Would You Take Nick Watney at 40/1 In The Masters?

   Random thoughts while waiting for Masters week:

  -- According to vegasinsider.com, Tiger Woods is the betting favorite in the Masters at 3/1. Phil Mickleson comes in at 7/1, Lee Westwood at 12/1 and Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy at 20/1.

    Nick Watney at 40/1 caught my eye.

-- There's no good time to aerate greens. I know it has to be done but, like going to the dentist, it doesn't mean you have to like it.

-- In the rush to proclaim the arrival of golf's new generation -- that includes Dustin Johnson, Watney, Martin Kaymer, Rickie Fowler and others -- it's begun to feel as if Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have been marginalized.

   Sure, they've won one tournament between them since 2009 but they're not finished. They may not dominate as they once did but they're still going to be formidable. They're going to win more tournaments and more major championships. Maybe as soon as next week.

-- Is any player more fun to watch than Bubba Watson?

   I don't think so.

-- While at the beach last week, I got a chance to play Bulls Bay again. It's a Mike Strantz design near Charleston, S.C., with fairways seemingly as wide as the sky and a collection of holes that remind you of how much fun golf can be even when the greens have been double-cut and rolled on a windy day.

  If you get invited to play there by a member, don't miss the opportunity.

   -- The LPGA's first major is this week -- the Kraft Nabisco. With only 12 events played in the United States, the tour is dealing with an identity crisis almost as serious as the struggle to find tournament sponsors. It's too bad because there's a ton of talent and compelling personalities but the tour is struggling to get noticed.