You Really, Really Want To See Chambers Bay

I thought the poll question from earlier this week was a loaded one, what with The Old Course hosting The Open this year.

But with 715 votes 47% of you said Chambers Bay was the most anticipated major venue of 2015, followed by St. Andrews at 27%. And the quick return to Whistling Straits has almost none of you excited.

Certainly there is a mysterious quality to Chambers Bay and how the entire thing will work (or not), from the conditioning to the setup to the logistics to the first Fox telecast. As always, thanks for voting.

Tim Clark At Peace With Anchoring Ban, Kind Of

Golfweek's Jim McCabe talks to Tim Clark about the state of Clark's game and (sort of) finding peace with the anchoring ban due at year's end.

Clark is gong to give putting a try without lodging the club against his torso.

Playing without the anchored style isn’t daunting at all.

He said he would incorporate a “longish putter” and that he would adopt a similar style, one that was not anchored. Just as he figures out how to compete against guys who rip it 30 or 40 yards past him, Clark will solve the putting style challenge. He’s in a good place, no matter what, because “it comes down to confidence” and in that regard, he’s in ample supply.

Sources: Tiger Makes Reservations!

I was out all day and did not get to read Eamon Lynch and Coleman McDowell's golf.com exclusive suggesting Tiger Woods is likely to tee up at the Waste Management Phoenix Open later this month.

But I was surprised to see what amounted to their clues for going forward with the story (courtesy car reservation, hotel reseration), including which establishment Tiger would stay at.

Call me crazy, but I'm thinking the name of the hotel wasn't necessary and the revelation could even discourage a Woods appearance.

Update on 2015-01-08 18:38 by Geoff

**Notah Begay explains why Tiger is likely to play at the WM, reports Emily Kay:

"It would add an element of fun," said Begay, who noted that the last year was anything but that for Woods.

"Dealing with injury, and all the scrutiny, and the poor play really have taken a toll," he said about Woods’ bad back that required surgery, forced a lengthy hiatus, and contributed to the former world No. 1’s worst season as a professional.

Begay would recommend the Phoenix event to his friend, who would enjoy the "super-friendly," if "boisterous" fans. "It’s a fun place to play and it’s a place where Tiger could really thrive and figure out where his mechanics are."

The WMPO makes sense from a golf perspective as well, what with the "minimal wind [and] wonderful practice facilities," added Begay, who, purposefully or with a slip of the tongue, made it sound as if Woods’ appearance were a fait accompli.

"He’s going to be able to get some wonderful work in as far as his mechanics and get some game reps, which is all the more important," he said.

Samuel The "Tiger Woods You Suck" Yelling Prodigy

Thanks to reader Tim for Matt Stewart's story on Samuel Wood, a 4-year-old "pint-sized golf prodigy" who sports a stellar swing and an unusual habit for a wee-lad.

It seems Samuel has picked up on something he once saw his hero Tiger Woods do.

Sometimes when the Plimmerton pre-schooler with the demon swing miscues a shot he's been known to yell "Tiger Woods you suck!" after seeing the 14-time major winner mouth the phrase on TV.

Samuel's coach Dean Kingsbeer said his young charge - should he want to - had the potential to one day enter the world's top 50.

Let's just hope he still yells that out when he makes it to the top 50! He'll take the game by storm!

Samuel's swing:

Augusta Replaces Pine Valley Atop Golf Digest Top 100

Just a few quick reactions to the latest Golf Digest America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses.

The list and accompanying package of images, sidesbars, etc...appears in the February, 2015 Golf Digest.

- Augusta National switches spots (again) with Pine Valley, though the plunge to second probably won’t be alarming enough for Pine Valley to initiate some much needed restoration work. Nor does a move to No. 1 do anything to inspire much needed restoration work at Augusta National. First world sigh.

- National Golf Links finally lands in the top 10 at No. 8, no doubt helped by hosting the Walker Cup and the magnificence of the design. Top 2 with a restored Pine Valley is where it should ultimately land, in an ideal world.

- Oak Hill actually moved up from 17th to 16th. Is it even the 16th best design in the state of New York? Great club, but architecturally it has no business anywhere near the top 75.

- The Country Club moves from 24th to 19th, a nice nod to the club restoring features under Gil Hanse’s supervision and hosting the U.S. Amateur.

- Friar’s Head moves to 23rd from 28th while Sand Hills drops out of the top 10. With the continued effort to improve Friar’s Head by overseer Ken Bakst, this may ultimately turn out to be Coore and Crenshaw’s most complete design.

- Los Angeles Country Club moves to 26th from 41st, the biggest jump by a classic course that I could detect.

- The Alotian Club begins the descent from the ridiculous 15th to a still-inflated 27th.

- Pinehurst No. 2 vaults to 28th from 40th. Better, but still should never even be mentioned in the same breath as a place like The Alotian Club, much less sitting behind it on a list. That's like putting Caddyshack behind The Greatest Game Ever Played.

- Erin Hills debuts at No. 42. The course had been ineligible for consideration until 2013 due to Architecture Editor Ron Whitten’s involvement. The course hosts the 2017 U.S. Open.

- Seth Raynor and Charles Banks’ Camargo Club joins the list at No. 52, fueled by a Tom Doak restoration.

- Somerset Hills, my favorite A.W. Tillinghast design by about ten lengths, moves from 95th to 73rd. Still not good enough, but I’m sure the late, great Frank Hannigan would be concerned to see the Golf Digest panel gradually coming to its senses.

- The Valley Club of Montecito is back! 112th to 83rd. I’m not sure what happened but one of the most enjoyable courses on the planet should have a spot on such a list, right?

- Streamsong’s Red course cracks the list, as does Shoreacres in the final two spots. The omission of Shoreacres was always on the list of reasons to not take the ranking seriously!

Overall there appears to be a little more recognition of fun and whimsical design, and even more acknowledgement of restored features. There appear to be still too many courses recognized because they are difficult or provide a lavish experience. That said, I see mostly huge positives thanks to the upward trajectory of long overlooked courses and those with genuine architectural interest.