"I think he needs to clean up his act and show the respect for the game that other people before him have shown.”
/More tough words from Tom Watson about Tiger Woods:
Read MoreIn golf construction art and utility meet; both are absolutely vital; one is utterly ruined without the other. GEORGE THOMAS
It’s back!
Twenty years later Tatra Press has kindly allowed me to bring back Grounds For Golf now that golf architecture is of more interest to the masses. A new Introduction looks at what’s driven the interest growth and two new chapters I had a blast adding (plus a few edits to keep things up-to-date).
The Amazon purchase page for the book arriving June 15, 2026.
"It seems like a heavy burden of proof for the Tour to satisfy."
/Alex Miceli does some bang-up reporting, confirming that the Tour and PING's John Solheim have talked and that it a local rule requires the formation of a committee to push through, and even then it's a reach that the tour can work around the USGA-PING settlement.
Read MoreRemembering What The Tour Is Dealing With, John Solheim Edition
/It's been suggested by PING that they warned the USGA and PGA Tour of the potential for a groove rule debacle on several occasions. Those were private letters, but in CEO John Solheim's lengthy, rambling and at times bizarre June, 2009 statement voicing opposition to the grooves, he did not warn of any potential oddities with interpretation of the rules.
Read MoreNow That's A Tree!
/The PGA Tour, FedEx, The First Tee and Audubon International hosted a photo-op today to launch a new initiative to announce the addition of Anthony Kim to their list of ambassadors (it was probably news to him too) and to plant a tree at Riviera. Not only did Kim get really dressed up, but the PGA Tour spent big money to find a specimen that would give the kids something to look forward to circa 2093 when the tree is pushing 15 feet in height by then.
Read MoreA Different Take On Riviera's 10th
/I used my unique leaping and mid-air suspension abilities to capture this shot of Riviera's famous 10th hole today. Anything for the blogosphere, I say.
Read More"It will be remembered as a preventable breach, briefly incendiary, with a short shelf life."
/Larry Dorman offers his take on the Scott McCarron apology before delving in the incredibly rare accusations of cheating in golf and the even rarer uses of the C-word.
Read MoreNo Local Rule!**
/Tim Finchem cancelled his Tuesday press conference in favor of briefing the players in a "highly encouraged" 4 p.m. meeting before Wednesday's scribe gathering. The question was, would he invoke a local rule banning PING non-conforming/conforming wedges or to backpeddle out of the tour's initial position.
Read More"It does seem like we should have been prepared for this."
/Padraig Harrington's entire press conference is worth a read. But a few highlights on the groove topic:
Read More"In closing, this statement will be my final comments on this matter as it pertains to player usage of the Ping Eye 2 wedge."
/There was also this from Scott McCarron's statement yesterday:
Read More"It was a one time situation."
/Jill Painter has been filing some great stuff lately for the L.A. Daily News in advance of the Northern Trust Open, including a stellar Jerry West profile and a nice update on this year's Charlie Sifford Northern Trust Exemption recipient, Joshua Wooding.
Read More
The Next Phase Of The Groove Debate...
/...means hearing about the massive financial hardship this has caused for the manufacturers to retool their assembly lines. Joe Ogilvie on Twitter today:
Of course, if they didn't lobby the USGA for the right to give free equipment who can break 75, they'd be able to recoup the cost of the new grooves by selling the top amateurs the new, conforming wedges.
Now Ogilvie's first point is a great question. Don't most players want to be known for their skill instead of their ability to obtain a PING wedge?
PING CEO: No Local Rule
/Tuesday's Tim Finchem afternoon press conference ought to be interesting in light of the statement released by PING CEO John Solheim tonight, and because Finchem is meeting with us scribblers before his player meetings.
The meat of the statement:
Read MoreThe meat of the statement:
Ryo's Press Conference Before The Press Conference
/Just in case he has new revelations today that he can't share tomorrow, here's Ryo Ishikawa's impromptu sit down with scribblers and photographers this afternoon. He's scheduled to come in the media center Tuesday as well.
