'Enough to make Ben Hogan puke': Golf's commentary box classics

10 commentary box classics from the men with the mics at golf's biggest events

Carnoustie 1999: 'More Jacques Tati than Jack Nicklaus' according to Peter Alliss
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The men behind the mics have many hours to fill on-air, so it's no great surprise that occasionally they come up with some real commentary box classics

Sometimes they drive us to distraction; sometimes they get it a little bit wrong; and sometimes they serve up an absolute cracker that is destined to truly stand the test of time. Our Top 10 commentary box classics offer up some memorable moments from the men with the mics…

‘What a corker!’

The immortal words of the inimitable Henry Longhurst as the purple-clad Tony Jacklin belted his final drive away en route to the Claret Jug at Royal Lytham in 1969.

‘That could spin; this could go’

Peter Alliss as Sandy Lyle’s famous bunker shot landed on the 18th green in the 1988 Masters before trundling back down closer and closer to the hole.

‘Oh, that is curtains’

Alex Hay’s succinct analysis of Greg Norman’s final demise in the water to the left of 16th at Augusta in the 1996 Masters. Curtains it most certainly was.

'Curtains' it most certainly was for Greg Norman at Augusta in 1996

'Curtains' it most certainly was for Greg Norman at Augusta in 1996

‘Oh wow. In your life have you ever seen anything like that!’

CBS’s Verne Lundquist as Tiger’s Nike swoosh hung on the lip before toppling in on the 16th in the 2005 Masters to set up another Woods’ Major.

‘That’s where they keep the body bags’

Flippant comment by Gary McCord that got him thrown out of Augusta in 1994. He was referring to players’ prospects from the back of the “bikini-waxed” 17th green.

Gary McCord: 'body bag' and 'bikini wax' comments were enough to make Augusta see red

Gary McCord: 'body bag' and 'bikini wax' comments were enough to make Augusta see red

‘Enough to make Ben Hogan puke’

Johnny Miller’s disparaging remarks about Craig Parry’s swing in 2004 resulted in one very angry Australian and a profuse Miller apology.

Craig Parry's swing: 'enough to make Ben Hogan puke' according to Johnny Miller

Craig Parry's swing: 'enough to make Ben Hogan puke' according to Johnny Miller

‘More Jacques Tati than Jack Nicklaus”

Peter Alliss, unable to quite believe what he was witnessing at Carnoustie in 1999, summing up Jean Van de Velde’s water-wading antics.

‘Looks like he has a divot over each ear’

Irish golfer turned funny man, David Feherty, on one of John Daly’s many bad haircuts over the years.

'A divot over each ear' - David Feherty describing John Daly's mullet

'A divot over each ear' - David Feherty describing John Daly's mullet

‘It’s not over yet’

A Peter Alliss gaff at the conclusion of the 2004 Masters as Phil Mickelson’s late grandfather helped nudge the winning putt in from above, meaning that it was, in fact, over!

‘Straight down the hey-diddle-diddle’

Not a classic as such, but rather an annoying phrase that Howard Clark used to use in his early days behind the mic every time a player split a fairway.

Jeremy Ellwood
Contributing Editor

Jeremy Ellwood has worked in the golf industry since 1993 and for Golf Monthly since 2002 when he started out as equipment editor. He is now a freelance journalist writing mainly for Golf Monthly. He is an expert on the Rules of Golf having qualified through an R&A course to become a golf referee. He is a senior panelist for Golf Monthly's Top 100 UK & Ireland Course Rankings and has played all of the Top 100 plus 91 of the Next 100, making him well-qualified when it comes to assessing and comparing our premier golf courses. He has now played 1,000 golf courses worldwide in 35 countries, from the humblest of nine-holers in the Scottish Highlands to the very grandest of international golf resorts. He reached the 1,000 mark on his 60th birthday in October 2023 on Vale do Lobo's Ocean course. Put him on a links course anywhere and he will be blissfully content.

Jezz can be contacted via Twitter - @JezzEllwoodGolf


Jeremy is currently playing...

Driver: Ping G425 LST 10.5˚ (draw setting), Mitsubishi Tensei AV Orange 55 S shaft

3 wood: Ping G425 Max 15˚ (set to flat +1), Mitsubishi Tensei AV Orange 65 S shaft

Hybrid: Ping G425 17˚, Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro Orange 80 S shaft

Irons 3-PW: Ping i525, True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 R300 shafts

Wedges: Ping Glide 4.0 50˚ and 54˚, 12˚ bounce, True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 R300 shafts

Putter: Ping Fetch 2021 model, 33in shaft (set flat 2)

Ball: Varies but mostly now TaylorMade Tour Response