Considering The Chances Of Another Major At Chambers Bay

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For anyone hosting a major or thinking of doing so, Tony Dear's Links piece is worth a read given the high-profile Chambers Bay experiment.

As the story notes, it succeeded on the financial and ratings front, but agronomically left a scar that is now being rectified by a creative conversion to poa greens.

Since June 2015, Johnson has increased cultural inputs (mowing, rolling, fertilizer, pesticide, water) to favor annual bluegrass establishment, and is seeding the greens with the only commercially available annual bluegrass turf—Poa reptans Two-Putt. “The good news,” he says, “is that it establishes pretty well. The bad news is that its prolific seedhead production in the first year or so gives the greens that blotchy appearance.”

Johnson has also begun saving and analyzing clipping yields from the greens in an effort to monitor growth and make better decisions on when to cut, seed, fertilize, and irrigate. “Every-day play is our focus as a public course,” he says. “I want smooth greens as well as consistent speed and firmness.”

On the financial side, Chambers continued the trend of public-access venues raking in more money for the USGA (we won't know how Erin Hills fared for a while):

According to its Annual Report, USGA revenue from its Open championships (U.S. Open, U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Women’s Open) in 2016, when the U.S. Open was played at Oakmont, was $53.3m. In 2015, it was $64.3m. 

The irony in all of this is that Chambers would make a great PGA Championship venue...in August. May? Not so much. Though still certainly doable and capable of bringing big energy and bigger West Coast ratings.

Glad Cliff Wasn't Around To See This One, Files: WSJ Edition

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Clifford Roberts did not suffer fools gladly, or mistakes, or anything involving imperfection.

So something tells me that the longtime Augusta National Chairman would not have been pleased at this Wall Street Journal mistake and correction in a story on Sergio sporting the green jacket at Wimbledon. Thanks to reader John for the item:

Punters: Pre-Open Championship Karma Watch, Poulter Edition

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Nothing against the four players who made it through the Open Qualifying Series at the Greenbrier Classic, and nothing against the series itself, but punters with karma hunches may want to check out this James Corrigan Telegraph story on Ian Poulter making it to Royal Birkdale by playing the Woburn qualifier.

Besides taking the local qualifying angle at a course he knows well--once one of the great features of The Open and now relegated to this last event due to the Open Qualifying Series--Poulter did this in a year he finished second at The Players. And the year The Open returns to the site of a second place finish.

“Obviously going back after what happened will be special. I honestly thought I had that 15-foot putt on the last to maybe win or to get in a play-off and then my Irish friend decided to go bananas on the last five holes.

“But still, it was a great week, my best in a major. After I finished, [his wife] Katie told me she was pregnant with Lily [the third of their four children], so it was happy days. Birkdale is my favourite Open venue.”

Just saying he's worth a look for a nice each way wager at 100-1...

ClubCorp Sells After All: For $1.1 Billion To Apollo Global

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Reuters' Greg Roumeliotis reports that the publicly-traded company owning 206 clubs and serving over 400,000 members, including at Mission Hills and Firestone, has sold to Apollo Global Management.

It's an all-cash, $1.1 billion deal netting shareholders $17.12 a share, a 31% premium over Friday's closing price. 

DallasNews.com's business writer Paul O'Donnell noted this:

Sunday's announcement comes about three months after ClubCorp's board said it would not seek a sale. Longtime CEO Eric Affeldt announced at the same time that he would be retiring. A month later, the company added two new directors at the behest of activist investor FrontFour Capital Group LLC, which had been critical of ClubCorp's management.

Rahm Wins Irish Open, Lexi Rule Surfaces Too

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After a temperamental U.S. Open, Jon Rahm once again showed he can put rough weeks behind him by dominating the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.

This quote from Alistair Tait's Golfweek account suggests someone is very confident heading into The Open, and his updated odds reflect similar confidence from punters.

“That makes two for two, shooting 65 in the final round,” Rahm said. “Obviously, it’s a very different tournament here for me. I’ve been saying I haven’t played my best golf, and today, for 15 holes, I played the best golf I can ever play on the golf course with the weather that we had. Obviously, the bonus of holing out on four was great, but man, this is a nice feeling.”

The round was highlighted by a hole-out at the fourth.

As for the ball mark issue and changes in the rules, here is Tait's account with this from rules official Andy McFee on why the rules are more forgiving:

“One of the points in the new decision is that the outcome depends a lot on what the player says and his explanation of the events,” McFee said. “Jon said: ‘I knew I marked it to the side and then I was trying to make an effort to put it back to the side.’ He’s definitely made the effort.

“We’re talking about the difference between the ball being lifted at 10 o’clock on the ball marker and put back at 11 o’clock which is not a problem.

“The new decision the R&A and USGA crafted, with the full knowledge from the PGA Tour and ourselves, is all about trying to eliminate these fine margins and get to a position where if a player has made a reasonable judgement then the game will accept it if it’s slightly wrong.

This screen grab shows his ball was closer to the hole and not in the same location:

In other news, the Irish Open will again play at a links next year, heading to the newer of two courses at Ballyliffin. Liam Kelly reports.

Poll: Should The Governing Bodies Drop The Anchoring Ban?

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Bernhard Langer's recent brush with anchoring at the U.S. Senior Open prompted a pre-round visit with rules officials from the USGA. There was also overwhelming outrage on social media and coverage from Fox Sports addressing concerns of a possible rules violation. The issue summed up here by Brandel Chamblee, who coverage this week may have prompted the latest response:


At the very least, Langer is taking things right up to the edge of the anchoring ban. At the worst, he's openly resisting the rule knowing that the genteel world of golf would never actually prosecute a player of his caliber.

This all prompted an unusual Friday news dump with statements from Langer, fellow Champions Tour long putter user Scott McCarron and the USGA. Here is what was said:

The "integrity" language here from the USGA would suggest that actually enforcing the rule is now almost impossible given the introduction of intent.  With this in mind and knowing there are seniors whose golfing lives were made miserable by not being able to anchor, perhaps it's time to drop a rule that will not be enforced?

The SI/Golf.com gang contemplated massaging or changing the rule in this week's discussion that included caddie John Wood.

Given the potential rules changes for 2019, should the governing bodies consider abandoning a rule that started in 2016 after much debate?

The poll and your votes please:

As part of the rules revisions, should the governing bodies drop the anchoring ban?
 
pollcode.com free polls

Ratings: Follow Up To Silliness Of Competing Golf Tournaments

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Paulsen at SportsMediaWatch.com scrutinzed ShowBuzzDaily.com's ratings roundup and noted that the KPMG Women's PGA Championshp fared well against final rounds of the PGA Tour and U.S. Senior Open.

The 0.6 rating on NBC was up slightly even though it featured a much longer telecast this year.

Final round coverage of the Women’s PGA Championship, the second major of the LPGA Tour season, earned a 0.6 final rating and 840,000 viewers on NBC Sunday afternoon — flat in ratings and up 1% in viewership from last year, when NBC aired just 90 minutes of coverage (0.6, 829K), and up a tick and 21% respectively vs. 2015 (0.5, 695K).

It was the largest audience for the tournament in at least five years, and likely further back.

The KPMG beat the U.S. Senior Open telecast but as this chart shows, all of the events on at the same time diverted eyeballs and, as noted here, would have been better served with more coordinated finish times and/or days for the benefit of all.

Davis At 53 Shoots 63

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With technology changing the game in favor of those reared on certain size clubheads and shafts, it's rare to see an old guy use modern clubs and a little hard work to stay relevant. Sorry Vijay!

Will Gray of GolfChannel.com on 53-year-old Davis Love's opening 63 at the Greenbrier Classic that leaves the two-time Ryder Cup captain two back of Sebastian Munoz heading into round two.

The round came as a bit of a surprise:

The 53-year-old has only made 13 of 24 cuts since his Wyndham victory while battling injuries, and he hasn't cracked the top 40 in 18 months. But that drought could end this week on a course where Love tied for ninth in 2013.

"I've been working really hard the last couple weeks on trying to fix my swing to kind of swing around a stiff back and stiff hip," Love told reporters. "I put a lot of time into hitting balls and trying to get back to hitting it solid. I've given up on hitting it a long way. I'm just saying, 'I've just got to hit it straight.' This is a perfect golf course for me."

In The Takeaway, PGATour.com's Teryn Schaefer recaps Round 1 of the Greenbrier where Phil Mickelson made his first start without Bones on the bag and Love highlights.

Bones Trades In His Bib For A Headset

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Jim "Bones" Mackay, not to be confused with another McKay, has raked his last bunker but is probably reserving the right to tell a spectator "no cameras" after signing a multi-year deal with Golf Channel/NBC.

For Immediate Release:

“BONES” JOINS NBC SPORTS GROUP

Veteran PGA TOUR Caddie Jim “Bones” Mackay Becomes On-Course Reporter, Starting with The Open at Royal Birkdale; Adds Unique Perspective from 25-Year Partnership Alongside Phil Mickelson’s Hall-of-Fame Career

ORLANDO, Fla., July 6, 2017 – NBC Sports Group today announced that Jim “Bones” Mackay officially will join the network’s live tournament coverage as an on-course reporter, adding his unique perspective to Golf Channel and NBC’s coverage of The Open, FedExCup Playoffs and Presidents Cup in 2017. The multi-year agreement will fold Mackay into NBC Sports’ tournament coverage team with a full schedule of events on Golf Channel and NBC in 2018.

“For years, I have admired the fashion in which the NBC Sports team goes about covering the game and I am thrilled to be joining the team,” said Mackay. “During my years as a caddie, I had the opportunity to watch Tommy Roy work his magic in the production truck, and walk the fairways with Notah Begay, Roger Maltbie and Mark Rolfing. To join them and be a part of the coverage of some of golf’s biggest events – starting with The Open – is an opportunity I’m very grateful for, and I’m eager to add my take to help illustrate the strategic decisions golfers face inside the ropes.”

“Bones’ keen observations and ability to draw insight from personal experience will bring an original perspective to our coverage and complement our already well-respected broadcast team,” said Tommy Roy, lead golf producer for NBC Sports. “The player-caddie dynamic in golf is often one of the most compelling and unique narratives being captured during our coverage.

Bones has a career’s worth of experience being immersed in the most pressure-packed situations on golf’s biggest stages working alongside Phil, one of the most cerebral champions in the sport.”

This is the first occasion in which a full-time PGA TOUR caddie has been signed for a tournament broadcasting role. However, Mackay’s decision to join NBC Sports Group isn’t the first time he’s traded in a caddie bib for a microphone, as he – along with fellow caddie John “Woody” Wood – took part in Golf Channel’s live tournament coverage as on-course reporters at the 2015 RSM Classic in St. Simons Island, Ga.

Mackay caddied for Mickelson during a 25-year stretch that ultimately would encompass a Hall of Fame career, led by five major championships, 42 PGA TOUR wins, as well as representing the United States on 22 consecutive occasions as a member of Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams.

Steve DiMeglio at USA Today says Bones has long been a hardcore telecast watcher.

TV feels like a natural move for Mackay, who said he loves the game and was a golf rat as a kid.
“I would watch everything from start to finish. I would read golf magazines from beginning to end,” Mackay said. “I’ve always been fascinated by the game at this level. Certainly when I was lucky enough to get to caddie on the PGA Tour you take in everything around you.

“I loved watching what the TV guys do. It’s intriguing. I think it’s yet another fascinating aspect of the golf world.”

Kevin Casey notes at Golfweek.com that Bones is all-in, working the summer and fall's big events before moving to a full time role in 2018.

As Golf Channel announced, Mackay will work several big events right away. In addition to the Open, he’ll also be part of the team for the Presidents Cup and several postseason events culminating with the Tour Championship. The idea will be for him to move to a full schedule starting in 2018.

The Design Side Of Greenbrier's Recovery

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Tim Rosaforte's Golf Channel piece dealt with the human and maintenance side, and in this Golf.com story, Michael Bamberger addresses the role Keith Foster played in pushing the Old White course more toward its CB Macdonald heritage. The layout hosts the Greenbrier Classic starting Thursday.

He writes of Foster:

His first instinct was to say it could not be done. The golf course could not be reclaimed and restored in one year and open for play for the 2017 tournament. The hotel didn't even have hot water and locals suddenly rendered homeless were being put up in its plush rooms. The idea of a golf tournament seemed just...remote. But Jim Justice opened his checkbook and prodded Foster. "We just made one decision after another after another on the fly," Foster said in a recent telephone interview. If you know his name, it might be for the restoration work he has done at Colonial, Southern Hills and Philadelphia Cricket. "We did it the old way, hole by hole. We didn't get everything done the way we would ultimately like it, but it's most of the way there." On the resort guest-Tour player continuum, Foster said he was far, far far on the side of the everyday paying guest, while noting "we have our Bubba tees."

More On Portstewart's Distinctly Different Nines

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With extensive coverage of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, I'm sure we'll get to see much of Portstewart.

The aerials are stunning.

But in case you are watching and wondering more about the course, Alistair Tait at Golfweek has some observations from on site.

In particular, the front nine features the more dramatic dunesland and re-routings were even considered to showcase those holes more. Tait explains:

While Portstewart’s closing holes are well situated for tournament play, Moss said other routings were considered that would have given more television airtime to the Strand’s jaw-dropping front nine, which begins with that opening tee shot played from a seaside bluff.

In 1981 the club acquired some dramatic dunesland, and five years later it developed seven new holes, which became Nos. 2-8 on the Strand. Those holes were a big factor in making Portstewart a must-play for international visitors.

“Building those holes changed the whole dynamic of Portstewart Golf Club, because this was really dune country,” Moss said.

Phil Just Wants To Talk About The Good Times With Bones

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With his PGA Tour return at the Greenbrier Classic and last start before The Open, Phil Mickelson is understandably getting asked questions about his breakup with longtime bagman Jim "Bones" Mackay.

Will Gray at GolfChannel.com with the Facebook-like post spin about keeping focused on the good times. However Mickelson did suggest he is looking for something to ignire a still-sound game that has not been able to reach the winner's circle.

"I would say that after having not won for four years, knowing that my game is at a level that is good enough to win but not having done it, I think the one thing is an element of maybe being comfortable with my brother," he said. "Maybe he gets me a little more relaxed and takes a little pressure off me, and maybe I'll play my best that way. But there's no replacing Bones. He's phenomenal."