Video: Pre-Memorial Tournament Q&A With Bill Haas

To kick off the Memorial this week I interviewed Bill Haas in the Nationwide Digital House about the course and what he's doing to improve his record here.

Later on we have videos coming from the course, including the 16th hole spot where Tiger chipped-in from in 2012, a talk with Paul Vermuelen of the PGA Tour about a wild-looking green firmness reader and a visit to the incredible Nicklaus Museum.

Live first round Memorial coverage begins on Golf Channel runs from 2:30-6:30 p.m. with a replay from 7-11 p.m.

Jack's Plan To SNAG The Game

Jack Nicklaus launched his team learning leagues "powered by SNAG" at today's Memorial Tournament, with a roll-out planned in parks in Columbus, New York, Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles. 

For Immediate Release:

Jack Nicklaus Learning Leagues, powered by SNAG® Kick-off in Five Major Cities
 
Golf Icon Takes Bold Step to Energize Youth Participation in Golf
 
North Palm Beach, FL (May 29, 2013) —  To coincide with the 2013 Memorial Tournament, the new Jack Nicklaus Learning Leagues, powered by SNAG, will be introduced at select local park and recreation facilities in the Golden Bear’s hometown of Columbus, Ohio, as well as in New York, Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles.  The Jack Nicklaus Learning Leagues (JNLL) marks the first time that golf will be made available to youngsters as a team sport through local parks and recreation facilities.  The innovative concept, combined with SNAG’s well-established, first-touch development program, will provide a golf learning experience for children, ages 5 through 12, in a safe, affordable and accessible environment.
 
Nicklaus has been an important advocate for growing the game and he envisions that with SNAG’s modified equipment and support, and the active participation of local park and recreation agencies through the National Recreation and Park Association, golf can have a competitive footing with such team sports as soccer, basketball and football.  In an effort to supplement other growth-of-the-game initiatives, JNLL has sought the input and support of organizations such as the PGA of America and The First Tee.
 
“There are so many sports—team sports—played in the park system today,” Nicklaus said. “Kids start playing athletics when they are as young as 4 or 5 years old, and by the time they are just 7, 8 or 9 years old, many of them have picked the two or three sports that they might want to play in the different seasons.  If golf is not part of the sports introduced and available to them at their local park and recreation facilities, they will play other sports and not golf.  So we need to get golf in their local parks and have them play our sport, and I think the team concept is the way to do it.”
 
“The idea is to bring kids into the game, keep them in the game, have them learn, let them have fun, have fun with their friends, and then they can advance to the next level where they get on a golf course and develop.  I just hope these leagues create the same enthusiasm for golf that I discovered at their age.”
 
Some 100 Jack Nicklaus Learning Leagues are planned for 2013 and an estimated 300 are projected to launch in 2014.
 
Terry Anton, founder and CEO of SNAG Golf, is enthusiastic about the leadership position of Jack Nicklaus in the establishment of the Jack Nicklaus Learning Leagues.
 
“Jack Nicklaus’ vision to bring golf to the same venues where other organized sports thrive will make it easier to develop our future golfers,” Anton said. “These leagues will introduce millions of new players to the sport and will help nurture children developing their motor skills and do it in a fun way.  SNAG is honored to have been selected to participate with history’s greatest golfer and the NRPA in the Jack Nicklaus Learning Leagues.  Our task is to make his vision a reality by implementing SNAG’s programming in the parks and directing this feeder system into all on-course golf programs.  This is an important stepping stone for the industry to capture interest in golf early so that youngsters will transition with confidence to play with actual golf equipment on a traditional course.  The more fun we make golf for children, the more chance they have to play the game for a lifetime.”
 
The use of parent-coaches and turning soccer and other playing fields into venues for this golf competition will be pivotal to the implementation of the Jack Nicklaus Learning Leagues, through the auspices of the National Recreation and Park Association.
 
“Local parks and recreation are the go-to places where children can learn to play sports and develop a connection to healthy activities,” says Barbara Tulipane, president and CEO of the National Recreation and Park Association.  “We are so proud to be bringing the Jack Nicklaus Learning Leagues and SNAG to park and recreation agencies across the country, because not only is it a great program but it means more children will have the chance to participate in the sport of golf in a fun and unique way and develop a connection to a healthy activity that will last them a lifetime.”
 
The NRPA will administer grants to park and recreation facilities across the U.S. to underwrite the costs associated with providing Jack Nicklaus Learning Leagues equipment, coaching and programming.  A 501©3 entity, G.O.L.F. (the Global Outreach for Learning Foundation), is being established to raise the necessary funds.  G.O.L.F.’s mission is to help people develop golf skills and have fun through developmentally appropriate programs.  The goal is to ensure retention and provide a sustainable model for transition to other programs at golf facilities, in order to increase participation for current and future generations. (For information on G.O.L.F. visit www.thegolffoundation.org.)
 
The Jack Nicklaus Learning Leagues are separated by age groups:  5-6 and 7-8-year-olds with the intention of expanding to 9-10 and 11-12 in the near future.  Each league will have a set number of children per team and incorporate a specialized, age-appropriate format and learning curriculum.

Nicklaus talked about the leagues in his annual state of Jack press conference at Muirfield Village.

Update on 2013-05-29 20:32 by Geoff

**A couple of key comments from Nicklaus today:

From my standpoint, it's 100 percent nonprofit from anything that I do, so everybody knows that.

Secondly, trying to figure out how this thing got started.  We're trying to figure out how do we get the kids?  And the kids today are all going to the parks.  Matter of fact, a lot of the parents are not playing golf anymore, that's part of the issue we talked a lot about earlier.  They're taking their kids to the park to play football, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, whatever the sport might be.  I said guys, we've got to get to the parks in talking with the PGA of America, and they talked to Terry about it, because they're familiar with SNAG, and the success he's had with kids in the approach to starting the game of golf for kids.

And...

So we're trying to get where golf becomes one of those sports, whether it's getting kids started, learning the basics, getting a way they can have fun.  And this is a team sport.  You're going to go out and have ‑‑ coaches will draft the kids like they do with every other park sport.  And it's a very simple thing.  It's basically a plastic club with a tennis type ball and a Velcro‑type hole, which is not a hole, it sticks to the Velcro.  And it's actually kind of fun to play.  If I have fun playing it ‑‑ that's the only thing I can play anymore (laughter).  If I have fun playing it, I know the kids are going to have fun playing it.  We had some kids the other day playing it with Gary and me, and we had a good time.

Jack Supports The Governing Bodies

Ryan Lavner, on Jack Nicklaus' comments from today's Honda Classic telecast appearance.

Not music to Tim Finchem's ears:

“It may be to some of the fellas’ detriment, one way or the other, but what I think the ultimate decision should be is the ruling bodies of golf and not the Tour.”

He also spoke at length about Rory McIlroy, as quoted in this unbylined story at ESPN.com.

WSJ: Jack Nicklaus And SNAG

Back in January at the PGA Show, Jack Nicklaus floated some ideas about golf in parks, youth leagues and some other peculiar sound ideas.

But after reading John Paul Newport's story on the Golden Bear's endorsement of SNAG Golf, the ideas become crystallized and make a lot of sense. Throw in the nagging issue of injuries in football (something not touched on here), and there seems to be a genuine opportunity to start kids in golf at a young age thanks to the concept.

Although SNAG golf can be played in any large open area, like a park or a beach, the Nicklaus Learning Leagues will use municipal soccer fields. A six-hole course takes less than 30 minutes to set up. Each player carries a rubber tee pad, to elevate the ball before hitting, and two clubs. One is the "launcher," which kids can use to knock a ball 40 to 50 yards. The other is the "roller," a putter equivalent, for the delicate shorter shots that finally "snag" the ball to an aboveground cylinder at the base of the flag. This so-called Flagsticky is covered in adhesive material.

The Nicklaus Leagues will build on a two-year pilot program in 15 cities run by the National Recreation and Park Association. For 5- and 6-year-olds in the Nicklaus Leagues, the emphasis will be on whacking the ball around and having fun, with snacks essential. Seven- and 8-year-olds will get more instruction and compete with partners in best-ball format against other teams. Nine- and 10-year-olds will use slightly smaller, Super SNAG clubs and balls and compete as a team with stroke-play scoring. Plans are afoot for leagues involving older kids and even adults.

There is also this supplemental video feature with the story.

Golden Bear Still Not Over Ford-Era Demons

I saw the headline to Robin Abcarian's story and thought, when did Jack Nicklaus ever lose to Doug Ford?

Turns out, it's Gerald Ford he's still upset about and it seems Mr. Nicklaus feels he kind of cost Ford a chance in 1976 by not campaigning for the former president in Ohio, thus explaining his desire to campaign for Mitt Romney this weekend.

 “He asked me to get involved and I didn’t,” Nicklaus said. “I said, ‘Mr. President, I’ve always stayed away from politics. I deal with people on both sides.’ And he respected that and he never had an issue with that, and we played a lot of golf after that. But I didn’t help him and he lost Ohio by several thousand votes. Had he won Ohio, he would have won the election. I’ve always had big regrets about that.

 “In spite of me not doing that, he paid me a great honor: I was a pallbearer at his funeral. He was such a good friend, such a nice man. That’s why I’ve gotten involved.”

Update on 2012-11-06 01:28 by Geoff

**golf.com crunched the numbers and concludes that even if Nicklaus had campaigned for Gerald Ford and made Ohioans swoon, the election still would have been lost to Jimmy Carter.

Update on 2012-11-06 03:24 by Geoff

**David Berman/Gazette image of Jack Nicklaus on the trail with Scott Hamilton.

Nicklaus said his company, golf course design firm Nicklaus Design, has lost more than 50 percent of its employees during the past four years — a clear condemnation of the economy under President Barack Obama.

“It’s why we got involved. It’s why we want to help get Mitt elected. ... Let’s get this thing on the road and in a few days, let’s get ourselves a new president,” he said to cheers.

Jack: Presidential Election Will Determine Recovery Of Stalled Golf Course Construction Industry

Art Stricklin reports that Jack and Barbara Nicklaus will make more appearances in Ohio for Mitt Romney leading up to the November 6, 2012 election. 

Nicklaus told those gathered at the opening of his new Summit Rock course in Horseshoe Bay, Texas that the future of the golf course construction industry is dependent on the presidential election results.

"It all depends on who is elected next Tuesday," Nicklaus said Tuesday during the opening of Summit Rock, his new course in Horseshoe Bay, Texas, just west of Austin. "It will take longer if the wrong guy is elected."

NY's Ferry Point Is Millions Over Budget

The New York Daily News's Greg Smith reports that Ferry Point, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course to be managed by Donald Trump, has been put on notice by New York city controller John Liu due to staggering cost overruns.

On Thursday, Liu informed Parks that the audit “will determine whether the Parks Department carried out or implemented recommendations” from that prior audit.

The recommendations included tracking progress of the project against its start and completion dates, preparing an “itemized breakdown of all required activities” at the project and carefully monitoring all “invoices, canceled checks and other related documentation.”

Parks spokeswoman Vickie Carr did not respond to requests for comment about whether the agency had implemented the 2007 recommendations.

The Parks Department says the project is expected to cost the taxpayers $97 million, although The News found contracts assigned to the Ferry Point golf course totaling $120 million.

As a result, commentaries (here and here) are questioning the wisdom of spending so much while other city services are falling apart.

In a speech last week endorsing Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, Nicklaus bemoaned the number of Americans on government funded food stamps and lamented excessive government spending.

Video: Jack's Speech For Mitt

Regardless of your political views, isn't it just bizarre to hear Jack Nicklaus talk at a political rally with such an edge?

Jack Thinks The USGA Will Be Rolling Back The Golf Ball "In the not-too-distant future."

From his ESPN 980 radio interview transcript when asked about the ball and the size of the driver head.

“I think both. I think it all starts with the golf ball. I think the USGA will probably end up doing that in the not-too-distant future. (Host: How about a tour ball?) More for the game of golf. The game of golf has three problems. It’s too hard, it’s too expensive and it takes too long. If they dialed the golf ball back it would reduce all those costs. The costs of maintaining the golf course, the cost of land and all those things would be dialed back and as an added benefit there’s only one golf course in this country that is not obsolete to the pros and that’s Augusta National, they’re the only people that have enough money to build the golf course and do the things they needed to do. Every time they have an event what do they do? Build new tees, new bunkers and do everything. It doesn’t make any sense. The simplest thing to do is fix the golf ball.”

Jack To Shark: “Quiet Greg, quiet. Down boy."

Thanks to reader Lloyd who saw GolfChannel.com's post on Jack Nicklaus' radio interview with Washington D.C.'s ESPN 980 that covered a variety of topics, including Greg Norman's assertion that Tiger Woods is intimidated by Rory McIlroy.

The full transcript is here:

“Quiet Greg, quiet. Down boy. I think Tiger had a pretty darn good year this year. It’s the first time he has gotten himself back into contention in the majors, he didn’t finish them and I think by his own admission he said he had a hard time finishing them. That’s like anything else. He had a pretty big event in his life that changed a lot of things and he has to learn how to go back and play again. I think he’s learned how to play again, now he has to learn how to finish again. I think Tiger has a lot of wins left in him. He does have a lot more competition. During the couple of years when Tiger wasn’t really there all of the sudden you have Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley and I could probably name a half dozen other guys that have all won and learned how to win in Tiger’s absence. They’re not scared of him anymore. Before Tiger just showed up coming down the stretch and everybody said ‘oh there’s Tiger and I wilt.’ They don’t do that anymore. Tiger’s got his work cut out for him but I don’t think Tiger is by any means finished. I just think Tiger is too good of an athlete and too good of a player.”

John Strege reminds us that Norman's jab may be a result of an ego clash dating back to the early years of Bill Clinton's second term.

Whatever Norman's reasons for his latest analysis of Woods, it is an extension of a clash of egos that dates to 1996 and effectively ended a relationship that had begun five years earlier, when Woods was 15. Tiger was in Florida for a junior tournament, when an arrangement was made for the two to play golf together at Bay Hill Club in Orlando.