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

 

 

 

 

Sports Dogs Podcast: Talkin’ Masters ft. Nick Ciattei

Honorary “Golf-Dog,” Nick Ciattei of Mid Atlantic Golf Getaways joins the R-Dog to preview the Masters, golf’s first “major” of the year.

The Sports Dogs:

  • Preview the course
  • The absence of Tiger at The Masters
  • Discuss the field
  • Pick their winners

Click HERE for the latest Sports Dogs Podcast.

Brought to you by Blue Ridge Shadows Golf Club, the resort course in our own backyard.

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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

 

 

 

Losing the Fastball

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Greetings From The Booth!

With golf’s final major in the books, and Xander Schauffele crowned “Champion Golfer Of The Year” after his win at the 152nd Open Championship, it’s time to weigh in on a few items that may have slipped under your golf radar this past week. Tiger Woods is no longer the dominant force he was in his prime, but does his best to stay relevant. And the press always seems to oblige by keeping his name in the forefront.

Tiger recently drew some ire by declining an invitation to captain the USA Ryder Cup Team, which will be trying to take back the Cup next year against the European squad. Tiger claimed that he was “too busy” to accept the honor. He’s certainly not busy winning golf tournaments, as his best days are in the rear-view mirror. What a boost it would be to the American team to have arguably the best player ever casting his intimidating shadow over the Europeans. The Ryder Cup is about country and patriotism–not money, and I sincerely hope that the mighty dollar (or lack of) is not the reason for Tiger Woods turning down the invitation. Keegan Bradley, now the captain of the USA squad, is a great lover of the Ryder Cup and America, but he is no Tiger Woods. I’m giving Woods a Double Bogey on this one. It wouldn’t be the only “double” on his card this year.

The other piece of Tiger Woods news this past week was his comments at the Open Championship concerning his participation in the majors and his ability to still play competitive golf. Woods got into a war of words with former European Tour and current Champions Tour player Colin Montgomerie. “Monty” was asked whether Tiger should step away from the game, and long story short, basically said that Woods should have retired a few years ago. Tiger offered a sharp rebuttal to Montgomerie, and added that he felt he could still win major tournaments.

During his playing days, Colin Montgomerie was anything but a fan favorite, but who’s to say he isn’t right? At the Open this past week, Woods posted a 14 over par score, missed the cut, and was nowhere near competitive. Yes, the conditions were brutal and many of golf’s top players like Rory McIlroy were brought to their knees at  Royal Troon. But this is becoming a familiar story with Tiger Woods. The injuries have piled up and Father Time has taken his toll. If you do the “eye test,” it doesn’t even appear that Tiger is enjoying himself on the golf course. Instead, he looks like he’s chasing a man he’ll never catch–Jack Nicklaus.

We all lose our fastball. But it’s a hard thing for a competitive athlete to admit that day is here. There was no sadder sight than a past-his-prime Joe Namath in a Rams uniform, or Willie Mays playing his final games as a New York Met. Equally sad is Tiger Woods shooting 14 over par at a major championship, when he could serve the game much better as, say, captain of the American Ryder Cup Team. For Tiger Woods, it’s time for some serious soul searching.

That’s another “View From The Booth.”

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!)

 

Closing The Deal II

Greetings from The Booth!

I’m writing this week’s VFB a day removed from yet another school shooting, this one in Uvalde, Texas. Our hearts break for everyone in that community, especially the parents of the children whose lives were senselessly and prematurely taken away yesterday, and for the surviving students whose innocence was stolen forever. In light of that unspeakable loss, sports doesn’t seem that important. But life goes on somehow, and we will try to put sports in it’s proper perspective as we write this week’s blog…

Putting a bow on the Shenandoah University baseball season, there is nothing like that empty feeling in the gut when a season ends before it should have. I’m sure the host Hornets had every expectation of winning the NCAA D-3 Winchester Region this past weekend and advancing to the Super Regional round. But after a tough Saturday afternoon loss to Catholic, SU was forced to play again Saturday evening just to get to the championship round on Sunday. Down 8-2, the Hornets found a way to beat St. Joseph in a gutsy comeback win. Speaking of gutsy, Jacob Bell gave the Hornets 7-plus innings in Sunday’s 6-3 win over the Cardinals that earned him a standing “O” from the sun baked crowd at Bridgeforth.  Then, in a winner-take-all second game, SU jumped out to a 6-0 lead, then simply ran out of gas in a 13-10 loss which ended their season. That final game wrapped up a stretch of 4 games in 24 hours for Shenandoah, and as Head Coach Kevin Anderson told me after the Sunday win, “we’re running on fumes.”

When the sting of defeat wears off, the Hornets will look back on a 37-win season, an ODAC Tournament championship, a national ranking, and a championship appearance in the NCAA Regionals. You would take that in a heartbeat every time and not even take the field. Congratulations to Kevin, his players and coaching staff for another great season! The dynasty continues…

This past weekend, golf’s second major, the PGA Championship was held at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Justin Thomas came from 7 shots down to win his second Wanamaker Trophy by beating Will Zalatoris in a 3-hole playoff.  That is a great accomplishment, but he needed help. Leading by 1 shot and needing a par on the 18th hole, tournament leader Mito Pereira took one of the worst swings you’ll ever see from a professional and put his drive into a creek. He eventually bogeyed the 18th and missed out not only on the championship, but the playoff.  Not quite Jean Van Develde material, but heartbreaking nonetheless.

SIDEBAR: Can we now put the Tiger Woods buzz to rest? What he did at the Masters was Alex Smith-like and no one can fault him for fading on the weekend. At the PGA, more of the same, as colder weather charged in Friday like a steer (one of 2 things that come from Oklahoma) and certainly affected Tiger’s injured leg. But until he’s actually in contention on a weekend, can we just back off on the almost excessive Tiger Woods coverage? Yes, he moves the needle and gets ratings, but I’m sure there are many talented players on Tour who must feel that they get no love whatsoever. OK, that’s my rant.

Players respond differently to pressure, and Pereira succumbed to it, while JT, who has “been there before,” thrived on it. Pereira hopefully will learn from the experience, and next time will be able to close the deal. Thomas is already a closer.

Until next visit from The Booth, God bless Uvalde, Texas…and GO HORNETS!

RW

 

Sports Dogs Podcast: Talkin’ PGA With Nick

In the latest edition of the Sports Dogs Podcast, the R-dog is joined by Nick Ciattei of Mid Atlantic Golf Getaways, as they break down golf’s second major, The PGA Championship from Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Some Tiger talk, an overview of the monster course, and of course, our predictions for the weekend. Enjoy!

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

 

Sports Dogs Podcast: Talkin’ Masters With Nick Ciattei

It’s Masters Week! As has become tradition, we break down golf’s “majors” with Nick Ciattei of Mid Atlantic Golf Getaways. Who will win the fabled green jacket on Sunday? Can Tiger shock the sports world? We’ve got those topics and more covered as the top golfers get set to tee it up at Augusta National.