"It seems the elitist game has drifted even further into skull and bones territory."

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Rex Hoggard with a strong argument against the new Hall of Fame structure, pointing out that baseball's hall handled 571 voters last year even as golf said 300 votes was said to be too much to handle.

Interestingly Hoggard sees the new approach as less democratic. My first read through had me feeling good that a Tim Finchem couldn't ramrod through another questionable Lifetime Achievement type, but Hoggard's take now has me wondering if the old voting structure was better.

Golf writers made up a large portion of the voting body along with members of the Hall of Fame and various golf administrators. Now only three writers will be included in the new 16-member selection committee.

This process – again, the most democratic element in a largely authoritarian sport – has been supplanted by commissions and sub-committees, which is suit and tie speak for cloak and dagger stuff.