I have yet to score anywhere near par (Par = 27. My best so far = 39) at my local mashie course, yet I'm still fascinated by golf. Which is why I enjoyed reading these two pieces:
The first is from Time magazine – it's a list/gallery of the 10 toughest golf courses in the world. Scary stuff. Makes my mashie course seem like... well... a mashie course. Consider this story to be a companion piece to the 10 Toughest Majors some dude wrote for SA Sports Illustrated a while back, and you have a yips-inducing package.
Then the second story is another classic from Rick Reilly, who recently moved from SI to ESPN (sensible fella). It's about Lucas Glover's reaction (or non-reaction) to winning the US Open.
I have to say: I agree with Reilly. If the team I'm supporting loses, I expect them to be as gutted as I am (tears, recriminations, the works); and similarly if they win, I expect them to express boundless joy and jubilation. I remember after Liverpool's 2005 Champions League triumph, Jon Arne Riise ran around the stadium in his nasty grey underpants in rapturous celebration.
And then you get a guy who barely cracks a smile after winning a golf Major.