By Dave Shedloski
A tradition unlike any other became a traditional line for CBS’ Jim Nantz before he even covered his first Masters Tournament for the network in 1986.

It was born on the occasion of Nantz’s first visit to Augusta National Golf Club in early March that year—and that was an occasion to remember for several reasons. Talk about your introductions to perhaps the most famous golf course in the world. The day was as surreal as it was special.

As Nantz recalled during a conference call on Wednesday ahead of next week’s 85th Masters, the young broadcaster was summoned to Augusta, Ga., by legendary golf producer Frank Chirkinian to shoot Masters promotional clips that would air during the network’s coverage of the NCAA basketball tournament. The assignment also was a way of familiarizing the very pernickety golf viewership with the young, deep-voiced, golf-savvy announcer, who joined CBS Sports the previous year.

“[Chirkinian] felt like maybe it would be a good idea to introduce me to the golf audience a little bit, even though they were watching the NCAA tournament, that maybe this kid’s going to be a part of the Masters broadcast, since I’d only at that point, been to two tournaments—Pebble and Doral,” said Nantz, who wasn’t far removed from his college days at the University of Houston, where he briefly was golf teammates with future Masters winner Fred Couples.

Nantz, 26 at the time, arrived punctually. And he was in awe, he said. Soon he was in shock. The camera crew missed its connection into Atlanta. “Suddenly there was some chaos,” said Nantz, who found out it was going to work in his favour.

“Frank said, ‘Well, kid, I guess you’re just going to have to go play until they get here,’ ” Nantz recalled. “I’m in a shirt and tie, and I’ve got no clubs or anything. He goes, ‘Don’t worry about that. I’ll take care of that kind of detail. Just sit back and shut up and get ready. You’re going to be playing here in a few minutes.’”

Chirkinian quickly found Nantz a spot in a group that had an opening, and he bought Nantz a pair of golf shoes and found him a set of clubs. “Ten minutes after getting there, I’m on the first tee at Augusta, all the while I’m kind of looking over my shoulder, waiting for this crew to show up,” Nantz said

MORE: 9 famous Masters myths—separating fact from fiction

The dream round ended, of all places, in the midst of Amen Corner. Nantz had just hit his tee shot at the par-5 13th when he spied Chirkinian approaching in a golf cart. Nantz was playing well, just three over par, and had put his drive in the fairway.

“Seeing it for the first time, I wanted to keep playing. [Frank] said, ‘You’ll have another opportunity. Let’s go.’ So that was it. And that was actually the first time, that day, I ever uttered the phrase ‘A tradition unlike any other’ for those promos.”

Suffice it to say, Nantz, 61, will be saying it for years to come after recently signing a contract extension with CBS. Next week, the award-winning broadcaster will work his 36th consecutive Masters, including 34 as the host.

CBS is broadcasting the tournament for the 66th year in a row.

The post Jim Nantz tells a great story about the day he first uttered this famous Masters catchphrase appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The longtime CBS broadcaster who has a home within walking distance of Pebble Beach Golf Links was out for a stroll the other day on the historic track—Nantz’s backyard par 3 pays homage to the famed seventh hole—when he crossed paths with someone playing. And he was happy to provide a little play-by-play on the par-5 14th. Check it out:

Reason No. 8,342 why Jim Nantz is the ?. pic.twitter.com/Z8Y3FLFdpe

— Corey Holloway (@CoreyRHolloway) November 22, 2020

“Oh, that is raw strength,” Nantz says after the tee shot. “And he absolutely savages one around the corner!” Classic.

Nantz also adds that “Andrew” will have a chance to get home in two on the beastly par 5 and that, “he leads Woods and Koepka by one in the final round.” More gold. Of course, when you’ve been broadcasting golf as long as Nantz has, this stuff just rolls off the tongue.

And we’ll forgive this golfer if he teed off in front of the markers, because having the voice of the Masters/Super Bowl/March Madness calling your shot is a nerve-wracking—experience. In any event, we’re more sure Jim just made Andrew’s year.

The post Jim Nantz makes some random golfer’s year by doing play-by-play at Pebble Beach appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Christopher Powers
“Phil Mickelson would make a great analyst some day,” is hardly an original take, but one that just about everybody who follows the sport can embrace. Considering how disagreeable everyone who follows the sport can be, it’s one of Mickelson’s more impressive off-course feats.

But it’s the truth – he will make a great colour guy. We know how loquacious he can be, which, depending on the topic, can rub some people the wrong way. But when he’s talking golf, everyone stops and listens. Whether it be about his game, another player’s game or a shot he’s about to hit, his insight is always on-point.

On Saturday afternoon, we got a sneak peek at Mickelson’s potential as a broadcaster (this is assuming he’ll even go that route in retirement), and we really liked what we saw. Lefty joined Jim Nantz and Nick Faldo in the booth right around 6 p.m. ET, just after posting a third-round 70 that kept him at one over for the tournament. We broke down everything we heard from the five-time major champion.

It got off to an, ummm, inauspicious start

OK, so it wasn’t all high flop shots and bombed drives for Phil during his CBS appearance. It actually looked like it might be a trainwreck at first, but it was through no fault of his own. For that you can blame the actual analyst, Nick Faldo, who completely missed a joke Mickelson opened with like it was open mic night.

“Let’s have a little Phireside Chat with Phil,” said Nantz.

“Thanks, it’s nice to be here,” Mickelson replied. “There’s three things I do well: play golf, and talk golf…”

*dead silence*

“What’s the third thing? You said three things,” Faldo asked.

“You setting him up?” asked Nantz, who understood the original joke. “Leave it to your imagination, dear boy.”

“Oh, that went right over my head,” said Faldo.

Gee, ya think? My word. Things could not have gotten off to a more awkward start.

Don’t worry, he bounced back

In typical Phil fashion, he won everybody back over rather quickly. We can thank Nantz for that. The CBS host asked him to break down TPC Harding Park, and Mickelson didn’t disappoint.

“I think it’s one of the best setups, because it is a difficult test, you’ve got enough elements with the wind and the heavy air. It challenges the ballstriking and the ability to manoeuvre the shots into the wind. The greens are soft though, there’s not a lot of contours, especially for sites that we play majors on. So you can make a lot of putts… not me, but the players. When you get hot with the putter you can really make a lot of putts. There’s not a lot of curvature in them, and not the fear of the ball racing away.”

That’s the good stuff. Full breakdown of the course, plus a nice little dig at himself. A bounce-back birdie if we ever saw one.

He gave his “no fans” take

Every player and their mother has been asked about how it’s different without the fans. Mickelson has probably already answered the question at some point, but he was asked again by Faldo, and it was very interesting to hear what he thought considering nobody leans on the energy from the people quite like Lefty.

“It can be difficult given that we need the fans, we need the people to support us to be able to play golf for a living, it’s a big part of our success and our opportunity. But there’s a lot less energy expended during the week when it’s like this. So you’re seeing a lot more practice sessions, a lot more work being done and guys moving about with a lot more ease. Not that it’s good for us or good for the game or that we love it, but we’re making the most of it.”

Now, for some actual analysis

Oh, right, there was a golf tournament going on. This is what Phil does, he sucks you in to the point you forget about everything else that’s occurring around you. It’s a gift. I hear he’d make a great analyst some day …

OK, anyway. CBS went back to live golf shots and Mickelson went to work. Following a poor Justin Rose approach shot on the first hole, which came from the right side of the fairway, cameras cut to Brooks Koepka, who was more toward the left side of the fairway, setting up a much better look at the pin.

“Little bit better angle here Jim,” said Mickelson. “He has much more room in front to let it skip back there.”

On command, Koepka hit a wedge that landed about 10 feet in front of the pin and skipped to the back of the green, leaving about 12 feet for birdie. Phil Mickelson? More like Tony Romo, am I right?

At the short par-4 seventh, Tony Finau hit a bunker shot to a few feet. “That was a nice shot, to get it so close with such little green to work with.” Game recognize game. “Left-edge putt maybe, it just barely goes right,” Mickelson said. Bang. He’s 2-for-2. Easy game!

CBS then rolled out the highlight of Mickelson’s eagle chip-in on that same hole from earlier in the day. “I needed something, so I got a little aggressive, that ball is going a little bit fast and it hit the pin [and went in]. Like Dave Pelz often says, the pin can help you, and it did there. That was a 60 degree, little runner.”

Chef’s kiss.

More takes!

The haters will say they’ve had enough Bryson, but in reality it just means they want more. As CBS showed a DeChambeau shot, Phil rolled out the take machine.

“When you look at Bryson, you’re like ‘Wow, that man hits bombs.’ You know he hits bombs, and he does, but then, I thought the same when I first saw you Nick. You’re big, strong, and that was like the furthest thing that happened.”

Dagger! But Faldo fought back. “When you’ve won seven majors, you can rip me as much as you like.” Oh, hell yes. For a second, the CBS set almost turned into “Inside the NBA on TNT” with Shaq and Charles Barkley going at it. So good.

Speaking of takes, we got a Collin Morikawa one too. “Solid player, isn’t he?” said Mickelson. Morikawa then checked up a wedge to a few feet. “I like that check there, that’s very attractive.”

Moments later, Mickelson also got in another mini-shot at himself and his driving accuracy (or lack thereof). After watching Brooks Koepka, Justin Rose, Daniel Berger and Jason Day all find the first fairway, Mickelson said “Those four balls in the first fairway, they made that look way easier than it is. That is a hard crosswind and they are working the ball back into it, into an 18-yard wide fairway.”

He didn’t want to leave

The knee-jerk take on social media was that this was an audition for Phil, who no doubt has plenty of good golf left in him and will feast on the PGA Tour Champions at some point. But that doesn’t mean he won’t be able to work two jobs at once. Let’s just say Nick Faldo is probably feeling a little nervous right now.

It didn’t help Faldo that Phil refused to leave the booth. He was almost too comfortable, continuing to analyze shots and fire off takes. “When he’s out there laughing and having fun, he’s going to play some good golf,” said Mickelson of Haotong Li, who he’s become close with. “What I don’t want to see is him quiet, I want to see him talking to his caddie to kind of relax him a bit.” Not quite Johnny Miller’s “nerves,” but a cool thing to hear from Mickelson nonetheless.

At one point, when CBS returned from commercial, it felt like a one-man show. After breaking down a Tommy Fleetwood approach shot, he seamlessly transitioned to a Scottie Scheffler putt, as if he’d been doing this job his entire life. At numerous points, you couldn’t help but wonder if he was taking time to breathe during all the talking, which could be a side effect of all the damn coffee. When and if he does become an analyst, may we suggest cutting back on the caffeine, Phil? Otherwise, he’s going to be just fine.

The post Phil Mickelson gave us a sneak peek of his potential as an analyst. Let’s break it down appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

And no, that wasn’t Steve Martin or the character from the movie “Up.” Charles Schwab is a real person. And again, we had REAL golf to watch. Fingers crossed I’ve got a lot more lazy Sundays in my future. OK, here’s what else has us talking.

WE’RE BUYING

Daniel Berger: The 27-year-old’s third PGA Tour title shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise considering he arrived at Colonial off back-to-back top-five finishes. Yes, the first of those happened in February, which is also the last time I got a haircut, but still, he’s been playing great golf and he now has recorded 28 consecutive rounds of par or better.

Ronald Martinez

Even more of a hint this was coming was the tournament’s date. All three of Berger’s PGA Tour wins have come during the second week of June making him the greatest second-week-of-June golfer in history. If Father’s Day ever moves up a week on the calendar, this guy is a LOCK to win a U.S. Open.

Bulky Bryson: For a second time in three starts, a 71st-hole bogey kept him out of a playoff, but that’s just part of the story. While many people put on a few pounds during quarantine, DeChambeau did it on purpose. And for good reason. For a second consecutive event, he dominated the field with his driving, picking up nearly 2.5 strokes over the next best player by taking—and pulling off—lines from Colonial’s tees that Ben Hogan never could have dreamed of. Playing alongside Rory McIlroy in the final round, Bryson bombed it 30 yards farther on multiple occasions. He was already a great player, but now? He looks like a future World No. 1.

Darren Carroll for Golf Digest

Don’t act like you’re not impressed.

Collin Morikawa: This young gun doesn’t quite have Bryson’s GUNZ, but it’s impossible not to be impressed with him either. Sure, there were those two short missed putts on his final two holes, but just one abbreviated year into his pro career, he’s already up to No. 27 in the Official World Golf Ranking. And he possesses an iron swing that even Ben Hogan would have stopped to watch:

Tied for the lead. ?@Collin_Morikawa has started his PGA TOUR career by making his first 21 cuts. Only Tiger Woods made more. pic.twitter.com/qf3Wstbp53

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 14, 2020

WE’RE SELLING

Storybook endings not happening: With all due respect to Daniel Berger and Korn Ferry Tour winner Luke List, most golf fans were rooting for Harold Varner III and Camilo Villegas. HV3’s first win, just days after penning an emotional letter addressing racial injustice in this country, would have been incredible timing. And a Villegas victory would have shown the incredible strength of a man in unfathomable pain after announcing his 20-month-old daughter is battling tumours. But it wasn’t meant to be on the course this week for either. Of course, by far the most important result involving these guys is that Villegas’ daughter gets better. Let’s all keep his family in our thoughts.

Sunday Rory: After a Friday 63 to get into contention, the World No. 1 seemed like a lock to finish in the top five for a seventh consecutive PGA Tour event. But after a disappointing 70 on Saturday he posted a much more disappointing 41 on Sunday’s front nine to tumble off the leader board. His scoring ranks this season? First round: No. 1. Second round: No. 6. Third round: No. 4. Final round: No. 123.

Saturday and Sunday Jordan: Spieth ranks 171st and 158th in scoring the final two rounds this season after ranking 170th in final-round scoring average last season. But when it comes to providing entertainment value, the Jordan Spieth Experience is currently No. 1. Life is like a Jordan Spieth Sunday, you never know what you’re going to get. In somewhat related news, I made a $100 bet with a friend that McIlroy will end up with more career majors than Spieth. Of course, by the time that bet is settled, that $100 will probably be worth about a dollar.

Darren Carroll for Golf Digest

ON TAP

The PGA Tour heads to Hilton Head for the RBC Heritage, AKA that tournament with the lighthouse that’s usually played the week after the Masters but still has the lighthouse. After a week at Colonial that saw 16 of the top 20 in the world play, 15 of the top 20 will tee it up a Harbour Town. Noticeably absent still, though, is Tiger Woods despite the fact his yacht was tracked to a nearby marina last week. Maybe he was just in the mood to get BBQ.

Random tournament fact: Luke Donald has finished runner-up in this event five times without winning. For Donald, the tournament is the equivalent of the U.S. Open to Phil Mickelson.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—There is a real person named “RBC Heritage”: 1 MILLION-to-1 odds
—Bryson will win this week: 14-to-1 odds (Actual odds, second favourite to Rory McIlroy)
—Bryson will lead the field in protein shakes this week: LOCK

PHOTO(S) OF THE WEEK

A couple from Darren Carroll, who was at Colonial for us documenting a successful—but quiet week:

Darren Carroll for Golf Digest

Darren Carroll for Golf Digest

Having a little more room in the media center seems kind of nice.

VIRAL VIDEO(S) OF THE WEEK

The European Tour might still be on ice but the social media department continues to produce comedy gold.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBf_OOWFswh/

Sung Kang made a hole-in-one during the first round at Colonial and had absolutely no clue until he got to the green because there were no fans to let him know his good fortune. Incredible.

With no fans on site @CSChallengeFW, Sung Kang had no clue he ACED the 13th. ? pic.twitter.com/D2m9QyoKrS

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 15, 2020

Imagine if this happens at a major?!

THIS WEEK IN TOUR PRO PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

Sadly, with no spectators at events, we won’t be seeing any WAG/family celebrations on the 18th green anytime soon. So Daniel Berger’s girlfriend, Tori Slater, had to settle for congratulating him on her Instagram story. It’s just not the same! So here’s a look back at them celebrating his last win … actually, it seems like Tori has never been on hand for one of her boyfriend’s wins. So here’s just a look at them (and Paulina Gretzky) hanging out at the 2017 Presidents Cup:

Icon Sportswire

Ah, the good old days.

THIS WEEK IN TOUR PROS ARE JUST LIKE US! (SORT OF)

Five-time PGA Tour winner Jonathan Byrd Monday qualified for this week’s Korn Ferry Tour event using a pushcart:

Left the power stache on this morning. Took out the trusty push cart. Shot 65 to Monday qualify into the @KornFerryTour event this week. Time to get back to work #NeverQuit @dgraygolf @callawaygolf @RalphLauren @seaislandgpc @titleist @acaseofthegolf1 pic.twitter.com/0DW3XEHgeb

— Jonathan Byrd (@JByrdpga) June 15, 2020

OK, so the 65 wasn’t like us, but good for him wheeling his own clubs around. At my age, I should probably consider buying one of those bad boys. Speaking of getting up there …

THIS WEEK IN PHIL BEING PHIL

Golf’s ultimate showman turned 50 on Tuesday. Man, I feel old. Well, not as old as Phil, but old.

Family beach day. Looks like calves are working their way up. ???? pic.twitter.com/tOnhUXUMlC

— Tina Mickelson (@TinaMickelson) August 21, 2019

Actually, he’s in much better shape than me, so I probably do feel a lot older. In any event, to celebrate this milestone birthday, our Tod Leonard compiled 50 favourite phavourite Phil being Phil moments. Enjoy.

QUOTE/TWEET OF THE WEEK

By the time I restart I’m going to be outside the top 100 and 80 yards behind Bryson.

— Eddie Pepperell (@PepperellEddie) June 15, 2020

Nailed it as usual, Eddie.

THIS AND THAT

The PGA Championship will be held without fans at Harding Park in August, according to a San Francisco Chronicle report. No word on whether WAGs will be allowed on the grounds. … The LPGA has cancelled the Evian Championship, which is obviously much worse news than just cancelling fans. At least the LPGA still has four majors on the calendar this year. … Colin Montgomerie has called for a 20-per cent rollback of the golf ball, which, as our E. Michael Johnson calculated, would mean Bryson DeChambeau would go from averaging 323 yards off the tee to 259. That seems a bit drastic. … And finally, working from home with a 2-year-old is tough. Working from home with a 2-year-old and a roof being redone is a lot tougher:

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Why was Tiger’s yacht off the coast of Georgia?
What will Phil do next (for his 50th birthday party)?
What will I have to pay for next?

The post The PGA Tour’s quiet return, Phil Mickelson’s milestone birthday and the end of the WAG Era (for now) appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus on Monday laid out plans for coverage from Colonial Country Club and beyond, the network beginning a mammoth 11-week stretch that includes the PGA Championship in August. Golf’s return is something fans at home are eager for, having been without tour coverage since the Players Championship was cancelled after the first round on March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic, a pause of 90 days.

The primary takeaways from a 90-minute conference call, which also included host Jim Nantz and lead analyst Nick Faldo, for viewers anxious to know what they might see this weekend included these highlights:

• Though the network plans to use roughly the same amount of equipment as before the hiatus, it will reduce the number of personnel on the ground by half, including having just three announcers in Fort Worth: Nantz in the 18th tower and Dottie Pepper and Mark Immelman as on-course reporters. Other talent, including Faldo, Ian Baker-Finch and Frank Nobilo, will chime in from Golf Channel studios in Orlando.

• “Satellite personnel” from various locations, including in Stamford, Conn., New York and Los Angeles, will provide supporting production tasks such as graphics and videotape replays.

• As many players as possible, with the tour’s help, will be mic’d up in order to include them during each broadcast.

• A remote “confession cam” will be set up somewhere on the course—not yet specified but perhaps near the 10th tee, as an example—where players can voluntarily step in and provide a 20-second sound bite.

• While there will be no fans watching the action at Colonial, the network will eschew piping in any audio enhancements—another way of saying it will not add fake crowd noise or reactions. As Nantz said, appropriately, “The key word is ‘fake.’ As a fan … just take it for what it is, give me the real scene and let me deal with it.”

“This is the most complicated production plan I’ve ever been involved in and that includes Super Bowls and Final Fours and other events,” said McManus, who primarily is worried about the health of the on-site crew rather than the challenges of producing the golf broadcasts with a new plan that has been in the works for two months. “It’s different than anything we’ve ever done.”

“It’s an unusual time in our careers,” Faldo said. “You’ve just got to embrace it.”

Another wrinkle, and a big one that will frame coverage the first week, will be an introductory monologue from Nantz shortly after coming on air. The longtime golf host will, in his own words, put the return of golf—and, more broadly, sports in general—in the proper perspective amid two ongoing world-altering events: the COVID-19 pandemic and the impassioned protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd.

“It’s one of the great challenges in my 35 years in broadcasting,” Nantz said, generally, of his assignment sitting alone in the 18th tower while coordinating with Faldo and other remote broadcasters.

As for what he will say on Thursday on Golf Channel and again on Saturday to kick off CBS’ weekend coverage, Nantz was still formulating the proper message, mostly at it pertains to anti-racism protests that have spread around the world.

“Tonally, we have to get this right. I consider this to be perhaps the most important moment in this country in my lifetime,” Nantz said. “We can’t let this opportunity pass without real and meaningful progress when it comes to equality, diversity, justice, love and empathy.

“And then I hope to express that at the top, this is not going to be something that’s going to be a three-hour commentary on my part. It’s just bringing us on the air, looking at the landscape of golf tournament and where are we in the world. And we are here at this moment in time, understanding the sports is a wonderful form of escape for people.

RELATED: The three most significant ways having no fans will directly impact play when the PGA Tour restarts

“Sports has always had a great role in this country as a chance to unify as people,” he added. “And I think … the golf tour being back in action, it comes at a very important place in time in this country’s history, a chance to get people to actually watch something together, root together, unify together. And I hope that that can be achieved.”

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By E. Michael Johnson
A number of equipment manufacturers and other stakeholders in the game have stepped up with charitable efforts in the age of COVID-19. Among them is Titleist, which has one of the more impressive fundraising efforts with its auction that ends Thursday at 9 p.m.

The highlight of the auction is the Jim Nantz Pebble Beach Experience. The Experience starts with Nantz joining your foursome for breakfast at The Gallery, close by the first tee, before moving to a pre-round putting contest with Nantz. Once on the first tee at Pebble Beach, Nantz will announce (and record for posterity) your appearance. After the round at Pebble, your foursome will head to Nantz’s home for a cocktail hour that will include a special “Our Tribute” bottle of wine from Nantz’s wine cellar, as well as the ability to take a few swings on Nantz’s back-yard par 3, which replicates Pebble’s seventh hole.

Ace the hole and get your name added to the “Rock of Fame” where the previous 16 acers are enshrined. No ace? The one hitting it closest to the pin receives a custom set of Titleist clubs. As of now the high bid is $42,000.

Though the Nantz Experience is perhaps the most notable, there are plenty of other enticing auctions (current bid in parens). Golf for three at Lake Nona with Ian Poulter ($20,000); Golf for two with Justin Thomas and his father, Mike at Medalist Golf Club with a pre-round lesson from Mike, who is a PGA professional ($35,000).

If you’re an equipment geek, perhaps the Scotty Cameron Experience ($19,250) or Bob Vokey Experience ($10,000) will appeal to you. There are instruction packages from Butch Harmon and Michael Breed as well, among many other auctions. You can make a bid on any of these by clicking here.

If you don’t have that kind of scratch lying around, you’re not out of luck. There is also a sweepstakes component that gives you and two friends a chance to play with Webb Simpson at Pinehurst No. 2, along with a post-round lunch with Simpson; a one-night stay for each at the Carolina Hotel; a round at The Cradle, Pinehurst’s nine-hole short course designed by the Gil Hanse, and a gift certificate for dinner at the Pinehurst Brewing Company. Four other winners will receive gift packages. Ticket purchases start at $25 for 10 tickets up to 60 tickets for $100. You can enter the sweepstakes by clicking here.

Already, the auction and sweepstakes have raised more than $200,000. All of the proceeds will benefit three relief efforts: the CDP COVID-19 Response Fund; The United Way chapters of Greater New Bedford and San Diego County (to support the local communities where the majority of the Titleist and FootJoy U.S. employees work) and the Golf Emergency Relief Fund. Click here for more.

The post Now’s your chance to play Jim Nantz’s back-yard par 3, one of the best items in Titleist’s auctions for COVID-19 appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Stephen Hennessey and Daniel Rapaport
In our latest instalment of the “Great Golf Debates,” our Daniel Rapaport and Stephen Hennessey tackle the question: Which modern players would make the best announcers?

Rapaport: Before we start hand-picking the guys to succeed Nick Faldo and Paul Azinger, let’s first agree on some criteria: What makes a good golf analyst? These are the intangibles:

Credibility. With all due respect—and remember I’m saying with all due respect, which means I can now say whatever I want (shoutout Ricky Bobby)—no one cares what you have to say unless you’ve had significant success in your career. Johnny Miller could talk trash about players because Johnny Miller was one of the best players in the world, as was Nick Faldo. You don’t have to have won a major to know about golf, but you have to have won a major for the general population to give a crap about what you know about golf.

Well-spoken. The ums, uhs, you knows, those need to be few and far between. And you have to provide that next-level insight, going deeper than just “that’s a good shot to that pin.” Tell us why that’s a good shot to that pin, tell us what your thought process was like when playing to pins like those, tell us that he’s been practicing that little draw to access those pins.

The cajones to be honest. SO many golf broadcasters try to be as inoffensive as possible. What results is boring, vanilla television where all the guy does is talk about how good these guys are. We loved Johnny so much because he wasn’t afraid to rip into guys.

Not necessarily a pre-requisite, but a soothing voice/accent is a major plus. Faldo’s British, so that obviously helps a ton. Azinger has a smooth southern drawl. Personally, I’m a huge fan of the South African (Trevor Immelman) and Australian (Ian Baker-Finch) accents. Give me the option to listen to an American say something and a non-American, and nine times out of 10 I’m going with the non-American.

Hennessey: You left out a couple other things:

Quick wit. You need to think fast but cleverly. It’s one thing to be smart and articulate, but you need to not only arrive at your opinion but deliver it to a viewer quickly and succinctly. We want entertainment and insight. Delivered within seconds. Old golf writers like Henry Longhurst and Dan Jenkins were great at this. It’s a lot easier to craft a tweet, taking minutes to do so. You’re live on a broadcast: Can you deliver?

And probably most importantly, how about some things to avoid:

Repeating yourself. There’s nothing worse than verbal ramblings on air. You know it when you hear it: The same point uttered over and over. It’s a sign of not having anything interesting to say. Announcers needs to be observant and able to contextualize things, but perhaps most importantly, they should cognizant of when not to talk … or not to talk too much.

Talking over a great moment. The best announcers say they want to let moments have air. Think about Verne Lundquist’s ‘Yes, sir!’ call of Jack Nicklaus’ putt on 17 at the ’86 Masters. Or his call of Tiger’s chip-in at the ’05 Masters. He made his call, then the viewer soaks in the moment with the crowds as Lundquist stayed silent. Dan Hicks is great at this as well. And notice how Jim Nantz and Nick Faldo let the moment live as Tiger walked off the 18th green after his Masters victory last year. Any new announcer needs to be confident enough not to feel the need to fill the air with commentary when a significant moment presents itself.

OK, let’s get off our soap box. So who can we see from today’s players being good golf announcers:

The first I’d propose is Zach Johnson. His interviews are usually very interesting. He’s a very introspective, intelligent person. He also understands the analytical part of the game. ZJ was one of the first tour pros to embrace the statistical and data revolution in golf. The Iowan doesn’t waste words, either. He’ll make his points, then he’s onto his next one. Like I said, we can’t stand folks who repeat themselves. He’s also got a sneaky sense of humor. I know, you might not think of him as a funny guy. But he can laugh at himself and is self-effacing, which typically makes someone likable.

And like you said, Danny, the credentials. Well, we’re talking about a two-time major champ at St. Andrews and Augusta. And someone who’s made more than $45 million in on-course earnings alone in his career. We know he doesn’t need the money, but if he wants to stay active when he retires, we’ll hope he considers the broadcast booth. He’d be rather good.

One more name who’s in a lot of ways very different: Pat Perez. Double P will always tell it like it is. He might need a bit of a censor if he’s on network TV. But his stories and his insights are entertaining and pointed. He’d be a riot broadcasting golf. If there’s ever an uncensored, digital broadcast of live golf, we can think of nobody better than Pat Perez. He’d shine when he could drop a cuss word here and there. And fine, he’d still be worth a look if he needs to trim out the choice language. He has been good on Turner Sports – he did the Match with Tiger and Phil in November and was one of the lone highlights. And his SiriusXM shows are hilarious. I had a chance to interview Double P a few years back, and told him I wouldn’t take more than 15 minutes of his time. He and I ended up shooting the breeze for about 45 minutes. What a guy.

Pat Perez
Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images

Rapaport: Yes, Patty P (is that a thing?) certainly came to mind, but I’m afraid he doesn’t have the playing resume to be a serious contender to end up being the main guy for one of the main networks. Which, I suppose, is what we’re trying to find in this hypothetical think-piece. Another couple guys who would be great, but need a bunch more wins and a major before they’re in the discussion: Eddie Pepperell and Max Homa. Pepperell’s simply one of the funniest, most outlandish athletes in the world right now, though I’m not sure he could be trusted with a microphone, seeing as he pressed send on a certain tweet involving Jack Nicklaus and a sock. Homa is fun to listen to—he has a podcast with Fox Sports’ Shane Bacon—and the master at roasting people’s swings, so you have to think he’d have some fun with the Konica Minolta Bizhub Swing Vision camera, which is certainly not a thing anymore.

Now, from the More Accomplished File: How about Jordan Spieth? Obviously, long, long way to go before he’d be willing to consider such a thing, but he’s already basically giving us play-by-play with his constant self-talk and banter with his caddie, Michael Greller. Spieth is cerebral, he’s honest and he already has a unique perspective, having been crowned the next Tiger Woods before falling into a curious, concerning lull.

Another guy who I think could be fantastic is Adam Scott. He has the accent, and he has the looks. That much is for certain. He’s also one of the smarter players on Tour and one of the best quotes out there. My only concern is he’s rather serious, often teetering toward humorless, which is a non-starter for a broadcaster.

Hennessey: Spieth’s a great call. Cerebral and dead honest, even with himself and his recent struggles. Likeable qualities, and I can see that translating to the booth. Like you said, we’re both confident his transition to broadcasting is decades away.

Pepperell could join Perez in the booth on some global, digital-first operation where they tell it like it is. That’d be laughs. Perez is much closer to calling it quits than Eddie P, so that’s a pipe dream.

Adam Scott would be cool. He’s as thoughtful as any tour pro I’ve heard speak. Geoff Ogilvy is in that same category, if not to an even stronger degree. He’s astute and enlightening on all aspects of golf. Plus he has the accent like his countryman Scotty. Ogilvy’s done a little broadcasting for our sister company, GolfTV, but seeing him get more opportunities as he winds downplaying would be a home-run call.

Geoff Ogilvy served as an assistant captain on the International Presidents Cup team last year, and his insights and analysis would be welcomed in a bigger way on TV. Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Let’s cap it off with one more possibility: Phil Mickelson. Phil fancies himself as the smartest guy in any room he’s in. He’s well-spoken, smart, and can be honest. He might need a bit of a filter, but he’s one of the most well-liked players of his generation. He’d be a hit in the booth. I’m not sure his retirement plans include announcing, but at the right price, maybe he could be convinced. Maybe we’d have a Bones and Phil reunion … how cool?

Rapaport: Yeah, of course Tiger and Phil were the first to come to mind. Watching Tiger dissect his final round of the Masters on that CBS re-run a couple weeks back was a fascinating peak into his incredible golf mind, though you do get the sense he wouldn’t care enough about anyone else’s play to stick around in a booth. That’s just the kind of guy he is. Phil, on the other hand, he likes to talk and talk and talk, and likes it even more when people are listening. But if we’re being honest, neither of those guys would ever take on the job. They certainly don’t need the money, and they certainly won’t want to be on the road 15-odd weeks a year well into their 50s and 60s. But yeah, definitely looking forward to having Tiger in the booth for a few holes during the 2046 Genesis Invitational.

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Golf fans found out the latter during CBS’ Sunday re-airing of Woods’ 2019 Masters win. Throughout the broadcast, Tiger talked to Jim Nantz, providing fascinating insight and plenty of emotion. But while discussing Woods’ memorable tee shot on No. 16 last year, the 15-time major winner also let viewers know he’s a 20-time(!) ace maker. His total just happens to have an unexpected twist.

"The best part of my playing days, not one [ace]." @TigerWoods has 20 career hole-in-ones, but when he hit them may surprise you. #MastersRewind pic.twitter.com/z8M27cPQQg

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 12, 2020

That is just bizarre, but it’s actually something Tiger has mentioned before. In November 2018, he told reporters about his 20th career hole-in-one that was 20 years in the making. The details? A 5-iron from 210 yards at the Madison Club’s second hole. Not too shabby. And pretty cool to do it in front of his son.

Woods’ previous hole-in-one came during the International, a former PGA Tour event, in 1998. He also made aces at the 1996 Greater Milwaukee Open—his pro debut—and the 1997 Waste Management Phoenix Open on TPC Scottsdale’s famed 16th hole. But after three in his first three years on tour, Tiger hasn’t had one since in competition. Pretty wild.

Anyway, if you thought Tiger’s 14-year drought between Masters titles was long, that had nothing on his two-decade wait for his most recent hole-in-one. Something to keep in mind if you’re waiting for one of your own.

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As Nantz told Golf Digest’s Guy Yocom earlier this week, “Having Phil and Tiger talk about their wins as they watch the old broadcasts is pure gold for the viewers.” He was right. By Sunday evening, the legendary broadcaster—and yes, Golf Digest columnist—was trending on Twitter along with Woods, who provided insightful analysis throughout the Masters Rewind. Tiger talking to Nantz about everything happening on No. 12 when he made par while playing partner Francesco Molinari found Rae’s Creek for a stunning double bogey to lose control of the tournament was particularly good TV. But it wound up having nothing on their final segment recorded from their respective homes.

Related: Tiger Woods’ inner circle revisits the dramatic events of his incredible fifth Masters title

When Woods returned to walk viewers through the final moments of his 15th major victory, he had slipped on his green jacket and let down his guard like we rarely see. First, he discussed the immediate aftermath of the win and heaped praise on caddie and buddy Joe LaCava. Unfortunately, there’s not video of that, but here’s a five-minute video of Tiger talking about embracing his kids and his mom. Just a heads up, you might need a tissue:

.@TigerWoods walking off the 18th green to celebrate his return to glory with his family is an image we’ll never forget.

One year later, he reflects on just how much it all means to him. #MastersRewind pic.twitter.com/9DfmU8k2pL

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 12, 2020

RELATED: Tiger Woods hosts stay-at-home Masters Champions Dinner

So good. You’re right, Jim. Not a dry eye in the house.

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But the world isn’t perfect of late and Nantz instead is spending Wednesday like many Americans, sheltered in place at his home at Pebble Beach, Calif. He ventures out for walks and he has an idyllic one, a 4½-mile route that takes him near Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, Spyglass Hill, Monterrey Peninsula and along 17 Mile Drive. But even with six family members in tow, it’s not the same.

“Pebble Beach feels like a ghost town because the centrepiece of it—the resort and golf course—are closed for the first time in its 101-year history,” he says via phone from his home near the course. “They’ve closed 17 Mile Drive except to residents and essential business people. We took a 45-minute walk the other day and in that time, one car drove by. Pebble is normally populated with many second-home owners but it appears they are staying at their primary residences rather than coming here.”

Nantz’s last CBS golf broadcast was at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera on Feb. 16. He’s been at home since that time—save for a college basketball broadcast in Houston—along with his wife, Courtney, oldest daughter, Caroline, children Finley, 6 and Jameson, 4, and Courtney’s father and step-mother. Usually he’s very gabby about the goings-on in the world of golf, but the isolation has given him less to share and inquire about.

Courtesy of Jim Nantz
The time off from broadcasting has given Nantz the chance to play more golf in his back yard at Pebble Beach with his daughter, Finley, and son, Jameson.

“I miss the game so much, but what can you do?” he says. “We’re adhering to the rules. I’ve needed to go into Carmel a couple of times, and it’s surreal, again virtually empty, with everyone staying six feet from each other.”

Nantz, 60, is filled with very ordinary concerns. “They say the coronavirus is supposed to surge in California sometime in late April,” he says. “How do they know that? We’ve been locked down for three weeks. Nobody’s travelling, so how can it spread? I don’t get it.” He pauses. “I guess we’re all doing the same thing, watching the news, talking with our friends on who’s saying what, it’s human nature to do that. I’m a compulsive news viewer to begin with, but now it’s all I watch. My heart aches for all the victims and their families around the world.”

The walks near his home feature some encouraging moments. “I’ve enjoyed strolling by the old Peter Hay course with our puppy, Ramsey, and watch it transform into the new par-3 course designed by Tiger Woods,” he says. “It’s uplifting seeing people out working, watching them move dirt around. It’s shaping up to be a beautiful sight.”

Work-wise, Nantz has been busier than one might think. There are Zoom tapings with CBS, updates with his associates at Vineyard Vines and his wine brand, The Calling. His greatest priority always is CBS, and there’s much to do there. This weekend there will be two encore presentations—the 2004 Masters on Saturday—with Sunday bringing a rebroadcast of last year’s “Return to Glory.” Nantz spent the early part of this week taping interviews via his computer at home with Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods for the weekend shows. “We want the presentations to be as stimulating as possible and having Phil and Tiger talk about their wins as they watch the old broadcasts is pure gold for the viewers.”

Nantz is in huge demand in other ways during what would have been Masters week. Although the tournament has been rescheduled for the week of Nov. 9, print, podcast and radio outlets have come calling. “They all have roughly the same angle: What is Jim Nantz up to this week in lieu of calling the NCAA Championship game Monday, followed by his annual visit to the Masters?” he says. “They’re looking for comparisons between normal versus abnormal, and talking about where I normally would be at this given time. It makes the present situation even more sobering.”

Nantz points to a silver lining amid the health crisis. “I’ve never been at home for such an extended period of time and I’m loving the family time,” he says. “March 14 was Finley’s 6th birthday, and I was scheduled to be in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship. Instead I was here watching her blow out candles on her cake. That was special. So has the home-schooling of the kids we’ve been doing. Perhaps best of all, Jameson has taken to golf. We hit balls in the backyard and to watch the joy across his face when he flushes a 7-iron and the ball flies 50 yards. It’s a beautiful thing.”

To signal the world is inching back to normal, Nantz has established a personal, if not unusual, threshold. “There’s a little halfway house at Monterey Peninsula’s Shore Course that we ride past on our two-seat bicycle, with Jameson riding in back,” Nantz says. “We always stop there and our friend Chef Ray makes a hot dog for Jameson. I’ve had to explain to Jameson that our ‘secret hiding spot’ is closed for now. It’s hard to explain to a 4-year-old. But when Chef Ray is back making those hot dogs, he’ll believe it’s a perfect world again.”

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