Slideshow: "Mid Pines has truly been reborn"

Bill Fields goes to Mid Pines and photographs Kyle Franz's restoration of the other significant Donald Ross course in the Pinehurst area.

An eGolf Professional Tour event was recently played there as a re-introduction of sorts for the course.

Franz took out rough in many places, replacing it with sandy areas of pine straw and wire grass -- but the transformation isn't wall-to-wall or overdone. Trees were taken out in some areas, creating attractive vistas particularly on the 16th hole and around the second, eighth and 12th tees. The bunkers have been tweaked to give them more natural, less rounded edges. MiniVerde Bermuda grass was installed on the greens, which were enlarged a bit and the interesting contours restored on some. They already roll beautifully.

Calendar-Year PGA Tour Schedule Hits; Masters Is Week 23!

Bob Harig breaks down the 2013-24 PGA Tour schedule which starts next month. I wasn't on Twitter much but judging what I read and the emails that came in, the absurdity of a year-round schedule finally hit home when the Masters turned up as event No. 23 and the prospect of a new season starting after the last one ends finally hit home.

But hey, no cent must be left on the table. Commissioner Blankfein's pay package needs to reach eight figures!

Oh and this will be fun next year when stars skip the playoffs...

• Unlike this year, the FedEx Cup playoffs will be contested over four consecutive weeks, with no break. That is in deference to the Ryder Cup, which will be played in Scotland. The PGA of America requested from the PGA Tour a week break prior to the biennial competition, meaning the Tour Championship in Atlanta will be contested Sept. 11-14, 2014. The Ryder Cup is two weeks later.

Flashback: Three Regrets From The 1922 Walker Cup

Golf Illustrated's R.E. Porter wrote a fantastic (and upbeat) account of the 1922 Walker Cup at The National Golf Links of America.

But he did have "three regrets" worth noting for a variety of reasons, but especially considering the amazing flag-raising ceremony.

First, the fact that the British captain, Robert Harris, was forced to forego the pleasure of playing as a member of the team owing to a sudden illness, although Bernard Darwin stepped manfully into the breach. Second, that the National Golf Links are so far from a metropolitan centre and that no provisions were made for the comfort or convenience of the vast golfing public that was undoubtedly interested. Some of those who had charge of the matches were perhaps unconsciously selfish or absent-minded in making the arrangements, and that brings me to the third regret, that there was no British flag flying from any flagstaff in courtesy to the visitors. It was a curious oversight in comparison to the flying of the Union Jack at the Engineers Club during the visit of the Canadian team and at Brookline during the National Amateur and to the flying of the Stars and Stripes at Hoylake last year when the American team visited the British Isles. Someone blundered, but who and why?

It was strange how once again, in 2013, the flags of the countries involved disappeared during the competition, especially since The National Golf Links has one of the great flag poles in the world. And flying the USA, GB and Irish flags might have caused an enebriated boater to think he'd come upon the Irish coast, it would have been worth the risk to raise the flags above The National.

Should The Walker Cup Be Played Over Three Days?

Ryan Lavner explores a great topic which is likely not going to go anywhere because the organizations involved are so conservative, but it's still worth kicking around if you care about the Walker Cup competition.

Three days instead of two?

“The event is so big now,” said Alabama’s Cory Whitsett, “that it almost owes it to itself.”

Unlike the Ryder Cup and Curtis Cup, the Walker Cup has never been played over three days. The format has changed over the years, however, and it currently calls for two days of double sessions: foursomes then singles.

That’s a lot of high-stakes golf to cram into two days, and it leaves little time for the suspense to build, particularly before Sunday singles. With the U.S. leading 10-6 heading into the final session Sunday, the Americans had less than an hour to eat lunch and practice before heading right back onto the course. Some drama.

“It took a long time to get to the matches,” Cal’s Michael Kim said, “but once it was here, it seems like it just went by real quick.”

While I never thing we need to add more days or prolong events in our sport that is already oversaturated, the pacing of the Presidents Cup should be noted in this discussion. It's just a better feel for everyone involved to play that one over four days instead of three (like the Ryder Cup). The same would happen with the Walker Cup if they opened with a flag raising ceremony, played foursomes. Then played singles Sunday (with all twenty players please) followed by the 36-hole day of foursomes and singles on Sunday.

Since the USGA appears committed to taking this event to really special courses, selfishly two days is not enough to give the public a chance to eavesdrop on gems like National or LACC. A third day would not change the equation for the club except perhaps in making Thursday another day of shuttling spectators and manning concession stands.

But if golf is the most important thing, a third day allows the players a better chance to perform and gives the event a better chance of being seen both in person and on television.

Golf Channel Producer Loses Gigs Over Tell-All Book

Martin Kaufman reports that Golf Channel removed longtime producer Keith Hirshland from his assignment to produce the 2013 Walker Cup telecast after the release of his self-published memoir. The move took place two weeks ago and also covers upcoming work on PGA Tour coverage, though his future status with the network is unclear.

Not to worry though, Hirshland could land at Fox Sports soon enough. You may recall it was his wife, Sarah, who engineered the USGA's television contract move to Fox Sports. 

In a brief email exchange, a Golf Channel spokesman indicated the USGA’s decision had no bearing on the decision to remove Hirshland. The spokesman said the reason was based on “100 percent book.” He declined further comment.

Reached by Golfweek, Hirshland declined to comment.

2013 Walker Cup Sunday Morning Photos And Wrap

All four closely contested matches produced some fine golf as the U.S. split the session, holding on to a 10-6 lead heading into the ten singles matches. A late arriving crowd managed to shed their church wear in time to greet the matches as they made the closing stretch from the 14th on in. Excessively difficult hole locations for any format but especially for foursomes took away some of the Sunday morning fun but National continues to shine.

Ryan Herrington reports that the USA needs just 3.5 points to capture the Walker Cup.

Tokyo Lands 2020 Olympics, Kasumigaseki To Host?

USA Today's Kelly Whiteside with the news from Buenos Aires, where Tokyo landed the 2020 Olympic Games beating out Istanbul and Madrid.

The Wakasu links was the course nominated to be the host golf according to Wikipedia, but the Tokyo bid committee's website (acting up from massive hits when I tried to access) apparently says the masterful C.H. Alison-redesigned Kasumigaseki's East Course will be host. (Former NBC Olympic producer Molly Solomon also tweeted this.)

Here is the club's English history.

Update on 2013-09-08 11:45 by Geoff

**A 2010 Golf Club Atlas thread by Andrew Bertram shows what Kasumigaseki Country Club looks like these days.

W Provides Much Needed Levity To Walker Cup Flag Ceremony

The National Golf Links of America put on a classy, once-in-a-lifetime flag raising ceremony on picture-perfect Southampton day overlooking Peconic Bay, and it was President George W. Bush, who made the occasion one to remember.

Granted, as a former president whose great-grandfather created the event at hand so he has a bit more leeway in the speechmaking department. Still, it was Mr. Bush's levity, respect for history and sense of humility that brightened an otherwise bordering-on-somber ceremony to kick off the 44th Walker Cup. Perhaps had the remarks been televised "W" might not have been so glib, but thankfully those fortunate enough to have been there, we'll never know!

Unfortunately, the entirety of his remarks are not on YouTube, and none of the much needed levity comes through. Still, Jessica Marksbury does host a short wrap up for YouTube.

The USGA's official photos from the ceremony.

A few of my really dreadful shots from the audience: