THWACK! The Golf Thread

[chefcraig]

For countless Americans (including me), the British Open is a non-starter. There are several reasons for this, a few that I'll mention here. To begin with, the course itself is far too wide open. For people used to the close confines of U.S. courses, this is like watching guys chase a ball around a prairie. We are pretty used to seeing a guy drive a ball between columns of trees on a 35 yard wide fairway, not out into the great wide open. (This can be traced to growing up on putt-putt courses with a clown's mouth at the end, which came to full fruition with the God-awful spectacle of "stadium courses" in the early 1980s.)

This also presents another problem, which is how the event is televised. Having to use binoculars while watching any sport is a turn-off for Americans, especially while watching it on tv. Every hole on the Open is filmed from about 3-4 miles away, so there is no form of intimacy involved. You can not see the joy or pain a player's face registers after a shot, which in itself adds a great deal to following the game. OK, I realize this puts the focus on the shot making itself, but people by and large want to empathize with what the individual golfer is going through, as it translates to our own game. And even for those that do not play, it is an integral part of watching the competition.

Then there is that whole time thing. Even for hardcore drinkers, it is difficult to sit back with a cooler full of beer at 7:00 AM. One of the finer parts of following golf on tv is falling asleep on the couch during a Sunday afternoon, waking up to find the coverage still taking place and realizing you haven't missed all that much. If an event ends around 11 o'clock in the morning, it pretty much scuttles your plans for a day of rest and relaxation. You end up watching sports you really don't care about, or even worse, Law & Order, Myth Busters and Pawn Stars reruns along with documentaries about UFOs. It really fucks up your weekend, ya know?

Besides all that, John Daly won the damned thing in 1995. I mean really, John fucking Daly?

[Seshmeister]

For countless Americans (including me), the British Open is a non-starter.

It's not called 'the British Open' it's the Open.

[chefcraig]

Depends upon what parcel of land you are standing on. Since sometime in the late 1800s, anyone outside of the U.K. called it the British Open, regardless of whether it was played in Northern Ireland, Scotland or England. If anything, this only reenforces my point regarding American's low regard for the event.

[Seshmeister]

Well that's a disgraceful situation.

[Seshmeister]

Links golf is proper golf, the US stuff is far too sanitized like, as you said, Mini Golf.

I'll admit though that US courses make for better video games.

[chefcraig]

Which goes a long way toward explaining the runaway popularity of Golden Tee machines in bars and pubs here. You'd be amazed by the amount of "players" of this arcade game that have a defined passion for the sport, yet do not own a set of clubs and have never visited a course in their entire lives. It also goes back to my point regarding the average American's view of the sport, which more often than not reflects our government's imperialistic view taken to just about all matters overseas.

[Nitro Express]

Then you have annoying Americans coming over to Scotland buying up land and insulting the locals so they can build a giant mini put course there.

[Seshmeister]

He's arrrrrrrrrrrogant and he's ignorrrrrrrrrrrent.

It's pretty fucking annoying to listen to Trump looking down on people's property when he is only in the position he is from inheriting hundreds of millions. He isn't popular here but reluctantly people accepted that $1 billion investment was too useful and using politicians he eventually pushed through the planning permission.

Latest news though is that it's not going to happen in the way he planned.

Donald Trump's plan for £750m Scottish golf resort put on hold

US tycoon says golf course will open next year – but complex featuring luxury villas and five-star hotel postponed for now

Severin Carrell, Scotland correspondent

guardian.co.uk, Monday 20 June 2011 19.31 BST


Donald Trump has been forced to postpone his plan to create the "world's greatest" golf resort in Scotland, complete with five-star hotel and luxury villas, because of the global financial crisis.

The billionaire property developer flew into Aberdeen on Monday on his latest luxury jet, a Boeing 757-200 fitted out with a master bedroom and five kitchens, to announce that his championship standard 18-hole golf course overlooking the North Sea would open for play in July next year.

Before touring the first completed holes, Trump said he had spent £50m to £60m of his own money carving the "amazing" course from the vast dunes, and would start taking advance bookings in 10 days. He hoped that Sir Sean Connery, one of the earliest backers of the resort, would open it for him.

"We have been inundated from New York and Scotland from people who want to come and play the course," he said. "Thousands of people have been calling: 'how can we play it?'"

But the tycoon said that the full scheme, a £750m complex featuring a luxury hotel, Trump Boulevard, a golf academy, a second course and timeshare apartments, had been bunkered by the recession.

Trump said "the world has crashed" since he first bought the Menie estate and dunes in 2005, provoking a long-running battle with local residents, councillors and environmental groups about his proposals, which has involved heavily altering the legally protected rare dunes.

[ashstralia]

excellent dissertation, craig. distinction. it's on at 11p to about 4am here. perfect!!!


here's an awesome site for the proper golf nuts...http://www.golfhelp.com/search/searc...category::125/

[Fairwrning]

Incredible finish going on today..How do these guys play in that weather?

[chefcraig]

From our "WTF Was Tiger Thinking This Time" department, Woods fires longtime caddie Stevie Williams.

Tiger Woods and Steve Williams officially call it quits

By Shane Bacon YAHOO

Team Tiger announced on its website Wednesday that Steve Williams will no longer be working with Woods as a caddie, ending a 12-year relationship that saw the two rack up 13 of Tiger's 14 major championships.

Here is the official statement from Tiger's website:

"I want to express my deepest gratitude to Stevie for all his help, but I think it's time for a change," Woods said. "Stevie is an outstanding caddie and a friend and has been instrumental in many of my accomplishments. I wish him great success in the future."

While it might be a big change, it isn't exactly surprising. Williams has been working with Adam Scott since Tiger has been injured, and the two seem to have a good chemistry together. Along with that, it seems that anything and everything that Woods can change to get him on a different path with his golf game would be a smart move, and although some suggested this back in 2009, it finally came Wednesday.

Williams posted an update on his website, saying, "After 13 years of loyal service needless to say this came as a shock. Given the circumstances of the past 18 months working through Tiger's scandal, a new coach and with it a major swing change and Tiger battling through injuries I am very disappointed to end our very successful partnership at this time. I have had the opportunity to work of late for Australian Adam Scott and will now caddy for him on a permanent basis."

The caddie-player relationship has always been an interesting one. If you think about it, most PGA Tour players spend more time with their caddie than they do with their family, and while there are some relationships like Phil Mickelson and Jim Mackay that look like they'll never end, players change caddies all the time (just ask any LPGA player you know).

No replacement has been announced for Tiger yet, and since there is nothing else to say, we might as well remember two moments that defined the relationship between Williams and Woods.

The first came at the 2006 British Open, Tiger's first major win since the passing of his father, Earl. Woods rolled in the winning putt, and collapsed in Williams' arms on the green, not letting go as he sobbed on the looper's shoulder. The second came at the 2009 Bay Hill Invitational, when Tiger's birdie putt disappeared and his return from injury was complete. They both celebrated like it was their first win, and the competitive nature of both player and athlete shined through.

Most regard Williams as one of the best caddies ever, and while it looks like his relationship with Scott will continue, the waiting game will be just who is the next to carry the bag of Mr. Woods.

[ashstralia]

wow, heard this on the news this morn. steve's probably got enough money to retire twice, maybe the challenge of helping adam win a major or two appeals to his professional ego? tiger might be years of rehab (and a ground up swing rebuild) away from his best golf, and they both know it. if adam can learn to roll the pressure putts, he could win a few big ones. smart move all round imho.

[Diamondjimi]

More dirt....

HERE

[chefcraig]

Jesus. Ya know something? I'd be willing to bet that Tiger is just about shitting himself sideways over the idea that Williams might be entertaining tell-all book offers about now. Unless Steve signed some sort of confidentiality agreement, Woods' reputation could even sink lower.

[Fairwrning]

Mickelson is playing the Greenbriar..I can get passes for $40...may have to go walk the grounds Saturday.