Golfing News & Blog Articles

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. 

The PING G425 Driver family has landed on the USGA Conforming Clubs ListThere will be three models in the G425 Driver familyRetail availability isn’t expected until 2021

If you’ve been paying attention to Most Wanted Driver testing over the last few years, you can understand why the PING G425 Driver is the one we’ve been waiting for. The good news is that it just popped up on the USGA Conforming Clubs list. The bad news is that if you’re holding out for the PING G425 Driver, you’re going to have to wait a little bit longer.

When COVID effectively shut down production at the golf equipment companies this spring, PING decided to delay its scheduled launches until 2021. That means no G425 Drivers this year.

Blame COVID

A booming equipment market coupled with social distancing rules on factory floors is leading to significantly longer than average lead times for equipment orders. That’s especially true for companies like PING, who do 100% of their assembly in the USA.

Rather than compound the delays (for many brands, keeping up with orders means not falling further behind), PING is sticking to its plan to hold its G425 driver (and everything else) until early next year…mostly. The ripple here is that, while you won’t see it in the USA until 2021, other parts of the world, including Japan and Australia, will be able to get their hands on the G425 lineup this fall (as Australia rolls into its summer).

The PING G425 drivers are expected to be in play on the Japan tours this week. PGA Tour players will get a crack at them sometime in October.

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.

Dustin Johnson looked as dominant as he ever has, finishing at 30-under 254 to win The Northern Trust on Sunday and reclaim the No. 1 spot.

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.

Scott McGuinness, the caddie for PGA Tour rookie Scottie Scheffler, went down in the ninth fairway with a leg injury and had to be carted off the course in the final round of The Northern Trust.

The FedEx Cup playoff field is down to 70. Here is the full list of those who advanced past The Northern Trust and into this week's BMW Championship.

Tiger is still trying to find his way. Rory admitted he's at times just going through the motions. Brooks Koepka is hurt. Jordan Spieth and Phil Mickelson are out of the playoffs. The stars are struggling.

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.

Poll: Are We Ready To For Head-To-Head Odds And Other Gambling Reminders?Yes, the time has comeNo, too soon!Eh, no strong feeling either way pollcode.com free polls

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.

Tiger Woods opened his final round at The Northern Trust with four consecutive birdies, but he admitted "the energy is not anywhere near the same" without fans at events.

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

— The Machrie Links (@TheMachrieLinks) August 21, 2020

The 304th-ranked German Sophia Popov claimed the Women's Open at Royal Troon on Sunday.

France's Romain Langasque overturned a five-shot deficit to claim his maiden European Tour title at the Wales Open on Sunday.

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.

Dustin Johnson pulled away from Harris English and Scottie Scheffler to take control of The Northern Trust after three rounds Saturday at TPC Boston.

Dustin Johnson has had a strange run since golf restarted. He's won. Almost claimed his second major. He's missed cuts. He withdrew once. He's nearly broken 60 and twice shot 80. Now, he has a chance to win the FedEx Cup opener.

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:

Connor Syme of Scotland and Sebastian Soderberg of Sweden are tied for the lead three shots clear of the field after the third round of the European Tour's Wales Open.

Germany's Sophia Popov grabbed a three-shot lead heading into the final round of the women's British Open at Royal Troon as she carded a bogey-free four-under-par 67 in the third round on Saturday.