Vietnam Clamping Down On Golfing Government Officials
/Thanks to reader Chris for Ben Bland's story on the transport minister cracking down on government officials enjoying their golf a little too much during a down economy.
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When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
As The USGA Turns: Executive Committee Shuffle 2011 Edition
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Glen Nager will be the next USGA president, four newbies come on to the Committee and four, including current President Jim Hyler, are retired. The outgoing: Brigid Shanley Lamb (4 years), Christopher A. Liedel (three years) and golf architect Steve Smyers (six years).Peter Thomson Can't Believe Prez Cuppers Are Passing Up Royal Melbourne A Week Early To Cash Appearance Fee Checks
/Robert Grant interviews the Australian golfing legend, who concurs with Captain Norman that Tiger Woods was not a great selection. He also wonders why players will not be arriving earlier to practice for the matches.
Read MorePGA Tour Announces 2011 Schedule For 2012
/The 2012 list includes a Monday finish at Kapalua, flipping of the Dallas swing events, a July 4th weekend date for the Greenbrier and a delayed finish to the Fall Finish to work around the new Asia event.
Oh and this organic quote from Commissioner Pizzazz:
"The 2012 schedule again demonstrates the strength of our sport with a very strong collection of tournaments, venues and sponsors that provide outstanding playing opportunities for our members and attractive viewing options for our fans," PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem said. "The FedExCup and the PGA TOUR Playoffs continue to generate interest and excitement through September, with the Fall Series focusing on the drama of players fighting for their playing privileges."
I know status quo is comforting for a lot of folks and sponsor retention in this economy is a minor miracle, but shouldn't there be more twists along the lines of the Monday finish for Kapalua? Something to prevent us from going all Harry Belafonte on this schedule?
Update on 2011-10-20 02:17 by Geoff
**Sean Martin explains why the Disney event was moved back, adding a lot of time for players on the cusp of retaining their card even more time to think about what could go wrong.
PGA Tour Matchups: IMG Trounces PGA Tour
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Doug Ferguson reports that in the matchup of Asian golf tournaments, the IMG has eliminated the PGA Tour 8&7. That's because next week the PGA Tour has the Asia Pacific Classic in Malaysia, with a $6 million purse and Brandt Snedeker
Shock: Jack Tinkering With Muirfield Village…Again
/Dave Shedloski reports on Jack Nicklaus' annual Muirfield Village budget-busting construction project. This time he's going after the range in time for the Presidents Cup and taking shots at the governing bodies, as if they were awake and caring!
Read MoreHalloween Costume Options For the Developmentally Arrested Golfer
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I have to admit, the Carl Spackler option presented by Yahoo's Jeanne Rose would be tempting...if I was 13 again.Towel Stockpiling Aside, Tiger & Joey Getting On Swimmingly
/Doug Ferguson's notes column from this week includes an item on Tiger Woods and Joe LaCava's first week only featuring one hiccup:
Read MorePrez Hopeful Cain Now Claims Tiger-For-President Column Was A Joke
/Tip of the cap to Emily Kay for linking new Republican presidential frontrunner Herman Cain's 2006 column touting Tiger as an ideal presidential candidate in 2016, a column Cain now claims was a joke according to the Daily Caller.
Read MoreCouples Raises Norman: "I can sit here and say Robert Allenby hasn't won a tournament in 10 years.''
/In an unbylined Herald Sun story, Presidents Cup captain Fred Couples is quoted responding to Greg Norman's multiple comments about the Tiger Woods captain's selection.
"I have no problem with Greg. He can say whatever he wants, but I'm not really into that. I play golf with my clubs,'' Couples said.
"Robert Allenby is his (captain's) pick, and Aaron Baddeley, and they're Australians and I think they're great picks.
"But I think I can sit here and say Robert Allenby hasn't won a tournament in 10 years.''
Cat fight!
Allenby's last US PGA Tour win was 10 years ago in the Pennsylvania Classic, although he has seven wins elsewhere since then, including Australian's Triple Crown - the Masters, PGA and Open - in 2005.
"The truth is, Tiger Woods is the greatest or the second-greatest player to ever play, and he's going to be down in Australia, and I hope he plays up to his capabilities,'' Couples said.
"But I think Tiger is used to getting picked on, and it's irrelevant to me.''
Well, not entirely irrelevant.
Uh Oh: Belly Putter "Coolness" Factor Approaching!
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E. Michael Johnson reports that orders are way up for belly putters and even more disturbing for the people who should have banned the act of bracing a putter against your body but were too afraid to act, acceptance is now trending toward coolness!
Olympic Design "Contest" Announced...
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...the word contest probably an unfortunate choice in that it cheapens things a bit, but I'll let you decide after reading the announcement. This is essentially as was reported in Golf World recently, again, without the "contest" word mentioned and sadly, it appears not period for the public to see the finalist entries.Lewis Wins: "And don’t be shocked if a player from the unpaid ranks wins the game’s oldest major in the near future."
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Alistair Tait uses the occasion of Tom Lewis first professional win (already!) in the Portugal Masters to make an interesting prediction about the Open Championship and amateur golfers:
