Carlsbad As A Golf Center: All A Big Accident

We know it wasn't the golf architecture that drew the creative types of manufacturing and marketing to set up shop in Carlsbad, now the west coast center of the golf club business.

And as Alan Shipnuck reveals in a look at the industry centerplace for innovation and the next marketing campaign touting the longest and straightest, northern San Diego's allure has nothing to do with the area's wonderfulness.

"Total bull----," says Mark King, the CEO of TaylorMade, who has been making the scene in Carlsbad since 1981. "It's all folklore. The truth is, the whole thing was coincidental. Basically, Ely Callaway lived here because his vineyard was nearby [in Temecula]. After he sold the vineyard in 1981, he was bored, so he bought into a little company in Carlsbad that made hickory-shafted golf clubs. Gary Biszantz was the big car dealer in the area, and he cofounded Cobra Golf with Tom Crow, so in the beginning they used a little tiny office of Gary's to run the company. Gary Adams founded TaylorMade in Chicago, but his West Coast guy, Gordie Severson, lived here. He could have been in Santa Monica, or Santa Barbara, or anywhere, but he happened to be here, so the company moved out here too. It was all a big accident."

Renovating TPC Scottsdale: Careful Please!

Working off of reports this week from Adam Lawrence and Matt Ginella, I pen a short Local Knowledge plea for Tom Weiskopf to tread carefully in renovating the TPC Scottsdale. Yes, it could get better and prettier, but there is also the potential to make it less appealing (as we've seen too many times when courses are renovated). The good news here is that Weiskopf is the original designer and understands the theatrical nature of the original design.

Meanwhile for those interested in a further study of the numbers, check out Peter Corbett's story from May of 2013 when citizens and officials were debating the funding of the next $15 million renovation.

The latest deal has prompted critics, citing the losses from operating the golf course, to pressure city officials to get a better deal for Scottsdale taxpayers.

Those critics, a loosely organized group of Scottsdale residents concerned about municipal spending, say the new agreement with PGA Tour Inc. to continue running TPC Scottsdale will be an additional drain on city coffers.

They also contend the city is providing an illegal subsidy to the PGA Tour by having Scottsdale residents pay for $15 million in renovations of the TPC Stadium Course and clubhouse starting next year.

Under the lease amendment, which was unanimously approved by the City Council in December, the PGA Tour will increase its fees paid to Scottsdale by $4 million over 20 years.

State Of The Game Podcast 33: Avery, DMD's & More

We at State of the Game don't want to overextend ourselves with the new wraparound schedule, so after a not so short holiday hiatus we are back with episode 33.

Rod Morri, Mike Clayton and yours truly talk to Golf World contributing writer Brett Avery about the new Golf World 100 Best Modern Players ranking. I think when you hear Brett and also see the package in Golf World, you'll come away realizing how incredible Tiger has been over the last fifteen years. To see someone quantify it puts things in perspective.

We also cover the upcoming decision on distance measuring devices, and feed off of Brandel Chamblee's recent articles on the best and worst developments in the game.

As always, you can listen below, download the MP3 or listen/subscribe via iTunes.