Jun 11, 2021 5 min read Email

THE STARTER SHACK

Hello weekend warriors!

🐍 King Cobra is living in the future

👀 Whistling Straits is watching your every move...seriously

👕 No shirt no problem

⛳️ "I'm not counting those penalties"

PGA TOUR

Misses US Open By 1 Due to 3 Shot Penalty

One tour pro is not visiting the local coin laundry to clean his duds for the US Open. 'Cause he's not going.

John Catlin and his entire group were penalized 3 shots for their pace-of-play, or lack thereof. Catlin missed a playoff by one shot.

He points the finger at extraneous circumstances:

a playing partner shot 85 (oof)
the group waited 15 minutes for a ruling

The Washington State Rules Officials have received flak for their drastic decision but their response is ultimately..."Shut it, you weren't there."

the 15-minute ruling was early in the round
they never caught up
the group missed all 4 pace-of-play checkpoints

Whoa, for a second there we thought they said 4 check stops. If that was the case we would've been asked to leave the property immediately.

Where's the Rules Rover?

Catlin did have the option of calling in a "Rules Rover" to monitor a “non-responsive fellow competitor”...but he didn't. He might not have known he had the option. Or maybe it was a case of; if you can't pick out the slow player in your group in the first 4 holes...

There is a funny ending but not for Catlin.

The goof that shot 47 on the front followed by a 38 on the back "decided" not to add the penalities to his scorecard and was ultimately DQ'ed.

Apparently scoring properly isn't a suggestion, it's a requirement. Good to know.

GIMME

Tiger & Rickie together again: since Fowler missed the opportunity to play in the US Open he has the opportunity to couch surf with Tiger...again. We wonder what kind of snacks they'll be emotionally munching on.
The Best Drivers: we can only speculate that our R11 and Pro Titanium 905S didn't make the list. The best drivers were selected by 40 testers in three days...are you running out to buy one?
Rory sticking up for his man: apparently, people don't particularly like Rory's caddie and blame him for his lackluster performance. Rory went on the defensive and stood up for, what's his name.
Almost a Hole-in-One: who cares, right? But it was on a par 4, from one of those lowly Monday Qualifiers no less. Almost watch it here.
Has Bryson been unseated: Wilco Nienaber (21 years old and weighs less than a pack of Mentos), leads the tour in driving distance at the Palmetto Championship. Longest drive, 376 yards. Which is not even close to his 439-yard bomb at the Joburg Open.
Fans are Clowns!: PGA Pro Dylan Fritelli calls some fans clowns after they took issue with Jon Rahm having to exit the Memorial after capturing a 6 shot lead.

PIC OF THE DAY

Excuse me, Dean-o, we don't think your shorts meet the club's length requirement. Plus we can see your nipples.

GOLF BUSINESS

Whistling Straits Is Watching Your Every Move

Slow play is a real problem. It can lead to impatience. Which leads to fights. Sometimes it can cost you a chance at the US Open (see our top story...up top).

Whistling Straits got tired of the 13th hole Fight Club (not a real thing) and slipped GPS devices in their caddie's pockets.

Each caddie carries a GPS tracking system.
Acts as a yardage device for the golfers (good cover)
Every group is tracked by Operatives Golf Operations

This allows the managers to get a birdseye view of the pace-of-play across the entire golf course. They can then take a proactive role in ensuring everyone finishes their round in 5.5 4.5 hours.

That Marshall that talks so much he's the actual cause of slowplay...? He's fired.

The Managers at Whistling Straits can now identify who the culprits are and where they are before they have to drive out and have that awkward conversation.

"Do you want to move up one tee-box?"
"Nope, I paid my green fee and I want to get my money's worth experiencing the entire golf course!"

INSIDE THE ROPES

Xander Schauffele shows us here that if you miss the fairway or the green you're in deep ca-ca. We played in grass like that one time. We were hunting Anacondas. Welp, we wish the boys the best of luck at the US Open, we're off to buy stock in wrist splinters.

GOLF GEAR

Cobra and their R&D department ventured where no one has ventured since Covid started...the copy machine room.

"Hey John, do you mind printing this off for me?"
"What is it, the latest DraftKings pool?"
"No. It's a putter."

No joke, Cobra has started 3D printing their putters. You'll be able to choose from 3 classic styles: OS Blade, Fang, and Mallet (as pictured above). Will this tech bring the price point down? God no, they start at $350.

*not a sponsored post

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