2022 Masters - The Return of Tiger

[ClubWhatever 12,157]

10 hours ago, UTexasFight said:

Good stuff

sorry if it’s behind a paywall

https://www.wsj.com/articles/scottie-scheffler-masters-2022-11649681719

 

Well the first 1.5 paragraphs were pretty good. 

[Sbbruin 21,867]

On 4/8/2022 at 8:34 AM, Sbbruin said:

So my pool (pick 2 from top 10, 2 from 11-20, 3 from 21+) has a couple "oops" in it.  JT, and now Horschel, who is just blowing up.  But Scheffler, Berger, Koepka, Fitzpatrick and Conners should all make the cut.  Pretty much need the winner to win it.

BTW, these picks got me $300.

[Revolution512 1,495]

15 hours ago, C-Man said:

I absolutely think that was part of it. It's also why he moved on from Fluff, who Tiger thought was leveraging his status as Tiger's caddie too much. How he came to hire that asshat Hank Haney, I'll never know.

Mark O’Meara 

[TOR 5,813]

I never liked Rocco.  Always thought he probably smelled like gouda and butt cheese. 

[Blotto 23,570]

6 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

I still hope he never contends again so not every single thread about a tournament has his name in the title and I don't have to miss 80% of the other contenders' shots while they show Woods walking to his ball. 

 

6 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

Good golfer, shitty human being. His dad really messed up his head 

Thats where I'm at. I basically root for him to miss every cut, because I'm kind of sick of the dude. Some people say he makes watching golf more fun, but I haven't noticed any difference in my enjoyment watching golf if he's playing or not. He's a complete nothing outside of his golf career. He has the personality of a potato and seems awkward as hell trying to relate to people. mix in all of the stories of Tiger stiffing people on tips, not picking up a check, and he seems like he's one of those people that really only cares about himself.

There's plenty of more likeable players on tour that are also playing much better golf. At one time, he was an ultracompetitive golf savant that dominated like nobody else in my lifetime. That time is in the past, i don't need to hear every detail of what he had for breakfast, what his kid is doing on the golf course, etc....

[C-Man 27,256]

7 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

I still hope he never contends again so not every single thread about a tournament has his name in the title and I don't have to miss 80% of the other contenders' shots while they show Woods walking limping to his ball. 

FIFY

I'd rather he was contending then so it's not wasted coverage showing his entire round when he's going to finish +13 and 23 shots behind the eventual winner.

I get the Tiger fatigue but I'll allow it here. Hell, he was nearly killed 14-15 months ago and was still bed-ridden one year ago today. Pretty remarkable comeback.

As I said further up the thread, I believe he's changed quite a bit in the last decade. I also agree his parents brought a lot of this on -- the Tiger/HBO documentary was wild.

[dcar00 14,352]

56 minutes ago, C-Man said:

FIFY

I'd rather he was contending then so it's not wasted coverage showing his entire round when he's going to finish +13 and 23 shots behind the eventual winner.

I get the Tiger fatigue but I'll allow it here. Hell, he was nearly almost killed himself because he was being stupid again, 14-15 months ago and was still bed-ridden one year ago today. Pretty remarkable comeback.

As I said further up the thread, I believe he's changed quite a bit in the last decade. I also agree his parents brought a lot of this on -- the Tiger/HBO documentary was wild.

FIFY.  

remarkable he made the cut.  2019 was good for him and golf.  I'm done at this point though.  I'd rather watch Spieth or Tyrell Hatton blow up, it's way more entertaining. that said guy was the 2nd best ever and can still play at a reasonably high level so good for him.  he can play on tour for another 5 years picking his spots if he wants.

I'm not sure he's changed all that much.  IMO, he just does his humble bit for the media(and his image) because he did some really stupid and some of it shitty stuff for a long time.  Tigers don't change their spots. 

[pops 7,006]

3 hours ago, Revolution512 said:

Mark O’Meara 

This is 100% it. 

[dieucla98 2,942]

41 minutes ago, dcar00 said:

Tigers don't change their spots. 

Tiger is a cheetah?

Edited April 12, 2022 by dieucla98

[ClubWhatever 12,157]

It’s cringey watching him suck when the fans are expecting the good Tiger.  Get him out of there.  He didn’t even know the speed of the greens.

[Wally Fairway 5,584]

12 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

I still hope he never contends again so not every single thread about a tournament has his name in the title and I don't have to miss 80% of the other contenders' shots while they show Woods walking to his ball. 

Here is the funny thing about your complaint about the excessive Tiger coverage at The Masters; you can watch every shot of every golfer if you want. For free, on their website. I never turned on the TV and watched Amen Corner coverage on one monitor and the leaders on the other. Then I could jump see any for the announcers mentioned. 

So you only saw to much Tiger because you wanted to, or you don't have a computer.

[Hate 20,143]

I couldn't possibly care less about the off the course crap that Tiger has been through.  Would I prefer the iconic athletes be great people as well?  Yeah, I probably would.  Michael Jordan is every bit the perv and asshole that Tiger is, but he gets a pass.  I guess it's because Tiger tried to present himself as something that he wasn't, but I gave up on idolizing athletes or celebrities a long long time ago.  I cheer for Tiger because I want to witness historical greatness.  I want to see someone chase Jack down mostly because I wasn't old enough to appreciate or even witness a lot of what Jack did.  I think Tiger is probably the best golfer ever, but it's hard to argue against 18 majors and 19 second place finishes for Jack. 

[Cairn Horn88 8,283]

Every caddie gets a weekly paycheck, no matter where his player finishes," Collins said in an animated video for his show. "If the player misses the cut, the caddie still has to get a paycheck because the caddie pays for all of his own expenses — airfare, hotel, car, food, all of it."

"If the guy makes the cut, the standard is 10-7-5 — 10% for a win, 7% for a top 10, 5% for everything else," Collins said.

Applying the 10-7-5 standard that Collins establishes to Scheffler and Scott's run since November, it's possible that Scott has made more than $900,000 in the past six months since taking over Scheffler's bag, with Scheffler winning nearly $8.5 million from his four wins alone.

Even if Scheffler and Scott's agreement varies from the formula that Collins put forward, it's safe to say that with Scheffler cashing in for more than $9 million since the start of their relationship, Scott is doing pretty well.
 

Siap.

[cactusflinthead 27,601]

1 minute ago, Cairn Horn88 said:

Every caddie gets a weekly paycheck, no matter where his player finishes," Collins said in an animated video for his show. "If the player misses the cut, the caddie still has to get a paycheck because the caddie pays for all of his own expenses — airfare, hotel, car, food, all of it."

"If the guy makes the cut, the standard is 10-7-5 — 10% for a win, 7% for a top 10, 5% for everything else," Collins said.

Applying the 10-7-5 standard that Collins establishes to Scheffler and Scott's run since November, it's possible that Scott has made more than $900,000 in the past six months since taking over Scheffler's bag, with Scheffler winning nearly $8.5 million from his four wins alone.

Even if Scheffler and Scott's agreement varies from the formula that Collins put forward, it's safe to say that with Scheffler cashing in for more than $9 million since the start of their relationship, Scott is doing pretty well.
 

Siap.

Remind me why he isn't with Bubba? Seems like I have a vague memory of them getting mad at each other.

[ztejas 43,532]

13 minutes ago, Hate said:

Michael Jordan is every bit the perv and asshole that Tiger is, but he gets a pass.

Tiger hasn't gotten a pass? Feel like he has. I mean he lost sponsors when the whole scandal went down but I'm not sure he ever lost support from fans. MJ's domestic life never blew up on him the way Tiger's did (he also had a batshit crazy teammate for the 2nd Bulls stretch to probably distract a bit from his own debauchery). 

[Hate 20,143]

Did Jordan ever need to hold a press conference to apologize for cheating on his wife?  Did the NBA rebuke Jordan the way the Masters did to Tiger even though we all know Jordan has cheated on his wife at least as many times as Tiger did? 

[ztejas 43,532]

Just now, Hate said:

Did Jordan ever need to hold a press conference to apologize for cheating on his wife?  Did the NBA rebuke Jordan the way the Masters did to Tiger even though we all know Jordan has cheated on his wife at least as many times as Tiger did? 

MJ never had his wife take a golf club to him and then crash his car under the influence. Didn't Tiger have a DUI after that as well? Like I said - it never blew up in his face the same way. 

[conVINCEd 21,469]

5 minutes ago, ztejas said:

MJ never had his wife take a golf club to him and then crash his car under the influence. Didn't Tiger have a DUI after that as well? Like I said - it never blew up in his face the same way. 

Pre-internet vs. post-internet.

[Hate 20,143]

1 minute ago, conVINCEd said:

Pre-internet vs. post-internet.

More specifically, pre-twitter or social media. 

[conVINCEd 21,469]

1 minute ago, Hate said:

More specifically, pre-twitter or social media. 

Tiger’s domestic problems were before social media really took off.  I don’t think we had given the olds facebook yet or twitter even existed.

[C-Man 27,256]

It’s cringey watching him suck when the fans are expecting the good Tiger.  Get him out of there.  He didn’t even know the speed of the greens.

First competitive rounds since the car accident that almost killed him and almost took one of his legs. (I don’t think he’d played in awhile leading up to his accident so the layoff was even longer than that.) Augusta is a brutal walk if you’re in good shape. He was clearly fighting fatigue and some pretty intense pain. The third round was mostly played in mid-40 degree weather, which is especially tough on the leg. Again, he was Top 20 through 36 holes when fatigue and adverse weather likely got the better of him. I think it was survival for him on Sunday.

[C-Man 27,256]

MJ never had his wife take a golf club to him and then crash his car under the influence. Didn't Tiger have a DUI after that as well? Like I said - it never blew up in his face the same way. 

Not sure Tiger was ever given DUI. That was allegedly an Ambien night that he got pulled over. I think. Somebody refresh my memory.

[Hate 20,143]

5 minutes ago, conVINCEd said:

Tiger’s domestic problems were before social media really took off.  I don’t think we had given the olds facebook yet or twitter even existed.

Twitter was already pretty popular in the fall of 2009.  Hell, a lot of us were on Shaggy by then. 

[conVINCEd 21,469]

1 minute ago, Hate said:

Twitter was already pretty popular in the fall of 2009.  Hell, a lot of us were on Shaggy by then. 

I watched the whole thing unfold on a tv in the clubhouse of the most diabolical golf course on the planet.  I’ve been on UT message boards since the late 90’s (post-Jordan really mattering), but I feel like social media didn’t explode until shortly after Tiger taking a 9 iron to the dome.  I could be wrong about that because I was a holdout on social media for a little bit.  It could probably be more accurately stated as pre-smart phone vs post-smart phone.  If every human on the planet had a camera in their pocket 24/7 prime MJ would’ve had more problems.

[C-Man 27,256]

Twitter was already pretty popular in the fall of 2009.  Hell, a lot of us were on Shaggy by then. 

When did the Rangers sale that Cuban got beat on go through? That’s when I finally broke down and signed up for Twitter to follow that auction via Anthony Andro live tweets.

[ConferenceRoom 6,146]

7 hours ago, conVINCEd said:

I watched the whole thing unfold on a tv in the clubhouse of the most diabolical golf course on the planet.  I’ve been on UT message boards since the late 90’s (post-Jordan really mattering), but I feel like social media didn’t explode until shortly after Tiger taking a 9 iron to the dome.  I could be wrong about that because I was a holdout on social media for a little bit.  It could probably be more accurately stated as pre-smart phone vs post-smart phone.  If every human on the planet had a camera in their pocket 24/7 prime MJ would’ve had more problems.

https://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/04/25/twitter.buck/

I had been hearing about Twitter previous to this incident, but this was the first time I realized just how popular it was. I signed up at that point but barely used it. 

[Fudbelty 2,789]

When did the Rangers sale that Cuban got beat on go through? That’s when I finally broke down and signed up for Twitter to follow that auction via Anthony Andro live tweets.

2010

[StruggleBus 3,922]

10 hours ago, ztejas said:

MJ never had his wife take a golf club to him and then crash his car under the influence. Didn't Tiger have a DUI after that as well? Like I said - it never blew up in his face the same way. 

Not to mention Jordan's gambling issues

[dieucla98 2,942]

The fact that a football message board is still talking about Tiger after he shot +113 at the Masters 3 days ago underscores his continued importance to the game.

For me, it's that simple - if it helps the game, I'm all for it. And for now, Tiger definitely helps. Doesn't mean I root for him to win, but I'm also not going to bitch and moan about the coverage because that coverage brings eyeballs and growth to the game.

[alincoln 2,385]

13 hours ago, Hate said:

 I think Tiger is probably the best golfer ever, but it's hard to argue against 18 majors and 19 second place finishes for Jack. 

Jack in majors (1 Top 5 (Masters 86) and 6 Top 10s after 1983 when he was 43). 

Top 3: 46

Top 5: 56

Top 10: 73

Tiger in majors

Top 3: 26 

Top 5: 33

Top 10: 41

Jack finished in the top 5 in at least three majors in 13 different years including every year from 1971 to 1977.  Tiger did it 5 times which is still crazy but not in Jack's universe.  Jack finished in the Top 10 in at least two majors every year from 1961 to 1982.  Tiger did so from 1998 to 2002 and 2005 to 2010 and again in 2013 and 2018.  

[pops 7,006]

6 hours ago, alincoln said:

Jack in majors (1 Top 5 (Masters 86) and 6 Top 10s after 1983 when he was 43). 

Top 3: 46

Top 5: 56

Top 10: 73

Tiger in majors

Top 3: 26 

Top 5: 33

Top 10: 41

Jack finished in the top 5 in at least three majors in 13 different years including every year from 1971 to 1977.  Tiger did it 5 times which is still crazy but not in Jack's universe.  Jack finished in the Top 10 in at least two majors every year from 1961 to 1982.  Tiger did so from 1998 to 2002 and 2005 to 2010 and again in 2013 and 2018.  

Tough to compare eras. In any sport. The fields in 2000 weren't as deep as they are today (mostly thanks to tiger) but they were way deeper than the 60's through the 80's. 

Would babe Ruth do what he did in his prime against today's pitching and fielding. Fuck no. Does it devalue what he did?  No. He was the best in his era. 

Jack was unreal. Tiger was/is unreal. Best of all time? I think it's debatable but I was also 9 years old when Jack won his last major.  I don't even really like tiger but tough to not tip the cap. 

[Deej 76,903]

You can not like Tiger, and I get that, but if you can't appreciate and respect what he's done, well...

[LTtxfan 49,338]

21 hours ago, cactusflinthead said:

Remind me why he isn't with Bubba? Seems like I have a vague memory of them getting mad at each other.

 

Found this article... 

https://golfnewsri.com/2021/09/30/bubba-watson-parts-ways-with-caddie-ted-scott/#:~:text=Bubba Watson has announced that he and long-time,I have decided to end our on-course partnership.

[ztejas 43,532]

7 hours ago, alincoln said:

Jack in majors (1 Top 5 (Masters 86) and 6 Top 10s after 1983 when he was 43). 

Top 3: 46

Top 5: 56

Top 10: 73

Tiger in majors

Top 3: 26 

Top 5: 33

Top 10: 41

Jack finished in the top 5 in at least three majors in 13 different years including every year from 1971 to 1977.  Tiger did it 5 times which is still crazy but not in Jack's universe.  Jack finished in the Top 10 in at least two majors every year from 1961 to 1982.  Tiger did so from 1998 to 2002 and 2005 to 2010 and again in 2013 and 2018.  

Jack and Tiger don't give a shit about non-wins (Jack has more wins, too, anyway). Jack maybe had a better career but Tiger at his peak is the best ever and I'm not really sure how you could argue otherwise. Tiger won 8 out of 11 scoring average titles in his prime and really it was 9 but he missed the minimum rounds cutoff in one of the seasons. 

[Jive Turkey 12,642]

hard to believe that Jack has damn near twice as many starts in majors as Tiger.  but Tiger missed so many years.  and Jack kept playing all 4 majors until he was 57, and played a dozen more after that, including his final 2 at 65.

[C-Man 27,256]

hard to believe that Jack has damn near twice as many starts in majors as Tiger.  but Tiger missed so many years.  and Jack kept playing all 4 majors until he was 57, and played a dozen more after that, including his final 2 at 65.

I found it surprising that Tiger has only played 10 more Masters than Rory, 24-14.

[dcar00 14,352]

2 hours ago, Jive Turkey said:

hard to believe that Jack has damn near twice as many starts in majors as Tiger.  but Tiger missed so many years.  and Jack kept playing all 4 majors until he was 57, and played a dozen more after that, including his final 2 at 65.

so Tiger is 46 and has 15 major wins in 86 starts as a pro.  Jack won his last major at 46 to make 18 wins in 100 starts as a pro. 

here's the kicker.  all of Jack's stats in this graphic sans 2 Top 10s were done by the time Jack was 46.  Tiger missed 14 starts due to injury/stupidity.  but just like the baseball HOF, not being injured counts.

Tiger's 1999-2008 run was mercurial but Jack had a 1970 to 1979 stretch where he finished out of the top 15 in 40 majors only 3 times.  T6 in his final Masters at 58.

Tiger had his shot, injuries and stupidity/hubris stopped him from being #1.  It's Jack.

 

 

[ztejas 43,532]

34 minutes ago, C-Man said:

 

I found it surprising that Tiger has only played 10 more Masters than Rory, 24-14.

 

Kind of surprising I guess. Rory is about to turn 33. Tiger is 46. Rory turned pro at 19 and played his first Masters at 20. Tiger has missed a few, ipso facto...

[alincoln 2,385]

Tiger has had 1 win and 4 Top 3s in majors since he turned 33.

Jack had 7 wins and 20 Top 3s in majors after he turned 33 (but only 1 top 3 after he turned 44).

Phil had 6 wins and 16 Top 3s in majors after he turned 33 so Jack's late-prime major record isn't exactly unprecedented in the current era.

Tiger just completely wasted the last decade of his prime in the majors.  It's pretty crazy.  

[Revolution512 1,495]

Jack’s Top 6 finish at 58 might impress me the most

[C-Man 27,256]

9 hours ago, Revolution512 said:

Jack’s Top 6 finish at 58 might impress me the most

If only Tom Watson could've sealed the deal to win the Open Championship at 59 ... guess he finished third after the playoff

[dcar00 14,352]

10 hours ago, Revolution512 said:

Jack’s Top 6 finish at 58 might impress me the most

good article.   apparently 9 months later he had hip replacement surgery.

https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2018/04/05/jack-nicklaus-sunday-charge-at-1998-masters-at-age-58-still-amazing/

[Wally Fairway 5,584]

23 hours ago, Jive Turkey said:

hard to believe that Jack has damn near twice as many starts in majors as Tiger.  but Tiger missed so many years.  and Jack kept playing all 4 majors until he was 57, and played a dozen more after that, including his final 2 at 65.

There is a golf board that I was on for quite a while, they have a years long thread about Jack vs. Tiger and explaining why Tiger is the GOAT. While I'm not saying their wrong, they tend to downplay top 5's and top 10's in the majors; and focus on the depth of field, and the dominance of Tiger's victories.

Jack had a number  of years (I'd say a lot, but it is hard to know where the cut off is) when he was basically playing majors as an ambassador for the game. Also, without going back into the details, I recall that Tiger won 1 major when he didn't hold the 54 hold lead, while Jack had 4-5, maybe more, where he came from behind but he also lost several where he had the 54 hole lead. Tiger is the ultimate front runner, he has a killer instinct that was amazing; but I think he looses interest if he in the last group on Sunday; look to the past weekend and I think that is some of what we saw, along with fatigue. 

The big 3 of growing the game are Arnie for being the first to make the game a TV event, Jack for taking that to the next level and focusing on the majors which brought a defined focus to the season, and Tiger for taking all of that and making it into the entertainment and sports empire that it is today. Mr. Palmer gets special credit for seeing what it could be and starting the Golf Channel.

I grew up when Arnie was past his prime and Jack dominated, and when Jack was no longer the dominant player I was a huge fan of Freddie (still am). IMO the GOAT arguments are about people wanting to prove their opinion is right. I think it is hard to compare era's, and I enjoy each for what they have done, and look forward to see if Scottie can show if this is a glimpse of future performance or if someone else will step up. I'm hoping that he sustains more than Rory, Jordan, Ernie, VJ, DJ, and it is nice to have Bryson playing because there has always been someone on tour I don't really like and he makes that easy.

[alincoln 2,385]

Tiger should have been the unquestioned GOAT. He certainly had the best decade ever and his highs (multiple 5 tournament in a row win streaks, Tiger Slam) are unmatched in the modern game.  What odds would you have gotten after the 2008 US Open (coming off of 6 wins, 4 runner-ups and 12 Top 5s in the past 14 majors) that Tiger wouldn't win another major for over a decade?

11 hours ago, Wally Fairway said:

Jack had a number  of years (I'd say a lot, but it is hard to know where the cut off is) when he was basically playing majors as an ambassador for the game.

This is a good point.  Jack had 1 top 5 (86 Masters) and 6 Top 10s in his last 68 majors (84-05).  He basically did all of his damage when he was younger than Tiger currently is.

[Incredulity 11,683]

1 hour ago, alincoln said:

He basically did all of his damage when he was younger than Tiger currently is.

all golfers do their damage when they are younger than Tiger currently is.

[Francisco 2.0 32,426]

One of The Athletic's writers had his name pulled in the media drawing and was able to play a round the day after the tournament.  Instead of writing a regular column about the experience, he allowed readers to submit questions about his day and he answered them.  Considering he hadn't played a round since last November, to have your first round of 2022 on Augusta National is...noteworthy:

https://theathletic.com/3247753/2022/04/14/eight-inches-from-the-great-par-ever-recorded-brendan-quinn-answers-your-questions-on-his-round-at-augusta-national/

 

Spoiler

It all happened so fast. Covering the Final Four two weeks ago. Then, what? Tiger is heading to Augusta? Off to Augusta early to cover the Masters. Then an incredible charge by Scottie Scheffler and an incredible story to tell. Then, wait, uhhh, I was selected in the media lottery and am playing Augusta National the day after the Masters?

That all unfolded in about five days.

So, yes, I guess it’s golf season now. I answered just your questions about the course and my round in this one, and I will answer all mailbag questions on the PGA Tour on Friday.

What tees/distance did you play from? What is your handicap? What do you think a typical scratch golfer would shoot from the tournament tees? — Jeremy H.

OK, so let’s get all this out of the way first. At any given time, I’m between a 9-12 handicap. Low score last summer was 77 at The Mines GC in Grand Rapids, Mich. High was a 97 (💀) at TPC Sawgrass. I’m … OK … play often, rarely practice, bad back, in my own head, tendency to imbibe, but can get around a course and occasionally play well. My swing is, let’s say, languid. Legendary photographer and frequent golf partner Mike Mulholland states: “Consistent tempo most players dream of.”

Augusta features two sets of tees. The Masters — 7,510 yards. The Members — 6,365 yards. We played the Members. I’m not sure if playing from the Masters’ Tees was even an option. The thought didn’t even cross my mind because I’m not a sociopath.

The course is dramatically different from the Members’ Tees. Hole No. 1, for instance. Masters’ Tee is 445 out. Members’ Tee is 365. Playing up, a decent player can reach the top of the hill and potentially carry the bunker on the right. From the back tees? No chance. Might be hard just getting home in two. I put driver into the ninth fairway (a slight pull!) and was pin-high from left of the green with a 9-iron. It’s simply a different course from the forward tees, as it should be. The dramatic difference in distance takes some of the teeth out of the course, no doubt, and, in some instances, the tracking changes from what’s in your mind’s eye, in terms of where you expect to be off the tee. On 11, annually one of the Masters’ toughest holes, there’s a 120-yard difference in the tees. 120! I opened the church doors to Amen Corner with a driver, 8-iron and was standing over a 6-foot birdie putt. (I missed. Great par, though!) If I’d been playing from the Masters’ Tees, I might still be out there.

A scratch golfer from the Members’ Tees? Hard for me to say, as 1) I’ve never been scratch and 2) I’ve only played with a scratch golfer on a handful of occasions. My guess is a scratch golfer, in optimal conditions, using (and listening to) a local caddie, could break 80. Ultra fast and firm conditions? Heavy winds? Now that’s a different story.

We were lucky Monday to play in perfect weather and on greens that, while very very fast, were well-watered and not rolling at table-top speeds.

Gotta know the total score and number of putts. — James W. 

I’ll talk more about the start and the challenges that come with it, but will say here, I rushed through the opening six holes, never got comfortable, and opened triple, double, double, bogey, double, triple — six holes in, I hadn’t breathed, and hadn’t put a swing on the ball. Finally got settled on No. 7 with a good tee shot. Ended up playing Nos. 7 through 16 at 7-over, which … not bad! Some slip-ups on Nos. 17 and 18, ended with a double-double finish.

All told: 50-46 — 96

I didn’t keep count on the putts, but it was undoubtedly over 40.

My goal was to break a hundred and not 1) embarrass myself or 2) injure myself. Hang the banner: Mission Accomplished.

Walk everyone through the process (if you’re allowed to …) from the time you got out of the car, until you teed off on Hole 1. — Robert P.

Not sure if I’m allowed to but will do so anyway.

Pulled into Gate 3 off Washington Avenue — immediately met by three police officers guarding Magnolia Lane. You know that sinking feeling when a cop is behind you and you’re nervous, even though you’ve done nothing wrong? It’s that, x 1,000. Presented my ID and invitation, and proceeded forward. Drove 5 miles per hour down Magnolia. Rolled the windows down. Blasted “What We Do.” (jk) Handed the keys to my rental CR-V to the valet. That high-roller sportswriter life.

One of the perks of the day was getting to use the Champions Locker Room. You walk into the Augusta clubhouse, take a 13-step spiral staircase up to the second floor and find the Champions Locker Room on the left and the Augusta National Library (where the Champions Dinner is held) on the right. In your mind, the space is all much larger than what’s in reality. Which makes sense, though — while the club dates to 1934, the building dates back to 1854. Of course, there aren’t massive rooms. The lockers are shared by ex-champions. I was assigned to one used by Billy Casper and Zach Johnson. Trying not to overstate anything, but the walls on the second floor of the clubhouse are admittedly extraordinary. Arnold Palmer’s green jacket. A telegram from Winston Churchill sent to Augusta National, congratulating Dwight D. Eisenhower on his victory in the 1952 presidential election. Relics from Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen, so on. It’s pretty mind-bending.

From the clubhouse, it was off to the driving range. A 25-year veteran ANGC caddie, Elliott, awaited with my bag. “Let’s have a day,” he said. Indeed. I told Elliott that, no matter what, no matter where, no matter the advice, I would listen to every directive he afforded me during the round. He would be my North Star.

Warmup sessions was … not great. A few stingers. First swings since last fall. Finally, good contact with a couple 8-irons. Took a few swings with the driver. Caught one, called it quits, set off for the practice green.

Tee time: 11:10 a.m. Elliott asked if we should take a cart to No. 1. I said absolutely not, we will walk. Elliott said he recently caddied here for Shane Lowry, who came through for a practice round. I told Elliott, other than also being very Irish, that’s where the similarities ended.

First tee, couldn’t feel my feet, forgot how to grip the club. It’s a bit out-of-body. As mentioned above, the Members’ Tees are 80 yards ahead of the Masters’ Tees on No. 1. As far as the tee shot goes, the view isn’t quite as daunting as you imagine. However, the large iconic scoreboard by the course entrance is still directly off to your right and, catch one a little thin … yeah, that sucker is in-play. The vision of drilling the scoreboard off the tee and perhaps being asked to leave is unavoidable.

I stood over my tee shot. Not sure if it was for 3 seconds or 30 seconds. Finally pulled the trigger. The good news — I didn’t duff it. The bad news — I smoked a low liner down the left side of 1 fairway, through the pine straw and into 9 fairway.

And we were off!

Pro tip: Don’t play Augusta for your first round of the season. No. 1 at Augusta was my first hole since a Nov. 26 round at Cascata GC in Las Vegas.

Yeah, I tripled the first.

 

Was it an experience of disbelief that carried over into drinks after the round, or were you fully aware and able to soak in every shot? — Aaron L.

It took a minute. And by a minute, I mean an hour or so. The first six holes were a blur. There are two things you can’t slow down — your mind and your swing. You’re there, you’re trying to acquiesce to the moment, appreciate where you are and the course under your feet and the history in your midst. You tell yourself you’re not going to care about your score. Then you blink and you’re a few holes in, your scorecard is a mess, and your heart rate is off the charts.

Here’s an issue: It’s one thing to know well in advance that you’re playing a round like this. You spend months planning a golf trip, or a round at St. Andrew’s, or a round at Pebble Beach, or you know well in advance of an invitation to this prestigious course or that fancy club, and you mentally prepare for it. Well, as of last week, I had no idea I was going to be playing Augusta. Sure, there was the possibility of being picked in the lottery, but you don’t actually think it’s going to happen. Then, boom, Friday morning, walking in from following Sungjae Im, I run into Andy Johnson (the indomitable Fried Egg), who congratulates me for I-don’t-know-what. He says, oh, you were pulled in the lottery, and, just like that, I blackout.

Not exactly a lot of time to process.

Plus, there’s the rest of the tournament to cover.

Then Monday arrives and you’re waking up with a tee time, driving down Magnolia. What??

If I were to give anyone in a similar spot any advice, it’d be to separate from the group for the walks on Nos. 1 and 2, and sort of let the moment settle in. Don’t walk those fairways rambling through conversations or introductions. That can all come in time. Starting out, you need to embrace the moment, slow down your mind, and get comfortable being there. Also, early on, ask your caddie to point out where famous shots were taken along the way. Also, maybe write a list of spots to visit and tuck it in with the scorecard. For example, before the round, I had all intentions of going to the spot of Tiger’s chip on 16 and throwing down a ball. Didn’t seem like something you have to remind yourself of, right? Well, when I got to 16, I was coming off a two-putt par on 15 that had me all kinds of giddy. I didn’t want the round to end. I put a 9-iron into the middle of 16 green. Endorphins firing. Then came the inevitable three-putt. So now I’m thinking about the three-jack, not Tiger’s chip. I didn’t realize it until walking up 17 that I missed the opportunity.

You tell yourself you’re going to do this, do that, see this, see that, then you’re out there and the course takes over.

What was the highlight of your round at Augusta National? — Sean M.

Elliott gave me two options into the traditional Sunday pin-placement on No. 12. Go with the safe play on the left side, about 145 yards; or take the risk and go right at the stick, about 160 yards. We were into a one-club wind. Since there’s likely zero chance of ever playing Augusta again, I had to go for it all.

This swing? It was total dogshit. Hurried at the top, bladed it. A flare to the right in the water.

Elliot said let’s head to the drop area. Another caddie in the group, my man Marcus, says, “Or you hit another one right here and don’t go out like that.”

Teed another one up. This swing? One of the best 7-irons of my life. Mid-flight, all of us on the tee box realize … oh shit … that might be in. It’s coming down all over the stick. It lands, we hold our breath, wait … it doesn’t disappear.

Once on the green, we find a ball mark 8 inches in front of the cup. The ball is 5 feet past the cup. Finished with a bogey, yes, but will remember it for the rest of my life. Eight inches from the greatest par ever recorded.

Long-time listener first-time caller: What was your resting heart rate on Hole 1? — Nick B.

Imagine the Ultimate Warrior’s dead-sprint ring entrance.

Now imagine it on hot coals.

And running through a brick wall.

With Amen Corner on the other side.

Whatever the heart rate — it was that.

What was the most surprisingly difficult thing at Augusta that people don’t usually talk about? Maybe a hole or aspect that isn’t covered much but you found difficult while playing compared to covering?— Taylor H.

Chipping into the grain around the green — judging the speed, how hard to hit it, and the release — was inordinately difficult. While the bulk of my damage came putting (surely 40+ putts), that was expected. But it was chipping and trying to figure out how the ball was going to react that was eye-opening. Certainly gave new appreciation to Scottie Scheffler’s chip-in on No. 3.

BQ, how does Augusta compare to Cobbs Creek? And how many Pro VI did u need to complete the round? — Gregory M.

First off, nothing compares to Cobbs Creek.

An interesting note on lost balls, though. Fun fact — it’s rather difficult to actually lose balls at Augusta. Before the round, I of course bought a dozen (Bridgestone RX), thinking I’d put a good dent in it. But no, the course is fairly open and while there are plenty of trees, there aren’t that many areas in play for you to lose the ball, unless you’re realllly spraying it. My lone lost ball was on 12 tee, and, in hindsight, I wouldn’t have wanted to leave without making a donation to Rae’s Creek.

 

The elevation changes at Augusta National have to be walked to be believed. (Andrew Davis Tucker / USA Today)

Long time subscriber, Brendan, love your golf content. Were your legs tired afterwards? Also, can you talk a little about the elevation changes and if/how it isn’t reflected on tv? Thanks! — Matthew C.

So, some context — my friends and I regularly walk. Hate riding. So hoofing 18 is nothing new.

But, Augusta? Folks, that’s a walk. As you often hear, the undulation is indeed dramatically different than you realize on TV. The downhill walk from tee-to-green on No. 6 is tricky. The uphill walks on No. 8 and No. 9 are tough. There’s the downhill on No. 10. The uphills on Nos. 11 and 15. It’s not only the uphills, but the sidehills. Not only are the knees and calves putting in work, but the ankles, too. By the time No. 17 arrived on Sunday, I was pretty well gassed. It’s worth noting — the pros actually walk a good bit more, as those back tees require a few extra hikes.

The 18th is a beast. You’ve walked the whole course, roughly 6 miles, and now you get to this thing. So, first, you tee off (yes, the tree on the left is in play from the Members’ Tees), then walk downhill, then march straight uphill. By the time you get to your ball, your legs are shot.

At the end of my round, I split the fairway with one last drive and felt great. Elliott said, “That’s how you finish!” Well, problem was, I wasn’t finished. I needed one more full swing. And by the time I got up to the ball in 18 fairway, my keg was tapped. My final swing — an 8 iron from 160 — was nothing more than a lifeless flail. I thinned it into the massive front left bunker.

What I now especially appreciate about the pros playing Augusta is not physically walking the 18, but mentally staying focused for the 18. It’s a hard walk, and it’s easy for your concentration to slip. The best of the best are able to singularly treat each shot like its own event. That’s so hard to do when mentally and physically exhausted.

#9 looks like a tough hole, that the pros make look easy, how hard was that hole specifically and which hole (not in Amen corner) was your favorite to play? — Alex M.

Well, not all the pros make it look easy. And it certainly wasn’t easy for me. My guess as to why the scoring average is typically low in comparison to other holes? For one, they can’t all be among the hardest, right? In No. 9’s case, it’s a long-ish par 4, but the fairway is severely downhill (maybe more so than on TV) and somewhat forgiving. The green is relatively large and, as long as you avoid the left bunkers and the false front, you should be OK. In my case, I caught a good drive that landed on the left-to-right downslope, rolling and reaching the very edge of the pine straw down the right side. I had roughly 165 or so into a back left pin. Elliott said to club-up. I went with a 6, but still couldn’t carry the false front. I was left with a pretty straightforward, simple pitch back to the pin, though. I put that to about 12 feet and made the par. So maybe that answers your question. If I can navigate the ninth with that little difficulty, imagine what the pros can do.

How many times did you four-putt? — Mark G.

Once. The 17th. Augusta sensed I was feeling good about myself after playing Nos. 7-16 at 7-over. It rejected my happiness in principle.

Favorite hole at Augusta to watch on tv? Favorite hole at Augusta to play? — Zack Z.

Love the 10th. Absolutely love it. It’s great to watch from the tee, seeing these guys shape it right to left around the bend. It’s great to watch from the fairway, seeing the ball drop from nowhere and react in the fairway and the angles of attack into the green. It’s great to watch from the green, seeing balls rejected by the right bunker and severe shaved rollout out on the left, and the travails on the green.

It’s absurd to pick one hole to play, but I’ll say 13. The walk from the tee to the fairway, with the trees and azaleas on your left, and the views of 11 green and the 12th to your right is otherworldly. From a playing standpoint, for a mid-handicapper like me, while, yeah, there’s plenty of trouble, it’s also a legitimate birdie opportunity — a 455-yard par-5. A good drive, a decent layup, and a good wedge — you gotta chance. I put my drive down the right side of the fairway, hit pitching wedge to the flat area down on the left side, then hit a 56-degree wedge to about 25 feet. It was awesome, other than the three-putt.

Have you ever received a warning from a member while at Augusta? — Zach G.

No, but I’ll do ya one better. I was once told to leave the premises entirely and had my credential revoked. (Due to a contact tracing incident last year.) 

Now that you’ve played it, If they opened the course to public tee times, what could they charge for a round? — Thomas T.

It’s about $600 to play Pebble Beach, I think? Triple it. I’ll say $1,800 just for the tee time, then added fees for accommodations, caddie, etc. They could charge it and people would pay it. No doubt.

If I’m ever lucky enough to win the ticket lottery, where’s the best spot on the course for a fan to be? — Timothy B.

Walk the front nine in the morning light. Post up for a few hours at a couple spots — maybe 5 green/6 tee, where you can also see 16 green, and some time at Amen Corner. Then walk the back nine in the late-afternoon light.

Hi Brendan, what’s your take on the changes made to number 15? Zero eagles made on the hole this week. — Donal C.

Thought it was great and I’ll give you an example why.

I was following Sungjae Im on Friday. He arrived at 15 one shot out the lead. The day prior, he laid up on 15, dropped an approach to 13 feet, and left with birdie on his way to an opening-round 67. In the second round, he opted to go for it and promptly blasted a hybrid over the green and into the water. It was a brutal turn. Sungjae birded the 16th to get it back, but bogeyed the 18th and ended the day with a 2-over 74. In a tournament with so little room for error, it was the wrong decision at the wrong time.

On Saturday, in tough conditions, he laid up, left himself 63 yards, flipped a pitch to the back of the green, then rolled in a long birdie putt.

On Sunday? He laid up, left himself roughly 90-100 yards in, and put his wedge so far over the green it nearly reached the water. He left with bogey.

Point is, there were decisions to be made and no right answer. In the past, every player went for it, eagle was in play, and birdie was sometimes seen as a given. While, yes, it’s cool for a major to have an eagle in play down the stretch in the fourth round, the hole itself is now more interesting for the entirety of the tournament. A happy medium might be a right pin placement on Sunday that still requires a decision, but also perhaps keeps the door open for an eagle opportunity for the pursuing player who might need it.

Now that you’ve played Augusta, what are the top 3 courses you have ever played and how far apart is Augusta from the rest? — Brandon J.

Augusta National is the new No. 1 and it exists in its own realm. There is no conversation. Would be like putting the ’85 Bears in the MAC.

So removing Augusta entirely, my top three is some combination of Inverness, Oakland Hills, Bethpage Black, Kingsley Club, The Honors Course and The Stadium Course at Sawgrass. I can’t rank them. My *favorite* courses I’ve played are probably Inverness, Belvedere, Arcadia Bluffs and … Cobbs Creek.

Did you feel like you were walking on eggshells at any (or all) points, concerned that you might do something that transgressed their many rules? — Gregory B.

Driving, parking, walking around the clubhouse and pro shop … absolutely.

On the course … no.

 

Edited April 15, 2022 by Francisco 2.0

[alincoln 2,385]

16 minutes ago, Incredulity said:

all golfers do their damage when they are younger than Tiger currently is.

Yes, but one of the arguments against Jack is the number of majors he played in compared to Tiger.

[tx 3 putt 77,376]

On 4/14/2022 at 7:59 AM, alincoln said:

Tiger has had 1 win and 4 Top 3s in majors since he turned 33.

Jack had 7 wins and 20 Top 3s in majors after he turned 33 (but only 1 top 3 after he turned 44).

Phil had 6 wins and 16 Top 3s in majors after he turned 33 so Jack's late-prime major record isn't exactly unprecedented in the current era.

Tiger just completely wasted the last decade of his prime in the majors.  It's pretty crazy.  

jack want wasting time and energy chasing pussy like tiger 

[Francisco 2.0 32,426]

Just now, tx 3 putt said:

jack want wasting time and energy chasing pussy like tiger 

And dreaming of being a SEAL. 

[alincoln 2,385]

1 minute ago, tx 3 putt said:

jack want wasting time and energy chasing pussy like tiger 

Tiger's greatest stretch in the majors was while he engaged in the most debauchery