New Book On History Of Equipment Regulation, Brought To You By Titleist!

Remember, I just copy and paste this stuff and slap it under the you-can't-make-this-stuff-up-files. From Titleist PR:

FROM STICKS AND STONES: AN ESSENTIAL READ FOR ALL GOLF ENTHUSIASTS

Former USGA Technical Director Frank Thomas Details the Evolution of Golf Equipment Rules

Fairhaven, MA (May 25, 2011) – One of the men most involved in writing the rules that set the boundaries for today’s golf equipment is setting the record straight in his new book, From Sticks and Stones, a comprehensive history and analysis of golf’s equipment regulations and their effects on the game.

Wow, how courageous, he's going to reveal how he blew the pooch! Got to love a good tell-all.

Written by Frank Thomas with Valerie Melvin, From Sticks and Stones dissects all the equipment-related provisions in the Rules of Golf, and explains why they were written, what they were meant to achieve and evaluates their relevance today.

I'm sure that'll have quite the honest, forthright look. It's not like Wally himself is contributing a press release blurb or anything.

"Frank Thomas has written the definitive book on the evolution of equipment as it pertains to the Rules of Golf,” said Wally Uihlein, Chairman and CEO, Acushnet Company, manufacturer of the Titleist and FootJoy golf brands.  “As the Technical Director of the United States Golf Association for more than a quarter century, Thomas was at the forefront of the decision-making process by the game's ruling bodies during the most active and critical periods in the history of golf.  He always kept the best intentions of the game top of mind and provided a voice of reason, often in the face of criticism. From Sticks and Stones is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the game and how golf equipment has evolved over the past century."

Well, at least I know what'll be my light, whimsical summer reading.

Today In Bad Golf Course Business News...

J. Scott Trubey and Bill Torpy do a full autopsy on the Reynold's Plantation situation and its uncertain future.

“They were the Cadillac of development; they under-promised and over-delivered,” said state Rep. Mickey Channell, R-Greensboro, a 25-year Reynolds Plantation homeowner. “Based on their history, it was assumed they’d get through this.”

But the 3,600 Reynolds property owners soundly rejected Reynolds’ plan. After the vote, his business was placed into receivership, a move short of foreclosure. Now, a guardian is managing the Plantation and three other communities owned by Reynolds while the banks try to find a buyer or work out another deal with him. In all, 9,000 acres of his corporations’ property, about half its holdings, is held as collateral, is at stake.

And thanks to reader Del for Toby Tobin's analysis of Palm Coast golf courses dropping 71% in assessed value since 2008.

"Funny that 'Tee Forward' program suggests a professional play courses 7,700 to 7,900 long. Only one such course on PGA Tour - Cog Hill"

So here's something I can't reconcile with the announcement of the USGA-PGA of America "Play it Forward" campaign to play the proper tees to help make the game more fun and faster. 

There is no question too many golfers play the wrong tees. Men letting machismo get in the way are the most obvious candidates to play it forward, as are a surprising number of lower handicap female golfers.

Quite often, folks play too far back because they want to feel connected to golf at the elite level. After all, they buy the same clubs the pros use and on occasion, hit a drive they think is as long as the big boys and in general, buy into marketing that connects the everyday game with the professional. Shoot, we've all be guilty of it and there's nothing wrong with wanting to walk in the footsteps of elite players. Some of us even believe that keeping that connection is a good reason to restrict equipment for professionals.

So now we have the USGA telling us that 7,600 to 7,900 yards is the proper yardage for those big boys. Doug Ferguson noted what makes this so humorous:

While the governing bodies are against bifurcation of the game via a tournament ball or a special rules for professional equipment (well, except grooves), the Play It Forward campaign acknowledges a massive divide between the PGA Tour professional and the amateur. So massive, that only one course on the PGA Tour qualifies as the appropriate yardage in the eyes of the PGA of America and USGA!

Get Your Tiger Woods Bingo Boards Out...

It is what it is, it's a process, it's all right in front of you, will follow the docs orders...

MEDIA ALERT
 
Golf Channel to Air Tiger Woods’ AT&T National News Conference, Tuesday at 11 a.m. ET
 
ORLANDO, Fla., (May 23, 2011) - Golf Channel Tuesday will air live Tiger Woods’ news conference from Aronimink Golf Club in Newton Square, Penn.  Coverage will begin at 11 a.m. ET and will continue until the conference concludes.  The news conference is a part of media day for the 2011 AT&T National, a PGA TOUR event benefiting the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Kelly Tilghman will anchor coverage, and will be joined by GolfChannel.com senior writer Jason Sobel from the network’s Orlando studios.

Update on 2011-05-24 15:17 by Geoff

**If you ever want evidence of how delusional the years of media fawning made Tiger and his flunkies, check out these tweets.

First, Greg McLaughlin, the lavishly paid head of Tiger's foundation:

And then Tiger, putting the media in a no-win situation before his press conference:

It really is remarkable that at this point they call a press conference after everything that happened--namely the lies--and hope to get nothing but fawning softballs.

They should be grateful anyone shows to hear a former world No. 1 plug a tournament he may or may not finish.

Update on 2011-05-24 15:23 by Geoff

**And one more attempt at humor that speaks volumes about Tiger really needing professional help to work out his anger toward the media.

“I’ve noticed more and more people I used to count on for 36 holes saying, ‘Uh, I don’t think I’ll play another 18."

Far be it for me to question Mike Keiser's business acumen, but I'm still trying to wrap my head around the concept of a $100, 13-hole par-3 course to compliment the full-length courses at Bandon Dunes. Thanks to reader Bob for Mike Stahlberg's story about the latest Coore-Crenshaw-The Boys addition to the resort

Featuring holes ranging from 65 to 180 yards in length, Bandon Preserve sits atop a swath of sand dunes that tumble toward the Pacific just west of the first tee at Bandon Trails.

The site is bounded by the beach on the west, Cut Creek on the north and McKee Preserve on the south.

The land affords some spectacular ocean views and contains “a lot of great golf terrain,” Keiser said.

That inviting terrain is the second reason, Keiser said, that he decided to build a par-3 for those “aging Boomers to have a golf experience in the afternoon.”

The Preserve course has already been roughed out and shaped.

After irrigation and drainage systems are installed, the goal is to have it seeded by June.
Public play is expected to begin in mid-2012.

“Now that we see how good it will be — because I think it’ll really be super, and much more popular than I ever thought — we’re going to charge a lot and give profits to the south coast conservation effort,” Keiser said.

“We think we’ll charge $100.”