOLOGY
 
(RESTON, Virginia) - Professional golfer Tripp Isenhour has issued a sincere apology for a December 2007 incident in Orlando during which he hit a golf ball into a tree accidentally killing a red-shouldered hawk during the taping of a golf instructional video.
 
"As soon as this happened, I was mortified and extremely upset and continue to be upset. I want to let everyone know there was neither any malice nor deliberate intent whatsoever to hit or harm the hawk. I was trying to simply scare it into flying away. As evidenced by our family having adopted three cats from a local shelter, I am an animal lover. We ask that everyone accept my sincerest apology, and please be respectful of my family's privacy," says Isenhour.

Player Wives Not The Only Ones Who May Turn To Botox

Thanks to reader James for Bloomberg's Michael Buteau report on the exciting news that the yips may have a medical cure: Botox.

Well, news might be a stretch. Let's rephrase that: interesting information gleaned from a drug company study. The same drug company that wants to sell their stuff:

The study is the first to include analysis of brainwaves and muscle activity in hands and wrists, Adler said. Researchers monitored 50 golfers, 25 of them yippers and 25 non-yippers.

It was financed by a $193,000 grant from Allergan Inc., of Irvine, California. Botox is Allergan's biggest product, with $1.2 billion in sales last year. The drug is best known for reducing skin wrinkles and also is used to treat muscle cramping in musicians and Parkinson's disease.

The yips, commonly described as an involuntary movement, or jerking, of the putter before striking a golf ball, have long been thought to be caused by anxiety or stress.

``Your brain is sending you a message and your body just kind of backfires,'' said Louise Simpson, 50, of Tempe, Arizona, who took part in the study.

And now the body will send a message that because you don't have those forehead wrinkles anymore, you can make this three footer? Oh, sorry...

If the study shows yips are primarily caused by muscle cramping, Adler said the condition could be treated with small injections of Botox. The drug isn't considered performance- enhancing and isn't banned under golf's new subtance policy, said U.S. PGA Tour Executive Vice President Ty Votaw.

That'll change!

Meanwhile, noted yipper Doug Sanders isn't so sure...

Sanders, 75, who missed the British Open putt, says he knows one proven cure: ``It's called vodka tonic.'' Alternatively, he says, ``Sometimes if you have three or four beers, it really helps a lot.''

Alcohol can be a short-lived treatment, Adler says. Yips sufferers can become tolerant of the drink and will eventually need more to get the same effect. Over time, the movement disorder often gets worse, he said.

The movement disorder. Now there's a euphemism for yips!

Toshiba Classic: One Event That Gets It

The Valiant Competitor's Champions Tour has reversed it's Southern California stops this year, with the Toshiba Classic kicking things off followed by next week's AT&T something-or-other at Valencia. It's always amazing to witness the contrast between the two.

The Toshiba is played in the heart of Newport Beach at the sporty William F. Bell designed Newport Beach Country Club. The combination of the course's ideal location at the heart of a significant population base, it's ability to be played with relative ease (but it's no pushover) and a strong volunteer base make the event a real delight. It was day one of the pro-am and it would not be a stretch to call it festive.

Hanging out on the range today collecting quotes from select players, not only was most of the field out in force their pro-am rounds, but they were in great spirits. Hale Irwin smiled at me. Really, he smiles! Another highlight was Fuzzy Zoeller (not a surprise) heckling Tuesday qualifier Mac O'Grady about his hair, while Andy Bean (who knew?) strolling by the 10th tee and yelling out to Mac that his pro-am partner's swing was just fine and to leave him alone.

Then there's next week's event at Valencia, a monstrous Robert Trent Jones Sr. design next to the 5 freeway in that massive slice of over-development hell known as Santa Clarita, a solid 25 minute drive from a decent population base and 45 minutes from the heart of LA (mid-morning, with a police escort). The rough is always hideously dense, the course a brutal grind, the crowds tiny and the weather iffy. Players rarely hang around the range and every year I leave the place intensely depressed about what the game has become. Particularly since this same event was a huge success when played at Rancho Park and Wilshire Country Club in the city. You know, fun golf courses. Near where people live.

So just in case you were wondering, I probably won't be going out to Valencia this year.

According to Steve Eubanks, they expect 85,000 this week in Newport Beach, which would probably surpass what the regular tour drew at Riviera a few weeks ago.

Amazing how far a little fun will take you.

"Like fairways."

Steve Elling follows up on his report about Bay Hill's greens with this item:

Daniel Chopra, a Bay Hill member and resident, was asked to describe the shape of the greens and quipped, "Like fairways."

And..

There’s a formal PGA Tour notice hanging this week in the Innisbrook locker room about Bay Hill, explaining the massive mouth-to-mouth they have given the greens. The second paragraph reads as such: “On a more positive note, the overseeding of the tees, fairways and rough has excellent density and uniformity, and is holding up quite well to the high volume of winter play.”

So the greens are in such sketchy shape that a formal tour advisory was issued to players, but the course is still open to resort and membership play? Yikes.

Atwal Cleared...Wait, No He's Not...

A wire report last week announced that Arjun Atwal had been cleared in the street racing manslaughter case and included this quote from him:

"The (investigation) report went to the state attorney's office two weeks ago and last week I got a call from my lawyer saying they have thrown all the charges out. So, I am clear," Atwal, who is in Gurgaon for the Johnnie walker Classic told reporters on Thursday.

Steve Elling placed a call and it sounds like Atwal either needs to get a new attorney, or he had a really bad cell reception over in India:

Danielle Tavernier, a spokesperson for the State Attorney's office, said the overseas reports were inaccurate. "It's an open, active case," she said.

Zach Johnson Closing In On Champions Dinner Menu; No Word Yet On Who Will Say Grace

Jim Moriarty reveals which Iowa-themed food items the defending champion is leaning towards, while Scott Michaux reports that Zach tried to outsource the cooking to a chain best known for throwing a slab of meat in a plate of sizzling butter, but thankfully the club stood by their staff.

"Why has no one been assessed a one-stroke penalty in 16 years?"

Doug Ferguson tackles the recent slow play grumblings and offers a few very interesting points:

As slow as it can get on the PGA TOUR, why has no one been assessed a one-stroke penalty in 16 years?
 
Or been disqualified?
 
“We’re more intelligent than people think we are,” the ever-sarcastic Paul Goydos said.
 
By that, he means slow players tend to play faster when told they are on the clock. Fulton Allem once compared this to a state trooper who pulls over a motorist for going 100 mph. Instead of writing a ticket, the trooper says he will follow the driver for the next five miles to make sure he doesn’t speed.
 
“You have to be crazy to get two bad times,” chief rules official Mark Russell said. “People don’t get one bad time.”

And this...

Drug testing starts in July. How will anyone believe the tour will suspend someone for one year and fine him $500,000 for a doping offense when it won’t assess a one-shot penalty for taking too long with a 5-iron to the green?

Game Before The Game: Random Thoughts

John Mutch rolls balls to possible 3rd round hole locations at Riviera's 10th (click to enlarge)I began working on this story for Golf World back in December at the Target World Challenge. The tour kindly granted me access to tournament director Mark Russell who then introduced me to John Mutch, the unlucky chap who would be stuck with me tagging around with him for three days at Sherwood, and then again at Torrey Pines and Riviera. 

The idea was not to do the typical story we see a few times a year where a writer tags along with an official and explains the official's every move, from the cherry Danish he ate to the time his bowels typically move. Instead, I hoped to better understand the big picture approach to tour course setup in the face of technology advances and in light of player frustration boiling over at Firestone. While I'm not sure the story ever settles the direct question of who is advocating an increase in rough, narrowed landing areas and tucked pins (because it doesn't appear to be in response to any specific directive), I hopefully convey the sense that surprised me somewhat: the amount of pressure the field staff faces from host courses.
Mutch charts out hole locations and refers to last year's selections in a constant quest for balance and variety (click to enlarge)

Easily the No. 1 player gripe surrounded the increase in new back tees and the use of all too many, no matter how silly the tee seems to be. The rules officials are clearly expected to embrace those tees (as well as silly other little pressures like having to lock in a tee placement for ventures such as the tour's new Trackman thingy). I saw the pressure (subliminal and up front) both at Sherwood and Riviera, where the host courses were asking whether new tees recently constructed would be in use. At Riviera, there were questions directed at the staff about not using the two new hole locations (and the staffers are too gentlemanly to simply say, they stink!).

Mutch sets a tee at Sherwood. The PVC alignment tool to the left is his own homemade device to ensure the tees are properly aimed. (Click to enlarge)The most surprising player beef, and one I wholeheartedly agree with, revolved around par-3s and the lack of variety in yardages from day to day on specific holes. The players also pointed out that there is often not enough variety within a round. Mutch did his best to vary the numbers, but sometimes they can't use an interesting forward tee because it's too beat up with divots (and we know how the players would react to that!). Other times it would be nice to see some outside-the-box thinking that really throws the player a curve by playing a hole at 210 one day and 150 the next.

Also surprising were the number of players who now connect course setup tactics with the technology revolution. Compared to a few years ago when they would defend the use of setup to offset distance gains, most I talked to seemed to have soured on using rough and tucked pins to offset distance. Even more amazing, every player I spoke to was in favor of regulating grooves. Nearly all brought it up without prompting. Now, the rationale's varied. Some want to see rough take on more meaning. Some buy the USGA's idea that it will make guys throttle back off the tee. Most (thankfully) want to see firm greens and preferred sides of fairways mean something again. They all hope it leads to fewer absurdly tucked hole locations and less injury inducing rough, and as I noted in a sidebar to the story, Russell says eliminating U-grooves would influence his thinking on rough.
Tee Square and Paint: Mutch's two most important tools. (Click to enlarge)

I can't convey enough how devoted the field staff is to equity and running a great event. Few people realize the hours they put in, and while the course setup part of their job is arguably the most interesting aspect, it's disturbing how many babysitting tasks they have which potentially get in the way of doing their course setup work. I never saw it with Mutch, and the guys I spoke to downplay that they would ever get distracted, but you just don't see officials in other sports having to tend to some of the things the field staff handles. Considering how much their thinking influences what we see on television, it's an unusual situation.

It's also difficult to put into words just how good the players and their equipment are these days. I saw some incredibly firm greens at Sherwood and Riviera, yet saw scores I could not have imagined based on what I knew firsthand about that day's setup.

Mutch paints a ball drop for the ages, Sherwood's 18th (click to enlarge)Actually, someone I spoke to for the piece summed it up best.

David Eger, who was widely respected for his setup work during 14 years with the tour and praised by several of the rules officials for his work, offered this line. Due to space constraints it couldn't make it into the final piece:

"I watch on TV and see some of those hole placements on the regular tour and I think I wouldn’t have put it within 5 yards of that thing when I setup the course. And then the next thing you know, not only Tiger, but half-a dozen other guys are hitting it in there 5 feet and I’m thinking, how in the hell did he do that?"

The Wie Files: Stanford Dorm Edition

Steve Elling offers the latest and most frightening example yet that Michelle Wie's parents need serious help.