War On Joggers! LPGA Updates Dress Policy Mid-Season

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With the U.S. Women's Open set to conclude Sunday at Trump Bedminster--Shanshan Feng has a two stroke lead, reports Golfweek's Beth Ann Baldry--a new or updated LPGA dress code takes effect tomorrow, reports Ashley Mayo at GolfDigest.com and discussed on Morning Drive. She is reporting off of a July 2 memo to players that seems oddly timed, with the inspiration and rationale not entirely clear. And as Stephanie Wei notes, this sound like it rules out much of Michelle Wie's current Nike wardrobe.

But why and why now when the LPGA is in the spotlight?

A few of the restrictions suggest the schlub alarms went off at a pro-am party, but most seem concerned about the edge-pushing by Symetra Tour and other young players of late. Still, as Mayo writes, the memo and it's all-caps "NOT" references looks like a pre-emptive shot at Instagram "golf babes" aesthetics coupled with some oddball inclusions.

In an era when Instagram "golf babes" are dressing more provocative than ever and consequently attracting more attention and sponsorships than many professional golfers do, perhaps the LPGA Tour is trying to set an entirely different tone in an effort to command respect and separate itself as a highly different, more professional product. Even so, why take away a golfer's freedom to feel like an athlete in joggers? Or leggings? Or racerback tops? These pieces of clothing can look highly polished when worn correctly, so why not encourage a more professional look instead of banning such pieces altogether?

Getting In The Mood For Birkdale: Johnny & Seve In '76 Video

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The 1976 Open Championship was won by Johnny Miller, and as he recounted for Golfweek, it was a memorable weekend battle with Seve Ballesteros.

This short piece on the '76 Open is mostly about Seve but includes some great footage of Johnny and Seve's epic recovery on 18. Their battle is at the heart of next week's "Summer of '76" documentary airing on Golf Channel.

This longer piece by Scott Murray just appeared at The Guardian's site and reminds us what a wild week this was:

 

Where Are They Now Files, Birkdale '08 Edition: Padraig Harrington vs. Greg Norman (Viewer Discretion Advised)

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The Shark tired to a final round 77 but gave us a thrill when contending for the 2008 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

As the championship prepares to return there nine years after that exciting week, this seems like a nice opportunity to catch up with winner Padraig Harrington and T3 finisher Greg Norman.

Padraig Harrington is tied for the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open lead. Yes, he's got an interesting swing and finish these days, but he's as lovable, driven and zany as ever. But he's found a place of contentment, something he addressed after the round (Nick Rodger's report for the Herald.)


Greg Norman vacations regularly, injures himself constantly and likes to keep his clothes off on Instagram.

Sky Sports And The Masters: Are Golf's Governing Bodies About To Cut The Cable Cord?

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In the week Sky Sports has introduced a dedicated golf channel here in the UK for its extensive golf offerings, we learned they have lost the PGA Championship rights held since 1992.

Now Ben Rumsby reports exclusively for The Telegraph that Sky did not get is Masters contract renewed, while weekend and highlight rightsholder BBC did following the Masters.

This latest news, while not immediately affecting American viewers, suggest we are on the verge of seeing a major shake up in how golf tournaments are seen.

It's hard to see where The Masters goes except either to BBC for four days or to a streaming/app only version. Or, dare I say, testing out a pay-per-view model.

Could this also be the case for the PGA of America in the long term? Perhaps, though it's still a head-scratcher to not have their UK broadcast rights settled a month out from their championship.

We've seen signs in recent years that golf's leaders believe they will have to create very different ways to reach audiences going forward, but given that golf fans tend to be five years behind on most trends, might some of their sponsors think they're getting ahead? Or is this the perfect time to test out new models on a relatively small but sophisticated market? Is that enough rhetorical questions for a Friday?

Gilbert Rules Out Trump Aberdeen For Scottish Open, Kicks Open The Door To Cruden Bay For 2019!

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Though it was looking likely that Trump International Aberdeen would land the 2019 Scottish Open due to its proximity to sponsor Aberdeen Asset Management headquarters, CEO Martin Gilbert has all but ruled it out due to

From Martin Dempster's Scotsman report:

“Politics aside, Trump would be an ideal venue, but you can’t put politics aside. That is the issue so we will wait and see.”

Turnberry, which Trump also owns, is currently waiting to find out when it will stage a future Open Championship, with the R&A likely to wait until his term as US President comes to an end before making that decision.

Trump has made no secret of the fact that he’d like to see an event like the Scottish Open staged at his highly-acclaimed Menie Estate course. “The Scottish Open is coming,” he declared during a visit two years ago. “The Scottish Open wants to be here forever, they think this is the best course they’ve ever seen.”

Even more exciting was Gilbert's revelation that European Tour officials have scouted out Cruden Bay and, with a few alterations, believe it can be made to work. Gilbert said the the course would not sport the 14th and 15th holes and their blind shots, and might be replaced by by Old Tom Morris designed holes on the club's St Olaf course.

While former host Royal Aberdeen is a candidate, Gilbert made clear that an all-men's club course would not happen. The Scottish Open venue now annually hosts both the men's and women's editions of the event. In hearing him speak to a small group of press today, I can attest to his enthusiasm for Cruden Bay as an acceptable solution.

Given that it's one my favorite courses on the planet, I concur, as long as modifications for the tournament do not change the course's character. (Recent changes to the 9th by Tom Mackenzie improved one of the weakest holes there.)

“Politics aside, Trump would be an ideal venue, but you can’t put politics aside. That is the issue so we will wait and see.” Turnberry, which Trump also owns, is currently waiting to find out when it will stage a future Open Championship, with the R&A likely to wait until his term as US President comes to an end before making that decision. Trump has made no secret of the fact that he’d like to see an event like the Scottish Open staged at his highly-acclaimed Menie Estate course. “The Scottish Open is coming,” he declared during a visit two years ago. “The Scottish Open wants to be here forever, they think this is the best course they’ve ever seen.”

Read more at: http://www.scotsman.com/sport/golf/donald-trump-s-aberdeen-course-ruled-out-for-2019-scottish-open-1-4503898
“Politics aside, Trump would be an ideal venue, but you can’t put politics aside. That is the issue so we will wait and see.” Turnberry, which Trump also owns, is currently waiting to find out when it will stage a future Open Championship, with the R&A likely to wait until his term as US President comes to an end before making that decision. Trump has made no secret of the fact that he’d like to see an event like the Scottish Open staged at his highly-acclaimed Menie Estate course. “The Scottish Open is coming,” he declared during a visit two years ago. “The Scottish Open wants to be here forever, they think this is the best course they’ve ever seen.”

Read more at: http://www.scotsman.com/sport/golf/donald-trump-s-aberdeen-course-ruled-out-for-2019-scottish-open-1-4503898

Sky Sports Loses PGA Championship TV Rights On Eve Of PGA Championship

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The Guardian's Ewan Murray reports that Sky Sports has lost the rights to next month's PGA Championship, "in what marks an embarrassment to the broadcaster just days after it announced the launch of a dedicated golf channel."

After ten years, Murray says the PGA of America is looking for a new age way of distributing the PGA in the UK. Sky Sports currently broadcasts all of the majors and PGA Tour coverage. The PGA's CCO wheeled out some big words but gave not firm hint as to the model shift, which will be closely watched given that the PGA of America will begin discussing their next television contract later this year or in early 2018.

“Broad distribution, multi-platform distribution is the key objective for us,” he said. “I’m not in a position yet to share all the details but we want the ability to engage golf fans of all ages across all platforms.

“We want the broadest distribution we can possibly have and are very excited about the plan we have in place.”

Getting In The Mood For Birkdale: 1971, Trevino And Mr. Lu

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Birkdale was also site of Lee Trevino versus Mr. Lu, the blue-hat-wearing (and pulling it off) Lu Liang-huan, who lost the 1971 Open by a stroke.

Sportsmail Reporter caught up with Mr. Lu prior to the 2008 Open Championship and he was still haunted by his ball striking a female gallery member, as seen in the recap film below.

Lu Liang-huan, now aged 73, treated Lillian Tipping and her husband to an all expenses paid holiday to his home country after the incident on the final hole of the 1971 championship in which he finished runner-up to Lee Trevino.


'This time I cannot make it, but I'll never forget that day,' he said. 'When I go back next time maybe we can meet up. I would like to see her again.'

Lu is more into course designing than playing these days - including work on what he describes as 'the best 10 in Japan and one in China' - but was happy to report that he can still compete on his day.
In one round last year, he added: 'I shot 66. Seven birdies, one bogey. Now I'd be lucky to shoot 100, but I hope that my body will allow me to continue to play. I need the exercise.'

The Open highlight film:

 

"Thompson’s mom, Judy, battles cancer and fuels daughter’s fire"

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As the U.S. Women's Open gets underway in Bedminster, Golfweek's Beth Ann Nichols talks to Lexi Thompson's mom, Judy, about her cancer fight and the help she received from Morgan Pressel.

As Judy was told she'd have a long wait until surgery, she reached out to Pressel, who lost her mother to breast cancer and who has since set up a powerful foundation.

Judy hesitated to call because Pressel was at a tournament.

“I will take care of this,” Pressel assured her, “you’re in my hands now.”

Pressel lost her own mother to breast cancer in 2003. Her Morgan & Friends charity event, in which Lexi participates, has raised $6.5 million.

With the help of Pressel, Judy met with doctors almost immediately. Five days later, on June 6, she had surgery.

“If it wasn’t for (Morgan) and her foundation,” Judy said, “I would still be waiting.”

There Are No Words Files: Running-Over-People-In-Golf-Cart Prank Videos

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I take that back. There are words: pathetic, disgusting, vile, mindless and hopefully, in the end, expensive.

Business Insider's Sam Belden tries to make sense of the viral video trend involving golfers running over unsuspecting golfers with carts. He also rounds up examples for those who haven't seen these videos showing up on their Instagram accounts.

Apparently this idea of millennial humor all started with this Vine of a child running over another child, and support among various golf social media-driven sites, starting with Barstool Sports.

We now have as disturbing trend as I can imagine, and as someone who has seen too many Google golf news alerts on horrific wire stories of actual cart accidents and deaths), one that will not end well.

Belden writes:

The posts have gained thousands of likes and shares on social media. Fans love everything about them, from the brutal hits — a rare sight on the golf course — to the element of surprise.

But while the videos have brought joy to a huge number of Barstool followers, not everyone is a fan. Sam Riggs Bozoian, host of Barstool Sports' own "Fore Play" golf podcast, expressed a strong distaste for the prank.

"It got to the point where every time where we would post [a video of the prank] or I would see a 'Fore Play' account post one, I would cringe...It feels good to get it out there," he said on a recent episode. "I f------ hate those videos."

Amazingly, Barstool's Dave Portney has responded to his site's golf podcasters by putting a $1000 bounty on them to be run over by a cart. Their podcast guys Trent and Riggs seemed to understand the dangers involved of the viral trend that Barstool has fueled:

We’ve had David Feherty in the office. We have Padraig Harrington on the show this week. We had Brandel Chamblee in the office today. We do not want to alienate these types of guests and connections in the golf world by inevitably being painted as the guys who promoted the golf cart trend that ended up killing or dismembering some dude who was simply out golfing on a Saturday.

But their posts ends with some sort of compromised run-over, something about Stool Scenes and more than I want to know about one twisted little world.

Let the lawsuits begin.

Getting In The Mood For Birkdale: British Pathé's 1961 Open Film

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British Pathé has uploaded all sorts of fun stuff to YouTube, so with the return to Royal Birkdale coming up this should whet your appetite for the place: a short recap of Arnold Palmer's 1961 victory there. This Sky Sports piece is a nice summary of the win with a couple of superb images.

Besides Palmer being relatively subdued compared to other wins (but he does give a great pants hitch), note Kel Nagle's headwear, the attire of the caddies and Dai Rees' final putt for second.

The Claret Jug ceremony in front of the clubhouse isn't bad either. Enjoy... 

And the official Open film:

 

 

 

It's A Wild And Zany Press Center At Trump Bedminster!

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I'm very happy to be at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open starting Thursday where the controversies will extend to who should have won the daily photo caption contest and whether Keith Pelley will sport the red or blue frames.

But reading these two extreme takes from the U.S. Women's Open press sessions at Trump Bedminster has me agreeing with neither writer and wishing there was a more reasonable middle ground.

Steve Eubanks in Global Golf Post says the questions of USGA officials and players explains why "they hate us" (us being the media).

Every player and official who came in for interviews on Tuesday was hit with the same battery of questions. Do you think this championship should have been moved because of President Trump’s statements about women? What do you think of President Trump? Is it appropriate that our women’s national championship is held at a Trump property? Do you think the president should stay away from this event? One reporter even asked a couple of players and USGA officials what their position was on sexual assault.

And writing a column about it!

Besides filing a column asking the President to stay away from the U.S. Women's Open, Christine Brennan of USA Today pressed the USGA on its sexual assault policy in a lingering-aftermath question tied to President Trump's infamous Access Hollywood tape.

But when you’re in business with Donald Trump, the man who appeared on the infamous Access Hollywood videotape bragging that he could sexually assault women without having to worry about the ramifications, your values start to fade.

Your principles waver. Your admirable efforts to try to attract women and girls to a game with a long history of discriminatory and exclusionary practices run head-long into your need to prostrate yourself at Trump’s feet.

And so, in what was a truly remarkable moment in sports news conference lore, three supposed leaders of the USGA sat dumbfounded, unable to utter even one word against sexual assault, while the fourth, a spokeswoman, said the foursome was there to talk about “the golf competition,” but would be happy to discuss the “important question …afterwards.”

Afterwards turned into one hour, then two. Finally, nearly three hours later, a spokesman emailed this to me:

“The USGA has a longstanding policy on harassment. This policy governs not only the conduct of our employees, but safeguards staff, players and fans at all USGA events. Our Staff Code of Conduct prohibits any workplace harassment, including but not limited to, sexual harassment or sexual assault.”

While I'm sure few can agree that a few of the questions were within reason given the public interest in President Trump, but trying to pin the USGA down on sexual assault seems strong too.

I do think we can agree in the humor of learning this from Eubanks:

The Washington Post and Politico have an entire front row of seats in the media center. The former never sends more than one reporter to this event (if any) and the latter (according to officials on site) has never covered a women’s golf event.