Acushnet Job Fair: Golf's (Social) Distance Popularity Prompts Hiring Frenzy!

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South Coast Today’s Kiernan Dunlop reports on Acushnet’s need to make around 200 hires to handle the surge in golf thanks to distance. That’s…social distance, not actual distance increases. Go figure!

Dunlop writes:

The open houses will continue into October and the company plans to hire over 200 people when all is said and done, according to Laurie Herbert, director of talent acquisition.

Golf has been a positive activity for people to partake in during the coronavirus pandemic, Chief People Officer for Titleist Brendan Reidy said, since it’s outdoors and allows for social distancing.

“We continued to see incredible demand for our products as we came out of the heart of the initial part of the pandemic,” Reidy said, “It has really effectively forced us to look at how we respond to that demand.”

During a time where unemployment and layoffs are rampant, mass hirings by companies seem to be a rarity.

“We’re privileged to be in a position where our business has turned around where we can continue to make these investments,” Reidy said, “To see that Acushnet [Company] is doing well and has come through 2020 in a positive way has really left a positive mark on people.”

Just think Wally, all that money spent on patents and Global Golf Post propaganda pieces to lobby against distance when it was another form of distance that spurring demand.

Either way, love the investment in American jobs and in the company. What a refreshing contrast to so many golf organizations and businesses slashing and burning their way into the future.

Sergio Wins Sanderson Farms His Eyes Closed (Putting)

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The eyes-closed-while-putting component to Sergio Garcia’s Sanderson Farms Championship win is certainly amazing, but other factors added to his emotions.

From Adam Schupak’s thorough Golfweek story on Sergio’s first win since the 2017 Masters:

Afterwards, Garcia dedicated the victory to his father, Victor, who has lost two brothers, Paco and Angel, to COVID-19 back in his native Spain.

“It’s sad,” said Garcia, who now counts Tour wins in three different decades (2000s, 2010s, 2020s). “And I know that a lot of families have lost a lot more people, but you never want to lose anyone like that, and I wanted to win this for them.”

Schupak also details the struggle to find a presentable putting stroke, though the win was still done with trademark Garcia ballstriking and strokes gained leads for the week in driving and approach play.

Garcia now returns to the world top 50 and puts himself in the mix of pre-(November) Masters favorites.

Two shots down the stretch took putting out of the equation and remind you why fairway shot tracer is as vital to the future of watching PGA Tour golf as having a functional mute button:

The final round highlights:

Morri: The Distance Debate Is Not About Golfers, Agronomy Or Athleticism

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Check out Rod Morri’s Golf Australia piece on what the distance debate is not about:

It’s not about players or athleticism or Trackman or modern coaching or ‘handcuffing’ the most talented individuals.

It’s not about which golfers might gain or lose the most in a rolled back world or whether the value of long hitting in relation to the field has changed over time.

It’s not about scoring or agronomy or making the game harder with stupid rough and penal minefields of bunkers in some futile bid to ‘protect par’. In fact, it’s not about score, full stop.
It’s not about any of those things because all of those things are about golfers and the distance debate isn’t about golfers, it’s about golf courses.

Bookmark this one for the next time you experience the inevitable hissy fit over the prospect of lost distance. Throw in Dr. MacKenzie’s quote about relativity of distance losses and you should be able to calm down the set fearful having their rights violated by increased regulation.

But be careful in your distance debates. The athleticism push of late has the marketeers now part of the discussion. They are trying to sell a product and could care less about the long term health of the sport. A surprising number have anointed themselves jocks because many of today’s top players hit the gym and fill out a shirt. Any suggestions of distance now are somehow a threat to their virility. Beware!

First World COVID-19 Dilemma: Should TV Help Find Lost Balls?

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Twice during the Sky Sports/Golf Channel telecast of the Aberdeen Standard Scottish Open (at least that I saw) Lee Westwood was aided by television sharing the approximate coordinates of a lost ball. Both were found.

This prompted a tweet from European Legends Tour player David Shacklady that generated a wide variety of replies:

I didn’t think much of the assistance because television is part of the competition in so many different ways. Plus, only those devoid of a heart want to see an avoidable lost ball. (Though many commenters expressed delight in pros experiencing what we mere mortals go through.)

Since the fan-free return, Brooks Koepka predicted lost balls earlier this year and we did see two consequential ones created by Winged Foot’s rough. But this situation was different:

A) This is the most linksy course professional golf has visited since the restart, with lost balls more easily found due to the variety of grasses and other odd landmarks. (One of Westwood’s lost balls came down near some yellow wildflowers and a tree stump, which the Sky team relayed to the on-course reporter).

B) There was a view that one player, a likable veteran, received assistance because he’s a likable veteran, while another leader did not earn similar treatment. While happenstance is mostly likely the culprit, the inequitable treatment had a fair share demanding that television stay out of the proceedings in the name of fairness.

I don’t believe this is a Rules issue as much as it’s a philosophic question of what role should television play? With betting projected to become a prime revenue source and the fan based connected to the proceedings via capital, these weird little first world dilemmas take on a different edge with outside money on the line. We already know how upset viewers get when they perceive a slight when tallying up shots shown, so imagine if one player is seemingly helped more than another?

This topic may be moot when spectators return and any television assistance will return to its former role as the equivalent of fans identifying where a ball went. But for a while attendance will be light, cameras will still roll and I suspect, there will be a randomness to lost balls identified with the help of television.

Rai Edges Fleetwood In Scottish Open Playoff, Future Venues And LET Synergy TBD

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A week after a second place finish in the Irish Open, Aaron Rai took his first Rolex Series event and third European Tour victory at the historic Scottish Open. The 25-year-old Englishman made a handy up-and-down on the first playoff hole to edge Tommy Fleetwood, who missed a few key short putts, including on the Renaissance Club’s 18th green.

Martin Dempster with the full story for The Scotsman.

Here is the ending courtesy of the European Tour as autumnal light emerged and made for a rewarding finish:

One other fun note: both Rai and Fleetwood have participated in Gullane’s Wee Wonders program, started by their longtime pro Alasdair Good. Rai finished in the top ten of the 2018 Scottish just down the street at Gullane:

As for the future, Dempster reports on Martin Gilbert’s final state-of-the-Scottish as he retires from Aberdeen Standard and moves to a European Tour board role.

Gilbert says the four-year experiment of visiting the same course for both men’s and women’s Scottish Opens has not paid the hoped-for financial dividends and is likely to end.

Gilbert also hopes to see the event pursue Carnoustie or another top flight links while hoping the women visit a top-flight course perhaps no longer relevant in the men’s game.

Under Peter Dawson's reign as the R&A chief executive, the European Tour were told that Open Championship venues were off limits for the Scottish Open, but Gilbert is ready to test the water on that with Martin Slumbers.

"It would be fantastic," he said. "You would love to go to Carnoustie and St Andrews, though I don't know you'd ever get St Andrews. We'd also love to go back to the west coast as well at some stage. It's finding a course of the right calibre."

Asked if the plan was to keep the event on a links course, he added: It's obviously a decision between the Scottish Government, Aberdeen Standard Investments and the European Tour, but I'd say so.

"It's become a success since we moved it to a links course and I saw a video of players being asked about their favourite courses in Scotland and they were all links courses apart from one. I said to myself, 'that just shows'.”

It's Green! Augusta National Ryegrass Update

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Normally the fall overseed is not national news, but with hurricane remnants hitting the course and a November Masters looming, the club reported no damage and an on-time conversion to green grass.

The latest photo posted by Eureka Earth shows green grass and bunker sand revealed. Though from this view, the 17th fairway (right center) continues to narrow with tree growth in excess fashion. Even single row irrigation might be overkill at some point soon.

The course is scheduled to reopen to members on October 12th.

Since last week’s post here, Eureka posted another September 24th photo showing the 12th green and 13th tee indicating some damage to the banks, presumably from Rae’s Creek running well above normal levels at some point.

Video: When Gemsbok Endorse Leaving The Flagstick In

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Thanks to the reader who sent this gem in to the news desk. A stunning gemsbok from South Africa making a strong case for several modifications to the rules of golf, from dangerous animals, to repairing your line to leaving the flagstick in.

WSJ: “Athletes Are Conquering Distance. Sports Will Never Be the Same"

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Thanks to reader John for Ben Cohen and Joshua Robinson’s look at the long distance movement in several sports under the headline, “Athletes Are Conquering Distance. Sports Will Never Be the Same.”

The story looks at the efforts of marathoner Eliud Kipchoge to use technology to refine technique and tactics, the increase in basketball’s three-point shots, baseball fastballs and golf. Not surprisingly, the focus is on Bryson DeChambeau’s physical overhaul and the tools he has used to get longer.

It’s not just DeChambeau. The average carry distance for drives on the PGA Tour a decade ago was 268 yards. This year it was 280 yards. DeChambeau’s was 314 yards.

Darned agronomy!

Dustin Johnson’s comments on optimization were used in the context of the piece and as the primary reason golfers have outsmarted the rules.

The solution is not to make the courses longer, Johnson said, but to make them more varied. The golfers have too much sophisticated technology at their disposal for architects to play defense. Their drivers are larger and lighter. Their balls spin less and fly straighter. They can drill their mechanics to the point of perfection. “It allows people to completely optimize their golf swing and their equipment,” Johnson said.

Check out the full story here.

"Industry Leaders On How Golf Might Take Advantage of Covid-Fueled Bump"

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The National Golf Foundation reached to executives and a strong variety of leading figures in golf, with hopes of hearing how they view golf’s “opportunity” created by the pandemic.

While it’s mostly a lot of vapid corporatespeak (engage!) and light on specific ideas, I did enjoy this from Kemper Golf’s Steve Skinner.

These scream like the operational priorities to me, too:

-We must welcome juniors, families and new golfers with open arms. This includes creative ideas like free, 15-minute introductory lessons, junior rates and family tee times. We should also continue to create and renovate alternative courses (short course, par-3s and putting courses) and consider alternative types of formats (scrambles and team play, such as PGA Jr. League).

-We must consider seniors, who still represent the game’s most loyal players but fall into a higher risk category. Be sensitive to their needs and consider their behavior in operational protocols.

-Create an efficient food and beverage system for delivery and grab & go options. Expand to-go selections and consider app-based delivery services to guests on the course. Creating more outdoor dining spaces is also key to supporting a limited F&B system during this time.

Amnesty International Questions Saudi Arabia Hosting Women's Golf Events

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The Guardian’s Ewan Murray reports that Amnesty International is wondering about the oddity of the women’s golf coming to Saudi Arabia.

Earlier this week the Ladies European Tour announced two November events in Saudi Arabia with $1.5m in prize money and called it a “landmark moment”.

From Murray’s story:

“With leading Saudi women’s rights activists currently languishing behind bars, there’s an unmistakable irony to the spectacle of Saudi Arabia throwing open its heavily-watered greens to the world’s leading women golfers like this,” Kate Allen, director of Amnesty International UK, told the Guardian.

“Under the Crown Prince, Saudi Arabia has embarked on a major sportswashing drive – attempting to use the glamour and prestige of big-money sporting events as a PR tool to distract from its abysmal human rights record.”

Golf Channel Enjoys Its Best September Ever As NBC Winds Down Its Orlando Operation

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Yes, it’s a pandemic where the U.S. Open moved to September and, out of no where, NBC/Golf Channel reclaimed the rights earlier this year.

Still, it’s quite bizarre to read about the channel enjoying its best September and strong showing among sports channels as Comcast/NBCUniversal eliminates most Golf Channel jobs and moves a very limited operation to Connecticut.

From NBC Sports PR:

  • GOLF Channel’s Total Day viewership in the quarter (118,000) ranked #1 among all single-sport networks, posting a 33% increase from the same time period in 2019.

  • Among viewers in the Adult 25-54 demographic, GOLF Channel’s third quarter marked its most watched quarter in Total Day viewership in two years (Q3 in 2018, which featured The Open, Tiger Woods’ win at the TOUR Championship and the Ryder Cup), and delivered a 40% increase from last year’s third quarter.

Wow, cable’s still got it!

  • The conclusion of the PGA TOUR Playoffs combined with the return of the U.S. Open to NBC Sports Group led to GOLF Channel’s second most-watched September ever (124,000). GOLF Channel also delivered its most-watched August (113,000) since 2017.

Cable still has it since I last interrupted!

  • Early round coverage of the 2019-2020 PGA TOUR season after the restart on GOLF Channel was the most-watched for these events vs. the same/comparable 12 events since the start of the FedExCup format in 2007.

No doubt some VP in PVB parlayed this into a bonus, citing the format tweaks.

But hey, great to see golf on cable still works. Someone tell the brass.

What Can Golf Take From NASCAR's Schedule Shakeup?

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This AP story looks at the huge change in NASCAR’s 2021 move away from a schedule dominated by “cookie-cutter oval tracks” to a mixture. This includes six road course races and one dirt track race.

While professional golf sees a pretty solid variety of courses, a case could be made that the schedule’s almost complete reliance on 72 holes of stroke play is the NASCAR equivalent of cookie-cutter ovals.

From the story:

It is a true shakeup after a lack of imagination created the most predictable schedule in sports, one that favored new speedways — 1.5-mile ovals that not only all looked the same, but raced the same, too. Not since Indianapolis Motor Speedway was added in 1994 had a Cup race been awarded to a track that was not part of an ownership group for an active speedway.

NASCAR set aside all the old ways of doing business.

“We said back in 2019 ... 2021, you were going to see some really bold changes from NASCAR,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR’s executive vice president. “We believe we’ve delivered on that. We are excited for our fans, it’s an historic schedule, the most changes since 1969.”

With obvious support of its TV partners at FOX and NBC, conservative NASCAR is shaking things up despite having stabilized ratings. It may simply be a result of upstart interests hoping to start new circuits emphasizing driving skill over technology. But even the most unimaginative executive on the planet has to know a weekly sameness does not make for great TV.

While the European Tour has been more experimental with formats in better times, the PGA Tour has struggled to find different formats that work or that simply rekindle a long-missed event (the male-female JC Penney mixed team, for instance).

In the face of a possible competitor(s) equivalent to those NASCAR is facing—the Premier Golf League’s 54-hole, shotgun start, team component—it would seem like there is no better time for golf tours to read the room and at the very least, watch NASCAR’s moves closely. Four rounds of Thursday to Sunday stroke play works for the big events, but so many others should be considering something less cookie-cutter.

Lawrie Calling It A Playing Career: "I'm kind of almost pleased that I'm 51 and not 22 the way it's going."

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Scotland’s Paul Lawrie is calling it a playing career at this week’s Aberdeen Standard Investment’s Scottish Open but plans to continue what has already been one of the more impressive off-course careers. From his Aberdeen golf center, his foundation, this summer’s Tartan Pro Tour and managing five players, the 51-year-old former Open Champion has already carved out multiple off-course roles.

From a BBC story at Renaissance Club, host of this week’s rescheduled Scottish Open:

"To have played 620 events is not a bad innings considering I turned pro [in 1986] with a five handicap and didn't think I'd play any," he added. "I haven't been a great player, but I've been decent and that's all you can ask for.

"I'm kind of almost pleased that I'm 51 and not 22 the way it's going. Technology has been unbelievable. My body is in bits and I'm still hitting it the same distance as I did when I was 22."

Oh he’s so modest. Those hours in the gym have done it! Come on, you know it Paul.

This short but enjoyable Sky video interview with Lawrie adds a bit more context to his retirement announcement.

European Golf Course Architects Overwhelmingly Support Action On Distance

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For those new to the distance debate or only mildly interested in this neverending saga, the role of course design drives the views of most. And yet, golf architects who could profit by rapid increases we’ve seen in the last two decades, should be loving the added work and calls to deal with safety issues.

But dealing with distance in almost every decision they have to make has 95% of European Institute of Golf Course Architects voting for some form of “rollback” in the name of safety and sanity.

The July survey questions and results can be viewed here, with a link to the PDF in the righthand column. From their president summing up the results:

“We surveyed the EIGCA membership for their thoughts on a range of factors relating to increased hitting distances, forged through their experience of designing golf courses around the world. The most eye-catching result is that 95% of respondents agreed that action needs to be taken to reduce hitting distances,” says Christoph Städler, President of the European Institute of Golf Course Architects.

“The vast majority of respondents (75%) believed that increasing ball flight length and advances in equipment technology are diminishing the skill of the game which is leading to a simplification of golf course strategy. 88% of respondents considered a reduction in driving distance of between 10% and 15% would be appropriate.”

The results have been sent off to the R&A and USGA who have suspended discussions until 2021 due to the pandemic.

A few noteworthy results regarding safety, an issue often ignored or even mocked.

•90% have encountered existing courses with increased safety issues due to the increase in hitting distance

•73% have increased safety margins due to the increase in hitting distance

And regarding design issues:

•20% have almost always been tasked by clients to lengthen a course, another 37% have frequently been briefed to do so, and 32% occasionally (89% of respondents meaning this is a common requirement asked of architects)

•93% have re-designed a course, or part of a course, due to the increase in hitting distance (15% almost always, 37% frequently, 42% occasionally

Finally, besides the 95% who’d like to see some action take, they would mostly spare the amateur game:

•62% think that amateurs should be spared any regulatory effects to reduce hitting distance (21% amateurs be completely exempt + 41% that amateurs should largely be spared)

Video: A Deer Is Not Afraid To Offer A Green Read

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This deer didn’t go all AJ Johnson and straddle the line for Katie Nolff, playing on an early fall day at Indian Springs in New York. But the deer was hungry and only slightly alarmed at the post-made putt celebration.

And I’m telling you what you probably know given she made Sportscenter with Scott Van Pelt, who also got extra footage