FORE the Good of the Game

1971 Masters Champion, Charles Coody, puts us all in the room with him, where he has been for 49 Masters Dinners, "FORE the Good of the Game."

Hale Irwin, a 3-time U.S. Open winner and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, shares his memories of growing up as a baseball Cardinals fan in Kansas and Colorado and learning the game of golf on sand greens at the local muni. Hale was a star athlete in football and baseball but eventually gravitated towards golf after winning the 1967 NCAA Division I Individual Golf Championship. Listen in as he takes us through his thinking process about playing professionally and ultimately qualifying at the first spring Tour School in 1968. Hale Irwin recounts his early years, "FORE the Good of the Game."

World Golf Hall of Fame member David Graham and Bruce Devlin reflect on their friendship and admiration for Jack Nicklaus, "FORE the Good of the Game."

Dave Stockton, winner of two PGA Championships, and Bruce Devlin reminisce about the simple pleasures of life on the road long before NetJets and luxury coaches, "FORE the Good of the Game."

Mark O’Meara, World Golf Hall of Fame Inductee and winner of two major championships, shares his earliest memories of learning the game growing up in Mission Viejo, CA. He enjoyed success at a young age as an All-American at Long Beach State and winning the 1979 U.S. Amateur Championship at Canterbury GC over defending champ and childhood friend, John Cook. As a 23-year-old, Mark found himself at Augusta National, teeing it up with the defending champion, Fuzzy Zoeller, at the Masters and then with Hale Irwin (defending champ) and Seve Ballesteros (reigning Open and Masters champ) at the U.S. Open at Baltusrol. Turning pro later that year, Mark earned PGA Rookie of the Year in his first full season on Tour. Mark O’Meara recounts his early years, “FORE the Good of the Game.”

World Golf Hall of Fame member, Tony Jacklin and Bruce Devlin reflect on the challenges in their early days on the PGA Tour when foreign players were seen as a threat to the livelihoods of the average touring professional. They, and many others, were the pioneers who globalized golf, "FORE the Good of the Game."

Bill Rogers takes us through the final round of his victory in the 1981 Open Championship at Royal St. George's Golf Club. Starting the day with a five shot lead, he made it interesting on the par-5 seventh before righting the ship and becoming the Champion Golfer of the Year. Bill Rogers shares his life-changing moment, "FORE the Good of the Game."

Dave Stockton has amassed a golf playing and teaching career worthy of induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Hear Dave recount his experience in the majors including the Masters that got away in 1974 and the 1978 U.S. Open that could have been his. He relives his PGA Championship win at Southern Hills, recalling the advice from Don January that later helped him cope in his final-round pairing with Arnold Palmer in 1970 as well as his victory at Congressional in 1976. Dave tells the tale of that iconic 1991 Ryder Cup win with he and his two sons at the helm, looks back on his remarkable senior record and the impact he has had on so many as a teacher of the game. Dave Stockton finishes relating his story for us, "FORE the Good of the Game."

Two-time winner of the PGA Championship and winning Ryder Cup Captain in the 1991 “War by the Shore”, Dave Stockton looks back on his start in golf under the watchful eye of his father Gail, an accomplished golf professional in his own right. Dave and Bruce reminisce about life on the Tour in the early days and their love of the small-town stops, the side hustles and the “trash talkers”. Dave recounts each of his regular PGA Tour wins including the encouragement he received from Ben Hogan on the eve of his fist victory at Colonial. Our thanks to Dave Stockton for sharing his early story, “FORE the Good of the Game.”

We begin with the 2-time Masters Champion in the 18th fairway of the final round of his emotional Masters win in 1995. He tells of his enduring love of his long-time caddie, Carl Jackson and how Carl’s perceptive eye spotted a swing flaw that turned Ben’s game around that week. Ben recounts his favorite U.S. Open and Open Championship experiences and venues. We cover the 1999 Ryder Cup “Battle at Brookline”, with history again coming down to the 17th hole with Justin Leonard’s improbable putt and the ensuing melee. He discusses his special partnership with Bill Coore and their impressive body of work to-date. Ben chooses where he would take his one career mulligan and what he would do differently, knowing what he now knows. Ben Crenshaw generously shares his story, “FORE the Good of the Game.”