The biennial slow play panic. Plus, Schauffele's concerning injury, Ryder Cup heckling, Scheffler and McIlroy churn out Quotables, This, That, Reads and a word about Will Rogers.
Geoff great stuff and the links are awesome. If you have any type of move to speed up play then how do you fit in these player caddie convos that seem repetitive and go on for 90 seconds to determine if it is 123 or 125 to the pin. And what about this 60 yard walk up to the green on pitch shots. Like everything else this is an interesting topic which is probably more interesting than last Saturday’s final round. And what about players needing rules officials for every drop. The players should not be allowed to use officials and know the rules. But the Tour is jawboning.
I think it falls down the list behind green speed, backups on 4s and 5s that are reachable, walks to new back tees, players selfishly not playing ready golf, slow routines and players taking their sweet time in general to hit a shot. Not saying it's not part of this, but I'm in the minority it sounds like in thinking those conversations are actually one of the better things golf has from a TV perspective.
Thank you, Geoff for some much appreciated perspective on the wonder of life and it's fragility. You truly do never know what life has in store.
Crosby weather indeed... have you seen the forecast for this weekend? It looks pretty bleak here but we're 125 miles northeast of Pebble. I was hoping that it would sag further south to give you some of the storm, but the persistent high pressure is, well persistent. It still looks like they will get rain Saturday and Sunday there. Hoping and praying for rain in southern California. Just not all at one time. I know... a lot to ask.
Yes I heard from on site they are trying to be optimistic but it sounds rough. More reason to enjoy Thursday/Friday action!
We did unbelievably well with our first rain. Just wish it would have come in December. But very little major damage despite a few squalls. It was a really nice soaking and one more might reduce the fire danger until summer.
Geoff, honestly, I could just hug you.... "I share this not to make you feel lousy or sorry for the community, but to suggest that if there is something you’ve been meaning to enjoy, savor, or experience again? Do it." This literally choked me up. Thanks for the reminder to keep our eyes open and fixed upon what TRULY MATTERS - letting those we love know that is how we feel as often as we can, living lives that are a constant work of progress toouched by grace, and embracing a sense of the spirit that keeps us fully aware of the ties that bind ALL of us together.
Thanks Charlie. A few times I've tried to write about this but just felt with all of the people who lost homes, a reminder to appreciate the places we have seemed rude. There was a restaurant from my youth that just celebrated their 40th birthday. Great little spot that struggled early on and I remember when it opened, what it meant as a neighborhood joint. When our dog ran away, he was found there and we're still sure it was because he was drawn to the smell of the garlic rolls (we let him lick the tin when we got them to go). Anyway, I had made a note to just drop in and enjoy that they've made it 40 years. It burned. Stuff like that hurts, but again, nothing like the losses people suffered.
Amen to “if there is something you’ve been meaning to enjoy, savor, or experience again? Do it.” Wish I hiked Will Rogers instead of complaining my feet were sore from work at LACC !
Once the AMs clear out at Pebble, it will be interesting to see how the weekend pairings for this limited field signature event time out. Any chance the players got the message and attempt to improve just to squelch the narrative?
Yes it should be better though depending on the weather or threesomes v. twosomes. But I agree that maybe we'll see some players try or the rules officials act more like the officials in Europe do (visualize an indiscreet cart presence featuring a man in puffy jacket following them around).
Geoff: are you confident the R&A, USGA, and ANGC will hold the line on the ball rollback, given the resistance from the two other families and probably the general golfing public? The driver has mostly been taken out of play at Pebble Beach for Tour calibre golfers. Unless something changes, we’re looking at a lot of driverless US Opens, not just at Pebble but other venues as well.
I am though they really need to start pushing back against dishonest takes from the two PGA's. I'm working on an item related to that. Unfortunately the pushback has probably tabled the driver and folks I talk to who get this stuff say the manufacturers are still outsmarting the testing in ways that need to be repaired.
Outstanding piece. Unfortunately the game continues to trend with democracy.
Memo to Scottie : read the second word in WINE GLASS . Let’s get the real story. No one that stupid. I have broken more Riedels than he has golf clubs.
Sadly, I believe that he told the truth and summoned a wine glass as a roller. An example of when having a quiet mind did not pay dividends for his golf.
The title holder of of the National Championsip of the country where I was born and also the Champion of the National Championship of the country where I live has made a change. He has gone from smokey and peaty to smooth and sweet. Robert MacIntyre has joined Elijah Craig Bourbon! Perfect for golf on both sides of the ocean. No truth to the rumor he will use a rangefinder to track drones at Pebble.
So, Mckibbin went to LIV for 5M, really? even per year, that's really low. Even if he keeps his DPW card, he won't get that many OWGR points, and so no majors. He could get the 5M by playing a bit above-average on PGAT. And he left one euro who would have gladly went there in his place.
I had the same reaction. But he's a player and there are at least 20 of the 48 who are toast, so I assume he just decided the money will be made on course. There are rumblings that his sponsors at a certain club company who are part of the Lesion 13 effort helped inspire the effort. It's odd if true.
And, if is indeed around 5M, and let's say Rahm took 70M per year, it means that Tom does accept he is 14 times lesser player than Rahm! Kids these days usually value themselves much higher than that. Pitty
Thanks for the update on Will Rogers park, Geoff. Loved going for hikes there, too, when I lived in L.A. Rogers’ house was such a wonderful example of California ranch style. Can’t believe it’s gone.
It really was Tom and I took the tour as a kid, had been meaning to do it as an adult when I could appreciate it more. I peaked in the windows but will forever kick myself for that one. I guess it's kind of miraculous that the home survived as long as it did given its proximity to the hills. But still heartbreaking given what the donation of the park to the public has meant. I don't know how you start on a rebuild, and same with the stable building which had been restored and was one of the coolest structures in LA.
"my count says we’re in the midst of (at least) our fourth slow-play crisis of the last decade"
What more can be said about it? In the meantime I will use the Quad to improve my vocabulary. The Quad could have improved my Verbal SAT score by 100 points!
Geoff great stuff and the links are awesome. If you have any type of move to speed up play then how do you fit in these player caddie convos that seem repetitive and go on for 90 seconds to determine if it is 123 or 125 to the pin. And what about this 60 yard walk up to the green on pitch shots. Like everything else this is an interesting topic which is probably more interesting than last Saturday’s final round. And what about players needing rules officials for every drop. The players should not be allowed to use officials and know the rules. But the Tour is jawboning.
How about both the player and caddie staringly mindlessly into yardage books for a basic stock PW from the middle of the fairway.
Lanny Wadkins, one of the fastest players ever said that he never carried a yardage book, that why he hired a caddie.
Well, when you put it like that :)
I think it falls down the list behind green speed, backups on 4s and 5s that are reachable, walks to new back tees, players selfishly not playing ready golf, slow routines and players taking their sweet time in general to hit a shot. Not saying it's not part of this, but I'm in the minority it sounds like in thinking those conversations are actually one of the better things golf has from a TV perspective.
Thank you, Geoff for some much appreciated perspective on the wonder of life and it's fragility. You truly do never know what life has in store.
Crosby weather indeed... have you seen the forecast for this weekend? It looks pretty bleak here but we're 125 miles northeast of Pebble. I was hoping that it would sag further south to give you some of the storm, but the persistent high pressure is, well persistent. It still looks like they will get rain Saturday and Sunday there. Hoping and praying for rain in southern California. Just not all at one time. I know... a lot to ask.
Yes I heard from on site they are trying to be optimistic but it sounds rough. More reason to enjoy Thursday/Friday action!
We did unbelievably well with our first rain. Just wish it would have come in December. But very little major damage despite a few squalls. It was a really nice soaking and one more might reduce the fire danger until summer.
Geoff, honestly, I could just hug you.... "I share this not to make you feel lousy or sorry for the community, but to suggest that if there is something you’ve been meaning to enjoy, savor, or experience again? Do it." This literally choked me up. Thanks for the reminder to keep our eyes open and fixed upon what TRULY MATTERS - letting those we love know that is how we feel as often as we can, living lives that are a constant work of progress toouched by grace, and embracing a sense of the spirit that keeps us fully aware of the ties that bind ALL of us together.
Thanks Charlie. A few times I've tried to write about this but just felt with all of the people who lost homes, a reminder to appreciate the places we have seemed rude. There was a restaurant from my youth that just celebrated their 40th birthday. Great little spot that struggled early on and I remember when it opened, what it meant as a neighborhood joint. When our dog ran away, he was found there and we're still sure it was because he was drawn to the smell of the garlic rolls (we let him lick the tin when we got them to go). Anyway, I had made a note to just drop in and enjoy that they've made it 40 years. It burned. Stuff like that hurts, but again, nothing like the losses people suffered.
Amen to “if there is something you’ve been meaning to enjoy, savor, or experience again? Do it.” Wish I hiked Will Rogers instead of complaining my feet were sore from work at LACC !
Maybe somehow, some way it'll be back but it'll be a decade probably before the place recaptures its old glory.
Once the AMs clear out at Pebble, it will be interesting to see how the weekend pairings for this limited field signature event time out. Any chance the players got the message and attempt to improve just to squelch the narrative?
Yes it should be better though depending on the weather or threesomes v. twosomes. But I agree that maybe we'll see some players try or the rules officials act more like the officials in Europe do (visualize an indiscreet cart presence featuring a man in puffy jacket following them around).
Geoff: are you confident the R&A, USGA, and ANGC will hold the line on the ball rollback, given the resistance from the two other families and probably the general golfing public? The driver has mostly been taken out of play at Pebble Beach for Tour calibre golfers. Unless something changes, we’re looking at a lot of driverless US Opens, not just at Pebble but other venues as well.
I am though they really need to start pushing back against dishonest takes from the two PGA's. I'm working on an item related to that. Unfortunately the pushback has probably tabled the driver and folks I talk to who get this stuff say the manufacturers are still outsmarting the testing in ways that need to be repaired.
Geoffrey,
Outstanding piece. Unfortunately the game continues to trend with democracy.
Memo to Scottie : read the second word in WINE GLASS . Let’s get the real story. No one that stupid. I have broken more Riedels than he has golf clubs.
At a minimum I would not tell that story.
Slow play? Just add more commercials
Remember Scottie is from Texas. What does he know about wine. Banging on the ravioli dough with a Lone Star long neck makes more sense in Texas.😁
Man.... I was weaned on Lone Star. Nothing quite like that pop of the top and the smell of skunky old unwashed sweatsocks to follow. Yum!!
Key point...beer and margarita glasses are all he likely knows when it comes to adult beverages.
Sadly, I believe that he told the truth and summoned a wine glass as a roller. An example of when having a quiet mind did not pay dividends for his golf.
The title holder of of the National Championsip of the country where I was born and also the Champion of the National Championship of the country where I live has made a change. He has gone from smokey and peaty to smooth and sweet. Robert MacIntyre has joined Elijah Craig Bourbon! Perfect for golf on both sides of the ocean. No truth to the rumor he will use a rangefinder to track drones at Pebble.
So, Mckibbin went to LIV for 5M, really? even per year, that's really low. Even if he keeps his DPW card, he won't get that many OWGR points, and so no majors. He could get the 5M by playing a bit above-average on PGAT. And he left one euro who would have gladly went there in his place.
I had the same reaction. But he's a player and there are at least 20 of the 48 who are toast, so I assume he just decided the money will be made on course. There are rumblings that his sponsors at a certain club company who are part of the Lesion 13 effort helped inspire the effort. It's odd if true.
And, if is indeed around 5M, and let's say Rahm took 70M per year, it means that Tom does accept he is 14 times lesser player than Rahm! Kids these days usually value themselves much higher than that. Pitty
Thanks for the update on Will Rogers park, Geoff. Loved going for hikes there, too, when I lived in L.A. Rogers’ house was such a wonderful example of California ranch style. Can’t believe it’s gone.
It really was Tom and I took the tour as a kid, had been meaning to do it as an adult when I could appreciate it more. I peaked in the windows but will forever kick myself for that one. I guess it's kind of miraculous that the home survived as long as it did given its proximity to the hills. But still heartbreaking given what the donation of the park to the public has meant. I don't know how you start on a rebuild, and same with the stable building which had been restored and was one of the coolest structures in LA.
"my count says we’re in the midst of (at least) our fourth slow-play crisis of the last decade"
What more can be said about it? In the meantime I will use the Quad to improve my vocabulary. The Quad could have improved my Verbal SAT score by 100 points!