RR, it doesn’t have to encompass all of those things you mention, it can just be about a hat. It is an interesting discussion and I have some contradictory feelings about it. Like Teddy, I like what Wimbledon does with the white attire, and think it’s great and it adds to what that tournament is- if the Masters were to do something like that I think it would be kind of cool. I also feel it’s respectful to take your hat off when shaking hands after a round which is something I do and notice when it isn’t done. Though in that case, a lack of awareness about that, doesn’t necessarily imply a lack of decency in my view.
The things you mentioned are important I think, but it’s also important not to lump too many things into one small act because that blurs the view of what that one act is.
As regards your question about inviting someone into your home, I would say that yes you are free to do those things, and that’s why you’d be invited. I wouldn’t invite you in and then expect you to act like me- what fun would that be? 
If you started tearing the place up and starting fights I might have to take issue with you, but I can’t imagine it would come to that.
But I guess the point being that I’d see those types of things as the things to take issue with, not the hat. If he were hacking up the course, or wearing no pants, then it would be time to step in. Though I’m sure some would say that all that stuff starts with a hat worn the wrong way. But I don’t think so.
well spoken, sir…
bent
Good points by all. Guess it’s one of those grey areas.
Among other things, I’ve always admired Augusta’s stand with the major networks in limiting on-air commercial blocks. At one point I think network executives threatened to not televise the event. Augusta’s response: " go ahead, the players will still be here." And I’m confident that Fowler would be there too under those circumstances playing hard without millions seeing his face.
Great discussion really. Was thinking a few things this morning but not all the way through however. The image of someone dressed like Dennis Rodman at the winner’s podium accepting the award. 
Also. Don’t know if Georgia has this law or not, but in Michigan we have a medical marijuanna law. What would happen if a player from such a state had his legal carry card on him along with a stash of weed in the golf bag, and suddenly on the 15th hole developed a migraine headache. I can see it now. Bring back Gary McCord for a live broadcast of that scene. "Hey David…I’m here on the 15th tee and call me crazy but I think the guy’s blowing weed. 
I think it is a very interesting conversation for sure, and it’s far reaching in how it reflects on belief systems in any number of areas. I don’t see it getting to a Rodman wedding dress style green jacket presentation, but I could see some tournaments embracing the more peculiar. Already I think Phoenix(?) are embracing non traditional golf concepts with that stadium hole. It’s definitely new for golf and adds something that the newer people to the game probably appreciate. I’m not sure how I feel about it really, but it’s certainly popular for a lot. The modern game is so totally commercially driven that who knows where they’ll take it, or let it be taken, in order to keep people watching. Another example of how it’s in the wrong hands, imo. This speaks to some of my contradictory beliefs on this thing. Though my view isn’t that Fowler should be allowed to wear his hat just to attract new viewers, my thinking is that he should be allowed to wear his hat if he wants to wear his hat, however he wants to wear it. If not, then have an official rule about it that all the players understand and accept. Leaving it as an unknown, or down to the moment for some suit to call him on, is unfair to him and the players in general. Though maybe that was in the fine print of the invitation that he never read. Maybe Two could dig his out of the box and see what it says?
The medical M idea is very interesting, I wonder what the tour policy is on that. I know that players with high blood pressure who need to take beta blockers are allowed to with the correct documentation(dodgy, if you ask me, but…) so I imagine it’s the same for MM. Though probably not during the round… there’s no stoner emoticon!
This thread has been good. There are so many things that can go into one’s thoughts on this hat thing…from a knee jerk reaction, to a well thought out thesis that explores many other ramifications.
I really like Ricky Fowler, and was pulling for him to win. At first I had sort of a knee jerk, but I don’t think he meant any disrespect with his hat on backwards. However, I can see how another person could have interpreted it that way.
I also think the Masters, while not perfect, does a WHOLE LOT right. While nobody said they didn’t, I want to tell some of what I’ve seen. My first visit there gave me an overwhelming sense of “WOW, somebody knows how to look after a golf course,and run a tournament…I need to go back and apply some of this to what I do.” For me, it was almost reverent, like a glimpse of heaven. And I have only been a spectator…I cannot imagine what it must be like for a player. (thank you Two for sharing your experience).
That was in 1973…several trips through the years have created some great memories, and I went again this year to a practice round. Just stepping on the grass alone is an experience not to be forgotten. And it seems that even their asphalt is better than everyone elses’.
While it is an invitational, and they run the hazard of being called stuffy, backward,and elitists, it is obvious that great effort is made to be a gracious host…to make the experience as good as possible for the guests… the players, spectators, and media. (Bom, I like your point though…if they have a hat policy, then politely inform folks up front.)
You think it is perfect, but they keep making improvements…more, nicer, convenient restrooms, concessions, friendly courteous staff, ridiculously low prices. A little book with a message from Bobby Jones, giving pointers on spectating, and Masters history is given to you at the entrance. This year, a new practice range has been constructed where an old parking lot had been…while it was brand new, it looked like it had been there forever.
While a lot can be learned from how they do things, and courses now try to “Augustatize” themselves as Johnny Miller says…it’s hard to pull off. And that’s not a problem, except when they ARE stuffy and ridiculously expensive. St. Andrews obviously is very different, but still a “10.” Augusta and St. Andrews don’t need to try to copy each other.
I drifted and rambled. Sorry. Let me say it again…I like Ricky Fowler a lot, I’m a big fan, I hope he gets his green jacket one day.
I just need a liitle red pill for the “post Masters blues.” 
I don’t know if I have any Masters paraphernalia in my closet as far as rules go…maybe, would have to dig thru…the invitation is just one piece of cardboard with the tournament, the dates and a rsvp
But…if you watch all the Butler Cabin interviews and quite a lot of the media interviews nearly all players have their hats off…I think the powers that be certainly suggest this for the awards… I think it is certainly a worthy place to abide by some protocols…especially when it lives in the memory of Bobby Jones and the honest respect he tried to show throughout on and off the course. I believe (if given a hairbrush to fix the mess) all players should be hair only at presentations (forget the sponsors hats, at that point, they were on TV all day and next year the player will probably switched companies anyhow, so who wants a memento of Cleveland on your hat when the following year you are Nike) and in interviews it certainly gets more feeling by seeing the entire player, not a billboard.
I don’t mind the idea of taking your hat off at the end to shake hands with your fellow competitor…I don’t like the way some of the players just lift their hat in the air and shake however. That seems an afterthought not a real thing…either leave it on and shake hands and look the guy in the eye and mean it…or get the hat off, put it behind your back and shake hands like you mean it…don’t care for the half hearted stuff…you either do it properly or don’t do it at all.
I personally don’t always take my hat off to shake hands because i sweat like mad and look like a mess of sweat and hair and baldness.!!! But I mean no disrespect by not doing it…I take the other route and show my thanks with a good shake and a look in the eye to show I mean it.
Personally it irks me seeing hats worn indoors (and especially after a round when mates put their caps on the table) but really that all this is just a silly brainwashing I got growing up (from Irish ancestry btw Bom).
It also bothers me to see someone interviewed wearing a cap shadowing their face or sunglasses, not only because I feel we miss seeing the true emotions of someone but because they are putting sponsorship dollars ahead of everything. The Ryder Cup removes this and I feel we really get to know the players in it.
First, let me say I’ve been thinking about this since my post on this where I basically said that the green jacket that asked Rickie to fix his hat was being officious and such.
Second, I want to apologize to you, Range Rat, if I came off strident in my response to your post about respecting tradition and perhaps one should remove one’s hat when indoors, follow the traditions, etc. I respect your opinion and find your posts interesting and thought-provoking. And, I’ve had a change of mind and think you’re right. Traditions should be respected at The Masters and Rickie was right to comply, though I think all the players should remove their hats when doing post-round press conferences.
A very fair point. I offered my perspective not to decide on the measure of a gentleman, but that it is a polite gesture for a gentlemen to do. I was not saying that if you do or don’t then you are therefore defined as a gentleman.
It is my experience that most private clubs have a rule regarding wearing your hat bill forward. Augusta is likely no different in this case, and I think the member was requesting Rickie to respect the rules as he was an invited guest of the golf club. Regarding if it should be told to him upfront, I actually believe that is his responsibility to find out if wearing his hat backwards is against the dress code suggested by the club. If you are a guest of someone at their golf club, do you not look to see if they have rules, such as wearing shorts, or wearing your hat backwards and as a guest do you not want to comply with the code? Rickie is a guest of Augusta National and it is his responsibility to find out if wearing his hat backwards is against any rules.
If there is one thing I’ve learned about the computer world and posting is that not only is it difficult to get points across succinctly, there are also times when it seems numerous posts are needed to narrow things down to a razor’s edge- or as close to it as possible.
So no need to apologize Paul C, but I do recognize and appreciate your awareness to do so.
As we Americans say: No problem
As Bom and the Irish say: No Worries
As the Aussies say: Cheers Mate
I think I have those correct. A multilingual Rat 
I remember playing in Nationwide event a few years back…in Omaha… was playing with Michael Allen & Casey Martin… Omaha is hotter than the center of the earth in August and my hat was dripping sweat…so much that is was pouring off onto the ball when I addressed it. So I flipped it around…birdie…put it back on normal when I walked but would have to flip it around whenever I hit a shot or a putt…anyhow I birdied 3 holes in a row and a PGA official came up to me and informed me that I had to turn my hat around as there was a no rally cap rule during play…I thought he was cracking a joke because I was making a comeback to get near the cut line and told him to basically shove it because it wasn’t anything to do with a rally cap…I wasn’t being rude to anyone…it was the only way of keeping sweat from dripping off my head and hat onto my ball that was a distraction as I addressed the ball and I couldn’t not have a hat on because of the intense heat and I would get sunburn, and whenever I used a towel to wipe myself, the sweat was back 5 seconds later…so maybe they do/did have a rule about backwards hats at one point although i had never heard of it at the time…sounds like they don’t now…long story short I birdied the last 5 holes of the second round in rally cap mode!!
Cool thoughts, Eagle, thanks for sharing. Apart from everything else, I do love that they have such low prices on the grounds, they could so easily hike everything up and people would still buy the same stuff. It’s a great credit to Augusta that they leave that money on the table, I’ve got lots of respect for that stand. At the end of the day, there’s nothing like the Masters, and they know it, and know it’s value. All things being equal, they market that ‘product’ with as much class and grace as could be done. The 56 mins out of every hour being pure golf is an oasis in the modern game. They could so easily have sold their soul as the tour did, and people would still watch. But they didn’t, and golfers appreciate that in big way.
I do think they milk the tradition stuff on the coverage, it’s very hard to watch. Jim Nantz is basically unwatchable to me at this point, way too much fake nostalgia at every turn- though I just can’t handle him as a general rule.
Watching the 75 coverage before hand was so refreshing because they weren’t trying to sell it. That’s what bothers me about the modern coverage, it’s a big sell, but it doesn’t need to be sold, everyone already knows about the history and tradition blah blah blah. It actually gets diluted for me, having to listen to it in every sentence, it sounds fake after a while.
Spot on, when traditions start to be used as an angle sell the Masters, the Masters is no longer traditional. They just try too hard, just let it happen.
I got a good laugh at one of Day’s wild drives when a big Aussie accented “Bloody hell” came loud over the mic.
I knew you were from good stock 
I agree with most of the sentiments expressed. I do like to see hats off at the end of golf matches & indoors, but I guess it’s probably mostly because it makes me feel comfortable & that I should try to recognise that the guy with the pierciings & tattoos who left his hat on indoors might actually be a more respectful individual than the one with the suit & tie who took it off.
My issue is more with little rules, golf can be a bit of a bastion for little people with little rules, making the parameters of what is acceptable to us smaller than it might be is a dangerous road i think, the Augusta hat thing might a rule that could be done without ?
More respect ! but less rules ! 
I’m wondering will Kenny D ever get his slot back Bom ? got to give everyone a fair crack of the whip i guess, who’s the new guy ?
Would rather they asked the players to stop using their obnoxious white 5000cc drivers, if it is tradition they cared about. I think being respectful of tradition implies an awareness of and humility to history, an awareness that ones own existence is fleeting compared to history’s. I’m glad he turned the hat around without much fanfare. As far as being an individual goes in our society, few things are as original anymore as humility and respect. It’s far more conformist to be an obnoxious and cliche “individual”…
It’s a picture of James Joyce as a young man. I had a theory about changing the Kenny photo and it seems to have paid off I’ll stick with it until it stops working…