And then I wrote...

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that I spent considerable time watching the Masters golf tournament telecast from Augusta, GA over the weekend.

I have done so pretty much every year since my stay at the aviation ground officer’s school in Jacksonville, FL. Some of my fellow officers were considering making the trip to try to join the gallery, but decided against it. However, they sold me on the beauty of the venue and the tournament, and I became interested even though I had never struck a golf ball in anger at that time.

So, that was before my move to northern California, where I took up the sport with a vengeance. And long before lowan Zach Johnson was able to don the green jacket early this century.

What attracted me was the botanical garden beauty of the setting.

Somehow, the green of the fairways and greens seemed so green as to be artificial. And pretty much every fairway was lined with blooming flowers ... azaleas, rhododendrons, dogwoods, etc.

I had no favorite after Zach fell behind the pace the second day. I am sure a lot of the TV audience found something else to do as Tiger Woods shot himself out of contention early.

Top rated golfers and fan favorites were very much in contention throughout.

As I was musing about why I was still watching as late as Sunday, it occurred to me that something was missing which has become common at most tournaments, especially when Woods is involved.

I don’t think I heard a single scream of “get in the hole” as a golfer teed off on a par five. Nor a “you da man” after a wayward second shot.

In other words, the galleries were respectful, not only of the golfers but their fellow spectators. There were muted “ohs” when a putt nearly missed, and loud applause greeted really good shots.

I think I heard the announcers hinting that club members walking the course had asked a few folks to leave after what they considered inappropriate behavior. If so, more power to them.

Speaking of flowers, the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. and the sakura bloom in Japan got some air time, too.

I had to listen several times to be sure of what I thought l heard in the ads for the movie about Ted Kennedy and the fatality at Chappaquiddick.

I am used to seeing printed warnings such as, “rated R for DLSV” on ads, meaning dialogue, language, sex and violence might be encountered.

But the “S” in the Kennedy movie apparently was a warning that “historic smoking” would be seen.

Hmm! That warning could apply to pretty much every movie shown on the Classic Movie channel!