Fish Club: April 2009 Archives

Amen, spring is finally here!

How can you tell? When the countdown to The Masters is finally over and the lucky few invited, or who have qualified tee-off on Thursday, you know that spring and the golf season has officially started. By the way, anyone want to even try and argue that The Masters is the not the easiest major to win?

All others Majors start with a max field of 156 qualifiers and no invitees. There are only 96 players in the Masters field,  by the time you throw out past champions,amateur players and anyone over the age of 46.( Jack Nicklaus was the oldest champion at The Masters in the history of the event.)

Nice try Kenny, I was actually rooting for you on Sunday. The field has been whittled down to a possible 78 players that have a "chance" to win the event. Throw in some nice players from the Japanese tour who do well their but have never won on the PGA tour and you end you up with guys like Ryo Ishikowa "the young prince" (more of a Fresh Prince fan myself) ,and  my personal favorite Shingo Katayama, who looks and dresses like a guy who got lost on the way to the rave over by Augusta State College. And the field is reduced even further by the cut at low 44 players and those within 10 shots of the lead.

For crying out loud, there might be more guys in your "A" flight at your club championship. Masters, great event. Best Major in my opinion but, once you get in, it is, by far, the easiest to win. By the way do they still have raves?

Am I using the term correctly? I believe raves are parties at rented warehouses where a lot of techno music is being played at levels I could barely tolerate 20 some odd years ago. Even when I was sowing my oats on the South Jersey shore in the summer and in the city and suburbs of Philadelphia in the winter, I had a low tolerance for extremely loud music.

Anyway back to The Masters!

All the glowing reports about the course, the concessions, the members, the rules of the place, etc. are all correct except for one thing. I have been attending the event for the last several years and it is as good as advertised, maybe better, except for the part about having the most knowledgeable patrons in golf. Yes, the word patron is a little bit over the top, but what the hell its their "toon-a-mint?"

It must be me, but every year at least three times per day for the 2 1/2 days that I attend the event, I end up standing or sitting next to some of the biggest jackasses and total non-golf fans that must walk through the gate on that given day.

Now I know that golf is my life, and I do appreciate its traditions and history. However, I do not consider myself a "golf snob", so please no comments about me looking down my crooked nose at "non-golf people".

Some gems from this past weekend:

1. Did you know that a "patron" jumped into the bunker on #17 right before Phil Mickelson was going to putt his ball? Through the magic of Augusta National, all photo's and TV video were destroyed.

2. Will the guy who kept yelling at Ben Curtis on the 9th fairway as he was trying to hit his approach shot to the green learn from being scolded by the caddy to be quiet several times ever realize that you only cheer after a good shot and to save the alumni rap for the homecoming game? Yes, we now all know that you went to "Kent State in 78' and after a little research I learned that Ben Curtis was an All-America there in the late 90's.

Hey, bad fan guy, did you really think Ben was going to stroll over in the middle of doing his job and shoot the breeze with a former Zip? How would you like it if Ben came strolling into your conference room during your big presentation and started yelling your name and "Akron 98" over and over again?

3. For some local flavor..... will the dork who practically threw himself in the path of local PGA tour player and former All-America golfer at Coastal Carolina University Dustin Johnson, who was  playing in his first Masters, please get a clue. This dork apparently trying to impress his lady friend that he knew Dustin and startled Dustin enough on the way from the 9th green to the tenth tee by practically falling over the rope that Dustin had to sidestep to the right to avoid bumping into him. Coincidence that Dustin went double bogey, double bogey on #10 and #11 after being -2 on the front nine? Maybe, maybe not, but he seemed a "little" old to be trying to impress his lady friend that way...perhaps he's a little short with the driver?

4. Don't mean to preach, I smoked for 16 years (was lucky enough to be able to quit several years ago), hang around with plenty of people who still smoke and some who "dip". I also chew and spit through hundreds of bags of sunflower seeds during baseball season. However, I have enough respect for myself and the hallowed grounds of Augusta National not to throw my cigarette butts on the ground and spits wads of chew wherever I  have been standing.  For crying out loud, there are trash bags(colored green of course to blend in with golf course) every 30 feet. Please show the place a little respect, afterall, think of how many people would love to be standing in your tobacco stained shoes at The Masters.

On a scale of 1 to 10 I give this year Masters a 9. My guy, Tiger, didn't win, didn't deserve too, neither did Phil always a plus in my book and the tournament was decided in a play-off can't ask for more than that.....

Now that you are fully inspired by the official start of the major golf season........and Augusta National is impossible to get on, isn't time to plan the next big in golf?

That's right the golf vacation of a lifetime to 'The Golf Capital of The World" Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

visit www.golfholiday.com to play your vacation or go to www.caledoniagolfvacations.com  for exclusive access and preferred pricing to both True Blue Golf Plantation and Caledonia Golf and Fish Club, along with over 80 other Myrtle Beach area golf courses.


While your in town don't forget to tune into The Michelob Light Golf Guys on ESPN radio The Team  93.7 1050am 93.9 every Saturday from 8am to 10am or check us live streaming on the web at www.teammyrtlebeach.com  with the legendary Matt Lincoln and yours truly talking about anything and everything in the world of golf.

Go Play Golf!

Bob Seganti, PGA