Phil Buys An Arizona Course And Other Notes About The State Of AZ Country Clubdom

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Thanks to reader John for Peter Corbett's look at the state of golf clubs in Scottsdale and he reports a lot of membership and dues numbers, very little of it encouraging for developers but great for golfers. He also reveals this recent course purchase:

"This is about the low-water mark I've ever seen," he said.

Scottsdale's Sanctuary Golf Course was sold in the past month to Phil Mickelson and his agent, Steve Loy, for $2.2 million, a price far below its value of five years ago, Garrett said.

Brad Klein, a GolfWeek magazine editor, said the problem at Phoenix and Scottsdale golf clubs is that real-estate development subsidizes the golf operations.

When members take over the golf cub from the real-estate developer, they are forced to cut operating costs or tax themselves to maintain the courses at a high level, he said.

"There is a statement in the industry that the third owner makes the money," Klein said.

The third owner buys a course for $4 million that costs $20 million to build and $4 million to operate annually, he said.

“I was just trying to stay ahead of the field, which in hindsight probably wasn't a good thing."

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Robert Jones on Rory McIlroy's refreshingly candid comments about the Masters during his Wells Fargo Championship press conference.

“First thing I don't think I was ready — that was the most important thing,” the young Ulsterman said at Quail Hollow, the course where he shot a magical 62 to win his first PGA Tour title a year ago.

“I displayed a few weaknesses in my game that I need to work on.

“But I think you've got to take the positives — for 63 holes I led and it was just a very bad back nine that sort of took the tournament away from me, I suppose.

“But what can you do? There are three more majors this year and hopefully dozens more that I'll play in my career.

“I was just trying to stay ahead of the field, which in hindsight probably wasn't a good thing.

Warning: A Review Of This Site

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Stephen Goodwin reviews this very website…in depth!  Just what you were hoping for right? A blogger covering himself.

I don't know why Goodwin refers to the site in the past tense throughout, perhaps he knows something I don't. I plan to be here a while and thank him for the robust analysis of the site, including this criticism.

And he’s at his best when he decides to commit fully, quoting at length from a press interview or an article, interrupting with deft remarks that expose the lack of logic, deflate the hype, mock the pretension.  That’s the GS that this reader looks for — intellectually engaged, hackles up, a writer zeroing in on a meaty subject.

I’m not keeping track, but it seems to me that he’s done less of this lately, and I don’t want to think that it’s because he recently joined forces with Golf Digest.

Ask and you shall receive. Goodwin goes on to look at my "core concerns."

1.  The designers of the Golden Age were geniuses whose wisdom, like that of the Founding Fathers, will never be reproduced.

Nor were they slave owners.

2.  The best golf hole ever designed, by far, is No. 10 at Riviera.

If you can name a better "designed" hole that doesn't rely on an ocean or some other natural feature, I'm all ears!

3.  Tiger Woods is to golf as Sarah Palin is to politics, a source of endless fascination; no word or deed, no gesture or expression, should go unreported.

He is pursuing history and he does have a pretty nice track record suggesting it's a pursuit worth watching! Certainly more fun than watching Ben Crane play golf.

4.  The PGA Tour is run by suits with small minds, all of whom communicate — or rather, fail to communicate — in an obscure language called M. B. A. Speak.

Oh that's not true. They wear Oxfords around the office and they are not small minded, they just are not that interested in golf.

5.  To set up a course for a major championship is at least as complcated as rocket science or brain surgery.

Actually, if you've been reading you'd know it's not that complicated, we've just had a lot of bunglers trying to offset faulty equipment regulation who've made it look that way!

6.  The most prolific and sought-after contemporary designers — Tom Fazio, Jack Nicklaus, and Rees Jones — have yet to design a respectable golf course.

Works for me!

7.  The failure of golf’s governing bodies to rein in manufactures and set limits on the flight of the golf ball is an ongoing disaster.

Pretty much.

8.  The FedEx Cup is the most lame-brained, ginned-up competition in sports.

It has surpassed the BCS for those who know what the FedExCup is.

9.  TV coverage of golf is dull enough to put Zombies to sleep.

No one said I was original.

10.  Somebody needs to take the current business model of golf out behind the barn and kill it with an axe.

I'm such a lone wolf on that one!

UNM Course Saved...For Now

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Good news as one of the better college golf courses has been spared the ax, reports Club and Resort Business via a New Mexico Golf News report (that I can't locate).

“The Championship Course has been revamping its business model, and anticipates that it will come close to break even next fiscal year. There is no closure or sale at this time,” a University spokesperson, Susan McKinsey, said in response to an inquiry.

McKinsey’s statement followed a meeting of the UNM Board of Regents at which student tuition and fees were increased by 5.5 percent for the 2011-2012 budget year.

With the tuition picture made clearer, the regents were scheduled to meet again at the end of April to finalize details of the university’s budget for the coming year.

Golf Channel Hires Sobel!

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It's just nice to see the words golf and hire in the same headline, especially when it's a nice guy. For Immediate Release:

Respected Golf Journalist Jason Sobel Joins Golf Channel Editorial Team
 
Sobel’s First Online Column for GolfChannel.com: Sobel Online Column Video of Sobel’s Debut on Morning Drive: Morning Drive Debut
 
ORLANDO, Fla., (May 2, 2011) – One of golf’s most-read and innovative online journalists, Jason Sobel, today joined Golf Channel and the NBC Sports Group.
 
A 14-year veteran of ESPN – most recently as golf editor, popular columnist and blogger for ESPN.com – Sobel joins GolfChannel.com as a senior writer and brings a wealth of experience and a writing style with a reputation of bringing golf events to life online.  Through the years, he has built a large and loyal following of readers and the respect of his peers, which has garnered him accolades and multiple writing awards.  Currently, Sobel has nearly 20,000 followers on the social media website, Twitter.
 
Sobel’s role at GolfChannel.com will be multi-faceted and aimed to help increase fan interaction through live blogging and chats.  He also will post columns, news stories and long-form features while covering select events on the PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour and at golf’s major championships.  In addition, he will regularly make appearances on Golf Channel’s news and talk shows.
 
“Jason is a very well known and respected golf journalist who is very in tune with the game,” said Tom Stathakes, Golf Channel senior vice president of programming, production and operations.  “His strong opinions and perspective have attracted a loyal following who will continue to enjoy his contributions on GolfChannel.com.
 
“If you want to cover the sport of golf, this is the place to be,” Sobel said.  “I’m very excited about the new challenge and can’t wait to get started.”
 
Sobel’s introductory column was posted earlier this morning and can be seen at http://www.GolfChannel.com/tour-insider/firing-opening-tee-shot-42723/.  He also made his first on-camera appearance on Morning Drive, with hosts Erik Kuselias and Gary Williams.  Video of the interview can be seen here: http://www.GolfChannel.com/golf-videos/audio-morning-drive-5211-jason-sobel-analysis-15901/