Inspired By Langer And McCarron, Scott Goes Long Again

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Jimmy Emanuel reports that former Masters champion Adam Scott will be wielding the long putter, minus the now-banned practice of anchoring, as he tees it up in the Australian PGA (Golf Channel coverage starts Wednesday at 8 pm ET).

Scott says he was inspired to try after seeing the incredible results of seniors Bernhard Langer and Scott McCarron on the PGA Tour Champions. 

“… it was actually pointed out to me that this year they (Langer and McCarron) both recorded the best ever putting stats since stats have been kept. Both of them beat the old best. You know, I don't know if it's just a coincidence or if they had just a really good year, but maybe they've found the best way to putt,” Scott said.

Shark Talks Weakness Of Today's Players Inside 150, Why The Masters Can Make Players Use Anything They'd Like

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We forget that when Greg Norman is not hawking golf carts and posting shirtless Instagram images, he can be a keen observer of the game.

In an interview with an unbylined Gant News writer filing for the CNN affiliate, Norman touches on Patrick Reed knowing so little about his clubs, LPGA players being more accurate with their drivers and many other topics.

But the two getting my attention involved what he sees as a big change in the prowess of today's players with a wedge approach (inside, gulp, 150 yards).

“If you look at today’s top players, their distance control inside 150 yards with a wedge is quite amazingly poor,” he said.

“These guys are 20ft short, 30ft left, 20ft long, their distance control is not consistent. It could just be the way they play — when it works, it works and when it doesn’t, it doesn’t.

“In our era, every time you’d put a pitching wedge in your hand, if you didn’t think you’d get the ball inside 10ft every time, or seven out of 10 times, you weren’t having any control over your golf game.”

I do see this in watching many of today's players compared to Norman's era and wonder what the exact cause is that makes Phil Mickelson and Zach Johnson such standouts in this distance.

On the topic of distance, Norman agrees with others that this is about sustainability and Augusta National could be the solution.

“I remember the eighth hole at Augusta was nearly impossible to reach in two and now these guys are hitting irons in there,” said Norman who finished second three times at The Masters, perhaps most notably in 1996 when he blew a six-shot lead and Nick Faldo took the green jacket.

“Augusta can’t lengthen itself anymore but the tech is going to allow these players to keep hitting it longer year after year.

“If they sent out an invitation to the players and said ‘you’re going to use a gutter percha ball and a hickory shafted golf club, go get them worked out, practice before you get there, the best player will still win that week.

“The best players have that ability to make that adjustment no matter what they’re using.”

Jarrod Lyle Update: Working Television This Week, Stem Cell Transplant Next Month, A Book In Works

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Mark Hayes catches up with Jarrod Lyle at this week's Australian Open, and the pro golfer battling cancer for the third time is working the event for Australia's Channel 7 (and therefore we should hear him on Golf Channel) before receiving a stem cell transplant in December.

From Hayes' story for Golf Australia:

“I’m great now, feeling really good actually,” said Lyle, who will spend time this week as an analyst of Channel 7’s coverage of the national championship.

“But I’ve got a big month coming. I’m back into hospital for some really heavy-duty treatment that’s really going to determine how things pan out for me.

“It’s pretty hard work at the moment, but that’s the reality of the situation. It’s very serious and I’m going to have to fight … thankfully I have the three girls as inspiration and I’ll do whatever I can to get back out and be a father and a husband and live as a family afterwards.”

A video interview with Lyle:

Grayson Murray Now Respects The Guys Who "Paved My Way" To Play Pro Golf For Money

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Now, let's revel in the immediate apology from HOF Point Misser and undoubtedly-freshly-fined PGA Tour player Grayson Murray first, then quibble later.

For those unaware or simply distracted by things that actually matter, Grayson Murray comes from a world where those who make money are good and those who cause the PGA Tour's stil-robust bottom line to show a few red numbers, apparently are not so good. That was the basis for his post-Schwab Cup controversy thoughts, since deleted.

He was scolded by, among others, Curtis Strange, who has won more U.S. Opens that the rounds Mr. Murray has played in the U.S. Open. Given that Mr. Murray also failed to break 80 in either of those rounds, it's clearly he saw some sort of light from Strange's rebuttal Tweet that cited the way-pavers.

However, I must quibble that the current players on the PGA Tour Champions paved a way for Mr. Murray to ply his trade. That honor would actually go to Willie Park Sr./Jr., Allan Robertson and Old Tom/Young Tom Morris, folks I'm willing to bet he's never heard about.

Their fine efforts for professionals were continued, with major injections of freshened paving from Harry Vardon, Ted Ray, J.H. Taylor, Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and should Mr. Murray leave these United States, the likes of Gary Player, Peter Thomson and Seve Ballesteros, among others.

Today's PGA Tour Champions are riding the remnants of a wave initially fueled by some of the aforementioned. They still warrant respect for having devoted their lives to professional golf and doing their best to create a place for the likes of Grayson Murray to make a living, and presumably play a sport he loves, after he turns 50. God helps us all should he ever think of himself as a path-paver.

Golfers & Twitter Files: Grayson Murray Is Schmuckier Than Ever, Gary Evans Concedes To Pepperell

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The Grayson Murray World Twitter Tour started again November 2nd after a self-imposed hiatus and the legendary PGA Tour buffoon has already had to hit the delete button (and no doubt the Pay Fines Here button in the coming days).

Golf Wire reported for Golf.com on Murray's reply to Tweets about the bizarre Schwab Cup ending that cost Bernhard Langer the season-long points race.

In response to a tweet detailing Bernhard Langer's accomplishments on the senior circuit this season, Murray replied: "Does anyone really care is the real question...These guys were relevant 10 plus years ago."

In another reply, he conceded that the pros on the Champions tour had "laid a good foundation" for the next generation, but then added: "You will never see Phil, Tiger, Furyk ever play on it! The tour subsidizes it every year. Loses a lot of money."

I thought this reply from Curtis Strange was especially good, not that an intellect the size of one-time U.S. Open appearee Murray could take in such sentiments from a two-time U.S. Open Champion:

Meanwhile over in Europe, former player and longtime commentator Gary Evans has retired from Twitter following a dust-up with the increasingly profane Eddie Pepperell.

Martin Inglis summarizes at Bunkered and I'll let you read the Tweets there as Pepperell likes to, uh, pepper his social media missives with colorful langauge!

Rose Has HOF In Mind, Is He The Last Of A Generation?

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I'm a baseball fan and when they talk of certain players being "Hall worthy" it adds to your sense of satisfaction in watching a competitor who fans will talk about fifty years from now.

And while golf's Hall of Fame is largely a strong representation of the game's greats--with maybe a need to round out wings recognizing pioneers, architects and media the way baseball has--it's generally a solid representation of the very best to have played the game.

Which is why the inability of recent generations to throw on a jacket and tie to show their respect is so disheartening, especially as they might learn the game was played well (or better) before them. But count Justin Rose in among those using the Hall of Fame barrier as incentive to round out his career, which is still very much in his prime after two wins on top of a near-Masters win in April. But is he the last of a generation?

Rex Hoggard at GolfChannel.com talked with Rose about a goal of achieving HOF status.

In the short term, Rose is within four rounds of winning the European Tour’s Race to Dubai following his back-to-back victories; and another major championship is always the goal, particularly a Masters’ jacket following April’s near-miss.

But there’s an even loftier finish line for Rose, the ultimate benchmark when grading careers that transcend money lists and the kind of week-in and week-out hyperbole that can often blur the bigger picture.

“I've always said I'd like to be a Hall of Fame player, and I guess who makes that determination, I don't know, but that's kind of what I'm working towards,” Rose said. “So is that two major championships and 20 wins? I don't know what it is. Olympic gold will probably be kind of a nice bargaining chip when it comes to that.

Freak Injury Files: Stenson's Rib Injury From HSBC Promo Event?

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This makes Rory's kickabout injury look practically heroic. Except, perhaps to European Tour Chief Keith Pelley who has now lost Henrik Stenson for the 2017 Race to Dubai over a rib injury.

According to Rex Hoggard at GolfChannel.com, the injury appears to have been caused by that absurd WGC-HSBC pre-tournament "presentation" in Shanghai.

As to how he injured himself Stenson was also cryptic, suggesting that the injury occurred during a pre-tournament publicity presentation that included the Swede being hoisted into the air by a harness like a “superhero.”

“I’m not superman even though certain people thought I was superman,” he said in Turkey.

Maybe this is why Stenson was in no hurry to mark his ball on the greens!

Allenby Contemplated Retirement But Now He's "Refreshed"

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Evin Priest catches up with a rejuvenated Robert Allenby as he tees it up in the Sanderson Farms, this week's PGA Tour event where they are doing deep into the eligibility list to fill a field.

Depending on how you look at things, Allenby says he's refreshed after a break and the former Alien-abductee--or whatever happened in Honolulu--is ready to get back to what he does best: firing caddies.

"I was thinking I'd take a couple years off (and) get ready for the Champions Tour at (age) 50.

And what a boon for that tour.

"But when golf has been your whole life, it's hard to stop."

Lucky us!

Video: Thomas Shows How Today's Pros Can Handle Stymies

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Every time we talk stymies in a pro match play so many of you are concerned about the agronomic impact, but as Justin Thomas demonstrated at the inaugural CJ Cup in Korea, a dreadful skeech mark was no obstacle!

@justinthomas34 can do it all.

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BFF As Caddies More Than A Trend Now

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After seeing Tyrell Hatton win two European Tour events in a row with best friend forever Jonathan Bell, Tim Rosaforte says the BFF on the bag movement is "more of a trend." Hatton follows Tommy Fleetwood, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day as a top player moving to a BFF.

The players also have a consistent reply for questions about the move.

It’s more of a trend than a coincidence that three top-20 players, all in their 20s, parted ways with their caddies this year and put one of their BFFs on the bag. Rory McIlroy was the first, trading out J.P. Fitzgerald for childhood mate Harry Diamond at the WGC-Bridgestone in August, saying “sometimes to preserve a personal relationship you have to sacrifice a professional one.”

Remember, it's about being able to talk music...

That’s an understatement. As Hatton noted after winning the Dunhill, “It’s good fun having Jonathan on the bag.” Sometimes that’s all it takes, having somebody the same age who you can relate to, somebody that listens to the same music and somebody who simply represents a change."

Change Of Policy? Grayson Murray Tantrum Shared On PGA Tour Social

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Unlike other sports leagues the PGA Tour has resisted sharing absurd athlete behavior for obvious reasons: theirs is a business built on players behaving like gentleman.

So whether this is a change in policy or just a share because it involves the troublesome Grayson Murray or was simply the posting of a bored overnight shift stuck trying to find the CIMB Classic, is yet to be determined.

But the post was a nice tie-in to the baseball playoffs...not so nice for the green where Grayson dug in his shoe soles:

If the @yankees, @astrosbaseball, @cubs or @dodgers need another arm in the bullpen...

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"Michael Phelps: A Golden Shoulder to Lean On"

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The headline-grabbing comments from Michael Phelps broke last week, but it wasn't until Sunday's hard copy edition of the New York Times did I get to read the entire (excellent) Karen Crouse story.

It's a fascinating look at the work Phelps is doing to talk about depression and substance abuse. Crouse detailed in this separate Times Insider item how she got the greatest Olympian to talk and about the location (Scottsdale National Golf Club).

Here is one of the excepts related to Woods:

Phelps contacted Woods through a mutual friend, the Golf Channel analyst Notah Begay III, who was Woods’s teammate at Stanford. A recovering alcoholic, Begay had reached out to Phelps around the time he sought help at the Meadows. Their first phone conversation lasted two hours.

Begay said Phelps was almost uniquely qualified to support Woods.

“Michael can provide honest and direct feedback, and that’s what athletes of their caliber need the most,” Begay said. “Athletes at their level of accomplishment, they have 100 people lined up around the corner trying to sell something to them or do something for them, and it’s hard to filter out, to decide, who is looking out for their best interests.”

PGA Tour's Peter Malnati Takes A Knee

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Fourth year PGA Tour player and blogger Peter Malnati took to Twitter with more than 140 characters to express his support for fellow professional athletes "taking a knee" during the national anthem.