New Caddyshack Book Excerpted: Rodney Got Just $35K To Play Al

Chris Nashawaty's upcoming book on the making of Caddyshack has been excepted on Golf.com and this preview is a fun read, focusing on casting with all sorts of detail.

“We brought Rodney in to the studio,” says Jon Peters, Caddyshack’s executive producer. “He comes in wearing this aqua-blue leisure suit and takes out a plastic bag and does two lines of coke. He undoes his shirt and says, ‘Where's the p----?’ ” It was a hell of a first impression. Dangerfield would end up getting $35,000 for his role. And though he would always credit Caddyshack for launching his movie career, he would often do so while complaining that he actually lost $150,000 on the film, having given up a month of headlining in Vegas to shoot it. 

Holy cow...not even last place money in a WGC event. Rodney in Caddyshack was living under the actor poverty line.

The book is out April 24th.

Arccos: Average Golfers Declining In Driving Distance

GolfDigest.com's Mike Stachura reports on Arccos data of more than 10 million drives suggesting that average golfers have seen flat or declining distances since 2015.

Stachura queries some industry types to understand why all of the Hot List winners might not be delivering distance. There is Nick Clearwater at Golftec, who naturally wants more people to get better fittings from places like...Golftec. But Clearwater also says this about lightweight clubs actually working against the average golfer:

“The average golfer uses too much spin loft with all of their clubs, so increases in tech still show minimal improvement in the quality of the shot,” he said. “The shots still start to the right, spin too much, and are mishit.

“There is not much equipment/ball can help with. Also, as much as clubhead tech has improved, shafts are getting lighter and longer from the OEMs and the consistency of the strike is compromised as a result.”

This regarding the disparity between pros and amateurs would be fun to contrast with twenty years ago:

The Arccos research also provided data on average 7-iron distance across age groups and handicaps. The overall 7-iron average was 143.3 yards, compared to 172 yards for a PGA Tour player as measured by Trackman. That data suggests average golfers are playing a dramatically different game than elite tour players. Combining the average golfer’s driver and 7-iron you get a 364-yard par 4. That might be 120 yards or more shorter than how a PGA Tour player might play a driver, 7-iron hole.

Having made the case that today's equipment rules are being circumvented by elite players via fitting, while making clear the data is pointing to little game improvement for average players, it's hardly a call to go out and shop. A good fitting yes, but shopping?

So long story short, average golfers might not be getting better, but they clearly have the potential.

Click on the following links to shop the latest drivers Dick's Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy.

It's not often you get hard data telling you what you've bought is failing you, followed by links to buy clubs. 

Ironically the piece is a fantastic case for bifurcation where equipment rules can be adjusted to help the average golfer, while making clear we need to tighten up a few loose bolts for the pros. 

Instagram: Jack On Barbara Bush's Passing, Tiger's Big Cedar Junior Clinic, Pressel On Wilshire's 9th, A Fun Legends Of Golf Flashback

Jack Nicklaus says goodbye to former First Lady Barbara Bush.

Barbara Bush was one of the greatest women to have ever graced the White House, and my wife Barbara and I loved her. She was genuine, sincere, and helped lead our country with the same gentle strength she used to lead a wonderful family. She was a tremendous wife, mother, grandmother and friend. Always a role model. Always a champion for others. We will miss her greatly. Our love and prayers go out to the Bush family, their extended family, their countless friends, and a nation who adored her.‬ 🙏🏼#FLOTUS #presidentgeorgehwbush #BarbaraBushFoundation #haleirwin #leetrevino #insperityinvitational2016 #presidentscup2007

A post shared by Jack Nicklaus (@jacknicklaus) on Apr 17, 2018 at 7:50pm PDT

Tiger gives a clinic ahead of the Legends of Golf.

Had a great time with the kids at @golfbigcedar's Junior Clinic this afternoon. Nice way to end the day.

A post shared by Tiger Woods (@tigerwoods) on Apr 17, 2018 at 12:20pm PDT

Morgan Pressel shows off Wilshire CC's incredibly sloped 9th fairway and an incredible backdrop featuring the El Royale and Hollywood signs in the distance. 

HOLLYWOOD 💡🎥🎬 #LPGAgoesHollywood #WilshireCC

A post shared by Morgan Pressel (@mpressel) on Apr 17, 2018 at 6:06am PDT

A fantastic Legends of Golf flashback as the event prepares to tee off later this week...

We’re at the @bassprolegendsofgolf this week. So let’s go back to 1979 when the team of Roberto De Vicenzo and Julius Boros defeated Tommy Bolt and Art Wall in a playoff.

A post shared by PGA TOUR Champions (@pgatourchampions) on Apr 17, 2018 at 6:54am PDT

Psst: Don't Tell CBS The 2018 RBC Heritage Classic Ratings Were Up Even With Non-Streaming Tape Delay

If you weren't aware by now, CBS and the PGA Tour did not see fit to live stream the RBC Heritage final round, which featured expedited tee times to beat forecasted bad weather.

The weather came, the golf was finished on time, and the telecast windows on Golf Channel and CBS featured tape-delayed golf as PGA Tour Radio listeners could enjoy a live broadcast on the tour website. Social media and PGA Tour app users knew also where the RBC Heritage stood. 

Unlike NBC, which has previously live-streamed golf and shown the tape-delay on its broadcast networks, CBS is holding out and blaming the affiliates, writes Golfweek's Dan Kilbridge:

“We have not streamed live golf outside our telecast window during weather-related tee time adjustments to protect our affiliates broadcast exclusivity,” a CBS spokesperson said. “But we are re-examining our policy.”

It ended up being a huge moment for Asian golf with 22-year-old Kim from South Korea and Japan’s Kodaira going toe-to-toe.

John Strege featured this quote from the PGA Tour:

The PGA Tour issued its own statement: “Our network partners have certain exclusive rights that the tour cannot preempt. CBS is re-examining their current policy and we will continue to work together to provide the most comprehensive coverage of our events.”

I'm not sure what the affiliates or network partners will say after the ratings came out, but given the history of CBS holding out as long as possible to modern day trends, I fear they will say the anti-streaming strategy protected the audience size. But the PGA Tour acknowledging a reconsideration suggests that Ponte Vedra Beach wasn't too thrilled with the policy, particularly in week one of life under par where cords are cut, golf is streamed and life is a party.

So don't tell this ratings news to CBS, from Josh Carpenter at Sports Business Daily:

The net drew a 2.0 overnight rating for the final round, which saw Sotashi Kodaira beat Si-Woo Kim in a three-hole playoff for his first PGA Tour win. Yesterday's rating is up 33% from a 1.5 last year, when Wesley Bryan won the event on Easter Sunday.

Instagram: Black & White Kodaira, Gal With Style, Curtis Cup Announcement And Wilshire CC's 7th Green

The PGA Tour's Ryan Young with a cool black and white of Satoshi Kodaira's celebration and also a second image that puts a different spin on the winning putt.

Satoshi Kodaira’s pumped for his first TOUR win. His friends are pumped for him. I’m just pumped to see Isle of Dogs tonight (image not found). . . . #pgatour #rbcheritage #golf #harbourtown #hhi

A post shared by Ryan Young (@rmlyphoto) on Apr 16, 2018 at 1:03pm PDT

Sandra Gal finished up practice in San Diego in style.

Bye San Diego, I’ll miss you. 📸: mom (thanks) :)

A post shared by Sandra Gal (@thesandragal) on Apr 15, 2018 at 8:36pm PDT

The 2018 Curtis Cup team will be announced Tuesday.

The time has come ...The team is set! Tune in Tuesday live to see who will represent the USA in the 40th @CurtisCup Match!

A post shared by United States Golf Association (@usga) on Apr 16, 2018 at 10:09am PDT

The 7th green at Wilshire Country Club, Norman MacBeth design and Kyle Phillips-restored, hosting the LPGA Tour this week. Image by Mikey Curry.

Such a great course for this week’s #LPGA event in Los Angeles. This is the green on the par 3 seventh hole. You don’t tend to see this sort of design very much anymore but I find something romantic about classic, quirky golf courses. Looking forward to the week ahead. #WilshireCC

A post shared by Mikey Curry (@mikey_curry) on Apr 16, 2018 at 5:11pm PDT

Wilshire CC: LPGA Gets Lesson in Hollywood History

Mike Barnes of the Hollywood Reporter looks at Wilshire Country Club's rich history as the club prepares to host this week's inaugural HUGEL-JTBC L.A. Open this week. 

We also discussed Wilshire today on Morning Drive.

"Post-Masters coverage of Patrick Reed demonstrates the value of being likable"

Good take here from Jay Rigdon at Awful Announcing on the jabs and other criticism of Patrick Reed for wearing the green jacket wherever he goes. 

But people love Phil Mickelson! And he’s earned it, too, for the most part. So things like that slide off of him, while people go out of their way to paint Reed as a clown for wearing the green jacket to a basketball game. The lesson, as always, is that the media (social and traditional) tends to cover people they like more favorably, fair or not.

There are plenty of legitimate reasons to be annoyed by Patrick Reed. Wearing the green jacket everywhere shouldn’t be one of them.

Kyle Porter also touched on this and Reed's inconsistency as reasons he's not getting the same respect as recent major winners.

Something To Monitor: Northeast Weather And May PGA's

May 16th, 2019 is likely to be the first round of the PGA Championship.

A year from now we'd be just four weeks from the start of play at Bethpage Black and while this year's brutal winter is hopefully an aberration--with two more weeks of cold forecast meaning substandard growing conditions--the potential for rough conditions should be cause for agronomic concern with the northeast venues currently on the schedule. (Trump Bedminster in 2022 and Oak Hill in 2023 will be weather-dependent as well.) 

I'll check back a month from now, but here is Bethpage four weeks from the likely opening round date: 

Bethpage Black, opening day 2018 #pga #pgatour #golf #golflife #golfaddict #golfporn #golfcourses #golfcourse #instagolf #golfer #golfers #whyilovethisgame #clubsandpubs #golfclub #golfclubs #golfballs #golfr #golfswing #titleist #nike #callaway #bethpage #bethpageblack #ny #newyork

A post shared by Putterface Golf (@putterfacegolf) on Apr 14, 2018 at 2:26pm PDT

Current situation on the left....counting the days till we can get back to the photo on the right 👍. Although you could cut that right corner with those bare trees now 👌 . . . . . . . . . #swingnyc #bethpageblack #summer #helloworld #1sttee #golf #golfnyc #titleist #nikegolf #bridgestonegolf #pga #usopen #warmweather #1stteejitters #foreplay #fore #fairwaygoals

A post shared by Swing NYC (@swingnyc) on Apr 16, 2018 at 4:39am PDT

The 2016 Form 990's Are Out: It Pays To Be A PGA Tour Executive!

Take note Ponte Vedra Beach's finest real estate and second-yacht agents, those all-cash offers could always could be just a wee-bit stronger!

From Guidestar, the PGA Tour's 2016 Form 990 that details nearly $35 million in executive pay to manage $2.5 billion in assets.  (Thanks Rex Hoggard for highlighting the release here.)

It was a nice year to be Tim Finchem...

Horschel Wants More "Great-Designed Courses" Like Harbour Town

Titleist ambassador and former FedExCup champion Billy Horschel repeatedly takes the company talking points on the distance issue, so it was no surprise to see him call on architects to do more "great-designed" work instead of changing equipment to breathe new (old) life into architecture.

From this week's After Further Review from Rex Hoggard, which is incidentally followed by an item on how fun it is to watch Brooke Henderson drive the ball despite her small frame. 

First, in Horschel's world, he's hoping we get driver-killing "great-designed" courses so the golf ball is not restricted, ensuring on-going payments to his and other golf pro accounts:

"I think the architects in today's game should come here and understand what this course is and why it's still challenging,” Billy Horschel said. “ Too much nowadays we're playing big, wide-open courses that really aren't great designed golf courses.”

If architects could import massive overhanging trees that restrict ball flight they might, but it's kind of hard to do that these days. Nor advisable on a number of levels, most notably because there is a desire by many to see the driver remain an important weapon. And even better, to see width presented to provide options off the tee.

All of this makes the second After Further Review item by Ryan Lavner more fun. He writes about the joys of LPGA winner Brooke Henderson and the skill on display as she uses a 48-inch driver.

Or perhaps it’s because she uses a 48-inch driver, drawing every little bit of distance out of her 5-foot-4 frame. She swings freely and aggressively, aims at flags even when she’s nursing a narrow lead and rolls in enough putts to contend in all of the big events.

The 20-year-old Canadian smashes every conceivable stereotype about the LPGA – in no ways a dink-and-dunker who relies on a hot putter. There’s no one in the women’s game I’d rather watch play. 

Sadly, the folks who want to combat distance through Harbour Town-style architecture do not appreciate how the ability to use driver in separating fields has been a cornerstone of the sport for a few centuries now.

Harbour Town is swell and all once a year, but narrow plod-fests that minimize the driver are not the model for the game. Particularly when the message is driven by corporate talking points from folks who've already made millions. "Great-designed" courses are not narrow, tree-lined and light on strategic decisions.  

Instagram: Kodaira's Winning Putt, Golf Gets A Gray Malin, A Putter Recovery From Sand And The Living Brand Is Still Crazy After All These Years

It seemed like no one could hit a decent putt Sunday at Harbour Town--I blame the early wake up call to get play in before storms--but Satoshi Kodaira made a beauty on the third hole of sudden death for his first PGA Tour win. He had never finished better than 28th in limited PGA Tour play. That 28th was at last week's Masters, so of course we should have seen this coming.

#ShotsOfTheWeek 1. “Oh yes!” 2. Take a bow 3. Perfection from Patrick 4. Bump, run, birdie 5. Victory

A post shared by PGA TOUR (@pgatour) on Apr 16, 2018 at 12:22pm PDT

6,661 Likes, 31 Comments - PGA TOUR (@pgatour) on Instagram: "The birdie putt that clinched Satoshi Kodaira's first TOUR title. 🏆🇯🇵"

Photographer Gray Malin captures Palm Beach golfers with his drone and unique eye as the golf season winds down. 

Sunday's on the green ⛳️ Pictured: The Golfers, Palm Beach

1,962 Likes, 12 Comments - Gray Malin (@graymalin) on Instagram: "Sunday's on the green ⛳️ Pictured: The Golfers, Palm Beach"

A stylish recovery with the putter from Mr. SAS Golf Academy...

When in doubt... putt it out. #bunker #shot #sasgolf @golf_gods @sportbible @sportscenter @golfdigest @foreplaypod @golfgrinders

A post shared by Golf Coach / Freestyle Artist (@sas_golf_) on Apr 13, 2018 at 5:13am PDT

The Living Brand is certainly never dull on Instagram...or normal.

Sunday night with my wife. #music #letgo #lovelife

A post shared by Greg Norman (@shark_gregnorman) on Apr 15, 2018 at 6:34pm PDT

PETA Tells Kelly Kraft To Play Better

It's all in good fun because the bird apparently survived the collision with Kelly Kraft's ball, but the Friday strike at Harbour Town likely cost Kraft a weekend spot in the RBC Heritage.

Dang bird 🐦, shouldn’t of been flying there! 🤷‍♂️ Only on freaky Friday the 13th I suppose. Oh well, onto the next. See y’all @Zurich_Classic! #teamgainz https://t.co/4XkGSZivxD

— Kelly Kraft (@kkraft11) April 13, 2018

USA Today's Josh Peter reports on PETA hearing about the contact and Kraft's blame, and issued a little pushback and a public service reminder for any animals injured in the course of (golf) battle.

“PETA is glad the bird is OK and sorry Kelly Kraft didn't advance, but that's not the bird's fault,’’ PETA senior vice president Lisa Lange said in a statement provided to USA TODAY Sports Saturday. “Of course, he would have advanced if he'd played better on other holes — so practice, practice, practice.

"To tournament holders: If animals are ever injured, they must be taken to a veterinarian right away."

UK Indoor Putting Course And Social Club Coming To NYC Hotel

Historians will note A.W. Tillinghast had a similar idea 100 years ago for New York City rooftops, but this concept takes things indoors and goes all-in on pushing millennial hipster buttons--craft cocktails, street-food vendors, nine-hole rounds.

Thanks to reader JH for this story on the people behind Swingers, aka "The Crazy Golf Club" expanding from two London locations to New York's under-construction Virgin hotel on Broadway.

The description from their website, which is a lot sexier than "indoor putt-putt course":

Swingers West End takes crazy golf back to its seaside roots in a venue that reimagines the faded glamour of the 1920s English Riviera. Located just off Oxford Circus, step out of the hustle and bustle of London’s busiest streets and into a quintessential British seaside setting of food, drinks and fun, where the sun is always shining. Our 20,000 square foot venue is packed full of the following: 

• Two nine-hole crazy golf courses
• Four stunning cocktail bars
• Four of London’s best street-food vendors (including a dessert vendor)
• The Grand Hotel Bar – our free-standing building within a building
• The world’s only Bandstand Bar
• An incredible 3D photo podium
• A variety of private hire spaces

Anyone been? 

An image from their Instagram account of :

Attention crazy golfers and cocktail drinkers! Swingers City will be closed from midday - 6pm tomorrow (Monday 26th February) for a private event. Doors will be open from 6pm and walk up tickets will be available from reception.

130 Likes, 10 Comments - Swingers - the crazy golf club (@swingersldn) on Instagram: "Attention crazy golfers and cocktail drinkers! Swingers City will be closed from midday - 6pm..."

Instagram: Poulter's Bogey-Free Streak, Flesch Wins After 38 Holes, Jordan Spaeth Gets By Jeopardy Judges And A New Way To Get Speed

Since Thursday bogeys at 8 and 9, Ian Poulter has not recorded another since and leads the RBC Heritage heading in to Sunday. Golf Channel and CBS coverage times here.

 The Houston Open winner is swinging the club beautifully:

Sixth tournament in a row. 45 straight bogey-free holes. @IanJamesPoulter leads going into Sunday. 👊

7,464 Likes, 51 Comments - PGA TOUR (@pgatour) on Instagram: "Sixth tournament in a row. 45 straight bogey-free holes. @IanJamesPoulter leads going into Sunday. 👊"

With rough weather forecast Sunday, the Mitsubishi Electric Classic played 36 Saturday and Steve Flesch won on the second playoff hole. It's the first PGA Tour Champions win for one of the good ones, though we may need to work on the hat removal timing:

And there it is! Steve Flesch wins the @mitsubishielectricclassic on the 2nd hole of a 3-man playoff with Scott Parel and Bernhard Langer. It's Flesch's first win on PGA TOUR Champions. 💪

253 Likes, 8 Comments - PGA TOUR Champions (@pgatourchampions) on Instagram: "And there it is! Steve Flesch wins the @mitsubishielectricclassic on the 2nd hole of a 3-man..."

Apparently this Jeopardy aired during Masters week. Painful!

Golf is in jeopardy

269 Likes, 33 Comments - Nick Starchuk (@nickstarchuk) on Instagram: "Golf is in jeopardy"

Love the speed this guy is generating. Getting there takes a little more time and effort than you'd normally advocate...

Next stop... PGA Tour 💪🏌🏻‍♂️ #PracticeMakesPerfect #GolfSwing via: @addison_bachman . . . . . #golf #golfislife #golflife #golfing #whyilovethisgame #pga #pgatour #taylormadegolf #teamtaylormade #callawaygolf #teamcallaway #titleist #teamtitleist #cobragolf #srixon #tigerwoods #wilsonstaff #topgolf #rickiefowler #jordanspieth #justinthomas #rbcheritage

1,076 Likes, 96 Comments - GolfBalled (@golfballed) on Instagram: "Next stop... PGA Tour 💪🏌🏻‍♂️ #PracticeMakesPerfect #GolfSwing via: @addison_bachman . . . . . #golf..."

"Matt Parziale's week in Xanadu"

John Strege files a nice follow-up read with U.S. Mid-Amateur champ Matt Parziale after his Masters missed cut. The firefighter chimes in everything from the practice rounds and amateur dinner to his fiance's newfound interest in golf.

On the helpful nature of players in practice rounds:

Helpful, too, to a Masters rookie attempting to learn Augusta National’s nuances and mysteries in only a few days. “Golf is strange in that sense. The Patriots aren’t helping the Eagles get ready for the Super Bowl. That’s why our sport is so great. They were so great helping me around the course and showing spots where I might not want to hit it. Everyone is helpful.”

He enjoyed the perks to which every player in the field is entitled, the Mercedes-Benz courtesy car, for instance. “Probably the nicest car I’ve ever driven,” he said. There were the eight tickets a day he was provided and a few extras that he bought. “The toughest thing was getting tickets for everyone,” he said. “But the guys I couldn’t get tickets for found their own.”