Posted on 05/01/2009 5:39:20 AM PDT by econjack
I was lucky enough to have a friend who got tickets to the Masters golf tournament this year. I walked the course on Thursday and Friday and was able to see all of the players who qualified before the final cut. The golf was great, but that's not what stuck with me. It was the people in the gallery who amazed me.
This was my first visit to the Masters and my friend and I arrived carrying two folding chairs around 8:30AM each day. We walked over to the 18th hole, placed the chairs with a great vantage point and walked away. For the next seven hours we walked the course and watched some of the greatest players in the world make the game look easy.
Seven hours later, we walked to the 18th green, found our chairs exactly where we left them, but also found two people sitting in them. My friend walked over to them and said: "Gentlemen, we'd like to reclaim our chairs." One of the men turned to us and replied: "Thanks for letting us use them." at which point they got up and surrendered our chairs back to us.
My friend and I had been doing the same thing at various holes on the course all day, as had thousands of other spectators. Perhaps people who play golf are "different", but it was a joy to see this behavior compared to what I experience at other professional sports and their fans.
If you ever get the chance to attend the Masters, don't even think twice...do it. It helps restore your faith in Man.
There are exceptions, such as the "You da MAN!" jerks that have been ubiquitous these past few years...
“...no single stupider thing...”
Spending time sniping at golf does not help starving children.
What do you do for recreation? I like backpacking but it winds up costing about what a nice golf holiday would cost.
Albert Schweitzer worked in the most direct way possible to help the sick, the poor, and the hungry but the lasting results are difficult to see. Converting Animists and Mohammedans to Christianity would help African poor more than any other program. But “the poor are with you always”.
Women like needling...crochet, knitting, tatting...
Just hmmmmmm
I’m very happy for you! It looked (on tv ;-) like a beautiful weekend.
Yeah but Freeper orneriness isn’t (usually) couched in Politically correct talking points. Plus the join date is a giveaway. ;-)
*rasberry*
My best buddy played the course some years ago. He too may well have been in the gallery as he lives about 75 miles from Augusta. I’d be happy just to do a turn-around at the entrance...
“Stay out of Mexico” Check
“Wash your hands” Check
“Keep your pigs outdoors” Now you are asking too much!
Very true and some places it's expected (e.g., the 16th at Tucson). However, there's something about the Masters that seems to prevent that type of behavior. Indeed, if someone tried that there, my guess is that the spectators would deride him to the point where even he would stop yelling.
My son, 13 years old, is playing golf for the school team. I could not be happier with this sport. The sport teaches discipline and a sense of self-worth. When he gets home from golf practice or a golf meet, he practices some more to work on what he felt was not right that day.
He is not getting into trouble with kids in the neighborhood. I really don’t believe that is stupid.
What’s with golfers? Not many “individuals” eh? They don’t wear baggy pants and their bodies aren’t covered with tattoos! I didn’t see any chest pounding and in your face theatrics either. They need to get with the program. Maybe Augusta can pipe in some Rap & Hip Hop sounds too.
Ouch! Actually, I play fairly often with women players and they seem to enjoy the game every bit as much as I do. I'm a single-digit player, but there are a lot of female amateurs who could beat the snot out of me, to say nothing of the LPGA players.
True. I don’t recall hearing it, during this years event at least...
I’ve been to my share of PGA events, and enjoy them immensely. I just can’t walk the fairways any more due to health reasons so haven’t been for a few years. While I still play, it’s with a cart. But, regardless what the Greens believe (or our in-tread troll), golf courses can be and are some of the most beautiful pieces of land I’ve been on. And Augusta is the crown jewel.
Wow - Are you gonna get smoked. So if you go to a movie are you going to a special hell for enjoying yourself. How about a cruise or vacation?
My intentions were friendly...kinda being the spider in the corner....And gettting to the how and why these “hobbies” evolved AND WHAT HAS CHANGED INTO ‘big business’.
Might I ask why you clicked on this post? Was it only to insult others by use of a liberal talking-point?
Oh, and God doesn't put anyone in Hell...you'll do that all by yourself.
Hospice Nurse you think you are above a golfer ? you don’t know one thing about any of those Golfers in there spare time. Half of them could be donating time to the other entities of the Largest Hospice Provider in the USA and Probably are!
Ever watch the LPGA? Oh, and my wife hits a mean golf ball herself. The company I worked for had a golf league every Tuesday during the summer. There was a lady's league also playing at the same time. One thing we learned quickly, don't dawdle because the ladies were chomping at the bit and would hit into you if you didn't move along...
I agree about college football. It brings out the worst in people. I work concessions at games and the fans are very polite. But in the stands, they are horrible. My son put it best as we were leaving the UVa-Virginia Tech Games last year “Man dad, look at all those liquor bottles under the seats”.
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