Over the Green

So today is Tiger Woods 34th birthday and boy a lot has changed for him, his family, golf in general and the PGA Tour.

No need to recite all of his admitted “transgressions” again, however in all the media blather and posturing little attention has been paid to the effect of Tiger’s fall from grace on the companies who previously paid him hundreds of millions of dollars.

According to ABC News a study by some enterprising college professors has put the cost at $12 billion since his auto accident. Not in lost sales or market share but to the shareholders of those Tiger-sponsoring companies such as Nike, Gillette and Gatorade (owned by PepsiCo) as reflected by lower prices for their stocks. The report put the decline at roughly ten times the slight decline in prices seen by the stock market as a whole.

The operative question then is did Tiger cause the immense losses? Probably not since it would be hard to make a case that millions of people suddenly switched to Schick blades, tossed out their Nike’s for adidas shoes or became confirmed Coke fans just because Woods proved his moral compass is out of whack. And it would require the assumption there’s a direct correlation between a company’s sales and profits with the stock price, which as anyone who knows anything about the stock market, is more than a little questionable.

But then…well it will soon be a new year and this will all pass under the bridge like all dirty water.

Wonder if any of his sponsorship agreements have “morals” clauses?

In trying to find perspective about the effect of the USGA new groove size restrictions on mid- and short-irons, which for touring professionals becomes law with the 2010 season, a prediction or two are in order this being eve of a new year when predictions, forecasts and resolutions are as traditional as a hangover New Years Day.

It is unfortunate, given the USGA believes there is a problem caused by touring pros driving the ball further, that the best method to solve this injustice is to constrict the equipment rules for everybody. This approach has the potential to hurt recreational golfers by taking away the ability to create sufficient spin on certain shots, particularly from the rough, so that balls will come to rest on the putting surface.

This is a classic example of wrongheaded thinking by the USGA but in fairness the rule change doesn’t have full impact for years plus the overwhelming majority of amateurs can’t hit greens either from the fairway to say nothing of the rough, and most of them use 2-piece golf balls for extra distance. This type of ball doesn’t spin as much as tour-level balls so a grooves change probably won’t make a measurable difference.

Prediction: Weekend players who view the sound and fury as ‘much-to-do-about-nothing’ will feel they have one more reason to look at the USGA with reduced respect. This whole topic isn’t something they care about and in fact is actually about some mystical goal the USGA has of reducing professionals driving distance because it’s making “great courses” (which Mr. Average will never play) obsolete.

Real world golfers love to see pros bust it 300-yards, make birdies from the trash, and don’t compete anything but local events. This is not exactly the profile of the folks who run the USGA and to prove the point of the low level of concern or involvement by recreational players in what “Golf’s Ruling Body” does, thinks or opines, everyday golfers don’t even keep an “Official Handicap.” Only a small percentage (around 20%) of U.S. golfers have a USGA handicap and a far smaller number play in USGA sanctioned competitions.

Prediction: Touring pros will compensate for less effective grooves and the public will only occasionally, very occasionally, be aware of any difference in a shot’s outcome. Among those compensations: use a ball with higher spin characteristics softer cover or both, increase short iron loft, and use irons with a roughen surface between the grooves.

And oh yes, leave the driver in the bag, hit 3-wood off the tee which of course is exactly what the USGA wants them to do.

A word of caution, beware of TV commentators who as the new season gets under way, make a big deal about this, as in, “Boy, that was a flier,” or “That ball didn’t hold but probably would have with if he had had the old grooves.” They don’t know any more about this than you do.

Tour Edge Exotics XCG-3

This is a big deal since no one has money to throw away these days being able to purchase what are among the best irons available at $100 to $300 less has to grab your attention.

XCG-3s have slightly larger heads than the XCG irons that have been recognized as a market leader and feature the same Dual Density Dampening with a carbon elastomer insert in the cavity back. Coupled with a thin face XCG-3s are a forgiving game improvement class iron. Tour Edge also varies the firmness of the insert, making it somewhat softer in the higher lofts for added feel.

Another nice feature Tour Edge promotes is a guarantee that XCG-3 irons will produce lower scores and if they aren’t better than what you’re playing now just return them within 30-days for a store credit or refund. A set of XCG-3 with steel shafts carries a suggested price of $499.

Jon Friedman in Marketwatch this morning has a proposal for if and when Tiger Woods fesses up to his formerly adoring public, make a visit to the Oprah show. Could he? Would he? Friedman gives it his usual tongue in cheek approach.

Tiger and Oprah: Perfect together

Tiger Woods for now is the number one ranked golfer in the world ahead of Phil Mickelson but both of them can’t match what Rory Mcilroy has done. The Northern Ireland native has moved into the ninth spot of the ranking at the tender age of 20. He won’t even be 21 until next May 4.

Woods who has taken an indefinite leave from golf is 6.66 points ahead of second place Mickelson and enjoys a 10.23 point spread on Mcilroy at number 9. His time off for reconstructive surgery on his knee lasted eight months and he still had a lead of 11 points when he returned at World Mactch Play Championships the last week in February.

A few days before the Induction Ceremony for the 2009 class into the World Golf Hall of Fame Jack Peter, Senior Vice President and Chief Executive, took the time to sit down for an interview covering a wide range of topics.

The World Golf Hall of Fame, opened in 1998, is part of the sprawling World Golf Village development bordering Interstate 95 outside St. Augustine, Fla., and run by the not-for-profit World Golf Foundation. Support for the Foundation comes from the world’s golf tours and associations such as the PGA Tour, United States Golf Association and the Royal and Ancient plus major corporate help from Shell Oil and Ketel One Vodka. More…

We play the greatest game ever invented in spite of its maddening frustrations. Now it’s pay back time and how better to kick off 2010 but with a resolution?

No not to fix your slice or promising to never three putt again, but something really worthwhile.

Bring someone who used to play golf back into the game. There are millions of Americans who once played but no longer have the time or some other good reason to have given it up.

That first time out doesn’t have to be a full 18-hole round. It could be inviting a neighbor to go the driving range or for a quick nine after work. Encourage them to get in to it again, to bring their family and watch the results.

Golf in a game that teaches us self reliance, rewards individual achievement, relies on personal honesty and pits us against a foe as tough as any we will ever face…ourselves. Need some help? Go talk to a local PGA professional. He and the PGA of America have ideas and programs waiting for you.

Do yourself and a friend a favor and reintroduce golf.

The Tiger Woods mess is bad for him, his family, fans and golf in general. As has been written by just about every commentator not in it for the prurient interest, Woods really showed himself to not be who we all thought he was.

That failure of character and its consequences are far reaching.

No comment is necessary on what must be a broken relationship between Woods and his wife other than it’s really sad to see her and her two girls through the media wringer.

There are other considerations. Some of Woods’ sponsors not wanting to be associated with his actions fired him. Probably more will. Not a big deal though, he has been paid hundred’s of millions already.

There are imponderables such as if his golf can recover to the former dominance or what his final place in sports and golf history will be.

Plus as tournament sponsors and the benefiting charities know the PGA Tour has been put in a tough spot too. The image of golf and professional golfers probably will never be the same which angers a lot of people including fellow players. From a fan’s perspective, it’s fair to say someone feeling betrayed by Woods’ actions, lies and arrogance will probably not stand in line to buy tickets for the next time he comes to town for a Tour event…except maybe to boo.

Fortunately everyone and everything will survive. Changed and sadder.

In keeping with his inability to face his public Woods now is withdrawing from golf. Good. If he comes back and that may be a big “if,” we can hope it is smarter, more appreciative of what he has and with the same mental toughness he displays on the course to his morals, i.e., able to be inside what we thought we saw on the outside.

Tiger Woods’ troubles have been covered in the past two weeks, ad nauseam, but there’s another story, that of the LPGA and while it may not have the appeal of auto accidents and sex in its own way it is important.

The LPGA Tour’s five day tournament at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla. might have been taking place on Mars or some place even less visited, like New Jersey. At stake for the competitors were 20 full time tickets for the 2010 tour, though next year’s edition of the circuit is drastically reduced in size, losing 10 events compared to just two years ago.

Some facts:

Michael Whan, the new commissioner, will have his own way of doing things. Presumably his methods will be different than those employed by former commish Carolyn Bivens. During her tenure she managed to alienate players, fans, media and sponsors…no mean feat.

Many of the Tour’s problems can attributed to the worldwide economic downturn. More…

The Tiger Woods situation becomes more bizarre by the minute. After displaying the arrogance of one who believes he is special and above the norms of behavior he compounds his failings by running away.

After the web site announcement he would take an indefinite break from tournament golf to attempt a rescue of his marriage one is struck with a feeling of, “Good for him, face the problem and resolve it.” Golf is secondary at the very best.

However Woods further disengaged himself from his millions of fans by not having the courage to face them in person, in public and give those who have supported, cheered and yes, cried for him the decency of an explanation face-to-face. Man-to-man. Up close and personal…or whatever.

A web site statement, make that now multiple statements, obviously written with the gloss of a PR professional does not treat fans and supporters with respect.

When this all started the bet was it would eventually blow over and things, at least the golf, would get back to normal. Now though Woods continues to treat his adoring public (in this writer’s view, soon to be previously adoring) as if they have always have been there and always will be there regardless of what comes down.

Phooey. Certain of the salaciously minded may continue to gawk at the roadside wreck that was Tiger Woods especially if more details of his escapades become public. The rest of his fans, indeed the rest of the world, will quickly tire of the whole sordid mess. In part because of his lack of honest and seeming inability to face the public, the same people who buy the products he is so well paid to plug.

Gillette has already pulled back, taking a wait and see attitude, likewise Accenture. Pepsico depending who you believe may also be reluctant to continue using Woods as an advertising symbol. Who is next and does this mean his value as an endorser has come to an end?