When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
Andrew Relinquishes His Honorary Membership In The Royal And Ancient
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The former Duke of York and former Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews Captain has added the club to the list of places he’s no longer associated with in an official capacity.
From the R&A’s Martin Slumbers to members of the club:
I wish to advise Members that today, the Club received notification from The Duke of York’s office that the Duke will relinquish his Honorary Membership of the Club. In doing so, he sent best wishes for our continued good work. We respect and appreciate the Duke’s decision. Other than confirming the facts, neither the Club nor The R&A will make any further public comment on this matter.
“The Prince drove into office on 18 September 2003 and was Captain during the year in which the Club celebrated its 250th anniversary. Describing his feelings towards the role he said, ‘It is an enormous privilege, an honour and a dream come true for me to be invited to become the Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club, especially in this, its 250th anniversary year.’
“A painting, specially commissioned by the club to mark its anniversary, shows The Duke of York driving into office. Painted by Anthony Oakshett, it contains over 600 individuals and was completed in 2006.” The status of the portrait following Andrew’s relinquishing of his membership is unknown.
At the 2010 Open the former Duke gave a neverending and impassioned speech in favor of technology.
2022's Major Venues: Ranking The Intrigue Factor
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The Quadrilateral has lumped the nine men’s and women’s major venues of 2022 into one package and done what any self-respecting publication would do: rank them. I should probably also rank where this year ranks on the list of great venue years but one ranking is enough for now. Too many exciting venues sporting shiny new paint jobs to celebrate!
Five Clubs Pod With Jack Nicklaus Discussing Governing Bodies On Distance: “I don’t really know what they’re doing”
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Gary Williams discusses the past, present, and future of the game with 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus as his 82nd birthday nears.
As most know, Nicklaus has been on top of this topic for around fifty years and some of his comments in the podcast suggest he’s exasperated at the state of affair, especially with the upcoming 20th anniversary of the “joint statement of principles” on distance. He also discusses the water issue and the disparity now between the professional and amateur thanks to equipment best suited for high swing speeds.
Nicklaus tells Williams the USGA said they were going to get the issue addressed two years ago, then COVID paused the process and again more recently, “nothing happened.” He concluded, “I don’t really know what they’re doing” and ultimately asked, “How long is going to take them to 'research’ the issue?”
We do know the current comment period ends this May, with a likely hint of some plans to do something. So in that sense there is some optimism a stand will be taken, though far too late.
The distance talk starts around the 15:00 mark:
OEM's Launch Latest AI-Infused Tungsten Cartridge Speed Frame Jailbreak Stealth Twistface Carbonwoods Guaranteed To Go Longer, Straighter
/As we inch closer to a decision based on the Distance Insights Study, just about any decision will lead to from Carlsbad even as they stare at record profits, give little back to the charitable side of the game and account for maybe 10% over the overall golf “business”.
So with that inevitable sobbing to come, perhaps as soon as May, the January 4th launches by Taylormade and Callaway—with their partners at the independent media operations hoping they’ll buy ads—will be good to file away for safe keeping.
Traditionally when any form of rulemaking is discussed to keep certain skills and courses relevant, the manufacturers claim they’ve maxed out the technology. When they want your $600, the technology is breakthrough, stealth, AI infused and almost guaranteed to add distance and lower spin.
The various golf publications peddled it all as usual. There was this from a Taylormade engineer to keep in mind as they phase out Titanium for the next great innovation, speaking to Golf Digest’s Mike Stachura.
THE DEEP DIVE: The titanium face driver, the golf industry’s staple since the mid-1990s, has run its course. So says TaylorMade’s team of engineers who in fits and starts over the past 20 years have been pursuing something they say is not merely entirely different from titanium, but of course, fundamentally better. As Tomo Bystedt, TaylorMade’s senior director of product creation, puts it, referencing the famous “S Curve” for innovation, “We knew the S curve for Ti was ending and the S Curve for carbon-composite faces was beginning.”
Kind of like the bubble shaft! Until it wasn’t.
Look, these are good people who have to come up with something to differentiate their product. But the numbers also do not lie: the engineers are very good at what they do and know how to arm today’s elites with equipment they hit longer by just going on a launch monitor and testing.
So this spring when their bosses, only thinking of shareholder value, claim distance has peaked and how there’s nothing to see here, just remember January 4th’s claims and supporting coverage.
Even Tiger chimed in as part of launch day:
And Callaway has introduced a new Chrome Soft that you guessed it, goes longer even though the ball has hit its limit whenever the USGA and R&A are thought to be changing any equipment rules.
From Andrew Tursky at Golf.com, after explaining how Callaway studied its off-core Chrome Softs to make sure that doesn’t happen again. But there was this regarding the new Chrome Soft X:
So, Callaway listened. Without changing the spin profile at all, Callaway was able to increase driver ball speed by 0.7 mph due to the new core in the 2022 version.
And regarding the new and improved Chrome Soft X LS:
According to Callaway, the new Chrome Soft X LS increases driver speed by 0.8 mph, reduces driver spin by 130 rpm, and reduces iron spin by 120 rpm compared to the previous version.
Quadrilateral: The Martin Slumbers R&A Holiday Card
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And if you aren’t already receiving this kind of intel directly to your inbox, here’s more on how to do that.
Quadrilateral: Major(s) News & Notes, December 16, 2021
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I got the dreaded red light telling me this one was too long. So out went a photo of Omar Uresti.
As always, I invite you to sign up if you haven’t to receive the weekly edition. Paid subscriptions and gift options are available too.
R&A: "Record Numbers Now Playing Golf Worldwide"
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North Berwick
The game has grown! And America barely added to the increase of 5.5 million or so people who identify as golfer.
14 December 2021, St Andrews, Scotland: New research figures revealed by The R&A and Sports Marketing Surveys (SMS) show golf has enjoyed a significant increase in popularity worldwide since 2016 with over five-and-a-half million additional golfers taking up the sport.
The number of total golfers globally has increased from 61 million to 66.6 million in a five-year growth period, surpassing the previous high mark of 61.6 million set in 2012. The measure includes club members and non-member independent golfers playing nine or 18 holes and users of driving ranges in markets where course availability is limited.
The new figure reflects a positive trend in golf in which participation levels are now rising worldwide after a period of decline. This was recently highlighted in the 2021 European Golf Participation Report, which highlighted that over 10.6 million golfers now enjoy playing full-length courses on the continent – a healthy increase from the 7.9 million last monitored in 2016.
Phil Anderton, Chief Development Officer at The R&A, said, “Golf is enjoying a real boom in popularity at the moment and we are seeing substantial increases in participation in many parts of the world, particularly in the last two years when the sport could be played safely outdoors during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The new figures are very encouraging but we need to work together as a sport to make the most of this opportunity by retaining those people who have returned to golf or tried it for the first time. We can achieve this by offering a variety of attractive and flexible options that encourage golfers to play more regularly and enjoy its many health and wellbeing benefits with family and friends.”
Options! Now we’re talking.
Check out these numbers…
SMS collected participation data reported by national federations in different regions around the world, using nationally representative studies and expert estimates to calculate the global number of total golfers.
Regions experiencing the largest rises include Asia (20.9 million to 23.3 million); Europe (7.9 million to 10.6 million – driven largely by Great Britain and Ireland 3.6 million to 5.7 million); and North America (29.9 million to 30.6 million).
The research figures indicate the growth trend began before Covid-19 and then accelerated during the pandemic as the popularity of golf grew due to golfers being able to socially distance in a safe outdoor setting and stay active to boost their physical and mental health.
Physical health for sure. Not sold on the mental part.
In Great Britain, the number of adults playing a nine or 18-hole course began to gradually increase before the onset of Covid-19, rising from 2.5 million in 2017 to 2.8 million in 2018, then to 3 million in 2019, before surging to 5.2 million in 2020.
Following the easing of lockdown restrictions, The R&A sought to carry out additional research into this rise in demand and how different types of golfers were engaging with the sport.
The Post Covid Opportunity Research, along with findings from Bayfirth Research, details experiences of golfers during the pandemic, motivations for playing and long-term plans for the future. Among new golfers, 98% of those interviewed identified they are enjoying playing golf and 95% see themselves playing golf for many years to come.
The research also outlined recommendations clubs can take to retain new players, including feeling welcome and valued; a friendly culture and relaxed atmosphere;
You don’t say!
participation options based on ability and experience; good customer service; having an efficient booking system; the quality and maintenance of the course; and, importantly, playing in an encouraging environment.
Nice, schmice. What about all-you-can-eat comfort stations? Bigger, lighter, more expensive drivers?
USGA, R&A Introduce Model Local Rule To Further Limit Use Of Green-Reading Materials
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The USGA and R&A keep making bifurcation cool, this time officially piggybacking on the PGA Tour’s rule change to attempt a full ban on grown men studying tiny arrows to read a putt.
For Immediate Release:
USGA, R&A INTRODUCE MODEL LOCAL RULE TO FURTHER LIMIT USE OF GREEN-READING MATERIALS
Option available January 1 and is intended for the highest levels of the game
LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. and ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (Dec. 1, 2021) – Golf’s governing bodies have made available a Model Local Rule (MLR) to further limit the use of Green-Reading Materials.
MLR G-11 enables a committee to limit players to using only the yardage book that it has approved for use in the competition.
This local rule is intended only for the highest levels of competitive golf and, even then, only for competitions where it is realistic for the committee to undertake an approval process for yardage books. It will be available starting January 1, 2022.
The local rule gives a committee the ability to establish an officially approved yardage book for a competition so that the diagrams of putting greens show only minimal detail (such as significant slopes, tiers or false edges that indicate sections of greens). In addition, the local rule limits the handwritten notes that players and caddies are allowed to add to the approved yardage book.
The purpose behind the local rule is to ensure that players and caddies use only their eyes and feel to help them read the line of play on the putting green.
The USGA and The R&A developed MLR G-11 in response to feedback from several professional tours.
The MLR, along with question-and-answer guidance, can be found here.
As the local rule should only be adopted at the highest levels of competitive golf, all other golfers will continue to be able to use green-reading tools so long as they meet the requirements established in 2019. For more information on the current rule, see usga.org/grm.
Financial Times On "The Saudi-backed plan to shake up the sport"
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Samuel Agini of the Financial Times explores the Saudi efforts to start a golf league and does a nice job reviewing how we got to the point. In the way of original reporting, he gets some comments from Callaway’s Chip Brewer, the R&A’s Martin Slumbers and a strange “statement” from the PGA Tour’s Jay Monahan. So two of the three like the FT and felt it was worth the time to call back.
But I think what I enjoyed most is a reminder that we will get to hear Greg Norman act like he thought of things that are just totally stolen from the Premier Golf League concept. Like this on franchising:
But the structure of golf means teams cannot be bought and sold. Unlike in football and basketball, golfers are individual contractors. They work for themselves, while the tours run competitions, aggregate media rights and monetise the coverage. Despite the apparent independence of players, they typically require permission from their member tour if they are to play on rival circuits. Norman argues that this model is a missed financial opportunity. “You look at that value that’s been generated through other sports, for other players and other franchises,” he says. “Golf has never recognised that or had the ability to capture that market.”
As for quotes, the R&A’s Slumbers tried to distinguish between investment and blowing up the current structure, though he doesn’t make a case for why the current structure is that special.
He distinguishes between LIV proposals for breakaway golf leagues and initiatives such as oil company Saudi Aramco’s sponsorship of the Ladies European Tour, the women’s golf group of which Slumbers is a board member. “I think there is a difference between wanting to invest and support within the current structure and wanting to be a disrupter,” he says.
The writer only got this from Jay Monahan…
“The PGA Tour is stronger than at any time in our history and the game of golf has unprecedented momentum,” Monahan said in an emailed statement. “We are positioned to grow faster in the next 10 years than at any other point in our existence.”
I don’t even think that’s a non-denial, denial. More like a non-answer, answer.
It’s a bold strategy to only pump money to purses and bonus pools without investing fans in an exciting new future that makes them sentimental for the current model. I realize that would require caring about the fans above all else.
Major(s) News & Notes, November 18, 2021
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Rory McIlroy reiterated the importance of majors as the PGA Tour focuses on financial incentives. My thoughts on this dichotomy are shared with a very profound solution.
Plus, Inverness and Olympic Club news, Slumbers on model local rules and media, capped off by some Reads.
McIlroy On The Environment, Sustainability...
/I know what you cynics are thinking, this is the guy who unfairly blasted the governing bodies for spending money to research distance and the corresponding issues related to chasing overall golf course yardage.
So he has some consistencies to mop up when waxing on about sustainability all while reluctantly supporting bifurcation driven in part by cutting down on resource waste.
Here is Rory McIlroy, speaking at the DP World Championship about the guilt of flying private.
Q. The big talking point of the month has been environmentalism with COP26 and that sort of thing. You're somebody with a massive global footprint. You travel in private jets. You play a game that some people argue is not the most environmentally friendly. I've never heard you speak on that subject. What's your take?
RORY MCILROY: It's funny you say that. So two years ago, after I won in China, I flew back home privately, and it was just me on the plane. And I just got this massive sense of guilt come over me just because this can't be good and all that sort of stuff.
So we ended up reaching out to the GEO Foundation who do a lot of great sustainability things in golf, and that was the only sort of organization that we knew of that I guess could help us go in the right direction.
The GEO Foundation is an R&A partners so…
What I was trying to do is make all my travel -- I wouldn't self-profess to be an eco warrior, but I'm someone that doesn't want to damage the environment anyway, so how can I make my travel around the world neutral, how can I neutralise what I do.
And they came up with a few different ways that I can do that. So on top of what I pay to fly private, I pay quite a bit more on top of that to make sure I'm carbon neutral by the end of the year.
Hey maybe the PGA Tour will do the same with its fleet!
So it's something that I have a conscience about and I take it seriously, especially when you see some of these weather events that are happening. And I live in a part of the world where hurricanes are very prevalent and becoming more and more prevalent as the years go on. I think we can all play our part in some way or another.
Just how so many Floridians think!
Wait, there’s a follow up?
Q. How much of a talking point do you think it is amongst your peers, the other players? Is something that's going to gain momentum?
RORY MCILROY: Yeah, I think -- yeah. As you said, we play on big pieces of land that take up a lot of water and a lot of other things that could maybe be put to better use some could argue.
I think they’re studying that!
But at the end of the day, we decide to be professional golfers and hit a ball around a course. And I guess that's sort of the extent of it.
But as I said, we all can do our part. I certainly don't think it's something that I've talked to many of the players about really, but just from my conscience and my mind, I know that I'm at least -- when I do travel and I travel privately that I'm not doing it to the detriment of the world that we live in.
Next on the agenda: the size of the places you fly all over the world to play.
Major(s) News & Notes, November 11th, 2021
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Then the Quad dives into how major venues fared in Golf Mag's World Top 100, followed by a Frisco update, and some non-golf reads.
Quadrilateral: Ranking The Disruptive Forces
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So much is at stake in the coming months and it’s a pretty stunning change from not that long ago when the “league” idea was declared dead.
USGA, R&A Early Coverage Headed To USA Network; Is Golf Channel's End Near?
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Sports Business Journal's shocking reveal suggests the end is near for Arnold Palmer's bold vision.
**And the press release…
Premier League, NASCAR, INDYCAR, USGA and The R&A Golf Championships, and College and Olympic Sports Among Premium Properties and Events Moving to USA Network
USA Network to Feature Premier League Tripleheader on January 1, 2022
USA Network Was #1 Sports and Entertainment Cable Network Throughout the Recent Tokyo Olympics
NBC Sports Content Also Moving to CNBC, Peacock and Other NBCUniversal Platforms
NBCSN to Conclude Programming on Dec. 31, 2021
LOS ANGELES, Calif. and STAMFORD, Conn. – November 2, 2021 – Beginning Jan. 1, 2022, USA Network broadens its slate with the addition of premium NBC Sports events, including coverage from the Premier League, NASCAR, INDYCAR, the Olympic Games, USGA and The R&A Golf Championships, college and Olympic sports, horse racing, cycling and more. In addition, CNBC, Peacock, and other linear platforms will also host a wide variety of live sports.
USA Network will kick off the 2022 sports calendar on Saturday, Jan. 1 at 7 a.m. ET with a New Year’s Day Premier League tripleheader, beginning with Arsenal hosting defending champion Manchester City.
“We are excited to transition the cable coverage of many of our premium sports events to USA Network, Peacock, and other widely-distributed NBCUniversal platforms, which will give us a significant boost in television homes and will put us in an even stronger position as we grow our business,” said Pete Bevacqua, Chairman, NBC Sports.
“USA has always been home to big, iconic characters - on reality shows like ‘Chrisley Knows Best,’ premium scripted dramas like ‘Chucky’ and ‘The Sinner,’ and of course the high-octane energy of our WWE personalities – and larger-than-life pro athletes will fit right in,” said Frances Berwick, Entertainment Networks, NBCUniversal Television & Streaming. “We expect this expansion of our live sports offering will both engage existing fans and bring in new communities to USA, further cementing the network as a top destination for the best and broadest entertainment in all of its many forms.”
During the recent Tokyo Olympics, USA Network televised live coverage of track & field, men’s and women’s beach volleyball, indoor volleyball and softball, and ranked as the #1 sports and entertainment cable network in primetime with an average of 1.6 million viewers. In September, the Manchester United-Newcastle match featuring the return of Cristiano Ronaldo ranked as the most-watched Premier League game on USA Network.
NBC Sports Programming on USA Network in 2022
Atlantic 10 basketball
Horse Racing
IMSA
INDYCAR: Two races
NASCAR: Cup and Xfinity Series races
Olympic sports
Premier League
The R&A – The Open, AIG Women’s Open: Early round and weekend lead-in coverage
The Winter Olympics
Tour de France
USGA – U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open: Early round and weekend lead-in coverage
Note: Many of these sports will continue to have programming on the NBC broadcast network. In addition, all linear coverage can be streamed via authentication on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. (*All PGA TOUR events remain exclusively on NBC or GOLF Channel.)
