Verdict Is In On Lexi's Prom Date Stunt: "That her parents or her agent didn't anticipate the backlash here is unfortunate"

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Bob Carney with a nice round-up of the mixed-to-negative reaction from commenters at this site and the very negative replies on Twitter to Lexi Thompson's Facebook plea for an older military man to take to her prom. Kind of makes Steiny's latest attempt to wrap his head around social media look charming.

Lexi Thompson is 17. Seventeen-year-olds, even 17-year-old professional golfers with professional handlers, do sweet, naive things. They aren't nearly as clever or calculating as we give them credit for -- or as we are. That her parents or her agent didn't anticipate the backlash here is unfortunate, but it offers us all a lesson.

Patriotism is in season right now. On the campaign trail. On TV. On tour. It is so in-season, in fact, that corporations are "cause marketing" the military. What brand can seem most grateful for our soldiers -- and in the process collect a bit of gratitude for itself. Maybe Lexi reminds us that patriotism isn't that easy. Read the Pulitzer-Prize winning Huffington Post series by David Wood on wounded vets---read it all, as a patriotic act--and you'll see what we mean. Good for Lexi to try to draw attention to their sacrifices. And if you think her video is too calculating, make a contribution to the American Lake Veterans GC and don't tell anyone about it.

Acushnet Updates Its "Distance RIP" Ball Patent...Again

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Courtesy of ESPN Golf's Twitter account, a page of links to the latest golf ball patent requests includes the latest update to the "high performance golf ball with "reduced-distance" characteristics, a.k.a. the Distance R.I.P. ball.

Good to know they haven't given up on it!

High performance golf ball having a reduced-distance Michael J. Sullivan, Barrington, R.I. (US); and Steven Aoyama, Marion, Mass. (US) Assigned to Acushnet Company, Fairhaven, Mass. (US) Filed on Apr. 07, 2011, as Appl. No. 13/81,714.

"Trump International Golf Links Scotland is destined to become one of the most polarizing courses in all of golf."

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Darius Oliver with the first Trump International Scotland review from a trustworthy source.

The main issue with the playability of the Trump International Scotland course, is that fairways are relatively tight given the frequent high winds here and the off fairway areas are quite penal. There is no doubt that over time the maintenance crew will have to soften some of the problem areas, and likely learn to keep the marram grass in the immediate surrounds under control. What will give operators more trouble are the teeing grounds, with golfers able to choose from more than 100 different tee boxes across the property. Virtually every hole has a spectacular back tee, which is often placed high on a bordering dune and completely exposed to the elements. Hawtree has admitted that he is uncomfortable about some of these back tees, and with good reason too as players with poorer techniques are likely to find the narrow fairways even harder to hit from such elevation. The other concern with having so many tees is that the course invariably becomes longer to walk, and therefore longer to play. Even fast fourballs playing solid golf will struggle to keep rounds under four and a half hours. Busy days with high winds could be brutal here.

George O'Grady Caught In Revealing Photograph: First Time Seen Smiling...Ever?

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Now we know what makes the somber European Tour head perk up: really expensive rare hooch!

European Tour Chief Executive George O’Grady received a special a bottle of Ballantine’s 40 Year Old from Chivas Brothers Chairman and CEO Christian Porta to mark the Tour’s 40th anniversary, which was celebrated earlier this month.

The presentation of the ultra-rare blend was made in Seoul, Korea prior to the start of the fifth anniversary edition of the €2.2 million Ballantine’s Championship, which takes place at Blackstone Golf Club this week.

Only 100 bottles of the 40 year old blend, which was launched in Korea earlier this year, will be made available annually, and O’Grady was presented with one in recognition of The European Tour’s milestone anniversary.

Imagine what he'll look like when he's actually had a wee nip?