BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!

Subject: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 07:35 PM

The diminutive Mike Weir played a flawless round of golf today to become the first Canadian in history to win a Major Championship. I say again, Woo Hoo. Second lefy in history.

Rick, when are we going to the driving range?

Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 10:48 PM

Woooooo Hoooooo!!

We watched the end of the tourney. Exciting finish. Mike's having a heck of a year.

Now if te Seanators can just win the Stanley Cup!! ;}

OH CANADA!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: The Pooka
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 10:55 PM

Hurrah fer You Canadians & for Us Southpaws!!! Yaaay!

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: artbrooks
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 10:55 PM

Golf? That's the game where you hit a little ball across the lawn, go look for it and hit it again? Never quite saw the point myself, but to each his own.

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: CarolC
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 11:48 PM

Woo Hoo for us southpaws indeed!

And well done Mike Weir and Canada! (I saw it. First time I ever wanted to watch more than a few seconds of golf in one sitting, and I even cheered when the last ball went into the hole!)

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Beardy
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 06:44 AM

A most deserved win. About time he broke through and won a biggie!

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: gnu
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 07:05 AM

My uncle, 80 years young, actually went to the golf club to watch it with friends. The bars must have made a killing yesterday, between the Masters and the Ford World Curling Championships. Mike has had a hard go of it over the years but stuck with it and this win is a well deserved reward.

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 07:40 AM

I felt bad for Len Mattiace who played an incredible round to catch Weir. Mike just kept hitting solid shot after solid shot, his concentration and execution were tremendous. The birdie that he made on 13 after hitting it over the green, the approach shot on 15 after having to lay up, the tee shot on 16 the mile of putts that he made to save par on the front nine. What a round.

Jack, the cup is Yonge and front in the Hockey Hall of Fame. May as well jsut keep it here in Toronto. Go Leafs Go.

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 08:17 AM

Golf........a good walk spoiled by having to knock a small ball into a small hole in the ground at some great distance away with tools totally inadequate and unsuitable for the job.

Actually I love golf. Not nearly as much though as my Old Man who was really a tremendous golfer. A consistent 300 yard hitter with excellent ball control, even at my best I only beat him once and that was when he was 45, with back trouble, and playing only once or twice a year........and I was playing several times a week! He had a great job (in those times) on the railroad and no one with a lick of sense gave up a great job to play pro golf (which paid diddly) back in the late 40's!

I think it is the most mental of all sports as there is way too much time to think about where and how you just fucked up and just in what way are you about to screw the pooch next. My congrats to Canada and to a fine golfer, Mike Weir.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 08:32 AM

Spaw,

My dad was in the same boat, good job, a bunch of kids and a chance to turn pro. Best putter I've ever seen. I'm sure that there have been many times he has regretted not turning pro, but as you said, there wasn't a lot of money in it. My dad was a lot older than 45 the first time I beat him. We played a lot of golf together and I can count on one hand the number of times I beat him.

Speaking of how tough golf is mentally, a big hand to Jeff Maggert. He makes a triple bogey on a bad break, a quintuple bogey on 12 and still manages to keep his wits about him and shoot 75 to finish fifth by himself. It would have been easy to fold his tent, but he sure perservered.

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Peter T.
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 08:37 AM

Like watching Canadian paint dry. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 08:38 AM

At times Steve, that's even more impressive that a good round.   Gary Player would always repeat his swing as though there were a ball there after making a bad shot. He was playing it perfectly in his mind and said it helped him retain his self confidence and forget the real shot.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: gnu
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 09:01 AM

Gary Player. What a guy. I seem to recall seeing him get a cheque for something like $25G (big bucks), signing it, turning to the crowd, and giving it to a fan. Anyone else remember that or do I need more tea ?

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 09:01 AM

Hey Peter,

Rick claims to be taking up golf, I've offered to take him to the driving range and show him a few things. Are you in? ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 09:02 AM

Gnu,

I admire Gary Player, but I have to say I don't recall that.

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: gnu
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 09:08 AM

It was quite some time ago, obviously. My old man was watching it on the TV and called us in to see it. Perhaps less tea.

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Peter T.
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 09:38 AM

Dearly as I love both you and Rick, Steve, nothing on God's green unmanicured earth would get me onto a golf course, except the prospect of ripping up the turf (what we environmentalists refer to as "The Big Divot").

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 09:56 AM

WAY TO GO LEFTY! (there's hope for us righty/lefties....a TRUE minority)

Actually Steve, I went out with my dad about three times when I was about 13. (remember the big first nations protest about Oka properties a few years ago...THAT was the course!!!)

I could hit the ball a mile (just like in baseball) but that "mile" was into "deep right field" (just like in baseball) so my career only kasted as long as my 'balls did'.

Weir looks very disciplined (pretty colourless as well) and I suspect he's well-liked on the tour. An interesting side-bar to me is that when Weir really screws up a shot, his reaction is pretty mild, he is SO focused. Tiger ALWAYS yells "Fuck!" and throws his club to the ground or AT his caddy. I was a bit disappointed to hear Tiger blaming his Caddy for the "dumb driver" shot yesterday. He's the finest golfer in history...AND he's working with equipment that Nicklaus never even dreamed about.

Did you see that "short to medium hitter" Weir was constantly driving OVER THREE HUNDRED YARDS!!! Those "Taylor-Made Big Bertha's" that most Pros are using must be like buggy-whips. No wonder they're lengthening the courses. Reminds me a bit of what happened to Pole-vaulting, with the advent of fibre-glass.

The kind of clubs that Snead, Hogan, Sarrazin, Zaharias, and perhaps even Bobby Jones used would have been fairly similar to my parents' sets. Gaddd, they looked primitive. I had to rent Left handed clubs each time I went out, and they were the same vintage as those of my parents.......Yup, apparently Jones said (40 years ago) "Mr Nicklaus plays a game that I'm not familiar with!" Bet Nicklaus thinks the same about Tiger, ha ha.

Many years ago My Dad took me to a Canadian Open, where we followed a foursome of: AL Balding, Jackie Burke Jr., Doug Ford, and (I think) Dow Finsterwald.

Don't worry if you don't know ANY of those names!

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 10:05 AM

Rick,

I'm as much a golf nerd as you are a music nerd. I know all of those names, I met Al Balding. A true gentleman.

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 10:54 AM

Sorry Rick, like Steve, I know all of them too. Jackie Burke, like many others, had a line of clubs out and his woods were the best ones I ever owned. That too was way before the days of the BIG drivers.....I often wonder what my Old Man could have done with one of those. And Dow Finsterwald might have been better noticed and remembered had not Arnold Palmer come along in the early TV days. Palmer was charismatic and one hell of a competitor which overcame the piss poor swing.

When the PGA was in Columbus, I went everyday and followed my two favorites from those times.......Julius Boros who had the most fluid swing I ever saw and "Champagne" Tony Lema who played the most relaxed game I can remember. He was technically very good but had mastered the mental aspect of the game completely.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 11:06 AM

I played a round with Moe Norman once, Steve. Totally by accident of course.

I was out at a little course and driving range in Mississagua for a couple of hours R and R. Decided to play the "Par three" course. Another guy was about to start, and the sign said "Threesomes and Foursomes only".

I went over and asked could I join him and he said "sure". We both plopped our little 8 iron shots, when this whirlwind came up from behind. "Mind some company"? he said. We nodded, and then both of us realized that the rumpled guy with no teeth was the legendary golf eccentric Moe Norman. He set the ball down..took NO practice swing and 'wedged' the ball a few feet from the hole.

Totally threw both of us! It took us ten minutes to get to the green and Moe said "mind if I play through"?

Hell yes! Play through!

Gave my golf partner and I something to talk about for a few holes.......when all of a sudden....HERE COMES MOE AGAIN! He'd lapped the field for nine holes and was about to "Play through again".

This time we were ready. "It's an honour Mr. Norman....yada yada yada... he then said "yeah it must be" (!!!) with a wink, signed our cards, and played through again.

Lately, there's been a bit more info that's come out about the strange Mr. N. Certainly a degree of autism would explain a lot of his behaviour.

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 11:20 AM

Guess who is number one on the PGA money list 3,200,000 to Tiger's 3,067,000??


I haven't played golf since I got married but this weather and watching Weir has me itching to play again. Next time I return to Ontario, I'm bringing my clubs. If you guys want to play on some beautiful, uncrowded courses, come on down to Georgia!

I'm not much of a golfer, but with my $50.00 maraging steel driver, I can hit the odd drive over 250 yards. A guy I used to work with could easily hit them 100 yards further. But he had a top of the line Taylor Made, is six foot five, twenty three years old (at the time) and a very good athlete. He played a game I could only imagine, 160 yards with his pitching wedge!!!! I'm the same height as Weir but with almost twice the mass, my game would improve with weight loss and flexibility training.

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 11:47 AM

You're just short for your circumfrence Jack.

Here's a fascinating look at the oddest golfer who ever lived.

< href=http://www.failuremag.com/arch_sports_moenorman.html>MOE

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 11:49 AM

Oops.

MOE

Rick (if it doesn't work this time, can someone help)

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 02:02 PM

Ah, Moe.. What a guy. I never had the opportunity to play with him, but I did play in front of him once in a Pro-Am tournament. I was about an eleven handicap at the time, a certified golf nut. I played way over my head in this tournament, I think I was one over on the back nine, hit it as well as I possibly could and was feeling pretty damned smug. We had dinner, then Moe put on a clinic. I will remember it as long as I live. I watched Moe for about a five minutes when the thought clearly went through my head, "why do I bother?" I had heard all the Moe stories, and I thought that like so many stories they must be exaggerated. After watching Moe hit balls there is nothing that you could tell me that I wouldn't believe. Unorthodox, strange, but the man is a magician with a golf club. This was back in about '89 or '90. I saw Rainman a few weeks later and there sure are a lot of similarities between the Hoffman character and Moe. I've seen him twice since and even though he is in his seventies, has had major heart surgery he is still the finest striker of a golf ball on the planet.

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Big Mick
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 02:11 PM

I was so tickled for Mike Weir yesterday. He never gave up, he never varied his temperament. His response to each shot, from fantastic shots to less than desirable shots to huge putts to missed putts, never changed. This is the sign of an incredible mental game. And that is what makes a great golfer. It is far more important than a perfect swing or great strength. He absolutely deserved to win. It was that mental game that sustained him in the playoff, and deserted Len Mattice. I also felt bad for Len, but the simple fact is that the best man won. Hooray for Weir, and hooray for Canada.

Steve, I am not good but I love to play. When we finally meet and I confirm that you actually exist and are not just a practical joke that Rick is playing on me, we will have to play 18 and then drink copious amounts of the vile, black stuff. My game has gone to shit since I started to get serious about music, but the sacrifice is worth it. But I still love going out.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 02:21 PM

Mick,

I'm in, might even skip the golf, I can't play worth a damn anymore. Can't make a putt to save my life. If I were putting for Mike yesterday we would have shot ninety. But I almost have this really neat slide from 2-3 on the fourth, 3-1, pulloff from 3-2 on the fourth 3-1 lick mastered. Banjo playing can be as frustrating as golf.

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 02:41 PM

Oh yeah, Rick. Tiger, the greatest golfer in history? Not yet. He is the finest player in the game today, but he has a long way to go to catch Nicklaus. Johnny Miller was on his way to being the greatest in history, but his putting stroke desserted him. Jack himself was plagued by back & hip injuries that cut years off of his career. I'm not saying that Tiger won't eventually be the best ever, he most likely will, but a lot can happen and if a putting stroke goes awry you are done.

I would love to see the modern players play a tournament with 1968 Wilson Staff or McGregor Tourney Irons, the old Titleist balata balls, Perssimon Staff Power-Bilt woods, the course conditions from back then or conversely seing Snead, Palmer, Hogan, Nicklaus et al in their prime with todays equipment.

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Peter T.
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 04:14 PM

I shake my head. I inadvertantly gave away my TV when it was turned to the Golf Channel and since the picture never changed I assumed the set was broken.


yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Inükshük
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 04:43 PM

I remember golf when I scored a hole in one the first time I ever played (on a par three of course) and then finished the game well over a hundred. I remember golf in Aklavik NWT. After we lost all the balls in the snow we practiced drives with frozen Shetland pony droppings. I remember golf in Pine Point NWT where the greens were browns and we played at midnight. I remember the time I traded my clubs and all golf accutrements for a banjo. I am SO THANKFUL that I now have only one addiction.

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 12:19 AM

A Correction, Mike Weir became the first Canadian Male to win a Major. Sandra Post won the '68 LPGA.

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 06:23 AM

For a few months, we had "The Golf Channel". When they asked for money I cancelled it.

Fascinating to watch "Shell's Wonderful World of Golf" from the early sixties. Palmer and Player against the world. At least HALF the holes would have rewarded todays 300 plus yard drives with 'out of bounds'penalties.

Poor Peter, I understand your aversion to golf, but I've never understood that sport you DO love so much. You know, the one where two guys dressed in liederhosen whack each other with bladders! We must try it sometime...I'll be Fritz.

Cheers

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Peter T.
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 08:36 AM

But ze bladder sport is so interesting! I well remember the first first time I saw Horst Horst, the Malay-German-Arab who will one day be the greatest, even though Jorge Nicklhouse won 24 of the Grimmels even with his bum toe, or was that his toe bum? Well, old Nicklhouse certainly put the hex on Horst, saying he had never seen a bladder boy like him, and that one day he would win 25, or his name wasn't Jorge, er, time for the Seniors Tour, yah? Certainly, it ranks with other great memories, especially the time Herman Hermitz hit ze bladder with a hook shot, and it went behind the tree, and we were all saying, "Oh, no one has made such a shot before," and then someone else said, "But what of Schlivovitz in '32", but that was of course before the modern courses, and the new equipment, have you seen the big bladders, not like in my day (zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz).....

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: GUEST,William (Bavarian Pete) McGonnigle
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 11:57 AM

Achhh (I mean Ochhh) I well remember Horst Horst and his horse Horst. Weren't they in that Simone Simone film "The Bladders Explode By Night"?

There is nothing sadder, sadder,
Than distended bladder, bladder.
Och (auchhh) to find but one small tree
Holy shit, I gotta pee!

Bavarian Pete

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: GUEST,Bardford
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 11:58 AM

Being a green pinko tree-hugger who plays the occassional round of golf (only I call it Whackf*ck), I prefer to separate "Golf-the industry", with it's inherent environmental issues,class and wealth issues etcetera, from "Golf-the pursuit", much as I would broadly delineate "music-the industry" from "music-the pursuit". I believe course architects get way too much credit for hacking a course out of a pristine mountain-side- a real challenge would be to rehab an old tailing pond or other such like.
Golf-the-pursuit, has more to do with the inner than the outer, methinks. You're just swinging the club. Like when you play the fiddle, you're just bowing the strings. Quite simple really.
Und golf is also ze bladder sport. When the buxom fraulien is coming mit ze beer cart all ze time, you need ze big bladders...
While I'm at it - here's my dream golf foursome - me, Alice Cooper, Anne Murray and Bill Murray.

Cheers,
Bardfored

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 01:30 PM

Jocelyne Bourassa won the DuMaurier Classic, then a Major, back in '73. Sorry for the oversight ladies.

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 02:34 PM

Weir was the topic of Letterman's Top Ten last night.

Top Ten Messages Left on Mike Weir's Answering Machine

10. "Congratulations and, oh yeah, who the hell are you?"

9. "This is the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. Want to be our first
    member?"

8. "It's Tiger Woods. Finishing fifteenth would feel much worse
    if it weren't for my 62-million dollars worth of endorsements.

7. "Dude, I was so drunk when I was watching the Masters, I
    actually thought you won"

6. "It's Tiger again. Seriously, give me the damn jacket"

5. "This is President Bush. Today you made all of us proud to be
    Canadian"

4. "Crap, must've misdialed. I was trying to reach Jose Maria
    Olazabal"

3. "Hootie Johnson here. Victory dinner is on me-but don't
    bring your wife"

2. "I see you've used some of your prize money to buy an
    answering machine"

1. "You seem to be good at sports-can you play for the Mets?"

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: mack/misophist
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 02:14 AM

I'm happy for Canada, of course. However, am I the only one who sees something sinister going on? He is left handed, after all.

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 10:50 PM

Steve, Mick and Rick, wanna make it a foursome?

Seamus

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 11:15 PM

"...am I the only one who sees something sinister going on?"

Misophist, your word play is so dextrous! Seriously though, we lefties have always taken a perverse pride by being thought sinister.

I don't play golf, but I like to read about it. Y'all should try P.G. Wodehouses's golf stories. They're great, offering elegance, escapism and finally, sleep.

I love the old names for the clubs, niblick, mashie, wedgie. I just learned another one, but now I've forgotten it!

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 11:32 PM

leeneia,

I've read Wodehouse's golf stuff. Fantastic stuff. Are you thinking of baffie? Spoon?

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 17 Apr 03 - 03:12 AM

The first starter set of clubs I had at age 7 were a cutdown partial set my Dad had done from an old set of his. They didn't have numbers but were of the old named style. I had a Brassie, a Spoon, a Mid Mashie, a Mashie, a Pitching Niblick, a Jigger, and a Putter. The names weren't exact conversions to the numbered system and some were actually a different club entirely (a Spoon is not a 3 wood although the loft and size is similar, the shape is entirely different)

Anyway, I still remember those quite well. One of the old clubs my Dad still carried along with whatever set he had at the time was a very , very, low loft sort of a driving iron called a Cleek. Similar to a One Iron, it was hard to control, but the ball barely cleared the ground! Of the assorted golfing "mistakes" in "Bagger Vance" one was referring to what was a Cleek as a Jigger. Ya' gotta' be old and a nut to know this crap.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Mike Weir wins Masters, Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!
From: Beardy
Date: 17 Apr 03 - 05:37 AM

There was a very funny book published in Britain called the "Art of Course Golf" by (Benny?) Green. He had a golfing friend (Askew) who claimed to have played a course in 71 under, having totally mishit off the first tee into the hole on the adjacent 18th green. Understandably went into local terminology as an 'Askew'.