Vin Scully, who died on Tuesday at the age of 94, must be mentioned in any history of baseball or sports.
However, the same might be said about golf.
Scully, best recognized for serving as the Dodgers’ announcer for 67 years, called numerous unforgettable sporting events. These include, among many others, Dwight Clarke’s “The Catch” in the 1981 NFC Championship game, Bill Buckner’s blunder in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, Kirk Gibson’s pinch-hit walk-off home run in Game 1, and Sandy Koufax’s perfect game from 1965.
Despite all of that, he took part in numerous famous golfing events.
Scully presided over his first Masters Tournament in 1975, broadcasting Jack Nicklaus’ legendary triumph over Johnny Miller and Tom Weiskopf to earn his fifth green jacket.
Scully, a Bronx, New York, native, was in charge of play-by-play for the Masters until 1982.
The late Vin Scully was a legendary voice in golf as well.
(courtesy @PGATOUR)pic.twitter.com/QJtLWipDT5
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) August 3, 2022
Scully told Forbes in 2020, “I was constantly atop the tower, alone at 18 (at the Masters). “My tasks were to complete 9 (which descended behind me), 10 (which descended and off), and 18 (where the big guys showed up at the conclusion of the tournament and the story would be written).
“The loud crowd noise is the main draw of being at the Masters, and unless you are there, you don’t realize it. In a way, Augusta is similar to a bowl; from the top, you tee off, descend to the bottom, and then climb back to the top.”
When The Players Championship relocated to TPC Sawgrass in 1982, Scully was also present on the phone call. Jerry Pate won the year after nailing his approach on hole number 18 to three feet. After that, Pate pulled Pete Dye, the course designer, and former PGA Tour Commissioner Deane Beman into the water next to hole number 18, before jumping in himself. Perhaps the wildest event in sports history, according to Scully.
In 1982, Scully switched from CBS to NBC in order to call baseball on a national scale because NBC Sports broadcast MLB’s “Game of the Week” on Saturdays. But there were other opportunities to call PGA Tour golf after that relocation.
According to Beman, who spoke to PGATour.com, “when [Scully] started broadcasting golf, it was a big advantage for the PGA Tour since somebody of his magnitude did not do minor events.” We were still a niche sport at that time. When Vin Scully started playing golf, I believe it was a very subtle way of telling the public that golf was more significant than they had previously recognized. Vin most likely anticipated that golf would one day grow to be a significant sport. It took some time, but that’s what it developed into. If Vin didn’t think golf was worthy of having someone of his stature describe the sport, I doubt he would have taken it under his wing.
When CBS repurchased the broadcast rights to Major League Baseball in 1990, Scully left NBC. There, Scully’s tenure as a golf broadcaster came to an end since he chose not to continue calling the game for another two years in order to honor his NBC contract.
But despite his lack of participation, he still had a great admiration for the sport.
Scully ended his illustrious broadcasting career in 2016. However, in a remarkable life, putting his clubs away permanently may have been the hardest farewell.
According to Scully, “the most emotion I had was when they were loading my golf clubs onto the truck.” I did feel a sense of regret because I spent so much time playing with my wife, Sandi, both at home and out in the world.
According to Scully, “the most emotion I had was when they were loading my golf clubs onto the truck.” “I did feel a pinch that a significant chunk of my life was gone, but Sandi and I had a blast playing together at home and over the globe.”
