Question:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Sorry, John, but you are wrong. The analogy with the Yankees is meaningless, because the Yankees belong to a larger organization called Major League Baseball, under whose rules they must operate. The same is not true of Augusta.<< Regardless of who calls the shots in either instance, the analogy is appropriate. I used a hypothetical scenario for argument’s sake, perfectly analagous to the Masters situation. You can’t say "that would never happen in real life" to something intented to be impossible and implausible in the first place! I am well aware that the Masters is a private tournament and your points are well-taken. Believe me, I would be the first to support the rights of any private organization to do as they pleased within the confines of the law. But it’s not like it’s the secret induction ritual at the local Masons’ lodge or anything — it’s a golf tournament for cryin’ out loud and one of the top annual events in the sports world to boot. The sheer prestige of the event demands that it be covered as fully as modern sports journalism will allow. I guess I don’t understand why The Committee chooses to impose, as you say, arcane limitations on broadcast coverage, opting instead to preserve their blueblooded traditions over preserving an accurate historical document of the event. I can’t help that the thought of all the great shots I’ve missed over the years on holes we’re not allowed to see just rankles me. Imagine if DLIII had that chip shot on #3 rather than #16!
The choice of which holes to cover was made by CBS not the tournament committee. In short, I fully support their right to run their tournament any way they so choose just as much as I support my right to complain about it! John Larrabee
Fortunately, they have chosen to exercise their right to ignore you. — –dph. (preferred email: dhayes AT iname DOT com)
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Buzzz, beep, incorrect answer. 
Sorry, John, but you are wrong. The analogy with the Yankees is meaningless, because the Yankees belong to a larger organization called Major League Baseball, under whose rules they must operate. The same is not true of Augusta. I and several others keep reminding everybody that the Master’s is a COMPLETELY private tournament. Augusta is not affiliated with the PGA. the PGA Tour, the USGA or even a regional association. It is a completely private club that can and does run things at its members’ whims. Whether or not you and I like how they run things is irrelevant. Private organizations are free to conduct their business in whatever manner they please, as long as it is not against the law. And as a private organization, the laws are different for them than for public organizations. Randy, correct me if I am wrong, but the on-course officials are Augusta officials, not PGA, USGA or PGA Tour officials, right?
If I’m not mistaken the rules officials are invited by the tournament officials. In the past, they have been members of the USGA, the R&A and similar organizations. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – And nobody can take the Master’s status as a major away except the players. Remember, Augusta is a major because the players long ago decided this was a tournament that they desperately wanted to play in, and that continues to this day. And since it is a private tournament, that means that everybody, TV included, plays by the host’s (Augusta National) rules. And keep in mind that Augusta doesn’t need the TV money. I believe their deal with CBS is only for 1.5 million a year. That is an incredibly cheap price and in no way, shape or form comes close to paying for the cost of staging the tournament, let alone the purse. While I am sure that the members like putting on one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world, they will not suffer any financial hardship if they decided to stop staging the tournament. Yes, Augusta is run by a lot of stuffed shirts who care more for the dignity and tradition of the tournament than for cash, flash and panache. And yes, some of the rules and restrictions on the broadcast are silly and arcane. And I really would like to see the entire front 9 broadcast sometime. From what I understand, some of the most difficult holes on the course are on the front 9. But for me the price is well worth the cost. I like Venturi and Fehrety, I can suffer through Nantz, and not showing the entire front 9 does preserve some mystique. Maybe someday things will change. Maybe the players will begin to lose interest in the Master’s. I don’t think so, but it is possible. What I seriously doubt will ever happen is that the Master’s committee will make concessions for the sake of TV ratings. Can’t buy this one, sorry. Here you have one of the major sporting events in the world, and the people who run the venue call the shots on broadcasting it?? This is not unlike the Yanks making it to the World Series and Steinbrenner telling the networks, "Okay, you can only televise the last four innings of each game, only show Yankee Stadium from certain angles, and never refer to them as ‘fans,’ only ’spectators.’" I understand the desire to preserve the mystique of Augusta and all that, but the dictates of The Committee seem to have less to do with maintaining dignity and more to do with a gratuitous adherence to tradition for no reason other than a gratuitous adherence to tradition. It really is possible to maintain dignity without being an obtuse old stuffed shirt, something I wish the gang at Augusta would realize. John L. — Good Golf Dan For e-mail replace "nospam" with "varian"
– –dph. (preferred email: dhayes AT iname DOT com)
Response:
And keep in mind that Augusta doesn’t need the TV money. I believe their deal with CBS is only for 1.5 million a year. That is an incredibly cheap price and in no way, shape or form comes close to paying for the cost of staging the tournament, let alone the purse.
Just as a matter of interest, where does the prize money come from then? — Richard "The way I see things is that we are scratching our heads when our bums are itchy." – Mike Amm, rsru, 8/5/98 replace "leadtogold" with "alchemist" for email
Response:
As long as they also limit the amount of TV commercials, I won’t complain. If for no other reason, that makes it the best tournament on TV. -Gordon
[stuff clipped] I – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -guess I don’t understand why The Committee chooses to impose, as you say, arcane limitations on broadcast coverage, opting instead to preserve their blueblooded traditions over preserving an accurate historical document of the event. I can’t help that the thought of all the great shots I’ve missed over the years on holes we’re not allowed to see just rankles me. Imagine if DLIII had that chip shot on #3 rather than #16! In short, I fully support their right to run their tournament any way they so choose just as much as I support my right to complain about it! John Larrabee
Response:
I believe it comes primarily from Cadillac and Citigroup, the 2 primary sponsors. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – And keep in mind that Augusta doesn’t need the TV money. I believe their deal with CBS is only for 1.5 million a year. That is an incredibly cheap price and in no way, shape or form comes close to paying for the cost of staging the tournament, let alone the purse. Just as a matter of interest, where does the prize money come from then? — Richard "The way I see things is that we are scratching our heads when our bums are itchy." – Mike Amm, rsru, 8/5/98 replace "leadtogold" with "alchemist" for email
– Good Golf Dan For e-mail replace "nospam" with "varian"
Response:
Sorry, John, but you are wrong. The analogy with the Yankees is meaningless,
because the Yankees belong to a larger organization called Major League Baseball, under whose rules they must operate. The same is not true of Augusta.<< Regardless of who calls the shots in either instance, the analogy is appropriate. I used a hypothetical scenario for argument’s sake, perfectly analagous to the Masters situation. You can’t say "that would never happen in real life" to something intented to be impossible and implausible in the first place! I am well aware that the Masters is a private tournament and your points are well-taken. Believe me, I would be the first to support the rights of any private organization to do as they pleased within the confines of the law. But it’s not like it’s the secret induction ritual at the local Masons’ lodge or anything — it’s a golf tournament for cryin’ out loud and one of the top annual events in the sports world to boot. The sheer prestige of the event demands that it be covered as fully as modern sports journalism will allow. I guess I don’t understand why The Committee chooses to impose, as you say, arcane limitations on broadcast coverage, opting instead to preserve their blueblooded traditions over preserving an accurate historical document of the event. I can’t help that the thought of all the great shots I’ve missed over the years on holes we’re not allowed to see just rankles me. Imagine if DLIII had that chip shot on #3 rather than #16! In short, I fully support their right to run their tournament any way they so choose just as much as I support my right to complain about it! John Larrabee
Response:
Buzzz, beep, incorrect answer. Sorry, John, but you are wrong. The analogy with the Yankees is meaningless, because the Yankees belong to a larger organization called Major League Baseball, under whose rules they must operate. The same is not true of Augusta. I and several others keep reminding everybody that the Master’s is a COMPLETELY private tournament. Augusta is not affiliated with the PGA. the PGA Tour, the USGA or even a regional association. It is a completely private club that can and does run things at its members’ whims. Whether or not you and I like how they run things is irrelevant. Private organizations are free to conduct their business in whatever manner they please, as long as it is not against the law. And as a private organization, the laws are different for them than for public organizations. Randy, correct me if I am wrong, but the on-course officials are Augusta officials, not PGA, USGA or PGA Tour officials, right? And nobody can take the Master’s status as a major away except the players. Remember, Augusta is a major because the players long ago decided this was a tournament that they desperately wanted to play in, and that continues to this day. And since it is a private tournament, that means that everybody, TV included, plays by the host’s (Augusta National) rules. And keep in mind that Augusta doesn’t need the TV money. I believe their deal with CBS is only for 1.5 million a year. That is an incredibly cheap price and in no way, shape or form comes close to paying for the cost of staging the tournament, let alone the purse. While I am sure that the members like putting on one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world, they will not suffer any financial hardship if they decided to stop staging the tournament. Yes, Augusta is run by a lot of stuffed shirts who care more for the dignity and tradition of the tournament than for cash, flash and panache. And yes, some of the rules and restrictions on the broadcast are silly and arcane. And I really would like to see the entire front 9 broadcast sometime. From what I understand, some of the most difficult holes on the course are on the front 9. But for me the price is well worth the cost. I like Venturi and Fehrety, I can suffer through Nantz, and not showing the entire front 9 does preserve some mystique. Maybe someday things will change. Maybe the players will begin to lose interest in the Master’s. I don’t think so, but it is possible. What I seriously doubt will ever happen is that the Master’s committee will make concessions for the sake of TV ratings. Can’t buy this one, sorry. Here you have one of the major sporting events in the world, and the people who run the venue call the shots on broadcasting it?? This is not unlike the Yanks making it to the World Series and Steinbrenner telling the networks, "Okay, you can only televise the last four innings of each game, only show Yankee Stadium from certain angles, and never refer to them as ‘fans,’ only ’spectators.’" I understand the desire to preserve the mystique of Augusta and all that, but the dictates of The Committee seem to have less to do with maintaining dignity and more to do with a gratuitous adherence to tradition for no reason other than a gratuitous adherence to tradition. It really is possible to maintain dignity without being an obtuse old stuffed shirt, something I wish the gang at Augusta would realize. John L.
– Good Golf Dan For e-mail replace "nospam" with "varian"
Response:
If you don’t like it…don’t watch it. It’s their tournament and they can do
as they please.< Can’t buy this one, sorry. Here you have one of the major sporting events in the world, and the people who run the venue call the shots on broadcasting it?? This is not unlike the Yanks making it to the World Series and Steinbrenner telling the networks, "Okay, you can only televise the last four innings of each game, only show Yankee Stadium from certain angles, and never refer to them as ‘fans,’ only ’spectators.’" I understand the desire to preserve the mystique of Augusta and all that, but the dictates of The Committee seem to have less to do with maintaining dignity and more to do with a gratuitous adherence to tradition for no reason other than a gratuitous adherence to tradition. It really is possible to maintain dignity without being an obtuse old stuffed shirt, something I wish the gang at Augusta would realize. John L.
Response:
From comments here, I can see I’m not the only one who has grown weary of CBS’ stilted and this year technically flawed Masters coverage. Patrons? Not spectators? Good grief. Hootie Johnson and his Master’s committee heavy- handed scripting of CBS’ coverage has reached a new low. The competition is always first-rate but the tournament is a fantasy abetted by the spineless minions at CBS. At least this year the ponds weren’t dyed green. Heaven help us if a freeze should cause the azaleas to wilt. The superintendent will be hand-painting each petal. CBS Masters coverage. Enough already.
If you don’t like it…don’t watch it. It’s their tournament and they can do as they please.
Response:
=====snip original post===== If you don’t like it…don’t watch it. It’s their tournament and they can do as they please.
Well, if they wish to keep it in the anti bellum era maybe it should be dropped as a Major. Until this year is seem to be not much of a challenge anyway. — Mit der Dummheit k