Maybe it’s just me but I dig that bass masters par 3 gig the old heads play lol. That boat ride to the green gets me each time. Pretty course though even just par 3.
Where do you rank sawgrass from course to field? Best field hands down in golf. Course gets some heat being a bit comical some say. But a beautiful course if ya see it in person and get to see outside TV shots.
good read (cant post the whole article, too big i guess. link above for the rest ). Didnt know of his torn relationship with his dad
Greg has a long history of going at the PGA. During his limelight wanted appearance monies, felt the major stars should be taken care of. Over time..Tiger ignored him and so did Jack. He's CEO of LIV, king of the hill. He has a net worth of $400 mill, so what's this all really about? payback?
In West Palm Beach, Fla.
After lunch, Greg Norman stands at the window of his private yacht club, watching the boats glide across the waterway. Dinghies and fishing boats and superyachts, Norman has had them all, and they each mean something to him.
In the distance, there’s a Hinckley powerboat cutting wide circles, pulling a boy on a tube. Norman sees it and chuckles. A father and son, he suspects.
It was his dad, an engineer, who built Norman’s first boat. He would work beneath the house on weekends as Greg, 8 or 10, quietly watched him work the tools, bending and clamping the slats, gradually crafting a frame. When the little sailboat was finished, Merv and Greg brought it to Ross Creek and pushed it in for its first voyage. They named it “Peter Pan,” after the boy who never grew up.
“It’d be pretty cool to sail up and down right here,” Norman says now. “With this wind …”
He will be back on the water soon enough, no doubt. But he may be alone. His father, with whom he has a tortured relationship, is dying. Norman’s father figure, Jack Nicklaus, is among the longtime allies who now refuse to speak with him. The sport he once ruled is at war, and Norman — one of the most recognizable and accomplished figures in its history — is leading the attack.
His reputation is in tatters. He’s increasingly isolated. His default setting has always been aggression, a man who goes for it even when he shouldn’t, and he’s showing no sign of letting up. For now, though, he drifts off, still gazing toward the faraway Hinckley.
“This is a perfect wind,” he says.
During the secret meetings with golf’s giants, Norman, 67, begins by quietly sitting to the side. Jeans, sneakers, open-collared shirt. The vibe is casual. They know who he is: two-time British Open champion, the world’s No. 1 player for 331 weeks, fifth-richest golfer of all time.
Another man opens the presentations. He’s a consultant from Britain who has quietly worked for years to help the Saudi Arabian government establish a foothold in professional golf. He has led roughly 200 of these meetings, he says, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private pitch process.
Last year, a company called LIV Golf Investments — once a grass-roots effort led by the consultant’s marketing and tourism apparatus and backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund — hired Norman as commissioner and chief executive.
The Saudi government initially pledged $400 million for 2022 alone ($255 million of which is for prize money) to attract golf’s superstars, and LIV has announced a series of high-stakes tournaments around the world. Given Norman’s bona fides, including global renown as “The Shark” and a history of taking on the PGA Tour establishment, he was the “missing piece,” the consultant says.
“I’ve been down this road before,” Norman often chimes in during the meetings. “Free agency is coming to golf. Finally.”
Usually in a hotel suite or rented house, the consultant blazes through a slide show outlining the vision for the renegade tour. An international event schedule. TV-friendly elements inspired by Formula 1 and the Premier League. And, of course, eye-popping prize money.
The Masters, a tournament Norman knows painfully well, is currently the most lucrative event on the golf calendar. This year, its total purse was a record $15 million, and winner Scottie Scheffler pocketed $2.7 million. The 39 players who missed the cut went home with nothing.
On the LIV tour — it rhymes with “give” and was named for the Roman numerals of its 54-hole tournaments (traditionally they’re 72) — even regular season events will have a $25 million purse with a $4 million winner’s share, plus guaranteed appearance fees, no cut and other moneymaking opportunities. A season-ending team championship has a $50 million purse.
“It is landscape-changing,” longtime golf agent Bobby Kreusler says. “A potentially life-changing possibility for players.”
There is, however, the matter of LIV’s financial backer, which recently extended its total pledge to $2 billion for the 2023-25 seasons to further entice top-shelf players. There is a widespread belief that the Saudi government is using golf the way China and Russia used the Olympics, the way Qatar is using this fall’s World Cup: to “sports-wash” a long-hideous global image underscored in 2018 by the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who wrote columns for The Washington Post.
Norman’s explanations for doing business with the Saudis have been clumsy at best. “We’ve all made mistakes,” he told reporters recently. The response drew rebukes from Amnesty International and Khashoggi’s fiancee.
Many of golf’s stars have distanced themselves from Norman and LIV, pledging allegiance to the PGA Tour. But many haven’t: Tour stars Sergio Garcia, Louis Oosthuizen and Lee Westwood are among those who will be in the field for its first event, scheduled to start Thursday in London. And at least one who had declared loyalty to the PGA ultimately signed up: Dustin Johnson, a two-time major champion.
Johnson’s top sponsor, the Royal Bank of Canada, dropped him, and the PGA Tour has threatened lifetime bans for any player who participates. But Johnson, who has reportedly received guarantees of more than $100 million to flip to LIV, remains in the field. On Saturday, Kevin Na, a five-time winner on the PGA Tour, posted on Instagram that he was resigning from the organization and “exercising my right as a free agent.”
In interviews, both Norman and LIV’s consultant insist golfers don’t seem to care who pays them. “They ask,” the consultant says. “Then they move on.”
So Norman remains all-in. After decades of big risks and torched bridges, he says this latest gambit may be the biggest yet. He claims a lifetime of accomplishments, and being deprived of the things he wants most conditioned him for this moment.
He calls the PGA “monopolists” and suggests critics such as Rory McIlroy have been “brainwashed” by golf’s ruling class. The sport’s executives and agents, Norman says, are conspiring against LIV to protect an antiquated system that prevents golfers from realizing their own power and worth amid a global movement of athlete empowerment.
“You just can’t bully these guys anymore,” he says. “The world is too sophisticated now.”
As for doing business with the Saudis, Norman shrugs. He has built courses in China and Vietnam, using what he calls “golf diplomacy” to open previously walled-off nations. Khashoggi’s murder was “reprehensible,” Norman says, but he seems genuinely confused by questions about the ethics of his new venture.
“I’m not in this thing for Khashoggi or anything like that,” he says. “I’m in here because of the game of golf. That’s what I care about. If I focus on the game of golf and don’t get dragged into this other stuff, that’s my priority.”
Asked about his conscience, Norman again looks bewildered.
“Every country,” he says, “has got a cross to bear.”
Mohanan (PGA commisioner ) didnt look like a happy camper on yesterday's telecast. Seemed as angry as Norman. Life's too short bro, take it easy . Competition isnt a bad thing
www.espn.com
"Why do they need us so badly?" Monahan said. "Because those players have chosen to sign multiyear lucrative contracts to play in a series of exhibition matches against the same players over and over again. You look at that versus what we see here today and that's why they need us so badly. You've got true, pure competition. The best players in the world are here at the RBC Canadian Open, with millions of fans watching, and in this game, it's true and pure competition that creates the profile in the presence of the world's greatest players.
"And that's why they need us. That's what we do. But we're not going to allow players to free ride off of our loyal members, the best players in the world."
Monahan defends bans, jabs at LIV with Rory
Jay Monahan was critical of the LIV Golf tour, calling it a "series of exhibition matches" as compared to the "pure competition" of the PGA Tour.
www.espn.com
"Why do they need us so badly?" Monahan said. "Because those players have chosen to sign multiyear lucrative contracts to play in a series of exhibition matches against the same players over and over again. You look at that versus what we see here today and that's why they need us so badly. You've got true, pure competition. The best players in the world are here at the RBC Canadian Open, with millions of fans watching, and in this game, it's true and pure competition that creates the profile in the presence of the world's greatest players.
"And that's why they need us. That's what we do. But we're not going to allow players to free ride off of our loyal members, the best players in the world."
The 122st US Open. Going to be played at an old course, small town in Massachusetts . Brookline, just outside of Boston?
The Country Club is over 100 yrs old. Private course
www.tcc1882.org
small greens, few blind shots esp at 14 . From what im reading lookin' like a traditional US Open set-up - trimmed fairways, thick rough. Its a par 70, only 2 par 5's. tee to green gotta b solid .
https://www.golfdigest.com/story/brookline-country-club-old-style-new-challenges
Fitzpatrick won here as an amateur few years back
The Country Club is over 100 yrs old. Private course
The Country Club Home Page
http://www.tcc1882.org/robots.txt <meta name=robots content=noindex,nofollow> User-Agent:* Dissallow:/
small greens, few blind shots esp at 14 . From what im reading lookin' like a traditional US Open set-up - trimmed fairways, thick rough. Its a par 70, only 2 par 5's. tee to green gotta b solid .
https://www.golfdigest.com/story/brookline-country-club-old-style-new-challenges
Fitzpatrick won here as an amateur few years back
5 of past 6 winners won first major
T15 in driving distance produced 8 winners past 11
Week off before open winners 7 past 10
8 past 10 winners a t15 past 2 events
8 past 10 a t15 past 2 majors
Americans 8 past 10 winners
Don’t hold me to the accuracies of trends above. They should be pretty accurate. But if you deep dive off the angle a first time major winner this week then...
Will Z checks all boxes and cam young next most
Court has architecture very similar to pga Championship also. Par 70 also. Maybe some value with guys off that event.
Will z and young did well there. Will z is better due to his lack of 3 foot putts in contests that are low scoring opposed to birdie fest. young short game is iffy and typically open needs some touch
Z 28-1 win and could back it up with t20 at +110 for Z
Young 40-1 back up with t30 +120
Riley 75-1 +130 t30 back up
Xander fits a few
Mito
Ancer
Fitzpatrick
Niemann
All had great showing at pga. Pretty accurate guys also just not long. Maybe T5 t10 value guys
Believe it’s Will Z for me to win
T15 in driving distance produced 8 winners past 11
Week off before open winners 7 past 10
8 past 10 winners a t15 past 2 events
8 past 10 a t15 past 2 majors
Americans 8 past 10 winners
Don’t hold me to the accuracies of trends above. They should be pretty accurate. But if you deep dive off the angle a first time major winner this week then...
Will Z checks all boxes and cam young next most
Court has architecture very similar to pga Championship also. Par 70 also. Maybe some value with guys off that event.
Will z and young did well there. Will z is better due to his lack of 3 foot putts in contests that are low scoring opposed to birdie fest. young short game is iffy and typically open needs some touch
Z 28-1 win and could back it up with t20 at +110 for Z
Young 40-1 back up with t30 +120
Riley 75-1 +130 t30 back up
Xander fits a few
Mito
Ancer
Fitzpatrick
Niemann
All had great showing at pga. Pretty accurate guys also just not long. Maybe T5 t10 value guys
Believe it’s Will Z for me to win
Jay is a toolMohanan (PGA commisioner ) didnt look like a happy camper on yesterday's telecast. Seemed as angry as Norman. Life's too short bro, take it easy . Competition isnt a bad thing
Monahan defends bans, jabs at LIV with Rory
Jay Monahan was critical of the LIV Golf tour, calling it a "series of exhibition matches" as compared to the "pure competition" of the PGA Tour.
"Why do they need us so badly?" Monahan said. "Because those players have chosen to sign multiyear lucrative contracts to play in a series of exhibition matches against the same players over and over again. You look at that versus what we see here today and that's why they need us so badly. You've got true, pure competition. The best players in the world are here at the RBC Canadian Open, with millions of fans watching, and in this game, it's true and pure competition that creates the profile in the presence of the world's greatest players.
"And that's why they need us. That's what we do. But we're not going to allow players to free ride off of our loyal members, the best players in the world."
80% times pga fields don’t have 4 of top 10 golfers. And it’s watered down with the dirt mcgirt and baddy baddley guys of the world we have seen for 20+ years.
And if they are just playing exhibition matches why is he so mad? Has he looked at how many crap field tournaments the pga has?
These guys don’t need the pga. The pga needs them otherwise they wouldn’t be acting like the kid on a playground running home with his ball suspending these guys.
The YT coverage of liv was solid. Golf shot galore and fast. To the point and done. No watching JT for 4 minutes on a green reading a putt. See ball hit ball is what liv did
i hear ya, looked like he was ready to blow a gasket on Sunday's telecast. Not a good look .Anyway, liked Rahm, Brook's pressor , clearly fed-up with the same questions about LIV. Chamblee's (been very outspoken)attack on DeChambeau was pathetic . Stating Bryson's become a devout Christian and wonder's how he reconciles Saudi money . Really? going there to shame people ? serious lack of self-awareness all around. USA sells warfare to the Saudi's, buys their oil, hey Brandel how to you reconcile still living in USA ? Anyway, done with this shit.
Brooks enters will little recent play under his belt, just got married . Signed with Srixon but appears to be having all kinds of equipment issues. He's got teh old Taylor Made M5 driver back in the bag! as well as change in ball, back to titleist. Just saw his commercial on Srixon divide golf ball, guess that wont be aired anymore.
Gl with your US Open plays . You play much yourself ?
Brooks enters will little recent play under his belt, just got married . Signed with Srixon but appears to be having all kinds of equipment issues. He's got teh old Taylor Made M5 driver back in the bag! as well as change in ball, back to titleist. Just saw his commercial on Srixon divide golf ball, guess that wont be aired anymore.
Gl with your US Open plays . You play much yourself ?
Didn’t know about brooks equipment and ball change. Brooks has been off and not good form. Not playing much either. Believe he was 50-1. Considering him to win and a little DFS exposure as I’d imagine he isn’t over 10% owned in DFS. He was pretty pissed in the presser. Personally I thought him Rose Bubba may go liv. Maybe he is getting back to focused golf since the honeymoon is behind him. If he can get through round 2 and in decent position maybe he gives a shit and makes a charge. He can grind when he wants to.
Thought on Brooks this week? Or anybody else to win or T10 type bets? Personally like to see gresser Piot and Vick hit a few shots. Couple of recent good college kids and us open amateurs. Highly doubt tv gives them any coverage though
And yes I play. I hold my own on the course. Even with a putt putt looking putter I still use I got when I was like 6 lol. No fancy clubs or bags and Walmart balls do just fine for me lol. No yardage finder either. Straight old school, find marker, pin front middle or back and swing away. Baseball Hockey guy and started playing when I was 5-6. So even though I do many unorthodox things (right index finger down shaft on iron shots, baseball grip driver) I can pick up the sticks and go do well on the course.
To me the more you think on a course, the worst you do. It’s all about see ball, feel ball and hit ball for me. Everyone will likely have a bad hole or two. I’ve never let those rattle me. So I enjoy my time, cut some jokes and always do well on course. Probably average about 2 birds a round. Happy with a par and don’t mind a bogey at all. Don’t play much per year but always post a decent score just grinding away hole by hole. Nice mix of just bogey to par golf will keep us average Joe golfers in good shape for respectable rounds any day
Have good value on these players. Not necessarily in great form but..
Cameron Smith 50/1.. bet this in January
Koepka 52/1
Morikawa 35/1
Matsuyama 45/1
DJ 40/1
Schauflee 25/1
Cantlay 25/1
Rory /Avalanche 16/1 parlay
Probably do some exotic parlays with Zalatoris, Lowry, Conners , maybe Rahm and Thomas
Top 10 so far
Morikawa +325
Cantlay +245
Matsuyama +375
Thomas +160
Top 5
Morikawa 6/1
Matsuyama +805
Cantlay +525
Koepka +1151
good stuff guys
the most startling theink for me regarding the course is the size of these greens (many undulations as well) get a better view from the below 2 vids (low hadicapper playing it from the tips ).
US Open slimmed fairways and rough-you get in that rough ? approach shots from the rough going to hard to hold those fast small greens
C Smith said yesterday its a 'second shot course'. Feels the approach game is empasized here, again small greens, many nasty undulations. Gotts be sharp with the iron game. But gotta believe equally important is hitting the fairway. wedge from the rough 120yds Vs from fairway from 155yds ? , think the latter is better given the greens
so like ;
strong iron games, guys that hit the fairway, and in form . here r the 2 vids , look at some of these greens;
the most startling theink for me regarding the course is the size of these greens (many undulations as well) get a better view from the below 2 vids (low hadicapper playing it from the tips ).
US Open slimmed fairways and rough-you get in that rough ? approach shots from the rough going to hard to hold those fast small greens
C Smith said yesterday its a 'second shot course'. Feels the approach game is empasized here, again small greens, many nasty undulations. Gotts be sharp with the iron game. But gotta believe equally important is hitting the fairway. wedge from the rough 120yds Vs from fairway from 155yds ? , think the latter is better given the greens
so like ;
strong iron games, guys that hit the fairway, and in form . here r the 2 vids , look at some of these greens;
![IMG-20220615-162035.jpg[\Img]](https://i.postimg.cc/d3QzW0H6/IMG-20220615-162035.jpg[\Img])
