There are few people around professional golf who have seen more (and said more) over the years than David Feherty.
With a storied – and sometimes controversial – career in and around the sport spanning more than 40 years, he has plenty of stories to tell.
The longtime player and analyst is bringing his live show, “Off Tour,” to Augusta’s Imperial Theatre in April, this time with a dash of pimento cheese and egg salad.
The show’s origin story began at a corporate outing in London, Ontario, more than a decade ago. Brad Jones, owner of Jones Entertainment Group, attended Feherty’s talk there.
“He approached me afterwards and asked me if I had ever thought about doing it on stage. I said to him, ‘I thought I just did,’” Feherty said. “He said, ‘No, no, for paying guests.’ I thought he’d lost his mind, but he’s Canadian. He booked me a couple of gigs, one in Edmonton and one in Calgary. You know, 1,400 people showed up in Calgary and 1,600 in Edmonton. We took it from there down to the states.”
In pictures: David Feherty’s television career through the years
Yes, “Off Tour” has plenty of entertainment value. At the end of the day, tickets must be sold. For Feherty, however, it’s also another way to keep the greats of the game alive through oral history.
“It’s really me telling other peoples’ stories and stories about other people,” he said. “Guys like (Lee) Trevino, (Arnold) Palmer, (Jack) Nicklaus and Ben Hogan, these are stories that’ll disappear into the ether if I don’t tell them, and stories of my own life, along with them. People loved it. I can’t explain it.”
The Augusta show is scheduled for Wednesday, April 10, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased on the “Off Tour” site or the “Order Tickets” tab of the Imperial Theatre’s site.
David Feherty on return to Augusta, Masters experiences
Feherty is no stranger to Augusta. He made his lone start at the Masters in 1992, tying for 52nd. He’s known more for his 19 tournaments as a broadcaster until leaving CBS in 2015. His first as a broadcaster was perhaps the most famous Masters for this generation, as the world watched a 21-year-old Tiger Woods dominate the field on the way to his first green jacket.
“It was like watching a creature from a different planet,” he said.
He also recognized Woods’ continued effect on the tournament, regardless of his standing on the leaderboard –something patrons and media alike got a glimpse of in 2023.
“He changes everything just with his presence,” Feherty said. “There’s an aura about him around that place, the same that was around Jack and Arnold.”
And rest assured, Feherty will have some Masters-related stories on hand Wednesday evening.
“I’ve wanted to do it for a long time and to be able to come back to Augusta, I love the tournament and the people. Hopefully, we’ll attract a few of those,” he said. “I’ve got a few stories about the tournament, as well, that I haven’t told because I worked there. Now I don’t work there, so I’m kind of freed up to let a few of those go.”
Augusta’s impact on the landscape of professional golf
Feherty is currently an analyst for LIV Golf, which dominated much of the pre-tournament discourse a year ago. That chatter intensified when Phil Mickelson vaulted up the leaderboard Sunday during the final round after not playing in the 2022 tournament.
Fast-forward a year, and the top three finishers from 2023 are now all with LIV after reigning champion Jon Rahm signed with the league in December. Feherty hopes the Masters can provide a blueprint for the future of professional golf, which currently exists in a fractured state.
“One thing they have a great deal of at Augusta National is common sense. If you want the best players in the world, you should invite the best players in the world,” he said. “It sounds a little simplistic, but that’s the way it is. I hope the other majors follow suit, because it’s a shame to see these events without the top players. You want your four majors to have the best players in the world and I think Augusta is leading the way.”
After Augusta, Feherty’s next “Off Tour” stop is in Louisville, Kentucky, in May.