It's a Monday morning in mid April. The green jacket has changed hands and the Master's is over for another year. The reviews are in and it was proclaimed...a snoozefest. It was also called "one of the most forgettable, utterly dull Masters in recent memory". Mike Bianchi, writing for the Orlando Sentinal even suggested that it was "so neutral the winner should have been awarded a gray sweater."
The winds were too capricious, the course was too difficult, things just weren't working. There were lots of reasons given but the fact is, there just weren't enough dynamic shots being made to provoke the requisite roars... Even very subdued roars...from the galleries.
Excitement definitely did not rein on the back nine yesterday. There was no magic at all, and that's not good, because we've come to count on this place for magic. This mythical tournament is the card we pull out each year to draw in the noncommitted golf audience. And it often works. Last week I was with a group of people who had little interest in golf. They had never played or spoken about it with me before, yet all were looking forward to watching the Masters. That amazed me, but they said it was because the course was so beautiful, the season so promising and Tiger so terrific. They all seemed to have memories of their families gathered around the teleision on a Spring Sunday watching the Masters. And it occured to me that like Tiger himself, himself, the Masters transcends golf. It reaches beyond core golfers to the general public. It follows that maybe if these non-golfers see a good show they'll come back for more, perhaps they'll even decide to play. We could certainly new golfers. The Masters itsself knows that, they've added a section onto their website where they request feedback from anyone and everyone on how they can better attract new players and fans, especially children.
So, I'm hoping this year's less than stellar show didn't turn off any potential players. After it is springtime and Augusta National is as pretty as ever.
The architects are going to have to do some work to get the course back to a point where it will allow for a more entertaining tournament. If that's what everyone wants.
ReplyDeleteJust because Tiger isn't breezing along hitting birdie after birdie doesn't necessarily mean the course is bad. Maybe it just means golf is extremely difficult when played at the highest possible level, even for Tiger.
ReplyDeleteYes it's a shame, whenever I try to get my friends to watch golf on TV they always refuse insisting its dull and boring. That's the reputation and it's hard to break, especially when we have a Masters with so little excitement. I do think it was brilliant to televise the par three though and I'm really happy a couple of my friends go to see it and really enjoyed it. They said it almost made golf look fun.
ReplyDeletei have to say as a newer golfer. before i started golfing. golf on tv made no sence. now that i golf i can't turn it off. its not till you have tried to play. that you realize how good these guys are. on that note. it was the 05 masters. i was working at home. turned the tv to a channel i thought would not distract me (like that backgound noise). and i havent been able to that club down yet.
ReplyDeleteThere was drama at the Masters on Sunday, but it hardly involved Tiger as he could only watch Immelman par 17 & 18 to win a major championship wire-to-wire... that's no easy trick. Tell me Immelman doesn't have icewater for blood.
ReplyDeleteOh, and the grail of South African golf was passed again from Gary Player to another South African countryman.
Yeah, there were stories. It just didn't involve Sir Eldrick of Anaheim. It was beautiful.
this blog has become as boring as the '08 master's. golf girl proves post after post to be nothing more than a nit wit wrapped up in pseudo-snobbery. where the posts were once quirky and unpredictable, now she muses about how a boring master's event may not contribute to the growth of the game. please give me a break - gg is no longer "gg", she now shills for the golf media. to put it plainly, this blog is more boring than a rich lerner post tournament summation, as exciting as country club decor, dumber than kraig kahn's jokes, less relevant than inga "binga" hammonds commentary, as useful as peter kessler's latest venture, more bloated and out of control than john daley and even less significant than an elin nordegren woods interview
ReplyDeleteYes, I guess we do have a slight weakness for Sir Eldrick of Anaheim (love that BTW - Goods). It's hard to see beyond him sometimes.
ReplyDeletee,Anon I,tom - As far as the course is concerned I guess it just evolving as the members want it to and just like their admission policies they're going to have the final say. It is so pretty.
Lisa - Lots of people mentioned they liked watching the par three so that seems to have been a good idea all around.
Anon II - "more bloated and out of control than john daly"now that one hurts.
anon II needs spell and grammar check.
ReplyDeleteThe Greenjackets were concerned that today's golfers would eventually break 60 on their hallowed grounds. So, they made it impossible. That's why the lack of roars on the Sunday back nine. The players were just trying to avoid bogeys or worse. Still pretty? Yes. As entertaining? No way. Then again, make no mistake, it's their franchise.
Getting off the subject a bit girls: did anyone see Ian Poulter's hole-in-one? Awesome stuff.
ReplyDeleteDumbing down the event to provide instant, right now gratification is not what the event is all about. Tiger worship has introduced predictability into the game that many casual and non-golfers find comforting.
ReplyDeleteThose who want an unforgettable event in golf every time they turn on the tv are a fickle bunch, who just hit the flicker and move on to the next big thing.
Golf has spent too much time pandering to Tiger fans and those who we want to introduce the game to. It is about time we started paying more attention to the sports base, before it is too late.
If you want yelling, screaming you da man, drunks calling for it to go in just because that is what you want to see, go watch hockey, or wait for the Europeans to kick butt in the Ryder Cup, again!
i agree with anon I, GG's become a media whore. why is that a little success spoiles people everytime
ReplyDeleteHey Anon
ReplyDeleteyou've got the longest comment of the day. That's funny... especially for someone who finds this blog kinda boring.More power 2 U GG
i wrote a long comment because i am very disappointed with the direction gg has taken with her blog. i used to come to this blog all the time but now much less frequently. the posts stink and the comments seem to be even more boring than the posts. gg has become victumized by mainstream media, you might stay she has "steina stars" in her eyes. gg, you once made a difference with your blog and now you only pander to the whims of the media machine - who, by the way, completely missed the blog phenom when it developed (quite organically). now they are doing the usual thing, grabbing the creative bloggers (like gg) and dumbing them down. gg is even attracting dumber blog buddies, as evidenced by the newer, lamer comments that now fill this blog.
ReplyDeleteAnon,
ReplyDeleteLet me sum up your life. You play golf all the time, practice a ton, but never get better. You're love for the game you suck at brought you to the internet to satisfy that craving for all things golf, and then you found GGD. Immediately, you were awe struck by GGs obvious good looks and ability to write interesting blog posts that touch on parts of the game, or the people who play it, that never crossed your mind. As the realization sets in that you'll never break 100, or land a date with GG, angry and poorly written posts start occupying your time. And as other readers pointed out, you simply can't stop posting on the site you now despise, anonymously of course, cause that's just the kind of person you are. TCG
OUCH! That anonymous guy is brutal!
ReplyDeleteThe Masters is not what it used to be, indeed! The course has undergone so many changes to help defend itself against what Tiger did to it in his first win there- remember, he was hitting driver- wedge into #13 and #15? Those two holes used to play in the neighborhood of 500-510 yards. Now they play 560ish! #11 plays at over 500 (par 4), #18 tee was moved back 60 yards and the #10 green moved back some 50 yards. There's still no rough to speak of but try hitting those glass greens with long irons in your hands.
It's still the greatest golf tournament for spectators- no sponsors tents, cheap prices (yea, I said cheap), great views of the course from almost everywhere, and the best-educated, well-behaved gallery on the tour!
Like the US Open, even par will now be a good score at the Masters. Get used to it!
Love ya' lots, GG!