The Masters

[wilt the stilt]

is the tournament that most exemplifies elitism. Give me the U.S. Open any day. Harder course, anyone can qualify.

As lee Trevino knew " If I didn't qualify they would have asked me to mow their lawns".

[Condem]

1. Respectfully disagree, wilt

Augusta is The Cathedral to the sport. I watch it as much for the beauty of the course as for the golf, itself. I've never been, but I know people who have and they say it's much more breathtaking in person. Hell, they even serve food and drink in green containers so if some slob drops it, the camera doesn't pick it up. Elitist? Shit, golf IS elitist. In Scotland, they call it Goff. But, I digress. It's Saturday. Moving Day. Tiger Woods in striking range. Doesn't get any better than that!

[Condem]

2. Not much of a moving day.

Tiger and Phil the Schill STILL in the hunt. I wouldn't lay any $$ on it, though.

[Captain Hilts]

3. Endorsing a club that excludes female members is barbaric.

If Hootie Johnson, though I think he retired, wants an exclusive club, that's his right. It's a private club. But does the PGA - and their sponsor, ATT, want to endorse this policy? They shouldn't.

[Condem]

4. So, Captain.

You aren't watching?

[Captain Hilts]

5. Actually, I used to watch regularly. I haven't in about ten years.

I miss watching the 15th hole.

[Condem]

6. You and I, Captain, disagree on some things. That's cool.

I think Title 9 is THE worst deal ever to happen to college sports. You don't. All right. To stop watching the Masters over Hootie Johnson. Now, thats overboard. Do your self a favor. Watch the final round, tomorrow. In spite of your beliefs.

[Captain Hilts]

10. I have a lot of issues with the enforcement of Title IX. I stopped watching the Masters...

because I prefer team sports that don't glorify selfish individualism.

For the same reason, I don't watch figure skating, gymnastics, tennis, golf, etc.

Tiger Woods' dissing Rachel Robinson and President Clinton didn't sit well with me. I hear he's expressed regret for this act, but it shows the kind of person those sports attract. Woods is another selfish successful man that married a white supermodel. Ho hum.

[Condem]

13. Eldrick as a Republican, then. Acted like a Republican.

When he showed up in DC for the Inaugural events, it made quite the statement. I don't know what his party affiliation is currently. But, I think he, too, was amazed at the emergence of President Obama.

[hughee99]

7. If the PGA dropped the Masters as an official tour stop

Augusta national would still hold the tournament, the players would still show up, and it would still be on TV. The PGA and their sponsors don't have any leverage here. If I remember right, in 2003 the masters excluded all sponsors and CBS broadcast the tournament commercial free. The management at Augusta national doesn't give a flip about the protests, the sponsors or the money. Even if the tournament wasn't on TV, they'd still hold it and the players would still show up. I think they'll eventually allow female members, but they won't do it if they think it makes them appear they're caving to public protests. As Johnson saw it (and I suspect his successors as well) it's their club and their tournament, and no one is going to tell them how to run it.

[Captain Hilts]

11. Augusta is a private club. They can run it as they like. I just don't watch golf anymore.

That the dates for Pebble Beach were shifted for better weather also turned me off.

[Jack from Charlotte]

36. How do you know if they exclude females as members or....

potential members?

[Captain Hilts]

43. Because it's an all-male club. What's so difficult about that? nt

[Jack from Charlotte]

46. Do you have the membership list?

Because I don't and I doubt you do either. And what do you mean by all-male? Does that mean the have a rule against ever taking a non-male? They have autocratic rule, BTW. Whatever the head of the club says.... there is no board nor appeal that can change his ruling. So if he throws you out and makes it Women only.... that's the rule. No appeals.

They might have non male members and you just haven't been informed about it.

They don't announce membership rolls.

[Jack from Charlotte]

35. I've been to Augusta many times and.....

it's amazing. Not as nice looking as it was just a few years ago but still amazing. When they added that "2nd cut" AKA...rough, it took away from the look of the entire place having the exact same grass except for the greens. Also, they've added many more grandstands and it's hurt the vista of the place when you look out over the whole course.

Beer's about $1.50 and $1.75 if you get the plastic souvenir cup. Sandwiches are $2 and parking is free. Souvenirs are very reasonably priced and totally exclusive. They don't do any sales except the week of the tourney which makes their stuff... I've got a closet full,.... very exclusive.


Re The US Open..... I'd never go back to one if you gave me a ticket. I went to Pinehurst in '99, I think it was. It's the anti-Masters. They rip you off for every cent they can via food and souvenirs and it's so full of corporate tents it looks like a cheap carnival.

[Awsi Dooger]

38. I agree, the second cut was a horrible addition

It detracts from the appearance of the course, and the way Mackenzie and Jones wanted it to play. If those two guys were resurrected, there would be chain saws, bulldozers and lawn mowers working overtime a day later.

Brandel Chamblee put it best on Golf Channel: It was an artificial fix this year. They softened the greens and kept the pins in the manageable locations. That's not Augusta at its best. Faldo said on Monday night that when he won in '96 it was like concrete. This year, in contrast, the players could land the ball anywhere on the 13th green and it was sticking, unlike the horseshoe wild rides of years past.

Augusta should get rid of the rough, eliminate the new trees, slice back about 200 yards from the length of the course, and restore the diabolical firmness and challenge of the greens.

But I loved that Kenny Perry gagged. That was the highlight. On Super Bowl Sunday 2008, Perry picked New England to beat the Giants. When CBS asked him why, he adopted a smug facial expression and tone, and said, "To shut up the '72 Dolphins." :rofl:

I've gone over that before. There can't be a more pathetic desperation in all of sports. The last '72 Dolphin will be long gone and the jealous simpletons will still be claiming they are trying to shut someone up. That's what happens when more than 2000 NFL teams have begun a season, and only one of them emerged perfect. Every year more and more high profile figures let it get to them. Terry Bradshaw has made negative remarks in the last year or so. Those guys realize their teams will eventually slide into obscurity, easily replaced by the 2036 Vikings, or whoever. But that zero can withstand centuries as the ultimate trump card in the most popular American sport. It's the singular accomplishment in American team sports, undisputed.

Kenny Perry was destined to fail. I posted on a major golf message board on Saturday night that I would laugh like hell when he choked over the final holes. You don't make a comment like that without volunteering yourself into the Billy Mumy episode of Twilight Zone. That skulled pitch on 17 was wonderfully familiar, like Plaxico breaking open in the left corner. :)

[wilt the stilt]

40. The Dolphins

act like a bunch of jerks cheering people to lose. I used to defend the Dolphins as the best team of all time because of their undefeated record but in retrospect they are have no class. Either you have class or you don't and the '72 Dolphins have no class.

[Jack from Charlotte]

41. I agree, the '72 Dolphins come off as assholes....

with that toast deal, etc... and I was a Dolph fan then and went to see them in the Orange Bowl and was a strong supporter.

They've really turned people off. Some have, I must say. I don't recall ever seeing Bob Griese bray like a jack ass when the last unbeaten loses. Other's, as well. But Merc Morris ... has turned the general public off against them , IMO.

[wilt the stilt]

39. Exclusivity to the max

yes, once inside it may be inexpensive but getting tickets are rather excessive. It technically is not open to the public and according to reports tickets are in the neighborhood of $500- $1000. It is an invitational so it is exclusive in that regard also. The U.S open has the best field and it is he most demanding tournament. Isn't that what we compete for?

The U.S open demands the most from the golfer. If you didn't have the rough at the Masters scores would be unbelievably low and if the greens weren't super fast then the course would be defenseless. The U.S. open rewards straight shots which we all strive for in golf. If items are expensive inside the U.S. open you don't have to buy them.

[fishwax]

8. I agree with you about the US Open -- I enjoy the masters, but

nothing beats The U.S. Open. (Nothing in golf, anyway ... )

[ProfessorGAC]

9. Except Maybe The British

It's a completely different kind of golf, which for me, makes it exciting. Even the best players in the world have to rethink their approach to the game. And those that don't, have no chance to win.
GAC

[Captain Hilts]

12. The British Open isn't played on a glorified astroturf pool table. I respect that. nt

[fishwax]

14. yeah, the British Open is great too

I usually look forward to the U.S. Open a little bit more, but I also like the British Open (and also prefer it to the Masters). I love seeing those courses, the elements, the deep bunkers and the high rough.

[Forkboy]

17. That's my favorite of the tour, though the Player's Championship is right up there.

Sawgrass is just a hell of a course to watch people navigate. The best risk/reward course on the tour.

The British Open is great for the reason you mention. It demands a style of golf that many simply can't play (even great players normally). It may not have the aesthetic appeal of American stadium courses, but give me St. Andrews, Royal Troon, Royal St. Georges and the like anyday.

[Jack from Charlotte]

37. I like watching The Brit Open because of the time it starts....

here on the US East coast. Get up in the AM and drink coffee and watch The Open and be done before mid afternoon.

The overhead shots of Troon, however, gave me that wretched US Open look of Corporate tents lined up so it looked like a cheap carnival. Hate that look.

[Condem]

15. Hey, WTF is going on??

The wrong guy is on the move. Not Phil the Schill. Please.

[fishwax]

16. He's having a great round, that's for sure -- I'm pulling for El Pato, though

:)

[Condem]

18. Back down to earth, Schill.

Time is running out for Tiger. Kenny Perry would be a very deserving Masters Champion.

[Forkboy]

19. I don't totally disagree, but it's a hell of a course to watch them play on.

I like the U.S. Open better because, as you say, it's a more open field which can lead to bigger surprises....not to mention killer course conditions every year, something even Augusta doesn't match most years.

I must be a sports junkie. I have a hockey game on my tv and the Masters on my pc. :)

[Condem]

20. Wow! One hell of a pairing ,there.

Some fine shot making between The Schill and Tiger. A little fade at the end, but a 67 & 68 are pretty good scores for a final round at The Masters. Nice job, men!

[fishwax]

21. Angel Cabrera!

:woohoo:

Pretty entertaining day of golf, I'd say ...

[Condem]

22. No other way to say it, fishwax

Perry choked big time. Sorry to see that.

[fishwax]

25. well, Angel also made some great clutch shots to keep the pressure on

his 15-footer for birdie on 16 after Perry's outstanding tee shot, the chip on 17 to tap in for par and the chip on 18 to keep himself alive in the playoff. He had plenty of opportunities to fold, particularly when he bogeyed 10 to fall 3 back. And, of course, when he started the playoff with that horrible drive up against the tree. He got a bit of luck on that second shot, but even so, he kept at it, and played the last six holes better than any of the leaders.

Like just about everyone else, I suppose, I figured Perry's tee shot on 16 was setting up an authoritative finish, so it was definitely surprising to see him hiccup that chip on 17 and then bogey 18 too. In a certain way it's true that Perry choked a bit, but it wasn't like Mickelson at Winged Foot or anything. And Campbell missed some make-able shots in the last few holes as well, or there might not have been a playoff in the first place.

I was rooting for Cabrera, as I said above, but I would have certainly been happy to see Perry win it (or Campbell, for that matter), and I felt bad for him for how it slipped away there at the end. But it was certainly made for a fun round to watch ...

[Condem]

26. Good points, fishwax.

Bottom line. Up two with two to play. At his age, I doubt he'll ever get that close again. Such is life.

[fishwax]

27. Did you catch his interview right after?

"At his age, I doubt he'll ever get that close again. Such is life."

When he was talking to CBS afterward, he at one point said "You know, I'm never going to ... who knows if I'll ever be in a position like that again ..." I'm paraphrasing, but that was the sentiment. It sounded like he fully believed it was a last-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but caught himself before admitting it fully and publicly. I thought that was poignant.

[El Supremo]

28. Didn't he play with the Modesto Nuts last year?

Rockies California League affiliate.

Seriesly, his name sounds more like a baseball player than a golfer.

[never cry wolf]

23. It was an awesomely entertaining day

I feel bad for Kenny Perry, that would have been a nice story.;. the big guys put on a charge, perry in the lead choked.... It was an historic and memorable back nine

[Condem]

24. The Schill did a 30 on the front nine.

Unheard of, I say. Tiger hung in there on the back. Best pairing I've seen in a long, long time.

[never cry wolf]

33. Why do you call him that?

Phil is one of the greatest golfers of all time and I have seen him in person half a dozen times and he is one hell of a nice guy to boot. He acknowledges, respects and appreciates the fans, says hi, signs autographs endlessly all with a seemingly childlike amazement that he is anything special.

I saw him play in his first US open as an amateur in 1990 at Medinah, someone in the gallery called out his name, he blushed, smiled and gave them a wave. He still does that.

[Condem]

34. Sorry, never cry wolf

Like John vs. Paul or Mick vs. Keith, add Tiger vs. Phil. Cannot like them both. The rules, you see. By the by, I'm a John and Keith man. So, Tiger was easy. Hence, Phil the Schill. He even looks a little like Macca.

[PRETZEL]

29. If Michelson doesn't put it in the water on 12

I think he would have won going away. But that's him. The front 9 was just unbelievable golf by anyone. That double not only cost him the 2 shots, but all the momentum he had from the front.

Cabrera played well when he had to. Good for him.

Also, maybe I don't remember this correctly, but didn't Augusta have to make an exception for Tiger to play in his first Masters. Somehow I seem to remember there being racial contraints at that time?

[hughee99]

45. Lee Elder played the Masters in 1975.

I don't recall any racial contraints at the Masters by the time Tiger played.

[joeybee12]

30. This isn't a real sport, is it? Cabrera couldn't speed walk a mile...

...I hear he was smoking between shots when he won the US Open.

[wilt the stilt]

31. It's not a sport

it's a game but a really difficult game that is cruel. Anyone who plays will tell you that it is old hard to put four good swings together and only sport where a 50 year can compete with a 25 year old. I agree about the British. It is also great. I root for the guys who grew up on the public courses like Perry, Couples and Trevino.

[joeybee12]

32. Yeah, too bad Perry didn't win...

...but he's a relative youngster at 48!

[TTUBatfan2008]

44. And what about Tiger?

He grew up on public courses too. But now he's the Yankees I guess so it's OK for people to forget his middle class, public course background at this point.

[Captain Hilts]

42. Anyone have a link to an article about Tiger's pity party? nt