Golf fans policing PGA Tour: Good or bad for the game?

Tim Finchem created a buzz in the golf media world with the admission that if fans want to call in a rules infraction, it is their right to do so. This will create thousands of call-ins by armchair golfers who think they see, or possibly do see, something.

 

For the most part, PGA Tour golfers know the rules but, Ian Poulter even reluctantly admitted, "I still dont know all the rules, there's too many."

Although there are Tour golfers who admit they don't know every rule, is "see something, say something" always the best idea?

Why encourage fans to police the PGA Tour?

With social media being an integral part of the world we live in, it is quite easy to reach the PGA Tour via Twitter or Facebook with a comment or an @ statement. Although seemingly harmless, not every fan with a Rules of Golf book should be an armchair referee.

 

"Cutting them (fans) off is not an option at this point"  said Finchem, and he has a point. With the PGA Tour grasping for audience, the Commissioner isn't turning away any viewers but, rather, welcoming them in as pseudo-refs.

 

Telephoning the Tour is an option but would create a glut of calls for every piece of dirt that a fan thought was moved illegally. Perhaps Finchem will set up a special hotline that he could man during each event?

 

One good thing that may come out of all of this is that fans may actually dust off their copies of the Rules of Golf. Golfers may finally READ and understand the rules!

Should the game of golf remain pure or should the new media be welcomed into the sport? Paddy Miller mentioned that the Commissioner has compromised the integrity of the game and is jeopardizing the tradition of golf itself.

Golf has always been a sport of honor in which golfers call an infractions on themselves...if they know that an infraction was created.

If a Tour player, however, didn't realize that he broke a rule, he could go on to win the event which would be unfair to the other golfers. With money and position at stake and knowing that technology now rules the airwaves, it is impossible to keep the tradition of the game completely status quo. Hopefully a resolution that is fair to all will be achieved.

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Kaymer defense of Tiger Woods honor refreshing but ...

Martin Kaymer is standing up for Tiger Woods before their two-day golf pairing at the Dubai Desert Classic this week, defending the now number three's right to sort out his private life for the sake of the game.

"Tiger shouldn't be getting a hard time," number two golfer in the world, Kaymer, told reporters, declaring that the world of golf should be "thankful" for what Woods has done for it.

Lee Westwood, playing in the pairing with Kaymer and Woods at Emirates Golf Club, may not be defending Woods' honor but understands that Woods still adds excitement to the game, "I'm watching how Tiger is playing. I'm seeing if he's playing well."

Speaking of a great honor, golf fans around the world should congratulate Westwood for being awarded lifetime membership on the European Tour.

George O'Grady, Europe's chief executive, said of Lee Westwood, "the fact that only 12 other players have claimed the position of Number One over a 25-year period speaks volumes for the enormity of his achievement. He has done this through the quality of his golf and sheer force of personality – and is undoubtedly one of our greatest champions."

 
Mickelson has a sword in his hands! Is he looking to depose all three of the world's top golfers? ;-)

credit: MyAvidGolfer.com


Although the top two European Tour golfers are concerned with playing their own game, Kaymer's "fan" status has placed him in a precarious position. The "stars" in Martin's eyes for his teen idol could blind him from a Woods thrashing if Tiger's game rebounds in Dubai. Kaymer believes and insists that Tiger is still "the best player in the game."

Here's the part that could hurt Kaymer's mental game. Kaymer said of Woods, "At the moment, Lee and me, we are Numbers One and Two, but in every golfer's mind, he is the best player in the world."

Kaymer's sensitivity to Woods' plight might also take down his guard.

Still, all Martin Kaymer wants is a fair fight, wishing to go one-on-one with Woods in a Sunday duel.  
May the best golfer win.

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More exciting golf hole-16 or 17 at TPC Scottsdale?

Some fans prefer taking a seat at the 16th hole, a.k.a. the "loudest hole in golf" while others who may be part of the "overflow" find themselves at the 17th at TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course. Either way, expect to hear a raucus crowd echoing through the hills at the Waste Management Open.

Anthony Kim explained the reason why both golf holes are equally flooded with fans, "The people who can't get into 16 go to 17 and it's a great carry-over effect."

The 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale is a 162-yard par 3 from the Championship tees. Accuracy is required and a golfer will get booed if their golf shot falls short of perfection! This is also the Kodak Challenge hole selected for the event.


TPC Scottsdale 16th hole: credit

The 17th hole at TPC Scottsdale is a 355 yard drivable par-4 edged with water. Caddybytes.com said that the 17th is, "narrow and protected by mounding and slopes with a very narrow back portion making the player 'challenge' the trouble to make a birdie three."



I personally prefer the risk/reward of 17 over 16 at TPC Scottsdale but, with over 20,000 fans squeezing into the seats at 16, both golf holes are going to be crowded and expecting plenty of action!

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PGA West par-3 17th hole
Torrey Pines-18th hole

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"Fun" Phil or "Safe" Mickelson?

One article on the Phil Mickelson website mentioned that "fun" Phil reappeared at Torrey Pines but will the "let it ride" or "safe" Mickelson attitude win more PGA Tour events this season?

On Sunday, Mickelson's play on the 18th hole at Torrey Pines gave fans mixed signals about what to expect from Lefty's game.

Did Mickelson make a hasty decision by carving a safe shot out of the rough before watching how Bubba Watson played the 18th? Should Phil have gone for the green or lay-up as he ultimately chose to do?

Mickelson's usual risk-taking attitude gave way to a safe out handing Watson his second victory. Although risk could have equaled reward, (an eagle and a playoff), it could have also equated to folly.  Perhaps Phil could have been thinking back to his 2006 US Open disaster in which he double-bogeyed the 18th hole at Winged Foot losing a one-stroke lead and dropping into a tie for second place.

As Phil said,
"I'm not ever going to forget it, that's obvious!"

Throwing around the word "strategy" hasn't come easy for Phil but, knowing the changes that have been made to Torrey Pines has made Mickelson more cautious about how to play the course.

"The biggest thing for me is I'm not taking on anywhere near as much risk," Phil explained Saturday after getting into a tie with Bill Haas. "I'm just playing it much more conservative, because the reward isn't there. This course doesn't reward you for taking on any challenge. And my more conservative approach into the greens, albeit boring, has led me to be on top of the leaderboard."

Although a conservative finish didn't get him the trophy, without the pressure of having to win on 18 Mickelson dazzled fans with a tremendous wedge to within three-feet of a tie. If the ball would have spun a little more, there could have been a playoff.

So, perhaps there is room for both fun Phil and safe Mickelson to co-exist with positive results?

 
Credit: Mickelson in 1980...fun Phil?

Looking ahead to this week's PGA Tour event, the Waste Management Open in Phoenix, Mickelson will be playing golf alongside fellow lefty Bubba Watson.

"I played really good golf and gave myself an opportunity," said Mickelson. "Played well on Sunday and had a good tournament. Hopefully, I'll use this as a springboard for (Phoenix)."  I wonder which Phil will be in attendance?

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Kodak and Devlin's Billabong Challenge Mickelson, Haas at Torrey Pines

The tricky par 5 18th at Torrey Pines South Course has been intimidating PGA Tour golfers the entire week. For Phil Mickelson and Bill Haas, this golf hole could be the deciding factor in who wins both the Farmers Insurance Open and this week's Kodak Challenge.

As the finishing hole at Torrey Pines, the long par-5 18th hole (572 yards from the tips) has seen its share of great plays, none more calamitous than Bruce Devlin’s "10" in 1975 during the Andy Williams San Diego Open.  Devlin, who was among the lead contenders in the tournament, dropped six consecutive approaches into the pond in front of the green en-route to the 10.

“Devlin's Billabong” is the name now given to the troublesome pond in front of the green.

About Hole No. 18 at Torrey Pines South CourseThe par-5 eighteenth on the South Course demands a very long drive before a challenging second shot over a small but dangerous lake in front of the green. From the back tees this par 5 is a three-shot hole for most players. From the front tees it’s reachable in two shots. Approach shots must be wary of “Devlin’s Billabong,” the small, yet troublesome pond in front of the green.

The quick, terraced green slopes from back to front.


Torrey Pines South Course par 5-18th hole

The Kodak Challenge was created to celebrate the beautiful holes and memorable moments in golf. Golfers must play at least eighteen of thirty Kodak Challenge holes throughout the season to qualify. The golfer with the best Kodak Challenge score relative to par at the end of the season will win the Kodak Challenge trophy and $1 million. 

For more on the Kodak Challenge visit pgatour.com/kodakchallenge. Fans can also follow the Kodak Challenge at facebook.com/kodakchallenge, twitter.com/kodakchallenge, and 1000words.kodak.com/kodakchallenge.

Read more about Kodak Challenge on PGA West par 3, 17th hole


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Tiger Woods vs Phil Mickelson at Torrey Pines? It could happen!

The 2011 PGA Tour season didn't officially begin this week, but with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson debuting at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, expect the pace to ramp up a bit.

Now imagine these two golfers, with everyone anxiously awaiting their return, playing head to head on Sunday! It's a stretch but it could happen and did occur with their "dream pairing" at the 2008 U.S. Open.

Six wins at Torrey Pines for Woods (at the Farmers, one win at U.S. Open) with three for Mickelson show that these two golfers are confident that they made the right decision starting their 2011 PGA Tour season at this golf course.

credit

Should Phil have begun with business as usual at the Bob Hope Classic? With two wins at this event, it might have made a more positive impact than his decision to tune-up in Abu Dhabi.

PGA.com contended that Mickelson "lost interest in recent years when the tournament started moving away from its traditional rotation of golf courses," resulting in his overseas trip to Abu Dhabi where he placed in the 37th spot.

Both Tiger and Phil have expectations of winning at Torrey Pines but it seems that priorities have changed a bit in the past few years: the Tour is now taking a back seat to kids and their lives. Will this impact their respective games?

As Woods said in his press conference today, "The determination hasn’t changed, it just needs to be put into a proper perspective. I went down a path I never should have gone, so my priority is to keep my life in proper balance.”

Is Tiger or Phil more likely to succeed this week at Torrey Pines?
Devil Ball Golf editor Jay Busbee believes that "Tiger seems to be closer to putting it together than Phil."
Fellow writer Shane Bacon concurred adding, "If one of these two are winning this thing, it's Tiger. He's won the last four times he's played in this event, and took down that U.S. Open you might remember on one leg."

First round playing partner Rocco Mediate didn't say whether he felt Tiger Woods could win this week (memories of that 2008 U.S. Open?) but he does believe that Woods could come away with at least four wins this 2011 PGA Tour season.
A third possibility is that both Tiger and Phil struggle through another 2010 stretch and one of the young guns takes center stage. The wrath of Tiger Woods has eased on his playing partners since his winless season and Mickelson never really made anyone feel nervous on the golf course.

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