Somebody Misclubbed Palmer on This

Arnold Palmer is as close to a national treasure as you will find in golf, which makes this controversy so sad, the one involving his endorsement of a club that the U.S. Golf Assn. doesn’t allow.

Isn’t there anything that could have been done to keep Palmer’s reputation from getting dirty?

Probably.

Palmer needed better advice. He has long been associated with the powerful, influential International Management Group, but it looks as though IMG dropped the ball this time by failing to steer him away from a situation that had the potential to tarnish his reputation.

Think about it. There are only two possible reasons for Palmer to endorse the Callaway ERC II driver that fails to meet USGA standards.

One reason is money and the only person in golf who needs money less than Palmer is Tiger Woods.

The other reason is that Palmer really believes in the club, and this is the heart of the matter.

Regardless of the pros and cons of the ERC II, Palmer’s management simply should not have risked damage to his legacy as Golf’s No. 1 icon over an issue that clearly had such a huge downside.

Maybe IMG didn’t have any influence over Palmer, but this isn’t the first time that it has allowed Palmer to become involved, at least tacitly, in what you have to call questionable business relationships: He has a deal to endorse toilet seat covers in Japan. And, years ago, IMG is said to have put a deal together for his Bay Hill tournament to be sponsored by a supermarket tabloid.

Somebody pulled Palmer out of that deal. That should have happened this time too.

THAT’S NOT ALLOWED EITHER

Ely Callaway and USGA Executive Director David Fay appeared on the Golf Channel this week to discuss the nonconforming club.

Callaway told Fay he felt the USGA was “rigid” and “inflexible” and invited the USGA to get together with the Royal and Ancient (which finds Callaway’s ERC II within the rules) to establish a common stance.

In one classic moment, Callaway seemed amused by the turnaround in the USGA’s position on whether it was phasing out Palmer. Said Callaway: “Well, I believe the USGA took a mulligan.”

NOT ANOTHER POLL!

According to a Golf World survey of its readers, 67% of the 500 respondents say they would not be inclined to buy a nonconforming driver, even if cost was not a factor.

THE KNEEL OF FAME

Craig Stadler, 47, is going to be honored with a plaque on the Walk of Fame at the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines. The Walk of Fame is located at the putting green, but that really doesn’t seem to be the right place for Stadler.

The 14th hole would be more like it, right where a tree used to be, the site of one of the stranger sagas of Stadler’s career.

During the third round of the 1987 event, he knelt on a towel so he wouldn’t get his pants dirty when he took a swing at his ball, which had rolled under the tree.

Someone noticed the towel incident in television replays Sunday, telephoned tournament officials and Stadler was tagged with a two-shot penalty for improving his stance.

Stadler, who was in second place, had already signed his card. With a two-shot penalty figured in, he was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard.

The tree was cut down in 1995. Stadler performed the honors with a chain saw.

FAR PHIL

The word is that Phil Mickelson is hitting the ball so far with his new driver that he now carries four wedges in his bag. Driver and wedge is becoming the norm for Mickelson on par fours.

WOODS AND PHOENIX

Including practice days this week, officials expect 400,000 to come to the Phoenix Open at the TPC at Scottsdale--100,000 for Sunday’s last round, when if they’re lucky, Woods will be in contention.

The last time he played the Phoenix Open was two years ago when police found a loaded gun in the backpack of a man who was heckling Woods. Officials since have banned weapons from the event (always a good idea at a golf tournament).

Woods was involved in another controversy in the 1999 Phoenix Open when a group of fans rolled away a huge rock affecting his swing. That boulder was deemed a “loose impediment” and asking for outside help in getting it out of the way was legitimate, if unusual.

Jose Maria Olazabal is making the Phoenix Open his first PGA Tour event of the year--he has also entered the Buick Invitational and the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. Ernie Els, David Duval and Mickelson are also in the Phoenix field.

IT’S THE STATE BIRD

For what it’s worth, Brad Faxon made as many eagles last week at the Sony Open in Hawaii as he did all last year--four. He played the eight par-five holes in a combined 11 under par (four eagles, three birdies, one par).

IT’S ON THE MENU

The last three winners on the PGA Tour have something else in common. Jim Furyk is recently married, Garrett Willis is to be married in two weeks and Faxon was recently married.

Once the players figure this to be some sort of edge, expect rice to become a buffet staple.

THEY’RE BACK

Yes, Karrie Webb won the Nabisco Championship last year (she also won a second major at the U.S. Open), but remember she was pressed hard by teenage amateur Aree Song Wongluekiet.

Webb won by four shots over Dottie Pepper and Aree tied for 10th, although she would have been sixth if not for a two-shot penalty the last round.

Aree and her twin sister, Naree, are back for another shot. They’re 14 years old now.

DORAL REDUX

Webb is the favorite in this week’s Office Depot, which she has won the last two years. But the tournament site is new--at Doral, which hasn’t staged an official LPGA event since 1973.

Jo Ann Prentice won the Burdine’s Invitational 28 years ago at Doral. She made $4,500. Webb, or whoever wins this week, will make $123,750.

MONEY NEWS

LPGA Commissioner Ty Votaw says you can’t compare the PGA Tour to the LPGA Tour. He’s probably right, but it’s still worth noting that Sophie Gustafson leads the LPGA money list with $151,422 while 19 players on the PGA Tour have won more than that.

HIS OTHER CLIENT IS . . . ?

In case you missed it, Adam Scott, 20, of Australia won his first pro event last week, the Alfred Dunhill Championship in Johannesburg. Scott’s coach? Butch Harmon, who also coaches that Woods guy.

SAVE THE WALES

It isn’t even going to happen for eight more years, but there are some hard feelings over deciding the 2009 Ryder Cup venue in Europe. Wales sunk a lot of money and effort in a bid to host the matches, but insiders believe it’s already a done deal and the event is destined for Scotland. This does not please the officials behind the Welsh bid.

Why not let Ian Woosnam of Wales and Colin Montgomerie of Scotland settle it in match play?

UH, CARTS ARE EXTRA?

As soon as the Phoenix Open champion closes the deal Sunday at Scottsdale, they’re going to reopen the course to the public. That should make for some interesting logistical situations--carting away the scoreboards, picking up the television cable, hauling off the portable toilets--while you’re trying to play golf and walk in Tiger’s footprints.

It’s all part of a hotel package that includes two rounds of golf. Cost: $635 to $720.

TRY GOLF ‘ON’ THE BRAIN

One of the discussion themes at the Future of Golfers Conference next month at Arizona State: Golf and the Brain.

It’s a five-day conference, which doesn’t seem nearly long enough for this subject, does it?

TIGER BUSINESS UPDATE

When Woods switched to the Nike Precision Tour Accuracy TW last year, Nike had to admit that particular ball wasn’t available to the public. Next month, Nike puts the ball on the market.

And if you’re not Nike/Tigered out yet, the Woods apparel collection has an exclusive fashion specialty retailer in Nordstrom.

OR SMELLING SALTS

Better bring either a seat belt or a parachute to Glen Ivy, the Ted Robinson-designed course under construction in southwest Riverside County, where the par-four 18th hole has a drop of more than 300 feet from tee to green.

THE CONTINENT EXPANDS

News item: The European Tour announces it’s staging a new tournament . . . in Buenos Aires.

Reaction: Europe, wow, for everyone who thought that continent had seen its better days, what a comeback. The European Tour also has events in Taiwan, South Africa, Australia, Malaysia, Dubai, Qatar, Brazil and Morocco.

BIRDIES, BOGEYS, PARS

The Dave Pelz Scoring Game Tour is being conducted at Pelican Hill Golf Club through March 4 and will be held at Lost Canyons Golf Club, March 7-18. Details: (800) 735-9868. . . . A Nick Faldo Golf Institute by Marriott opened at Shadow Ridge Golf Club in Palm Desert.

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The Top V

This week’s category: players with the most Roman numerals:

1 IV, Charles Howell IV

2 (tie) III, Davis Love III

Notah Begay III

P.H. Horgan III

Tommy Armour III