Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand hits his second shot on the first hole during the first round of the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., Thursday, April 9, 2009. AP Photo/Morry Gash
George Plimpton, the author of Paper Lion, a wonderful Walter Mittyish book on gridiron, once noted that “the smaller the ball, the better the sports writing.” He was talking specifically about the rich literature on golf.
From Wodehouse to Updike, there have been numerous classic works of fiction on golf.
Golf journalism, too, from Bobby Jones through to Henry Longhurst, and more recently Peter Thomson, has fulfilled Plimpton’s dictum.
These thoughts were occasioned by a lovely article in the Sydney Morning Herald a day or so ago on the Masters penned by Peter Thomson, arguably Australia’s greatest golfer (with five British Opens to his credit) and undoubtedly our finest writer on golf.
The article was a scene-setter for the 2009 Masters tournament at the fabled Augusta course.
Thomson gives a history of the course and how Bobby Jones built it out of “an apple orchard on the side of a hill with a creek on the bottom.”
No earth was moved, apparently, with Jones “following the least line of resistance to find 18 practical holes.”
Then Thomson gives us an insight into why the Masters is so dramatic. Jones made some “tricky potential destroyers of scores,” he writes. This means that “the Masters has been mostly lost by someone leading before it is won.”
This is a beautifully expressed notion that generally some players have to lose the Masters for the winner to take out the victory.
Greg Norman would understand this sentiment all too well.
The article finishes with a reference to Tiger Woods: “all eyes will be on Tiger Woods again, and he will give us his serious best,”‘ and a insightful conclusion that “Augusta will win again.”
Until a few years ago, the Masters only allowed television coverage of the back nine holes. These holes attained an iconic status as players lost their way on them, especially on the last day, and a winner stormed home.
Now we get all the holes televised and something of the drama has gone with this extension of viewing.
There is also the fact that the course has been made so long and so much harder.
Tiger Woods has made the point that the back nine won’t give up scores of, say, 31, that have enabled Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and other greats to storm home for an unexpected victory.
As Peter Thomson says about the Masters: “Is there a better show on earth?”
Right now, there isn’t. And hopefully the tendency to make the course so tough that everyone is cut down to size by it will stop.
The best players should win the Masters, and not the player who comes in at par figures and wins by default, as the course levels the skills to a common denominator.
Andy Brown of HomeofGolf.TV
Guest
It’s always wonderful to hear the great man opine on the sport and share his thoughts and feelings which is only too eagerly accepted by people wanting to hear his opinion. Just recently he gave an interview to the Telegraph and his views there clearly reflected what he thinks of the great man prowling the golfing greens these days. While he was effusive in his praise for Tiger, he didn’t skip a beat in saying that he hopes Tiger Woods starts smiling more often. It was a not too indirect comment from a man who has seen golf from close quarters for nearly three-quarters of a century now. He also went on to add he needs to be more humble towards his fellow competitors and stop being morose and petulant. Normally, one doesn’t expect a reaction from Tiger but coming from the five-time Open champion, it is something that Tiger should pay heed to because it would do his game a lot of good. Loved his insight on the creating of the Augusta National golf course. It gives us a fairly good idea about how the mind of a designer works in putting together a quality golf course
ozziejag
Guest
Why isn't he " Sir Peter Thomson " ?
Benjamin Conkey
Editor
When Zach Johnson won the Masters in 2007 he played the par 5's in something like 11-under par. The problem was he didn't go for any par 5 green in two. It was smart play from a guy who isn't a big hitter, but it was boring golf..in the sense that he was just pitching from 100 yards every time on his third shot. It's a fine line. You want to tempt players to go for the green, but by having shorter par fives, the long hitters (which there is plenty of) can hit short irons in for their second shots. From what I've seen so far most players haven't had much difficulty reaching the 13th and 15th holes in two, which were the two holes most criticised for being lengthened. And 9-under par for two rounds suggests the course is fair, especially when the 48-year-old Kenny Perry can be leading. But then again the third and fourth rounds are always so much tougher. The pin placements will be cruel from now on. And when it gets tougher, one man always seems to make it look easier. Look out for a Tiger surge tomorrow.
Michael Green
Roar Pro
Well said Spiro. It was a fantastic article indeed. Despite the powers that be at Augusta still having some rules leftover from the 1920's it has rarely done much wrong in running the US Masters. I would love to see them go out on a limb and ensure everyone must use the same ball. A smaller one that doesn't go as far.
Spiro
Guest
Sherry, that is certainly correct. Harbert Warren Wind wrote for the New Yorker and set a standard of golf writing,in particular, and sports writing in general, that has probably never been matched. Peter Thomson carries on this tradition of superb writing about golf. Like many other people I love to see the champions win the big events and when a no-name wins the Masters I feel somewhat cheated by the result.
Sherry
Guest
Spiro - When Plimpton said "The smaller the ball, the better the sports writing," he surely had Herbert Warren Wind in mind. HWW, the dean of US sports writers, named aspects of the 11th, 12th and 13th holes Amen Corner, as I'm sure you know, and wrote about the small miracles that Snead, Nelson and Palmer performed there. Those holes still have to be played, and the championship may well be won or lost at these points. So we must keep in mind that it's unlikely anybody can storm home in the last several holes without first successfully negotiating these treacherous mid-course holes. Tiger was responsible for the course being changed when he won by 12 strokes in '97. Myself, I like to see players conquer the challengers, like having to hit a long iron onto a very tricky green and still get the ball in shape for a decent put. That was one of the talents that allowed Peter Thompson to win five British Opens. I think everybody's look forward to seeing how the teen talent goes - Ryo Ishikawa from Japan and Danny Lee from your old neck of the woods, you should pardon the pun.