Landon Michelson: "I'm here because I'm a huge idiot."

Great stuff from Morning Drive today as Landon Michelson, who was DQ'd for signing an incorrect card, shows that other than checking his card, he's a big, big adult, going on Morning Drive and his genuine, refreshing honesty makes you want to see him get a big break very soon. He also knows how to use Facetime! A+ for the lighting.

Kelly Tilghman, Damon Hack, and Phil Blackmar talk to Michelson, then debated the scorecard signing rule after.

Referee Of Sergio-Fowler Match Elaborates

Thanks to reader Patrick for sending in Dale Jackson's excellent roundup of his referree duties during last week's WGC Match Play match between Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia.

He explains the situation with the bees in which Garcia was well-within his right to ask for relief, and then tries to make sense of the strange concession by Sergio. Jackson comes away impressed by both players:

It quickly became clear that both Sergio and Ricky had made use of Rule 2-4, which sets, in part, “A player may concede his opponent’s next stroke at any time, provided the opponent’s ball is at rest.”  In language most golfers are used to, they had agreed their putts were “good for good”.  It was a very unusual move by Sergio to concede Ricky’s lengthy putt but he stated afterword he felt the bee incident on the previous hole had not been fair to Ricky who had a makable birdie putt that he missed.  The concessions by both players was sportsmanship of the highest level and it was consistent with how they conducted themselves throughout the match.  They were complementary of each other’s shots, seemed to enjoy each other’s company but played a hard fought and well played  match.

Update on 2014-02-26 04:43 by Geoff

**Meanwhile Golfweek Staff reports that Sergio would have given Rickie the putt if it were a Ryder Cup, too. Paging Captain Paul McGinley!

How About Official Bifurcation...Some Of The Time?

In the latest Golf Digest, former USGA Executive Director David Fay explains the issues involved with changing equipment rules and eventually gets to the point on many minds: the golf ball.

If the USGA and R&A are really serious about rolling back the golf ball, the important constituents who had a vote on the grooves change will be at the decision-making table. And they'll have veto power, too, because they represent their constituents' interests. (Other than restoring approach-shot values on classic older courses at which his players seldom perform, I imagine Tim Finchem wondering what the upside would be for the PGA Tour, and not finding much.) But who will speak for the rest of us: the 99 percenters, who've already been encouraged to "tee it forward"?

Of course it was Fay who alerted us last year to the ability of rulesmakers to merely use a condition of competition to usher in a rolled back ball without fussing with the masses.

Tucked away near the back of the R&A/USGA Rules of Golf is a section titled Conditions of the Competition. The portion dealing with clubs and ball requirements begins: "The following conditions are recommended only for competitions involving expert players." Key word: only.

Which leads me to Missy Jones' GolfTraditions.com story wondering what all the fuss is over with the latest rules bifurcation talk.

Another argument for bifurcation that I hear is that the pros need to have a golf ball that doesn’t go as far and amateurs need a ball that goes farther. So? Why would you have to change the rules for that? Again, the Rules of Golf are flexible. Handle that in the Conditions of Competition or Notice to Players part of the championship. You know those sheets of paper that players rarely read?

Which got me thinking: tennis quietly alters the dynamics of tennis balls during the grand slam events, why not allow for this in golf? Bifurcation at times when it's necessary--when tournaments are played at places like Merion, Riviera, Olympic Club, Pebble Beach, St. Andrews--and today's ball in play at the Dove Mountain's and TPC San Antonio's of the world?

Yes, this adds another ball to the world and enforcement issues, but maybe we can satisfy all interests by using the Conditions of Competition to get the best out of all venues?