Say It Ain't So, Vol. 2,599

No. 9 at Maidstone (click to enlarge)The East Hampton Star reports on Maidstone's plan to irrigate fairways, but even more depressing is Golfweek's Forecaddie reporting that USGA officials and Tom Fazio are going to soften three greens at Merion, including the 12th. (If the magnificent 5th is included in that group, it's a sad, sad day for golf but certainly not the first or last time the USGA will have had a hand in selfish and short-sighted architectural changes.)  

Nice to see the Forecaddie (oh come on, this has Dr. Klein written all over it!) blasting away:

The forecaddie remembers that the course performed famously well during the 2005 US Amateur and figures that USGA officials just can't help tinkering with old courses, even when it means permanently compromising their character for the sake of one four-day event.