The Independent: R&A Will Be Staying Away From Turnberry

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Thanks to reader Jeff for The Independent On Sunday's James Cusack report claiming sources within the R&A have say the governing body has "privately decided that his reputation is now so toxic that the newly renamed Trump Turnberry can no longer host the game’s most prestigious tournament."

From Cusack's report:

Although the R&A is stuffed full of establishment figures, Turnberry with Trump is now seen as a risk they will not take. Another insider said: “2020 will not happen here. Turnberry will be back. But perhaps not Trump Turnberry.”

Video: 2016 Award Nominees, Redan, Doak's Reversible Course

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In the spirit of movie awards season, Gary Williams, Matt Ginella and I kick around who we see grabbing the year-end awards next year as a harmless way to preview some of 2016's starring courses.


Matt Ginella's visit to Tom Doak's reversible course under construction.

Ginella and I discuss the Redan.

Most Interesting Man Take Note: Katayama's Left Warm-Up

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Thanks to reader Brian for sending in this Shingo Katayama warm-up routines of hitting drivers left-handed. Would love to see the Most Interesting Man in golf incorporate this into his warm-up.

Has Trump Made It Impossible To Ever Play A Tournament At One Of His Properties: PGA Tour Considering Leaving Doral

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Pete Madden at Golf.com reports that the PGA Tour, issuing a statement in response to a question about the status of Trump Doral, says it will be looking at possible alternatives following the 2016 WGC event at Doral

"We continue to stand by our earlier statement, and the statement of other golf organizations, that Mr. Trump's comments are inconsistent with our strong commitment to an inclusive and welcoming environment in the game of golf. The PGA Tour has had a 53-year commitment to the Doral community, the greater Miami area and the charities that have benefited from the tournament. Given this commitment, we are moving forward with holding the 2016 event at the Blue Monster. Immediately after the completion of the 2016 tournament, we will explore all options regarding the event's future."

That's an unprecedented PGA Tour public statement, especially for a tournament venue that has enjoyed a 53-year association with the tour.

 

Where does this leave Trump and golf? Dangling, precariously. Though it's hard to fathom how any golf tournament feeling safe going forward at one of his courses. Bear with me.

Joel Beall does a very nice job of encapsulating the many dynamics facing golf in light of Trump's rise as an uber-controversial presidential candidate. Including golf's desire to appear more inclusive, only to have many stereotypes seemingly reinforced by The Donald's views.

Beall writes at GolfDigest.com:

In the five months since Trump announced his presidential ambitions, the real estate magnate has made contentious remarks towards Muslims, Mexicans, Asians, African-Africans, Jews, Seventh-day Adventists, POWs, women, and the disabled. If his campaign, which has a 20-percent lead in the Republican national polls, continues its cadence, it's probable more sects will be disparaged.

 

The only groups that apparently haven't been insulted are the PGA Tour, PGA of America and USGA.


The New York Times' editorial board wondered today about the impact on Trump's brand from a purely commercial point of view based on his recent campaign trail remarks.

Of course, each business will make its own decision of whether and how they want to be associated with Mr. Trump. Some might have invested so much money and time in the Trump brand that they will stick with it, presumably hoping that the public furor over his comments will subside. (Given the rate at which he is insulting people, they might be waiting for a while.)

Inevitably, chances are this will blow over and, like Ross Perot, Trump will be remembered for having impacted a presidential campaign while creating an international stir.

 

He has also ensured that he will need very good security for the remainder of his life. Which brings me to the point.

There is one issue related to his recent statements which supercedes previous controversial comments about Mexicans: Trump's stance on Muslim immigration potentially creates a permanent security risk at his golf facilities. Particularly when the general public is invited on those grounds for championships.

With his comments, Trump has targeted (and maybe even incited) radicals who have a track record of retaliating with extreme, unimaginable violence. While Trump has started to demonstrate he has a taste--even a knack--for the golf course turnaround (with Doral's revitalization and exciting plans for Turnberry), it's becoming increasingly difficult to imagine fans and players feeling safe at tournaments played at those venues going forward.

That concern, along with the reaction of officials who have to answer to sponsors if something should happen, may spell the doom of Trump facilties hosting major events.

No matter how good a PGA at Doral or an Open at Turnberry might have been, the ultimate increase in security concerns and costs may create the ultimate branding and logistical nightmare.

Golf Experts: Millennials Watch MTV, Wear Cut Off Jean Shorts

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In today's USA Today, Craig Handel talks to various golf experts about the need to cater to millennials if golf is to survive. While many of you undoubtedly find these articles depressing, I enjoy when experts openly express almost no clue about the generation they feel we must cater to.

Howler number one:

Between 130 and 160 courses are expected to close this year alone.

“It’s attributable to an aging baby boomer population and millennials watching too much MTV and having an attention span of about 30 seconds,” said Paul Chipok, who specializes in land-use local government work for law firm Gray Robinson.

Yes you know those millennials, sitting in front of their cable TV watching Carson Daly on MTV's Total Request Live every afternoon! Oops, wrong century.

The Great White Shark wants to let all of the modern day Huck Finns of the world do their thing.

Norman said it’s about evolving, trying to figure out how to attract millennials and growing the base again.

“If they want to play in cut-off jeans and a T-shirt at a public facility, let them go,” he said. “If they want to go on the course with a skateboard, let them go. If they want to put an iPod in their ears or play music, let them go.

This is the view, even though most surveys have shown that millennials are intrigued by fashion and bespoke style, something golf could use to its advantage (but after golf just let all of us change into jeans when at a club and not feel dirty walking out of the locker room.)

Video & Reminder: Architecture Week, Ogilvy-Clayton Friday

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The four man team behind Ogilvy-Clayton-Cocking-Mead will be in studio to talk design as Morning Drive's Architecture Week continues. Jack Nicklaus checks in from the PNC Father-Son, and we'll talk about his design influences, plus some other fun features.

In case you missed it today, we talked about the legacy of Pete Dye, defined the Penal Design school, discussed some Keiser/USGA and ASGCA news and covered the re-opening of Innisbrook. Wednesday we had a fun segment with John Cook on the simulator taking us through Old Course strategy.

The fun starts at 7:30 am ET.

Scotland Ready To Turn On Donald Trump?

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The first golf-related ramifications from Donald Trump's recent comments on Muslims and immigration may be coming to fruition, though the pushback from Scotland is largely ceremonial at this point.

Karla Adam reports for the Washington Post on Trump's op-ed in the Press and Journal, one of Scotland's oldest newspapers, responding to politicians who are attempting to send a message to the Republican frontrunner.

On Wednesday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon dropped him as a business ambassador, revoking his membership in the GlobalScot business network. The Robert Gordon University (RGU) in Aberdeen also stripped the billionaire developer of his honorary degree for statements it said were “wholly incompatible” with the values of the university.

“If they – Nicola Sturgeon and RGU – were going to do this, they should have informed me prior to my major investment in this £200million development, which will totally revitalise that vast region of Scotland,” Trump wrote in the Press and Journal.

Of course they had no idea what comments Trump would make, so the statement about informing him before his investment was a bit silly. There was, however, the obligatory reference to Trump International's greatness...

“I have done so much for Scotland, including building Trump International Golf Links, Scotland, which has received the highest accolades, and is what many believe to be one of the greatest golf courses anywhere in the world,” he wrote.

“Additionally, I have made a significant investment in the redevelopment of the iconic Turnberry Resort, which will have massive ballrooms, complete room refurbishments, a new golf course and a total rebuilding of the world famous Ailsa course to the highest standards and specifications of the Royal & Ancient,” he said.

Since the Scottish government helps sponsor the Scottish Open, the prospects of rumored dates at Trump International are looking increasingly unlikely.

The R&A essentially tabled all Trump talk this summer when the topic involved Mexican immigrants (ahh...how those days look so quaint). The PGA of America pulled the Grand Slam of Golf from Trump Los Angeles, but remains committed to Trump Bedminster for the 2022 PGA Championship.

£722,500: "Most Valuable Golf Painting" Sold

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I'm not sure if this is the amount Royal Blackheath was looking for from the auction of Henry Callender's 18th century portrait, but they will need to buy their land from The Crown.

Just a reminder, the club is one of the oldest on the planet but has been leasing their land from The Crown, which now has offered the parcel for sale, according to reports. This forced their hand, leading to a sale of art that had been hanging on their wall since the 1800s.

From an unbylined BBC story.

 

David Feherty's Rolling Stone Interview...

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Wow.

"I've never been sure about the whole drug-testing aspect of the Olympics," says David Feherty, 57, a former European Tour player from Northern Ireland whose training regimen once included weed, cocaine and a daily dose of 40 Vicodin and two and a half bottles of whiskey. "If they come up with a drug that helps you play golf better, I am going to be so pissed – I looked for that for years."

Power Of St. Andrews: Potential Impacts Of Tee Time Control

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Brandon Tucker does a nice job of explaining the potential significance of Old Course tee times going to Links Trust control, eliminating a middleman of sorts and perhaps, perhaps making planning easier.

This is included in Tucker's write-up.

Sam Baker, founder and CEO of Haversham & Baker Golfing Expeditions, is optimistic the move by the Links Trust will be beneficial to leisure groups, not to mention the rest of the Scottish golf and travel industry. The current model, which can cause Old Course premiums to run as high as $2,000, has led to most OCE packages to be booked by corporate groups that stay 3-4 nights in St. Andrews exclusively. By spreading these tee times out to various packagers, leisure groups stand a better chance of securing better deals. Baker says his Scotland golf groups normally stay 6-8 nights and visit at least two regions of Scotland, whether it's nearby East Lothian or north around the Scottish Highlands.

"The bigger winner is Scotland," said Baker, of the Links Trust announcement. "The average length of stay associated with Old Course tee times will almost double, which is really good for Scottish tourism."

Video: The Template Holes And Golf Design

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We tried to celebrate the importance of "template" holes like the Redan and Eden on Morning Drive. But I felt it was also important to explain that they were very much devices used by early architects to "brand" a certain kind of strategic golf to turn-of-the-century Americans who only knew geometric rubbish golf courses.
One of the key distinctions, as discussed: applying the principles of the template holes where they fit. Not all architects do that and often are met with resistance from golfers when they do so.

Check out the discussion:

Good News: Links Trust Taking Over St. Andrews Tee Times

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Andrew Argo of The Courier reports what appears to be excellent news for those hoping to get a tee time on the Old Course.  The Links Trust is taking over control of the commercial trade times and will continue its other management duties.

Argo writes:

The arrangement does not impact on the general ballot to play the Old Course or local preferential times, which will continue to be a mainstay of the St Andrews Links operation.

Euan Loudon, St Andrews Links chief executive, said: “Following a lengthy period of consideration the Trust has decided that it is the appropriate time to take control over the presentation and sale of all Old Course commercial times as well as developing and managing a closer working relationship with multiple tour operators.

“This change in emphasis will bring to a close the existing contractual arrangement which we have enjoyed with our partner, OCE, for more than 20 years.”

It sounds like there is more news to come out of this, besides perhaps a streamlining of the process for tour operators and one that theoretically offers a better value. 

Mr Loudon said the trust will undertake a significant programme of business development for the Old Course from 2018.

He added: “This work will focus only on commercial tee times and will not impact on the ballot, advanced reservations or local preferential times on any of our courses.”

The full release is here.

I look forward to Ru Macdonald's take on the details, but over at the Scottish Golf Travel blog he says this is good news for increasing chances of getting on the Old Course.

Not Going Anywhere: Finchem Calls His Future "Ill-defined"

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Commissioner Tim Finchem tells AP's Doug Ferguson that his retirement schedule is still on hold as he works on "a couple of three major kind of projects" he'd like to get "pushed a little bit."

This was a startling revelation for an organization that allowed Finchem to put numerous executives out to pasture when they turned 60:

Finchem turns 69 next year, though the PGA Tour policy board recently extended the age limit of board members to 75. So that's not an issue.

Hilariously, another massive amount of cash is set to be put into The Players and Stadium Course, and there is the inevitable effort to re-up FedEx for the Reset Cup beyond 2017.

There was also this:

An early start on the next round of TV negotiations. The contracts are up in 2021, though it's never too early to start.

If the tour was going to invoke an out clause in their current network deal, it would need to happen very soon. But with ESPN getting out of golf and Fox not showing much sign of interest outside its USGA contract, the leverage to pick up more money seems gone. As does the cord-cutting momentum that now makes some TV rights deals look bloated.    

Tillie! Celebrating The Architect Extraordinaire

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I try not to think about the induction of A.W. Tillinghast to the World Golf Hall of Fame because all I can see are PGA Tour pros talking about playing a few of his courses.

So with this year's induction still in our tailights, Morning Drive's Architecture Week coverage decided to pay homage to a man who was more than a master golf architect. Tillinghast led one of the most remarkable and productive lives in our game's history, enriching our lives in ways few others have.

Our short tribute and discussion, produced by Katie Miller:

And our discussion:

USGA, ASGCA Partnering For Pro-Bono Design Services

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I know what you're thinking, the USGA has been changing courses free of charge for decades.

But this is actually a program geared toward courses no hosting championships and hosting the everyday golfer. Certainly something like this is a long overdue use of the Green Section and of architects, though I do fear for courses receiving recommendations designed to generate pricey re-construction of greens to USGA specs.

What also is missing: the USGA maybe commiting some of its $400 million in reserve to the occassional restoration of a worthy muni. Oh well, a great start...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

USGA, AMERICAN SOCIETY OF GOLF COURSE ARCHITECTS ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP
TO SUPPORT PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE GOLF COURSES

FAR HILLS, N.J. (Dec. 8, 2015) – The United States Golf Association (USGA) and the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) have launched a collaborative program to help publicly accessible golf facilities improve the design and maintenance of their courses and deliver a better experience for their customers.

Combining the expertise of ASGCA member architects and USGA agronomists, scientists and researchers, the program will provide pro bono consulting services to facilities that need assistance to achieve their goal of making  their layouts more enjoyable and reducing their maintenance costs.

“Course design and maintenance form the foundation of a golf facility’s operations,” said Mike Davis, USGA executive director. “With the knowledge that the ASGCA and USGA can offer, more publicly accessible facilities will be able to strengthen this base, while promoting resource efficiency, a better golf experience and a stronger connection to the local community.”

Starting today, facilities can submit an application for the service, which will include an on-site evaluation, professional analysis and a report outlining recommendations for improvement. Recommendations can cover course design, agronomy, environmental stewardship and golf course operations, with the goal of lowering costs while also improving the golfer experience.

“The ASGCA, along with the ASGCA Foundation led by John LaFoy, is pleased to partner with the USGA on this initiative,” said Steve Smyers, president of the ASGCA. “Golf facilities have long benefited from the efforts of ASGCA members and USGA agronomists. Collaboration between our experts will have a positive impact on the facilities we support. ASGCA members are excited and proud to bring their expertise to this program.”

Interested facilities must submit an application by one of three deadlines over the coming year: March 15, Aug. 15 or Dec. 15. The application can be found here.

Canal Shores Golf Course, a community-owned and operated facility in Evanston, Ill., is the first course to receive a pro bono evaluation through the program.

“This has been an incredible opportunity,” said Jason Way, of the Canal Shores planning committee. “We have some great ideas about how to improve the course, but the assistance from the USGA and the ASGCA allows us to get past the initial planning process, so we can move forward with our vision for making Canal Shores a multi-use community green space that the maximum number of people can enjoy.”

Selected facilities must express a willingness to carry out the recommendations from the USGA and ASGCA. Facilities will be expected to track and report the effectiveness of their improvements based on specific metrics.

A video that shares more detailed information on the program and Canal Shores can be found at usga.org via the following link.

The partnership complements the USGA’s course consulting services, which deliver implementable solutions to support a healthier future for golf facilities. In October, the USGA also announced a five-year master research partnership with the University of Minnesota to study and develop solutions to golf’s present and future challenges, including environmental sustainability.

The video features Hunki Yun explaining the program from the USGA's new Far Hills TV set. Love the echo chamber vibe!

Here is the application page.