Watching the PGA Championship this year was an excruciating experience with almost as much commercial time as golf coverage. Thank goodness for the DVR. There are probably many reasons why The Masters has the highest rating in televised golf, but the lack of commercial interruptions is certainly one of them.
I think watching the 2011 PGA is sad because we are seeing what golf is becoming: 500- yard par-4s and redesigns to golf courses that make the best players in the world look like fools. The thing that stands out is that through 3 rounds more double bogies had been recorded than in any other major championship. Is the PGA proud of this ? Golf needs to get back to shotmaking and creativity. If not, I will not be the only one to quit watching the PGA tour.
Great coverage of the PGA Championship but I think you all really missed the mark on the Atlanta Athletic Club.
A great golf course should build to a crescendo and the AAC does just that. I cannot imagine a better stretch of finishing holes to decide the final major of the year—a true test. And the AAC is so much more interesting of a golf course than some of the others mentioned in your pages like Bethpage Black. Remember the 18th hole of Bethpage: 7- iron--wedge. How is that more deserving than the AAC?
Finally, the condition of the Athletic Club was immaculate—perfect fairways and perfect greens.
The 2011 PGA Championship was riveting drama and the AAC provided a theater in which to view that drama that is second to none.
At the PGA yesterday, as a guy was showing me "Rory's root" to the left of No. 3 fairway, a ball hit a tree near us and bounced out into the fairway. But it wasn't a tree--it was a 70-ish man's forehead. We gathered around him and found him bleeding, but sitting up. Bones Mackay arrived first, saw where the ball was, and told the man that he is now an official member of the team.
When Phil Mickelson arrived, he apologized very sincerely and gave the man a golf glove.
Derry Myers, Edmond, OK
Steve Wiel, Carnegie, PA
Richard W. Grice, Atlanta, GA
Sitting on the ground and looking up at Phil, the man said "This is my first golf tournament, and I get hit in the head!" A little smile formed at the corner of Phil's mouth, and he said, "Sir, if this wasn't your first tournament, you would have known to pay more attention when I'm hitting driver."
Thanks to all and especially to Mr. Duke for that story. Sometimes on the PGA Tour these guys are not only good, they're funny.
Billy Duke
