The Ranking: Speeding Up Play, Searching for Bryson and Not Quitting Tiger

Gary Van Sickle offers a few pre-holiday thoughts around golf, including some tips for when you play in his foursome.

Nobody asked, but here’s what I think. The Ranking crew has graciously arranged them in no particular order of interest. Merry Christmas, fellow hacks …

> Notah Begay and Padraig Harrington said in recent weeks they believe Tiger Woods still has it in him to win another tournament, maybe a major. (Well, he’s probably not going to play in much other than major tournaments, so ...) You saw his impressive clubhead speed in the PNC Championship, the fun father-son made-for-TV event. He looked great the first day, less than great the second. If we were talking about anyone other than Tiger, I would disagree with Begay and Paddy and say Tiger is reduced to ceremonial golf. However, Tiger has earned the benefit of any doubt with his career and his work ethic. Maybe I wouldn’t bet on him to win again, but I definitely wouldn’t tell him there’s anything he can’t do.

One major champion said Tiger Woods could win another major :: Reinhold Matay/USA TODAY Sports

> You’re not just getting older as a golfer, you're getting worse. That goes against everything that’s fun about golf, the constant battle to get better. If I can’t get better anymore, where’s the fun? Just battling to stay almost the same. I don’t like that. I won’t accept that until I absolutely have to. Tell Tom Kite I’ll be out on the practice range …

> The PGA Tour’s plan to elevate 12 of its events in response to LIV Golf’s super-big purses seems like a great way to minimize the PGA Tour’s other 30 or so events. So they’re going to pass around the elevated status to other events? Sounds great but the reality may not be so great. One year, your tour stop is elevated and gets all the big names. The next year, it’s not elevated and that event is practically guaranteed to NOT get anyone in the top 70 of the world rankings. Good luck selling those tickets. The elevated tournament plan is a punch in the gut to the non-elevated tournaments and the first step toward potentially shrinking the number of PGA Tour events—and the number of playing opportunities for tour players—dramatically …

> Memo to my playing partners (I’m reminded of this because I just suffered through this incident): When it’s your turn to hit, absolutely do not take that opportunity to start telling a story or yapping about anything. Hit the damn ball already. My makeshift solution: interrupt the storyteller with an encouraging comment such as, “Let’s see your best drive of the day right here!” Sometimes, it works …

> The biggest cause of slow play in recreational golf is bad play. A vast majority of us have high handicaps. Thus, it takes longer to hit 102 shots than it does to hit 76 (in most cases). Likewise, the biggest slowdown comes from looking for golf balls hit into the rough, trees, bushes or ponds. After three minutes, just throw another ball down where you thought the lost ball should be and play on—penalty stroke optional. This isn’t the Open …

> I’m sorry if you think golfers should get a free drop if their ball comes to rest in a divot. That’s not golf, you’re not a real golfer, and you don’t understand golf. The game isn’t necessarily fair. The core of the game is “the rub of the green.” Roughly translated, that means, “Tough luck. Shut up and hit.” You have to overcome adversity and bad breaks in golf, as in life. Besides, there is no way to define what a divot is. Freshly filled with sand? How fresh? What if it’s an old divot that grew over and your ball is sitting in a trench? How can you tell if it’s an old divot or just a low spot? What if it’s in an old ball mark? Forget it. Don’t be a baby. Play the game …

> You might be surprised to see what a difference it makes for pace of play if, when you return to your golf cart, you sit in your seat and start driving instead of putting your club(s) back in the bag and/or putting a head cover back on a club. Get out of the line of fire from the group behind you. When you arrive at your destination—the next tee or your next shot—you can stash your clubs properly then without wasting everyone’s time. It works; try it …

> There is no point in belaboring the point that the USGA’s new-ish World Handicap System isn’t as good as the system it replaced. It’s a done deal and it’s the same for everybody so no harm, no foul. Here’s the catch: The new system does a better job of adjusting your handicap based on which set of tees you play. So you can’t just show up and say, “I’m a 6.” Check your GHIN app. You might be a 4 or an 8 on a different set of tees. You wouldn’t want to short yourself a shot or two against your bandit buddies …

> In case you were wondering, Bryson DeChambeau didn’t go into a witness-protection program. He jumped to LIV Golf, a tour that gets a lot of attention for existing but almost no attention for the players who play on it or the tournament results. DeChambeau was golf’s biggest attraction two and a  half years ago. When was the last time you saw him hit a shot? Not this year. If his face shows up on a milk carton soon, I wouldn’t be surprised …

Did you see Bryson DeChambeau hit a shot this year? :: Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports

> If you can name more than two LIV Golf teams (other than 4Aces or Niblicks) or more than two players who won LIV Golf tournaments (other than Dustin Johnson or Cameron Smith), I tip my cap to you …

> No, you can’t buy any apparel from the Greg Norman Collection in PGA Tour Superstores. I just checked…

> Scottie Scheffler had a terrific year but he was a couple of swings away from winning a U.S. Open and a FedEx Cup in addition to that Masters and his other three wins. It was very nearly a gigantic year. Rory McIlroy has a great swing, a good head on his shoulders and is a delightful personality and is currently ranked No. 1 but I think Scheffler is the game’s top player. They’re both good for golf, though …

There’s a dusting of snow on the ground here in Pittsburgh. Golf season is over. Remind me again why global warming is bad …