Video: Golf Ball Sized Hail…On A Golf Course

As seen on the GCSAA Twitter account, a hail storm at de Cordova Bend CC in Granbury, Texas. The Saturday, May 18, 2013 storm was shot by GCSAA field staff rep Brian Cloud.

Bill Geist Video: "Mini golf course designers? Who knew?"

Bill Geist's Sunday Morning segment featured a wonderful visit to the Jersey Shore to meet mini-golf architect Glenn Lynn. He is resurrecting Hurricane Sandy victim Barnacle Bill's miniature golf course, a community centerpiece.



The show also featured a segment on Thomas Burke's birdhouses, one of which is the Augusta National Clubhouse.

Video: New Definition Of Taking Relief

Nicolas Colsaerts is in deep doodoo, the game has gone down the toilet and, well, the list goes on and on.

Thanks to reader Ruediger for the link to this video from the Volvo World Match Play showing Colsaerts taking relief from a 10th hole restroom. (Graeme McDowell won the match play over Thongchai Jaidee Sunday.)

Must See Video: "Amazingly Professional Office Golf Putt"

The YouTube description says this is Logan Fondren, "custom club manager at Callaway Golf taking some time at the Callaway office to attempt a putt that looked just about impossible."

The description says this happened on the eighth take.

Remembering The Life & Times Of Ken Venturi

Ron Kroichick's obituary for Ken Venturi's hometown San Francisco Chronicle.

Doug Ferguson with the Associated Press obituary.

John Strege for GolfDigest.com.

Adam Schupak for Golfweek.com.

Bob Harig for ESPN.com.

Richard Goldstein files the New York Times obituary.

Jaime Diaz's column on Venturi's golfing genius prior to the Venturi WGHOF induction.

His Golf Digest My Shot.

From reader Gene, Michael Bamberger's SI story on Venturi's farewell to broadcasting.

Venturi's World Golf Hall of Fame page.

A PGA Tour video with Venturi's induction video from the WGHOF ceremony.

A USGA film of Venturi returning to Congressional to discuss his U.S. Open win.



Venturi on Feherty, the entire episode:

Update on 2013-05-19 18:18 by Geoff

**Golf Channel calls an audible and will re-broadcast Feherty's episode with Venturi on Monday, May 20th.

ORLANDO, Fla., May 19, 2013 – Monday at 10 p.m. ET, Golf Channel will air a special encore presentation of FEHERTY with Ken Venturi, the 2013 World Golf Hall-of-Fame Inductee who passed away Friday at the age of 82.  Monday’s episode (which premiered in April, 2012) features Feherty traveling to Los Angeles for a stroll down memory lane with Venturi.  Their engaging conversation covers the gamut of Venturi’s seven decades in golf that began in 1941, including friendships with golf legends Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan, becoming America’s finest amateur in the mid-1950s, freak injuries that led to his retirement; and how, despite dealing with an incurable stutter, destiny led him to be a commentator and analyst for CBS Sports.
 
Programming Note: Monday’s originally scheduled new episode of FEHERTY with LPGA professional Stacy Lewis will now premiere July 1 at 10 p.m. ET.

Rory Making Another Agent Change?

Karl MacGinty breaks the surprising news that even fresh off signing huge endorsement deals with Nike, Bose and Omega, Rory McIlroy wants out of his deal with Horizon Sports. Horizon had taken over for Chubby Chandler's ISM at the end of 2011 after McIlroy fired the agent in an airport lounge.

From MacGinty's Irish Independent story:

McIlroy's father Gerry is expected to play a prominent role in the new operation. Just over 18 months ago, McIlroy, one of world sport's hottest properties, stunned golf by quitting the giant International Sports Management, run by Chubby Chandler, and joining Horizon, a Dublin firm with global ambitions.

Brian Keogh analyzes what apparently has been rumored for weeks and suggests that McIlroy has become more isolated in recent months.

What is clear is that McIlroy has always been regarded as headstrong by those who have worked closely with him since he burst on the scene in 2007.

As Ridge told The New York Times’s Karen Krouse earlier this year, in a piece headlined “The Branding of Rory McIlroy”, “he’s the boss.”

McIlroy’s comments in the media have generated plenty of controversy and his stance on who he might represent in the 2016 Olympic Games has arguably reduced his fanbase in the Republic of Ireland.

Close friends contacted by me recently confirmed that they have not been in touch with McIlroy for weeks, “unfortunately”, said one.

Cal Men Set School Record With 23-Under Day

This is just getting silly with Cal's men's team, winners of 10 of 12 2013 events.

Now they've opened up the NCAA Men's regionals by firing a school record 23-under day in Pullman with two rounds to go.

Sean Martin reports.

Cal's round set the school record for lowest 18-hole team score and lowest team round in relation to par. "Any time you set a school record, it feels pretty good," head coach Steve Desimone said. "I guess it should be no surprise it was this team that did it."

Rocco On Tiger Signing His Photo: "That's just the way he conducts things. That's not him."

I finally got around to watching Rocco Mediate's appearance on Feherty and it was as much fun as you'd expect when you put two maniacs in a room in front of cameras.

Thankfully this clip of Mediate talking about asking Tiger to personalize a photo and pin sheet was posted online.

There's also a seven-minute outtake online where Rocco talks about the state of the game, the First Tee (genius but "where do they go"?), growing up on muni's and the worst rule in golf.