We’ve written before about Larry David’s love of golf in spite of his disdain for some of the game’s pretentious elements. And of course we’ve written plenty about Augusta National Golf Club's austere reputation. So what happens when the two intersect?
Pretty much what you’d expect, at least if you’re going by this story shared by former NHLer Ryan Whitney on the popular Spittin’ Chiclets podcast last week (Chiclets is primarily a hockey podcast, but we’ve also written about host Whitney’s own golf obsession). Whitney claims to have gotten his hands on a text the comedian sent a friend following his inaugural round at Augusta National, and it is quintessential David—with details about his round, the course’s surprisingly wide fairways, and the inevitable jabs at the membership’s absent sense of humor. Here’s Whitney:
https://twitter.com/spittinchiclets/status/1091399048559509504?s=21
Of course it’s fair to ask whether David is hypocritically ripping on a club he clearly wanted to play. Maybe, but as he told Golf Digest in 2015, he’s never let his principles get in the way of a choice invite.
“Look, you're going to hate yourself anyway; what's another log on the fire?” David told Bill Scheft in Golf Digest’s 2015 Comedy Issue. “I understand there's a class system in place. And as piqued as I get, sacrifices have to be made. Will I forgo my liberal bona fides for a private course? Damn right I will.”