"It will not look as much out of place off the golf course during the Open as it does now."

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The R&A must have had some kind of fine goody bag at the Open Championship media day, or perhaps it was just the thrill of playing the Old Course for free, but the scribblers turned a dismal performance when it came to evaluating the Road hole's new tee.
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"Letting in a few breathless, bleach-blond TV reporters to report the sideshow might not be such a bad thing, given golf's apparently graying viewer demographics."

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Regarding this week at Quail Hollow, Steve Elling notes this in his Up & Down column the decision to keep certain media outlets away from the press tent.

When saucy celebrity TV shows such as Inside Edition and Extra applied for credentials after Woods committed last week, they were told they had missed the application deadline. Yet when traditional print outlets and sports magazines asked for more credentials, they were green-lighted for admittance. We're all for maintaining some semblance of dignity and decorum here, but is there any more damage that the tabloids and celeb shows can do? The Woods scandal seems to have mostly played out -- a few loose ends about how he will be received by his peers and the public notwithstanding -- and golf probably can use the exposure. At this stage, the sport has already been tainted. Letting in a few breathless, bleach-blond TV reporters to report the sideshow might not be such a bad thing, given golf's apparently graying viewer demographics. I guess sex sells -- everywhere but in golf.

"We've reviewed Tiger Woods Cartoons and determined that we cannot post this version of your iPhone application to the App Store because it contains content that ridicules public figures..."

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As an unabashed Apple fanboy I was a bit disturbed by their iPhone app-blocking (until they reversed course) of cartoonist Daryl Cagle, and not until Deadspin posted the offending cartoon in question did I know it involved Tiger.
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"Committing to events like everybody else a few weeks in advance just highlights how ridiculous and imperialist he has been for most of his career."

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After some early goodwill over his early commitments to Quail Hollow, The Playas, the AT&T National and not the Memorial, the scribblers are sounding less and less enthralled. John Hawkins at GolfChannel.com:
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"Smith & Nephew does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in Smith & Nephew's expectation with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based."

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The online story announcing Smith and Nephew as the sponsor in Memphis (I know, I know, you're thinking how did I not see them coming as a PGA Tour sponsor, what a fit!) did not include this hilarious press release footnote regarding the company and "Forward-Looking Statements." I'm sure it's boilerplate stuff for the $500 an hour set, but it's still entertaining!
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How To Spice Up Golf's On-Air Product

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Rex Hoggard noted that "Players, officials and television executives met last week in Harbour Town to brainstorm ways to punch up the on-air product, a productive meeting by all accounts."

Oh to have heard the ideas bandied about in that room!

I say, if television wants to flesh out a controversy a bit, they shouldn't be worried about upsetting PGA Tour brass, agents or friends and family.  And if television wants to mike caddies and players (which they resisted...like they were trading nuclear codes mid-round), let them!

Shoot, wouldn't we all be fascinated by a once-a-year, announcer-sparse (maybe two, tops?) telecast where we let player-caddy conversations do most of the storytelling?

While many potential innovations have been brought up in the past, most are branded "gimmicks" and forgotten about because golf thinks it's above such things. But with big money on the line and ratings flat, we may see some compromises.

What would you like to see?