Calvin

In Kiawah, if you can arrange it (meaning, find a member of Kiawah Island Club, which actually has a lot of out of town members, to get you on), definitely play the Cassique or River Courses. IMO they are the best on the island, but exclusive (naturally) and you have to use a caddy. A one-time experience but worth it if you can swing it. The other courses on the island are all worth playing if you are there, though not necessarily making a long trip from Charleston by themselves (other than Ocean, see below), except that Oak Point (the course just off the island) is not worth it; it's not at all like the online visuals. Personally I would spring for the Ocean Course if possible, while not spectacular in the manner of a Pebble, it's still very good and also has the allure of knowing you are playing a PGA championship track, plus the facilities are fabulous. Don't worry about it being too difficult for your handicap, as long as you're not playing from the tips, it's not (though it is a challenge in places). Wild Dunes definitely had carts some years ago and is much more accessible to Charleston than Kiawah, if time is an issue. I think I also remember playing Dunes West, which was not bad, though my memory is foggy and I don't know the current course condition. You have a lot of fun options and can't really go wrong

0 majors. Assuming he keeps playing regularly, 2, maybe 3 tournaments of varying, probably lower, level, none of which occurs in 2016.

The first hole on the course I play regularly now is a dogleg right, around a tree that obscures second part of the hole. The starter always holds up groups on the tee to make sure the coast is clear. One time when I first started playing the course, I did not see the starter, but waited for the group in front (father and son) to get around the dogleg to the point I could not see them, then hit my drive. Instantly after striking my ball, the two re-appeared in view as they walked back slightly to pick up clubs. Naturally, my drive sliced to the dogleg instead of left fairway, as they walked back into it. Calling "fore" seemed so pathetic. Profuse apologies, but years later I'm not sure they have really forgotten. Lesson learned - always wait for the starter to clear before hitting.

Haven't played since they closed up the third course (former Lower Cascades). Current Cascades (former Upper Cascades) is challenging and as stated above punishes failed risk-taking. Old Course is OK, but a little bland for my taste. Also, I'm told the resort hotel is OK, but not what it once was. But it's a very pretty time of year to be there.

MRIs are completely different. They take a few minutes to perform and require only a technician to operate the machine while you lie down, you only undress if necessary. Surgery is a major procedure requiring multiple professionals of different specialties and specialized surroundings and operating room. Plus, discussing at the "first tome of surgery" is not a formal scheduling of all the people and equipment necessary, which are usually reserved well in advance, again, other than emergency situations. And the doctor operated in Utah, while Woods lives in Florida, so he didn't just drop by. . As for preferential treatment for celebrities, while possible, I think this is more assumed than real. My wife just had a couple major ops and even though a close work colleague who chaired the hospital board made calls, which helped get the right doctor, it still took a while to get things completed. The point of all this is not that Woods did something wrong, just that I think he knew more about his situation than he let on at the time he announced.

In my experience it would be extremely unusual to arrange a doctor visit, especially with a back specialist - and the one who operated the first time - and then schedule and complete elective surgery in the space of 5 days, barring a medical emergency. I believe Woods suspected what the issue was and was looking into it well before he made the announcement about committing to the event.

I think it's odd to commit to the Frys event 5 days before the surgery, seems like he had to know the surgery was a significant possibility, if not already scheduled, as of the 11th. Perhaps he was hoping to get a more favorable last second diagnosis, but was the cut-off date for signing up for Fry's really so soon that he had to commit now? Anyway, one has to wonder how he can continue his current forceful swing upon his return with these ongoing back issues. Surgery may help address current pain issues for rest of his life, but not when you're resuming the same stressful actions that caused the problems.

Meanwhile they keep McCord? Do they have any idea what their audience likes (OK, I know the answer)? What are these people thinking?

IMO, the problem with this "increased viewership" argument is that if interest wanes when he's not playing, and if this is still the case after he was the dominant player and attracting viewers for more than a decade, how can people contend that his playing NOW will build interest in the game? Game interest-wise, he's like a sugary energy drink - short-term rush with little long run value. People watch him, not the game. Of course people can watch who and when they want, I am not arguing for the value of "true golf fans" versus Tiger fans, also I don't mean he shouldn't play more regularly to try to get back his own game (which I think he should) - just that him playing now should be understood as beneficial for HIM, not conflated with somehow growing interest in the game itself.

Have you seen the LV ads?

Here's another citation I meant to include above: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2178924

This is partly correct. According to Wiki, baseball recognizes both, but differentiates between, single season and multiple season hitting. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_hit_records#Consecutive_game_hitting_streaks_to_start_a_career Although (IMO), like other sports record analogies either way, irrelevant to the question at hand, which is how one defines a particular golf term.

I don't think anyplace in the US in mid-August is going to be under 75, so if that's the comfort requirement, then outdoor summer events are simply not for you (in fact, I think most late spring and fall stadium events would fail this test). I think the Masters will always be a uniquely "private" experience, whereas the USO and PGA will always be a more public throng, with all that entails. I can see the merit in some of your comments for future large events, although I have attended some regular tour events at "non-stadium" courses and the same points apply (such as lack of seating) so I think it's less a WS issue and more of a general golf spectating comment. I can tell you that the physical set-up (tents, grandstands, media center, etc.) at WS had already been underway for many weeks at least a month before the event, so as someone else said, if it's not a permanent location like the Masters there's a limit on how much infrastructure can be put in place.

I didn't see the "Wind and Rain Golf Tournament" option.... I call it the British Open because that's what it was called when I was younger, and the PGA Tour did not adopt the "Open" nomenclature until 2014. If we're going to seek to impart an historic veneer, then shouldn't the title "The Open" go to the Scottish Open, which may be newer but at least is where the game was invented? And the first 30 years of the British event were won by Scots, and even then most of the first great English-speaking winners (Vardon and Ray) were from Jersey, which is not technically part of the UK and lies closer to France.

TV coverage onTNT was so enjoyable this morning when they kept cutting to someone hitting a shot or putting. Now we get the incessant ads, driving range cam, and other filler. Bleah.