Golfing News & Blog Articles

The vagaries of television ratings can sometimes be chalked up to who knows, who cares! And maybe it’s best we remain unaware of what makes Nielsen families click.

Take, for instance, the first mens major of 2020. ESPN saw healthy increases with Tiger Woods in their various broadcast windows. The final round on CBS, in eastern prime time, failed to draw a monster number given the alignment of stars and close finish. The so-so rating could be explained by not having Woods in contention as he was in the last August PGA Championship. And there is cordcutting, or summer viewing habits or, who knows. The PGA Championship’s final round rating certainly wasn’t the fault of too few shots shown or too little excitement.

So we move from that unforgettable final round with several stars in contention to last week’s Wyndham Championship, won in compelling fashion by Jim Herman over Billy Horschel. It was soggy, hot, with an ok field, but sports television offered plenty of competition: NASCAR, an NBA play-in game on ABC, NHL playoffs and MLB games across the country. Oh, and sports fans have lives, too, reportedly.

Yet the Wyndham held its own against the heavy competition. From ShowBuzzDaily.com’s roundup of sports ratings where you can see how the other sports fared:

The 1.62 edged out the Portland-Memphis NBA play-in game on ABC, which did draw a much younger audience, but just a 1.29. While this was not a true playoff game and the NBA/ABC combo is off 45% from 2012, this is still an eye-opening victory for pro golf. (The Athletic’s Ethan Strauss looks at the NBA’s falling ratings here.)

If you slice the golf ball, the Callaway Big Bertha B-21 driver is designed for you. I don’t slice so it probably isn’t for me but I’m not any less enthused about this release. It’s just one guy’s opinion but I think Callaway does some of its best work with its niche-focused, off-cycle fall releases. There’s no reason to think B-21 will be an exception.

Why?

In early spring, when nearly everyone is pumping out new product, the target audience for a new driver is basically every golfer. Sure, there’s some segmentation (there’s a reason why Callaway offers three Mavrik drivers), but playing to the fattest part of the Bell curve means coloring within the lines and, to no small degree, not taking chances.

 

The Callaway Big Bertha B-21 irons and B-21 hybrids target the highest-handicap golfers who are more dependent on advances in technology to find improved performance.The key technologies in the Big Bertha B-21 iron and hybrids sare: SS21 club faces created using AI (Artificial Intelligence), VTEC (Visible Tungsten Energy Core) and vibration dampening urethane microspheres.For the first time since the X-14 irons (2000), the company is using RCH graphite shafts as a stock option in both the Callaway Big Bertha B-21 irons and B-21 hybrids.Historically, “Big Bertha” denotes a “best of available technologies” product in Callaway’s line-up.

The Callaway Big Bertha B-21 irons and hybrids serve as the brand’s latest entry into the super-game improvement category of equipment.

It’s a no-bones-about-it release that reminds us there’s always a cost-benefit analysis in product design. In this case, the upside is Callaway packs in a lot of its flagship technology in a single offering. The downside? Well, if you’re looking for SGI performance in something that looks more playerish, this isn’t it.

I have to give credit to Callaway for it straightforward and unapologetic approach with Big Bertha B-21. This is a super-game improvement offering with all of the requisite SGI features. This means thicker toplines, mega-wide soles, larger clubheads and big offset.

The Callaway Big Bertha B-21 isn’t billed as anything other than what it appears to be: Equipment that targets golfers who are most likely to find better performance through technological advancements.

Callaway is launching a women’s brand platform, REVA.The first line of clubs (Big Bertha REVA) offers a driver, fairway wood, hybrid and irons.It is the first time Callaway has designed a line of clubs with women in mind from start to finish.Retail availability begins Oct. 15

 

Ask any female athlete and they’ll tell you about the realities of women in sports. We all know female professionals earn less than their male counterparts. But the inequalities extend far beyond professional sports into all facets of the game, especially equipment. I remember growing up as a competitive soccer player and refusing to wear cleats designed for women. It was a no-brainer. If you wanted authentic leather, real and innovative design, you wouldn’t find it in the cheaper women’s versions.

I’ve had one burning question since my Day 1 on this side of the golf industry. But the launch of the Callaway Big Bertha REVA (as in REV-A-LUTION – yeah, we know…trademarks) line, coupled with being a woman and a relative outsider to the vast world of golf equipment, allows me to finally ask the question …

“What the hell is the point of women’s clubs?”

"At some point somebody is going to have to do something. Why not now? What's holding everybody up?" Slessor adds.

Since another year will pass before the USGA and R&A decide to (maybe) address distance, I was glad to see Tom Pilcher’s piece on the topic and a reminder of my favorite solution: a larger ball. (Thanks to reader Tim for sending.)

That came from European Golf Design’s Jeremy Slessor. FYI, European Golf Design is a collaboration of the European Tour and IMG, so they deal with distance issues, oh, hourly.

"When I started in the design and construction industry in the mid-1980s, we were putting in fairway bunkers at about 230-240 yards. We're now putting them at 300-350 yards," said Slessor, whose company were behind Ryder Cup courses at Celtic Manor (2010), Le Golf National (2018) and Marco Simone (2023).

Slessor spoke highly of the Hong Kong Open, where the 6,700-yard course and its small greens are always a test for the game's best.

And…

"The simple thing is to make the ball bigger. The pros should play that ball, and the manufacturers can use all their research and development to make the longest-flying big ball."

The 'small' ball (1.62 inches in diameter) was barred from competition in 1990, replaced by the standard ball (1.68 inches in diameter).

"At some point somebody is going to have to do something. Why not now? What's holding everybody up?" Slessor adds.

Picturing a Masters going forward without fans has been challenging. But now that November’s playing is going that route and we’ve seen how good courses have looked without clutter, I’m feeling better after this exchange in the Golf.com weekly roundtable.

Alan Shipnuck, senior writer (@AlanShipnuck): By then we’ll have had five months of tournament golf without fans, including two majors, so it’ll be old hat. But there is an intimacy at the Masters that will be missed — think about those fans right behind the green at 7, or the tee at 12, or 16, or the amphitheater around 18 green. But it will be awesome to see Augusta National uncluttered. The course is going to look so pure.

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): I think it will be extremely strange, even with all the experience we’ll have had by then with fan-free events. With the possible exception of the Ryder Cup, roars help define the Masters more than any other tournament. The sounds are so familiar that longtime viewers can tell a birdie roar from an eagle roar. And we’re all familiar with the TV experience of hearing a roar during the broadcast, then waiting at the edge of our seats to see the highlight of what brought it on. So yeah, very weird. Unbelievably great that the tournament is happening. But it will still be strange.

Michael Bamberger, senior writer: It’s just so fitting that this golf year will end in this way, completely the opposite of what millions experienced last year. BUT it will surely be a memorable Masters and therefore a good TV show.

Is it too early to ask for some live drone shots too?

The signs were there all along.

First, the pandemic came along and eliminated the notion that anyone wants to live under par (actually, pre-pandemic no one wanted that life).

Then the lame slogan rolled out in April 2018 got pushed aside by the USGA’s even less authentic but equally as expensive “From Many, One”. That word salad never came to fruition due to this year’s elimination of U.S. Open qualifying.

Last week Si Woo Kim was spotted at the Wyndham sporting Live Under Par on his shirt and we were briefly taken back to happier times when bros in pink shirts were encouraged to Snap all of their drunken on-site experiences.

No Laying Up noticed:

Last week MorningRead.com’s Alex Miceli praised the PGA Tour for taking the painful but prudent path by reducing staff. (The staff layoff news is here.)

Miceli reported some eye-opening numbers based on a video address Commissioner Jay Monahan gave to staff.

Commissioner Jay Monahan, in a video address to his staff, said the negative impact on revenue without spectators and hospitality income since play resumed in early June and projected through the end of the year will total more than $90 million.

At the same time, the Tour must shoulder the unbudgeted expense of implementing a health-and-safety program, which further erodes the bottom line.

And there was the price placed on the new Norman Foster-designed headquarters (the entrance drive will be Maybach compatible btw…big relief that the turning radius works for the preferred limo of dictators.) Monahan reportedly addressed the idea of stopping construction with the staff to save jobs since all were already working from home.

The 187,000-square-foot, $65 million building, which is scheduled to be finished by the end of the year, was designed as an adaptive office space, with an open-concept approach that will give 700 employees a better working environment.

According to sources, a halt in construction would cost the Tour more money than it would take to finish the project.

Tiger Woods is often on the other side of the caddy-golfer relationship, but this weekend, Woods was on the bag for his son, who was playing in a U.S. Kids golf event.

August 17, 2020

JTNC Alum Ollie Osborne Runner-up At U.S. Amateur

JTNC alum Ollie Osborne came within one hole of winning the U.S. Amateur Championship.

Osborne, who  lives in Reno, fell, 1-up, Sunday to winner Tyler Stafaci after Strafaci hit a beautiful 4-iron shot onto the 36th green, hsetting imself up for a tap-in birdie.  He was trying to follow in the footsteps of former JTNC Player of the Year Bryson DeChambeau, who won the U.S. Amateur title in 2015 while playing at Southern Methodist University. SMU is where Osborne currently competes collegiately.

Osborne came out of the gates in the morning 18 on fire, registering three consecutive birdies – two of which won holes 1 and 2 – and upping his margin to 5 up with birdies on Nos. 10, 11 and 12, the latter a tee shot to 3½ feet that was conceded.

Then Strafaci got on a roll, winning No. 13 with a birdie (his eagle putt from 48 feet just nicked off the flagstick), 14 with a 3-foot birdie putt and 15 with a 9-foot par putt. An 8-foot birdie on 17 trimmed the deficit to one hole, and when both players birdied 18, the morning round ended with Osborne holding a precarious 1-up lead.

Two Rolex Series events. Two new dates.

📅 Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open (October 1-4)

📅 BMW PGA Championship (October 8-11)

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) August 17, 2020

While the Alfred Dunhill Links is cancelled this year due to its pro-am format and COVID-19, the European Tour has scheduled two of its Rolex events for early October: The Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club in Gullane, and the BMW PGA at Wentworth. The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Galgorm resort precedes.

Both events are listed as $7 million purses.

Golf's playoffs sit at a different time, with two majors still looming beyond this three-week push for a champion. So where does everything stand? Is Tiger in it to win it? Is Brooks Koepka going to be one-and-done? We go through all the scenarios.

adidas is launching a new golf version of the Superstar in honor of the iconic shoe’s 50th anniversaryAvailable in limited supply for $130 on Aug. 17

I remember growing up as a kid in England and wanting everything adidas. As I’ve matured (not much), I still want those famous 3 strips but for multiple reasons. Whether its clothing, accessories, or shoes, they are fashionable, practical and comfortable which ever way you look at it.

Superstar Began as a Basketball Shoe

Fifty years ago, adidas introduced the Superstar as the first low-top basketball shoe to feature an all-leather upper and now characteristic all-rubber toe. It caught the attention of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (or so my American wife tells me) and subsequently took over the NBA. From there, its popularity quickly spread into all corners of not just the U.S., but the world. In celebration of the shoe’s 50th anniversary, adidas is unveiling a limited-edition version of the Superstar that’s built for golf. With the addition of the Superstar to its golf lineup, adidas is bridging the gap between a historic game and modern style.

jQuery(document).ready(function($) { var slides = $('#mgs_gallery_154279 .mgs-gallery-images .mgs-gallery-image').length; if ( slides 6 ) { slides = 6; } $('#mgs_gallery_154279 .mgs-gallery-images').slick({ slidesToShow: 1, slidesToScroll: 1, fade: true, prevArrow: '', nextArrow: '', asNavFor: '#mgs_gallery_154279 .mgs-gallery-thumbs', swipe: false, }); $('#mgs_gallery_154279 .mgs-gallery-thumbs').slick({ slidesToShow: (slides-1), //less than number of slides, so it always shows infinite scroll (bugfix) slidesToScroll: 1, arrows: false, asNavFor: '#mgs_gallery_154279 .mgs-gallery-images', centerMode: true, focusOnSelect: true, infinite: true, responsive: [ { breakpoint: 1023, settings: { slidesToShow: 3, } }, { breakpoint: 600, settings: { slidesToShow: 1, } }, ] }); $('#mgs_gallery_154279').magnificPopup({ delegate: '.mgs-gallery-trigger', type: 'image', gallery: { enabled:true, arrowMarkup: '', } }); });

Pushing the Boundaries

adidas has always pushed the boundaries in an effort to marry lifestyle looks with performance. The Superstar didn’t begin as a lifestyle shoe but, as many basketball shoes do, has bled into all facets of style and sport. Now, for a limited time only, the classic design is infused with golf-specific detailing. Although the design is an ode to the original, adidas, which has owned the golf shoe space as of late, has ensured performance is not compromised.

The Superstar has a full-grain waterproof leather upper and still includes the classic attributes that make the Superstar memorable. Of course, I’m talking about their trademark rubber shell, the familiar three stripes in the mid-foot and gold Superstar foil lettering. While maintaining these staple features, adidas has strategically placed six cleats along with secondary lugs on the sole to ensure you don’t lose any traction or stability during your swing. Trust me when I say this: adidas knows what they are talking about when it comes to golf shoes.

Masun Denison has been the Global Footwear Director at adidas for seven years. “The Superstar is a timeless piece of footwear that’s recognized and worn by people all over the world,” he says. “It’s always stood for those that are eager to push boundaries as well as stand out from the crowd and we wanted to bring that style and mentality to the course.” 

In the world of electric carts, there are many contestants with fine products as we saw in last week’s MyGolfSpy Electric Cart Buyer’s Guide. But, internationally, there are only two major players: PowaKaddy and Motocaddy. They’re the Coke and Pepsi of that market.

But what’s the deal with these things? Are they a fad? Are they pricey toys for folks with too much money? Or are we seeing the beginning of a sea change, perhaps an official Electric Cart Movement?

Motocaddy, whose M7 Remote unit topped the Buyer’s Guide ratings, sees North America – and the U.S. in particular – as a wide-open land of opportunity. And they’re coming to America like John, Paul, George and Ringo with a flotilla of electric carts in tow.

It only took one Ed Sullivan Show for The Beatles to have America wanting to hold their hands. Motocaddy may not have teenaged girls screaming in the streets but the company believes its 15 years of product development and innovation have it ready for a new British Invasion.

The question is: Are you?

The Augusta Chronicle’s Damon Cline considers the economic impact of a fan-free Masters and some of the numbers are eye-opening.

The tournament historically could be counted on to fill up metro area hotel rooms – currently 7,200 – and rented homes, which exceed 4,000 listings. On the Georgia side of the market, which has the majority of rooms and short-term rentals, visitors pay “tournament-priced” room rates as well as a 6% lodging tax, $1 a night local fee and a $5 a night state fee.

Richmond County, for example, collects an average of $1.4 million in hotel-motel tax revenues from the month of April, which is about three times higher than the average month.

Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce CEO Sue Parr, who oversees the Masters Housing Bureau, the sole Augusta National-sanctioned home-rental service, said she believes homeowners and renters will work out arrangements for refunds or will hold reservations over for the 2021 tournament.

“All of the above are opportunities for the homeowner and the renter to find that win-win,” she said.

One are not addressed: how many are willing to rent their home out in these times?

Sam Horsfield captured his second title in three weeks on the European Tour by winning the Celtic Classic on Sunday, completing his bogey-free round of 4-under 67 in fading light to finish two strokes clear.

The New York Times’ Ben Smith looks at the last week or so of bad but inevitable news for the studio system as streaming services outmaneuver the famous brands owned by the AT&T’s, Comcast’s, Viacom’s and even Disney’s of the world.

But this being a golf blog the last quote was quite the golf analogy from legendary investor/executive Barry Diller.

“Disney will remain relevant into the future,” said Barry Diller, who once headed Paramount and Fox and is now chief executive of the digital media company IAC. “All of the rest of them are caddies on a golf course they’ll never play.”

As for sports streaming and golf, the same change still seems a ways off given the inconvenience and clunkiness of streaming sports. But the inevitable change is coming.

Tyler Strafaci won the U.S. Amateur on Sunday at foggy Bandon Dunes to beat Charles Osborne 1-up.

Nice to see all-around nice guy Jim Herman find something with a remarkable 61-63 run at Sedgefield CC to win the 2020 Wyndham Championship. The win is his third, and tops his previous best finish this season, a 27th at the 20 player TOC at Kapalua.

Herman turned it around and—besides that 2021 Masters berth (don’t ask)—that all-important spot in the playoffs. Or in the latest lame FedExCup parlance, he worked his way in. Many others worked themselves out Sunday. Work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work.

Loved Herman’s post round remarks on finding his putting in Adam Schupak’s game story:

Herman, 42, made one critical switch this week, changing to a Bettinardi putter he’d used before and going to a cross-handed putting grip. It did wonders as he holed 444 feet of putts this week and rankled third in Strokes Gained: Putting. The short stick has always been Herman’s bugaboo. He used the claw putting stroke when he won the Shell Houston Open in 2016 and a conventional grip at the 2019 Barbasol Championship.

“For those that struggle putting, you definitely experiment often. I thought maybe last summer when I putted so well at Barbasol, maybe I was on to something, it would be something that stuck,” Herman said. “Then I was off the putter and out of that style by the end of the wraparound Fall start.”

A week after Collin Morikawa posted the lowest final 36 by a major winner, Herman tied the lowest weekend 36 by a winner in PGA Tour history, writes GolfChannel.com’s Will Gray.

Brentley Romine reports for GolfChannel.com on Tyler Strafaci capturing the Havemeyer Trophy in a 1 up thriller against Ollie Osbourne. The two combined for 25 birdies and an eagle despite, at times, zero visibility in the late Bandon Dunes evening hours.

Strafaci is now the fourth Georgia Tech player to win the Havemeyer Trophy, joining Bobby Jones (1924, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1930), Matt Kuchar (1997) and his former teammate Andy Ogletree (2019). The Yellow Jackets are the first program ever to have different players win two consecutive U.S. Amateurs.

I loved seeing these names today as Georgia Tech became the first to have duel back-to-back U.S. Am winners on top of their other former winners.

The last school to have two different players win consecutive #USAmateur titles: University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

H.J. Whigham (1896-97)
Findley S. Douglas (1898)@GTGolf with Tyler Strafaci and last year's winner Andy Ogletree could join them today.

— Brentley Romine (@BrentleyGC) August 16, 2020

Steven Gibbons’ images for the USGA.