Talk! Mickelson On Feherty, Tirico On Callaway Live

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A couple of fun talk shows air this week, starting with part one of Phil Mickelson on Feherty, Monday night March 6th (9 pm ET).

Still buzzing from having just attended the monthly Rancho Santa Fe chapter meeting of the Arthur Fonzerelli Society, Mickelson talks Masters and Ryder Cup in part one.

A preview of this comments on Tiger Woods:

On Tuesday at 9 pm ET and streaming permanently thereafter, NBC Sports' Mike Tirico sits down with Callaway Live host Harry Arnett to discuss his new gig as primetime Olympic host and his love of golf.

Great news: Tin Cup is airing twice on Golf Channel during the mid-morning hours, so you won't have a reason to skip Tirico! Last week's season three opener guest was Jim Furyk.

A preview:

Eight Years! Sharp Park Finally Gets Long Term Reprieve, Chance For MacKenzie Restoration

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We've been following this saga way too long but huge credit to Richard Harris and Bo Links for nearly a decade of battling to save Alister MacKenzie's Sharp Park design. After essentially facing the same foe--Brent Plater of Wild Equity--the San Francisco Board of Supervisors finally included the course as part of a natural resources plan that will ensure its long term prospects.

A WPA project designed by MacKenzie and Pebble Beach remodeler Chandler Egan, the run-down public course still sports a vibrant and diverse golf scene. With some love and money, it could be one of America's best public golf facilities.

The full press release announcing what appears to be the (merciful) end to this saga.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 6, 2017

SHARP PARK PLAN MOVES FORWARD

Historic “Working-man’s golf course” to Remain Open with SF Supervisors’ Support 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – After eight years of non-stop political battles, efforts to preserve the historic Sharp Park Golf Course have received a long-term commitment from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. 

By a 9-1 vote on Tuesday, Feb. 28, the Supervisors certified a Final Environmental Report for a Sharp Park Restoration Plan that recognizes the historical significance of the 85-year old links designed by Alister MacKenzie, one of world’s most famous golf course architects.  Specifically, the Supervisors: 

  • ·      Approved the continued operation of the 18-hole public course, owned by San Francisco but located in its beachside suburb of Pacifica;
  • ·      Designated the seaside links as “Historic Resource Property” under the California Environmental Quality Act; and
  • · Allowed modification of three holes along the margins of Laguna Salada, a freshwater marsh in the center of the course, to enhance habitat for the endangered San Francisco garter snake and the protected California red-legged frog, on condition that the changes be consistent with the golf course’s historic architectural character. 

A handful of environmentalist groups, including Wild Equity Institute, the San Francisco chapter of the Sierra Club, Surfrider Foundation, a couple of local Audubon societies, National Parks Conservation Association, and, for a while, Center for Biological Diversity, had for years opposed San Francisco’s Sharp Park Plan. They had demanded closure of the course to protect the frogs and snakes, but since 2009 these opponents had lost a series of fights over the golf course in San Francisco city agencies and before the California Coastal Commission, US Fish & Wildlife Service, and other state and federal resources agencies. In 2012 and again in 2015, four different state and federal courts dismissed lawsuits from the activist groups.  They lost at every turn.

The California Coastal Conservancy and several resources agency and court decisions noted that construction of the golf course in the early 1930’s severed connection between the Pacific Ocean and Laguna Salada, thereby converting what had been a brackish marsh into suitable habitat for the freshwater frogs and snakes, which were first found at Sharp Park in 1946, 14 years after the course was opened.   In a 2015 decision in favor of San Francisco’s Sharp Park plans, the Coastal Commission emphasized the importance of balancing the historic public recreation value of the golf course with the need to protect endangered species.   

On its Feb. 28 agenda, the SF Board of Supervisors was scheduled to hear yet another appeal, from the same environmentalist groups, challenging December 2016 decisions by the San Francisco Planning and Recreation & Park Commissions certifying a Final EIR and adopting the Sharp Park Restoration Plan as part of the Rec & Park Department’s comprehensive San Francisco Natural Areas Plan.  But when it came time for the anti-golf appellants to put on their case, their attorney Michael Lozeau dramatically announced his clients were withdrawing their appeal, in consideration for a minor Rec & Park concession on the placement of dredging spoils. 

At that point, 50-plus San Francisco Public Golf Alliance members who came to City Hall to testify – working men and women, retirees, and students from across San Francisco’s  broad ethnic and social spectrum – happily went home.  During the two weeks before the hearing, the golfers submitted over 1,000 e-mails and mostly-hand-signed letters, pleading the case for their beloved Sharp Park.

The golfers’ message resonated with the Supervisors.  Voting with the 9-1 majority to certify the Natural Areas Plan Final EIR, Supervisor Ahsha Safai – whose southern San Francisco district is near Sharp Park – noted “the irony of it all . . . that we have an existing working-man’s golf course . . . designed by a Scottish immigrant . . . that would be restored . . . that would then in the end be the reason why we have the opportunity to protect two of the most endangered species in Northern California.  That’s one irony that shouldn’t be lost.” 

Thanks to the Supervisors’ vote, neither the irony nor the golf course will be lost.

“There’s still a lot of work to be done to restore MacKenzie’s masterpiece at Sharp Park,” concluded Golf Alliance co-founder Bo Links, “but now the wind is at our back.”

R.I.P. Mark Laesch, Golfstat Founder

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While college golf will never reach the popularity level of other major sports, donors contribute often remarkable amounts to fund college programs across the United States. The impact has been felt both in lives changed by scholarships, but also by careers enjoyed because of college golf.

Which is why it's hard to capture the role played by Mark Laesch, founder of Golfstat in 1984. While described as a "friend to college golf" in this moving remembrance from Beth Ann Nichols, I would argue that Laesch's vision for scoring, stats and rankings made the sport something to be followed by friends, family, donors and fans. That Golfstat continues today as the preeminent source of information speaks to Laesch's influence on countless lives and importance of his creation.

From live scoring to detailed statistics and rankings, Golfstat provided new methods for NCAA coaches and committees to advance the game.

“I think what he did simply was a labor of love for him,” said Florida State men’s coach Trey Jones. “He changed college golf.”

Inbee Park Is Back (Again) And Incredible Again

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She turned up in Rio, won the gold medal and seemed to be setting the stage for a walk-off (career) win. Turns out, Inbee Park took six months off and beat a top field in the HSBC Women's Champions. And seems to be back? Maybe?

Either way, the Inbee legend grows and becomes more intriguing if she continues to play a limited schedule, especially when she hits turns up to hit 64 of 72 greens and 55 of 56 fairways in beating an elite leaderboard that included Ariya Jutanugarn, Brooke Henderson and a resurgent Michelle Wie.

Beth Ann Nichols of Golfweek reports on the win and Park's ability to post incredible numbers off a layoff.

“Today was pretty much, everything I looked at, it wanted to drop in,” said Park, who hit 17 greens (her first miss coming on the 18th hole) and took only 27 putts.

It wasn’t that long ago that an ailing Park struggled to finish tournaments to even qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame. A lingering thumb injury made her future on tour seem doubtful. But then she shocked the golf world in Rio by taking Olympic gold after a two-month break.

At the HSBC Women’s Champions, Park stunned once again, winning in only her second start since last August.

In the winner's circle with Inbee Park! #hsbcwomenschamps

A post shared by LPGA Tour (@lpga_tour) on

Mexico City Putting Much-Needed "World" In WGC

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As "tumbleweeds" rolled across the Blue Monster during Greg Cote's Wednesday visit for the Miami Herald--not literally but figurately--the WGC that left Miami after 55 years is off to a good start, writes Alan Shipnuck for golf.com.

In spite of the high-profile food poisoning cases involving Rory McIlroy (-2) and Henrik Stenson (WD), Shipnuck explains how event organizers are showing signs of positioning the tournament for a long run.

These kind of cross-cultural exchanges are the whole point of taking a World Golf Championship out into the world. "It's important to the brand of the PGA Tour," says Casey. "There are so many fantastic events in the U.S., but it's almost to the point of saturation. PGA Tour members get a bad rap that they don't like to travel but plenty of us do. It'd be a shame to miss out on a week like this. Mexico City is damn cool and so is this event. It has a different flavor, just a nice feel to it. And it's still in its infancy. It's going to be fun watching this tournament grow up."

The PGA Tour's first round highlights, including a nifty hole-out by Justin Thomas. Altitude hasn't led to any 500 yard drives or even 400 yards yet. There were 39 over 350 yards in round one, notes Rex Hoggard. And Phil Mickelson is enjoying the altitude's influence.

They're (Maybe) Back! New Costco Ball On Conforming List

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Nice spot by GolfNewsNet's Ryan Ballengee to locate a new Costco golf ball on the March 1st USGA conforming ball list.

He writes:

The new ball is the Performance One Kirkland Signature ball. It also has four pieces and has a triple cover, but not a solid core. These balls are rated for medium to high spin and are made by SM Global LLC, an American subsidiary of a Korean company that is the new manufacturing partner for Costco.

While the original Costco four-piece ball remains dead as a likely one-off product, the buying craze and ability of the ball to get people in stores seems to have inspired Costco to move quickly on another ball, just as a company executive predicted.

Kasumigaseki Has Deadline To Take Women Members

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Reading this unbylined AP story on the IOC setting a June deadline for the 2020 Olympic golf venue to change its membership policies, it feels like no matter what they do, the club will have a tough time overcoming the perception that they were forced into this change.

Quoting IOC Vice President John Coates...

"It's possible to go elsewhere but I think this is going to work," Coates said. "It's heading in the right direction for them to have a nondiscriminatory membership procedure. It would appear that we would have this result by the end of June."

One Rule Change (Almost) All Agree On: The Caddie Lineup

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While I'm still reading through many of the new Rules of Golf language and many responses, I'm certain nearly everyone is ecstatic to see the new rule preventing caddies from lining up players.

Not only was it inconsistent with rules attempting to unify the professional and amateur game, but also contradicted efforts to speed up the game.

Caddies lining up players also undermined respect for LPGA Tour players, who were most likely to take advantage of this rules book gap. With that in mind, Randall Mell at GolfChannel.com explores what this means for the LPGA Tour and while most were positive, there was one player not pleased.

Brittany Lincicome, however, didn’t seem pleased.

“I disagree!” Lincicome tweeted. “Lining up players has nothing to do with pace of play. I get 40 [seconds], I should be able to do what I want!”

Lincicome tweeted a pair of angry emojis after her comment.

The story goes on to explore some of the dynamics of why female tour players rely on caddies to line them up. Now that the rule will be changed, this freed up the opinions of Jerry Foltz and Karen Stupples are the most forthright that I've read.

“I think women in general are more likely to delegate stuff to other people,” Stupples said. “I think it’s about reassurance more than anything else. I think that’s just conditioning. When you have someone behind you saying, `You’re good,’ that’s just confirmation.”

That is why the practice had to go.

"The people at Doral feel like they got caught in the middle"

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Bob Harig examines the loss of Trump Doral from the tour schedule after 54 years and what it could mean for the Florida Swing now that Mexico City hosts the next seven years.

This from Joel Paige, former VP and managing director at Doral.

"The people at Doral feel like they got caught in the middle," said Joel Paige, a former vice president and managing director at Doral. "It wasn't the venue. It wasn't the community. It was the politics. The political thing was a lot more.

"Did both sides really work hard on trying to work it out? I don't know what the timing triggers were, but did the guys in Mexico have a take-it-or-leave-it offer, and the tour decided they had to take it?"

If there is a bitterness today in Miami, it is understandable.

McGinley On Rory Backlash: "This is not a noise you really want to have."

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Rory McIlroy ably defended himself during his Tuesday press conference in Mexico City, yet seems to be on the ropes concerning his golf round with President Donald Trump.

Brian Keogh reports the comments of Paul McGinley, who points out that McIlroy has not played well when facing criticism, is nonetheless befuddled by the anger expressed on social media toward McIlroy.

"I think it is disappointing that this noise doesn’t seem to be abating, looking at his press conference yesterday again. It dominated his press conference again, and in preparation for the Masters, this is not a noise you really want to have.

"He will be focussing on his injury, focussing on his game. He has walked into a storm, and I certainly won’t be critical of him, but I think it has taken him by surprise, and it has taken a lot of people by surprise, the vitriol that he has received.

"He was in a no-win situation, and that's the problem. When you get asked by the President of the United States to go and play a game of golf, it's very hard to say no."

New Changes To The Rules: DMD's For All (Maybe)

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The proposed Rules of Golf language related to distance measuring devices becoming permissible contains a  key provision worth noting.

Here's what is said:

(3) Distance-Measuring Devices  

  • ·      DMDs allowed: You may use DMDs to measure distance, except when prohibited by Local Rule (this reverses the default position in the current Rules).

This default reversal certainly makes sense given that many believe the game would be much better (and faster) with rangefinders in widespread use. Others will be glad to sell you an expensive device.

I'm happy for all of those who have been clamoring to use their devices. But having watched enough amateur and college golf in person, elite players really only get a speed bump from the devices when they hit a ball so far out of play that they can't get a yardage off of a book.

Otherwise, DMD's merely are used to confirm yardages computed the old fashioned way, especially when the course played is well-designed. Even remotely decent architecture and setup means the yardage to the flagstick is less meaningful.

The retention of the Local Rule language is where this gets fascinating.

Does anyone believe that the folks at Augusta National will want the leader of the Masters to walk up to the 12th tee and, after acknowledging the crowd patrons, pulls out a rangefinder?

Will the PGA Tour really embrace the sight of a player arriving at TPC Sawgrass' 17th tee only to pull out his rangefinder? Worse, what happens when a player can't get the yardage because of competition behind the flagstick? So instead of hearing a great tactical conversation on Sunday of The Players, we hear the leader asking his caddy if he can get a reading?

I suspect the USGA, R&A and PGA of America will allow them at their events given the rule change and their desire to look like they are not impeding something the kids want. But I'm having trouble seeing the other families signing on where they are more conscious of the "look" presented by DMD's.