Annual Augusta National He-Man Woman Haters Club Masters Dilemma

Protest is much more effective when there are hundreds of TV cameras around.

 

It stands for mostly old, overwhelmingly rich white men making business deals.

 

Word has it that after she's done cooking the champions dinner and picking up the green jackets from the dry cleaners, they'll sit down and talk to her about this.

 

I agree, but I doubt any of us genuinely "care". We all have an opinion on the matter, but it probably doesn't affect anyone's lives on this board. Accept women or don't, it really doesn't change whether or not I'll watch the Masters this year.

 

True, but does that mean ignore it completely when the cameras aren't there (as happens every year with this subject)?

There are lots of things worth protesting/investigating that will never see the light of a camera lens. If you ONLY show up when the cameras are around, it gives the appearance that it's more of a "Look at ME!" moment than one you really think is worth protesting.

 

The problem is that in exchange for playing by their rules you are being rewarded with a free round of golf at the most exclusive place in the nation. If there's a cash value on that, it would be in the range of thousands of dollars. This is annually the clearest and most black-letter ethical violation in the sports media universe and it continues unchecked. Anything to be part of the club.

 

Just so we're clear, does anyone disagree they don't have the right to do this?

 

Just spitballing here, but wouldn't playing the course give a writer a better sense of the difficulties of the greens, the narrowness of the fairways, etc.? Would a reporter who played through Amen Corner be able to offer a better analysis of a pivotal shot that occurs on one of those holes than one who hasn't?

Couldn't it be more akin to doing background research before writing a story than receiving a gift?

 

That's what everyone tells himself to square it ethically in his mind. It's a lie, but every writer says that. I see two problems:

1) The round comes after the tournament. So all the "research" is irrelevant because you've already written it.

2) How you play a hole and how a professional golfer plays a hole have not a fucking thing to do with each other. Maybe I will go take batting practice at AT&T Park and then write about how to take Tim Lincecum deep.

 

In the two times I covered the Masters I did not enter the lottery. Not from ethical qualms. I just knew that hacker me would feel horribly uncomfortable playing the course the day after I saw somebody win the Masters on it.

 

I didn't realize the round comes after the tournament, so that certainly changes it a bit, but it would still be good for future reference if you cover the tournament every year. And there is a stark difference between playing Augusta and what you're talking about.

Playing Augusta gives you the chance to face the same opponent the pros are facing. The course is the opponent, not just a venue.

Taking some swings at AT&T Park wouldn't give you any idea of what it's like to face Tim Lincecum. But taking swings against Tim Lincecum himself might.