STIR THE POT: Putter Anchoring, Patrick Reed, and Blade Collars

STIR THE POT is a weekly interactive livestream with three members of Team GU: Adam, Hackett and Tatro.

The guys debate a number of topics, including the finer points of putter anchoring, whether or not Patrick Reed cheated, and why blade collars are the worst thing ever.

You can view the most recent episode here:

US Ryder Cup Team Drama | Episode 175

The United States Ryder Cup team has lost their minds following their loss to Europe, and Patrick Reed is causing most of the ruckus. Adam jumps on the podcast to rant about all the breaking news as the drama unfolds.

Patrick Reed and Golf Fandom | Episode 158

Patrick Reed's victory at the 2018 Masters is the topic of today's show, specifically fan and media reaction in the days that followed. Garrett Ford (@gfordgolf) joins the show to dive deep into this reaction, as well as his take on the impact of fake Twitter followers on golf accounts.

The Admonishment of Patrick Reed

Patrick Reed is a common point of contention for golf fans.

How much do you want to know about the people who play the sports you follow? As Patrick Reed sank his winning putt yesterday at the 2018 Masters, the friend at whose house I watched Sunday's final round threw the TV remote into his nearby couch. He could not be more displeased with the tournament's end, specifically Reed's victory ahead of Rickie Fowler or Jordan Spieth.

An accomplished golfer in his own right, my friend had no prior knowledge of Reed's rumored dark past or familial issues prior to me giving him a debrief that afternoon. Instead, he simply doesn't like Reed as a golfer... and admittedly lost a wager he would have won had the results been different.

Stated another way, my friend's judgement of Reed was based on how he performs on the course, and not from his personal backstory.

In the hours that followed Sunday, numerous articles and blog posts were published chasing the storyline of Reed's life off the course. By now you've probably read the main points:

• Reed had a colorful past as a collegiate player and student, including accusations of cheating during a tournament and stealing from his team mates

• Reports that Reed and his parents haven't spoken in more than six years

• Married at 22 to his wife Justine, Reed endured a healthy amount of disagreement from his parents for marrying too young

• Reed's parents, Bill and Jeannette, being asked to leave a recent US Open at the behest of Justine

• Reed's younger sister, Hannah, offering her side of the family's relationship in a Facebook post that has since been deleted

And so on, and so on...

Social media response to the articles have been mixed. Most are wondering what juicy details have yet to be uncovered of a "dark family past" for golf's newest major champion. Others offer ridicule to the journalists for "being nosy" and digging into something to which they have no right.

Meanwhile, Patrick Reed and his Team carry on, just as they always have, offering no insight or opinions on anything. "I'm just out here to play golf and try to win golf tournaments," Reed replied when asked if his victory was bittersweet not having the chance to share his Masters win with his immediate family.

Shouldn't that be all that we expect from him? Why can't that be enough?

Patrick Reed was awarded the Green Jacket just in time for millions of fans to completely disrobe him.

Therein lies one of sport fandom's biggest ironies: we want to cheer for people who can do the things we cannot, but want to humanize them to the point of feeling above them in some way.

It's one thing to ridicule a player for having a temper on the course, or saying something ridiculous in an interview, or simply playing with a style we find annoying. It's something entirely different when we feel the need to state that we're a better husband, son, father, or person than someone on television.

We sports fans are a fickle lot. We allow our sports stars as much of a leash as we deem comfortable before reeling them back in when they rise too high. Similarly, we refuse to pull up on the leash when they fall too low, choosing instead to watch them suffer and -- at times -- even let go.

There's no doubt Patrick Reed's family background and bumpy past warrant some level of attention from someone. Wishing the best for a public figure would be a huge shift for our society, and one that is long overdue. And, yes, arguing that we must separate the man from the athlete is both naive and inappropriate to a degree. You can't have one without the other.

But contrary to what we want to believe, there is a grey area in all facets of life. Sports fandom is not black and white, especially with something as convoluted as golf. Careers can change in the span of a single shot, as too can a person.

It might just take them longer.

Episode 85: Recapping the Ryder Cup with Dan Hauser

Golf writer Dan Hauser joins the show tonight to recap the amazing 2016 Ryder Cup on this episode of the Golf Unfiltered Podcast. Read Dan's work at CountryClubsInFlorida.com. Follow Dan on Twitter at @DanHauserGolf.

Be sure to rate our podcast five stars on iTunes and Google Play!

BOOK REVIEW: Slaying the Tiger by Shane Ryan

Golf writer Shane Ryan's new book, Slaying the Tiger: A Year Inside the Ropes on the New PGA Tour has received layers of mixed reviews on just about any form of medium you can name, ranging from one-offs on Twitter to full on rebuttals by golf media traditionalists. Suggesting there is a 'buzz' around Slaying would be an understatement, and reading through what will be the year's best golf book reveals why.

In the spirit of transparency, I was extremely critical of an excerpt from Slaying that Ryan published on his personal site -- TobaccoRoadBlues.com -- months ago. Admittedly driven by a knee-jerk reaction to what read like an unnecessary investigative report on Patrick Reed's past, I held (and still hold) the opinion that journalists should never do harm to the subjects they cover. After a thorough reading of Ryan's incredible dive into the slew of 'young guns' rising to the top of the PGA Tour in the post-Tiger era, I admit I was wrong.

Ryan's account of working the PGA Tour as a beat reporter midst a sea of change and uncertainty is informative, highly entertaining and downright inspiring. Fans of Ryan's Friends of Tiger podcast know that he is an admitted 'newbie' to the sport yet approaches the subjects in Slaying with the confidence and inquisitive eye perfected from years of covering everything from college basketball to music and film. The man simply knows how to write and is not afraid to offer unpopular opinions on some of modern golf's biggest names. It is incredibly refreshing.

Take, for instance, his dive into French golfing phenom Victor Dubuisson in the book's opening chapter. A virtually unknown golfer with a purposefully-mysterious past, Dubuisson's story illuminates Slaying as a 'different' kind of golf book. Ryan's journey into the Frenchman's past uncovered some of the book's most jaw-dropping moments, including a Facebook exchange between the author and Dubuisson's father, Alban:

I am proud of his success, but when he says he didn’t have a family, it’s absurd!!! It makes me want to puke to read all this bullshit. Without his grandfather, his mother and myself, he would never had his dream come true. It’s pathetic!! My Facebook friends who followed his rise will be able to testify to it, I hope, but that’s life and I wish him the greatest of success. He is and will always be in my heart.

Ryan's research into budding PGA Tour star Matt Every reveals more examples of a man's true personality off the course. Every comes off as a 'man's man' in his chapter, unveiling a personality that is likely common on Tour but uncommonly exhibited to media. When asked for his view on suggestions that Every is lucky to be on Tour, the two-time Tour winner does not disappoint:

“I’m glad you said that, because it pisses me off when people write, ‘Oh, that guy, I can’t believe he’d say something like that, he should be privileged to play on the PGA Tour!’ ” he said. “Like I got fucking picked out of a lottery. I mean, I’ve worked my ass off to be here. It’s not like they handed me this spot, you know?”

Slaying offers similar insights into the lives of Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Jason Day (which is downright heartbreaking at times), Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy among others. Ryan even takes on heralded Augusta National by offering a first-hand account of his experience covering The Masters (along with the weirdness that goes along with it).

As you can imagine, Slaying has received its fair share (and then some) of negative criticism. The omnipresent debate of what should and should not become public knowledge regarding an author's subjects is once again raised by the book's detractors. However, journalistic responsibility is a subject not reserved to only positive fluff pieces that will paint a sport's characters in a positive light. While learning an athlete's personal backstory is a matter of every fan's individual preference, a robust profile of any public figure provides his or her fans a complete package from which a more educated fandom can emerge.

Where will Slaying rank in the annuls of golf book history? While Ryan's work details many topics already known by hardcore fans of the game, it is an important step away from cliche sportswriting that has saturated golf media for decades. To that end, Slaying the Tiger should be remembered not for what traditionalists have tried to label it but instead for what it is: a masterfully written account of an important time in golf history in a style that is synonymous to the book's core message.

Change is inevitable. The old guard's stranglehold on golf writing is near its end and writers like Shane Ryan are ushering us all into a new era. Exciting times, indeed.

Purchase your copy of Slaying the Tiger via Amazon below:

2015 Masters Fantasy Golf Picks

The Masters has finally returned and Augusta National Golf Club will play host to the greatest golfers in the world for the 81st time. Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth are among the favorites to win, but let's take a closer look at our fantasy golf picks for the season's first major.  

Right away you will notice a glaring omission from my Masters fantasy golf picks above: Rory McIlroy. While the Ulsterman is the Vegas favorite heading into the week (6/1 at the time of this writing), Rory has had an extremely inconsistent season to this point.

In his three tournaments on the PGA Tour schedule this year, Rory has missed a cut and finished in the top-10 (2015 WGC Cadillac) once. On the other hand, his European Tour resume since October has been absolutely scalding: two wins (2014 PGA Championship, 2015 Omega Dubai Desert Classic) and three runner-up finishes (2014 Dunhill Links, 2015 Dubai DP World Tour Championship, 2015 HSBC Abu Dhabi). The World No. 1 will have the eyes of the world on his every move this week -- when they aren't affixed to Tiger Woods, of course -- but Rory will have to play the tournament of his life to pull this off. I don't think this is the year.

For names like Henrik Stenson, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed and Rickie Fowler, however, 2015 might be the year one of these deserving players finally break through with their first major. The first three names will be in contention as soon as they step on the course while Fowler's major performances in 2014 (four top-5's!) have more than earned him ample consideration.

Bubba Watson and Ryan Moore are slight longshots this week -- yes, even though Bubba is the defending champ -- but both have shown flashes of brilliance already this season. Both players will serve as fitting bench players on your fantasy golf picks roster in the event you'll require their services later in the week.

That leaves us with Jason Day and Paul Casey; two men on opposite ends of their playing abilities but in prime position to win their first major championship. Day has played extremely well over the last few years at Augusta while Casey seems to weasel his way onto the leaderboard at brief intervals in years past. I'm picking Day as the eventual champion for the week, but don't be surprised if Casey shocks the world out of nowhere.

2015 WGC Cadillac Championship fantasy golf picks

The PGA TOUR returns to Doral this week to take on The Blue Monster at the 2015 WGC Cadillac Championship. Patrick Reed is your defending champion, but you probably already knew that because he IS A BRAGGART. Yes, that's the first time I've ever used that word in a blog post. Here's our fantasy golf picks for the week!

Bubba Watson (no. 2) and Jim Furyk (no. 6) are the highest-ranked American golfers on the Official World Golf Rankings -- both of whom are playing very well this season -- so it would be foolish to leave them off your roster this week. I still find it hard to believe that Bubba is the second best player on the globe, but I'm not good at math and will just blindly believe whatever the OWGR tells me (because the internet). What should be more convincing is the fact that Bubba's got two top-10 finishes in his three starts and Furyk has one in two. BUT MATH IS IMPORTANT.

Jason Day is going to win a Major this season, I guarantee it. He's come too close too often, and his win this year at the Farmers Insurance Open speaks volumes to the state of his game. The same can be said about Brandt Snedeker (expect for that "winning a major" thing), who also has a 'W' under his belt in 2015. Yes, we can also say the same about Jimmy Walker, but his win was in Hawaii at the Sony Open which means he obviously hacked his way to the trophy and he's a cheater. Graeme McDowell isn't going to win this week, but I played golf/got drunk with him once:

Patrick Reed is the obvious smart play this week. He's also already won in 2015 at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, which really sounds more like a WWE pay-per-view than a golf tournament.

This main event has been a slobberknocker, King! This Reed kid sure is special. Hes going to change the history of pro wrestli... OHMYGAWD. THAT'S SERGIO GARCIA'S MUSIC.

Charley Hoffman cut his hair and took 2nd place in a golf tournament. Sports Clips should make that their new slogan, even though they had absolutely nothing to do with Charley's improved golf game.

2015 Honda Classic fantasy golf picks

The PGA TOUR -- and Rory McIlroy -- return to Palm Beach Gardens for the 2015 Honda Classic. Home to The Bear Trap, this course always delivers an exciting tournament, making this week's fantasy golf picks that much more important. Let's take a look at our roster for the week.  

Rory McIlroy makes his 2015 PGA TOUR season debut, and it couldn't come at a better time for fair-weather golf fans. Despite an exciting finish at last week's Northern Trust Open -- where James Hahn captured his first TOUR win -- we can't help but notice a "lull" in golf fan attitudes as of late. Tiger's missing, Phil's hurt, and other big-time names just aren't winning golf tournaments yet. We need Rory.

Dustin Johnson, on the other hand, has been playing well despite having been "off" for six months. He finished runner-up last week -- losing to Hahn in a playoff -- and usually plays well at Palm Beach Gardens. He's 2-for-3 in terms of top-10 tournament finishes so far, and don't be surprised if he continues that trend at the Honda.

Sergio Garcia was also a pleasant surprise last week, despite falling victim to his own mental snafu tendencies on Sunday. It's tough to start him over Rory in the A-Bracket, though, but he'll make a solid bench player if something unexpected happens to the Ulsterman.

Patrick Reed and Nick Watney are safe picks this week as both guys have played very well in 2015. Reed has been off for the last two weeks but already has a win in Hawaii while Watney continues his strong play.

Fantasy Golf 2014: Farmers Insurance Open

While most of the golf industry is playing with their balls in sunny Orlando at the PGA Merchandise Show, the PGA Tour is on the west coast for the 2014 Farmers Insurance Open. Looks like it's time for some more fantasy golf picks. No, your eyes do not deceive you; I am starting Patrick Reed over Tiger Woods this week. Reed's performance at last week's Humana Challenge was incredible, so giving him the nod to at least begin the week is the right thing to do. I know Tiger has won this tournament seven times. I don't care.

Many of the bigger names on Tour are in the field this week, so I wanted to focus on players who are making their 2014 debut for the rest of my roster. Phil Mickelson should probably be on my team after his runner-up finish in Abu Dhabi, but Torrey Pines just doesn't suit his game. Steve Stricker looks like a strong play this week despite his lack of distance (like that's ever bothered him before).

Expect big things from Graham DeLaet this week. Mark my words. He's a man on the move.

EDIT: Thanks to Adam Sarson (@Adam_Sarson) for the head's up; Patrick Reed has withdrawn from the event. Apparently he has a rib issue? Looking at his physique, I wouldn't say he has an issue with any ribs.

I went with Gary Woodland instead. Tiger can still sit the bench. For now.