The Internet is a miracle and a curse. A miracle because it instantly delivers information that would have required an infinite number of newspaper subscriptions and infinite time in the library back when I was a kid. It’s a curse for the exact same reason … it sucks you into the world of information overload and a 24-hour news cycle.
For those reasons, I’ll try to save you a bit of time and offer you a few tidbits and thoughts about three recent news items:
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Four for Four. A few weeks ago, I wrote about how thrilled I was to see Don Hearn, Oscar Miles and Jim Loke named to receive the Distinguished Service Award from the GCSAA. I called it a “three-for-three” decision. Well, the USGA made it four-for-four by naming our old friend Ted Horton to receive the Green Section Award this year. In case you’ve been under a rock, you should know that Ted has been a leader in the profession, the environmental movement and the industry at large for as long as I can remember. Unassuming, yet unafraid to speak the truth, Ted taught me so much about what one individual can accomplish if he puts his mind to it. Great choice!
The whole “lynching” mess. So the Golf Channel, which runs on the cheap, puts two anchors on live tournament coverage for about 63 hours straight, and one of them unintentionally and inadvertently says something dumb. Is anyone shocked? Kelly Tilghman, who generally does a pretty good job, was yammering with Nick Faldo about whether there was any way to stop Tiger Woods. Faldo made some semifunny reply, and she promptly blurted out something dumb about “lynching him in a back alley.” Oops. Unfortunate? Yes. Unpardonable? No. Tiger, who she’s known for 10 years, immediately said it didn’t mean anything to him, and she apologized profusely. Enough said, right? Nope. Now we’ve got Al Sharpton and other notables tripping over themselves to perform their own media lynching on Ms. Tilghman for her “racist” remark. The Golf Channel immediately caved in and suspended her for two weeks. Puhleezz! Is Sharpton so desperate for attention that he has to crucify a nice young lady for one goofy remark in the context millions of words she’s put out on the airwaves? And, by the way, why isn’t Martha Burke leaping to her defense?
The Tour dumps Westchester. The PGA Tour unceremoniously ended a 40-year relationship (and breached a six-year contract) with Westchester Country Club the other day. Apparently, The Barclay’s tour stop will move to Ridgewood Country Club in 2008 and to the new Liberty National Golf Club in 2009. The Tour cited concerns about attendance and logistics at the venerable Westchester, but club members quoted in local media said it had more to do with money – specifically TV revenues on CBS. The Tour, concerned about money? I’m shocked, shocked I tell you. But dumping Westchester over a few bucks is only one issue. Screwing a partner that has been willing to put up with the Tour’s shenanigans for four decades is quite another.
That’s all for now. I’ll be back in a couple of weeks with my fearless preview of the 2008 GIS in Orlando. As always, just click through below to offer your thoughts on my column or anything else on your mind.
Pat Jones is president of Flagstick, LLC.
