Ryder Cup Points: Fall Tour Events Still Don't Count

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I have to be fully caffeinated to read about Ryder Cup points distribution in a non-Ryder Cup year, but it seems the task force Task Force "Task Force" committee is still making very clear that they do not think a darned thing about the PGA Tour's wraparound schedule.

For the 2018 Ryder Cup, the committee still will not award points to at least five events (schedule permitting) on the 2017-18 PGA Tour schedule. The omitted events share one thing in common: they are all played in the fall of 2017.

The new points breakdown shaped by Furyk and friends:

2017 Major Championships
o   1 Point per $1,000 earned
§  The Masters; U.S. Open; Open Championship; PGA Championship
 
Ø  2017 WGC Events and The Players Championship
o   1 Point per $2,000 earned
§  WGC-Mexico Championship; WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Championship; The Players Championship; WGC-Bridgestone Invitational; WGC-HSBC Champions
 
Ø  2018 Regular PGA Tour events
o   1 point per $1,000 earned
§  Beginning January 1, 2018, through the PGA Championship, August 12, 2018; includes the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event and WGC events

§  2018 Opposite Field PGA TOUR events will NOT receive points

Given that the PGA Tour and PGA of America have a partnership, the fall's inability to be treated with respect remains a blow to the wraparound concept.

As for the elimination of a post-Tour Championship Captain's pick, Furyk made perfect sense, reports Ryan Lavner.

“It’s obvious that we can’t wait until after the Tour Championship to make a pick,” Furyk said. “We have passports, travel to Europe, and I feel like the timing, we probably want to get it done a little earlier and not put those guys through that at the Tour Championship again.

“I think it’s wise, as well, for the captains to be discussing pairings the night before we leave, rather than who our next captain’s pick is going to be.”

Rio Olympic Golf Course Off Of Life Support For Now

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Given the shocking state of venues where just months ago the Olympics took place, it was great to read from Peter Dawson (via Rex Hoggard's GolfChannel.com story) that the Rio Olympic golf course has some new funding. Employees are getting paid again and maintenance is ongoing.

“Things are looking a little better, there’s a group of people who have come together that have a relationship with the land owner there, and they’ve re-engaged enough of the greens staff to keep the maintenance going,” said Peter Dawson, the former chief executive of the R&A and current

Hopefully this gets the course back into consideration for international amateur or professional events. Things look less promising for the swimming venue:

 

"Meet the environmentally conscious teens cleaning up the Pebble coastline"

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It was one of my favorite stories in some time and now budding marine biologists Alex Weber and Jack Johnston get the full SI-style profile treatment from Alan Shipnuck, complete with Robert Beck photos and a nine-minute film.

Shipnuck addresses many questions about the kids cleaning up the cove off Pebble Beach Golf Links, including the toughness required to dive and dig up the golf balls.

When Alex first came upon the balls during a recreational dive with her father in September 2015, she had no idea these man-made pearls would consume her life. "There wasn't this big master plan," she says. "I just knew they didn't belong in the ocean, and I wanted to get them out." In the ensuing dives her father was a constant—Mike owns a chicken ranch that produces 150 million cage-free, organic and kosher eggs a year—but while various friends of Alex's tagged along once or twice, only Jack kept coming back. It is grueling work that begins with hauling the kayaks down the steep sand hill at Carmel Beach, followed by the long paddle across the bay through strong winds and tides, and then hours of diving in frigid water that always leaves their lips blue, despite thick wet suits, hoods, gloves and booties. After all that, they have to schlep hundreds of balls and their gear back up the hill to their cars. The balls are stored in the Webers' garage, and some stink—a sulfuric, chemical smell that is a hint of the toxins they may be releasing into the sea. As the collection became more numerous (and malodorous), Alex and Jack were galvanized to take the fight public. "It became pretty obvious this issue was bigger than us, and we had to go to people who could help us change things," Jack says.

I gladly made a donation to their GoFund me page and notice it still could use some help to their $10,000 goal as they get ready to further their education!

The film (golf.com embed code only allows this size):

Clock Ticking On Rome's 2022 Ryder Cup Status

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When Rome pulled out of the 2024 Olympics running, the winning 2022 Ryder Cup bid also became a potential target for Italian government officials opposed to funding major sporting events.

The first leg of this potential issue for the 2022 Ryder Cup venue, the not-esteemed Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, came last month when the Italian Open was moved from Rome to Turin. The Italian Open is part of the European Tour's new Rolex Series.

Now the president of the Italian Senate has stripped off a funding amendment that was to guarantee $103 million for the 2022 Ryder Cup (and presumably the Italian Open). Whether it's a technical or significant issue will become more clear in the coming weeks.

Quotes from an unbylined AP story suggest it could go either way:

"The Ryder Cup is and remains a great opportunity for the country," said Andrea Marcucci, the president of the Senate's culture and sport committee. "Grasso's decision is technical; it's not about the content of the amendment.

"I hope the government quickly finds a solution which responds to the prerequisites asked for by the organizers. I want to remind everyone that the tournament has a considerable economic spin-off and television rights. The amendment in question didn't call for further public spending."

Is it too early to start nominating an actual golf course that would be suitable for the Ryder Cup? Is it to early to beg to see a Ryder Cup on a links just once in our lifetimes?

 

ShackHouse 26: Pebble Beach Week & Herm Edwards

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Before one of the most engaging commentators in all of sports TV--ESPN's Herm Edwards--joins us to talk the Super Bowl, Monterey golf and his first Crosby with Peter Senior (!) a long time ago in a galaxy far away, House and I talk Tiger, Pebble Beach week and the importance of the next two weeks for Masters prognosticating.

As always, you can subscribe on iTunes and or just refresh your device subscription page. Here is the direct link to this week's show.

Here is The Ringer's show page.

Same deal with Soundcloud for the show, and Episode 26 is here to listen to right now!

As always, ShackHouse is brought to you by The Ringer while kindly sponsored by Callaway, who have unveiled the new Great Big Bertha Epic driver, Microhinge Technology-fueled Odyssey putters coming to stores February 17th, and the lively Callaway Community.

Bring your love for golf talk online to the Community where House and I debut a debate this week on the West Coast Swing vs. Florida Swing. Post below on whether you think I won 7&6 or 8&7!

And if our coastal bickering bores you, you can always find out about testing and review products before they are in stores, get custom fitting advice and more at the FREE Community.

Under Armour Enters The Bag Business With Sun Mountain...

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On the heels of their disappointing earnings news turned into a virtual calamity by an irrational Wall Street, Under Armour's golf expansion took an interesting turn with a new Sun Mountain partnership.

Long known for their golf bags and travel gear--count me as a huge fan--Sun Mountain will be making an Under Armour branded bag.

Given that so many have wondered if UA would ever enter other parts of the golf business beyond clothes and shoes, could this signal what their planned model looks like?

For Immediate Release:

Sun Mountain to Make Under Armour Golf Bags
 
February 7, 2017 -- Sun Mountain has entered a licensing agreement with Under Armour to create and market a new line of golf bags. The 2017 collection includes two stand bags (Speedround $239.99, Match Play $259.99) and one cart bag (Armada $259.99). These new golf bags are scheduled to be at on- and off-course golf specialty stores beginning in April. Interested retailers should contact their Under Armour sales representatives to place an order.
 
The UA Storm Speedround golf stand bag is the lightest bag in the collection and offers a 9”, 4-way divided top and the X-Strap® Dual Strap System for easy on/off. Speedround offers nine pockets, two are water resistant, and comes in men’s and women’s styles with a retail price of $239.99.
 
The UA Storm Match Play golf stand bag features a 9.5”, 4-way divided top and the E-Z Fit© Dual Strap System for customizable fit. Match Play offers 11 pockets, two are water resistant. Retail price is $259.99.
 
UA Storm Armada is a golf cart bag with a 10.5”, 14-way divided top and single shoulder strap. Armada features 10 pockets, two are water resistant, and the new Smart Strap System to secure the bag to the golf cart. Retail price is $259.99.

Faxon On Putting Stats: "No great athlete thinks about that as they perform"

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Golfweek.com's David Dusek talks to Brad Faxon about all things putting and while this has no immediate news value, the move toward analytics in golf may make this bit an important go-to quote for parents dealing with a stat-obsessed youth. Especially as the PGA Tour's ShotLink system moves closer to more detailed putting stats in the coming months thanks to their Mircrosoft partnership.

From Faxon, one of the best putters of all time:

Q: Were you aware of your putting stats, and if you had today’s analytics would you want to have known when you were putting well and when you were putting poorly?

A: That’s a very good question, and here’s what I’d say about that. I loved to know any stat I could, and you can use them in a couple ways. They can give you confidence in your feeling of self worth, but no great athlete thinks about that as they perform. Tom Brady is not thinking that he’s the greatest quarterback ever as he’s throwing a pass. Ian Baker-Finch told me that when he was considered a great putter, he put more pressure on himself because he felt like he was supposed to make more putts. So it can work two ways.