Kosher China Golf Course Still Demolished In Anti-Golf Crusade

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The course in question--Orient Shanghai--had been approved for creation, passed the Songjang EPA tests and even hosted the LPGA Tour.

Yet as a reminder that golf is symbolic pinata for the Chinese government, the course was demolished in dramatic fashion last week.

From an unbylined Golf Industry report:

Orient Shanghai, the long-time host venue of the Shanghai Classic on the China LPGA Tour, was constructed adjacent to the upper Huangpu river off the Dagang exit of the Shanghai-Hangzhou highway. Previously, temporary fish farms occupied the site that was prone to flooding in the rainy season.

While club officials declined to talk about the matter, the reason for its closing is that the Huangpu is Shanghai’s source of drinking water and golf is seen as a pollutant. The government wants to see farming on the land that the course occupied.

Even though it's been polluted by the Royal and Ancient?

But according to an environmental study conducted by the club, local farmers use 20 to 30 times more fertilizers and pesticides than Orient Shanghai in its course maintenance. The irony of the club’s closure is that it went through the full Environmental Protection Agency permitting process and passed every test required by the Songjiang district EPA. 

Golf in China...it sounded so good on paper, too.

Happy Easter! Commish Finchem "Likely" Retiring By End Of '16

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AP's Doug Ferguson reports that PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem has signed a one-year extension but plans to retire by the end of 2016, pending Policy Board approval of Deputy Commish Jay Monahan.

Ferguson writes:

"For every organization there is a time,'' said Finchem, 68, who began his tenure in 1994 and is just the third commissioner in the PGA Tour's history. "I could probably go on another five or six years. But I don't think that is best for the organization. I don't consider myself old. But I'm getting old.''

Oh 68's the new 60 Tim, except for the people you pushed into retirement at 60!

Monahan was named the tour's COO this week, which many assumed was a sign of Finchem hanging on a few years more to finish off two or three pet projects.

Monahan, former of Fenway Sports, figures to be more in the vein of Adam Silver (NBA) and Rob Manfred (MLB), bringing a modern sports fan perspective and a lot less aloofness. But more gray hair!

Gary Player On Tiger’s “Lessons” And Sleep Deprivation

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My post at The Loop on Gary Player telling Colin Cowherd that Tiger shouldn’t have signed up for that series of buy five, get the sixth lesson free after winning the U.S. Open by 15, and sleep issues Woods told him about.

I guess what is said at the Champions Dinner doesn’t always stay at the Champions Dinner.

Elevated To PGA Tour COO: Jay Monahan

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If there was any question about Deputy PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan having to wait longer for Commissioner Tim Finchem to give up the keys to the corporate jet, any doubt was set aside with the naming of Deputy Commissioner as the new COO.

With his contract soon up, this essentially ensures a few more years of Finchem bringing his special blend of wit, wisdom and commissioning prowess to the golfing world. Even though he likes to run off most folks at 60 and a Monahan elevation would have mirrored the progressive leaps that MLB and the NBA have taken with their commissionerships, somehow the Policy Board run by Finchem just can't get enough of his charm.

Here's the release on Monahan's promotion, which also ensures that he has even more thankless tasks added to his plate already filled by sponsors lunches and sponsor meetings.

No word yet on the status of the current co-COO's Charlie Zink and Ed Moorhouse, who are still listed on the tour's Executive Bio page.

COO added to PGA TOUR Deputy Commissioner Jay Monahan’s Job Title

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (March 24, 2016) – PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem announced today that Jay Monahan has been named Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the PGA TOUR, effective April 1. Monahan has served as Deputy Commissioner since April 1, 2014.

“This is another step in the organization’s succession planning as Jay continues to work closely with me pertaining to all business matters,” Finchem said.  

Prior to being named Deputy Commissioner, Monahan served as Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President at the TOUR from 2013-2014. Prior to that, he was Senior Vice President for Business Development from 2010-13 and oversaw THE PLAYERS Championship as Executive Director from 2008-2010.

Monahan came to the TOUR from Fenway Sports Group (FSG), where he served as executive vice president.  

Video: Pinehurst No. 2 Five Years Later

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Lee Pace walked Pinehurst No. 2 with Bill Coore five years after the restoration that transformed the resort back to its architectural roots. While Donald Trump and a few were turned off by No. 2's presentation, the Donald Ross course has returned to prominence thanks to the work.

I found this about the rugged look of the course interesting. It's always amazing how folks equate a rustic look with more maintenance than a maintained look.

Indeed, there were plenty of cynics early on. Members and resort guests in 2010 in the backwash of the 2008 financial collapse simply thought Pinehurst didn’t have the money to maintain the course. Some in the design and maintenance business said you might get an interesting look out of the gate, but the vintage aesthetics would be difficult to maintain. All were wrong.

“Five years is a long time,” Coore says, gazing at the jagged bunker outlines up near the ninth green. “Look at those bunker edges, some people said they wouldn’t hold up. I’d say they’ve held up pretty well. The biggest fear we had was it would not be maintainable. Some people said the bunkers would fall in, you can’t maintain them. I guess it worked. They’re still there.

 The video: