"I think Bivens has made nothing but smart moves here."

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Brand Lady, you've got a friend in Michael Bamberger, who says McDonald's is not a good sponsor for the LPGA to be aligned with and that Bulle Rock is too isolated to work as a major venue.

I think Bivens has made nothing but smart moves here. She's irritated a lot of powerful people in women's golf along the way, including some of the top executives at NBC Sports, which is not a smart thing to do when your tour is struggling, and the LPGA is struggling. But in the long run, Golf Channel is going to be the right home for many LPGA events, including its marquee championship.

Star-Ledger Answers Ball Rollback Question!

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Jenny Vrentas of the Newark Star-Ledger profiles Dick Rugge, USGA testing and offers this on how a ball rollback could work...sure sounds easier than the groove rule change!

At the beginning of the decade, professionals on tour converted from wound balls to the solid-core, multi-layer models that reign today. Another way to drop maximum driving distance is to change the polymers that make up these interior layers. Doing so affects something called the coefficient of restitution, which is a measure of how well the energy from the swing is transferred to the ball. A higher coefficient means more energy is transferred and the ball travels farther. But the composition of the polymers can be modified for a less efficient energy transfer and shorter maximum driving distance.

"The reason has to do with the LPGA’s new business plan, referred to as 'Vision 2010'."

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Jennifer Myers says the Corning Classic's demise suggests it wasn't entirely related to the economy.

The bad economy was an obvious culprit, but was not solely responsible. Corning Glassware was hit hard by the global recession, which led to a 13 percent reduction in its workforce (650 jobs. There was also a 50 percent drop in sponsorship support, which amounted to $500,000. Projected cost increases for the 2010 event were $300,000, and for 2011, when the purse was to increase from $1.5 million to $1.7 million, meaning the cost increase for the sponsor would be $675,000. Not only are the purses for events increasing, television production costs will be going from $255,000 a year to $425,000 in 2010, with five percent increases each year through 2013. The reason has to do with the LPGA’s new business plan, referred to as “Vision 2010”.

Pinehurst May Host Two Opens In Two Weeks

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Ron Sirak breaks the news that barring a possible last minute hiccup, Pinehurst No. 2 will host the 2014 U.S. Open (already announced) and the 2014 U.S. Women's Open in successive weeks.

According to sources, to hold both Opens on the same venue on consecutive weeks will be both a publicity grabber and cost efficient. The USGA will be able to leave its infrastructure in place -- scoreboards, bleachers, hospitality facilities -- and the network televising the events can leave its cable and cameras in place.

'"Because there are eight courses, they will be able to keep the other seven open during the tournaments," according to one of the sources. "And with the men's event held first, the USGA will be able to widen the fairways, trim the rough and slow the greens for the women if they desire," the source said.

First of all, they are not going to widen out fairways since the scalping would look ridiculous and the statement would be overwhelmingly condescending. The point of back-to-back Opens is to have both men and women playing a similar course.

I really love the concept, unfortunately I'm not wild about the venue they've chosen for this exercise.

Obviously two weeks in a town with limited accommodations, limited food selection and a limited volunteer base strikes me as a glaring weakness. And there's the dicey weather.

The dream site for back-to-back Opens is Pebble Beach, but I suspect it would be too huge of a financial sacrifice for the Pebble Beach Company and considering summer hotel prices in Monterey, a huge budget drainer for everyone else.

A close second and probably far more plausible venue would be Torrey Pines. Abundance of hotel rooms, huge population base to draw volunteers and oh by the way as I pack my Goretex for Bethpage, it doesn't rain in San Diego in June.

Golfdom U.S. Open Coverage

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I jump on the Q&A with Mike Davis bandwagon on the eve of the U.S. Open. In this session for Golfdom Magazine, I ask Mike how he sees his ideas impacting everyday course setup and maintenance. We also get into the groove issue, Bethpage's architecture, his post Oakmont memo to supers about excessive rough primping and the USGA's TruFirm device.

And in advance of Bethpage, editor Larry Aylward asks me a few questions for a special Golfdom podcast.

Interviewing "At The Turn"

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I've never understood the big deal about talking to golfers mid-round, but for whatever reason it's been considered off-limits. Personally I think the NBA playoff telecasts are great fun thanks to the Coach interviews which, if nothing else, become an exercise in how little a coach will say. Even Stan Van Gundy!

Anyway, Golf Channel and the LPGA Tour are reviving the idea for this weekend's LPGA Championship.

During Saturday and Sunday’s live coverage of the McDonald’s LPGA Championship, Rich Lerner is scheduled to interview at least one player from the final four groups after completion of nine holes in a new feature titled, “At the Turn.” The new feature was first introduced during GOLF CHANNEL’s coverage of the LPGA Corning Classic in May.

GOLF CHANNEL / McDonald’s LPGA Championship TV Times

Saturday – Sunday 4 – 7 p.m. ET (Live)
7:30 – 10:30 p.m. ET (Live)

Sir Nick! Queen Recognizes Faldo's Contributions To Reviving American Golf

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Mark Reason reports that Nick Faldo has been knighted, the ultimate recognition of charitable works such as using your Ryder Cup captaincy to help dejected American males feel better about themselves or spending countless hours working for the Golf Channel.

Faldo said: "I was delighted to hear the news that I will be receiving a knighthood and am more than a little bit humbled. It has come as a real surprise and the reaction from my children, family and friends has made this a very special moment for me."

Faldo stressed that a large part of the honour was its recognition of the Faldo Series that works to inspire young golfers. But having stated his pleasure at becoming only the second British professional golfer to be knighted, he seemed a little flummoxed by the timing.

Reason has broken the news five hours ahead of the royal palace's embargo. There goes his knighthood!

Poulter: "the usga are insane to make us change so quickly."

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It was only a matter of time before a player would elaborate on the manufacturers concerns about grooves. In this case, it's Ian Poulter of England, Orlando and Cobra Golf fame. Thanks to reader Manny for the Tweeted comments from Poulter, writing a series of posts about the new groove rules soon after Adam Barr's report that Acushnet is trying to delay the rule change:

i tested the new grooves with vokey in feb. what a difference no spinnnnnn. the usga are insane to make us change so quickly.

i guess they were all bored sitting around that table drinking coffee and smoking cigars... get a life let us have fun on the course

it will cost the manufacturers millions to develop and distribute to all the stores global, so you AMs can get them before open qualifying

Our irons already comply, but wedges need to change for start of the year. all the best... thanks R&A and USGA softer balls here we come

The players have had plenty of time to experiment and when I've asked manufacturer reps, most players have taken little interest in experimenting, preferring to wait until this fall.

The manufacturers are pleading financial hardship because they are being forced to develop and ship new grooved wedges to their most loyal customers, who, if they are serious about tournament play, have to buy.

They've been handed a nice serving of forced planned obsolescence and they are still complaining?

Golf World Cover Gives Scary Peak Into Future Of Golf Fashion?

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I can hear Golf Digest stylist Marty Hackel now. Jim Furyk is putting on the oversized shoes and Marty's yelling, "Jim, red is your color. It brings out your freckles. And think of the leverage you'll get with those size 24's!"

As Furyk skeptically slips on the red nose, Marty: "First, it's how you wear it. And second, it'll give you SPF 200. No chance of a burn!"

Furyk: "But what about the puffy shirt?"

Marty: "It's veeeeerrrrrrrryyyyyy retro. You look fantaaasssstic."

There is actually a serious story to accompany Golf World's U.S. Open cover by John Hawkins too. But a Marty breakdown of the fashion would have been nice.

US Open Mobile Apps Now Available

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You can read about them here. Just fooling around with the US Open app, it's essentially the same as the excellent IBM-crafted Masters phone app.

There is also a Twitter page for those who like getting their news that way. Hopefully the plugs for "tickets available" will end soon.

And if you haven't signed up for the USGA's Architecture Archive, you're missing out on a couple of new Bethpage aerials posted. Actually, the course looks very similar today. But it is fun to see the nuanced strategy of the old 18th hole. It wouldn't matter much in today's game, then again, neither does the current hole.

"According to a Titleist official, the company is trying to persuade the Tour to hold off on its plans to adopt a condition of competition that would require new groove cross-sections"

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Remember a few weeks ago when Greg Norman mentioned rumors that the groove rule change was in doubt? You had to figure the Shark wasn't just throwing that out for attention.

Adam Barr reports that Titleist/Acushnet is trying to convince the PGA Tour to postpone their planned 2010 adoption of a condition of competition requiring conforming grooves in response to the USGA/R&A decision.

Still, all the major manufacturers claim to be ready to proceed with the effective date for the condition of competition the Tour wants to adopt, which is Jan. 1. (Beyond the Tour, the rule would apply to any club manufactured after that date, but clubs made before then will be permissible for use for recreational players until 2024.) Even so, Titleist is asking the Tour to push the rule implementation date back a year because of the intricacies of fitting players under the new groove rules.

None of the major manufacturers would speak on the record for this story. But sources close to the situation have said that the refitting process will be much more complicated than switching out some “old” wedges for new ones. It has been suggested that the performance of wedges with new grooves might even require swing changes, which could lead to the use of a different ball model and, in turn, encourage a driver switch. In other words, the ripple effect of the groove rule could be felt throughout the entire bag. That has some manufacturers and players thinking they need more time to experiment and adjust than the post-season stretch usually reserved for incorporating such new equipment.

So much work drama! Over some grooves. Who knew?

So these big, all knowing manufacturers can't keep up with the USGA now?

“Some manufacturers have said they’re not going to be ready [for the change],” said PGA Tour player Brett Quigley, a member of the Player Advisory Committee. “[But] there’s also the argument that players won’t test until they have to. So why wait another year until 2011? Guys still won’t bother to do it.”

This is really funny:

Of course, players these days won’t stand for any loss of yardage off the tee from the new generation of higher-spinning balls, said the ball manufacturer source. That will be the chief engineering challenge, he said.

"It's a way of cross generation to introduce current and future members of the LPGA to a very important part of the world."

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LPGA Brand Lady Carolyn Bivens is interviewed by the "Toy Department" blog at the Baltimore Sun site. Some nice MBAisms for those of you collecting jargon at home.

Bivens: The fact that a sports league or association would own one of its own championships and be able to illustrate and display their best of class of their brand, to set the eligibilty criteria and own all the revenue streams for that event is huge. Yes, it is high risk and high reward, but the opportunities for that to make a difference from a brand standpoint ... over the next 50 years is very big.

And...

How many years into the future are you looking? You talk about a focus of five to seven years, but you also talk about 50 years. Where, as an executive, is your focal point?

Bivens: For the long term, dealing with the base of the platform, you look out 10 years. Most of the rest of the planning you do for five years out.

Isn't that redundant, the base of the platform? Or is there a layer I don't know about?

So your deal with J Golf, South Korean television, that's looking 10 years out, maybe more?

Bivens: The deal is a five-year deal and the big news about that ... is that it's multi-platform. It's not just cable television rights for South Korea. They own multiple magazines, they have a partnership deal with CNN, they have multiple digital platforms. It's a way of cross generation to introduce current and future members of the LPGA to a very important part of the world.

Cross generation! That's a new one for me. Anyone care to define?