Divot Mix

"The educated taste admires simplicity of design and sound workmanship for their own sake, rather than over-decoration and the crowding of artificial hazards." --Wethered and Simpson (The Architectural Side of Golf, 1929)

Atlantic Hurricane season could be bad

This is National Hurricane Preparedness Week and National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration forecasters are predicting another above-normal hurricane season on the heels of last year's destructive and historic hurricane season.

"NOAA's prediction for the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season is for 12 to15 tropical storms, with seven to nine becoming hurricanes, of which three to five could become major hurricanes," said Conrad C. Lautenbacher, NOAA administrator. "Forecaster confidence that this will be an active hurricane season is very high."

According to the agency's Atlantic hurricane outlook the eastern seaboard can expect a continuation of the above-average activity that began in 1995. Since that time all but two Atlantic hurricane seasons have been above average. The probability of getting above normal activity was placed at 70-percent, with a 20-percent chance of near normal, and only 10-percent chance of below normal

One of the themes of the week is that these tropical storms don't just cause damage along the coasts. "Impacts from hurricanes, tropical storms and their remnants do not stop at the coast," said David L. Johnson, director of the National Weather Service. "As we kick off National Hurricane Preparedness Week and look at another highly active season, preparation plans should consider that these storms carry severe weather, such as tornadoes and flooding, while moving inland."

An update to the Atlantic hurricane outlook will be issued in early August just prior to the season's historical peak from late August through October.

In contrast, the Pacific Ocean is expected to have a below-normal hurricane season. NOAA's outlook for the Eastern Pacific hurricane season, calls for 11-15 tropical storms, with six to eight becoming hurricanes of which two to four may become major hurricanes.

USGA and Jett say Pinehurst is nearly ready

According to a story on the official U.S. Open Web site, Pinehurst No. 2 is nearly ready to host the championship.

Ken Klavon, USGA web editor, talked to Paul Jett, CGCS at Pinehurst, who said that following a mild winter he and his staff have a list of priorities as the turf breaks dormancy. The course will close May 30 and re-open June 23.

"The rough is probably number one because the Open happens so early in our growing season," said Jett, superintendent at the course since 1995. He listed growing the green surrounds next. Then the focus will turn to the fabled Donald Ross inverted-saucer greens, making sure they measure 11.5 feet on the Stimpmeter. Currently they are 10.

This year's championship will feature 3-inch rough, about the same as in 1999. The rough might be a bit higher in a few spots. Knowing the challenge that lay ahead, Jett had 400 more sprinkler heads installed near the rough areas. Jett relied on a double-row irrigation system down the fairways in 1999, making it difficult to water rough areas.

The course will, however, have several new surprises.

For starters it will play 7,214 yards, 92 yards longer than in 1999, and will subsequently tie the Black Course at Bethpage State Park (2002) as the longest Open in history. Seven new tees have been built on holes two, four, seven, nine, 11, 12 and 14.

Players can also expect to see tighter fairways. In 1999 fairways measured between 28-32 yards wide. Most of the fairways for 2005 have been narrowed to 24-26 yards.

All in all, Jett is confident that despite the minor modifications, players who were here in '99 won't notice much difference. "I think the players will find exactly the same golf course as the one they left in '99," he said.

In light of last year's controversy at Shinnecock Hills during the final round, USGA executive director David Fay spoke in favor of the U.S. Open Championship philosophy.

The philosophy isn't anything new, he said, just an effort to be more forthcoming. He also promised that issues will be dealt with swiftly and accordingly, treating each one nimbly and gingerly as the situation dictates.

"Is this going to be a kinder, gentler USGA, kinder, gentler U.S. Open?," said Fay. "Let me tell you that nobody at the USGA was happy with what happened on Sunday. We simply weren't. Frankly, I wasn't all that pleased on Friday night when, after the first two rounds, the course was playing, in my judgment and in the judgment of my colleagues, wasn't playing the way we wanted it to.

"What happened on Sunday, it got away from us. But one thing I can assure you is that we still want the U.S. Open to be a tough, fair championship. Emphasis on the word tough. Because that's the history of the U.S. Open. It's not a history of 25 years, it's a history of over a hundred years. ... We're not trying to provide a tricked-up layout."

Ninth Circuit says endangered species suits must prove harm

In what is being called a victory for western property owners, the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled for Pacific Legal Foundation, and Idaho rancher Verl Jones' family, in a lawsuit regarding standards by which injunctions can be issued under the Endangered Species Act.

The court's ruling clarifies that plaintiffs must present actual evidence that a species is likely to be harmed before an injunction can be issued against a property owner, and that a lack of evidence of past harm is indicative that there may not be the likelihood of future harm. For a release from the Pacific Legal Foundation, visit http://www.pacificlegal.org/view_PLFNews.asp?iID=281.

Nicklaus Q&A to air May 31

During the Opening Session at the 2005 GCSAA Education Conference in Orlando, Old Tom Morris Award winner Jack Nicklaus sat down with The Golf Channel's Adam Barr for a taped one-on-one interview.

The interview will premier during the feature “Jack Nicklaus: Artistry on the Links,” which will air on The Golf Channel, May 31 at 7:30 p.m. EST, the week of The Memorial Tournament. Replays are scheduled June 1 (1 a.m.), June 2 (3 p.m.), June 3 (4:30 a.m.) and June 6 (12:30 p.m.).