On tour this week was the FBR (Phoenix Open), played in Scottsdale in front of the largest crowds all year for a tournament. If you watched it, they love to show the 16th hole, a short par 3 that normally would not be a big deal at all, except they pack almost 100,000 people around the thing who have been boozing it up since breakfast. This leads to the most un-golflike response to player's shots... they scream like banshees as the ball leaves the clubface - and sometimes before that - and then if the player hits a bad, or even mediocre shot, he is booed! And somehow, it works. I love it, and most people, even the players, seem to agree.

This is odd, because if that happened on any other hole at at any other tournament, I would be outraged. I would demand those hillbillies be thrown off the course. Seriously, is there anything worse than someone hitting a tee shot, and then the primal scream that follows: "GET IN THE HOOOOLE!!!" If you have ever been that guy, please kill yourself. No one, not even your buddies, is impressed. Yet, it seems to happen every week on tour. I think that's the difference at #16 on TPC Scottsdale... everyone is going to yell, and everyone knows it. It's a joyful yelp for all to join in. Whereas, if you're the lone guy screaming after a tee shot or putt, you're a selfish jerk. You're saying "Hey, isn't that funny, what I just shattered your eardrums with?" Well, no. It may have been, the first 200 times it happened, but at this point you may as say "Hot enough for ya?" in July. Shut your mouth, and clap politely. Or, even better, go to that monster truck rally you'd rather be at anyway.

Anyway, Kenny Perry beat Charley "get a haircut" Hoffman this week in a playoff. As is the case almost every week, it fascinates me that the guys like Hoffman can destroy a golf course with a combination of power and touch around the greens, and yet can't seem to get comfortable over any putt coming down the stretch. The 3 footer he missed on #17 really messed him up, because everything he hit after that needed more speed. The only one he should have hit with finesse was that short birdie putt, but he tried to ram it in. Once again we see why Tiger is the man on Tour... if he has any of those putts, you have no doubt they are in. Anyone else... even premier players... you cringe as they try to sneak in a winning putt. I think I'll spend some time today putting in my living room. Beats chipping in the snowbank out back.

---

---