Arnie and Phil make headlines pre-Veterans Day

Last week was slightly more interesting than you might have anticipated. Next week brings us the Presidents Cup from Royal Melbourne, but paparazzi are few and far between when it comes to golf until then.

So Arnie went out, with a new set of Callaways, and knocked his 20th ace in the hole. Had to pay the bar tab, but figured out that he and the other members of his fivesome have a total of 50 holes in one when united. Seriously? my friends and I don’t, and we’re pretty good sticks. Guess you need some of that Latrobe magic…

And Phil? Done got himself elected to the Hall of Fame…solo. Seems like no one else will go in with him next May during Players Championship week. While I think that the selection of qualified players in their prime or barely post-prime is fine (since they never really retire, given the Champions tour’s prestige), I suspect that having one honoree makes for a boring ceremony. Ever seen the NFL one? Four to six guys in gold coats seated together, smiling, turning to either side for small talk. Who’s Phil going to turn to, his left and right shoulders? Come on, Veteran’s Committee! Let’s get some of the posthumous players in (although Phil won’t be able to speak with them, either, come to think of it…) or some other living sticks.

How about some architects, like Bill Coore or Tom Doak? How about some overseas players, like Darren Clarke or Miguel Angel Jimenez or Carlos Franco? They might not have the records of the American players in the hall, but their worth to golf in their own, smaller countries is just as important.