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LPGA Tour pros embroiled in backstopping controversy

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Update: 2/22, 9:50 p.m. The LPGA released the statement below

End update

Backstopping has been a controversial subject in the game of golf as of late, and this week during the Honda LPGA Thailand, an example of backstopping occurred that has left many golf fans on social media irate, primarily for what happened directly after the incident.

The incident took place on the final green during the second round of the event and features Amy Olson and Ariya Jutanugarn at the heart of the controversy.

Playing her chip shot from the side of the green, Jutanugarn cosied her ball up by the hole, and while seemingly courteously seeking permission from Olson to tap in her putt before the latter played her greenside shot, she appeared to be waved off. Olson then backed off, played her shot, and her ball, which looked to be running well past the pin, collided with Jutanugarn’s and settled right beside the hole. The two then laughed and celebrated the development with a fist-bump.

Neither player received a penalty for the incident, which many golf fans feel violated rule 15.3a/1, which states

In stroke play, under Rule 15.3a, if two or more players agree to leave a ball in place on the putting green to help any player, and the stroke is made with the helping ball left in place, each player who made the agreement gets two penalty strokes. A breach of Rule 15.3a does not depend on whether the players know that such an agreement is not allowed.

For example, in stroke play, before playing from just off the putting green, a player asks another player to leave his or her ball that is near the hole, in order to use it as a backstop. Without knowing this is not allowed, the other player agrees to leave his or her ball by the hole to help the other player. Once the stroke is made with the ball in place, both players get the penalty under Rule 15.3a.

The same outcome would apply if the player whose ball was near the hole offered to leave the ball in play to help the other player, and the other player accepted the offer and then played.

If the players know that they are not allowed to make such an agreement, but still do it, they are both disqualified under Rule 1.3b(1) for deliberately ignoring Rule 15.3a.

Amy Olson currently sits two shots off the lead heading into the third round, while Ariya Jutanugarn is seven shots off the pace.

 

 

 

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Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at [email protected].

62 Comments

62 Comments

  1. Tom

    Mar 5, 2019 at 7:15 pm

    Perhaps the LPGA would draw more viewers if the attractive players just wore G-strings and pasties with high heels? (Picture Carl (Bill Murray) at the ball washer in Caddyshack!

  2. CJ

    Mar 4, 2019 at 7:35 pm

    The fist bump was the thing that made me more mad than anything. I don’t like what she did but the tours need to figure out their rules and consequences asap

    • geohogan

      Mar 29, 2019 at 10:04 am

      If Potus can get away with collusion with our worst enemy, why get excited over to professional golfers colluding to cheat the rest of the field.

  3. JP

    Feb 28, 2019 at 12:45 am

    Let them use backstops all they want. But make both players play their ball where it lies after they come to rest.
    .
    I guarantee players close to the pin will ALWAYS mark their ball.

    • Caroline

      Feb 28, 2019 at 6:07 pm

      Just another reason to slow down play…plan BS just replace the ball at rest where it was and the new ball plays where it ended up…simple…backstop, players are so good they can hit balls on the green and not the hole..hole is 4 times larger…

      • Sandra

        Feb 28, 2019 at 7:58 pm

        You just don’t get it. It’s not that they’re so good they can hit another golf ball. It’s when they miss the hole, they have a chance of hitting the other ball rather than running by too far. Have you considered the rule was written for a reason?

  4. KJ

    Feb 26, 2019 at 3:49 pm

    They both should have been DQ’d per the rules of golf. Im not buying the Im just a pretty dumbgirl routine. She is at the elite level of golf, so she knows the rules or should know the rules. I knew it and Im a 10 handicap hacker. They agreed period!

    In stroke play, under Rule 15.3a, if two or more players agree to leave a ball in place on the putting green to help any player, and the stroke is made with the helping ball left in place, each player who made the agreement gets two penalty strokes. A breach of Rule 15.3a does not depend on whether the players know that such an agreement is not allowed.

    Once again they KNOW the rules at this level. If the players know that they are not allowed to make such an agreement, but still do it, they are both disqualified under Rule 1.3b(1) for deliberately ignoring Rule 15.3a Bang see you later!!

    All stated this does NOT make them cheaters……….it makes them people who should have been issued a penalty for a rules infraction.

    Anyway it looks like the Everyone gets a trophy crowd has made it to the LPGA.

  5. mario

    Feb 26, 2019 at 9:47 am

    Good thing those referees are not taking a decision on the Irish backstop… That would last another two years

  6. Rufus T. Firefly

    Feb 26, 2019 at 9:14 am

    This is why some people avoid this game. Too many judgmental assholes looking for an issue.

  7. GrandpaDino

    Feb 25, 2019 at 5:12 pm

    Another solution in search of a problem. Play on, girls!

  8. Charlie

    Feb 24, 2019 at 11:00 am

    Let’s acknowledge the grey area involved here! The rule states when chipping up from just off the green….being said, what is the difference between 30 yards off the green, or 160 yards from the green? If you acknowledge the terminology of just off the green, that would be closer to being on the fringe versus 20 to 30 yards away. Are players going to go mark a ball from 150 out? No! So let the players use the rules to their advantage for a change!

  9. Ace

    Feb 24, 2019 at 9:01 am

    They did it but the question is how are you going to prove it? Answer…Your not

    That being siad its a dumb rule that will never really be enforced so best thing to di is remove the dumb rule and accept the fact sometimes players will get these “breaks” rather intentional or not.

  10. Gunni

    Feb 23, 2019 at 8:09 am

    Don’t worry, Karma will prevail.

  11. Ozarkgolfer

    Feb 23, 2019 at 7:54 am

    Penalties to both – obvious backstopping. No one is asking for balls to be marked when players are over 100 yards out – it makes sense when there is chipping and pitching green side.

  12. Hppyglmr

    Feb 23, 2019 at 4:50 am

    Happy Gilmore says phhhuq your rules, snobby dooshwads.

  13. Ni

    Feb 23, 2019 at 3:01 am

    Why is this even an issue? Clearly she hit Ariya’s ball by luck. Especially from where she was.

    • doug miller

      Feb 23, 2019 at 6:55 am

      I agree 100%. If she is good enough to do it on purpose just hit the pin every time, pure luck!!!

  14. dat

    Feb 22, 2019 at 8:10 pm

    I originally though this was about players using the grandstands as backstops….then I read the article.

    Stupid. This rule isn’t being broken, it is pure chance. Get out.

    • geohogan

      Feb 22, 2019 at 11:14 pm

      The way the rule is written, it isnt necessary that the opponents ball ended up being a backstop or not.
      Simply playing the shot, while the opponents ball was in position to be a backstop is sufficient to incur the penalty for each player in stroke play.

      ignorance of the rule, is no excuse from being penalized or disqualification.

  15. youraway

    Feb 22, 2019 at 5:32 pm

    The Rules are written, agreed upon and published by the R&A and the USGA. This is an obvious and flagrant violation of the Rule. It’s not only clear, but it is recorded. BUT, this is an LPGA event and I have no doubt, they will not enforce the Rules, which calls for the DQ of both players.

  16. benseattle

    Feb 22, 2019 at 3:44 pm

    Backstopping is an affront to the game and about as close to cheating as you can get because it involves not ONE but TWO players. The rule can be as simple as “balls near the cup must be marked before another player makes a stroke IF BOTH PLAYERS ARE NEAR THE GREEN.”

    In this case, Jutanugarn should have ignored Olson’s “wave off,” (even if done to speed up play) and marked her ball. Of course it’s absurd to infer that Olson TRIED to hit the resting ball but the fact remains that because the ball was left nearby INTENTIONALLY leaves open the (slim) chance that Ariya’s ball could serve as a backstop. This is a bad, bad look for ANY tournament golf so let’s just eliminate the controversy and instruct golfers to mark a ball near the cup “when in the vicinity of the green.” You’re in doubt about what that means? THEN GET UP THERE AND MARK IT.

    Why is backstopping wrong? Because it can give a player an advantage NOT AVAILABLE TO THE REST OF THE FIELD. And it’s preventable.

    • Piter

      Feb 24, 2019 at 2:57 pm

      It’s luck of the draw really. 5mm to the right and she would’ve been worse off. This time she was lucky so she smiled and so did Ariya coz id doesn’t affect her anyway. It’s not like me there are 6 balls you might “accidentally” bump into.

  17. Tom

    Feb 22, 2019 at 3:27 pm

    Notice the size of crowd in the video? NOBODY there…..nobody cares…..

  18. Pete

    Feb 22, 2019 at 2:42 pm

    Lets be honest, neither player ‘agreed to leave the ball there with the intention of helping the other player’ even if they did so non verbally. So while its a scummy move and definitely cheating, they found a way to not be in contravention of the rule. The fist bump was all about sharing a fun moment of hitting anothers ball which is rare as opposed to the, ‘hell ya, cheating is awesome’ accusation

  19. Lance

    Feb 22, 2019 at 2:20 pm

    The fist bump was simply inferring that it was a good break. Neither one of these players should be labeled as cheating here. The rules are very intricate as we all know and my bet is that neither one of the players were aware of the optics here. I understand players are responsible to know the rules but let’s cut them some slack here. I can guarantee that Ariya is the consummate professional and would never not do her part to protect the field. #letsfocusonsomethingvalid #peoplearetoughbehindakeyboard #beeducatedbeforecastingpoorjudgement

  20. Tiger Noods

    Feb 22, 2019 at 1:58 pm

    This rule requires clarification. It implies that this is during a sequence when players are putting.

    How many times have we all said, “Don’t bother; it’s not like I’ll hit it.” 99.9% of the time you’re right. In a pro’s case, maybe that’s 98%. Either way, I can’t see how this was a conspiracy. This is not a penalty, and the norms of the game do not require you to mark when another player is not close enough to use a putter.

    Molehill, not mountain.

    • youraway

      Feb 22, 2019 at 5:46 pm

      That’s not what it implies at all. A player should not leave their ball in position to assist. I assure you leaving a ball on the green while another is putting would not assist but the player would incur a penalty if their ball struck another ball left on the putting surface.

      • Tiger Noods

        Mar 4, 2019 at 5:58 pm

        You can’t even spell your own nickname correctly. Go worry about knee-height drops, troll.

  21. Dennis Wimd

    Feb 22, 2019 at 1:43 pm

    Not a penalty. What if they’d been 200 yards off? Where is the line?
    Remember if a ball strikes a ball on the green the striking ball remains where it lands and the struck ball is replaced.

    • Mike Cleland

      Feb 22, 2019 at 1:59 pm

      I agree with you. Where’s the line? Get the blue blazers involved & we’ll be marking balls before we hit our second shots on Par 5s. The way to speed up play is to “simplify” the rules. I suppose the USGA believes if they aren’t constantly getting involved in every little issue they couldn’t justify their $800,000/year salaries.

      • joey5picks`

        Feb 22, 2019 at 3:53 pm

        The line is common sense and not unduly delaying play. Bottom line, they broke rule 15.3a. Both should get a 2-stroke penalty.

  22. Bill

    Feb 22, 2019 at 1:43 pm

    Ridiculous behaviour. Olsen’s ball would’ve been about 8ft past. Bet Ariya wouldn’t leave her ball there if both had to play from where their respective balls finished.

  23. Mike Cleland

    Feb 22, 2019 at 1:36 pm

    What’s up. Do we need a rules issue at every event? The USGA & their blue blazers haven’t learned the old adage ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’…is there a lawyer on every hole? The USGA isn’t happy unless they are on the front page every week.

    • joey5picks

      Feb 22, 2019 at 3:56 pm

      The USGA doesn’t govern Australia. The R&A does. USGA only governs US and Mexico.

      • Aztec

        Feb 22, 2019 at 9:49 pm

        Wrong, it’s Golf Australia. They may choose to adopt R&A policy, but they are the governing body. Why would you think the R&A has an official voice in Australian golf?

        • Christopher

          Feb 23, 2019 at 11:49 am

          Like joey5picks posted, the R&A are the governing body for over 110 countries, Golf Australia literally confirms it (and the USGA’s) on their site. They can implement their own local rules, but they’re governed by the R&A.

    • geohogan

      Feb 22, 2019 at 11:23 pm

      if professional then know the rules or get out of the game.
      We wouldnt have issues or delays if players knew the rules,
      rather than trying to circumvent the rules.

      if players delay for rulings which should be known to them,
      the pga should begin suspending those players.

      it will speed up play and maybe the players would take time
      to learn the rules of the game they play for a living.

  24. BD

    Feb 22, 2019 at 1:31 pm

    Individuals cheating is bad enough. But much worse, and more damaging to the Int Egypt the game, is the collusion of the LPGA (and, in other examples, the PGAtour) in such cheating by failing to penalise such behaviour.

  25. kirk brady

    Feb 22, 2019 at 1:29 pm

    Back stop – maybe
    an object for lining up trying to make the chip – most likely – and no penalty there

    When is the press going to stop creating controversies to get readers – between this and organizing the extortion of Kuchar, I think the sporting press deserves an enema and 10 mile run with full pack.

  26. Dave

    Feb 22, 2019 at 1:10 pm

    Oh, it’s just the LPGA? Who cares, almost as irrelevant as the WNBA. Wish they would cut TV coverage of it entirely.

    • Steve

      Feb 22, 2019 at 2:42 pm

      Wow…a trumpster….

    • DougE

      Feb 22, 2019 at 4:59 pm

      I care. I enjoy watching the LPGA and personally, I think those girls offer a great product. You wish you were 1/2 as good. But, I’m guessing you are not and probably never will be with such a poor attitude. Sorry, but misogyny is not attractive, nor does it make you better than women.

      What is your problem? LPGA golf is much closer to the kind of golf most of us can relate to. Evidently, you think it is beneath you. You will likely never have the game of a PGA Touring pro, so why not learn something from watching the girls. With some practice, you may even be able to make some of the shots they can make. I learn so much watching them. You might too if you gave them a chance. But hey, I’m just an old 5-6 handicapper, so what do I know?

      One thing I do know is that I’d bet on Ariya, or Lexi, every day of the week over betting on anyone who thinks the girls are irrelevant.

      • Dave

        Feb 23, 2019 at 2:59 am

        You are of the minority demographic that enjoys LPGA and Champions Tour coverage, Doug. That’s not subjective, that’s fact. I know your feelings are hurt, but very few even care about LPGA and Champions.

        Sorry I’m not attractive to you, buddy.

  27. Mohamed

    Feb 22, 2019 at 12:52 pm

    The bigger question is – how do you prove intent. Also, both were playing off the green, so if they were 100yards away and this happened – what then?

    • Jim

      Feb 22, 2019 at 1:04 pm

      You’re right. The key word here is “intent”. If Amy intentionally asked for this, intentionally planning to try to hit the ball, then the penalty applies. If she was just ready to play and not wanting to wait and was not even expecting to hit the other’s ball, there is no intent.

      Due to the way the pair reacted, it was a celebration of luck!

  28. Jim

    Feb 22, 2019 at 12:45 pm

    They need to be penalized. Both were complicit once Ariya stutter stepped to NOT mark her ball and then the fist bump confirms the agreement.

  29. Doug

    Feb 22, 2019 at 12:41 pm

    Tom is a tool. This is definitely cheating. Olson waived Ariya off for the very reason of backstopping. Ariya should be protecting the field. A fail for both sides. Disappointing that both tours are failing to uphold the integrity of the same.

  30. Timothy Covey

    Feb 22, 2019 at 12:38 pm

    Stupid. What are the odds even if the plan was to hit the other ball that she would actually hit the other ball. If shes that good she should just chip it in the hole on every hole every time. Might as well cause you’d have to be that good. The fact that people are even upset let alone irate is just pure ignorance.

  31. Mon

    Feb 22, 2019 at 12:30 pm

    It really did not look like she was doing it do use the ball. I think she was ready to hit and waved off the other player who was still standing off the green.

    • joey5picks

      Feb 22, 2019 at 3:59 pm

      The “other player” has the right, and responsibility, to mark her ball to protect the field. This was a perfect example of Olson gaining an advantage on the field.

  32. kevin

    Feb 22, 2019 at 11:28 am

    apparently as the lpga and pga continue to alter the rulebook, they forget to actually enforce the rules.

    this is an embarrassment to the LPGA, and the other players should be calling this for what it is…cheating.

  33. Tom

    Feb 22, 2019 at 11:15 am

    Not a big deal, few watch LPGA…

    • snapjack

      Feb 22, 2019 at 12:30 pm

      Only Tom could come up with that kind of answer. The normal retort is, why are you here then, but in this case I say to you Tom, GFY

      • Tom

        Feb 22, 2019 at 1:48 pm

        Ohhhhhhh….snappy typing all tuff n sheet…..lol!

    • Dave

      Feb 22, 2019 at 1:13 pm

      Completely agree with you. I’m always annoyed when I turn to the Golf Channel at night to catch up on the PGA Tour highlights/coverage from earlier in the day, and we are forced to watch someone named Pornanong hit driver 235 in a tournament in Thailand.

      • Elmo

        Feb 23, 2019 at 10:22 am

        Racist too!

        Bring in religion and you’ve got the triple threat!

        Yeehaw KKK golf.

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News

Morning 9: Wyndham Clark on back injury | DiMarco’s bold Champions Tour take | Houston Open photos

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By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Thursday morning, golf fans, as day one of the Houston Open gets underway.

1. Wyndham Clark hurts back…still hopes to play

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach…”Reigning U.S. Open winner Wyndham Clark injured his back while working out at home Monday, but he hopes to play in this week’s Texas Children’s Houston Open, which starts Thursday at Memorial Park Golf Course.”

  • “Clark, the fourth-ranked golfer in the world, said he was lifting weights and “got caught in an awkward spot doing a lift and [his] back went.”
  • “It’s not something that happens regularly, but it happened and you live and you learn,” Clark said. “I’m trending in the right direction. I’m hitting it or feeling stronger and more mobile every day. I’m going to give it my best effort tomorrow and hopefully I can play and compete. If not, I’ve got to get ready for tournaments to come after this.”
Full piece.

2. DiMarco’s bold Champions Tour take

Our Matt Vincenzi…”While speaking on the Subpar podcast, former PGA Tour winner and current PGA Tour Champions player Chris DiMarco said he hopes LIV buys the Champions Tour.”

  • “We’re kind of hoping that LIV buys the Champions Tour,” he said.
  • “Let’s play for a little real money out here. I mean this is kind of a joke when we’re getting $2 million. There were like seven guys last week from TPC (Sawgrass, at the $25 million PLAYERS Championship) that made more money than our purses.”
Full piece.

3. Charley Hull’s course management problem?

Our Matt Vincenzi…”Charley Hull came just short of her third LPGA Tour victory over the weekend at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship when she played her last two holes at 3 over to slip all the way to 10th on the leaderboard.”

  • “After the round, Hull was blasted by Sky Sports commentator and former LPGA Tour player Trish Johnson for her lack of golf course management.”
  • “While speaking on the Sky Sports Golf podcast, Johnson spoke harshly of Hull.”
  • “I’m probably her harshest critic, because I know how good she is. She doesn’t win anywhere near enough for her talent, and she doesn’t get involved enough, in all honestly.
  • “The thing with Charley is that you’re never going to change her. I read something the other day that said how much she loves the game and it’s her love of the game [that costs her]. She’s never going to change and she’s just going to go for every pin.
  • “In theory that’s great, but it won’t win you golf tournaments, it just won’t because she’s not that much better than anybody else.
Full piece.

4. Sahith’s interesting idea

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”Which brings Theegala to his big idea: “There’s got to be something, like a fan challenge or – I think it would be awesome to see a scratch handicap go out and play like the Monday after a tournament, keep the same conditions and see what they would shoot just to put it into perspective how hard a PGA Tour golf course is.”

  • “Theegala loves the thought so much that he’d even come out and watch.”
  • “Shoot, I’d commentate on it,” Theegala added before continuing, “I have a pet peeve, sometimes when I watch golf on TV, a great example is hole 8 at Valspar last week. It’s a 230-yard par 3, the green’s 12 yards wide and someone will hit the middle of the green and, you know, they’ll be like, ‘Oh, really smart shot there.’ I’m like, ‘Well, no, he’s absolutely laced this 4-iron in the middle of the green, that’s right where he’s looking and to hit a 4-iron that straight is really, really hard.’ … Even like chipping, a lot of the stuff just looks flat on TV, but then when you get over the chip, like, oh, great, I have to land it over a mound on a downslope down grain?”
Full piece.

5. Top am Rachel Heck not going pro

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”As Rachel Heck nears the end of her college golf career, she has decided that the LPGA isn’t for her.’

  • “Heck, the 22-year-old Stanford senior who won an NCAA individual title as a freshman and has climbed as high as second in the world amateur rankings, penned a first-person essay for No Laying Up in which she explained her reasoning for remaining amateur after graduation this summer and starting an internship not in professional golf but rather private equity. Heck, a political science major, also will be pinned as a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.”

Read her piece on No Laying Up: https://nolayingup.com/blog/why-im-remaining-an-amateur

Full piece.

6. DJ’s new LIV signing

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  • “Rosaasen, who is a long-time friend of Johnson, is also the founder of the team’s apparel sponsor Extracurricular and has been CEO of the Omniverse Group for the past four years.
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7. Photos from the Houston Open

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Four books for a springtime review

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One thing that never changes over time: snowy evenings give purpose to reading (is it the other way around?) It has been a snowy 2024 in western New York, and I’ve had ample time to tuck into an easy chair with a blanket, coffee, and a book. You’re in luck, because despite the title of this piece, I’ll share five books and their worth with you.

There is great breadth of subject matter from one to five. Golf is as complicated as life, which means that the cover of the book isn’t worth judging. The contents begin the tale, but there is so much more to each topic presented within. If you’re like me, your library grows each year. Despite the value of the virtual, the paper-printed word connects us to the past of golf and humanity. Here’s hoping that you’ll add one or more of these titles to your collection.

        

Rainmaker

Hughes Norton interviewed with Mark McCormack for 20 minutes (30 if you count the missed exit at Logan International) while driving the founder of IMG from Harvard to the airport. The lesson of taking advantage of each moment, of every dollar, because you might not get another opportunity, is the most valuable one that life offers. I say to you, be certain to read this book, because another opportunity to bend the ear of Hughes Norton may not come our way.

Hughes Norton was with Tiger Woods for waaayyy fewer years than you might guess, but they were the critical ones. Be warned: not all of the revelations in this tome are for the faint of heart. Some, in fact, will break your heart. Golf was a sleepy hamlet in the 1990s, until the 16-lane interstate called Eldrick “Tiger” Woods came into town. Everything changed, which meant that everything would change again and again, into eternity. Once the ball starts rolling, it’s impossible to stop.

My favorite aspect of this book is its candor. Hughes Norton is well into his time on Planet Earth. He has no reason to hold back, and he doesn’t. My least favorite aspect is that George Peper got the call to co-author the book (and I didn’t.) Seriously, there is no LFA for me, so this is the best that I could do.

Decision: Buy It!

The Golf Courses of Seth Raynor

Michael Wolf, James Sitar, and Jon Cavalier, in abject partnership, collaborated to produce a handsome volume on the work of gone-too-soon, engineer-turned-golf course architect. Seth Raynor was pulled into the game by Charles Blair MacDonald, the crusty godfather of American golf. Raynor played little golf across the 51 years of his life. His reason? He did not wish to corrupt his designs with the demands and failings of his own game.

Jon Cavalier began his photography career as a contributor to the Golf Club Atlas discussion group. I met him there in a virtual way (we still have yet to shake hands) and have exchanged numerous emails over the years. Despite the demands of his day job, Cavalier has blossomed into the most traveled and prolific course photographer alive today. His photography, both hand-held and drone, makes the pages pop. Michael Wolf invited me and two friends to play his home course, despite having never met any of us in person. His words, melded to those of James Sitar, are the glue that connect Cavalier’s photos.

My favorite aspect of the books is the access it gives to the private-club world of Raynor. Fewer than five of his courses are resort or public access, and knowing people on the inside is not available to all. My suggestion? Write a letter/email and see if a club will let you play. Can’t hurt to try! My one complaint about the book is its horizontal nature. Golf is wide, but I like a little vertical in my photos. It’s not much of a complaint, given the glorious contents within the covers.

Decision: Buy It!!

Big Green Book from The Golfer’s Journal

Beginning with its (over)size, and continuing through the entire contents, there is no descriptor that defines the genre of the Big Green Book. It is photography, essay, layout, poetry, graphics, and stream of consciousness. It harnesses the creative power of a lengthy masthead of today’s finest golf contributors. Quotes from Harvey Penick, verse from Billy Collins, and prose from John Updike partner with images pure and altered, to immerse you in the diverse golf spaces that define this planet.

One of my favorite aspects is the spaces between the words and photos. Have your friends and others write a few notes to you in those blank areas, to personalize your volume even more. One aspect that needs improvement: the lack of female voices. I suspect that will be remedied in future volumes.

Decision: Buy It!!!

Troublemaker and The Unplayable Lie

Books that allege discrimination and mistreatment check two boxes: potentially-salacious reads and debate over whose perspective is accurate. In the end, the presentation of salacious revelation rarely meets the expectation, and the debate over fault is seldom resolved. Lisa Cornwell spent years as a competitive junior and college golfer, before joining The Golf Channel as a reporter and program host.

Despite the dream assignments, there were clouds that covered the sun. Cornwell documents episodes of favoritism and descrimination against her, prior to her departure from The Golf Channel in 2021. Her work echoes the production of the late Marcia Chambers, who wrote for Golf Digest in the 1980s and 1990s. Chambers took issue with many of the potential and real legal issues surrounding golf and its policies of access/no access. Her research culminated in The Unplayable Lie, the first work of its kind to address issues confronted by all genders and ethnicities, and immediately predated the professional debut of Tiger Woods in 1997.

My favorite aspects of the two works, are the courage and conviction that it took to write them, and believe in them. My least favorite aspects are the consistent bias that many groups continue to face. Without awareness, there is no action. Without action, there is no change.

Decision: Buy Them!!!!

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open

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GolfWRX is on site in the Lone Star State this week for the Texas Children’s Houston Open.

General galleries from the putting green and range, WITBs — including Thorbjorn Olesen and Zac Blair — and several pull-out albums await.

As always, we’ll continue to update as more photos flow in. Check out links to all our photos from Houston below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

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