The Modest Beginnings Of Golf's 2020 Major Champions

NEVER give up on your dreams. From Carolinas Junior Boys' Champion to @TheMasters record-setter. The Carolinas couldn't be prouder of @DJohnsonPGA's accomplishments in this great game. #MondayMotivation at #TheMasters pic.twitter.com/xZ8mz49SmK

— Carolinas Golf Assoc (@CGAgolf1909) November 16, 2020

Nothing against elite country clubs or clubby junior golf circuits, but 2020’s three major championships were each won by sons of less conventional

Collin Morikawa, the PGA Championship winner at Harding Park, got his start at southern California’s Chevy Chase Country Club, which is not to be confused with Riviera.

Bryson DeChambeau, the U.S. Open champion at Winged Foot, refined his game at Madera’s Dragonfly.

And the 2020 Masters winner got his start at Weed Hill driving range, the family operation of golf architect Bobby Weed.

From Adam Schupak’s Golfweek story:

Johnson cut his teeth digging up the sod at the driving range that gave Weed his start in the golf business, Weed Hill. Johnson’s father, the head professional at Mid Carolina Club, would take him there as a young boy. Growing up in Colombia, just over an hour from Augusta National, the Masters was the biggest week of the year and Johnson recalled how every putting contest with brother A.J. was to win the Green Jacket. Here is a where a dream that would one day become fulfilled was born.

“They had lights on the range, and most nights I would shut the lights off when I was leaving,” Johnson said.

And there is this nice recognition of the Weed family:

Weed has built courses around the world, but none is as near and dear to his heart as the driving range he built in his hometown of Irmo, South Carolina.

It was 40 years ago and Weed, a high-school junior, talked his father into letting him convert some bean fields the family owned into Weed Hill Driving Range, where a bucket of balls cost 75 cents and Grandma called the shots until he got home from school.

“I remember getting off the bus and running up the hill and I’d go in there and ask, ‘Grandma, how’s everything going?’ ‘Oh, Bobby,’ she’d say, ‘these people have been out there tearing up your grass,’ ” Weed recalled.

“She would hand wash every ball,” he added. “She’d treat them like they were eggs in a basket.”

Check out the full story here.

State Of The Game 108: The Masters With Lukas Michel

Lukas Michel played the 2020 Masters and joined Rod Morri, Mike Clayton and yours truly to talk about the experience. Naturally we got sidetracked on distance talk because that’s what we do. But we also managed to cover a lot about Michel’s special week in Augusta include his practice rounds, favorite holes and the amateur dinner.

As always, your State of the Game options apply to about all podcast outlets you can find at the show page. Or you can subscribe via Apple and iTunes, or listen below:

Masters: "Yardage Books Carry Caddies' Good Word"

Without those sulfourous green reading books sidelined this week and with a tightly bunched leaderboard where the slightest mistake could lose a green jacket, caddies take on extra meaning at The Masters.

Ward Clayton filed a definitive piece for Masters.com this week on the art of charting Augusta National compared to normal weeks where more of the charting is already done for players and caddies. How we got here is pretty incredible and there remains so much local knowledge to Augusta National.

Just a sampling from the piece related to the shining star that is 2020:

Yardages are important, especially this week when a landmark such as grandstands are absent and another marker must be documented. But at Augusta National, it’s the greens that are the final exam. Putts that look to break one way do the exact opposite or roll out much more than expected, resulting in head scratching and insecurity.

Willie Lee “Pappy” Stokes, the godfather of Augusta National caddies and a five-time winner as a caddie, quickly figured out a secret that Augusta National caddies carried for decades. In the caddie facilities adjacent to the Tournament Practice Facility, simple framed maps of green complexes hang on the walls. On every drawing, there is a distinct red dot, showing the direction of Rae’s Creek from that green – and the tendency for putts to break to the lowest point on the property when it’s not evident to the naked eye. Many caddies over the years have denoted that red dot in their personal Augusta National yardage books.

“Most people think 12 green is the lowest point,” two-time champion Ben Crenshaw said in 2019. “That’s not quite right. It goes to the left of 11 green. That’s the place that’s called ‘The Pull.’ On every green, Carl would point through the trees to that point. Many of the young golfers don’t really understand that. It’s just fascinating.”

Ridley On Distance "Crossroads": Everybody Has "To get their head together and figure it out"

Bill Fields wraps up the annual State of the Masters press conference featuring Chairman Fred Ridley, including details on some nice community outreach efforts prompted by this summer’s civil unrest.

Of course, there was the annual distance talk and Adam Schupak thankfully asked.

From Schupak’s look at Ridley’s comments on distance in response to Schupak’s question.

“I’ve been reluctant thus far to make any major changes regarding adding distance to the golf course,” Ridley said, forgetting, of course, that the club stretched the par-4 fifth hole, Magnolia, under his watch, to 495 yards in 2019. “I think sometimes when you do that, I mean, I think there are unintended consequences that come out of that. The scale and the scope of the hole, it changes when you add distance. It changes more than just adding distance. The look of the hole changes. And the design philosophy of the hole changes. And that’s something that we have always and I have always been very focused on is maintaining the design philosophy of MacKenzie and Jones.”

It’s a tad late on that front due to changes by previous administrations, but nice to see the Chairman gets that no walking back to tees to help tip toe around manufacturer bottom lines is, well, unbecoming.

“Having said that, I think we are at a crossroads as it relates to this issue. We have always been very supportive of the governing bodies; we will continue to be supportive. We think that it’s good that the game of golf is governed by the USGA and the R&A. We think they are great stewards of the game.

ish.

But I’m hopeful that with the work and the studies that have been ongoing for some time, and I understand that in April there’s to be some sort of publication of their conclusions, I do think that we’re coming closer to a call to action. And all I can say is that, as it relates to our golf course, we have options, and we will take the necessary action to make sure we stay relevant.”

Eh, why do I feel like that’s something on top of growing the fairways toward the tees, a practice unbecoming of the best major?

This was a nice acknowledgement of the issue for everyday courses. If on the governing bodies could say something like this AND act on it:

“We have options, as I said, we can make changes, but not every golf course can. Having said that, it’s a balance because the next question is, obviously, or should be, well, you don’t want to make the game harder,” Ridley said. “On one hand, we want to say we want to grow the game, and on the other hand, we’re saying we’re worried about distance. 

Eh em…good time to mention the game has seen a huge uptick in play for reasons having nothing to do with longer, shorter, easier or harder? Anyway, sorry to interrupt Mr. Chairman.

“I think everybody just has got to get their head together and figure it out.”

Now there’s an idea! Don’t you all do that four times a year, asking for a friend?

Sadly, Ridley said the next update from the governing bodies is not expected until next April.

48 Inches: Woohoo, That's The Big Masters Storyline!

Phil Mickelson practices off the 10th tee with his personal launch monitor

And that’s not the predicted rainfall total by week’s end. Though you never know.

I can’t imagine a more nightmarish Tradition-Unlike-Any-Other storyline than talk of golfers and their driver shafts. And because, well you know why, we arrive at the 2020 rescheduled Masters without fans, without a Par 3 contest and without the usual spring delights, 48 inches is the talk of the town.

It didn’t have to be this way. Of course, Fred Ridley is the Masters chairman and he had his shot to ensure a focus on skill during his USGA Presidency, as have many other leaders.

Without further ado, I give you the 48-inch roundup.

Doug Ferguson’s AP story focuses on Bryson DeChambeau still pondering a move to a 48-inch driver shaft to get his swing speed up and ensure that he can hit the shortest club possible into Augusta National’s greens.

“I got my swing speed up to 143, 144 (mph),” he said.

The average swing speed for a power player on the PGA Tour is around 120 mph.

Numbers define DeChambeau these days, starting with the more than 40 pounds of muscle and mass he has added in the last year, remarkable gains from an estimated 5,000 calories a day in his diet and relentless work in the gym. More recently, it was the excitement at home in Dallas when one of his drives carried just over 400 yards.

Phil Mickelson is using a 47.5-incher this week—goose bumps!—and predicts that the 48-inch max will be standard Tour issue in our future pervaded by launch angle golf, In Proud Partnership With The Regulatory Recluses.

Mickelson, courtesy of Ryan Lavner at GolfChannel.com:

The first: “Ultimately, it might be five years, 10 years, 15 years, but every driver will be standard at 48 inches, and then you’ll have a weak driver – kind of a 2-wood, which is what I’ve gone to now. For me, it’s actually really good in that I’ve always used length of swing and leverage to create speed, rather than a violent, physical, rotational force. I’ve actually quieted my body down a little bit as I try to create more speed with a bigger, longer arc. So transitioning to a longer driver is not that much more difficult because it’s just a timing issue.”

And transitioning appears necessary this week with the course already soft and not likely to dry out.

The second part of the equation is that Mickelson believes distance and an aggressive style of play will pay off this week at Augusta National. Already softened by agronomic conditions in the fall, the course should play even softer with rain (occasionally heavy) expected each of the next five days. Without patrons, there’ll be more space for Mickelson to explore if he hits it off-line. Slower, softer fairways and a thicker second cut should also keep some balls from trundling into the trees and pine straw.

Huh, go figure, rough keeps balls in play and does not deter players. The things we learn. Over and over again.

Meanwhile, off the Augusta National grounds, Jonathan Wall and Andrew Tursky of Golf.com tested the new max length drivers as average dudes and shared their insights.

On a lighter note, GolfWRX filed this for PGATour.com on players testing longer drivers and their shaft selections. The end of the list:

Vijay Singh: Testing (no further details)

Dustin Johnson: Testing (no further details)

"Rein in the ball or prepare for bludgeon"

One key to pro golf’s athleticism canard: this marketing narrative serves as a distraction from the real reasons the distance discussion never goes away. With more and more golfers hurt when their masculinity is damaged when it’s revealed their “athleticism” is only as good as the driver they are fitted with, the debate gets sidetracked. Then we easily forget that it’s the lost strategy of this great game fueling the the rollback question.

As Mike Clayton lays out for all schools of thought, strategy should still be the soul of the game and enough people miss it.

A key question for professional golf (a version of the game increasingly separated from the version played by the masses) is, “is brilliant, interesting design and the age-old concept of what constitutes strategy compatible with, and capable of, testing the best players in the game?”

“Increasingly not” is my not unreasonable conclusion.

I also enjoyed this as Clayton and friends do not downplay Bryson DeChambeau’s accomplishment at Winged Foot, but instead use it as fuel for the discussion.

Gil Hanse, Winged Foot’s consulting architect, charged with restoring AW Tillinghast’s famed and treacherous greens, might agree. Hanse watched DeChambeau’s opening 36 holes to witness whether he could pull off his unique strategy. It’s fair to say that he came away surprised, somewhat dismayed and impressed.

“It’s not a beautiful way to play golf. It’s not even shot making. It’s just kind of bludgeoning. I feel sad about the way golf is going. There are some arrows in the quiver if this style of golf renders architecture and strategy obsolete. But”, said Hanse, “it was impressive”.

Bryson Adds Draftkings To His Logo Collection

I’m not sure there is much news here beyond the obvious: top players endorsing sports better. Even then, not exactly groundbreaking at this point. More intriguing will be what happens if any of these players grows uncomfortable with bettors feasting on a negative portrayal of their game by an official, PGA Tour-sanctioned site.

For Immediate Release:

DraftKings to Make Debut at 2020 Masters with Bryson DeChambeau in Exclusive Multi-Year Deal

Collaboration with the World’s Sixth-Ranked Golfer Underscores Significance of Golf Within the Gaming Industry

BOSTON—November 2, 2020—Today, DraftKings announced an exclusive, multi-year relationship with Bryson DeChambeau, who will become the first active professional golfer to represent the digital sports entertainment and gaming company via an integrated brand, content, marketing, and VIP centric collaboration that will feature Bryson DeChambeau as the face of DraftKings golf.

Whew, that was a mouthful. Pausing here to regroup. Ok, continue.

Bryson is currently ranked No. 6 in the Official World Golf Ranking and is coming off his first major championship at the U.S. Open in September, 2020. Starting with the 2020 Masters, the DraftKings logo will be featured on DeChambeau’s signature golf cap.

“Professional golf has been a key growth sport in both daily fantasy and sports betting, and our collaboration with Bryson DeChambeau is a notable new layer of mainstream brand exposure and fan experience,” said Jason Robins, co-founder and CEO, DraftKings. “As one of golf’s most promising athletes and the current U.S. Open champion, DraftKings is strategically aligning with winning athletes like Bryson who embody and embolden the competitive fire of our customers.”

Competitive fire! Come on 22!

So he’s wearing a logo on the cap. Oh, wait, he may speak.

At DraftKings, golf remains the fourth-most-popular sport for daily fantasy while golf sportsbook handle has grown over ten times year over year. Excluding NFL games, the 2019 Masters ranked among the top five highest-bet sporting events on DraftKings while 2020 has featured many of the company’s most popularly bet golf tournaments of all time. Amidst this surge in golf betting, the athlete sponsorship also entails unique experiential elements to engage fans such as playing a round of golf with or receiving golf lessons from Mr. DeChambeau.

Yeah, bettors really love swing instruction over, say, what he thinks his chances are of a top-10 at +200.

“DraftKings has been at the forefront of innovation for how people experience golf, and the company continues to modernize the game through technology built by and for sports fans,” said Bryson DeChambeau.

Or, someone writing that for him.

“The gaming industry has already helped golf reach broader audiences, and I am proud to work with DraftKings on boosting fan excitement and engagement in the game.”

With the 2020 Masters taking place in November for the first time in history and overlapping with the NFL during the final round on Sunday, DraftKings is offering a $100,000 free-to-play pool that captures the action of both sports.

Oh, do tell.

Bryson Speed Pursuit Update: "Electricity in the air, a lot of music" When 403-Yard Carry Happened

I’m feeling a distinct Studio 54 vibe to Bryson DeChambeau’s pre-Masters speed build-up teased not long ago on Instagram. Maybe some strobe lights and a disco mirror ball?

From Steve DiMeglio after he caught up with the U.S. Open champion preparing for next week’s Masters.

As was the day he crashed the 400-yard barrier for the first time. DeChambeau, 27, who topped the PGA Tour in driving distance with an average of 322.1 yards last season, posted on Instagram a picture of his FlightScope X3 launch monitor screen that revealed eye-popping numbers – a ball carry of 403.1 yards and a ball speed of 211 mph. And he did so with a 45-½ inch shaft in his driver, not the 48-inch shaft he’s experimenting with.

“I was speed training, there was a lot of electricity in the air, a lot of music going on. I’m up there for 45 minutes swinging my butt off and the numbers go up and they go down and they go up and they go down,” he said. “And all of a sudden, I swung as hard as I could and caught one really good in the middle of the face.

“I turned around and saw 211 and I just went, ‘Oh, my god.’ I was jumping up and down and then I saw the carry distance over 400 and I went, ‘Oh, my god.’ I was going crazy. That was moving it. It was a bit of a draw but it was really good.”

DeChambeau also shared details of a recent Augusta National scouting trip. After rehashing a few yardages and contrasts in how the course played over the two days, DeChambeau said…

“I don’t want to alarm anybody. I don’t want to come off as bragging, but the golf course does play shorter now for me.”

Hit the link if you want to know how the 48-inch driver effort is going.

Guardian: Golf May Get Reprieve In England's COVID-19 Fall Lockdown

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announced lockdown measures were announced last week and include golf getting a not-so-special shout-out for England.

Outdoor exercise and recreation encouraged and is unlimited - only with your household/bubble, on your own or with one other person from a different household (golf is not allowed)

Sean Ingle and Ewan Murray report that a reprieve may be coming for golf, tennis and swimming.

The possible compromise could come after Johnson has been pressured by England Golf and its chief, Jeremy Tomlinson, to reconsider. A petition has garnered over 250,000 signatures.

In an open letter to “fellow golfers”, Tomlinson took issue with protocols revealed by the prime minister on Saturday. “I would like to make clear England Golf’s intention to respectfully challenge the government’s rationale for closing golf courses. We will do so utilising all in our network – MPs, colleagues, media and friends – to make sure we are heard by government,” he said.

“Listening to the prime minister, the news that he is actively encouraging safe and responsible outdoor exercise for households or two individuals pointed to our great game of golf being at the heart of this policy. The guidance which followed stating that golf courses were on a list of venues which should close, therefore, appeared contradictory and came out of the blue.”

A petition has garnered over 250,000 signatures.

Courses in Ireland have already been closed over a week and were caught off guard by the lockdown measure, reports the Irish Times’ Ruaidhrí Croke.

State Of The Game 107: The Claytonites And Guest Daniel Wexler

On State of the Game 107 we welcome author Daniel Wexler to discuss his new book A Timeless Game but quickly run off topic into the future of golf in urban centers, technology and the distance debate along with a brief addressing of Brandel Chamblee's uncomfortably dishonest attacks on co-host Mike Clayton and pro-regulation types.

I highly recommend Wexler’s latest, available here on Amazon. The paperback features ten essays. Topics include the life of Willie Anderson, to heavyweight boxing champ Joe Louis’s life in golf, to the dominance of Korean women golfers. And of course, the modern equipment issue. It’s a steal at $14.95!

TaylorMade CEO Suggests Rollback Would Prompt Introduction Of Non-Conforming Equipment To Market

The Guardian’s Ewan Murray talks to TaylorMade CEO David Abeles about the possibility of equipment regulation. Abeles’ “what if” scenarios floated fall a tad flat given recreational golf’s recent resurgence that have not a thing to do with distance gains via club purchases or golfers running out to buy what the pros are playing. They’re spending on soft goods, balls, bags and other essentials because they have time and golf is safe.

Most interesting is Abeles’ suggestion that should some sort of rollback occur, he would consider bringing non-conforming equipment “to market”. This is something the company could do today since there is no law requiring manufacturers comply with USGA and R&A rules.

“As a governing body you can choose to modify your rules in any way you feel acceptable,” Abeles says. “That’s ultimately their decision. The question is who is going to follow it? Right now, we can design and develop whatever we want as an authentic company. We play by the construct of the rules that have been created around the sport as relates to equipment and ball development. We believe that’s the right space to be in, in the spirit of the traditions of the game.

“But there is nobody prohibiting us from going and building a ball that goes further or a driver that does the same. We are working on advanced technologies all the time to do that. We have chosen not to do that [bring such products for sale] because we want to unify the sport and apply the same rules. If there was a rollback, we would have to draw real consideration as it relates to what we choose to bring to market.”

So if game improvement is sacred, and they have developed things that would make the sport easier, why not sell those clubs?

“I believe if there was to be a rollback considered, at any level, we run the risk of alienating millions. If we do that, we want to provide golfers who might look at things in a different way if it gets more difficult with products that will suit their game. That could lead us down the road of a couple of different equipment lines. We hope that is not the case because it gets very complicated.”

It’s only complicated because companies who have defied the USGA/R&A equipment rules suffered with golfers. The only documented cases of alienation suggest golfers value the rules over purchasing freedom. That the governing bodies have not had the courage to enact rule changes targeting the upper 1%, even after these past episodes of manufacturer hostility toward the rules, remains so strange.

Abeles at least is using the right tone and respect for the rules, unlike the often outlandish anti-governing body stances (here and here) and greed-driven decisions of former Taylor Made CEO Mark King.

+25.5%: September 2020 Shows Biggest Year Over Year Increase In Rounds Played

Another strong month for rounds played, this time up 25.5% according to Golf Datatech.

From their summary:

Entering October, play was up 8.7% nationally versus the same period a year ago. That reflects a year-to-date increase of about 29 million more rounds, even with the loss of about 20 million rounds during the spring due to Covid-related shutdowns.

Every state in the continental U.S. has seen increases in play of at least 2% for each of the past three months. A major drop in precipitation helped fuel a 46% September rounds-increase in Minnesota, while other Midwest states also saw notable increases: Illinois (+35%), Wisconsin (+29%), Michigan (+27%), Indiana (+27%) and Ohio (+26%).

MorningRead.com: "Changes at Golf Channel could get a fuzzy reception"

Thanks to all who sent in John Hawkins’s Morning Read look at the pending downscaling of Golf Channel and demise of GolfChannel.com. I held off on posting the story while awaiting comment on the recent building closure and ensuing disappearance of all studio shows. While a network spokesman has not been able to give an answer about what was happening, channel listings do show Morning Drive and Golf Central returning next week. At least, for the time being. (Before a scaling back when the network moves to Stamford, Connecticut for “geographic consolidation” and tax breaks with one studio show covering pre and post games.)

Multiple sources say the headquarters, closed to ensure safe working conditions after a class action suit was filed against the neighboring Lockheed Martin facility, will reopen next week, while GolfChannel.com has received a very slight reprieve from the expected year-end shuttering first reported on by The Athletic.

Hawkins writes:

The layoffs were made public in June, to be conducted in a two-stage process, and that process is still shaking itself out. The coronavirus hasn’t made things any easier. Nor has a class-action lawsuit involving 11 Golf Channel employees and defense company Lockheed Martin, which owns a plant near the GC complex and is accused in a class-action lawsuit of instigating an “environmental nightmare” with its alleged mismanagement of hazardous toxins.

A source with close knowledge of the case confirmed today that the Golf Channel employee portion of the case has swelled to “about 100” plaintiffs from the 11 originally reported by the Orlando Sentinel.

I repeat: about 100 from 11 just since the Sentinel revealed the suit less than a month ago.

Thoughts and prayers.

Anyway, on a lighter note…

At least one industry insider will tell you that the company began reaching beyond its core audience at a time when its TV rights would come at a substantially higher price, which apparently was the case when the PGA Tour completed negotiations with all of its suitors this spring. ESPN was awarded the digital/streaming rights through 2030, a coveted property, given that so many viewers have taken to watching pro golf on something other than a television.

One correction here and it is a mistake commonly made: ESPN+ will have the rights to what is now PGA Tour Live coverage and miscellaneous featured hole and group feeds. GOLFTV, for those who insist it is a real thing, handles international streaming rights.

However, when Golf Channel’s opening round coverage is on cable Thursdays and Fridays, they retain those digital rights through 2031.

When CBS and NBC are televising, their digital platforms own those rights exclusively as well, not ESPN+.

From a fan and business perspective, NBC’s interest currently lies in its Peacock streaming service—home apparently to 30 Rock reruns in case you had not heard 400 times—as it winds down cable channels. Nothing suggests a large part of golf’s core audience is even remotely prepared for such a move.

Golf Channel ended up paying more for something it already had – something that could be worth less in nine years than it is now. Without live golf as the nucleus of its programming, however, the network’s value would be greatly diminished. It had little choice but to meet the Tour’s financial demands.

True. The real question is how the PGA Tour, the R&A, PGA of America, LPGA, European Tour and now the USGA, feel about handing over coverage hours to a channel where they’re barely turning on the lights and have had late-blooming digital strategy?

Then again, the PGA Tour world has shown a belief in their “product” strength that far exceeds common sense wisdom which says viewers invest in players, courses and weeks in part because of the storytelling around those events.

Golf Datatech: Highest Third Quarter U.S. Retail Golf Equipment Sales Ever

Golf Datatech reports over $1 billion of golf equipment sales in 2020’s third quarter, making it the highest Q3 on record and the best quarter since 2008. The sales are up 42% over the same period in 2019.

From their release: 

“The story keeps getting better as golf continues to surge coming out of the shutdown, and Q3 equipment sales suggests that 2020 will likely end up positive for the entire year,” said John Krzynowek, Partner, Golf Datatech, LLC. “Year-to-date sales for total equipment are now up 0.2% compared to 2019, and considering the size of the hole created by the shutdown in April and May this recovery has been nothing short of remarkable. While the US economy will not enjoy a ‘V Shaped Recovery’ in 2020, if golf continues on this trajectory we will be there soon.”

The category leaders in sales for September were golf bags at +19% and wedges at +18%, while golf shoes were +2%. Overall, the golf club category was +0.9% for the month, with balls and gloves trending slightly lower, -2.7%.

 Wait, they left out the part about the huge spike in $600 driver sales! Because that’s what grows the game! Or, more time for safe outdoor recreation.

Krzynowek adds, “These month-over-month sales records are unlike anything we’ve ever seen since Golf Datatech started tracking performance data in 1997. Our Rounds Played data also shows similar record-breaking growth over the past several months, which is a strong indication that avid golfers and newcomers alike are driving the sport to new levels right now." 

ZOZO: Tiger Woods On Bryson's Speed Chase, State Of The Distance Debate

Returning to Sherwood Country Club for the ZOZO Championship, Tiger Woods was asked about the speed chase by players.

TIGER WOODS: Well, distance has always been an advantage. Now that we have the tools, that being the launch monitor, the fitting of the golf clubs, the adjustability. I think all that plays into the fact that you're able to maximize the capabilities of a driver. There's no reason why you can't pick up more yardage and guys have done that. They've changed shafts, they've changed lofts, they've changed weights on their heads and length of clubs. Driving is such a huge part of the game and it's so advantageous if you're able to get the ball out there. It just makes the game so much easier.

And this on distance was nice. Someone else has lost patience.

Q. Just one last question, and on the back of an earlier question about driving distance of the ball. As you know, the administrators are a little worried about where the game's going. Should they be worried?

TIGER WOODS: They should have been worried a long time ago, but the genie's out of the bag now. It's about what do we do going forward and how soon can they do it. I don't know if they're going--you're not going to stop the guys who are there right now. You can carry--guys are figuring out how to carry the ball 320-plus yards, and it's not just a few of them. There's a lot of guys can do it. That's where the game's going. There's only going to be a small amount of property that we can do, we can alter golf courses. I just don't see how they can roll everything back. I would like to have--like to be able to see that, as far as our game, but then we go back down the road of what do you bifurcate, at what level? So that's a long discussion we've had for a number of years, for 20-plus years now, and I think it's only going to continue.

Tiger is correct, well, about everything here.

A) It’s about what we do and how soon. Since the genie’s out of the bag/bottle, this means that bifurcation is the only real solution.

B) At what level. Yep, a complicated, annoying discussion to have. But since equipment companies shower amateur golfers now with free stuff and college golfers are on the freebie circuit too, that line should not be tough to draw if we are talking balls, or more tightly regulated drivers. But all of this would require an actual discussion, one governing bodies have tabled for (another) year. At least.