FM Salmond Sending Junior Minister To Open Championship In Non-Protest Protest

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The Telegraph's Simon Johnson with the devastating news that The Open Championship will not be visited by Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond in a non-protest of the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers' membership policies.

This is awkward...

Asked whether it was right Muirfield was hosting the Open, he said: “The R&A should have had a good think about this and perhaps politely, behind the scenes, suggested to Muirfield the public profile of being a single-sex club would be difficult.

“I don’t think it helps the game to have the suggestion of a bias against women and the greatest tournament on this planet played on arguably the greatest links golf course should have this impression that ladies, women should be second-class citizens.”

Pssssst...First Minister, the R&A can't ask that because their sister club...err...crazy uncle known as the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews has the same policy!

Oh Joy: Muirfield Rough Said To Be Ridiculous, Knee-High

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Sean Martin on comments Ernie Els made to Rory McIlroy after seeing Muirfield's "ridiculous" rough recently.

“He said it was like waist-high,” McIlroy said from this week’s Irish Open. It remains to be seen if the rough will be that penal come championship week.

Pretty much the same as last year when I was there (photo below). Hopefully we'll still get to see the ancient wall bordering the property! #Bringbacktherabbitsandsheep

State Of The Game Podcast 23: Mathew Goggin & Merion

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Mathew Goggin joined the gang to talk about all things Merion after his fine showing (T21) in this year's U.S. Open. Besides talking about how the setup and logistics worked form a player's point of view, we also learned about Goggin's day with Tom Watson in the final round of the 2009 Open Championship, a subsequent round the two played and the golf course project he's developing in Tasmania.

As usual, you can download the show or listen through iTunes, or in the player below.

GMac: Castle Stuart Too Easy, Too One-Dimensional

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Shocking statements from the normally learned Graeme McDowell in justifying why he's skipping the prestigious Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Castle Stuart for the second year in a row.

Jim Black reports:

McDowell, speaking on the eve of the Irish Open at Carton House near Dublin, said: “The Scottish Open has lost its identity and its prestige. Castle Stuart probably has not been a strong enough golf course.

“Let’s see them get the Scottish Open on a phenomenal links golf course with a great purse and get a world-class field back.

“We need to be capitalising a little harder on the week before and after the Open.

“I feel bad singling out the Scottish Open, because I used to love it at Loch Lomond. It was a phenomenal tournament. Taking it to Castle Stuart was designed to get it on a links course the week before The Open and it’s a beautiful venue — but it is probably a little too wide open off the tee and a little one-dimensional.

“But Royal Aberdeen next year is a venue which attracts me. I’ve heard great things about it and it could re-light the event.”

McDowell finished T42 in his lone appearance at the too easy Castle Stuart, the year freak rains softened the course and reduced the tournament to 54-holes.

Phil Mickelson is returning for a third year to the Scottish Open and NBC is providing network coverage in the United States, a first for a European Tour event.

And needless to say, I didn't find the course one-dimensional last year when watching some of the best shotmaking and most interesting play I'd seen in a long time. Some photos from Saturday and Sunday.

Unfortunately, Royal Aberdeen is excessively narrow to offset modern distance and will be a bit too one-dimensional if not widened out. Oh wait, wide is bad GMac! I forgot.

Deadspin: "Country clubs are weeeeeird."

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Deadspin's Tom Ley reports the finding of the Chester Valley Country Club's board on denim in the dining room, an investigation of sorts going on out at undoubtedly many clubs across the land struggling to appeal to a younger demographic.

But to those who haven't seen the club world at work, it does sound rather, well, weeeeeird.

More Frank Stranahan Remembrances

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The late golfing great passed away on June 23rd and we're now seeing some reports on his remarkable life in the game.

From an unbylined AP story: 

''He was my old buddy,'' Palmer said Tuesday from his office in Latrobe, Pa. ''We were pretty close for a lot of years. He always thought I would be one of his guys and do the muscle thing and all that. And of course, we played against each other a lot. He was a great guy, a good friend. He played some very good golf.''

And John Boyette takes the Augusta angle to Stranahan's life, which included a near Masters win and a brouhaha with Clifford Roberts. 

At the 1947 Masters, Stranahan closed with 68 to finish two shots behind winner Jimmy Demaret. No amateur has ever won the Masters, although Charlie Coe, Ken Venturi and Billy Joe Patton all had close calls.

The following year, Stranahan crossed paths with Roberts, Augusta National Golf Club’s stern chairman. The dustup involved a rule about playing a second ball to greens during practice rounds.

While he was still playing the second nine, Stranahan was asked to leave the course and that his invitation had been withdrawn.

Stranahan’s protests fell on deaf ears, and Roberts’ decision was final.

“So I bought a ticket, and I stayed there,” Stranahan said in a 1998 interview with Sports Illustrated.

Green Jr. On Pinehurst's Latest Big Changes

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Ron Green Jr. got a look at the latest tinkering to Pinehurst in advance of next year's U.S. Open and likes what he saw of what figures to be a fascinating change of the 4th into a par-4, and the famous 5th into a par-5 as Donald Ross once envisioned.

Thanks to read DTF for this:

The fourth hole will have more right to left movement from the new tee, located between the right side of the sixth tee and the back of the third green. Bunkers left and right frame a fairway that cants noticeably from left to right. The putting surface is among the most receptive on the course known for its turtleback greens complexes.

The view from the new fifth tee is striking. Set back where the old World Golf Hall of Fame was located years ago, it’s raised enough to afford a view to the green. It also brings back into play a cross bunker approximately 300 yards from the tee.

Most players will lay up with their second shots and face a difficult approach to one of the most dangerous greens on the course protected by a deep bunker and a new waste area on the left.

“I put Curtis (Strange) on this (fifth) tee and he said this is enough to sell me right here,” Padgett said. “This arguably could be the best tee shot on this course."

Rory Apologizes For Merion Club Bender, Which Means It's Worth Another Look!

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I didn't post this one at the time because it was just too soon, but now getting to watch Rory McIlroy bend an iron after dumping a second shot into Cobb's Creek serves as a reminder to all of the young people out there that it is a very special talent to break a club and look good doing it. One of the few talents lacking from Mr. McIlroy's repertoire.

From Supersport: 

 "I just got frustrated and definitely it was not the right thing to do," he said.

"I would not recommend anyone or anyone watching on TV or any kids to start throwing or bending their 9-irons.

"But the 9-iron is intact and I've got a new shaft this week and it's ready to go."

Kids, this is for you...

PGA Of America Letting PGA Tour Take The Anchoring Ban Reins

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Mike Stachura reports that after all that huffing and puffing about the anchoring ban, the PGA of America will be leaning on the PGA Tour to determine its future stance on the anchored putting ban.

"As we have seen over the past few months, the Rules of Golf can affect recreational golf in addition to play at the elite level. The PGA of America will continue to confer with the PGA Tour on the subject of Rule 14-1b, and The PGA of America will reserve any public comments on this matter until after the PGA Tour Policy Board meets on July 1."

The decision to let the PGA Tour dictate things was made at Sunriver, Oregon during the PGA Club Pro which ended with a dramatic playoff shot when Rob Labritz, Director of Golf at GlenArbor Golf Club in Bedford, N.Y., holed his third on the par-4 11th at Sunriver Resort (Ore.) to capture the 20th spot.

Thanks to Alex Myers for catching this.

The video:

Martin: "I went to the Supreme Court, and I know what my rights are."

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The USA Today's Jeffrey Martin files a follow up to the Casey Martin story out of Oceanside and while it sounds like everyone was following the letter of the (USGA) laws, common sense went out the window as it did the first time around in Martin's attempts to use a cart.

Only this time, he's a mere spectator on a course where rules officials were no doubt driving all over the place as they are prone to do!

Martin, 41, pleaded with Pawlak, also assistant director of rules, competition and course rating for the Southern California Golf Association.

"I said, 'Man, I went to the Supreme Court, and I know what my rights are. Do they know my story?'" Martin said. "And he said, 'Yes, they know.'

"I said, 'Let me ride this.' He apologized but said he couldn't. I said, 'I know I can use this cart, but if not, can you or someone take me around?' He said, 'We can take you to a point on the course and drop you. We can't cart you around.'"

The SCGA also issued a statement, distancing themselves from the USGA policy they were charged to enforce as hosts of the qualifier:

"We are sorry for the confusion caused by our misunderstanding of how to apply the USGA's policy," the statement read. "We alerted Mr. Martin as soon as we were notified by the USGA that we were not properly enforcing their policy. We then attempted to accommodate Mr. Martin in every way available within the guidelines of the USGA policy, but he declined assistance."

Again, I ask...if they did not have "scooters" available for him to use, doesn't common sense say you provide the next best option, a cart, so that he can do his job?

Having seen Martin in action in a cart at both U.S. Opens he played ('98, '12) and also at the recent Pac-12 Championship, he's far from taking advantage of the privilege of getting a cart and I don't know a coach or player on the planet that begrudges him for using one. And using a cart he certainly shows better respect for sensitive turfgrass than many of the rules officials who abuse the privilege!