Comments for John Strawn

Comment on The China Golf Market: An Interview in China Real Estate Business by O'BRIEN

O'BRIEN — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 01:56:02 +0000

JOHN, ENJOYED READING YOUR INTERVIEW. GOOD POINTS AND ADVISE. O’BRIEN

Comment on Weighing In on the 2012 Presidential Campaign: A View from the Links by John Strawn

John Strawn — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 18:43:17 +0000

Ike was a great presidential golfer but he wasn’t fat!

Comment on Weighing In on the 2012 Presidential Campaign: A View from the Links by Larry Colton

Larry Colton — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 17:40:51 +0000

How can you leave Ike out of the discussion? He was not only the greatest president of his presidency, there’s a tree at Augusta named after him.

Comment on “The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates”–A Review by Susan Pawela

Susan Pawela — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 14:32:03 +0000

Mr. Strawn – since we are using The Other Wes Moore with our Freshmen this Fall term, I would like to share my students how and why you are writing a review of the book. In other words, since your focus is golf, how and why did you turn your attention the “…Wes Moore” book?

Thanks!
Susan Pawela, Focused Inquiry Faculty
Virginia Commonwealth University
sjpawela@vcu.edu

Comment on Review of “The Swinger” by John Strawn

John Strawn — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:50:25 +0000

On reflection I agree that my review is pretty generous. Part of the problem with a book like The Swinger is that nothing the authors can imagine is as scurrilous as the true history of the Tiger Woods’ scandal. So nothing feels revelatory, as you note. The Tree character’s redemption also seems far-fetched. I gave the book to my brother-in-law to read after I was done and his take was exactly yours–a giant shrug of the shoulders. And for sure nothing in The Swinger made me laugh. You’re one up.

Comment on Chubby Chandler’s Gamble Pays Off for Darren Clarke by Steve

Steve — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:15:46 +0000

Agreed (and thank you for the quick reply!). I think the “pendulum” is with the world for the foreseeable future…Ricky perhaps being one of the few exceptions from the US right now.

Ricky is a “kid” (I am 52….geeeezzzz – sounded like an old man) and he is obviously having fun! The TOUR needs more like him. I hope that while he continues to play well, thereby making more $$$$, he doesn’t lose that focus. It’s a game…have fun…even when the wind is blowing sideways.).

Comment on Chubby Chandler’s Gamble Pays Off for Darren Clarke by John Strawn

John Strawn — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 13:20:08 +0000

Your comments are thoughtful and well-taken. Thanks. For sure Rory is now in a position to command tremendous fees for his endorsement. Chubby won’t be gambling with Rory’s currency. There are many great American golfers for sure, but one has to ask why players from Europe and South Africa (and to some extent Asia, on both the men’s and women’s tours) seem to be having more success on the biggest stages these days (including Ryder Cup victories.) Perhaps it’s just an anomaly, and the pendulum will swing back toward the US players soon, but it may also signal that Americans will never resume their dominance of the majors–no one, of course, can know. But I do suspect that how the US nurture players, both as amateurs and on the PGA TOUR, sets up psychological expectations whose effects are manifested when players compete under the toughest conditions. That being said, I think think Ricky Fowler is going to be a force to reckon with in the majors–and he did outplay Rory at St. George’s, when they played together and had the worst draw and faced inclement weather especially in the first two rounds.

Comment on Chubby Chandler’s Gamble Pays Off for Darren Clarke by Steve

Steve — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 08:04:55 +0000

Ok….more to the story maybe?

1. After his year this year why would Rory now “gamble” on an incentive when if he came to PGA, he most likely could sign a multiple year (5?) at a per year amount probably equal to or more(?) than the one time incentive payoff?

2. Why would your average top 54 PGA player “gamble” when the opportunities for guaranteed endorsement $ combined with earnings this year set them for life no matter how well they do next year (assuming properly managed of course)?

3. I can see a PGA tour player ranked any where from…oh 100 to 175 trying this approach because anyone can have a great week over the contract term. As a player in this category might be lucky to get a small $, one year endorsement; the incentive idea would then be an attractive business decision.

There is no question in my mind that the Euro tour set up makes a player “work” harder than the exemption setup on the PGA for the equivalent reward. but that’s almost a separate discussion. So finally, is it that one approach is better than the other? Or is it simply just different? I don’t know…but I do agree with Matt Judy; I see a hybrid deal becoming more common in the US. Mainly because Corporate America has been in an economic crunch (granted as has corporates world wide). If they can avail themselves of the same market exposure for less cost, that’s incentive to them.

Interesting article. Thanks for reading my lengthy thoughts in response!

Comment on Golf Course Designer’s Employee Kidnapped in China by Tom Bedell

Tom Bedell — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 18:02:37 +0000

Any update on this, John?

Comment on Review of “The Swinger” by MVP

MVP — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:15:06 +0000

You don’t have to worry about giving away the plot to this book because everyone already knows it. But I will try to save others the suffering I endured reading The Swinger. It’s not just that it’s bad (and not in a good way, like watching a crapastic movie), it’s just boring. Like listening to a guy tell a joke that dies, and then hearing him retell it over, and over, and over, and over, hoping someone — anyone — laughs. An algebra textbook has more laughs.