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Wednesday, April 5, 2017

GOLF “The Masters” - TRADITION

GOLF “The Masters” - TRADITION
This week starts "The Masters"
This cranky re-run is from April 2013 
If you hate golf, don't understand it or just think it is a waste of time, I get it, no need to read further and certainly no need to tell me how and why you hate something I love.  I am respectful of photography, knitting, quilting, ballet, and a lot of other stuff that I think is absolute crap  don't understand.  
Thank you.

Tomorrow is the start of THE MASTERS golf tournament. This is my favorite tournament.  I love The Masters because the golf course is just sooo beautiful.  

This is a course whose members are all super wealthy and powerful.  The course is ready for play for the tournament every April, just in time for the azaleas to bloom.  The course is all about the “Master’s Green.”  Everything is a deep beautiful green color.  The cart paths are green, the garbage cans are green, the drink cups are green, the fairways are green and flawless, and of course the Greens are green.

After the tournament, members are allowed to play at Augusta for several months.  The rest of the year is spent assuring that the golf course is immaculate for the next year’s tournament.*

I visited The Masters, once, in 1985.  In those days the course was open for practice rounds for $15 entrance fee.  (I am told that even these practice round tickets are impossible to get today.)  I was struck by the beauty of the golf course and how perfectly it was groomed.  I left thinking I could never play on this golf course.  Taking a divot and spoiling the magnificence of the course would seem sacrilegious to me.


Rules at Augusta are somewhat quirky but very strictly enforced.  Up until several years ago women were not allowed as members.  This got the hackles up of the liberal media and woman’s groups intent on ending these antiquated “Country Club” rules.  They railed that being a member gave men an upper hand in conducting business and that excluding women was sexist and unfair.  Well it was clearly sexist, an unfair business advantage…come on…silly argument…not one for this post.  Augusta was the last bastion of sexism and they fought hard to keep it.  Some years ago, threatened with a boycott, advertisers refused to support the TV broadcast unless the Club allowed women members.  The membership would not budge.  They stepped up and paid for the broadcast themselves and for several years the tournament was broadcast commercial free.  Eventually the club relented and allowed woman members, but they showed they would not give up tradition without a fight.
Condi - New Member

Billionaire Darla Moore - New member



The Augusta club is all about tradition.  It is all about rules.  My brother tells a story** of a member who brought two very important politicians (let’s just say Senators) to play a round.  The member was informed that there must be one member playing for each guest invited.  The member insisted these were very important guests and the rule should be bent.  Wrong Club!  Rules were rules.  An emergency phone call was made to recruit another member in order to complete the foursome and allow both Senators to play.


Silly?  Yes, but I think it is nice that there is at least one place left in this country where tradition is respected and protected just for tradition sake.

Here are some other Augusta strictly enforced traditions (unwritten rules):

No running.

No lying down on the grass.


No cell phones.

Fans are not fans, they are patrons.

The back nine must never be referred to as the “Back side.” (Crude).

Don’t be “Cute.” A TV announcer was once removed from his duty because he referred to the Gallery as a “Mob.”

No tipping- Caddies are to be paid what “You think they were worth.” I am guessing caddies are seldom disappointed.

No bare feet.

Ball caps must not be worn backwards! (This is my personal favorite)


Ricky is just a kid, no no no!
But Jack! You know better.
Are these rules silly and capricious?  Some…maybe…but that is what makes the Masters special! 

I would like just one more rule…NO JOHNNY MILLER ANNOUNCING ON TV, or has he become a tradition…oh well, gotta take the good with the bad.

I LOVE THE MASTERS!

*Some facts about The Masters may be incorrect, but Cranky Old Man is too lazy to research and confirm what he believes to be true.

** See above, I'm even too lazy to call my brother and fact check this story. 

13 comments:

  1. I don't understand golf but I LOVE to watch it. I like having it on the t.v. because it is calming to me. The quiet voices, the beautiful greenery, the well dressed players. I love it all. As for tradition. There's a lot to be said for tradition and I, personally, like to keep traditions alive n' well. :)

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  2. I think it's lovely that something you enjoy so very much is going to be on TV for you and so extremely sorry that you have to be subjected to the 'sports garble'. As you say, take the good with the bad. Maybe you could watch it with the sound muted.

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  3. The course is indeed spectacularly beautiful! :)

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  4. I've attended a practice round at the Masters when we lived in Augusta, but as you said the tickets for that are impossible to get any more. I'm in the lottery for tickets each year, but so fat no luck.

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  5. Men at 26 plays football,
    Men at 40 plays tennis,
    Men at 60 plays golf,
    have you noticed every time you get older your ball gets smaller.

    I love you, Joe, and I just couldn't help myself.

    Have a fabulous day. ☺

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  6. Some comments just aren't funny*
    I like golf.
    I like watching the Masters... for all of the reasons you mentioned.
    Rules and traditions are good, except when they run contrary to the preservation of life.


    *see above

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  7. I just can't bring myself to watch golf on TV, and I cannot forgive golf for delaying the start of some of my favorite TV shows over the years. The only thing I can imagine that is worse than watching golf on TV is standing on the course, watching golf in person.

    But I'm glad you enjoy it!

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  8. I'd love to see you in one of those green blazers.

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  9. As much as i like casual, i'm glad there are some places that insist on fancy and keep it that way. Those are necessary.

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  10. Your post had me, look it up- It said, 1990 they accepted the first black man. And for the women, 2012???? I was shocked.

    Got nothing against golf - just never followed it. The only one I know about it Pebble Beach (at least that is what it used to be called) Just an hour's drive south of where I lived, Fans would go there and try and catch a glimpse of some of the celebrities and the Mayor of Carmel at the time was Clint Eastwood. I tried a few times, but the traffic stopped me.

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  11. You are absolutely 100% correct about the Masters. It is played on a perfect golf course and is the ultimate golf tournament. I have a good friend who says baseball and golf are boring. I sent him a link to an article about Tiger's masterful win at his first Master's. Let him eat cake!

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