PGA Tour's Slow Play Policy Needs Work (First)

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As the European Tour unveils a shot clock this weekend at GolfSixes, AP's Doug Ferguson considers the PGA Tour's first slow play penalty in nearly 22 years and says the policy is the problem.

Talking to players who did cite the right causes (fast greens, Brian Harman) or reasons no action has occurred sooner (tournaments somehow finishing on time, Pat Perez), it still comes down to policy.

Here's what is not in the book - when players are put on the clock, that's not their first interaction with a rules official. They first are asked to pick up the pace, a courtesy to allow for outside circumstances (such as a lost ball). Secondly, while timing is not an exact science, players are not given a bad time if they go a few seconds over the limit. A bad time generally is a really bad time.

Either way, it's a bad policy.

''If a slow player gets behind and they're asked to pick it up, the first question they ask is, 'Am I on the clock?' Because if they're not on the clock, they're not going to change,'' Haas said. ''If they are on the clock, they change. I don't like that. Because then all they do is run down the fairway.''

"Could Legalized Gambling Save Us From the Insufferability of Fantasy Sports?"

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Jay Caspian King in the New York Times magazine explained where we stand on sports betting in the United States--legalized and non-legal--and suggests we are moving closer to legalization.

While the main point of his piece was to suggest the overall effect of legalization may cut down on some of the silly stat and fantasy obsessing by fans in favor of merely rooting for a team win, some of the noteworthy insights into where things are headed may be worth your reading time.

Especially given the PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan hasn't been as close-minded on the topic as his predecessor.

Plus, given the interest FanDuel and DraftKings have been seeing, golf will need to be ready for the inevitable.

Video: HS Golfer Wins Arizona Sports Moment Of Year Award

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You may recall Richard Obert story on Sandra Day O'Connor High School's Amy Bockerstette, one of the starting five in Arizona's Division I girls championships last fall.

Bockerstette became the first golfer with Down syndrome to compete in the championship. Since then she has  won the AZCentral Sports Moment of the Year award for her play and accepted with a thank you speech you won't want to miss:

Zurich Classic Moves Out Of Spotlight To Player Raves, GolfSixes Steps In With Potential For Drama?

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GolfChannel.com's Ryan Lavner talked to Zurich Classic tournament director Steve Worthy about the unanimous praise received from players. It was the first official PGA Tour team event since 1981 and the only question is when does another tournament add a special format.

Lavner writes:

Of course, having too many outside-the-box tournaments appears gimmicky and could damage the Tour’s brand. After all, a player’s livelihood is at stake, and it shouldn’t necessarily be determined by whether he can hit a 6-iron through a hula hoop while blindfolded.

“Just once or twice a year, because it adds something different,” Fowler said. “You don’t want to have too many – then it doesn’t have a unique-kind-of-week feel to it.”

Striking that balance is the upcoming challenge for Monahan and Co. But if Worthy’s informal survey was any indication, the commissioner should have the full support of an enthusiastic member base.

“‘Fun’ is probably the word that I heard the most this week,” Worthy said.

Heaven forbid we wouldn't want too much of that fun stuff!

On the heels of Zurich week, the European Tour offers its vision for the team play tournament future. GolfSixes debuts this weekend (with its own website) and while appearing to be trying a few too many things at once, figures to be compelling.

The field isn't particularly strong, with the USA team represented by Paul Peterson and David Lipsky. Tuesday's draw set the four pools up this way.

Group A - England, Denmark, The Netherlands, India
Group B - Thailand, Spain, Belgium, Scotland
Group C - Australia, Wales, USA, Portugal
Group D - South Africa, France, Sweden, Italy

I nominated the Greensomes format today on Golf Central as the most intriguing element, while Feinstein picked the equally fun shot clock component. (One stroke penalties for shot clock violations!)

Greensomes could be fascinating on a course with some good risk-reward opportunities because it lets teams select their best tee shot and then play alternate shot from there.

The top two teams from Saturday's pool group play--six hole matches--progress to the knockout stages Sunday with the quarter-finals, the semi-finals, a 3rd/4th place play-off match and the final all played in one day.

Oh, and there will be walkout songs for GolfSixes. Feinstein and I picked our walkout songs in case you have several minutes to kill.

Here is a Sky Sports page devoted to the new event, with key questions answered.

Wells Fargo's Weak Field, Possible Pre-PGA Future

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The PGA Tour moves this week for a one-off Wells Fargo Championship at Eagle Point, a 2000 Tom Fazio design renovated by Tom Fazio in 2015. The club's president, Bobby Long, is an Augusta National member and potential future club chairman.

With Quail Hollow resting up for its August PGA Championship turn, just seven of the world top 30 means the traditional Wells Fargo turnout is absent, Adam Schupak writes for MorningRead.com.

More interesting in Schupak's story is this comment from tournament director Kim Hougham, anticipating an eventual PGA Championship move to Mother's Day weekend in May.

Hougham didn't point fingers, but the biggest hit to his field has been the move beginning in 2007 of The Players Championship from March to May, a week after the Charlotte stop. There's a lot of talk of the Players’ returning to its March date as soon as 2019. Would that be a good thing for Wells Fargo?

"It depends," Hougham said. "It's a zero net gain if the PGA (Championship) moves to May. We'd be a week before a major."

Sounds like Kim knows something we don't!

Flashback: LPGA Commish On Golf Digest's Paulina Cover

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With an LPGA tournament holding a Twitter poll to determine a sponsor's invitation, there is an apparent blessing from Commissioner Mike Whan that seems inconsistent with the outrage his organization directed at Golf Digest two years ago.

To recap: Golf Digest put Paulina Gretzky on the May 2014 cover and many in the women's golf world were outraged given how few females had ever graced the front page. And when a woman did make the cover, it was not one of the LPGA's many stars.

Whan at the time:

"Obviously, we're disappointed and frustrated by the editorial direction (and timing) Golf Digest has chosen with the announcement of its most recent magazine cover," Whan said in a statement released Friday. The tour's first major of the season, the Kraft Nabisco Championship, began on Thursday at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

"If a magazine called Golf Digest is interested in showcasing females in the game, yet consistently steers away from the true superstars who've made history over the last few years, something is clearly wrong. ... 'Growing the game' means a need for more role models and in these exciting times for women's golf, the LPGA is overflowing with them."

At the time, it was surprising that Whan to disrupt his tour's first major championship of the season given the importance of that event and the reduced importance of magazines or their covers. But given his membership's strong feelings about media emphasis of sex appeal over on-course accomplishment, many could understand why he spoke out.

Fast forward three years and the ShopRite LPGA Classic is essentially holding a beauty contest between four non-LPGA Tour members for a field spot. Only one of the four is on the Rolex Rankings (Booth at No. 365).

Golf Digest was trying to sell magazines and generate attention. No professional golfer was harmed by the cover.

But the ShopRite exemption could go to a promising Symetra Tour player in need of starts. Or a recent college golfer looking to "showcase" the start of her career could benefit. Instead, a spot in an LPGA Tour event will go to an attractive but undeserving player in large part to get the tournament attention.

Maybe Whan and the LPGA will think twice about letting this happen again? Because they risk losing credibility the next time a player is passed over because she doesn't fit someone's idea of what sells.

John Feinstein and I debated today on Golf Central:

New For 2017 Players: More VR, First-Ever Twitter Live 360 Video Of 17th Hole

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Since last year's Masters and Players, progress on the Virtual Reality front has been pretty quiet. So it's encouraging to see the PGA Tour continuing to push the envelope with what sounds like produced (?) coverage using three VR cameras. For those without a Samsung Gear phone and VR headset there is some consolation: Twitter's live broadcast of 360 degree video will be its first ever.

The full press release:

Live virtual reality comes to THE PLAYERS Championship

Live virtual reality and 360 video coverage of the famed 17th hole at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass will be distributed globally during all four rounds of the tournament

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida – The PGA TOUR and THE PLAYERS Championship announced today that fans will be able to experience the twists and turns of the island-green 17th hole at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass through live 360 video and virtual reality (VR) during all four days of THE PLAYERS Championship from May 11-14.

The live VR experience can be viewed on Samsung Gear VR headsets on a global basis through the “PGA TOUR VR Live” app available on the Oculus store. For fans who don’t have a Gear VR headset, the 360 video stream will be available exclusively on Twitter and Periscope during all four days of the event. Using any smartphone, fans will be able to watch live, 360 video from the 17th hole during THE PLAYERS.  Fans can find the coverage starting on May 11 at twitter.com/PGATOUR or by following @PGATOUR on Twitter and Periscope.

The live VR experience is done in collaboration with Intel and will be produced with Intel True VR technology, bringing fans closer to the action than ever before with three concurrent VR camera positions during competition. One camera will be placed on the 17th tee, one camera on the walkway from tee box to the green, and one camera mounted in the water next to the island green.

“We are excited that THE PLAYERS Championship will host the PGA TOUR’s first live virtual reality production,” said Rick Anderson, PGA TOUR Chief Media Officer. “The PGA TOUR has experimented with virtual reality content for nearly two years. We tested Intel’s True VR technology on a live basis at the Genesis Open in February, and were very pleased with the quality. We decided that executing a live VR experience on one of the most dramatic holes in golf was something that our fans would love, and the fact that we are partnering with Twitter to deliver 360 video will offer tremendous scale.”

“The Intel True VR platform will provide golf fans with a new, immersive experience using our end-to-end solution. From our stereoscopic cameras at the iconic 17th hole to creating a PGA TOUR VR application for THE PLAYERS Championship, we work with our partners to create the best fan experience,” said David Aufhauser, managing director, Intel Sports Group. “Working with the PGA TOUR, as well as global distribution via Twitter and Periscope, gives us the ability to expand the Intel True VR experience to more fans.”

"The PGA TOUR continues to innovate for their highly-engaged fan base on both Twitter and Periscope," said Laura Froelich, Twitter's global head of sports partnerships. "Thanks to this collaboration, golf fans around the world will have exclusive and unique live access to the renowned 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass.”

THE PLAYERS Championship marks the first time Twitter has distributed live 360 video during a major sports event. The announcement of this collaboration between the PGA TOUR and Twitter follows the live streaming relationship announced earlier this year.

This is a fun inclusion:

Twitter’s early round distribution of PGA TOUR LIVE coverage, viewable weekly at pgatourlive.twitter.com, has averaged almost half a million unique viewers each day, more than 70% of which are under 35 years old.

Don't worry virtually dead people--over 35!--they care about you too. I think.

Video: Getting Fit With Justin Rose

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I believe now that Justin Rose is sleeping just fine after his heartbreaking Masters-playoff, as Brian Wacker wrote for GolfDigest.com before Rose and Stenson made a quick Zurich Classic departure.

Why?

Look how effortless it is for the man to explain his shoulder strengthening and body stretches with Morning Drive's Dr. Ara Suppiah. Get these two a golf fitness show!

LPGA Tour Event Giving Field Spot To Twitter Poll Winner

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And there is something these four finalists have in common. I've been trying to put a finger on it...just can't quite get it. Anyway, they are the lucky four, that we know!

Here is the ShopRite LPGA Classic Tweet, and do make sure to go read the fan backlash. While I'm all for sponsors invites being used as an event sees fit, the response on Twitter suggests this stunt may backfire.

As GolfDigest.com's Alex Myers notes, the tournament is working with MVP Index on this idea. That is the media tracking firm founded by Shawn Spieth, father of Jordan.

Analysis And Poll: "Optics, pace of play real issues behind new 'green-reading' review"

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I penned a Golfweek.com take on the USGA/R&A Statement today regarding green reading books.

This is a topic we've been hearing rumblings about for about a month now, though I wasn't sure the governing bodies were serious. Today's statement suggests they are very concerned about the impact these have on skill, something confirmed by the USGA's Mike Davis when I spoke to him at The Masters.

My take is a bit different in that I could care less what a player looks at while on the greens as long as he gets his putt struck in under 45 seconds. And as I lay out in the column, this is probably the ultimate reason the issue has arisen, but green speed is certainly another.

So what is motivating this possible crackdown? Your votes are appreciated!

What do you think is the primary motivation for possibly banning green reading books?
 
pollcode.com free polls

Blixt: "I haven't seen anything that good in an extremely long time."

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It was probably fitting that Jonas Blixt and Cameron Smith teamed to win the first Zurich Classic given that the duo never made a bogey. Leading from day one, the Jacksonville tandem--by way of Sweden and Australia--earn all sorts of exemptions and perks along with a $1 million check (each).

I loved Blixt's selfless quote, noted here by GolfChannel.com's Will Gray, which may capture the essence of why they may have been such a strong team:

"Seeing how he played golf, the sky's the limit for him," Blixt said of Smith. "Just watching these last four days, I haven't seen anything that good in an extremely long time."

Teryn's Schaefer's PGA Tour recap includes Smith's interview with Dottie Pepper where...well he couldn't come up with the words. In a good way!

Fittingly Smith made the winning putt. The playoff highlights from PGA Tour Entertainment are here.


Kerr Apologizes For Slow Play; LPGA Still Mum On The Insanity Of Playing The Same (Lame) Hole Six Times

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Credit Cristie Kerr for taking to Twitter to (sort of) apologize for her deliberate tactics in Sunday's Volunteers of America Shootout. But the silence from the LPGA Tour, which damaged its product in the name of bringing golfers back to corporate tents over and over again, and noted here in Randall Mell's GolfChannel.com rant. The move did a disservice to Las Colinas Country Club and the tournament. Given that this is not the first time a playoff has done this merry-go-round, the tour deserves the hits being leveled.

The Kerr Tweets:

 

 

USGA, R&A Are Going After...Green Reading Books

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I'm working on some more extensive thoughts with quotes from the USGA's Mike Davis, but in the meantime, this should get some fun discussion going! #ABTB (Anything But The Ball)

Joint Statement Regarding Green-Reading Materials

May 1, 2017

The R&A and the USGA believe that a player's ability to read greens is an essential part of the skill of putting. Rule 14-3 limits the use of equipment and devices that might assist a player in their play, based on the principle that golf is a challenging game in which success should depend on the judgement, skills and abilities of the player. We are concerned about the rapid development of increasingly detailed materials that players are using to help with reading greens during a round. We are reviewing the use of these materials to assess whether any actions need to be taken to protect this important part of the game. We expect to address this matter further in the coming months.

LPGA Nightmare: Playoff Tests The 18th Hole Six Times, Cristie Kerr Slow Plays

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The LPGA had a chance to share the spotlight with a rain-delayed Zurich Classic on Golf Channel, and while the network (in my biased view) did a solid job managing a real traffic jam, they could not overcome the LPGA product failings.

Namely that the tour, even after criticism following past deja-vu-all-over-again fiascos, insisted on conducting a sudden death playoff on only one hole. That would be Las Colinas's less-than-perfect 18th hole.

This meant eventual winner Haru Nomura and slow-poke Cristie Kerr played the 18th hole six excruciating times.

And then there was Kerr, who played at a painfully slow clip and was eventually called out by lead analyst Judy Rankin for trying to slow play her opponent. Twitter appreciated Rankin's tough call.

 Rooting for Cristie Kerr to lose now. Glad Judy Rankin finally called her out for the ridiculous slow play. Rather see PGA finish only here.

To be clear, none of this taints Nomura's win in the Volunteers of America Shootout. In fact, the world No. 18 ability to channel Kerr's gamesmanship and the lousy playoff hole makes it that much more impressive.

Will Gray at GolfChannel.com on how this does, however, taint the LPGA:

The LPGA should have learned from that particularly monotonous ending, but apparently they did not. So let Sunday’s anticlimactic conclusion outside Dallas serve as final reinforcement that any playoff rotation that calls for the same hole over and over needs to be thrown away and promptly re-written.

The LPGA should have learned from that particularly monotonous ending, but apparently they did not. So let Sunday’s anticlimactic conclusion outside Dallas serve as final reinforcement that any playoff rotation that calls for the same hole over and over needs to be thrown away and promptly re-written.

Kisner! Zurich Saved By Thrilling Eagle, Playoff Coming Monday

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The first team event since 1981--did you hear that enough?--was looking like a bit of a dud. A six hour delay, gray skies on soggy Bermuda and only Jordan Spieth left among the headliners were hardly the ingredients to success.

But in that classic bit of team play irony, Cameron Smith appeared to seal the victory and you could practically hear the screams of joys from the CBS truck. Furthermore, Smith and partner Jonas Blixt did not make a bogey all 72 holes, an amazing feat with 36 holes of foursomes.

Then Kevin Kisner brazenly holed out for eagle to send the event to a Monday playoff and the first Zurich Classic as team play will have a highlight we'll see for years to come.

Tune in to Morning Drive as we lead in to the 9 am ET playoff!

From Brian Wacker's GolfDigest.com report at the Zurich:

“We knew we had to have it,” Kisner said. “All I was trying to do was make sure I didn’t leave it short.

“It’s just one of those shots you dream about.”

Jeff Babineau's story from Golfweek on the playoff pairs, which pits longtime buds Kisner and Brown, against neighbors who bonded during the week in Smith and Blixt.

Not one of the four finalists (Blixt, like Kisner and Brown, is 33, and Smith is 10 years younger) was born the last time the PGA Tour conducted an official team event (1981 Walt Disney World National Team Championship). There is a good deal at stake on Monday morning: The winners will receive an official PGA Tour victory and two-year exemption, 400 FedEx Cup points and divide a winner’s check of more than $2 million. A victory also would get Smith, a Web.com Tour grad, into the Players Championship and PGA Championship.

Smith and Blixt were the only team in the field to get through the week without a bogey on the card, and they didn’t go away once they fell behind on Sunday. They ran off three birdies to start the back nine, cutting the deficit to one.

Ok, strap in, the shot and stellar reaction. Now, this was entertaining!

 

And just to show how little light remained...