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 of 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.

Scientists have come under loads of scrutiny, if not criticism, for their recommendations on vaccines to combat the Covid pandemic.

Some of it is deserved.  Some of it is not.

Just ask Anthony Fauci.

The Washington Post showed up this week with a column on the subject and it contained this helpful paragraph:

“How can two esteemed scientists look at the same evidence and come to such different conclusions?  Public health officials today are saddled with the unenviable task of providing clear, simple directives in response to a complex and constantly evolving pandemic.  No matter where they draw lines, the terrain under their feet is likely to shift.  The continuing booster debate is perhaps the clearest example of these challenges.”

Note the line – “no matter where they draw lines, the terrain under their feet is likely to shift.”

That’s the harsh reality.

If scientists twist data or lie, shame on them.

But, it they try to do the best they can with shifting sands, good for them.  They should not be subjected to media criticism when they try to negotiate the shifting sands.

I choose to rely on what looks to me to be reputable science, then make my own decisions.

Which is why my wife and I got the second booster shot last week – our fourth vaccine….two basic shots and two boosters.

Let solid science prevail.  

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 of 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 no one knows, The Masters’ Golf Tournament is over for the year, though the memories will linger with me for months.

This means it’s time to stop writing Masters’ blogs, so I go today to a continuing peril for all of us – disinformation.

It’s the attempt by various individuals – read the main one being Donald Trump – to befoul the air with bombast and lies.

The Atlantic Magazine wrote about this peril this week:

“We are living in a modern Babel, Jonathan Haidt argues:  ‘America is polarized, factionalized, and angry.’  He blames social media—specifically, how it evolved after 2009.

“Social scientists have identified at least three major forces that collectively bind together successful democracies:  Social capital (extensive social networks with high levels of trust), strong institutions, and shared stories, Haidt writes.  ‘Social media has weakened all three.’”

Trump was merely the first politician to exploit this new political and cultural environment.  There will be more.  There already are.

But, how do we put the country back together again?  Haidt, the author, proposes three reforms, each of which will take time, if they have the potenjtial to be successful at all.

1. Harden democratic institutions. 

“Reforms should reduce the outsize influence of angry extremists and make legislators more responsive to the average voter in their district.  One example of such a reform is to end closed party primaries, replacing them with a single, non-partisan, open primary from which the top several candidates advance to a general election that also uses ranked-choice voting.”

2. Reform social media. 

“The main problem with social media is not that some people post fake or toxic stuff; it’s that fake and outrage-inducing content can now attain a level of reach and influence that was not possible before 2009.  Perhaps the biggest single change that would reduce the toxicity of existing platforms would be user verification as a pre-condition for gaining the algorithmic amplification that social media offers.”

3. Prepare the next generation. 

“The most important change we can make to reduce the damaging effects of social media on children is to delay entry until they have passed through puberty.  More generally, to prepare the members of the next generation for post-Babel democracy, perhaps the most important thing we can do is let them out to play.”

As I write this, I remember a major Atlantic article that ran before the last presidential election.  It posited that Trump’s major campaign strategy would be to impart disinformation.

He did.

I even remember the name of Trump’s campaign manager, Brad Parscale, who made his professional reputation by lying, cheating, and stealing, no matter the consequences.

The good news is that, in the end, neither Parscale nor Trump was successful despite the vitriol they espoused then and continue to espouse today about a stolen election.

It’s just another of Trump’s actions as a narcissist – he lies all the time as a matter of course.  Truth doesn’t matter.  Nor does context.  Nor does the future of this country.

In another article this week, Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg wrote this:

“Last week, a Michigan congresswoman whose existence had not yet entered the rest of the country’s consciousness credited, Donald Trump with having ‘caught Osama bin Laden,’ among other terrorists.

“It is difficult to forget that night in 2011 when Barack Obama told the world that, on his orders, a team of Navy commandos had killed the al-Qaeda leader.  But Representative Lisa McClain, a first-term member of Congress, showed that, with effort, and with a desire to feed Trump’s delusions and maintain her standing among his supporters, anything is possible.

“In ordinary times, McClain’s claim would have been mocked and then forgotten.  But because these are not ordinary times — these are times in which citizens of the same country live in entirely different information realities — I put her assertion about bin Laden on a kind of watch list.

“In six months, I worry, we may learn that a provably false claim made by a single unserious congressional backbencher has spread into MAGA America, a place where Barack Obama is believed to be a Kenyan-born Muslim and Donald Trump is thought to be the victim of a coup.

“Disinformation is the story of our age.  We see it at work in Russia, whose citizens have been led to believe the lies that Ukraine is an aggressor nation and that the Russian army is winning a war against modern-day Nazis.

“We see it at work in Europe and the Middle East, where conspiracies about hidden hands and occult forces are adopted by those who, in the words of the historian Walter Russell Mead, lack the ability to ‘see the world clearly and discern cause and effect relations in complex social settings.’

“We see it weaponized by authoritarians around the globe, for whom democracy, accountability, and transparency pose mortal threats.  And we see it, of course, in our own country, in which tens of millions of voters believe that Joe Biden is an illegitimate president because the man he beat in 2020 specializes in sabotaging reality for personal and political gain.”

So, what happens in what could be called the “disinformation age,” not the “information age?”

Mass delusion has enormous consequences for the future of democracy, especially in the U.S.

As one expert noted, “Democracy depends on the consent of the losers.”

But, the Atlantic continues, “Sophisticated, richly funded, technology-enabled disinformation campaigns are providing losers with other options.” 

They don’t have to accept losing in the sense of losing a political argument or contest.  They want to fight.  They want to oppose.  They even want to kill. 

For all of us, we need to focus, as much as we can, on the difference between disinformation posted by those who want to influence with lies and innuendo, and information you simply don’t like or find narratively inconvenient.

Decide first, with energy and intellect, what you think, by relying on credible sources of information.  Then be willing, in a spirit of compromise and openness, to consider what others think, and, even, be willing to change your mind.

Also, avoid drowning in social media, with its inherent excesses.  

That’s the way to limit disinformation.

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 of 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.

Before Sunday’s final round of The Masters’ golf tournament, I said I hoped Scottie Scheffler, one of my new favorite golfers, would find a way to win.

He did.

On TV, it looked like he did not have his best stuff on the course, missing fairways, and greens, but chipping and putting to save himself.

His rise to The Masters’ pinnacle was one of the fastest on record.  He won in only his third start at Augusta National and, beyond The Masters’ win, has prevailed in four of the last six professional golf events.  That’s four victories over about six weeks!

I also have been struck by Scheffler’s seemingly even temperament under pressure.

On Saturday, in the third round, he showed that when he hit a terrible drive to the left on hole #18.  He found his golf ball in the brush, took a penalty, then hit a remarkable 3-iron more than 240 yards just over the green.  From there, he got up and down for an unlikely bogey.  It could have been far worse.

Various stories in advance of Sunday’s final round indicated that Scheffler woke up Sunday morning not feeling confident about the task ahead.  With several hours before teeing off, he spent time with his wife, Meredith, who reportedly told him he was up to the task and should go out and have fun as he tried to win.

It worked.  He came to the course in a solid frame of mind and the rest is history.

Scheffler also says he owes a lot to his still relatively new caddie Ted Scott, who, with Scheffler’s win yesterday, now has carried the bag for three Masters’ wins, two for Bubba Watson and one for Scheffler.

Here is how GolfWeek’s on-line magazine described how Scheffler and Scott got together.

“When Scottie Scheffler heard that Bubba Watson and caddie Ted Scott had parted ways in the fall, Scheffler figured it was worth a call to see what Scott, who had been on the bag for Watson’s two Masters’ victories and double-digit wins, planned to do next.  After all, it’s not every day that a veteran caddie with Scott’s resume becomes available.

“Scheffler, 25, and Scott, 48, had met in bible study a year earlier and Scheffler got to know him best during the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in late April when Scheffler partnered with Watson in the two-man team event.

“’I already thought the world of him as a person,’ Scheffler said.

“Scott said he thought he was done with caddying, but that changed when his phone rang.

“’He called me up and said, ‘I really want to work with a Christian.’  ‘That’s how I try to live my life,’ Scott said on Sunday. The other thing he said was, ‘I really like competing.’  I said, ‘I like competing.’  Thought it could be a fun thing. We hashed out the details.”

“That actually is an over-simplification of a difficult decision that he and his family prayed about.  Scott has been teaching golf since he was 27 years old, and counts Division I golfers and those he teaches on-line in Scotland and Ireland among his students.  Four years ago, he had a simulator installed at home and he considered coaching full time after 21 years on the bag for the likes of Paul Azinger, Grant Waite and Watson.

“’If I was going to go back to caddying, I didn’t want it to be where the only thing in this world is winning golf tournaments.  It would have to be a pretty special opportunity.  I want to get better at life as well.  I kept asking myself, ‘What is it that’s going to make me want to do it?’  

“’There wasn’t a lot of possibilities in my head until Scottie called and he touched all the things that I like,’ Scott said.  Even though he’s only 25, Scottie’s very mature and I knew he would sharpen me up in a lot of ways and I could sharpen him in a lot of ways. It was a lot more than I could go caddie for a great player and win a bunch of tournaments.

“After Scheffler’s offer, Scott left the decision in his family’s hands.

“I asked my family to pray upon it for a week.  They came back and said to go caddie for Scottie. I said, ‘Let’s pray upon it for another week.’  It wasn’t even my decision,’ he said.”

There.  That’s why I like how Scheffler – and Scott – approach life.  They say golf is what they do, together, not who they are.

I hope the tandem keeps going in golf and in life.

**********

And, for me, another great day of texting back and forth with my daughter as we watched our favorite tournament from disparate locations, Woodinville, Washington for her and La Quinta, California for me.  A great father-daughter experience no matter the distance.

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 of 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.

Masters’ golf tournament leader Scottie Scheffler proved he was human as he teed off on hole #18 in yesterday’s third round.

He did what any golfer would recognize, either on the last tee or any other tee for that matter:  He hit a terrible drive, ending up in the weeds, not sure his golf ball would be found.

But, as he walked up #18, to his relief, his golf ball was found within the allotted three minutes.  But, then, he had to decide what to do in an attempt to retain his lead heading toward the Masters’ final round on Sunday.

Here’s how the Wall Street Journal described the situation and his reaction under this headline:

“Facing calamity, Scottie Scheffler remained calm.  Does a Masters’ title await?”

“At times on a frigid and fraught Saturday, Scottie Scheffler appeared in the process of strangling Augusta National Golf Club, a Masters’ assault that might seem built on the Texan’s pulse, which may not register on an oximeter.

“It seemed that way when he was rolling along with a six-shot lead.  It seemed that way at 18, when an army of people was foraging for his golf ball in a thicket.

“Once found, a reasoned discussion began.

“’I really feel like I’m allowed to move the pine straw,’ Scheffler flatly said to a rules official, a moment before asking, ‘Am I allowed to replace that?’

“His heart rate, in all of that?

“’It went up when I saw that they couldn’t find the ball,’ Scheffler said afterward.  ‘But then it went back down when they found it.’

“This could have been a calamity.  He handled it calmly — and then unleashed a blistering 3-iron of some 240 yards that served as a tourniquet. He finished with a bogey.  He staved off much worse.”

The more I learn and know about Scheffler, the more I like him.

He treasures his family and his faith.  He loves golf, but, as one of his good friends put it, “golf is what he does, not what he is.”

Here’s more from the Wall Street Journal:

“What Scheffler is doing — leading the Masters at 9 under par after a mostly steady 71 in which he courted disaster but coolly staved it off — would appear to be a continuation of the golf he has played over the past two months.

“What it is, really, is merely an unveiling of the foundation Scheffler built at Royal Oaks Country Club in Dallas.  It is a place where pros roam.  Even at 9 or 10, Scheffler would settle in on the range.  He would watch.  And he would work.

“He was pretty quiet, as he is now,” said one of those pros, Justin Leonard, a major champion and Ryder Cup hero. “He didn’t ask a lot of questions. He just kind of took things in. But he wouldn’t just sit there all day long, either. He was working a lot on his own stuff.”

“If Scheffler was the sponge as a kid, he is wringing out every drop of what he learned all around Augusta this week.  His lead headed into Sunday’s final round is three shots over Australian Cam Smith, five shots over South Korean Sungjae Im and seven shots over Irishman Shane Lowry and South African Charl Schwartzel.

“It is not the blowout Saturday seemed destined to produce.  What it is:  An opportunity for Scheffler to show those who don’t know him — read, non-golf nerds — the game he built and the mind that allows him to put it on display.

“’For me, it’s best to probably stay in the moment,’ Scheffler said earlier in the week, ‘because I don’t know how long I’m going to be able to play golf out here.’

“That sounds like something uttered by someone at 45, wondering how long he can hang on.  Scheffler is 25 and decidedly on the rise — at the moment the top-ranked player in the world.  Two months ago, he hadn’t won an event on the PGA Tour.  Now he has won three of his past five.

“Yet understanding that such status could be fleeting has to be grounded in those days learning how very good golfers become elite professionals, both in work and humility.  He is married to his high school sweetheart and passes the time between rounds here with board games, not beers.  His plan for a nervy Saturday night: kick back and watch a few episodes of “The Office” with his wife.

“’He isn’t necessarily defined by golf, so I think that will serve him well because obviously golf is very difficult and you’re going to have great stretches and you’re going to have some bad stretches,’ said Sam Burns, another 25-year-old who probably is Scheffler’s best friend on tour.  ‘At the end of the day, he knows that golf isn’t everything.  It’s not who he is.  It’s what he does.’”

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As I said above, the more I know and learn about Scheffler, the more I like him.

Here’s wishing him success on this day, the day, as it is said, “The Masters starts on the back nine on Sunday.”

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 of 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 may not be the best idea to relive Masters’ meltdowns while so much good golf went on during day two of this year’s tournament.

More is expected today, as:

• Tiger Woods, who incredibly made the cut, continues his walk across Augusta National – and the abiding question is, with bad legs, can he make it.

• Scottie Scheffler continues an incredible run, which has pushed him into the #1 player the world — a five-shot lead heading into day three of the Masters.

• Justin Thomas continues to re-bound after a bad first round and a great second.

As for Masters’ meltdowns, my on-line version of Links Magazine showed up last night with a list of the top seven meltdowns.

So, here, I list them, even as I try to forget them and focus on the good golf today.  In order, here they are:

• Rory McElroy, who came apart at Amen Corner in 2011.

• Ken Venturi, who three-putted his way to defeat in 1956.

• Jordan Spieth, who rinsed two tee balls on the 12^th hole to miss getting two Masters’ titles in a row.  [And, he also hit two balls in to Rae’s Creek yesterday on the way to missing the cut.]

• Ed Sneed, who three-putted to lose in 1979.

• Roberto De Vicenzo, who signed an incorrect scorecard in 1968, thus losing the title.

• Scott Hoch, who missed a three-foot putt to lose in 1989.

• Greg Norman, who lost a six-stroke lead in the back nine in 1996, thus allowing Nick Faldo to prevail.

I happen to remember some of these meltdowns.  But enough.

Back to the good.

I intend to watch all afternoon to see more positive highlights at The Masters, “a tradition unlike any other.”

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 of 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 usual, I watched as much as possible of day one of my favorite golf tournament of the year, The Masters.

It was, again, good TV.

But, not the best.

Here are a few day-one perceptions.

ESPN COVERAGE:  One of my friends told me last night that she was disappointed with ESPN coverage. 

Too many talking heads, she said.  Not enough golf, she added.

I agree.

I would have liked to see more golf.  If I wanted talking heads, I would have tuned in to the Golf Channel – as I often do.

I expect that things will improve this weekend when CBS-TV will dominate coverage, with a signature line by commentator host, Jim Nantz – “The Masters – a tradition unlike any other.”

According to Golf Digest, Nantz’ famed catchphrase certainly has a lot of truth to it — because there are plenty of traditions (Champions Dinner, Par 3 Contest, honorary tee shots, concession stand prices that barely change even amid rampant inflation, etc.) associated with the tournament.

So, yeah, it’s a great catchphrase.

One that the tournament trademarked in 2015.  Actually, it’s kind of amazing it took that long.

SPEAKING OF MASTERS’ CATCH PHRASES:  There is another one that makes its way, inevitably, into all TV coverage.

“The Masters doesn’t start until the back nine on Sunday!”

Of course, that’s not technically true.  The Masters actually started yesterday.  But the sentiment is accurate.

The likelihood is that the potential winner won’t emerge until the back nine on Sunday.  But let me just say this – I’ll watch every hole between now and then.

WHERE WAS JUSTIN THOMAS?:  As I watched several hours of TV coverage, I never once saw golf pro Justin Thomas on the screen.

Perhaps that was because he shot four over par.  And I only know that because I had to go on-line to find the Masters’ leaderboard where I saw his name far down the list.

But, in the run-up to the tournament, Thomas was listed as one of the favorites, so there should have been just a bit of coverage of his round one problems.

I also predicted he had a good chance to win the tournament, ending a tough run for him in the majors. 

Still possible, I suppose, but not likely.

WHAT A LIVE MIC CATCHES:  It happens a lot these days, given the understandable bent to catch, not just the pictures of golf, but also the sounds.

But the mics yesterday caught two “f-bombs” being uttered by players after they hit bad shots or got bad breaks.

Bad words happen a lot in life, not just on a golf course.  But, if you are a TV producer of golf, I suspect you don’t like it, but there’s not much you can do about the problem.  Just as is true of what happens in other televised sports.

So it is on to day two.  More memories in a “tradition unlike any other.”

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 of 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.

The question in this blog headline is on many of our minds as we anticipate one of the best, if not the best, tournaments of the year, The Masters’.

Some fans may say, or hope, that Tiger Woods could prevail because he has said he intends to play even though he also says he has not fully recovered from a horrendous auto accident a year ago that nearly robbed him of the ability to walk, much less to play golf.

Golf Week Magazine showed up this week with a list of “sleepers” who could have a chance to win.  The list included:

• Shane Lowry, who has a solid short game, enough to win “The Open” (the British Open a couple years ago)

• Tommy Fleetwood, who has knocked on the winning door, but come up short

• Tyrell Hatton, who makes most of his headlines for the anger he shows on the golf course, though he also is a good player (for me, not fun to watch)

• Bubba Watson, who has won the Masters’ twice and always shows up ready to play at his favorite tournament of the year, including when he helps with the “Drive, Chip and Putt” event for budding golfers

• Jon Rahm, who just was replaced in the top ranking spot by…the next player on this list

• Scottie Scheffler, who has become one of my favorite golfers based on his great play, plus stalwart citizenship (I remember seeing him when he played for the University of Texas in the 2015 NCAA National Golf Championship, which was held at Eugene Country Club.  Turned out that the University of Oregon won the title on its home course, but, in the match play finals, Scheffler took down the Ducks’ #1 player, Aaron Wise.)

To this list, I would add:

• Jordan Spieth, who usually plays well at The Masters,” sometimes well enough to win

• Collin Morikawa, who has developed into one of the game’s stars

• Viktor Hovland, who is the only golfer on the PGA Tour, so far at least, from Norway (the homeland of my forbears)

• Dustin Johnson, who is a former champion perhaps rounding into form

So, who is my favorite this year?  Well, not a name on either list above.

I think Justin Thomas is in a good position to win, given the overall strength of his game, particularly with his irons.  He also has an ability to play in tough weather conditions, which could be the case at Augusta National this year.

For Thomas, the question always revolves around his putter.  If he is on, watch out.

He showed golf fans a lot when he played in the recent Players Championship and almost emerged as the winner.  On the bad-weather Saturday of that tournament in Florida, Thomas displayed great touch with his driver, 3-metal, and long-irons that almost defied belief. 

He hit into the wind with verve, vigor and aggression.  Most of those competing against him did not.

Will this translate to the Masters’? 

Of course, no one knows, but, if I was betting on golf tournaments – and I do not – I would place money on Thomas.  Besides, he’s fun to watch with none other than the great caddie, Bones McKay, on his bag.  [I add that it will be unusual not to see McKay’s previous Phil Mickelson in the field this year.  I continue to hope he finds a way to restore his reputation because he is good for golf.]

By his own admission, a win for Thomas would help him rise above past major-tournament failures. 

To me, it also would be a win for the ages because I am a Thomas fan.

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 of 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.

Links Magazine shows up today with another solid on-line contribution.

It lists what it calls, properly so from my vantage, the five best Masters’ highlights over the life of the tournament, which starts later this week in Augusta, Georgia.

Unfortunately, the way Links publishes its on-line version makes it impossible for me to copy the story and share it with family and friends.  So, from my memory, here are the five highlights, in order, from fifth to first:

5.  BEN CRENSHAW WINS HIS SECOND GREEN JACKET

Only a couple days after returning to Augusta National from the funeral of his long-time friend and golf mentor, Harvey Penick, Crenshaw persevered.  He was overcome with emotion on the 18^th hole when he sank a putt to take the victory, even as he fell into the arms of his usual Masters’ caddie, Carl Jackson.

LARRY MIZE CHIPS IN FOR AN UNPREDICTABLE VICTORY

When he tied two other more famous players – Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman – for the lead after the fourth round, no one would have expected Mize to win in the playoff.

Then, he did the amazing, which is still fun to watch.  He chipped in from a terrible lie on the 11^th hole, thus denying Norman a Masters’ win, which he never got.  [By the way, Ballesteros already has gone out of the playoff after three-putting on the 1^st hole.]

TIGER WOODS WINS HIS FIFTH GREEN JACKET

Against long odds, Woods played in 2019 – and, with his family in the 18^th hole gallery – won his fifth Masters,’ prompting hugs all around after, incredibly, he prevailed.

AND MORE WOODS – IN 1997, HE WINS BY 12 SHOTS

As a 21-year-old, Woods won his first Masters’ by an incredible 12 shots.  And that was after he shot 40 on his first nine holes of the tournament.  At the time, no one knew how would continue to conquer the tournament, even as might set out to do this year as he decides “at game-time” whether to play again.

JACK NICKLAUS LAUNCHES HIMSELF INTO MASTERS’ HISTORY

In 1986, Nicklaus, with son Jackie on his bag as caddie, Nicklaus thrilled the golfing world by winning his sixth green jacket.  Me too!

He was 46 years old!

I still get goose bumps when I see again the TV coverage of his win – for the ages!

So, as I relive in words these five highlights, two questions arrive:  (1) Do you agree that these are the five best highlights and, if not, what are the others?  (2) And, what will be the new highlights in this year’s tournament?

I cannot wait to find out later this week when I am glued to the TV coverage — and communicating with my daughter by phone as we connect in our favorite golf tournament of the year, even as we sit about 1,000 miles away from each other.

For the Masters,’ distance doesn’t matter!

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 of 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!

Nothing more needs to be said.

But here I go anyway.

As I anticipate watching my favorite professional golf tournament of the year next week, two unusual questions are being asked this year.

They are:

• Will Phil Mickelson, who has won three times, change his mind and decide he wants to play this year after fomenting so much controversy over his dalliance with the budding rival golf league involving a terrorist state – Saudi Arabia?

The answer is “no.”

• Will several-time champion Tiger Woods decide to play, even though he says he has not fully recovered from a horrific automobile accident a couple years ago?

The possible answer is “yes.”

The fact that Mickelson will not play is good for the Masters.  If he was on site, he would become a focal point, at least for the media, and that would end up detracting from a golf tournament which makes headlines on good play from those who participate, as well as on how well it organizes one of golf’s crown jewels.

As for Woods, he has said previously that he does not yet have the physical capacity or endurance to walk four full rounds on a golf course, including Augusta National.

But this story appeared on-line from the Southern California Golf Association:

“Tiger Woods is set to take a trip down to Augusta National in the coming days to walk the course before deciding whether to play at The Masters.

“As things stand, the 15-time major champion is still in the field for the famous tournament which he sensationally won in 2019.  As per the official Masters’ website, his name and picture are still on the list.”

And, yesterday, Woods, in fact, did walk the course and said his decision on whether to play would be made at game-time.

For my part, I decline to focus on each of the questions listed above.  Instead, I will get ready for this great tournament by:

• Getting my official Masters’ chair (at least I will do so in my mind because the chair is back home in Salem, Oregon while I am in La Quinta, California)
• Getting get my official Masters’ coffee mug (same issue; the mug is back in Oregon)
• Calling back and forth with my daughter as she watches the tournament in Woodinville, Washington, and I watch in La Quinta

It’s a great father-daughter experience no matter how far away geographically we are from each other. 

We love to share the Masters’ experience, which we were fortunate enough to have on-site in 2015 and now repeat each year from our homes in the Northwest.

Back in 2015, we arrived in Augusta on a Wednesday to watch the par 3 contest and a few other practice-round shots.  In the stands for the par 3 contest on hole #6, we watched Masters’ member Condolezza Rice welcome players to that tee.

And, from afar, we heard the cheers when Jack Nicklaus made a hole-in-one on hole #4.

Many pros walked over from several holes away to congratulate Nicklaus on his feat.  [By the way, he has announced that age will deflect from playing any more in the par 3 contest.]

After the first round, we made it home to watch the final two rounds in TV.

The Masters is my favorite tournament to watch all year long.  Every other year, the Ryder Cup might come close.  But the Masters’ remains.

Great memories for a lifetime!

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 of 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 issue – the urban-rural divide –is alive and well in Oregon. 

It was back when I worked in state government in the late 1980s.  It is today.

There are at least two aspects of this divide.  One is that it is real.  Urban issues are different than rural issues.  Rural issues are different than urban issues.

The second is that the divide is often perceived as a political issue.  It is assumed that those who represent urban areas don’t understand rural realities.  The reverse also is true.

The nexus of the issue often rests in the Oregon Legislature.  To the consternation of those from rural areas in the state, leaders of the Legislature in Salem almost always hail from urban Oregon.

And, often, they don’t understand rural issues and, on occasion, also give the appearance of not caring.

Given the make-up of the Legislature – heavily weighted toward urban areas – those who represent rural areas often have difficulty rising to positions of leadership.

One of the best examples of the urban-rural divide occurred in the gubernatorial election back in2010.  Republican political newcomer, Chris Dudley, then having just retired from a stint in professional basketball with the Portland Trailblazers, took on Democrat veteran John Kitzhaber.

The result?

Kitzhaber won with 51 per cent of the vote.

But, Dudley won 29 of Oregon’s 36 counties, most of them rural.  Kitzhaber prevailed when late Multnomah and Lane County votes, the vast majority of them Democrat votes, pushed him over the top.

For my part, I often encountered the urban-rural divide when I served as deputy director of the Oregon Economic Development Department, now called Business Oregon.

This reality persisted:  It was easier to help businesses locate or expand in urban Oregon than in rural Oregon.  That is a harsh reality of the split, not a testament to political differences of the sort that marked the Kitzhaber-Dudley gubernatorial race.

So, what to do about the divide?

Well, it turns out one man is on a quest to conquer it, or at least understand more about it.

That man is Les Zaitz, a veteran Oregon journalist who runs rural newspapers and a digital news service. 

According to a blog on my old company’s website (CFM Advocates), Zaitz is on a mission to find out what Oregonians think about the urban-rural divide and what they want from their next governor.  He teamed up with Rural Development Initiatives and the Agora Journalism Center in Portland to conduct four hour-long virtual listening sessions with participants from all corners of the state.  The Pamplin group of newspapers and Jefferson Public Radio in Southern Oregon also assisted.

Zaitz has been an award-winning journalist in Oregon for 45 years, much of it covering state affairs.  He now lives on a ranch located in a national forest in Northeast Oregon and runs rural newspapers and the digital news service, Oregon Capital Chronicle, which, among other things, publishes Salem Reporter.

As an investigative reporter, Zaitz covered stories about Mexican drug cartels, corrupt legislators, a major bank failure, and phony charities.

Among his findings so far:

• Oregon voters are hungry for someone who can look past party affiliation to unite the state. That’s the view of 41 per cent of non-affiliated Oregon voters, who now make up the largest percentage of the state’s electorate as registration for both Democrats and Republicans has declined.
• “These citizens are worn out by the focus on party over performance,” Zaitz writes. “They recognize the impact – in Oregon and across the United States – of Republicans and Democrats treating each other like the enemy. For these voters, those party affiliations seem to be more about who has power, not who is doing best for Oregon.”
• Zaitz’ story includes a handful of quotes from listening session participants:

“Bipartisanship is hugely important, especially considering how much rural communities, low-income communities and communities of color have in common,” Angela Uherbelau said in an email after one session. “A governor who brings Democrats and Republicans together to solve our literacy and math crisis in Oregon would transform the state for years to come.”

“It’s important for the next governor to act in an apolitical, inclusive and constructive manner,” wrote Daniel Bachhuber. “These days, it seems like there is very little working across the aisle. Instead, it’s mostly attacks across the aisle.”

Ginger Savage wrote, “The last two years have shown us that no one party has the right answers to everything. Through the process of discussion and compromise, Oregonians’ lives will be better. The governor must rebuild so much trust, communication, compromise.”

“My hope for a bipartisan leader is that they will emphasize entertaining solutions and ideas representing all sides and viewpoints,” said Claire Conklin, noting that “our state and our country continue to move further apart.”

“We are at a pivotal time in our state, when we can either continue to see further division or begin to realize some unity,” Charlie Mitchell wrote. “This is a deep and wide divide and will not be resolved quickly or easily … I have little faith in the major parties as they are currently structured. I don’t believe the two major parties are serving us well at the state or national level.”

These, the blog went on, are the kinds of persons who think the next governor would learn a thing or two in far corners of Oregon that could be shared elsewhere – even in the cities.

More from my old company’s blog:

Listening sessions confirmed Oregonians in rural area believe the urban-rural divide is real and impacts their daily lives.  “This wasn’t some political talking point from rural politicians,” Zaitz observed.  “This wasn’t some rabid table-pounding demand to be cut loose to shift to Idaho. They live the divide every day in their communities.”

The divide manifests itself, according to listening session participants, in a lack of opportunity and short shrift on state funding.

“They see their communities as capable of solving their own problems,” Zaitz wrote.  “No one wanted the next governor to ride into town with saddle bags stuffed with solutions.  They want a governor to understand the real distinctions of rural life ­– why it is attractive for many, how its cadence differs from urban areas.”

“Several speakers remarked that rural communities are particularly skilled at addressing community needs” Zaitz said.  “’Resilient’ was one description applied several times.  By that, they seemed to mean that they were willing to do the work needed to fix whatever needed fixing.  They just needed a few more of the tools that urban areas get to do so.  They want the next governor to deliver.”

No one wanted the next governor to ride into town with saddle bags stuffed with solutions.  They want a governor to understand the real distinctions of rural life ­– why it is attractive for many, how its cadence differs from urban areas.

Their hope is Oregon’s next governor will “listen to them”, including getting out of Salem to meet with them on their home rural turf.  “They want genuine engagement, not just a whistle-stop tour through a Rotary Club luncheon or a contrived community meeting,” Zaitz said.

For my part, I wish Zaitz and his allies success in understanding the urban-rural divide.  It won’t go away, but it can be better understood.

I have worked with Zaitz over the years, especially when I represented state agencies in dealing the media, including Zaitz.  He always was fair, open and honest, critical qualities for his new venture – understanding the urban-rural divide.

I am rooting for success in his new quest, for success will benefit all of Oregon.