Golfing News & Blog Articles

I kept waiting to hear that record equipment sales tracked by Golf Datatech were fueled by a major distance-gaining breakthrough.

Turns out, it’s just social distancing.

GolfDigest.com’s Mike Stachura offers an extensive breakdown of the surge in sales and reaches out to all of the CEO’s who rarely advertise in print any longer because, they’re (kind of) happy campers! Until they hear the anti-capitalist governing bodies will blow this pandemic-fueled resurgence of golf.

Each of the club and ball categories were up more than 25 percent in both units and dollars compared to a year ago. Specifically:

Balls: Up 27 percent in units, 28 percent in dollars

Putters: Up 32 percent in units, 36 percent in dollars

Wedges: Up 64 percent in units, 74 percent in dollars

Woods: Up 74 percent in units, 68 percent in dollars

Irons: Up 83 percent in units, 93 percent in dollars

As calculated by Golf Datatech, iron sales set an all-time high for any month the research firm has tracked in its more than two decades of looking at industry numbers.

What record did it beat? The one set just last month.

Now, for the CEO’s who were all contacted so Stachura didn’t get any angry calls. The wisdom gleaned is life changing.

With a rain-delayed, Dustin Johnson 11-stroke runaway and loads of competition, CBS should not have drawn any audience for the 2020 Northern Trust Open. Instead, Sunday’s respectable 1.52 and 2.279 million average viewership is miraculous given competition with the NBA and NHL playoffs, the Indy 500, NASCAR and regional MLB action.

As always, the full listing and context can be found at ShowBuzzDaily.

A few other observations:

—The AIG Women’s British drew poor numbers on Golf Channel, particularly given the recent spike in morning golf viewing. The miniscule 245,000 average for the Sunday morning final round makes the one-hour handoff numbers on NBC (.64/886,000) that much more impressive.

—One hour shows on NBC gave the women network exposure and a tighter broadcast window that led to the decent .62/897,000 average.

Agronomy—aka fast, hard running fairways—is the go-to faux argument for preserving distance standards should a Harry Higgs or Craig Stadler come along and blow the notion that “athletes fuel distance spikes”.

Certainly today’s generally more fit and better fit players generate increased clubhead speed, and, therefore more distance.

On the surface, agronomy as a distance booster should be a tougher sell since courses have never been greener. One very famous annual major stop, Augusta National, unapologetically presents fairways mown toward tees to slow down drives.

For now, don’t do a deep dive on 2020 yet because the numbers are not all in and the sample size differs from year’s past now that all PGA Tour tees have a Trackman. Look instead to the previous 13 years when the PGA Tour’s amazing ShotLink started measuring carry and distance on the two measuring holes per round.

Those fancy launch monitors peskily track carry while ShotLink documented the final distance of the drive.

Ignore the Todd’s, Terry’s and Chip’s at the start of this video, eventually Olympia Fields provides a fine drone tour of their North Course. It was last seen at the 2003 U.S. Open won by Jim Furyk, site of four majors overall and host of this week’s BMW Championship. The Willie Park Jr. design is among many things to know heading into the BMW, as listed here by PGATour.com’s Mike McAllister.

With the PGA Tour’s fall Asia swing not happening, reports of a revamped swing in the western United States is starting to come to fruition. One leg is now official: the CJ Cup moving from Nine Bridges in Korea to Las Vegas’ exclusive Shadow Creek.

The October 15-18 date will follow the already-scheduled Shriner’s in Las Vegas, giving the Tour a nice one-two desert swing minimizing travel. Now, there are casinos so…it might a COVID exposure wash.

Two events in Asia, Japan’s Zozo and China’s HSBC, remain on the current schedule but are not expected to happen in those locales.

For Immediate Release:

PGA TOUR, CJ Group announce move of THE CJ CUP  from Nine Bridges in Jeju Island to Shadow Creek in Las Vegas 

Those of a certain vintage have seen the restoration movement’s amazing rise. Only a handful of classics are in questionable hands, though they are biggies (Augusta National, Pine Valley, Riviera).

The list of classics undergoing successful restorations is much longer and is adding four once-unthinkables to the repaired, restored, rejuvenated division: Inverness, Oak Hill, Congressional and Oakland Hills.

All mangled for tournament golf by unsympathetic mid-century salesmen, the most prominent of all finally takes the Jones monster off its back: Oakland Hills is wrapping up a Hanse Design restoration and wants back on the major rota.

Tony Paul provides this detail-rich update on the cost, assessment approach for members and the club’s desire to not waste its time with regular PGA Tour golf.

That system cost more than a third of the $12.1-million budget for the project, funded by the membership. Members had the option of paying $10,000 up front or $100 a month for 12 years, or $12,000. It was a major financial and logistical commitment from the membership, which has booked the North Course solid for months this year. There will be more sacrifice next year, with carts not allowed until 2022.

The USGA has sites booked for the U.S. Open through 2027, and the PGA Championship is accounted for through 2031. Oakland Hills clearly hopes it gets one or both, possibly a U.S. Open before the end of the decade. A regular PGA Tour event isn't the goal, and never has been.

"We're here to host a major championship," said Steve Brady, the head pro, adding that even if Oakland Hills doesn't get another major, the membership will find the renovation well worth the commitment. "We're not just about making Tour players rich."

Forget the playoffs, we’ve got Phil Mickelson giving the Champions Tour a 61 in his debut round, the Frank Poncherello shades, and after the 11-birdie effort, some Ricky Bobby channeling. A story only Branson could manage. Let’s get the Phil-being-Phil post-round plug:

I’m not saying you’re going to also shoot 61 after starting your day with COFFEE FOR WELLNESS. What I’m saying is you just might want to try it in a couple weeks when it comes out. 😏

This humility and respect for the field killed the Ricky Bobby vibe quickly. From an ubylined AP story:

"We have a lot of golf left," said Mickelson, who hit all but one green in regulation. "A lot of players went really low. The quality of golf out here is really impressive."

Mickelson, who turned 50 in June, was optimistic that his game was rounding into shape for the U.S. Open, the only major championship he hasn't won. But that missed cut on the PGA Tour left him with the possibility of not playing the next two weeks heading into the Safeway Open, which would be his final tune-up for Winged Foot.

Two legends of the rules world are about to turn in their walkie talkies and conspicuously stalk their last slow poke. The European Tour announced the joint retirement of John Paramor and Andy McFee this October.

For Immediate Release:

END OF AN ERA BECKONS AS PARAMOR AND McFEE CALL TIME

The world of professional golf will witness the end of an era in October when John Paramor and Andy McFee, the two most celebrated and respected rules officials in the game worldwide, call time on their storied careers.

In total the duo have administered the rules of the game on the fairways of the world for over 80 years, John (65) having started with the European Tour in April 1976 while Andy (62) saw his time with the Tour begin in September 1983. 

While Branson isn’t what it used to be—at least until post-COVID shows get people paying to watch performing holograms of Roy Clark, Glen Campbell and Tony Orlando—the next big thing is Phil Mickelson turning up at Ozarks National to begin a new Champions Tour career.

For this special Monday-Wednesday of old man golf, we have a Coore-Crenshaw course making its national TV debut.

Then there is Phil’s first grouping with Retief Goosen and 2020/21 Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker. Since carts seem likely at Ozarks, it’s an ideal opportunity for Lefty to show off his cart-driving skills (hint, hint Captain Strick).

And finally, there is the group prior to Mickelson featuring Bernhard Langer, Darren Clarke and old buddy Vijay Singh, who might even bring out a special pair of spikes to welcome Mickelson.

My listings say Golf Channel is bringing us this fine entertainment from 6-8 eastern time Monday.

It wasn’t a lot of fun to watch despite the intense playoff vibes. Dustin Johnson winning by eleven at normally exciting TPC Boston probably won’t be setting a new Northern Trust Open ratings record. Johnson’s 22nd PGA Tour win also sends him back atop the world golf rankings.

Maybe the eleven shots was not the most impressive part, writes GolfChannel.com’s Ryan Lavner.

Johnson was 13 clear of fourth place.

He was 15 ahead of eighth.

Those who shared 18th place – a nice week, normally – were 18 strokes behind.

This week’s PGA Tour Live featured group coverage included Draftkings odds for head-to-head betting. The move certainly marks a new chapter and is a far cry from not long ago when fantasy gaming was an annoyance.

My only reservations involve the timing (pandemic), and how golf will work when fans are back. After all, if you’re able to wager on a phone and watch them, there are bound to be folks looking for change, screaming baba-booey extra loud and maybe right before impact. My concerns on that front are regularly downplayed because golf in Europe has coexisted with these possibilities. Key word there: Europe.

Anyway, I’m curious how you all feel.

Sophia Popov’s rise from almost quitting to Symetra and Cactus Tour player, to caddie a month ago to Open Champion is the stuff of history, with maybe only Ben Curtis posting an equally improbable major win.

From Beth Ann Nichols at Golfweek:

With no grandstands and fans to wave to as Popov came up the 18th fairway with a three-shot lead, she turned to her caddie, boyfriend Maximilian Mehles, and told him that the calming seaside views reminded her of a scene from Lord of the Rings.

It wasn’t the electric atmosphere that the Symetra Tour player deserved, but Popov knew that her performance this week inspired people more than she’ll ever know.

“I think that’s why I broke down on the 18th hole,” said Popov, “because it’s been something I couldn’t have dreamed of just a week ago, and it’s incredible that golf allows for these things to happen because, you know, I think the difference between two players any given week is never that big … and the hard work they put in is the same.”

In May, Popov won a Cactus Tour event at Troon North, named for Royal Troon and co-designed by Tom Weiskopf, 1973 Open winner at Troon.

Alistair Tait was there and admitted to shedding a few tears over seeing someone go from obscurity to major winner.

At The Machrie’s 6-hole course no less. Also another reminder how much golf would be with more courses of this size and fun to attract the next generation…

🎥 Here's Flynn's hole in one in all its glory 🏌️ pic.twitter.com/iGRDPhl78g

Social media continues to bicker over Lexi Thompson’s clearance for what would have been an clear breach under the old Rules of Golf, but as Alistair Tait notes here, things seem to be murkier now with the R&A not penalizing Thompson.

The key issue: the R&A was ok with Thompson moving something behind her ball because it appeared to move back to its original position. The rule as 13-2 would not allow such a grey area, as Tait writes:

Whether the lie returned exactly to its original conditions is clearly a moot point. What isn’t moot is that Thompson made no effort to restore the original lie. The inference here is that Mother Nature decided to interfere by restoring the original condition, therefore there was no breach.

I can’t find the clause in either of my rule books that says if you improve your lie but the ball returns naturally to its original condition then you’re off the hook. You might struggle to find it, too.

Thompson, who was penalised four shots after replacing her ball incorrectly at the 17th hole during the third round of the 2017 ANA inspiration, is extremely lucky not to have been penalised on this occasion. She would have been penalised under the old Rules of Golf. There was no grey area surrounding old Rule 13-2, which dealt with this situation.

I’m not a huge fan of using low scoring to make the case to tighten up the equipment rules in the name of protecting skill. When scores aren’t low, the we technophobes hear stuff such as, “see, nothing to see here!” The same folks can’t be found when records are broken. Or they just chalk it up to modern athletes, arguably the last thing explaining an efficient scoring week.

So when players post a 59 and a 60 on the same day—under the relentless strain of PGA Tour Playoff pressure—it would be easy to highlight how overmatched TPC Boston looks. (Particularly when Dustin Johnson went out in 27, birdied the 10th and 11th, and seemed destined to shoot 57. )

But we know Tom Brodeur’s crew presents typically outstanding conditions. Players are usually peaking in August. And the updated modern design already appears overmatched by modern distances. Still, it’s notable how various intrusions of technological advances—clubs, balls, launch monitors, green reading books—are rarely cited in the scoring conversation.

Take Saturday’s CBS discussion citing consistency of agronomy (Dottie Pepper) and “quality of play” or “quality of setup” (Nick Faldo). No one mentioned clubs and balls which, if taken away from the players and replaced with something from 5, 10 or 15 years ago, seems more likely to impact the scoring.

Justin Thomas was asked Friday about the rounds and also noted player superiority over any outside influences:

What a shame that Branson’s theaters are shut down right now. A little time in Missouri’s creative hotbed could motivate Phil Mickelson to stave off that next career option, the PGA Tour Champions.

As COVID-19 has halted Branson's Famous Baldknobbers, some shows by people you did not know still inhabited Earth, and even a few family-friendly Andy Williams tributes, Mickelson would not have time any way. He’s only got 48 hours to prepare for battles against the likes of Blake, Perry and Parel in the “Charles Schwab Series” at Ozark National.

From Ryan Lavner’s GolfChannel.com report at the Northern Trust, where Mickelson was eliminated from the playoffs:

“I feel like coming into this event I’ve been playing really well at home. I was excited to play. And I feel like I’ve been playing decent,” said Mickelson, who was set to miss The Northern Trust cut at even-par 142. “So I want to play. I really want to play golf. So that’ll give me a chance to play three competitive rounds.”

NBC’s Blayne Alexander introduces us to Xeve Perez, a 10-year-old phenom born premature at 20 weeks and weighing just three pounds. He took up golf at 18…months and is said to have one his first tournament at three. Just work with me here. It’s a good feature.

Anyway, he’s picked up plenty of wins since, is Georgia’s top ranked player in the 12 to 14 division even though he’s just ten. Also, he’d love to play Augusta some day. The 2026 Masters is penciled in right now and looking at that swing he’s got a shot.

Stick around for the live discussion and input from Today’s resident golfer Carson Daly. It’s fun stuff.

The ongoing trend of top players fiddling, pushing, mashing, digging and generally meddling immediately behind their ball continued Thursday at Troon.

This time it was Lexi Thompson in the AIG Womens’s Open who appeared to push aside some meddlesome Marram, but was cleared by the R&A of a Rule 8.1 breach because the grass returned to its original location. From Beth Ann Nichols’ report:

Yesterday, as part of its normal TV review procedures, The R&A viewed Lexi Thompson’s actions prior to playing her second shot at the 16th hole in round one of the AIG Women’s Open. 

Following a discussion between Chief Referee David Rickman and the player prior to her signing her scorecard it was determined that, although the player had moved a growing natural object behind her ball, it had returned to its original position. 

Thompson posted rounds of 78-75 and will miss the cut.

Here is the video:

When the Masters was postponed to November and the field frozen at 96, a Daniel Berger was bound to happen.

Ryan Lavner explains why the most consistent player this year before and after the pandemic is an obvious serious omission from the current Masters field. He’s now 18th in the world, 7th in the FedExCup standings and a winner at Colonial this year.

Augusta National said any players who win a Tour event this summer and during the fall portion of the 2020-21 season – or qualify through any of the other avenues such as high finishes in the majors – would earn an invitation to the 2021 event.

“I’m not sure what else I have to do at this point to get into Augusta,” he said. “I’m a little baffled that I haven’t had more opportunity to at least hear from some of the guys over there and have a chance, obviously. The field was set, but – I don’t know if I could say I deserve a spot, but I feel like I’m playing well enough to earn a spot into the Masters.”

With the November days already extremely short for a very decent-sized Masters field, adding invitations at this point seems logistically impossible.

So unless past champions past their prime to sit this one out to help get a player like Berger in, I can’t see a solution that allows the Masters to reverse course.

From Nick Menta’s review of a big return to golf gaming with a fun design touch:

As someone who’s been playing PGA Tour video games since 1999, this was the one thing I always wanted from EA Sports: the ability to create my own courses or to recreate courses that EA simply couldn’t license. Once I got that from HB Studios in "The Golf Club," I found myself pining for what I had with EA: Tour branding, Tour pros, Tour courses.

This game, finally, has both.

It’s been awhile since users could design their own or, thinking out loud here, a design of merit that could not be licensed. As someone totally oblivious to this world, I’m eager to hear what ways this addition potentially influences interest in the game and course design.