This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

Here in La Quinta, California, where I live in the winter, there is only so much time for golf.

Only every day.

Well, not exactly.

And, on this second day after the Masters, my favorite golf tournament every year, I had the privilege of watching the final round WITH my daughter.  This time, instead of remotely, we were in the same place to watch the best golfer in the world, Scottie Scheffler, put together another MASTERpiece…pardon the play on words.

But, between golf games for me, I have time on my hands, which the following will verify.

• Why would Justin Thomas dismiss Jim “Bones” MacKay as his caddy?  Makes no sense to me.  But, for Bones, no problem.  He’ll just go back to his role on TV.  There is no better caddy than Bones, so who knows what Thomas will do now.  Or whether another player will engage Bones.

And, for what it’s worth, Thomas missed the cut at the Masters.  Who knows whether that would be the case of he had Bones on the bag.

• What is the definition of “handicap” on a golf hole?  Almost everybody who plays golf believes that the #1 handicap number assigned to a golf hole means it is the toughest on the course.  And, etc. for more numbers on holes, which means the 18^th handicap hole is the easiest.

No.

Here is the actual definition.  “The hole assigned as the #1 handicap hole is not necessarily the hardest hole on the course.  It is this:

“The number one handicap stroke hole should be assigned to the hole where the bogey golfer needs an additional stroke in order to halve the hole with the scratch golfer.”

Too complicated?  Yes. 

But that’s true of all golf rules.

• Why didn’t I have my Masters Golf Tournament chair here with me in La Quinta so I had a special place to sit for my favorite tournament every year?  The answer?  I forgot it back home. 

But I’ll still watch the tournament, no matter where I sit….as I proved again this year, sitting on any chair on my La Quinta condo with my daughter.

• What’s the future of municipal golf?   The answer is not clear.

There are at least two threats, both similar in nature.  One is that some interests, opposed to golf, believe that there are better uses for open space municipal courses.  So, in California, for instance, proposals continue to percolate to turn municipal course land into housing.  So far, golf supporters have risen to the challenge to defeat the proposals.

Meanwhile, in another issue related to land use, golfersin Cincinnati, Ohio, have long prized city courses for their high quality and low prices.

But, that benefit will be among the topics in play if the city decides to sell its courses or manage them in a new way – possibilities raised by the just-out Cincinnati Futures Commission report.  Not for housing…just for open space.

The courses could fetch a combined $6.5 million to $27.3 million, the report says, depending on whether they were bought by private golf course operators or sold off for development.

• A rules question:  There are at least two ways for a golfer to hit three balls off the same tee in a tournament.  How?

Anyone who cares – does anyone? – can answer this question.  I am the one who has the right answer.

One clue:  Tiger Woods did this on one hole in the recent Masters golf tournament.

This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

I pledged to myself that I would not write about Donald Trump during the week of the Masters Golf Tournament, my favorite tournament of any year.

I made good on that pledge.

But, now the Masters is over with an incredible win by my favorite, Scottie Scheffler, back to Trump, at least for today.

In the Washington Post, writers say that Trump’s hush money trial, which is scheduled to start today in New York, comes down to this Trump strategy — deny, delay, and denigrate.  Yes, three “d’s.”

More from the Post:

“The opening of Donald Trump’s first criminal trial on Monday will put to the test a defense strategy his lawyers have been honing for a year — a confrontational gambit that has angered the judge and could cost the presidential candidate dearly when it comes to a verdict.

“Fight for every scrap of evidence.  Push for every possible delay.  The approach has succeeded so far in Trump’s three other pending criminal cases, potentially pushing all of them into or past November’s presidential election.

“Surprisingly it is in Manhattan, at a courthouse notorious for lengthy delays before many criminal trials, that the former president and presumptive Republican nominee will face his first judgment day.

“Trump’s defense strategy in New York is unique from the other three cases in one respect — he aims to deny involvement in the key conversations about hush money payments made through his former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen.”

Also in the Post, opinion writer E. J. Dionne commented on the overall Trump strategy to contend that any president, current or former, has an absolute right to break the law.

From Dionne:

“Trump is saying something no other presidential candidate has ever said: That the only way to be an effective president is to be willing to break the law.  ‘A denial of criminal immunity would incapacitate every future president with de facto blackmail and extortion while in office, and condemn him to years of post-office trauma at the hands of political opponents,’ his lawyers wrote in their brief.  “That would be the end of the presidency as we know it and would irreparably damage our Republic.”

“Well,” Dionne opines, “let’s leave it to psychiatrists to determine what ‘post-office trauma’ might be. The breathless subtext echoing throughout their brief is that it takes a criminal to be a good president.  This has implications voters should take very seriously, including for national security.”

And, it’s the way Trump would act if he becomes president again.  He believes he is above the law.

So, the solution?

Continue to make him an ex-president and require him to continue to be subject to laws all the rest of us must observe.

This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

As I write this, remember two things:

• The Masters in my favorite golf tournament of the year.

• Focusing on the Masters is way to quit thinking of Donald Trump and the travesty he has been, is, and would be for America.

So, regarding Days two and three:

Day two featured one of the worst days of weather in Masters history, prompting last year’s champion Jon Rahm to wonder why players were not taken off the course.  The wind blew hard and there were strong gusts, which blow sand off bunkers, especially on hole #18.

After his round, another player, Max Homa, who stood in second place, said “he was very glad to be off the course.”

Of course, one of the pieces of big news on day two was that Tiger Woods made the cut again, his record 24^th time in a row.

On day three, my favorite, Scottie Scheffler, persevered through an up and down day, getting on eagle on hole #13, a birdie on hole #15, and another birdie on hole #18 to confirm his position at the top of leaderboard.

Now, on to day four, which will have me glued to the TV set.

This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

This will be the first of four blogs I hope to write in the next few days, one for each of the four days of the Masters Golf Tournament, my favorite tournament of any year.

The perceptions are mine – and mine alone.  No surprise there.  That’s always true of this personal blog.

So, on to the Masters.

“LIVE FROM THE MASTERS:”  I enjoyed watching the program yesterday, especially for two reasons:

• First, the host, Mike Tirico, had Jack Nicklaus on and, as usual, Nicklaus, had great words about how to play Augusta National.

At one point, the six-time Masters winner, when asked about a shot he remembered, he mentioned a 1-iron he hit on hole #13, a par five.  Incredibly, though it was many years ago, he recalled that it was 242-yard shot that landed softly on the green, leading to a birdie that helped him win the tournament.

• Second, retired player Brad Faxon, one of the best putters ever on the PGA Tour, had great thoughts about his preparation when he played the Masters, including heading to the green near the 1^st hole where he hit his last putts before teeing off.  Great thoughts from a great player.

FORGIVE THESE ANTI-LIV PERCEPTIONS – IT IS JUST A FACT THAT I AM BIASED AGAINST LIV:  Here are just a few perceptions based on this strong bias – and, okay, sorry about this…it may not be a credit to me to portray these views:

• One piece of good news is that LIV CEO Greg Norman could not get a straight ticket to be at Augusta National.  So, he went to a second source and then was seen walking around the course, outside the ropes.

Given the damage he has done to professional golf, I was glad to see him blackballed by Masters’ staff for an official ticket.

• Finally, this also may not be a credit to me, but I found myself cheering whenever Mickelson missed a putt.  I loved when he won his first Masters, not to mention his other two.  But that was before he turned his back on the PGA Tour, which had given him a place in golf’s stardom – and he has relinquished that by his recent conduct.

• On the positive side – yes, there is at least one from me regarding LIV – I listened to a press conference from first round leader, Bryson DeChambeau.  He shot a 65. 

While he was never my favorite player, his comments in the press conference illustrated that he may have grown up a bit, even after he went to LIV.   Even the Washington Post complimented DeChambeau on his new appearance of maturity.

He came across as reasonable and reasoned, especially when he talked about how he played Augusta National.  He said he did not go after every pin placement as was the case in the past.  “I try to go when it is smart to go.”

FUN TO HEAR BROADCASTER VERNE LUNDQUIST:  The famous announcer was stationed again at the 16^th hole for his last Masters, his 40^th. 

• His great voice presided over a lot of great shots on 16, not the least of which was Tiger Woods incredible chip-in where, given the great camera work, the footage caught the Nike logo just right.

• The Masters won’t be the same without Lundquist.  However, another great broadcaster, Jim Nantz, will still be calling the action, including his apt phrase, “Welcome to the Masters, a tradition unlike any other.”  That is something to treasure, even time I hear it.

MY FAVORITE IS DOING FINE:  Scottie Scheffler played a great round yesterday – a 66 to put him in second place as he tries to win his second Masters. 

• In his post-round press conference, he made great sense, saying he played for the love of the game, not for money, though, of course, he has won a lot of that recently.

• Scheffler’s relationship with his caddy, Ted Scott, is great to observe.  And, regarding money, it has been said that Scott has made as much money recently as Rory McIlroy.

TWO VIEWS OF BRANDEL CHAMBLEE:  They follow:

• One is that Chamblee is a blowhard who talks too much.  I saw that a couple days ago in the lead-up to the Masters.  On the set of “Live from the Masters” he was part of a four-person team providing commentary.  He talked over all the others, often interrupting them in mid-sentence.  Because, of course, he knows it all.

• The second is that, to make at least some of his point, Chamblee turns to statistics instead of just his opinion.  When he does that – and if he doesn’t interrupt all others – his stats are useful and interesting.

This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

To answer the question in this blog headline, not me.

I cannot tolerate the over-the-top conduct of pro golfer Phil Mickelson who appears to believe he is above everyone else – and everyone ought to listen to him.

He is in the Masters this week on the strength of his three victories there – victories I loved when they occurred in 2004, 2006 and 2010.  Mickelson was one of my favorite golfers and I wished him all the success in the world, even as he appeared to treasure his family often on the scene of his triumphs.

I loved how he took chances to test his skills.  One of the shots I will remember forever is the 6-iron he hit through a hole in a tree all the way to 13^th green over water at the Masters.  His caddy, then Jim “Bones” MacKay, urged him not to try to shot, but Mickelson succeeded as he often did.

That was Mickelson at his best.

Then, he defected (one of my friends will not like my use of the word “defect,” but I do so intentionally in this case) from the PGA Tour, which had given him a substantial livelihood for many years.  He joined the upstart LIV, which is funded by the tainted Saudi Arabia Defense Fund.

Along the way, he remarked to the media that it was no big deal, to him, for the Saudis to do their work, which involved killing people.

That soured me on Mickelson for the rest of his golf career, whatever that is to be.

Before he defected, a highlight for me occurred several years ago when I served as a walking marshal at the American Express Tournament.  I was assigned to a then-stalwart twosome — Mickelson and Tony Finau. 

Finau played a great round, shooting a 63.  Mickelson carded a 72.

It was fun to be up and close to these two golfers for 18 holes.

I also was able to say hello to Phil’s caddy, his brother, Tim, whom my son knew from their days at Oregon State University.  [As an aside, Tim is no longer on his Phil’s bag, having “retired” to spend more time with his growing family.]

That is my last positive memory of Mickelson.  Since then, he has descended into the abyss of LIV golf, arguing that the PGA Tour is not worth anything.

For me, today, Mickelson also is worth nothing in my fan base.

This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

First, let me underline this:  I will not write about the looney Donald Trump this week.

Instead, this should be a week when real golfers – me included — love to watch the best tournament in any year, the Masters.

Still, as this blog headline notes, a contentious issue lurks in the background.

It boils down to one word:  Money.

More than 10 months have passed since the PGA Tour announced plans to partner with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which owns LIV Golf.  The sides blew past a December 31 deadline and continue to work through details, but no deal is imminent.

Who knows if one reason is that the Saudi Public Investment Fund contains “tainted money,” produced by a country that kills people for a living.

Meanwhile, LIV Golf, funded by the Saudis, continues to pour money into personnel on and off the course, even as its product has yet to reach a critical mass, particularly in the United States.  And the PGA Tour responded to LIV’s flurry of activity by going on its own spending spree — with new expenses seemingly outpacing new revenue streams.

This from the Washington Post:

“Because the game’s top players haven’t competed against one another in an individual event since last year’s British Open, fans have endured lackluster tournament fields and forgettable Sunday finishes.  While LIV’s linear TV ratings aren’t publicized, LIV officials say their numbers on the CW Network are up 40 per cent from last year and they’re pleased with early streaming viewership.

“The PGA Tour’s TV figures, which includes a much larger audience domestically, are down more than 15 per cent.”

So, none other than controversial TV commentator Brandel Chamblee waded into the mess this week in comments made during oGolf Channel’s “Live from the Masters” show:

“We talk so much about how important it is for players to be in the right place mentally, and I just think there’s an epidemic of distraction on the PGA Tour, whether it’s greed or trying to solve problems that are almost unsolvable.  However you want to put it, I just think they’re hugely distracted.”

Who knows if Chamblee is right.  Sometimes he is.  Sometimes he isn’t.

The goal to gain money for you and your family is not automatically wrong, especially as is the case, we live in a capitalistic society.  But, the problem arises when money becomes the end goal, not happiness.  Money should be a means to an end, not an end in and of itself.

For my part, no amount of background tension – including over money in a bid to control professional golf — will get in the way of my intent to watch the Masters starting tomorrow, Thursday.

I’ll be sitting, figuratively, in my Masters chair and drinking coffee, figuratively, out of my Master’s cup.  I say “figuratively” because I forgot both back home in Salem, Oregon as I continue my sojourn in the California desert.

It won’t matter.  I’ll settle for a regular chair and a regular coffee cup.

So, go Scottie Scheffler.

Go Rory McIlroy.

Go others.

Make golf what it was meant to be this week for those who play for “love of the game” – money and tension aside. 

This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it’s where you want to be on a golf course.

We have reached Day 3 of Masters Week, so my thoughts continue to focus on my favorite golf tournament of the year.

First, I remember the time in 2015 that I was able to attend the tournament with my daughter, a great time for father and daughter.

We booked as room at La Quinta Motel about a mile from the course, so we could talk to Augusta National without competing for car parking spaces. 

The price for our room?  A cool $500 per night!  In normal times, the price was $50.  But, I didn’t mind because many businesses in Augusta have to make their money one week every year.

More memories back then abound:

• When you arrive at Augusta National, you might be tempted to run to get a seat by your favorite hole.  Don’t.  You’ll be asked to walk.

• Remember you are a “patron” at the Masters, the official term for those who attend.

• If you have a Masters cap on backwards, don’t.  You’ll be asked to turn it around.

• If you are lying on a hill to get a view of a certain hole, don’t.  You’ll be asked to sit up straight.

• If you are tempted to buy a cheap pimento sandwich, don’t.  They taste terrible, despite the low price.

• As a “patron,” bring or buy your Masters chair.  If you put the chair down on a certain hole and then want to walk around a bit, no problem.  If someone sits in your chair while you are gone, again no problem.  When you return, the person in your chair will get up.  Which means this approach allows the Masters to have bleachers without bleachers.

So, back to this blog headline.

My recent edition of Global Golf Post picked five favorites – Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Zander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy.

Golf Digest, besides ranking in order all 50 players in the field (I won’t bore you with this list), came up with a top 13 – McIlroy, Rahm, Scheffler, Koepka, Schauffele, Will Zalatoris, Cameron Smith, Joaquin Niemann, Jason Day, Jordan Spieth, Hideki Matsuyama, Justin Thomas, and Wyndham Clark.

It’s a challenge to pick favorites this year, as pointed out by controversial analyst Brandel Chamblee on the Golf Channel “Live from the Masters” program yesterday.

He posited that many of the top players might not be in the hunt this year because, to paraphrase him, they are more interested in money than playing the game for the results that accrue to solid performance.

It would be possible, as always, to criticize Chamblee’s take, but it is worth considering, I think, because playing for the “love of the game” appears more remote than ever this year.

With that caveat, my favorite?

Scheffler.

It appears to me that, while he makes a lot of money, he still plays for the love of the game.

To use a shopworn phrase, only time will tell.

But one thing is clear.  I’ll be watching every shot on TV, as will my daughter – not to mention millions of other “patrons.”

This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

IT’S MASTERS WEEK!

Northing more needs to be said or written.  But do more of the latter.

Because the intro to this blog reports that I am a golfer.  So, this is a very important week for me. 

Later this week, I will be glued to the TV to see who wins the 90^th edition of this, the world’s greatest golf tournament.

At least that’s my view, so I can say that in this, my blog.

As the Masters’ website puts it:

“Since 1934, the Masters Tournament has been home to some of golf’s greatest moments.  Amidst blooming azaleas, towering pines, and flowering dogwoods, the first full week of April ushers in a stage unique to golf and to sport.

“Over four days and 72 holes, the smallest field in major championship golf competes for a chance to capture the Green Jacket and a place in Masters history.

“Take a journey down Magnolia Lane or stroll through Amen Corner, and explore the iconic traditions, moments and history of Masters Tournament like never before — past and present.”

I have taken this journey once.  With my daughter, we went to Augusta National for the first official day of practice, along with Par 3 Tournament, and, then, the 1^st round.  Then, we hurried home to Oregon and Washington to watch the final rounds on TV.

Great memories!

More from the Masters’ website:

“Augusta National Golf Club was founded by Bobby Jones, the legendary amateur champion, and Clifford Roberts, an astute investment banker in New York.  Upon his retirement from championship golf in 1930, Bobby Jones had hoped to realize his dream of building a golf course.

“Following a brief conversation with Clifford Roberts, with whom Jones had met several times during the mid-1920s, it was decided the Club would be built near Augusta, Georgia, provided a suitable piece of ground was available.

“Thomas Barrett, Jr., a mutual friend of Jones and Roberts, was consulted and recommended a 365-acre property called Fruitland Nurseries.  An option was taken on the property for $70,000.  It was decided to establish a national membership for the Club, and Jones proposed Augusta National would be an appropriate name.  Construction on the new course began in the first half of 1931 and the course opened in December 1932 with a limited amount of member play.  Formal opening took place in January 1933.”

Then, in 1934, Jones and Roberts decided to hold an annual event, which was the start of Masters.

One of favorite golf writers, George Peper, now editor of Links Magazine, remembers many of the stories of the Masters over the years.  Under this headline —  These days, it’s not so much who wins the Masters but how the victory unfolds – Peper wondered what stories would be told about the Masters this year.

He suggested these possibilities:

1. Against All Odds:  History is made as Stewart Hagestad (or one of the five other amateurs in the field) becomes the first amateur to win the Masters.
2. Mission Accomplished:  Rory McIlroy, after more than a decade of frustration at Augusta, becomes the sixth player in history to complete the career grand slam.
3. Brilliance:  Gary Woodland, a year after brain surgery, scores a triumph of the human spirit.
4. True Grit:  A few months ago, Will Zalatoris’ career was imperiled by a crippling back — now he’s the Masters champion.
5. Boy Wonder:  Twenty-year-old phenom Nick Dunlap becomes the youngest player to don a green jacket.
6. How Swede It Is:  If Ludvig Åberg becomes the first Scandinavian to win the Masters, he might just be the next Tiger Woods.
7. Three Down, One to Go:  Collin Morikawa (or Brooks Koepka) joins an elite club as the winner of three of the game’s four major titles.
8. The Lion in Winter:  At age 53, Phil Mickelson once again summons the magic, becoming the oldest Masters champion and equaling Arnold Palmer’s four wins.
9. Richly Deserved:  $400,000,000 Man Jon Rahm, unspoiled by his wealth, returns successfully to defend his title.
10. Number One Hands Down:  With his second Masters and seventh title in 26 months, Scottie Scheffler is unquestionably the best player in the world.
11. Nice Guy Finishes First:  Rickie Fowler — or Tony Finau, Tommy Fleetwood, Max Homa, Sahith Theegala — scores a big one for the good guys.
12. Battle Royal #1—Bullfight:  Brooks Koepka vs. Bryson DeChambeau.
13. Battle Royal #2—Ryder Cup Reprise:  Rory McIlroy vs. Patrick Cantlay.
14. Battle Royal #3—Justice Triumphs:  Anyone beats Patrick Reed.

“Bottom line,” Peper writes, “I don’t care who wins, as long I’m thoroughly entertained.”

Me, too.  Though it would not bother me if a “new Jack Nicklaus” pulled a rabbit out of hat as Nicklaus did in 1986.  His iconic win then, with his son on his bag as a caddie, ranks for me as my “#1 Masters.”

Well, perhaps #2…because the tournament on-site with my daughter in 2015 always will rank as #1.

his is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

In case you wonder, the word “ignoramus” in the headline refers to Donald Trump.

I join many others who cannot believe this kind of “no ethics” person could move into the Oval Office again.

Tom Nichols in Atlantic Magazine summarizes my thoughts exactly:

“The 2024 election has become a kind of waking nightmare in which many of us stare at Donald Trump as he unleashes some new attack on any number of targets:  A judge’s daughter, immigrants, the rule of law, American national security, the Constitution.  

“And we blink and shake our heads, stunned to think that many of our fellow citizens are eager to put this autocratic ignoramus back in the White House.”

Enough said, at least for now.

*********

[Except for this:  If, by some chance, you want to read more about the ignoramus, note a new column by Dana Milbank in the Washington Post.  It will make you cringe with worry about the future of our country with Trump having a chance for re-election.]

This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

If you were in the business of touting positive public policy developments in Oregon, there is at least one issue that would NOT make the list – foster care.

The state’s record in this issue is both terrible and embarrassing.

As someone who was involved in state public policy issues for more than 40 years, I cannot believe that more state managers and workers have not paid a price for this failure.  “Paid a price” means losing their jobs.

This became clear again yesterday as Oregon Capital Chronicle covered the story in this way:

“The Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS), under pressure by lawmakers and advocates over its care of foster children in hotels, released a report on Tuesday acknowledging past mistakes.

“Many were related to its contract with Dynamic Life, a Keizer-based non-profit run by a former pastor, which started at $500,000, but quickly expanded to $12 million for support services for foster kids while they were in hotels.

“The contractor hired staff to look after vulnerable children but didn’t run background checks on them and didn’t give them proper training.  Public records revealed that staff mistreated children by improperly restraining them and withholding medication, among other things, and yet DHS paid Dynamic Life more than 100 times what it typically pays foster parents to care for children in short-term rentals, according to an investigation by Oregon Public Broadcasting last year.”

This is only the latest step in what could be called a crescendo of bad acts dating back more years than are worth counting.

The agency’s report, which was conducted by the DHS Office of Resilience and Emergency Management, detailed mistakes in hiring Dynamic Life.  It also included promises by DHS management to ensure better oversight of contracts in the future.

That response didn’t mollify the agency’s harshest critic in the Legislature, Senator Sara Gelser Blouin, chair of the Senate Interim Committee on Human Services.  She told the Capital Chronicle the report was superficial and doesn’t reflect the seriousness of the problems suffered by children, and the agency’s failure to ensure they were protected.

Her quote:

“Although the report concludes with an acknowledgement of ‘the extreme stress and harm’ to DHS staff, not once does the agency accept accountability for or even acknowledge the severe harm imposed on children. 

“This includes dozens and dozens of inappropriate physical restraints, consistent and severe medication errors, violation of child rights and reported shaming over sexual orientation and gender identity.  These harms were a direct result of DHS’ failure to regulate and monitor these unlicensed organizations despite paying them millions of taxpayer dollars and entrusting them with the lives and bodies of some of the most victimized and traumatized kids in Oregon.”

In this year’s legislative session, Gelser Blouin tried to pass a bill that would have mandated that contractors supervising foster kids in temporary lodging be licensed.  But DHS objected to that requirement, saying it wouldn’t be able to find a provider to care for kids in hotels.  So that provision was removed from Senate Bill 1521 before it passed.

Not good.

Overall, thousands of Oregon children remain in the state’s foster care system.  They deserve better than they are getting from the State of Oregon.