When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
The Open: Peter Alliss' Great Calls
/A wonderful compilation for the first Open without the great man. Though I do recall one other episode that sadly sleeps with the fishes but all in all a fantastic compilation:
Quadrilateral Open Notes: R&A Admits To Keeping Royal St George's Softer In Bid To Keep Balls Out Of The Rough
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The 18th at Royal St George’s (The Open Instagram)
We learned the links is getting water to keep it, gulp, fair.
Plus, the (The) Open name debate, reads, final odds and Tweets as the 2021 championship arrives. Following yesterday’s, this Thursday edition is back to being just for the paying subscribers. But there are ways to remedy that!
The Quadrilateral: 2021 Open Championship Tuesday Wrap And Notes
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Lee Wybranski’s 2021 Open Championship graphic
Oakland Hills Then And Now: 7th Hole Edition
/From Trent Jones back to Ross courtesy of Hanse…
Brooks: Bryson Is "Fair Game"
/Brooks Koepka was probed and prodded by a more traditional press conference setting, resulting in plenty to fill up Steve Stricker’s notes for the “Task Force" files. Usually these things are put in the files AFTER the Ryder Cup, not before.
Enjoy!
Q. Is there a point considering that the Ryder Cup is coming up later this year that you have to start getting along with Bryson somehow if you're going to be in the same team in September?
BROOKS KOEPKA: You realise it's only a week, right?
Q. But you are on the same team.
BROOKS KOEPKA: It's only a week. I mean, look, I can put it aside for business. If we're going to be on the same team, I can deal with anybody in the world for a week.
I'm not playing with him. I'm pretty sure we're not going to be paired together; put it that way. I think it's kind of obvious.
Oh I don’t know, Hal Sutton might have put you two together. Go on…
It doesn't matter. I don't think they're -- we're not going to be high fiving and having late-night conversations. I do my thing, he does his thing. Yeah, we're on the same team, but it's not an issue at all. I don't view it as an issue. I don't think he does.
He did NOT rule out a fist bump.
Like I said, I can put anything aside for a team, business, whatever, just to get the job done. No problem with that.
And we always knew it was the Liberty situation but always nice to have it fleshed out.
Q. When you explained recently the start of this thing with Bryson, you said that he went back on his word, which is why you sort of -- did you explain what he did? How did he go back on his word? Apologies if you have said that and I missed it. What made you think he had gone back on his word?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, it was at -- I said it a couple weeks ago. It was at Liberty. He didn't like that I had mentioned his name in slow play, so we had a conversation in the locker room, and then I guess we said something else in the press conference but didn't mention his name in it, and he walked up to Ricky, said something. It was, You tell your man if he's got something to say, say it to myself. I thought that was ironic because he went straight to Ricky. Ricky told me when I came out, hit a few putts, and then just walked right over to him, we had a conversation. We both agreed we'd leave each other out of it and wouldn't mention each other, just kind of let it die off, wouldn't mention each other's names, just go about it.
So then he decided I guess he was going on that little, whatever, playing video games online or whatever and brought my name up and said a few things, so now it's fair game.
Fair game. Take that opposing Ryder Cup team!
Take That Tiger: McIlroy Invests In Drive Shack's "Puttery" Concept
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Tiger Woods is a “Popstroke” backer, a Topgolf-inspired putting course/miniature golf venture that’s begun opening other locations.
So it’s noteworthy to see Rory McIlroy, who has had an association with Drive Shack, apparently invest in their putting course/dining/drink concept called Puttery.
The Dallas Morning News’ Dom DiFurio reports:
World-renowned golfer Rory McIlroy and his team have committed to investing at least $10 million in Dallas-based Drive Shack Inc.’s new golf entertainment venue concept called Puttery.
The company describes Puttery as a competitive and social golf entertainment experience. The venue will leverage technology to keep score as guests enjoy a modern twist on putt-putt golf that includes cocktails and food.
The Quadrilateral: 2021 Open Monday Wrap
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The Claret Jug returns in understated and not-commercial-at-all fashion (R&A)
It's Official: Glen Abbey Will Not Be Subdivided
/It never made an ounce of sense and several years after Glen Abbey was designated a heritage site, the owners have officially dropped all efforts to turn revisit development plans. The many-times Canadian Open seems safe and folks will be able to keep trying one of the greatest non-GIR shots ever hit by Tiger Woods, or any golfer.
Ontario Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark said in a statement Friday he'd secured a commitment from Glen Abbey owner ClubLink Corp. to not go ahead with its plans.
"I am incredibly thankful to ClubLink for its cooperation and for ensuring that this heritage landscape will be protected from development," Clark said.
Preserving the golf course was "precisely" what the town, Halton region and residents wanted, Oakville Mayor Rob Burton said in a statement.
"The thousands of letters written to the province made a difference and showed how our community is an engaged community," the mayor said.
What's Next For The aberashun Scottish Open?
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Namely, should the Renaissance Club keep getting a shot or should the abladioblada Scottish Open return to a rota?
Also noteworthy was this video of course developer and new consulting player architect Padraig Harrington out looking how to liven up Tom Doak’s design going forward:
European Tour Unleashes The Fake Pundit On Players
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Yet another gem from the European Tour team, this time the pranksters were Matt Wallace and Søren Kjeldsen joining forces with “Fake Pundit” Seán Burke. They put the abrsplen Scottish Open field through awkward interview questions. Tip of the cap to Sky Sports for loaning the real mic and stage. And to mostly non-Americans for showing up to do an interview at all, even if it was for purely viral reasons.
Quadrilateral: A Look Back At Royal St George's Pre-War Opens
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Walter Hagen makes a brief appearance on the podium to accept the Claret Jug from the Prince Of Wales
Thanks to The You Tube and a wonderful old book, I could share a few of the wackier tales from the pre WW II Open Championships at Royal St George’s.
Perry Dye Dies At 68
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Another Dye has left us. The ASGCA’s remembrance of the golf architect and son of Pete and Alice Dye.
BROOKFIELD, Wis. – Perry O’Neal Dye, ASGCA, died July 8, 2021 in Denver. He was age 68.
A member of one of the most famous families in golf, Dye received his first experience building golf courses at age 12, when he began an apprenticeship under his father, ASGCA Past President Pete Dye. He accompanied his father to work on sites in the Midwest and the Dominican Republic through his youth and college years.
Perry formed Dye Designs in 1984. The company is known for building unique, environmentally sensitive golf courses. In 1986, Dye Designs further expanded internationally as Perry recognized the growing demand and market for world-wide golf services. In Japan alone, Perry designed nearly two dozen golf courses, and Dye-designed facilities can be found in more than 15 countries.
With more than 80 courses to his credit, Perry’s dedication to golf included promoting growth within the golf course industry by cooperating with and supporting industry and professional groups, civic organizations and the general public. A member of the Golf Course Builders Association of America, in 2004 he received the inaugural award that bears his name – the Perry O. Dye Service Award – which honors “exceptional individuals who have unselfishly contributed their influence to foster positive changes for the association and have continually endeavored to make it better.”
“This is a great loss for golf design, but right now we should all be sending our love and support to the Dye Family,” ASGCA President Forrest Richardson said. “Perry and I shared many good times, and I am so grateful to have spent time with him at the 2020 Golf Industry Show just before the COVID lockdowns began. As usual, he was full of life, smiling and telling stories. We will miss him.”
Courses designed by Perry Dye, ASGCA, include: Pound Ridge Golf Club, Pound Ridge, New York; West One’s Country Club, Kato, Hyogo, Japan; Desert Pines Golf Club, Las Vegas; Auburn Hills, Wichita, Kansas; and Lykia Links, Antalya, Turkey.
Dye became an ASGCA member in 1996 and served on the ASGCA Board of Governors. He was preceded in death by his parents, ASGCA Past Presidents Pete and Alice Dye. He is survived by his brother, P.B. Dye, ASGCA, wife Ann, children and their spouses Lucy (Erik) Bowman and Lilly (Ross) Harmon, and grandchildren Brooks and Margaret Harmon.
As Perry would say “Keep it in the fairway.” A Celebration of Life will be planned for later this fall.
Remember To Thank Your Marshals And Security Guards, Files: Vijay's Flop Shot, Rory's Driver Gets Lifted
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While I’d like to find humor in the awertwqret Scottish Open situation involving Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy, this could have been a total disaster. Apparently post-COVID there needs to be a reminder that marshals and security guards are needed more than ever to protect players from fans. Or fans from players.
Two beauties over the last two days:
**Update: the players were asked and were not alarmed by it. They aren’t paid to be smart. From ESPN.com’s Connor O’Halloran’s story:
"I was surprised. Everyone saw what happened on TV," McIlroy said when asked about the incident. "It was handled efficiently and everything was OK. I had no idea who it was."
"Me and Rory didn't say anything," added Jon Rahm, who set the early clubhouse target with a 65 to go 11 under overall on Day 2. "He was holding a 6-iron and I didn't want to get hurt.
"It didn't put anyone off. If anything, it put a smile on our faces. It will be a pretty good story to tell in the future."
The one that comes with a knife next time will be a story to tell, too.
Also, the gentleman treating the trespasser as if he was asking for directions is rather astoundingly kind. We love the Scots and their hospitality but in this case? Where is Stevie Williams when you need him?
An AP account included this statement from the European Tour:
“At approximately 8am on Friday morning, a spectator entered the tenth tee area,” a statement from the European Tour read. “He was quickly escorted from the tee by security personnel and the matter is in the hands of Police Scotland.”
If that’s a quick escort from the tee…
And here is Vijay Singh hitting this recovery shot at the U.S. Senior Open. Why the fans were not moved a little wider is beyond me, or what was in that ball to cause the poor man to go down so hard is also a mystery. I’m sure Vijay got him another beer though.
