Forward Press: Fighting Off The Post Masters Blues!

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Trying to find a positive in a week that features the Valero, the Shenzhen, Swinging Skirts and Big Cedar Lodge Legends. No, we are not living in a Dan Jenkins novel. Yet.

That said, Nicklaus, Trevino and Player are teeing it up this week, so how bad can things be?

Read it all in the Forward Press.

And that sinkhole opening up on the course were the Legends is played? It's now an attraction:

Grace Wins, Els Strikes Back, DeChambeau's Debut (T4)

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Kyle Porter considers some of the numbers from Bryson's DeChambeau and while they certainly don't guarantee success, it's an eye-opening debut a week after a strong run at the Masters. Will Gray on the successful start.

His post-round interview with Scott Walker:

And there was this from Golf Channel's Justin Ray:

 

 

How about Ernie Els recovering from his Masters struggles to finish T14th!

Oh, and small-ball grinder Branden Grace, inspired by Els this week (Will Gray reports), finally won a tour event after contending many times, including majors. Look out Players and U.S. Open! The highlights:

Poll: Post-Masters Distance Average & Bifurcation

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Mike Stachura points out at GolfDigest.com how the PGA Tour driving distance average is on course for a new record high in spite of tough driving conditions at Augusta National this year.

This is news because we've been told by the governing bodies that things have flatlined, but any further "significant" increase on top of the significant increases of the last twenty years might lead to action.

The average drive of 277.8 for the week at the Masters was the lowest number for the tournament since 2008, and nearly 10 yards off of last year’s average of 286.2. But the PGA Tour average driving distance year to date is still almost 290 yards. The current 289.4 average marks the highest all-time, 1.6 yards over last year’s high mark.

But here's the one that'll make men in navy sweat.

Curiously, the PGA Tour record for average driving distance at the end of any year was set in 2011 at 290.9, but by Masters week that year, the average was 285.3, four yards shy of this year’s hot pace.

Now that more people have more understanding of the issues ramifications than ever thanks in part to an economic crisis, water issues, the lack of pleasure found in a 7,500 yard couse and a greater understand that distance is all relative for the elite player, it seems more people than ever understand the sensibility of bifurcating the rules between elite and hacker.

Adam Scott's recent comments to PGATour.com's Brian Wacker about limiting driver head size became more appealing to me (in light of what he said about the change in the driver's role). I don't know how much of an impact distance-wise such a size reduction would have, but given all of the whining about how difficult it would be to regulate the ball, this could be a solution that is more easily enforced and allow manufacturers to sell something to wannabe pros (and slightly larger versions of the same club to the general public).

But most of all, such a reduction in driver head size could return the reward for driving the ball with length and accuracy, while allowing the sport to put an end to the unproductive expansion of its 18-hole footprint.

What is the most sensible bifurcation solution for golf?
 
pollcode.com free polls

Video: Camilo Doesn't Like A Ruling Everyone Else Agreed On

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His scorekeeper and first round leader Brendan Grace didn't see the ball as embedded, and the first official on the scene (John Mutch) did not see it either.

Add the second official, Gary Young, and you'd think the trifecta of opinions would have made Camilo Villegas more accepting.

Nope.

As Alex Myers notes, Villegas was pretty displeased. As I watched this live, I was more amazed by how close the camera man got to the action. The sound was pretty swell too, so nice job by the CBS crew to capture a PGA Tour pro at his whiniest!

Had To Be Done Files, Rookie To Weir Edition: #hangitupmike

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The second alternate at Harbour Town for the RBC Heritage, tour rookie Dawie van der Walt was a bit miffed to see sponsor's invite Mike Weir post a 78 and WD.

Weir is a neverending saga of injuries and short starts--24 weeks in a row with an MC or WD--a once great player sadly taking up a spot when he plays tour events these days. So I can understand the frustration of van der Walt, whose original Tweet disappeared.

And that's why we have Will Gray at GolfChannel.com to summarize the event, with some pretty stunning stats on Weir's recent run of futility.

"Gota (sic) love a guy who gets an invite into a Tour event and then WD after the first round," van der Walt wrote, closing his tweet with the hashtag, "#hangitupmike."

Van der Walt later backed off, sort of.