1 – How ‘bout some credit where credit is due?

Wild guess here, but if you’ve been on the bag for 16 PGA Tour and DP World Tour wins in seven full seasons, you’re a damn good caddie. Yet Rory McIlroy’s caddie, Harry Diamond, is often ridiculed. Go figure.

2 – Just doesn’t smell right

You’ve got to think that Cuban elections during Fidel Castro’s regime were more transparent than PGA Tour Player Advisory Council and PGA Tour Policy Board motions to approve sweeping changes for 2026.

3 – Less is always best for ownership

What sweeping changes? Glad you asked. In 2026, fields will be significantly smaller, only 120 in early part of year and 144 by late spring and summer; full-status Tour cards will shrink from 125 to 100; only 20, down from 30, Korn Ferry Tour graduates will get cards; and Monday qualifiers will pretty much go to the scrap heap. You can simplify it by saying players were asked, “Do you want less competition for your jobs?” and they emphatically answered, "Hell, yeah,” but welcome to 2024, folks. Those lavishly rich sports owners who coughed up $1.3 billion last year to give to the PGA Tour did so not because they fancy themselves a bunch of Andrew Carnegies. No, sir. They are all about the return on investment, not philanthropy, and a leaner PGA Tour work force and a for-profit model is what they want.

4 – Ah, but the cufflinks . . .

Personally, methinks it’s also about saving money on cufflinks. Yeah, cufflinks. That’s what first-time participants in the Players Championship receive as a gift, only there’ll be fewer first-timers going forward when the field is reduced to 120.

5 – Just give ‘em something they wear, like ear buds

Which prompts me to ask: How many pro golfers wear cufflinks?

6 – Could we at least place a call

Maintaining the greed angle – man it’s everywhere, eh? – there are reports that U.S. Ryder Cup players will be paid $400,000 for three, four, or five rounds of team golf over three days starting in 2025. Everyone’s reacting – in a passionately angry manner – but here’s a question: Has anyone asked the PGA of America if the story is true?

7 – It’s just in my game

Missing temporary greens is as easy for me as missing regular greens. The consistency makes me smile, at least.

8 – Get a better handle on things

Consider this a helpful holiday tip: It’s not a bad time to get the clubs re-gripped.

9 – It's beyond ridiculous by now

The answer is: An impactful pace-of-play policy will be adopted. The question is: What is a possibility after man lands on mars?