It was a wonderful start for Ian Woosnam at the 2001 British Open – against all expectations he was in contention to win his first open at Royal Lytham & St. Anne’s. Tied for the lead with three others, he marched with a lot more confidence into his final 18. He started the round with a birdie (missed a hole-in-hole by a whisker) at the opening par 3.

The tale then had a sudden twist as something dramatic happened. His caddie, Myles Byrne, came up to him and said, “You’re going to go ballistic” – “We’ve got two drivers in the bag” as he pointed out the extra driver. That meant Woosnam was carrying 15 clubs, which indeed is a two-stroke penalty.

Woosnam responded by throwing the extra club to the ground in disappointment. ‘I give you one job to do and this is what happens,’ he said. As a result of the penalty, Woosnam finished with 71 – four shots behind the winner David Duval, tied for 3rd place.

Here is what rule of Golf (4-4) says,

Maximum Of Fourteen Clubs

The player must not start a stipulated round with more than fourteen clubs. He is limited to the clubs thus selected for that round, except that if he started with fewer than fourteen clubs, he may add any number, provided his total number does not exceed fourteen.

It costed Ian Woosnam 218,333 pounds and a potential Ryder Cup spot. On the other hand, caddie Byrne lost anywhere from 15 to 20 thousand pounds in caddy earnings.

Below is the final leaderboard of the 2001 Open:

Woosnam surprisingly decided not to fire him stating: “It is the biggest mistake he will make in his life. He won’t do it again. He’s a good caddie. I am not going to sack him. He’s a good lad.”

Ironically, Woosnam did fire his caddie two weeks later when, after a night drinking on the town, Byrne slept in and failed to turn up to tee-time.

Byrne was last seen lugging bricks, having become a construction worker on a building site in Bray, Ireland, according to writers who cover the European Tour. And Ian Woosnam never came close to the leaderboard again. They never spoke after the split but we hear Woosnam checks with Byrne’s brothers, Brian and Dermot, both European Tour caddies, about him.

Watch this below video (or click here) that captures the moments in disappointment of Ian Woosnam.

In June 2011, Time Magazine released a list of the “Top 10 Evil Sports” with golf holding the number 6 spot. Most of the sports are included on the list, because the author, Ishaan Tharoor, finds them violent or brutish, like the strange sport of wife carrying (which holds the number one spot), hunting, and football. Tharoor tears apart golf for obviously quite different reasons. He argues that “apart from being the sport of choice for scheming politicians and fat-cat businessmen, golf is quite frankly a waste of space. It devours the public commons, swallows up water — the preponderance of golf courses in arid places like the Arabian peninsula borders on the obscene — and indulges middle-class ennui the world over.”

Tharoor provides no statistical evidence to back up his argument, so I decided to do some of my own research on the matter. His first point about the type of people that play golf is clearly a stereotype, but his second point could carry some validity. Audubon International reports that the in the U.S., the average course uses 312,000 gallons per day. In arid places, like Palm Springs, a course may use the equivalent of a family of four over the course of four years. However, this is changing as more courses are using recycled water and using grass that requires less water.

Another claim made by Tharoor is that it is an excludes minorities and people of lower economic status. This point may hold some credence because golf can get expensive. According to the “2009 Survey of the American Golfer,” golfers spend an average of $3,000 per year. Some people say that golf is no longer a “white man’s sport” due to Tiger Woods’ success. But the economic constraints of golf may make it inaccessible to some, especially minorities who live in urban areas. However, there are many organizations that provide underprivileged kids with the opportunity to learn and play golf, like the Sticks for Kids program.

K.J. Choi

What do you think? Is golf a bad sport? Should we even judge sports based on their social consciousness?

Most courses ranked atop America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses have a special component to them. Something intangible that you don’t necessarily expect until you play there. Maybe it’s the history, the grounds, the exclusivity, the views, the course conditions. Whatever it is, it creates an aura around the entire experience that makes you float mindlessly, yet remember everything.

Golf as it was meant to be played: Merion East. Photo credit: Golf Digest.

I’ve been lucky enough to have this happen a few times. It’s come along the Pacific cliffs at Cypress Point, amid the azaleas at Augusta, and most recently among the white faces and wicker baskets at a course that embodies the true essence of golf’s golden age: Merion Golf Club.

Situated among the well-healed neighborhoods along Philadelphia’s Main Line, the Merion Cricket Club was founded in 1865, a sporting playground for the Philadelphia elite. By 1896, a golf contingent had emerged from the membership and with it, an 18-hole course on the club grounds in Haverford. A decade into the 20th century, Merion turned to Scotsman Hugh Wilson, to design and build a new course on acquired land in nearby Ardmore. By September of 1912, Merion Golf Club’s East Course opened for play, and was instantly hailed among experts, “the finest inland links in the country.”

It was an impressive start at just the right time, as golf – buoyed by Francis Ouimet’s miraculous US Open victory in 1913 – was about to explode in America. And Merion, as if scripted by the golf gods, would be the site of some of the most important moments throughout the next 5 decades.

Bobby Jones, with his Grand Slam trophies (L), and Hogan’s famous 1-iron on 18 (R)

Bobby Jones – the most famous athlete of his time – book ended his career on the East Course. He made his major tournament debut at the 1916 US Amateur, won his first US Am title in 1924, and completed golf’s greatest feat, the Grand Slam, in 1930. Ben Hogan heroically limped his way around Merion in the 1950 US Open; merely one year after a near fatal auto accident left him re-learning how to walk. The victory was punctuated (and perfectly captured by Life Magazine) with a soaring 1-iron approach to the 72nd hole. He would make a gutsy par and won in a playoff the next day. Jack Nicklaus displayed what some historians believe the most dominating performance in golf, shooting 66-67-68-68 in the 1960 World Amateur Team Championships. And a swashbuckling Lee Trevino took down the Golden Bear in his prime, defeating Nicklaus in a playoff at Merion in the 1971 US Open.

Given the heroics of these legendary players, it comes as a shock to find out that Merion plays about as long as your local muni: 6580 yards from the tips. Sure, the pros will play it “stretched,” at a shade-under 7,000 yards when Merion hosts their record 19th USGA Championship next summer during the 2013 US Open. But the fact that this little course, on a mere 120 acres remains one of golf’s ultimate tests lies in the genius course routing. It’s smart, interesting, efficient, tough, and well, downright fun. Or to quote Jack Nicklaus, “Acre for acre, it may be the best test of golf in the world.”

The routing at Merion, painted by Dexter Gresh.

Merion weaves an artful mixture of long and short holes that provide both daunting challenge and surprising scoring opportunities. It’s described as a three-act play, consisting of the Drama (holes 1-6), the Comedy (holes 7-13) and the Tragedy (holes 14-18). The accuracy of this portrayal is immediately realized the moment you walk on the first tee.

Don’t hook it: The terrifying first tee, with built-in lunch crowd.

“Standing on the first tee, you have to feel a moving sense of privilege,” Dan Jenkins once said. “You are exactly where just about every great in the game of golf has been before starting a major championship.”

As if this wasn’t pressure enough, it’s impossible not to feel the eyes of those having lunch a mere few feet away on the upper terrace. As conversation gets quiet, utensils get gently placed, and all attention turns to the tee, Merion’s purist no-mulligan rule becomes even more daunting. But this also makes an accurate tee ball all the more rewarding. After this unforgettable start, The Drama continues with both of Merion’s par-5’s, the number one handicap hole, the number five handicap hole, and a brutally long par-3. It’s a roller coaster that can leave you befuddled — what should be easy is hard and what looks impossible plays tough but fair.

“And on this hole Robert T Jones Jr completed his Grand Slam by Winning the US Amateur.”

Starting on the 7th, The Comedy act seems to bounce its way over the rolling terrain, full of optimism. There are short – at times drive-able – par-4s, reasons to stop and ponder (for the Grand Slam plaque on No. 11, or for a frosty Arnold Palmer at the turn), and a par-3 finish framed by the clubhouse that requires no more than a wedge. It’s the type of golf that yields excitement – both from the occasional birdie or eagle chance, and the overwhelming feeling that you are traversing sacred grounds.

It’s all fun and games, until you play out of a rock quarry. The 16th, above.

The Tragedy makes its presence known as you walk from the 13th green, past the stately old clubhouse to the 14th tee. A brutally tight, long hole with O.B., knee-high fescue and a treacherous green, you instinctually feel a change, as if a great conversation you were having turned really serious. Played around, over and through an old rock quarry, the final three holes define the act, and are as tough as any closing stretch in the game with two 400+ par-4s (Nos. 16 and 18) sandwiching a par-3 that measures 230 yards. If the numbers aren’t enough, all are complicated with tight landing areas and severe carries that make the clubhouse a welcome site upon completion.

What makes Merion, Merion: Wicker basket, plaques, Old Glory and the best locker room in golf.

Having a grand history and remarkable routing certainly put Merion in a class all its own. But it’s the intangibles that make it so incredibly special.

The charming and distinctive wicker baskets, which the origin is still unknown, remain one-of-kind and undoubtedly defining. The American flag, hoisted high atop 18 can be seen from a multitude of vantage points. Course conditions range from perfectly lush (fairways, greens) to downright gnarly (high fescue, Scottish broom), with a constant motive that setup and playing conditions mirror the championships of past eras. It’s a walking-only golf course with the best caddie corps in the country, evident by the fact there aren’t any yardage markers. The bunkers, known as “the white faces of Merion” with their brutally furry eyebrows and wire grass patches, are as severe as they are beautiful. The old clubhouse, which was once a farmhouse, is a national historic landmark. Metal lockers and shower heads the size of manhole covers make the locker room a charmingly low-key but instantly memorable affair. Photos, framed scorecards and a trophy-case-to-end-all-trophy-cases, gives an immediate and eerie sense of history. The beer served in tall, ceramic mugs is, well, just better that way. And the Snapper Soup, topped with a liberal amount of Sherry and best enjoyed with a view of the first tee, could very well be the best lunch in all of golf.

Amid the modern golf landscape of cart-happy, subdivision courses crammed to their 8000 yard-max with man-made waterfalls and full bar at every third hole, it’s easy to forget what golf once was: A gentleman’s game; played on tracks that fit the natural landscape while boasting clever routing and a fair challenge. It was a game that was to be walked, with friends and cohorts, with a few wagers and honest sportsmanship. Pints would be enjoyed not during but after the round, along with backslaps and nightcaps.

Merion is a time-warp to Golf’s Golden Age in America. It’s simple and understated, yet layered with depth, history, charisma, and an honest intent to preserve the game in its purest form. And while it doesn’t have Augusta’s blooming azaleas or the ocean views of Cypress and Shinnecock, Merion embodies the true essence of golf. And I am forever grateful to have gotten to know her.

BIO: Jonathan Baker is a television producer for Turner Broadcasting, coins a blog calledSimple Classic Living and in April serves as the Director of Content for Masters.com. He enjoys golf course architecture, club history, and a post-round gin-and-tonic…particularly after a round at his favorite course in his hometown of Atlanta, East Lake Golf Club.

Jon @ atruegolfer.com

Caddyshack

Tin Cup (1996) is a romantic comedy about a former golf pro (Kevin Costner) who attempts to revive his golf career, in order to qualify for the US Open and steal his rival’s girlfriend. Kevin Costner probably does such a great job depicting a golf-pro because the guy can actually golf! He is ranked number 39 in Golf Digest’s “Hollywood’s Top 100 Golfers.”

The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000) is about a talented amateur golfer (Matt Damon) whose life becomes disrupted when he is deployed oversees and faces the horrors of World War I. He comes back home feeling defeated and has given up on golf, until he meets a mystical caddy (Will Smith) who motivates him to win back life and game.

The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005) is one of the few golf films that provides a historical perspective on golf through its portrayal of the groundbreaking 1913 US Open. The movie stars Shia LeBouf as 20-year-old Francis Ouimet. The movie shows the young golfer become the first amateur to win US Open and defeat his golf idol.

I think I would have the same backyard as Dave Pelz if I won the lottery. His backyard practice facility is just ridiculous. He’s replicated a number of famous greens including the island 17th from TPC Sawgrass. My first thought was that he must have an insane water and lawn care bill each month. But don’t worry, the greens are made of SynLawn synthetic turf and consequently don’t have to be watered or mowed, providing a perfect low-maintenance practice area year round.

Derek @ 72strokes.com

It looks like she might have picked up a bit of Joe’s baseball swing, but she does have excellent follow-through (and, of course, a stunning outfit too).

Derek @ 72strokes.com

The Masters Tournament is the best viewing experience in sports, there’s no question. What makes it the venue, experience, and tradition like no other? The legacy of Bob Jones.

There’s a reason Bobby Jones’ polite portrait is displayed in the locker rooms of Peachtree Golf Club, East Lake Golf Course, Merion Golf Club, Augusta National Golf Club, and hundreds of clubs throughout the world. The game of golf is played by the most powerful men in the world: money, power, and achievement is attained by many players of our sport. However, earning our society’s highest accomplishments while maintaing humility, tact, and grace was never performed better than Bob Jones. No CEO, politician, or athlete will ever achieve Mr. Jones’ status in society while maintaining his level of humility. It’s impossible to put in words.

Pictures and his words are all we have now.

Bob Jones and President Harding

Bob Jones in front of City Hall

Augusta National clubhouse before Bob Jones

Augusta National before Bob Jones

*All photos were found at the Library of Congress

Jon @ atruegolfer.com

Unfortunately, this industry is also very dangerous as they are physically demanding, as well filled with perils in the form of snakes, alligators and even sharp metals. We also hear stories of divers drowned by either human error or faulty equipment. According to news reports, at least four golf-ball divers have drowned in this country in the last four years alone while searching what they call as the “White Gold”. Watch this fascinating video (click here) to know about the world of golf ball diving.

They play a different kind of golf in Utah:  Rifle Golf.  Founded in 2005, Spirit Ridge Rifle Golf is the only shooting range of its kind in the world.  The course consists of 9 “holes” over a 7 mile course set on 10,000 acres.  You’ll have the opportunity to take shots from 175 to 1200 yards on 30 different targets.

For only $50 (plus $35 to rent an ATV) you can test your shooting game at Spirit Ridge Rifle Golf.  And don’t piss off the cart girl… she’s probably packin’.

Derek @ 72Strokes.com