Bloomberg: "The Disruption of the Golf Ball Market Is in Full Swing"

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Thanks to reader Glenn for sending Michael Croley’s Bloomberg story suggesting a shift in how people buy golf balls.

Direct-to-consumer models without cumbersome pro-golf contracts is the name of the game, with elements lifted from other sectors that have bypassed retailers and other outdated approaches. Golf Datatech says golf balls account for $420 million of the $5 billion equipment selling industry (anyone else think that sounds low?).

Anyway, the headliner is Snell, at $33 a dozen to Pro V’s going for $52, though Bloomberg’s story also notes several others like Vice Golf and OnCore.

Regarding Vice:

Instead, after seeing the success of Dollar Shave Club, Harry’s, and other consumer brands, they set out to give golf-ball marketing a makeover with cheeky commercials you’d expect from Old Spice or Geico.Vice sells a dozen balls for anywhere from $34 down to $11, if you buy in bulk. They come in lime green, neon red, and traditional white, or you can mix and match all three. And you can pair the brand’s logo—which rides the line between edgy and gaudy—with a picture of your own or a rival’s face. The company also sells flat-bill caps, golf bags, and waffle-knit towels and has teamed up with the NBA so basketball fans can tout their favorite team on the fairway.

Another competitor, Buffalo-based OnCore Golf Technology Inc., is taking a more technological approach. Its first ball had a hollow metal core, which helps drives stay straighter, and eventually forced the U.S. Golf Association to rewrite its rulebook. Its Genius ball, making its debut in the second quarter of 2020, will have an internal GPS to measure shot velocity, spin rate, total distance, trajectory, and apex, all while telling you how far you are from the green. Brokerage founder Charles Schwab joined as a shareholder in January, and the brand was renewed in April as the official ball of the New York State Golf Association. Its premium Elixr sells for $35 per dozen, but buying in bulk can drop it to $30.

Presumably the subscription model is next and why not for a product no one needs to buy in person unless they’ve run out mid-round.

Just thinking out loud here, but if these companies are eating into the major brands that would mean they are doing so based on product quality, marketing and value.

Will they grow or succumb and get taken over?

There would seem to be major ramifications should they remain independent and undercut the current model of golf ball sales built on professional golfer endorsements, counts and usage.

Average World Ranking Of U.S. Amateur Final Eight: 187

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Actually, that’s the average of the seven who are ranked. One is unranked.

I offer this not to pick on the lads—average age of 20—who are playing excellent golf at Pinehurst, no doubt. Ron Driscoll’s wrap up and notes at the official site.

Still, as far as U.S. Amateur’s go, with a Walker Cup looming next month, not the best showing for the higher ranked players in the amateur game or much of a momentum builder for interest.

No top ten seeds advanced to the round of eight. Adam Woodward sets up the matchups for Golfweek. The most interesting story left may be that of Austin Squires, the 64th seed who earned his way into match play in a playoff and has knocked off some top players, including the top seed Brandon Wu.

Woodward with Squires’ story.

John Augenstein has the best chance to work his way onto the Walker Cup team despite a rough summer. Ryan Lavner with his story and hopes to work his way into consideration.

Hey on that note, just a reminder Fox has coverage on FS1 Friday, with network coverage of the semi’s and final this weekend.

The matchups:

Latest In Tournament Hospitality: $15,000 Tiny House Set Up At Medinah

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And the BMW Championship has a taker!

Michael LoRe of Forbes explains the concept and sale of a $15,000 (and very architecturally sophisticated) mobile home on Medinah’s 14th tee. The “Tiny House” was rented for the week and the “glamping” experience features a surrounding area outside for entertainment.

Organizers of the BMW Championship wheeled in a “Tiny House” hospitality venue located at the 14th hole on Course 3 of Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois. The 320-square-foot abode sleeps up to six people and comes equipped with electricity, running water and air conditioning. Other amenities in this unique offering include a kitchen area, closet organizer and bathroom.

A Medinah Country Club member spent $15,000 to stay in the “Tiny House” from Thursday’s opening round through Sunday’s final round.

“We’re always looking for unique ideas and different types of hospitality options, so we said let’s put one on the golf course and have it as a hospitality venue,” said Vince Pellegrino, senior vice president of tournaments for the Western Golf Association, which plans and manages the BMW Championship. “We put it up and had a member who purchased it for the week. It’s glamping at a golf tournament."

Tiger Trying To Play His Way Onto Presidents Cup Team He Can't Actually Make This Week

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Ok so now we know he’s more of the Fred Couples, laissez faire, positive figurehead Captain than say, the Azinger details guy. But hey, he’s Tiger Woods and the Presidents Cup is not until December.

Mathmatically eliminated from making the 2019 team on points—even with a win this week—Captain Woods talked about trying to play his way on via the BMW Championship.

“I’m trying like hell to make the team on my own. To just be part of the core group of guys. Obviously, I have some work to do. I gotta play well this week to make that happen. But if not, it’s going to come down to the top eight guys, myself and my vice captains for who are the next four slots. Whether that’s me and three other guys, or it’s four other guys, either way, I’m going to Australia, whether I’ll be playing or not.”

He has until October to make the four captain’s picks, which will have to include picking himself if he plans to be the first playing captain since Hale Irwin.

Chicago Tribune: BMW Will Renew Sponsorship, After All

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Big news for the second-to-last PGA Tour playoff event according to the Chicago Tribune’s Teddy Greenstein: a change in leadership at BMW appears to have restored the automaker’s desire to sponsor the event, a $15 to 18 million-a-year investment.

Greenstein says it’ll likely be a three-year deal with the prospect of moving around the country more in the coming years, with a fantastic venue in mind and one that is less exciting.

Sources told the Tribune on Tuesday that BMW will renew as the title sponsor of the annual FedEx Cup playoff event, starting with next year’s event at south suburban Olympia Fields. It will be a three-year deal with potential destinations at clubs such as Cherry Hills in Colorado and Caves Valley in Maryland.

All of this came together as WGA officials prepared for their signature event.

Better late than never!

Here’s where I scratch my head: since the old Western Open as we know it is gone and the Chicago district is not guaranteed to host, why not actively pursue west coast venues that put this event in east coast prime time in August, virtually guarantees another 500k-1 million viewers and creates greater interest? Oh, and is played in nice temperatures with no chance of thunderstorms?

People buy Beemers out west, too. Just saying!

Tiger: "Felt good this morning so I thought I'd give it a go."

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From Steve DiMeglio at Golfweek on Tiger arriving in Chicago to play the BMW:

“I feel good,” Woods said as he got out of the courtesy vehicle. “Feel a lot better than I felt last week. Felt good this morning so I thought I’d give it a go.”

Woods needs a solo 11th or better according to the numbers crunchers to move on to East Lake where he is the defending champion.

Here he was arriving at the course Tuesday:

BMW: A Medinah CC And No. 3 History Refresher

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While it’s not my favorite piece of architecture in the greater Chicago—or even in the top 10 courses in that ridiculously golf-rich region—entertaining and bizarre things just seem to happen at Medinah No. 3. (It still pains me thinking of Mike Donald leaving there without a U.S. Open after playing so beautifully.)

That should add up to an entertaining BMW Championship where 69 will be whittled down to 30 for the FedExCup/Tour Championship in Atlanta.

Ben Everill at PGATour.com does a nice job with this recap of past events and club lore, including a pair of legendary pros and that magnificent architectural gem of a clubhouse.

Did Phil Inadvertently Make The Case For The De-Skilling Role Of Green Reading Books?

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After Bryson DeChambeau cited his green reading book’s confusing data as part of the reason he took forever to hit a six-footer, the episode reminded plenty just how silly it is that an already slow game where key skills are less necessary would get slower and easier.

That DeChambeau suggested it was his right to set up shop due to the book read being so very, very wrong, reminded me what a stain on the game these are and that they simply need to go.

Today on Twitter, as Bill Speros notes for Golfweek, Rickie Fowler’s green-reading assistant and bagman Joe Skovron made clear he didn’t have a stake in the green book debate, but suggested they do help speed up play.

Phil Mickelson, in a rare reply, probably wrote too much:

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Mercifully for the green reading book world, Mickelson’s terrible stats this year strongly contradict his statement.

Skill was a key element in the governing bodies questioning the role of these books and rules were changed in an attempt to reduce their efficacy. Thomas Pagel of the USGA when the books were kept legal, with restrictions:

“We have looked carefully at the use of these green-reading materials and the extremely detailed information they provide and our view is that they tip the balance too far away from the essential skill and judgment required to read subtle slopes on the greens. It is important to be clear, however, that we still regard the use of yardage books and handwritten notes to be an entirely appropriate part of the game.”

They probably will not use Mickelson’s remarks to consider a ban given his season stats in the areas where he claims they gain him time and strokes. But Mickelson seems to admit that the books allow him to spend less time studying a course to learn how to read the greens or tackle the design.

There was also this from Luke Donald, one of the best putters of his or any generation:

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WSJ: "Hurry Up! Sports Has a Time Problem"

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Thanks to reader Todd for this column by the WSJ’s Jason Gay on the time problem all sports are grappling with.

Somewhat tongue-in-cheek, he writes:

These are hard days for unhurried athletes. Take too long to putt, to pitch, to pass, to kick, to serve, and you’re going to be targeted for impatient ridicule. This is a world, after all, where people pay extra to cut the line at the amusement park. This is a world where people buy gin and tonic in a can. That’s right: we’re all in such an urgent scramble, we don’t have the two seconds it takes to mix gin with tonic. 

Sports say they are trying to get better. They’re installing time clocks and cutting commercial breaks to lop minutes off the game. 

They might want to get more aggressive. We’re on the go, barreling around, barely tapping the brakes. There’s no more luxurious leisure anymore. The era of the meandering sporting event is over. There’s a pre-made gin and tonic waiting at home. And I think that movie has finally loaded. 

We’ve known this has been looming for some time and many golf writers have addressed (ad nauseum) the various slow play issues on both pro and recreational levels.

Other than the European Tour’s one-off event and more aggressive enforcement by their officials than the PGA Tour—but less than what the USGA and AJGA are doing most weeks—the sport has yawned at any substantial effort to adapt to the times. And this is all long before other sports went into their current panic modes, where some pretty radical changes are on the table.

Take the suggestion of nine hole matches at the Olympics, where rapid fire competition and head-to-head matches within pool play decide medals? That’s generally scoffed at and ridiculed because no championship is currently decided that way or it’s not normal, even though it would have shown the world a shorter, faster, more economical and dynamic side of golf.

How about more match play in general, as golf audiences of all ages are drawn to its better pacing, emotions and strategy? Nope. The TV networks get blamed there even as television networks fueling the passion for more match play.

Until last weekend’s social media fueled outrage over Bryson DeChambeau taking his sweet time, there have been few seminal moments to point to as evidence that we’ve lost the plot. Now the sport has one, it’s just a shame that Bryson is the poster child as he’s a good-hearted soul who genuinely loves the game. While spectacularly immodest at times, he’s also incredibly sensitive to the health and perception of the sport more than most professional golfers.

He just has no support system in the form of penalty strokes to make him play faster.

Oh, and no golf professional should be put on the spot about their role in controversy moments after an 18th hole bogey.

So the bickering will continue, ShotLink will be leveraged and pro tours will stall on the most pressing issue in the sport, the real concern should be about fans both in person and watching at home. I haven’t heard much concern for them, only what would happen to a golf professional’s bank account if we were to penalize them.

If the professional’s livelihood continues to be the focus, the insular world of professional golf will quickly lose fans for not adapting quickly to the times.

Kumbaya Monday: Pepperell Walks Back His Twit Jab; DeChambeau Vows To Solve Golf's Pace Of Play Issue

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Eddie Pepperell called out Bryson DeChambeau when he was taking forever to hit a simple putt.

Eddie has now apologized for labeling Bryson a twit, while Bryson has apologized for acting like a twit.


2.0: 2019 Northern Trust Playoff Opener Ratings Up

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Austin Karp reports that the 2019 Northern Trust was up to a 2.0 final round rating on CBS in spite of fan not-favorite Patrick Reed, compared to 2018’s 1.6, but down from 2017’s overnight 2.4 when Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth so memorably dueled.

Those events were played later in August than the newly placed Northern Trust, so the comparisons are tricky, at best.

Korn Ferry Ace Does Not Come With The Beemer Clearly Parked On The Tee To Look Like A Hole-In-One Prize

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Maybe if Chris Naegel had gone and hugged this lovely BMW, they would have given it to him. But as Brian Wacker reports, the car parked behind the tee just like at so many other events was NOT a hole-in-one prize.

So, so lame…

But the ace in the season-ending Portland Classic was fantastic:

Live Under Par Files: PGA Tour Tries To Get Fan Vote Using Cancer-Stricken Child, Commenters Recoil

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In a Twitter poll showdown, the PGA Tour’s Twitter account inexplicably pitted a cancer-stricken child’s visit to the Northern Trust against Shane Lowry’s Open win.

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Twitter users were aghast at the poll and even as the reactions poured in, the PGA Tour left this appallingly tasteless Tweet up.

A sampling should an adult see this and order the post taken down:

RIP: The Stevie-Jason Day Experiment

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It lasted longer than anyone could have dreamed—because who would drink up this pairing?—but Steve Williams has paced off his last yardage for Jason Day. The duo started working together at the 2019 U.S. Open and wrapped up things after last week’s Northern Trust.

Evin Priest on the merciful, inevitable end to this experiment.

"It was a disconnect of old school and new school," said Day.

Meanwhile in Europe, Matt Wallace has canned the guy who berated, then said was vital to his success after public outcry, says The Forecaddie.

Late Bloomer Gabriela Ruffels Survives Heat, 31st Hole Caddie Switch To Win U.S. Women's Amateur

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While the big boys were mired in slow play bickering, a sensational young player emerged in the U.S. Women’s Amateur at Old Waverley.

Brentley Romine notes Gabriela Ruffels’ switch to golf at age 14 paying off with Australia’s first U.S. Women’s Am win and a fast-emerging career that is likely to get plenty of attention during the upcoming year.

And make sure to check out JuliaKate Culpepper’s game story from the final, including the zany story of Ruffels trying to come back in a match while also enduring a caddie switch at the 31st hole due to travel plans of her USC caddie/coach.

In addition to an unrelenting opponent and humid conditions, Ruffels switched caddies from USC head coach Justin Silverstein to Mississippi State junior Blair Stockett on 31st hole as Silverstein had to get to catch a flight for a funeral.

Throwing Stockett, whose home course is Old Waverly, into the mix to replace Silverstein hadn’t been planned for long. In fact, she only had an hour or two to get ready.

“Her mom kind of told me her coach and caddie had to take a flight so they didn’t really know how the timing would line up, but just be ready in case,” Stockett said. “So when they finished and were on lunch break, I marked a couple pins in my book and came out just in case and hole 15 I guess was when he needed to leave so I just jumped on, kept her calm. I knew she had it in her.”