Alright, let’s talk about the golf majors. When I first got into golf properly, hitting balls at the range and eventually getting out on the course, I kept hearing folks talk about “the majors.” Sounded important, obviously, but I didn’t really get what the big deal was at first.
So, I started paying more attention. Turned on the TV when golf was on, chatted with some guys at the club who knew their stuff. It slowly clicked that there wasn’t just one big tournament, but four specific ones everyone got hyped about every year. These were the ones the pros really wanted to win, the ones that supposedly defined their careers.
Figuring Them Out One by One
I started making an effort to actually watch them, you know, follow the leaderboard, see who was playing well. It wasn’t just about hitting the ball; it was about the pressure, the history.
- The Masters: This one stuck out early on. Augusta National, right? Always in April. I remember seeing it on TV and just being amazed by how green everything looked. It felt kinda exclusive, different from other tournaments. Seeing guys get that green jacket looked like a huge moment.
- PGA Championship: This one moved around date-wise, I think it’s in May now? It always felt like a solid championship, maybe sometimes seen as the fourth major by some, but winning it is still a massive achievement. I’ve seen some incredible battles happen at the PGA.
- U.S. Open: Man, the U.S. Open always looked brutal. They set up the courses super tough. High rough, fast greens. It seemed less about birdies and more about just surviving, making pars. You really had to respect the guys who could grind out a win there. Usually held in June.
- The Open Championship: Often called the British Open back when I started following. This one looked totally different. Played on those links courses over in the UK, often by the sea. Wind, rain, weird bounces – it seemed like a completely different style of golf. Loads of history with this one, being the oldest. Usually in July.
Watching Them Became a Ritual
Over the years, I really got into the rhythm of the majors. You knew when they were coming up. April meant the Masters was here, kicking things off. Then you’d roll through the PGA, the U.S. Open in early summer, and finish the major season with The Open.
I started watching more intently. I wasn’t just flipping channels anymore. I’d plan to watch the weekend rounds, especially Sunday. Seeing the leaders deal with the pressure down the stretch, knowing what was on the line – that became the real draw for me. You could see it meant more. The interviews, the celebrations, even the disappointment, it all felt amplified.
It wasn’t about me playing in them, obviously, that’s a whole other universe. But following them became a big part of my own golf experience. Talking about memorable shots, debating who might win this year, seeing legends cement their place and new stars emerge. It connects you to the bigger story of the game.
So yeah, that’s my journey with the four majors. Started out not really knowing what they were, just hearing the term. Then I put in the time, watched them, learned about what made each one special. Now, they’re landmarks in my golfing year, events I genuinely look forward to watching unfold. They’re the big ones for a reason.
