Rounds Way Up; Average Player Getting In 2.1 A Day!

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From Darren Rovell's story on the business of Tiger...

EA released its online game the week of the Masters and EA spokesman David Tinson reports that 4.2 million rounds have been played in the last three months, with the average player playing 2.1 rounds a day. “We’re encouraged by the trends we’re seeing and continue to invest in bringing more experiences like this online as the business continues to transition to digital.” Woods will still be the main endorser behind Tiger Woods PGA Tour ’11 that hits shelves on June 8, although he will share the cover with Rory McIlroy.

"That’s a 15.5 percent decrease from the 4.5 million viewers that watched the same rounds on Sundays last year."

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For those of you worrying if Tiger's going to be able to make the house payment, Darren Rovell catches us up on the business side of Tiger's career post-accident. After a quote from agent Mark Steinberg about the opportunities they're passing up until the timing is right, Rovell slips this in about 2010 PGA Tour ratings.
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Old Macdonald, Old Macdonald

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You may be suffering from Old Macdonald hype fatigue, but there's a stellar piece from Ron Whitten in this week's Golf World (not yet posted) reviewing the design and touching on the oddity of Tom Doak recently parting ways with co-designer Jim Urbina. There is also this GolfDigest.com video about the course, and a slideshow. Love how brown the course looks!
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"I've decided to help prevent Aberdeenshire folk from the harassment and threat of removal from their homes, merely to satisfy a private developer who asserts he now wants the land."

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Looks like The Donald is going to have quite a pricey and protracted fight on his hands thanks to a crafty move by celebrities and ordinary citizens hoping to block a "compulsory purchase" from resistant land owners in Aberdeenshire.
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Tiger One-Ups Jack!

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So Tiger, who wouldn't be caught dead on the par-3 course before the Masters (and who can blame him after what it's turned into) because he's preparing for the tournament, will play the former champion challenge event on Wednesday of Open Championship week. That leaves Jack, Nick Price, and Johnny Miller as the only living absentees (along with 89-year-old Kel Nagle).

"Were the decision made to move the ceremony out of market, it would be done to heighten the profile of the World Golf Village and World Golf Hall of Fame..."

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Garry Smits talks to local businesses that wouldn't be happy about the World Golf Hall of Fame induction leaving St. Augustine. Since the state of Florida chipped in to get the place built, I'm guessing they won't be thrilled either.
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"I was surprised to hear for the first time that they might be going to refer projects to me in the future. I look forward to them coming."

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An Nick Tabokoff story on Greg Norman closing his course design office and opening one in China notes this from his spokesman.

Norman's spokesman Bart Collins said from the US that the company had "retrenched two or three executives" in Sydney.

Love the military terminology. So much more masculine that the B-school lingo. Or are they one and the same?

This was rather astounding:

Despite no longer playing golf regularly on the circuit, Norman remains Australia's highest-earning sportsman, with BRW estimating that he earned $15 million last year, largely because of his success in golf course design.

And now for the all out obfuscation (writer jargon for lies):

Mr Collins said Norman had the highest respect for his recently departed Australian course architects, Harrison and Kruse.

"If the project isn't appropriate to Greg Norman, we'll refer work to them," he said.

But Mr Harrison said last night: "I was surprised to hear for the first time that they might be going to refer projects to me in the future. I look forward to them coming."