Why Can't This Be The Norm in Public Life?

   Sunday in the Golden Isles was not the typical "Chamber of Commerce" day. Overcast, sprinkles and definitely a "stay at home day". We did, but the day was not wasted, The Masters final round was there on the tube.



   As the pundits opened the telecast, four guys who know golf, sitting around a table talking about what they think will happen in that final round. All four agree that Rory McIlroy is their favorite to overcome the lead of Patrick Reed and take home the green jacket. We all know what happened to those projections.

   I watched most of the 5 hour telecast, to the end, and the end is what I want to talk about.

   I watched as Rory did not close the gap, indeed it widened, and he was out of contention He just never could get started.

   I watched as Jordan Spieth made a heroic charge, making up 9 shots on Reed, and even going even with him for a few minutes, before missing the last hole and finishing two back.

   I watched as Ricky Fowler slowly crept to within one shot of the lead and finished as the runner up to Reed.

   And I watched as Patrick Reed did just enough to overcome these and other challenges to win his first major golf title. That is not to downgrade his play. It is not easy to keep the lead with everyone else gunning for you. He made some big shots down the stretch to stay ahead of the field.

   But the memory for me was after the final putt had dropped on 18:

   As Reed was walking back to the scorers desk to sign his card, there was Ricky Fowler waiting to congratulate him with a big hug and a big smile. There was genuine respect for the job Patrick had done for that 4 day tournament.

   Then there was Bubba Watson, a two-time Masters champion who had challenged and finished tied for 5th.

   I'm sure there were others, but I did not stay tuned for the final awards ceremony.

   The respect those golfers, ones who had tried hard to win themselves and fallen short, had for the winner was evident. Their faces and body language showed to me that this congratulatory outpouring was for real. They were happy for Patrick.



   I thought about what I see a lot of times on the TV, especially the news. Shouting at one another and a complete lack of civility seems the way of the whole world.

   I don't know the private lives of all these pro golfers, But I certainly do like the way they act toward each other in their public life on the course.

   Could we get them to teach the rest of us what respect and sincerity look like?

   How refreshing would that be on the evening news?