Calamity Jane, Dwight Eisenhower And Alister MacKenzie Walk Into A Restaurant...

/

...and each find something named after them!

According to this Gary Van Sickle report quoting SI's anonymous witness "Bob" to Berckman's Place at the Masters, the new $6000 per-ticket "ultimate VIP" option features food areas named after iconic figures in Bobby Jones and Augusta lore.

The facility features three main restaurants -- Calamity Jane’s, Ike’s place and Mackenzie’s. Bob estimates that each room can seat up to 400, plus another hundred or two on their outdoor patios.

Bob, who got his BP badge from a well-connected friend, says he was attending his 12th consecutive Masters, and his favorite part is to walk the course and watch golf.

“I had no intention of staying there more than 10 minutes,” Bob says. “I got there at 8:30 and stayed through lunch. I had to walk through it again on my way out, just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.”

Each restaurant has a bar area big enough to seat at least 50, Bob estimates. He dived in at Calamity Jane’s oyster bar. Mackenzie’s, in honor of its Scottish namesake and Augusta National course designer Alistair Mackenzie, has 25 types of single-malt Scotch whiskey.

Rory: You're Playing For Ireland Whether You Like It Or Not!

/

Derek Lawrenson on the obscure IOC regulation that will absolve Rory McIlroy of the tricky decision of which country to play for in the Rio 2016 Olympics, assuming he qualifies.

R&A Chief Peter Dawson revealed the option...or lack of option Tuesday:

‘It’s quite ambiguous but there is a rule that says where a player has represented a nation at world championship level, it carries with them,’ he said. McIlroy played for Ireland at the World Cup, a world golf championship event. ‘We would very much like to take this burden of choice away from him if we can, because it is not fair on him,’ added Dawson.

Tiger Skipping Quail Hollow & Its Troubled Greens

/

Doug Ferguson surmises that Tiger's decision not to play the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow is a product of its week-closer-to-Augusta date.

However, photos making the rounds show troubled putting surfaces on a few holes recently rebuilt (again) by the Fazio family re-doing their previous work. And knowing Tiger's history of avoiding potentially suspect greens out of fear of messing up his stroke, it's not a surprise he is passing.

Alex Miceli has the lowdown on the Quail Hollow greens situation, which includes Tour player and member Johnson Wagner blaming the PGA Tour's agronomy staff of making things worse.

Wagner played at Quail Hollow two weeks ago during the Masters and putted on temporary greens at Nos. 8 and 10. Upon seeing the greens Monday, he said it was clear that the putting surfaces would be bumpier then usual, but the eighth and 10th greens were in trouble.

Wagner blamed the problems at No. 10 on extensive top-dressing by the Tour's agronomy staff, which oversees conditions at host courses in advance of tournaments. “It went from a perfectly sodded green three weeks ago, which I thought was unbelievable, to being dead,” Wagner said.

Pazder vehemently disagreed as to why the 10th green needed to be re-sodded. “There were a number of factors involved which contributed to the decline in the conditions of the 10th green,” said Pazder, without elaborating, "but over-top-dressing was not one of them.”

Golf Channel Anywhere, Any Device...Almost

/

As with ESPN, HBOGO and other entertainment apps, Golf Channel is announcing today expanded coverage via its app that allows for viewing of live coverage and original programming. All you need is a cable subscription or a friend's subscription or a cable company other than mine to access Golf Channel almost anywhere via smart phones or tablets.

For Immediate Release...

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 23, 2013) – Golf Live Extra, will begin live streaming Golf Channel 24/7 via “TV Everywhere” beginning Wednesday, April 24. Golf Live Extra, which is available via Golf Channel’s digital platforms on desktop, mobile and tablets, as well as on most digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, telco and other video subscription services, will stream Golf Channel around the clock, including the network’s coverage of tournaments, news, instruction and original programming.
 
“Golf Channel’s mission to connect the world to golf will be enhanced by Golf Live Extra making the same high-quality network available to golfers anywhere, anytime and on any device,” said Mike McCarley, President of Golf Channel and NBC Golf Media. “Golf Live Extra will satisfy golfers’ desire to watch Golf Channel on the best screen available, whether that is on their laptop on a business trip, a tablet on the driving range or a phone on their lunch break.”
 
Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Comcast Xfinity TV, DISH, Mediacom, Suddenlink and Verizon FiOS are the first providers to offer this new service to their customers. It is anticipated that other subscription services will be added shortly. The vast majority of content on Golf Live Extra will be streamed only via “TV Everywhere” and made available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of Golf Channel’s distribution partners’ services.
 
Golf Channel, which logged the network’s most-watched year ever in 2012 and is off to its fastest start ever in 2013, provides viewers with high-quality content including:

· Tournament coverage from all the major tours including the PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour, European Tour and Champions Tour. Golf Channel has been streaming golf competition on the PGA TOUR since January 2013, via “TV Everywhere” on Golf Live Extra.

· News and analysis programming including Morning Drive, Golf Central, Live From and Grey Goose 19th Hole.

· Instructional series including Playing Lessons, School of Golf, The Golf Fix, and Golf Channel Academy.

· Original productions including Feherty, The Haney Project: Michael Phelps, Big Break and In Play with Jimmy Roberts.
 
“Golf Channel’s digital platforms have experienced tremendous growth since joining the NBC Sports Group in 2011 and Golf Live Extra furthers our mission to provide viewers the best golf content available, no matter where they are,” said Rick Cordella, SVP & GM, Digital Media, NBC Sports Group. “Live streaming of Golf Channel via Golf Live Extra offers another high-quality user experience that complements all of our other platforms, whether you want to follow the professional tours, get tips on how to improve your game, or get a unique perspective from the top personalities in golf.”
 
Golf Live Extra rounds out Golf Channel’s digital portfolio, which ranked #1 among all digital properties dedicated to golf in unique visitors in February and March according to comScore. Golf Channel’s digital portfolio currently includes:

· GolfChannel.com & Golf Channel Mobile: A leading resource for online coverage of golf, GolfChannel.com and Golf Channel Mobile logged their best quarter ever this past first quarter 2013, pulling in record numbers across all key metrics including visits and video starts.

· Golf Channel Academy App: The network’s mobile instructional application, which features Golf Channel’s extensive library of instructional videos and the ability to tap into the expertise of certified SwingFix instructors, anywhere, anytime on their mobile devices.

I can listen to Michael Breed yell anywhere, anytime! Hallelujah!

· GolfNow.com & GolfNow Mobile App: The largest and most comprehensive online tee time reservation service, GolfNow offers golfers more ways to stay connected to their favorite courses and tee times through the web, e-mail and iPhone and Android mobile apps.

· Golf Live Extra: Golf Channel’s live streaming product for desktop, mobile and tablets, Golf Live Extra provides live streaming of the linear TV network to authenticated subscribers.

Vijay Survives Last Friday's Idea News Dump; More Fridays Loom

/

A cynical friend pointed out--because I know nothing about cynicism--that last Friday was the ideal opportunity for a PGA Tour news dump on expected (or is it anticipated?) disciplinary action in the Vijay Singh deer antler case. What with the post Masters buzz, bombing coverage and other distractions, what better time to bury news of a Hall of Famer's situation?

Well there's always this Friday, as Jason Sobel asked PGA Tour SVP Ty Votaw for the latest news on Singh's case.

When asked Monday about whether a decision has been reached regarding Singh’s situation, Tour executive vice president of communications Ty Votaw simply said, “No.” When asked if there was a timeframe for such a decision, he similarly responded in the negative.

Should We Be Rushing 14-Year-Old's To The Big Stage?

/

At the suggestion it was a bit much to be putting a 14-year-old on a stage like the Masters, yours truly has been met with shock for not being on board with golf joining the youth obsession that has never served anyone well, particularly athletes.

Thankfully, in this weekend's WSJ column, John Paul Newport looks at Tianlang Guan (playing this week in New Orleans) and quietly suggests that success at 14 is not a guarantee of success.

The road from success at 14 years old to adult stardom is long and disjointed. "Golf is so different from other sports because careers are so long," said Pia Nilsson, who has coached Annika Sorenstam, Suzann Pettersen and Ai Miyazato, among others. "Very often the boys and girls who are good at an early age are not the ones who are good later on."

In sports like gymnastics, diving and ice skating, motivated youngsters with an extensive coaching and support system peak in their teens. Then they're done. But before golf prodigies reach their prime, at the earliest in their 20s and more often in their 30s, a lot of life intervenes.

"Of course, you can learn to get very good at a young age. We see that more and more, especially in Asia, where very young boys and girls are practicing harder and harder," Nilsson said. "But being the best golfer you can possibly be requires long-term thinking and an understanding that we are human beings and we have to grow up."

Zach & Dustin WD From Korea Event Due To "Perceived Unrest"

/

I suspect Zach Johnson and Dustin Johnson have read a few too many New York Times stories and decided the perceived unrest was too much, even with an appearance fee at stake for this week's lightly anticipated Ballantine's Championship in South Korea.

A statement from Ballantine's confirmed the WD's and the unusual reason given:

Ballantine’s is disappointed to announce that Dustin Johnson and Zach Johnson have informed us they will no longer be attending the Ballantine’s Championship. They have reached this decision following perceived unrest on the Korean Peninsula and can no longer assure their commitment to this year’s event.

Ballantine’s can, however, confirm a list of world-class players attending the Ballantine’s Championship, including Louis Oosthuizen, YE Yang, Bae Sang Moon, Paul Lawrie, Thomas Björn, Thongchai Jaidee, Marcus Fraser and Paul Casey.

Ballantine’s and event organisers, The European Tour, would like to reiterate that the tournament is going ahead as planned with a full field of European, Asian and Korean PGA Tour members. Ballantine’s has been kept fully up to date on relevant issues and The European Tour has also been liaising with key decision makers, including the Foreign Office, who have not warned of any increased risk to those travelling to or within the country.

We are looking forward to hosting a number of the world’s leading players and some of Korea’s best golfing talent at the Ballantine’s Championship later this week.