AUGUSTA, GA – APRIL 09: Patrons watch the play during the first round of the 2015 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 9, 2015 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

It’s been legend that Augusta National Golf Club issues rules to its Masters broadcast partners, ESPN, CBS and Westwood One on how to describe the course and what terms to use. Over the years, we’ve heard Jim Nantz & Co. use “patrons” instead of “fans,” “second cut” over “rough,” and “bunkers” but not “sand traps.”

The polarizing ESPN sports business reporter Darren Rovell found a list of instructions to CBS for the 1979 Masters which included 33 rules:

https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/620633903531995136/photo/1

The instruction to not describe the patrons as a “crowd” or “mob” might be in reference to Jack Whitaker who called a gallery a “mob” in 1966 and was banned from Masters broadcasts on CBS for five years.

Replying to Rovell was Will Haskett, a broadcaster working for SiriusXM’s PGA Tour Radio channel who had his own list of rules from Augusta National for this year’s tournament:

https://twitter.com/willhaskett/status/620634200475971584

Rovell asked if he could see it, but Haskett said he couldn’t find his list. However, a third person, found Haskett’s tweet from April and sent it to both men. This list to the media is fascinating:

https://twitter.com/Webber317/status/620644844092829696/photo/1

We’ve heard for years that Augusta National has issued rules to its broadcasters, but no one at CBS or ESPN has been bold enough to post them on social media. Now that we have confirmation of the rules, perhaps someone will muster the courage to find the directive that ordered Gary McCord off The Masters since 1994.

[Darren Rovell Twitter]

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.

He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.

Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.

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