What I'll Remember about 2011: The 'Golf Boys'

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PGATOUR.COM asked its staffers and freelancers what they will remember about the 2011 season. For the archived list of essays, click here.

Want to hear a good golf joke?

"If you're caught on a golf course during a storm and are afraid of lightning, hold up a 1-iron. Not even God can hit a 1-iron." -- Lee Trevino

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Of course, it's a classic. Trevino's quips are still some of the most quoted in the game. He isn't the only "character" in the golf history books. Chi Chi Rodriguez entertained crowds with his sword-fighting antics and personality. Sam Snead held court in locker rooms, captivating others with his stories.

On the PGA TOUR today, though, having personality ranks far below having a perfect swing, tough workout regimen, state-of-the-art equipment, and exceptional focus on the golf course. That was the case, at least, until we met the "Golf Boys" this year.

Hunter "The Urban Hunter" Mahan. Rickie "The Black Knight" (sorry Gary Player) Fowler. Bubba "The Flare" Watson. And, the man behind the most entertaining videos golf has seen in years, Ben "The Helmet" Crane (if you haven't watched the "Making Of" video to learn the stories behind the nicknames, it's more entertaining than the music video itself).

These guys did not take themselves so seriously off the course. They dressed in silly clothes. They sang and danced. They drew new fans to the course, who serenaded them with the chorus of the song, "Oh oh oh". Fowler, the TOUR's resident heartthrob with a haircut that rivals Justin Bieber's, attracted new young fans -- especially females -- to the game.

Mahan, Fowler, Watson and Crane are all guys that you can respect both on and off the course. Mahan, a three-time PGA TOUR winner, battled Bill Haas for the FedExCup title before losing in a playoff at the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola; he ultimately finished seventh in the final FedExCup standings. Including that playoff loss, he produced nine other top-10 finishes.

Fowler, arguably the most talented young PGA TOUR player without a win, picked up four top-10s this year and played very well in the World Golf Championships events and the British Open. Watson won twice in 2011, at the Farmers Insurance Open and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

And Crane, the Golf Boys' fearless leader, capped off his TOUR season with a playoff victory at The McGladrey Classic. Less than 24 hours later, his wife gave birth to their third child. He's put out several videos in the last year, including a hilarious workout spoof, and created the Golf Boys to benefit Crane's and Farmers Insurance's charitable initiatives.

Crane describes himself on Twitter as "Formerly known as boring and slow, now leading a campaign to let yourself go and have fun."

The same could be said for the game of golf. Golf, the gentleman's game, is traditionally viewed as slow and subdued. To young people in my Internet-crazed generation, who are used to the thrill-a-minute sights, sounds and music at sporting events, golf is -- dare I say it? -- boring.

Now, with 2,739,277 YouTube views and counting, these four characters are helping golf reach a new generation.