TED BITS, Ted McIntyre - MATT HILL–THE GREATEST SEASON EVER

The boneheads at the NCAA can’t seem to figure out what the record is for most tournament wins in a single season, but it looks like Forest, Ontario’s Matt Hill is now the man.

The 20-year-old has accomplished something fellow Bright’s Grove, Ont. native Mike Weir never did—win the NCAA Championship. Hill, a North Carolina State sophomore, fired his third straight two-under-par round of 69 yesterday at the Inverness G&CC in Toledo, Ohio, to capture the 112th NCAA crown. Trailing by two with eight holes to play, he made three birdies and five pars to storm back for a two-shot triumph.

Past winners include Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ben Crenshaw, Hale Irwin, Justin Leonard, and Alberta’s James Lepp—the last Canadian to accomplish the feat in 2005.

For Hill, who once toured the fairways at Weir’s home turf of Huron Oaks before shifting over to Sarnia Golf and Curling Club, it marked a remarkable eighth tournament victory of the season (and eighth in his last nine events, including the his NCAA regional title. It was also his ninth tournament win overall in his brief NC State career—destroying his school’s previous record of five, accomplished by PGA Tour player Tim Clark (although it took Clark three years to notch the feat versus Hill’s two). Hill’s eight wins, including the biggest trophy of them all, marks perhaps the greatest college season in history.

“We could never find a definite answer about the most tourney titles in a season, but from some research we figured the most was six,” writes Brian Reinhardt, NC State Media Relations. Not bad for a player without any teammates to buoy him since his Wolfpack squad failed to qualify for the championship, leaving him as one of six individuals in the NCAA tournament.

Hill joins Tiger Woods (Stanford, 1996) as the only players since the inception of NCAA postseason regional play to finish first in their conference (co-medalist, Atlantic Coast), region (Central) and NCAA finals.

THE ROCK IS SOLID
While Marriott has withdrawn its management of The Rock Golf Club, the Minnett club is moving forward, opening Saturday with some great new rates (including an opening weekend special May 30 & 31 of $79 per player, which includes cart and driving range. The rates from June 1 to Oct. 1 (including cart and driving range) are $89 per player on weekdays; $99 on weekends and a $69 twilight rate.
The Rock is under the management of KFE (Ken Fowler Enterprises), which helped fund the mega-development of Red Leaves down the road. A portion of that resort, however—The Rosseau (www.therosseau.com), a JW Marriott Resort & Spa—has gone into a court-ordered receivership, according to a Bracebridge Examiner story. Officials are hopeful the proceedings will help facilitate the completion of the spectacular hotel this summer, which is still operating business as usual in the interim.

KELLY CURRY’S ON A ROLL
Burlington’s Kelly Curry, whose swing-aid invention, the Swingnature, was profiled in Ontario Golf magazine’s recent issue, continues his momentum. Sales have shot up since the article, but more important, he has just completed an endorsement deal with Tiger Woods’ coach, Hank Haney. There might even be an arrangement in the works with Mike Weir.
Watch for Curry’s infomercial in mid-July!

GOLF THROUGH THE LENS, Chris Gallow – NEW YORK TIMES.

After the normal morning routine of sorting out the spam emails which still manage to slip through the filter,awaiting my discovery was an email from the marketing person at Bell Bay Golf Club in Cape Breton. To my excitement one of my images of the 16th hole at Highlands Links appeared in the Monday May 24th edition of the New York Times!! Great to see that Cape Breton is getting the exposure it deserves, and my images get used

 New York Times Online Version

TED BITS, Ted McIntyre - GREG DOWNER STILL AT THE ROCK

There was admittedly a little confusion when The Rock’s director of golf Greg Downer recently notified his media contacts that he was no longer reachable at his Marriott email address. Many media suspected his tenure had come to and end, but that’s certainly not the case. Turns out that KFE (Red Leaves Resort financial backer Ken Fowler Enterprises) has ended its relationship with Marriott Golf, hence the new email address.

I’d still feel a little better about The Rock’s future, though, if they updated the voicemail, which, as of the last time I checked, was still saying: “We are now closed for he 2008 season and look forward to seeing you in 2009.”

GOLFSMITH TAKES OVER MACGREGOR
So the word finally came down that Golfsmith had acquired MacGregor Golf…right about the same time as Greg Norman was divesting himself of any connections to the company he took over a little more than three and a half years ago. Ironically, the golf equipment designs that Norman would have had direct impact on are probably appearing now and in the fall. Nice timing!

TED BITS, Ted McIntyre - HEADS ROLL AT COPPINWOOD AND THE ROCK

Not sure what’s up yet, but Greg Downer, the director of Golf at The Rock, just emailed an hour ago to say he won’t be reachable at his Marriott email address as of 3:30 p.m. today.
In other news, the well respected GM at Coppinwood (formerly the superintendent there), Sean DeSilva, has also been officially released with the arrival of Kevin Thistle.

TED BITS, Ted McIntyre - GOLF’S FUTURE LIES IN ITS PAST

There’s some good food for thought from a press release yesterday issued by Robert Trent Jones II. Despite the downturn in the golf business, Bruce Charlton (immediate past president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects) and president and Chief Design Officer of Robert Trent Jones II (RTJ II) both see a time of great opportunity.

“The game has been around for 500 years, and over the centuries it’s taken various forms,” Charlton says. “I think we’re going to see some different things ahead, like a period of new courses as public spaces—the way golf was at its Scottish beginnings. We’ll see fewer expensive private clubs hidden behind hedges, and more public facilities where golfers might encounter their neighbours walking their dogs around the links or strolling on public paths built in and around a golf course. People are beginning to realize—again—that golf courses are terrific community assets that both golfers and non-golfers can enjoy, but which can also produce revenue.”

“We’ll also see golf grow as a hotel and resort amenity, especially in places not currently associated with the game—like China and Dubai, Scandinavia, Turkey, South and Central America, and even Africa,” Charlton says. “People will continue to value golf as a magnet for attracting tourism worldwide.”

Charlton and RTJ II, the press release notes, believe that the golf business went off track and is currently suffering the consequences. “We overbuilt and saturated some markets with courses and golf housing communities,” Charlton says. “Ten years ago everyone was building golf course communities and trying to sell golf as a lifestyle. There wasn’t anything wrong with that model—perhaps we just did too much of it.”

According to Charlton, that overbuilding and the current financial challenges aren’t entirely golf problems—they’re also banking and lending and real estate problems that happen to affect golf. “But, as an industry, golf generates more dollars than the motion picture industry. Golf isn’t about to go away.” A recent report on the US golf economy estimates that the game generates more than $75 billion in direct annual revenue and employs more than 2 million workers.

For those in the business, Charlton advises, “Now is a great time for existing facilities to take a look at themselves, to upgrade their courses and meet new environmental standards. And existing courses may need to reposition themselves in the marketplace—especially older clubs in markets that have changed.”

“Developers should also look at the actual hard costs of development and revisit plans with their architects and contractors—not just the costs, but the model for who they are aiming at. Housing developments can be built around public courses that are community assets, encompassing parks and green spaces and wildlife habitat. Golf can return to the democratic roots of the game that developed in Scotland and have kept it popular for centuries. Construction costs are at levels where they were five years ago; savvy developers will get projects under way now, when costs are inexpensive. When the market picks up again—as it will—they’ll have product ready.”

“The golf industry should also look at new business models—instead of a purely private club, how about one with some public access; we have hybrid cars, why not hybrid golf courses that combine public/private partnerships, whether in the deal structure itself, or in a facility that might offer several days of public access to offset membership costs, or rotate two courses between public and private access?”

Charlton concludes, “Golf will come out of this current period leaner and stronger. We’re getting rid of fat, learning from our mistakes, and developing a clearer sense of what the golf market and the golfer need. We’ll be more unified. There’s never been a greater time for everyone in the industry to get together and sing ‘Kumbaya’ around the campfire and begin to tell golf’s story to the public—a story of positive impacts, economically, socially, and environmentally.”

RECORD HYBRID COUNT FOR ADAMS
With 105 players in the 168-man field using its hybrids, Adams Golf had a record hybrid count at the Nationwide Tour’s BMW Charity Pro-Am last weekend.

TED BITS, Ted McIntyre - PGA TOUR STATEMENT ON BOB ROSBURG

Just thought I’d share this press release from the PGA Tour a moment ago.

Statement from PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem on the passing of Bob Rosburg

Bob Rosburg, winner of the 1959 PGA Championship and five other PGA TOUR victories, who later gained acclaim as a television analyst, died May 14 at his home in Palm Springs, CA. He was 82.

“Bob Rosburg was not only a PGA TOUR veteran and pioneer, but a great communicator and student of the game,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. “His distinguished TOUR career was matched by his decades-long tenure with ABC Sports where his analysis and commentary as one of golf’s first on-course announcers paved the way for how golf is reported. We all owe a debt of gratitude to him for bringing the sport of golf to life, both as a competitor and a commentator. Our condolences to his wife Becky and children Robert, Deborah and Bruce.”

Rosburg, a native of San Francisco, CA, who learned the sport at the famed Olympic Club, turned professional in 1953, five years after graduating from Stanford University and a standout collegiate career. He made his TOUR debut in 1944, playing in the Los Angeles Open as an amateur.

Rosburg’s first professional title came in 1954 when he defeated Bo Wininger by a stroke at the Miami Open. Rosburg’s biggest win was the 1959 PGA Championship at Minneapolis Golf Club, where he came from six strokes behind entering the final round to win the lone major of his career. Earlier that season, he finished second at the U.S. Open. He was again runner-up at the 1969 U.S. Open.

He eventually transitioned into broadcasting and became known as “Rossie” to ABC Sports viewers who often heard his reports from the fairways as he walked with the players and reported the action.

Rosburg played occasionally on the Champions Tour once he turned 50 and did team with Gene Littler to win the 1981 Legends of Golf.

Funeral services are pending.

TED BITS, Ted McIntyre - SEGUIN VALLEY SHUT FOR THE SEASON, WEIR CHANGES SWING COACHES, AND AN ASCENT ON EVEREST

Possibly Ontario’s most spectacular course might be keep its doors closed for 2009. Seguin Valley, located just outside Parry Sound, and which has seen a reported $28.5 million sunk into it since being constructed seven years, has reportedly decided not to open this season in an attempt to reduce expenses in advance of a possible sale. A skeleton maintenance crew has been asked to keep the place green and healthy—just not to the level of proper playing conditions—in order to make it sale-able.

It’ll be interesting to see if the course manages to stay in our TOP 50 Courses in Ontario when the voting winds up in a couple months, despite being closed for the season.

WEIR CHANGES SWING COACHES
You may have heard the news that Mike Weir has left “Stack and Tilt” swing coaches Andy Plummer and Mike Bennett (with whom he’s worked since 2006) and returned to his previous instructor, Mike Wilson. Mike says on his blog that he’s looking for a fresh new approach, but my insider tells me it was because Weir was seeking a less mechanical swing. Which really confused me since I always thought Mike’s was arguably the most mechanical swing on the entire Tour to begin with.

The good news is that, as a perfectionist, this means Weir isn’t satisfied with his present World Golf Ranking of 20th and feels he needs to improve to achieve what he wants to accomplish in golf. Hopefully it’s not too long and involved a process.

CLIMBING EVEREST
I was emailed a link earlier this week for a team of Americans making an ascent on Everest. (I love this stuff, even though it’s somewhat of an infomercial for Eddie Bauer climbing apparel!) There’s a regular blog as well as daily video uploaded to youtube.

TED BITS, Ted McIntyre - I’M GLAD I’M NOT A WOMEN GOLFER, THISTLE LEAVES ANGUS, AND ANNIKA’S HAVING A GIRL

I attended a luncheon Tuesday at the Club at North Halton—it used to be the North Halton G&CC, but apparently they’ve reinvented themselves, albeit with the same dated clubhouse. No matter—it’s still a fabulous layout, already in mint condition, and with arguably the province’s greatest depth of low single-digit handicappers, including senior women’s powerhouse Gloria Sinclair and perennial woman’s amateur star Mary Ann Lapointe.

I singled out those two names since I was there yesterday on the invitation of the Canadian branch of the Executive Women’s Golf Association. Mandated to help make the game of golf a more accessible and enjoyable experience for all women, the EWGA and sponsor Callaway Golf Canada presented attendees with a host of suggestions that would encourage more women (already 30 percent of all new players are female, according to a recent EWGA study) to both take up the game and stay in the game.

North Halton was an apt location for the function—14 of the club’s founding members shelled out the then-exorbitant share price of $500 in 1954, and the club was also deemed worthy of one of the EWGA’s first two plaques honouring women-friendly courses in Canada. The other was presented to Katrina Myers, co-owner of Oakville Executive Golf Club, who understands the important of reaching out to the fairer sex.

Oakville Executive GC’s Katrina Myers shows off her plaque from the EWGA.

“When we launched Oakville Executive about 20 years ago, we recognized the growing interest of women and were looking to capture that niche market,” said Myers. “There are many women in the GTA with partners who golf and who are interested in a women-friendly environment where they can learn the game without intimidation. We offer both an executive link 18-hole course and an additional regulation nine holes, which many women find more manageable. Our bistro and pro shop staff make every effort to cater to the needs of women customers.”

Intimidation is huge. I’m glad I don’t have to feel the similar stares of judgment from dozens of guys every time I hit a shot at a golf course. Callaway’s Marketing Communication Manager Jane Hooper-Perroud, whose company probably has the most extensive and well-thought-out female-friendly hard goods lineup of any major manufacturer, spoke about the intimidation factor of playing with men, but how the tension melts away when she tees it up with women.

Personally, when reviewing a course, I’ve found it actually helps to play with my girlfriend, Mary, since guys will traditionally not even notice the forward tee blocks if they’re not playing with women…and often even when they are (collectively I’ve probably gone through three sets of cart brakes with all those last-second realizations that I’d just bypassed my female partner’s tees). Not that it’s always my fault. Habits aside, most women’s tees seem to be plunked down without thought. When you think about it, it’s arguably unfair that they pay the same green fees when clearly less thought was involved in designing the course from the forward tee positions. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a women’s set of tees that offered better views than the men’s tee. Half the time they seem more like mown—and not particularly well maintained—patches of fairway, where their positioning has significantly dumbed down the strategy.

Which brings us to the EWGA’s top 10 list of what makes a golf course women-friendly:
1. The pro shop has friendly, helpful staff.
2. The pro shop carries rental equipment for women and a variety of women’s clothing, balls and shoes.
3. Starters and marshals treat women’s groups the same as men’s.
4. Slope rating and handicap conversion material are easy to find.
5. There are two sets of tee boxes rated for women (so that both recreational and more advanced players can be accommodated).
6. Forward tee boxes and well maintained and located in appropriate, interesting settings.
7. Benches and ball washers are available on the forward tees on at least one-third of the holes.
8. Fully stocked (and clean) washrooms are accessible every five to six holes.
9. Restaurants and beverage carts offer healthy food choices, as well as wine and coolers. (Cute cartBOYS, I’m told, are a plus.)
10. There is a nine-hole rate and league available for women golfers.

Courses that would like to seek membership on the EWGA’s list of women-friendly facilities—a bright idea at a time when the game desperately needs to grow—should contact the not-for-profit organization at (416) 391-3300 or toll-free at 1-877-391-ewga (3942), or email them at memberservices@ewga.ca.

THISTLE LEAVES ANGUS FOR COPPINWOOD
Canada’s most celebrated golf course executive, Kevin Thistle of Angus Glen, has apparently received an offer he couldn’t refuse from Coppinwood’s new financiers. Insider Rob Thompson just shared with me that Thistle had broken the news to his staff yesterday, catching a few off-guard.
At a time when every course is looking to cut costs, Thistle’s big salary probably won’t get replaced by Angus owner Gord Stollery. On the other side of the coin, Coppinwood would have been in desperate need to show the golfing world that the refinanced private club indeed had a bright future ahead of it—so much so that they recruited the great Kevin Thistle to run the place.

IT’S A GIRL FOR ANNIKA!
Annika announced today on her blog (www.annikablog.com) that she’s expecting a girl. The LPGA Hall of Famer and her husband, Mike McGee, announced in mid-March that they were expecting their first child in the fall. Below are shots of Annika and Mike at their wedding at Lake Nona G&CC in Orlando, Fla. on January 10, 2009.

TED BITS, Ted McIntyre - DAVID FEHERTY TAKES HIS BEST SHOT, AND MISSES

CBS golf analyst David Feherty drew the ire of a number of Americans last week after he asserted that U.S. soldiers, given the chance, would whack House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, two non-supporters of former President Bush’s war strategy in the Middle East.

Writing for Dallas/Fort Worth’s D Magazine, Feherty noted, “If you gave any U.S. soldier a gun with two bullets in it, and he found himself in an elevator with Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Osama Bin Laden, there’s a good chance that Nancy Pelosi would get shot twice, and Harry Reid and Bin Laden would be strangled to death.”
Jim Manley, a senior communications adviser for Reid, called Feherty’s statements “irresponsible.”
“I understand that he thought that he was trying to be funny with the article,” Manley said. “If that is the case, it was a pretty pathetic attempt at humour.” (As though a politician, or his spokesmen, knew anything about humour!)

Media Matters, a liberal media watchdog group, called the statements “disgusting.” They’ve sent out two different press releases on the subject (in an attempt to justify their existence, I expect, since I’d never heard of them before this.)

CBS Sports was quick to remind the rest of the world that they just employ Feherty for his on-air golf work…and that they also have no sense of humour either.

“While outside his work for CBS, David Feherty is a popular humourist, we want to be clear that this column for a Dallas magazine is an unacceptable attempt at humour and is not in any way condoned, endorsed or approved by CBS Sports,” said LeslieAnne Wade, VP of communications for CBS Sports and someone who probably unofficially laughed when she originally read the remarks.

Let’s hope Feherty doesn’t become another Ben Wright, whose was laid off from CBS Sports after his infamous 1995 quotes to a Wilmington, Delaware reporter, including a comment about lesbianism hurting women’s golf and that “Women are handicapped by having boobs. It’s not easy for them to keep their left arm straight, and that’s one of the tenets of the game. Their boobs get in the way.” Even though Hall of famer JoAnne Carner said that the latter comments were actually stolen from her, or that many feel the former comment may have been true at the time, the highly lauded British tones of Wright were silenced. Should Feherty’s slip of the tongue (or pen, in this instance) lead to his demise, there will be a lot less to laugh about in golf.

DALY’S HEAVY HANDED IN EUROPE
As reported here a week ago, John Daly tried out Heavy Putter’s new Mid-Weight putter (the K4 model) at the BMW Italian Open on the PGA European Tour last week—and he did so with great success, firing four rounds in the 60s and needing just 24 putts in the final round on his way to a second-place finish, his best effort on the European circuit since his 2001 BMW International Open.
Incidentally, Daly’s six-month PGA Tour suspension ends later this month, so we should see him back on North American soil via a sponsor’s exemption or two in early June. Daly has not played on the PGA Tour since he missed the cut Oct. 17 in Las Vegas. Less than two weeks later, police in Winston-Salem, N.C., said he appeared somewhat under the influence outside a Hooters restaurant, and hauled him off to jail to crash for the night. (You may recall a photo of Daly in an orange jail suit with his eyes half-open.)

TED BITS, Ted McIntyre - CHERRY HILL MAKES THE CUT; ALEX CEJKA DOESN’T

Established in 1922 and designed by noted golf course architect Walter J. Travis, Cherry Hill GC celebrated its $1 million renovation last weekend members. Walter Travis himself (OK, it was actually club member Mike Reynolds) was on hand to assist with the ribbon cutting and to hit the first ball in the ceremonial tee off at the restored facility, which is situated in Ridgeway, near Fort Erie. Also on hand were (left to right) Robert P. Borneman; Cherry Hill president Kingman Bassett Jr., and renovation architect Ian Andrew of Ian Andrew Design and Weir Golf Design was the architect for the renovations, which include reconstruction of all bunkers with Travis style grass faces and surrounding mounds as well as several new tee locations and a major pond expansion.

ALEX CJEKA FOLDS. BIG SURPRISE!
Did you spot the mushroom cloud over TPC Sawgrass yesterday afternoon? That was Alex Cejka going “boom”. By definition, whoever was paired with Tiger yesterday is going to fold, so 2009 champion Henrik Stenson should be buying Woods a case of champagne, since there’s no way Cejka goes out and shoots 42 on the front nine if if were playing with anyone else. It took Cejka all of four holes to blow his five-stroke advantage en route to a final-round 79. Tiger must also have been intimidated by himself, as he finished with a one-over 73.
Stenson, meanwhile, should have been tested for drugs right after his final-round 66. Nobody shoots a bogey-free round like that at TPC Sawgrass on a Sunday…well, except for Stephen Ames, who shot a 67 a few years earlier to win. And speaking of Ames, how does anyone take 12 strokes to play the par-4 18th hole on the weekend…without putting a single ball into the water?