When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
I know, I know, they were never that far apart.
But it's fun to see EDS CEO Ron Rittenmeyer talk about being "jerked around" on Monday and re-upping Nelson Classic sponsorship through 2014 on Wednesday.
"We believe in this tournament and appreciate the tremendous impact it has in the Dallas community, and we are excited about the opportunity to play a key role in its future," said Ron Rittenmeyer, chairman, president and chief executive officer of EDS.
Lewine Mair reports on the re-perfection of Celtic Manor, 2010 Ryder Cup site and where they already seem to know the makeup of the U.S. team.
Ross McMurray, the architect, yesterday admitted that he had already had conversations with the European Tour and Jim McKenzie, the course manager, about how it will be set up to the Europeans players' advantage.
When the time comes, McKenzie will have the fairways like slender ribbons around the 320 to 340-yard mark with a view to throwing the longer-hitting Americans.
Isn't that impressive? What soul, what integrity, what vision!
Again, he will be leaving the area around the greens so shorn that they will not be able to play any of their usual flop shots if they fail to find the target. Instead, they will have to do as the Europeans do in improvising with long putts and chip-and-runs from the swales which will swallow up anything even marginally off line.
I'll pass on Doug Ferguson's numbers-heavy case that the Masters is pretty much the same because he didn't even acknowledge the avalanche of negative player feedback. So instead, let's focus on the positive from this week's column.
From Tom Watson:
FINAL WORD: “We have our Olympics – we have our major championships. And to add another layer in the Olympics, I think is the wrong thing to do. We need to concentrate on getting more affordable golf for people to play.”
Wednesday was VP promotion day in Ponte Vedra. Let's see who can't ride on the same Falcon as Tim Finchem any longer. (You know, protecting that line of succession stuff should, God forbid...).
The PGA TOUR Announces Executive Appointments
April 23, 2008(Ponte Vedra Beach, FL) — The PGA TOUR announced today that Ron Cross, Executive Director of THE PLAYERS Championship, has accepted a position as Director of Corporate Affairs for Augusta National Golf Club.
Take that Cliff Roberts!
“Ron Cross has significantly impacted each of the areas he has worked in at the PGA TOUR over the past 19 years,” said Tim Finchem, PGA TOUR Commissioner. “His contributions have helped the PGA TOUR immensely. He served at a time of great momentum and growth for the tournament. We are delighted this opportunity has been presented to Ron and although we will miss his leadership role with THE PLAYERS, we wish him well in his new position with Augusta National.”
And we really hope he can get us on the course from time to time.
The PGA TOUR further announced that Henry Hughes has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of THE PLAYERS Championship, where he will continue to report to the Office of the Commissioner. Hughes’ responsibilities will include long-term positioning for the event, as well as chairing the search committee to select Cross’ replacement.
Boy, that sounds fun. By the way, I thought we were lower case on The and all caps on Players. Did I miss a press release?
“Henry and I have been discussing a succession plan for the PGA TOUR for some time,” said Commissioner Finchem. “With Ron Cross’ departure we saw an opportunity to execute an effective change in the management of THE PLAYERS and maintain Henry’s key position as a member of the Executive Committee.
Henry will focus on the development of a management strategy to ensure the continued growth of the event. For 25 years, Henry’s leadership and vision have made an indelible mark in every department he has led. He is held in the highest regard by everyone in the golf industry, especially the players, the tournaments and the sponsors. His appointment as CEO indicates the significant magnitude we place on the future of THE PLAYERS and the role we have asked him to take on with the event.”
Well, I think we need to hear from Henry about how thrilled he is with this uh, C-level restructuring.
“It’s been thrilling for me to witness the significant growth and expansion of THE PLAYERS Championship over the course of my career,” said Hughes. “I look forward to providing the leadership and strategic development of the TOUR’s flagship championship.”
And now, drum roll please, who has just moved into chair No. 2 where he can dream of someday raking in the millions as Commish?
With the appointment of Hughes as CEO of THE PLAYERS, Rick George, currently serving as President of the Champions Tour and Executive Vice President Championship Management, will move into the PGA TOUR Chief of Operations position, formerly occupied by Hughes. With George’s move to the PGA TOUR, Mike Stevens has been promoted to President of the Champions Tour. David Pillsbury, currently serving as President, PGA TOUR Golf Course Properties, will expand his operational oversight leading the Championship Management team.
Two of my favorite corporatespeak specialists will have even more opportunities to humor us. All in all, a good day for the blogosphere. Especially with sports -metaphor laced gibberish like this:
“It is a tribute to the incredible bench strength of our executive team that we can quickly assign responsibilities when opportunities for change are created,” said Finchem.
Wow, that was special. Sorry, continue.
“I want to commend Rick George on the exceptional job he did elevating and growing the stature of the Champions Tour as well as the leadership he provided to Championship Management. He brings an array of talents and experience to his new role with the PGA TOUR. The work Rick and Mike Stevens have done together on the Champions Tour will result in a seamless transition. David has performed admirably as the President of Golf Course Properties, strategically repositioning the operations of the PGA TOUR’s Tournament Players Clubs and overseeing the complete renovation of the TPC Sawgrass facilities. David brings with him a creative vision, marketing and operational expertise that will propel Championship Management events to new heights.”
These appointments are effective June 1.
Got all that?
In the post about Greg Norman's new Dubai course ripping off La Costa's unofficial distinction as the hardest mile in golf, I was wrong.
It seems the Shark is stealing from himself!
Just to remind those of you who haven't memorized it yet, here's what the press release for Jumeirah Golf Estates's "Earth" course says:
The last four holes will measure exactly a mile, 1760 yards. I expect it will be considered one of the most challenging and exciting miles of golf, in terms of risk and reward."
However reader Rich noticed this website claim for Lansdown Resort's Norman-designed course in Virginia:
The last four holes measure exactly 1,760 yards—equal to one mile—creating, according to Norman, “the hardest mile in golf.”
It's a wonderful world.
Why do I have visions of PGA Tour VP's high fiving each other over Richard Oliver's San Antonio News-Express story on TPC San Antonio, where he dutifully reports on construction progress at the "AT&T Canyons Course" and the "AT&T Oaks Course."
I was chatting with a fellow writer today about Tiger Woods' injury and the accusation made by Derek Lawrenson. You may recall that Lawrenson suggested the press obediently reported his 4-6 week recovery time without skepticism about the severity of his knee condition.
Or maybe Tiger just doesn't really like to play that often anymore?
The rehab provides him a nice window to rest up and prepare for the U.S. Open while skipping Wachovia and The Players, two courses he's probably seen enough of (really, how many times can you say they're "all right in front of you"?).
Interestingly, Thomas Bonk speculates in the L.A. Times that Woods is not likely for the Memorial either and Bonk usually is spot on when it comes to guessing Tiger's schedule.
I find it hard to believe Tiger would not want one tune up event prior to Torrey Pines, but as Bonk points out, the weather at Memorial and the chance for a knee re-injury might scare him away.
Meanwhile Golf World's Tim Rosaforte files a lengthy piece on Tiger's knee. He points out the sensitive subject of whether Tiger tweaked the knee during his awkward PGA Championship fist pump, and also brings up something I've been wondering about: can Tiger really continue to keep running on the back streets of Isleworth?
Being in Las Vegas allowed him to check in with strength coach Keith Kleven, who is based there. According to sources, Kleven has been working with Woods for some time, rehabbing the knee and trying to get the game's best player to cut back on his running and heavy training -- not to mention high-impact activities such as parachuting and skiing ("the ballistic workouts," Bradley calls them), which Woods enjoys. The golfer has listened. He did not go on his annual Christmas-break trip to the slopes. In this period Woods' productivity has not suffered -- but his pain level has not subsided. Now begins the tediousness of rehab. As Woods said on his website, "The upside is I've been through this process before and I know how to handle it."
Golfweek's Gene Yasuda reports on the golf industry delegation convening upon Washington to talk up the sport and help Powell-Tate justify even more lobbying fees. A couple of items stand out:
Industry executives also made the trip to Capitol Hill to ensure their sport wouldn’t be overlooked as it was during the 2005 natural disaster that left New Orleans in ruins. Golf’s omission from the federal relief package served as a wake-up call to industry officials, who concluded many in Washington knew little about the game’s economic, environmental and societal value.Somehow I think had golf been part of the federal relief package, that would have been a public relations black eye.
“That was a public relations black eye for golf,” said Steranka, who spearheaded the legislative initiative. “Golf has never been more a part of America’s popular culture, but what is not understood and not appreciated is the tremendous economic impact of our industry and the scale of our environmental management practices.”
The environmental stuff sounded better:
At a conference at the National Press Club, Steve Mona, former CEO of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and new chief executive of the World Golf Foundation said: “Golf has been involved in what we would term the ‘green movement’ for 2 1/2 decades.”
He provided little-known facts such as:
• Golf course irrigation accounts for 0.5 percent of the 408 billion gallons of water used per day in the U.S., as estimated by the United States Geologic survey.
• On a typical 18-hole course of 150 acres, only six acres – dedicated to tee boxes and greens – are considered intensively maintained.
• Nearly 30 percent of 18-hole courses are involved in a formal, voluntary environmental stewardship program.
You know I was just about to question the usefulness of John Hawkins' Angry Golfer column, but then he has to go and deliver a beautiful rant about those guys who show up at the Masters in their golf shoes, and follows it with gem on the excessive pricing at Pebble Beach.
Monuments such as Pebble Beach should be reasonably affordable to people who work for a living. And please, spare me the spiel about how Eastwood and his gang rescued this gem when they purchased it in 1999. This is an operation driven by lthe pursuit of profit, making one of the game's transcendent experiences a hazard of red ink to those who would most appreciate it.
I have no problem with the Pebble Beach folks charging what they can get, but I do need to hear a lot less of the sob story Hawkins refers to.
They need to know that many of us heard the numbers they're doing straight from Paul Spengler's mouth. This is no .org we're talking about.
Greg Norman said:“As a golf course architect, it is both rewarding and challenging to know that this course will be hosting the Dubai World Championship.
“I’ve been fortunate to have a number of PGA Tour events played on courses I have designed. Of course, Jumeirah Golf Estates will be showcased on a global basis and as the golf course designer, I’m proud to be a part of such a significant event.
“From my perspective I think that both the Earth and the Fire courses will be equally playable and I’m pleased with the progress that has been made on them.”
Norman was returning to Dubai for his ninth site visit and spent his time fine-tuning the course design for the Championship. The final four holes of the Earth course will, he said, offer a spectacular finish:
“Of course, I think the entire course has a great balance, but the finish will really stand out. The last four holes will measure exactly a mile, 1760 yards. I expect it will be considered one of the most challenging and exciting miles of golf, in terms of risk and reward."
Meanwhile, let's get to the important stuff:
“There were some significant changes on 7 and on 9 but everything else has been more subtle, getting the greens ready for the speed that we need them and so on. And we’ve had to allow for the infrastructure of a major tournament. That means laying cabling and getting prepared for the full hospitality suites, designing the right driving range facility, creating ease of access for parking and everything like that.”
And with the release came this totally unstaged photo in need of a caption, don't you think:
I'm just about to finish up my read of John Barton's extensive look at golf's need to go green in the May Golf Digest. While there is so much to consider in this extensive package of stories and interviews, I was shocked at the reaction Golf Digest has gotten from some readers (Bob Carney shares some of the letters here and here).
Can you imagine what a sad state of affairs we are in when someone wants their subscription cancelled over a call for more environmentally sensitive practices?
Thomas Bonk details some of the pre-U.S. Open changes to Torrey Pines and they may surprise you. Or, you may not care.
No. 4, 488-yard par four: The hole that runs along the ocean, the fairways have been widened out to the right, up near the green.
No. 5, 453-yard par four: The fairway has been widened in the drive zone, which should bring bunkers into play.
No. 13, 614-yard par five: If the shortest teeing area is used at 5390 yards, the fairway to the left, up against the canyon, is widened.
No. 18, 573-yard par five: A risk-reward hole, the fairway is widened out near the pond and wraps left around the pond.
Of course, the USGA did narrow a couple of fairways, the 612-yard 9th where three yards were taken off the left of the fairway in the third shot area and the 435-yard 14th where the fairway was narrowed up beyond the drive zone.
The Open is still seven weeks away, and that's plenty of time to start getting ready for the chatter about the brutal, 614-yard par five - if it's played from the farthest tee, which would require a 250-yard carry over a canyon.
Golfweek's Bradley Klein talks to a variety of people with different ties to the game, and contemplates whether golf is really recession proof.
Scott Peters, owner of New Hampshire-based Golf & Ski Warehouse, is witnessing first-hand such changes in consumer behavior.
Though he experienced “a good summer and Christmas for 2007,” Peters says “the first three months of 2008 have been down” compared with the year before.
He also blames more stringent USGA equipment limitations for making consumers skeptical whether next-generation products are truly superior to their predecessors. Mix such wariness with economic woes and, Peters says, “There’s a bit more hesitation out there for buying new equipment.”
This would assume that a decent portion of the golfing public even knows what the USGA has done, which I suppose is possible. Or could it be that people simply realized that it's silly to keep a driver every year...or even more often than that?
For a good chuckle read Derek Lawrenson's doting account of Monty's wedding. A teaser:
For all the unrivalled splendour of the setting — whoever heard of two unbroken days of sunshine on the bonnie banks in April, for Heaven's sake? — and the lavish financial outlay, the most memorable thing about the day was the unforced happiness.
What really makes it fun though is the item a few slots below it on Tiger's knee:
So, what do we make of the fact that a supreme athlete like Tiger Woods requires six weeks to get over arthroscopic knee surgery?
The American press obediently reported it like he was having a routine operation. But if footballers are back playing a fortnight after having cartilages repaired through arthroscopic surgery, how standard can the procedure be when Woods needs three times that length of recuperation before he can play golf?
Obediently reported?
Well, based on that account of Monty's wedding, he would know about that kind of reporting.
This week marks the 83rd re-opening of the TPC Las Colinas after a renovation. Naturally, everyone is thrilled about the second coming of Deere Run, with talk of "traditional" features and fulfillment of Lord Byron's dreams.
Player consultant J.J. Henry:
"To see everything come full circle, I can't believe what kind of shape the golf course is in," Henry said Tuesday, when course officials showed off the renovations. "We always talked about what would Byron want. ... I think he is up there smiling today at what was accomplished."Is there another form of waterfall besides cascading that I'm not familiar with?
Traditional square tee boxes and white-sand bunkers throughout the course and the cascading waterfalls next to the 18th green are among some of the changes.
Trip Kuehne: "I've played here since 1986 and this is really the first time you could get on the tee box on every single hole and you knew exactly what you needed to do. D.A. has told you where you need to place the ball on every single tee shot and the challenge is to get out there and place it. It's a very playable golf course, and it's in great shape."
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
