Seminole To Make Its International Television Debut For May 17 COVID-19 Relief Match

Scheduled to make its world premiere at the 2021 Walker Cup, the exclusive Seminole Golf Club will now make its debut for television cameras in a grand way by hosting a COVID-19 relief match.

Though the real standout here is UnitedHealth Group in pledging $3 million to give to the worthy causes noted below.

The format is a peculiar choice but that’s beside the point given the ultimate goal of raising funds and providing some much-needed competition on TV. For Immediate Release:

McIlroy, Johnson, Fowler, Wolff headline TaylorMade Driving Relief 

marking return of televised golf to benefit COVID-19 relief efforts 

UnitedHealth Group pledges $3 million in support of the American Nurses Foundation and CDC Foundation 

PGA TOUR, NBC Sports and Sky Sports to broadcast team competition from Seminole Golf Club, May 17 

Farmers Insurance® pledges $1 million for birdies-and-eagle pool supporting Off Their Plate 

PGA TOUR Charities live donation platform powered by GoFundMe to support additional COVID-19 relief initiatives 

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla., (May 04, 2020) – The PGA TOUR, NBC Sports and Sky Sports today announced the return of televised golf with TaylorMade Driving Relief, centered around a $3 million charity skins match supported by UnitedHealth Group to raise money and awareness for the American Nurses Foundation and CDC Foundation, two organizations helping to lead COVID-19 relief efforts.

On Sunday, May 17, from Seminole Golf Club, TaylorMade Driving Relief will feature two-time FedExCup champion and World No. 1 Rory McIlroy and 20-time PGA TOUR winner Dustin Johnson, teaming up against two Oklahoma State University alumni: PGA TOUR superstar Rickie Fowler and 2019 first-time TOUR winner and 2019 NCAA National Champion Matthew Wolff. The competition will follow strict CDC social distancing guidelines, local mandates and will utilize appropriate testing measures to help protect the health and safety of the golfers, production crew and others on site.

Additionally, Farmers Insurance® has pledged $1 million to back a birdies-and-eagle pool to benefit Off Their Plate, a charitable organization helping COVID-19 healthcare workers and impacted frontline shift employees.

Building upon this initial fundraising of $4 million, PGA TOUR Charities will announce a Text-To-Donate activation and online donation platform powered by GoFundMe to allow viewers to make additional contributions and raise funds for COVID-19 relief.

EVENT INFORMATION: 

• Players: All four golfers will donate their time for the 18-hole, two-man team skins competition, with McIlroy/Johnson playing for the American Nurses Foundation and Fowler/Wolff playing for the CDC Foundation.

• Location: Seminole Golf Club (Juno Beach, Fla.) A majestic Donald Ross design with a clever routing on a rectangular site, each hole at Seminole encounters a new wind direction. Seminole has long been one of America’s most-revered clubs and this marks the club’s first ever golf event broadcast. No fans or spectators will be permitted on site.

• Date/Time: Sunday, May 17; live coverage will air from 2-6 p.m. ET 

• Television Broadcast: NBC, GOLF Channel, NBCSN, Sky Sports and other PGA TOUR global media partners

• Digital: Unauthenticated streaming of the entire event available via PGA TOUR LIVE (NBC Sports Gold and Amazon Prime Video), GOLFPASS, GolfChannel.com and GOLFTV powered by PGA TOUR. Pre-match coverage as well as the first two holes of the event also will stream on Twitter. 

• Safety measures: PGA TOUR will follow all guidelines, executive orders and mandates issued by the state of Florida, Palm Beach County and the city of Juno Beach.

“We are excited about the safe and responsible return of live golf and the opportunity to raise significant funds for those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic through the TaylorMade Driving Relief event,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “With four of the PGA TOUR’s top stars in Rory, Rickie, Dustin and Matthew of Team TaylorMade participating and UnitedHealth Group serving as the foundation of charitable giving, and Farmers Insurance providing an additional bonus pool, golf fans around the world can look forward to a unique, interactive and entertaining event that will help those in need.”

BROADCAST: PGA TOUR Entertainment will produce live coverage, which will feature commentary from NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico from his home in Michigan, as well as analysts Paul Azinger and Gary Koch and play-by-play with Rich Lerner from an off-site production facility. On site at Seminole Golf Club will be on-course reporters Jerry Foltz and Steve Sands.

“NBC Sports is proud to raise awareness for these charities that are directly making an impact on COVID-19 relief,” said Pete Bevacqua, President, NBC Sports Group. “We’re grateful to the four exceptional PGA TOUR players for donating their time, as well as all the sponsors for helping elevate this unique fundraising event, which will feature the first worldwide broadcast of a golf competition from Seminole Golf Club.”

“Seminole Golf Club is honored to host this charitable event and welcomes all golf fans and sports enthusiasts to tune in to the broadcast to see these world-class players take on our course,” said Jimmy Dunne, President of Seminole Golf Club.  “This match is a pure public service, with all money raised providing COVID-19 relief to those most in need in Florida and around the country, and Seminole is thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute to such a worthy cause at this difficult time.” 

FUNDRAISING AND IMPACT: Thanks to a pledge from UnitedHealth Group, the primary charitable component will see the teams compete in a $3 million charity skins match as each team will compete for one of two charities, the American Nurses Foundation and CDC Foundation.

“The 325,000 people of UnitedHealth Group continue to work tirelessly every day to support the health and safety of the people we are privileged to serve and to contribute to the resolution of this pandemic,” said David S. Wichmann, UnitedHealth Group Chief Executive Officer. “This additional financial support for the American Nurses Foundation and the CDC Foundation advances our commitment to take care of those who care for us by helping to meet the clinical, emotional and mental health needs of our frontline heroes, doctors, nurses and all health care workers. We’re pleased to be a part of this event designed to bring attention to and encourage further financial support for those on the leading edge of fighting this pandemic.”

Additionally, Farmers Insurance also kicked off fundraising efforts with a $1 million pledge, to back a birdies-and-eagles pool to benefit Off Their Plate, whose work creates a conduit for local communities to provide nutritious meals to the hospital teams we depend on and economic relief to local restaurant workers who have been most affected by COVID.

“For more than 90 years, serving our customers and helping communities impacted by disasters around the country has been in our DNA, and that remains true now more than ever. On behalf of everyone at Farmers, we’re proud of first responders and frontline workers for what they continue to do every single day during this unprecedented situation,” said Farmers Insurance CEO Jeff Dailey. “It’s a privilege to support this event, alongside our brand ambassador Rickie Fowler, and provide much needed funds to Off Their Plate, so they can continue to help those most impacted in this uncertain time.”

COMPETITORS: TaylorMade brings four of the world’s best and most exciting players to the event, and all are donating their time to be a part of the COVID-19 relief effort.

“While all of us navigate through the impact of this pandemic, we wanted to do our part for first responders and nominated COVID-19 charities. After speaking with our Team TaylorMade athletes, we are thrilled to make this TaylorMade Driving Relief event happen with our partners at the PGA TOUR and NBC Sports,” said David Abeles,CEO, TaylorMade. “The return of live golf and the opportunity to raise money for those affected is simply fantastic.”

Rory McIlroy, TaylorMade and UnitedHealth Group Health Ambassador:

• The reigning FedExCup champion and 2019 PGA TOUR Player of the Year is currently ranked No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking. McIlroy has 18 PGA TOUR victories and an additional nine wins worldwide including four major championships, the 2019 PLAYERS Championship, three World Golf Championships and the 2019 and 2016 FedExCup titles. 

• “It’s been difficult to witness what so many are enduring over the last several weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m excited and thankful to TaylorMade and UnitedHealth Group for making this event possible and providing us with the opportunity to show our support of those on the frontlines. I hope that we can provide some respite and entertainment for those tuning in across the globe. Dustin and I will have a lot of fun together and our games will fit well as we push to raise funds and awareness on May 17.”

 Dustin Johnson, TaylorMade Ambassador: 

• Johnson, a 20-time PGA TOUR winner, is currently No. 5 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Johnson’s 20 victories include the 2016 U.S. Open, six World Golf Championships events and four FedExCup Playoffs events.

• “I’m really excited to team up with Rory and to get back out on the golf course. Seminole is a great venue and it will be cool to show it to the world through this event. I’m sure Rickie and Matthew will be ready for us, but hopefully Rory and I can take them and help generate a lot of money and support for charities and those affected most by COVID-19.”

Rickie Fowler, TaylorMade Ball and Farmers Insurance Ambassador:

• Fowler owns nine victories worldwide, including his memorable win at THE PLAYERS Championship in 2015 when he played the finishing stretch of holes 15-18 in a 5-under total of 11 strokes. 

• “When I heard about this event, I couldn’t get involved fast enough. It’s special to be able to have an impact and raise charitable contributions through our sport and to do it with Matthew as a partner. I know how much I have missed sports and golf, especially, so to be one of the first events returning to television is very exciting and I’m proud to have Farmers, one of my sponsors, be a partner of this event as well. Playing aggressive has never been a problem for Matthew and me so we should have no issue testing the birdies-and-eagles bonus pool that has been backed by Farmers Insurance $1 million pledge.”

 Matthew Wolff, TaylorMade Ambassador:

• Wolff turned professional last June and by July, he earned his first career PGA TOUR victory at the inaugural 3M Open. Playing on sponsor exemptions, he needed just four starts to capture that first title and earned his PGA TOUR card at age 20. Wolff became the third player to win the individual title at the NCAA Championships and a PGA TOUR event in the same year, joining Ben Crenshaw and Tiger Woods.

• “I’m fired up to play alongside Rickie and raise money to benefit COVID-19 relief efforts. Rory and DJ have welcomed me to team TaylorMade with open arms and become great friends so I can’t wait for a fun competition against us Cowboys. Rickie and I are ready to bring our best and more importantly help the frontline heroes getting us through this extremely difficult time. Special thanks to the PGA Tour, NBC, Taylormade and all our partners for the opportunity. See you at Seminole!”

David Forgan: Golf "promotes not only physical health by moral force"

Thanks to Sean Tully of the Meadow Club for digging up David Forgan’s golfer’s creed and posting on Twitter (below). I’ve been asked by a few folks to post research or quotes related to the health and safety of golf when I come across them.

While this doesn’t quite qualify as an empirical work, it’s a keeper for those looking for a little inspiration or maybe fending off golf haters. Or maybe just a certain kind of reassurance that when safe and not disrespectful to times, there is a great reason to love the game and to maintain your pursuit of the royal and ancient.

Incidentally, I only knew Forgan was a descendant of the the St. Andrews Forgan family of clubmakers. It turns out, David decided to go into banking and moved to America where he was buried. Jim Craig, who blogs about various gravesites and the people under them, profiled David Forgan here.

Hard pressed to define golf better than was done here by Mr. Forgan. A gentle reminder of what joys the game can bring in so many ways! What are you doing to enjoy the game and share a golf experience with others? @gwatersgolf @erikanderslang @the_fried_egg @TheChristinaKim pic.twitter.com/xGJmRsG5SU

— Tully (@tullfescue) May 3, 2020

And just because I wanted an excuse to look at some St Andrews photos, a couple shots from 2015 of the Forgan shop location and plaque commemorating its location (now the Old Course shop).

Testing, Testing, Testing And Maybe Something More For Pro Golf's Return?

For those trying to imagine how professional golf will return, or those charged with trying to get the sport jump-started, a couple of weekend reads offered food for thought. While testing options and availability vary widely—I took part in LA County’s COVID-19 free testing this weekend and it worked incredibly efficiently—we know pro sports leagues will likely find a way to get tests.

But the big picture issues go beyond availability to optics and plans that provide assurance should testing no be available, or only seen as part of the solution.

From AP’s Tim Reynolds, who did touch on the PGA Tour’s return but focused largely on MLB, NBA and the NHL.

Some teams were sharply criticized for getting their players tested when the pandemic was beginning to take hold in March. The leagues want to avoid a similar blowback.

“The threshold question is the health question. That’s where we’re spending the most time,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said. “The ones that are the most worrisome are the ones that are beyond their control.”

According to Major League Baseball, 3,000 kits would need to be available for players, staff, broadcasters and others for every round of testing to get its season going and keep it going. Even if the NHL and NBA return with just 16 postseason teams on the ice and courts, those leagues would likely require tests for a minimum of 1,000 players and staff. And there’s no telling how often — Daily? Every few days? Weekly? — the tests would be required to be administered.

With tests still in short supply, that’s not a great look.

Pulitzer winner Laurie Garrett was featured in Frank Bruni’s Sunday NY Times column for her admittedly bleak outlook and vast history of coverage and predictions of past pandemics.

While she was speaking of the country and people who need to be tested, her comments should be noted by sports executives who are trying to imagine how they respect public and athlete safety in bringing their sports back.

And what America needs most right now, she said, isn’t this drumbeat of testing, testing, testing, because there will never be enough superfast, super-reliable tests to determine on the spot who can safely enter a crowded workplace or venue, which is the scenario that some people seem to have in mind. America needs good information, from many rigorously designed studies, about the prevalence and deadliness of coronavirus infections in given subsets of people, so that governors and mayors can develop rules for social distancing and reopening that are sensible, sustainable and tailored to the situation at hand.

Fleetwood On Several Topics, Including The Pain Of Last Year's Open Championship

The Guardian’s Ewan Murray covers a wide array of topics with Tommy Fleetwood, including how the unexpected layoff has been a positive, the 2018 Ryder Cup and of particular note his heartbreak over finishing second at the 2019 Open Championship.

Even though Shane Lowry won convincingly at Royal Portrush, Fleetwood’s still kicking himself but with refreshing perspective, as well.

Fleetwood articulates his level of despair – finishing second in the Open is hardly disastrous – perfectly. “When I was seven, I wanted to win the Open. I left the course that Saturday night, driving back with my family … the dream you’ve had for 20-odd years is very close. It went when I double-bogeyed 15 on Sunday, it was still there until then.

“That might be the closest I ever get, but I can say: ‘You know what, I had a dream when I was a kid and I played in the Sunday of an Open in the last group with a chance of achieving it.’ But I’m not living my life to finish second. I don’t live in a bubble where I weep about being second in the Open but second isn’t what I’m striving for. I don’t think I’ve reached my potential yet.”

Morning Read: Beginning To Ponder The Golf Experience Beyond A Time Of Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing tragedy—nearing 70,000 Americans dead—with accelerate emerging trends or radically alter ways of life we’ve come to know. MorningRead.com deserves plaudits for being one of the only golf publications to look past Brooks Koepka’s birthday or Rory v. Billy on Peloton to ponder the fate of of golf’s substantial industry.

Besides contributions from Dan O’Neill and Tom Coyne, an excellent three part-series has been filed by Brad Klein on various elements of the “business: and “experience” that will change.

Read Part 1 here and Part 2 here, and note this from Part 3 about the likely changes in turf management influenced by forces like staff or budget reductions, among other reasons.

From the modern makeover piece posted as part 3:

For course management and setup:
* Delayed starting times as reduced crews attend to necessary daily setup.

Warning, on the golf values reset I plan to make a case for this at a later date. But go on Klein:

* Varied conditions of presentation, with less emphasis upon flawless, TV-style lush-green setups and more tolerance for less maintenance of roughs, native areas and areas around tees. This ecologically sustainable approach will entail less water, fewer chemicals, less-frequent applications and reliance more upon scientific principles of agronomic management such as ”degree growing days” and moisture-level monitoring.

* In an effort to reduce turf stress and heavy reliance upon chemical inputs, courses will adopt marginally raised mowing heights of fairways (say, from 0.40-inch to 0.55-inch) to reduce mowing demands and make the playing experience more fun and enjoyable for mid-to-high-handicappers and newcomers. This trend will vary from facility to facility, depending upon client and member expectations. These setup conditions also can vary depending upon the occasion.

* Superintendents will be relying on smaller, more efficient crews, which means more interaction among golfers and workers. These reduced crews will devote more of their workday, especially at the start, to sanitizing equipment, keeping safe distance in the workplace and attending to safety conditions among golfers.

While so many questions still remain, Klein still dares to consider the food and beverage side of golf operations where the change figures to be more extreme and surprising.

For club operations:
* Reconfigured food-and-beverage facilities, with greater spacing among serving tables, if necessary, and any unused banquet halls converted to regular dining.

* More emphasis upon takeout of casual meals, which has proved to be popular during the recent social-distancing measures. As we rebound to a semblance of normalcy, the practice might well become habit-forming for consumers; it certainly is more efficient for clubs to provide – less labor, less waste of food and easier to prepare and serve. This will require additional supplies of disposable serving supplies, such as bags, plastic plates and Styrofoam containers, and less emphasis upon conventional flatware and glassware.

Anyway, lots to ponder and worth reading if you are in the industry. The facilities that get out in front of innovation and adopt changes either inspired by trends pre-virus or the new world order, should be able to take advantage of the newfound appreciation for golf.

Golf Digest Surveys PGA Tour Players On What Is Needed For A Return

Golf Digest’s reporters surveyed 35 PGA Tour players and just over half said they are only will compete “if there is a comprehensive testing plan in place at every event”. The next largest subset does not need testing but supports safety measures at events.

The options:

A) I don’t need anything to be different than before the virus. I’m ready to play.
B) I am willing to compete under whatever safety measures the PGA Tour chooses to implement, but don’t think we need comprehensive testing at tournaments.
C) I am only willing to compete if there is a comprehensive testing plan in place at every event.
D) I am not willing to compete until a vaccine or major medical development is in place.

And this was noteworthy:

Players, who were told they could answer anonymously, were also asked to elaborate further regarding their thinking. Some chose to go on the record while others asked for anonymity, but their responses help frame the issues many within golf are weighing as they contemplate a return to competition.

“I do trust [the Tour’s] decision-making process, but I’m not sure that the decision to start playing or not start playing has much to do with trusting their decisions,” said Stewart Cink. “To me this feels like a very personal decision about when the comfort level is enough to get back out there traveling. And also there’s still the very significant factor of social accountability and whether it's right to get back into a routine where everyone is traveling, etc.”

Increasingly, it seems travel worries and optics of returning are going to be as important as whatever testing protocols the PGA Tour develops.

Incidentally, Cink’s caddy, Kip Henley, called out Policy Board member Charley Hoffman this week on Twitter as another “rich guy sitting at home” in not considering the economic need to return to tournament play.

The Shack Show Episode 8 With Guest Rick Reilly

Rick Reilly doesn’t produce a weekly column any longer but his latest guest contribution to the Washington Post reminded me that the greats never lose their ability to read a green. “The first things I’ll do when this is over” produced some comforting laughs during what is an otherwise not the easiest times to crack wise.

So I hope you enjoy this chat with Reilly from his southern California home where he’s doing some reading, some longing to get back out playing, and Tweeting away about Donald Trump. Reilly’s lastest book, Commander in Cheat, is now in paperback and we discuss why he tackled a book about the on-course antics of the 45th president. A dollar of every paperback copy is going to a good cause, discussed in the show.

Though as discussed during the show, the staggering funds raised for Nothing But Nets, all after he decided to turn on a hotel TV and get a column out of it, alone should make Reilly Noble Prize worthy. ($70 million!)

Before recording, I brushed up on some more recent Reilly columns from Tiger Meet My Sister…And Probably Other Things I Shouldn’t Have Said. I found a lot to love.

It’s been a while, but I was always a huge Missing Links fan, and as the podcast discussion revealed, so have been some of the bigger names in Hollywood.

While I embedded Amazon links above, I’m encouraging use of Bookshop.org where all of Rick’s in-print books are available, too. And to the benefit of independent booksellers (now up to $1.1. million raised).

As for other writers mentioned—Murray, Wodehouse, Runyon, Twain, Wilde—I’ll let you find those.

Rick’s favorite pasta-tossed-in-a-cheese-wheel spot in Florence.

All but one food spot in this Instagram post I did is courtesy of his outstanding suggestions.

Here’s the show on iHeart’s page, or the Apple option, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your subscriptions are most appreciated.

DeVries: A Golf Architect's Perspective On Post-Pandemic Effects

Golf architect Mike DeVries considers the long-term effects of COVID-19 on golf in the United States and while I found it calming because I agree with what he writes, I think even those eager to see a return to everything we knew in golf will enjoy DeVries’ calming, sensible tone.

Writing for Golf Course Architecture, DeVries highlights how it might be time for golf in the U.S. to focus even more on how a course plays and less how it looks. And after making several strong points, concludes:

We can emerge from the Covid-19 era with a better idea of what is really important about our favourite pastime. We’ll walk, play, and exercise while engaging with others, and still pursue that little white ball. By simplifying its ‘touches’ and carefully limiting the potential for exposure to the virus, golf maintenance might just deliver us a more sustainable model. Golf may become more affordable and, therefore, more popular to a wider demographic. The ‘grow the game’ initiatives of the last few years have been searching for new ways to interest more people. Perhaps the restrictions and related impacts of this challenging period will point the game back towards its humbler roots and make it more popular than ever.

COVID-19 Relief Fundraiser With Rory, Johnson, Fowler And Wolff In The Works

Two different sources—Barstool’s Riggs and Hank Haney say another foursome is trying to set the pace for COVID-19 fundraisers. Format is unclear with a team component as well as a Skins format mentioned. If you were worried. Riggs says a place called Admiral’s Cove is the likely venue if the event happens May 17th.

Oh, and of course, releases being granted for the players.

That reminds me, no word yet if the PGA Tour has signed off on independent contractor’s Woods and Mickelson who requested releases for The Match 2 with Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, which was announced without Tour sanctioning.

Here’s Haney discussing on his podcast:

Sources are telling me there's a little league warmup Match being created that will jump in front of THE MATCH - Wolff & Fowler vs. Rory & DJ

Check out today's full episode of the Hank Haney Podcasthttps://t.co/moBj1QU8Dn pic.twitter.com/QwmEWTC74a

— Hank Haney (@HankHaney) April 30, 2020

Key to this: Rory telling his Starbucks barista to juice him with a Reserve Blend jolt. Because he’ll need to do a lot of talking over 18 holes to make this TV friendly.

RandA's Post-Golf Lockdown Guidelines: Pass On The Card And Pencil If You Can

The “card and pencil” mindset lamented by early 20th century golf leaders remains high on the list of values needing a reset, and after reading the R&A guidelines for golf course presentation post-COVID-19 lockdown, they beat us to it.

From National Club Golfer’s Steve Carroll reporting on the extensive suggestions and recommendations:

e. Rules of Golf Related Matters

Until further notice, the following provisions are considered acceptable on a temporary basis:

Forms of Play and Scoring

• It is recommended that non-competition play is used during the initial period of golf being played, and that stroke play competitions involving players in different groups are avoided.

• If competitive stroke play is played, a method of scoring needs to be used that does not require any handling or exchanging of scorecards.

This was less appealing:

• Committees may choose to allow methods of scoring in stroke play that do not strictly comply with Rule 3.3b, or do not comply with the normal methods used under Rule 3.3b. For example:

  • Players may enter their own hole scores on the scorecard (it is not necessary for a marker to do it).

  • It is not necessary to have a marker physically certify the player’s hole scores, but some form of verbal certification should take place.

  • It is not necessary to physically return a scorecard to the Committee provided the Committee can accept the scores in another way.

• As provided in the Rules of Golf, scorecards can be electronic, which could include emailing or texting scores to the Committee.

And this is just pathetic:

• Bunkers

  • If golfers take due care when smoothing bunkers, there should be no need to provide a Local Rule for bunkers. But if the Committee feels that the enjoyment of the game is being significantly affected by there being no rakes, it may introduce preferred lies in bunkers and provide that a player may place a ball in the bunker within one club-length of the original spot and not nearer to the hole than that spot.

Stay strong Committees! The first world has faith you can stand up to the whining.

LPGA Commish: "It’s possible in 2020 we could eat up most of the savings we saved in the last 10 years in 10 months."

Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols spells out and gives context to Mike Whan’s LPGA teleconference where the Commissioner presented a new schedule. It features a mid-July start, reports GolfChannel.com’s Randall Mell. There are even tournaments cancelled sharing some purse money with others, and Whan explaining where this leaves the LPGA Tour.

This about summed it all up:

“It doesn’t put us on a death watch,” he said, “but I’ve been very proud and I’ve said in many interviews, we’ve saved more money in the last 10 years than in the 60 years before, but it’s possible in 2020 we could eat up most of the savings we saved in the last 10 years in 10 months. When we’re not playing and not producing TV, and as a result not delivering for international partners, it hurts players, it hurts caddies, and I can promise you it hurts the LPGA.”

To that end, the LPGA is also expanding fields even as health guidelines suggest trying to reduce the size of gatherings. It also means more tests, if that becomes an issue. But Whan is bullish on robust COVID-19 testing availability.

“What we’re really hearing is that testing could be available in large supply by the end of May,” said Whan, “so if you kind of ­– if you do what we do in COVID world, which is to say, well, that sounds good but let’s just build a few weeks out on to that, and I mean by large supply, I mean tens of millions, so not a couple hundred thousand where you really get to the point where testing is pretty regularly available to anybody.”

To that end, Whan said he’s not sure if they’ll be virus testing players and caddies every day, but he does expect there to be some kind of daily test.

“At a minimum you’ll probably be getting a fever scan,” he said, “a thermal scan for fever with facial recognition.”

He estimates that the cost of testing for the rest of the season will come close to seven figures.

Expensive but ultimately a small cost if the LPGA Tour can eventually return.

Hadwin: If Flagstick Stays In Hole, "That might make me honestly rethink playing"

Scott Stallings suggested PGA Tour players were “not going to play for their livelihood with no rakes in the bunker.”

And now Adam Hadwin is wondering if he can play with flagsticks left in the cup to prevent excessive player/caddie contact with the pin.

Now, all of these great golfers are eager to get back and undoubtedly a few are practically inconsolable without golf to prepare for. But it’s also clear that when they return, things will change, less money might be there and some “sacrifices” will need to be made.

Hadwin is a very grounded person and comes off that way during the rest of the interview where he expresses empathy for those dealing with the virus. So it’s a bit startling to hear an elite golfer suggest in this time of pandemic that putting with the flagstick in has proven so untenable.

“Are we not going to be allowed to touch pins, or flags?” Hadwin said. “I putt with the flag out, so if we all of a sudden are going to be forced to putt with it in to not touch a flag, I’m going to have issues with that, and that might make me honestly rethink playing, because it changes everything.”

This picture painted by Hadwin illustrates an issue golf faces, assuming the sport and world listens to pros instead of just telling them this is (temporarily) how it’s going to be for a while.

“Maybe there’s one person wearing gloves walking with every group that pulls flags for us when we need to so caddies or players aren’t touching it,” Hadwin said. “If you force us to play with the flag in it changes everything. It messes me up on the greens and I can promise you I’m thinking about it. Doesn’t matter how well I’m hitting it; when I get on the greens I’ll be thinking about it, how I’m putting with the flag in and I haven’t been able to adjust to it and I shouldn’t have to adjust to it. Maybe I’ll protest, maybe I wouldn’t. If that’s the only possible way for us to play again, I don’t know, maybe. Maybe I’ll play and moan about it every day that I play and just go do it. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that.”

I’d do a poll, but pretty sure 99% of you would vote for Hadwin going the route of “I’ll play and moan about it every day that I play and just go do it.”

The full interview:

Padraig Budges: Might Have "To Take One For The Team" And Play Fan-Free Ryder Cup

The first drip came in the form of a column by Paul McGinley, and given that piece, combined with a thought, I gave a Shack Show quick take about how the world mood should dictate a low key Ryder Cup.

Yet key players (McIlroy, Fleetwood) and 2020 European Captain Padraig Harrington who have emphatically declared: no fans, no Ryder Cup. Harrington made his views known in early April but now the captain has budged, Rick Broadbent reports in the Times.

Padraig Harrington has admitted that the Ryder Cup could end up having to “take one for the team” and be played without fans.

The Europe captain is adamant that he and the players want spectators to be present at the biennial event in September, but accepts the decision is “above my pay grade” and different scenarios are being investigated. He also said he thought that if the PGA Tour made a successful comeback in June then it “massively” increased the likelihood of fans being allowed into the Ryder Cup.

But as Brian Keogh at the Irish Golf Desk noted on Twitter, this may be more about the very survival of the European Tour, which banks significant Ryder Cup revenue necessary for operations.

Padraig Harrington: Ryder Cup may have to take one for the team and play without fanshttps://t.co/NOFWLQCHI9

Given recent comments by ⁦@mcginleygolf⁩ and now this, finances are clearly critical.

— Brian Keogh (@IrishGolfDesk) April 28, 2020

Pat Perez On PGA Tour's June Return: "I think it's a little early"

Bob Harig at ESPN.com caught up with Pat Perez about what he’s been doing during the COVID-19 lockdown. Like many players, Perez hasn’t touched his clubs much, instead working on a new home renovation.

Perez offered this on the PGA Tour’s planned June 8th return.

"I think it's a little early,'' said Perez, 44, a three-time PGA Tour winner who is ranked 141st in the world. "But I understand what they want to do. Everybody wants sports back. Of course they do. Everybody wants to get back. But it's such a bigger deal than sports, it's such a small percentage of what is going on in the world right now. People are sick, we don't know who all has [the virus]. It's serious.”

“Hey golfers, let’s not screw this up”

Incidents of golfers defiantly resisting distancing rules and other behaviors are on the upswing (Tim Gavrich with the GolfAdvisor roundup of incidents in Connecticut, Massachusetts and England) and the sight of Presidio Golf Course being turned into a park won’t do much for pulse rates (Tessa McLean with that report, and Jason Deegan with an excellent analysis of this growing par/golf debate at GolfAdvisor).

Still, the signs are positive for golfers itching to play. Course openings are up and in the United States, are projected to be in the 77% neighborhood by early May according to this week’s NGF report. It remains clear that golf is one of the safest and best things you can do.

Yet, as expected when the pandemic broke out and golf courses were closed despite the benefits, there is a sense the sport will subject itself to backlash by pushing too fast to open courses or convene large scale tournaments.

Sam Weinman addressed this in an excellent GolfDigest.com piece after a recent round with his son, suggesting golf is a litmus test of sorts.

We all want to play, and a cursory glance at courses in my area suggests most are trying to make it work—tee times spaced out, practice facilities and clubhouses closed, carts banned or limited to those who really need them. When my course sends out weekly emails outlining or emphasizing these restrictions, the subtext is always, “We’ve got a decent thing going here. Don’t screw this up.”

Yet there are reports out of different parts of the country and abroad where golfers are holding firm to the game they’ve always played. Big groups, two players to a cart. Beers flowing post-round. At a time when deep sacrifices are being made all around, there is great danger, both symbolic and otherwise, in assuming the asks being made of society don’t apply to golf. The game fights a bad rap as it is.

And this was well stated by Joe Beditz, CEO of the NGF:

“Golf now has an incredible opportunity to lead, not to mention an obligation to set a safe, responsible example for other sports and activities,” Joe Beditz, CEO of the National Golf Foundation, said recently. “Done right, this is a chance to show how golf as an industry, and community, can not only weather this crisis but come out of it in a positive light.”