The New York Yankees paid tribute to Maj. Dan Rooney and the Folds of Honor Foundation at a ceremony this weekend at Yankee Stadium. Rooney, who has flown three tours of duty in Iraq, is the founder of Patriot Golf Day, which takes place at courses around the country on Labor Day weekend and benefits the surviving families of veterans killed or disabled serving their country. Rooney helped raise about $2.5 million last year (up from $1 million in year one) and he aims to make a similar jump this year.

Make a donation to Folds of Honor and participate in Patriot Golf Day. Can't think of a better reason to play golf this coming weekend.

--Bob Carney

Photo of Maj. Dan Rooney, his wife Jacqy, Johnny Damon, Maj. Ed Pulido, Mrs. Ed (Karen) Pulido, Kaitlin and Kinsley Pulido (both recipients of grants from the foundation) and Ginny Creveling, President and COO of Folds of Honor Foundation.

Interesting that during this first PGA Tour playoff week, we're getting no mail about the FedEx Cup or even about Liberty National and the debate over whether it is a great course (Padraig Harrington) or something less than that (Tiger Woods, among others).
Nope, we're getting mail about the Solheim Cup and especially about Michelle Wie's performance there. It may be known for swallows, but San Juan Capistrano's Dustin Stinett is eating crow.

Here's what Mr. Stinett wrote on June 21:

Dear Editor,
Regarding Beth Daniel’s “trouble” in deciding whether or not to select Juli Inkster and/or Michelle Wie for the 2009 Solheim Cup Team. One can only hope that winning the contest trumps “promotional reasons” when it’s time for Ms. Daniel to make that decision, regardless of what the LPGA and the Golf Channel might want. Juli Inkster’s experience (seven teams including the last six) and record (14-8-5) show that she has already earned a captain’s pick. Michelle Wie hasn’t earned a thing.

Dear Editor,
Never have I been so pleased to have been proven so wrong.

Dustin Stinett
San Juan Capistrano, CA

But he was only one of several Golf World readers talking about the Michelle Wie revival.

Dear Editor, Great photo of Michelle Wie on the cover.....and this time she earned it!!!! David Singletary Gilroy, CA

More than one reader, and whole lot of golfers I've talked to since the Cup, thought there might be a lesson for Wie's parents as well.

Dear Editor, After watching the Solheim Cup, I hope that B. J.and Boe Wie got the message to fade into the background and let their daughter become the champion she is capable of being. Their horrible micro managing of Michelle's life has really retarded her potential but last week proved without a doubt that when they get out of the way with their poor advice and direction, Michelle is a winner.

John Bird
Friday Harbor, WA

You've got a point, John. But I think Michelle's parents might respond that their management of her, though not perfect, has if nothing else made it so that she will never have to worry about playing for money again. From now on, it's all about the competition.

--Bob Carney

Perhaps this letter struck me because I happen to know two kids playing in the U.S Amateur this week, one my nephew, one the son of a friend who grew up playing at our club. Or perhaps it caught my attention because I thought Bill Fields did such an admirable job describing the involvement of parents (positive and not-so) at the U.S. Kids Golf World Junior Championship recently. Anyway, the letter is a heartfelt one and worth a read.

Dear Editor, I have walked golf courses with my competitive golfing daughters for the past 14 plus years. I have also had the privilege of walking golf courses with the parents of countless others, including LPGA players Paula Creamer, Christina Kim, and Dorothy Delasin during junior tournaments. I am baffled by the media’s delight in putting down parental involvement in the professional careers of their daughters. I know up-close and personal the amount of time, energy, finances and emotional support that goes into the early years of golf.  Golf may be an individual sport, but it requires a team of people to support the junior player on the course and those who move into the professional ranks. College coaches and equipment sponsors would not have such a tremendous wealth of talent to recruit from if it were not for parents preparing their children for the opportunity.   Parents are committed to the long haul with their golfing children, often helping them to finance their developing careers beyond college on the mini-tours. They are not fair-weather fans, abandoning them as has-beens or never-beens when the going is lean and the victories few, only to shower them with praise and attention after a tournament win. At a time in our culture when many rightfully lament the lack of parental involvement, it seems to me parents should be credited with a job well done rather than cast as over-protective, bothersome, and in the way. Tiger Woods described his father as his best friend, as someone who was always there for him. That is how it is with many in the competitive golfing world. It is time parents got the respect they are due. Andrea Schwartz San Jose, CA

Very well said, Andrea. As someone involved in the U.S. Girls' Junior preparation when it came to our club in 2003, I was very impressed with the kids, maybe more impressed with the parents. There were exceptions, of course, but for the most part the parents were exactly as you describe: quiet and steady supporters of their kids. They walked most rounds together with other parents, rooted for one another's children, were there to cheer their children up when things went south, and, for the most part, were very low key in the way they approached things. Which proved, I thought at the time, that such an attitude and demeanor was exactly what it took to help a junior get to the level of a U.S. Junior Championship. Thanks for your letter.

--Bob Carney

There are two very different schools of reaction to the Solheim Cup. One sees the golf only. Another, the histrionics.

Dear Editor, Another great display of golf by the world's best lady golfers. WOW what a match. In the past I have been very very critical of Ms. Wie, however Michele proved that when the 'i' is removed from her golf, the 'we' is left and it is very attractive. So much more fun for herself and everyone else. This Solheim Cup was a fantastic display of golf and congrats to both teams. But look out girls. It looks like 'Chele has jumped from the nest and she is flying high. K. Drake Albany, OR

Dear Editor, Sub-childish conduct of all U. S. team members was not in keeping with the game. Regretfully and with sadness,

Robert G. Smith
Southern Pines, NC

Must admit I'm in reader Smith's camp. The ribbons, the face paint, the crowd-pumps , Christima Kim's rude repertoire....it all left me with a sour taste. I loved the golf, the closeness of the competition, the coming out of Michele Wie, but the "sub-childish conduct" was beyond the pale. Can you imagine the outcry if Sergio Garcia had pulled this in the Ryder Cup. (Well, he did, but that's another story.) As a guy in our grill room said Sunday, "I'm rooting for the Europeans because I have a policy against pulling for anyone with face paint on." My favorite quote of the Cup was Julie Inkster's response when she was asked if she wanted to be Solheim Cup captain: "Yeah, I love picking out uniforms and deciding on hair ribbons. That's my forte."

Much of the "emotion" seemed artificial to me. The visitors handled themselves with dignity and refused to whine (though I know they wanted to) about our antics. Let's hope we show the same restraint in two years. And perhaps we can all play just a hair faster....

--Bob Carney

Dear Editor, Looks like I'm in trouble. Lucas Glover and I play the same model year Nike Sumo (although his is the Sumo2 while mine is the Sumo 5000). I guess I'm confused on two issues:

1. The retain rate of drivers went from three years to two. Last year, Bomb & Gouge were saying to buy a post-2005 driver. Now, according to Gouge, it has to be within two years. What happens in 2010--we need to buy a new driver every four months?

2. Going with Gouge's 'time to upgrade' idea (post-2007, perfectly fit, and NEVER miss the sweetspot), doesn't that make EVERY driver, regardless of year, obsolete? How many amateurs, regardless of handicap, age of driver, etc., hit the sweetspot 100% of the time?

I guess the part that bugs me the most is how wishy-washy the whole process is... and it only seems to be that way with drivers. At least this time, Bomb is the one making the most sense--it's the confidence your driver gives you, whatever it's age, more than the technology. Is there any consistent rules for knowing when it's time to upgrade (other than talking about it when the new models start rolling in)? Thanks.

Justin Blair
Three Rivers, MI

Golf Digest Equipment Editor, Mike "Gouge" Stachura, replies:

"The USGA hasn't changed the driver it uses to test golf balls on its swing robot since upgrading to a titanium model half a dozen years ago. It's not even at the size limit of 460 cc. When you ask USGA Technical Director Dick Rugge why the testing isn't being done on a driver introduced last week or even last year, he'll tell you that it's because when the USGA does testing it only hits balls in the center of the face where the highest spring-like effect is. In other words, mis-hits never happen, and more importantly for
this discussion, since maximum spring like effect is limited, every other spot on the face should produce less spring-like effect and therefore a shorter hit.

So where does that leave us? Engineers are working every day to figure out how to increase performance on those non-center hits. They are expanding that zone by the smallest amounts each and every year. Our robot testing shows that current drivers lose about 3 percent of ballspeed on a 3/4 inch mishit, which is maybe 12 yards or so on a 95 mph. The mission for an engineer every day is to eat into that deficit. As TaylorMade's Chief Technical Officer Benoit Vincent likes to say, "When I get a club to produce 100 percent ballspeed all over the face, then I'll be done."

Do you need a new driver every year? Define need. I wouldn't forgo the mortgage or the weekly groceries for the kids to buy a new driver, but again, if you're not trying a new driver against your current model on an annual basis, you're making a big mistake. That's what launch monitors are for. Making technology work for you doesn't mean buying something just because it's new. It means buying something because you know it's better. And right now you have the technology at your disposal to clearly show you
that yesterday's club is worse, or better, than today's club."

--Bob Carney

Dear Editor,
I quote from a Brian Rattigan letter that you published in the August 17 edition of Golf World: "...perhaps an even worse effort then Tom Watson's eight-footer on 18." This has the obvious error of incorrect word usage. The correct word is "than".
 
For you to publish the letter without acknowledging that you realize it is incorrect by using "sic", makes me believe that you do not know it is incorrect.
 
Carolyn Bivens is available. I suggest you do the right thing. Immediately hire her as your replacement, and you resign. Her first action as editor will be to implement her "English Proficiency' requirement.

 
Michael Smith
Orlando, FL

Dear Michael. We know exactly what were doing. Its just that sometimes we are more careful then others.

Honestly, we tend--intend--to correct minor mistakes like Mr. Rattigan's and avoid the use of "sic" unless such a correction would change the flavor or meaning of a letter or quote. In this case, we whiffed. Thanks for the catch.

--Bob Carney

Golf World Executive Editor Ron Sirak in the August 10 issue made a suggestion for improving the Solheim Cup that takes place later this week--an event a lot of us think is terrific as is. His suggestion is intriguing, however. Here's what he said:

Five of the eight majors in the current Solheim Cup cycle -- the 2008-09 seasons -- were won by players not eligible to compete in the event: Eun-Hee Ji, Lorena Ochoa, Inbee Park, Jiyai Shin and Yani Tseng. Of the top 18 players in the Rolex Rankings, 13 are not eligible, six being from Korea, three from Australia, two from Taiwan and one each from Mexico and Japan.

This is a problem that needs to be fixed. Here's what can be done: Create three vertical teams: The Americas (Canada, United States, Mexico and South America); Europe/Africa and the Middle East; and Australia and Asia.

The event would remain biennial, but every two years the losing team from the previous competition would sit out. That would make winning the Cup all the more important, and recapturing it after a loss all the more intense.

One South Carolina reader like the idea a lot, but took it a step further:

Dear Editor,
Ron Sirak's suggestion to expand the Solheim Cup by creating three teams is excellent and much needed. Asian, Australian and African women golfers deserve an international team competition and would no doubt excel.

Mr. Sirak recommends that the Cup remain biennial (every two years). I would urge that it become an annual event for three reasons: (1) the losing team would only have to wait two years to return to competition (instead of four); (2) the American women don't have the scheduling pressure of Ryder Cup/Presidents Cup every year, unlike the men; (3) women's golf worldwide would get some valuable and much-needed exposure, especially important now that the LPGA has lost several events from its annual schedule.

Wayne Rhodes
Myrtle Beach, SC

What's your view?

--Bob Carney

(Photo: Andy Lyons, Getty Images)

You're surprisingly quiet today, stunned I expect, about yesterday's upset. My wife is still reminding me that I "guaranteed" Tiger's victory on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and even as he played the 18th hole Sunday evening. What's going on, when Tiger doesn't chip in to extend the tournament and bury the opponent in extra holes? I love our friend Lou Riccio's email today, concerning not only yesterday's result, but regarding the outcome of all of 2009's majors:

Dear Editor,
As the great philosopher Groucho Marx once said "Who you going to
believe, me or your own eyes?"

Lucius Riccio
New York, New York

There was something about Yang's win that was very, to put it awkwardly, American. The underdog holds on, not in a frightened way, but boldly, firing that great shot over the trees to the tight flag on 18 with no hesitation and barely a practice swing. Do or die. Now or never. Consequences be damned. Your letters reflect that admiration for Y.E.

Dear Editor,
It is extremely refreshing to see someone beat Tiger on Sunday in a
major! I like Tiger, but Yang's shotmaking (did he miss a shot
Sunday?!) and his mental approach are very inspiring! Given the
situation, there is no question that Yang's hybrid shot into No. 18 is
the shot of the year, NO DOUBT! Congratulations Y.E.!!

Wes Rodgers
Cleveland, TN

One reader made an interesting connection between the tournament and NFL star Larry Fitzgerald's account of dealing with last year's Super Bowl loss....

Dear Editor, The best Rx for Tiger right now is to read Larry Fitzgerald's story in the September issue of Men's Health Magazine about his dealing with the Cardinals loss to the Steelers in the Super Bowl. Tiger and Larry's striving for excellence shows why they are the best at what they do and what it takes to get there. Bill Smart Charlotte, NC

The title of that story is: Use Failure as Fuel.

--Bob Carney

Reactions to the PGA Championship, the first of 15 majors when Tiger Woods did not win after holding a 54-hole lead, were quick to come. We'll have more, but here are a couple from Golf World readers on Sunday night:

Dear Editor,
Having just watched the 91st PGA Championship, I was disappointed that Tiger Woods did not win his 15th major. However, although Tiger's win would've been great for American golf, Y.E. Yang's win is prophetic for worldwide golf. Besides building on the current golf boom in Asia (predominantly South Korea), Y.E. Yang's win may have swayed the IOC to include golf in a future Olympics. If so, golf will see growth across all continents which is a win-win for worldwide golf!

Berith Jacobsen
Colorado

Dear Editor,

Tiger does not speak to CBS in defeat and heads straight to the locker room. His “I’ll take my ball and go home” attitude disrespects the remarkable performance of the winner Yang, and the traditions of our great game. We want to hear what you have to say, Tiger, and we pay you handsomely for it. Tiger may end up with all the records, but he lacks the grace of past champions, Nicklaus, Palmer and modern day Mickelson.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment,

William F. Rieckhoff Jr.
Cedar Rapids, IA

Tiger may not have talked to CBS--60 Minutes came on before anyone, including Yang, had a chance to comment in the East--but he sat for a press room interview, which is available at Asapsports.com. Here's Golfdigest.com's Tommy Bonk on Tiger's desire to leave the scene of defeat.

And his response to the first question of the day was not what you'd call petulant.

Q. Is there part of you that you do feel as if YE won this tournament or do you feel there's a part of you that lost this tournament?

TIGER WOODS: It's both. I mean, I certainly -- as I say, I was in control of the tournament most of the day. I was playing well, hitting the ball well. I was making nothing, but still either tied for lead or ahead. And Y.E. played great all day. I don't think he really missed a shot all day. He just made that mistake at 17. But other than that, he hit it great all day. And it was a fun battle. Unfortunately, I just didn't make the putts when I needed to make them.

--Bob Carney