Ballstriker's Rejoice: Bellerive's Greens Are Slow, Weak And Not Likely To Improve

August and the first 100 years are going out with a bang!

We know how hard the agronomists work to get a course ready, so picking on Bellerive's slow, soft and tender greens is not high on anyone's list.  Especially as we sit here Tuesday with multiple deluges hitting the course after relentless heat all summer.

As Joel Beall first noted for GolfDigest.com, the early signs at Bellerive are not good. 

But as The Forecaddie writes with more details on the issues, the balky greens have been an ongoing issue for the course dating back to last summer and all of 2018.

The Post-Dispatch's take by Dave Matter is a bit sunnier, with Tony Finau calling the greens good, something to note for those on his bandwagon this week. 

Carlos Arraya, Director of Grounds here, was on Live From the PGA during Monday's show and is looking forward to cooler conditions as the week goes: 

We discussed on Morning Drive my first impressions of the course:

Bellerive From Above: All 18 Holes Of The 2018 PGA Championship Venue

Because the course seen limited play this summer due to maintenance issues and so few players have any history at Bellerive, this flyover should help get you acquainted with the 2018 PGA Championship host site. Caffeine won't hurt either.

The full scorecard and hole-by-hole imagery is here. The course is over 500 yards longer than last time to account for climate change, kale incorporation into diets and just Joey D in general.

Carve away 14 minutes and time to swat away a few mid-play ads. Here goes:

Almost Everyone Seems To Be In Favor Of Restricting Green Reading Books Except The People Profiting From Them

Mike Stachura at Golf World looks at the PGA of America giving a "generally supportive" endorsement to a proposal restricting what players can use to read greens. But as Stachura reports, the PGA Tour's official position was ambiguous at best even though their rules officials were part of the deliberations on the green-reading cheat sheets the governing bodies have seen enough of. 

That news comes despite a less-than-full-throated affirmation from the PGA Tour on Tuesday, in which the folks in Ponte Vedra Beach stated that they “will collaborate with both organizations in order to get feedback on the proposal from Tour players, PGA Tour rules officials and through our governance process.”

Other than Strakaline's Andrew Tredway looking to protect sales of the books to college golf programs--and you thought text books were expensive--most big name players are saying they won't oppose a ban.

“I don't use the book, but my caddie, John Wood, does,” Matt Kuchar said. “I'm for restricting it. For guys who want to stand over it and use the aim point with their finger, you know, that's a skill. Reading a book I guess takes graphing skills or plotting skills, but it's not golf as it's meant to be—plotting your way around using a book.”

As Stachura notes though, some players are questioning how enforcement will work, including Adam Scott.

“It seems to be the theme with the governing bodies for the last 20 years that they let everything go to a place they don’t like and then they struggle to dial it back. I don’t get it. I don't get that the size of the arrows that you write down in your book are going to be judged. It’s all mad.”

Certainly there will be some who push the spirit of the rules, but I'm guessing the rules experts are confident we'll be able to tell pretty quickly who is still hooked on his book. Unless of course the players pop in the restrooms for a look before heading down the fairways. 

Maybe they should just ban them after all. 

"Smylie Kaufman, his once-promising career on hold, speaks out about the dark side of social media"

His disappearance from leaderboards has gotten no where near the Anthony Kim levels of intrigue, but I've gotten no shortage of social media inquiries wondering what was up with Smylie Kaufman's game. Never were the inquiries sinister, but apparently Kaufman has heard from no shortage of critics.

Brian Wacker talked to Kaufman for Golf World about his injury and the social media commentary on his poor play.

A player who made the final pairing of the 2016 Masters has decided to take the rest of the year off to deal with an arm injury with hopes of restarting his PGA Tour career next year on a medical extension.

Firestone Once Again Feels The Impact Of Medicine Ball Work In Staggering (Statistical) Fashion

The golf at Firestone is not everyone's cup of tea but when you put wedge approaches into the 2018 PGA Tour player's hand all day, Robert Trent Jones' design becomes less compelling. However in his defense, as you'll note in today's top website quote from Jack Nicklaus, the Golden Bear found the course dull even when hitting woods and long irons into the greens.

Either way, the driving distances at the final WGC Bridgestone were even more staggering than the normally huge numbers posted there annually. Driven solely by incorporation of medicine balls that have built super-cores like the game has never seen before these tall...well some of them...strapping...some of them...super jocks hit the ball unthinkable distances at the 2018 WGC Bridgestone, averaging 318.3 yards off the tee as a field. 

Momentary pause to let that sink in.

Try designing interesting golf holes for 318 yard averages on less than 250 acres. 

At the final Bridgestone, Brooks Koepka and his guns averaged 341.3 on the two driving holes, and tied with Rory McIlroy to lead the field with a 328.9 yard average on ALL drives.  Branden Grace was 20th in distance, averaging 326.9. Here is the list of the measuring hole leaders:

Justin Thomas used his power to great advantage and should be celebrated for his effort. With a 329.3 distance average on the measuring holes, he carved up Firestone when he had wedge into the greens. From the good folks at ShotLink:

On a course once considered boring by Jack Nicklaus because it was all woods and long iron approaches, Thomas had 32 approach shots insider 150 yards and only 13 outside 200. 

Where does this leave us on the season?

There has been a spike in distance seen all year and that's relevant if you take the USGA and R&A at their word that action would be necessary with any significant increase, regardless of the reason. 

The 2018 PGA Tour driving distance average after Firestone is 295.8 yards. If the boys will just do a little more gym work over the final weeks, we can get a four-yard increase over 2016-17's 292.5. 

The distance average was 291.3 after the same tournament last year so I like our chances!  (The tour average was 288.7 through the 2016 WGC Bridgestone.)

Five players in 2017 averaged over 310 yards off the tee, that number is at 15 this year. 

In 2018, 67 players are averaging over 300 yards off the tee, versus 38 last year.

Of course, the PGA Tour took the position that none of this was significant last year. Will they do so again in 2018?

Trophy Wrap: Thomas Wins Firestone Finale, Hall Wins British, Putnam's A Barracuda, Perry Takes 3M, Hammer Wins The Western Am And Strepp Grabs KC Classic

What a commanding win for Justin Thomas in the final WGC Bridgestone at Firestone, and in front of his grandparents. The full Golfweek roundup.

58 years after competing in the 1960 #PGAChamp at Firestone, Paul Thomas returned to watch his grandson win his first WGC at the same venue. #WGCBridgestone

A post shared by European Tour (@europeantour) on Aug 5, 2018 at 4:22pm PDT

Georgia Hall breaks through in dream fashion by winning the Ricoh Women's British Open in her home country of England:

😘🏆 Congratulations @georgiahall23. #RWBO #MasterTheElements

A post shared by The R&A (@therandagolf) on Aug 5, 2018 at 12:25pm PDT

Andrew Putnam earned his way into the PGA Championship by winning the Barracuda Championship. I couldn't find a trophy picture and wouldn't you rather see the final putt anyway:

A lifelong dream achieved. @AndrewPutnam is a PGA TOUR winner. He’s claimed the @BarracudaChampionship. 👏🏆 #LiveUnderPar

A post shared by PGA TOUR (@pgatour) on Aug 5, 2018 at 6:08pm PDT

Kenny Perry claimed the 3M Championship, played at TPC Twin Cities that will become a PGA Tour stop in 2019.

That winning smile. 🏆

A post shared by PGA TOUR Champions (@pgatourchampions) on Aug 5, 2018 at 4:34pm PDT

Cole Hammer won the Western Amateur with mom Allison on the bag. Great to see you can read a Len Ziehm game story on one of America's biggest amateur tournaments.

Is there anything better than winning one of the most prestigious titles in amateur golf with your mom on the bag, @cole_hammer?

A post shared by The Western Amateur (@westernamateur) on Aug 4, 2018 at 4:50pm PDT

Sepp Straka takes the Web.com Tour's KC Golf Classic and with it an inconveniently enormous crystal trophy.

@ugagolf alum @seppstraka had played 19 #webtour events this season prior to @kcgolfclassic. He had made 11 cuts, but without a top-25 finish. Now he is a champion. 🏆

A post shared by Web.com Tour (@webdotcomtour) on Aug 5, 2018 at 4:28pm PDT

Bellerive: PGA Hopes To Do $2 Million...In Hat Sales Alone

To say the good folks of greater St. Louis are excited about the PGA Championship may be an understatement given that the PGA's director of merchandise has hat makers on speed dial in anticipation of second and third orders. 

Stu Durando in the Post-Dispatch talks to Mike Quirk about expectations for sales at Bellerive and shares some eye-opening numbers about hat sales. 

There are 64,000 in stock, waiting to replace those that are sold. And the expectation is that more may need to be ordered before the event ends Aug. 12. Mike Quirk, the senior director of merchandising and licensing for the PGA, believes hat sales could hit 100,000 over 10 days.

And they only scratch the surface for the business that is expected.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say we’re hoping it will be the best PGA Championship ever,” Quirk said of merchandise sales.

So yes, at $28 a pop on average, Quirk

Quirk has an idea of how much is expected to be spent, but he’s not saying. But to get an idea, the hats, which average $28, will generate more than $2 million in sales based on Quirk’s projections.

Brandel On His Competitive Return At The Old Course

Brandel Chamblee qualified for the Senior Open at Carnoustie after years on the sidelines and the Golf Channel analyst writes about the experience.

This was fun and my dictionary did get cracked to look up obdurate:

My ball striking started to improve, such that after a few sessions with Lucas, I could hit scores and scores of shots that, passing through the right window in the sky, wouldn’t move but the few feet I wanted them to fade. Confidence can leave one like a thunderbolt, but it comes back incrementally. So there I was, a humorous blend of contradictions when asked how I thought I would do – somewhere between 64 and 78, I’d think. The analyst in me said, no chance. The player in me had left a long time ago. The truth was, I didn’t know. 

Besides being asked how I felt I would do, the question I got more often was if I realized how much fuel my poor play might give those looking to criticize me. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t give it some thought, but the thought of competing again means one has to risk embarrassment with an obdurate mix of ignorance and certainty. 

The Inside Story Of How And Why Phil Said Yes To The Already Legendary Mizzen+Main Spot

Some writers wish they were there when the Pentagon Papers landed on a desk, others covet getting the Watergate break-in assignment. I, today, envy Golf.com's Alan Bastable for landing the exclusive details of Phil Mickelson's instant-viral classic ad for Mizzen+Main. 

No rookie at this game, Bastable paints a picture of key figures and agents at work seeking to get the most out of the artist. 

Also in the room when Lavelle presented the idea were Mickelson’s agent, Steve Loy, and wife, Amy.

Amy began to laugh.

“She looked at Phil and looked at me and then looked back at Phil,” Lavelle said. “She said, ‘Should I tell him or should you? He said, ‘Go ahead.’ She looked back at me and said, ‘Phil can do the worm.’”

“At that moment,” Lavellle said, “it was, ‘Oh my god we’re actually going to make this happen.’”

On the heels of his much-discussed Playing Through work for Callaway during The Open, Mickelson at least knows he's got a future in acting. 

"I have had rules officials, PGA Tour staff, journos, spectators, players, caddies all coming up to me to say Jarrod is the most loved golfer they’ve encountered on the PGA Tour."

Thanks to reader Ray for Robert Allenby's passionate Players Voice piece on his hero Jarrod Lyle. 

But here’s what I do know: in life, you don’t have too many top quality friends – ones you can trust, ones you can call upon. You can count them on one hand.

Jarrod’s on that hand for me. There’s a bond and a trust that I will cherish forever.

I love him like a brother and count myself fortunate that I have had him in my life for this long.

He’s a top bloke and an inspiration to millions. He is loved and admired all around the world.

I hope he is pain-free and at peace.

He is, and will always be, my hero.

And for those wondering, here is Tripp Isenhour's GoFundMe page set up for those wanting to leave something for Jarrod's girls.

CBS Adding Great Goodies For PGA Championship Broadcast: 4DReplay, Mic's In Cups, More Drone Flyovers

With all due respect to the tech people who work behind the scenes on these innovations free of politics or business, but it's especially fun to see CBS adding some cutting edge enhancements to their PGA Championship. Not coincidentally the news arrives after a combination of factors, from some Fox and NBC/Golf Channel influence, to the best incentive of all: a 2019 expiring contract! (Note to golf organizations: shorter contracts incentivize innovation!). 

The full release is below, but the 4DReplay add, at least based on what we've seen of its use in other sports, could be as groundbreaking as tracer technology. (See sample embeds below).

And we always welcome more cup sound and drone flyovers!

For Immediate Release:

CBS SPORTS TECHNICAL ENHANCEMENTS AND INNOVATIONS EXPAND

FOR 2018 COVERAGE INCLUDING FIRST EVER 4D REPLAY ON U.S. GOLF

HAWK-EYE GREEN TECHNOLGY, ROVER CAM, TOPTRACER TECHNOLOGY AND MORE BRING VIEWERS INSIDE-THE-ROPES LIKE NEVER BEFORE

For the 28th consecutive year and 35th overall, CBS Sports will broadcast the PGA Championship contested at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, MO with cutting-edge technical enhancements and innovations that bring viewers inside-the-ropes like never before.  CBS Sports will present the third and final rounds on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 11-12 (2:00-7:00 PM, ET).   Coverage begins on CBS Sports Network with “PGA Championship on the Range” and “PGA Championship Clubhouse Report” Thursday, Aug. 9- Sunday, Aug. 12.

CBS Sports production will once again lead the way with cutting-edge technical enhancements and innovations, including being the first U.S. broadcaster to use 4D Replay on a golf broadcast.  CBS will use the ground-breaking 4D Replay showcasing the challenging 495-yard Par 4 15th hole through a camera covering 270 degrees of the tee box that allows for 3D manipulation of the video giving announcers and viewers an all-new look at a golfer’s swing.    

With 110 cameras and 175 microphones covering 41 miles of multi-strand fiber, equaling 492 miles of actual fiber connectivity, viewers will not miss any action on the grounds at Bellerive.  

In addition, for the first time at a PGA, CBS will utilize Hawk-Eye Green Technology, giving viewers a unique perspective on the putting line as well as the undulations of the green, as well as Rover Cam for a ride across Bellerive.  Along with the enhancement of Toptracer, Toptracer RF and ARL, Virtual Eye, 4K HDR, Smartcart, SwingVision, Aerial Drone Coverage, Cup Mics and all new on-air Graphics look celebrating the 100thPGA Championship, CBS will showcase this unrivaled technology to complement the broadcast as another chapter in PGA history unfolds.    

Production and Technology elements in detail:  

·       4D Replay – CBS Sports will be the first U.S. broadcaster to use 4D Replay on golf at the PGA Championship.  A camera array covering 270 degrees of the 15th tee box will allow for 3D manipulation of the video.  The video not only can pan anywhere within the 270 degrees of coverage, but can also be zoomed in and slowed down in playback to get a unique look at the tee shots from the best players in the world attacking the challenging Par 4 .

·       Toptracer – CBS will use Toptracer broadcast technology on all 18 holes, using 3D radar tracking to provide the viewer with a true sense of distance, height, curvature and more. Tracing live tee shots on various holes showing the apex, ball speed, distance and curve will once again be staples of this technology.   Toptracer will also showcase new Range Technology during coverage of “PGA Championship On the Range,” both Thursday and Friday on CBS Sports Network.

o   ARL Virtual Eye - Virtual Eye technology returns this year with increased coverage of more holes. Virtual Eye uses Toptracer ball tracing capabilities on tee shots within a 3D Hole model while simultaneously showing the golfer hit shots from the tee.  And, for the first time at the PGA Championship, it also will be used from the fairway on the 17th hole. Virtual flyover animations also return, giving a second shot perspective once the ball comes to rest including GolfTrax information providing key statistical information for both individual players and holes.  Virtual Eye will be used both live and in playback.

o   Toptracer RF - Toptracer will outfit two RF mini cameras in order to provide ball tracking graphics and statistics on a player’s second shot from the fairway anywhere on the course at Bellerive Country Club. 

·       Hawk-Eye Green Technology    

o   Putt Predictor - The Putt Predictor demonstrates the extreme differences in the line that a putt can travel and still go in based on weight of the ball strike.  It provides a shaded area between the line of a hard putt to the back of the hole and a soft putt line that has the most movement.  If a putt leaves the shaded area between the two lines the viewer knows that it will not drop.  

o   Undulation Grid - A graphical grid overlaid on a green along with moving arrows to highlight the undulations of a green.

·       Rover Cam -  For the first time, CBS Sports will use a remote controlled rover with an RF camera affixed to it to provide a unique perspective to the coverage travelling across the grounds at Bellerive Country Club.

·       4K HDR –  Bellerive Country Club’s closing holes 16, 17, and 18 will be captured in 4K beginning Thursday and concluding with the final round.  For the fourth time in 2018, CBS will produce live 4K golf coverage, which includes using 15 4K HDR cameras at the PGA Championship to air on DIRECTV. New to the Championship this year is the addition of HDR to the home viewers of the 4K show. HDR, with a wider color gamut, provides richer and more vibrant colors along with deeper contrast between light and dark for a more realistic image.

·       Smartcart – Introduced two years ago for the first time at a PGA Championship, Smartcart returns.  The 72-inch mobile screen, attached to a custom-fitted golf cart for broadcast applications, will be used to analyze and telestrate a myriad of data including golf swings and shots, difficulty of holes, and scorecards bringing a new dimension to golf coverage with compelling content from action on the course.  CBS Sports Network also will use Smartcart for Thursday and Friday’s “PGA Championship On the Range.” 

·       SwingVision – CBS returns its Emmy Award-winning technical innovation, SwingVision, featuring super-slow action to break down players’ swings and demonstrate shots from various parts of the course.

·       Aerial Drone Coverage –  CBS Sports’ aerial drone coverage captured all the elevations, undulations and hazards of Bellerive Country Club.  Drones allow for a much more dynamic look at each hole for the viewers from the “player’s perspective.” 

·       Cup Mics -  Microphones will be placed in specified cups to capture audio from balls going into the hole as well as hitting the pin or even landing on the green near the cup.  

·       New Graphics -  Celebrating the 100th PGA Championship, the graphics package embraces the spirit of the PGA using the navy and gold color scheme of the PGA of America. The amination package evokes the essence of this tournament through graceful movement and high-end 3D design.  

This, in golf could be so powerful, from capturing a golf swing to an incredible moment. It would particularly fun on a drivable par-4 tee and some day, an 18th green complex.

And a how-we-do-it piece:

[Tech] How We Produce 4D Replay from 4DReplay on Vimeo.

Mizzen Or Masterful: Will We Be Doing "The Phil"?

Phil Mickelson's surprising choice to unveil a Mizzen+Main long sleeve at The Masters may have turned a few heads and earned a "really" from Tiger Woods, but now that he's all-in as a part owner he is, well, in. All in. And it's spectacular.

Sporting the Manhattan shirt he's worn a few times--minus his logo-clad tour golf version--Mickelson breaks out his best dance moves in a, uh, more focused effort to show off how these performance fabric shirts work. It's set to Ghostland Observatory's "Viberate," and I only know that because of Shazam.

Phil makes a convincing case for the mobility and style factor of the shirt maligned after his Masters moment. He also makes a case for the most fluid hamstrings in golf.

The fashion-friendliness of the shirt is greatly enhanced--actually, night and day--when not paired with golf slacks and without his corporate partner logos screaming 1960s gas station attendant. 

Even more solid? This lands in a Ryder Cup year! Oh to hear the team room comments about The Phil... 

More Call On Outright Green Reading Book Ban

Alistair Tait for Golfweek on Laura Davies and Catriona Matthew criticizing the R&A for failing to ban green-reading books outright:

“I think they should ban them completely,” Matthew said. “They’re kind of halfway what’s acceptable, what’s not. If you don’t want people to use them, just ban them outright.”

Matthew, winner of the 2009 Ricoh Women’s British Open, feels the governing bodies have waited too long.

“I kind of think they’ve got a little out of hand,” Matthew said.

Women's British: Royal Lytham's Bunkers Getting Their Attention

The world's best female golfers have gotten a good luck at Royal Lytham on the Ricoh Women's British Open eve and it's not just the depth but also the heavy sand that makes them as penal as any in links championship golf. 

Beth Ann Nichols writing for Golfweek notes that the club removed 36 but still presents 167 and has even added a few back at the members' behest. So Yeon Ryu even consulted architect Mike Clayton for some suggestions on dealing with them.

While there’s usually a chance to make a shot from greenside bunkers, fairway bunkers are another story. Inbee Park called them an “automatic bogey.”

“And there are too many to avoid,” she said.

In preparing for the week, Ryu spoke with former Australian player Michael Clayton, who told her Seve Ballesteros hit into 14 bunkers one of the years he won at Royal Lytham and got up and down 13 times.

When Ryu asked for Seve’s secret, Clayton said, “Impossible. Only Seve can do it.”

Check out this from Pernilla Lindberg, ANA Inspiration winner earlier this year. And stay for the landing:

BUNKERED!🤔 #linksgolf #lythamstannes #lytham #britishopen #rwbo #ricohwomensbritishopen #lpga

A post shared by Pernilla Lindberg (@pernillagolf) on Aug 1, 2018 at 5:57am PDT

Molinari Has Yet To Put The Claret Jug To The Test, And That's Okay

I've wondered about lamenting Francesco Molinari's rather un-Italian approach to the Claret Jug, because a case could be made that having not employed the Open Championship trophy as a proper jug to celebrate reaffirms some dullard status. His reasoning? Last week he was in recovery mode. 

Plus, it's his answer to the idea of some water that makes him fine by me. From Brentley Romine's Golfweek item:

Molinari did say there will probably come a day when something will go into the jug. He just can’t say what or when.

One thing that won’t go in it: Water.

“I’m not a big drinker,” Molinari said. “So to fill it with water would be a bit of blasphemy. I’m sure that there will be times at the end of season when everything comes down that something goes in it, but not yet.”