"This golf-cart fiasco perfectly illustrates tax policy in the age of Obama, when politicians dole out credits and loopholes for everything from plug-in cars to fuel efficient appliances, home insulation and vitamins."

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The Wall Street Journal offered a tough and unbylined critique of a federal tax credit on high-mileage cars "that was part of President Obama's stimulus plan," and which is now being used "to buy that great necessity of modern life, the golf cart."
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Charles Barkley Offering Anthony Kim Alcohol Consumption Advice

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It is funny you talk about Tiger. I have become friends with Anthony Kim and I was talking to him the other day trying to tell him: Let this B.S. with Robert Allenby go. Nothing good is going to happen if you all are going back-and-forth. The one thing that I will say about Tiger is that when we go out, he can drink. He drinks but he never drinks when he has got a tournament. So I think you distinguish those two. If we are just going to Vegas to screw around or we are just going around, he might have a couple of beers or something. If he has got a tournament, he does not drink. I am just relaying the Anthony Kim story. Maybe Tony can learn that ok that there is certain things that I got to do when I play and everything else has got to be 2nd. You can have fun when you are off: Ok, I got a tournament this week. Tiger won’t even do caffeine the week of a tournament. He thought that it screwed up his putting stroke. You know how sometimes caffeine has got you jittery? I mean just simple stuff like that.
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"Grass-Roots Advice"

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The November Golf Digest features a photo and quote from several leading superintendents about the state of golf maintenance and golf's place in the environment. It's a nice example of the print version featuring a digestable teaser, with more online since Golf Digest posted the entire audio of each super's answer to a couple of questions from Ron Whitten.

A few that I've listened to so far and enjoyed: Garrett Bodington, Russ Myers, Peter Wendt and Paul Latshaw Jr.

“They’re all wanting to grow golf, but the government is saying, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute!’”

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Thanks to all who sent Seth Mydans' New York Times story on the failed dreams of the "Ho Chi Minh Golf Trail" as the government starts to question building a string of golf courses in a country with so few players. I guess they didn't hear about the Olympic announcement? Or Monty's contribution to the region?

I do see from the photos accompanying the story--and this appeared in the print edition, ensuring even more people laugh at the sport--that the Vietnamese have embraced America obsessive bunker raking.

"It wouldn't be widely known but I've carried two sets of irons to every tournament for five years. I choose depending on the rough that week what grooves I'm going to use."

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Mark Reason talks to Padraig Harrington about the impact of the groove rule change:

Harrington says: "I've talked to pros and they don't think it will make a big difference. I see it as a massive issue.

"It wouldn't be widely known but I've carried two sets of irons to every tournament for five years. I choose depending on the rough that week what grooves I'm going to use."

In the heavy rough of the majors Harrington uses the v-grooves that will still be legal next season. They hit the ball 30 yards further out of the thick stuff than the box grooves. But at the regular events Harrington has tended to use his box grooves, because they don't produce those 'fliers' that send a ball 10 yards over the green.

"Did you ask him why Condé Nast was shuttering Gourmet while keeping afloat some 18 other magazines, including Bon Appétit and such giants of intellectual life as Golf World and Golf Digest?"

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That's a New York Times Magazine interview question from documented windbag and documented finagler Deborah Solomon, who was asking Ruth Reichl about the closing of her cooking magazine. 

Did you ask him why Condé Nast was shuttering Gourmet while keeping afloat some 18 other magazines, including Bon Appétit and such giants of intellectual life as Golf World and Golf Digest?

I was so stunned, I basically just listened.

Barack Obama walks into the doctor's office and Gourmet, Golf Digest and The New York Times Magazine are sitting on the table. I think I know which one he's picking up.

Cristie Kerr: "The guys are just used to shooting nothing at a golf course and that’s not how the Firemans and Liberty wanted it to play."

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Stephanie Wei caught up with Kerr, who is a Liberty National member and not a fan of the criticism issued by players. I can't wait until she plays an LPGA event at Industry Hills here in So Cal (at least it's rumored to be hosting the new tournament in 2010).  It makes Liberty National look like the Old Course.
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Get JT In The FedEx Cup Now!

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It was disappointing that the usually uber-hip SI/Golf.com Confidential failed to note that Justin Timberlake put on another stellar event, albeit one that will go largely unnoticed on the moribund fall schedule. This is not exactly a newsflash, but considering how the PGA Tour schedule is taking hits and the game's demographics are skewing gray, it's becoming obvious the tour needs to get the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open onto the West Coast Swing ASAP.

Timberlake hasn't been shy about his hopes for the event, and it seems the tour is noticing.

According to the PGA Tour's Rick George, as quoted in a story by Steve Carp, there is hope for moving out of the fall:

"I think the Shriners have done a great job of building and growing the tournament, and I know their desire to be part of the FedEx Cup," George said. "It can't happen in 2010, but there will be opportunities in 2011, and should a date become available and the time works, we would consider a change for Las Vegas."

The tour does seem to be bracing everyone for major changes in 2011 when several expired deals impact the schedule, but believe it or not, I continue to hear that there are folks in the world of golf who are uncomfortable with Timberlake, all because they can't get that earthshattering flash of nipple that they never actually saw during the 2004 Super Bowl.

Example 237,891 of golf taking itself way too seriously.

Timberlake is in the second year of a five-year deal he inked to host the golf tournament in Vegas, but the tour needs to figure out a way to keep him as enthusiastic as he once again was in presenting the event. What better way to do that than to make a 2011 spring date a top priority?

This year's event again included his charity concert with some of the hippest acts in music and coverage at places like MTV.com and People.com (which also featured a story on JT's mom doing hospitality duties for tour wives this week, obviously a campaign for sainthood). 

No, I know that it's not Huey Lewis and Clay Walker breaking out in a duet to serenade Kevin James, but when a concert tied to a PGA Tour event is drawing Taylor Swift, Timbaland and Alicia Keyes, it can only do wonders for golf's cool factor. So would fully embracing Timberlake's energetic attempts to make the Las Vegas event a marquee event on the PGA Tour.