"There's rumors floating around here this week that it may not even come into play."

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From Greg Norman's chat with the working press Wednesday prior to the Senior PGA:

Q. When you were younger in your 20s and 30s you were obviously a great ball-striker, but always considered one of the best drivers of the golf ball. That was in the year of the persimmon heads. Has it changed a lot now? Do you think there's more guys who hit 70 percent plus in fairways hit because of equipment or back in the day that was a heck of a lot harder figure to reach?

GREG NORMAN: I think it's easier to hit the golf ball straighter now days. And the ball goes longer. No question. Is that -- that is technology. No question about it.

I think a great barometer, just to get off your question a little bit is, a great barometer is when the V grooves come into play next year. And I hope it does. There's rumors floating around here this week that it may not even come into play. But if the V grooves do come back into play, that will be a great barometer to see how good these players are with their touch and their feel and their imagination. And understanding that that ball, it looks like it's going to leap 40 yards extra off the club face, how do you play that?

That's going to be great to watch on television. Because that's, to me, is the art of understanding the game of golf. And understanding the spin of the golf ball. Not just a pure given fact if you hit it in the rough and I did it a couple times today on these firm greens, I'm in the rough, I know it's going to spin, I'm just going to open that club face up a little bit more and the ball comes down like an old dog lying by a fireplace. It just drops on the green.

Now that's not going to happen next year. So those are the type of things that actually help the better players distance themself from the average players. And I think that's why in my generation you saw such great shot makers out there, Trevino and like I said, Seve in a lot of ways, he hit phenomenal shots.

"I don’t feel like changing my schedule for an event where if I’ve played well, I have only finished in the top ten."

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I thought the sheer magnitude of The Players was cause for Padraig Harrington's reason not to play the BMW at Wentworth, but actually it's the greens according to Peter Dixon:

However, with the club about to dig up all of its greens and rebuild them to modern standards, the Irishman says he will commit himself to playing the famous West Course in 2010. Speaking yesterday at Turnberry, venue of the Open Championship in July, Harrington said: “I find the greens very difficult. I don’t feel like changing my schedule for an event where if I’ve played well, I have only finished in the top ten. I am positive I will be there next year. It is one of the best courses in Europe and I love its challenges from tee to green.”

Martin Dempster reports that Padraig turned up at Turnberry for a practice round and Wilson outing. He offered this scouting report:

"I played one or two shots out there that come up a lot on this golf course and I will work on those over the next two months so that I am ready when it comes around to the Open. For instance, there are a number of elevated greens out there, so you are going to have a lot of chip and runs from rough across fairway on to the green.

"If I had not looked at the course, I would probably have been practising my chip and runs at home from tight lies but, in actual fact, it looks as though we'll be playing those from soft, fluffy rough.

"Also, some of the greens have three to four-feet drop offs and that's something I'll also be practising, either chipping over those or running them up. Just being here five minutes has shown me some different shots to practise coming into the tournament."

"The question Nakheel executives will be asking: Why is the deal worth $170 million?"

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Alistair Tait stays on the story of Nakheel, the construction arm of the government in Dubai, and the fine folks who brought the world the giant palm islands off the Dubai coast. They've inherited the Leisurecorp mess at Turnberry (at least they can sell that, says Tait), and the European Tour's Race to Dubai:

George O’Grady, the European Tour’s chief executive, is adamant that the sponsorship deal is secure. Aaron Richardson, a senior media-relations manager with Leisurecorp, said the money to back the Race to Dubai already is in the bank.

The question Nakheel executives will be asking: Why is the deal worth $170 million?

You can bet that the European Tour would have jumped for joy had Leisurecorp offered, say, $75 million.

World Golf Village And The Hall Of Fame

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Upon arriving at the Players, I was consistently asked, "why are you here?"

Can't you feel the love from my fellow members of the working press?

After rambling on about how I'd always wanted to experience golf's fifth of four majors or experiencing Jacksonville in May, I'd casually mention, "Monday I am going down to the World Golf Village."

Invariably, the reply went something like this: "Oh, which course are you playing?"

Shockingly, I was taking in the World Golf Hall of Fame and the many historical treasures on display. While warned that I would be in for a treat by those who know better, I had no concept how good the collection was and how tastefully it has been put on display.

Since I'm occasionally inclined to expect the worst, the idea of a packaged resort, conference center and Hall of Fame off of 95 and well south of Jacksonville doesn't sound entirely romantic, but everything about the complex was impressive. From the oak-lined entrance drive to the elegant trophy room atop the defining tower, the architectural master plan conveys a sense of purpose, prestige and permanence.

Bob Hope memorabilia (click to enlarge)Thanks to the WGHOF's Jane Fader, I was fortunate enough to receive a tour from Mark Cubbedge, the Manager of Collections and Research. He is armed with the task of collecting artifacts, preserving or restoring them, and displaying them for the public to enjoy. Mark has a great story behind nearly every artifact in the Hall of Fame, tales which are often lovingly printed on nice placards with items on display. You could spend hours and still find new things on return visits thanks to Mark's efforts (and some impressive financial backing from several major golf organizations and corporations, not to mention help from a volunteer force that's 200 strong).

Currently on temporary display is Bob Hope: Shanks for the Memory, an exhaustive and peppy look at Hope's life and ties to golf. There's an amazing film in the special exhibit area theater, and every imaginable artifact from a life so closely tied to the game. (Did you know Bob qualified for a British Amateur?). They even have his Honorary Oscar on display.

Rembrandt at the Hall of Fame (click to enlarge)After the Hope special exhibit, you move upstairs where the heart of the collection awaits: a timeline of sorts starting at the earliest references and art tied to golf (sorry Scotland!), including a Rembrandt etching. Later on in the hall you encounter an Andy Warhol painting of Jack Nicklaus. Only golf could bring those two together under the same roof.

Chalmers survey of Old Course, 1836 (click to enlarge)The St. Andrews and Old Tom items range from a stunning 1836 survey map by W.J. Chalmers to many rarely seen images of the course, town and early greats of the game. Even more impressive was the interactive video allowing you to see highlights of any Open Championship covered by film. I could make a day out of that alone.

The collection zig zags in the upper corridors, with all sorts of fun little nooks and crannies that, like a great golf course routing, keeps you in anticipation of more fun surprises. There's the Swilcan Bridge replica for the inevitable photograph waving like Arnie or Jack, a faux green where you can use guttas and hickories to putt on an early 20th century green and plenty of other displays showing off a fantastic early club collection.

It all builds toward the players wing, where you arrive at the grand Shell Hall, highlighted by the shiny bronze "reliefs" displaying the Hall of Famers. Across from there, visitors get to take in memorabilia collected from the HOF's latest entrants (or their families, or in many cases, collectors). Currently there are wonderful displays of items pertaining to Herbert Warren Wind, Pete Dye, Carol Semple Thompson, Bob Charles, Craig Wood and Denny Shute memorabilia, including Pete's beloved copy of MacKenzie's Golf Architecture featuring Pete's notice to anyone who should find the book: a lavish $20 reward.

I will spare you anymore blow-by-blow accounts and just share some images. However, if you are in the area or wavering about going, don't. Just go. The World Golf Hall of Fame is a must for anyone who loves the game.

Early view of St. Andrews No. 18 before the R&A clubhouse was built

Denny Shute's USGA medals (check out that great old USGA logo!)Watercolor of C.B. Macdonald receiving the first U.S. Amateur trophy.

MacKenzie's Pasatiempo drawings on displayAn incredibly rare MacKenzie booklet on Camouflage
Remnant of a Nicklaus exhibition: photo and replica of his dad's drugstore

1904 golf film showing Harry Vardon, here having found a less than stellar lie.


The 18-hole putting course at the World Golf Village
The tower as viewed from the World Golf Foundation offices and the Caddyshack restaurant