Since When Did Golf Become So Dramatic?

Obviously the above question is rhetorical, but these past few weeks or so has been a rough time to be a golf fan.

Let's see: we have Tim Clark winning his first PGA Tour event at the Players' Championship (which is probably the only positive thing that has happened in golf lately); Tiger Woods pulling out (hee hee) from the same tournament because of a "neck injury" (that has absolutely, positively nothing to do with his car accident, because that would just be silly); Hank Haney resigning as Tiger's coach, presumably before he gets fired for no good reason; two college golfers busting into the National scene for throwing a Sectional playoff; Lorena Ochoa choosing to retire from the game while still in her 20's; and now the untimely death of Erica Blasberg on the LPGA Tour.

I am sure there are a few other stories that I may have missed in that very short list, but the question remains: What in the world is going on in the game of golf?

Whatever happened to plaid pants, high socks, niblicks, gutta-percha, and whiskey-related comedy?

Oh... wait, that was Caddyshack. But isn't golf meant to be a silly little game where grown men and women chase a little white (or yellow, thanks to Srixon) ball around for miles, possibly lying about how many strokes he or she may have taken that day? Isn't golf supposed to be a relaxing-yet-stressful escape for most people, and not even mentioned on TMZ.com for any reason? This game is still a "game", right?

Believe me when I say that I know all of that is complete hogwash. We, as golf fans, strive and yearn for the dramatic when watching our favorite sport. We want to see Lefty hit an impossible shot from the trees at Augusta, or Tiger drain a putt that is "better than most", or Tom Watson miss a putt on his 72nd hole at the British. Don't we?

Actually, now that I think of it... maybe golf can use a little more Freddy Couples golf sneakers and John Daly wild pants for awhile.