"No greens keepers here — just do-it-yourselfers."

Eric Olson files an enjoyable look at sand greens in the U.S. and in particular, Nebraska. Pictures would have been fun. I'm not so sure about this...

Irwin said he would like to see sand greens make a comeback.

"There are a number of places that sand greens might make a resurgence because of our water issues and challenges facing many of today's golf courses in trying to keep them up," he said. "Sand greens are unique, but they aren't impossible to play."

Sand greens of yesteryear were an environmentalist's nightmare. To create a faster putting surface and keep the sand from blowing away, motor oil was dumped on the greens once or twice a year.

PastureGolf.com has more including a listing of courses.

Is That GUR?

Did anyone else think that was a white ground under repair line around the telephone poles at Crooked Stick's 9th hole for the U.S. Senior Open?

Update on 2009-07-31 02:26 by Geoff

I'm told it's actually the 6th hole, it's one of Pete Dye's random tributes to Ma Bell and is in fact marked Ground Under Repair.

Swimming Is Rolling Back, Why Not Golf?

I finally read up on swimming's governing body realizing their sport was hurt by the hi-tech body suits that led to world records.  Karen Crouse's NY Times story should give you a nice background on the issue, while this Amy Shipley story explains coach Bob Bowman's outrage at the time it will take to implement the ban.

But in light of the groove rule change saga and the desire to do anything but roll back the ball, reader Ryan offers this:

With what could be called swimsuit-gate at the current World Championships, where the EQUIPMENT (ie/ the suits themselves) are being credited with increased performance and world records shattered, and thus the history of the sport being changed, governing bodies have decided to BAN these ultra-buoyant new suits for next year (2010). They are apparently reverting back to standardized suit construction from 1996, and the predicted result is that Phelp will be just THAT much better than everyone else who was falsely lifted (pardon the pun) by these suits (due to sponsorships, Phelps of course, can't wear the newest of the new technology).

The crossover point, of course, is the golf ball, and perhaps adds more fuel to the battle here. If swimming can do it at the drop of a hat, why can't golf? Imagine a world with the 1996 Titleist Professional!

It is fascinating that Michael Phelps will probably be even more dominant with this rollback, just as many of us believe that Tiger Woods (and probably Phil Mickelson) would benefit from a golf ball rollback more than your average professional.

Also interesting is the notion that breaking world records finally made some say enough.

Perhaps a similar boiling point would have been reached in golf were it not for all of the fairway narrowing, hole tucking and rough harvesting of the last ten years?