Green & Pink

Thursday, April 07, 2011


The U.S. Masters starts today. 

I find watching the Masters incredibly relaxing. All satisfying thwacks and soft thuds.

(Apart from that one guy shouting "Get in the hole!!" It's the tee shot, you moron.)



I don't ordinarily watch much golf. I certainly never play it. Hand-eye coordination is not my strong point. But growing up with a golf course at the end of my street clearly had an effect on me.


I don't know much about the game of golf, I don't know who the all the people are. Honestly, I don't really care. 

To me, it is a game of elegant lines and crisp shadows falling across perfect greens. Creamy white bunkers. Rustling trees. Good manners, gentle-voiced commentators, and High Standards. Damn you, Tiger.

To me, it is simply a beautiful game.

And the Masters is the most beautiful of all.*


Anyone else got any weird viewing habits?




*Obviously, as a Scottish person, I am not in any way suggesting it is the *best*. That would be tantamount to blasphemy in my neck of the woods. Bleak, windswept beaches and horizontal rain just tend towards a different kind of beauty, is all. (Sorry, Scotland.)




Images: 1a. Via here. 1b. Via here. 2. Lyle Huisken 3. Our wedding invitation, based on a vintage GNER poster by Andrew Johnson. 4 & 5. Lillian and Leonard. 6. Via here.

13 boats moored

  1. really? golf? you like it?

    weird.

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  2. Really? Golf? You like it?


    weird.


    No I had to repeat because it was EXACTLY what I was thinking. Golf is not for me, but it is for hubs. I am buying him a new pair of golf pants and even though I want to be funny and get him something in tweedy like so: http://tbarryknickers.com/classicknickers.aspx I will refrain and probably get him what he wants. A pair of khakis with special pockets for tees and such. Where do you get those anyway? Funny trousers are easier to find.

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  3. 1. When I saw that second picture, my first thought was, "Gold jacket; green jacket. Who gives a shit?"
    2. And then you said "Apart from that one guy shouting 'Get in the hole!!'" And I giggled out loud. hehe, thanks for that.
    3. Apparently I'm not the only one whose life is probably too full things that remind her of movie quotes? That makes me feel better. Do you have the same problem with song lyrics, too? I do.
    4. "really? golf?" x3

    @Zan, the pro shops at golf courses have clothes, but they might be expensive. Where I'm from there's a store called Carl's Golf Land (seriously), maybe do a Google zip code search for "golf attire"?

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  4. Really? Golf? You like it?
    Not so weird :)

    I can totally relate! I lived on a golf course one summer during college and it was one of the most peaceful places to me. Everybody (well, mostly everybody) is so well-behaved on a golf course. It's quiet.

    I don't really play, but I have definitely turned it on in the background more than once. You're not alone! :)

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  5. I too love watching The Masters in spite of the fact that Augusta has no lady members and Tiger Woods is the only black guy not parking cars!It's also a bit pretentious the way they call the spectators "patrons" what's wrong with punters!!None of this will stop me being glued to the TV when I'm not shouting at the "bad boys" at BC Golf Club...watch out for Martin Laird, Glasgow born and raised!

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  6. My husband and his family are all golfers and also huge golf fans. For me the Masters brings back fond memories of being at their house over Easter in the university holidays. If we had a TV, we might watch it ourselves.

    And golf course are very peaceful places. My favourite is the St Enedoc's in Cornwall, we often go there on holiday and it's absolutely stunning.

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  7. Golf is great when you want to take a nap. ;)

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  8. Golf in Scotland is an extended Calvinist metaphor about the futility of life and the need to keep going in the face of cruel fate.

    Golf in America is evidence of the core belief that if you throw enough money at something, you can perfect it... whether it's your swing or a lush green in the middle of the desert.

    I understand why watching golf is relaxing, in its own way. Alas, it's such the default activity for middle aged middle managers in the DC area that it just represents a thousand conversations about "Oh you don't play golf? But you're Scottish! You should come out and play a round with us..." No thanks.

    I do find watching Wimbledon when they switch to the BBC commentary feed to be relaxing in the same vein.

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  9. Hmm, mixed views on the golf! I'm glad I didn't mention that I also went through an extended phase of watching the snooker... (also interestingly green & pink - clearly I just like the colours. And the nice, quiet, civilised games, none of your noisy football shenanigans).

    Zan - I say what the hell, go for the tweeds. Say you're being "authentic" and a Scottish person told you so.

    Izzy - clearly the Masters has nothing on the Wedding Invitational! And Augusta might be pretty, but does it have the Bass Rock? I think not.

    Colin - I've never thought of golf that way (maybe you have too much time on your hands?), but you might be onto something...

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  10. There's no question that I have too much time on my hands. However, if you're looking for the king of relaxing through watching atypical sports, get Michael started on watching darts on Canadian television.

    Or perhaps don't.

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  11. you are correct Kirsty The Masters isn't in the same class as the Wedding Invitational which was played on a real golf course!I'm always waxing lyrical to any unfortunate person who happens to be around that there's no better view on this earth than standing on the 18th tee at The Glen at 9pm on a late spring evening watching the lights twinkling in Fife and in North Berwick and hearing the church clock strike the hour..magic! This is also the course where the wind was so bad the last time we played in the Milsey Bowl we couldn't stand up straight and our golf carts kept being blown away...now that's real golf!

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  12. Em yeah golf; the husbands family LOVE it; so much so that often at their house all that is on is the golf channel which I just cant watch!

    That said it has grown on me slightly over the years and I so wanted Rory to win; could not believe it when he choked!

    The only golf ive ever gone to watch is the Dunhill as 1, its free & 2 their are proper famous celebs, not just golfers. I was most excited about seeing Hugh Grant last time. Think we might try and go this year again!

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