1 – Ah, to be young

Two teenagers play for the U.S. Amateur Championship. Makes me wonder when the movement will begin to lower the age to 22 in the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship.

2 – All golf is local

On a week when my spotlight is put on a city-run muni that is brilliant, a golf website (mygolfspy.com) astutely points out that Massachusetts owns two of the five worst golf courses in the country (Leo J. Martin, No. 1; Ponkapoag, No. 5). If you've been to either you know they deserve the rankings, which sickens many of us. Feel the shame, Massachusetts; the State of New York may own a golf course (Bethpage Black) that has hosted two U.S. Opens and a PGA Championship and next month will have the Ryder Cup, but we own two courses in the top five of a national ranking.

3 – Whatever floats your boat

Seriously, Harry Hall? You’re going to sit around your living room late on a Sunday night to shed tears as you lobby for Harry Hall’s Ryder Cup inclusion?

4 – Making it look so easy

Scottie Scheffler went 0-for-5 to start his 2024 season, then was 7-for-14 thereafter. This year, he began 0-for-8 and has gone 5-for-10 since. Head starts are not enough; the competition needs for Scottie to tie one hand behind his back, too.

5 – Feed your despair

Soft baked pretzel bites are the perfect antidote to that bogey, double-bogey finish.

GOLF COURSE PHOTO -- The signs are not always meant to be whimsical and cute. Many times they are there to warn and advise, though clearly golfers often ignore. A golf ball in the woods is one thing; a golf cart in the woods is quite another as a reader captured when he took this photo of a mishap at Crosswinds GC in Plymouth, Mass. As always, should you have a photo of a golf course sign that amuses you, send it to jim@powerfades.com

6 – Remember when winning mattered?

Joaquin Niemann wins five times on the LIV Golf season. Jon Rahm wins once. Rahm wins season-long points race over Niemann. Ah, yes, Golf – Only Confounder.

7 – Champagne for the runner-up

Imagine if LIV ran the NFL Super Bowl. The Bills could have won a bunch of Vince Lombardi Trophies for finishing second.

8 – Moving too many body parts

Mentioned to her that it’s important to rotate the hips, turn the shoulders, keep the left arm fairly stiff, maintain balance, stay on plane, shift your weight, don’t break your wrists, then point your bellybutton toward your target. She dropped the club and walked away, saying all she wanted to do was hit a stupid golf ball, not play a game of Twister.

9 – Painful to watch

Anthony Kim was a way better story as a recluse, the legend whose talent was surpassed only by his flair and loveable brashness. His two-year run with LIV Golf has been sad, so sad. Money corrupts, greed ruins.