Former WADA Chief On Golf: "There’s a problem there."

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Moira Gordon quotes former WADA chief Dick Pound, hosting a lecture at Stirling University, explaining golf's attitude toward drug testing.

Long opposed by PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, he recounted this conversation.

“We have all seen the shape changes in golfers and the distances they are hitting now and we know that the equipment is better and the balls are better but it isn’t just that,” said Pound, who recalled a conversation with the commissioner of the PGA Tour, Tim Finchem, stating that the sport which “has a great reputation for calling faults on yourself” could set an example to others by outing the cheats. But, the reply he received was disappointing. “He said: ‘Ah, but if I do that then they are all going to think my guys are just like those baseball players and football players and I don’t want that’. But if you follow some of the shape changes in the golfers and follow how, at a certain point, if they happen to come off them, you see how many more injuries they get. There’s a problem there.”

Video: A Rarely Seen Albatross, Scott Hend Edition

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Soomin Lee leads the Shenzhen International but Scott Hend recorded a 2 on a par-5. And it was caught by cameras manned by real people!

The shot, and low-key reaction produced by the dearth of spectators and Hend's inability to see the ball go in the cup.

Albatross!! 😱 One of the shots of the year from Scott Hend! 💪

A video posted by European Tour (@europeantour) on

Legends Chime In On The Benefits Of Jordan's Masters Loss

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Adam Schupak is reporting from the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf kicking off Friday and talks to a nice spread of the champions in attendance.

But as always, it's Jack Nicklaus' thoughts on Jordan Spieth's Masters loss that are the most copy-and-paste worthy, including his assertion that the 2016 outcome might be good for Spieth. 

“What I mean by that is that he’s 22 years old. To win a Masters twice at 22 years old, that puts him right at the top of everything. He’s got a long future in front of him. He’s a very talented young man, he’s a nice young man, he’s very focused. Winning it twice might take away some of that focus is exactly what I said to you about if I had won the U.S. Open when I was an amateur in 1960, I might not have continued to work because I felt like I’d be scratching my head out here (spreading his arms far apart to signal he’d get a big head).”

So there's that. And this about the 12th hole mistaken line.

Noting that his heart went out to Spieth, Nicklaus continued, “I know that he knows he should never have hit the ball to the right of the bunker. I don’t care what kind of swing you put on it on 12, it just can’t happen."

Stealth Clips: Tiger Gives A Junior Clinic!

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Last year Nike lured Rory McIlroy to Sage Valley for a junior clinic (and arm wrestling), this year they got Tiger Woods to do something people say he never does (I'm sure it has something to do with those daddy demons).

And while the back looks understandably stiff and the head dip is still there in clips only Zapruder could love --here's guessing video was discouraged--the tempo is fluid and the appearance is both a huge step for his image and his effort to come back.

Golf Central's segment on Tiger visiting one of the world's premier junior events.

@tigerwoods at the #SageValley #JuniorInvitational #golf @nikegolf #TW

A video posted by Graham Pocialik (@gtroit) on Apr 21, 2016 at 2:56pm PDT

 

Louis Out Of Olympics, Yet To Cite Conflict With Deere Classic

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When you think of golfers with real passion for their craft and country, you don't think of Louis Oosthuizen. Making for a nice contrast with another Olympic defector, Adam Scott, who is a passionate, international figure and who will be missed in Rio, Oosthuizen's decision to pass is less impactful.

Doug Ferguson reports that Oosthuizen is declaring himself ineligible for family/scheduling/yadayada reasons.

Not coincidentally, the John Deere Classic is the same week as the men's golf competition in Rio and Louis's love of tractors chould be pulling him to Iowa. If that happens then we know where his true passion lies. After all, he bought himself a Deere after winning The Open. Not that there's anything wrong with that!

Reaction To Scott's Olympic Pass Is Swift, But Don't Blame Him

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Even though he'd telegraphed this for some time and made clear he thinks the 2016 summer schedule stinks (it does), Adam Scott stuck to his position and declared himself a no-go for Rio. I explained to George Savaricus on Golf Central that we shouldn't be shocked by the news, though I do think Scott will ultimately be disappointed he didn't play because of the course quality, the potential for golf to have a great start in a Rio Games that has no other new standout sport, and in a field where he has a great chance to medal.

Reaction from golf luminaries and Aussies was not quite so understanding.

Jack Nicklaus called it "sad for the Olympics and for the game of golf," reports Dave Shedloski for GolfDigest.com.

Johnny Miller could sympathize with Scott--shoot he doesn't want to go to Rio either--but he felt the Aussie needed to grin and bear it. Rob Oller reporting for the Columbus Dispatch.

“Do I want to go all the way down to Rio for the Olympics? No, but yes,” Miller said. “I know it’s important for golf, and my job is to build up the tournament, to build up the players when they deserve it and to build up the growth of the game. So I have a big responsibility that week to make people who wouldn’t normally watch golf say, ‘Dang, this is a pretty cool sport.’ ”

Down Under, two Australian Olympians were not impressed, reports Nick Martin.

Dawn Fraser, one of the great female swimmers of the 20th century, took to Facebook to voice her displeasure with Scott’s recent announcement. The a 78-year old Olympic medalist — she is one of only three swimmers in the Games’ history to three-peat in a single event — and self-described “proud Australian” lambasted the golfer for opting out of the 2016 games, insinuating greed drove Scott’s decision to pass on Rio.

“well done Adam great to put your country on hold so that you can fulfill your own schedule
how much money do you want in life
not showing much for your country
I guess working 3 jobs a week to secure my place as a Olympic swimmer has giver me the strength to say what I feel about sporstmen and women that do this”

In his defense, the schedule of two majors and the Olympics in a five-week stretch is absurd. This was started by the PGA's commitment to Baltusrol long before golf even thought it was going to get in the Games.

However, the PGA also probably should have been moved to early fall, after the Games and U.S. Open tennis in Flushing Meadows. However, that would have required the PGA of America and CBS to figure out a way to work around fare more lucrative college and pro football schedules, or, for the network to have not televised the PGA in 2016, allowing for a date change. But, grow-the-game efforts only mean something up to a point, and this was not one of them. So even if you don't agree with Adam, remember that the schedule mess could have been resolved if some were willing to make concessions in the name of a rare, one-off, bizarre situation superceded by the apparently vitality to "grow the game."

The parties controlling the most meddlesome of the championship dates did not feel the need and therefore some players will be unwilling to make scheduling concessions.

Video: Flyover Of Raveneaux Country Club Post Rain Event

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Thanks to Tom Kirkendall for the sobering and shocking drone footage shot above Houston's Raveneaux Golf Club following April 18th's 17-inches of rain event.

The course sits on the other side of the Cypress Creek from Champions Golf Club. I think I speak for all of you that our thoughts are with all of the people and critters trying to manage this awful situation. Seven have died, billions done in damage and more rain is expected.

The flyover:

The Debate Over Golf Digest's Latest Cover Model Choice...

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GolfChannel.com's Randall Mell writing about the negative LPGA reaction to Paige Spiranac's naming as a leading futurists puts me in a tough spot.

I work with both entities.

I will note that the GolfChannel.com readers have been almost as hard on that site for regular slideshows of WAGs or Spiranac coverage, while Golf Digest's readers on Instagram were a mix of cranky, profoundly saddened and profoundly inspired.

 

 

What Could Go Wrong, Files? Carnoustie For Jean Van de Velde's Senior Debut!

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Maybe Bob Rotella convinced Jean Van de Velde to confront his Carnoustie demons in bold fashion, or maybe the Frenchman just has a sense of drama (and humor)? But either way, his decision to make his senior golf debut at the place he lost The Open, months after his birthday, is a bold one.

From a EuropeanTour.com report.

Now living in Hong Kong and a leading figure in this year’s 100th year celebrations for the Open de France at Le Golf National, Van de Velde confirmed he will be playing in his first event as a Senior at Carnoustie, knowing he has an old score to settle.

He laughed: "No, I don't get tired of people talking about 1999 and reminding me about what happened. I am lucky enough to still be involved in golf, but I am not as exposed as I was before so it doesn't come up as much in conversation.

"However, I know it is part of history. It is part of my life as well as a golfer. There were quite a few viewers that day - 250-300 million, I believe - so it would take me a while if I met all them and answered their questions about that day, from which I have great memories.”

For those of you who don't believe golf was played before the year 2000, Van de Velde's final hole: