[Tommy Williamsen]

Hard to believe anyone would even discuss something so meaningless. Patron is a nice respectful term.

[Edward Glidewell]

and in a similar vein when did they start so religiously referring to the venue as "Augusta National" rather than just Augusta..one word too many in most sentences.

I know no one would be confused, but I still think it's good they call it Augusta National since there's an Augusta Country Club right next door.

[Joe Hancock]

I heard a new one (to me) this week: “tournament practice area.”


Really, I don’t much care if they are called patrons or galleries or crowds. I don’t care if it is rough or second cut.


The only thing that bugs me is that the club apparently enforces its language dictates. Do they really think these announcers are gonna be disrespectful, if they are allowed to speak freely?

It’s interesting to me, what people will find to criticize. As my wife and I were watching today’s broadcast, I mused that it would be interesting to hear a sociologist or psychologist explain why the “patrons” behave so much better at “Augusta National” than at any other golf venue course during the year. Is it because the club actually posts the rules that they want to enforce, and then they enforce them without caving to squeeky-wheel types? I don’t know the answer, but it’s my favorite tournament to watch all year, on a human behavior level especially.

[John Kavanaugh]

Anyone who knows a patron who owns a set of tickets to the event every year knows why they and the people they allow to use the badges behaves. Being a lifetime badge holder for the Masters elevates your status in the community. It would hurt deeply to lose that status. They are therefore more than just a fan or a guy who attends a game. They are stewards of something near and dear to most golfers heart. Holding that responsibility earns the right to be called a patron.

[Joe Hancock]

Anyone who knows a patron who owns a set of tickets to the event every year knows why they and the people they allow to use the badges behaves. Being a lifetime badge holder for the Masters elevates your status in the community. It would hurt deeply to lose that status. They are therefore more than just a fan or a guy who attends a game. They are stewards of something near and dear to most golfers heart. Holding that responsibility earns the right to be called a patron.

Dear Mrs. Kavanaugh,


Thank you for your insightful post. Please pass along to John that, while we would miss him around here, he would be wise to let you do the posting for him from here on out.


Regards,


Joe

[Peter Pallotta]

You know what I know about golf course architecture?
Nothing.
I know nothing about it -- especially in terms of how it actually "works".
I love "theory" -- but the gulf between theory and "practice" in gca is wider than in any other art-craft I know.
And in terms of the practice, I know next to nothing.
For example, how can it be that, after all these years and after all the changes/lengthening and 2nd cut and tree-planting, the architecture at Augusta "works" in exactly the same way it did in 1986, and in just about every year since then:
The final (4th round, winning) score seems always just about the *same* as what the 3rd round leader had -- i.e. the architecture somehow causes the leaders to shoot around even par *while at the same time* allowing the pursuers to shoot 65s.
How the heck does architecture/design do that?
Sure, sure - I know the "theory" about how it does it, but scratch the surface of that theory just a little and you see that it doesn't hold up.
The "practice" is all, and as i said, I now know I know nothing about it.
I'm sure glad spring is finally coming; I can go play golf instead.   

Peter
PS - I sure do like peace and quiet and a respectful/charitable attitude, and interpersonal relationships and group dynamics based on and characterize by mutual good will and kind regard -- but I think I'd rather have an unruly (human) freedom than a polite peace that's based on (rule-bound) fear....

[Kalen Braley]

John and Joe,


Nice spin, and while I don't doubt most of the "patrons" are actually well behaved just like most other "fans" at other tournaments, the only thing keeping the yahoos in check at ANGC is fear of losing their badge..no one wants to be the guy who blew that gig....

[Joe Hancock]

Kalen,


Rules without consequence aren’t really rules. Humans think they don’t like rules until they don’t have any.

[MCirba]

I've thought about your well-stated, thoughtful objections to my post and would simply state in defense that I have no more instinctive ability not to cringe when hearing thousands of bellowing people's cheers echoing through the pines referred to as "patrons" than I do when someone uses fingernails across a chalkboard.   

I do agree we have more important matters to discuss such as "first cut" and the proliferation of trees across the property.   

Perhaps it's simply the unrelenting reach of winter into Masters week in the northeast, so that's my last defense.  Now, back to writing my IMO piece on Walter Travis and Charles Blair Macdonald, which is coming along nicely.

[Garland Bayley]

Hard to believe anyone would even discuss something so meaningless. Patron is a nice respectful term.

Given the history of the club, I don't know how nice it is.
The club membership, at least in the early days, used the club to escape home life in NYC, and be patrons of the Augusta ladies of the evening.

So "patron viewing area" can be thought to be quite salacious.

[John Kavanaugh]

Last week I was in a revolving door with my wife and daughter when I decided to stop the door and rip a rather loud fart. It was neither planned or on the basis of 35 years of marriage a very smart choice. Yet for reasons I doubt any of us could explain or my wife would ever admit we had a good giggle as we entered a rather tony hotel. You see, there is a time and place for everything and acting stupidly at the Masters is neither the time nor place. It has nothing to do with fear of penalty or worry of being cast out of the temple. It's in our gut and every gut of anyone who loves the game. It, much like when to pass gas is at the core of our beings.

[Peter Pallotta]

Good post JK.
But I think they used to call that 'idolatry'.
You know: graven images, and all that

[John Kavanaugh]

Good post JK.
But I think they used to call that 'idolatry'.
You know: graven images, and all that

I'm sure you've seen the movie The Ten Commandments. When Moses was on the mountain and his people molded the golden calf they partied like Waste Management was footing the bill. Funny, both parties take place in the desert.

[Peter Pallotta]

I enjoy playing Martin to your Lewis - always good posts.
But if the world's most peaceful and reverential place has become Augusta National in April, I think I'll retire to Bedlam (or Pheonix)

[Peter Flory]

I did notice that in his speech, Reed did refer to them as fans. 

[Sven Nilsen]

Opening your gates for one week a year only emphasizes the fact you're patronizing your patrons.

[jeffwarne]

[quote author=Kalen Braley link=topic=65781.msg1570446#msg1570446 date=1523235620


 the only thing keeping the yahoos in check at ANGC is fear of losing their badge..no one wants to be the guy who blew that gig....


end quote



While you or I have no idea whether that's true or not, does it really matter? Given that it eliminates the knuckleheads that ruin PGA Tour events?


At The Masters the worst dressed, and worst groomed people are inside the ropes.
When did playing in skinny jean pajamas become a thing?

[Garland Bayley]

...
When did playing in skinny jean pajamas become a thing?

LOL

[mike_beene]

Perhaps it is time for us to all read once again the short essay George Orwell entitled Politics and the English Language

[Mike Hendren]

In 1888, we note in the San Francisco Examiner that before Flynn lets drive a single to the wonderment of all and Jimmy Blake, the much despised tears the cover off the ball,  "The outlook was brilliant for the Mudville nine that day:  The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play.  And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same, a sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game."

Haters gonna hate.

Bogey

[Tim Martin]

[quote author=Kalen Braley link=topic=65781.msg1570446#msg1570446 date=1523235620


 the only thing keeping the yahoos in check at ANGC is fear of losing their badge..no one wants to be the guy who blew that gig....


end quote



While you or I have no idea whether that's true or not, does it really matter? Given that it eliminates the knuckleheads that ruin PGA Tour events?


At The Masters the worst dressed, and worst groomed people are inside the ropes.
When did playing in skinny jean pajamas become a thing?

Jeff-It must be sheer coincidence that pajamas have become de rigeuer at IHOP, Waffle House and Denny’s as well. I guess I shouldn’t be shocked that societal norms seem to take shape at places that serve breakfast sausage. It won’t be long until patrons show up en masse ordering sausage biscuits wearing all manner of PJ’s skinny or not.

[Kyle Harris]

At The Masters the worst dressed, and worst groomed people are inside the ropes.
When did playing in skinny jean pajamas become a thing?

Since at least the 18th Century:



Can we please dispense with the "THESE ARBITRARY 20 YEAR PERIODS OF GOLF HISTORY ARE TRADITION NARRRRR!" trope and let the game evolve as it has for the past 500 years?

[MClutterbuck]

I heard a new one (to me) this week: “tournament practice area.”

This is actually accurate, since the member driving range is not used for the Masters tournament, and (with exceptions) vice versa.

[MClutterbuck]

To ANGC they are like patrons of the arts.

Maybe those buying corporate passes, but not the regular badge holders that get theirs well below market value...

[Peter Pallotta]

What a preternaturally mature-looking young golfer we have there - a determined and clear-eyed champion if I ever saw one, and remarkably unconcerned about his rather archaic ten-fingered grip. (He looks a bit like a young Henrik Stenson). Has found himself in a spot of trouble -- though he does have plenty of room between those trees, if he can only get enough loft off a tight lie to get over that (very penal) water feature... 

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