Why Won't The PGA Tour Pay For Full Time Telecast Monitors?

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As we put a wrap on 2013, it's impossible not to think back to all of the rules controversies that made things fascinating and slightly awkward at times.

So consider the following anecdotes and you tell me if the PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem is earning his millions.

  • The PGA Tour's biggest star was considered "cavalier" with the rules in 2013 and there is no sign that the governing bodies plan to change the rules in any serious way to prevent phone-in rules aficionados from calling in possible violations.
  • The unionized PGA Tour rules staff worked for months without a contract, and even then, will have to work 15 years to receive the same pay and benefits package of a second-year PGA Tour agronomist. The difference between the two jobs? One is union-connected, one is not.
  • The PGA Tour employs hundreds of people, including someone to monitor the networks (standing in the truck!), ShotLink experts to help the telecasts and plenty of other unknown by vital folks to helping the tour look as good as possible on television. Yet when it comes to the rules issue that is so obviously remedied by a full-time staffer monitoring things? No way Jose!
  • Because of YouTube, DVR's and golf websites, players seen in a possible infraction will continue to be noticed no matter what rules are changed by the governing bodies to reduce the impact of outside agencies phoning in violations.

Yet Commissioner Bottom Line has steadfastly refused to hire a few additional rules staffers to monitor all of the PGA Tour telecasts. This is a man who gladly pays Vice Presidents CEO money and gets the Willies just thinking of any potential controversy that might taint the vaunted "brand." Yet he apparently despises union workers so much that he's willing set aside his primary predilections and put the sanctity of his product at the mercy of more phoned-in rules violations in 2014.

Thankfully, the drumbeat continues as very intelligent people are calling on the PGA Tour to expand its rules staff to include a full-time telecast monitor who saves players from penalty and embarrassment in the HD era. Considering what HD television is doing to make golf more compelling to watch, this is a small price to pay for the PGA Tour flush with cash.

Jack Ross in a special to ESPN.com, notes the reluctance by the USGA and R&A to add more pages to the Decisions book for what is essentially a PGA Tour financial decision.

So far, the USGA and R&A do not seem inclined to place restrictions on input from television viewers. The ruling bodies of golf have long maintained that, since most golf competition is not supervised by rules officials, the vigilance of players, caddies and spectators is necessary to maintain the integrity of the competition and protect the field. In fact, the reliance on input from spectators is well embedded in the Rules of Golf. Rules decisions say that testimony of spectators and television footage must be evaluated in resolving rules issues.

Former USGA Executive Director David Fay in the January Golf Digest lays out all of the particulars from 2013, the past attempts at telecast monitors (pre-HD and pre-DVR), and explains why it's time for the PGA Tour to have a full-time monitor.

And Fay, Feinstein and yours truly discussed this very topic on the season finale of Grey Goose 19th Hole.

Stevie Williams: Ko Coach Firing "Unethical" & "Ill-Timed"

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Nice to see looper extraordinare raise several vital questions about the firing of Lydia Ko's coach Guy Wilson in this Radio New Zealand interview, calling it a "staggering" situation and "not the way to start your pro career."

He also says Ko's caddie for the last 6-8 weeks has been let go and questions if this is all driven by her signing with IMG. Williams also points out that Wilson was never any significant amount of money for his 11 years worth of work. Thanks to Stina for sending this. (You may have to use an alternative browser as I couldn't get it to open in Firefox.)

Holiday Spirit: Augusta National Clubhouse...In Gingerbread

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While we brace ourselves for a holiday Friday news dump, the holiday spirit is alive and well at Adams Golf, where they Tweeted this photo of a gingerbread Augusta National clubhouse.

 

(Potentially) Great Places In The Game: Cobbs Creek

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Superb as Merion turned out to be as a modern major venue, when the Grey Goose 19th Hole discussion turned to other classics needing to host a major, I couldn't help but nominate Cobbs Creek in Philadelphia.

Sure, the muni has seen better days despite the best efforts of Billy Casper Golf to hold this potential gem together with little budget, but after the (mostly) successful Bethpage and Torrey Pines experiments I think we've seen how important it is to revitalize run-down public gems.

So first off, here's the discussion, which I thought was pretty compelling:

Why did I mention Cobbs Creek? Because nothing has brought better vibes to golf than the resurgence of run-down munis. And if there is an old public course of architectural significance crying out for attention, it's this one. Cobbs Creek is currently a mess architecturally. But the bones are there: grand-scale property, great golf city, strong architectural lineage and a beautiful setting.

All that is needed? $15 million and a governing body willing to deal with some red-tape. The payoff, however, could be Bethpage-esque.

Joe Bausch, a Villanova professor and lover of the classics, toured me around this gem the Monday after Merion and it was impossible not to see the potential for an East Lake/Bethpage/Torrey Pines type revitalization.

If you want to learn more about Cobbs Creek, the Friends of Cobb blog is here.

Golf Digest's David Owen visited and wrote this piece.

Joe Logan filed a MyPhillyGolf update article in May.

Golf Channel's Matt Ginella visited and filed this report.

And Brendan Prunty filed this look at efforts to get a restoration by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner going.

Just a few midday photos by yours truly: