The Year in Review - Part 1 - Golf

The Masters press conference with Billy Payne  - Courtesy of Cleveland.com

What a year full of major news from the Olympic Course, through to Augusta and finally the Old Course. I’ve broken all of this out over two posts because it’s too big for one.

 

Biggest “Golf” Story - Augusta Invites Female Members

The Wednesday Press Conference at the Masters was a little more eventful than normal as time and time again reporters’ questions came about not having a female member. The best one being “What do you tell you tell your granddaughter?”

While nobody saw the inclusion coming, it was clear that the pressure on the club was increasing and the time was at hand to change policy and bring the club closer to modern times.

 

Best Writing - John Barton for GolfDigest.com,

“The world did not stop turning. As far as we know, hell did not freeze over. When the announcement came -- a press release from Augusta National Golf Club informing the world that the infamously male-only club had finally added two women members -- it did not seem so much like a bombshell, but rather as something inevitable, and perhaps long overdue.”

Well they played and we got a Masters to remember including a double eagle by Frodo Baggins…

 

The Best Shot of the Year – Bubba Watson at Augusta National

Bubba hitting "The Shot" at the Masters - Courtesy Golf Digest

 

I’ll let Jack Nicklaus’s describe it better than I could…

''When you're playing a hook it usually takes off, but that ball danced like it had a lot of backspin on it. I saw that ball hit the green, and I said, 'Wow.' That was something. Not only did he play the shot, but he played the shot and ended up with control at the end of the shot – which I thought, was the amazing part. That will go down as one of the great shots ever played in the game.''

Bubba, I’ll give you the floor for a great quote…

 

Weirdest Quote of the Year – Bubba Watson

"Justin Bieber is the only person I talked to on the phone that night after I won, he called me and I talked to him on the phone and he and Selena were congratulating me, and it was a big honor that they would both call me and talk to me."

I’m I the only one that found that kind of creepy?

 

Player Quote of the Year - Padraig Harrington

“There isn’t a low point in being a professional golfer. I mean, let’s be realistic.”

He was talking about his “slump” for the past couple of seasons after a career low round.

 

Most Money Wasted by an Organization – R&A

Peter Dawson at Lytham - Courtesy of Getty Images

"Royal and Ancient chief executive Peter Dawson says the St. Andrews-based organization has invested $16 million in toughening and tightening all courses used to host the Open Championship, including lengthening the courses for the 2012 and 2013 editions. Dawson said a fund was created to bring the nine courses used for the Open "into the modern era." He said an average of about $800,000 had been spent on each course, "but I would say its money well spent."

…or you could have fixed the ball

 Picture of the Year

The Birdman and Mike Davis at Olympic - Courtesy of Geoff Shackelford

Mike Davis’s takedown of the Birdman at the US Open goes down as “Best Tackle by Executive” too

The Biggest Surprise – The Ryder Cup Turnaround

This didn't quite go like anyone expected. We all thought it was over before the day began, but when it comes to the Ryder Cup, not everything goes as we think it should. Europe had pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in golf history, defeating the United States eerily similar to what the US did at Brookline.

Second Guessing or Rubbing It In? – Ian Poulter

Ian Poulter at The Ryder Cup - Courtesy of The Times

 ''If he goes left corner, left corner, they win the Ryder Cup,''

 Poulter said, noting that most of the Americans favor a right-to-left shot.

 

Defining the Stroke – USGA Style

“We’re not doing this because we said (anchoring) is a great advantage,” U.S. Golf Association executive director Mike Davis told Golf Channel. “It may be advantageous for some, but this is fundamentally about what we think is the right thing for the game.

Rules changes are about the future of the game, and we really do fundamentally think that defining a stroke is the right thing for the future.”

You ban the way it’s used and not the merchandise – ta da … no lawsuits. At one point I was told the ball is in play. Now I believe it is only us that are being played. I’ve lost any faith I once had in the ball role back for the good of the game.

 

Political Golf Commentary of the Year - Lord Moynihan

Lord Moynihan at the London Olympics - Courtesy of BBC

"It is remarkable that Augusta has changed, but the Royal and Ancient is still there having not entitled and allowed complete equality of opportunity for women in this country.

"It should be an embedded characteristic of 21st century sport, especially when you see the contribution the athletes make.

"Let's get real and let's get on with the job of providing equality of opportunity across sports, sports administration as well as sporting opportunity."

 

Everything else was done to keep up with the times, but you choose to hold onto the past in this instance?

 

Coming Monday – Part Two - Golf Architecture