In golf construction art and utility meet; both are absolutely vital; one is utterly ruined without the other. GEORGE THOMAS
It’s back!
Twenty years later Tatra Press has kindly allowed me to bring back Grounds For Golf now that golf architecture is of more interest to the masses. A new Introduction looks at what’s driven the interest growth and two new chapters I had a blast adding (plus a few edits to keep things up-to-date).
The Amazon purchase page for the book arriving June 15, 2026.
Video: Lewis Black On Pinehurst #2's Greens
/Former UNC student and comedian Lewis Black holds back on the obscenities in talking to Alex Podlogar about Pinehurst #2.
The Daily Show contributor and constantly-touring stand-up master was in town for an annual cystic fibrosis fundraiser and while it'd be fun to hear him say Donald Ross's name with R-rated words as only he can use them, it's still enjoyable to hear him riff on the 2014 U.S. Open host.
Opportunities! PGA Tour Trying To Help Its Starving Millennials
/Debatable is the pure genius it took to commit golf to an exhausting, annoying, neverending wraparound schedule at the expense of the common sense that says every entertainment product needs to go away for a bit. Not debatable was the new calendar year's schedule's discrimination against younger players and the PGA Tour's ever-expanding list of medical exemptions clogging fields each week.
But as Rex Hoggard reports, the PGA Tour has listened to their critics and is working hard to expand fall fields and lessen the role of the medicallty exempt. This doesn't solve the problem of pro golf as a year-round enterprise that annoys in its persistence (especially compared to other sports), but it's at least a righting of the inequity that has arisen for up-and-coming players.
All told, the Tour has added up to 180 new playing opportunities next fall and the circuit’s moves have already started paying off. Last week in Las Vegas 13 more players from the Web.com Tour category received a spot in the field compared to last season and this week at Sea Island 25 more are on the tee sheet.
“We’re looking at everything to get more Web.com Tour guys into tournaments top to bottom,” Finchem said.
“We are doing some things and will watch it for a year or maybe two and see where it comes out.”
The Tour also plans to adjust the major medical exemption category to increase access for the Web.com Tour graduates. Beginning with the 2014-15 season, medical exemptions will be capped at three seasons unless there are “extreme circumstances” which should, over time, reduce a category that has grown to 14 players this season.
Sandy Lyle On Hickories: "The feedback you get is incredible.”
/"A Timeless Sport Puts Itself on the Clock"
/It's Already Back! Royal Melbourne Returns To Our Screens
/Roundup: Rory's Trial-Induced Sabbatical
/Living Brand Assures Us He Has No Chainsaw Fears
/First Look: Tiger's El Cardonal Course In Cabo
/SBJ: Golf Executive Promotions & Shuffle Roundup
/Suzy Whaley Headed For PGA Of America Officership?
/Fun Read: The Donald's Lively Golf Digest Q&A
/Daily Mail: Ian Poulter's Book Light On Candidness
/Tiger Breaks Away From Ryder Cup Task Force To Hit Balls Again
/Steve DiMeglio with the exclusive news that Tiger Woods has taken time away from his duties as part of the Ryder Cup task force Task Force where he is said to not be sitting in the back making paper airplanes, all to start working on his game and listening to his doctors. Whoever they are.
From DiMeglio's USA Today report:
"The doctors said he could hit golf balls again, and he's listening to his doctors and to his body," Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, told USA TODAY Sports on Monday. "He will keep listening to his doctors and body."
Steinberg's text to ESPN.com's Bob Harig also reiterated the "still listening to his doctors" line, which an otherwise skeptical person might believe is not a coincidence.
Woods is targeting a return at his Hero World Challenge in December, where another strong field will be showing up.

