Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture => Topic started by: Terry Lavin on July 17, 2015, 04:49:53 PM
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Tom Watson just waved goodbye on the Swilcan Bridge. A past Champion Golfer and a legend, with his son on the bag. Does it get any better? I think not.
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Unless you're Dan Jenkins, apparently. He's on Twitter dissing that tradition.
https://twitter.com/danjenkinsgd/status/622146905938763776 (https://twitter.com/danjenkinsgd/status/622146905938763776)
Time to put Mr. Jenkins out to pasture yet?
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I was at the 2005 Open at St Andrews when Jack Nicklaus did his Swilken farewell. He really milked it for two days but the end was pretty good. RBS put out a commemorative five pound note, wonder if they did the same for Watson.
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Wish the tradition wasn't used to make a few (or more than a few) bucks. But it's still a pretty great tradition.
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Terry,
As a way of saying good-bye to the game... maybe.
But the best tradition in golf is teeing it up on the first hole with your father...
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Unless you're Dan Jenkins, apparently. He's on Twitter dissing that tradition.
https://twitter.com/danjenkinsgd/status/622146905938763776 (https://twitter.com/danjenkinsgd/status/622146905938763776)
Time to put Mr. Jenkins out to pasture yet?
Classic. Maybe Nobody after Hogan was worthy in his bitter and decidedly biased eye.
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Looks like Dan Jenkins has very little support. Still he obviously has no idea what he is talking about.
Great send off for one of golfs great players and certainly The Opens greatest champion in the modern era.
Jon
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Unless you're Dan Jenkins, apparently. He's on Twitter dissing that tradition.
https://twitter.com/danjenkinsgd/status/622146905938763776 (https://twitter.com/danjenkinsgd/status/622146905938763776)
Time to put Mr. Jenkins out to pasture yet?
Classic. Maybe Nobody after Hogan was worthy in his bitter and decidedly biased eye.
grows more bitter(and less funny) every year.
Lots of great stuff happening in golf right now.
came out specifically to watch Watson today play his last round-was dismayed to find out no bus service to train after 9 pm ::) ::) [size=78%] so I missed the final Bridge crossing but saw him hit quite a few shots[/size]
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Totally agree. Stuff like this is fantastic. And if anyone has earned the right to milk it, it's Watson.
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Not sure it was a tradition but seems to becoming one.
Jack Nicklaus was deserving of it, so was Tom Watson as they both made it clear it was their last Open.
[/size]The problem is that muppets like Faldo think it's a right, milk it, then say they might play another![/color]
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Not sure it was a tradition but seems to becoming one.
Jack Nicklaus was deserving of it, so was Tom Watson as they both made it clear it was their last Open.
The problem is that muppets like Faldo think it's a right, milk it, then say they might play another!
I think Sir Nick said he planned to play at least two more Open Championships, but this would be his last at St Andrews.
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I'm no fan of Faldo and guess that his Bridge turn will not carry the weight of Watson's, despite his Sir status.
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The announcers said that every single golfer who has ever played the course poses for a picture on the bridge. More proof that I have never and another reason that course has passed me by.
My favorite tradition in golf is The Masters giving invites to the various amateur champions. This could be the single most powerful factor in all of sports delaying an athlete from turning pro. How great is that?
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is the Honorary Starters for the Masters teeing off at ANGC on Thursday
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Watching the greatest in the games history cross that bridge at the end of their careers appears to me a ephemeral transition much like James Earl Jones pausing before walking into the cornfield.
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1. It's a nice tradition. I don't know if it is the greatest one. If it takes place after the round, that's proper. If it holds up play, it needs to be revisited.
2. The bridge should be revered for much more than its relationship to golf. It relates to the history of humanity more than it does to golf, in my estimation.
3. One never knows who does the "tweeting" for older celebrities. Jenkins has celebrity status in golf circles. He might have a staff, an intern, or he might go it alone. Tweeting drives interest and moves the needle. I've read tremendous pieces that received nary a comment, and other, more controversial (even jaded and unfounded) ones that garnered 100s of comments.
4. John, I hope that you are correct. I recall in 2007, when Colt Knost turned pro prior to the Masters. As US Amateur champion, he was eligible to receive an invitation, but he indicated that he had to get on with the business of earning money, to repay his parents all that they had given him. He has yet to earn an invitation to Augusta as a professional.
5. I prefer the less-rigid "A fine tradition in golf" to the demarcating something as the most extreme. Unless, of course, the goal is to drive interest and move the needle...
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Not sure it was a tradition but seems to becoming one.
Jack Nicklaus was deserving of it, so was Tom Watson as they both made it clear it was their last Open.
[/size]The problem is that muppets like Faldo think it's a right, milk it, then say they might play another![/color]
Andrew,
Though he may not be quite on a par with Watson, Faldo certainly has earned the right to a farewell from St Andrews where he was Open Champion in some style. He may not be universally liked but to call him a 'muppet' shows how little you seem to understand about golf and its history. Maybe a little more humility and respect would be in order.
Jon
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Not sure it was a tradition but seems to becoming one.
Jack Nicklaus was deserving of it, so was Tom Watson as they both made it clear it was their last Open.
The problem is that muppets like Faldo think it's a right, milk it, then say they might play another!
Andrew,
Though he may not be quite on a par with Watson, Faldo certainly has earned the right to a farewell from St Andrews where he was Open Champion in some style. He may not be universally liked but to call him a 'muppet' shows how little you seem to understand about golf and its history. Maybe a little more humility and respect would be in order.
Jon
+1
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Photos have been staged there for 150+ years. :)
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/a5/94/97/a594973ff29b2803b487b2c025392f81.jpg)
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Not sure it was a tradition but seems to becoming one.
Jack Nicklaus was deserving of it, so was Tom Watson as they both made it clear it was their last Open.
The problem is that muppets like Faldo think it's a right, milk it, then say they might play another!
Andrew,
Though he may not be quite on a par with Watson, Faldo certainly has earned the right to a farewell from St Andrews where he was Open Champion in some style. He may not be universally liked but to call him a 'muppet' shows how little you seem to understand about golf and its history. Maybe a little more humility and respect would be in order.
Jon
+1
+2
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"champion golfer of the year"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv-cpytpUkY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv-cpytpUkY)
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It pales in comparison to a member of the Morris clan hanging out of the second floor window of the shop, just like Old Tom did many years ago.
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He may not be the most popular person on the planet but 3 Masters, 3 Opens plus runner up spot in the US Open and US PGA, 9 US tour and 30 European tour wins make him one of the modern greats. Only Nicklaus, Woods, Player and Watson have won more majors in the modern game.
Muppet he is not.
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Not sure it was a tradition but seems to becoming one.
Jack Nicklaus was deserving of it, so was Tom Watson as they both made it clear it was their last Open.
The problem is that muppets like Faldo think it's a right, milk it, then say they might play another!
Andrew,
Though he may not be quite on a par with Watson, Faldo certainly has earned the right to a farewell from St Andrews where he was Open Champion in some style. He may not be universally liked but to call him a 'muppet' shows how little you seem to understand about golf and its history. Maybe a little more humility and respect would be in order.
Jon
Perhaps muppet is a little strong on here and somewhat funny you mention humility and respect. During his heyday he showed little of those attributes.
[/size]Even in his early days he showed little regard to others never mind the honour and respect of the game. If he had the integrity we all revere about the game he would have pointed out Lyle's mistake on the Sunshine tour at the time, not later causing penalties. Just one of quite a few cases so I'll stick to not worshipping the man.
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If only Faldo could have been more gregarious like Hogan and Woods.
If only he had the integrity of Arnold Palmer.
If only he was as self deprecating as Gary Player.
If only instead of hugging Norman in 96 he hurled his putter in the air having it land on his head.
If only he shared Seve's aversion to cough medicine.
Then and only then would he have been entitled to applause and a photo as he went over the bridge.
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Not sure it was a tradition but seems to becoming one.
Jack Nicklaus was deserving of it, so was Tom Watson as they both made it clear it was their last Open.
[/size]The problem is that muppets like Faldo think it's a right, milk it, then say they might play another![/color]
Andrew,
Though he may not be quite on a par with Watson, Faldo certainly has earned the right to a farewell from St Andrews where he was Open Champion in some style. He may not be universally liked but to call him a 'muppet' shows how little you seem to understand about golf and its history. Maybe a little more humility and respect would be in order.
Jon
+1
a great champion, and one of the FEW announcers who knows what they are talking about when discussing the mechanics of a golf swing and what is involved when altering them
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It pales in comparison to a member of the Morris clan hanging out of the second floor window of the shop, just like Old Tom did many years ago.
Sven. A friend at my club is named Tom Morris (III). (No relation.) He was introduced to Justin Rose at a charity event, and Justin jokingly asked if he was Old Tom. My friend said that since he had a son named Tom Morris IV and a 3 year old grandson Tom Morris V, he guessed he was. He mentioned that they were all going to play The Old Course someday. Rose gave him his private number and said "Call me when you do that, I want to be the fourth in that group!"
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It pales in comparison to a member of the Morris clan hanging out of the second floor window of the shop, just like Old Tom did many years ago.
Sven. A friend at my club is named Tom Morris (III). (No relation.) He was introduced to Justin Rose at a charity event, and Justin jokingly asked if he was Old Tom. My friend said that since he had a son named Tom Morris IV and a 3 year old grandson Tom Morris V, he guessed he was. He mentioned that they were all going to play The Old Course someday. Rose gave him his private number and said "Call me when you do that, I want to be the fourth in that group!"
Bill -
From the Oct. 13, 1899 edition of Golf Illustrated.
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc435/snilsen7/Tom%20Morris%20Shop%20-%20Golf%20Illustrated%20UK%20Oct.%2013%201899%201_zpsfaqlotzd.png)
(http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc435/snilsen7/Tom%20Morris%20Shop%20-%20Golf%20Illustrated%20UK%20Oct.%2013%201899%202_zpsorbym89d.png)
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Tom at the shop:
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5248/5225566624_93cc9a0e45_o.jpg)
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Young Robert Foulis top right. Designed or built many a midwest course.
Tom at the shop:
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5248/5225566624_93cc9a0e45_o.jpg)
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Not sure it was a tradition but seems to becoming one.
Jack Nicklaus was deserving of it, so was Tom Watson as they both made it clear it was their last Open.
The problem is that muppets like Faldo think it's a right, milk it, then say they might play another!
Andrew,
Though he may not be quite on a par with Watson, Faldo certainly has earned the right to a farewell from St Andrews where he was Open Champion in some style. He may not be universally liked but to call him a 'muppet' shows how little you seem to understand about golf and its history. Maybe a little more humility and respect would be in order.
Jon
Perhaps muppet is a little strong on here and somewhat funny you mention humility and respect. During his heyday he showed little of those attributes.
[/size]Even in his early days he showed little regard to others never mind the honour and respect of the game. If he had the integrity we all revere about the game he would have pointed out Lyle's mistake on the Sunshine tour at the time, not later causing penalties. Just one of quite a few cases so I'll stick to not worshipping the man.
Andrew,
very few great players do most of the time and almost none of the players do all of the time. That is why Palmer, Nicklaus and Watson are a cut above the rest. As for Faldo he did have a big chip on his shoulder for sure but it was the press that put it there. He also did and does a lot of work for ground roots golf in England and has mellowed a lot in the last few years.
As for Lyle, I like Lyle a lot but remember him at the Benson & Hedges, Fulford in 1982/3? as the only player in his group who refused to sign autographs for a group of juniors by the practice ground. An hour before Faldo had as had Langer and a slightly wobbly Brian Barnes. Indeed I spent an hour feeding Bernhard Langer practice balls and chatting to him after his round which was a great experience for a 13 year old boy.
Jon
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Andrew,
very few great players do most of the time and almost none of the players do all of the time. That is why Palmer, Nicklaus and Watson are a cut above the rest. As for Faldo he did have a big chip on his shoulder for sure but it was the press that put it there. He also did and does a lot of work for ground roots golf in England and has mellowed a lot in the last few years.
As for Lyle, I like Lyle a lot but remember him at the Benson & Hedges, Fulford in 1982/3? as the only player in his group who refused to sign autographs for a group of juniors by the practice ground. An hour before Faldo had as had Langer and a slightly wobbly Brian Barnes. Indeed I spent an hour feeding Bernhard Langer practice balls and chatting to him after his round which was a great experience for a 13 year old boy.
Jon
I'm glad you had a good experience with Faldo and you got me, I'm a Sandy fan!
Partly because he is a Scot but mainly due to meeting him a couple of times about 84/5 and was the gent then as he has been since. If that's not your experience, I'm sorry to hear it but everyone has a bad day.
I knew about Faldo and his behaviour before that and though only meeting him once briefly he couldn't have proved the stories about his attitude and ego any more than mentioned by many sources.
I'm not saying he has to have the special attributes of all the greats but he is missing the base integrity that they have all built on, that's all.
He is a decent commentator but that's just a front to do the job. He wouldn't get far on his natural persona.
I'm sure we will never agree and i'm not a hater for the sake of it but he does what he has to.
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My calculations show that Greg Norman turned 60 this year but elected to sit this one out. Is he done with the Open?
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My calculations show that Greg Norman turned 60 this year but elected to sit this one out. Is he done with the Open?
Apparently so.
A mate of mine interviewed him for the BBC a couple of months ago and asked him that exact question. Greg replied that he only really played socially these days and had no time for the practice required to get back into shape for the Open. Also that he didn't want to deny some young and up-coming pro the chance of a place.
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I'm glad you had a good experience with Faldo and you got me, I'm a Sandy fan!
Partly because he is a Scot but mainly due to meeting him a couple of times about 84/5 and was the gent then as he has been since. If that's not your experience, I'm sorry to hear it but everyone has a bad day.
[/quote]
Which was my point Andrew. Lyle never had to put up with the sort of scrutiny and pressure from the press that Faldo did. Yes, Faldo could be an ass but he did many positive things as well. I have found it best to be balanced in such matters.
Jon
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Paula's starting her own traditionPaula's got her own tradition
(http://tinyurl.com/py2k3ht)
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My calculations show that Greg Norman turned 60 this year but elected to sit this one out. Is he done with the Open?
Don't forget he almost amputated his arm with a chainsaw 10 months ago.
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How about buying drinks after a hole in one?
Or maybe the penalty for not hitting your tee shot past the Ladies' tee?
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How about buying drinks after a hole in one?
Interestingly enough, I just don't get the tradition of the one who makes the ace buying drinks. Why isn't he/she the one receiving free drinks? Granted, I'm generally a cheap SOB when it comes to this sort of thing, but why punish the guy/lady who accomplished something memorable?
I nearly made an ace at my club's member-member a few years back. I nearly had a panic attack until I saw the ball had come to rest a few inches directly behind the hole and hidden from view by the flagstick, because I feared explaining to my wife that our bill had increased exponentially. I also knew she would have called the club to immediately drop our membership!
I have a friend whose tradition is to immediately stop playing upon witnessing an ace in his group and thereupon head straight to the nearest Red Lobster for an afternoon/evening of drinking Lobster-tinis. It's happened twice.
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You are supposed to be celebrating your good fortune, like giving out cigars after having a baby. My club has a hole in one fund which covers $500 of drinks after each hole in one by a member. It often doesn't last long as our club has wily members that order a double shot of single malt when this occurs.
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You are supposed to be celebrating your good fortune, like giving out cigars after having a baby. My club has a hole in one fund which covers $500 of drinks after each hole in one by a member. It often doesn't last long as our club has wily members that order a double shot of single malt when this occurs.
I forgot to mention the fact that I had failed to get hole-in-one insurance that season, and there can't be a more disastrous time to hold an open bar tab than during the member-member!
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I think Sir Nick said he planned to play at least two more Open Championships, but this would be his last at St Andrews.
Why is Nick doing this ... has no chance of making the cut? Media visibility? Promote his high end course design/development?
Sorry to rain on the parade, but pro golf needs a faster way to have its over the hill stars from yesteryear exit the stage.
All they are doing is taking up tournament slots that deserving up and coming golfers need.
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No they aren't. The has beens are merely taking the spots of the never gonna be's. I know who I'd rather watch. Faldo said after coming off that he had planned to play two more, but felt that St Andrews was the perfect ending, so that will be it.
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Why is Nick doing this ... has no chance of making the cut? Media visibility? Promote his high end course design/development?
Sorry to rain on the parade, but pro golf needs a faster way to have its over the hill stars from yesteryear exit the stage.
All they are doing is taking up tournament slots that deserving up and coming golfers need.
So the "deserving up and coming golfers" are more deserving than three time champion Nick Faldo?
There are NUMEROUS ways to qualify for the Open-if they're so "deserving" shouldn't they be able to find one of the many ways to qualify?
Faldo was an artist-one of the last great shotmakers.
Well worth watching after his prime
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I was a great admirer of Faldo's game but he is definitely picking the right time to hang 'em up if this was his final Open. To me he's just now crossing the line where watching him struggle on the greens is more unpleasant than watching the rest of his game is enjoyable.
My favorite Faldo saying was in that "Playing Lessons With The Pros" show they used to have on Golf Channel. He hit a remarkable bunker shot to just a couple feet from the hole. As he was walking up to hit the putt he says "It's not a great shot if you don't make the putt".
To me that captures the essence of what makes golf so damned infuriating and addictive. Probably also captures the essence of why so many wonderful shotmakers find themselves scared spitless every time they walk onto a putting green after age 55 or so...
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He may not be the most popular person on the planet but 3 Masters, 3 Opens plus runner up spot in the US Open and US PGA, 9 US tour and 30 European tour wins make him one of the modern greats. Only Nicklaus, Woods, Player and Watson have won more majors in the modern game.
Muppet he is not.
Have you ever dealt with him directly? if you have, as I have over a period of time, you might consider muppet to be a considerable understatement.
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Martin,
what dealings?
Jon
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Martin,
what dealings?
Jon
Jon
See my personal message.
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Without a doubt the best "tradition" in golf is sportsmanship. Golf stands above most (if not all) major sports in this regard. It teaches kids the right way to compete with integrity, and class. There is no chest thumping, flopping for a call, or showboating. I like it when guys take their hats off and shake each others hands and it conclusion of a round. Golf....it is the best!