Green Reading

New Year's vacation, break from blog

I'll be headed to Vegas for six days encompassing New Year's Eve, so this will likely be my last blog post until Jan. 4 or 5. I appreciate all who keep up with the blog and wish you happy holidays.
In turn, wish me luck in Vegas. I'm sure I'll need it.

Idea of community single-rider carts has merit

In response to an article I wrote recently on the accessibility to handicap players, particularly those confined to wheelchairs, of Myrtle Beach area golf courses, a reader called with an interesting suggestion worthy of consideration. He wondered if it were possible for a golf club retailer like Club Car or E-Z-Go to provide a community single-rider cart available to any course that gets a call from a handicapped player requesting the cart.
It wouldn't be as easy as it sounds. There is training required for course employees so they can teach a player to correctly use the cart. T'hat could be done en masse during something like the Carolinas PGA Merchandise Show and Convention when there are a couple days of seminars.
It's also difficult to ask a company to donate something and possibly give up business, sales and profit. However, considering how much Club Car and E-Z-Go must make off more than 100 Grand Strand courses, it doesn't seem like an unrealistic request.
Hopefully something can be done to increase access to Myrtle Beach courses for all who want to play.

Reverse Scramble a novel idea

I'm admittedly don't pay too much attention to the silly season of golf in November and December. But I must say I like the new competitive format, the ``Reverse Scramble,'' introduced on national television in the ADT Skills Challenge on NBC Saturday and Sunday. Simply put, it's pretty cool.
Four teams of PGA Tour/Champions Tour players squared off in the traditional, situational shotmaking competition with $800,000 in prize money at stake. The 18th annual event included a culminating, single-hole competition played as a "Reverse Scramble.''
Contrary to the traditional Captain's choice scramble format, the Reverse Scramble calls for the opposing team to select which shot its rival twosome must play. It certainly makes the banter between teams more interesting and competitive, and forces players to think even harder on risk-reward shots. It could lead to some crazy recovery shots, as well. The six mainstay skills in the ADT event -- Long Drive, Mid-Iron, Bunker Shot, Chip Shot, Trouble Shot and Short Iron -- were followed by the Reverse Scramble representing the seventh and eighth skills.
Hopefully the format will be used more extensively in team events like the Skills Challenge in the future. It's certainly better for the viewers, however many there are.

Add golf to gifts on Christmas

Several area courses will be open on Christmas Day, most under special circumstances with special rates. Myrtlewood will have its annual free day of golf. The course is open to anyone who wants to walk and carry their own bag, and the round is self-policed since there is no staff on duty. Course operator Burroughs & Chapin asks that players not play while there is frost on the course but it doesn't look like a problem this year. And the company also asks that players withhold complaints about slow play, which they received about 10 years ago regarding the Christmas opening. No other B&C courses are open.
Other courses that will be available on Christmas Day:

Beachwood Golf Club | Last tee time is 11 a.m.

1520 U.S. 17 S., North Myrtle Beach. (843) 272-6168 or 1-800-526-4889.

Eagle Nest Golf Club | Open regular hours.

U.S. 17, North Myrtle Beach. (843) 249-1449.

Harbour View (Par-3) | Open 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

901 U.S. 17 South, Little River. (843) 249-9117.

Indigo Creek Golf Club | Open, double teeing 8-10 a.m.

U.S. 17 Bypass South, Garden City. (843) 650-1809.

Midway (Par-3) | Regular hours.

3101 South Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach. (843) 913-5335.

The Reserve Club (private) | Members allowed to walk course, no services available.

River Oaks Golf Club (27 holes) | Tee times from 8-10 a.m.

831 River Oaks Drive, Myrtle Beach. (843) 236-2222.

Rivers Edge Golf Club | First come, first serve for $25 (cash only) includes cart fees, no other services.

Shalotte, N.C. 1-877-748-3718.

Tupelo Bay Golf Center (executive/par-3) | Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

1800 U.S. 17 Bus. South, Garden City. (843) 215-7888.

The Valley Club at EastPort | Regular hours, $25 for cart and greens fees.

U.S. 17, Little River. (843) 427-4424.

Wicked Stick Golf Links | Open regular hours.

U.S. 17 Bypass South, Surfside Beach. 1-800-797-8425 or (843) 215-2500.

PGA Tour scrambling already

Has the recession and Tiger Woods' proclamation that he's taking a leave of absence from the PGA Tour really made the tour this desperate already? The new name of the former FBR Open in Phoenix is the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Really???? Do they really want people thinking fecal matter when they think of a golf tournament? I understand Waste Management, Inc., the largest environmental services provider in North America, is the title sponsor. But couldn't the tour negotiate for a better title? Tiger's gone for a couple weeks and already the tour is going down the toilet.

 

 

Tiger musings

A couple thoughts on the ongoing Tiger Woods saga.
One, with Tiger taking an indefinite leave of absence from the PGA Tour, that opens the door for other players, including Myrtle Beach resident Dustin Johnson, to win more money and more events. When Woods plays a full season he's good for probably a minimum of six wins and one major. He won more than $10 million in 2009 despite not having the greatest of years for his standards.
Sure the tour is worse off without Tiger. If it weren't for him the purses wouldn't be close to what they are. But they are $6 million or more just about every tournament because of him, and without him competing others can get more than their share of the oversized pie.
Two, don't think Accenture and some of the other companies Tiger endorses are dropping him or considering dropping him because of his indiscretions. If Tiger were committed to playing golf this year, I believe those companies would remain committed to him. But Tiger is famous because he's the greatest golfer on earth, probably in history. If he's not playing, he's no use to a company. The ads are all tied into his exploits on the course. What ads would they run of him? Woods bicycling around his Isleworth community? I don't believe that'll entice me to buy sneakers, golf equipment or a razor.

McElveen gets assistance in Tilghman win

Drew McElveen, 17, of Murrells Inlet got a little assistance from his high school coach at St. James High, Mike Riley.
Riley, a former United States Golf Association rules official, caddied for McElveen in the tournament and provided invaluable advice. ``He knows exactly what he’s doing, so he gave me every number I needed and we had the mindset we were going to come out and win it, and it just happened," McElveen said.
Though he added help on the course at the Surf Golf and Beach Club, McElveen eliminated help on the range in the months leading up to his win. In the past couple years he's received instruction from both Ted Frick of the Classic Swing Golf School and Shelley Kenney of Wachesaw Plantation, but he said he hasn't had a lesson in six months.
"My motto has been: I know enough about my golf swing, so just hit balls and figure it out myself," McElveen said. ". . . I just need to learn to get the ball in the hole, and a lot of people don’t have that ability, so hopefully this is the start of figuring that out. For now I think I’m going to stick with the hit balls mentality."

Tiger saga brings out worst in "journalism"

The Tiger Woods saga has unfortunately illuminated what for me is a disturbing trend in journalism that generally emanates from Web sites but is picked up by what should be trustworthy news and entertainment television channels. To steal a popular term from NBA commissioner David Stern, I call it "rogue" journalism. Misinformation is everywhere and it gets repeated by other news entities, and there doesn't seem to be any accountability for mistakes, particularly in the world of the Internet. I've always considered live TV journalism a little suspect, but it has nothing on the Internet.
When Woods first crashed his car, ESPN interrupted programming for a special news bulletin that said he was reportedly in serious condition. He hit a fire hydrant and tree pulling out of his driveway and he was supposedly on his deathbed? Next, the first thing I heard on TV when Tiger's mother in law was taken to the hospital was that she was on life support. How blatantly irresponsible is that? Can't you wait to get official word on a person's condition before reporting it?
What happened Thursday afternoon may be even more ridiculous. The weekly magazine Life & Style posted disparaging quotes about Tiger from PGA Tour members Ben Crane and Charles Warren, a Clemson grad, on its Web site. Crane called Woods a "phony and a fake" and Warren indicated that Elin Woods "had stars in her eyes, and maybe dollar signs too," and suggested that she leave Tiger.
There's one major problem with the story. Thursday night, both golfers said they never spoke to the magazine. Crane's agent, Tommy Limbaugh of 4UManagement, said a magazine official told him the interview took place at the PGA Tour Qualifying tournament last week at Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., and was conducted by a reliable freelance writer. Crane finished 51st on the PGA Tour money list this year and was not at Q-School. Warren said through his agent that he has not given an interview of any kind in two months. I wonder who the writer actually spoke to? If he didn't make it up, they must be having quite the laugh right about now.
I can only hope this "rogue" so-called journalism dissipates, but I don't see it. For all the good things the Internet has spawned, this is not one of them.

Taking live questions Friday at noon

I will be answering questions for an hour about golf along the Grand Strand on The Sun News' online town forum, which will begin at noon Friday at www.TheSunNews.com. I hope to hear from you.

Johnson in action for first time in two months

Myrtle Beach resident Dustin Johnson is playing competitively this week for the first time since Oct. 4, albeit in a silly season event. He's been selected to play in the 21st annual Shark Shootout, Friday through Sunday at Tiburon Golf Club at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Fla.
Tournament host Greg Norman selected the teams, and Johnson has been paired with four-time PGA Tour winner Steve Flesch, who replaced Fred Couples. The Naples Daily News reported Couples withdrew with back problems.
The Shark Shootout features a modified alternate-shot format during the first round, a better ball Saturday and a final-round scramble. The tournament has a $3 million purse with $750,000 going to the winning team. Golf Channel will broadcast Friday's action from 3-6 p.m., and NBC will broadcast Saturday action from 4-6 p.m. and Sunday play from 3-6 p.m.
Norman will not compete as he recovers from shoulder surgery. The other 11 teams are J.B. Holmes & Kenny Perry, Jerry Kelly & Steve Stricker, Ross Fisher & Ian Poulter, Justin Leonard & Scott Verplank, Zach Johnson & Nick Price, George McNeill & Jeff Sluman, Mark Calcavecchia & Brian Gay, Chris DiMarco & Rickie Fowler, Chad Campbell & Tim Clark, Brad Faxon & Matt Kuchar, and Graeme McDowell & Boo Weekley.