Opinion & Analysis
Yabba Dabba please shut up
“Get in the hole!”
That’s how it started, innocently enough, and not in an obnoxious way.
If we peel back the evolution of post-shot yelling on the PGA Tour all the way to the beginning, the pre-cambrian era of yelling if you will, the early yellers were actually genuine supporters of their favorite golfers.
They were yelling “get in the hole” on chips and long putts — situations where an actual hole out was possible and/or likely. It was a simpler, more peaceful time on the PGA Tour, but it didn’t last.
Somewhere along the evolutionary chain, the DNA of golf yellers started to shift. Much like the first fish who climbed out of the water and started breathing oxygen, there was a yeller who thought it was funny to yell “get in the hole” off of the tee on a par 5.
Of course, there was no chance that the ball would actually go in the hole on that par 5. It was a joke, and a few laughs were had, no doubt. Maybe even a few pros found it funny. But no one would have laughed if golfers knew what one innocuous scream would spawn.
Back in the “get in the hole” days, it was easy for spectators to get some air time during a golf broadcast. The galleries were pretty quiet, with the exception of the golf yellers who made “get in the hole” their battle cry. These early yellers — think of them as the ancestors of modern golf yelling — would later go home and watch the golf telecast, pointing out to their friends that they were the person screaming every time Tiger hit a tee shot.
More civilized golf viewers tended to tolerate the behavior of the yellers — it wasn’t hurting anyone or too ridiculous. But then the yelling evolved, and “get in the hole” gave way to new phrases: mashed potatoes, baba booey, yabba dabba do and several others that I’d rather not mention for fear of adding more fuel to the fire.
Right now, golf finds itself at a breaking point. The yelling has spread.
Yelling has taken over golf fans like the zombie virus in “World War Z.” I’m picturing Tim Finchem in a bunker somewhere showing one of those graphics where it has the infection spreading over the U.S. over a determined timeline.
“And this is what it will look like in three months, and this is what it will look like in six months. And in two years, we’re looking at a total loss here.”
His advisors would appear horrified. You know how these things go.
The bottom line is that the Tour is reaching a breaking point. I watched a round recently where a fan followed a player around and yelled after every single shot. Drives, irons, chips, etc. Every. Single. Shot. And this wasn’t Tiger Woods, either — just a normal Tour player.
Simply put, it’s not funny.
If you were at a party and you told a joke to 20 people, and two of them laughed, 10 of them said nothing and eight seemed genuinely annoyed at you, would you tell this joke again? Probably not.
Yelling after a shot is one of the few ongoing jokes that seems to annoy the vast majority of people who hear it. For every chuckle, there are 10 people who want to punch the yeller in the face, including the players. These guys aren’t funny — they’re the guys on Facebook who you unfriend, or the guys on Twitter you don’t follow.
It makes the players look bad
OK, this one takes some explaining. Golfers have always faced the issue of being taken seriously as athletes, with a lot of the naysayers saying things like they are pampered, don’t need to be in good shape, don’t have to do much stuff that is actually physical and athletic, etc. Fine, throw your barbs at them.
But the one that bothers me is that every time a player complains about fans yelling or moving for any reason, it gets brought up that they are spoiled and can’t hit a ball if a pin drops within a square mile. It’s just not true.
Plenty of times tour pros hit perfect shots with a distraction (Jim Furyk did it late in his final round at the PGA Championship), but they only tend to complain after a poor one. This might be the fault of the players, but I wouldn’t say it’s fair.
The players hate the yelling because it’s dumb, not because it makes them worse. Could Adam Scott shoot 67 while fans were cheering and/or booing the full round? I think so, because like most top golfers he’s used to it. But they shouldn’t have to get used to it.
Imagine if someone followed you around your office yelling “mashed potatoes.” Would it really make you worse at your job? Maybe not. But would you want to punch him or her in the face on your bad days? Probably.
It is only going to get worse
“It’s safe to say we do have some concerns over where it’s going and what may happen.”
– Kerry Haigh, chief championships officer of the PGA of America
Newton’s Law says essentially that something will move until it meets an equal and opposite reaction. So far there has been none. Except this phenomena isn’t moving along a straight path, it’s snowballing down a hill and gaining momentum.
Yelling on Tour has gotten so bad that people compete to be heard first and will risk yelling in the players backswing if it means getting the jump on their yelling rivals. Watch a round — any time you see a player check his swing on the tee box, someone probably yelled.
Fans (or worse, players) may take this into their own hands
Someone is going to snap. Hopefully it won’t be a player (this means you, Ian Poulter). But already, whenever there is a checked swing, you promptly hear “mashed potatoes” followed by several murmurs of “shut up!” It’s only a matter of time before some fan just walks up to the guy and slugs him.
Ask the NBA how great it was for publicity when there was a brawl in the stands. The Tour will have to release a statement condemning the incident, while every outside agent congratulates the guy. Most rational people think yellers are dumb, so why not just nip this in the bud before things turn violent?
I don’t believe that the Tour is incapable of solving the problem. Golf is a sport that has rules determining the difference between a live snake on the course and a dead one. Golf can’t take action against embarrassing fan behavior? It can’t rule against a problem that 99 percent of fans want to see go away?
Why not tell fans that they’ll be ejected if they do anything within three seconds of a swing? Doesn’t “baba booey” lose some of its luster if the player is putting his club back in the bag when it’s yelled?
The marshalls already have signs that say “quiet please.” Tell fans if they say anything while that sign is up they are gone, and banned from the event for five years. They can’t do this? Ty Votaw, the Tour’s vice president of communications, has admitted that the Tour has considered the behavior, but that it is hesitant to act on anything not directly impacting play. But it is starting to impact play. And it won’t stop as the competition to be heard becomes more fierce.
Right now, the Tour thinks that it has no choice and but to leave yelling alone, but I think it has no choice but to ban it.
Please do something, Mr. Finchem. Save our sport from the yelling. I’ll even stop by your office and tell you “you’re the man” if you do.
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s 2024 RBC Heritage betting preview: Patrick Cantlay ready to get back inside winner’s circle
Just a two-hour drive from Augusta National, the PGA TOUR heads to Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C. Hilton Head Island is a golfer’s paradise and Harbour Town is one of the most beautiful and scenic courses on the PGA TOUR.
Harbour Town Golf Links is a par-71 that measures 7,121 yards and features Bermuda grass greens. A Pete Dye design, the course is heavily tree lined and features small greens and many dog legs, protecting it from “bomb-and-gauge” type golfers.
The field is loaded this week with 69 golfers with no cut. Last year was quite possibly the best field in RBC Heritage history and the event this week is yet another designated event, meaning there is a $20 million prize pool.
Most of the big names on the PGA Tour will be in attendance this week with the exceptions of Hideki Matsuyama and Viktor Hovland. Additionally, Webb Simpson, Shane Lowry, Gary Woodland and Kevin Kisner have been granted sponsors exemptions.
Past Winners at Harbour Town
- 2023: Matt Fitzpatrick (-17)
- 2022: Jordan Spieth (-13)
- 2021: Stewart Cink (-19)
- 2020: Webb Simpson (-22)
- 2019: CT Pan (-12)
- 2018: Sotoshi Kodaira (-12)
- 2017: Wesley Bryan (-13)
- 2016: Branden Grace (-9)
- 2015: Jim Furyk (-18)
In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value).
Key Stats For Harbour Town
Let’s take a look at key metrics for Harbour Town Golf Links to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their past 24 rounds.
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes Gained: Approach is exceedingly important this week. The greens at Harbour Town are about half the size of PGA TOUR average and feature the second-smallest greens on the tour. Typical of a Pete Dye design, golfers will pay the price for missed greens.
Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Scottie Scheffler (+1.27)
- Tom Hoge (+1.27)
- Corey Conners (+1.16)
- Austin Eckroat (+0.95)
- Cameron Young (+0.93)
Good Drive %
The fairways at Harbour Town are tree lined and feature many dog legs. Bombers tend to struggle at the course because it forces layups and doesn’t allow long drivers to overpower it. Accuracy is far more important than power.
Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds
- Brice Garnett (88.8%)
- Shane Lowry (+87.2%)
- Akshay Bhatia (+86.0%)
- Si Woo Kim (+85.8%)
- Sepp Straka (+85.1%)
Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs
Pete Dye specialists tend to play very well at Harbour Town. Si Woo Kim, Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk and Webb Simpson are all Pete Dye specialists who have had great success here. It is likely we see some more specialists near the top of the leaderboard this week.
SG: TOT Pete Dye per round over past 36 rounds:
- Xander Schauffele (+2.27)
- Scottie Scheffler (+2.24)
- Ludvig Aberg (+2.11)
- Brian Harman (+1.89)
- Sungjae Im (+1.58)
4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)
Strokes Gained: Short Game factors in both around the green and putting. With many green-side bunkers and tricky green complexes, both statistics will be important. Past winners — such as Jim Furyk, Wes Bryan and Webb Simpson — highlight how crucial the short game skill set is around Harbour Town.
SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds
- Jordan Spieth (+1.11)
- Taylor Moore (+1.02)
- Wyndham Clark (+0.98)
- Mackenzie Hughes (+0.86)
- Andrew Putnam (+0.83)
5. Greens in Regulation %
The recipe for success at Harbour Town Golf Links is hitting fairways and greens. Missing either will prove to be consequential — golfers must be in total control of the ball to win.
Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:
- Brice Garnett (+75.0%)
- Scottie Scheffler (+69.9%)
- Corey Conners (+69.0%)
- Shane Lowry (+68.3%)
- Patrick Rodgers (+67.6%)
6. Course History
Harbour Town is a course where players who have strong past results at the course always tend to pop up.
Course History over past 24 rounds:
- Patrick Cantlay (+2.34)
- Cam Davis (+2.05)
- J.T. Poston (+1.69)
- Justin Rose (+1.68)
- Tommy Fleetwood (+1.59)
The RBC Heritage Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (24%), Good Drives (20%), SG: SG (14%), SG: Pete Dye (14%), GIR (14%), and Course History (14%)
- Shane Lowry
- Russell Henley
- Scottie Scheffler
- Xander Schauffele
- Corey Conners
- Wyndham Clark
- Christiaan Bezuidenhout
- Matt Fitzpatrick
- Cameron Young
- Ludvig Aberg
2024 RBC Heritage Picks
Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)
With the exception of Scottie Scheffler, the PGA Tour has yet to have any of their star players show peak form during the 2024 season. Last week, Patrick Cantlay, who I believe is a top-5 players on the PGA Tour, took one step closer to regaining the form that’s helped him win eight events on Tour since 2017.
Cantlay limped into the Masters in poor form, but figured it out at Augusta National, finishing in a tie for 20th and ranking 17th for the week in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. The former FedEx Cup champion will now head to one of his favorite golf courses in Harbour Town, where he’s had immaculate results over the years. In his six trips to the course, he’s only finished worse than 7th one time. The other finishes include three third places (2017, 2019, 2023) and one runner-up finish (2022). In his past 36 rounds at Harbour Town, Cantlay ranks 1st in Strokes Gained: Total per round at the course by a wide margin (+2.36).
Cantlay is winless since the 2022 BMW Championship, which is far too long for a player of his caliber. With signs pointing to the 32-year-old returning to form, a “signature event” at Harbour Town is just what he needs to get back on the winning track.
Tommy Fleetwood +3000 (FanDuel)
I truly believe Tommy Fleetwood will figure out a way to win on American soil in 2024. It’s certainly been a bugaboo for him throughout his career, but he is simply too talented to go another season without winning a PGA Tour event.
At last week’s Masters Tournament, Fleetwood made a Sunday charge and ended up finishing T3 in the event, which was his best ever finish at The Masters. For the week, the Englishman ranked 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 10th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking and 16th in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Harbour Town is a perfect layout for Fleetwood, and he’s had relative success at this Pete Dye design in the past. In his four trips to the course, he’s finished inside of the top 25 three times, with his best finish, T10, coming in 2022. The course is pretty short and can’t be overpowered, which gives an advantage to more accurate players such as Fleetwood. Tommy ranks 8th in the field in Good Drive % and should be able to plot his way along this golf course.
The win is coming for Tommy lad. I believe there’s a chance this treasure of a golf course may be the perfect one for him to finally break through on Tour.
Cameron Young +3300 (FanDuel)
Cameron Young had a solid Masters Tournament last week, which is exactly what I’m looking for in players who I anticipate playing well this week at the RBC Heritage. He finished in a tie for 9th, but never felt the pressure of contending in the event. For the week, Young ranked 6th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 6th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.
Despite being one of the longest players off the tee on the PGA Tour, Young has actually played some really good golf on shorter tracks. He finished T3 at Harbour Town in 2023 and ranks 20th in the field in Good Drive% and 16th in Greens in Regulation in his past 24 rounds. He also has strong finishes at other shorter courses that can take driver out of a players hand such as Copperhead and PGA National.
Young is simply one of the best players on the PGA Tour in 2024, and I strongly believe has what it takes to win a PGA Tour event in the very near future.
Corey Conners +5500 (FanDuel)
Corey Conners has had a disappointing year thus far on the PGA Tour, but absolutely loves Harbour Town.
At last week’s Masters Tournament, the Canadian finished T30 but ranked 20th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach. In his past 24 rounds, Conners ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 3rd in Greens in Regulation % and 24th in Good Drive %.
In Conners’ last four trips to Harbour Town, his worst finish was T31, last season. He finished T4 in 2021, T12 in 2022 and ranks 8th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course over his past 36 rounds.
Conners hasn’t been contending, but his recent finishes have been encouraging as he has finished in the top-25 in each of his past three starts prior to The Masters, including an impressive T13 at The PLAYERS. His recent improvement in ball striking as well as his suitability for Harbour Town makes Conners a high upside bet this week.
Shane Lowry (+7500) (FanDuel)
When these odds were posted after Lowry was announced in the field, I have to admit I was pretty stunned. Despite not offering much win equity on the PGA Tour over the last handful of years, Shane Lowry is still a top caliber player who has the ability to rise to the top of a signature event.
Lowry struggled to score at The Masters last week, but he actually hit the ball really well. The Irishman ranked 1st for Strokes Gained: Approach on the week and 7th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. As usual, it was the putter that let him down, as he ranked 60th in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Harbour Town is most definitely one of Lowry’s favorite courses on the PGA Tour. In his six starts there, he’s finished in the top 10 three times, including third twice. Lowry is sensational at Pete Dye designs and ranks 7th in Strokes Gained: Total in his past 36 rounds on Dye tracks.
Lowry is perfect for Harbour Town. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 5th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 2nd in Good Drive% and 5th in Green in Regulation %. If he figures it out on the greens, Shane could have his first win in America since 2015.
Lucas Glover +12000 (FanDuel)
This is one of my weekly “bet the number” plays as I strongly believe the odds are just too long for a player of Glover’s caliber. The odds have been too long on Glover for a few weeks now, but this is the first event that I can get behind the veteran being able to actually contend at.
Glover is quietly playing good golf and returning to the form he had after the understandable regression after his two massive victories at the end of 2023. He finished T20 at The Masters, which was his best ever finish at Augusta National. For the week, Lucas ranked 18th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 20th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.
Over his past 24 rounds, Glover ranks 9th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th in Good Drive %. Harbour Town is a short course that the 44-year-old will be able to keep up with the top players on Tour off the tee. He’s played the course more than 20 times, with mixed results. His best finishes at Harbour Town include a T7 in 2008, but recently has a finish of T21 in 2020.
Glover has proven he can contend with the stars of the Tour on any given week, and this number is flat out disrespectful.
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The 2024 Masters offered up plenty of excitement throughout the week with Scottie Scheffler delivering when it mattered to live up to his pre-tournament favorite tag. With the year’s opening major now in the books, here are my six biggest takeaways from the 2024 Masters.
Scheffler In a League of His Own
In the most impressive way possible, Scottie Scheffler won the Masters without having his absolute best stuff. For the week, Scottie ranked 19th in Strokes Gained: Approach, which is a category the number player in the world typically dusts the rest of the field in. After a strong approach day on Thursday, the 27-year-old lost strokes to the field on approach on Friday and Saturday, before gaining on Sunday. The iron performance was more than solid, but it was an all-around game that helped Scheffler get it done around Augusta National.
For a year or more, the narrative around Scheffler has been, “With his ball striking, if he can just putt to field average, he’ll be unbeatable.” At Augusta, his ball striking came back down to earth, but his touch around the greens and ability to manage the golf course demonstrated why he is the best player on the planet right now. For the week, Scheffler ranked 1st in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Green and 24th in Strokes Gained: Putting.
For the time being, there is a major gap between Scottie Scheffler and the second-best player in the world, whoever that may be.
The Future is Now
Ludvig Aberg went into his first back-nine at the Masters with a legitimate shot to win the tournament. When he teed it up on the treacherous 11th hole, he was one behind Scottie Scheffler, who had just stuck one to a few feet on the 9th. By the time he approached his tee shot, which was perfectly striped down the left side of the fairway, he was two behind. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old got too aggressive with his approach at the 11th and found the water, making double bogey. Ludvig rebounded nicely and finished the event in solo second place.
With the Masters now in the rearview, it’s never been more evident that Ludvig Aberg is no longer an “up-and-comer” — he has arrived. The Swede has been an integral part of a winning European Ryder Cup team and has now contended at Augusta National. With a calm demeanor, a picture-perfect swing, and a build and stature that appears as if it was built in a lab, Ludvig Aberg is already amongst the world’s best. I’d be extremely surprised if he wasn’t in the mix at next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.
Nostalgia Wins
I try to avoid as many cliches as possible, but there’s something about the Masters that brings out the sentimentality in me. Tiger Woods strategically making his way around Augusta National without all of the physical tools that made him arguably the most dominant athlete in the history of sports will always be riveting, regardless of what score he shoots. Woods made it interesting until a tough stretch of holes on Saturday, but he ultimately wore down, shooting 16 over for the week in difficult conditions. It’s remarkable that the 15-time major champion was able to put together a few solid rounds of golf despite barely playing any competitive golf in 2024. As long as Woods tees it up at Augusta, we will all continue to be mesmerized by it.
Verne Lundquist’s 40th and final Masters Tournament was also a must-watch aspect of the event. The iconic voice of Lundquist and his calls throughout the years still give me chills each time I hear them. Verne is an icon of the game and will be missed in future renditions of the Masters.
The Masters also brings another element that is unique to the tournament. Former champions turn back the clock to battle with the golf course again which creates some amazing stories. There are a few that stick out this year and were an absolute pleasure to witness. 61-year-old Vijay Singh made the cut for the first time since 2018 and shot a pretty incredible even-par, 72 on Sunday. 58-year-old José María Olazábal made the cut as well, reminding us why fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm sought his valuable advice prior to his Masters victory in 2022.
Regardless of who wins, the Masters always delivers.
Bryson Moves the Needle
Plenty will disagree with me on this point, but outside of Tiger Woods, and potentially Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, no one moves the needle in golf as much as Bryson DeChambeau. The uniqueness in which Bryson approaches the game has always been fascinating, and if he gets near the top of the leaderboard at any major championship, whether it’s to root for him or against him, people are interested.
It began on Monday with a pretty bizarre story of DeChambeau using 3D-printed irons that got just got cleared for use by the USGA when the week began. It once again felt like a storyline that would only be possible with a character as eccentric as Bryson. He then raced off to a first-round lead in tough conditions, reminding the world of what made him such a great golfer to begin with. He made some mistakes on the weekend, but still finished a career best T6 at The Masters.
Bryson is more than just quirky; he is a former U.S. Amateur Champion and U.S. Open who I believe will contend for more majors in the future. I will continue to root for DeChambeau, but I’m perfectly content with the fact that plenty will root against him, and I encourage those people to do so. That’s what makes it fun.
LIV Walks Away Empty-Handed
Last year, there were a multitude of questions about LIV players coming into the year’s first major. They had played very limited tournament golf, and critics of LIV questioned whether the 54-hole events were enough to sharpen the players enough to compete against the best in the world on the biggest stage.
The results were fascinating, with LIV players all over the leaderboard. Brooks Koepka held the 36- and 54-hole lead, with Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed finishing T2 and T4, giving LIV three golfers in the top-4 of the leaderboard.
This season, with even more time removed and with some more massive additions to the roster, the intrigue surrounding LIV players at Augusta was once again palpable. While some players, including Bryson DeChambeau, exceeded expectations, I can’t help but walk away from the Masters feeling underwhelmed by the performance of the LIV players.
Brooks Koepka finished runner-up last season and is a certified major championship killer. The 5-time major champ was never involved and simply didn’t have it at Augusta. Dustin Johnson put together a putrid performance, shooting 13 over for his two rounds, making it fair to wonder if his days of contending at major championships are over as he rapidly approaches his 40th birthday.
Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann were both players who were amongst the favorites this week, but Rahm was faced with the daunting duties of defending champion and Niemann proved he was still not quite ready to master the quirks of Augusta National, bleeding strokes both around and on the greens.
To be fair, when all was said and done, LIV had four players in the top twelve at The Masters. Tyrrell Hatton stormed the leaderboard early on Sunday, finishing T9 and earning himself an invite back to Augusta next season. Cam Smith and Patrick Reed put together gritty performances, which isn’t too surprising considering the fact that they both absolutely love Augusta National, but neither ever felt a real threat to win. There’s no doubt the players on LIV are good, and that’s why some encouraging leaderboard positions aren’t enough. They needed to contend.
With no players part of the storyline on Sunday, I view the first major of the year as a disappointment for LIV. The players will head into next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla with a lot to prove.
Rory’s Struggles Continues
Rory struggling at Augusta National is no surprise at this point. The four-time major champion has now had 10 attempts to complete the career grand slam and has never had a chance to win. His T2 in 2022 was deceiving, the Northern Irishman stormed the leaderboard on Sunday, but was never in contention, and never got within three shots of the winner, Scottie Scheffler.
I didn’t expect Rory to win, but I have to admit that this year felt a bit different. McIlroy played the week prior to the Masters, which he typically doesn’t do, and finished third at the Valero Texas Open. He gained 7.56 strokes on approach and 2.0 strokes off the tee, which told me that his visit with world-renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, after the Players Championship paid dividends.
McIlroy also approached the media quite differently. He cut his pre-tournament press conference short after only 10 minutes and seemed to be laser-focused on just playing golf.
Despite the different approach to the Masters, the results were the same. McIlroy struggled over the course of the week, finishing T22 (+4) and never sniffed a decent weekend position on the leaderboard. It’s back to the drawing board for McIlroy, and I have doubts that he will ever figure it out at Augusta.
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We’ve finally reached The Masters and excitement is at an all-time high. The world of golf has been fractured for the better part of two years, but for a week at Augusta National, all of the outside noise will disappear. All of the best players in the world will be together seeking to make history.
In addition to betting on The Masters champion. This is one of the few weeks of the year where there are so many more markets to explore, with value to be had in plenty of different categories.
Throughout this article, I’ll discuss all of my favorite props and players for the 2024 Masters.
Placement Bets:
Tony Finau Top 5 +750 (DraftKings):
I badly wanted to include Tony Finau in my outright betting selections, but I simply ran out of room on my card. Additionally, it’s slightly difficult to see him hitting the putts necessary to win the Masters on back nine on Sunday. However, I do strongly believe he will play great golf this week at Augusta National.
In his past 24 rounds, Finau ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Approach is always amongst the best drivers of the golf ball in the game. Back in 2019, Finau had a great chance to win The Masters. I expect him to be hanging around over the weekend once again in 2024.
Gary Woodland Top 20 +550 (DraftKings), Gary Woodland to make the cut -110 (DraftKings):
Last season, Gary Woodland had his best ever finish at The Masters in his eleven tries. The 39-year-old finished T14 and played incredibly steady across all four rounds.
In Woodland’s most recent start at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, he struck the ball incredibly well. He led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach (+8.8) and Strokes Gained: Ball Striking (+10.0).
Gary has been working with Butch Harmon and absolutely flushing the ball both in tournaments and during practice.
Woodland appears to be healthy once again and in a great place physically and mentally. If he can build off his impressive performance at Augusta last year, he can place inside the top ten in 2024.
Additionally, the make the cut number on Woodland seems generous considering the number of players who miss the cut will be relatively small this week. Woodland is striking it well enough to make the cut even if he’s hindered by a balky putter once again.
Thorbjorn Olesen Top 20 +400 (FanDuel):
The Thunder Bear, Thorbjorn Olesen, made his Masters debut in 2013 and finished an incredibly impressive T6 for the week. In the two additional starts he’s made at Augusta National since then, the Dane has continued to be incredibly solid, finishing T44 and T21.
This week, Olesen heads into the week playing some good golf. He gained 3.8 strokes on approach and 5.52 strokes around the green at last week’s Valero Texas Open on his way to a strong T14 finish. Back in January, he won the Ras Al Khaimah Championship on the DP World Tour.
Olesen has the skill set to be successful at Augusta and seems primed for a good performance this week.
Top Nationalities:
Sergio Garcia Top Spanish Player +280 (DraftKings):
I believe Sergio Garcia can get into contention this week with the way he’s striking the ball in addition to his good vibes with a refurbished version of the Scotty Cameron that he used at the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah.
I am slightly concerned about the emotional letdown he may face after losing in a playoff at LIV Miami, but I believe a veteran and former Masters champion should be able to regroup and focus on an event far more meaningful.
This is essentially a tournament head-to-head with Jon Rahm at +280. While Rahm deserves to be respected this week, the history of the lack of success of defending champions at The Masters is difficult to ignore.
Joaquin Niemann Top South American Player -230 (FanDuel):
While I hate paying this much juice, I don’t see a world in which Joaquin Niemann isn’t the top South American this week at The Masters. Joaco comes in playing better golf than anyone in the world not named Scottie Scheffler and has a serious chance to win the green jacket.
He only needs to beat two players: Emiliano Grillo and Camilo Villegas.
Tournament Head-to-Heads:
Justin Thomas -110 over Collin Morikawa
JT isn’t having his best season but is playing a lot better than he is getting credit for at the moment. In the past three months, there are only six players on the PGA Tour who have averaged 1.7 Strokes Gained: Tee to Green or better. Justin Thomas (+1.7) is one of the six and is currently tied with Rory McIlroy (+1.7).
Morikawa, on the other hand, has been extremely poor with his irons, which is incredibly uncharacteristic for him. I can’t help but feel like something is completely off with the two-time major champion.
Tony Finau -110 over Wyndham Clark
I explained in the placement section why I’m so high on Tony Finau this week. With how well he’s striking the ball, it seems as if his floor is extremely high. I’m not sure if he can make the putts to win a green jacket but I believe he will be in the mix similarly to 2019 when Tiger Woods emerged from a crowded pack of contenders.
Clark is a debutant, and while some debutants have had success at The Masters, it certainly poses a challenge. I also don’t believe Augusta National suits Clark as well as some of the other major championship venues.
- LIKE9
- LEGIT5
- WOW3
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK3
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Gary
Sep 21, 2013 at 1:33 pm
How much more imposition on the well-behaved fan will it take. Someone yelling next to me is startling and unnerving. That is not why I go to tournaments.
Plus, the yelling can be heard across the course. A player on an adjacent hole could be disturbed.
Coming next, AIR HORNS! No problem if used after the ball is hit. That is the reason I’ll never go to an Oakland A’s baseball game. Listen to the background noise if you never have before.
james
Sep 19, 2013 at 11:46 am
i work for a movie theater called the alamo drafthouse and we have a zero tolerance policy on talking and texting during movies
if we hear you talk, pull out your phone and see the light from the screen you get one warning, you do it again you get kicked out without a refund
i think the pga tour needs to implement the exact same policy, someone yells something stupid, the officials give them a warning, they get caught doing it again, they are out of there, no refund
Sagamore
Sep 18, 2013 at 10:48 pm
The time has come for these yellers to be ejected from tournament grounds..
Give them one chance. Second offense is grounds for removal. Once some of these miscreants are offered up a examples of what not to do, the yelling and other stupidity will slow to a crawl.
Robin
Sep 17, 2013 at 5:53 pm
The last comment completely misses the two main points. Firstly, the shouting is ruining the golf for the majority of fans. As the article suggests if someone shouted mashed potatoes in my ear at a tournament they are likely to get a mashed face. The second point is that the idiots are trying to get the shout in first so they are getting closer and closer to impact and before. Even if a shout is a split second before impact, the players are waiting for it and it is putting them off. The answer is simple, anyone shouting gets put off the course. End of.
Elmo
Sep 20, 2013 at 2:26 pm
I disagree with you’re two points. Firstly, there is no proof that the majority of fans are annoyed by this yelling. There have been no studies done whence so ever to prove this. In many sports, fans do not agree with each other when it comes to the methods of crowd participation. Although fans who do not mind yelling are not necessarily voicing their opinion on the issue does not mean the majority of fans do not like it. Most people who show up to golf tournaments are not necessarily fansof golf or even serious golfers such as myself and everybody else on golf wrx but just want to see a professional golf tournament when it comes to their town. Crowd participation becoming an active part of the game may mean the increase of attendance on Thursday and Fridays which is obviously far from capacity at non-major tournaments. Secondly, in my past comment I clearly stated that crowd participation is okay as long as it does not defer a players focus during a swing. We must grow the sport not scare people away from it by actively throwing them out from events without refund.
Elmo
Sep 17, 2013 at 9:29 am
I disagree with the article and with most of the comments posted here. The game of golf needs to grow. The best way for the game to grow is for more fans to be interested in the game. While it is totally unacceptable for fans to scream during a backswing, I think it is totally unnecessary to scare potential fans away from the game by imparting rules which punish crowd participation. Furthermore, golf’s reputation as a rich man’s sport is only being sustained by spoiled golf fans who have to hear “baba booey” or “mashed potatoes” once in a while on their television sets. Stephen Ames said it perfectly at this years Canadian Open when he said that pro golfers are spoiled. Too bad if they have to hear something stupid like “Yabba Dabba Do” once in a while. It’s their job. It’s what they signed up for, and it’s not hurting anybody. There are much more annoying things and people, waiters and construction workers need to put up with everyday. As long as the shouting does not actively disturb players during a swing we need to put up with it.
Svensson
Sep 16, 2013 at 5:22 am
“The marshalls already have signs that say “quiet please.” Tell fans if they say anything while that sign is up they are gone, and banned from the event for five years.”
Hear, hear.
Eric
Sep 9, 2013 at 10:31 pm
I actually prefer when they yell “Chewbacca” when Dufner tee’s off. Just seems appropriate.
Cory
Sep 6, 2013 at 9:32 pm
Wayne Gretzky, i know is not playing anymore! but yall get the picture.
Cory
Sep 6, 2013 at 9:30 pm
Hey, as long as it isnt being yelled mid swing…. and without profane language…. suck it up golfers! As a huge pro sports fan, a lot of us know this happens at every stadium, field, rink, and court. At all of these events, a fan yelling bad language or purposely disrupting the athletes will be ejected. Golf should follow suit, and is appropriately. By all means, if any of us want to yell “light the candle” after a ball is in flight, pro golfers need to grin and bare it. They are pro athletes in the public eyes….and mouths, just as Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, LeBron James and Derek Jeter are. I wonder if they had any annoying fans to deal with??…….ya think?!?!?!
Keith
Sep 4, 2013 at 8:45 am
Gotta embarrass the crap out of the idiots who yell stupid things all the time, escort them out, and make sure people see it. I mean it is a lot of pressure to play well as a professional. You don’t need a yelling heckler to make it even more so.
John Mehoff
Sep 1, 2013 at 12:42 pm
Hot DRUNK Chicks are a bad thing now?
You guys SURE you play golf?
Ed
Aug 29, 2013 at 1:22 pm
Not for nothing but the title of this should have been ‘Yabba Dabba.. Do Please Shut Up’
Phil
Aug 27, 2013 at 7:14 am
PGA need to get their priorities straight and sort this out. Could be done easily, but sadly they’re not interested
David Smith
Aug 27, 2013 at 11:50 am
Theres nothing the PGA can do, whatever happens after the quiet sign lowers is not up to the PGA. It should be out of respect for the game of golf and the players.
Phil
Aug 27, 2013 at 2:23 pm
what’s stopping them from ejecting anyone who does this from the course ??
Zero tolerance would stop it pretty quick I imagine
james
Aug 27, 2013 at 3:56 am
wish i could have been at the barclay’s to yell at tiger to stop rolling around and faking the severity of his injury.
WHICH IRINS ARE THE LONGERT?
Chris Downing
Aug 27, 2013 at 2:35 am
Follow the money. When the Ryder Cup is trailed everywhere as something like ‘war’ between the USA and the ‘World’, whne the big Tour Events are trailed as so sn so’s last chance, as the showdown between, whatever, the non golfers are being targetted to watch. It’s all about numbers, the mre watchers the better paid the TV companies by advertisers, the mre controversy, the more watchers, the mre the advertisers pay, the mre the sponsorship money goes up.
Do you think mre people would watch ice hockey f their were no fights, do you think more people would watch baseball if all the referee’s decisions were subject to TV analysis and were changed when he’s wrong, do you think newspapers need to shape up and be honest and have integrity? It’s all about numbers and money.
When golf became like other big sports and needed commercial sponsorship and TV deals to pay those big prizes, a lot of integrity and good judgement gets rubbed away. When you promote an event as – This is THE place to be this Weekend – alongside A motor racing event that THE place to be, the NBA Finals that’s THE place to be and the SuperBowl that’s THE place to be – and you quickly realise that lots of those who attend no nothing about what they are watching – its just THE place to be today!
Like taking your best mate to play a round of golf and he knows nothing – he talks non stop over every shot, he plays out of order, he walks on your putting line, and shouts across the fairway, oblivious to others playing nearby. That’s what Golf has done – invited in the masses who know nothing – because of the money.
Fixing it is difficult. The answer for you as a go,fer is easy – watch and attend the less publicised events – you’ll be with a knowledgeable crowd, fewer in the gallery, and no shouting. Where are the shouters – well they’ve headed off for Wimbledon this week and are happliy shoutng at Tennis stars they know nothing about and next week they will be back on home territory – Football or Baseball.
Rick
Aug 26, 2013 at 8:22 pm
Not a very well written article (GolfWRX needs an editor if it wants to “be taken seriously”, but I digress) but I agree with the main points. We are all tired of the yelling.
Randall
Aug 26, 2013 at 8:20 pm
Kooch is getting old, it’s every hole.
The most annoying to me is the guy who yells “great shot” directly off the head, only for the ball to miss the fairway by forty yards. Where was the good shot? Is the man that ignorant a person, or player? Does he even play?
greg
Aug 26, 2013 at 6:29 pm
It needs to stop. Pleas start having more security
people at these events to escort these dumb idiots off the course
David Smith
Aug 26, 2013 at 4:19 pm
This is an American thing; unfortunately they’ve got no respect for the players or the game and lack any chance of having some sort of class. This never happens anywhere else in the world.
Nick
Aug 26, 2013 at 1:45 pm
This problem is not unique to golf. What is the problem is golf’s delayed reaction. Professional baseball has people run into the outfield mid game. For all those saying this seems to be an American problem, it is but I also remember the Open Championship being plagued with streakers so get off your high horse. The solution has been tested and proven effective in other sports – DON’T PUT IT ON TV. Cut to commercials. They used to show these guys running all over the field and Security falling all over themselves. It reached epidemic proportions. Now, you hardly hear of it. Why, becuase it’s not put in the media and the motive goes away.
Tyler
Aug 26, 2013 at 2:50 pm
I agree with not putting it on TV. How can you stop yelling on TV though? Cut the audio entirely?
Randall
Aug 26, 2013 at 8:22 pm
The second they stop Tiger’s audio and his GD’s and other curse words. If its fine for him to be ignorant and trashy, so it is for the fan as well
PacoJoe7
Aug 26, 2013 at 12:39 pm
I think the soultion is that you get one warning, and after that you get ejected from the tournament. Once word gets around that people are starting to get thrown out and possilby arrested for disorderly conduct, you’ll start to see this behavior go down. It diminishes the quality of the spectator experience, so the PGA should take some action here as it is effecting their product.
Randy
Aug 26, 2013 at 5:07 pm
I don’t see what the problem is. If you don’t like yelling, then don’t yell. And can it really be so loud that it bothers you? Then wear ear plugs. I don’t see why people should even be quiet prior to a golf shot. Why can a basketball player shot a free throw with hundreds of people screaming and waving their arms, but a golfer can’t make a swing? Should the tour also ban cars from driving on roads that are adjacent to golf holes? Should fans not be allowed to cheer whenever someone holes out because it might distract another player on another hole? What about courses near airports? Should there be a no fly zone? Should the tour ban birds? And course maintenance equipment? These guys are pros. I think they can concentrate for 5 seconds.
james
Aug 27, 2013 at 3:54 am
this.
Colin Gillbanks
Sep 3, 2013 at 11:12 am
Hey Randy,
Next time you play in the UK, give me a call and I’ll join you. I’ll scream and shout when you’re about the take every shot. No bother.
Seriously?
Tyler
Aug 26, 2013 at 12:36 pm
Unfortunately, I think Babapotato is right. It looks like it will have to get worse before it gets better. I attended The Greenbrier Classic the last few years, following Tiger one of the rounds. I was actually surprised/proud of how few ridiculous yells I heard compared to other events. People who yell in golf are ridiculous and there is no place for it.
I know it would be pretty expensive but with some of the money that the Tour makes I would like to see them implement a small security team with one task; kicking these people out. I think it is too much responsibility to ask volunteers to take the task on but I am sure they could find some ex-cops, security specialists, or I ? who could easily handle it. Maybe just ban yelling the first 3-5 seconds after the player swings to see if that works, like the article suggests.
If they hired a small hand full of paid security guards who have the skills to quietly extract these people who yell from the tournaments and then televise just the first few of these ejections it would make it known that kind of behavior isn’t going to be tolerated. Once the fan is ejected Nick Faldo could actually contribute for once by taking pride in letting viewers know that the person has been kicked out and banned for the rest of the tournament. They could come back next year but if it happened again they would be banned from tour events for life. They could start by following marquee players like Phil and Tiger on a trial basis. I doubt they would object. Once the tour take a stance against this players like Keegan would no longer condone it. I am sure there will be some controversy in the beginning but not by anyone important. The media coverage of it wouldn’t hold a candle to the anchoring ban controversy. I like the way the tour says they do not want to mess with anything that doesn’t directly affect play but they ban caddies from running to the 16th green at the Waste Management, which is a one time a year thing. I am at least glad more people are talking about this issue. Hopefully something will happen for this to stop.
Baba Booey
Aug 26, 2013 at 11:55 am
ME!!!
Brian
Aug 26, 2013 at 11:40 am
What is not mentioned is the impact that such yelling has on the swing of an unseen golfer on a nearby hole, even though the spectator shouts after the golfer in his view hits their shot. Ban it and start tossing people who don’t comply.
Lynn
Aug 26, 2013 at 1:00 pm
It took two hours of comments for the real problem to come out. Eventually someone yelling after Keegan hits a drive will disrupt Tiger or Phil on a close green on a Sunday, and Finchem will have to step in a do something. All of the players will say it doesn’t bother them, until it costs someone a tourney. At that point it goes from giggles, to costing someone a 2 year exemption on tour and 400k that day. It becomes a lot less funny.
Elmo
Sep 17, 2013 at 9:19 am
I don’t understand how this can truly effect players if people are still allowed to cheer on golf courses. Are we going to take away cheering from the game too? The best players in the game have developed a focus to the point which a train could be running behind them and they don’t know.
AJ Jensen
Aug 26, 2013 at 11:06 am
If a yeller gets slugged, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Maybe it would compel the PGA to finally take action as well.
Sirus
Aug 26, 2013 at 5:30 am
>Imagine if someone followed you around your office yelling “mashed potatoes.” Would it really make you worse at your job? Maybe not. But would you want to punch him or her in the face on your bad days? Probably.
Couldn’t agree more.
Duf
Aug 26, 2013 at 1:55 am
Mashed Potato!
P
Aug 26, 2013 at 1:55 am
Baba Booey
Chris
Aug 26, 2013 at 12:08 am
When a lot of people think of golf, they think of grumpy old men, “traditionalists” if you want to call it that. I’d like to see golf move with the times and get out of the 19th century, and that means allowing fans to yell AFTER the player hits. The only reason to put a stop to it would be if fans were yelling during a player’s swing. Besides, Dufner and other pros have admitted finding it humorous and not being bothered by it. So if they can stand it, then I think people watching on their couches can stand it as well.
eric
Aug 25, 2013 at 9:17 pm
Did anyone hear what Jason Dufner said on Howard Stern about fans yelling “Babba Booey”? It is after we hit the shot and doesn’t bother anyone. Yes, Jason is a Stern fan. The PGA doesn’t care about it because it is getting play in arena’s that would never talk about golf, like the Howard Stern show that has the largest radio audience in the world. Golf is just like every other sport it is all about the money.
Sean
Aug 25, 2013 at 5:11 pm
Mr. Finchem won’t do anything. It’s obnoxious, immature, and it certainly isn’t funny. The host golf course should have a policy along with the Tour: immediate ejection and banned from any other Tour events for a full calendar year from the time of the infraction.
Dave
Aug 25, 2013 at 1:31 pm
It doesn’t help when the younger pros (Keegan Bradley) go on certain radio shows who promote this sort of nonsense and profess their fondness of it.
Colin gillbanks
Aug 25, 2013 at 12:49 pm
Just make it clear at all events that its not acceptable and that anyone doing it will be removed from the premises immediately. I’m all for making golf more fun and attractive to the masses, but this kind of moronic behaviour adds nothing whatsoever.
Simple solution.
Dan
Sep 18, 2013 at 3:17 pm
+1
Yep it is that simple. Being stupid and rude should have consequences. Kick them out and let Moose and Rocco escort them to their cars. It’s the PGA’s problem to enforce.
Done and done!
Chris
Aug 25, 2013 at 11:13 am
Perhaps a partial solution is to stop selling adult beverages, police tailgaters/byob’ers and bar visibly intoxicated fans from entering the events. Can’t hurt at least.
Tom
Aug 25, 2013 at 12:01 pm
I would like to enjoy a refreshing alcoholic drink… I can do so without acting stupid. The Needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few.
Billy
Sep 16, 2013 at 1:04 pm
+1 on that. We already have enough of “the least common denominator” rule in the US!!!!!!!!!
Wally K
Aug 25, 2013 at 9:57 am
The yelling needs to stop. Its only funny to drunk abnoxious individuals so they do not need to be on the course. I enjoy watching all tours and its only here that you hear the childish behaviors.
Tom
Aug 25, 2013 at 11:56 am
+1
Ralph
Aug 24, 2013 at 10:13 pm
Poulter has the solution… taser them.
It is annoying enough that I’m pretty much done watching the television broadcasts.
I think billy bob the annoying jerk is recording the event and goes home to his mom’s basement and replay’s his antics on a continuous basis while laughing hysterically.
Tad
Aug 24, 2013 at 9:08 pm
If you want it to stop – if the Tour wants it to stop – then get rid of the “Stadium” grandstands and shut them up that way. Stop providing places for them to all get together to holla and yell with beer in their hands, like at the Phoenix Open’s 17th. That’s what started the “oh, so it IS OK to behave like we’re at the NFL/MLB stadium and get rowdy” mentality.
Be done with it. NOW. No more massive grandstands. It was never meant to be a stadium sport, so why venture down that road at all? Get rid of them.
natural_one
Aug 26, 2013 at 12:02 pm
It’s 16, not 17.
Anyways…
Tell the players to quit throwing hats, balls, and merchandise into the stands on that hole than.
Tell the players to quit doing the Gangam Style dance on the green.
Tell the caddies to quit racing and falling, spilling clubs everywhere.
Tell the players to quit rapping on the tee box.
Tell the players to quit tossing food in the stands.
#16 is an exception and the players know it…if they dont like it, they can skip that tourny.
I dont like the yelling as much as anyone else, but #16 is and will be an exception forever. Having gone to the tourny for years, I would honestly say that the other 17 holes at the WM Open are much more along the lines of respectful golf viewing. The frat boys and sorority slews do stumble on to other holes occasionally, but they quickly find their way back to their watering hole at the 16th, or on their knees in a port-a-potty.
paul
Aug 24, 2013 at 7:53 pm
Just got in from the LPGA Canadian Open Saturday event. I didn’t hear a single yell.
Tony
Aug 26, 2013 at 8:00 pm
That’s because there wasn’t a single fan! HIIIIIIIIIIII OHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I’ll be here all week.
Mr Scwump
Aug 24, 2013 at 2:55 pm
Totally agree something needs to be done by PGA. Unfortunately volunteer marshals can only enforce “Quite” to a certain point even if you had spectator rules. And since this usually involves morons that want their 5 seconds of idiocy on the air, they won’t have any regard for etiquette no matter what you tell them. Maybe a PSA campaign by PGA and networks would work…..similar to what Golf Channel did with slow play.
ChrisOB
Aug 24, 2013 at 1:34 pm
I’m new to golf but have already noticed while watching tournament coverage that this is predominantly an issue within the US.
It is annoying, and my main concern is that what starts in the US eventually makes it’s way to the UK/Europe so I’d be very interested to see if the rulemakers can nip this in the bud before it becomes ingrained, especially amongst younger supporters.
naflack
Aug 24, 2013 at 12:03 pm
you grow the game from an attendance stand point and to some degree this is unavoidable. the first time i heard get in the hole i thought immediately that this is going to get ridiculous in a hurry. this is absolutely an american culture issue. good, bad or indifferent we are a culture of obnoxious rubes. i think it is in the tours best interest to deal with this sooner than later before it adversely affects the attendance of the desired patrons. how long until it becomes an environment you dont want to subject your children to (nfl)?
TRG
Aug 26, 2013 at 1:19 pm
The environment you want to protect your children from is the one within earshot of Tiger Woods’s potty mouth.
SilenceOfTheHams
Aug 24, 2013 at 7:17 am
The PGA Tour needs to borrow a strategy from the political realm and hire someone as a PLANT, a very loud and extremely obnoxious individual inserted just behind a tee box at a crucial time in a prominent event. The hired person–I would contribute to his paycheck–should so embarrass fans, the viewership, and the Tour itself that a new law, with severe punishment, gets passed to end this juvenile practice.
“But the fans want to express themselves!”
Hooey. Give the fans the opportunity to try something much more fun, less individualized, and more inclusive: Let them all, as the players walk off the tee, practice the new sport of “Dufnering.” Thousands of fans, sitting on their rumps, legs extended, arms awkwardly straight at their sides, would be an absolute hoot to watch on television.
The beneficial part of this idea for the Tour is that Dufnering is SILENT!
Baba Booey
Aug 26, 2013 at 9:37 am
Mashed Potatoes!
TJ
Aug 29, 2013 at 10:46 am
On another note how awesome would it have been when they presented the Wanamaker Trophy to Jason if the crowed instead of cheering, Dufnered? that would have made for some memorable TV.
yo!
Aug 24, 2013 at 12:15 am
Golf etiquette has changed, and not for the better, but I would not defend a guy going up to slug another guy just because he yells “baba booey.” It won’t happen because I doubt it will turn violent unless the aggressor was completely drunk or high in which case he may be the one doing the screaming or laughing. I agree that yelling during or before a swing is punishable by expulsion because it does impact the players, but doing so after the ball leaves the club should not affect the players themselves. Unfortunately, it is the price of golf being so popular. People like me still have our own private clubs to retreat to with a certain decorum, but I don’t expect that of a public arena.
Joe Golfer
Aug 23, 2013 at 11:36 pm
Read a recent article that actually interviewed numerous people who are known to yell at tournaments. Most were college age males. The “mashed potatoes” guy started because he went to a tourney, told his parents he would be there and to let him know if they saw him on tv. They asked how they’d know where he was at, so he said he’d yell “Mashed Potatoes” after a drive, and then they could look for him.
Just some immature kid who wants mommy and daddy to see him on tv.
Others who yell said that they did it as a bet with friends (usually drinking friends) to see if they could get their yell on tv.
Ian Poulter had a tweet today about the first round of this week’s tournament. Somebody yelled “Baba Booey”, and the officials kicked him off the course. Poulter was pleased, and so was I.
These yellers use the excuse that they are doing it a couple seconds after the shot was struck, not during the shot, so it should be okay with everybody. They claim that people around them laugh, and thus it makes the game more interesting and entertaining for the fans.
Pretty lame excuses, if you ask me. Just shut up and grow up already.
Babapotato
Aug 23, 2013 at 11:32 pm
Someone needs to be te martyr.
Go to an event and yell like the craziest fool alive. Yell during swings, yell profanity, yell , yell, yell until we hit the breaking point and the networks, PGA and course are forced to stop it.
Let’s hit the breaking point!!!
TJ
Aug 29, 2013 at 9:57 am
I king of like this thought. hopefully you get some air time after so you can explain why you did it to prove a point that this sort of behavior on a golf course is annoying and can affect a golfers performance. Golf is a mental game why else do players pay psychologists to help their game, yelling and acting line an ass can get into even the strongest of minds at some point.
I attended the Canadian Open this year and I am ashamed to say that I experienced this behavior even in the Great White North. I to, had the urge to punch this person but did not take action as I wanted to stay and watch the event.(chickened out)
Get these clowns off the course, next we will have some of the players dressing like clowns….. oh wait I guess its to late for that too.
JD
Aug 23, 2013 at 10:56 pm
It is predominantly an American problem. All the other tours don’t have any where near as much shouting and bad behaviour. In the UK we save that sort of conduct for soccer games. The only time we hear inappropriate shouting at golf tournaments in Europe is during the Ryder Cup. I follow golf on tv and turn out when a decent event is in my area. I would not, if the small minority of badly behaved fans behaved like the ones on the PGA tour do. I,like the majority go to watch the best players play their best golf. Not to listen to mashed potato 300 times a day. To the mindless bums who go to a golf tourne to behave like idiots I say “grow up”.To the officials I say “grow a pair” and sort this out before it ruins the majority’s enjoyment.
ABgolfer2
Aug 24, 2013 at 7:43 pm
Tun off the microphones an dub in stock driver sounds. Put out an SAP signal featuring persimmon and balata for the fogies (like me). I Remember hearing “you da man” 20 years ago and one PC gone wild tool at Doral who’d yell “you’re the person!” Every year on Sundays. Yes that happened and we let it happen.
Nick
Aug 26, 2013 at 1:36 pm
This is the solution. Seriously, the broadcast is on tape delay. Edit it out.
bigchussy
Aug 26, 2013 at 2:16 pm
If the Euros don’t like it, then they should just play in Europe. I think the PGA Tour will somehow go on, if Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood don’t want to play here.
david
Sep 13, 2013 at 10:42 am
its always the americans that do this, im from scotland and everytime an event is here you guys ruin it with your shouting nonsense, just shut up its not clever or funny and you sound like an asshole.
Marc
Aug 23, 2013 at 9:55 pm
You can thank that frickin’ Phoenix Open too.. They all seem to think that is great, yelling and booing shots there. The TV announcers, the players, etc..
It was only a matter of time before it spread like a cancer.
I was next to a stunad here at the Houston Open that yelled “mashed potatoes” during a Lee Westwood shot.. He yelled and then ran off like a little 5 year old.. I followed him asking him “why the hell do you do that”.. Of course he just kept walking off knowing that he had been an idiot.. I am betting it wasn’t the last time he did it..
They need to boot them off the course.
Nick
Aug 26, 2013 at 1:34 pm
I really have no problem with the Phoenix Open. Obviously it was not always the way it is, but if one event wants to be the loud drunken frat party scene on tour, that’s fine. Attendence numbers seem to demonstrate the fans AT THAT EVENT want that. Players can avoid the Phoenix Open if they wish.
However, golf is a game with decorum and it should stay that way. When I buy a ticket to a PGA tour event I don’t want to have my ear drum shattered by Baba-boey. It was funny once, now its borderline annoying. It also seems to be bothering the players which is the most conclusive sign that its gotten out of control.
Tony
Aug 26, 2013 at 7:54 pm
I completely agree with you. Except your last sentence. Those players are there because they want to be professional golfers. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that I’m sure most of them could stop touring and live comfortable lives. I’m sure they could still play golf every day, all day if they wanted. Those fans are the reason those people exist. The only thing more annoying than a fan screaming something stupid when a player swings, is a professional golfer taking offense to something a fan does.
tom milhaus
Sep 4, 2013 at 12:13 am
I don’t mind the yellers. that’s sort of the problem with golf, it’s really stuck in the old days, I mean really stuck. People already laugh at golfers as athletes, this pissing and moaning about the yellers exposes them as cry baby’s as well. Recall the dust up with Sergio when he claimed tiger pulled a club from his bag early? Really?
PGAPankey
Sep 23, 2013 at 7:03 pm
The issue isn’t that golfers are too prudish to have people yelling, it’s that it’s just not funny. Singer said it perfectly, if someone kept telling a stupid joke eventually you would tell them to shut up.
Courtney
Aug 23, 2013 at 9:34 pm
Pre-Cambrian ? How about Pre-Woodsian to the Paleo-Daly era where the “you da man” screams came into vogue ? Drunken “fans” ignorant of golf etiquette while under the influence of too many adult beverages screaming their lungs out for their friends watching on TV at home. And why ? Because they didn’t understand the damage that the alcohol had done and was doing to his life.
Forest Gump’s mama had it right – stupid is as stupid does.
Jeff Singer
Aug 23, 2013 at 10:16 pm
I believe the Paleo Daly era was part of the Pleistocene Epoch. People yelled “baba booey” at early Megalodons
David E. Bassett
Sep 11, 2013 at 2:28 pm
Some things are funny only if you’re in the bag; to the undrunk, they’re annoying. Limit beer sales at tournaments and you’ll solve a big part of the yelling problem.