Week(s) In Review, December 2-16: Platforming Gone Wild

A busy few weeks highlighted by Tiger's entry into design and the PGA Tour Communications Summit.

On Tiger's Dubai project, David Sucher wrote: consider the implications of creating a course with "lush landscaping, stunning water features" in an area which I believe is intense desert. Unless he has some trick clubs in his bag, this project will make 'Shadow Creek look ecologically sustainable. Tiger has needlessly made himself a target for ridicule. I have hitherto had a very favorable impression of him but I think he has grossly mis-stepped here.

NRH: Since Eldrick has so much cash and a solid work ethic, you would think he could find a site in the States to serve as a practice run. A project with little fanfare, in the middle of nowhere that he could get to in a couple of hours on his jet. His type of place, with no demands from an eight figure investor. Work the kinks out, establish a rapport with the crew, etc. Instead, he chooses Dubai. If nothing else, the precedent is Trumpian.

We had a naming contest to translate Al Ruwaya, and while there were many fine entries, reader ken-one-putt got my vote with "It's Right In Front of You."  Ken, please email me so I can send you a Masters of the Links!

On the news that the USGA had sold U.S. Open presenting sponsors rights to American Express, Tom G wrote: I'm a capitalist as much as the next guy, but this is waaaaay tooo far. Golf lost today.

JPB: I'm more of a capitalist than the next guy, but this is way too far and golf lost today. Maybe they are doing this so Tiger will play the US Open as he endorses Amex.

And then there was the PGA Tour's Communications Summit, which raised more questions than it answered.

John Karl: "To our partners in the golf equipment industry"  what partners? is there a fortune brands open i'm not aware of? is there a Cobra invitational on next years schedule? i apoligize, i thought i heard him say partners in the golf equipment business. that is what he said isn't it? what a bafoon, kiss ass. Only, i'm not sure why he's kissing the manufactures asses, he must get a new bag and clubs every year.

Regarding a golf writer's concern about the nonsense of players being burned, DAW did offer this interesting rebuttal: Paul Casey got burned for comments that should have been laughed off. This writer has no empathy at all for his subjects. I am confident that if Tiger, for example, ever gave an honestly negative opinion of a golf course or a specific writer that he would be *roasted* in the press. He would spend months dealing with constant questions about it; how would that possibly benefit him? Is it any wonder that he cultivates a boring public persona?

On the repeated use of MBAspeak, ABF writes: I don't have an MBA, so the use of "platform" here is new to me, and, to put it kindly, seems pretty fluid. No help from our dictionary. However, from Wikipedia: "A platform is a naturally occurring or human-made surface for people to jump from."  As in free-fall. As in jumping off a cliff.