Poll Claims 77% Will Avoid Trump Properties Out Of Protest

/

Forbes' Erin Carlyle reports that 77% of 500 surveyed by Penn Schoen Berland would boycott Trump branded properties as a boycott over Donald Trump's campaign and possible Republican nomination.

The poll claims to have contacted folks earning over $200,000, and I'm struggling to believe that many people making that much money answered the phone. Nonethless, some numbers to keep an eye on.

Of these Trump-averse people, 77% said they would avoid Trump properties specifically to protest his campaign. They all agreed with this statement: “Over the course of his presidential campaign, I have found Donald Trump to be an unwelcome and generally negative addition to the political and social arenas – and by not patronizing his business I would be demonstrating my opposition.”

The survey respondents were fairly evenly divided in terms of political affiliation: 156 identified as Democrats, 172 Republicans, and 172 independents. A total of 257 were men; 243 were women. More than a third of the respondents said they have influence over their company’s travel and entertainment spending, suggesting that their opinions could have a broader effect.

Five Families Exempt Olympic Gold Medal Winners Who Will Probably Already Be Exempt Anyway

/

The leaders of five of golf's six families convened for a press conference in Augusta to reaffirm their support for the Olympics and to announced that the Olympic Gold Medal winners will earn spots into the Masters, U.S. Open, The Open, PGA, ANA Inspiration, KPMG Women's PGA, U.S. Women's Open and Women's British Open. Rex Hoggard with the details at GolfChannel.com.

The winner will almost surely be exempt, but just in case there is a shock winner of the gold from far down the world ranking list, they are covered. It wasn't press conference worthy, except for the enjoyably awkward no-show by the PGA Tour, which unintentionally reaffirmed The Players as a non-major by tabling a decision until they could get Policy Board together to vote.

The PGA Tour's statement:

PGA TOUR statement on Olympic eligibility category for golf’s major championships

We applaud the major championships in the men's and women's games in making this decision. From the very beginning, every organization in the game of golf, including the PGA TOUR, has been dedicated to making the Olympic golf competition a significant and important event in our sport. Creating an eligibility category into golf's major championships for the winner of the Olympic golf competitions demonstrates that commitment and is a very meaningful step in the continuation of that process.

With respect to eligibility into The PLAYERS Championship for the winner of the men's Olympic golf competition, we have a different process than that of the major championships with respect to our regulations and eligibility categories and we will be initiating that process with our Policy Board and Players Advisory Council in the coming weeks.

Bones On Phil Hitting It Better Than Ever, Winning Masters Again

/

The interview with Amanda Balionis, new Callaway hire talks to Phil Mickelson bagman Jim "Bones" Mackay about all things Phil, the Masters and his veto power over the boss. He also calls this a "really exciting time" for Mickelson because of his man's improved ball striking, saying he will win this event again, if not this week but one of these years.



Esteban Toledo Makes It To The Masters!

/

Bryan Mullen initially wrote about this and I'm a little overdue in posting it, because Esteban Toledo is one of the great success stories in golf.

Still very competitive on the Champions Tour, Toledo had hoped to get to Augusta any way possible, and since he couldn't qualify he offered to loop for Ben Crenshaw last year.

Failing with that request, Sandy Lyle is bringing along one of his fellow competitors this week.

Tom Spousta followed up with Toledo now that he's here

“It’s unbelievable. It’s incredible. Before I die, I just wanted to experience Augusta National,” Toledo said Monday as he stood behind the Clubhouse in his caddie jumpsuit with Lyle’s bag still on his shoulders.

Lydia Birdies 18 To Win; Needs Reps To Improve Her Pond Leap

/

Randall Mell at GolfChannel.com reports on the amazing Lydia Ko's second major win in the ANA Inspiration, her 17th professional win coming after a birdie on the 18th.

Mell writes:

She’s still only 18, but Ko’s already leaving us wondering if there’s anything she won’t be able to do in the women’s game before she’s finished.

With her clutch wedge to a foot for a closing birdie that proved to be the decisive stroke, Ko claimed her second consecutive major championship. Six months after winning the Evian Championship and becoming the youngest major championship winner in the history of women’s golf, she’s now the youngest to win two of them.

At 18 years, 11 months and 10 days old, Ko is an old soul in golf. She has already won 17 professional events around the world, 12 of them LPGA titles. That’s three worldwide this year, with back-to-back titles now on the LPGA tour.

The Ko highlights including the third shot on 18:

Now, about the jump into Poppie's Pond. Are we covering the mouth? Oh, that needs work:

Where Masters Champs Keep Their Trophies

/

In today's big Augusta Chronicle Masters preview, John Boyette and Doug Stutsman talk to past champions and track down where their Masters trophies rest.

The stories vary in part because of how many players won or what they actually won, but some of the locations will surprise. (There is a full list on the left side of the link.)

“I have a very small trophy room at my home in Australia, and that’s where I keep the Masters trophy,” 2013 winner Adam Scott said. “It sits center stage with a little shrine around it – which it deserves.”

Three-time winner Nick Faldo keeps one at his Florida home and the other two in his office in Windsor, England.

“The one in Florida’s right next to the TV so I can see it all the time,” Faldo said. “I don’t have a lot of trophies. I’ve just got a couple of big ’uns, so it’s always nice to see them.”

Prayers Answered (For A Week): 1986 Masters Re-broadcast Live!

/

If you heard us talking about the 1986 Masters on ShackHouse, or have read the many great stories from five years ago on this very website, or you're just looking forward to Tuesday's Golf Channel doc, you probably know that the 1986 Masters is quite possibly modern golf's greatest (three) hours.

I think there is a case to be made that it was also the greatest broadcast moment in Masters history, and maybe sports history. Every announcer spoke from the heart with amazing, Hollywood-scriptmaster succinctness.

There's life in the old bear yet!

The bear has come out of hibernation!

Maybe? YES SIR!

The camera crews captured every key moment. The light was perfect. The protagonists were brilliant, clutch (at times) and diversified.

Producer Frank Chirkinian stuck to his love of leaders hitting shots until caving, even breaking away from key moments to show something live, and finally showing Nicklaus live from the 11th on. It's a masterpiece in every way.

But whether it's Melnyk (Melnyk!), Murphy, Wright, Nantz, Verne or Kenny and Pat, with a 14th hole cameo by McCord (McCord!), the actors all ad-libbed, accentuated and called this historic round to perfection.

So boycott NetFlix for a few days and prep for the 2016 Masters by streaming the greatest Masters of them all courtesy of Masters.com. Enjoy the full 3 hour broadcast for one week.


You Need To See The Drive, Chip And Putt In Person To Get It

/

I love what TV does to inspire the kids and how they pick up the best swing habits of top players, but to really get a sense of the Drive, Chip and Putt you need to see the skill of young girls and boys in person. This year's DCP class was clutch again and yes, slow based on your social media comments.

I left an observation about the pacing out of my GolfDigest.com piece full of observations from the DCP. But about that: remember the kids get two putts, two chips and two drives. While it may look like they are doing a Jason Day impersonation, it's actually all about taking the opportunity to get the most out of their moment. In person, it's not the least bit annoying. Again, one of those lost-through-TV things.

Ryan Herrington noted the epic reactions from the kids, though maybe in a sign of the event's evolution or the advanced maturity of the kids, I thought they showed a little more swagger than all out jubilation. Either way, they performed with great skill, again.

Speaking of reactions, check out the telecast opening with the kids impersonating great moments in Masters history. A killer piece of work by all involved.

There were a lot of standout young people, but 13-year-old Ty Griggs, featured at the end of my piece with a gem of a quote, was the keeper for most of us. He's got a great story, a sharp mind, dry wit, ridiculously powerful swing and Vartan Kupelian captured this promising lad's story at Masters.com.

Oh and if you think the Masters isn't very progressive on social media, check out this Golf Channel produced piece on the practice day crash visit by the law firme of Timberlake, Horan and Rose. The only thing missing was James Corden driving and making everyone break into a boy band rendition of Dave Loggins' Masters theme: