April 10, 2020 • 38 mins
We are still in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic...and Masters week is upon us. We are watching the past highlights on TV...and hoping to get back to golf sometime soon. We discuss the changes in the schedule and what it looks like later this year when they try to fit all these postponed tournaments into 2020.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to another edition of the Playing Through Podcast. I
guess this is the quarantined edition, is what we'll call this, right, Whacker, Yeah,
I mean we can't. I mean you can't even go
to the studio anymore. You're, well, you're in your alternate studio.
I guess, yeah I am. I'm sitting in my house,
in my alternate studio. And you know what, I actually
kind of like that. I'm getting used to it, um,
but you might get too used to it. It's a
(00:21):
different way of life, and you know you hold on,
I did. I got it this morning. I showered, I
did the show, but then after the show, I got
on a peloton bike and road for twenty minutes. Here
we go. You know I'm gonna get guilted into buying
a peloton bike. Between you and all the tour players
that I see every freaking day on their pelotons. Look,
(00:42):
I can't do anything either. We can't even leave the
house here. So it's yeah, well, at least I I
still have golf in North Florida. So I'm in North
Florida just right. So you have no golf, no nothing
in Miami Dave Broward County. But then today I saw
an interview with Tiger and he said that Medalist was open.
Is medalists. It's not in Palm Each County. It must
(01:04):
be North and Jubiter right, right, And so I found
that out yesterday as well. It's actually in Martin County.
So it's just over the line Martin County. As you mentioned,
most of the state of Florida is open. When it
comes to golf courses. This is like a controversial thing
going on right here in South Florida. All the golf
courses are closed, not allowed to play. Public, private, does
(01:26):
not matter. It's been a point of contention because people argue, look,
you're being out, you're outside. You can practice social distancing,
you can do all this stuff and be safe. But
then at the same point, um, there are interactions there,
there's potential and and so. But the rest of the state,
to your point, you can go play golf. Tiger can
go play golf. People have been doing that at Medalist.
(01:47):
It sounds like so yeah, I mean they have implemented
some new rules like, for example, on one person per cart,
the flagsticks stay in the hole. I've seen a couple
of different ways they're doing that. Some people are pulling
the cup out of the ground about a two inches,
So if the ball just hits the side of the cup,
that said ball is considered hold. Um. At the club
that I play, they have put uh. I'd say it
(02:10):
looks like a pool noodle, and the pool noodle is
about a half inch below the hole, and so the
ball can just barely fall into the hole and sitting
on the pool noodle with the with the flagstick still
in Um. There are no rakes, there are no pencils,
there are no scorecards there. They don't want you touching anything.
So um. And what's like, I said, only one person
(02:30):
per cart and they're making you play in two sims.
You can't play in foursomes. They don't they want you
in two sims. So um. I mean you know where
else is closed? Where the Nationalist close, it is closed.
And we're supposed to be playing day one of the
masters today is what we should be doing. Um. But
you know it's interesting. I was watching the interview with
Tiger which is on golf digest dot com. I know
it's your partnership with Golf tv. UM. Tiger said that
(02:54):
he absolutely would have played. He's been playing golf. I
saw a video of him. The other day. He was
at a racetrack gas station filling up his car with gas.
Somebody posted, um, and he is playing again, and so
I was, I don't know about you. I don't even
know if we've talked about this. I was beginning to
wonder if there was another injury we didn't know about,
(03:15):
because after Genesis we didn't see him at the w
g C, and then came the one day of uh
TPC at the Players that they did play. He did
not play the Players UM and had not committed really
to anything and was still going to try to get
ready for the Masters, but at the same time was
saying his body wasn't ready. So I was thinking maybe
(03:35):
there was some type of injury again that we weren't
aware of. But now that doesn't appear to be the case.
I saw an interview with him just today on Golf Digest,
and he appears to be okay and says he's been
playing a lot of golf. Yeah, and you know, with
Tiger you never really know, so maybe there maybe he look,
he clearly was bothered by his back and there were
you know, there was something going on there because he
(03:57):
hadn't been playing. But your point in that interview, he
says that he would have been able to play the
Masters this week, so he that was the plan. Um,
we don't know if you would have played between um
when the Player's Championship was canceled and Augusta, So we
don't know what would have happened there. But uh, and
(04:17):
now another note, So it doesn't really matter, I suppose,
but he did to your point, does appear to be healthy.
He's able to play a medalist, so that's good. Um.
But when we're able to play golf again? Who knows? Um,
what are you hearing? Because for example, now we've lost everything.
Where are we at now? Is when would be the
soonest returned? So sources, as we like to say, and
(04:43):
we look, we did report on a lot of this stuff,
um as Look, it was all very fluid and there
was a lot of stuff, a lot of moving parts,
a lot of things changes. Of course, we broke the
story of the Open Championship being canceled, um, reporting on
that five days before the RNA actually canceled it, and
then UM some other stories as well in the latest
(05:07):
I have heard, um. And this came as again we
reported on Monday when the tour announced a joint statement
along with the other organizations p G A, r N A, U,
s g A, et cetera Augusta. So the latest is
in terms of regular golf, I think at best we're
(05:29):
looking at probably early to mid June. What I've heard
is that the tour is hoping to return at Colonial,
which of course is typically played in May, in late May,
but that event will actually take place in June. The
week of June eleven through fourteenth, which which is normally
(05:52):
the Canadian Open week right, and the Canadian Open is
slated to be played in Toronto. There is an ordering
place UM basically banning all major city events and permits
through June, so that event doesn't seem like it could
go on UH in that timeframe, and then there would
(06:13):
be a jumbling of other dates and openings. For example,
UM obviously the US Open now postponed until September, so
that event, or that slot on the calendar, which would
have banned the following week UM will go to another event,
potentially the Rocket Mortgage Classic, which was which is currently
(06:35):
slated for May, could be even the RBC Heritage which
would have been played at Hilton Head next week. So
there's a lot of moving parts. Uh. It sounds like
the Memorial Tournament Jack Nicholas event at Mirfield Village. It
sounds like that event will be played in the British
Open spot which is now vacated. Of course, that event
canceled for this year and we'll return to Royal St.
(06:56):
George's next year. So that's kind of where we're at.
Is is early to mid June at best. So as
far as the updated events schedule for the major events
will go over them real quick. So the PGA Championship
is going to stay at Harding Park in San Francisco.
They were, yeah, currently going to try to play it
the third through the ninth. That's currently when they're going
(07:18):
to try to play it. Whether that happens, I don't know. Um.
Then the FedEx couple, this is what's strange. The FedEx
Cup playoffs would begin on August and end September seven
at their you know, normal venues. Then we would pick
up after the season technically ends. After the playoffs, we
(07:39):
would didn't play the US Open September four in New
York at Wingfoot, where they had planned on playing it.
Then two days later the Ryder Cup would start, which
is I believe here in the States, in Wisconsin at
Whistling Straights. So two days after the US Open, we
would play the Ryder Cup for the third then there
(08:03):
would be a little lull, and then they want to
have the Masters in November from the ninth through the
fift and my question to you is, I just can't see.
I mean, Tiger had a hard time getting healthy to
ramp up to the Masters too. We couldn't get the
w g C event and the players, which, let's be honest,
(08:25):
a healthy Tiger Woods plays the w g C event
and he plays the players a healthy Tiger Woods, so
we obviously had some issues there. He has stated that
he would come back and play the Masters. Now if
it were playing today, he would have been there. I
can't see a scenario where he plays the p g
A Championship the third of the ninth, then a week
(08:45):
layer takes. I mean, let's say he would he would
need to get take the first event oft in the
FedEx Cup playoffs, maybe the first two events off, but
then you're not guaranteed to make the third of the
last event. So he would play the seventh to seven teeth.
Then a week later the US Opened, then two days
later the Ryder Cup. I mean, where's the cuff? What
(09:06):
does he say, Okay, I can't play this. You know
that it's always been about the majors. The Ryder Cup
is a big deal. What does he skip the Facts
Cup playoffs? I mean, that's a lot of golf in
a short amount of time, it is, And you have
to remember the weather that time of year. You know,
you can get some cooler days. So I would suspect,
and look, we're a long way off from any of
this happening. Um, My guests would be that if this
(09:31):
were to play out, you know, the emphasis for Tiger
at that time of the year is going to be
the major championships. So I would suspect, you know, the
US Open, or rather the PGA Championship, US Open, and
UM Masters those would take priority for Tiger and he
(09:52):
would have to build his schedule around those, and that
might mean, to your point, um skipping the playoffs or
you know, look, we have to remember Tigers barely played
this year anyway, So and we don't even know how
the playoffs are going to be structured yet, because of course,
you know, a bunch of events are going to be
(10:13):
canceled so are already half been So that's going to
impact the top one. Um, you know, maybe they there's
been talked that they might expand the number of people
who make the playoffs initially, So there's still a lot
to be worked out. And but I have to think,
you know, if we get to the point, if you
want to argue and say, look, let's say Tiger qualifies
(10:35):
for the playoffs, I still have to think that his
focus will be the major championships for sure, because um,
you know, at this point in his career that's what
really matters. So I wouldn't be stunned if he skips
other events, including including the playoffs, in order to make
sure his body is ready and able to go at
that point. Now, as far as the Writer Cup goes,
(10:56):
does he he he has to qualify for that. Yeah,
and that's another question, right. So, UM, what's going to
happen with the Royder Cup. There have been reports that
that may not even be played this year. Um, so far,
the Royder Cup folks have said, we do plan to
play it this year. As you mentioned, the week after um,
(11:18):
the Tour Championships, So um, you've got to really um
around there. The week after the US Open. Sorry, you've
got a really incredible two weeks agolf right there. But
who knows what happens with that? I mean, what's the
qualification process is going to be because that's that's now
been interrupted. So are we gonna end up with twelve
(11:41):
captains picks on each side? Um, nobody really knows you
at this point, because that's the case. If it is,
If it is twelve captains picks, he's obviously getting in.
If he's healthy. Yeah, if he's healthy, I think that's
the caveat. And you know, with Tiger at this point
in his career at forty four, going to be forty
over at the end of this year. I mean, health
(12:02):
questions are always going to be. You know, who knows
what things look like for him four months down the road.
So five months down the road, so there's no way
to really know. But you know, to your point, yeah,
if he's look, if he's healthy, and there's say twelve
captains picks, I'd have to think certainly, with Steve Striker
being the captain for the U S team, he's not
(12:23):
picking Tiger unless Tiger sabates. Look, my body is not there.
I'm trying to you know, prepare for the US Open,
prepare for the Masters, etcetera. Um, but who knows. This
is all all very um, almost speculative. At this point.
I think we have some idea of what the tour
would like to do. Whether it actually plays out that
(12:44):
way is still to be determined. And you know, there's
a lot of sponsors you've got to appease. I mean,
there's a lot of people might not realize, but you know,
there's a domino effect when you move these events around
or don't play and move event of an event from
one spot to another. All of these tournaments are interconnected
and affect each other. So, um, I don't know how
(13:07):
this is going to play out, and I certainly don't
know Tiger's health five months from now. I guess on
the upside is that his body wouldn't have taken the
wear and tear these last few months. UM, so you
would expect that he would be, you know, in good
shape at that point and not be worn down by
you know, the full season. And so I mean, I mean,
(13:29):
I know there's a lot of time off right now
and it's time to heal his body and get ready.
But he even mentioned today in the interview on golf
to just dot com. You can go see it that
he really doesn't know what to practice for. You know,
I was talking to Billy Horschell, he was just on
the podcast last time and a good friend of ours.
(13:50):
And I was talking to Billy, and Billy said, we
don't even really know what to practice for because we
don't even know what we're gonna play again. So you know,
they're not like us where they just go out and
just hit balls and just you know, screw around. They're
actually hitting shots for golf courses. You had said Whackered
last year that you had heard that Tiger spent four
months hitting shots that he knew he was going to
(14:12):
need to hit at Augustin National and it paid off
for him. He mentioned it today in the in the
interview on Golf Digest, that he spends three and four
months preparing for that, for that that golf tournament. They're
not sure what to prepare for. So where is you know,
we don't know where that first tournament back is. We
keep here about hearing about flattening the curve and trying
(14:33):
to get everything back up and going, and and I
know the government wants to get the economy backup and
wants to open the country back up, and you can't
do it too soon or you risk having a second
wave of this stuff. Um, it really is at a
loss and there's a lot that goes in. There's all
these you can remember these golf tournaments when they do
quote come to town. It's once a year that that
(14:56):
entire committee spends three and sixty one days preparing to
play four days of golf. They've prepared. The players didn't
remember TPC saw Grass the tour and the players they
did everything. They they even got a day of play in,
but then the next week was the valves bar. The
valves bar just I mean they were ready to go
(15:18):
and they just lost everything that the charity effects and
into the community. There's so much they want to get
these tournaments, and so I can see why they're trying
to push these tournaments that are like you said, Colonial
has been postponed and not canceled. Some tournaments have been canceled.
I mean we were not We're not gonna finish playing
(15:38):
TPC Sawgrass, not until next year. That's done. Um, it's
just to me, the players don't know when it's coming back.
And I don't think the tour really knows, because who
wants to make that first call. Let me ask you this,
who wants to be the first person to get okay,
we're ready to go and be the first person to play.
Remember the NBA was the first to cancel. They canceled
(15:59):
that the night before the Players that Wednesday night they canceled,
and that was like the avalanche in sports is when
it all started. Who's willing to be the first person
to take that chance and go, okay, let's play again.
And then are you gonna have fans? That's that's another thing.
Had they talked about playing any of these events without fans,
that has come up in fact, and they talked about, um,
(16:24):
you know, potentially trying to play these first however many
number of tournaments without fans and then at some point
playing with fans. Um. But even that's complicated because right
so when they canceled, before they canceled the Players Championship,
you know, they planned the playing the rest of that
(16:44):
tournament in the next three without fans, and then they
decided to cancel everything. So how do you go from
that to saying okay, well now it's okay to play
with to play without fans? Because a big part of
the reason they decided to play or not play with
without fans was the fact that a golf tournament is
(17:06):
like a traveling circus, right You've got volunteers, media, television people, players, caddies, coaches, staff,
people in player dieing, all sorts of stuff. So I
don't know how you can come back as a sport
and play without fans. Um. Maybe unless by that point
(17:27):
the curve, as you mentioned, is flattening or has flattened. Um.
And then by the way, um, you come back one
week you're playing without fans, and then at some point
you're going to start to play with fans. So when
you introduce what is what is the tournament before that,
you know that last tournament without fans, how are they
(17:50):
going to feel that just a few days later now
it's saying it's okay to play with fans. I mean
that sponsors pay a ton of money to put on
these tournaments, So that's a complicate You know, sponsors obviously
want fans there, um, So it's a complicated situation to
just all of a sudden, one week start playing with
(18:10):
fans when you haven't played with fans just the previous week.
So I don't know the answer that. I don't. I
don't see how you could come back playing without fans.
It just doesn't logically make sense to me. Right, and
when you do, let's say they do say okay, we're
gonna come back, how many guys are willing to play, like,
how many guys are willing to get back in and
do that again? Um? Well you know that? Look that
(18:33):
part I don't. I don't think I think these players
would jump out of it. I don't think there's not
I don't think there's a guy out there that would.
I would say I'm not playing I really don't golf. Yes, golf,
I agree now, And I know we predominantly talk about golf,
But what about other sports? College football? Um so, for example,
Major League Baseball is talking about taking every team so
(18:56):
questering them in hotels in Arizona, testing everybody to under
stand that we've started with zero infection, and then playing
the games with no fans, all out in Arizona and
just kind of playing in a bubble. And then and
the Major League Baseball is has started late. Um am,
I the only person who finds that really almost impossible
(19:17):
or just kind of crazy. Yeah, I think it's crazy.
I'm not exactly sure how they would do it. Uh,
the NBA has talked about just canceling the season altogether,
like like the first sixty games they played where played
for nothing. UM hockey is talking about canceling their season.
You know, as a huge college football fan, I'm wondering,
Howard number one. I mean, it seems so foreign. I
(19:37):
don't know about you. The other night, I was watching
television and I was watching one of the old great
games and the team scored and everybody in the stadium
was high five and hugging each other, and I thought,
that looks so foreign right now, Like I wouldn't do
that for a second, right No, I mean, I'm not
even supposed to go to public So about wearing a
face mask, It's like, and then you want me to
go sit in the stadium next to the guy spilling
(19:58):
beer and sweating on me for four hours, which I
used to be perfectly okay with. UM. Who's going to
be that first sport that says, okay, we can go
back to this, and will the fans flock back? NFL players.
I saw some NFL players saying I'm not willing to
go back and play again, because I mean there's I
mean they're all over there, tackling and all over each other.
(20:19):
It's we're in such a spot that when do we
decide and how do we decide that it is okay
to start going back. I mean even just going to
a restaurant, sitting down and having dinner again and the
person sitting next to you and being comfortable. It's it's
completely changed our way of life, and I think that
(20:39):
it's going to be quite a while. But for some reason,
sports always tends to be the one that kind of
gives us that boost up the ladder to start climbing again.
It does. You're right, I mean, there is. You know,
I've had a few people bring this up to me
and um, and I remember Burt Well. Of course I
(21:01):
lived just outside New York City at the time, but
not eleven. Yes, and your point about that boost, I
mean everybody remembers, of course, the New York Mets game
and the famous Mike Piazzat home run the Yankees in
the World Series that year, with George Bush throwing out
the first pitch. Um lots of incredible moments in sports, uh,
(21:22):
in the wake of that terrible tragedy, and this is
a different kind of tragedy, of course, but worse, Yeah,
but worse in in in the in the number of
deaths and the number of people affect that it's worse.
And so it's it's sports, is I get it. And
I think Graham mcdwell said it in the grand scheme
of things that means nothing, but yet it really is
(21:42):
so important because it does drive us. And right now
it has felt so strange on a weekend or on
the Thursday night or Friday night too, you can't turn
the TV on and find anything. And and they are
catching on, like like right now, I've got television on,
They've got Masters rewind on their showing uh final rounds
(22:04):
of two thousand five. They're doing it today, tomorrow and
all weekend. And I understand why they're doing it, and
I think it's great. Um, but no live sports, no
college and and and how our college is being affected,
and that now college basketball basically not happening, the n
C Double A tournament not happening. They're gonna give these
kids an st an extra year of eligibility. But then
(22:27):
when you're incoming freshman, come in. Now your roster's over limits,
So now they've got to increase the roster limits. There's
just this. In my lifetime, I've never seen anything that
has affected so much the way this has. And it's
strange how it started out. If you remember Whacker, when
we were in Pantovidra, you and myself and a representati
(22:48):
from Taylor made at dinner together. And as we're there,
we were talking about how we didn't really know what
to think. Was it being blown out of proportion? Was
it as bad as they said it was? We didn't
really know want to think. And everything changed within a
matter of forty eight hours. That was on a Tuesday night.
By time Thursday night came and they canceled the players,
(23:09):
things were told. I've never seen the nation changed so
much in forty eight hours as it did from that
Tuesday to that Thursday. Yeah, that was crazy. Uh that week,
I mean remember that Chain Smoker's concert on Tuesday night, right,
and then and people thousands of people close quarters gathering
watching these guys perform. Um. And then two days later
(23:34):
the world was flipped on its access. So yeah, it's
it's been strange, um, and it's and it's weird your point,
I mean, you and I are obviously both huge sports fans,
and we're used to watching so much of these. I
you know, I would be at Augusta right now. Um.
I would have been there all week. You know, I
would have had dinner on there. There would have been
(23:55):
a golf rider's dinner on Wednesday night, Um for awards
there season long awards. There would have been at dinner
with the folks. In the Travelers Championship, I would have
attended on Tuesday night. Um. Of course you have the
first round, don't forget the champions. Then the tiger had
on his own with his family. Great. It was that,
(24:16):
By the way, it's got to be great to be
the Master's champion and you can still have your own
champions dinner with steak and chicken fajitas the same the
sushi and sushimi, the same menu he had planned for
Gusta National. And of course he didn't have the golf
hole in the background and some pink as the alley
is going on. So that was that was pretty cool
(24:38):
to see. And and but you're right, it's it's strange
like I find myself watching these old sports almost as
if I'm watching them live. Because I'm your point, we're
so used to watching that. Like the other night, I
was watching the Heat Spurs Game six NBA Finals, and
it was almost like I was watching live, Like I
(24:59):
know the outcomes ray shot, Yeah, I've seen it a
billion times, but I still sat there, glued to my
TV just watching it and just watching the plays develop
an unfold, like knowing what was going to happen. And
of course the Masters, like the eighty six Masters and
and uh, you know, and we'll see the nineties seven
(25:19):
Masters and several other ones that you mentioned along the way,
and and inevitably, I think we're going to going to
watch them. And I think part of that is, like
it gives up us this slipper of hope that someday
we're going to get back to that. And because I've
always found this interesting from the standpoint of, you know,
why do we cheer? Why do we watch these things?
(25:41):
And really it's about hope, it's about seeing yourself, it's
about rooting and cheering, and it's most of positive things.
And you know, given the current situation, I mean, obviously
that's the kind of stuff I think we could all
use and look forward to and certainly would appreciate when
we are back to being able to watch sports and
(26:03):
watch it for real. Yeah, and I think that there
will be a time, because I think we are wanting
it back, and I know the numbers are fluid every day.
I just looked at him just now. The numbers today
are are are lower at this time than they were yesterday,
And so it appears that we are starting to get
a handle on this thing, which is great because it
needs to happen. Um. I think people are doing what
(26:23):
the government officials are telling us to do. Stay home,
wash your hands. I think there's so much that we
don't know, but sports is I mean, just the fact
that Major League Baseball is even now even publicly talking
about getting back and playing again as good and so
hopefully we will get back to some form of normalcy. Um.
(26:46):
As we're recording this, it's April ninth. I don't think
you're gonna see any golf. Like you said you won't
see any in April, I don't think you'll see any
in May. I think June is probably gonna be our
next time. And you know it is what it is
that it gives us a chance to acting. I don't
know that things will ever be quote the same I
think we'll just have a new norm um, and whatever
(27:08):
that new norm is, we will adjust to it um.
But I am looking forward to You know, it's funny
right now, I was thinking we don't have a lot
to do. Everybody's sitting at home, and if you think
back to six eight months ago, people were always awesome tired. Man.
I wish I could just stay home, like okay, So
now we're at home and everybody wants to go somewhere.
I can tell you right now, Whacker, your travel scheduled
(27:29):
the end of this year, in August, September, and November
is gonna be so slammed. You're gonna wish you had
time to just just stay home. That's very true. There there
is a small silver lining getting to spend time at
home and be here and uh um as opposed to
traveling you know, every few weeks or so. Um. But yeah,
(27:49):
that's I mean from a golf fan perspective, how crazy
is it going to be? From really if all this
plays out from August on? I mean, you've got PGH Championship,
followed almost immediately by the PGA Tour Playoffs, followed by
It's Open, followed by the Royder Cup. Um, then we
(28:10):
get a slight break in October and then the Masters.
And here's what's even crazier. They're gonna play the Masters
in November and then if we don't have and then
you know, I have even brought this up, and I
probably should have even say this, but that's if we
don't have another wave in the cold winter months that
they're saying as possible as well. So who knows. But anyways,
let's say the schedule they've laid fourth actually happens. It's
(28:30):
like you said, August and September are absolutely just week
after week after week after week of of important golf.
Then you're going to play the Masters in November and
then five months later we're gonna have the Masters again.
We're gonna get the Masters two times in a matter
of five months. That's ridiculous. Is anyone really complaining about that?
Anyone gonna care? Well, I'll tell you no. No, you
(28:53):
may tell you who's gonna care. The guy that wins,
he's only gonna have the jacket for five months, he's
gonna care. That guy whoever wins is going to be
on the short end of it, getting that jacket for
five months. And before he's got to return it and
then you know, chances are he's probably not going to
successfully defend. Uh. So yeah, the only guy that would
(29:13):
really be fair is if Tiger wins in November. He
would then get to have it the two full years
because he would have had it the year up to
today or Sunday, and then he would have had it
until November. He would keep it again until the next one.
That would be the only fair. So I say, I say,
they just called Tiger the champion, Let's give him. Uh,
this will put him over the top, over the win total, everything,
(29:34):
and then we just move on the next year. But well,
and that brings up another point, like, so, what are
these major champions that they have to you know, the
jackie you you basically have to bring it back to
the club of assuming obviously that's not the case for Tiger.
I'm sure they're not making him send it back to
the club. Uh. And if you're you know, the reigning
Open champion Shane Lowry, he just to keep the jog
(29:56):
another year, to get to keep the juggon out of year.
How good does that? And drink pretty epic epic party
Following his win last year at Port rush, so now
he gets to keep it for another year. It's just
dring more bruise out of it for another year more whiskey.
That's not not the worst problem to have, I suppose.
I guess those are filed and they're nice problems to have.
You No, And I mean, listen, do you do you
(30:17):
agree or disagree? Are you of the belief I've seen
both ways, and I'd like to get your opinion. Are
you of the belief that they should have just canceled
all these majors had none this year because we're not
going to have an open championship, so now there's only
three this year, not four. Um. Are you of the
belief the should have just canceled everything and we should
have just played for or do you like the rescheduling? No?
(30:38):
I like the rescheduling. It gives us something to look
forward to hopefully. Um. Also, you know, one of the
things a lot of people don't consider when it comes
to these is the fact that all of these majors
are not run by the PGA Tour. They're run independently
by their organizations. So, um, there was you know, at
one point there was talk of or be hope of
(31:01):
having the Open Championship in September, so you would have
had p g A in August, the Open Championship in September,
um around I'm sorry, yes, And then you could have
had the US Open potentially in October, the Masters in December,
or you could have had even a November for the Masters,
(31:22):
or you could have had the Masters in November in
the US Open potentially West Coast in December, which of
course they've moved the Women's US Open back until I
believe early December, late November. So the problem is you
can't have the US Open in New York in December, correct,
So they would have had to change venues, which of
course they did not want to do. UM. But I
(31:45):
think what happened was the a couple of things with
respect of the Open Championship is there was really no
place for them to go on the calendar. The tour
wanted to have its playoffs and other events. Um. Then
you had the other three majors taking place the US
so all of a sudden, the Open Championship was sort
of left without a spot. That pain was eased also
(32:07):
by the fact that they have insurance against a global
pandemic much the way Wimbledon, which had been canceled the
week prior, um has as well, so they're able to
recoup a lot of money for the event not being
played this year. Um that they otherwise would have made.
So Um. But back the original question, No, I you know,
(32:29):
I do like the idea of them scheduling these events
at least gives us some something to look forward to
and shoot for. Um. You as you said, you hope
that things are flattened by then and there's not some
spike that occurs so forth. Yeah. So, but I like
the idea of and there's you know, look, I have
(32:50):
to be honest, you know, seeing Wingfoot in the fall
in September, you know, it could be spectacular. That's that's
that part of the country at that time of the year.
I grew up there. That's I mean, that's that's an
amazing time of year to play golf. Um. You know,
seeing the Masters in November, where you're gonna have cooler temperatures,
does not bode wealth. You know, as as much as
(33:10):
we all want to see him win again, Uh, these
cooler temperatures do not bode well, Uh for Tiger A
problematic I mean, August it is fine, and and in
August in the in San Francisco is fine, but you
can still get some cool mornings in now in San
Francisco regardless. But August should be fine. But September US
open in in UH in New York, you can get
(33:32):
some cool mornings. And we know in Augusta, Georgia. In November,
I mean they get some some cold, cold morning. So
I'm not sure that the rescheduling as much as I
think it play some Tigers favor as far as giving
him more time for his back and whatever issues. Um,
I don't think the weather bodes well for him. But
(33:53):
I tell you, the best thing so far to come
out of all this is a lot of the challenges
the guys are having online and having fun. Whether it's
the I saw the Taylor Made challenge they were having
with guys bouncing the ball around, I've seen uh Justin
Thomas was challenging guys. I attempted to take part in
(34:13):
the Peloton challenge Billy was having. I did one ride.
I realized that I have no business riding at Peloton
with them, so I bowed out after one ride. Um,
but you know what, to see these guys having fun
on social media is has been a positive and it's
something that is at least giving us something to stay
in contact with them and stay in contact with golf
(34:35):
and and uh we will get back to some form
of new normalcy before this is all said and done.
But until then, you know what, we just have to
to to ride it out, do what the government officials
are telling us. The hardest thing we have to do
is stay home. Yeah, it is boring, but um, you
know what, it gives people a chance to listen to
uh to our podcast. It does and um, look we
(34:58):
all miss golf and and in some arts of the country,
like here in South Florida, you know obviously can't go play.
Although it was funny actually a few weeks ago to
share a little story with the listeners. Um, you know,
the band had been in place for a couple of
weeks at this point. So I drove around town here
(35:18):
to kind of get a sense of of and talk
to some people and what sort of impact this would
have on the everyday golfer and the people who worked
at these places and typically enjoy them. And I came
across the guy I don't want to say where I
don't want to don't want to oust him because the
venue was closed, but came across the guy near twilight
(35:40):
hitting balls on the range, and which struck me in
the moment um was not so much someone sneaking out
there and hitting balls from a shag bag and and
that sort of thing, was simply the sound of hearing
a ball being hit with a club of metal wood
in an old medal would probably a twenty year or
(36:02):
so old club, um, and hearing that sound over and over,
and it was something I hadn't heard in a couple
of weeks. I'm so used to hearing it being on
you know, playing golf or at PGA Tour events um,
which was a whole other sound obviously those places. But
just hearing that sound was like this little respite that
(36:23):
was really sort of nice in this nice little moment
as the sun was setting, To be able to hear
the sound of a golf ball being hit, um was
a nice moment, even though we're all supposed to be inside.
So in the meantime, Yeah, I've been my tent footers
on putting. Yeah, the perfect practice not putting that is perfect. Yeah,
(36:44):
there's a lot of people using those though, too. Oh boy,
it's it's everyone's ten footers man. Once we get back
on the golf course should be really good. So in
the meantime, yeah, you just have to stay patients, stay home.
I'm bummed about it. I'm bummed out to be at
the Masters this week. Um not good, you know, bum
not to be able to go to the Open. Um.
(37:05):
Bummed that won't be at a golf tournament for a while.
Bum They can't go play golf, bump. They can barely
go outside of my freaking house here, apartment here, and yeah,
so you know, we're just trying to manage it best
we can. And you know at some point will we'll
get back to some level of normalcy. Yep. But yeah,
once again, that practice mat you brought up is the
(37:26):
perfect practice putting that. You can get it at golf
sp l y dot com. I mean know, golf spl
I dot c O, golf Sply dot CEO. But I
enjoy it. A lot of tour pros using and I
saw you were using it too, So it etlitst will
carry you over when you get back on the golf course.
You're long game may not be worth the ship, but
you'll be able to play. You'll be able to roll
(37:47):
ten footers in uh like a dream. So thanks for listening.
We will be back with you, uh probably in a
couple of weeks or so, see what's going on. We'll
try and get some guests on, get some tour players on.
It's not like they're doing any thing. Should be able
to get some guys on, free time on their hands,
tons of it. Um. Yeah, for those listening if we
(38:09):
will provide the phone number if necessary, but no, we
will have some guests here in the offering. But everyone
stays safe and stay home as much as you can
in the meantime. And yeah, I hope that then we're
back to some level of normalcy in our everyday lives,
just just our everyday lives soon would be nice. So
(38:31):
thank you for listening. Don't forget when you get finished
listening to this podcast, go wash your hands. Thanks for
listening to Playing Through podcast
Welcome to another edition of the Playing Through Podcast. I
guess this is the quarantined edition, is what we'll call this, right, Whacker, Yeah,
I mean we can't. I mean you can't even go
to the studio anymore. You're, well, you're in your alternate studio.
I guess, yeah I am. I'm sitting in my house,
in my alternate studio. And you know what, I actually
kind of like that. I'm getting used to it, um,
but you might get too used to it. It's a
(00:21):
different way of life, and you know you hold on,
I did. I got it this morning. I showered, I
did the show, but then after the show, I got
on a peloton bike and road for twenty minutes. Here
we go. You know I'm gonna get guilted into buying
a peloton bike. Between you and all the tour players
that I see every freaking day on their pelotons. Look,
(00:42):
I can't do anything either. We can't even leave the
house here. So it's yeah, well, at least I I
still have golf in North Florida. So I'm in North
Florida just right. So you have no golf, no nothing
in Miami Dave Broward County. But then today I saw
an interview with Tiger and he said that Medalist was open.
Is medalists. It's not in Palm Each County. It must
(01:04):
be North and Jubiter right, right, And so I found
that out yesterday as well. It's actually in Martin County.
So it's just over the line Martin County. As you mentioned,
most of the state of Florida is open. When it
comes to golf courses. This is like a controversial thing
going on right here in South Florida. All the golf
courses are closed, not allowed to play. Public, private, does
(01:26):
not matter. It's been a point of contention because people argue, look,
you're being out, you're outside. You can practice social distancing,
you can do all this stuff and be safe. But
then at the same point, um, there are interactions there,
there's potential and and so. But the rest of the state,
to your point, you can go play golf. Tiger can
go play golf. People have been doing that at Medalist.
(01:47):
It sounds like so yeah, I mean they have implemented
some new rules like, for example, on one person per cart,
the flagsticks stay in the hole. I've seen a couple
of different ways they're doing that. Some people are pulling
the cup out of the ground about a two inches,
So if the ball just hits the side of the cup,
that said ball is considered hold. Um. At the club
that I play, they have put uh. I'd say it
(02:10):
looks like a pool noodle, and the pool noodle is
about a half inch below the hole, and so the
ball can just barely fall into the hole and sitting
on the pool noodle with the with the flagstick still
in Um. There are no rakes, there are no pencils,
there are no scorecards there. They don't want you touching anything.
So um. And what's like, I said, only one person
(02:30):
per cart and they're making you play in two sims.
You can't play in foursomes. They don't they want you
in two sims. So um. I mean you know where
else is closed? Where the Nationalist close, it is closed.
And we're supposed to be playing day one of the
masters today is what we should be doing. Um. But
you know it's interesting. I was watching the interview with
Tiger which is on golf digest dot com. I know
it's your partnership with Golf tv. UM. Tiger said that
(02:54):
he absolutely would have played. He's been playing golf. I
saw a video of him. The other day. He was
at a racetrack gas station filling up his car with gas.
Somebody posted, um, and he is playing again, and so
I was, I don't know about you. I don't even
know if we've talked about this. I was beginning to
wonder if there was another injury we didn't know about,
(03:15):
because after Genesis we didn't see him at the w
g C, and then came the one day of uh
TPC at the Players that they did play. He did
not play the Players UM and had not committed really
to anything and was still going to try to get
ready for the Masters, but at the same time was
saying his body wasn't ready. So I was thinking maybe
(03:35):
there was some type of injury again that we weren't
aware of. But now that doesn't appear to be the case.
I saw an interview with him just today on Golf Digest,
and he appears to be okay and says he's been
playing a lot of golf. Yeah, and you know, with
Tiger you never really know, so maybe there maybe he look,
he clearly was bothered by his back and there were
you know, there was something going on there because he
(03:57):
hadn't been playing. But your point in that interview, he
says that he would have been able to play the
Masters this week, so he that was the plan. Um,
we don't know if you would have played between um
when the Player's Championship was canceled and Augusta, So we
don't know what would have happened there. But uh, and
(04:17):
now another note, So it doesn't really matter, I suppose,
but he did to your point, does appear to be healthy.
He's able to play a medalist, so that's good. Um.
But when we're able to play golf again? Who knows? Um,
what are you hearing? Because for example, now we've lost everything.
Where are we at now? Is when would be the
soonest returned? So sources, as we like to say, and
(04:43):
we look, we did report on a lot of this stuff,
um as Look, it was all very fluid and there
was a lot of stuff, a lot of moving parts,
a lot of things changes. Of course, we broke the
story of the Open Championship being canceled, um, reporting on
that five days before the RNA actually canceled it, and
then UM some other stories as well in the latest
(05:07):
I have heard, um. And this came as again we
reported on Monday when the tour announced a joint statement
along with the other organizations p G A, r N A, U,
s g A, et cetera Augusta. So the latest is
in terms of regular golf, I think at best we're
(05:29):
looking at probably early to mid June. What I've heard
is that the tour is hoping to return at Colonial,
which of course is typically played in May, in late May,
but that event will actually take place in June. The
week of June eleven through fourteenth, which which is normally
(05:52):
the Canadian Open week right, and the Canadian Open is
slated to be played in Toronto. There is an ordering
place UM basically banning all major city events and permits
through June, so that event doesn't seem like it could
go on UH in that timeframe, and then there would
(06:13):
be a jumbling of other dates and openings. For example,
UM obviously the US Open now postponed until September, so
that event, or that slot on the calendar, which would
have banned the following week UM will go to another event,
potentially the Rocket Mortgage Classic, which was which is currently
(06:35):
slated for May, could be even the RBC Heritage which
would have been played at Hilton Head next week. So
there's a lot of moving parts. Uh. It sounds like
the Memorial Tournament Jack Nicholas event at Mirfield Village. It
sounds like that event will be played in the British
Open spot which is now vacated. Of course, that event
canceled for this year and we'll return to Royal St.
(06:56):
George's next year. So that's kind of where we're at.
Is is early to mid June at best. So as
far as the updated events schedule for the major events
will go over them real quick. So the PGA Championship
is going to stay at Harding Park in San Francisco.
They were, yeah, currently going to try to play it
the third through the ninth. That's currently when they're going
(07:18):
to try to play it. Whether that happens, I don't know. Um.
Then the FedEx couple, this is what's strange. The FedEx
Cup playoffs would begin on August and end September seven
at their you know, normal venues. Then we would pick
up after the season technically ends. After the playoffs, we
(07:39):
would didn't play the US Open September four in New
York at Wingfoot, where they had planned on playing it.
Then two days later the Ryder Cup would start, which
is I believe here in the States, in Wisconsin at
Whistling Straights. So two days after the US Open, we
would play the Ryder Cup for the third then there
(08:03):
would be a little lull, and then they want to
have the Masters in November from the ninth through the
fift and my question to you is, I just can't see.
I mean, Tiger had a hard time getting healthy to
ramp up to the Masters too. We couldn't get the
w g C event and the players, which, let's be honest,
(08:25):
a healthy Tiger Woods plays the w g C event
and he plays the players a healthy Tiger Woods, so
we obviously had some issues there. He has stated that
he would come back and play the Masters. Now if
it were playing today, he would have been there. I
can't see a scenario where he plays the p g
A Championship the third of the ninth, then a week
(08:45):
layer takes. I mean, let's say he would he would
need to get take the first event oft in the
FedEx Cup playoffs, maybe the first two events off, but
then you're not guaranteed to make the third of the
last event. So he would play the seventh to seven teeth.
Then a week later the US Opened, then two days
later the Ryder Cup. I mean, where's the cuff? What
(09:06):
does he say, Okay, I can't play this. You know
that it's always been about the majors. The Ryder Cup
is a big deal. What does he skip the Facts
Cup playoffs? I mean, that's a lot of golf in
a short amount of time, it is, And you have
to remember the weather that time of year. You know,
you can get some cooler days. So I would suspect,
and look, we're a long way off from any of
this happening. Um, My guests would be that if this
(09:31):
were to play out, you know, the emphasis for Tiger
at that time of the year is going to be
the major championships. So I would suspect, you know, the
US Open, or rather the PGA Championship, US Open, and
UM Masters those would take priority for Tiger and he
(09:52):
would have to build his schedule around those, and that
might mean, to your point, um skipping the playoffs or
you know, look, we have to remember Tigers barely played
this year anyway, So and we don't even know how
the playoffs are going to be structured yet, because of course,
you know, a bunch of events are going to be
(10:13):
canceled so are already half been So that's going to
impact the top one. Um, you know, maybe they there's
been talked that they might expand the number of people
who make the playoffs initially, So there's still a lot
to be worked out. And but I have to think,
you know, if we get to the point, if you
want to argue and say, look, let's say Tiger qualifies
(10:35):
for the playoffs, I still have to think that his
focus will be the major championships for sure, because um,
you know, at this point in his career that's what
really matters. So I wouldn't be stunned if he skips
other events, including including the playoffs, in order to make
sure his body is ready and able to go at
that point. Now, as far as the Writer Cup goes,
(10:56):
does he he he has to qualify for that. Yeah,
and that's another question, right. So, UM, what's going to
happen with the Royder Cup. There have been reports that
that may not even be played this year. Um, so far,
the Royder Cup folks have said, we do plan to
play it this year. As you mentioned, the week after um,
(11:18):
the Tour Championships, So um, you've got to really um
around there. The week after the US Open. Sorry, you've
got a really incredible two weeks agolf right there. But
who knows what happens with that? I mean, what's the
qualification process is going to be because that's that's now
been interrupted. So are we gonna end up with twelve
(11:41):
captains picks on each side? Um, nobody really knows you
at this point, because that's the case. If it is,
If it is twelve captains picks, he's obviously getting in.
If he's healthy. Yeah, if he's healthy, I think that's
the caveat. And you know, with Tiger at this point
in his career at forty four, going to be forty
over at the end of this year. I mean, health
(12:02):
questions are always going to be. You know, who knows
what things look like for him four months down the road.
So five months down the road, so there's no way
to really know. But you know, to your point, yeah,
if he's look, if he's healthy, and there's say twelve
captains picks, I'd have to think certainly, with Steve Striker
being the captain for the U S team, he's not
(12:23):
picking Tiger unless Tiger sabates. Look, my body is not there.
I'm trying to you know, prepare for the US Open,
prepare for the Masters, etcetera. Um, but who knows. This
is all all very um, almost speculative. At this point.
I think we have some idea of what the tour
would like to do. Whether it actually plays out that
(12:44):
way is still to be determined. And you know, there's
a lot of sponsors you've got to appease. I mean,
there's a lot of people might not realize, but you know,
there's a domino effect when you move these events around
or don't play and move event of an event from
one spot to another. All of these tournaments are interconnected
and affect each other. So, um, I don't know how
(13:07):
this is going to play out, and I certainly don't
know Tiger's health five months from now. I guess on
the upside is that his body wouldn't have taken the
wear and tear these last few months. UM, so you
would expect that he would be, you know, in good
shape at that point and not be worn down by
you know, the full season. And so I mean, I mean,
(13:29):
I know there's a lot of time off right now
and it's time to heal his body and get ready.
But he even mentioned today in the interview on golf
to just dot com. You can go see it that
he really doesn't know what to practice for. You know,
I was talking to Billy Horschell, he was just on
the podcast last time and a good friend of ours.
(13:50):
And I was talking to Billy, and Billy said, we
don't even really know what to practice for because we
don't even know what we're gonna play again. So you know,
they're not like us where they just go out and
just hit balls and just you know, screw around. They're
actually hitting shots for golf courses. You had said Whackered
last year that you had heard that Tiger spent four
months hitting shots that he knew he was going to
(14:12):
need to hit at Augustin National and it paid off
for him. He mentioned it today in the in the
interview on Golf Digest, that he spends three and four
months preparing for that, for that that golf tournament. They're
not sure what to prepare for. So where is you know,
we don't know where that first tournament back is. We
keep here about hearing about flattening the curve and trying
(14:33):
to get everything back up and going, and and I
know the government wants to get the economy backup and
wants to open the country back up, and you can't
do it too soon or you risk having a second
wave of this stuff. Um, it really is at a
loss and there's a lot that goes in. There's all
these you can remember these golf tournaments when they do
quote come to town. It's once a year that that
(14:56):
entire committee spends three and sixty one days preparing to
play four days of golf. They've prepared. The players didn't
remember TPC saw Grass the tour and the players they
did everything. They they even got a day of play in,
but then the next week was the valves bar. The
valves bar just I mean they were ready to go
(15:18):
and they just lost everything that the charity effects and
into the community. There's so much they want to get
these tournaments, and so I can see why they're trying
to push these tournaments that are like you said, Colonial
has been postponed and not canceled. Some tournaments have been canceled.
I mean we were not We're not gonna finish playing
(15:38):
TPC Sawgrass, not until next year. That's done. Um, it's
just to me, the players don't know when it's coming back.
And I don't think the tour really knows, because who
wants to make that first call. Let me ask you this,
who wants to be the first person to get okay,
we're ready to go and be the first person to play.
Remember the NBA was the first to cancel. They canceled
(15:59):
that the night before the Players that Wednesday night they canceled,
and that was like the avalanche in sports is when
it all started. Who's willing to be the first person
to take that chance and go, okay, let's play again.
And then are you gonna have fans? That's that's another thing.
Had they talked about playing any of these events without fans,
that has come up in fact, and they talked about, um,
(16:24):
you know, potentially trying to play these first however many
number of tournaments without fans and then at some point
playing with fans. Um. But even that's complicated because right
so when they canceled, before they canceled the Players Championship,
you know, they planned the playing the rest of that
(16:44):
tournament in the next three without fans, and then they
decided to cancel everything. So how do you go from
that to saying okay, well now it's okay to play
with to play without fans? Because a big part of
the reason they decided to play or not play with
without fans was the fact that a golf tournament is
(17:06):
like a traveling circus, right You've got volunteers, media, television people, players, caddies, coaches, staff,
people in player dieing, all sorts of stuff. So I
don't know how you can come back as a sport
and play without fans. Um. Maybe unless by that point
(17:27):
the curve, as you mentioned, is flattening or has flattened. Um.
And then by the way, um, you come back one
week you're playing without fans, and then at some point
you're going to start to play with fans. So when
you introduce what is what is the tournament before that,
you know that last tournament without fans, how are they
(17:50):
going to feel that just a few days later now
it's saying it's okay to play with fans. I mean
that sponsors pay a ton of money to put on
these tournaments, So that's a complicate You know, sponsors obviously
want fans there, um, So it's a complicated situation to
just all of a sudden, one week start playing with
(18:10):
fans when you haven't played with fans just the previous week.
So I don't know the answer that. I don't. I
don't see how you could come back playing without fans.
It just doesn't logically make sense to me. Right, and
when you do, let's say they do say okay, we're
gonna come back, how many guys are willing to play, like,
how many guys are willing to get back in and
do that again? Um? Well you know that? Look that
(18:33):
part I don't. I don't think I think these players
would jump out of it. I don't think there's not
I don't think there's a guy out there that would.
I would say I'm not playing I really don't golf. Yes, golf,
I agree now, And I know we predominantly talk about golf,
But what about other sports? College football? Um so, for example,
Major League Baseball is talking about taking every team so
(18:56):
questering them in hotels in Arizona, testing everybody to under
stand that we've started with zero infection, and then playing
the games with no fans, all out in Arizona and
just kind of playing in a bubble. And then and
the Major League Baseball is has started late. Um am,
I the only person who finds that really almost impossible
(19:17):
or just kind of crazy. Yeah, I think it's crazy.
I'm not exactly sure how they would do it. Uh,
the NBA has talked about just canceling the season altogether,
like like the first sixty games they played where played
for nothing. UM hockey is talking about canceling their season.
You know, as a huge college football fan, I'm wondering,
Howard number one. I mean, it seems so foreign. I
(19:37):
don't know about you. The other night, I was watching
television and I was watching one of the old great
games and the team scored and everybody in the stadium
was high five and hugging each other, and I thought,
that looks so foreign right now, Like I wouldn't do
that for a second, right No, I mean, I'm not
even supposed to go to public So about wearing a
face mask, It's like, and then you want me to
go sit in the stadium next to the guy spilling
(19:58):
beer and sweating on me for four hours, which I
used to be perfectly okay with. UM. Who's going to
be that first sport that says, okay, we can go
back to this, and will the fans flock back? NFL players.
I saw some NFL players saying I'm not willing to
go back and play again, because I mean there's I
mean they're all over there, tackling and all over each other.
(20:19):
It's we're in such a spot that when do we
decide and how do we decide that it is okay
to start going back. I mean even just going to
a restaurant, sitting down and having dinner again and the
person sitting next to you and being comfortable. It's it's
completely changed our way of life, and I think that
(20:39):
it's going to be quite a while. But for some reason,
sports always tends to be the one that kind of
gives us that boost up the ladder to start climbing again.
It does. You're right, I mean, there is. You know,
I've had a few people bring this up to me
and um, and I remember Burt Well. Of course I
(21:01):
lived just outside New York City at the time, but
not eleven. Yes, and your point about that boost, I
mean everybody remembers, of course, the New York Mets game
and the famous Mike Piazzat home run the Yankees in
the World Series that year, with George Bush throwing out
the first pitch. Um lots of incredible moments in sports, uh,
(21:22):
in the wake of that terrible tragedy, and this is
a different kind of tragedy, of course, but worse, Yeah,
but worse in in in the in the number of
deaths and the number of people affect that it's worse.
And so it's it's sports, is I get it. And
I think Graham mcdwell said it in the grand scheme
of things that means nothing, but yet it really is
(21:42):
so important because it does drive us. And right now
it has felt so strange on a weekend or on
the Thursday night or Friday night too, you can't turn
the TV on and find anything. And and they are
catching on, like like right now, I've got television on,
They've got Masters rewind on their showing uh final rounds
(22:04):
of two thousand five. They're doing it today, tomorrow and
all weekend. And I understand why they're doing it, and
I think it's great. Um, but no live sports, no
college and and and how our college is being affected,
and that now college basketball basically not happening, the n
C Double A tournament not happening. They're gonna give these
kids an st an extra year of eligibility. But then
(22:27):
when you're incoming freshman, come in. Now your roster's over limits,
So now they've got to increase the roster limits. There's
just this. In my lifetime, I've never seen anything that
has affected so much the way this has. And it's
strange how it started out. If you remember Whacker, when
we were in Pantovidra, you and myself and a representati
(22:48):
from Taylor made at dinner together. And as we're there,
we were talking about how we didn't really know what
to think. Was it being blown out of proportion? Was
it as bad as they said it was? We didn't
really know want to think. And everything changed within a
matter of forty eight hours. That was on a Tuesday night.
By time Thursday night came and they canceled the players,
(23:09):
things were told. I've never seen the nation changed so
much in forty eight hours as it did from that
Tuesday to that Thursday. Yeah, that was crazy. Uh that week,
I mean remember that Chain Smoker's concert on Tuesday night, right,
and then and people thousands of people close quarters gathering
watching these guys perform. Um. And then two days later
(23:34):
the world was flipped on its access. So yeah, it's
it's been strange, um, and it's and it's weird your point,
I mean, you and I are obviously both huge sports fans,
and we're used to watching so much of these. I
you know, I would be at Augusta right now. Um.
I would have been there all week. You know, I
would have had dinner on there. There would have been
(23:55):
a golf rider's dinner on Wednesday night, Um for awards
there season long awards. There would have been at dinner
with the folks. In the Travelers Championship, I would have
attended on Tuesday night. Um. Of course you have the
first round, don't forget the champions. Then the tiger had
on his own with his family. Great. It was that,
(24:16):
By the way, it's got to be great to be
the Master's champion and you can still have your own
champions dinner with steak and chicken fajitas the same the
sushi and sushimi, the same menu he had planned for
Gusta National. And of course he didn't have the golf
hole in the background and some pink as the alley
is going on. So that was that was pretty cool
(24:38):
to see. And and but you're right, it's it's strange
like I find myself watching these old sports almost as
if I'm watching them live. Because I'm your point, we're
so used to watching that. Like the other night, I
was watching the Heat Spurs Game six NBA Finals, and
it was almost like I was watching live, Like I
(24:59):
know the outcomes ray shot, Yeah, I've seen it a
billion times, but I still sat there, glued to my
TV just watching it and just watching the plays develop
an unfold, like knowing what was going to happen. And
of course the Masters, like the eighty six Masters and
and uh, you know, and we'll see the nineties seven
(25:19):
Masters and several other ones that you mentioned along the way,
and and inevitably, I think we're going to going to
watch them. And I think part of that is, like
it gives up us this slipper of hope that someday
we're going to get back to that. And because I've
always found this interesting from the standpoint of, you know,
why do we cheer? Why do we watch these things?
(25:41):
And really it's about hope, it's about seeing yourself, it's
about rooting and cheering, and it's most of positive things.
And you know, given the current situation, I mean, obviously
that's the kind of stuff I think we could all
use and look forward to and certainly would appreciate when
we are back to being able to watch sports and
(26:03):
watch it for real. Yeah, and I think that there
will be a time, because I think we are wanting
it back, and I know the numbers are fluid every day.
I just looked at him just now. The numbers today
are are are lower at this time than they were yesterday,
And so it appears that we are starting to get
a handle on this thing, which is great because it
needs to happen. Um. I think people are doing what
(26:23):
the government officials are telling us to do. Stay home,
wash your hands. I think there's so much that we
don't know, but sports is I mean, just the fact
that Major League Baseball is even now even publicly talking
about getting back and playing again as good and so
hopefully we will get back to some form of normalcy. Um.
(26:46):
As we're recording this, it's April ninth. I don't think
you're gonna see any golf. Like you said you won't
see any in April, I don't think you'll see any
in May. I think June is probably gonna be our
next time. And you know it is what it is
that it gives us a chance to acting. I don't
know that things will ever be quote the same I
think we'll just have a new norm um, and whatever
(27:08):
that new norm is, we will adjust to it um.
But I am looking forward to You know, it's funny
right now, I was thinking we don't have a lot
to do. Everybody's sitting at home, and if you think
back to six eight months ago, people were always awesome tired. Man.
I wish I could just stay home, like okay, So
now we're at home and everybody wants to go somewhere.
I can tell you right now, Whacker, your travel scheduled
(27:29):
the end of this year, in August, September, and November
is gonna be so slammed. You're gonna wish you had
time to just just stay home. That's very true. There there
is a small silver lining getting to spend time at
home and be here and uh um as opposed to
traveling you know, every few weeks or so. Um. But yeah,
(27:49):
that's I mean from a golf fan perspective, how crazy
is it going to be? From really if all this
plays out from August on? I mean, you've got PGH Championship,
followed almost immediately by the PGA Tour Playoffs, followed by
It's Open, followed by the Royder Cup. Um, then we
(28:10):
get a slight break in October and then the Masters.
And here's what's even crazier. They're gonna play the Masters
in November and then if we don't have and then
you know, I have even brought this up, and I
probably should have even say this, but that's if we
don't have another wave in the cold winter months that
they're saying as possible as well. So who knows. But anyways,
let's say the schedule they've laid fourth actually happens. It's
(28:30):
like you said, August and September are absolutely just week
after week after week after week of of important golf.
Then you're going to play the Masters in November and
then five months later we're gonna have the Masters again.
We're gonna get the Masters two times in a matter
of five months. That's ridiculous. Is anyone really complaining about that?
Anyone gonna care? Well, I'll tell you no. No, you
(28:53):
may tell you who's gonna care. The guy that wins,
he's only gonna have the jacket for five months, he's
gonna care. That guy whoever wins is going to be
on the short end of it, getting that jacket for
five months. And before he's got to return it and
then you know, chances are he's probably not going to
successfully defend. Uh. So yeah, the only guy that would
(29:13):
really be fair is if Tiger wins in November. He
would then get to have it the two full years
because he would have had it the year up to
today or Sunday, and then he would have had it
until November. He would keep it again until the next one.
That would be the only fair. So I say, I say,
they just called Tiger the champion, Let's give him. Uh,
this will put him over the top, over the win total, everything,
(29:34):
and then we just move on the next year. But well,
and that brings up another point, like, so, what are
these major champions that they have to you know, the
jackie you you basically have to bring it back to
the club of assuming obviously that's not the case for Tiger.
I'm sure they're not making him send it back to
the club. Uh. And if you're you know, the reigning
Open champion Shane Lowry, he just to keep the jog
(29:56):
another year, to get to keep the juggon out of year.
How good does that? And drink pretty epic epic party
Following his win last year at Port rush, so now
he gets to keep it for another year. It's just
dring more bruise out of it for another year more whiskey.
That's not not the worst problem to have, I suppose.
I guess those are filed and they're nice problems to have.
You No, And I mean, listen, do you do you
(30:17):
agree or disagree? Are you of the belief I've seen
both ways, and I'd like to get your opinion. Are
you of the belief that they should have just canceled
all these majors had none this year because we're not
going to have an open championship, so now there's only
three this year, not four. Um. Are you of the
belief the should have just canceled everything and we should
have just played for or do you like the rescheduling? No?
(30:38):
I like the rescheduling. It gives us something to look
forward to hopefully. Um. Also, you know, one of the
things a lot of people don't consider when it comes
to these is the fact that all of these majors
are not run by the PGA Tour. They're run independently
by their organizations. So, um, there was you know, at
one point there was talk of or be hope of
(31:01):
having the Open Championship in September, so you would have
had p g A in August, the Open Championship in September,
um around I'm sorry, yes, And then you could have
had the US Open potentially in October, the Masters in December,
or you could have had even a November for the Masters,
(31:22):
or you could have had the Masters in November in
the US Open potentially West Coast in December, which of
course they've moved the Women's US Open back until I
believe early December, late November. So the problem is you
can't have the US Open in New York in December, correct,
So they would have had to change venues, which of
course they did not want to do. UM. But I
(31:45):
think what happened was the a couple of things with
respect of the Open Championship is there was really no
place for them to go on the calendar. The tour
wanted to have its playoffs and other events. Um. Then
you had the other three majors taking place the US
so all of a sudden, the Open Championship was sort
of left without a spot. That pain was eased also
(32:07):
by the fact that they have insurance against a global
pandemic much the way Wimbledon, which had been canceled the
week prior, um has as well, so they're able to
recoup a lot of money for the event not being
played this year. Um that they otherwise would have made.
So Um. But back the original question, No, I you know,
(32:29):
I do like the idea of them scheduling these events
at least gives us some something to look forward to
and shoot for. Um. You as you said, you hope
that things are flattened by then and there's not some
spike that occurs so forth. Yeah. So, but I like
the idea of and there's you know, look, I have
(32:50):
to be honest, you know, seeing Wingfoot in the fall
in September, you know, it could be spectacular. That's that's
that part of the country at that time of the year.
I grew up there. That's I mean, that's that's an
amazing time of year to play golf. Um. You know,
seeing the Masters in November, where you're gonna have cooler temperatures,
does not bode wealth. You know, as as much as
(33:10):
we all want to see him win again, Uh, these
cooler temperatures do not bode well, Uh for Tiger A
problematic I mean, August it is fine, and and in
August in the in San Francisco is fine, but you
can still get some cool mornings in now in San
Francisco regardless. But August should be fine. But September US
open in in UH in New York, you can get
(33:32):
some cool mornings. And we know in Augusta, Georgia. In November,
I mean they get some some cold, cold morning. So
I'm not sure that the rescheduling as much as I
think it play some Tigers favor as far as giving
him more time for his back and whatever issues. Um,
I don't think the weather bodes well for him. But
(33:53):
I tell you, the best thing so far to come
out of all this is a lot of the challenges
the guys are having online and having fun. Whether it's
the I saw the Taylor Made challenge they were having
with guys bouncing the ball around, I've seen uh Justin
Thomas was challenging guys. I attempted to take part in
(34:13):
the Peloton challenge Billy was having. I did one ride.
I realized that I have no business riding at Peloton
with them, so I bowed out after one ride. Um,
but you know what, to see these guys having fun
on social media is has been a positive and it's
something that is at least giving us something to stay
in contact with them and stay in contact with golf
(34:35):
and and uh we will get back to some form
of new normalcy before this is all said and done.
But until then, you know what, we just have to
to to ride it out, do what the government officials
are telling us. The hardest thing we have to do
is stay home. Yeah, it is boring, but um, you
know what, it gives people a chance to listen to
uh to our podcast. It does and um, look we
(34:58):
all miss golf and and in some arts of the country,
like here in South Florida, you know obviously can't go play.
Although it was funny actually a few weeks ago to
share a little story with the listeners. Um, you know,
the band had been in place for a couple of
weeks at this point. So I drove around town here
(35:18):
to kind of get a sense of of and talk
to some people and what sort of impact this would
have on the everyday golfer and the people who worked
at these places and typically enjoy them. And I came
across the guy I don't want to say where I
don't want to don't want to oust him because the
venue was closed, but came across the guy near twilight
(35:40):
hitting balls on the range, and which struck me in
the moment um was not so much someone sneaking out
there and hitting balls from a shag bag and and
that sort of thing, was simply the sound of hearing
a ball being hit with a club of metal wood
in an old medal would probably a twenty year or
(36:02):
so old club, um, and hearing that sound over and over,
and it was something I hadn't heard in a couple
of weeks. I'm so used to hearing it being on
you know, playing golf or at PGA Tour events um,
which was a whole other sound obviously those places. But
just hearing that sound was like this little respite that
(36:23):
was really sort of nice in this nice little moment
as the sun was setting, To be able to hear
the sound of a golf ball being hit, um was
a nice moment, even though we're all supposed to be inside.
So in the meantime, Yeah, I've been my tent footers
on putting. Yeah, the perfect practice not putting that is perfect. Yeah,
(36:44):
there's a lot of people using those though, too. Oh boy,
it's it's everyone's ten footers man. Once we get back
on the golf course should be really good. So in
the meantime, yeah, you just have to stay patients, stay home.
I'm bummed about it. I'm bummed out to be at
the Masters this week. Um not good, you know, bum
not to be able to go to the Open. Um.
(37:05):
Bummed that won't be at a golf tournament for a while.
Bum They can't go play golf, bump. They can barely
go outside of my freaking house here, apartment here, and yeah,
so you know, we're just trying to manage it best
we can. And you know at some point will we'll
get back to some level of normalcy. Yep. But yeah,
once again, that practice mat you brought up is the
(37:26):
perfect practice putting that. You can get it at golf
sp l y dot com. I mean know, golf spl
I dot c O, golf Sply dot CEO. But I
enjoy it. A lot of tour pros using and I
saw you were using it too, So it etlitst will
carry you over when you get back on the golf course.
You're long game may not be worth the ship, but
you'll be able to play. You'll be able to roll
(37:47):
ten footers in uh like a dream. So thanks for listening.
We will be back with you, uh probably in a
couple of weeks or so, see what's going on. We'll
try and get some guests on, get some tour players on.
It's not like they're doing any thing. Should be able
to get some guys on, free time on their hands,
tons of it. Um. Yeah, for those listening if we
(38:09):
will provide the phone number if necessary, but no, we
will have some guests here in the offering. But everyone
stays safe and stay home as much as you can
in the meantime. And yeah, I hope that then we're
back to some level of normalcy in our everyday lives,
just just our everyday lives soon would be nice. So
(38:31):
thank you for listening. Don't forget when you get finished
listening to this podcast, go wash your hands. Thanks for
listening to Playing Through podcast
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