OUT OF BOUNDS
By Gary Van Sickle
Long-term prediction? Summer, followed by a gradual cooling and then something I affectionately call “winter.” You wanted something more
P
specific? Normally, that costs extra but because you have a Groupon, what the heck. Here’s what I foresee for golf in 2015: The Missing Links: This will be the
Year of Links Golf. We’ve got the British Open at the “Home of Golf,” the Old Course at St. Andrews. Two other majors will be at recently manufactured links — the U.S. Open at seaside Chambers Bay in Seattle and the PGA at Whistling Straits on the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan in Wisconsin. If we could move Augusta National to the ocean, cut down all those annoying pine trees and let the course get kinda scruffy, it could be a links grand slam. I boldly predict the latter will not happen. Yankee go home: At some
point, maybe for a week or two, there will only one American male golfer (Bubba Watson) in the Official World Golf Ranking’s top 10. Check her ID: A 15-year-old
will win the U.S. Women’s Open. Sweet 16. Halftime at the Super
Bowl in Phoenix won’t be nearly as interesting or as loud as the 16th hole a few hours earlier across town at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Blood alcohol levels? That’ll be no contest, either. You know what I mean. Same old story: The year’s biggest
news will be every time Tiger Woods tees it up in a tournament. After back surgery, the memory-challenged media will officially turn Tiger into an underdog comeback tale. Ex-Foley-ated: Also, pretty much
anyone Tiger speaks to on a practice range for more than five minutes
44 | AZ GOLF Insider | ANNUAL 2014
continue to close at an alarming rate of one a day for a second straight year but it won’t be just because of the economy and a vanishing middle class. Some courses out West will go under due to lack of water. While we’re wasting money:
This year we realize that the USGA’s fun-loving “While We’re Young” campaign may have raised awareness about the curse of slow play, it didn’t do anything about solving it. Next campaign should be called “While We’re Dumb and Dumber” but won’t be. Roars for “Rors”: The Rory
Some bold (and not) predictions for 2015
redictions? Yeah, I’m pretty good at them. Short-term pick
for tonight? Dark with brightening toward dawn.
will be rumored to be his next swing coach. Just step away, Holly Sonders. The answer is yes: Tiger will win
again in 2015, provided he gets more focused on golf than weightlifting and doesn’t reinjure his back or knee or Achilles with his aggressive training. Shooting from the hip: As
the 2016 ban on anchored putting draws closer, you’ll see more than one desperate ex-long-putter give sidesaddle putting a try. Or worse. Rocky road: John Daly’s new
endorsement deal with Rock Bottom Golf will prove ironic. The dry look. Golf courses will
Shooting from the hip. As the 2016 ban on
anchored putting
draws closer, you’ll see more than
one desperate ex- long-putter give
sidesaddle putting a try. Or worse.
McIlroy era will shift into high gear as he wins two more majors. He’ll knock off the career Grand Slam at the Masters, then take the Open at St Andrews. With six major titles, the media will jump on his chase to Tiger (14) and Jack Nicklaus (18). The sideshow: Somewhat sadly,
observers will finally figure out that gimmicks such as Foot Golf (kicking soccer balls into a hole); Topgolf (target-shooting at a golf range while drinking and eating); and 8-inch cups aren’t creating more golfers. Numbers don’t lie: Phil Mickelson
had no wins and only one top-10 finish in 2014. The key stats he has to turn around to remain relevant: He ranked 167th hitting greens from inside 100 yards; 159th putting from inside 5 feet; and 56th in clubhead speed at 115.6 mph. What will Phil do next? I’m pretty sure I’m right down the middle of the fairway with this prediction — he’ll turn 45 in June. Miller time: After Fox broadcasts
its first U.S. Open with Joe Buck and Greg Norman, taking over in the wake of NBC’s long association with the USGA, viewers will discover that they miss Johnny Miller’s tell-it-like-it-is candor. Really! Utterly pointless: As usual,
nobody but Golf Channel announcers will pay attention to the FedEx Cup points race. Again. The greatest game: Your golfing
buddies will be late to the tee, quick to press, slow to pay up and willing to listen to your hole-by-hole recap if you buy the beers. In other words, life will be good. Play early and often! n
Gary Van Sickle covers golf for Sports Illustrated and
Golf.com.
www.azgolf.org
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