The one word that saw commentator Jack Whitaker banned from covering The Masters for five years
(Original Caption) Augusta, Ga. : Jack Nicklaus tosses his golf ball down the 18th fairway after holing out to win the 1966 Masters in playoff against Tommy Jacobs and Gay Brewer. It is truly remarkable the lengths that Augusta National will go to to ensure that The Masters is the most flawless sporting event on the planet every single year.
The large majority of the decisions are impossible to argue with. The golf course is never anything other than immaculate. Meanwhile, many of the traditions help evoke that strong sense of nostalgia that separates The Masters from almost any other golf tournament.
But there are some quirkier rules to keep in mind, including some of the words broadcasters are encouraged not to use. The commentator banned from The Masters for five years Spectators at Augusta National are patrons, rather than fans. Meanwhile, there is a preference to use the phrase ‘second nine’ rather than ‘back nine’.
You would like to think that the members would turn a blind eye to the occasional slip of the tongue, particularly when using common golf terms. However, one commentator found himself being banned from covering The Masters for five years, largely due to just one word he used on air. Photo by Augusta National/Getty Images Jack Whitaker was working for CBS at the 1966 Masters when he referred to the galleries following the Monday playoff as the ‘mob’.
It was Whitaker’s first experience of commentating on The Masters. He also failed to inform viewers that the Green Jacket would be presented after the playoff – which was won by Jack Nicklaus . According to Golf Digest , that upset then chairman Clifford Roberts.