Do you ever open an email just to get rid of the notification? If that’s you, welcome. And we’re sorry to see you g—

Ah, well. For the rest of you, some golf updates…

A Lido in the Sand Barrens

Charles Blair Macdonald’s Lido Golf Club on Long Island has been gone for about 80 years. This week, Michael and Chris Keiser announced that they have teamed up with Tom Doak to resurrect it… in Wisconsin.

Originally built in 1917, the Lido quickly earned a reputation as one of the top golf courses in the world. It fell on hard times during the Great Depression and was lost forever when the Navy occupied the land during World War II. The Keiser brothers’ father, Mike Keiser, has been interested in recreating the course for the better part of two decades. He even floated the idea of rebuilding it on what is now the Old Macdonald site at Bandon Dunes.

Now his dream is becoming a reality. Funding and zoning approval is in place for the course to be built near the Sand Valley Golf Resort, and pre-construction is underway. Official construction is scheduled to begin this spring or summer, and the Keiser brothers are shooting for a full opening in the spring or summer of 2023.

Read Garrett Morrison’s full piece on the project, A Lido in the Sand Barrens.

Listen to the latest edition of the Yolk with Doak about the project.

The tough questions

Annika Sörenstam has received a lot of blowback after she accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump the day after the January 6 storming of the Capitol. In an interview with Golf Channel on Tuesday, Sörenstam was asked about her decision to go through with the ceremony at the White House. Rather than delving into the specifics of her thinking, she tried to shift the focus to her future plans to promote the women’s game.

A 72-time LPGA Tour winner and the new president of the International Golf Foundation, Sörenstam is certainly deserving of any conceivable award. But the timing of her and Gary Player’s reception of the Presidential Medal of Freedom drew criticism. The ceremony took place less than 24 hours after President Trump spoke at a rally that, approximately an hour after he finished, turned into a deadly attempt at insurrection. In contrast, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who was set to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom a week later, elected “not to move forward with the award.”

Sörenstam’s normally active Twitter account has been silent since January 5, and, according to Geoff Shackelford, she has deleted numerous tweets that suggested her support for Trump. Her husband Mike McGee’s Twitter account is gone entirely. In her new role as IGF president, along a rumored appearance at this year’s U.S. Women’s Senior Open, Sörenstam will be in the spotlight regularly in 2021. Don’t expect this story to go away anytime soon.

Quick Hooks

Tiger Woods recently underwent his fifth back surgery and is out indefinitely. On Tuesday, Tiger announced that he will miss the Farmers Insurance Open and Genesis Invitational but will still be at Riviera to host the Genesis. According to the press release, his doctors expect a full recovery. Full Statement

World No. 2 Jon Rahm withdrew as a precaution against injury, but Brooks Koepka, Patrick Cantlay, Patrick Reed, and Tony Finau are at PGA West to headline the American Express. Tee Times

On the other side of the globe, the European Tour kicks off its 2021 schedule with the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, featuring Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, and Tommy Fleetwood. Tee Times

There are only 25 professionals in the field, but the LPGA Tour’s Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions promises to be, at the very least, a curiosity. Tee Times

Out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the PGA Tour Champions starts its season with the Mitsubishi Electric Championship. Tee Times

Willie Mack III will receive the Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption into the 2021 Genesis Invitational. Mack played collegiate golf at Bethune Cookman in Florida and currently competes on the Advocates Pro Golf Association Tour and the Florida Professional Golf Tour. He was the Player of the Year on both tours in 2019. Press Release

The PGA Tour is partnering with the American Gaming Association to launch a public service campaign called “Know When to Lay Up,” a campaign aimed at educating golf fans on responsible sports betting. Golf gambling segments and odds updates have been part of PGA Tour broadcasts since DraftKings signed on as a partner in 2019.

The Latest from The Fried Egg

Paulie’s Picks: The American Express – You won’t need your credit card with Fried Egg Paulie around; he always cashes his picks. See who he likes for DraftKings and one-and-done leagues.

A Lido in the Sand Barrens – Garrett Morrison details the history of the Lido Golf Club, how the Keiser family got involved with the project, and how Peter Flory, who built the Lido in a video game, will advise the reconstruction.

Yolk with Doak, Episode 28: The Lido Club

Tom Doak joins the podcast to discuss all things Lido. He and Andy talk about the history of the original club, how the project in Wisconsin came to be, and much more. Listen on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify.

Shotgun Start: Fake winters, Koepka’s warm-up for the warm-up, and Westy’s return

This Wednesday episode begins with the breaking news that D.J. Trahan has had to WD in Palm Springs after a positive Covid test. There’s also the news of yet another Tiger Woods back surgery, which Brendan and Andy discuss in the context of his past injury history and what it might mean for any future. Then they get into a loaded schedule for the week with the return of the European Tour, LPGA, and Champions Tour providing a full slate. Andy rejoices in Westy’s current reign and the strength of field in Abu Dhabi. At the American Express, they delight in some Brooks Koepka quotes about how this week is a warm-up for next week, which is a reconnaissance mission at Torrey Pines for the U.S. Open. Andy gets realllll snooty about which locales have “real winter” and which regions do not. The celebs (and cable guys) at the LPGA opener are also put under the microscope. News closes with the PGA Tour’s new responsible gaming slogan and a chat on all the under 24 year olds now in the top 25 in the OWGR. Listen on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify.

Pro Shop

The original Lido may be gone forever, but there are plenty of other amazing golf courses in the world. Check out the photography section of our pro shop and give yourself a beautiful course to look at all year long! Choose from the likes of Aronimink, Inverness, Olympia Fields, and Sweetens Cove. Get yours today!