Arnie: "That should be one of the major things on our agenda, to slow the golf ball down so that we don't tilt the scale."

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Mark Lamport-Stokes quotes Arnold Palmer talking about today's players and it seems The King slipped this in about the ball:

Palmer, who was a member of the so-called Big Three with fellow golfing greats Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, had no doubt about the one thing he would like to change most in the modern game.

"Because of technology, the players of today hit it too far," Palmer said. "That should be one of the major things on our agenda, to slow the golf ball down so that we don't tilt the scale.

"We have so many great golf courses but, as the players start hitting it so far, they are outdating our golf courses. We need to see if we can't just keep it in the range that we have known it for so many years."

Don't be so logical Arnie! Sheesh.

Now why is this interesting since he's mentioned the ball before? Well you might recall back in April we learned that the USGA's Dick Rugge said the groove rule change was motivated by Arnold Palmer telling that the USGA had blown it on grooves.

And as reader Andrew asked back when that item was posted, "I wonder what would have happened had Palmer said the biggest mistake they made was letting the ball go so far?"

Good question.

“All (the changes) are for the better.”

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In my limited viewing of round one from Bay Hill, I have to say the course looks way better, What a joy it is not to see the crop of rough that Arnie annually harvested. And even better, replaced by short grass and firm greens. Maybe he got the message after Mickelson sat it out the last few years (that's his compliment above), or when players like Ogilvy and Poulter (an Orlando resident!) are sitting this one out.
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Bay Hill Will Be New To The Players...Again

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Jeff Shain on Arnold Palmer's latest redo of Bay Hill.

"We've literally done something to every hole," said Palmer, who has made Bay Hill his winter home since 1965 and acquired the club 11 years later. "It'll be new to most all [the players]."

Bedecked with an old-school par. After three editions as a par 70, it reverts to 72 as two long par-4s are returned to their original state as par-5s. One of those comes at No. 16, which should help inject some risk/reward thrill to the closing stretch.

"I think it's going to be more fun for the players and a lot more entertaining for the fans," said rookie pro Sam Saunders, who as Palmer's grandson has more familiarity with the new look than anyone else in the field.

Like an aging house, every golf course gets to a point where it needs some maintenance and upgrade. Greens and bunkers tend to shrink as rough slowly overtakes the edges; new technology requires some modification.

Or some committee guy or benevolent dictator jacks around with it to the point that no one really likes it anymore!

Whew. Glad Bay Hill doesn't fall into that category.

On a serious note, wouldn't it have just been cheaper to mow the rough down and change 16 back to a par-5?

Ron Paul Voted To Deprive Arnold Palmer Of A Much Needed $30,000 Medal!

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Reader Bruce left me with no choice but to post the Ron Paul-votes-against-The King story that I had avoided. After all we've done enough politics this week, though the details are quite entertaining.

Ben Goad writes this about the 422-1 vote for Arnold Palmer's Congressional Gold Medal:

Here's the explanation from Paul spokeswoman Rachel Mills:

"It is certainly nothing personal against Mr. Palmer. In fact, Congressman Paul admires him greatly. Dr. Paul opposes using public monies for any and all of these gold medals given to private citizens, just on principle. Not to mention, it is unconstitutional to use taxpayer dollars in this way. He even suggested on the House Floor before he voted against Rosa Parks's medal that if it meant so much to the Members of Congress, why not fund the award out of their own pockets? He pulled $100 out of his own wallet, but had no other takers. At a time like this when all budgets are stretched so thin, it seems especially inappropriate to lavish gifts like this on private citizens, as much as he may admire the individual."

The legislation authorizes the expenditure of $30,000 to make the medal and duplicate bronze versions, which could then be sold to cover the cost.

Kevin Robbins posted the item and judging by the comments, most of Texas agrees with Paul's position.

Nicklaus Admits He Used To Design For His Own Game; Has No Regrets

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Jeff Shain in the Miami Herald examines the design operations of Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. Thanks to reader Nick for the link, which includes quotes from Brad Klein about the nature of the mass produced player-architect model.

First, a Palmer anecdote:

'This is certainly an ideal situation for me to stay in the business of golf,'' Palmer said during his visit to Deering Bay. ``We'd like to hope that [golfers] appreciate what we're trying to do.''
There's always hope.
Not that Palmer and Nicklaus have the capability to get intimately engaged in each design -- though it's available for developers willing to pay higher prices.

Both, though, leave a mark on nearly every blueprint that crosses their desk.
Well, better there than in the field where they could do real damage.
''He's real careful with not pushing his thoughts on us,'' said Erik Larson, Palmer Design's vice president and one of his lead designers. ``But there are certain design philosophical items that he embraces that he wants to make sure we incorporate.''

Hazards and greens should be visible. Subtly rolling greens, rather than severe humps and bumps. Make the round visually pleasing.

''Give the golfer something to look at,'' Palmer said, standing on the 13th tee of PGA National's Palmer course. The par-3 green slopes off to a collection area behind, but it all runs together.

Palmer suggests two bunkers instead.

''One on the left and one on the right,'' he said. ``That'll make a better target.''

Hey, how about a big highway stripe down the center of the fairway too?

As the caravan gets ready to move on, he adds: ``This is potentially the best hole on the course.''
He has a stronger suggestion for No. 18, where a fairway bunker melds into a larger waste area bordering water.

''We have a beautiful hazard here and it's not showcased,'' he said, all but ordering up sod and vegetation.

Palmer's suggestions will be incorporated this summer.

All in a hard day's work.

As for Nicklaus, he did reluctantly admit in his book that he favored the left-to-right approach shot in his green designs. Still, it's nice to read it in a newspaper. 

'[Nicklaus has] evolved dramatically,'' Klein said, ``both as a function of the market as well as changes in Jack's own game.''

Early Nicklaus creations frequently caught criticism for favoring a left-to-right ball flight -- matching Nicklaus' playing style. As time has evolved, though, so have the patterns.

''Pretty soon I found out,'' Nicklaus acknowledged. ``I learned from that and adjusted what I did.''

I think his work was more interesting when he was designing for himself. 

"This field is not really ready for Oakmont."

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Candid remarks from Arnold Palmer Wednesday at Oakmont:

I've been talking to some of the guys that have been out there and I've talked to some of the former champions that have been out there on the golf course. And they tell me that this field -- and this is just an observation, that this field is not really ready for Oakmont. I say "the field" and I'm generalizing. I think probably what they were telling me is that they haven't really learned yet how to play Oakmont. And they may do that in the next couple days.
And an update on the new museum at Far Hills...for Arnold: 

RAND JERRIS: I want to ask you if you could share some thoughts with us about a project that's important to me and I hope important to you as well, which is the Arnold Palmer Center For Golf History which we're building in Far Hills, and it will be open about a year from now.

ARNOLD PALMER: I think some of you know, maybe you don't know that the U.S. Open has started construction on the Arnold Palmer Museum For Golf History and Memorabilia. It will be opening in June of '08?

RAND JERRIS: Yes, sir.

"At heart we truly like each other. I can't say the same for Ben Hogan and me."

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From Arnold Palmer's "My Shot" as told to Golf Digest's Guy Yocom...

It's pretty well known that Ben Hogan didn't bond with anyone, but I have to say, he was particularly chilly to me. He very pointedly referred to me as "Fellah," even face to face. I just accepted it, and in the end he wasn't my type of guy anyway. I wasn't a special case; he didn't bond with Nelson or Snead, either. He was cordial to them but never was close to either man. He never grew close to any golfer, with the possible exceptions of Jackie Burke and Jimmy Demaret. For all of the talk of my rivalry with Jack Nicklaus, at heart we truly like each other. I can't say the same for Ben Hogan and me.