Business
Apparel company Ashworth announced third-quarter results, in which net revenue declined 15 percent and net income fell from $1.8 million during the same period last year to $615,000. The company said that start up costs for producing Callaway Golf clothing contributed to the poor showing. Nine-month revenue is up 5.7 percent over last year.
For more...

People
Softspikes, Inc., announces Jeff Hunt as its new customer service manager. Hunt recently served as Softspikes' sales information officer and account manager.
For more...

Courses
The John Sanford-designed The Links at Madison Green opens for play Nov. 1 in Royal Palm Beach, Fla. Sanford incorporated 12 acres of sand barrens, which consist mainly of Florida slash pines and saw palmettos, into the 7,050-yard, par-72 design.
For more...

Events
Instead of holding the 2002 PGA Club Professional Championship at Kiawah Island's Ocean Course, PGA officials announced it will be moved to Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky. The Ocean Course will be renovating its greens next summer and may not be ready to host the championship, but will be the host in 2005.
For more...

Equipment
Eyewear maker Oakley expands its line to include more sunglasses as well as golf apparel and footwear that uses CAD technology to precisely fit components together. The company will also release an new design for ergonomic golf bags.
For more...

Ray Cook Golf buys the assets of Network Golf, formerly an assembly subsidiary of Impact Golf Technologies. Additionally, John Hatfield, a manager at Network Golf, will join Ray Cook's management.
For more...

Technology
ShadowChaser releases new software to help golfers analyze their fundamentals using 3D modeling technology.
For more...

F2 Broadcast Network negotiates to purchase online rights for interviews featuring golfers Bobby Jones, Byron Nelson and Louise Suggs.
For more...

Advertising
Aventis Pharmaceuticals, which makes Allegra-brand allergy medication, uses pro golfer Steve Elkington in an advertising campaign to help golfers learn to manage seasonal allergies on the golf course. The ads also identify golf courses in allergy-friendly areas of the U.S.
For more...

Travel
Lucaya Beach & Golf Resort on Grand Bahama Island announces travel packages starting at $400 per person for the weekend of the Senior PGA Tour's Senior Slam event Nov. 9-11.
For more...

Commentary
Cover it live

What makes golf the sport it is? Tradition.

Arguing that technology has changed the game is easy, so put that discussion aside. What cannot be ignored is the display that was shown on television on Sunday -- a tape-delayed display.

Begin with the European Tour on The Golf Channel for starters. As usual, the tour is tape delayed. Maybe only an hour or so, but tape delayed all the same. All a person has to do is go to www.europeantour.com to find out who won while watching the winner tee off on the 12th hole on tape delay.

Next came the World Golf Championship's NEC Invitational, which moved up its final-round tee times because of the forecast for storms in the Akron, Ohio, area. CBS taped the final round, which included a seven-hole playoff between Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk, and aired its coverage after the event was over. Then there was the U.S. Amateur on NBC. The problem here was filling time. Match play, one final match with two competitors. Shots occurred and NBC made you believe they just happened. Wrong.

Finally, the Reno-Tahoe Open on Sunday night. The Golf Channel again, tape delayed, why watch?

What ever happened to live golf? Any sport loses its appeal when you can go to the Internet and find out the winner without watching.

Of course the television networks and golf organizations will always give legitimate reasons for tape delay, but only CBS had a valid reason -- NEC Invitational officials switched to earlier tee times to avoid the storm front, which meant a finish well before CBS took the air. NBC and The Golf Channel? No good reason.

The television networks are paying a lot of money starting in 2003 to broadcast golf. If they want to keep getting the value out of that money, they should heed the obvious -- no more tape delay. There is nothing more compelling then a golfer on the 18th tee battling to win an event, unless it is already over and the viewers know the result.

In that case, it is no better than watching a rerun of "I Love Lucy."