Links From The Road: Royal Cinque Ports

Sam Cooper has produced possibly his best film yet and it’s on one of my favorite links and towns: Deal.

It’s long been a mystery why Royal Cinque Ports is not afforded another Open given its quality and proximity to London. It’s closer to a town and rail line while featuring ample farmland space around the property to sell pints and hideous shirts. But I think Cooper hits on the poor luck of its last two scheduled Open Championships as a key to the problem (even with the sea wall now helping and making a great spectator walkway). I wrote about all this prior to the 2011 Open but sadly, Golf World archives have mostly vanished.

Anyway, enjoy the aerials and beauty provided by Cooper and give him a follow on Instagram. This is quite an exciting time in newfound appreciation for the great links thanks to these talented storytellers.

Every Course Needs An Angry Hole

Today’s Quadrilateral takes this spectacular video found and posted by Skratch as an excuse to return to the Kent Coast. I’ve been promising a case for the Maiden’s return and Kinya Fujita helped me see the light.

Anyway, the post is only for those on the paying side but you can enjoy the video courtesy of Skratch and YouTube:

And if you want a little more sense of what the course once looked like, the PGA Tour’s Instagram did this then/now slide show:

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A post shared by PGA TOUR (@pgatour)

"One belated Olympics later, [golf] still feels like a strange fit."

Esteemed New York Times writer John Branch is underwhelmed by Olympic golf, and even more so after visiting Kasumigaseki for the final round.

The Olympics in Tokyo already feel as if they are taking place on a series of television sound stages, devoid of fans and atmosphere, inside and out. But no place has felt as disconnected, physically and spiritually, as the men’s golf event, held at an exclusive private club more than an hour’s drive from the city center and contested mostly by spectacularly rich and famous touring pros.

Back in Tokyo on Sunday, near the heart of the pandemic-muted Olympics, medals were awarded to mostly unsung athletes in sports like fencing, swimming, weight lifting, gymnastics and BMX. In one BMX discipline on Friday, a gold medalist from Britain was competing only because she had crowdfunded her training.

Well when you put it like that…

The tournament took a zany turn at the end, with a seven-man playoff necessary to determine the sole recipient of the bronze medal. Eventually, C.T. Pan of Taiwan claimed it in a head-to-head battle with Collin Morikawa of the United States.

Golf was reintroduced for the 2016 Rio Games after a 112-year absence. Justin Rose won for the men, Inbee Park for the women, but it was hardly popular and not particularly memorable.

One belated Olympics later, it still feels like a strange fit.

The 2024 venue is Le Golf National outside Paris and Riviera in Los Angeles. Both are better situated in terms of geography. But as for rich pros playing a stale individual stroke play event? That hasn’t changed.

Tokyo Olympics: USA's Schauffele Wins Gold, Converted Slovakian Takes Silver

Xander Schauffele (Olympic Golf Twitter)

Xander Schauffele captured Olympic gold with a clutch, final hole par putt. The American and San Diego native held off a spirited charge from Slovakia’s Rory Sabbatini, who posted a Kasumigaseki and Olympic record final round 61.

"For me I wanted this for my Dad more than anything, Schauffele told Golf Channel. “I tried to represent my country, and then my family. It was really fun."

Schauffele was introduced to golf by his dad and coach, Stefan. He picked up the game during the 1980s after hitting balls in a Tokyo department store simulator.

After an up-and-down for birdie at the drivable 17th, Schauffele missed the 18th fairway, wedged out and played this impressive third to set up his par:

WHAT. A .SHOT.@XSchauffele sticks it close on 18 - he'll putt for par and the gold medal 🥇#TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/Zk51SBQU0C

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) August 1, 2021

Schauffele joins George Lyon (1904) and Justin Rose (2016) as the only Gold medal winners in men’s golf. (If you count 1900, which most don’t, then Charles Sands is also in the club).

Heading into the event he was the 9-1 second choice while Sabbatini was a 150-1 longshot.

The 45-year-old Sabbatini birdied the 18th to set 17-under-par as the clubhouse leader on a day when multiple players had a shot at medaling. Sabbatini’s birdie putt included a celebration before the ball even reached the hole.

Sabbatini became a citizen of Slovakia in 2019 and is married to his Slovakian caddie, Martina.

The finale played out at around 3 a.m. ET/12 am PT on Golf Channel, but even well out of the prime time window when other sports take priority, NBC stuck with a round of 16 beach volleyball match between USA’s Claes/Sponsil vs. Canada’s Bansley/Wilkerson.

Golf’s return to the Games in Rio saw the network pick up the final 90-or-so minutes and, despite a less-exciting finish than 2021’s Schauffele win, averaged 8.8 million viewers. That made it the second most-watched golf event of 2016.

As of press time, the seven-way playoff for Bronze had not been decided.

Olympic Leaderboard Bunched: Medal Playoffs Could Be Exciting And Strange

Americans trying to stay awake for the men’s Olympic golf conclusion will be challenged by the lack of crowd energy, a soft and dull design, lethargic pace of play and a minimalist broadcast.

But, as Sean Zak notes for Golf.com, the bunched leaderboard means we could get some excitement.

Playoffs are coming … right? They have to be. This leaderboard is so bunched, it feels like we’ll have our first playoff for a medal, as there was none at the 2016 Games in Rio. How crazy is it that both men’s and women’s fields at the 2016 Olympics finished with a solo first, a solo second and a solo third place finisher?

With 27 players currently within five shots of third place, on a course where it has been difficult to create separation, we will almost surely see a playoff for a medal on Sunday. If it happens it’ll be sudden death, with the highest ranking medal up for grabs being decided first. The dream scenario? A four-way tie for first place.

This potentially wild scenario did not occur in Rio after the course magically separated the field and all medals were decided in regulation play.

Xander Schauffele (-14) currently leads by a stroke over 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama (-13) in a rematch of their Masters duel in April, as Rex Hoggard explores for GolfChannel.com. They tee off at 11:09 am JST.

Seven players are within four and twelve are within five strokes of the lead.

Golf Channel goes live in the United States from Kasumigaseki Country Club beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET, with the leading threesome going off a 10:09 p.m. ET.

Protestors Planning To Welcome Trump For Winged Foot's Celebration Of His Presidency

According to an NBC News report, Winged Foot members were already expecting security related disruptions when former President Donald Trump arrives August 4th for a celebration of his presidency.

Now, according to Abby Luby at The Examiner News, members arriving to the storied U.S. Open site that day can expect protestors. Leading one organizational effort is author and activist Amy Suskind, quoted in the story.

Pushback to Trump’s Winged Foot gala is expected, along with demonstrations in Briarcliff Manor the following day at an invitation-only Republican fundraiser at the Trump National Golf Club Westchester. The event is charging an entry fee of $1,000 per person. A photo-op with Trump costs $5,000 a couple, and to take part in a reception, a roundtable, and a photo-op costs $25,000 per couple.

“Trump’s not welcome either place,” said Siskind, adding that organizing protests is not only happening in Briarcliff Manor and Mamaroneck, but she has heard people were upset and shocked by the Winged Foot Gala from as far away as Oregon and Massachusetts. “Organizing is getting underway — activism takes a few days to come together.”

Meanwhile, the club has deleted its Twitter account after news of the celebration was revealed by NBC News.

Greg Norman Moves To The Extreme Narcissism Phase Of His Design Career

Moving back to Sydney, Greg Norman is bringing an inflated sense of self and leaving proof in the ground. Mercifully he’s not going with a Mother Nature-inspired homage to his favorite attributes and instead is designing a course shaped like a shark. Get it. Like a Great White Shark.

From the Daily Mail on the deal inked with developer Dean Lukin Jr.:

With Norman's name attached, Mr Lukin Jr hopes to attract investors to the one-of-a-kind project, estimated to be cost between $600 - $700million.     

'I am very excited to have Greg Norman involved as I am hugely passionate about this beautiful region,' he said.

'There is nobody better than Greg in achieving an aesthetic, well-planned and creative golf course development.

I’d keep an eye on how he shapes the shark. That could go wrong in a lot of ways.

Report: No More Releases For Saudi Arabia Golf Events, DJ Intends To Defend Title

On the groundbreaking news of Jason Kokrak’s signing with Golf Saudi, his hopes of collecting an appearance fee may be in doubt. This comes after Golfweek’s Eamon Lynch confirms the PGA Tour and European Tour (once a proud partner of the Saudis way back in the spring of 2021), will not grant releases to play in 2022’s Royal Greens Classic. Or whatever they’ll be calling the old Bonesaw Open and former Euroepan Tour stop.

It’s a noble stand for human rights by the Tours and they should be appl…wait, what?

The move will be seen as an escalation in a battle for the future of professional golf that pits the PGA and European tours against the Saudi government, which has been pushing a Super Golf League concept that would lure elite players to a breakaway tour with guaranteed paydays of up to $30 million.

Asked to confirm that releases will not be given to players for the Saudi tournament, a PGA Tour spokesperson replied: “You are correct. This follows a PGA Tour longstanding policy of not granting releases to unsanctioned events.”

Oh right, the Super Golf League is now the competition.

Defending champion Dustin Johnson intends to play again and his agent David Winkle sounds displeased with the news.

“However, given that Dustin has played in the event the past three years and would be returning as their defending champion, I have no doubt he would be quite disappointed if the Tour potentially denied his release.

“I also think it is important to note that he is in a unique position, having played in the tournament since its inception and has, without question, helped put golf on the map in the Kingdom,” Winkle added. “In doing so, I hope he has helped grow the game in a region where golf is still a relatively new thing.”

Nothing must ever get in the way of growing the…game!

Rahm Is Well, Likely The Victim Of "Remnant Viral Particles"

Of the two high profile golfers to miss the Tokyo Olympics over a positive COVID test, Jon Rahm is the first to speak and while he’s healthy, he’s also miffed by what exactly knocked him out of the Games.

From Doug Ferguson of AP:

More maddening to Rahm is searching for answers on why this happened to him.

“I haven’t had two experts tell me the same thing,” he said.

Andy Levinson, the PGA Tour’s senior vice president who has overseen the COVID-19 protocols, was not involved in any of Rahm’s tests and hasn’t spoken to him. From his experience and working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he said it sounded like what the tour dealt with last summer.

Some players still tested positive for weeks — sometimes months — after 10 days of isolation and no symptoms.

“The reason the CDC does not require someone to test again after 10 days of isolation is it’s very likely that for some period the test is going to detect remnant viral particles,” said Levinson, who also is head of USA Golf at the Olympics.

Squabbling At Winged Foot: Members At Odds Over Plans To Honor Trump

Jonathan Allen and Liz Brown-Kaiser of NBC News report that Winged Foot members are at odds over plans for an August 4th banquet tribute to former President Donald Trump. The hosts are Ted Virtue and Paul Queally, who plan to golf with Trump before a “tribute banquet”.

Virtue is the Trump Westchester member who gave up his club championship win for Trump.

From the story:

But some members are furious that the club is moving forward with the plan to honor Trump, according to two sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Those members were angered and disgusted by Trump's role in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol and his treatment of racial and ethnic minorities, according to a club member who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid retribution from fellow members. Queally repeatedly has been criticized over the years for making misogynistic, homophobic and anti-minority remarks.

The anti-Trump club members have not taken aggressive action to stop the banquet, but they have informally asked members of the board to intervene — to no avail. They believe they are speaking on behalf of employees of the club who are afraid that speaking out would cost them their jobs, the member said.

The story also notes how some of the course will have to be closed for security reasons:

"Club management AND board praying it comes and goes unnoticed," a club member said in a text message. "All pretty hush-hush, and no club announcement. But Secret Service will have to close down some of the course."

The Quadrilateral: Major(s) News And Notes, July 29, 2021

It’s a shorter one this week but The Quadrilateral still has a couple of notes, including a follow-up on the Morikawa 18th tee shot revelation and a look at major championship ratings dating to 1995.

As always, the Thursday edition is free for all but only subscribers get access to commenting and the archives. Plus, the Ryder Cup run-up should be a riot and there should be no shortage of major championship related news this fall. So climb aboard!

"Two South Korean golfers will play these Olympics with everything to lose"

With a depleted field, no spectators, a bland format, dicey forecast and an ultra-private venue forced into not discriminating against women, Tokyo’s Olympic golf isn’t exactly the center of international intrigue.

Si-Woo Kim and Sungjae Im will not agree.

They’re easily the most compelling story of the golf portion of the Games after skipping The Open in hopes of medaling. Their reward should they make the podium? Exemption from mandatory military service for any medal won.

Check out a very nice piece of research and writing by GolfDigest.com’s Daniel Rapaport, who explains why this is the case for Kim and Im, the history behind the policy and the unfortunate case of Sangmoon Bae after he had to quit a burgeoning career for two years of military service.

Golf Channel coverage of play begins Wednesday at 6:30 pm ET in the United States.

Bryson's Bagman Opens Up on Subpar Pod, Shares A Few State Secrets

I couldn’t find a listing on Golf.com for the latest episode—maybe in case staff member Bryson DeChambeau logs on. Mercifully there are multiple podcast outlets where you can listen to caddie Tim Tucker discuss the big breakup with hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz.

Besides apologizing for the Rocket Mortgage eve quitting and talking about his new life up at Bandon Dunes running a long planned luxury shuttle service, Tucker reveals how the old boss could be “very demanding” (no kidding!) and this which could be seen as a state secret reveal.

From GolfChannel.com’s Ryan Lavner’s interview highlights:

“That to me is one of the most important things we’ve done – green density,” Tucker said. “Understanding I’m hitting a 7-iron with 6200 (rpm) spin landing into a 2% slope, it’s gonna run out four yards on a 6mm green density. That’s important and it’s predictable.”

Kids, don’t try this at home. Just play a practice round and trust what you feel under your feet.

Links Content Golf: North Berwick And Hayling

Hayling Golf Club (Links fro the Road)

While golf moves to soft, green, inland Japan I refuse to let the links season go just yet. Thankfully some fantastic “content creators” are giving us fresh, smart and beautiful looking short films to watch. One is on an old, well-known favorite in North Berwick and the other is on a course I knew nothing about, Hayling.

First off, Cookie Jar Golf’s Old Tom Trails series continues with this on North Berwick after David Jones teased us recently with hole-by-hole drone footage. Cookie Jar fleshes out the story of this amazing place and how it’s history and various clubs share the links:

Meanwhile Links From The Road posted this sensational look and commentary on Hayling Golf Club’s links, its design backstory and what it tells us about where golf is headed. Enjoy!

How To Make Olympic Golf Major

The Quadrilateral is all about the majors and Ryder Cup this year, but I couldn’t resist making one more plea to make Olympic golf major. Or seem bigger, more dramatic and definitely resembling something closer to the Ryder Cup than the WGC Kasumigaseki.

Working within those parameters I presented a format along with the men’s and women’s teams who would be competing this week. Subscribers already enjoyed this in their inbox this morning, so sign up if you haven’t. Well, get the vaccine first then sign up for The Quadrilateral.