Views From The Booth: Idiotic Golf Fans

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(Posted 6-22-26)

Greetings from The Booth!

I hope all the Dads out there had a great Sunday! I actually got to watch 7 hours of golf on Father’s Day without any complaints from my better half. That only happens once a year–Sunday at the US Open. If I tried to watch 7 hours of the “XYZ Dot Com Classic,” I would be sent straight to the Dog House, where there probably is no wi-fi.

In case you missed golf’s third major, Wyndham Clark won his second US Open in four years (he was the 2023 Champion), by holding off fellow American Sam Burns. World number-one Scottie Scheffler, who was paired with Clark on Sunday and was clearly the fan favorite, was stuck in neutral all day and finished at even par on the brutal Shinnecock Hills course on Long Island.

SIDEBAR: I like Scheffler. In fact, he was my pick to win the US Open and complete the “Scottie Slam.” But enough about the “World Number One” crap. Because of golf’s complicated ranking system that only a math major from MIT can figure out, Scheffler remains at number one. He hasn’t had a great year by his standards, with several runner-up finishes, and eight top-tens, but no “major wins,” which is a benchmark of the top player in the world. I’m not the biggest Tiger Woods fan, but Tiger in his prime would have found a way to win yesterday, if only by intimidation. Jack Nicklaus within 4 shots of a lead in a major was a frightening thought to those in contention on the Sunday of a major. Scheffler never made the big putts yesterday when he had several chances to grab the tournament by the short hair. This is a discussion for another day.

Let’s talk about the fan behavior at Shinnecock on Sunday. Clearly, the majority wanted Scheffler to win. After all, it was his birthday, and he was trying to complete the aforementioned “Scottie Slam,” needing only to add the US Open to his 2 Masters wins, his PGA victory, and his Open championship. I get it. It would have been a great story. But rooting for your favorite player doesn’t mean being a jackass toward his competitor, and that’s what happened yesterday.

To say the reaction toward Clark was lukewarm would be an understatement. You would have thought we were watching the Ryder Cup, where disgusting fan behavior rears it’s ugly head every two years (just ask Rory McIlroy, who is loved on Tour, but has to listen to absolute verbal bile at the Ryder Cup when it’s on American soil). Clark had to listen to hecklers all afternoon, and it’s safe to say he felt the negative vibe from the New York crowd.

To his credit, Clark made crucial par saves and several huge birdies yesterday, never losing the lead, all in the face of a gallery that made it clear they wanted him to lose. In fact, Clark led the US Open from 7:09 PM Thursday until his tap-in on number 18 on Sunday. That’s the equivalent of a Steve Austin double middle finger to a crowd that deserved it.

In golf , we root for our favorites, but don’t root against the other guy. That’s the spirit of the game many of us grew up with. That spirit was sadly lacking yesterday.

RW

 

 

 

 

Tiger

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(posted 4-1-26)

Greetings from The Booth!

It’s hard to chase a Bear with a Monkey on your back…

Some thoughts about Tiger Woods as we approach the Masters next week in Augusta, Georgia. By now, after incessant 24/7 coverage, everyone is aware of Tiger’s recent vehicle escapade in Jupiter, Florida, where he rolled his SUV and was subsequently charged with DUI (he has pleaded not guilty to the charge). Although he registered a 0.0 on a breathalyzer test, Woods refused to take a urine test, which raised a red flag to the possibility of having taken painkillers. His litany of injuries is well documented, so this would not be a stretch, but as is always the case, the justice system will need to run its course.

As of this writing, Tiger Woods has released a statement that he will not be playing in the Masters, instead focusing on his health and well-being. Until last week’s car crash, Tiger was in the process of yet another comeback and was going to play in the Masters (past winners have a lifetime exemption at Augusta), and had recently returned to the golf scene in a Team Golf League event. In my very humble opinion, Woods now needs to focus entirely on getting better. If he does indeed have a problem with painkillers, Tiger needs to deal with that. Golf should be nowhere in the conversation at this point.

Tiger Woods may have to come to grips with the possibility that he may never play competitive golf again. In addition to the multiple injuries, Woods is now 50. Jack Nicklaus, the man Tiger is trying to catch for all-time major wins, won his last “major” at age 46. As the saying goes, Father Time is undefeated and catches up with us all. I don’t think we appreciate how difficult it is to walk 4 consecutive days of a PGA Tour event, especially Augusta National. One can’t fully appreciate the hilly nature of Augusta by watching the TV coverage of The Masters. With back and knee issues, just one day of walking Augusta can be excruciating. There has been some talk about granting Woods an exemption and allowing him to ride a cart in Tour events. Tiger has, in the past, said he would not use a golf cart, and I don’t think his pride would allow him to.

Most athletes do not get to go out on their own terms. To paraphrase a line from the movie Top Gun, the mind writes checks the body can’t cash. We all think of Tiger Woods as that unbeatable golf machine, piling up major wins, fist-pumping, and often lapping the field. That Tiger does not exist anymore. Although his competitive fires may still burn hot and bright, there may be no more checks left in the checkbook. It might have to be enough for Tiger to exorcise whatever demons are within him and become a great ambassador of the game. That would be a “major” win for Tiger Woods.

Until the next visit from The Booth, enjoy The Masters!

RW

 

 

 

Rooting For The Old Guys

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Greetings from The Booth!

It’s Masters Sunday, and on this beautiful day, there are plenty of things I should be doing on my property instead of watching golf. The James Wood Touchdown Club delivered my annual 20 bags of mulch yesterday, and and army of leaves remains from the Fall. Not to mention the disheveled condition of my deck. But, as I try to explain to my wife (to no avail), “it’s The Masters!” She just doesn’t get it.

To those of you who are “unwashed,” The Masters is the first “major” tournament of the professional golf season. It is the perfect convergance of the time of year, the importance of the tournament, and the venue. Augusta National in the Spring is one of the most beautiful sights in golf, and the famed green jacket that goes to the Masters champion is one of the most coveted prizes in golf.  It is, as they say, a tradition like no other.

Every year, I like to root for the old guys at the Masters. I’ve been doing this ever since Jack Nicklaus, at age 46, won the 1986 Masters, his sixth and final green jacket. For many years after that tournament, I always hoped against hope that the Golden Bear could repeat the feat. There were several times that Jack showed flashes of his younger self, but could never seem to put 4 rounds together at Augusta and shock the golf world.

Next in line was Freddie Couples. Like me, Couples was born in 1959. I was at Congessional Country Club in DC in 1983 as a member of the media when Freddie won the 1983 Kemper Open and have been a fan ever since. A 1992 Masters winner, Couples contended for the green jacket in 2006, and would have been the oldest Masters winner had he pulled it off that year. “Boom Boom,” as he’s called, has been plagued with back problems throughout his career, but last year at age 63, made the cut at Agusta. This year, Freddie struggled with his back and missed the cut.

My old guy of choice the last several years has been Tiger Woods. I’ve never been a huge Tiger fan, but I do acknowledge that he is one of the top 2 golfers of all-time (I still think Jack is the best, but we can have that discussion another day). In recent years, Woods has had more surgeries that the “Operation” board-game guy, and has only played sporadically. At 43, Tiger won the 2019 Masters, a comeback story for the ages. This year, at 48, Woods will not win the Masters (his tournament ended at the time of this post), but did set the record for most consecutive cuts made at 24. Tiger will never be the player he once was, but his very presence at Augusta makes us believe he can do it one more time.

And speaking of old guys, this will be the final Masters for broadcaster Vern Lundquist, who will be forever linked with Nicklaus’ 1986 Masters win. Today’s TV broadcasters should take a lesson from Vern, who understood that it’s about pictures, not words. And if you listen very close this afternoon during today’s final round of the Masters, you might hear the words “Yes Sir!” ringing through the Georgia pines.

Until the next visit from The Booth…Old Guys Rule!

RW

 

Sports Dogs Podcast: Masters Preview

In this edition, we take a break from basketball and join up with Nick Ciattei of Mid Atlantic Golf Getaways and preview golf’s first “major,” the 2023 Masters, as the world’s top golfers get ready to tee it up from famed Augusta National. Who will don the green jacket this Sunday? Enjoy the witty banter! (and Nick’s golf attire!)

 

Tiger Is Back!

Greetings from The Booth!

It was great to see lots of Shenandoah University fans, athletes, coaches, and dignitaries this past Saturday in Winchester, braving a brisk 40-degree morning to be a part of the ribbon cutting of the renovated baseball and softball fields at Jim Barnett Park. The ceremony was culmination of creative thinking from SU and the City to give the Hornet softball and baseball programs a home field they can call their own, and also provide local teams like the Winchester Royals upgraded facilities they can be proud of. Speakers included emotional Hornet baseball coach Kevin Anderson, and Shenandoah President Dr. Tracy Fitzsimmons, who called the project a “win-win.” It was a great morning, one that I’m sure many thought would never come because of the challenges posed by COVID.

Well, it’s Masters Week, with golf’s first “major” set for this weekend at beautiful Augusta National. I’ll admit that for me, this was going to be a boring Masters. Many of the game’s top players are not on top of their game right now. New names we don’t really know have been winning golf tournaments in 2022. A name we do know, Phil Mickelson, has fallen from grace because of his controversial comments about the Saudis, and has self-isolated. He will not be a part of the 2022 Masters. I felt no “buzz” heading into this week.

Then came the appearance of Tiger Woods at Augusta. His early-week practice round drew large crowds, and there was much anticipation that he would give it a go on Thursday morning. Tiger confirmed the rumors on Tuesday, and the Masters was given the storyline it needed.

Tiger Woods believes he can win another green jacket this week, and said as much. He wouldn’t play otherwise. His competitive fires still burn. The issue this week, aside from making the cut (which would be an amazing story in it’s own right) is one of endurance. Tiger hasn’t played competitive golf since late 2020, three months before the car crash that almost took his leg, and could very well have taken his life. It remains to be seen if Woods can walk 4 consecutive days around a hilly Augusta National.

There’s also the fact that the top golfers in the world are also vying for one of golf’s top prizes. To beat the Masters field when you have your “A” game is tough enough, let alone when you are returning after 14 months. Win or lose, Tiger just playing at the 2022 Masters is the sport’s version of the Alex Smith story. Winning would be almost incomprehensible, and would certainly trump his win at Augusta in 2019.

But don’t count him out. Tiger Woods has a flair for the moment. He is well aware that another green jacket would give him six, which would tie him with the great Jack Nicklaus, a man Tiger still thinks he can catch in the race for all-time majors (18). Tiger is also well aware that winning the Masters would be arguably the greatest comeback story in sports history.

Reason enough to hope Tiger is prowling the back nine at Augusta National late Sunday afternoon.

Until the next visit from The Booth…enjoy the golf, and GO HORNETS!

RW

 

Arnie & The British

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Greetings from The Booth!

Vacation looms, as I get ready for my annual trip to Deep Creek Lake, Md. next week, thanks to the BBILE (Best Brother-In-Law Ever).I’m looking forward to a week in a beautiful lake house for a little R&R&R…Rest, Relaxation, and Recharging! Not to mention a giant hot tub, some adult beverages, and a John Grisham novel.

This week, Major League Baseball takes it’s annual All-Star Break, which brings back great memories for me. As a kid who loved baseball, I would always keep a scoresheet for the Mid-Summer Classic (“that’s 4-to-3 if you’re scoring at home”) and there were always some great All-Star Games back in the day. Who could forget Reggie Jackson’s mammoth blast that hit the light standard in the 1971 All Star game. And how about Pete Rose’s violent collision with Ray Fosse on July 14th, 1970. And, unlike today, players who were invited actually showed up and played.

This week also marks the 149th playing of The Open Championship, golf’s final “major” of the year, at the Royal St. George’s Golf Course in the UK. On this side of the pond it’s called “The British Open,” because we Americans don’t want to give it more importance than our own “US Open.”

The British Open is most often played at seaside “links” courses, and is alien to the style of golf played here in the States. Weather is almost always a factor (you’ll see sweaters being worn by some golfers this week), with wind, rain, and cold one day, followed by sunny and mild (by British standards) the next. In addition, the finicky golf gods can leave terrible lies even on shots in the fairway.

These are just a few of the reasons why at one time the British Open was a tournament that most American golfers didn’t care much about. In addition to the style of golf and the weather, it cost too much to go “across the pond” and play in The Open Championship. With no exemptions and low prize money, many golfers would lose money by playing in the British, even if they qualified.

Then came Arnold Palmer, who in 1960, was one of only 4 Americans to play in The Open Championship at St. Andrews (“the home of golf”), and one of only 2 Yanks to make the cut. Palmer was trying to complete the Big Three that year, already having won The Masters and US Open, something Ben Hogan had done in 1953.

Palmer would lose by a stroke, but gave legitimacy to a tournament that very well could have faded from the “major” ranks. Arnie paved the way for great American moments at The British, like Jack Nicklaus’ 3 victories, John Daly’s unlikely second major win, and 59 year-old Tom Watson almost winning The Open Championship in 2009. And let’s not forget Watson’s 5 British Open Claret jugs.

“Old Toom,” as he is called across the water, and is one of the greatest links players of all time, embraced the Open Championship, and the British people embraced him back. Watson has an incredible love for the birthplace and traditions of the game, and that is not lost on the Brits, Scots, Irish, and Welsh.

But this love affair with Watson and The Open Championship would not have been possible without the great Arnold Palmer, who revived American interest in the British Open in July of 1960.

Until the next visit from the Booth, FORE, and GO HORNETS!

RW