Classics: Oak Hill Restoring To Ross, Olympic Club Turns To 1970's Florida For Inspiration

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On his Fried Egg podcast today, Andy Johnson and I were hard-pressed to think of a course unhappy with a pure restoration of their Golden Age design.

Which is why a copule of items got my attention, starting with the exciting, long, long, long overdue news that Oak Hill's membership has voted to go back to their Ross design while joining the long list of courses to de-Fazio.

Tim Rosaforte reports for Golf World that the work will take place after the 2019 Senior PGA but in time for the (May?) 2023 PGA Championship the club is scheduled to host. The work will be overseen by Andrew Green with consulting from Rochester's Jeff Sluman working off of the very well-documented Ross plans for the East Course.

“The history of the place is incredible and the documentation spectacular,” said Green, who is also handling a Ross restoration at Inverness. “We’ve got a nice set of documents to work off of.”

Rosaforte also notes this about the issues facing a May PGA Championship in Rochester:

If there’s concern about Oak Hill’s readiness for the 2023 PGA, particularly if the PGA of America goes ahead with a proposal to move the dates of the major from August to May, it’s not over course conditions but whether the weather in upstate New York could create problems during the 100-day build out of the infrastructure required to host a major.

Meanwhile I'm utterly flummoxed by what has happened at the historic and enchanting Olympic Club, where the already-deep, ancient bunkers have gotten deeper and decidedly less attractive. (Unless you're into 1970s architecture with little of the historic vibe that always has been the Olympic Club look.)

Golfweek's Bradley Klein with the horrifying photos for those who admire the Lake Course:


At least the faces are so steep that keeping too much sand on them is not an issue:

 

Note To Five Families: Kang, Perry, Stanley Win Impressively; But Pro Golf Shoots Itself In The Foot Today

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While the 2017 editions of the KPMG Women's PGA, U.S. Senior Open and Quicken Loans National probably won't be talked about a century from now, each featured enough intrigue for a sports fan to savor. Yet each started and finished at almost the same time on a summer Sunday in the United States.

Former USGA communications director Joe Goode wondered if this was a good or bad thing.

Put me down for seriously flawed programming.

Even with the July 4th holiday falling on a Tuesday, therefore opening up Monday July 3rd as a de facto holiday, three golf tournaments went head to head for no good reason. With each played at compelling venues that alone would attract viewers (Salem CC, Olympia Fields, TPC Potomac), they competed for viewers on a Sunday that not only failed fans, but will fuel the ratings decline narrative.

Next time the five families meet, perhaps they can bring calendars along to their meetings and kick around a way to spread the viewing love. A Monday finish most likely would not have hurt any one of the three, particularly the Quicken Loans, where galleries were thin.

More importantly, tours that too often serve the needs of players over fans fail their players by asking them to compete for the public's attention.

End of rant, beginning of celebration.

The best story of the day and one of the most heartwarming of the year revolved around Danielle Kang breaking through to win her first LPGA Tour event and more importantly, first professional major.

A two-time U.S. Amateur champion, Kang's road to professional success was derailed by heartbreak over the loss of her father to cancer.

Randall Mell writes for GolfChannel.com that Kang would have given anything to have the person who caddied for her in those U.S. Amateur wins present for the pro breakthrough.

“I don't know what it would have felt like to win right away as a rookie,” Kang said. “However, if I could wish anything, I would wish that my dad saw me win.”

Kang’s father died from brain and lung cancer during her second LPGA season.

K.S. Kang was Danielle’s caddie for her U.S. Women’s amateur victories in 2010 and ‘11

“I think that it's been a really difficult road for me for the past four or five years,” Kang said. “It’s life, though. You have to pick yourself up, and you have to keep working hard at it, and then believe in what you're doing, and not letting yourself down.”

Bill Fields of ESPNW on the important role of Kang's Web.com Tour playing brother Alex.

When the tour made its Asia swing that fall, K.S., despite being gravely ill with brain cancer that metastasized to his lungs, watched Danielle play in two events. Three days after traveling to Japan to be with her at the Mizuno Classic in November, he went into a coma. After his death, the bond between his children, already strong, increased. The siblings communicate a couple of dozen times most days, according to their mother, and Alex offered Danielle valuable strategic advice about Olympia Fields.

"She was not the same girl, but her brother, he kept taking her out to play," Lee said of the period after K.S. died. "Her brother is like her dad almost."

If you were touched by Kang's triumph over Brooke Henderson, you won't want to miss Beth Ann Nichols' Golfweek story that includes some great behind the scenes insights, including a note from mom, Kang's Sherwood CC fans that texted after the win, and her tight bond with Michelle Wie.

A teary-eyed Bo Wie, mother of Michelle, came over a few minutes later for a hug. Michelle Wie and Kang are so close they started a lifestyle blog together, though they’ve been lax in updating it lately. There’s certainly something worthy of writing about now.

Wie, the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open winner, said they’ve been in constant contact this week.

“If I don’t text her in six hours she sends me 50 messages,” Wie said, grinning.
In fact, they’ve formed their own book club of sorts. A restless Danielle tried to get lost in the book prior to the final round.

The final round highlights from Golf Central:

As for the other events, Kenny Perry took home the U.S. Senior Open trophy in a two-man battle with Kirk Triplett at charming Salem Country Club. 

Jeff Babineau's Golfweek.com account on the incredible, record-breaking performance.

And Kevin Casey has the lowdown on Kyle Stanley's playoff win over Charles Howell at the Quicken Loans National.

As Steve DiMeglio points out from Maryland, the playoff loss for Howell was his first start in 9 weeks.

Video: Mother Of European Tour Player Wades Into Murky Water In Attempt To Retrieve Son's Club

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This is all-timer! The mother of 21-year-old Haotong Li waded into a less than inviting Le Golf National lake in an attempt to retrieve the club her son had thrown into the lake.

The world No. 129's mother set her purse and phone down on a nearby railroad tie, went inside the ropes and attempted the rescue effort as the star threesome of Tyrrell Hatton, Thomas Pieters and Alex Noren were attempting to play the hole where .

Eventually mom did reach the floating club in question, only to find that her son had broken the dastardly weapon. Her dropping of the grip end back into the lake is a particularly special touch that turned the laughter to all-out hysterics for the group.

With Twitter video embeds iffy these days, here's the Instagram version:

Even the players had to laugh 😂⠀ #HNAOpenDeFrance #RolexSeries

A post shared by European Tour (@europeantour) on Jun 29, 2017 at 6:56am PDT

 Hatton took to Twitter after, clearly still enjoying the interruption:

Is Tiger's Quicken Loans National Doomed In Schedule Revamp?

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Sure sounds like it if you read from DMV insiders John Feinstein and Ryan Ballengee who each lay out the relatively short history and future of the PGA Tour stop that was started by Tiger Woods.

With the PGA Tour needing to contract to make a Labor Day conclusion work and Quicken Loans having not renewed sponsorship of the stop, the signs are not encouraging. Throw in multiple other anecdotal elements--including the Woods Foundation's involvement in the Los Angeles stop--and we could be watching the last or second-to-last playing of the tour's (mostly) D.C. stop.

All of this is set against a backdrop of a PGA Tour looking to shed a few stops to make the math work on a schedule overhaul moving the Players to March, the PGA Championship to May and a conclusion by early September.

Feinstein reports for Golf World that Congressional will not host the "National" again after contractually obligated playings in 2018 and 2020, all in hopes of luring a USGA event again.

While the members agreed to the deal, it was only to host in alternating years — 2016, 2018 and 2020. And once that contract is up, the tournament won’t return to Congressional. The board is now pursuing a U.S. Open, with USGA executive director Mike Davis telling it flatly that the association won’t even consider the course unless the tour event goes away.

But the event requires a sponsor and Feinstein says it won't be Quicken Loans.

With the contract up after this week’s event, there has been no sign from Quicken Loans officials that it plans to renew. There also has been talk that company CEO Dan Gilbert wants to take his money to Michigan, where he lives, to bring the tour back to his home state, which hasn’t had a tour event since the Buick Open outside Flint went away in 2009.

Ballengee's GolfNewsNet.com report pieces together the other anecdotal signs of an impending demise for the Quicken Loans National. With rumblings out of Minnesota about a likely new tour stop there, perhaps sponsored by a current sponsor, Ballengee writes:

At first glance, the only events on the schedule that appear vulnerable are the Quicken Loans National, with an expiring deal, and The Greenbrier Classic, which is locked up through 2021.

Meanwhile, Tiger Woods' TGR Live now runs the Genesis Open at Riviera near Los Angeles, a tournament with an established, legendary pedigree of winners and located in Woods' home state. The field is also imminently better than the National each year.

Quicken Loans, if they choose to remain a title sponsor, could latch on to the as-of-now sponsor-less Houston Open or taking over the Tournament of Champions from SBS (which sublet their deal to Hyundai before this year), both with better schedule slots and fields.

This year's even features one of the weaker fields in modern memory, with just four major winners and one top ten player. Tiger has stepped away for his back and addiction rehab as well.

Natalie Gulbis Contemplating Run For Congress...

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First she spoke at the Republican National Convention and now it seems Natalie Gulbis has politics in her system. The former LPGA Tour player and former Celebrity Apprentice contestant is taking meetings this week to discuss running for Nevada's third congressional district, reports the Nevada Independent's Jon Ralston.

He writes of the possible competitors and includes this from a strategist:

One well-connected Nevada GOP strategist put it this way: “I think there is intrigue and she definitely has some interest but everyone, including Natalie, is trying to figure out whether it is the right fit. NRCC is casting a wide net and they rarely engage pre-primary.”

Kevin Casey has a Golfweek roundup of Gulbis tweeting her way around Washington D.C.

"U.S. Open [Tennis]: Why not all tennis balls are alike"

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Thanks to reader PABoy for this fascinating look at small differences in the men’s and women’s tennis balls used at the U.S. Open. Longtime readers know I've felt golf could learn from tennis having different ball specs at Grand Slam stops designed to keep the different playing surfaces relevant.

Joseph Hall and Wendy Gillis explain, however, that experts within the tennis world see major differences in ball felt

Eugene Lapierre, director of the Rogers Cup tournament in Montreal, says it’s standard practice to use more felt when the men are in town and less with the women, who alternate between his city and Toronto each year.

Lapierre says men at Rogers use a ball manufactured by Penn when they’re in Montreal and Toronto because it’s part of an endorsement deal on their circuit. Women use a Wilson ball, he says, to get them ready for the U.S. Open, which typically follows hard on the heels of the Rogers event.

While Lapierre says his tournament simply employs the balls they’re told to use, it’s his understanding that the women’s version is made for clay courts to help speed up the game on that slower surface.

The full story is worth a read because on top of the insights gleaned for a tennis fan, the imagination can easily see how this concept support the idea of a variable distance ball for competition or the sexes.

The Rio Effect: More Elite Golfers From More Countries

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Bill Fields, reporting for ESPNW on the Olympic effect on women's golf notes both anecdotal and numerical evdence of note.

Reporting from the KPMG Women's PGA, Fields writes:

"Golf was a massive success in Rio, and we're continuing to support having golf on the platform because it is a global sport," said board member Angela Ruggiero, a four-time United States women's hockey Olympian who spoke Wednesday during the Women's Leadership Summit at the KPMG. "It has equal men and women in terms of [competitors]. So I think the IOC felt this is a no-brainer."

Ko called the news an "amazing step forward," given her positive experience in Brazil.

"It was just great to be in that vibe of being alongside some of the other best athletes in the world, not just in golf," Ko said. "You never really get to meet all these people in sailing or shot put. It the biggest range of sports."

Whan said he believes that the number of elite golfers from an increasing number of nations -- 45 countries were represented at 2016 LPGA Q School, compared to 26 in 2015 -- is rooted in part to the October 2009 announcement that golf was going to be played in the Olympics, which caused many countries to invest in the sport.

For all that we lament in the format, it's hard not to appreciate that kind of growth in golf diversity after just on Olympic Games appearance. Continuing the trend will require better star participation and a better format in 2020.

Topgolf Coming To Phillips Arena...

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What an interesting move for Topgolf and the Atlanta Hawks even if it's stated as a blatant millennial play. But hey, the M's love their Topgolf! Yay!

However, I'm not sure sports fans need something else to distract them from the game on top of their phones. (That's precisely what two of them are looking at in the demo image of the Hawks Topgolf bay.) More encouraging though is the re-imagining of the amenities available at an arena, and that golf is being included.

For Immediate Release:

- Sports fans and concert-goers seeking pre- and post-event entertainment will soon be able to play Topgolf® once renovations of Philips Arena are complete for the 2018-19 season. The Topgolf Swing Suite – Topgolf's first permanent amenity in a major sports arena – will feature two Topgolf simulators, comfortable lounge seating, HDTVs and food and beverage service.

"As we began to discuss transforming our arena into a premier sports and entertainment venue for next generation Atlantans, we realized there was no better potential partner than Topgolf," said Atlanta Hawks Basketball Club CEO Steve Koonin. "They provide a one-of-a-kind experience that appeals to millennials and people of all ages. We are thrilled that they will have a home in our arena."

Topgolf launched its first Swing Suite at the Four Seasons Hotel in Houston, where it can be rented by the hour for groups of up to 15. The Swing Suite will complement other new additions to the Philips Arena, including Zac Brown's Social Club, a restaurant by the Atlanta native and leader of Zac Brown Band, and The Swag Shop, a barber shop owned by Atlanta rap artist Killer Mike.

"Basketball is my first love, but Topgolf has quickly become one of my favorite hobbies," said Atlanta Hawks Forward Guard Kent Bazemore. "Having a Topgolf Swing Suite inside the Arena will be incredible for the fans and will add to the already amazing atmosphere at Hawks games."  

Steph Curry's Web.com Tour Event Exemption Draws Inevitable Complaints From Pros

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It's a debate that will forever dog the sport and has arisen since the days when Babe Didrickson, a priest and George Zaharias got LA Open sponsor's invites. (Didrickson later married Zaharias thanks to that round!)

Thanks to social media, swelling entitlement of players who haven't made a cut in a major (much less won one), and it should not come as a surprise that a few complainers surfaced on news of Steph Curry's Web.com Tour event exemption.

The Ellie Mae Classic (July 31-Aug. 9) gets to invite any player they want with their exemptions, including college players like Maverick McNealy, who are also taking away a playing opportunity. For 2017 they've chosen a hometown global superstar and low single-digit handicapper that will bring enormous attention to a tournament that otherwise would have gone largely unnoticed. Yes, they probably reached too far when Jerry Rice played given his abilities, but Curry is a both a legitimate golfer (2.0 index) and at the height of his allure.

He's also, as Ron Kroichick notes in this SF Chronicle exclusive, humbled by getting to be around the talented players of the Web.com Tour.

He played alongside Justin Thomas (now ranked No. 12 in the world) at Silverado Resort in October 2015, and with Harold Varner III (now No. 135) this past October. After the Varner round, Curry acknowledged the disparity between tour pros and accomplished amateurs.

“These guys are ridiculous,” he said. “Their misses are good shots for me. It’s just a different type of expectation. You see their ball flight and it’s something you’re not used to."

There is also an opportunity to highlight the Warriors Foundation, and while we should always suspicious of sports teams and their foundations, this one seems more active and player-supported than most.

From an unbylined wire story at CNN.com:

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to play with the pros in the upcoming Ellie Mae Classic, not only to be able to compete against some of the best golfers in the world, but to also help bring light to the tournament’s charitable footprint of giving back to the Warriors Community Foundation,” Curry said in a release.

Oh and did I mention this may get the Web.com Tour more eyeballs and recognition than any other event they play all year?

With that stated, let the whining begin!

Brentley Romine at Golfweek.com sides with those who took to social media to gripe about Curry taking food off their tables.

The unrestricted sponsor invite given to Curry could just as easily have gone to a pro golfer trying to make a living. It could be a player with no status on any tour who has just a few hundred dollars in his bank account. It could be a player who could catch fire for 72 holes and change his career and life forever. (Ask Beau Hossler what finishing second at the Air Capital Classic earlier this month did for him.)

Now, I know some people will argue that Curry’s spot would’ve just gone to someone who couldn’t even earn a spot via a Monday qualifier, someone who is a “bottom feeder” that will miss the cut or finish T-75. But isn’t that what these developmental tours are about? The point of tours like the Web.com Tour is to provide players a path to the PGA Tour.

Joel Beall at GolfDigest.com is less sympathetic, particularly to the plight of Lee McCoy who lamented on Twitter, “So many great players could use that chance. Sad.”

Beall writes:

For the former Georgia Bulldog's highlight of his fledgling career was spurred by an invite to the 2016 Valspar Championship because, well, he grew up at Innisbrook. He ultimately proved his mettle, finishing T-4 as an amateur. However, a lot of viable, established tour veterans sat at home that week, and though McCoy may ultimately become a presence at golf's top level, he's failed to produce anything of note at the tour outside Copperhead.

Shark's Latest Instagram Post About "Covers" It All

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Because this is a family website, I won't be embedding the Living Brand's latest Instagram post, but let's just say, it really, uh, covers, the state of the brand.

This doozy came after several weeks of fairly textbook brand-building posts for the living icon: Greg fixing a Range Rover flat tire flashing some bicep, Greg drinking booze, Greg congratulating maybe-buds George Clooney/Rande Gerber on the Casamigos sale, Greg in the gym, Greg fixing heavy equipment, etc...

More disturbing: the shot of Shark shooting this on his phone, but opting for a different angle from someone else. Quite a production for something that no proper horse owner would dare shoot or promote. That's your living brand!

Phil Knight: Nike Lost Money For 20 Years On Golf Equipment

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Talking to Bloomberg Television's David Rubinstein, the Nike founder declares that in spite of Tiger Woods, the company could never be profitable on equipment sales.

After mentioning their recruitment of Woods had started three years prior to Tiger turning pro, Phil Knight says the math was simple.

“It’s a fairly simple equation, that we lost money for 20 years on equipment and balls,” Knight told interviewer David Rubenstein, host of “The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations.” “We realized next year wasn’t going to be any different.”

The Bloomberg TV interview airs Wednesday at 9 pm ET.

Video: Should Golf Have A Year-End Awards Gala?

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The first ever NBA Awards included fan votes, glamor, fashion, star power, some mild disagreement and plenty of season highlights.

Naturally this made John Feinstein and I agree that a season-ending awards for golf--with all major tours involved--would be a good thing. If nothing else it might tell us when the golf season begins and ends, but more importantly as tacky as awards shows can be, this would be a grand way to recall great moments from the season. Such shows also allow the stars to convene, talk shop and look good.

From Wednesday's Alternate Shot on Golf Channel's Golf Central:

Ferguson: "Crowd atmosphere can't be overlooked as key factor at majors"

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AP's Doug Ferguson does a nice job pointing out the atmospheric differences between Erin Hills and TPC River Highlands, something fans noticed. He agrees with our assessment that getting fans closer to the action makes a difference and should be a vital element to course setup.

He writes:

A big atmosphere comes from energized, enthusiastic fans. And those fans get their energy from being close to the action, feeding off the noise around them. That starts with being able to see golf without having to squint their eyes.

The lack of major atmosphere was evident at Erin Hills.

It was even worse at Chambers Bay, the public course built out of a sand and gravel pit next to the Puget Sound. On one hole, fans were perched high on a ridge and looked like a row of figurines from down below. The par-5 eighth hole at Chambers Bay didn't have any fans at all.

That's the biggest risk the USGA is taking by going to big, new courses.

The U.S. Open returns to traditional courses with a smaller blueprint over the next decade. Even after a soft, calm year, it should not lose its reputation as the toughest test in golf.