A Story About A Father, His Sons And Golf
+ Thoughts on the U.S. Open, the so-called merger and other oddities.
ON THE TEE
🏌️ Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele set the U.S. Open record and tied the men’s major record by shooting 62 in the first round of the Open. Did they go so low by hitting it too far off the tee? Or by making a whole lot of putts?
🏌️ Is the reason that no one knows how the PGA Tour-PIF “arrangement” — the Tour now says it’s not a merger — will work is because Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan don’t know, either?
🏌️ Congress is asking the Department of Justice to look into the not-merger, harumphing about antitrust violations. Don’t they know the DOJ is already investigating the PGA Tour for the same issues?
🏌️ Monahan has been sidelined for an undetermined time with an undisclosed medical issue. Isn’t Jimmy Dunne the de facto commissioner, anyway?
🏌️ LIV Golf employees and some team captains have been told administrators are “working on” the 2024 schedule. That’s not the same as a guarantee the tournaments will actually be played, is it?
🏌️ Rory McIlroy, who had been Monahan’s public bulldog while the PGA Tour was anti-LIV, said he felt like a “sacrificial lamb” after the not-merger. At the U.S. Open, McIlroy is not talking to the media and who can blame him?
🏌️ Nick Taylor made a 72-foot putt for eagle on the fourth playoff hole to win the RBC Canadian Open to become the first man from Canada to win the national championship in 69 years. A champagne-spraying, fellow Canadian Adam Hadwin was tackled by a security guard on the 18th green. Will the eagle or the tackle be the most memorable moment?
🏌️ From the land of $1,000 mini-tour winner’s checks, Olin Browne Jr. qualified for the U.S. Open for the first time in his 17th attempt. Is there anyone in the field who enjoyed the Open more than he did?
🏌️ Would you really show up at your course for the big Saturday game wearing joggers?
:: Mike Purkey
FEATURES
Golf comes full circle for family, late father
While Kurt Pierpont loved to play golf, he and his three sons never bonded through the traditional game. The pandemic and a VR golf game, however, brought the four together to create lasting memories
:: Ken Klavon | Read
Despite challenges, Old Chatham stays true to its vision
The Durham, North Carolina, club's architect, director of golf and superintendent have fostered a special bond since signing on with the course, which opened in 2001
:: David Droschak | Read
BOOKMARKED
Good reads that are mainly about golf, but not always.
📖 The Playoff: A nice guy (Casper) gets the grill
:: Jim Murray | Los Angeles Times via ESPN.com | 06.21.1966
📖 The disease of more
With the partnership of the PGA Tour and PIF, the Disease of More has officially afflicted all of golf. Is there an antidote?
:: Kevin Van Valkenburg | No Laying Up | 06.08.2023
📖 The immortal Mel Brooks
The 2,000-year-old man turns 97 this summer. I talked with him about fighting in World War II, his life in comedy, and the secret to happiness
:: Judd Apatow | The Atlantic | 06.09.2023 ($)
PERFECT PUTT
The business behind U.S. Open merchandise
Eleven days to sell 400,000 items
:: Jared Doerfler | Read
Each Monday, Jared Doerfler breaks down the business of golf. Subscribe to Perfect Putt here.
GOLF KITCHEN
Seared Salmon with wild rice and zucchini blossoms
In 2014, Golf Kitchen founder Diana DeLucia interviewed Chrissie Bennett, who was then the kitchen manager for Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York, club.
DeLucia asked Bennett, “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
"Hopefully, in an executive position, and most likely in a sous chef position,” Bennett said. “I love Winged Foot so much that I am happy to work my way up here and have no intentions of leaving. I am very family-oriented, and Winged Foot feels like home, which is why people stay here for 20 years and more. We're always thankful that members and management acknowledge our performance, which happens every day. To summarize my feelings, Winged Foot has been great to me, and I, in turn, need to be great for Winged Foot."
Today, the Jamaican-born Bennett, who is also from the Bronx, serves as the club’s executive chef and share this recipe.
Serves: 4.
Ingredients:
> 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
> 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
> 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
> 4 6-ounce salmon fillets, 1-1/4-inch thick
Chef Note: I have my fish monger remove the skin, but it’s OK to leave it on if you like.
> 2 cups wild rice blend
> House-made chicken or vegetable broth
> 1/4 cup salted butter (sliced)
> 1 large onion (chopped)
> 4 cloves garlic (minced)
> Olives
> English peas
Garnish:
> Zucchini blossoms
Preparaton:
Salmon
Season the salmon with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Heat the oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Cook the salmon, without moving, skin side up, until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Carefully flip the fillets and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking until done to your liking, 4 to 5 minutes more.
Wild Rice
Cook the rice using broth instead of water. When the cooking time is up, do not open the lid. Turn the heat off and keep the lid tightly covered for 10 minutes to allow continued steaming. If the rice is too firm, mix in just enough extra broth to moisten all the rice, cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. While the rice is cooking, add the butter to a large/deep skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted and starting to bubble, add the olives and English peas. Stir to combine. Cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the brussels sprouts, garlic, Italian seasoning and black pepper, stirring for another 2 minutes until softened. Check rice for doneness. Fluff with a fork and add to a skillet with vegetable mixture, stirring to incorporate. Taste and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
Assembly:
On a serving plate, spoon the wild rice in the center, place the salmon on top and garnish with zucchini blossoms.
Wine Match:
Camaraderie Cellars Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, Washington
Note: Nice and earthy with hints of cherry fruit running through it, notes of truffle and mushrooms, very Bordeaux-ish, nice finish. It pairs well with this grilled roasted salmon recipe.
More food and drink recipes can be found at GolfKitchen.com.
19TH HOLE
Each episode of the “Course of Life” podcast closes with the guest sharing a favorite 19th hole experience.
Emma Talley, LPGA Tour player: “Soup and salad is my tournament week go-to option, but If I'm practicing at home and it's an off week then it's a nice big burger and sweet potato fries.”
:: Alex Lauzon | Co-host of “Course of Life” podcast
HOME FRONT
Las Vistas Estates | Riviera Nayarit, Mexico
Listing: Casa Tuki.
Stats: 12,917 square feet | 6 bedrooms | 8 bathrooms.
Price: $8,500,000.
About: One of 10 custom home sites in Las Vistas Estates in the Careyeros Mountains, Casa Tuki showcases sweeping panoramic views of Banderas Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The two-level villa features six bedrooms, eight bathrooms and ample indoor/outdoor living space for families and guests to reconnect. In addition to the vantage point of the "Punta Mita Only" vistas, the residence includes a fully equipped gym, infinity-edge swimming pool and an expansive terrace with a fire pit and garden. Casa Tuki offers peace of mind and security while unlocking laid-back luxury with world-class amenities, striking views and an idyllic location. Homeowners are granted access to a diverse collection of five beach clubs and a well-equipped Ocean Sports Team with experiences ranging from surfing and scuba diving to e-foiling and taco tours.
Golf: Golf comes in the form of two Jack Nicklaus Signature courses at Punta Mita Golf Club, exclusive for homeowners and resort guests of Four Sesasons Punta Mita and The St. Regis Punta Mita. The Pacifico course has seven Pacific Ocean-facing holes, including an alternate par-3 dubbed “Tail of the Whale” — the world’s only natural island green. The Bahia course boasts five ocean-facing holes and is known for its undulating fairways and deep greenside bunkers.
DESIGN NOTES
Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner open the Public Park
⛳️ Unquestionably, Gil Hanse and design partner Jim Wagner are firecracker hot in architectural circles. Their restoration handiwork again earns the well-deserved spotlight this week when uber-exclusive Los Angeles Country Club’s North course hosts the U.S. Open.
In April, on the other side of the country — and on the opposite spectrum of access — their renovation work also took center stage, with the opening of The Park West Palm. A complete revamp of a once beloved West Palm Beach, Florida, muni, The Park is a 21st century golf experience with Old World sensibilities.
Working with billionaire Dirk Ziff and PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh, Hanse and Wagner completely transformed a site with a rich, but checkered, past. The original course on the site was a 1947 Dick Wilson design called West Palm Beach Country Club. It played host to several PGA Tour events and through the early 1980s was recognized as one of the top 10 public courses in the country.
Over the years, however, many non-native trees were planted on the rolling, sandy site and eventually, conditions deteriorated. The city directed PGA Tour player Mark McCumber and his design firm to restore and improve the course in 2009. He removed invasive trees such as Australian pines and Brazilian peppers, but the course never regained its previous stature and closed in 2018.
Several years later, the rebirth plan was unveiled, with some of the finance world’s heaviest hitters teaming up to solicit contributions for a new facility. That dream was realized on April 17, when all the principals were on hand to open the 7,145-yard, par-71 layout.
"When Jim and I understood that private citizens, including many of our friends, were giving charitable money to build a new course and facility for the public to enjoy within the city limits of West Palm Beach, we decided right away to donate our normal design fee and jump in with both feet," Hanse said. "The site is incredible, almost 200 acres of rolling sand and mature trees with 30 feet of elevation change, extremely unusual for south Florida. It’s obvious why it was chosen for a golf course in 1947 when the entire area was undeveloped.
"Jim, Dirk and I set out to design and build a new course that is wide, strategic, an easy walk and above all fun to play and appropriately challenging for golfers of all abilities. It was a blast to create, and the reaction to pre-opening play by everyone, from PGA Tour players to near-beginners, gives us belief that we achieved our goal. Jim and I are honored and thrilled to be co-founders of this wonderful facility."
Hanse and his team also crafted a lighted nine-hole short course, an 18-hole putting course, a 2-acre golf field reserved for kids and a double-ended driving range with a superb practice facility that includes Toptracer technology.
The championship spread features Golden Age touches such as firm-and-fast fairways, exposed sand, a blind punchbowl green at the long par-4 12th and nary a water hazard, a rarity in Florida. Holes return to the clubhouse and refreshments not only at the ninth and 18th, but at the third and at the 12th also, for those where a round of shorter duration might appeal.
"When ideas for this site were bring considered, I never imagined an outcome like this was even possible,” West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James said. "This is a tremendous gift to the City of West Palm Beach. People will be astounded when they see the outstanding facility that has been built for the city and its residents, especially the next generation."
⛳️ Now entering its first full season of play is the Gravel Pit, a 13-hole par-3 course in golf-rich Brainerd, Minnesota, two hours north of the Twin Cities.
Designed by local legend Scott Hoffman, the Gravel Pit sits adjacent to Cragun’s Resort, another of the destination properties in the Brainerd Lakes region. The longtime superintendent at Madden’s on Gull Lake, Hoffman designed his first course, the Classic, for his employer in the 1990s and it soon earned Golf Digest Top 100 Public status. After 43 years at Madden’s, Hoffman set up shop as an architect and turf consultant in 2019.
Enter Nathan Tuomi.
Tuomi owned an old 50-acre logging property that contained the remnants of a gravel pit. His son Sam suggested putting some kind of golf product on the land, so the elder Tuomi summoned Hoffman for an assessment. Hoffman offered up a plan to create a 13-hole short course along with a putting course with a similar number of holes.
“When I looked at the property, it seemed to have great potential as a unique par-3 course,” Hoffman told GolfCourseArchitecture.net. "We are in the middle of lake country, major resorts and premier golf courses. It seemed like there would be room for a unique match play-style short course along the lines of what had been done at Sand Valley, Bandon Dunes, Pinehurst and many others.”
The Gravel Pit’s holes range from 60 to 180 yards and already each of them has witnessed an ace.
“Nathan insisted on something dramatic,” Hoffman said. “He wanted see some things you wouldn’t normally get away with on a traditional golf course. We also incorporated a few template holes, such as a reverse Redan, Short, an Infinity green, double plateau, Himalaya and Island. We wanted a fun match play course.”
Future plans call for an 11-hole course to join the original 13-hole layout.
⛳️ Oak Hollow Golf Course in McKinney, Texas, closed on May 30 for a $1 million greens renovation. The 6,679-yard, par-70 municipal layout was designed by Maury Miller in 1998. After 25 years, it was time to hit the refresh button.
“The improvements that we are planning for our municipal golf course are intended to address our aging infrastructure, first and foremost the 25-year-old greens,” said Michael Kowalski, Director of Parks & Recreation. “Not only will we deliver a new putting surface of exceptional quality, but we will also reshape and expand the greens to make them upwards of 30 percent larger in some cases.”
More than 150 trees were added to Oak Hollow in the past three years to boost aesthetics and the greens renovation will enhance playability. The original putting greens, tee boxes and collars were of TifDwarf Bermudagrass and were installed in 1997. Replacing them will be an UltraDwarf Bermudagrass.
The course is expected to reopen on September 1.
RELATED: Design Notes archive
THE STYLE LINKS
Keith Mitchell rockin’ the new FootJoy Premiere Series Wilcox golf shoes that were just released as part of the FJ 100 years Centennial Collection. The shoes are a replica of what Johnny Miller wore during his U.S. Open win 50 years ago. Very cool tribute.
:: Janice Ferguson | IG: @janiceferguson_thestylelinks
SCORECARD
1️⃣8️⃣ The golf industry’s week in review — the names, news and notables that are making the headlines. :: Read
SUBSCRIBE | FOLLOW
The First Call [Monday-Friday edition]: Subscribe
Facebook | Instagram | Linkedin | Twitter