I'm guessing the teams will not be suspended from harnesses and dropped into the proceedings. They will, however, be subjected to over-the-top antics. Cue the pyro!
Our first tee experience at the Ryder Cup is going to be sensational. The opening ceremony, it should be a show, right? It’ll be much more of a show in France than it’s ever been before. I can guarantee you it will be. Still, we’re not bringing the players out in smoke tunnels, right? You’ll still have that aura that golf has, that majesty that golf has, but there will be a big entertainment element, absolutely, no question.
Bandon Dunes and parent company, KemperSports, are center of sexual harassment lawsuit reported on by Sara Roth of NBC's affiliate station in Portland, KGW.
The case centers around Bandon Dunes GM Hank Hickox, who was quoted in 2015 praising the woman who ultimately filed the suit after she was named hospitality professional of the year.
Roth writes:
Court documents show the allegations aren’t just limited to the golf club in Bandon, Oregon. Two employees claim the alleged misconduct has been pervasive for years at the corporate office. Top executives are accused by the lawsuit of not only condoning the behavior but also participating in sexually inappropriate conduct themselves
The video report:
Kemper's spokesman, in a story by Golf.com'sSean Zak, says the Bandon suit has been withdrawn but would not say it had been settled.
In a statement to GOLF.com, KemperSports' director of communications B.R. Koehnemann, wrote, "The article that was written yesterday refers to a case that has been withdrawn. On Friday, November 10, 2017, Ms. Hamblin acted to dismiss the lawsuit. The court was informed and the case was removed from the docket. When informed of the alleged inappropriate behavior at Bandon Dunes, the Company took decisive remedial action, and Mr. Hickox is no longer employed by KemperSports or Bandon Dunes. Independent outside counsel has been retained to further investigate the situation."
John Stregeat GolfDigest.com also reviewed the story and contacted Kemper President Josh Lesnik, the subject of allegations in the lawsuit and reported on by Roth. When company failed to properly address Darla Hamblin's complaint, she soon learned from another employee of purported misconduct at KemperSports and the alleged company culture became part of the case.
“An incident did occur at Bandon Dunes." Lesnik said in a statement. "We handled it appropriately and effectively. Hank no longer works for us, and the staffer acted to dismiss the lawsuit. Any allegations about me are false, and our Board of Directors has launched an investigation that will find the truth.”
The Daily Mail's Derek Lawrensonpoints out a troubling trend for theEuropean Tour's ability to develop new talent though its Qualifying School: the Rolex Series may be making tour card retention more difficult.
As the DP World Tour Championship finishes up the European Tour season in Dubai by assembling the top 60 players, Lawrenson points out that only one Qualifying School graduate from last year--Eddie Pepperell--will be at the season ending championship.
In all, a record low of just three players — the others were Englishman Ashley Chesters and 2010 Ryder Cup member Edoardo Molinari — kept their cards for next season from the 30 handed out 12 months ago.
Contrast that to the nine who kept their cards the previous year and the 12 who retained their privileges in 2015.
Why has the success rate plummeted so alarmingly? Ironically, the prime reason is the Rolex Series: eight events that have added wealth and prestige at the top end of the European game but have skewed life horribly for those seeking to make their way who don’t gain access to them.
Lawrenson goes on to look at specific examples of players who graduated, played seemingly well enough to retain a card, and instead are heading back to qualifying school. Including Tom Lewis, who made a run at The Open a few years ago.
The main issue appears to be the divide between purse size in the seven Rolex events versus typical European Tour weeks.
The Grayson Murray World Twitter Tour started again November 2nd after a self-imposed hiatus and the legendary PGA Tour buffoon has already had to hit the delete button (and no doubt the Pay Fines Here button in the coming days).
Golf Wirereported for Golf.com on Murray's reply to Tweets about the bizarre Schwab Cup ending that cost Bernhard Langer the season-long points race.
In response to a tweet detailing Bernhard Langer's accomplishments on the senior circuit this season, Murray replied: "Does anyone really care is the real question...These guys were relevant 10 plus years ago."
In another reply, he conceded that the pros on the Champions tour had "laid a good foundation" for the next generation, but then added: "You will never see Phil, Tiger, Furyk ever play on it! The tour subsidizes it every year. Loses a lot of money."
I thought this reply from Curtis Strange was especially good, not that an intellect the size of one-time U.S. Open appearee Murray could take in such sentiments from a two-time U.S. Open Champion:
Meanwhile over in Europe, former player and longtime commentator Gary Evans has retired from Twitter following a dust-up with the increasingly profane Eddie Pepperell.
Martin Inglissummarizes at Bunkered and I'll let you read the Tweets there as Pepperell likes to, uh, pepper his social media missives with colorful langauge!
While there is no television, keep an eye out for some of the social media posts of players and officials from Buenos Aires.
The VISA Open de Argentina tees off Thursday at The Jockey Club's Red Course, one of the last but reportedly best-preserved Alister MacKenzie designs. (The original 16th, pictured to the right has been softened since MacKenzie's day.)
According to architectMike DeVries, who has consulted on limited restoration efforts for the huge club:
Dr. Alister MacKenzie's design for 36 holes at the Jockey Club was the impetus for him to leave the United States at the beginning of the Depression in 1930. His two courses, the championship Colorado (red) and Azul (blue), were constructed efficiently by Luther Koontz, his associate that came from the USA to build the two courses and others in South America. The land is flat and the soil is heavy, making drainage a main factor in any construction project in Buenos Aires. MacKenzie devised a swale system that would help the property drain faster and utilize the dirt cut from such swales to build up his green platforms, making for difficult approaches and recoveries on the sloped putting surfaces.
And GCA proprietor Ran Morrissett reviewed the Red Course in 2007 here and here, with many photos of the bizarre but fun mounding employed by MacKenzie and Koontz and also used at Augusta National.
A few social posts have already appeared, started with this from
A post shared by Bryan Bros Golf (@bryanbrosgolf) on Nov 13, 2017 at 12:57pm PST
If you're looking for something old school, this film from the 1970 World Cup there features some sweet (legendary) swings, including Roberto De Vicenzo, Vicente "Chino" Fernández, Tony Jacklin and Lee Trevino.
Joe Juliano reports for The Philadelphia Inquirer that recently-restored Donald Ross-designed Aronimink will host the 2027 PGA, 2020 KPMG Women's PGA in addition to its already planned hosting of the BMW Championship in 2018.
He writes:
Officials said about 85 percent of the project was completed before work stopped in early spring, and that the entire undertaking will be completed early in 2018.
Aronimink last hosted a PGA Championship in 1962 and waited a long time for a second one. The PGA of America named it as host of the 1993 PGA but the club pulled out of the agreement in November 1990 when it determined it could not have minorities as part of its membership by the time of the event.
In August, Juliano previewed theGil Hanse and Jim Wagner-led restoration of Aronimink, which had been modified many times, most recently by the Fazio firm. The story includes a gallery of all 18 Hanse restoration drawings.
Some recent photos of the course post-restoration:
Legendary European Tour rules official John Paramor, who restored order during the chaos of Jordan Spieth's errant Birkdale tee shot and who has no patience for slow play, talks to Golf World's John Hugganabout his four decade career. Among the topics are rulings he's given, rules he'd like tweaked and his input on the upcoming rules revision.
He offered this on green reading books, which have generally been a pace of play nuisance.
Then there are the so-called “green books” you see people using when putting. Paramor has opinions there, too. “I recently asked Phil Mickelson what he thought about them. He feels they are a good thing. They are good for pace of play. They clear up a lot of the questions a player might have. Which is a valid point.
Actually, I don't think it is but go on...
"But I have to say I think they are a de-skilling of the game. Part of this game is making your own judgement about how your ball is going to roll across a green. It’s not for you to find that out on a piece of paper.”
I've seen two instances now of players blaming the books for a putt not breaking as it was supposed to on paper and it's more satisfying to witness than I ever imagined!
So as long they take 45 seconds or less, let them keep staring at the paper I say.
With her third win at the LPGA's Blue Bay event on Hainan Island, Shanshan Feng becomes China's first player to top a world ranking. The bronze medalist in Rio understood the gravity of her win and also made light (at least in my reading) of the chaotic, course-closing, anti-golf madness that is hurting golf in China.
“I finished first in China, so I actually claimed the world No. 1 in front of all the people at home,” said Feng. “So I’m really happy about that, and I hope all the Chinese are going to be watching me, and the Chinese can play golf. Hopefully there will be more Chinese getting on the tours and more world No. 1’s coming up from China.”
Feng, a bronze medalist at the 2016 Olympics, closed with a 70 at the Blue Bay LPGA event on Hainan Island to win by one stroke over Moriya Jutanugarn. The elder Jutanugarn sister lipped out a short birdie putt on the final hole that would’ve forced a playoff. Earlier this season, Ariya Jutanugarn became the first player from Thailand to reach No. 1.
As Republican tax reformers are eliminating many write-offs, the current House version of a new tax bill currently includes the long-controversial deductions for golf course owners promising never to develop their land. While the "loophole" has come close to being closed, it's getting new attention with President Donald Trump's ownership of golf courses using the deduction in ways that contradict the spirit of the law.
Dan Wilchins and Prashant Gopal,reporting for Bloomberg, present a balanced picture, including the important counterpoint to arguments for eliminating the deduction and the relatively small amount of revenue that would be generated by closing the loophole.
In some cases, the tax benefit can make sense. There are communities where golf courses are some of the only open space available. Without the easements, an owner might be tempted to sell out to the highest bidder, which might develop housing on the space, said Sylvia Bates, director of standards and educational services at the Land Trust Alliance, a conservation group.
But in practice, the deductions that land owners take for golf courses are enormous compared with the conservation value, said Ruth Madrigal, a tax lawyer who worked on conservation easements for the U.S. Treasury department during the Obama administration. A developer can build homes and a nearby golf course, get a conservation easement on the links and claim a deduction that can pay for the entire development, she said.
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning Drive, is co-host of The Ringer's ShackHouse is the author of eleven books.
In talking to Adam Schupak for one of three New York Times items tied to the Race to Dubai/Rolex Series, European Tour Chief Keith Pelley has given us advance notice: expect Ryder Cup pomp x 100.
