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The four-day forecast by Stewart Williams as of Wednesday afternoon

I’m sprinkling in investment thoughts for the (fellow) degenerates along with some fun notes from Wednesday at Harding Park. The 2020 PGA Championship kicks off Thursday with wall-to-wall coverage by ESPN+ and ESPN.

—COVID-19 testing has gone perfectly. From the PGA of America’s Kerry Haigh today: “With that, we ended up and are using the same testing entities that have been used for the first ten weeks, Drug Free Sport and Sanford Health, and with only one player remaining to be tested, all players and caddies in the field have cleared our COVID-19 protocol. So I can't tell you how happy I am to hear that, and I'm sure 155 players and 156 caddies are just happy, so thank you to all of them.”

—The forecast (above) is extremely favorable for an on-time finish—no thunderstorm chance for a PGA in August!—but suggests the players may be in for a very tough test. The cold makes 7,200 yard Harding Park play forever and even if we get some clearing, the forcasted breezes and sun (please!) should dry things out. The course is in a very good place to prevent an Olympic Club-style bake out, but I’m going to predict the winning score will be -10, which makes the 269.5 over/under intriguing (four-round par is 280).

—Tiger Woods is a great value at 35-1. Seems the money is going elsewhere according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Todd Dewey. I had my doubts given the climate, his Memorial performance and how he looked at the last three majors of 2019. This week? He’s got a determination to his steps, looks focused, is working hard on the greens and as I noted Monday, is in 100% mode with his swing. The course suits his style of play of these days.

Now that Ryder Cup matches have been postponed until 2021, Steve Stricker will still get his six captain's picks. The selection criteria had previously been altered when golf shut down for three months in America amid the coronavirus pandemic.

On the eve of the PGA Championship, Tiger Woods appears set to make a rare putter switch at TPC Harding Park.

I don’t want to judge and Rory McIlroy can certainly afford the hefty price, nonetheless it was a bit of a surprise when the topic of public golf and majors prompted AP’s Doug Ferguson to ask the last time McIlroy was asked to pay (most courses would pay to have a top player give them the time of day).

That it was a former Ryder Cup site, European Tour event site and rich’s guys place was, well, surprising.

From Steve DiMeglio’s item on McIlroy supporting muni’s for majors and the surprise answer:

“Valderrama, 2005,” McIlroy said. “250 Euros.”

That’s about $375 today.

But it was worth it to play the club that has hosted two different European Tour events, two World Golf Championships events won by Tiger Woods and Mike Weir in 1999 and 2000, and the 1997 Ryder Cup won by Europe.

“I’ve always liked the look at Valderrama,” McIlroy explained his decision to pay to play. “I was in Spain. Obviously Ryder Cup course. The Tour Championship of the European Tour was there for a lot of years. I was there and spent a few months’ worth of pocket money to go and play.”

He had not amassed four majors and two FedExCup’s then, but still pretty funny to imagine the pro shop ringing him up.

Greg Roskopf, the trainer for Bryson DeChambeau, understands why there might be conjecture after the PGA Tour golfer gained 50 pounds -- and 20 yards off the tee -- in less than a year.

Each type of club requires a unique approach for your setup and swing. Unfortunately many recreational golfers attempt to use the same swing for every club and they pay the price. Actually the sweep of your club across the ground has the same type of arc but your point of impact has a huge affect on your success with each type of club.

You can easily adjust your draw or fade with any club by changing your face direction, your swing path and your trailing foot back or forward. A side hill lie (up or down) also has a huge impact on the success of your shot. Before you can master your swing with any club you need to see the resulting impact of a properly lined-up shot verses a poorly lined-up shot. This blog is primarily concerned with avoiding mishits with your driver, your fairway woods/hybrids and your irons.

Setup to LAUNCH your Drives
Your driver has a limited angle on its face. It’s really designed so that you can hit up on your ball and LAUNCH it in an upward angle. Of course that’s why you tee your ball up and line up your ball with the heel of your LEADING foot. That’s also why you need to impact your ball as your club arcs upward on an inside to outside path (AFTER it passes the low point of your swing arc).

To help you create longer drives you should setup with your shoulder line tilting slightly down on your trailing side and 55% of your weight on your trailing foot. Give yourself a count of 1, 2 to create time for a full backswing rotation (and count 3 for you downswing). Keep your leading ear behind the ball through-out your swing. Release up your target line as you thrust forward to LAUNCH YOUR BALL UPWARD.

Oregon offers a wide range of scenery and views throughout the state. And built into that scenery from border to border are also dozens of exciting, one-of-a-kind golf courses to test your game. From deep forestland to mountain views, rivers and creeks, and much more, Oregon should be on every avid golfer’s list of must-play […]

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Golf may not be the first thing that comes to mind when people think about visiting the state of Maine, but the natural beauty and varied terrain have helped create some fantastically memorable golf courses. Between mountains and foothills, pristine woodlands and coastal winds, Maine has a unique set of features that make for some […]

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Scenery and selection are the names of the game when it comes to Michigan golf courses. The state’s natural beauty and dense forests create an outstanding setting for golf, and the 600+ public golf courses in Michigan are a testament to the fact that there isn’t a bad place to enjoy a round. Whether you […]

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From the north suburbs of Chicago to Effingham and throughout the state, Illinois is dotted with great golf courses that virtually every golfer will enjoy playing. Once the state finally shakes off the winter weather, you’ll be in for a treat with gorgeous greens and rolling fairways. And whether you’re near the Windy City or […]

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American golfer John Catlin and his caddie Nathan Mulrooney have been removed from this week's English Championship by the European Tour after they breached its COVID-19 protocol.

There are a couple of super reads to help you enjoy this week’s Harding Park PGA Championship just a bit more. Besides the obvious rare major championship playing at a public course, it’s the stories the Cypress can tell that makes this place different.

The San Francisco City has played such a part in that and Sean Martin looks at its history and the many stories to easily forgotten from that championship, with winners ranging from baggage handlers to future pro stars (with a famous 49ers QB contending a few times, too).

One man and multiple winner of The City stands above all others with his ties to Harding Park: Ken Venturi.

The Athletic’s Brendan Quinn takes a deep dive into the life, times and stammering issues overcome by Venturi when he found golf, a story that will certainly be addressed by his longtime CBS colleague Jim Nantz as the tournament unfolds. Nonetheless, this should give you an idea why the Venturi connection here is so profound:

The Venturis lived less than three miles from Harding. Ken played his first round there using borrowed clubs with hickory shafts. His father’s only advice was to count every shot, no matter what, including whiffs. Ken claims to have shot a 172 on his first 18-hole round. (He later said he quite possibly held the course record at Harding for both the lowest score, a 59, and the highest score, that 172.)

Ken stuck with it, playing alone. Blissful seclusion. Just him, his thoughts and his swing. He learned by replicating the swings he saw when caddying, then picked up lessons along the way. He’d play two balls at once, hitting only draws with one and fades with the other. He talked to himself as he played, finding and hearing his words. He saw a correlation between the rhythm of the swing and the rhythm of a sentence. The course became a second home as Fred stopped selling twine at the marina and took a full-time job running Harding’s pro shop. Ethel eventually joined him there, working alongside him in the shop, turning the place into their own mom and pop operation.

This week’s English Championship on the European Tour will be minus world No. 242 John Catlin and his caddie after the two dined out Tuesday night.

From Ewan Murray’s Guardian report on the strict bubble and consequences for a violation in Europe.

Catlin said: “I apologise to my fellow players and everyone involved with the tournament this week for this error of judgement. I understand the European Tour’s decision and accept the sanction.”

Catlin will be replaced in the tournament by South African Wilco Nienaber.       

Among the other elements in this story noted by Murray: Catlin played last week and was familiar with the “bubble” policies.

Brooks Koepka goes for his third straight PGA Championship against the best field in golf in this season's first major. Here are our experts' best bets.

One thing you’re never short on in Arizona is sunshine. And another is scenic golf courses that welcome players from across the country and around the world to experience the unique atmosphere of desert golf. With literally hundreds of golf courses in Arizona to choose from, scattered across virtually the entire state, selecting your next […]

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With new Pro V1 and Pro V1x still several months away, Titleist has decided to pass the time by launching Tour Speed. It’s the company’s first foray into the not-quite-tour-level urethane golf ball category. I discussed this and other categories in my recent diatribe on soft golf balls. One of the defining characteristics is that despite urethane covers, per-dozen costs are less than the tour ball category. As it happens, most are also soft.

As a consequence, performance stories associated with these balls sometimes defy the laws of physics. Still, there’s little doubt that the category appeals to average golfers who prefer soft feel. For the most part, we’re also talking about golfers who aren’t keen on spending more than $40 on a dozen balls. By previously not offering anything in the category, Titleist was inarguably leaving money on the table.

So, to address what Titleist sees as both a performance and market opportunity, the company expanded its Ball Plant #2 by 4,300 square feet, filled it with the equipment necessary to make injected TPU covers and launched the new Tour Speed ball.

Thermoset Cast Urethane versus Thermoplastic Injected Urethane

Perhaps we’ll jump into the weeds with this some other day but in the interest of a quick refresher, urethane golf ball covers fall into two categories – cast and injected. Titleist’s top-tier offerings (the Pro V1 family and AVX) feature cast urethane covers. TaylorMade and Snell use cast urethane. Competitors like Bridgestone, Callaway and many of the factories that design and manufacture balls for DTC brands use injection-molded urethane covers.

The year's first major comes with plenty of questions, and not only because it's the first one in 13 months and the first one without fans. We go through each and give some answers.

If you’ve been watching other return sports of late, you know from the mistakes and other oddities that what the CBS golf team has pulled off in a time of pandemic has been nothing short of astounding.

This week they bring more extras, goodies and personnel to Harding Park for the first major, though they are still working with teams in different parts of the world to bring everyone the PGA Championship.

Ad sales have been brisk, according to CBS Sports head Sean McManus. So, with a new deal starting this year, it seems the PGA of America may have negotiated a package that may make for a cleaner broadcast than with the past (awful) contract.

Dave Shedloski reports for GolfDigest.com:

Regardless, ad sales for the network have been strong, and McManus was proud to point out that only a few units remain unsold, and, more importantly for viewers, 50 percent of the national inventory is of the “two-box” variety, also known as the “Eye On The Course” feature that keeps half the screen on the action.

There wasn’t much from Tiger’s press conference/Zoom Tuesday at Harding Park. He was sharp, all smiles and sounding confident in a quest to win major No. 16.

Bob Harig at ESPN.com covered the most pertinent details, including the lower back talk.

And with temperatures hovering in the 50s in the mornings and likely to not reach 70 for most of the week, the ability to get loose will be part of the struggle for Woods.

"I think that for me when it's cooler like this it's just make sure that my core stays warm, layering up properly," he said. "I know I won't have the same range of motion as I would back home in Florida, where it's 95 [degrees] every day. That's just the way it is.

"Talking to some of the guys yesterday, they were laughing at their TrackMan [a measuring device] numbers already. They don't have the swing speed or ball speed they did last week. It's just the way it is. It's going to be playing longer. It's heavy air weather and whether the wind blows or not, it's still going to be heavy. The ball doesn't fly very far here."

A shorter PGA Tour season because of the pandemic has led the PGA of America to modify its two major awards for tour players.