Finding Solace for the Soul in Scotland
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ON THE TEE
🏌️ Rory McIlroy returns to No. 1 player in the Official World Golf Ranking with a victory at the floating CJ Cup, this time in South Carolina. Does No. 1 mean as much in golf’s current climate?
🏌️ However, McIlroy’s caddie, Harry Diamond, texted to Dan Rapoport of Barstool, “Still room for improvement, though. Time for some majors.” Will Harry get a little talking to?
🏌️ McIlroy first says, “This ‘us versus them (with LIV)’ thing has gotten way out of control already.” In the next breath, he says of Ryder Cup teammates now playing for LIV, “I have felt betrayal, in a way.” Is he part of the problem or part of the solution?
🏌️ The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. Department of Justice has expanded its antitrust investigation into professional golf to include the USGA, Augusta National Golf Club and the PGA of America, along with the PGA Tour. Smoke or fire?
🏌️ At one of the pressers ahead of LIV Golf’s team finale at Doral, Brooks Koepka said to Phil Mickelson, “That’s right, you’ve never been No. 1 in the world, have you?” To which Mickelson replied, “That’s a beautiful green shirt, do you have a green jacket to go with it?”
🏌️ Lucas Herbert skipped the defense of his Butterfield Bermuda Championship title, opting to be a groomsman in the wedding of a close friend. What does the groom’s gift have to be to make up for that?
🏌️ The PNC Championship field has been announced with no Tiger and Charlie Woods — yet. Is Tiger hurting more than we know?
🏌️ Jonah Hill is set to play John Daly in a proposed biopic. Would you pay to watch?
🏌️ Are you looking more for distance or direction?
:: Mike Purkey
FEATURES
How Scottish golf helped a grieving father
In this excerpt from 'When Revelation Comes: A Journey Across the Sacred Links of Scotland,' author Jim Hartsell writes of his youngest son, his loss and seeking peace in Scotland
:: Jim Hartsell | Read
Barney Adams, 83, remains an innovator at heart
Eschewing retirement, Adams continues to revolutionize golf equipment as Breakthrough Golf Technology follows up its Stability putter shafts with the cleverly designed ZNE wedge shafts
:: Gary Van Sickle | Read
USGA strengthening ties at state, regional levels
In a The First Call Q&A, Emily Palmer, the USGA's chief member service officer, discusses how the governing body is enhancing the golfer experience through Allied Golf Associations
:: Ken Klavon | Read
HOME FRONT
The Burn, Cassique, Kiawah Island Club | Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Listing: 22 Old Cedar Lane
Stats: 3,615 square feet | 4 beds | 4 baths, 2 half baths.
Price: $4,350,000.
About: Each of The Burn’s homesites is positioned to maximize the landscape’s layered viewing corridors and a southernly orientation captures the ocean breezes streaming in from the southwest. The British Arts and Crafts aesthetic is well represented in traditional stucco and cedar-shingled exteriors while principles borrowed from renowned English architect Charles Francis Annesley Voysey beget stylish updates.
In designing Cassique, his debut North American course, Tom Watson worked in direct concert with Kiawah’s gorgeous natural terrain. His signature 7,050-yard test ranges through maritime forest and along marshes where the Kiawah River and the Atlantic Ocean meet. Lessons learned from a career highlighted by winning five British Open Championships informed the creation of the par-72 links-style course. Watson fashioned holes that could be navigated in a variety of ways, depending on weather conditions.
BOOKMARKED
Good reads that are mainly about golf, but not always.
📖 Battling the devil
When he made his 1973 classic, The Exorcist, William Friedkin had never seen an exorcism, and for decades he wondered how close his film had come to reality. Last May, in Rome, the director was allowed to film as Father Amorth — a 91-year-old Vatican legend who would die just four months later — fought to expel Satan from an Italian woman. It began a chilling investigation into the phenomenon of possession
:: William Friedkin | Vanity Fair | 12.2016
📖 On spookiness
Eliza Brooke considers the autumnal line between actually scary stuff and the cozy unease of ghosts, pumpkins, and flickering candles
:: Eliza Brooke | Dirt | 10.19.2022
📖 Property brothers: Mike and Chris Keiser inherited their father’s ambition, then got the bug to build
:: Josh Sens | Golf.com | 10.26.2022
OFF THE PLAYLIST
One golfer’s song of choice for the course. Hey, and if you don’t like it? Share your choice. Seriously. .
🎶 Happiness | The 1975 [Spotify | iTunes]
DESIGN NOTES
Fry/Straka reinvigorates L.A.’s Valencia CC
⛳️ Valencia Country Club, located north of Los Angeles in the Santa Clarita Valley, has reopened following an extensive seven-month renovation. The course, which opened in 1965, was originally designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and the recent renovation restores the layout’s classic design features. The L.A. Open (now the Genesis Open) was held at Valencia in 1998, when Billy Mayfair edged Tiger Woods in a playoff.
Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design worked closely with Arcis Golf’s construction and agronomy teams to restore Jones’ original intent and historic significance, reduce water use, and enhance the strategic options that were the centerpiece of Jones’ vision. Tees and many bunkers were renovated to improve conditioning and make the course more playable for a wider range of golfers. All turf, except on the greens, was replaced, reducing irrigation needs by 30 percent.
“These significant architectural changes to this revered course layout reflect our commitment to Valencia Country Club and its members,” said Blake S. Walker, founder and CEO of Arcis Golf, which owns and operates the private membership club.
All teeing grounds were renovated, leveled and reshaped as rectangles, creating a more classical design/play feel. Tees on all par 3s were enlarged to distribute wear and eliminate the need for fall overseeding. New forward tees were added on all holes to accommodate beginners and high handicappers, while the back tees were extended to accommodate and challenge all skill levels. The new tee boxes also allow for the creation of hybrid set-ups and more options.
All sand bunkers were evaluated for their design and placement. Some bunkers were eliminated, others were repositioned, while others were added. The placement of new bunkers created new and different angles for tee shots and approaches into the greens. All bunkers were rebuilt, and new sand added.
⛳️ Arnold Palmer Design Company has returned to Costa Rica for a renovation of Peninsula Papagayo, the nation’s top-ranked golf course that Palmer originally created in 2004. Palmer’s Thad Layton has worked with contractor Steve Watkins to complete the back nine of an eventual 18-hole refurbishment at The Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo Resort, located in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica.
Among the completed work were a bunker renovation, tee box expansions, recapturing portions of fairways and greens and the trimming back of tropical vegetation to regain fairway width and ocean views. Ten acres of maintained rough was swapped out for drought tolerant native grasses and a new Rain Bird IC irrigation system was installed to promote effective water use.
"We started with a very solid foundation," Layton said. "The existing course unfolds on one of the most beautiful natural landscapes you could hope for. In many cases, our task was only to peel back the layers of jungle that had obscured views and throttled down playing corridors.”
One such example occurred at the 421-yard, par-4 10th, where treetops and vegetation in a ravine were cut back, enabling golfers to obtain a view of the putting surface from the left half of the fairway. Further clearing has also provided long-lost views of the Santa Rosa National Park archipelago and the Pacific Ocean.
All nine back nine holes have witnessed bunker changes, from adding new ones to relocating and removing others. A prominent example occurred at the uphill, 581-yard, par-5 12th, which now sports an S-shaped fairway, thanks to the expansion and re-clustering of bunkers. Perhaps the most dramatic change took place at the 519-yard, par-5 18th.
Layton, Watkins and the Palmer Design Company team are expected to begin renovation of the front nine and practice area in spring 2023.
⛳️ Schmidt-Curley Design, long one of Asia’s most prolific architectural firms, has commenced work on two 18-hole courses at a yet unnamed club in Phnom Penh City, Cambodia. Led by Brian Curley, in conjunction with an in-house team and Martin Moore’s Flagstick Golf Course Construction, the complex will consist of an East course and a West course. The East will be parkland-style, while the West will incorporate a more rugged, lay-of-the-land design featuring vast sand sprawls that will house islands of native grasses. Copses of date trees will be another prominent West course feature.
Real estate development will be limited to the property’s perimeter.
Curley has long been a proponent of embracing intricate shaping for drainage purposes and eschewing unnatural looking landforms.
“There is plenty of cross slope on many fairways and a strong reliance on surface drainage, not catch basins,” he said. “Much of the dirt was placed under the golf holes as opposed to creating mounds to framing each hole, as so many courses do. There was an emphasis on creating landforms, not mounding, so the courses feel as if they were laid out upon a naturally golf-friendly terrain.”
Curley’s greens will feature pronounced undulations, both on the interior as well as on the edges. Kick-slopes, backstops and contoured drop-offs will also be prominent. A 19th hole, featuring an island green will sit between the closing holes on the East and West courses. The green will reside close to the clubhouse, making for a drama-filled extra hole no matter which course you play.
Grassing has begun on the East course with Zeon Zoysia short grass areas and Bahia roughs. Both courses are scheduled to open in 2024.
NAMES | NEWS | NUMBERS
BUSINESS
▪️ Longitudes Group: Releases 2022 Off-Course Market Trends Report. Key findings include off-course golf retail door count being up 16% between 2019 and 2022. … Payntr Golf: Announces a partnership with JD Plus, a product distribution company based in South Korea. Payntr Golf plans to launch its performance golf shoe line into Asia in March 2023. … Golf Datatech: National Rounds Played Report for September 2022 shows U.S. rounds down 1.7% and down 2.5% YTD when compared to September 2021. … Golf Datatech: Reports that golf equipment retail sales for September 2022 were down over 7% for the month and are now down 1.8% YTD. … Golf Datatech: Latest golf apparel retail sales shows a 6% increase from 2021 and a nearly 50% jump vs. 2019. … Z.One EV America: Developer and producer of Korean golf cars and lithium batteries names Jamison Golf Group as its agency of record. Jamison Golf Group will help lead Z.One EV America in its launch and expansion efforts in the U.S. … Capstone Hospitality: To lead membership and marketing initiatives for Oakhurst CC in Clayton, California, near San Francisco. … Blue Tees Golf: Producer of golf rangefinders and accessories will participate in the 70th PGA Show in Orlando, Florida, Jan. 24-27. … LPGA: Signs a multiyear agreement with luxury jewelry manufacturer Freida Rothman, which becomes an official tour marketing partner and licensee. … Golf Heritage Society: Organization will hold its 52nd National Convention, Oct. 11-14, 2023, in Lexington, Kentucky. … Golftec: Opens a 2,500-square-foot instruction and clubfitting facility in Little Rock, Arkansas. … Golftec: Opens seven training centers during third quarter of 2022 and now has 240 locations worldwide. … College Golf Experience: Announces its first Top100 Showcase Camps that will bring together college golf coaches and top-ranked junior golfers, Dec. 17-18, at the The Wigwam Resort outside of Phoenix, Arizona.
COMPETITION / COURSES
▪️ Palos Verdes GC: To host the LPGA’s DIO Implant LA Open, March 27-April 2, with a field of 144 players competing for an elevated $1.75 million purse. … The Cape Club of Palm City: Florida Treasure Coast’s 16,500-square-foot private club underwent significant capital improvements and is scheduled to reopen on Nov. 18. … Cherry Hills CC: Completes restoration of its historic William Flynn design, which was designed in 1922. The restoration was conducted by Tom Doak and Renaissance Golf Design. … PopStroke Entertainment Group: Announces that Golf Channel will broadcast an hour-long show featuring the best moments of the PopStroke Tour Championship on Dec. 19. … Belfair: Bluffton, South Carolina, community’s West Course reopens following a $5.8 million renovation that included a new irrigation system, regrassing of greens and bunker renovations. … Landscapes Unlimited: Completes a rebuild of greens, tee boxes and bunkers at Red Rocks CC in Morrison, Colorado. … The Club at Olde Cypress: Private Naples, Florida, club's 34,000-square-foot clubhouse reopens after a renovation of its interior.
DESTINATIONS
▪️ Indian Wells Golf Resort: California resort announces a trio of stay-and-play offers for late fall and winter. Guests can stay at the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort and Spa, Renaissance Esmerelda Resort and Spa, Miramonte Indian Wells Resort and Spa or Indian Wells Resort Hotel, and play at the resort's Celebrity and Players layouts. … PGA Catalunya Golf and Wellness: The Girona destination has been ranked No. 4 on Golf World's 2022 Top 100 Resorts of Continental Europe list and is No. 1 in Spain. … Ocean City Maryland Tourism: Signs a two-year partnership with veteran golf analyst David Feherty, who will promote the east coast golf destination. The region features 17 championship golf courses and the Ocean City Boardwalk was recently named the seventh best boardwalk in America by Fodor’s Travel.
GEAR
▪️ PXG: Collaborates with musician Nick Jonas on the new PXG x NJ Capsule Collection, a new golf apparel line that will drop in mid-November. … Ping: Introduces its i230 irons and iCrossover, which are designed to deliver control and consistency. … OnCore Golf: Vero X2, a four-piece ball with a higher compression rating than the Vero X1 golf ball, is now available. … Proto Concept: Lydia Ko played its C07 6-iron and Proto Concept’s C05 irons in Nos. 7-9 to win the BMW Ladies Championship in Wonju, South Korea. It was the second victory of the year for the 25-year-old and her 18th on the LPGA. … GolfForever: Training system is now available at Dick's Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy. It’s immediately available for purchase online and in-store by Nov. 15. … Fujikura: Ventus shaft played by Rory McIlroy in his in CJ Cup victory. The company's driver shaft played in PGA, DP World and Champions tour wins, and was the No. 1 driver and wood shaft at the CJ Cup.
PEOPLE
▪️ PGA of America: Names John A. Solheim, executive chairman of Ping and son of founder Karsten Solheim, as recipient of its 2022 PGA Distinguished Service Award, which honors outstanding individuals who display leadership and humanitarian qualities. … GCSAA: Announces Scott Bower, Justin Brimley, Russell Young and Wayne Mills as its 2022 Environmental Leaders in Golf recipients. … KemperSports: Hires Steve Goris as vice president of Venues, and he will oversee strategy, growth and operations for KemperSports’ new business. … KemperSports: Promotes Jeremy Goldblatt to COO. His new duties include the managing of regional operations, purchasing and new business development teams. … Red Ledges: Pat Christoffer, director of agronomy for the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, is named Superintendent of the Year by the Utah GCSA. … PGA of America: The following six PGA members completed requirements to obtain PGA Master Professional designation in 2022: Shawn Costello, director of golf, Jonathan’s Landing Golf Club, Jupiter, Florida; Brian A. Crowell, general manager, Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, Bronx, New York; E. Michael Dickson, director of instruction, Little Bennett Golf Course, Clarksburg, Maryland; Barry Friedman, director of golf, Valley of the Eagles Golf Club, Elyria, Ohio; Larry Salsman, director of golf, Osage National Golf Club, Lake Ozark, Missouri; and Christopher Smith, director of instruction, Eugene Country Club, Eugene, Oregon.
THE STYLE LINKS
Get your GOAT on with these handmade-in-Portugal golf sneaks from GoatLane.
:: Janice Ferguson | IG: @janiceferguson_thestylelinks
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