2022 Masters Thread

[Uncle Rico]

This is correct. The water is back in play around 11. It’s going to likely be a long iron off the tee now.

The 180 by Augusta in the last 20 years has been something.  Smarter course design decisions and taking a leadership role in the game of golf has been something.  Clifford Roberts is probably rolling over in his grave, but that’s ok

[🏀]

Don’t forget the course is on TV today at 11a for the women’s amateur.

Did you know they resod the tee boxes after the women’s amateur, every practice round and each tournament round?

[🏀]

Clifford Roberts is probably rolling over in his grave, but that’s ok

Shoutout Ike’s Pond.

[Goose]

It sounds like a number of you have been to The Masters, curious on who has all attended in the past. My son won practice round tickets a few years back and he took "his guy" (me) and a couple of friends and it was beyond belief. I think I made the travel team because I had the deepest pockets, not because I was "his guy". Thankfully, the same son won practice tickets for St. Andrews this year and I made the travel squad again.

[🏀]

It sounds like a number of you have been to The Masters, curious on who has all attended in the past. My son won practice round tickets a few years back and he took "his guy" (me) and a couple of friends and it was beyond belief. I think I made the travel team because I had the deepest pockets, not because I was "his guy". Thankfully, the same son won practice tickets for St. Andrews this year and I made the travel squad again.

Just hoping to win the lottery again.

[Uncle Rico]

It sounds like a number of you have been to The Masters, curious on who has all attended in the past. My son won practice round tickets a few years back and he took "his guy" (me) and a couple of friends and it was beyond belief. I think I made the travel team because I had the deepest pockets, not because I was "his guy". Thankfully, the same son won practice tickets for St. Andrews this year and I made the travel squad again.

I was there in ‘18 for the Wednesday practice round and par-3 contest.  Just an incredible experience.  Everything they do for the “patrons” is amazing.  To this day, the way they ran the bathroom lines still amaze me

I was originally going to the the Open this year but tix went into a lottery instead of general market with it being the 150th and at St. Andrews, so I punted until later in life.  Maybe ‘24 for the women or when the men are back at Carnoustie.  I think the guys will be back at St. Andrews in ‘26 or ‘27, too

[Goose]

Rico

Carnousite is very high on my bucket list. My son is true student of golf history and very happy that he won the tickets for St. Andrews this year because of it being the 150th year. When we get St. Andrews this summer my son and I will have completed our Grand Slam of golf together, plus a couple of Ryder Cups. Great memories for this boomer, figured I would beat you guys to the boomer line.

As for Augusta and The Masters, it is beyond belief and words do not do it justice. Only negative, Augusta needs to upgrade the hotels. I do not mind getting screwed on price for an event like The Masters but would prefer nicer accommodations.

[Uncle Rico]

Rico

Carnousite is very high on my bucket list. My son is true student of golf history and very happy that he won the tickets for St. Andrews this year because of it being the 150th year. When we get St. Andrews this summer my son and I will have completed our Grand Slam of golf together, plus a couple of Ryder Cups. Great memories for this boomer, figured I would beat you guys to the boomer line.

As for Augusta and The Masters, it is beyond belief and words do not do it justice. Only negative, Augusta needs to upgrade the hotels. I do not mind getting screwed on price for an event like The Masters but would prefer nicer accommodations.

The accommodations and restaurants are pretty terrible in Augusta.  I’ve been told I should stay in SC if I go again

[cheebs09]

Going with my dad and it’s the first time for each of us.  We got Monday and Tuesday tickets (although Tuesday looks a little dicey). I can’t wait.

[🏀]

The accommodations and restaurants are pretty terrible in Augusta.  I’ve been told I should stay in SC if I go again

Augusta in general is pretty crappy.

We had a small VRBO cabin about 45 minutes outside Augusta. It was like a playhouse compared to the massive house on the property.

[MU82]

82
It was a chip on 16, but that is high on my list of Tiger memories. There is no doubt that if we could only enjoy the good guys our moments to remember fondly would be a much shorter list. I kind of think the guys posting on character, or being a villain, might just being doing what they best, challenging for the sake of challenging.

I did not know Kirby was a slimeball and will do some digging on that. While I was not at that game, it definitely was extremely memorable, and I am going to try not to let the fact Kirby was a slimeball take away that moment.

Just curious, what would be a couple of your top sports memories? For me, aside from MU, Jack in '86, a ton of Tiger memories, virtually everything Jordan, virtually everything Tom Brady and everything Favre related. Favre's game after his Dad died is very high on my list. It is kind of sad, but aside from Jack, I have enjoyed a lot of slimeballs.

First, to answer a later question, I was at the 2008 Masters, my only time there. Augusta National is one of those rare places that exceeded the extremely high expectations I had for it; I'd put it with the Grand Canyon and maybe a couple of places in Hawaii that I went in expecting the spectacular ... and it was even better than I expected. It turned out to have been a "meh" Masters - Immelman won, and neither Tiger nor anyone else really challenged him on Sunday - but walking the grounds for 5 days was pretty incredible. Helped that the weather was great most of the time.

As for great sports memories/moments ...

I think maybe there's a difference between memorable moments and memorable events. I certainly could see how Tiger winning in '19 given all he overcame would eclipse the one chip he made years earlier for some.

It would be extremely difficult for me to rank my best sports moments, though I would give a huge edge to those I witnessed in person. So for example, Jordan in Utah for Game 6, Puckett Game 6 1991, MU's OT win vs Mizzou in 2003, 2003 NLCS Game 6 and Jordan's double-nickels in NY would top just about anything I saw on TV, no matter how compelling those televised events might have been.

And then you have the fan aspect ... Rivers' shot vs ND, Bucky Dent's HR (because I was a Yankee fan back then) and the Dolphins 1985 win over the Bears (because I was a Dolphins fan back then) top moments/events in which I had no rooting interest. Even if others might have been "better," they weren't better to me!

And finally, there is the sport itself. I love watching the final 18 of a closely contested golf major, especially when the big names are at the top of the leaderboard, but I like basketball and pro football better than golf in general and so that would impact my viewpoint. Those who like golf better and/or follow it more closely would feel the other way around, which makes sense.

[Goose]

82

I saw Jordan play in the Garden and very high on my list of all time in person events. My favorite Jordan moment was the first time I saw him play at Chicago Stadium and I will never forget the level of excitement by the fans. Seeing him introduced before the game gave me goose bumps and I was hooked on MJ and the Bulls for the rest of their ride.

[Lighthouse 84]

I was there in ‘18 for the Wednesday practice round and par-3 contest.  Just an incredible experience.  Everything they do for the “patrons” is amazing.  To this day, the way they ran the bathroom lines still amaze me

I was originally going to the the Open this year but tix went into a lottery instead of general market with it being the 150th and at St. Andrews, so I punted until later in life.  Maybe ‘24 for the women or when the men are back at Carnoustie.  I think the guys will be back at St. Andrews in ‘26 or ‘27, too

I was there the same day. We were fortunate enough to be able to be standing above the green when Jack's grandson made his hole in one.  Phenomenal. 

I was amazed at how green everything is, down to the color of the food wrappers.  The pimento cheese sandwich was horrible, but the BBQ was outstanding.  The prices of concessions was pretty good too. Interesting to find out how much they go up in today's world.

[MU82]

82

I saw Jordan play in the Garden and very high on my list of all time in person events. My favorite Jordan moment was the first time I saw him play at Chicago Stadium and I will never forget the level of excitement by the fans. Seeing him introduced before the game gave me goose bumps and I was hooked on MJ and the Bulls for the rest of their ride.

Dominique was aptly named the "Human Highlight Reel" ... but when it came to putting out one incredible moment after another -- especially when factoring in the importance of the events involved -- it's impossible to top Jordan's catalog of spectacular and memorable performances IMHO.

Those who appreciate sports greatness, as you and I do, were so fortunate to have gotten to bear witness to it in real time.

That Jordan was a very flawed human being kind of only added to the mystique. Those who dismiss his athletic accomplishments because he was "a bad guy" ... I almost feel sorry for them.

[HansMoleman]

My son and me in the front row with the double fist pump.  2019, Saturday, birdie at 16.

[Uncle Rico]

Latanna Stone plays the last 2 holes +3 to lose to Anna Davis, a 16 year-old sophomore out of California at the 3rd ANWA

[Goose]

82

I agree 100% with your post. I especially agree that MJ's flaws enhanced his mystique and still does today. I saw Jordan multiple times at the Ryder Cup last fall, and he is still bigger than life in many ways. We have been blessed to have seen great tennis players, golfers, football and name a sport over the past fifty years, but Jordan is still the man in my book.


sultan
Is "my book" Ok to say?

[Goose]

Hans

Great picture and memory.

[HansMoleman]

Hans

Great picture and memory.

For sure. No sporting event I've attended tops it.

[Goose]

Cheebs

I hope you and your Dad have a fantastic time. I would have loved to have gone with my Dad, but I know he was there in spirit.

[withoutbias]

I’m not saying that because they’re bad people their athletic accomplishments are diminished. They’re not. Tiger is the best I’ve ever seen do it. What it means is I find it impossible to root for the guy. He’s an a hole and has put peoples’ lives at risk multiple times with his decisions to get behind a wheel when he should not have. I can’t root for a guy who does that and I have a hard time understanding how he has the fanfare he does.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

For me, I was growing up and really starting to get into sports during Tiger’s dominance.

In the late 90s/early 00s The Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, and White Sox we’re all awful. Hell even leading up to 08 the only thing I got in my lifetime was one Sox World Series, a Bears Super Bowl and four Bulls championships, which I only slightly remember 98.

That dude was a borderline super hero to me. Like I understand he isn’t a good person, along with Jordan. But those guys really shaped my early sports fandom. Thus, making it nearly impossible to cheer against.

[MU82]

My son and me in the front row with the double fist pump.  2019, Saturday, birdie at 16.

Cool that you had a bird's-eye view! Great pic, great memory for you and your son.

[MU82]

I’m not saying that because they’re bad people their athletic accomplishments are diminished. They’re not. Tiger is the best I’ve ever seen do it. What it means is I find it impossible to root for the guy. He’s an a hole and has put peoples’ lives at risk multiple times with his decisions to get behind a wheel when he should not have. I can’t root for a guy who does that and I have a hard time understanding how he has the fanfare he does.

I understand most of your post. Just as I wouldn't suggest that you're wrong to avoid products whose management you don't like, I wouldn't try to suggest who you root for. If you choose not to root for all bad people, I don't blame you, though I'd hope you're consistent about it.

Your last line ... I mean, do you really "have a hard time understanding how he has the fanfare he does"? He is the best ever in his field, and his career played out in front of all of our eyes. It's actually VERY easy to understand how he receives the fanfare he does. Indeed, it would be odd if he didn't receive the fanfare. In America, our high-performing jocks and entertainers are our version of royals.

[Goose]

The mention of Tiger's reckless behavior and putting lives at risk is definitely a fair conversation and I have no problem with that topic. On the other hand, a grade school friend of mine recently had a horrible tragedy in her life and their compassion brought me to tears. Her younger brother lost his wife late last year in a hit and run accident, with the driver ultimately being caught and having a drinking and driving history. At sentencing last week, the husband and his children asked the court to not sentence the driver to prison, but rather he undergoes a very strict rehab program, stiff probation and prison if he fails at his second chance. Their compassion and love for fellow human beings is something I will never forget.