OK, I’m knee deep into my first fantasy golf league, and I can say without reservation that ‘I hate fantasy golf’. Now you may be thinking that I need to chill out a bit, but, man this is not much fun.
I sorta’ knew going in that trying to pick winners of golf tournaments was a crap-shoot at best, but, I had no idea how annoyed I would become as I watched my ‘picks’ flame out week after week. I will say that having golf back on the east coast allows me the opportunity to watch my picks bomb live instead of on tape delay…so that’s something, I guess. But everything about this supposedly fun endeavor seems like a bit of torture to me.
Two weeks ago, I had McIlroy and Knox in the playoff. Great, right? Yea, until I watched these two professional golfers play the 18th hole like they were a couple of club-pros from Dubuque (my apologies to anyone actually from Dubuque).
Then how about Jason Day, the wunderkind, ball-smashing Aussie. I picked him in two of the last three events he signed up for. Yes, I had him in the on where he missed the cut and the one where he ‘hurt’ his thumb and withdrew 20 minutes prior to his tee time; just close enough so that no fantasy player could pick a sub. And, naturally, I did not have him in the event that he won. I have, officially, sworn off picking any Aussies for any other events this year. I don’t care if between Day and Scott they sweep all four majors. I’m done with the down-under.
But, bad picking and bad breaks aside, I don’t like how fantasy golf has literally ruined watching golf for me. I find myself rooting for guys to miss putts just so they fall in the standings. When you find yourself cheering after Joost Liuten hits a ball in the water, maybe, it’s time to let the fantasy thing die a natural death.
I think I’ll finish out the season, but, I have to find a way to make my picks like the way they do at the local grocery store for lottery tickets and then not check my picks until after the round has been completed. At least then I can go back to rooting for good, exciting tournaments instead of fixating on individual scores.
Of course, I still retain the right to root against certain players that I don’t care for (you know who you are G-Mac), but, I think it will be great to get back to watching golf the right way.
