Debauchery in the Desert |
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 Somewhere out in the lonely deserts of Arizona lies a rather unspectacular golf hole. It maxes out at 162 yards, and ranks as the second shortest and second easiest hole on the golf course. Guarding a medium-sized green there are four small bunkers, which help funnel shots toward the middle of the putting surface. For amateurs it’s potential birdie hole, yet when the PGA Tour comes to town every year this hole transforms—literally overnight—into one of the most demanding and intimidating arenas in golf. Without any alterations to the hole’s length, width, or rough depth, John Felix, with the backing of PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, encloses the usually toothless par 3 in a 360-degree, 20,000-person-seat stadium of rowdy golf fans. Players are quickly tunneled in then tunneled out. They’re booed if they miss the green and loudly praised if they stick it close, all the while playing to the backdrop of cheep beer and Arizona State co-eds. “The Amphitheater” as it is so appropriately named, succeeds in matching its roman counterparts’ ability to strike fear in the hearts of its opponents. Its resemblance mirrors less of a golf hole than it does Pamplona’s annual “running of the bulls” ceremony. “I’m not sure I’d want a steady diet of this,” complained three-time PGA tour winner Bart Bryant when speaking of the hole, his sentiments shared by another multiple tour winner. “It is the shortest, easiest, most intimidating hole in golf,” lamented Aaron Baddeley.” Every year we watch in amazement as over 500,000 spectators who make the trip to watch the “Greatest Show on Grass,” its hard to remind ourselves that without the efforts of one man, this hole, and this tournament, would have been lost from the golfing spectrum all together. In 1932 The Phoenix Open held it first annual event at Phoenix Country Club, but with the Great Depression still a looming cloud over the country’s economy, the tournament collapsed within three years. Seven years later a man by the name of Robert “Bob” Goldwater strolled onto the scene and announced his mission to bring the tournament back to Phoenix. Goldwater was a big businessman from a staunchly conservative background. His brother Barry had been a five-term Republican Senator in Arizona, and sought the Presidency in 1964. Yet while Barry spent his time opposing the Civil Rights Bill and the censure of Senator McCarthy, Robert Goldwater was seeking a slightly more noble cause. He wanted to use golf, the game he loved since he was just a child, as a way to reinvigorate the local economy, and bring prosperity to a community he felt so a part of. Goldwater had been a golf addict since the day he was born. At 14 he finished second in the Arizona State Amateur Championship, eventually winning that title (three times) along with three Southwest Amateur victories, a victory in the Broadmoor Invitational, and an appearance at the U.S Amateur. Golf had given a lot to Goldwater—and he was about to give a lot more back.
In 1939 Goldwater joined an Arizona Civic organization called the Thunderbirds, where he immediately set to work reviving the discontinued Phoenix Open. His hopes for the golf tournament were met with fierce opposition from then Chief of the thunderbirds Ken Burton. But Goldwater continued on unrelentingly. He met with the Chamber of Commerce and spoke with such a vision that inspired them to support the idea. Goldwater would wake early to print tickets and stay up late negotiating sponsorship deals and appearance fees with the headline golfers of the time. His unwavering work ethic would eventually succeed. Later that year Byron Nelson won the first annual Phoenix Open by 12 shots over Ben Hogan—and thus the Phoenix Open was made a permanent fixture on the PGA Tour calendar. Even during World War II, a time when the world of sports was teetering on the edge of existence, the tournament continued by awarding the winner just over $700 in war bonds. In 1987 the tournament had grown in popularity so much that its venue needed to be moved, and thus Goldwater oversaw the tournament’s transition to its current home—the TPC of Scottsdale’s Stadium Course. Today, the Waste Management Phoenix Open is, in the words of Mike Haenel “the largest-attended and one of the most successful golf tournaments in the world.” Editor’s Note: The 2011 Waste Management Phoenix Open is scheduled for Jan. 31-Feb. 6. Hunter Mahan is the defending champion. Timeline 1939- Revival of the Pheonix Open;Bryon Nelson wins by 12 over ben Hogan 1944- Harold Mcspaden wins tournamentand collects war bonds 1946/47- Ben Hogan wins back to backphoenix Opens 1975-Johnny Miller shoots 24 under towin Pheonix Open by 14 1987- Tournament moved to TPCScottsdale 1997- Tiger Woods makes Hole in one oninfamous par3 16th 2001- Mark Calcaveccia wins shooting atournament record 256 (-28) 2008- FBR Open sets new single dayattendance record, J.B. Homes becomes 11 two time winner of the event.
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