Spring training reader request no pathetic Billy Crystal Yankees mockery

It’s all about the readers here, just like the Yankees are all about making a mockery of their uniform by catering to an obscenely rich, annoying 60-year-old fan loser. In fact, WorldGolf.com’s Castle Baron boss is so reader friendly that if you requested to be led on a inside swamp tour by Tim McDonald, the Baron would probably order McDonald to do it (so please ask). And William K. Wolfrum is always available for advice on how to write a kick-butt blog (sadly, Ron Mon has yet to be ordered to take a 90-day session of Wolfrum reprogramming).

Readers come to me with more golf-centric request of course. Like Mike Barnett who wrote in asking if I’d recommend Papago or Cave Creek more for a spring training play.

Everyone knows I’m Mr. Spring Training, not Billy Crystal.

I’ve told you how to enjoy the hippest spring training ever in Scottsdale. I’ve also told you how to experience the joys of the unhippest golf ever in the shadow of Surprise Stadium, otherwise known as Grandmas’ Alley. Most importantly, I’ve let you in spring training’s ultimate secret: the baseball games themselves largely stink, like NBA preseason stink and you’re better off just golfing.

Now to Mike’s question …

Papago provides the better, more memorable golf day. Both are bargain Phoenix munis (especially at twilight), but Papago’s a much better design with mountain views. Plus, as much as people who haven’t actually played it much like to rip on its conditions for sins past, Papago’s usually in better shape than Cave Creek (the uncrown jewel of Phoenix’s munis). With Papago set to undergo a renovation later this year (maybe as early as April), this could be one of the last times you’ll be able to play it for a while too.

That’s my spring training two cents.

To turn sports’ most storied franchise into a joke by letting a pompous self-indulgent 60-year-old celeb bat leadoff in an official spring training game, just put Hank Steinbrenner in charge.