The evolution of a major sports league is a tricky thing to identify and a trickier thing to judge. The word, “evolution,” is a loaded one to begin with: in the literal scientific sense (falsifiability via the scientific method); in a theoretical sense (and all the political and/or philosophical baggage it carries); and in the metaphorical sense (applied to a thing or concept to demonstrate growth or change). At first glance, when we talk about the evolution of a sports league–in this case, a global-reaching golf tour–it appears we are referring to the metaphorical application.

Likewise, evolution, in any sense of the word, is slow, methodical, deliberate–measured by eons or, in extreme examples, Ben Crane pre-shot routines. Because of this, it may be difficult at first to internalize neon-lit signs of growth and change, particularly within a sport with a stodgy reputation, such as golf.

Nonetheless, even though the current state of world affairs can make it sometimes feel like we are living in dog years, golf fans everywhere should take the time this week to slow down, breathe, and become one with the European Tour’s shining example of how bold experimentation has, thus far, paid dividends. Evolution is occurring right before our eyes, and the European Tour is–fittingly–on the forefront.

, the sixth tournament of the calendar year featuring six hole matches to determine a winner (one of the two cuts takes the initial field of 156 down to 65, which is a huge missed opportunity to stick with the theme and cut to 66 instead; more on this later), is a format variation that, while not extreme on its face, represents a pioneering shift in the way a professional golf tournament declares a champion.

Perth, Western Australia: Host city of the World Super 6. Photo cred: Amy Mitchelson via Lonely Planet

The announcement of the 2017 version, a revitalization of the regular Perth, Australia co-sanctioned stop (known somewhere back in time as the Perth International–the Asian Tour and the PGA Tour Australasia also play host), took a format-driven leap forward that, arguably, at least tangentially influenced the PGA TOUR’s decision to try a format change at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in the same year.

The entertaining and go-for-broke golf tournament that concluded with a homegrown Perth native holding the trophy (shoutout 

) crystallized into an satisfying example of how the type of risk-reward lifestyle encouraged by this website writ-large is also regularly embraced by the Tour that is the subject of this blog. This really sums it up perfectly:

The European Tour's commitment to just doing fun things remains inspiring. 

A full field of 156 players begin on Thursday. The first two rounds are standard medal-play fare. On a course that can be prone to low scores if the wind stays benign, players will likely need to target double-digits under par to see the weekend. The cut after 36 holes is low 65 players and ties. In a tournament called the Super 6, why wouldn’t you stick to the theme and cut the field to 66, instead of 65? I’ll give the European Tour a pass on this and I’m sure there is a good reason (pay-outs, probably), but that one seems like a no-brainer.

The first change to the format occurs after round 3. After 54 holes, the field cuts again Saturday evening to the low 24 players. Exactly 24 players make it to Sunday’s match play conclusion, so in the event of a tie in the 24th position, there is a sudden death shootout to ensure that only 24 players remain. The shootout occurs on a 90 yard hole special-made for the event, played from a small tee box adjacent to the 18th fairway into the 18th green. Any matches on Sunday that remain tied will also be decided on the shootout hole.

Introducing the Shootout hole. ⛳️



Any tied matches on Sunday will be settled on this 90 yard hole. ? 





— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) 

On Sunday, the top 8 players on the leaderboard after the stroke play get a first round bye. The remaining 16 square off man to man for 6 hole matches as the play-in round. After reducing the field from 24 down to 16, the remaining competitors play a traditional 16-team bracket match play event leading to an afternoon crescendo until one player remains.

, is located just north of the city proper of Perth, Western Australia. Routed brilliantly, LKCC is a topsy-turvy adventure over some of the most suitably hilly property in the area. Originally designed by Mackenzie disciple Alex Russell in 1928, the track was restored by (NLU pod guest) 

 in 2007 and reopened in 2008 to widespread acclaim. Clayton’s work, in which he set out to recapture the width, playing angles, and strategic import of the bunkers, brilliantly delivered on those promises and then some.

The holes used in the 6-hole matches: 10 (4), 11 (5), 13 (4), 14 (4), 12 (3), 18 (4). Photo Cred: Google Earth

While all 18 holes will be utilized in the first three rounds of stroke play (obviously), the match-play main event on Sunday will take place in the beautiful corridors of the northeast portion of the property. Holes 10, 11, 13, 14, 12, and 18 will be played in that order, expressly tailored to create match play drama. The aforementioned “shootout” hole, a 90 yard pitch-and-putt, stands waiting to settle up any matches played to a draw. Let’s take a closer look at the strategic interest of these six featured holes (all photos credited to Lake Karrinyup Country Club):

The tenth is a naughty little minx. The camber of the green, and particularly the pin location, will certainly influence the player’s chosen line for his tee shot. A deep bunker that wraps around the front edge flanks the right side of the green. At the 300 yard mark, a bunker cleverly cuts directly into the heart of the preferred line down the left side of the fairway.

Successfully navigating the fairway bunker rewards the player with an unobstructed angle to any pin, while playing to the right side of the fairway leaves an awkward half-wedge over the bunker, albeit back into the left-to-right pitch of the green.

The only par 5 in the match play sequence comes second in the batting order. A centerline bunker offers the first decision of the hole: play to the narrower and slightly higher elevated left side and acquire the best angle for the second shot, or, play to the wider, lower portion right of the bunker and resign oneself to a left to right shape against the angles of the cross bunkers. The green, one of the smallest on the course, pitches sharply from back to front, and leaves any player long of the green staring at a possible concession.

The thirteenth, as long par fours go, is an absolute dandy. The tee shot is semi-blind and encourages a right-to-left shape into a wide fairway that cambers in the same direction. Clayton re-shaped and re-oriented the green, turning it on a 45-degree angle from front left to back right that is much more receptive to a left-to-right mid-iron.

I love when a hole asks the player to work the ball both directions–a true test of a pro. The thirteenth may be the most difficult of the six featured holes, and could be the hole that sees first blood drawn in many of the matches.

Fourteen is likely to be a pivotal point in any match. This hole has everything you would want in a short par 4 from a strategic standpoint. Though playing slightly back up the hill away from Lake Karrinyup, the green will still be reachable for much of the field with a good blast from the tee.

A player protecting a 1 or 2 up lead may opt to play left, right, or short of the centerline bunkers to a comfortable yardage. The greenside bunkers, carved precisely into the sides of the putting surface, narrowly frame the approach from any angle. The wind, pin position, and match scenario will also factor into the chosen routes of play.

The penultimate hole is the short par-3 twelfth. This downhill one-shotter will be little more than a sawed-off wedge to a small, crowned green surrounded by short grass runoffs and guarded on the left side by a large, deep bunker. Clearly intended to encourage a go-for-broke dart throwing contest, we can expect accessible pins and potentially some aces–high probability, in fact, as we have seen from last year’s tournament and its predecessor, the Perth International. There will be plenty of matches in which this hole is halved with twos, I suspect.

The final hole of the match, should it be required, is the 18th. The home hole is a slight dogleg left par-4, and a true second-shot hole. After navigating the uphill and semi-blind tee shot, the approach is typically played from a hanging lie to a vigorously defended green, with bunkering on all sides and no bailout areas to be found. The green is receptive and fairly large, sloping from back to front, but two-putting (let alone one-putting) from above the hole is a daunting task. A birdie here is well-earned, and will likely be enough to win the hole, and possibly the match.

The field for the Super 6 is enticing. Digging through the tee times, the group of defending champ Brett Rumford, Beef Johnston, and Lee Westwood is sure to be well-received, as will the group of Thorbjorn Olesen, Hong Kong Open winner Wade Ormsby, and the artist formerly known as Danny Willett.

But one player to watch this week who has been rounding into solid form of late is 

. The 29 year old from Las Vegas by way of SoCal is one of a handful of Americans that have elected to hone their professional skills on the European Tour, a la Brooks Koepka.

That belt is dope, straight out of the Phil playbook. Photo cred: European Tour

Lipsky played collegiate golf at Northwestern, and turned pro in 2011. He immediately found success on the Asian Tour, winning his third start at the 2012 HANDA/Sir Mumbles Cambodian Classic. Lipsky transitioned to the Web.com Tour in 2013, but could only muster a top finish of T-34 at the South Georgia Classic (shoutout KINDERLOUUUUUU) and ended the year 179th on the money list.

With status remaining overseas, Lipsky returned to the Asian and European tour in 2014, finding a breakthrough win at the Omega European Masters. Since winning the Omega, Lipsky has had a number of close calls, including a couple of second place finishes and several top fives, but no more wins.

Thus far in 2018, Lipsky appears to have turned the corner after a missed cut in Abu Dhabi, with a new caddie on the bag this year and overall improvement in several statistical categories over his 2017 numbers, including a scoring average of 69.67 (1.5 shots lower), driving accuracy of 61.9% (nearly 4% higher), 28.25 putts per round (1.8 fewer), and the eye popping ones: driving distance average of 301.04 (10(!) yards longer) and sand save percentage of 69.57% (13% higher).

Admittedly, the sample size for 2018 is still small, but these improvements have also shown up where it counts, as Lipsky has finished T6 and T17 in his last two starts, and appears to be rounding into form at just the right time as the season really gets going.

I like Lipsky to get into the final 24 this week, and once there, the volatile format and his ability to hit fairways and fill up the hole gives him a great chance to apply match play pressure to his opponents. He can also lean on his experience in his sixth full year as a pro (coincidence?) if he finds his way into the bracket on Sunday.

Also, full disclosure, I’m a homer for Americans playing any sport abroad and the Olympics starting this week is getting that glorious jingoism stirring from deep in my loins. Lipsky winning this event on a great golf course would be…just…

 will be providing live coverage of the event starting at 11:00 PM Eastern Wednesday through Friday, and at 10:00 PM for the final round Saturday. Unfortunately, there will be no encore coverage during morning hours after Thursday. Because I have to work Thursday morning, and I’ll be out late Friday with friends (and because I needed to work one more Iron Maiden reference into this piece–this is, 

, number 6 for those of you keeping track at home), I’ll be tuning in two minutes to midnight Friday evening to get a late start on some hardcore Aussie Golf consumption. My suggestion is to hop on over like our kangaroo friends that inhabit the Lake Karrinyup Country Club and join me for what is sure to be a thrilling tournament.

The Eurozone: #2 (Number of the Beast)

This week’s stop at Pebble Beach simultaneously represents the best and worst that professional golf has to offer.

– A set of golf courses that offer the entire field a fair shake regardless of driving distance.

– Monterrey Peninsula Country Club’s Shore Course, a Mike Strantz masterpiece, becoming a stalwart member of the rota over the past few years.

– Increasingly solid field – Spieth defends, DJ is back per usual, and Rory is getting in on the action this year. Add Day, Mickelson, Rahm, Casey, Scott and Cantlay to the mix and we’ve got a golf tournament.

– Pebble is a mere shell of what it could/should be, and with a 2-3 night stay required just to play ($800+ per night plus $495 green free + cart fee), that’s not changing anytime soon. I have no issue with the cost (it’s a market economy and they’re full everyday, so more power to them). I’m not going to sit here and shit all over the place, but let’s acknowledge that with a proper restoration the place would be absolute fire.

– Spyglass, just in general, falls in the “worst” category. Andy included 

 in his Fried Egg newsletter today but I’m going to throw it in here too because it never gets old:

I can’t stand Spyglass Hill. It’s the worst golf course on a great piece of land that I’ve ever seen. It’s a target golf slog filled with forgettable holes. The best stretch of golf occurs early & the routing fizzles from the middle of the front nine until your walk up the unremarkable eighteenth. The bad routing & repetitious nature of the holes makes one wonder if there were extenuating circumstances out of the architect’s control that held the course back from achieving the remarkable potential of the land. Every time I hear somebody remark that it is a better course than Pebble Beach, my mind goes blank and I become physically incapable of hearing anything else that they have to say.

– Saturday coverage is akin to watching a car collision in slow motion (sponsored by KonicaMinolta). Coverage will undoubtedly be delayed both Saturday and Sunday by a long-running college basketball game, we’ll be told that it’s airing online (not helpful if you’re at a bar or you’d like to watch on an actual TV), and the leaders will be playing one of the best stretches of holes in the world (7-8-9) during the gap in coverage. At some point this week you may wonder why a certain amateur is being shown, or interviewed. According to #sources the production team 

 goes down a list of people they have to get onto the telecast (friends of CBS execs, favors, etc.) CBS: Crony Broadcasting System!

Pleased to see Paul Dunne and Branden Grace playing stateside, as well as another sponsor invite for Julian Suri (#DTWD).

We’re excited to announce one of golf’s most exciting rising stars, 

, as our official ambassador.



Win a round of golf with him ️ 

Since we listed the notables earlier on let’s dive in on 

– Grayson Murray getting in with #BigPDF and playing with the CEO of Adobe. A future sponsorship here could put him in PDF’s Big Three with Vijay and Charley Hoffman.

– Mickelson paired up with Jimmy Dunne, who is the de facto president of the golf Illuminati (best guest on Callaway Live by miles):

– Warms my heart to see the Dermot Desmond/Rafa + JP McManus/Lowry group alive and well. One of my favorite elements of the Clambake. Two of the baddest hombres on the planet.

– Now that ZB’s back from that soul vacation last week (SFGC, Olympic, Cal Club, Northwood, Pasa, Pacific Grove, Lake Merced and then topped it off by playing Cypress with a super model, I shit you not) he’s paired up with Pat Monahan, the lead singer of Train. “The best soy latte Starbucks Refresher that you ever had, and me…”

– Bryson playing with Lori Lee, the Global Marketing Officer for AT&T and one of the most powerful women in business. No doubt they’ll be talking about big data, the cloud and “taking the pledge.” Also in that group are Jim Herman and his partner, former Boeing Chairman/CEO Jim McNerney, who definitely knows a thing or two about dynamic load.

– Jason Day and Chris Harrison from the Bachelor teaming up. This is a good opportunity for Day to keep fine-tuning his dramatic skills. Should Day withdraw, Harrison will give him the opportunity to take a moment and say his goodbyes.

– Other random tidbits: The Rory Sabbatini/Blake Mycoskie (Toms shoes guy) pairing continues to confound, year after year. . . There are a couple father/son pairings in the field – the McIlroy’s and the McNealy’s. Rory/Gerry are grouped with Mickelson/Dunne. /*would watch* on PGA Tour Live, just saying, 

Aaron Rodgers and Larry Fitzgerald in the same group means even money odds that Nantz will make a joke about how good that combination would be on the field. . . Mike Bloomberg in the field this year, paired up with Rod Pampling. Surprising to see a guy who owns C.B. Macdonald’s cribs at both National and Chicago Golf Club play off an 18 handicap. . . Jon Rahm getting in with Big Twist Face and playing with CEO David Abeles. . . Great to see Thomas Keller back in the mix.

– Some good chatter in the replies to the tweet below about the celeb field this year (thankfully it is improving, albeit slowly):

Some bad news to report: not seeing Gary Mule Deer's name on the list of celebs for Pebble. End of an era? 

The tournament at Pebble Beach is an important part of the golf calendar for me. Growing up and living in the Midwest, particularly Ohio, this time of year is when the stretch of wintry gray skies starts to really grind on one’s soul. When I was in public accounting and the throes of busy-season, Pebble served as a bastion of hope for sunny days, spring weather, and a new golf season. To this day I could set my watch to catching the golf bug all over again during these four days. As for the tournament action, who could forget Steve Lowery’s playoff win in 2008? A close second was 2012 when Lefty dismantled Tiger in the final round to win by two. Poor Charlie Wi was runner-up that day, and I remember him standing in the 18th fairway, forlorn, as Lefty putted out. I think they may have had the trophy presentation before Chuck finished out on 18 that day, but I could be mistaken…

 My lasting memory is 2012, when Tiger and Phil were paired together in the final round and Lefty TORCHED him, dropping a 64 and chasing down Charlie Wi to win. After a career of negative comparisons, Phil wrecked Big Cat by 11(!) shots and walked away with the trophy. Also, shoutout to Pekin HS grad D.A. (Rhonda Pearlman) Points for his win the year before.

 The 2014 AT&T was the site of No Laying Up’s first media credential, granted for a Saturday round, and it was also the first time I saw The Barn Rat up close and personal. Kiradech was smoking a pre-round cig next to the putting green. I didn’t bum one from him, a top 5 regret of 2014. Watching Ray Romano duck hook one into the Pacific on #18 is definitely another enduring memory. It’s a good thing I’ve attended this event personally, or else my only memories would be scenes of seals, waves, and tap in’s from Carlton, Justin Timberlake, and Toby Keith on the annual CBS broadcast.

 My lasting memory isn’t even a golf shot. It’s the botched chest bump between D.A. Points and Bill Murray during the final round of the 2011 edition. Points holed his third shot from the fairway on his way to winning the event, and proceeded to do what golfers do and completely butcher the celebration. It’s a perfect microcosm of the ethos of the entire week. This is supposed to be awesome, but there’s just enough there to ruin it. I know it’s part of the history and tradition of this event, but some of the best golf courses and scenery in on the planet and we’re watching a swing breakdown of some CEO no one has ever heard of. Bill Murray’s act is well past the “best by” date. No thanks.

– DJ Pie has attended this tournament a few times and swears by it in person. Everyone is in a great mood, the scene is surreal and the golf is pure. This is one of the few events that’s truly built for the people on-site, rather than the telecast.

– Hossler was a hunch last week and he finished T17 after fading on Sunday. Similarly, I like Cantlay this week.

– Less than 21 months ago Bubba was ranked fourth in the world. This week he fell another 17 spots to 115th. Hopefully he gets in gear before Riviera next week, as things are weirdly fun when he’s around.

– Going back to the course and what ails it, below is a picture of 17 prior to the renovation they did a couple years ago to make the green bigger. A step in the right direction from that.

However as long as they’re making $2K EVERY TEN MINUTES on golf, there’s really not a whole lot of reason to fix anything, because in their minds nothing is wrong.

– The Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland is nearly an identical format to this event and yet the coverage of that event is a pleasure to watch. Why is that?

– Head on over to the Refuge to get in on the conversation: 

and stayed tuned for some surprises this weekend.

Weekly Briefing: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Greetings from Scottsdale. Left home this AM at 4 and decamped for Scottsdale. DJ, Soly, and I from Jax, and Neil from JFK. Stay tuned for some #content this weekend.

The trip out here was a smooth one, with cameos from Sir Charles Barkley and Stew Cink (no clue where he was going), two of the proudest bald men on the planet. Stew rolled up to the gate with his Trackman in hand and Charles proceeded to make fun of the fact that Stew was toting it proudly. If we’re in the nest here (I believe we are), then I’ll riff on this a bit more. Why can’t guys put their Trackmen (plural?) in a large bag. Every single time I see a guy with a Trackman they 

 you to know they’ve got their Trackman. I don’t roll around with my laptop in a small neoprene case apart from my backpack or briefcase. Do better guys. Anyway, back to the weekend. The number of logo polos and bachelor parties on our flights foretell the chicanery on tap tomorrow.

Since we’re in said nest I really don’t have a whole lot to riff on. The major stories were beaten to death this week (JB’s egregious pace of play, Soly refining his Noren take on the podcast, and JDay low-key skipping the pro-am and then everyone dapping him for having his legs about him on Sunday during the playoff). The sponsor exemptions this week are a mixed bag: Julian Suri is a good one (despite the fact that he #ejected hard), Ricky Barnes not so much (despite that Arizona alum status and killing the *thank you* note game). I keep promising it, but the sponsor exemption spreadsheet is looking way too good.

 for the first time on the plane (basically at gunpoint – he’s been refusing to watch it for years) and said he was underwhelmed. 

 I said I was “whelmed.”) Neil may not talk to him for the rest of the weekend.

 in the cut. Big fan, he’ll make waves this year on the international scene. 

‘s redemption tour setting the pace. Biggest news? 

 lurking – perfect villains to watch enter the coliseum this weekend and see if they come out alive. Add 

 to the mix and we’ve got ourselves a golf tournament. Last thing, it’s always a treat to watch 

Anyway, we’re gonna go watch some golf.

Friday Feels: Scottsdale

—No Laying Up’s new series in which we explore, analyze, and opine on all things European Tour. Along with 

, we’re going to dig into some of the history, personalities, and courses that make the European Tour worth the oft-necessary 4 A.M. wake-up call. Hopefully, these stories will pique your interest in what is an exceptionally entertaining (and…ahem…ever-improving) product, and maybe even convince you to join us for some early Saturday and Sunday morning appointment viewing…and not just because it can be admittedly lonely tweeting into the morning internet abyss about our new “Winter Killhouse” on Fleetwood Island. 

We’re putting in a pool! It’s gonna be dope!

With the introductions complete, we are going to ease into this series with a straightforward look at the course for this week’s event, the Maybank Championship in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and 

I will not make a bad Febreze pun…I will not make a bad Febreze pun….

Selfie with the trophy? Top level #toursauce. Photo cred: New Straits Times.

Zanotti, the affable and smooth-swinging 34 year old from Asunción, Paraguay, mounted a Sunday charge in the 2017 Maybank, riding a blazing hot putter to a nine under par round of 63, (-19 total) and a one shot victory over David Lipsky. After going out in 32, Zanotti came home one shot better in 31, including four straight 3s capped off with an eagle at the par-five closer.

It was Zanotti’s second win on the European Tour, with his previous victory coming at the 2014 BMW International Open in a four-man playoff with Rafa Cabrera-Bello (menace), Grégory Havret (abysmally French), and Henrik Stenson (the 3W guy). Zanotti, not much of a household name even among serious golf fans (admit it, you thought he was Italian before I told you he’s from Paraguay), has been a late-bloomer in his career. He lost his tour card after a middling 2013, but recaptured it through qualifying school to maintain his status before his breakthrough year in 2014, where, along with his win in Germany, he collected three other top-5 finishes.

Despite taking some time to find his bearings as a professional, by all accounts, Zanotti was born to play golf. He learned the game from his father, beginning at age 2, whacking a ball with a stick as he tagged along at the local course (didn’t we all?). He went on to become the top-ranked amateur in Paraguay for six consecutive years before turning pro in 2003. (Sidenote: being “top-ranked” at anything is a cool achievement, but I’m wondering how many seriously competitive amateurs can there be in in the golfing hot-bed of Paraguay? 12?)

After slogging through the #NarcosTour early in his career, Zanotti glided through the 2007 Challenge Tour season after winning his second start, the co-sanctioned Abierto Mexicano Corona. Fortunately for the field, Club Pro Guy had to WD after overindulging at the title sponsor’s kickoff event, leaving the door wide open for Zanotti.

Zanotti started his 2018 season on a solid note, finishing T9 in Abu Dhabi, but he missed the cut the following week in Dubai. He will look to channel the good vibes from last year into a strong title defense that could cement his place in the top 100 of the OWGR and set him on the right track for the Race to Dubai, as well as some additional opportunities in the United States, where Zanotti has appeared infrequently.

Palm oil, cobras, and dingy rock walls abound

The test for Zanotti and the rest of the field this week is the Palm Course at Saujana Golf and Country Club. Designed by Ronald Fream in 1986, what the Palm Course lacks in length (by “championship” standards at only 7,135 yards), it tends to make up in tight(!) windows of play, abundant water hazards, fairly dramatic elevation changes, and heavily undulating greens. It’s not the worst course on tour, but nothing about it is overly inspirational, either—it’s a bottom-halfer in my book. The Palm Course has many of the hallmarks of 1980s architecture that were especially uniform during that era’s mini-boom of course construction in Southeast Asia, noticeable in the obscurely-shaped-yet-rounded-edge bunkering, distinctly jungle-looking flora, and boldly contrasting mow lines. No, these are not compliments.

The Palm Course (nicknamed the “The Cobra”) is—I guess?—aptly named in both regards, as the property was built on the site of a former oil palm plantation, in which cobras were introduced as a method of pest-control to keep the crop-destroying rats at bay.

1) Did farmers ever actually harvest the palm oil? Who is getting in a goddamn cobra pit to do that job?

2) Whose idea was this? How did that meeting go? Were conventional rat traps too expensive? Couldn’t they have just used some sort of rat poison that was not otherwise derived from cobra venom?

3) What happened when the cobras ran out of rats to eat? Did they just meander out of the plantation and start terrorizing the residents of Kuala Lumpur, looking for more rats?

4) Do the folks at Cobra Golf know about this sick sponsorship opportunity? Got to think it would be good for the #brand.

5) How did they eradicate the cobras to build the golf course? What apex-predator would get in there that is somehow 

 than cobras? Also, are we sure there are no more cobra stragglers? Are we?

Are you going to tell me that there are no cobras under that bridge? There are definitely fuckin’ cobras under that bridge. Photocred: golfasian.com

If anyone actually has answers to these questions, please 

The other prominent feature of this course that seems to be, if not unique to Southeast Asian courses, certainly 

, is the use of off-white, rock retention walls in desperate need of a scrub down. I’m not opposed to rock walls per se, and if used tastefully to somewhat blend in with the landscape, I can tolerate them (see, e.g., 

). But at the Cobra, they have all the sex appeal of their 1980s sibling, the acid washed jeans. I mean, come on:

Mmm…look at that mud stained awesomeness! Photo cred: golfasian.com

And, if you’re gonna say “eff it” and rock the white walls like you’re trying to bring them back in style, at least get a pressure washer out there once in a while to shine ‘em up. Is that too much to ask?

From a strategy standpoint, there are at least a couple of holes that merit brief discussion. The par 4 fourth is a shorty, with tees that will be set up ranging from 320-370 for the tournament. The hole plays slightly downhill and will be reachable if the tees are up, but the water hazard running along the entire left side and to the left and back of the green (framed by, you guessed it, shitty looking white rock walls!) acts as a deterrent. There is some room in front of the green to run it up, and the carry over the water will be all of 300 yards. For those electing to lay up, there are two options: carry the brook that perpendicularly bisects the fairway, or lay back short of it. The shorter tee shot leaves a longer second, but depending on the pin location (say, if it is in the front-right), provides a better angle. If the pin is in the back left, those choosing not to try to drive the green will likely elect to carry the brook with a long iron or fairway metal to set up a pitch into the depth of the green.

The 18th at Saujana Palm Course. Photo cred: Europeantour.com

The 569-yard, uphill par-5 eighteenth is a worthwhile closer that also gives players some options. The tee shot, depending on the tournament scenario, calls for the player to either opt to carry the right fairway bunkers if there is any chance of reaching in two, or lay back/left to make the hole a relatively straight forward three-shotter. From there, lay-up interest is provided by a few bunkers that pinch the landing area approximately 80-100 yards out, with plenty of room behind them if the player is fine with having a potentially awkward yardage for his third. The last task for securing a birdie is getting the approach on the correct level of the three-tiered green, which is fronted by two bunkers. Not a majestic hole by any stretch, but a final puzzle to solve for those on the first page of the leaderboard on Sunday afternoon.

The trophy for this tournament is a badass three-dimensional tiger head on a stick, resembling the corporate logo for the title sponsor, Maybank. Who wouldn’t want this baby on the mantle?

Meeeoowwwwww!! Photo cred: theclubhouse.com/my

While only in its third year of this iteration, the Maybank Championship has seemed to find a solid foothold in the early part of the schedule. The field and purse are both decent, and the players seem to like coming to Malaysia to play. Before it became the Maybank, the former Malaysian Open boasted a roster of winners not lacking in name recognition, including Louis Oosthuizen, Matteo Manassero, Seung-yul Noh, Lee Westwood (twice), and Tron’s beloved Kiradech Aphibarnrat. (Somehow, the #barnrat found a way not to get cobra’d.)

Malaysia’s time zone means there will be some live golf in prime time on the east coast, with coverage starting each night in the States on Golf Channel at 10:30 PM EST. So put the kids to bed, put on those fuzzy house slippers, grab a beer, and watch some #golfatnite this week.

Tron and I look forward to getting deep in the (Euro)process as we embark on this new adventure together. This series is going to be freewheeling and a little bit all over the place. We’ve got some great story ideas that we are kicking around, but if there are things you want to read about more or less, feel free to shoot me an email or 

The Eurozone:  #1 (Malaysian Cobra Pit)

The traveling PGA Tour circus moves about five hours and a time zone east to the Sonoran Desert. As the profile of the Palm Springs event has diminished over the past few decades, the Phoenix stop seemingly ascended in its place and now sits among the upper crust events on tour as the premier desert stop. Why? Randy sums it up best in 

For me, the Phoenix Open marks the true start of the golf season. The reach-around portion obviously doesn’t count, Hawaii is a complete novelty, and Torrey consistently underwhelms on style and substance. The energy around TPC Scottsdale combined with the liveliness of the broadcast captures my attention and reminds me why I love watching golf. This year is special too for another reason–it marks the ten-year anniversary of my trip to the desert (making me feel exceptionally old).

While the theme is beat to death on every platform that doesn’t make it any less true. The feature that transcends everything in Phoenix is fun – more than the course, the consistent conditions and the recent history. The scene is less of a sporting event and more of cultural spectacle featuring the most spectacular people-watching one could ever imagine. Again, 

 (same link as above) of the scene we encountered during the 2007 tournament remains prescient. Expecting to see the same when we arrive on-site Friday afternoon (the whole crew is headed out, with the unfortunate exception of Randy, who is deep in the throes of basketball season).

Strong field this week, per usual (OWGR lists it at 476 vs. 375 for last week’s Farmers). Superstar 

 is the two-time defending champ and looking to go full Tom Emanski this week.

 are among the other elite players this week. As for guys I’m keen on following: 

 (want to get an extended look up close, and he’s paired with Rahm and 

 group (the stuff dreams are made of; anything can happen), 

 (just generally intriguing), and then want to get an up close look at both 

. Lastly, for whatever its worth I’ve got a feeling that 

(Big Randy was out of pocket this week and could not be reached for comment)

Because of how many times I’ve seen the replay, I’d love to say Tiger’s ace at 16 but I was 9 years old, so that seems disingenuous. More realistically, it was either Phil’s 59 and a half in 2013 or the tee shot that Brooks hit at No. 18 when he won in ’15. The idea of hitting a tee shot under pressure at that hole makes me sweat to even think about, and he just massacred one with extreme prejudice. It was cold blooded.

Hate to go back to the well two weeks in a row but my most distinct memory is Kyle Stanley winning in ’12. Just one week after one of the most heartbreaking defeats in golf history, he came back from nine shots in the final round for his first win. He cried in his post round interview, and somehow I did not. It remains one of the greatest sports redemption stories I’ve ever witnessed. He survived the humiliation of making an 8 on the last hole when all he needed was a 7, and then to turn around and bank his first win a few days later? Special. (I’m still not crying.)

Gotta give two big shouts on this one: The fans moving the 2-ton loose impediment out of the Big Cat’s litter box was special. But TA3’s maiden win might get the historical nod from me.

’12, Spencer Levin heads into the final round with a six-shot lead, courtesy of a 65-63-68 start. You know what? I don’t really want to talk about it. Let’s move on.

Light on takes this week – just a couple to sate you until the 

– The Monday Qualifier for WM Phoenix Open should give out OWGR points. Stout field, possibly rivaling that of the field down in Panama this week on the Web. 

– Will have more on sponsor exemptions on Friday – been compiling an all-encompassing tracking spreadsheet.

 for this week’s Maybank Malaysian Open with the first of many “Dispatches from the Killhaus” columns on the European Tour.

– The LPGA is off for a couple weeks until the Women’s Aussie Open in Adelaide – that should provide some tasty back-end evening coverage after action from Riviera wraps for the day on the PGA side.

well-reasoned piece on the JB Holmes pace-of-play fiasco

. I appreciate the nuance but also feel that just because he didn’t intend to cause harm to his playing partners doesn’t excuse the result. The guy is slow every single week (followed him extensively at Sawgrass last year and it was brutal) and puts pressure on the entire field. Beyond the necessary enforcement steps the tour needs to take, I glean a growing sense that veteran players aren’t policing the field enough. Anecdotally, guys like Nicklaus and Palmer would pull a guy aside and admonish him.

– No. 16 gains all the acclaim for obvious reasons, but No. 17 is where it’s at (this is also far from a secret) and is up there with No. 10 at Riv as one of my favorite holes of the entire season. I plan on posting up there extensively. In that vein, the team of Tom Weiskopf/Jay Morrish, who designed TPC Scottsdale, consistently deliver the goods and the fact that there aren’t more of their courses is unfortunate. The original course at Forest Dunes still resonates in my memory almost eight years past.

Will have much more coming from Phoenix starting on Friday – Neil’s appearance should yield some colorful moments. Stay tuned!

Weekly Briefing: Waste Management Phoenix Open

When we set out to form what eventually became No Laying Up in 2014, the main goal was to create a community of golf fans capable of having authentic and tangible conversations about the game we love. While we have loved interacting with followers on social media, we couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something missing from that community.

. The goal for this message board is to create a place where golf fans can engage in respectful, nuanced, and authentic golf conversations. Whether that be discussion on professional golf, help with organizing a weekend game, golf travel, or golf course architecture, we believe that our followers have the intellectual capacity and the resources to add value to the conversation around golf.

In addition, we plan to engage with listeners and followers on a daily basis. Whether that be feedback on podcasts, tweets, or blog posts, or simply suggestions or agreements/disagreements with our takes, we welcome followers to use this medium to provide the feedback that is sometimes hard to get across in 280 characters on twitter.

With that, the head cover is coming off. Sign up now, and let’s hear your takes.

Introducing the No Laying Up Message Board: The Refuge

Nothing too specific to riff on, just a lot going on…

He is who we thought/hoped he was, despite the unhinged over-analysis of every swing. Today should yield more to go off of. Outside of an injury scare or a score in the 80’s, there’s really not a whole lot to read into. Surely he’ll continue to knock the rust off for another dozen rounds or so, but let’s not get stuck in the weeds of the ebbs and flows. While the networks want to see a huge initial burst, the whole thing is a #process and the preferred route is a measured, steady progression in the right direction. Thus far:

(+) Chipping looked good. The yips never totally recede but they appear dormant, beaten back by improved #releasepatterns.

Rely on my own feels. Getting my feels and trusting. Am I going to have different feels. Work my way up the board. Build toward the Masters. L5-S1 and it only has maybe six degrees of rotation.

 On the downside he definitely left a few out there – he referred to Patrick Reed as simply “Pat,” and failed to incorporate 

(?) Putter TBD. This will dictate his results and show whether he’s grinding on the right stuff like its the mid-2000’s.

(-) Clothing a definite mixed bag. Instead of the white belt he’s consistently worn with white hat/shoes in the past, Cat opted for a black belt on Wednesday. Thursday’s black sweater/black pants combo on the range was a sharp, however things deteriorated from there. He doffed the outergarment and revealed a troubling piece of attire that one would hesitate to label a “shirt.” Nike had ten months to scheme and dropped the ball in a big way.

To get him in the right frame of mind he had a shirt made out of the skin of Stephen Ames.



— Wipey Fades (@Bosch3333) 

Overall verdict: INCOMPLETE. Again, #process.

– Pat Reed’s game looked a little rusty but he still scored well. Confident he takes a step forward this year. Reed missed a huge missed sartorial/alpha male opportunity yesterday – I expected a Kansas City Chiefs “color rush” scheme in lieu of the subdued blue hues he came out in. Perhaps his hands are tied now that he’s with Nike, but anything less than aggro red for the remainder of the week is a disappointment. On a more macro level, Reed’s attire this year will be a source of fascination, namely whether they’ll look to pigeonhole into the form-fitting, blade collar side of their spectrum in an attempt to normalize that look for the “dad bod” demographic. Time will tell.

– Despite the inveterate flaws and immense what-ifs of Torrey Pines, the venue consistently provides an interesting leaderboard. In years past reading into the results prior to the conclusion of round 2 would’ve been a pointless exercise due to the split course format and disparity between North and South, but since the renovation of the North the scores continue to converge.

:



71.308 = North
71.615 = South



— Rob Bolton (@RobBoltonGolf) 

After day one the group at/within three shots of the lead includes bombers (Finau, Garrigus, List, Vegas, Haas), thoroughbreds (Rahm, Rose, Cantlay), split-schedulers (Suri, Uihlein, Molinari), exciting newbies (Lovelady, Diaz) comebackers (Bae, Every, Palmer, Mahan), horses for courses (Choi, Howell), frothy malcontents (Sabbo, Grayson, Reed), and a mini-tour God (Potter). Expanding to the group within six shots of the lead shows more of the same diversity – giddy up!

– Surprised to see Woodland and Harman struggle on Thursday as they typically thrive here (Harman, like Choi, hits fairways plain and simple). NOT surprised to see Blair and Ogilvy struggle, as both are likely unable to move beyond the architectural malpractice to focus on the task at hand. Sad!

– Thanks to the PGATOURLIVE featured Feline coverage I caught a bunch of Matsuyama yesterday and he did not disappoint. He slopped it around on the first five holes and taught a masterclass in body language.

– Speaking of coverage, can we go ahead and punt on regular tv coverage? After seeing Sky in action last week on the Euro Tour and then the sheer quality of the LIVE coverage yesterday I’m convinced that the pay model is the way to go, at least Thu/Fri. When the quality of the coverage deteriorates once 3pm hits that’s a problem.

– Pleased to see Trey Mullinax fire a two-under 70 yesterday – he’s much too talented to finish 137th in FEC standings, as he did last year. Three made cuts in a row and some nice momentum heading in to the meat of the west coast swing.

– Keep an eye on Matt Every this week and the next few (fired a first round 69). Good things on the horizon, I’m sure of it.

– When you wake up to a text from Kyle Porter that reads “Haotong Li bucking his head!” it’s gonna be a great day. Back-to-back 66’s have him one behind Jamie Donaldson for the outright lead. I wasn’t very familiar with Haotong until his tour de force performance at Birkdale last year so I made it a point to follow up last week and was not disappointed. I can report funny as hell and possesses a refreshing disposition. A 22 year old Chinese guy with game, gravitas, and good threads – that should get the #growthegame contingent hot and bothered!

??????????



Just the 10 birdies today for 

, including these two on his final two holes ? 

– Branden Grace posted a 65 on Friday and finds himself two shots back and one shot ahead of the Pacemaker and Mechanic, and two shots ahead of Immelman (who seemed renewed on the range last week in AD) and Paisley (ride that heater!).

– Detry, Levy, Hatton, and Pieters are all within striking distance – make no mistake that THE EUROS ARE COMING Y’ALL. Fleetwood well within the cut-line but eight shots back. Appointment viewing this weekend, per usual.

– Continue to keep #FriendOfThePod Blayne Barber’s caddie Cory Gilmer top of mind – he continues to make small improvements but a long road ahead. Glad to see Blayne taking the week off to recharge. If you’re so inclined, here’s 

– As you’ve assuredly seen by now, the 

 was patently outrageous. Obviously not a good look for Rhein, but the caddie (Brandon Davis) has a reputation that precedes him and didn’t do himself any favors with his social media grand tour after the fact. Normally I tend toward #TeamCaddie, since they’re usually the ones who get shit on in the power dynamic, but both guys had blood on their hands in this instance. One #source said “the caddie is a clown but Rhein can be a real ass-hat in his own right, so they were perfect for one another.” Bottom line: I LOVE THE WEB TOUR.

– Caught some LPGA yesterday from the Bahamas – legitimately enthralling. Winds were up and ladies were flighting hitting hybrids into 147 yard par threes. Sign me up! Unfortunately play is suspended today due to the winds and will resume first thing Saturday (hopefully the winds don’t die down too much – this is a nice substitute for the lack of Web Tour Bahamas carnage). Brooke Henderson leads.

– I’ll echo SVP and give ALL the props to JRay for the Tiger-centric statistical conquest he’s been on this week:

Insane. Great work, J Ray.



— Scott Van Pelt (@notthefakeSVP) 

– To close things out I want to start a new tradition: take of the week. It was an easy choice this week thanks to our old buddy LD bringing the heat on Tuesday. He shut it down with this one!

Lol…Dude Perfect, five years late and lacking the same journalistic bite. On the upside, a bright career lies ahead in the PR dept of religiously-intolerant oil kleptocracies. 





— lawrencedonegan (@lawrencedonegan) 

Friday Feels: Torrey

Big thanks to DJ for taking the reins on last week’s briefing while Soly and I wandered the desert searching for content, fossil fuels, and decent bandwidth (can safely say that the UAE is not a point of presence for undersea cables). Let’s get you primed for the first girthy event of the year on the US Tour, along with the erstwhile Dubai event on the Euro side.

I might be the wrong guy to get you hyped for this one, as it doesn’t quite ring in my loins for reasons mostly having to do with the Torrey Pines. The dual course setup for rounds 1 and 2 is always cool, in that it allows for a larger field and offers more variety. Despite the improvements made to the North Course in recent years and the historic relevance of the South Course, I’m always left with a sense of longing and disappointment while watching the Farmers, like the course could be so much more. The overhead below speaks volumes: back and forth long par-fours insulating you from the cliffs just enough to dampen the scene. Simply put, the South Course boasts one of the most spectacular sites for a golf course in the entire country, yet somehow manages to feel like a boring, penal slog that espouses the worst elements of “championship” golf (“Firestone on the Pacific”).

Conversely, I’m genuinely excited to see increased coverage of the North Course (thanks to feline-centric coverage on Friday) and will watch the weekend in its entirety, as the results are somehow always interesting. DJ adds the following intel from his years of covering the event for the #Csuite: Hosting the occasional U.S. Open, especially a historic one, typically ensures a solid crowd on the grounds. The fans that turn up for the Farmers are typically informed and laid back as hell. It’s second only to Pebble as far as the most incredible scenery on Tour, so it’s pretty hard for anyone to be too stressed out. Roaming around the North Course is where it’s at.

Let’s keep it short and sweet and let you discern from the hundreds of Tiger hype pieces floating around this week to formulate your take. Talk is cheap – need/want to see him in action. There’s nothing to say until we’ve got something to go off of (though I struggle to hide my disappointment that there weren’t any “worst-ball 66’s” this time around).

Beyond Cat, the tournament field possesses strong top-end talent in Matsuyama (curious to see if he can win), Mickelson, Rickie, Rahm, Cantlay, Leishman, Hoffman and Rose (JDay not top-end in my book). However the depth of this event always sates the palate more than the big names, as this is the first event for newcomers to go out and really make a name for themselves. The reach-around season is just that, and the Sony and CareerBuilder struggle to stick out amongst the cluttered sports landscape of NFL Playoffs, NBA/NHL and College Bball. In recent years Swafford, Kizzire, Strebber, Finau and Stanley thrived here. This week will be an excellent litmus test for Justin Rose – after three wins during the silly season, plus some additional top-five finishes he seems to be flying in under the radar. While he scuffled a bit on Thu/Fri last week in Abu Dhabi, he’s undoubtedly still in a groove and this place sets up perfectly for him.

Here are the last two leaderboards for this event (Snedeker’s 2016 final round was a Ken Duke level performance – resplendent play amidst gnarly conditions):

Leaning upon our entire NLU suite of takesmiths, here are everyone’s lasting memories of the event:

Tiger winning his 6th or 7th or 19th time (I conflate the multitude of 90’s/00’s Buick-sponsored events) and wondering what he would do with another weird looking Buick LaCrosse or Enclave, and then going down the wormhole of Tiger’s impossibly-bizarre relationship with Buick (only thing that would’ve made it better: if it had been a Buick instead of an Escalade that fateful night).

Paragliders, man. Beyond that, not much. That’s not true, I guess, as this was the scene of Tiger’s infamous glute malfunctioning. Thereafter I always remember Torrey tangentially. “Activated glutes” is a timeless gift from Cat that I am eternally thankful for. But yeah, paragliders. Thanks CBS.

My lasting memory of the Farmers is undoubtedly the 2012 debacle. The original man crush, Kyle F’n Stanley once led by as many as seven shots on Sunday. Well on his way to his first win as a 23 year-old second year pro, he started leaking oil down the stretch with it finally culminating in him spinning his third shot into the water on the 72nd hole. Needing just a 7 to collect his first title, he three putted for an 8 and eventually lost in a playoff to Brandt Snedeker. Of course, he rebounded and won the next week in Phoenix, but considering I had already taken a victory lap with Randy and Tron, it was an especially tough one to take.

 My lasting memory of the Farmers is following Spencer Levin on a Sunday morning a few years ago. He started the day just a few off the lead and very much in the hunt. After a bogey at the 4th hole, however, he was already mentally derailed. He walked off the green dragging his putter lifelessly behind him looking like sad Charlie Brown. Completely dejected. A fan, of which there were very few, yelled out, “You got it Spencer!” and, without looking up, he waved the fan off with a dismissive wave of his hand. He got to the next tee box and swung at it with what looked like about 70 percent, letting go of the driver on the recoil and kicking it sadly down the tee box. Jimmy Walker hits it long anyway, but he got him by about 80 yards. I don’t know why this sticks with me, but it’s the best example I can think of as far as why it’s so much more fun to get away from the stars and just watch guys up close and in their element.

 John Daly’s victory in 2004 always stuck with me. He was way outside the top 200 in the world, seemingly hadn’t done anything in years, switched to Dunlop equipment that week and outdueled Ryder Cuppers Chris Riley and Luke Donald in a playoff to snare the title. Cat then won the next four iterations and the years start blending together.

No Laying Up

Writing

The Eurozone: #2 (Number of the Beast)

Weekly Briefing: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Friday Feels: Scottsdale

The Eurozone: #1 (Malaysian Cobra Pit)

Weekly Briefing: Waste Management Phoenix Open

Introducing the No Laying Up Message Board: The Refuge

Friday Feels: Torrey

Weekly Briefing: Farmers Open/Dubai Desert Classic

Abu Dhabi: Weekend Update

Dispatch from the Desert, Round 2

Dispatch from the Desert, Round 1

Weekly Briefing: Abu Dhabi/Palm Springs

Golf Channel telecasts impacted by union strike

Sony Open: Hawaiian Briefing

Thinking about Tiger and Star Wars

Interview: Artist Lee Wybranski

Cruden Bay

Why You Should Subscribe to The Golfer's Journal