Paul Azinger is a schmuck. 

For those who don’t know who, Mr. Azinger is a former professional golfer – a rather decorated one at that – who then became the voice of NBC’s coverage of the PGA Tour after retiring from the game. 

Affectionately referred to as “Zinger” by many of his colleagues (and not-so-affectionately referred to as “Zinger” by many golf fans), he had a reputation for pissing off many avid golf watchers. Some didn’t like how he would ask other broadcasters with no professional golfing experience to provide the insight he was paid to provide, and others didn’t like how his commentary would often utterly contradict what fans were seeing unfold on the TV screen in front of their eyes.

For example, Zinger once repeatedly said that a bunker shot by Wydnham Clark during the final round of his U.S. Open triumph would not get any closer to the hole as it was rolling closer to the hole. 

He was also known to ask “I wonder what’s going through [insert player]’s head right now.” Zinger, pal, you’re the one who played professional golf and you get paid a lot of money to tell me what’s going through these guys’ heads. Don’t ask me to do your job for you. 

If you can’t tell, I’m one of the golf fans who often questioned Zinger’s ability in the booth. 

But, despite all of the criticism and all of my frustration with him, I think that golf needs a guy like Zinger on the broadcast. Zinger left NBC in the fall of 2023, and the game has certainly missed his negativity. 

I’ll never forget when Scottie Scheffler was walking up to the tee before the final round of the FedEx Cup championships (where he ended up blowing a lead and losing to Rory McIlroy) and ZInger said, “the only question now is when will Scottie make the eleven million dollar mistake.” 

What a scumbag thing for a commentator to say. 

And that wasn’t all. He would say things like “oh he’s gonna have real tree trouble on his second shot” while the guy on the tee was still in his backswing.” 

Or like, “that’s a really terrible lie in the rough” before the ball had even landed in the rough. 

In short, what I loved about Zinger was his constant willingness to cheer for PGA Tours players – in some places his former co-competitors – to f*** up. 

When I was growing up watching golf with my dad, he would always tell me that, in golf, you don’t cheer for players to hit bad shots. The etiquette of the sport was drilled into me from a young age, so it always felt refreshing when Zinger would throw that etiquette out the window and go full d-bag mode on the broadcast. I loved when he would talk about mistakes that could cost players championships early on Saturday mornings, with nearly half the tournament left to play. I loved hearing the excitement in his voice after a tournament leader looking for his first victory on tour would miss a short putt on a Sunday. I loved seeing the devious smile on his face whenever he was asked a question about young players melting down in a critical moment. 

My text history contains a lot of messages about Zinger’s propensity for negative commentary. Like these:

“Zinger lives for guys hitting shitty shots at the US Open.”

“Zinger is loving the tough conditions”

“Zinger wants to see a water ball so bad here.” 

These comments sent a lot of golf fans into tailspins of frustration on Twitter, and you don’t have to look too hard to find numerous examples of fans lashing out at him on social media. In fact, many rejoiced when they heard he was leaving NBC.

To those who celebrated, shame on you. You suck and you represent everything that’s wrong with the game of golf.

Paul Azinger brought hilarious negativity to a sport that for too long has been handicapped by etiquette. 

Golf needs a scumbag, and Zinger is a first-ballot hall of fame scumbag. 

If someone from the PGA Tour or NBC somehow stumbles upon this article, please tell your bosses that we want Zinger back in the booth. 

Sincerely,

Me (and golf fans everywhere)