Golf Boosting U.S. Olympic-Related Ad Spending By 10%?

/

Paresh Dave and Steve Battaglio of the LA Times detail some particulars of the NBC-Snapchat partnership announced for the 2016 Rio Olympic games.

Deep in the story there was this interesting factoid that suggests golf is having an impact on the bottom line. Oh, and rugby too, I guess:

NBC already has topped $1 billion in ad sales for this year's Olympics, a mark it passed only just before the opening ceremony in 2012. The rights to broadcast from Rio de Janeiro cost NBC an estimated $1.2 billion.

The Olympics are expected to boost overall spending on U.S. television ads by $703 million in 2016, or about 10% more than the games did in 2012, according to ad research firm Magna Global. The firm attributed the increase to the addition of two sports (golf and rugby) to the games this year.

DII School Bans Team From Trump National Doral; Coach Endorses The Donald

/

Brentley Romine with the story of Division II Barry University barring its golf team from practicing at Trump Doral because the school's mission statement clashes with the campaign rhetoric of the resort's owner.

Forget your political views for a moment, and note that Trump Doral was providing some free golf to a Division II school. In an era when more and more clubs sadly close their doors to local college and high school teams, it's pretty impressive that a high end resort course was still providing some free golf to a Division II school.

Anyway, coach Jimmy Stobbs tells Romine that he has no opinion...well, not really...

“We were very appreciative of the opportunity to play on the outstanding courses that aided in the player development. Barry University administration has an issue with Mr. Trump that now affects the golf team in many ways.

“I will keep my opinion of the decision to myself, but for the record, my wife and I both voted for Mr. Trump in the Florida primary, and we will again in the general election.”

John Daly At 50: An Appropriately Fun Retrospective

/

Kind of glad Herb Wind didn't have to do a New Yorker piece on this birthday.

John Daly gets a more appropriate retrospective from the SkratchTV gang. Oh, and Fuzzy owes Long John $150k according to USA Today's Josh Peter, money that will be well spent no doubt.

PS - Long John, two majors...shouldn't he be on a World Golf Hall of Fame ballot?

Early Photos Of Trump Turnberry Reveal Shocking Twist!

/

Some of you may know I find the links golf move toward immaculately manicured jacuzzi bunkers to be a depressing evolution of seaside bunkering. Especially given what the old photographs show and the vitality of naturalness in links golf.

So imagine my shock and joy in seeing the first photos emerging from Trump Turnberry showing off the finished product. No more bathtub bunkers. Architects Mackenzie and Ebert deserve most of the credit, especially since they convinced The Donald to go this route.

Exciting stuff from Turnberry, which reopens soon and will be getting a full inspection from yours truly this July:


And click on the lower left photo to see the new par-3...

 

European Tour Winning Battle Of The Bridgestone?

/

The news of Rory McIlroy choosing to play the European Tour's 100th French Open June 30-July 3rd instead of the WGC Bridgestone (where he's a former winner and where the European Tour will not be a co-sanctioner this year), allowed ESPN.com's Bob Harig to point out the ugly scheduling showdown between tours.

And based on McIlroy's decision, Harig says the PGA Tour's decision to hold its ground on the WGC date (or having the event at all this year) has backfired.

This WGC's traditional date is prior to the PGA, which wasn't going to work. So what to do?

Move it to a time on the schedule that clearly rankles a so-called partner in these events, the European Tour? Clearly the two sides discussed the situation, with the European Tour expressing its unwillingness to bend on its schedule. And the PGA Tour did it anyway?

McIlroy won't be the only top player to skip Akron. Henrik Stenson is also not going, meaning he will miss two WGCs this year. And defending champion Shane Lowry has a brutal decision to make as a European Tour member who dearly wants to be part of the Ryder Cup team but can't earn any points at the Bridgestone.

"With friends like Michael, Tiger is all set for detractors."

/

Thanks to reader Tom for Marina Hyde's entertaining Guardian look at the most surprising component of Wright Thompson's feature on Tiger's downfall: the comments of Michael Jordan.

Considering the two might have to share a cart at this fall's Ryder Cup--assuming Tiger can fit on the seat next to MJ's dad jeans--the comments were rather strong. Perhaps because they arrived late in the 11,000 word piece they didn't care as much weight, but as Hyde notes...

“What does he do all day?” wonders Jordan, rather unwonderingly. “I don’t know. I haven’t the slightest idea. I don’t know.” Of Woods’s failed marriage, he observes: “It’s a ship he can’t right and he’s never going to.” Alrighty. Might he not find someone else? “I don’t know if he can find that type of happiness.” Oof. There is, of course, a fine line between tough love and toxic buddydom – even if it feels like we crossed it a couple of fairways back.

Fox Revamps, Reduces Broadcast Team For 2016 U.S. Open

/

As remarkable as Fox Sports was in 2015 with its first year golf coverage--so says the USGA President--they've overhauled and shrunken their 2016 announce team.

Besides Greg Norman's retirement after just a year and Corey Pavin not returning, Awful Announcing points out some notable new faces, including Paul Azinger, Curtis Strange, Ken Brown and Jaime Diaz.

And this:

Furthermore, Oakmont director of golf Bob Ford will provide special insights on the course for the US Open broadcast from the historic venue.

Perhaps the most notable thing to mention on the full Fox lineup outside of the Azinger-Norman switch is the absence of Fox NFL Sunday host Curt Menefee, who served as the network’s studio host for the US Open, and analyst Tom Weiskopf.

R.I.P. Manuel de la Torre

/

Thanks to the readers who sent in Gary D'Amato's obituary of Manuel de la Torre, golf instructor extraordinaire who passed away at 94. The man who helped thousands also worked with Carol Mann and Tommy Aaron.

He sounds like quite the instructor:

He eschewed modern teaching philosophies that focused on specific body positions and movements. Though he could talk in great detail about the geometry and physics of the swing, his method was based on the simple concept of swinging the club toward the target.

"You don't think about your elbow when you're brushing your teeth," de la Torre said in a 2015 interview with the Journal Sentinel. "And yet, you're very successful at brushing your teeth. But this is what happens with golf. People are not concerned enough with what they have to do with the club. They focus either on the body or the ball, and neither of those things produces consistency.

Baker-Finch: Olympics Needs Team Format ASAP

/

Some of us don't want to say I told you so, but it's fascinating to hear a narrative brewing from those dealing with the players who are passing on the Olympics: Zika virus and the format.

As I noted on ShackHouse this week, a very solid source has told me that the South Africans are passing largely because of concerns about the Zika virus and their desires to have children free of birth defects, but I didn't get to mention in the show, it was also pointed out that the format does not force players into a team situation.

AAP talked to Ian Baker-Finch who all but backed this up with his "team" Australia member Adam Scott.

"I don't think people realise that Adam is not letting anyone down. It's his decision and he's entitled to make it. I am disappointed he won't be with us but I totally understand his position."

Baker-Finch has passed on his thoughts to the International Golf Federation.

While Gary Player and others fear the pullouts will affect the vote to keep the sport in the Games past 2020, Baker-Finch hopes it will just make them heed format change calls.

"I think it will make them think about making it a team competition. I'd even love to see it as a mixed team even - that would be awesome."

I don't know the feasibility of mixed, but it's fascinating as a longtime format hater to see so many no only coming around to a team element, but actually suggesting that such a format forces players to show up compared to an individual stroke play tournament.

Also, there is the radar issue for players: this is a first year event. Granted, as Baker-Finch pointed out last weekend it's also the world's oldest sports gathering, but Jason Day explained why that doesn't mean much to golfers. Ryan Lavner reports.