I ran across a book of golf poetry from the Edinburgh Golf Society from 1856. Here’s an ode to the Gutta Percha ball. It seems the satisfaction of having the latest in technology isn’t a new phenomenon:

Of a’ the changes that of late
Have shaken Europe’s social state—
Let wondering politicians prate,
And ‘bout them mak a wark a’—
A subject mair congenial here,
And dearer to a Golfer’s ear
I sing—the change brought round last year
By balls of _Gutta Percha_!

Tho’ Gouf be of our games most rare,
Yet truth to speak, the tear and wear
O’ balls was felt to be severe,
And source o’ great vexation;
When Gourlay’s balls cost half-a-croun,
And Allan’s no a farthing doun,
The feck o’s wad been harried soon,
In this era of taxation.

But times are changed—we dinna care
Though we may ne’er drive leather mair,
Be’t stuffed wi’ feather or wi’ hair—
For noo we’re independent.
At last a substance we hae got,
Frae which for scarce mair than a groat,
A ba’ comes that can row and stot—
A ba’ the most transcendent.

Hail, _Gutta Percha_, precious gum!
O’er Scotland’s links lang may ye bum;
Some purse-proud billies haw and hum,
And say ye’re douf at fleein’;
But let them try ye fairly out,
Wi’ ony balls for days about,
Your merits they will loudly tout,
And own they hae been leein’.

And noo that a’ your praise is spent,
Ye’ll listen to a friend’s comment,
And kindlier tak on wi’ paint,
Then ye wad be perfection.
And sure some scientific loon,
On Golfing will bestow a boon,
And gie ye a cosmetic soon,
And brighten your complexion.

There’s an AP article making the rounds that opens

In what Robert Louis Stevenson called “the most felicitous meeting of land and sea,” the sea was winning Wednesday at Pebble Beach.

Other writers have picked up the line, as writers and editors are wont to do, feeding off each other.

It’s a nice quote, but it didn’t sound familiar to me. I’ve read Stevenson extensively, including his travelogues, and I just couldn’t place the quote (I actually re-read much of them recently, looking for source material for the AP US History Class I teach). Stevenson lived in Monterey from August to December 1879 while recovering from an illness caused by his transcontinental US trip. From that trip, and his subsequent stay in California, Stevenson wrote The Silverado Squatters, the Amateur Emigrant, Across The Plains and The Old And New Pacific Capitals (specifically about Monterrey).

Wondering in which work he made the comment, I downloaded the books’ text files from Project Gutenberg and ran a search: nothing. I then downloaded the collection of his letters. Again, nothing. Finally, I downloaded the 25 volume collection of Stevenson’s works. Not only does the quote not appear, he never once used the word “felicitous.” Felicity, yes. But not felicitous. The phrase “land and sea” is used in a couple of places, but the closest that came is San Diego.

So there doesn’t appear to be any record of Stevenson having said this. My only supposition at this point is that the quote either comes from an unpublished letter, or from some sort of oral lore from the course. My suspicious are raised, however, because “felicitous” doesn’t appear anywhere else in Stevenson’s works.

For the record, after the break, you’ll find Stevenson’s description of Monterey from The Old and New Pacific Capitals:

Clay Art Golf Bag Salt and Pepper

Ridiculous Golf Item of the Week

My first thought on the Pebble Beach Pro Am is that I’m glad there weren’t any cameras following me around last year when I played as a guest in the pro am at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at the Colonial. It was enough pressure to play in front of Stewart Appleby and the small gallery. Camera would have caused a complete, rather than a minor, meltdown.

It’s hard to tell how the various players are doing because the tournament at this point is on three separate courses: Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill and Monterey Peninsula. On the other hand, the scores were relatively evenly distributed. There are twenty six at -4 or better. Nine of those played Pebble Beach, eight at Monterey, and eight at Spyglass. That doesn’t look like much of a difference. However, of the top nine players, five were at Pebble, two at Monterey and two at Spyglass. That seems a little more significant, and perhaps justifies the comments of The Golf Channel’s talking heads that Spyglass is the more difficult course.

On the other hand, those comments could just have been a sop to Tiger, who is in a T-15 on the strength of a 68 (-4) at Spyglass. He’ll play Monterey on Friday and then Pebble on Saturday. No coincidence there. CBS wants Tiger on Pebble when television coverage begins. Mickelson also will play Saturday at Pebble. No coincidence there, either. Lefty was -2 at Spyglass and is in a T51

At this point, former US Amateur Champion Danny Lee is one of three at the top of the board after a nine under 63 at Pebble Beach. Dustin Johnson duplicated that feat, while Charlie Wi put in a (-9) 61 at Monterey.

My guess is that quite a few of those at the top of the board will fall tomorrow.

Of the players out there, I’d like to see Dustin Johnson win, and perhaps exorcise some of the Demons of his Pebble Beach US Open collapse. He’s in a good position to do that.

Today we get another chance to see where Tiger is on the comeback trail. He’s playing a familiar course—one he destroyed at the 2000 US Open—and is coming off a good week in the desert. Still, as Kyle Stanley and Spencer Levin can tell you from the past couple of weeks: its very difficult to close the deal on Sunday on the PGA Tour. Whatever Tiger does the next couple of days will need to be validated on Sunday before anyone can say “He’s Back!”

The Arnold Palmer designed Northville Hills golf course has been sold to Wilson Golf Group. Wilson Golf owns and manages nine courses in Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconson, and now—Michigan.

Northville Hills, located in the suburban Detroit Northville, is a daily fee course. The 7,003-yard course has a slope of 132.

I had a chance to play a couple of holes there once when I was coaching my high school’s golf team. It’s a nice layout, with lots of water. Particularly terrifying is the par 3 seventeenth, which requires a 160+ yard carry over a pond to an unforgiving green backed by a couple of bunkers.

Sun Mountain Zero-G Carry Bag

I like the fact that this Sun Mountain Zero-G Carry bag has taken its cues from backpack design and added a hip belt to “shoulder” the weight.

I remember when the Izzo system was new and all the rage. I even retrofitted one of my bags to use it. Now, every bag has the X-Style. I’m guessing the hip belt idea will similarly spread.

Here are the manufacturer’s additional specs:

Patent-pending 9.5” top with three integrated handles for picking up the bag
The belt fits 28” - 48” hips, is easily adjusted, and is held securely in place by a new buckle closure
Seven pockets including: waterproof valuables pocket with high-quality YKK waterproof zipper, water bottle pouch, full-length clothing pocket, and multiple accessory pockets
X-Strap Dual Strap System provides superior balance and an easier carry
The heavily cushioned hip pad and belt provide lumbar support and in conjunction with the X-Strap Dual Strap System promote better posture and increased carry comfort
Matching rainhood