Masters Scripting: Tim Herron Releases His Annual Viewing Plans
/The Masters scripting absurdity put into perspective, as always, by Tim Herron.
When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
"Hooks and ladders: A Massachusetts firefighter will tee it up at the Masters"
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While we've been salivating at the potential for this year's Masters to give us a match up for the ages, of all ages, there is another fantastic story out there: U.S. Mid-Amateur Champion Matt Parziale.
Alan Shipnuck gives the Brockton, Mass. firefighter's story the deep dive treatment for Golf.com and it's a
A half-dozen guys started talking at the same time, all in accents thicker than chowdah. They asked after Parziale's old man, Vic, who served 33 years in the same precinct before retiring last autumn as a captain. Inevitably, talk turned to Parziale's upcoming tournament schedule.
"I'm gonna try to get down there to watch," one guy said, "but I'm looking for a green blazer to wear so I can fit in." The room exploded in laughter.
Somewhere Bobby Jones must be smiling about the culture clash of a horde of Beantown back-drafters tromping along his gilded fairways. But it was Jones's abiding love for amateur golf that created a spot in the Masters for a guy like Parziale and his cinematic journey to Augusta.
Great Reads: Bob Goalby's My Shot, 1968 Masters Rebroadcast Analysis
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As the 50th anniversary of his Masters win arrives, Bob Goalby will be the understandable focus of some preview coverage. Sean Zak at Golf.com pulled up the recently uploaded YouTube posting of the 1968 broadcast and posted this item along with a podcast.
Also of note is a sensational Golf Digest My Shot with Guy Yocom, who somehow got a Goalby My Shot pitch by the millennial filtering (must have Bob's Amana flatbrim that fooled 'em).
I was heartened to read this from Goalby:
WE'RE AT THE 50-YEAR mark of that Masters, and history is being kinder to me. Young people especially don't know about the controversy because it was so long ago. To them, I'm just a Masters champion. They'll say, "That's so cool. What year did you win? Can you tell me about it?" And I tell them about how I shot 66 on Sunday, the overflowing parking lot and the letter Bobby Jones wrote me about my shot to the 15th. Time is allowing me to be at peace and to feel even more proud and satisfied.
Augusta As Seen By The Son Of Its First Superintendent
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Golf's Michael Bamberger interviewed Shurley Hammack, son of Augusta National's first superintendent, who was raised on the property until his father's death and a abrupt eviction by that always gentle Clifford Roberts.
Still, “Daddy had no love for Clifford Roberts,” Shurley said over the course of a three-hour inter-view in which he displayed a keen memory and exemplary Southern-tradition storytelling skills. “For the longest time I thought his name was Sumbitch Roberts, ’cause Mr. Roberts would come down from New York and Daddy would say, ‘Sumbitch Roberts coming to the club today.’ ”
Simpson was the superintendent (the club’s term) for the first nine Masters. The course closed for the war, and the tournament wasn’t played in 1943, ’44 or ’45. During that time Augusta National was used for cattle grazing, but just briefly. The herd ate not only the grass but also the azaleas, and the experiment was quickly shut down.
Another revelation: Hammack's dad, Simpson, left holes in the greens when the club was closed for the summer, allowing Shurley and friends to still play the course. That will have the ghost of Mr. Roberts stirring...
Masters Makes Their Own Rules Files: Green Reading Books
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It's always refreshing to hear of the ways Augusta National Golf Club resists change for the sake of change. Particularly when the innovation in question slows down play and possibly strips the sport of artistry.
As Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy revealed this week, their use of the intricate green reading books can be dangerous to their games. The lads don't have to worry about that dilemma at The Masters, however, since the club does not provide the books widely used on the PGA Tour each week.
I explain in this Golfweek.com item with quotes.
This is all worth noting for those who question how the club could force today's players to play by their rules on the equipment front. They can and could and probably will someday if no one else will act. And the players will still show up.
Masters: Get a Different View Of Butler Cabin
/Another day, another Masters mood-setter, this time with a little different view of Butler Cabin. (Hit the link if embed not providing a play button).
8,031 Likes, 72 Comments - The Masters (@themasters) on Instagram: "15 days until #themasters and a special ceremony in a special place. #cominginapril"
Instagram Roundup: Tiger's Heroic Recovery, Arnie's Tractor, Bobby Jones's Birthday And A Creative Masters Teaser
/A vintage Tiger Woods shot Saturday at Bay Hill. He trails Henrik Stenson by five heading into Sunday's 2018 Arnold Palmer Invitational finale, Dan Kilbridge reports. A fantastic leaderboard should make for a great last day.
The tractor belonging to Arnold Palmer's dad was brought down from Latrobe and parked at Bay Hill this week to commemorate the influence of his father.
Saturday was Bobby Jones' birthday. The USGA posted some images of the amateur golfing great.
The Masters has begun their social media efforts earlier than normal and feature this look at the club's co-founders.
Christmas Comes Early Files: Every Final Round Masters Broadcast Since 1968 Now On YouTube!
/Some day we'll look back fondly on the years when we'd relive great Masters moments on YouTube watching a jittery cell phone recording of someone's television set. Or not.
H/T to Sean Zak at Golf.com for alerting us to this incredible treasure trove of broadcasts.
Where to start? It's overwhelming. Here is the menu.
Shoot, might as well go back 50 years ago and work my way up to the present!
Enjoy.
And just for giggles, I screen captured this and will come searching for the number a year from now:
Surreal: Tiger Moves To Masters Betting Favorite Stage (In Vegas Anyway)
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The various UK punters aren't quite unanimous yet in making Tiger the 2018 Masters favorite. Can't wait to see what my ShackHouse bud House has to say about this Sunday night...
However, Jeff Sherman at Westgate Las Vegas has installed Tiger at 8-1 following his continued strong opening round play at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, reports Golfweek's Kevin Casey.
Typically, Tiger's Masters odds have been wildly inflated by curiosity bettors and while most futures numbers are fairly silly, I can't come up with a strong reason to argue against his placement is out of line.
After all, his health seems great, his mental state is fantastic, the putting sensational and the power is back. Other than having not won at Augusta National since 2005 or a tournament since 2013, it seems a matter of time.
The 8/1 is silly given how many players are on their game as they approach a place where track records matter, but favorite status seems perfect legitimate. And so surreal.
To put the difference this time around in perspective, never forget the T17 in 2015 where he came into Augusta with no rounds, no body and none of the positive energy he has now. (This Michael Bamberger SI piece is a good reminder how different that Masters lead-up was.)
Masters Extends Invitation To Shubhankar Sharma
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A smart move by Augusta National to invite this year's two-time European Tour winner and contender at the WGC Mexico City.
Besides quickly moving up the world rankings to 66th, Shubhankar Sharma is now an honorary member of the media, so we'll welcome him to the press center with open arms!
For Immediate Release:
Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament, announced today that Shubhankar Sharma has accepted an invitation to compete in the 2018 Masters. A 21-year-old from India, Sharma will be making his first appearance in the Tournament.
“Golf is a global game, and throughout our history we have extended invitations to deserving international players not otherwise qualified,” Ridley said. “As his results have proven, Shubhankar Sharma is a remarkable young player, and we look forward to welcoming him to Augusta National in April.”
Sharma has won twice in the past four months, at the Joburg Open in December and the Maybank Championship in February. He recently finished T-9 at the WGC-Mexico Championship, holding the lead after 36 and 54 holes. Now ranked No. 66 on the Official World Golf Ranking, the Masters will be the first major championship appearance of his career.
Sharma will become the fourth Indian player to compete in the Masters, following Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun Atwal and Anirban Lahiri.
Two qualification criteria remain active for this year’s Tournament: winners of PGA Tour events that award a full-point allocation for the season-ending Tour Championship and the 50 leaders on the Official World Golf Ranking published during the week prior to the Masters.
The 2018 Tournament will mark the 82nd playing of the Masters and is scheduled for April 2 – 8. For a complete list of invitees, please visit masters.com.
First Look: Augusta National's New Patron Entrance From Above
/At least, this is the first view I've seen...you can swipe between images using the arrow that will appear on the right.
While looking for a photo of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson's planned round at Augusta National Saturday, I stumbled on these shots. Note the new structures that include an expanded shop and other elements all put under one massive roof, as well as an expansion west of Old Berckmans Road that I'm less sure of identifying the exact purpose. We'll know in a few weeks.
Augusta National Files Plans To Lengthen 5th Hole
/John Boyette with the exclusive Augusta Chronicle details on plans filed by Augusta National to realign the Old Berckmans Road to extend the 5th hole by a significant yardage. The plan submitted does not appear to significant change the angle of the tee shot, though the original bunkering has been pushed down the fairway.
From Boyette's story:
According to the preliminary plans, filed by Augusta firm Cranston Engineering Group P.C., a total of 23.1 acres would be affected. The approximate start date would be May 1, which comes after this year’s Masters, and the approximate end date is Nov. 1. Masters Week begins April 2 this year, with tournament play April 5-8.
Work is also scheduled to begin this spring at neighboring Augusta Country Club with changes to its eighth and ninth holes, the two holes affected when Augusta National purchased land from the country club last year.
Work at the Augusta Country Club, according to plans filed Feb. 9, is expected to begin in May and end by November
From the purely Jones-MacKenzie point of view, it will be interesting to see if the fairway bunkers and slopes require recontouring to retain the original dynamics intended to reflect some Old Course strategies.
Reminder: LAAC And Spot In Masters Underway In Chile
/The repositioned (by two days) Latin America Amateur Championship is underway at Prince of Wales Country Club. A papal visit led to the event's original dates being altered by five days.
Even Augusta National, the USGA and R&A stand down for the Pope!
The telecast times:
Live broadcasts of all four rounds will be available across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America. The scheduled times for each round’s live broadcast are listed below, with all times local to Santiago, Chile:
First Round: Saturday, Jan. 20: 3-5 p.m.
Second Round: Sunday, Jan. 21: 3-5 p.m.
Third Round: Monday, Jan. 22: 12-2 p.m.
Final Round: Tuesday, Jan. 23: 12-2 p.m.Championship highlights will air on Tuesday following the completion of play; viewers can check local listings for specific broadcast times.
ESPN will provide event coverage in this year’s host country, as well as throughout Latin America. Other broadcasters include ESPN and ESPN2 (United States), Eurosport (Europe), Fox Sports Asia, Fox Sports Australia, SuperSport (Southern Africa) and TSN (Canada). All of the coverage will also be streamed live on the official event website, LAACgolf.com.
Masters Chairman Fred Ridley discussed the state of the event with Todd Lewis of Golf Channel, and refreshingly, refused to say in year four if it's fair to know exactly what impact the event has had.
Also, a return to the Dominican Republic for 2019 was announced Saturday.
LATIN AMERICA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP TO RETURN TO CASA DE CAMPO IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC IN 2019
SANTIAGO, Chile –The Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC) will return to Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic for its fifth edition, which will be held January 17-20, 2019. Championship organizers made the announcement today during the 2018 LAAC currently underway at Prince of Wales Country Club in Santiago, Chile.
Founded by the Masters Tournament, The R&A and the USGA, the LAAC was established to further develop amateur golf in South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean.
The LAAC champion receives an invitation to compete in the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. In addition, the winner and the runner(s)-up are exempt into the final stages of qualifying for The Open and the U.S. Open Championship. The champion is also awarded full exemptions into The Amateur Championship, the U.S. Amateur Championship and any other USGA amateur championship for which he is eligible.
The 2019 LAAC will mark the championship’s return to Casa de Campo, which hosted the event in 2016. It was then that Costa Rica’s Paul Chaplet claimed the title and went on to become the first player from Central America to compete in the Masters and the second-youngest competitor in Masters history at 16 years old.
“It gives us great pleasure to welcome the Latin America Amateur Championship back to our beautiful resort and country,” said Andres Pichardo Rosenberg, president of Casa de Campo and a native of the Dominican Republic. “This championship is a truly special event that is helping advance the game throughout our region and paving the way for Latin America’s future golf stars. We are honored to play a role in supporting this mission as hosts and look forward to seeing the most talented amateur players once again rise to the challenges our course offers.”
Former USGA President Jim Hyler Now Setting Masters Pins
/And Jim Hyler gets the best seat in the house when Chairman Fred Ridley
Read MoreShark Talks Weakness Of Today's Players Inside 150, Why The Masters Can Make Players Use Anything They'd Like
/We forget that when Greg Norman is not hawking golf carts and posting shirtless Instagram images, he can be a keen observer of the game.
In an interview with an unbylined Gant News writer filing for the CNN affiliate, Norman touches on Patrick Reed knowing so little about his clubs, LPGA players being more accurate with their drivers and many other topics.
But the two getting my attention involved what he sees as a big change in the prowess of today's players with a wedge approach (inside, gulp, 150 yards).
“If you look at today’s top players, their distance control inside 150 yards with a wedge is quite amazingly poor,” he said.
“These guys are 20ft short, 30ft left, 20ft long, their distance control is not consistent. It could just be the way they play — when it works, it works and when it doesn’t, it doesn’t.
“In our era, every time you’d put a pitching wedge in your hand, if you didn’t think you’d get the ball inside 10ft every time, or seven out of 10 times, you weren’t having any control over your golf game.”
I do see this in watching many of today's players compared to Norman's era and wonder what the exact cause is that makes Phil Mickelson and Zach Johnson such standouts in this distance.
On the topic of distance, Norman agrees with others that this is about sustainability and Augusta National could be the solution.
“I remember the eighth hole at Augusta was nearly impossible to reach in two and now these guys are hitting irons in there,” said Norman who finished second three times at The Masters, perhaps most notably in 1996 when he blew a six-shot lead and Nick Faldo took the green jacket.
“Augusta can’t lengthen itself anymore but the tech is going to allow these players to keep hitting it longer year after year.
“If they sent out an invitation to the players and said ‘you’re going to use a gutter percha ball and a hickory shafted golf club, go get them worked out, practice before you get there, the best player will still win that week.
“The best players have that ability to make that adjustment no matter what they’re using.”
