November 08, 2012

"There might be some deeper lessons for golf from the 2012 elections than simply who won the White House and Capitol Hill."

November 08, 2012/ Geoff Shackelford

Reading the player reaction to the elections prompted Bradley Klein to ask the golf community to have a more open mind moving forward as the sport faces huge question marks in the future.

November 08, 2012

Changing Rio's Environmental Laws For Golf

November 08, 2012/ Geoff Shackelford

Unlike the AP coverage that has focused on a developer's claim to the Olympic golf course land and his

November 08, 2012

"Lord Moynihan wants Royal and Ancient to accept women members"

November 08, 2012/ Geoff Shackelford

The outgoing British Olympic Association chairman has called on the Royal and Ancient Golf Club to open up its membership to women, making the remarks on BBC Radio 5 to Eleanor Oldroyd. (Thanks to reader Chris for this.)

November 08, 2012

Fun And Stress At Disney

November 08, 2012/ Geoff Shackelford

Doug Ferguson on the strange dichotomy that is Thursday's Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic at Disney, where players come for a vacation or, to play for their livelihood.

November 07, 2012

Monty's Gut Tells Him To Start Anchoring A Putter Even Though He Wants The Act Banned

November 07, 2012/ Geoff Shackelford

Bernie McGuire reporting from Singapore, where Colin Montgomerie is hoping to feed off the presence of the world No. 1 the way he thinks people "fed off me when I was No.2 in the world."

November 07, 2012

Yale GC: A Short History

November 07, 2012/ Geoff Shackelford

Alex Eppler in the Yale Daily News files a nice story on the history of CB Macdonald's splendid but long-neglected Yale Golf Club design, which is seeing a maintenance resurgence verified by the awarding of a 2015 NCAA regional.

November 07, 2012

Second PGA Tour Tweeter Goes Missing After Calling The President Less Than Flattering Names

November 07, 2012/ Geoff Shackelford

Pat Perez, he of the

November 07, 2012

2016 Presidential Hopefuls: Hit The Links!

November 07, 2012/ Geoff Shackelford

Emily Kay does a nice job examining the most stunning Presidential electoral trend of all...pols who play golf in some form, at some point and in some way, stand a better chance of moving into the White House. (Thanks reader Todd.)

    •   1980: Ronald Reagan (golfer) defeats Jimmy Carter (non-golfer)
   •   1984: Ronald Reagan defeats Walter Mondale (non-golfer)
   •   1988: George H.W. Bush (golfer) defeats Michael Dukakis (non-golfer)
   •   1992: Bill Clinton (golfer) defeats George H.W. Bush
   •   1996: Bill Clinton defeats Bob Dole (non-golfer)
   •   2000: George W. Bush (golfer) defeats Al Gore (non-golfer)
   •   2004: George W. Bush defeats John Kerry (non-golfer)
   •   2008: Barack Obama (golfer) defeats John McCain (non-golfer)
   •   2012: Barack Obama defeats Mitt Romney (the anti-golfer)

Update on 2012-11-07 21:46 by Geoff

**Following on this theme, Ron Sirak makes the case that golf can bridge political differences.

No matter where you stand on the political scale -- the left side, the right, or somewhere in between -- the nation now, with so many challenges ahead, needs to find a balance. I'm not smart enough to know where the balance resides, but I am willing to trust that both the Democrats and Republican have people smart enough and noble enough to find it.

Golf gives us a perfect road map to follow. Presidents Eisenhower and Ford were both passionate golfers and they were both Republicans. Presidents Clinton and Obama, both Democrats, share that passion.

November 07, 2012

Report: Bevacqua To Be Next Overpaid PGA Of America CEO

November 07, 2012/ Geoff Shackelford

Adam Schupak with the exclusive that

November 07, 2012

Phil: "I don’t think you can take away what you’ve allowed players to use, practise and play with for 30 years."

November 07, 2012/ Geoff Shackelford

An AFP report quotes Phil Mickelson saying a ban on anchoring would be "grossly unfair.”

“It’s not an issue that I’m involved with, I understand both sides. It’s just that I don’t think you can take away what you’ve allowed players to use, practise and play with for 30 years. I think it is grossly unfair,” he said.

You may recall that Mickelson briefly toyed with the belly putter at the 2011 Deutsche Bank Championship.

November 07, 2012

"Greens are not changed because people are putting with a long putter."

November 07, 2012/ Geoff Shackelford

I know a lot of you do not think the anchoring and distance issues should be lumped in together by players like Adam Scott and Webb Simpson. But in the context of the USGA's concern for the health of the game, Scott did raise a fair point when it comes to the urgency of the anchoring ban compared to a more pressing issue for the long term well-being of golf.