Fluff and Bones to Appear on Next ‘Feherty’

By Golf Channel

THE NEXT EPISODE OF ‘FEHERTY’ on Golf Channel (Tuesday, 9 p.m. ET) will feature two of the best caddies in the game: Mike “Fluff” Cowan and Jim “Bones” Mackay.

David Feherty will chat with the two loopers about what it has been like to tote the bag for Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk during careers that have combined nearly a half century of heavy lifting and thousands of miles of walking the world’s best golf courses.

With all that wear and tear, Feherty chose a spa setting for the shared interview, and does his best pampering with a hilarious pedicure scene.

Player-caddie relationships often last no more than a few years, but Mackay has been on Phil Mickelson’s bag for nearly his entire career. Feherty finds out how the two became acquainted and what makes their relationship the exception to the rule.

Currently working for Jim Furyk, Cowan also has caddied for Peter Jacobsen and Tiger Woods. He talks about his experience as Tiger’s caddie and explains how being a good friend with a player can lead to success.

The two caddies also talk about how often their bosses want to hear their opinions or just confirm their own; describe some of the best shots they have ever witnessed; show some caddie hand signals; and discuss what they think is right and wrong with the game.

‘Feherty’ debuted in June as Golf Channel’s most-watched original series premiere in its history.

‘Feherty’ Premiere Sets Golf Channel Record

FEHERTY, HOSTED BY GOLF commentator and wiseacre David Feherty, debuted on Monday as the most-watched series premiere in the history of Golf Channel. The opening episode featured an interview with Hall of Famer Lee Trevino. I caught a bit of the replay last night. Trevino and Feherty are funny squared. Can you imagine having a cold one with those two characters?

The 12-part interview series continues on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET with actor Don Cheadle. Episodes with NBA Hall of Famer and hoops analyst Charles Barkley and golf legend Tom Watson are also coming soon.

Feherty’s self-deprecating humor is legendary, but the Northern Ireland native who is now a naturalized U.S. citizen could golf his ball. Feherty won five times on the European Tour and had three top tens in majors. His best finish in a major was a tie for fourth at the 1994 British Open. He also played on Europe’s Ryder Cup team in 1991.

Until he discovered his golf ability, Feherty wanted to be an opera singer. “I was always interested in music from a very early age,” he told Golf Channel. “But when I turned pro at age 17, I haven’t sung a note since. Now, I only sing to punish my children.”

Feherty retired from the tour in 1997 when CBS offered him a job as golf commentator. “I always enjoyed talking more than playing,” he said.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Photo: Courtesy of Golf Channel)

Q&A: Sandy Lie on Bunker Controversy at PGA Championship

IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW, Sandy Lie spoke to ARMCHAIR GOLF about the bizarre ending to the 92nd PGA Championship.

Q: What did you make of the controversial ruling involving Dustin Johnson?

SANDY LIE: That’s golf. It can ruin your life. It has mine.

Q: Can you elaborate?

SANDY LIE: The game is run by people obsessed with arcane rules and played on alien landscapes designed by men who like to push massive amounts of dirt around and shovel me into odd-shaped holes of all sizes. Look, I feel sorry for Dustin Johnson, but he chose to be on the golf course. I sure didn’t.

Q: How has golf harmed you?

SANDY LIE: You mean, besides not knowing who or what I am? Everywhere else in the world I’m just Sandy, but in golf they’ve put all kinds of crazy labels and definitions on me. Two words: identity crisis. The players don’t even read the rules. They admitted it on TV! What kind of game is that?

Q: What do you think of Whistling Straits?

SANDY LIE: Don’t get me started.

Q: How about Pete Dye?

SANDY LIE: I wish he’d leave me the hell alone. I’ll bet he never got to play in a sandbox growing up.

Q: So how do you deal with it?

SANDY LIE: I’m in therapy.

Q: How’s that going?

SANDY LIE: I make some progress, then something like Whis … Whis … Whis… sorry, I can’t say the words. Then I regress. It’s a process.

Q: Do you think Dustin Johnson got a raw deal?

SANDY LIE: Hey, did you hear the PGA has a new headliner at their Las Vegas show this week?

Q: No. Who?

SANDY LIE: The Blue Dot Men Group.

Q: Pretty funny.

SANDY LIE: Thanks. Saw it online today. I don’t what it means.

Q: Getting back to the Dustin Johnson thing, David Feherty said he, Feherty, didn’t know it was a bunker.

SANDY LIE: Who?

Q: Feherty.

SANDY LIE: The burrowing animal?

Q: No, that’s a ferret. Nevermind.

SANDY LIE: Are we about done here?

Q: Pretty close. Do people get you mixed up with Sandy Lyle?

SANDY LIE: Our names are somewhat alike and we’re both involved in golf, but that’s where the similarities end.

Q: Sandy Lyle’s Masters victory was directly from a sandy lie on the 72nd hole. Coincidence?

SANDY LIE: You’re overreaching.

Q: Do you prefer to be raked or unraked?

SANDY LIE: This interview is over.

−The Armchair Golfer

(This is an ARMCHAIR GOLF spoof.)

(Image: rsutton 198/Flickr)

Caddie Greg Rita, 1956-2010

IMAGINE BEING ON THE BAG for Curtis Strange, John Daly, David Duval, Mark O’Meara, Scott Hoch and Gil Morgan. One word comes to mind: intense.

Greg Rita, who died Saturday on his 54th birthday after a two and a half year battle with brain cancer, strode the fairways with those and other players in a PGA Tour career that spanned more than three decades.

Nicknamed “Boats,” Rita looped for Strange when he won consecutive U.S. Opens in 1988 and 1989, the first repeat winner in 40 years. And he was the bag man when Big John was presented the Claret Jug at St. Andrews in 1995. Rita was inducted into the Professional Caddies Association Hall of Fame in 2000.

In his 2nd Annual David Feherty Golden Ferrets, Feherty conferred ferret status on Rita and wrote, “It’s not the same without you. And we don’t care if part of your brain is missing. (In fact, to be a caddie it’s almost a prerequisite.) So get your ass back out here. We miss you. We love you.”

The caddie fought hard. “If there’s a way, I’ve got the will to get through this,” Rita said in 2008. He is survived by his wife and 4-year-old son. He will be greatly missed by fellow caddies, players and others throughout the golf world.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Image: nsaplayer/Flickr)