Connect with us

News

GolfWRX Morning 9: USGA yardage book crackdown | Korda’s bold call out | Heartbreaking news for Jarrod Lyle

Published

7 years ago

on
By Ben Alberstadt (ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com)

August 1, 2018

Good Wednesday morning, golf fans. Welcome to August.
1. USGA cracking down on yardage books
More than a year after announcing their concerns, the USGA and R&A are proposing regulations on green-reading materials/yardage books.
The governing bodies emphasized “the need for a player to read greens based on their own judgement” in a press release.

 

The regulations will be finalized in a published “interpretation” of Rule 4.3 (Use of Equipment) and adopted Jan. 1, 2019, following a six-week feedback period.
  • Here are the key elements, per the USGA release.
  • Minimum Slope Indication Limit: A minimum slope indication limit of 4 percent (2.29 degrees) is proposed.
  • Maximum Scale Limit: A maximum scale of 3/8 inch to 5 yards (1:480) is proposed; this will limit the size in print form to a pocket-sized publication.
  • Indicative Information: General information that is included in traditional yardage books or course guides, such as basic illustrations that show the outline of the putting green and include indicative information like the tops of ridges or general slopes, will continue to be permitted.
  • Handwritten Notes: Handwritten notes will continue to be allowed, but such notes cannot be used to create either a direct copy or a facsimile (replica) of a detailed green map.

 

2….and the expected responses trickle in

 

Like this one from Jim Stracka, president of (strongly vested interest!) StrackaLine…
  • “I don’t understand why they are doing it,” said Stracka, who is president of StrackaLine, the company that for 10 years has been producing green-reading guides for PGA Tour golfers, more than 300 Division I college golf teams and more.”
  • “Stracka said he first heard discussion of this decision weeks before the British Open. He also had conversations with USGA executive director Mike Davis in the past in which he asked Davis to consider the statistics and seek out Mark Broadie for help.”
  • “Putting stats haven’t changed in 25 years,” Stracka told Golfweek via phone on Tuesday. “PGA Tour pros are still making about 50 percent of their putts from inside of 8 feet. … There is no exactness in putting” (via Golfweek).
  • “Stracka argues that his service is more of a time-saver for golfers who have the ability to chart and map out greens on their own. Plus, he believes that banning the guides could give golfers who use local caddies, particularly those not on major tours, an advantage in tournaments.”

3. Extremely sad stuff: Jarrod Lyle to palliative care

ABC Australia report…”Australian golfer Jarrod Lyle will spend his final days surrounded by loved ones after making the decision to go into palliative care.”
  • “The 36-year-old has been undergoing his third stint of cancer treatment after a recurrence of acute myeloid leukaemia last year.”
  • “Briony has been posting about her husband’s deteriorating health during recent months, but her most recent update to his followers on Facebook and Instagram confirmed the bad news.”
  • “We’ll be taking him closer to home in the next couple of days so he can finally leave the hospital…We have done our best to ‘control’ the narrative surrounding Jarrod’s illness and treatment, and as more and more people become involved in this final process I’m not sure how much longer this development will remain private.
  • “Jarrod knows he is loved, and the thousands of prayers and well wishes that have been sent his way have kept him going through some incredibly tough times…But he has reached his limit, and the docs have finally agreed that they can no longer strive for a positive outcome.”
Reactions from the golf world
Sympathy and sadness abound. Here are a few of the many tweets.
  • Luke Donald...Life is precious and we all take it for granted too often – seeing the picture of @jarrodlylepga hugging his family with not long to live brought tears to my eyes. Peace be with you, you will be missed Jarrod x
  • Billy Horschel.…Sad news today about @jarrodlylepga. He fought an unbelievable fight for so long. Awful that it ends this way. He was a blast to hang around, could make you laugh & put a smile on your face. Horschel family sends all their love & support to his wife Bri, daughters Lusi and Jemma
  • Colt Knost...”What I would give to have one more round of golf with this amazing man jarrod.lyle! So proud of you for the amazing fight you have put up! I’ll never forget all the laughs and good times”
4.  Korda calls for better developmental program for American women’s golf

 

Good on Jessica Korda for pointing out the obvious and calling for a solution (quotes per Golfweek).
  • “Asians currently occupy seven of the top 10 spots in the Rolex Rankings. Korda, ranked ninth in the world, is one of just two Americans in the top 10. No. 5 Lexi Thompson is the other.”
  • “They have a better development program for juniors,” Korda said. “They have a national team. They travel to different countries. One of the things that the U.S. doesn’t have is a national team, somebody to help the girls and boys kind of grow.
  • “There’s no like camps. Basically, kids play AJGAs in America to try and get into college. In Korea, I know that they have to play two years on the Korean LPGA before they even come to the States. So they’ve already been a pro before they come to our tour. So as you call them rookies, they’ve won, you know, like 10 times professionally.”
5. In case you were wondering….

 

How much of the U.S. is used for golf? “The amount of land being used for golf courses is about 2 million acres. That is larger in size than the state of Delaware, but smaller than Connecticut. The USDA says the “miscellaneous” land used for items such as golf courses, cemeteries, marshes and deserts contains “low economic value.””

 

“More than 50 times that amount – about 108.3 million acres – is set aside for parks and wilderness areas – such as National Parks, National Seashores and wilderness preserves. On those sites, most commercial activities are prohibited.

 

“Forests and timberland, meanwhile, cover about 25 percent of the contiguous U.S.”

 

See the rest of the breakdown at Golfweek.

 

6. Playoff Tiger

Woods has signed up to play in the first two events of the FedEx Cup playoffs – the Northern Trust and the Dell Technologies Championship – the PGA Tour announced Tuesday. This will be Woods’ first appearance in a FedEx Cup playoff event since 2013.

  • The Northern Trust will be held from Aug. 23-26 at the The Ridgewood Country Club in New Jersey. The Dell is scheduled for Aug. 31-Sept. 3 at TPC Boston in Norton, Mass.
7. PGA Tour Live

 

Geoff Shackelford on the PGA Tour Live absorption into NBC.
  • “After testing out PGA Tour Live with ESPN’s new streaming service, the pre-Golf Channel telecasts will move to NBC Sports Gold in 2019 and feature more viewer-friendly synergy between Golf Channel and PGA Tour Live telecasts.  Obviously, as a Golf Channel contributor, I’m thrilled to see the move as it strengthens the Tour-GC relationship, but as a fan, the sense of a competitive vibe where the PGA Tour was not in lockstep with its cable partner did little to serve fans.”
  • “Judging by the “passes” offered at NBC Sports Gold, expect a golf pass that becomes a future option for cord cutters.”
8. No Tigerian wisdom for you!

 

Here’s a funny bit. Jason Day, as we know, has been the beneficiary of Tiger Woods’ wisdom in the past. However, just like Justin Thomas experienced earlier this year, coach Tiger is leaving his pupil high and dry.
  • “Now since we’re playing against each other, we don’t really talk to each other about (golf),” Day said. “It’s more support than anything now, like ‘Good playing,’ or if I’m pissed off he’ll text me. And he knows when I’m pissed off. If I play bad he’ll text me and give me a little pick me up, which is nice. But it’s nothing like the old, ‘this is what you need to do,’ the advice when it comes to playing golf.”
9. Latest PGA Champ odds


As you’re mulling over your wagers one week out…

Odds @ The Westgate
10/1: Dustin Johnson
12/1: Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy
16/1: Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler
18/1: Justin Rose
20/1: Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm
25/1: Tommy Fleetwood, Francesco Molinari, Jason Day
30/1: Patrick Reed, Hideki Matsuyama
40/1: Henrik Stenson, Alex Noren, Paul Casey
50/1: Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia, Tony Finau, Xander Schauffele, Matt Kuchar

 

Related Topics:

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Leezer

    Aug 1, 2018 at 8:09 am

    Why would Jim Stracka admit his green reading guide hasn’t changed putting stats in 25 years and that it’s just a time saver? Doesn’t that mean players don’t actually benefit from using them?

    Reply Report comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

News

Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

Published

3 weeks ago

on

Aug 4, 2025

By

I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear

OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.

LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break

Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.

Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.

On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.

On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.

On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.

PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home

Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.

On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.

Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?

Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.

Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?

PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates

Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.

Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.

Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.

Continue Reading

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2025 Wyndham Championship

Published

4 weeks ago

on

Jul 29, 2025

By

GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.

Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.

Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.

 

Continue Reading

News

BK’s Breakdowns: Kurt Kitayama’s Winning WITB, 3M Open

Published

4 weeks ago

on

Jul 28, 2025

By

Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.

Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX

3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX

7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX

Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)

Continue Reading

WITB

Whats in the Bag3 weeks ago

Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)

Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here.  Driver: Titleist...
Whats in the Bag3 weeks ago

Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship

Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Whats in the Bag4 weeks ago

Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)

Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
Whats in the Bag4 weeks ago

WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship

Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...

Facebook

Trending