Last Of The Fox Architects Gone: USGA's Hirshland Takes USOC Post

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The USGA's Chief Business, Sarah Hirshland, has departed for the United States Olympic Committee's CEO job, reports GolfDigest.com's John Strege. 

Hirshland will be best known as the architect of the USGA's move to Fox, engineered with consultation by Wasserman Media Group.

“Sarah has been a wonderfully impactful leader as we have worked to preserve, protect and enhance the game of golf,” Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA, said in the news release. “With golf’s return to the Olympics a couple years ago, the game already has a strong working relationship with the USOC and now with Sarah at the helm this connection will only be strengthened.”

Not coincidentally, there is a reuniting with the USOC move.

“I know firsthand that Sarah is a visionary leader and exactly the right person to lead the USOC as we collectively build to the LA 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” Wasserman, the chair of LA2028, said. 

The Fox deal, signed in 2013, has helped the U.S. Open deliver three of the four lowest rated tournaments since such records were kept, but has fattened USGA coffers.

As the head of USGA business decisions, Hirshland also oversaw the end of the U.S. Open's sellout streak, which began last year at Erin Hills and was repeated again in 2018 at Shinnecock Hills despite limited availability.

Her departure now means that four years into the deal, all who crafted the 12-year Fox arrangement are free of USGA ties. 

Joanne Carner (79) Shoots Her Age To Kick Off Inaugural U.S. Senior Women's Open

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All sorts of great anecdotes at Golfweek.com from Beth Ann Nichols on Joanne Carner's opening round in the inaugural 79 U.S. Senior Women's Open. Opening with a 43 in her first round walking a golf course in 14 years, Carner battled. 

 

She relied on the advice of club caddie Peter Wilson, a student at Carnegie Mellon with a penchant for reading greens, to shoot her age in Round 1.

“She is one of the toughest women I have ever met,” said an admiring Helen Alfredsson.

When asked if she was pleased with the score, Carner shook her head emphatically.

“No, I just hit some atrocious shots,” she said. “Like golf 101.”

Carner went on to describe what went wrong on the squirrely 5-wood she hit up the last: “I can tell you all the alibis.”

Gearing Up For Carnoustie: Hogan In 1953 In Many Forms

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The win has been well-chronicled, though the debate won't go away about what route he actually took on the 6th hole.

The Open's official film, including a shot of Bobby Locke out spectating:

British Pathe's preview after round one:

The return home and ticker tape parade:

A wonderful look back helmed and written by Jim Huber, with interviews featuring Ben Wright and John Derr.

Rickie On How Slow Greens Reward Better Putting

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Picking up where he left off here at Gullane, Rickie Fowler opened with a 64 in the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open. 

In my item for Golfweek, take note of his comments on how slower greens actually bring out more putting skill. 

Good bulletin board stuff for courses chasing Stimpmeter speeds thinking they are making their course a better test of skill!

Scottish Open Headed To Renaissance Club In 2019

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Reported by the Forecaddie recently, an unbylined East Courier Journal story confirms news that the Tom Doak-designed Renaissance Club will host the 2019 Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open.

While it's a bit of a blow for the tournament's rota-model and the steady run of pure or almost-pure links, Renaissance should retain enough links-like golf to entice top players. This also means a nice, steady East Lothian presence that will be popular with many.

Rosie: Augusta's Fifth Getting [Only] 30 More Yards

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To show how drastically things have changed, Tim Rosaforte reports the new Augusta National-installed tee at the par-4 5th will add only 30 yards with the hope of putting driver back in player hands. And five-irons for second shots. 

"The new hole will play upwards of 485 yards in an attempt to restore the shot value that has been taken away by the distances achieved by the modern game," Rosaforte said. "Instead of 3-woods and 7-irons, the new fifth should require a driver and a 5-iron, at the very least, depending upon the conditions."

Driver maybe, but still very much 7 and 8-irons in today's game. 

Amazingly, it would take at least 50 yards to get a long-iron in their hands. Unless the landing area remains pinched instead of allowing for the risk-taking created in the original design inspired by the Road Hole. 

Bryson Reports Positive Compass-Related Talks With USGA

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One can only imagine where the conversations have gone, but even with his trusty compass banned, Bryson DeChambeau says his negotiations with the USGA have gone swimmingly. Next stop, NATO summit!

Kevin Casey highlights several of Bryson's pre-John Deere Classic remarks on the rules controversy that saw his "unusual" device banned.

“I think it was a big step for me to be able to talk with (the USGA) one-on-one, not necessarily going through the (PGA) Tour or anything like that, albeit it’s a great way as well. Nothing against the Tour, but just being able to talk to (the USGA) directly is very, very nice, so that we can have a personal relationship first off and be mutually beneficial.”

At least, until they ban green reading books.

Video: Golfers Return To Edinburgh Castle!

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Not since that golfing-rebel Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to her only child there have such famous links-lovers turned up at Edinburgh Castle, set up for the annual Military Tattoo. 

Very nice turnout of players and fans for this European Tour promotional event:

Carner's Non-Conforming Wedge Dates To The Reagan Administration Years

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Joanne Carner

Joanne Carner

While Joanne Carner won't find it too funny, the USGA wisely had an equipment specialist at this week's U.S. Senior Women's Open registration just in case some of the legends showed up with clubs which, shall we say, haven't been seen in these parts for some time. They've tested 20 clubs, with seven being deemed non-conforming, most likely due to worn grooves. 

As Beth Ann Nichols writes for Golfweek, Joanne Carner has had to scramble to find a new wedge for her Chicago Golf Club scrambling. Carner turned up at the Open with a Wilson R90 sand wedge from her heyday that probably lacked conforming grooves on the face. 

“Oh, it was awful,” said Carner of parting with a club that’s been critical to her game around the greens and from 75 yards out for so many years. It felt like parting with an old friend.

When head pro John Guyton got wind of Carner’s predicament, he pulled out the wedges that had been cleared away from the pro shop to make room for championship merchandise and presented them to Carner. The 79-year-old legend whittled it down to two wedges, and Guyton adjusted both to match the loft and lie of old faithful. Guyton had the clubs out to Carner before she’d even reached the first green of her practice round. She wound up choosing a Titleist Vokey 54-degree wedge that was bent to 55.

Chicago Golf Club! A Quick Roundup For The Inaugural U.S. Senior Women's Open

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Gullane Is Back! European Tour And Scottish Open Return To East Lothian

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They've been whapping golf balls around Gullane Hill since the 1600's and turned the hill over to golf in the late 1880s, yet somehow this is only the second big pro golf event there this century.

The European Tour makes a big return this week after a bold move in 2015 to bring the Scottish Open to charming Gullane. Coverage this week is split in the US between Golf Channel and NBC, so check those local listings. 

All signs on social suggest it's faster and firmer than last time around, and that was a pretty lively year.

Adam Schupak at MorningRead.com on the big return and why Gullane is such a special (and bold) choice for the Scottish Open. 

Gary Williams and I discussed the wonders of this special property and its historic place in the game.

Punters will enjoy this Scottish Open preview by Betfair. 

The club's posted flyover on YouTube...

Gearing Up For Carnoustie: Henry Cotton's 1937 Open Win, Also On Glorious Film!

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Not much footage, but into the second Open film from Carnoustie, I'm sensing a trend already: rain!

Make sure to check out Walter Hagen's swing and suave. And that Claret Jug ceremony coat. Byron Nelson finished fifth to Cotton, who won by two strokes over Reg Whitcombe.

Full title reads: "CARNOUSTIE". OPEN GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP AT CARNOUSTIE Carnoustie, Scotland. Crowds watching the boards at British Open Golf Championship at Carnoustie, Scotland. It is raining - people with umbrellas. Various shots of the contestants playing golf and the crowds watching. Men clearing rain from parts of the course.

New PGA Tour Schedule: The Good, Bad And Hard To Quantify

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There were plenty of fascinating surprises and a few bold moves made the PGA Tour in revamping it schedule.

In this quick-take for Golfweek, I cover some of the questions, positives and negatives of the new 2018-19 PGA Tour schedule, the first with a May PGA Championship. Mostly, I'm struck by the idea of vacating Labor Day weekend.

To expand on what I wrote for Golfweek, I'll certainly defer to the TV Execs, Tour VP's and numbers crunchers who probably can make the case that football fans have already fled by Labor Day. And as I noted for Golfweek, Atlanta is a circus that weekend. But as a sports fan, Monday of Labor Day has been fairly uneventful, and the PGA Tour's FedExCup concluding on that day seemed like a fantastic way of saying, "that's all folks!"

Which is why in today's Alternate Shot with Matt Adams (who has a nice list of issues with the schedule), I suggest that my hope is a change in time that has golf reclaiming that weekend and finishing on that Monday.

Rex Hoggard talks to Jay Monahan about what drove the changes but sees traffic congestion issues in the new schedule before playoff time.

If that all sounds clean and easy, consider that the run up to the post-season will now feature a major (The Open), a World Golf Championship (Memphis) and the Wyndham Championship. Including the three playoff stops, that’s five must-play events in a six-week window.

He notes a similar congestion problem in the Masters lead up, with the Honda Classic and Arnold Palmer Invitational very much in danger of losing top players with two WGC's events. Is this a bad time to mention (again) how I think WGC events are really doing no one any good?

Joel Beall has seven takeaways, but he sees Valspar taking the biggest hit in Florida and he may be right. But don't underestimate the player enjoyment of Innisbrook and the growing disdain for PGA National and Bay Hill hurting those two. He also makes a strong case for continued struggles mid-summer for new stops trying to lure players as they either break between the U.S. Open and The Open, or play European events.

Andy Pazdur joined Morning Drive to discuss the PGA Tour's approach:

We've Established That Pay Per View May Not Work For Tiger V. Phil...

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However, you know the M's love their subscriptions!

Say, how the auto manufacturers are taking car leases, losing the down payment into the monthly cost, and calling them...subscriptions. Ding! Millennial joy!

With nearly 70% of you saying no to paying for the proposed Tiger v. Phil match revealed by Alan Shipnuck and without any other known details (such as follow-up competitions as part of the package or a format that promotes presses), the organizers will face an uphill battle getting golf fans to pony up. Then again, 22% said you'd pay between $1 and $50.

So perhaps as part of a subscription, or incentive to subscribe to an app this match could make sense?

There are certainly plenty of entities out there right now who would love to include Tiger v. Phil as their entry into sports. And perhaps throw in future undercards of Shell's type matches. 

We discussed the poll (thanks again for voting) on Morning Drive: