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
The second annual pre-Masters discussion focuses on the likely contenders, the politics, Big Oak schmoozing and Tiger. Rod Morri hosts while Mike Clayton and yours truly offer opinions.
You can listen below, or as usual, listen and subscribe via iTunes.
Thanks to reader Scott for vetting and approving what could be a disaster but turns out to be great fun: ESPN.com's Michael Collins and Bubba Watson make a surprise visit to Orlando's Dubsdread. Bubba is using a pull cart for the first time, playing lefty with right handed clubs, showa up on the first tee with Collins and an entourage of carts along with men carrying large HD video cameras.
Great to see Bubba in an old Travis Matthew shirt too. Oh wait, isn't he with…
David Owen, author of the definitive book on the history of Augusta National, files a quick and painless blog post on the history of Magnolia Lane.
Included are some juicy old photos of Prosper Berckman's beloved Magnolias.
Ed Sherman talks about Jim Nantz's one-two punch of working the NCAA Final Four and the Masters.
Though he doesn't reveal how he gets to Augusta so quickly after the national title game, we're going to assume NetJets is in the Hello Friends Hall of Fame.
Nantz operates at a frenetic pace as he tries to talk to as many players as he can. The biggest obstacle, he says, will be the players wanting to talk to him about the NCAA tournament instead of chatting about themselves.
“I’m not going there to observe the birds and check out the flora,” Nantz said. “I’m looking for fresh information. I’m running the whole time. I don’t sit down for a meal that week.”
Ashley Mayo reports that details are sketchy, but at least one diner will go home happy.
"There's gonna be food," he said, tight-lipped. He admitted that it took him "about 30 seconds" to come up with the menu. "I went with what I wanted. I couldn't care less about the other people."
Punters take note: Bubba's timeless and very green-jacket friendly all-white outfit from last year is not part of his scripted attire for 2013.
Fynn and Urann or Mike and Mike of the F/U Podcast had me on to talk Masters for this week's show (here on iTunes).
They also featured U.S. Amateur Champion Steven Fox last week. Fox will be playing this year's Masters and talks about what lies ahead.
Lisa Kaylor on some of the local preparations in Augusta for the arrival of Masters fans, including the local museum where there is a golf exhibit.
Everyone else is not bracing much impact.
Capt. Jim Bradshaw, the owner of Patriot Riverboat Tours, said Masters Week will be business as usual.
Bradshaw, who has operated the boat tours for five years, said that although he will get a few extra visitors, traffic won’t pick up enough to affect the way he usually does business.
“It seems like they come here to golf, drink, eat and go to sleep,” he said.
John Boyette reports that the $3 chicken sandwich, given its conditional release in favor of grilled chicken wraps at the 2012 Masters, has been re-signed and will still be on the big league roster.
The Masters is less than two weeks away. In case you needed a reminder.
Steve Hummer reports on the lawsuit filed in a Texas district court to stop the sale and how the club has already successfully gotten the auction postponed.
According to court documents filed by Augusta National Inc. (ANI) in its suit to halt the sale of Wall’s Masters jacket at auction, the tournament winner is allowed to take his jacket off the grounds for a period of one year after his victory.
“Thereafter, it must be stored on ANI premises for use only on the grounds and during the annual tournament,” it claimed in the documents. “Thus, a champion’s Green Jacket is owned by ANI, with a champion having possessory rights when on the premises of ANI.”Responded Florida anesthesiologist and serious golf collector Stephen Pyles, “I have owned six, maybe seven, green jackets. I can go on the Internet right now and buy you a member’s green jacket.”
Hummer also gets into the whole market for members and former champion jackets.
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
