Bifurcation: The B Word Just Won't Go Away

/

Jaime Diaz takes the pulse of folks at recent industry shows and the bifurcation word just keeps coming up for golf, no matter the context whether it be rangefinders, equipment or putters.

Diaz makes the case for rules tweaks that impact the professional.

The professional tours, and especially major championship golf, would be better with a golf ball that underwent a distance rollback of 10 percent. Don't worry, a Dustin Johnson drive will still look awesome flying 290 yards instead of 325. But more importantly, a rolled-back ball would increase the premium on player skill, bring the driver out of the bag much more often, create more variety in the shape of approach shots, allow the best players to separate from the pack more easily, lead to more classic venues, stop the proliferation of extreme course setups that feature heavy rough and ultra-firm greens, and speed up play. This more interesting version of golf on the biggest stages would make the recreational game more popular and alluring.

Rancho Park: "The American tapestry."

/

When I think of the great places in the game, Rancho Park always comes to mind because it is the only existing course in America to have hosted all three tours (PGA, Champions, LPGA), millions of rounds of golf and remains the essentially the same place the West Los Angeles muni has been all of my lifetime: a special place to play golf.

Yes, they've raised green fees and conditioning is in flux with the incompetent city of LA in charge, but the people make the place and always have. Michael Bamberger captures it all in a nutshell after just one recent visit.

In the parking lot, I saw a young guy hop out of his truck, zip oranges into his golf bag, slide into his spikes and march off to the clubhouse. (Such an echt display of pre-round enthusiasm.) In the restaurant/pro shop, a man in a nearby booth ate breakfast with his bag beside him, headcovers on all 14 of his companions. A waitress arranged for my rental set, an interesting assortment of lost treasures: Ping Eye 2s, Titleists likely from another century, Stratas, a Zebra putter. On the driving range, there was a middle-aged man loading up his face with sunblock and his mouth with chew. All the while, over loudspeakers, the starter announced the batters off his ever-changing lineup card: Aiello, Shapiro, Chu. The American tapestry.

How The USGA Can Spend Fox Money To Grow The Game

/

Working off of Tom O'Toole's Annual Meeting speech outlining an emphasis on growing the game, Ron Sirak proposes a few ways they can spend Fox's their newfound millions.

The two I liked most:

• The USGA needs to have public golf represented on its 15-person Executive Committee. Not only are all the current members affiliated with private clubs, they come from the most elite clubs in the country. Since the Executive Committee is composed of volunteers -- one told me he spent $60,000 out of his own pocket to attend championships and meetings -- the USGA would have to subsidize public-course representatives. Still, the USGA at its highest level needs to have a direct connection to what life is like at daily-fee and public courses. It would be money well spent.

• It should encourage every private club to grant four "scholarships" a year, giving juniors playing privileges and free lessons. Base the scholarships not on playing ability but community service or grades. The purpose is not to produce pros but rather players for life. Many likely would end up joining their host club.

Reminder: Victoria GC And The Australian Women's Open

/

Live tonight on Golf Channel, 8 pm PT, the great Victoria Golf Club can be seen for the first time since the 2011 Australian Masters when play kicks off in the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open.

Victoria has been lovingly restored by architect Mike Clayton and his team.

Here is my last DVR alert post on Victoria from two years ago.
Cheyenne Woods, last week's winner, is in the field.

Also entered are Stacy Lewis, Lydia Ko and Karrie Webb.