Since the U.S. Open in June, U.S. Golf Association president Walter Driver (and his controversial administration) has been the focus of a large amount of media coverage, some of it positive, most of it critical. Attorney and journalist Gary Galyean, as a longtime USGA volunteer on the rules committee (he officiates at most USGA championships), possesses  an insider's perspective on the workings of the USGA and its volunteer network. He also authors "Gary Galyean's Golf Letter," a bi-monthly newsletter about the golf industry, and in the July/August issue, he penned a no-holds-barred assessment of the present state of USGA affairs:

Media Center
Anyone who has spent time around the press, particularly when they are concentrated in one media center covering one event, knows that they are a tough crowd. That's their job. Attempting to control what they write or broadcast always backfires. GolfWorld's June 8th cover story -- Can the USGA survive Walter Driver? The tumultuous reign of the association's controversial president -- set the early tone in the U.S. Open Media Center. There was blood in the water. No matter how it was spun, Mr. Driver's standing with the press was built by him and his performance on and off stage during his years as vice president and president. Post-championship columns continue to reflect an assessment that refuses to be spun by glad-handing or verbal dexterity.

USGA Volunteers
The volunteer base serving in various capacities at the Open were nearly universal in their dissatisfaction with the direction the USGA has taken under the presidencies of Fred S. Ridley and Walter W. Driver Jr. Corporate jets, corporate partnering, an arrogance of power, an attempt to stifle open discussion, packing the Executive Committee, and the general turning away from the association's traditional values were topics continually at the center of whispered discussions during the Open. A fractured fissure grew wider between those who have served for years in order to extend and improve golf in America and those who are either new to the USGA culture, or, like the current and immediate past president, simply don't get it.

As distasteful as the past three and a half years have been, of greater concern is the impact both Mr. Ridley and Mr. Driver will have as rising, successive chairmen of the Nominating Committee. Mr. Ridley will serve two years as vice chairman (2008, '09) and two years as chairman (2010, '11). Mr. Driver will vice chair Mr. Ridley's chairmanship and follow with two years in the chair (2012, '13). For six years they will influence the selection of those offered positions as USGA officers, Executive Committee members and Nominating Committee members.

Their deplorable arrogance and stunning lack of judgment has left most of the senior volunteer base disappointed, disoriented, weighing the future donation of their time and expertise, and pondering how in the world the USGA got into such a situation.

Following the Nominating Committee debacle of 2004, the past presidents were blamed for exerting too much influence often without explanation or accountability. Executive Committee members with proven, effective records were sometimes dismissed without explanation, while weaker substitutes were elevated for, once again, unexplained reasons. For outsiders, it was like forecasting the political landscape of the Soviet Union based on who was sitting where at the annual Politburo banquet.

The public and press outcry in 2004 to what appeared to be yet another arbitrary and unwarrantable change to the Executive Committee precipitated a monumental change in the nominating procedure. The emotional goal was to eliminate vagarious, capricious, out-of-touch control by the powerful past presidents. The effect, however, in reality lessened the influence of those who, regardless of sometimes fickle or unexplained political maneuvering, understood the culture of the USGA.

The lessening of the influence of those who "get it" created a political vacuum into which strutted those who don't. And their influence will be felt until 2014 unless the nominating system is amended again.

Very truly yours,

Gary A. Galyean

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland - The only thing cooler than the weather here is the reaction of the LPGA players to being at the Old Course. The mood in the pub at the Dunvegan Hotel Monday night was absolutely party-like as giddy players gushed about the thrill of being at the Home of Golf, and having the opportunity to compete in the first women's professional tournament on the links that is synonymous with the game. This is my fourth Open Championship here -- I saw John Daly win in 1995 and Tiger twice (2000 and 2005) -- and I still get goose bumps each time when I first walk onto the grounds. I can imagine how exciting it is for these women to be making history.

On a cold Tuesday morning with the mercury struggling to climb into the high 40s, stocking caps were the order of the day, but passion still ruled. "I've never been so excited for a practice round," said Nicole Castrale, the American who got her first victory earlier this year. "I love the last three holes here," beamed Lorena Ochoa, who got in a practice round Monday afternoon when she arrived from the Evian Masters in France. "What a fun finishing stretch." And Meaghan Francella, another American first-time winner this year, paused as she was putting, looked around and said: "I could stay here all day."

Among those getting an early practice round on Tuesday was Beth Daniel, the Hall of Famer who has been playing part time this season. "I played here 29 years ago," she said. "I was in England for the 1978 Women's British Amateur and my Mom and I came up and played two rounds. My caddie says it's changed since then," she said with a laugh. Daniel played her practice round with Meg Mallon. Also out early was Michelle Wie, who played with Julieta Granda and tugged her tee shot on No. 1 left into the middle of No. 18 fairway. "That's the way to miss here," said one veteran caddie watching Wie. "You can miss left all day. But I was walking through the gorse yesterday on the right of one hole and I found a ball with Michelle's mark on it. If she hits it right the way she has been she ain't playing on the weekend."

Heathrow airport in London improved on its dubious reputation as a black hole for luggage. By last count, 17 players who made a connection at Heathrow failed to have their clubs show up at Edinburgh. The good news is that British Air has about seven flights a day from Heathrow to Edinburgh and the hope remained that the sticks could always be on the next flight. Upon hearing the story of missing clubs, Greg Johnston, the veteran looper who caddies for Brittany Lincicome, looked at his player and smiled. "Now he'll be impossible to live with," Lincicome said. "Greg had me fly into London Sunday night, collect my clubs, stay in a hotel there overnight and fly up Monday morning so I wouldn't lose them." Good plan.

--Ron Sirak

(Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

Golf Digest contributing editor Mark Soltau remembers the time he left during the middle of a Stanford football practice and accompanied Coach Bill Walsh to the nearby Stanford driving range. Walsh, who died Monday at age 75, needed a cure for the shanks, and Soltau was able to help.

A couple of years later, Walsh developed a lasting bond with Tiger Woods.

Read Soltau's memories, "The football genius who's crazy for golf".

--Craig Bestrom

(Photo: Gary Newkirk)

EVIANS-LES-BAINS, France - Want an indication of the tension level surrounding the Michelle Wie Camp as she continues to struggle with her game? David Clarke, who is about the 14th person to caddie for Michelle - and I'm being serious with that number - was approached by a reporter after Saturday's round and asked what club she hit on the 115-yard par-3 17th hole and replied: "I've been told by the family not to talk to the press." Hardly seems like revealing club selection is divulging a state secret. Clarke should know how to handle these situations. He toted luggage for Justin Rose on the men's tour before swing guru David Leadbetter hooked him up with Wie. At least Clarke finished the Evian Masters. Two years ago, Brian Smallwood, a long-time caddie for Betsy King, quit after one round here, fed-up with second-guessing from Wie's parents. And last year, Wie fired Greg Johnston after she finished T-26 in the Women's British Open the week after the Evian. Why caddie for Wie? The possible upside is too great - and there is that six-figure guarantee.

Sunday morning was overcast and cool and Wie, playing in only the second group out at 7:39 a.m., made a rare appearance in long pants. Her game did not warm up however. She made a double bogey 6 after driving out of bounds on the first hole, turned in 40 and had to rally to shoot a 76 and finish at 26-over-par 304. Interestingly enough, there was no standard bearer with the group. That's an indignity reserved for distance also-rans. Michelle's parents, mother Bo and Father B.J., always walk many yards apart as they follow their daughter, almost as if they are spreading out their very vocal cheering section. But, in a pattern that began as Saturday's third round spiraled out of control to an 84, Mom and Dad walked closer together and chatted occasionally, perhaps trying to answer the question on the minds of everyone: "What's going on with Michelle?"

There was a poignant moment on No. 16 when Wie left a 25-foot chip about 8 feet short and the sparse gallery following her applauded awkwardly, wanting to be encouraging but knowing the shot really did not warrant applause. It made you feel badly for the kid. If it is this painful to watch this kind of golf imagine what it must be like to play it. St. Andrews is not a good place to spray the ball the way she has at the Evian Masters this week - and the way she has in all her events this year. That miss to the right especially can really get you in trouble on the Old Course.

Speaking of the Old Course, I ran into five caddies at the kabob stand last night and none of them have been to St. Andrews, only seen it on TV. The plan for most is to hire a local caddie early in the week to walk practice rounds with them and help get yardages and locate the bunkers that at times seem to be scattered randomly. They all say they know three things about the course: Miss left if you are going to miss; lag putting is important on those huge double greens; and stay out of the bunkers. They also know that if the weather turns nasty their preparations will pretty much be useless. The five-day forecast for St. Andrews - and my experience is that the only accurate weather forecast in Scotland involves looking out the window and seeing what's going on right now -- is for little rain, high temperatures in the low 60s and 10-15 mph wind.

One final thought from Evian-les-Bains: Standing high on the sixth fairway at Evian Masters Golf Club early on a Sunday morning and following the lazy glide of a white sail boat on the bright blue of Lake Geneva while being serenaded by the sound of a church bell tolling in the distance is about as mellow as it gets. Makes you realize where the c'est la vie attitude comes from. Not a bad thing. Talk to you next week from St. Andrews where the beer is warm, the curry is hot and the weather is always unsettled.

--Ron Sirak

(Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

EVIANS-LES-BAINS, France - The Rue Nationale is one of those quaint European streets wide enough for about a car and a half and, mercifully, closed to all motor traffic, except for those people who happen to decide they are going to drive across it anyway which, with the aid of the horn, occurs more often than it should. Caddies, who stay in the tiny, air-condition-less hotels that line the street above the bars and restaurants that spill out onto the cobblestones, refer to the rue as "The Alley." Hang out long enough at one of the outdoor pubs on Rue Nationale the week of the Evian Masters and you'll see just about everyone.

Juli Inkster (above right) is doing some shopping with her younger daughter, 13-year-old Cori while Hayley, 17, is off and about exploring on her own. Annika Sorenstam and her boyfriend Mike McGee are out looking for pizza. Former LPGA commissioner and current PGA Tour executive VP Ty Votaw and his wife, LPGA player Sophie Gustafson, are out to dinner with Helen Alfredsson and her husband, former NHL player Kent Nilsson. Being out with three Swedes is a good test for those Rosetta Stone language lessons Gustafson got Votaw for Christmas. Test results? Not so much.

And stopping at a hole-in-a-wall kebab shop for a sandwich of tasty lamb is Heather Drew, the 47-year-old former LPGA player who was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in 1996. Drew, who is caddying for Heather Young at the Evian Masters this week and next week at the Ricoh Women's British Open, controls her MS with daily injections of Copaxone and says she has had no relapses in seven years. "If I can't play this is the next best thing," Drew says cheerily. "I'm really looking forward to St. Andrews, and Heather is the best to work for." Drew's only complaint is that her hotel room is right over the outdoor pub where the caddies hang out. "I hear everything they say," she says laughing. "And a lot of it you don't want to hear."

Speaking of caddies, one interesting sight at the Evian Masters was seeing veteran looper Worth Blackwelder and Cristie Kerr, with whom he split on less-than-amicable terms, sharing a pint along with Cristie's husband Erik Stevens. Blackwelder left Kerr after the 2005 season and began working for Inkster, who needed a caddie because her man of 12 years, Greg Johnston, had left to work for Michelle Wie, who fired him after last year's Women's British Open. Wie now uses David Clarke, who came over after a stint with Justin Rose on the men's tour via her swing coach David Leadbetter. And that's pretty much how the caddie carousel works. Probably the longest tenure going is Terry McNamara, who has been with Sorenstam since September of 1999 -- and has cashed a lot of checks.

One of the more amusing highlights of the day was being stopped while walking the course and asked -- en Francais -- the time. Figuring it was easier to show than to tell, I held up my watch and saw a totally bewildered look spread across the man's face. Then I remembered I always leave my watch on New York time because those are the deadlines that matter to me.

--Ron Sirak

(Photo: Andrew Reddington/Getty Images)

Sergio Garcia's major championship heartache continues with final-round collapse and subsequent playoff loss.
More bad news for the Spaniard: He won't be able to spit in the claret jug.

Questionable rulings, politically incorrect speech mar R&A's week.
Only saving grace for R&A officials? Walter Driver isn't their president.

Gary Player says he knows of one golfer who uses steroids.
Barry Bonds plays golf? Who knew?

-- Geoff Russell

For more of Geoff Russell's weekly Front 9 column, subscribe to Golf World magazine.

During a recent round, I suffered every golfer's nightmare: getting hit by a shot. Worse, I did it to myself. The story:

My first drive of the round goes right into the rough, and I find my ball sitting right next to a medium-sized rock that I couldn't move. I take out my sand wedge to punch it out, but instead, the ball came straight up and hit my face. I then went to the ER and got five stitches. No big deal. It could have easily been worse if it hit me in the eye, nose, tooth, ear or, well, you name it.

I waited a week to play another round. Did I flinch? Well, after hitting my first shot eight feet from the hole, I missed the putt for birdie.

So let us know by sending us a comment below -- what's the worst injury you've seen or suffered on the course? (And no, your sunburned nose doesn't count.)

-- Shu Matsuo

One last thought on Carnoustie: A number of people have asked what the heck all the marshals and officials were doing inside the out-of-bounds fence just left of the 18th green, suggesting that it was akin to baseball umpires putting themselves in play by standing in fair territory down the foul lines.

After all, they say, John Senden's 3-wood approach to the 18th on Saturday hit the grandstand right of the green, sending the ball ricocheting left and heading out-of-bounds before it hit an O.B. stake and stayed in. Imagine if Padraig Harrington or Sergio Garcia had missed an approach left on Sunday, only to be saved by a ball plunking an official. Better yet, imagine if they had nailed the same official who was hit by Andres Romero's drive at the 12th hole, deflecting his ball into the gorse and resulting in a double bogey.

As if enough strange stuff hasn't happened at Carnoustie.
 
Carnoustie's 18th is wedged in by the first hole and grandstand right of the green, the hotel behind it, and the Burnside course/O.B. fence/grandstand left of the green. Not to mention the Barry Burn in front.

No wonder it's so claustrophobic. And crowded.

-- Mike O'Malley

Now that The Simpsons Movie is out, it reminded us that Peter Jacobsen grew up with Simpsons creator Matt Groening (in photo) in Portland. This from the July 2005 Golf Digest Interview with Jacobsen by Jaime Diaz:

"We went through school together, first grade through 12th. Matt's nickname was Matt the Brat, which morphed into Bart. His father's name was Homer, and his mother is Margaret, and that became Marge. He would draw pictures of Bart on the back of his homework, and I would draw golf course layouts on mine. When we see each other, we laugh at how we turned out."

-- Mike O'Malley

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France -- Negotiating a French menu is a little bit like reading the greens at Augusta National. Not everything is what it appears to be. So here at the Evian Masters, Morgan Pressel and Brittany Lincicome have decided that discretion is the better part of valor and putting shame aside, they took the safe road to culinary satisfaction. Let me explain.

The Ermitage Hotel is a swanky joint where almost all of the players and LPGA officials are housed this week. It’s not as opulent as the Royal Hotel, where the top-10 finishers from last year get to bunk, but it is pretty cool. In fact, way cool.

Pressel and Lincicome, who are 19 and 21 years old respectively, have figured out a rather brilliant way to get food with which they speak the same language. They order off the children’s menu, which offers up chicken nuggets and French fries. (The don’t call them Freedom Fries here.)

-- Ron Sirak