2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

[Buckeyebowman]

 This is the tourney that always got me all horny for golf in the upcoming season here in NE Ohio! And then to have Riviera follow? What a one, two punch! Great part of the West Coast swing! 

[Wally Fairway]

  On 2/4/2020 at 2:26 AM, Buckeyebowman said:

 This is the tourney that always got me all horny for golf in the upcoming season here in NE Ohio! And then to have Riviera follow? What a one, two punch! Great part of the West Coast swing! 

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I used to be the same way, but the excitement has left this event for me. It used to be the first big tournament of the TV season, probably 45-50 years ago, but now it is just another event; with too many corporate CEO celebrities, and with social media there is much more celebrity content available these days. 
And they don't play Cypress Point, which was pretty cool to see.

[Double Mocha Man]

I agree that the celebrities infringe upon the tournament.  Unless it's me!  At least we don't have to suffer them very much on Sunday.

I have a tradition every year on Pebble Beach Sunday.  A 9 hole round of golf in the morning... rain, snow, sleet, cold, slop... doesn't matter.  Then home where I set up a TV in the living room (It's verboten the rest of the year) and build a big fire in the fireplace.  I watch the entirety of the Sunday round.  Not so with other tournaments.  A bottle of good red wine and a fruit/cheese/smoked salmon plate to munch on all afternoon.  When the winner is walking down the 18th fairway I light up a cigar in celebration of golf and life.

[Buckeyebowman]

  On 2/4/2020 at 7:51 PM, Wally Fairway said:

I used to be the same way, but the excitement has left this event for me. It used to be the first big tournament of the TV season, probably 45-50 years ago, but now it is just another event; with too many corporate CEO celebrities, and with social media there is much more celebrity content available these days. 
And they don't play Cypress Point, which was pretty cool to see.

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True, but that happened a long time ago! I think it was still the "Crosby Clambake" when Cypress decided to pull out. They are SERIOUSLY private! One strong memory of that incredible par 3 over water was back when Clint Eastwood was still a young man! He and Jack Lemmon were paired together, as usual, and their group had to form a human chain, with Eastwood hanging onto Lemmons belt while he hit a shot from the right rough to the green. If he had lost his balance, he might have fallen off the cliff and into the sea! 

  On 2/4/2020 at 8:06 PM, Double Mocha Man said:

I agree that the celebrities infringe upon the tournament.  Unless it's me!  At least we don't have to suffer them very much on Sunday.

I have a tradition every year on Pebble Beach Sunday.  A 9 hole round of golf in the morning... rain, snow, sleet, cold, slop... doesn't matter.  Then home where I set up a TV in the living room (It's verboten the rest of the year) and build a big fire in the fireplace.  I watch the entirety of the Sunday round.  Not so with other tournaments.  A bottle of good red wine and a fruit/cheese/smoked salmon plate to munch on all afternoon.  When the winner is walking down the 18th fairway I light up a cigar in celebration of golf and life.

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I like the way you think!

[Wally Fairway]

  On 2/5/2020 at 1:03 AM, Buckeyebowman said:

True, but that happened a long time ago! I think it was still the "Crosby Clambake" when Cypress decided to pull out. They are SERIOUSLY private! One strong memory of that incredible par 3 over water was back when Clint Eastwood was still a young man! He and Jack Lemmon were paired together, as usual, and their group had to form a human chain, with Eastwood hanging onto Lemmons belt while he hit a shot from the right rough to the green. If he had lost his balance, he might have fallen off the cliff and into the sea! 

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Here's links to that shot by Lemmon, 

30th Anniversary of “Human Chain” Celebrated in Poster Art |

and a video of Jacobsen telling the story

Jack Lemmon, Clint Eastwood make human chain for golf

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Jack Lemmon, Clint Eastwood, and Peter Jacobsen make a dangerous human chain to hit a golf shot in this Grill Room presented by Callaway Golf

 

[3jacker]

The celebrity component has made it unwatchable to me.  Can't stand watching some of those swings while listening to the commentators gush about the celebrities vanity handicap when it's obvious the so-called 4 hdcp you're watching couldn't break 85 (anywhere).

[boogielicious]

I like it. I don’t really care about the celebrities other than my swing looks better than a lot of theirs.

It is such a beautiful course and for those of us up north, the only golf we get. 

[mcanadiens]

They could have invited those exotic dancers from the Super Bowl to play in the same costumes they wore for the halftime show. ... That might get some viewers.

[boogielicious]

  On 2/6/2020 at 6:58 PM, mcanadiens said:

They could have invited those exotic dancers from the Super Bowl to play in the same costumes they wore for the halftime show. ... That might get some viewers.

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JLo is old enough to be most of the player’s Mom!

[dennyjones]

  On 2/6/2020 at 7:52 PM, boogielicious said:

JLo is old enough to be most of the player’s Mom!

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and...

so...

still brings in the crowds and the $$.

[Bucki1968]

I am on the old school side of this tournament and the Bob Hope....used to be great to watch in the frozen Midwest in January. Now.....ehhh.😒

[leftybutnotPM]

  On 2/6/2020 at 6:52 PM, 3jacker said:

The celebrity component has made it unwatchable to me.  Can't stand watching some of those swings while listening to the commentators gush about the celebrities vanity handicap when it's obvious the so-called 4 hdcp you're watching couldn't break 85 (anywhere).

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Couldn't agree more.

You see these CEO's with a "12" handicap who clearly couldn't break 110 in their dreams - and then you see someone hit a green from 100 yards and the commentators praise them as if it's phenomenal golf. Worst of all, though, is Bill Murray and his one joke schtick where he's rude to people and pretends to be blase when he makes a six foot putt.

[Buckeyebowman]

  On 2/6/2020 at 11:33 PM, leftybutnotPM said:

Couldn't agree more.

You see these CEO's with a "12" handicap who clearly couldn't break 110 in their dreams - and then you see someone hit a green from 100 yards and the commentators praise them as if it's phenomenal golf. Worst of all, though, is Bill Murray and his one joke schtick where he's rude to people and pretends to be blase when he makes a six foot putt.

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Well, I have a 13.4 HI but it was established on local courses. I don't play Pebble all the time! I would expect to score worse there! Besides, It's just the views of an iconic golf course that gets me going! I grew up watching the Crosby Clambake, and I seem to have imprinted on it. 

[Vinsk]

  On 2/7/2020 at 2:24 AM, Buckeyebowman said:

Well, I have a 13.4 HI but it was established on local courses. I don't play Pebble all the time! I would expect to score worse there! Besides, It's just the views of an iconic golf course that gets me going! I grew up watching the Crosby Clambake, and I seem to have imprinted on it. 

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Well that’s what course rating is for no? If you were playing this course they’d probably announce you as a 16-17 hcp but a celebrity would be called ..a 13hcp.

[leftybutnotPM]

  On 2/7/2020 at 2:24 AM, Buckeyebowman said:

Well, I have a 13.4 HI but it was established on local courses. I don't play Pebble all the time! I would expect to score worse there! Besides, It's just the views of an iconic golf course that gets me going! I grew up watching the Crosby Clambake, and I seem to have imprinted on it. 

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So you're saying that you play off 13.4 but can't break 110? Even at Pebble Beach?

I'm talking about the guys that hit 15 foot putts 12 feet past the hole and can barely hit it within 10 yards of the green from 50 yards.

Edited February 7, 2020 by leftybutnotPM

[parkerrenz]

  On 2/4/2020 at 7:51 PM, Wally Fairway said:

I used to be the same way, but the excitement has left this event for me. It used to be the first big tournament of the TV season, probably 45-50 years ago, but now it is just another event; with too many corporate CEO celebrities, and with social media there is much more celebrity content available these days. 
And they don't play Cypress Point, which was pretty cool to see.

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Yeah I agree, seeing celebrities today play Cypress Point would be so cool but its still interesting to see them playing a very popular course

[Buckeyebowman]

  On 2/7/2020 at 2:30 AM, Vinsk said:

Well that’s what course rating is for no? If you were playing this course they’d probably announce you as a 16-17 hcp but a celebrity would be called ..a 13hcp.

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  On 2/7/2020 at 2:33 AM, leftybutnotPM said:

So you're saying that you play off 13.4 but can't break 110? Even at Pebble Beach?

I'm talking about the guys that hit 15 foot putts 12 feet past the hole and can barely hit it within 10 yards of the green from 50 yards.

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OK, I'm thinking this kind of commentary is getting a bit extreme. Have I seen amateurs hit some bad shots at the AT&T? Yes, of course. But a lot of the celebs there love the game of golf, and play it quite well. 

Are the circumstances different? They are playing in front of galleries. I get nervous teeing off in front of more than three people! They are teeing off in front of pros. Better golfers always intimidate those less talented. I just don't understand the snarkiness. The desire to rip people to shreds. I just like looking at Pebble Beach. 

[leftybutnotPM]

  On 2/8/2020 at 1:56 AM, Buckeyebowman said:

 

OK, I'm thinking this kind of commentary is getting a bit extreme. Have I seen amateurs hit some bad shots at the AT&T? Yes, of course. But a lot of the celebs there love the game of golf, and play it quite well. 

Are the circumstances different? They are playing in front of galleries. I get nervous teeing off in front of more than three people! They are teeing off in front of pros. Better golfers always intimidate those less talented. I just don't understand the snarkiness. The desire to rip people to shreds. I just like looking at Pebble Beach. 

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We all love looking at Pebble Beach.

What I hate is watching Bill Murray throw his putter at his caddy with a "hilarious" deadpan expression on his face and then go and pick up a woman in the gallery and carry her off.

You can tell the guys who never have to putt anything inside 4 feet and have BS handicaps. There was one I saw this morning who was supposedly playing off 9 who obviously would not play to 25 anywhere. 

No-one is being ripped to shreds. The commentators are sycophants and there is a reason why the broadcast tries to show as little as possible of the amateurs or "celebrities", unless it is Kelly Slater holing a 20 footer.

Edited February 8, 2020 by leftybutnotPM