Tuesday Tidbits, Masters Edition

Masters leftovers for sure, though there's other golf news.  Perhaps later today, though tomorrow morning might be more likely.

We Are Family - I didn't feel compelled to dive into this yesterday, but it feels unavoidable today.  The it being Patrick Reed's estranged family:

Bill and Jeannette Reed and their daughter Hannah were not welcome at Augusta National. Patrick has made that much clear, the final twist of the knife in an estrangement 

that dates to 2012. So the Reeds gathered at the house their son lived in while leading Augusta State to two national championships. Memorabilia from his playing career is still scattered about: crystal trophies, photographs on the walls, a couple of commemorative golf bags. The bedroom he hasn't stepped foot in for so long is still universally referred to as "Patrick's room." As the Masters played out the soundtrack was buzzing and beeping phones; Bill alone had awakened to 152 text messages. The Reeds lived and died with every shot on the back nine, hooting and hollering at the TV. When the final putt dropped, they clung to each other like survivors in a life raft. Struggling to catch her breath, tears streaming down her cheeks, Jeannette said, "I can't believe my son is the Masters champion. It's surreal." It was a dizzying mix of pride and pain.

It's a strange and sad story, and this bit will tug at your heartstrings as well:

A friend of Bill and Jeannette's had extra tickets to the 2014 U.S. Open, so with some

trepidation, they went to Pinehurst No. 2 and followed Patrick throughout the second round, hoping to perhaps reestablish contact and meet their granddaughter for the first time. Justine was also in the gallery, but no words were exchanged. Walking up the 18th hole, Bill, Jeannette and Hannah were surrounded by police officers. They ultimately were escorted off the grounds and had their tournament badges confiscated by a USGA official who, according to Jeannette, said he was acting on Justine's wishes. (In previous interviews Patrick and Justine declined to comment on any aspect of their relationship with his parents.)

On the one hand, we can all agree that showing up unannounced at his place of work isn't optimal....  On the other, what choice did he leave them.

 It's a devastating portrait of Patrick, and a ruthless treatment of the those that raised him.  Families of course often have their hidden dysfunctions, but that part of growing up that allows us to accept the imperfections of others seems to have eluded Patrick.

Think I'm overstating it?  

The family drama spilled out into the open in late 2016, when Justine wrote a Facebook post about her in-laws which included the line, "They are sick people and need help." Hannah responded with a long, anguished post of her own, writing, "I have sat back and watched the numerous and disgusting accusation his wife, mother-in-law and everyone now associated as his family have made. Patrick is not the same person he used to be. This is not a brother anymore, but a selfish, horrible stranger and it's heartbreaking … It is devastating seeing my parents hurt and suffer from what is being posted about them."

And the purpose of Justine's Facebook post was....?  Sorry for the buzzkill, but it's very hard to root for this crew....

Other Estrangements - It's not just his family, as part of his Grand Tour Patrick spoke of his estrangement from Callaway:

“The biggest thing was I wanted to be different,” Reed told the business network when asked about leaving Callaway Golf after last season. “It’s hard to believe that there is one company that makes 14 perfect golf clubs and a perfect golf ball for every player.”

Reed has put together a mixed bag with a Ping driver, Titleist and Callaway irons, Artisan Golf wedges and an Odyssey putter. He used at Titleist Pro V1 ball at Augusta National. 

“This has freed me up to use whatever equipment I want. On the equipment side, I’m just out there doing my thing. I’m using whatever I want to use,” Reed said. “I’m able to put 14 golf clubs and a golf ball in the bag that I feel are the perfect fit for me. To do that and come out with a my first major, it was a risk. But it was a risk that was the right one.”

So, did he leave them or did they leave him?  Perhaps it was the first mutual break-up ever.....

It's an interesting subject, as we've seen layers' fortunes wax and wane with equipment changes.  But I'm guessing that not many of today's Tour pros will follow this strategy....  If Nothing else, where does he go when he snaps a shaft on the range?

But see if you find this bit strange:

Despite not having a club deal, Reed partnered with Nike as a clothing sponsor in 2018. He wore pink and not his traditional red on Sunday because of fellow Nike player Tiger Woods’ association with the same color on the same weekday.

First and foremost, Sunday is not and never has been a weekday....But he used to wear red and black as an homage, is he now off that?  Will he now be Pretty in Pink on Sundays going forward?  Damn it, we need answers....

I Saw It On TV -  Hello, friends....  What did you think of the performance of the taking heads?  Martin Kauffman had much to say, though this wrap-up header appears to be on the wrong article:

TV column: Masters coverage was 'unbelievably incredible'

Incredibly unbelievable at times, perhaps.... He credits Brandel Chamblee for his Sunday night comments:

He is to TV what Dan Jenkins or Herbert Warren Wind used to be at their best in print. They watch the same tournament as everyone else but process it and explain it on a whole different level. 

Chamblee neatly captured the tone of the weekend with this dichotomy: “(Saturday) was like tennis without a net. Today was a contest of wills.” 

Of the champion, he said, “There’s something inexorable about Patrick Reed … He plays with a certain defiance … You’ll now look at him as the type of player who can lead the Ryder Cup team, lead the Presidents Cup team.” 

When Reed spoke post-round of being motivated by naysayers on Golf Channel, Chamblee immediately drew a straight line to Jack Nicklaus, who drew similar motivation from an Atlanta columnist who said Nicklaus was washed up in 1986.

That's some fine commentary, though the Jenkins/Wind analogies are a bit off-putting....  Really a category error, but demeaning all the same.

He then turns his guns on a favorite target, with far more satisfying results:

Chamblee’s performance was what Nick Faldo probably would describe as “unbelievable.” I say this because Faldo describes everything as “unbelievable.” 

Jordan Spieth’s Sunday charge? “Unbelievable.” 

Spieth briefly threatening the course record? “Unbelievable.” 

A replay of Spieth’s meltdown on 12 at the 2016 Masters? “Unbelievable.” 

Patrick Reed’s magnificent back-nine play Saturday? “I really can’t believe it. . . It’s absolutely unbelievable.” A minute later Faldo said: “Every year somebody does something unbelievable here – sets new scoring records or does stuff we cannot believe.” 

Rory McIlroy’s second shot to 13 Saturday? “He hit the most unbelievable shot on the fifth out of the bunker, and now this is an unbelievable shot.” 

At one point Saturday, Faldo caught himself: “It’s unbeliev. . . It’s incredible.”

Oh Martin, isn't that really the least of his incoherent babbling?  

In an earlier piece, Martin took issue with the use of tracer technology:

 This year U.S. viewers finally got shot-tracing technology on the Masters broadcast, but with a caveat. It’s only used on five holes. The problem, as ESPN’s Curtis Strange suggested, is that you notice the absence of tracer technology on the other 13 holes.

Consider two moments from the 11th hole Friday.

The first involved Tiger Woods, who flared his drive right, though the only reason we knew that was because of Woods’ body English on the tee. Then Woods hit a low, hot cut shot under the tree limbs, and it stopped just behind the hole. Only a tracer could illustrate how bad the drive was, and how tremendous the second shot was. 

The second involved Bubba Watson, who was even deeper in the trees right of the fairway. He aimed his second shot well left of the pond left of the 11th green, then hooked his shot at least 50 yards and stopped it just behind the flag. It was extraordinary. 

“If this (hooks only) 20 yards, 30 yards, it’s still in the pond,” Frank Nobilo said during the replay.

The peasants can be so ungrateful....  We're just relieved that they're finally televising the front nine, and this guy wants tracers everywhere....  What's next?  On-course reporters?  A blimp to show us what Washington Road actually looks like?

A Tradition.... - Karen Crouse with a fun read on another manner in which the Masters is so retro:

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that at the Masters, home of the manually operated 

scoreboard and $1.50 pimento cheese sandwiches, the hole-by-hole yardage book provided by the hosts is primitive compared with what is available at other tournaments.

Away from Augusta, competitors typically use two books, one with tee-to-green details for each hole and the other, which often has a price tag, focused solely on the greens. The Masters provides a single one, at no cost, that covers both elements, offering rudimentary information. It is left to the caddies and the players to do their own legwork and fill in the blanks. In that respect, the Augusta National book is like the course itself, designed to reward those with the most creativity, imagination and discipline. 

“I like it that way,” said Michael Greller, who caddies for Jordan Spieth, the 2015 champion. “It rewards people who put the work in.”

The photo above is an Arnold Palmer yardage book from the mid-1960's.  Here's the type in vogue on Tour these days:

 It's a subject for another day, for sure.  We'd all use them if available, but it's also a bit unsettling, no?

Playing Hurt - He made it through the event, and Thursday's round in particular was... I'm gonna go with unbelievable.... But this is Tony Finau's ankle when all was said and done:

Don't try this at home, kids!

Jordan and Greller, Hot Mic Edition -  Remember Jordan's shot into No. 13?  Not quite Phil, but from the pine straw and rather risky:

Here's the full transcript of their deliberations:

GRELLER: You got, 211, 230, adjusted.

SPIETH: It's a 4-iron, right? Stock 4-iron? What's it to fly (inaudible)? I could hit hybrid as well and play a fade. What's the wind doing?

GRELLER: East-Northeast off the right. . . . I like the hybrid more than that.

SPIETH: It's 230 hole?

GRELLER: Yeah.

SPIETH: How do you feel?

GRELLER: I see it fits the the shape of the hole better, it gives you more margin or room. You know? I feel like a 4-iron is perfect. But if it gets right at all. . .

SPIETH: The lie's OK, I kind of have to hit it a groove low.

GRELLER: OK.

SPIETH: But I still like this. If I hit it long left, it's still not bad, you know?

GRELLER: No, I agree. What's your start line?

SPIETH: I'm at the middle of the green bunker. You said it's off the right a little?

GRELLER: Yeah, I just don't feel much right here.

SPIETH: Yeah, I know. But it's not off the left. It's no wind.

GRELLER: Correct, yeah. Look at your target.

Great stuff for sure, especially Jordan asking how Michael is feeling.... which Michael took to be rhetorical.