"Heavyhanded edicts"

John Hawkins does a nice job encapsulating the growing displeasure amongst PGA Tour players with the job Commissioner Tim Finchem is doing and the possibility that it might lead to some sort of player union. Having just talked to several players about various topics, it's amazing how many continue to bring up their displeasure with the Golf Channel's 15-year deal.

Finchem's 2006 decision to form a long-term partnership with the Golf Channel was the first of several big moves that had numerous veterans scratching their heads. Some wondered why he'd done what he did, who had a say and how much player input was involved in the process. Enter the FedEx Cup, a competitive restructuring that began with players talking about a shorter season but soon morphed into a "tourified" commercial enterprise.

When Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els all skipped a FedEx Cup playoff event last summer, a message had been sent. In particular, Mickelson was rankled by what he perceived as the tour's inability to listen and was frustrated enough to bring it up in a televised interview immediately after beating Woods in Boston.

"There can be some heavyhanded edicts," admits Browne, who has served on both the policy board and PAC. "I think a lot of guys want to be involved [politically] in something where we all have such a huge stake. Given the direction the tour has gone [in determining recent policy], there obviously has been some conversation [about forming a liaison]. We'll see what comes of it."

I really think they'd all forgive and move on if they watched the Golf Channel roundtable and listened to Finchem talk about his favorite Eagles song.