Conde Nast Puts Golf Digest Up For Sale

The New York Times' Edmund Lee and Sapna Maheshwari report on $120 million in losses for Conde Nast in 2017 and say in an effort to bring in more revenue, the company will be trying to sell three magazines, including Golf Digest. 

The $120 million loss in 2017 was the result of a sharp decline in the ad revenue generated by the print magazines. Gains in the digital arena have offset the loss, but not enough to make the company profitable.

Based in part on the recommendation of Boston Consulting Group, the three magazines that the company will try to sell are Brides, Golf Digest and W, the three executives said.

John Wagner, who oversees ad spending at the media agency PHD, questioned the company’s strategy, saying that Condé Nast can be “quick to close things, versus trying to find a solution.” He added, “I’d like to see them continue to invest — keep the brands alive, even if you have to change their rate base or publishing frequency.”

Conde Nast purchased Golf Digest in 2001 for an undisclosed price, though the number is believed to have been several hundred million dollars. 

A&Q: Read An Unusually Terrible Global Golf Post Interview On The USGA Distance Project

With news of the USGA and R&A allowing everyone to submit views on distance, this is obviously cause to rage against the machine threatening to take five yards away from angry golf scribes.

It's never a good sign when a writer's rhetorical questions battle the answers for word count supremacy. Nor is normal for a journalist to flood the conversation with so much rage, particularly since the issue involves how far a little white ball flies.

But this unique blend of hostility overtakes Steve Eubanks interview of the USGA's Rand Jerris about the "Distance Insights Project."

The Post: Everyone’s perspective is based on their own life experiences. For example, there’s nobody left who can tell us what the distance impact was like when the game transitioned from hickory to steel shafts. And there was very little data accumulated at that time. So, how do we have this overarching discussion about distance without a legitimate, verifiable and texted data set?

Pausing here to let you ponder the joys of reading the words "texted data set." 

Jerris: There are various sources of information at which we can look. One is aerial photography thanks to the United States government. We can look at the evolution of the footprints of golf courses around the country over long periods of time, not just in terms of length but in terms of breadth and how much space they’re taking up. Because we can look at the times of those changes, hopefully we can determine what elements of those changes are directly attributable to distance. 

The Post: That last point requires a logic leap. Yes, you can see where the footprints of courses have changed over time. But how do you make the leap, based on that evidence, that those changes were attributable to distance? 

Maybe because no one has ever said, the game goes by too fast and we need to drag this out longer.

We must--MUST--spend more time walking back to tees and taking up more space so we can spend more money on maintenance. Now!

Jerris: That’s a fair point.

You are too kind, Rand. Too kind.

The photography will be just one component of the comprehensive data. We will couple that with input from as many external, legitimate sources as we can find. Teachers have been collecting data from their students. Avid golfers have been collecting data about their distance. Then it’s a matter of analysis. That’s where we get all interested parties together and say, “Here’s what we’re seeing in the data. Now, let’s talk about what it means.”

The Post: Going back to the report that we receive in February, the changes in distance have been remarkably small. The incremental increases, and in some cases decreases, surprised a lot of people. A lot of that was confirmation bias. Everyone you see seems to be hitting if farther, so we believe that there must be these huge jumps in distance. But when you look at the data we’ve seen so far, that doesn’t appear to be the case. To launch this program under the aegis that ‘We know distance is an issue,’ doesn’t that fly in the face of the data you’ve already collected and analyzed?

Now that's some confirmation bias!

2021! PGA Tour, SiriusXM Sign Four-Year Extension

While we're in media announcements mode, SiriusXM and the PGA Tour have agreed on an extension until 2021 when current television contracts expire.

Not that long ago, the SiriusXM/PGA Tour relationship was very much up in the air until the last moment, so this is a welcome extension for those who appreciate the live tournament coverage--extra-handy of late--or those who enjoy the various talk shows.

For Immediate Release:

PGA TOUR, SiriusXM sign four-year extension

SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio channel will continue to deliver extensive live tournament coverage and daily golf talk to fans nationwide through 2021

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida and NEW YORK, New York – The PGA TOUR and SiriusXM announced today that they have reached a four-year extension to their broadcasting agreement, which will continue extensive tournament coverage on SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio for subscribers nationwide through 2021.

SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio listeners enjoy live coverage of every round of most PGA TOUR events throughout the season – including THE PLAYERS Championship, the four events of the FedExCup Playoffs and the biennial Presidents Cup – with hole-by-hole commentary and expert analysis, on the only audio channel dedicated to professional golf.  

Subscribers can listen to the SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio channel on SiriusXM radios (Sirius channel 208, XM channel 92), and those with streaming access can listen online, on-the-go with the SiriusXM mobile app and at home on a wide variety of connected devices, including smart TVs, Amazon Alexa devices, Apple TV, PlayStation, Roku, Sonos speakers and more. For more information, visit www.SiriusXM.com/SiriusXMPGATOURRadio.

“We are very pleased to continue our relationship with SiriusXM, whose growing subscriber base is an important and effective way for the TOUR to reach fans across the country,” said Rick Anderson, the PGA TOUR’s Chief Media Officer.  “The PGA TOUR represents the pinnacle of competitive golf and we are thrilled to work with SiriusXM to continue delivering the best golf in the world to fans everywhere, whether they are in their cars, at home or on the go.”

“PGA TOUR coverage is a very important part of our sports programming lineup, and we are very pleased to extend our long-term relationship with the TOUR to continue to give our listeners an extensive schedule of in-depth tournament broadcasts,” said Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM’s President and Chief Content Officer.  “No other audio or streaming broadcaster can match SiriusXM’s level of golf programming, and whether it is via our radios or our app, we continue to deliver it to fans anywhere across the country.”

Since 2005, SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio has featured a variety of broadcasters working on comprehensive play-by-play coverage, including former TOUR winners Mark Carnevale, Mark McCumber, Dennis Paulson, John Rollins, Paul Stankowski and Phil Tataurangi.  Earl Forcey anchors the coverage most weeks, with Fred Albers, Doug Bell, Jane Crafter, Will Haskett, Mark Immelman, Kevin Sylvester, Bill Rosinski, Tom Werme and Mark Zecchino among those returning to provide exclusive play-by-play coverage and player interviews from inside the ropes.

Roundup: 2017 GWAA Writing Contest Results

There were 423 entries in the 2018 Golf Writers Association of America contest.  I've done my best to include links where I could find them. Jaime Diaz tied Dan Jenkins atop the all-time win list with his 10th winner.

Happy reading!

2018 GWAA WRITING CONTEST RESULTS
The following is a full list of the winners, including honorable mentions.

DAILY COLUMNS – 1, Max Adler, ‘The best part of Masters week could be the one thing that’s missing’, golfdigest.com 2,  Michael Bamberger, Rules changes disappoint, golf.com; 3, Jason Sobel, I want the U.S. Open back, ESPN.com.

Honorable mention - Ron Borges, Life handcuffs Woods, Boston Herald; Bob Oliver, Stop the insanity of rules call-ins, The Golf Insiders; Geoff Shackelford, Inside story of Spieth's bogey, golfweek.com 

DAILY FEATURES – 1, Michael Bamberger, ‘The Other Arnold: Palmer's daughter reflects on the chasm between the brand and the man’, si.com; 2, Randall Mell, Secret war, forbidden love, golfchannel.com; 3, Helen Ross, How Michael Jordan became a golfer, PGATour.com.

Honorable mention -- Rex Hoggard, Woodland's toughest year, golfchannel.com; Ian O'Connor, The improbable rise of DJ, ESPN.com; Garry Smits, Day rises to No. 1, Florida Times-Union; Jason Sobel, Tiger and his famous Scotty, ESPN.com

DAILY NEWS – 1, Beth Ann Nichols, ‘Stacy Lewis Earns Emotional Win for Houston’’, golfweek.com, https://tinyurl.com/dailynews18; 2, Jaime Diaz, Payne, a man with a plan, golfdigest.com; 3, Dave Kindred, Sergio had to do it the hard way, golfdigest.com.

Honorable mention -- Alan Bastable, US on cusp of President's Cup win, Golf.com; Rex Hoggard, Spieth silences doubters, golfchannel.com; Alan Shipnuck, They look like America, Golf.com; Jason Sobel, Leishman's harrowing journey, ESPN.com.

NON-DAILY COLUMNS – 1,Jerry Tarde, “Sandy Tatum: He never surrendered”, Golf Digest; 2, Michael Bamberger, Ernie and Sam, Golf Magazine; 3, Ken Van Vechten, So, are we better golfers?, FORE Magazine.

Honorable mention – 1, Tom Callahan, Confessions of an enabler, Golf Digest; Tom Coyne, The push and the pull, The Golfer's Journal; Jerry Tarde, Forgive us our press passes, Golf Digest.

NON-DAILY FEATURES – 1, Sean Zak, “We were watching greatness: An oral history of the 1997 Masters”, Sports Illustrated;  2, Gary Van Sickle, William McGirt isn't supposed to be here, Memorial Tournament Magazine; 3, Josh Sens, Collision course, Sports Illustrated.

Honorable mention -- Michael Bamberger, The last man who grew up at The National, Sports Illustrated; Jaime Diaz, The new Sergio, Golf Digest; Alan Shipnuck, Donald Trump, Golfer-in-Chief, Sports Illustrated; Guy Yocom, Hello Mickey Wright, Golf Digest.

NON-DAILY NEWS – 1, Jaime Diaz, “Fred Ridley takes the lead at Augusta”;  2, Alan Shipnuck, Viva Sergio!, Sports Illustrated; 3. Alan Shipnuck, Koepka outmuscles Erin Hills, Sports Illustrated.

Honorable mention -- Michael Bamberger, Trump, the new First Golfer, Sports Illustrated,;  Jaime Diaz, Players date may change, Golf Digest; Beth Ann Nichols, Lewis win, donation highlight 2017, Golfweek.

SPECIAL PROJECTS – 1, Gary D'Amato, “The Making of Erin Hills”, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel; 2, Guy Cipriano, When the creek rises, Golf Course Industry; 3, Al Tays and Matt Adams, Best equipment innovations, golfchannel.com. 

Honorable mention -- Jaime Diaz, Ron Whitten, Guy Yocom, Ron Sirak, Jerry Tarde, Donald Trump, Golfer-in-Chief, Golf Digest; Mike McAllister, The man who inspired an army, PGATour.com;  Ryan Lavner, Rex Hoggard, Mercer Baggs, Will Gray, The class of 2011, golfchannel.com. 

Milstein's $15 Million Purchase Of Golf Magazine Becomes Official, Also Accelerating Nicklaus Companies Role

The New York Posts Keith Kelley reports on the sale of Golf Magazine to New York Private Bank and Trust, headed by Howard Milstein. The original sale decision was reported on this site December 11th, 2017, with a closing date of January 19th that sources say was extended after negotiations hit snags over a variety of issues.

Kelley puts the price at "around $15 million" and features this statement from Milstein:

“We look foward to continuing Golf Magazine’s long history of editorial excellence, both in its print edition and through its Web site and other offerings,” said Milstein, who is the chairman and chief executive of New York Private Bank and Trust, which operates Emigrant Bank and its private equity arm, Emigrant Capital.

There is also this good news for some of my golf writing colleagues:

Editor-in-Chief David DeNunzio and the entire staff are expected to be retained by the new owners

The deal ends rumors of a collapse in negotiations and any immediate hopes of Milstein purchasing another golf publication. Milstein owns several golf companies and while his plans are unclear, the Golf.com URL and opportunity to cross-promote his various brands appears to be the primary reason for purchasing Golf Magazine.

In other Milstein news, his investment in Jack Nicklaus will continue and change with the Golden Bear stepping away from day-to-day Nicklaus Companies commitments.

For Immediate Release:

A strategy that was born a little more than 10 years ago when Jack Nicklaus brought on Howard Milstein as a partner to grow the business, institutionalize the Nicklaus and Golden Bear brands, and create a transition to the future of one of the golf industry’s most enduring and recognizable companies has reached a juncture where Jack Nicklaus has decided to step away from the day-to-day commitments of the Nicklaus Companies and re-prioritize his time and focus.

The foundations of the Nicklaus Companies were created almost 50 years ago, with the mission to promote the game of golf, preserve its great traditions and grow the game. Over those decades, Nicklaus Companies and its predecessors have been committed to efforts to enhance the golf experience, and to bring to the national and international consumer, golf-related businesses and services that mirror the high standards established in the career and life of Jack Nicklaus. Products and services include golf-course design, development of golf and real estate communities, and the marketing and licensing of golf products and services. Earlier this year, the National Golf Foundation recognized the Nicklaus Companies as one of the Top-100 Businesses in Golf.

Jack Nicklaus is committed to ensuring that the company remains among the industry’s most respected and successful.

“I have spent my life building the Nicklaus Companies, and there has come a time in my life when I need to reduce my level of involvement and pursue many other things I am very interested in, such as charity work—specifically efforts focused on children’s healthcare—supporting the industry’s initiatives to grow this great game, and being involved in many other things outside of my involvement in the Nicklaus Companies,” Jack Nicklaus said.

“I am 78 years old, and while my health is excellent, and I have a great deal of energy and enthusiasm, it became apparent by last fall that it was time for me to spend more time on these other activities. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, and there is no reason for me to do so, because I will continue to support the Nicklaus Companies and I want the company to be successful. However, my life has changed and I wish to support my wife, as well as other family members, in any endeavor they are involved. I have said many times that Barbara spent much of her life supporting me and my career, and for the last few years, I have tried to dedicate my time and energies to supporting her and what she is involved in. I am enjoying that aspect and want to continue to devote my time to her and these other life-changing efforts, and to enjoy our lives together. I would like to thank Howard. He has enabled me to monetize what I have built in this company, take care of my family, and allowed me the time to focus on these other priorities in my life.”

In 2004, a year before Jack played his final competitive round in a major championship, the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation (nchcf.org) was founded. Since then, the Foundation has raised more than $83 million for pediatric care programs in South Florida and beyond. In 2015, world-renowned Miami Children’s Hospital was renamed Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. In November 2017, the entire Miami Children’s Health System was rebranded to Nicklaus Children’s, including 14 outpatient facilities up the Southeast Florida coast and west to Naples.

In 2007, Jack Nicklaus partnered with Howard Milstein to help further the growth of the company and to realize the full potential of the brands and branded businesses. Howard Milstein is Chairman of New York Private Bank & Trust, the country’s largest family owned and operated bank.

Nicklaus-branded products have been marketed worldwide since 1962. The Jack Nicklaus and Golden Bear-branded lifestyle collection of products includes: golf academies; ice cream; restaurants; beverages; beverageware; wine; home appliances; apparel; footwear; and golf equipment. Many of these have been introduced in the last decade, as the focus was placed on building the brand.

Meanwhile, Nicklaus Design continues to be recognized as the world leader in golf course design, with 415 courses open for play in 45 countries and 39 U.S states. Jack Nicklaus has designed, co-designed or re-designed over 300 courses around the globe, more than 100 of which have been ranked in various national or international Top-100 lists. He will continue to support the golf course design projects currently under development.

Jack Nicklaus will remain as Co-Chairman of the Nicklaus Companies, while Milstein will assume the role of Executive Chairman. The Nicklaus Family will continue to be the majority owner of the Company, with Emigrant/Milstein being a significant investor, and Jack Nicklaus II and Gary Nicklaus continue to serve as members of the Board. In addition, Jack Nicklaus II, who has active golf course design projects all over the world, including Malaysia and Vietnam, remains President of Nicklaus Design.

“Jack Nicklaus has basically spent a lifetime building a successful company and brand that is viewed as the strongest in golf, and we embrace the opportunity and responsibility to make certain this great brand—one that represents excellence—continues to grow in global prominence,” Milstein said. “Jack has also built a company with experienced, talented, innovative and hard-working people, and those colleagues are as much a part of his legacy as the company itself. From CEO John Reese to the management team and the entire staff at the Nicklaus Companies, we have enormous confidence in their ability and are positioned so that the next generation of the Nicklaus Companies will build on the strength Jack and his family created, and that Jack will remain very proud of the legacy he has established. Jack will ensure that the company and the people behind it continue the success enjoyed to date, and he will be a part of it for many years to come.”

Milstein, whose passion for the game of golf has led him to acquire in recent years a number of golf-related businesses—such as True Spec, GolfLogix, Miura, and, just this week, GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com—applauded Jack Nicklaus’ commitment to the game and to his many efforts aimed at giving back to the game.

“Everywhere you turn, Jack Nicklaus has left his imprint on the game of golf,” Milstein added. “About 50 years ago, he was instrumental in creating the enormously successful PGA TOUR we know and enjoy today. In 1976, he created the Memorial Tournament—his gift to Central Ohio that has become one of golf’s most prestigious events. He has been a national co-chair and Trustee of The First Tee, and he and the company have become a Trustee of the PGA of America’s charitable arm, PGA REACH. Jack has certainly given far more back to the game than it has given him, and I know he will continue to impact the game and charity on a daily basis. I am proud to call him a partner.

Golf Magazine, Golf.com To Be Purchased By Howard Milstein, Emigrant Capital

Golf Magazine and its coveted web URL, Golf.com, have been purchased by investor Howard Milstein and Emigrant Capital, according to sources briefed on the sale.

The 58-year-old publication has been part of the Time Inc. family since 2000 and was put up for sale in October, 2017. The golf publication and its digital site never were expected to be part of any sales talks with Meredith, the new owner of Time Inc. 

A sale price has not been disclosed, but the transaction is expected to close on January 19th, 2018.

Some staffers at Golf were notified Monday of the transaction and have been told that the Milstein group expects to invest in content and production. Plans call for a more luxurious print product and enhanced online resources. Still unknown is the status of contributors Alan Shipnuck, Michael Bamberger and other Sports Illustrated writers who worked mostly on the Golf side in recent years.

Milstein reportedly beat out multiple suitors, including Golf Channel and tee time services eager for the user-friendly URL. Several parties signed non-disclosure agreements to inspect Golf’s books, including Golf Digest.

Milstein is no stranger to golf, having invested in Miura Golf, True Spec and in the Jack Nicklaus empire. That partnership began in 2007.

Insiders say the Chairman, President and CEO of New York Private Bank & Trust—the nation's largest privately owned, family-run bank, is purchasing Golf through its operating bank, Emigrant Capital.  Milstein is believed to be bullish on making Golf work as a media company with the obvious synergistic benefits to his other investments in the sport.

Responding to a reply for comment, Time Inc spokesperson Jill Davison said, "The sales process for Golf is proceeding well and as soon as there are further developments we will share them."

Efforts are ongoing to obtain comment from representatives of Mr. Milstein and Golf.

Golf Magazine Not Part Of Time Inc. Sale To Meredith

From Kara Bloomgarden-Smoke and Evan Clark's WWD story on The Meredith Corporation's purchase of Time Inc.:

“Time has publicly reported that they have some assets that are currently for sale, the Time U.K., Golf magazine, Sunset and Essence. And we’re going to allow Time Inc. during this — before the close period — to go for it and consummate those transactions, and we think that they’ll have those done by the end of the calendar year,” Meredith’s chief operating officer Thomas Harty said.

The all-cash transaction was announced Sunday and features financing by the private equity arm of golfers Charles and David Koch, but appears to not be on the radar of the new owners or their partners.

I've asked for confirmation of the status of the Golf sale but a Time Inc. spokesman has ignored two requests for comment.

Korean Press Greets Commissioner With Some Tough Questions

With the inaugural CJ Cup at Nine Bridges over and another nine playings on the docket, Commissioner Jay Monahan and tour EVP of Global Business Affairs Ty Votaw traveled to Korea. They kindly sat down with the assembled media before Sunday's final round and took some interesting questions.

Q: It’s great that we have got another event in Asia. From the next season, 2018-2019 season, you are going to make some big changes with possibly the playoffs coming soon  and the PGA Championship moving. It looks to me as though you are going to free up more dates in the fall, in the post-labor day area. Are you planning more tournaments in Asia? Japan or China?

Jay Monahan: I would answer that by confirming that we have what you just mentioned, which is we have the commitment to move the Players to March and PGA Championship to May. You were right in that it does freeze some time in the fall. The next step we are going to take in order affect change is to essentially complete other parts of our schedule the tournaments that exist in that pre-labor day window in the U.S.

But we are a global game. If you follow the logic trail of being here, you look at the fact that you’ve got 3.5 million participants and 36 million rounds of golf played, we love what we are seeing in terms of emergency screening technology, the fact that we’ve got such a rich number of players.

Wait what? Uh, I'm chalking "emergency screening technology" up to a translation gaffe. Go on...

As you look out into the future, the reason that we are putting so much resource into key international markets is so that we are prepared when an opportunity presents itself to expand to be in the right position. But to say something is imminent would be a miscalculation and a mistake at this point.

We'll put them down for no further Asian expansion at this time.

Q: Are you surprised to see only a few foreign press covering the event, given that this event is quite significant? Why do you think that there aren’t many global press covering this event here?

Ty Votaw: There is no question that we are very excited about the opportunity to be here, first time being an official event. The media landscape in all countries is changing and as you know, the golf media in the US is also changing with decreased budgets and decreased stabilities to cover even some domestic events in the US. We now have opportunities with other platforms and other areas.

Opportunities!

I know that our own platforms are here covering extensively for the US and for other countries around the world. I will say that, much like the reactions of our players, when they go home and talk to other players about their experience here, I think you will see over the next 10 years when we are coming to South Korea and to Jeju for this event that a broader swath of media coverage will follow.

Actually, probably not.

Q: The Korean fans are grateful that Sang-moon Bae and Seung-yul Noh were given exemptions, given their situation with the national service, and that PGA has shown a lot of respect for the Korean golf. However, given that is a Tier 1 tournament with a decent sum of prize money, don’t you think that we are missing a lot of the top-class players? For example, Hideki Matsuyama and Ernie Els pulling out and not many players from the top 20?

Ty Votaw:As I mentioned earlier, I think that the experiences of the players who are here this week, when they take those stories and those experiences back with them to the PGA tour it’s going to be very positive story that they are going to be telling. As any PGA tour event on our schedule, our players choose their schedules according to what fits their specific need and their specific goals and desires. Certainly, we have added a third event in Asia this year and there has been a significant support of all three events by the top players but, perhaps not all three events by the top players.

Uh, no way.

I think what you are going to see is, the ability for players to evaluate what their experience was this week and last week in CIMB and in HSBC, and they will set their schedules accordingly. I think we are very pleased with the feel that we have this week, as commissioner mentioned earlier, our ability to have our Fedex Cup champion, our rookie of the year, former number ones Jason Day and Adam Scott plus all the other great players who are on the field this week. It’s a great start to a long term commitment by CJ and I think we will continue to do everything we can to make sure that our players support these important sponsorships.

All fair points, but it's hard to read this and wonder about the impact on up to four sponsor-less U.S. stops and many other domestic events get poor fields because players may now skip those for $9.2 million purses in Asia.

Q: I think there are a few things that can be improved in the future. The tournament is over at 3pm and it seems to feel a bit loose and it’s difficult for the gallery. Would it be possible to increase the field?

Monahan: This is just the first of our ten-plus years here. One of the things we knew going into this week was that we're going to do our very best to execute a world-class THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES, but when we left at Sunday night there’ll be a number of things we could learn from over the course of the week, and our constant pursuit to improve and get better and do the best we can in South Korea.

That’s exactly what will happen. We’ll look at every facet of the tournament. We'll make significant improvements in any facet of this event. We're not done yet. This tournament will be finalized in the next several hours but I would say that at this point on Sunday, what has happened on the grounds here, the response that we received, the things we learned from the fans here, we’re really pleased with where we are.

First on tap, ordering extra satellite time!

Social Media Police Disbanded: Tours Cave On Fan Phone Policy

The evolution of fan rules for cell phones at golf tournaments has shifted gradually everywhere but Augusta, Georgia. Still it was fascinating to see the PGA Tour and European Tour both allow fans to shoot photo and video this week (Casey/Golfweek).

As noted by Casey, the main hope here is more social sharing from fans.

For the PGA Tour, its new policy also allows spectator photo and videos taking during tournament days to be shared on social media platforms.

Live streaming and shot-by-shot coverage are still not allowed, and the new policy also states that phones must be on silent at all times and use of flash is prohibited.

But select media that dares to live Tweet a round in progress will still face losing their credentials, and don't you forget it, worthless non-PGATour.com scribblers!

The European Tour's video announcing the changing going forward:

We officially launch our new phone 📱 policy this week. Keep them on silent & we look forward to seeing your pics 📷https://t.co/6XXS8Msfhh pic.twitter.com/xNFa7czjnN

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) August 23, 2017

Bloomberg: Time Inc. Exploring Sale Of Golf Magazine

Bloomberg's Gerry Smith quotes Time Inc. CEO Rich Battista as saying the venerable print title and its Golf.com website are for sale along with Coastal Living and Sunset.

In the interview, Battista called the three publications “wonderful brands” but said Time needed to invest in other properties instead. The company also publishes People and Sports Illustrated.

“It’s really important to focus on the key biggest growth drivers of this company that will move the needle the most,” he said. “These are wonderful titles and wonderful brands. They’re just relatively smaller in our portfolio.”

Meanwhile, WWD's Alexandra Steigrad reports that Golf Digest Chief Business Officer Howard Mittman has left for Bleacher Report amid rumors of more shake-ups in the Conde Nast business model.

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

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.

Update on 2017-07-13 09:13 by Geoff

**Karen Crouse of the New York Times presents a more level-headed examination of the many issues colliding at Trump Bedminster.

In his life before politics as a real estate mogul, Trump practiced inclusivity, inviting players, including Kerr, to his courses for informal rounds during which he dispensed business advice. For a few years, he hosted the players at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., during the L.P.G.A. Tour’s season-ending ADT Championship at Trump International Golf Club. In 2006, the tournament became the first women’s event to offer a $1 million first-place prize.

The staunch supporter of women’s golf — and her own career — is the Trump that Kerr knows. She said she did not recognize or condone the behavior of the commander in chief who posts on Twitter disparaging comments about women and who has been accused of harassing women.

Trump Properties Include (Fictional) Time Magazine Covers

The Washington Post's David Fahrenthold reports what any visitor to a Trump golf property knows: featured prominently on walls are framed magazine covers featuring the now-President.

What we visitors didn't know, however, is that some of the covers are not real.

Time Magazine is demanding that they be taken down in the wake of Fahrenthold's story.

The framed copy of Time magazine was hung up in at least five of President Trump’s clubs, from South Florida to Scotland. Filling the entire cover was a photo of Donald Trump.

“Donald Trump: The ‘Apprentice’ is a television smash!” the big headline said. Above the Time nameplate, there was another headline in all caps: “TRUMP IS HITTING ON ALL FRONTS . . . EVEN TV!”

This cover — dated March 1, 2009 — looks like an impressive memento from Trump’s pre-presidential career. To club members eating lunch, or golfers waiting for a pro-shop purchase, it seemed to be a signal that Trump had always been a man who mattered. Even when he was just a reality TV star, Trump was the kind of star who got a cover story in Time.

But that wasn’t true.

The spoofs are already rolling in... 

Why stop at @TIME? pic.twitter.com/WomYHPsNWs

— Kierán Suckling (@KieranSuckling) June 28, 2017

SI Media Podcast: Golf Channel's Molly Solomon, AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson

You'll have to get back to the regular reminders of how little SI's Richard Deitsch likes or cares about golf--we get it Richard!--and he steers the conversation away from the game a bit too often due to that, but there is still plenty to chew on here.

For your weekend podcast listening...

Diaz: "Everybody loses when players don't come to the interview room."

After an opening 65, Rickie Fowler was asked by USGA officials to visit the interview room for a sitdown with writers and various television outlets. Instead, he kept his comments confined to various TV interviews and the "flash" area.

But as Jaime Diaz of Golf World explains, this was a precedent-setting move in line with the recent tradition of players increasingly staying out of the press center and distancing themselves from the press. Because of the player in question--and one who is traditionally media friendly--Diaz views this new precedent as dangerous.

But Fowler was the leader, and his decision to break precedent matters. Whether they like it or not, the game’s best players are also its most influential thought leaders. What they say at tournaments, and especially majors, can both inspire and deepen understanding of a nuanced game. Forfeiting such a platform ultimately hurts golf.

What’s worrisome is that players will take note of Fowler’s decision and start to emulate it. Indeed, through he first two rounds of the championship at Erin Hills, more than 50 players were interviewed in the flash area, but only one—Brian Harman (one of four players who tied for the 36-hole lead)—came to the press center to be interviewed.

It’s understandable in the current climate—which now includes journalists regularly considered to be putting out “fake news”—that agents and managers who handle the players see an opportunity for lessening media obligations. Perhaps Fowler’s decision was in part a test to see if anyone would notice.