Tiger Cancels Press Conference Due To On-Going Back Spasms

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The Tiger Woods Foundation benefits from the Genesis Open proceeds and his TGR Ventures is running the tournament now.

Woods was scheduled for a Tuesday press conference even after he chose to miss the event due to back spasms. The presser was moved to Wednesday to coincide with appearances on the property related to his Foundation and Woods Jupiter restaurant's satellite location overlooking the 10th hole.

Late Tuesday night, however, the media received this notice:

After receiving daily treatment the last several days on his on-going back spasms, Tiger Woods has again been advised by doctors to limit all activities and will not hold a press conference Wednesday. It will not be rescheduled.

I never quite understood how Woods could appear and answer the inevitable health questions in a way that left anyone feeling good. Still, that his back is keeping him from sitting or popping in on-site takes the latest setback's seriousness to another level.

ShackHouse 27: Riviera Week And John O'Donnell

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It's LA week on the PGA Tour so we talk some Riviera, some Spieth at Pebble Beach, some Tiger and to get in the LA golf mode, we interview Johnnie-O founder John O'Donnell fresh off of caddying for brother Chris.

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 27 is here to listen to right now!

As always, ShackHouse is brought to you by Callaway, who have unveiled the new Great Big Bertha Epic driver, Microhinge Technology-fueled Odyssey putters coming to stores this Friday.

And this week, promo code HOUSE employed at CallawayGolf.com for orders over $100 gets you free swag!

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.

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.

Perth Super 6 And Other Bold Formats: Too Much Too Soon?

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Given the conservative nature of golf, I'm slightly concerned about the European Tour's effort to spice things up might a lot for the golf world to take in, as I explained to Damon Hack today on Morning Drive. Will it all just be a bit too much out of the chute?

That said, it's exciting to see outside-the-box thinking with events like the Perth Super 6 this week and May's just-announced GolfSixes outside London. But I'm thinking we could save the pyrotechnics for year...four. Or never.

Alex Noren and Louis Oosthuizen headline the Perth event this week. Here is the format:

After two days of strokeplay qualifying, the leading 65 players and ties qualify for the third round which is typical of most tournament structures. However, it is from that point on things begin to change.

Those players who have made the initial cut on Friday evening are all playing for a place in the final 24 who advance to a knock out match play contest on Sunday.

The leading eight players at the completion of 54 holes earn the right to sit out the opening round on Sunday with the winner of those first round matches advancing to face them in round two in what effectively becomes the round of 16.

Each match is played over six holes with a specially constructed playoff hole to decide tied contests.

The "Caddyshack" President

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Elizabeth Williamson takes President Trump to task for turning the Mar-a-Lago ballroom into the Situation Room so that a response to North Korea's missile test could be sorted out.

As members shared photos of the man charged with carrying the nuclear codes on social media, the President openly discussed a proper response with Japan's prime minister. For this, Williamson invokes the Al Czervik metaphor.

Though President Trump never asked a bartender what time he was due back in Boy's Town or hit on Judge Smails' wife...

One would think leadership of the free world would have scratched Mr. Trump’s itch for publicity. But this is the man who called reporters using a fake name to generate stories about himself; who introduced a member of one of his clubs to a Golf Digest reporter as “the richest guy in Germany,” instead of by name; who looks pained when having to share the podium with anyone, from Sarah Palin to the prime minister of Canada. This is rule by Al Czervik, Rodney Dangerfield’s character in “Caddyshack”: a reckless, clownish boor surrounded by sycophants, determined to blow up all convention. But this is real life, and every time Mr. Trump strikes a pose, the rest of the world holds its breath.

Easy there, Czervik is no boor! Ok, maybe a tad...

 

 

The Real Rio Story Or Protest And Killings: Neil Cleverly Speaks

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If you've been on social media you've probably seen Neil Cleverly's account of the "real" Rio he experienced as superintendent of the Olympic Golf Course.

Coupled with Stephen Wade's update on all of the Olympic venues in dilapidated shape, and it's amazing the course ever got built.

Regarding the protests outside the course, Cleverly says...

The protests started as a few and built up. The rumour was that a local politician didn’t like the developer so he was paying people – 100 real a day, which is about £25, to sit outside and throw abuse. That way you get people turning up, the most they could otherwise expect was £250 a month.

The sustainability ones were the most fanatical, they were saying we were killing animals, plants and removing indigenous plants and we weren’t doing any of that. The amount of times we invited them to see what we were doing– they never came in so we knew they were just there to cause trouble, they didn’t give a shit about the environment.

Proposal Made To Restore Musselburgh Links "To Former Glory"

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Avril Campbell reports that an Edinburgh-based company has approached the East Lothian Council with a £10 million plan to restore Musselburgh's Old Course, six-time Open Championship host and arguably as important as any course in the development of golf. 

Campbell writes:

Blue Thistle Ltd, the Courier has learned, has approached council members to discuss “a bold and exciting proposition” which would see the nine-hole, par-34 course “regenerated, restored and recreated to the style and reputation of its former glory”.

East Lothian Council says it is “aware of a commercial desire” to “take over” the course.

A Blue Thistle Ltd spokesman said it hoped to capture the heritage of the course and “broadcast” it to a global audience. It wants to return the course to its 1896 set-up, with lost features recreated and placed in new positions.

He said: “This will challenge the modern golfer as well as the traditionalist who likes to play with hickory-shafted clubs. Some new tees and greens will be built. A course with the quality of an Open Championship venue is the goal.”

One councillor, John Caldwell, is already “vigorously” opposed to the plan. However, given that the course has been in danger from elimination, has been neglected at times and has recently seen plans approved that will alter the historic Mrs. Forman's, the plan should be considered.

Most of you know I think this is one of the great places in the game and a model for the kind of intimate community golf we need more of. Oh, and it's an immensely important place in the history of our sport and the golf business.

Spieth's Ballstriking Carries Him To AT&T Title, Carson Daly Wins Pro-Am

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Kevin Casey of Golfweek.com has the notes wrap up of Jordan Spieth's 2017 AT&T National Pro-Am win.

Most striking Sunday was how Spieth's ballstriking seemed to carry him down the stretch as his putter cooled off. For someone often wrongly accused as being merely a great putter, the ballstriking display had to make his critics take notice. Ryan Lavner with a wrap of Spieth's ninth PGA Tour win, including this:

In 2015, Spieth ranked in the top 15 in strokes-gained driving, approaches, short game and putting. It was clinical. But Spieth’s ball-striking tailed off last season, and he said he worked as hard as he ever has during the offseason with swing coach Cameron McCormick.

“He’s always hungry,” Greller said. “He’s not somebody who is ever going to coast. It’s fun to work for a guy like that. Always hungry. Always driven.”

The hard work has paid off. Though he has bemoaned a cold putter – the middle two rounds boosted his confidence, pouring in putts on spongy, bumpy greens – Spieth has been one of the best iron players on Tour and ranks inside the top 10 in strokes gained overall.

“People think it’s only his putter,” Greller said, “but he’s incredibly well-rounded when you really break down the stats.”

In Pro-Am news, 10-handicapper Carson Daly (10!) teamed with Ken Duke to shoot 63 sunday and finish at -33 net to win. James Raia reports for the Monterey County Herald.

And flashing back to Saturday, Bill Murray avoided letting Phil Blackmar talked to him, and appeared to have a beef with the cameraman.

The final round highlights from PGA Tour Productions:

 

Golf Industry Show Wrap: VR, Recycled Sod, Digital Grass Printing And Other Fun Stuff

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The golf industry convened in Orlando last week to compare notes, take in seminars, talk turf and debate who reports to the more insane membership.

As we have the last few years, field producer extraordinaire Donny Goertz and I roamed the floor hoping to stumble on some fun stuff and this year may have been the best set of innovative products yet.

We talked with GCSAA CEO Rhett Evans about the state of the industry.

We took in the insane construction job supervised by the Golf Course Builders that created an undulating area for mower testing and real bunkers showcasing products.

One of those products was recycled soccer field artificial turf now being used for sodwall bunker stacking, changing a bunker face lifespan from 5 years to 20 or more.

We saw an amazing Pixar-like company that can simulate what your renovated or new course would look like and now is adding VR to the equation as well. Amazing!

And maybe our favorite of all, the people behind this:

 

 

We talked to the founder of New Ground Technology, Pete Davis, who explained the designs you've seen in outfields around Major League Baseball and how you can expect to start seeing them on golf courses. With, of course, some imaginative steps taken by tours and sponsors to more cleverly plant sponsorship onto turf in a responsible way.

GolfSixes: Pyro, Music, Ampitheaters Coming To Euro Tour Event

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The event is not until May and we have this week's event in Perth featuring a six-hole match element , so I'm not sure why the European Tour chose today to announce the GolfSixes concept.

Nonetheless, here goes...

Innovative GolfSixes concept unveiled by the European Tour

The European Tour is today delighted to unveil GolfSixes, a revolutionary and novel short form of the game which further illustrates the Tour’s desire to embrace innovation and originality in professional golf.

The inaugural GolfSixes event – featuring a prize fund of €1 million – will make its debut on the European Tour schedule at the Centurion Club in St Albans, to the north west of London, on May 6-7, 2017.

The event will feature two-man teams from 16 different nations, each nation being represented by its leading ranked and available European Tour member from the 2017 Exemption Category List as at Monday March 13, who will be joined by a compatriot of his choosing from within European Tour Membership.

The first day’s play on Saturday May 6 will see the teams split into four groups of four – similar to the UEFA Champions League football group stages – before the top two teams from each group progress to the knockout stages – the quarter-finals, the semi-finals, a 3rd/4th place play-off match and the final – all of which will be contested on Sunday May 7.

In the group stages, three points will be given for winning a match with one point given for a draw while the matches themselves will be played in a greensomes match play format.* Both days’ play will be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK and around the globe on the Tour’s world feed network.

As well as innovation inside the ropes, there will be an abundance of originality for the fans to enjoy outside the ropes as the six holes wend their way around the centrally located fan zone at the Hertfordshire venue.

In addition to amphitheatre-style stands around the tees and greens, there will be music and pyrotechnics on the first tee and at various points around the course, with all players miked up to help bring fans closer to the action.

Pyrotechnics. Cue the flames!

Players will also be encouraged to interact with the fans during play and in the intervals between their matches, including taking part in Q&A sessions in the fan zone, while live streaming on social media will further enhance the spectators’ experience and maximise reach.

Well, now they are just flat out dreaming.

The interactive digital fan experience will feature polls, user generated content and unique social media content while the innovative broadcast items will include POV cameras, caddie cams, unique camera angles and on-course player interviews.

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour, said: “We have said for some time that golf needs to modernise and introducing innovative new formats is a major part of achieving that aim, which is why I am delighted to announce the launch of GolfSixes today.

“We want to broaden the appeal of our sport to the millennial demographic and I think this format will do that, not only through the quick and exciting style of play, but also with the interactive digital experience fans will enjoy on site and the innovative television coverage people will enjoy at home.

It's for the only people who matter!

“We are also delighted to have brought a country versus country element to the fore. There is no question that the greatest atmosphere in golf comes every two years at The Ryder Cup and we are keen to try and emulate that national fervour in this format. We are in the entertainment content business with golf as our platform and GolfSixes is the perfect illustration of that.

I believe that's a two-shot penalty for excessive jargon in one sentence.

“I encourage everyone, whether they are a golf fan or not, to come along to the Centurion Club in May and immerse yourself in an occasion which will be unlike anything else you have experienced on a golf course before.”

Can't disagree and it should be a fascinating study in how to liven up the traditional 72-hole format.

I think many will wonder about the potential for the format to confuse, but I've always felt that this dynamic is overstated.

But, for those wondering...

* Format Summary

Greensomes:
• Both players in each team hit tee shots on each hole. The best tee shot is selected and then the team alternate play of all subsequent shots required to complete the hole.

Group Stages:
• Matches will be played over all 6 holes with 1 point awarded for each hole won. The winner of each match will be the player with most points at the end of 6 holes.
• For the group table: Win = 3 points, Draw = 1 point, Loss = 0 points
• In the case of a tie or ties in the group table after all matches have been played, each team’s total points differential from the 3 matches (similar to goal difference) will be used to determine the qualifiers to the knockout stages.
• If this does not resolve the tie, then this will be decided by a hole-by-hole play-off on a shortened play-off hole on hole 18.

Knockout Stages:
• Matches will be played over as many holes as is required to determine a winner.
• Any match that is still tied after 6 holes will be continued by repeated play of a “shortened play-off hole” on hole 18 until a result is determined.