GOUGE: Someone told me the other day that 50 is the new 30. I wasn't sure if he was talking about money (in which case 50 is the new 10), but what I was sure about is that the sentiment has direct application to golf. Because in golf today, 300 is the new 275. For those not getting me, take a look at the tournament stats from Memphis this week (click on the little 'S' beside everybody's name on the leaderboard. That isn't bad, and it probably isn't good, either. It just is, and those who want to roll back the clock and make things go shorter (like rolling the ball back) are missing the point. If the driver has become easy for elite players to hit farther and straighter (and there's no doubt in my mind that it has), you can do two things: Panic (and start talking about rolling the ball back or worse, talk about rolling clubhead size back), or more smartly, change the difficulty of the enterprise. Let me repeat: The defense is the golf course. But here’s what refries my beans, and probably has the Sanhedrin of golf’s ruling bodies more than a little flummoxed. I swing at 95 miles per hour, and that’s 10 miles an hour slower, maybe 15, than Maggert. Why exactly am I 70 yards shorter than he is? I’ll give him 30 or 40 yards, maybe 50, but 70? Now I know why guys like Nick Price really don’t feel like they have a chance anymore. ANSWER ME!
BOMB: OK, you obviously know how to push my buttons. I am so tired of some of the older players whining about technology when it’s the very reason they are still able to play the game at an acceptable level. And since you demanded an answer, here it is, Scooter: I, like everyone else, respect Nick Price. But the man is 49 years old and plays as often as a solar eclipse. He’s not supposed to have a chance anymore. But in 2003 when he played more often, Price, at age 46, won over $2 million and had 10 rounds of 66 or better, including a 62 at the FedEx St. Jude Classic. And the year before that he pocketed another $2 million and won Colonial. Then there’s a guy like Kenny Perry who complains about how technology is making him feel “increasingly obsolete.” Excuse me? Dude, since you turned 40 you’ve had five of the six best years of your career, including the two best years of your life. You’ve won two-thirds of your $19 million-plus in career earnings in those five years. We see wins by a 50-year-old Craig Stadler. Peter Jacobsen won Hartford at 49 years old. Jay Haas competing strong at age 50. Think any of that would be possible with persimmon woods and balata-covered balls? Pardon me, but I don’t think so! But I’m right with ya brotha, on the golf course. But here’s the deal: Want to know the three toughest non-major courses on the PGA Tour last year? I’m gonna tell you anyway. Shaugnessy G&CC (Canadian Open), Harbour Town (Heritage) and Westchester (Buick Classic). And they measure 7,010, 6,973 and 6,839 yards, respectively. But hey, I’m all for the debate. Gives us something to talk about.
GOUGE: Terrific examples of the challenge of the game being the province of the golf course, not the rulemakers. Trouble is, as players have improved, we aren't finding ways to challenge them adequately. The good news is that in recent weeks we've seen how course setup and playing conditions still can provide adequate tests on the European Tour, the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. But the driver is too easy to hit, just like it's too easy to get food in this country, too. That's why so many people weigh more than the tour fitness trailer, and it's why so many elite players hit it obscenely far. Obesity is a problem, long drives aren't.
EXTRA HOLES: Just to prove the point about 300 being the new 275: Over 1,000 tee shots hit last week in Memphis traveled more than 300 yards. Jeff Maggert hit 10 of them. … The news that shaftmaker Royal Precision has closed its doors is a little unsettling, considering that of the top half-dozen players in the world, it's got a substantial share of the pie. A Royal Precision shaft is something better players have considered for years, but average players too have benefited from the unique Frequency Matching concept that provides many more matched subflexes than had been seen before. Don't expect this technology to lie around unused for that long. … Have you changed your grips recently? Here's three worth a look: GolfPride's Multi-Compound; Lamkin's Dual Density; and Winn's AI series. It'll be the smartest $100 you've ever spent. Except for getting that new wedge we told you to get last week.
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