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Issue No. 159 | February 20, 2025
I somehow ended up with a $500 gift card to this online retailer. I’m going to give it away to one of the next 10 people who become a paid member of Normal Sport.
Good luck!
Today’s newsletter is presented by Meridian.
I’m going to sit this one out, and give the reins to one of our readers, Brittany S., who recently emailed us this bit of encouragement.
Just wanted y’all to know that I bought my husband a new Meridian putter after reading about them in Normal Sport and he LOVES it. Won’t stop raving about it.
He also beat his four friends in their “Winter Classic.” He claims this was “due to his putting being dialed in.” Is this possible for a guy who shot in the 80’s? I’ll let you decide.
Anyway, I also introduced his other friend — who is a scratch golfer — to the brand, and he said they look legit. I think that officially makes me a sicko.
Brittany S.
Ed. note: Nothing much more devastating than getting your Winter Classic event in quotation marks from your wife.
Glad he loves the putter though!
OK, onto the news.
1. Trevor Immelman uttered a phrase on Sunday about the Cat that I loved.
He said that Tiger has had a “hall of fame career at multiple venues,” which is both hilarious and also unquestionably true.
Here’s my quick and dirty list.
ANGC (5x majors lol)
Torrey (7x wins and a U.S. Open)
Bay Hill (7x wins)
Muirfield Village (5x wins)
St. Andrews (2x majors)
Medinah (2x majors)
Firestone (8x wins)
Doral (4x wins)
TPC Sawgrass (2x wins and a U.S. Am)
Has he had a hall of fame career at each of these venues? You could probably take Doral and Muirfield Village off the list, but everything else is probably a hall of fame career!
It also reminded me of the great Bill James quote about Ricky Henderson.
As Bill James once said in response to the question of whether Rickey Henderson is a Hall of Famer: “Cut him in half and he’s two Hall of Famers”
FanGraphs
You could probably cut Tiger into eighths and he’s eight hall of famers. Maybe more.
2. I have been thinking a lot this week about the evolution of Normal Sport. How do we continue doing the newsletter well and potentially begin to grow in some other areas? I would love your input, both in terms of your answer to the question below but also your commentary on it.
I think there’s a lot of value to be found in the middle here ...
Anyway, here’s my question …
3. This is so stupidly niche, but I cannot wait until somebody goes full Chris Webber in TGL with timeouts.
Can you imagine?
Tom Kim, gesticulating wildly at the head ref because he didn’t have enough time to aimpoint a four and a half foot putt for the Cat, but he’s out of TOs because Tiger used them all earlier trying to figure out if the yardage had a 1 in front of it or not.
And the end result of all of that is that Min Woo Lee gets a free 2 foot putt to win the hole.
This post will continue for Normal Sport members below, and includes riffs on …
The White House (sure …)
Tiger as one of golf’s great talkers.
My current U.S. Ryder Cup team.
Normal Sport is supported by 500+ sickos who can’t get enough. By becoming a member, you will receive the following.
• The satisfaction of helping us establish our business.
• Access to the entirety of our Thursday newsletters (like this one).
• Entry into giveaways like our Ireland trip.
• All behind-the-paywall coverage from major championship weeks.
• First dibs on the Seamus head cover we’re dropping soon.
By clicking below to join the Normie Club (still testing that name), you will have a front row seat to what we’re building. It won’t always be pretty, but we promise it will always be honest and earnest. And we will put everything we have into providing you the value you’re paying for.
"This is a sport comprised of millionaires traversing the globe, chasing a tiny white ball among various natural landscapes, adhering to a voluminous book of rules that no sane person can completely understand. Kyle captures the irreverent, joyous collective experience we all share as golf fans and reflects it as well as anyone. While golf (and all of us) walk through complicated times, we should savor this reminder that sports are fun."
"In Normal Sport, Kyle cleverly tells the story of the year in golf through his lens, yet manages to not make the book about himself. Anyone can list off the sequence of events of the last year. But Kyle has a special ability to both identify the most interesting moments to look back on, and at the same time, add his own personal flair that makes your time spent following golf feel worthwhile."
"Normal Sport is a deep retrospective of the golf year disguised as a group text with your buddies. It balances thought-provoking, serious topics with the most ridiculous things that happen in the game we love. It's a must-read then a must-read again."
