"The USGA, their heads will explode"

When we last heard from Rob O'Loughlin he was trying to speed up the game with Laser Link, now Gary D'Amato reports on his new gimmick to improve the game: increase the size of the hole.

"It will be worth three shots a nine," O'Loughlin said. "It takes me from 82 to 76 all the time. And let me tell you, that's fun. I've shot a million 82s in my life. It's fun to be in the 70s.

"You won't make many 25- or 30-footers, but you never did. But you virtually eliminate the three-putt. What happens is you're not missing the 3- and 4-footers because this makes them play like 1-footers."

Surely, The Big Cup will never be approved for play by the United States Golf Association. And that's OK with O'Loughlin, who battled the USGA for years over Laser Link before the governing body finally relented and allowed distance-measuring devices for everyday play.

"The USGA, their heads will explode," he said with a laugh. "They've got to understand it's a game, not a gauntlet. Their focus is on the top 300 players in the world. I think they are obsessed with those 300 players and they don't give a damn about the other 20 million.

"The truth is, a little easier is what we need."

"We'd be foolish not to consider it, although it is extremely controversial."

E. Michael Johnson raises all sorts of interesting questions in considering whether manufacturers should offer non-conforming lines of equipment. 

"We've looked extensively at possibilities in the nonconforming category," said Nate Radcliffe, metalwoods development manager for Cleveland Golf. "We'd be foolish not to consider it, although it is extremely controversial."

It's a category?

Now, 10 years later, might Callaway revisit nonconforming clubs? "Some think we may be likely to go down that path," said Dr. Alan Hocknell, Callaway's senior VP of research & development, "but one thing we hold highly at this company is authenticity. Playing by the rules is perhaps the most authentic part of golf. I'd say we're more likely to stay inside the rules than go outside them."

Which isn't to say Callaway hasn't looked at the landscape. Hocknell said the company has done consumer research and found golfers split on the topic. Then there's the business aspect. Any company entering the nonconforming arena is likely to be branded by its competition as making clubs for cheaters. "To have our brand positioned that way would be a huge risk," said Hocknell.

Two questions. Do you think this is a good idea for the game and would it be wise for manufacturers to go down this path?

It doesn't bother me much since the game is bifurcated with the groove rule change and if nothing else, just think, we wouldn't have to listen to the manufacturers whine about the big, bad USGA impacting quarterly profit margins!

"They understand this hurt us. And I believe that."

Ron Green Jr., talking to Cliffs developer Jim Anthony about his project and attending Tiger's statement reading last week:

Anthony was among the invited guests to Woods' public statement last Friday in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., in which Woods apologized for cheating on his wife. He hadn't spoken with Woods since last fall.

They met by chance in a hallway inside the clubhouse before Woods made his statement. Anthony said he heard someone call his name. He turned and saw Woods.

"He gave me a big hug," Anthony said. "There's been a lot of water under the bridge since I'd seen him. He thanked me for being there and for my support and he said, 'We're really going to work hard.'

"I saw commitment in his eyes. I saw remorse and gratitude. I thought he was sincere, and they pledged to us they're going to work harder than ever. They understand this hurt us. And I believe that."

Shock: GWAA Award Winners Actually Include Some Stories You Might Actually Enjoy Reading

Building off their national rebranding as the Rosa Parks' of golf literary rights, the Golf Writers Association of America announced their annual awards early this year to the delight of its members.

Now, I know my headline might cause worry that the annual highlighting of death, misery and press release writing will not provide the final push that will empower the leap off the Swilken Burn bridge you've always contemplated. But not to worry, there's still plenty of death and misery. 

Oh and congrats to Mike McAllister for winning with his December 31, 2009 story on budding architect Cody Carroll.

2010 GWAA CONTEST RESULTS
 
The following is a full list of the winners, including honorable mentions. There were 444 entries in the contest. (Note: *Categories with less 20 entries had first, second and third places only; **category with fewer than 10 entries had first place only.)

Say what?

DAILY
 
DAILY COLUMNS – 1, Ian O’Connor, The Record, Mickelson shows heart in defeat; 2, Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times, David Duval’s extraordinary run in the U.S. Open; 3, Doug Ferguson, Associated Press, Cink shows graciousness in Open win.

Honorable mention: Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times, Soggy Bethpage Black not the usual U.S. Open test; Ron Green, Jr., Charlotte Observer, By going away, Tiger Woods can start to find his way back; Marla Ridenour, Akron Beacon Journal, Marlsaeng’s improbable journey.          
 
DAILY NEWS – 1, Ron Kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, Presidents Cup, round two; 2, Gary D’Amato, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Yang pulls a shocker; 3, David Westin, The Augusta Chronicle, Cabrera wins three-man playoff at Masters. Honorable mention: Gary D’Amato, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wie has coming out party at the Solheim Cup; Ron Green, Jr., Charlotte Observer, Lucas Glover wins U.S. Open, proves he’s good enough; Mike Kern, Philadelphia Daily News, Yang beats Tiger at the PGA; Ian O’Connor, The Record, Perry loses the Masters.
 
DAILY FEATURES – 1, Scott Michaux, The Augusta Chronicle, Errie Ball, last living competitor in the first Masters; 2, Ian O’Connor, The Record, Rocco’s loss was Rocco’s gain; 3, Ron Kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, The 40th anniversary of George Archer’s Masters win.  Honorable mention: Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press, Public personality of Bethpage Black; Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press, Mystique of the Masters green jacket; Hank Gola, New York Daily News, Sergio returns to New York for the U.S. Open; Randall Mell, Sun Sentinel, Ernie Els and Dan Marino brought together by their autistic children.
 
** DAILY SPECIAL PROJECTS – 1, Doug Ferguson, The Associated Press, African American progress in golf slow, but optimism remains

Ten or less Daily Special Projects entered. Now it's official, newspapers are doomed. Congratulations, Doug.

INTERNET
 
INTERNET COLUMNS – 1, Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM, Watson’s miracle falls short; 2, Leonard Shapiro, Washingtonpost.com, Tiger Woods: Who knew?; 3, Jeff Neuman, RealClearSports.com, A call to the sports therapy hotline about Tiger.  Honorable mention: Jeff Babineau, Golfweek.com, Tiger Woods has the lead at the PGA Championship, but doesn’t appear to be invincible; Tim Rosaforte GolfDigest.com, Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus; Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM, Tom Watson loses a heartbreaker at Turnberry; Dave Shedloski, USGA.org, How Lucas Glover won the 109th U.S. Open.
 
INTERNET NEWS – 1, Alan Shipnuck, Golf.com, Tiger “death watch” begins; 2, Alan Shipnuck, Golf.com, Phil Mickelson and John Daly in Memphis; 3, Cameron Morfit, Golf.com, Doug Barron Faces uncertain future. Honorable mention: Michael Bamberger, Golf.com, Soldiers going to Iraq at Augusta airport; Damon Hack, Golf.com, Stewart Cink ends Tom Watson’s run; Jason Sobel, ESPN.com, Slocum surprises at Barclays.
 
INTERNET FEATURES – 1, Mick Elliott, FanHouse.com/AOL Sports, Dream still in sight for Ken Green; 2, Jason Sobel, ESPN.com, Arnold Palmer turns 80; 3, Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM, 10-year-old course designer. Honorable mention: Rhonda Glenn, USGA.org, Betty Jameson was a rare character; Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM, Lucas Glover wins the U.S. Open; Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM, Behind the scenes in the fitness trailer.
 
* INTERNET SPECIAL PROJECTS – 1, Jeff Babineau, Jim McCabe, Rich Skyzinski, Ron Balicki, Alistair Tait, James Achenbach, Adam Schupak, Bradley S. Klein, Dan Mirocha, Golfweek.com; Memories of Payne Stewart; 2, Mercer Baggs, Randall Mell, Jay Coffin, Rex Hoggard, Rich Lerner, GolfChannel.com, An unforgettable decade; 3, Erik Peterson, GolfChannel.com, Sleeping in the car to play Bethpage Black.
 
NON-DAILY
 
NON-DAILY COLUMNS – 1, Dan Jenkins, Golf Digest Index, Old Money vs. New Money; 2, Jeff Babineau, Golfweek, Tom Watson makes a run at his sixth Open Championship; 3, Dave Seanor, Asian Golf Monthly, Futuristic look at the LPGA. Honorable mention: Tom Coyne, Sports Illustrated, Ireland and the 9-hole game; Dan Jenkins, Golf Digest, Greg Norman-Chris Evert marriage set to the movie Casablanca; Jeff Rude, Golfweek, O’Meara’s recovery shot- from darkness to light.
 
NON-DAILY NEWS – 1, Alan Shipnuck, Sports Illustrated, Angel Cabrera wins Masters; 2, Jim Moriarty, Golf World, Stewart Cink defeats Tom Watson at Turnberry; 3, Jeff Rude, Golfweek, Demise of the golf writer.

That only finished third? Tough year for the hard-hitting stories of tragedy and triumph.

Honorable mention: Beth Ann Baldry, Gene Yasuda, Golfweek, Why Carolyn Bivens failed; Jim McCabe, Golfweek, Masters returns to its glory as Angel Cabrera beats Kenny Perry; Jeff Rude, Golfweek, Cruel in the Sun: Cink ruins Watson’s fairytale.
 
NON-DAILY FEATURES – 1, Michael Bamberger, Sports Illustrated, Rory McIlroy; 2, John Feinstein, Golf Digest, Paul Goydos and the affliction that claimed his wife’s life; 3, Dave Kindred, Golf Digest, Ken Green after the accident that claimed his girlfriend, his brother and his dog. Honorable mention: Alan Bastable, Golf Magazine, Bob Torrance; Alan Shipnuck, Sports Illustrated, Michelle Wie; John Strege, Golf World, Missy Farr-Kaye’s battle with breast cancer.
 
* NON-DAILY SPECIAL PROJECTS – 1, David Owen, Ron Whitten, John Barton, Roger Schiffman, Thomas L. Friedman, Golf Digest , Golf and the environment; 2, Steve Rushin, Ron Kaspriske, Ashley Mayo, Jeff Patterson, Sue Sawyer, Mike Stachura, Golf Digest, Celebration of municipal golf courses; 3, Jaime Diaz, Bill Fields, E. Michael Johnson, Tim Rosaforte, John Strege, Golf World, New groove rules.

All winners will be honored at the GWAA’s Annual Awards Dinner April  7 in Augusta, Ga., an event Tiger Woods won't be attending ever again.