Everything is set for a brilliant week. Plus, the R&A's new chief appears to dash hopes of imminent returns to Turnberry and Muirfield, wagers, Clark is banned from Oakmont, and Thursday's forecast.
Funny how it works when you try to move someone on against their wishes. I expected them to not be happy, but this was above and beyond in the strength department. Still not sure about the counseling part, but it's borderline absurdity suggests that they received little to nothing in the way of an apology or offer of payment for repairs.
The self awareness of people like Clark is in negative numbers. You could see at the Scottish Open he’s as hot tempered as ever. Oakmont’s timing was impeccable, to say the least. Enjoy the Open Geoff!
Is there any precedent for a major champion being indefinitely banned from a host site? This is going to shadow Wyndham for a long time. He better play his way into the top 50 cause he ain’t getting any sponsor invites to the signature events. And whoever advised him on his non-apology apology should get out of the public relations business.
Great question, might ponder and research that tomorrow or in the off-season. I know there have been things of this nature in the past, but I feel like most were more about elitists crapping on golf pros, or seizing on minor indiscretions to make a point. Naturally, most of us did not see this one as minor because of the historic nature of the place, the kindness of the club to open its doors for championships through the years, and the state of spoiled bratdom left to fester by the Tours.
What a Train Wreck of a press conference from Mark Darbon!! Just answer the fucking question about why caddys have to rake the bunkers instead of accredited greenkeepers.
Then all the PR/Marketing bullshit spin about future sites for the British Open... yawn...
He is Jay Monahan with a pommie accent. A total tool just like Wyndham Clarke who not only didnt bother to pay for the damage to Oakmont's lockers, he didnt face censure and a large fine from the overpaid suits at Ponte Vedra.
I think trainwreck is a bit strong! Yes, he's got some amazing jargon but if you dig into his answers he revealed quite a bit without divulging R&A secrets. It's a tough task to be thrown into that situation this early into the job without having been in the organization hearing about what they do all these years.
But I do agree on the Clark situation and it revealing that the PGA Tour did not come down on him in any meaningful way. Just shocking.
I was watching "R&A - Live at the Range" on the Golf Channel this morning. They played a game with Tyrrell Hatton where he had to hit a ball exactly 160 yards to win some prize. He hit three balls 158 yards, 162 yards and 162 yards. He was all smiles and laughs.
I could not believe this was Tyrrell Hatton we see during tournament play, that the media could play a game with a player on range like that and the incredible precision with which he hit the ball.
I’m surprised that with Clark offering the ‘apology’ to the club, that it did not include the commitment to the club to compensate them to repair the two locker panels he broke. That said, this seems like a big overreaction. We are talking about an athlete taking out frustration in the locker room after their performance ‘on the field’. Wyndham is not the first athlete to have done this. It happens. But Oakmonts response to me is embarrassing. If you watched Wyndham in the Netflix series, he has had issues and counseling in the past with the mental approach to the game. Some sensitivity should have been used. I feel the club should have just dealt with this privately and moved on.
Clark was given ample time by Oakmont to show respect for the game- especially The US Open and this storied venue- yet he chose not to do so. Unlike football, these kind of multiple outbursts (don’t forget The PGA incident & last week’s on air F bomb @ Renaissance) are not that common on the tour. I hope this will help Wyndham wake up and get himself back in top shape.
Ed you know these agents today...they give advice and when they do it's to tell their man how brilliant he is or else they get fired. Of course Wyndham should have figured this out on his own given, as you note, that he's more introspective than most.
They should send Windam back down to the Ben Hogan Tour. As for Turnberry, there are some disqualifying ownership and “branding” issues. When I played there years ago it was only called Turnberry.
I played there in 2022, and I couldn't resist asking the guys in the golf shop why they had so few "Trump Turnberry" items versus the "Turnberry Scotland" items. They were quick to tell me that the Trump items wouldn't sell.
So can we put two and two together? A clearer picture on Portmarnock by the end of this year + an announcement on 2028 by the middle of next year = Portmarnock 2028.
Also what Darbon said about Muirfield is sad for the prospects of an Open there before the 2030s...
Too soon. Maybe the AIG Women's in 2029 would be my hunch, 2033 for the Open. Seems like 2028 could be in England and tied to how they decide to handle the Olympics date.
Muirfield is more sad related to the idea that the R&A possibly suggested design changes to accommodate more fans. Still can't fathom the audacity of that, if true.
I'm still struggling with that request of theirs. Part of me laughs, part says good for you, and part of me says it's not their place. Ultimately, this component of the letter is an indictment on organizations too scared to discipline a guy who nearly hurt a marshal at the PGA and took swings at history that would get all of us banned from the place if we did so.
It’s good to see that the membership at Oakmont has decided to “move on.” Chef’s kiss. Bring on The Open.
Funny how it works when you try to move someone on against their wishes. I expected them to not be happy, but this was above and beyond in the strength department. Still not sure about the counseling part, but it's borderline absurdity suggests that they received little to nothing in the way of an apology or offer of payment for repairs.
The self awareness of people like Clark is in negative numbers. You could see at the Scottish Open he’s as hot tempered as ever. Oakmont’s timing was impeccable, to say the least. Enjoy the Open Geoff!
Is there any precedent for a major champion being indefinitely banned from a host site? This is going to shadow Wyndham for a long time. He better play his way into the top 50 cause he ain’t getting any sponsor invites to the signature events. And whoever advised him on his non-apology apology should get out of the public relations business.
Great question, might ponder and research that tomorrow or in the off-season. I know there have been things of this nature in the past, but I feel like most were more about elitists crapping on golf pros, or seizing on minor indiscretions to make a point. Naturally, most of us did not see this one as minor because of the historic nature of the place, the kindness of the club to open its doors for championships through the years, and the state of spoiled bratdom left to fester by the Tours.
Outstanding reporting as usual. I feel as though I am there!
What a Train Wreck of a press conference from Mark Darbon!! Just answer the fucking question about why caddys have to rake the bunkers instead of accredited greenkeepers.
Then all the PR/Marketing bullshit spin about future sites for the British Open... yawn...
He is Jay Monahan with a pommie accent. A total tool just like Wyndham Clarke who not only didnt bother to pay for the damage to Oakmont's lockers, he didnt face censure and a large fine from the overpaid suits at Ponte Vedra.
I think trainwreck is a bit strong! Yes, he's got some amazing jargon but if you dig into his answers he revealed quite a bit without divulging R&A secrets. It's a tough task to be thrown into that situation this early into the job without having been in the organization hearing about what they do all these years.
But I do agree on the Clark situation and it revealing that the PGA Tour did not come down on him in any meaningful way. Just shocking.
I was watching "R&A - Live at the Range" on the Golf Channel this morning. They played a game with Tyrrell Hatton where he had to hit a ball exactly 160 yards to win some prize. He hit three balls 158 yards, 162 yards and 162 yards. He was all smiles and laughs.
I could not believe this was Tyrrell Hatton we see during tournament play, that the media could play a game with a player on range like that and the incredible precision with which he hit the ball.
He's a gifted golfer. As soon as he can just dial in the attitude even a bit, he'll have quite a run of wins.
Can't wait for two-time Open Championship winner Padraig Harrington to "whap one down" the first fairway to start the final major of the year!
I’m surprised that with Clark offering the ‘apology’ to the club, that it did not include the commitment to the club to compensate them to repair the two locker panels he broke. That said, this seems like a big overreaction. We are talking about an athlete taking out frustration in the locker room after their performance ‘on the field’. Wyndham is not the first athlete to have done this. It happens. But Oakmonts response to me is embarrassing. If you watched Wyndham in the Netflix series, he has had issues and counseling in the past with the mental approach to the game. Some sensitivity should have been used. I feel the club should have just dealt with this privately and moved on.
Clark was given ample time by Oakmont to show respect for the game- especially The US Open and this storied venue- yet he chose not to do so. Unlike football, these kind of multiple outbursts (don’t forget The PGA incident & last week’s on air F bomb @ Renaissance) are not that common on the tour. I hope this will help Wyndham wake up and get himself back in top shape.
Ed you know these agents today...they give advice and when they do it's to tell their man how brilliant he is or else they get fired. Of course Wyndham should have figured this out on his own given, as you note, that he's more introspective than most.
They should send Windam back down to the Ben Hogan Tour. As for Turnberry, there are some disqualifying ownership and “branding” issues. When I played there years ago it was only called Turnberry.
It is interesting to see the old logo come back. You know who even had to admit that it was better than his coat of arms debacle.
I played there in 2022, and I couldn't resist asking the guys in the golf shop why they had so few "Trump Turnberry" items versus the "Turnberry Scotland" items. They were quick to tell me that the Trump items wouldn't sell.
So can we put two and two together? A clearer picture on Portmarnock by the end of this year + an announcement on 2028 by the middle of next year = Portmarnock 2028.
Also what Darbon said about Muirfield is sad for the prospects of an Open there before the 2030s...
Too soon. Maybe the AIG Women's in 2029 would be my hunch, 2033 for the Open. Seems like 2028 could be in England and tied to how they decide to handle the Olympics date.
Muirfield is more sad related to the idea that the R&A possibly suggested design changes to accommodate more fans. Still can't fathom the audacity of that, if true.
Let me guess that it would have to be a Martin Ebert special
In the meantime, it would be great if it could host a Scottish Open.
There’s an obvious solution to solving the conundrum of the short practice ground too!
Great stuff again as always Geoff! Thank you and enjoy. Sorry you had to miss WC preview day at Cypress today.
How funny, the first 3 digits of the code to post here are my former member number at Prairie Dunes.
Funny or Not: …..Successful completion of Anger Management Counseling ?
I'm still struggling with that request of theirs. Part of me laughs, part says good for you, and part of me says it's not their place. Ultimately, this component of the letter is an indictment on organizations too scared to discipline a guy who nearly hurt a marshal at the PGA and took swings at history that would get all of us banned from the place if we did so.