by Gary Williams | Jan 8, 2024 | The Card
18 observations, thoughts and predictions for the week in golf…
- I’m totally OK with the additional players in the field for the Sentry. With the challenges that exist already to get all members starts, let alone getting the very best together as often as possible, a field of roughly 60 works. Kapalua has been, and remains, the very best place to start the new season. Superior optics and a golf course that produces angles, and height and flight on shots that are uncommon for most tour events. May it always be Maui to start.
- Mark Rolfing is a friend, but beyond that he’s a genuine friend of golf. His involvement with players, projects and initiatives in the game are boundless. His expert voice on all things Hawaii is as reliable as any person associated with a town, tournament or region anywhere in professional golf. His love for his home is admirable.
- Received the “Mackenzie Reader” as a Christmas gift and it’s a must keepsake for all thoughts and writings from Dr. Mackenzie. Available through the Mackenzie Institute it is a compilation of his writing and so many holes in addition to a collection of essays from various historians. The opening chapter on is background in the construction of entrenchments is worth the purchase by itself.
- The ambition of King/Collins for their new project The 21 Golf Club outside Aiken, South Carolina is next level. The creation of the 9 double green concept never actually executed by Alistair Mackenzie is as interesting a project currently being funded. I’m determined to get down there throughout the build process of the two courses. Aiken is blazing with top projects.
- Jason Day’s new apparel deal with Malbon got plenty of attention this week. Going away from just being another Nike guy is good for him and us. Way too many guys look too much like each other and that’s why Keith Mitchell gets the appreciation he deserves from his commitment to celebrating the styles of Sid Mashburn. Its invaluable to look different in one of the few sports that allows it.
- I’m determined to play the following for the first time this year. Royal Dornoch, Nairn, Skibo Castle, Camargo, Rock Creek Cattle Company, Myopia Hunt Club, High Pointe, Shoreacres, Lido, Eastward Ho, and The Creek. Ambitious and determined. A good combination.
- Not surprisingly Kevin Kisner was glib, insightful and comfortable on his first broadcast. Two reasons why he’s going to be considered great at this as we predicted, one, you can either do it or you can’t. It doesn’t mean you can’t get better if you start off poorly it’s just that your ceiling is going to be low. Secondly, Kevin is exceedingly well-liked by the young influencers and content creators. He will get great reviews because consciously or not people have agendas. Kevin won’t need the excessive positive feedback because he’s going to be excellent at his new job but he’s going to get it and that will only enhance his standing and foster even greatly validation of the hire by NBC.
- Watched Paul Giamatti’s new movie “The Holdovers” about a prep school in the early 70’s. Great writing, funny, poignant and Giamatti is outstanding. Highly recommend.
- Rory McIlroy validated again the weightiness to his words this past week with his reflections on his evolving position on LIV golf. He certainly didn’t toss bouquets in the direction of all LIV players but his willingness to express a more pragmatic position had Phil Mickelson and Greg Norman immediately commending Rory. Only Tiger would illicit such response. Heady company.
- Viktor Hovland turned a glaring weakness, his chipping, into a bonafide asset with the assistance of Joe Mayo this past year. Hovland disclosed this past week they are no longer working together. Only those involved know the true nature of relationships but the instability of instructors and caddies at the top of the professional game would be an unnerving existence.
- Dylan Dethier of Golf Magazine has gotten much more attention over the last year from his inclusion on “Full Swing” but he has taken his already excellent writing to another level. His work is fantastic and must-read stuff for all things pro golf related.
- The “half pars” on the Plantation Course at Kapalua, especially on the inward nine make the final two hours of coverage among the most entertaining in televised golf. Half par holes are the most fun for the recreational golfer and they are easily the most compelling for the broadcast product. Coore/Crenshaw and Gil Hanse have mastered a design concept used by the likes of George Thomas, Alistair Mackenzie and C.B. MacDonald a hundred years ago.
- Akshay Bhatia is a star in the making. It was always his journey, and I was simply hoping he’d get past the challenge of teenage transition to his professional career without any collateral and what he is now is dynamic and a sheer delight. Supremely interesting to listen to and his golf swing is wildly electric. He’s easily one of the most entertaining players in the game.
- Eric Cole was just announced as the Rookie of the Year this past week and proceeded to start the year with another quality result. At 35, Cole didn’t get the meter running on the PGA Tour until very late and that’s why I will celebrate every top 10 and another big check after spending a dozen years just keeping the dream alive on countless minor league tours. Plow that field EC.
- Jacob Modleski was an alternate to start the week of the Jones Cup Invitational at Ocean Forest and emerged the winner of the first and one of the very best amateur events in golf. The freshman from Notre Dame shot a final round 69 to finish 1 under and win by one. The field and the venue are elite and the win is a massive way to start his year.
- Jordan Spieth is going to have a big year. The best he’s had since his last major win season in 2017. I expect him to win on the west coast and be one of the three betting favorites when we get to Masters week.
- Chris Kirk is not a good story, he’s a continual story of inspiration. As one also leading a journey of recovery his willingness to speak on his gratitude and hope helps so many people. I promise it does.
- A final reminder that we will be releasing episode 1 of “America’s Guest” this week. We want to celebrate truly special places and we promise you will be blown away by CapRock Ranch.
by Gary Williams | Dec 29, 2023 | The Card
18 observations, thoughts and predictions for the week in golf…
- Rose Zhang repeated as the NCAA individual champion, and with her U.S. Women’s Amateur and Augusta National Women’s Amateur titles on her list of accomplishments, she left amateur golf with a historic resume and then abruptly won her first start as a professional in the shadows of lower Manhattan. Poised and possessive of easy charm, Zhang is a delight and a massive new marketing chip for the LPGA.
- The public sector and retail golf platform continue to rise and inspire. If Bandon Dunes or Sand Valley hasn’t added an asset then Streamsong will, as they have with the short course called the Chain. Jay Blasi’s renovation of Sharp Park in San Francisco, Gil Hanse’s “The Park” in West Palm highlight community assets. Landmand Golf Club in Homer, NE from King/Collins opened to rave reviews and their reversable course at Palmetto Bluff will open in ‘24. Pinehurst opens course #10 in the spring and having played it recently, Doak’s first original for the resort will be a homerun. Cabot Citrus Farms opens as well in ‘24 on the old-World Woods property. And although 2026 is the likely completion date for Cobbs Creek in Philadelphia, the groundbreaking this year for the Gil Hanse rebuild plus the Tiger Woods short course and TGR learning center is a future boom for golfers in the Northeast.
- Lee Trevino is a treasure and although he has never professed any vigilant wellness lifestyle he is as vibrant and enthused as Gary Player who is a couple years older than him. This past year he conducted a couple fantastic longform interviews with “No Laying Up and The SubPar podcast. Storytelling and reflections on people and his experiences in the game are timeless.
- The performance of the United States Walker Cup team at St. Andrews was merely a culmination of enormous achievement among the group assembled by captain Mike McCoy. There have a been a number of decorated teams from the U.S. in the last 25 years but the collective of Nick Dunlap, Caleb Surratt, Ben James, Preston Summerhays and Gordon Sargent have a chance to make the ‘23 team one to look back on as one the truly great squads.
- Steph Curry will receive the Charlie Sifford award at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony on the Monday of U.S. Open week primarily for what he’s created with the Underrated Golf Tour. Being involved with it from the beginning it’s been a gift for me to see talented junior golfers travel the country free of the stress of any costs playing and bonding with each other. The 2024 schedule will be released fairly soon, and the tour stops are fantastic. Being close to it, Steph’s next chapter is already started. His impact on golf has just begun.
- Lilia Vu’s 2023 was historic. An American winning two majors in one season had not happened since Juli Inkster in 1999. It was not long ago that Vu was struggling to find her footing on the LPGA. A chance encounter with John Ply, a very successful retired businessman, author, and a true friend of golf helped Vu recalibrate her goals and her belief system. Her ascendency this year came from the depths. Wildly impressive.
- 2023 saw a group of younger voices given precious positions calling golf on television. Trevor Immelman has been refining his craft for several years but the seat next to Jim Nantz feels like it opens as often as a membership drive at Seminole. E xceedingly well prepared, Immelman talks to players, communicates with the media and showed he belongs. Colt Knost is not new in 2023 but his role at CBS is rising and his connection to the present players puts him in rare company. Smylie Kaufman walked and talked his first Ryder Cup and is of the age of many of the stars in the game. Johnson Wagner, our 5 Clubs teammate has quickly distinguished himself at Golf Channel filling any role asked of him and expect much more live golf analysis from him in 2024. Which will also give us the debut of Kevin Kisner as the lead analyst for NBC for a few events starting at the Sentry. I expect Kevin to not be good, but great at talking tv golf.
- 2023 saw Rickie Fowler, Jason Day, Justin Rose, and Lucas Glover wake up the echoes of former glory by winning again on the PGA Tour. Tons of money made and in the case of Rose and Glover the percentage of winners in their 40’s presently on tour is slim. All four are universally liked and respected and people have discovered how damn interesting Lucas Glover is, as evidenced by our May interview with him that tripled its viewership on our 5 Clubs YouTube channel in the month of August.
- Camilo Villegas gets his own category of renewal because what he and his wife Maria endured with the passing of their young daughter Mia in 2020 is simply unimaginable. Poor form is certainly challenging but the true human tragedy makes his first win since 2014 one of the better stories in years.
- Chris Kirk’s win back in March is an altogether different type of comeback. Having experienced the depths of alcoholism, and all that it can rob you of, his triumph and continued willingness to talk about his journey helps others. I promise you, it does.
- I don’t think the golf IQ of the viewing public has ever been higher. When we started Morning Drive on Golf Channel in January of 2011, Fried Egg and No Laying Up did not exist. More than a dozen years later their audience is robust and for good reason. They are content workhorses. It’s a good time to want to hear long form discussion on all things tour life, rollback, design developments and they have both become essential outlets for serious golfers.
- The continued unrest between LIV and the PGA Tour, they now have an extension for negotiation on an agreement, has been disruptive to the sport of men’s professional golf. Oddly, one of the early disruptions has turned into an extraordinary win for Ryder Cup Europe. If all the legendary European Ryder Cup players of the past 20 years didn’t go to LIV it’s not unreasonable to suggest Luke Donald MIGHT never have become the captain. Donald handled the awkward transition from Henrik Stenson’s removal as captain with aplomb and then he proceeded to execute a masterclass in decision making. He hit all the right chords publicly and privately and goes for the encore at Bethpage in 2025.
- Member for a Day is a nonprofit organization that helps raise dollars through the auctioning of pristine golf experiences for a plethora of charitable causes. Started in 2020 almost on a lark by Eric Sedransk, Member for a Day has now topped seven million in charitable dollars raised through the game of golf. Go to the website www.memberforaday.com to find out the great experiences they are auctioning for 2024. Along with the National Links Trust the opportunities to play the greatest courses in America for charitable causes has never been better.
- As the year closes and you look at the combination of new courses and restored courses that debuted in 2023 the design industry is flying. There are not enough architects in the World Golf Hall of Fame to begin with, but I think we are witnessing a glorious time of inspiration. Gil Hanse and Tom Doak will get entry into the hall of fame. I stated last year Coore/Crenshaw should be in (Ben’s in as a player). Rob Collins, Tad King, Tyler Rae, Kyle Franz, Kyle Phillips. Brian Schneider, Blake Conant, Mike Devries, Mike Clayton, Andrew Green, Dave Axland, Rod Whitman, Keith Cutten, Geoff Ogilvy, Mike Cocking, Ashley Mead and so many more I could name are producing thoughtful, detailed and full of fun designs that will stand the test of time.
- Padraig Harrington was a beacon of humorous and introspective light in 2023. The height of Harrington’s playing days offered the profile of a taciturn yet sometimes quirky tinkerer. Padraig has always been approachable but with the advent of media and content outlets that populate the ether with more than soundbites Harrington is a must listen. Pragmatic, witty, unorthodox and unfailingly authentic, Harrington is a vital voice on all subjects.
- Tiger Woods looked compromised beyond repair after his WD at the Masters in April. The next time we saw him in December his walk was improved, his pain abated and the speed he has displayed on the few occasions he’s played was present at the Hero World Challenge. He suggested a tournament a month in 2024 as possible. As he celebrates his 48th birthday he’s kept the door of dreaming ajar.
- In a year that saw different players have historic stretches we at 5 Clubs are making Bernard Langer our golfer of the year. We are not suggesting the tournaments he won are the equivalent of those won by the younger set, but Langer did something I thought was virtually impossible. He passed Hale Irwin for most wins all time on PGA Tour Champions. He’s won twice as many times in his 60’s than the other Top 5 winners in Champions Tour history did combined. More importantly, he represents the lifelong pursuit we all hope to have about the game and that is the pursuit of better. He’s awe-inspiring to his peer group on PGA Tour Champions and his dedication is a model for all walks of life.
- Playing golf has never been more enjoyable for me. It’s not accidental that a clear mind and a heart full of gratitude, two things I robbed myself of for years, is a better state of mind on the golf course. What I found this year traveling and playing the game of golf, more than I have in a decade, is the intellectual, physical and emotional investment people are making in playing the game is ascending. Golfing Societies are thriving, retail golf is cresting, and clubs are building waitlists all over the country. The game is giving something again that was the driving force for interest in it from the outset. It was about time with my dad. In his passing I have found the joyful experiences of being with new friends and cherishing the rounds with those who know me best. Our motto embodies my sentiments about golf in 2023. It’s about the time, not the score.
by Gary Williams | Dec 17, 2023 | The Card
18 thoughts, observations and reflections on 18 special holes played in 2023
- The opening hole at Chicago Golf Club is a glorious combination of all that the experience there offers. The tee is thrust in the heart of everything. Proximity to the open-air patio, practice putting green, 18th green and the cross walk to the driving range. The hole has big width off the tee and the approach to the first green provides a welcome to the greatest set of greens complexes in America. It’s a top 10 opener in golf.
- The 2nd hole at Somerset Hills is a beautiful redan Par 3. The tilt from front right to back left is bold. The vastness of the front nine is on full display from the tee and you can see almost every hole on the opening nine from the 2nd tee. This was my first trip to this wonderful place and the contrast between the two nines is outstanding.
- The 3rd hole at Sweetens Cove plays along the perimeter of the property of one of America’s finest fun factories. You can view all the holes from this corner of the property and the big tree guarding the left side of the green is one of the club’s true landmarks. The severe slope fronting the green embodies what Sweetens is and the green complex is a violent sea of contour.
- The 4th hole at Ohoopee is the 3rd straight “half par” designed by Gil Hanse and the cavemen. The short 4 begs you to challenge the fairway bunker on the left and catch the speed slot to possibly chase your tee shot onto the green. The green itself is filthy with roll and tilt going in all directions. This hole sums up making choices and living with them.
- Upon reflecting on all the par 4 5th holes I played this year I think it is the absolute deepest catalogue of majestic holes. I chose the 5th at Crystal Downs because I can’t stop thinking about it. The trees that frame the fairway. The fairway itself which is presented like the spine of a gigantic rhinoceros and the green complex that requires a thorough examination. It’s simply an all-time hole design from Alistair Mackenzie. Other amazing 5th holes played in 2023… “the 5ths” at Pine Valley, Lookout Mountain, Fishers Island, Old Town, and Cypress Point.
- The par 4 6th hole at Seminole is the apex of Donald Ross’ expertise as an architect. The challenging of trouble down the left side, very close to the massive bunker that frames that side of the hole to the left to right contour of the fairway. The approach is mind manipulation. You can’t believe how much deeper the green is on the right-hand side compared to the front left portion. It is no wonder Ben Hogan had such reference for the hole. Exacting and unforgiving.
- The par 5 7th hole, the Road Hole, at National Golf Links is so damn good you want to walk back to the tee and play it again over and over. Its Macdonald showing off an understanding of the template hole that mesmerizes the player. The trust required for your blind tee shot to the road bunker that protects the left portion of the green. I played it this year with three friends who were seeing it for the first time and one of them said, walking off the green, “that hole is simply amazing”.
- The short par 4 8th at Pine Valley has always been one of my favorites in golf. The first time I played it the “right green” had not yet been built. Both greens are a sliver from left to right and even with a half wedge in your hand for your second the perched up green looks like a shrunken postage stamp. Surrounded by cavernous bunkers it sums up the mind fuck that Pine Valley is likely to be, either in a moment or for the round.
- The par 5 9th at San Francisco Golf Club is a downhill 615-yard hole from the back tees. I have always believed SFGC is the most refined experience in American golf. The optics of the 9th include the regal clubhouse, beautiful Tillinghast bunkering and a walk that showcases almost every hole in your panoramic from the middle of the fairway.
- The par 5 10th at Lookout Mountain is a mind-numbing display of contour, elevation and the majesty that has been reclaimed by Tyler Rae and Kyle Franz with the restoration of the original intent of Seth Raynor. The scale of the hole is spectacular and the view from the tee and eventually the green might be the best on this amazing piece of land.
- The par 3 11th at Fishers Island is Seth Raynor’s application of the Eden hole at this 1926 showstopper. The entire experience is one of one and there are at least six holes at Fishers that could be identified as the best of its numerical fraternity. The 11th measures 164 from the back tee and the green has an infinity look with the ocean right and beyond the green. This is arguably the most picturesque golf course in the country and this hole captures it perfectly.
- The par 5 12th hole at Congaree is a sweeping right to left hole that showcases all that Congaree presents. The razor edges of the waste areas right and left frame the fairway and the continued motion from right to left persists until you get within 120 yards of the green. The green complex sits in its surrounds so expertly you’d think nature created it. The homage to the Sandbelt of Australia is on full display with the greenside bunkering and the pitch of the green from back to front is sinister.
- The par 5 13th at Old Sandwich plays 560 yards from the back tee with a downhill fairway cascading toward the green. The beautiful naturally sandy areas frame the hole majestically with the dense forest to the right. The greenside bunkering is sublime and Coore/Crenshaw set the green into the hillside masterfully. The use of the ground game is on display here as much as anywhere at this incredible Plymouth, MA playground.
- The short par 4 14th hole at Old Town designed by Perry Maxwell and restored by Coore/Crenshaw is a genius display of deception. The back bunker behind the green on the right-hand side appears to be short of the green and the framing bunker on the 7th hole way in the distance is an example of design principles taken to a higher level. The green melts from right to left and seeing the green once you reach the 16th green gives you an even greater appreciation of its setting.
- The par 4 15th at CapRock Ranch is the final episode of sensory overload you’ll experience on one of America’s finest new golf courses. From the tee you leave the prairie for the last time and play down to the Snake River canyon. The view once you reach the green is one of the most spectacular in the world. The short and natural walk off the back of the green onto the 16th tee is subtle and sensational. Stay tuned to 5Clubs for our new show that will introduce so many to CapRock Ranch.
- The par 3 16th at Cypress Point is arguably the most majestic and powerful view in the world of golf. To play it fills me with immense gratitude as the walk is almost over but not before you have your breath taken away. It’s quite simply perfection in a very imperfect game.
- The par 3 17th’s at both Tree Farm and Old Barnwell deserve to share this recognition together. Both holes measure between 120 and 135 yards on the card. Employing cavernous bunkering guarding the left of 17 at Old Barnwell and the right at Tree Farm the hole only asks for a short iron but the look of both is rugged and righteous. These two courses have almost identical born on dates and they will grow together as two very special places nestled near Aiken, SC.
- The par 4 18th at Shinnecock Hills is the quintessential closing hole on one of America’s truly great championship golf courses. The broad sweeping hole plays up to the green with the elegant Stanford White clubhouse perched at the top of the hill to the right of the green. This hole is the culmination of one of the most rewarding and enjoyable walks in golf.
by Gary Williams | Dec 11, 2023 | The Card
18 thoughts, observations and predictions…
- The next player to leave for LIV should get an extra 10 million in the bonus if he says “I’m looking to shrink the game.” Enough of the lame “grow the game” talking point. Its professional sports, you took the best offer. Its OK.
- Beyond Tiger and Rory, who are non-starters to leave for LIV, Jon Rahm is the most valuable piece on the chess board. Global, provocative, insistent on always being in the hunt and will likely be on the doorstep of a career grand slam in the next couple years. He’s a massive loss for the PGA Tour.
- One of the most valuable traits of a star in any sport for the league they represent is reliability. Stars are generally not injury prone. Stars show up every night and are never described as inconsistent and stars deliver beyond the physical performance. Accepting the responsibility of being a leading voice and taking positions on issues. Rahm was all that and his absence from all facets of tour life is a profound VOID.
- This is not virtue signaling in saying Rahm went for the money. It’s just the facts. It always starts with the money, but he was nudged toward the money by other real factors. One, believing he will have access back to tour events soon enough, the clumsy and turbulent leadership of the tour, his relationships with Phil and Sergio, a sense of feeling like he wasn’t as valuable as Rory, but it starts and ends with the money. Like it does with most everything.
- The exodus of players to LIV will continue as early as this week and what will also continue is a louder and louder drumbeat from the PGA Tour membership to remove Jay Monahan. The grumbling privately from tour players about new leadership is going to get very public with each passing day and with each and every departure of another top player.
- The flirtation with a handful of American based private equity groups has not pleased the PIF (Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia) and the Rahm signing was an emphatic message of dissatisfaction with the ongoing process of resolving the framework agreement.
- The number of reporters, pundits, hosts and players, who have periodically declared the demise of LIV, including Rory McIlroy, need to understand that those with the most are the ones who last the longest. A billion-dollar investment from any of the PE groups bidding is chump change for the PIF. They are in control of what happens next.
- Rory McIlroy has popped up on twitter this past week to comment on the rollback and to take a Saturday night swipe at Henrik Stenson. Responding to a snarky post from a self-described performance coach and Titleist ambassador, Lou Stagner, Rory displayed the petulant streak that he’s flashed on rare occasions. Showing support for Luke Donald is fantastic but simultaneously dump-trucking Stenson was beneath Rory. When you punch down you usually land the punch but never score with the judges.
- The only person we didn’t hear from after the Rahm departure was the commissioner of the PGA Tour. Tiger Woods social post on behalf of the player board expressing solidarity makes it clear who is in charge.
- Does LIV sell the old school fake leather sleeve letterman jacket being modeled by Jon Rahm on Fox News? If they don’t it’s a BIG miss.
- The LIV hot stove was scolding this past week. Lost in the Rahm news was the trading of Matt Wolff straight up for Taylor Gooch. Who is Smash’s GM, Howie Roseman?
- The USGA/R&A universal rollback announcement was met with equal parts pragmatism, hysteria, misinformation, and sensibility. Many of the same people who said this will ruin the game and drive millions away from it said out of the other side of their mouths that the changes are so small why do it in the first place. Which is it?
- Comparing sports is a dicey proposition but one thing that all sports must try to do is protect themselves from themselves. Rules changes in sports can be made for entertainment, safety, monetary and sustainability purposes. Governance is not a frivolous exercise, and this is about 2060 as much as it is about 2030.
- Played Old Town in Winston Salem, North Carolina again this past week. The routing by Perry Maxwell and the restoration of the original intent by Coore/Crenshaw make it one of the finest courses in America. The tilt of the land and the stream system is so, so good.
- The No Laying Up conversation between Chris Solomon and Lee Trevino is what the platform of podcasts can be. Free flowing story telling where the listener gets lost in the conversation. Outstanding content as the kids like to say.
- Wells Fargo didn’t decide to not renew their sponsorship with the PGA Tour because Jon Rahm left. This was the culmination of a long evaluation conducted by Wells Fargo that determined that the investment couldn’t produce the necessary return. They won’t be the last title sponsor to make that determination. The house of the PGA Tour is not in order.
- Kieran Vincent, Kalle Samooja, and Jinichiro Kozuma qualified onto the LIV tour through their qualifier in Abu Dhabi this past weekend. Combined they’ve earned less than $5 million dollars on the Asian Tour, DP World Tour and Japan Tour respectively. They are now playing for somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 to $25 million for every event. As Robert De Niro said at the end of “Midnight Run”, “That’s a very respectable neighborhood.
- The animated renderings of the new 21 golf club being built outside Aiken, South Carolina signal several things. The greater Aiken area is officially on fire with next level golf. King/Collins are as provocative as any designers in the marketplace, and finally, 18 holes is simply not enough anymore for the private retreat offering. Whiskey routes, 2nd courses, short courses, putting courses, and hunting and fishing are all on the table for new developers.
by Gary Williams | Dec 4, 2023 | The Card
18 thoughts, observations and predictions…
- The reported rollback of the golf ball universally will be debated for the years ahead. As I’ve stated from the outset of the Distance Insights report, I support bifurcation. I have concerns about sustainability in 50 years not five years.
- The two biggest stars in the men’s game, Tiger and Rory, support the rollback which is helpful for the governing bodies but they will need smart and sensible data and messaging in the years ahead to calm the masses.
- Every tour player screaming about the rollback are paid messengers for the manufacturers. It doesn’t mean that they may not have reasonable concerns, but they are paid messengers.
- Tiger Woods’ week at the Hero was a start and that’s all it was. If he can’t build on this and his next start, wherever it is, and is starting over then he can’t build. Without a modest building to something, the big stuff is unattainable.
- Tiger is a genius and there are few others who could have as many iterations of a golf swing and continue to win like he has but this transformation is really impressive. Transferring speed produced in large measure from the twitchy lower body to the now yoked upper body is wild to see.
- As he approaches 48 at the end of December, Tiger has NEVER had more value to the PGA Tour. Him playing a little bit is massive. His voice publicly on the direction of the tour is vital and his weight on the issues is exponentially more significant than anyone else in the game.
- The Jon Rahm rumors to LIV are loud. His departure would be a massive hit to the PGA Tour. He’s dynamic, interesting, curious and good television. His loss would be far greater than any other the tour has stomached to date.
- If Rahm’s departure is followed by additional top 20 players in the world leaving for LIV, the tour will be in the most desperate position they’ve been in, to date, to find common ground with LIV. LIV is not desperate for financial solvency; the PGA Tour is in a very precarious position with multiple title sponsors while trying to compensate their top players based on something other than market conditions.
- Jordan Spieth has a multi win season in 2024 and will be in the deep end of the pool in two majors with chances to win both the Masters and the US Open.
- Joaquin Niemann won the Australian Open to become the first Chilean born player to win a truly historic event. It makes you wonder what the make-up of the U.S. and International Presidents Cup teams will be next fall. As a PGA Tour property it would appear there will be no LIV players on either side. Another tour property devalued by LIV.
- Matt Fitzpatrick reported the information regarding Collin Morikawa’s use of green reading data. Is he a snitch? No, he was trying to get clarification on what was permissible. He also has a responsibility to protect the field. He did the right thing even though it may have initially appeared smarmy.
- Ashleigh Buhai defended her title at the Australian Open. Winning any event in back-to-back years is rare especially an event sharing the stage with the men. Buhai will have a big 2024.
- Luke Donald running it back as European Ryder Cup captain is impressive. He knows what he’s trying to do in the most hostile environment in Ryder Cup history. He could have taken his blowout win and enjoyed lifetime lofty status. Rolling the dice at Bethpage speaks to his sneaky competitive streak.
- Paul McGinley should be the choice for lead analyst for NBC. Smart, plugged in and unafraid.
- The College Football Playoff proves again that anything that relies on an outside agency like a judge to determine outcomes is doomed. A card and pencil is unambiguous. Shoot a score, put the number on the board and fall where you fall.
- Tiger will not captain the U.S. Ryder Cup team at Bethpage. The PGA of America should think completely outside their historic model.
- Scottie Scheffler will figure out his putting woes with Phil Kenyon and no one will win more than him in 2024.
- As we embark on a week of digging in on the ball rollback, I just hope the discussion is civil. We can all make data dance in any direction we want and although I support the rollback, I also respect the concerns of the recreational player. This is about 2050 as much as it is 2030.
by Gary Williams | Nov 20, 2023 | The Card
18 thoughts, observations and predictions…
- Ludvig Aberg has done more to legitimize PGA Tour U than any million-dollar ad campaign. Plus, he may have just influenced a few college players to pass on potential LIV dollars. I said MAY HAVE.
- Nicolai Hojgaard is younger than Aberg and with his win at the DP World Tour Championship has secured his place in the first couple Signature Events on the PGA Tour. Along with his brother Rasmus the three of them represent the potential for three real stars simultaneously from Scandinavian countries. Who needs speed skating?
- The European pivot to the next generation is one of the swiftest restocking of the Ryder Cup cupboards of all time. Hovland, the Hojgaards, plus Aberg join Rahm and Rory to form a lethal first six. And that group is built to take on Bethpage.
- Ten PGA Tour cards were earned in Dubai this week. Not many likely took notice but the DP World Tour is going to benefit from co-opting space with the PGA Tour and their cash infusion compliments of the PGA Tour was a shrewd deal.
- The winners on the DP World Tour, PGA Tour and LPGA Tour this week were 21, 29, and 27 under par respectively. Any month, anywhere, any conditions, you put 18 flags in the ground and these aliens will knock them over. Absurd.
- Paul Azinger will not be back as the lead analyst for NBC’s golf coverage. There are basically two lead analysts at the network level, so the job is coveted and rarely available. The phone call may be very short, but NBC must gauge the interest of Tiger Woods. Price too high and interest likely next to zero, does not matter, you call him.
- The season of Tiger is open us. He will play the Hero World Challenge and likely the PNC parent child with Charlie. BEST case for 2024 is five events in my mind… four majors and the Genesis. Percentage chance of that happening? 10%
- The fall portion of the PGA Tour schedule gave us winners that included Sahith Theegala, Tom Kim, Colin Morikawa, and Ludvig Aberg plus heart-warming stories in Eric Van Rooyen and Camilo Villegas. As a moving target this fall was a fluky success.
- At 34 Amy Yang wins a massive event and two million dollars. Yang turned pro in 2008 and she’s been a respected professional for 15 years, so her win was wildly popular.
- By any metric Lilia Vu is the player of the year on the LPGA. I am not a fan of leaning on metrics for determining who is the player of the year. Players should vote. They know better than anyone, including an algorithm, who was the best among them for the year.
- Eric Cole is likely to get pinched now by Aberg for rookie of the year. Cole played 37 events! Wake up 1977, Eric Cole is here. He is one of the best stories in 2023 and the vote will be very close. He finished 43 in the FedEx cup and his last six starts including five top 5’s. I think Aberg’s win tips it, but Cole was a plow mule.
- The next ten into the first two full field events of 2024 were determined this fall. Beau Hossler, Matt Kuchar, Nick Hardy, Ben Griffin and Luke List were among that group. All of them exemplify that the pro game sizzles everyone to varying degrees but you can come back from the depths.
- Rory McIlroy leaving his board seat on the PGA Tour surprised some. Why? He did what he’s inclined to do which was be committed to it and it got him tons of unneeded stress and in the end, he was left out of the biggest decision. Onto 2024 and let others shoulder that unnecessary load.
- ESPN wisely secured digital rights to the LPGA for a limited number of events in 2024. Pro golf eats hours and its perfect for ESPN+. For the LPGA they have just put themselves on the monolith of all sports platforms. Winner.
- I spent two days at Congaree golf club in South Carolina. In addition to having the firmest and fastest playing conditions in America they have raised millions for their foundation which provides ample foundational support for aspiring college golfers who are from modest means. Dan Friedkin, the owner of the club, is truly changing lives through golf.
- The new book, “The Golf Courses of Seth Raynor” is a fantastic illustrative book on the work and impact of one of the true giants of course design. Get it for someone you love who loves Raynor courses for Christmas.
- I’ve put Jordan Spieth on the top of my list of people I want to have a long conversation with in 2024. There’s a ton there and will not be enough time.
- Giving thanks should never be reserved for just one day but we do celebrate it this Thursday. I am thankful for the support and compassion of so many and for anyone reading this line that signifies you supporting our efforts to talk about this game we love. Happy Thanksgiving.
