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Gary McCord is an American golfer, commentator and author. He joined CBS Sports in 1986 as a golf analyst and became known for his irreverent and outspoken style. In 1994, McCord was banned from the CBS commentary team for the Masters Tournament due to his controversial remarks. Despite this, he continued to work as a broadcaster for CBS until his contract was not renewed in 2019. After a brief hiatus, McCord returned to golf broadcasting in 2020 and has since explored various projects, including a podcast and radio program. While McCord considered joining the LIV Golf broadcast team, he ultimately decided against it due to travel concerns. At 75, McCord remains engaged in the world of golf broadcasting and continues to share his insights and entertainment with audiences.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Profession | Golfer, commentator, author |
| Date of Birth | 23 May 1948 |
| Age | 75 years |
| Place of Birth | San Gabriel, California |
| Education | Ramona High School, Riverside; University of California, Riverside |
| Career Highlights | Two-time Division II All-American; NCAA Division II individual champion (1970); played in over 400 PGA Tour events; second place in the Greater Milwaukee Open (1975 and 1977); 2 dozen top-10 finishes; won the PGA Tour category of "Fewest Putts" |
| Broadcasting Career | Joined CBS Sports as a golf analyst in 1986; noted for outspokenness and irreverence; banned from covering the Masters Tournament by Augusta National Golf Club in 1994 due to controversial remarks; co-hosts a program on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio; multiple entertainment projects |
| Recent Updates | In 2019, CBS decided not to renew his contract; in 2022, was in talks to join the LIV Golf broadcast team but did not join |
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What You'll Learn
Gary McCord was a CBS golf broadcaster for 35 years
Gary Dennis McCord, born on May 23, 1948, is an American professional golfer, commentator, and author. He joined CBS Sports in 1986 as a golf analyst and remained with the network for 35 years until his contract was not renewed in 2019.
McCord's career with CBS spanned over three decades and was marked by his outspokenness and irreverence. His wit and wisdom made him hugely popular with viewers, and he became one of the most recognizable personalities in golf broadcasting. During his time with CBS, McCord covered numerous golf events, including the Masters Tournament.
However, his commentary style occasionally landed him in hot water. In 1994, during the Masters coverage, McCord described the 17th green as so fast that it seemed "bikini-waxed," and made a reference to "body bags" for players who missed their approach shots. This led to his removal from the Masters commentary team by Augusta National Golf Club, which exerted its influence with CBS to have him banned.
Despite this ban, McCord continued his broadcasting career with CBS for many years, covering all other golf events aired by the network. He found his niche in broadcasting, and his one-liners and wise-cracks became a trademark of his commentary style.
In 2019, CBS decided not to renew McCord's contract, marking the end of his 35-year tenure with the network. This decision left the 71-year-old disappointed, but he soon explored other opportunities in broadcasting and podcasting.
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He was banned from covering the Masters Tournament in 1994
Gary Dennis McCord, born on May 23, 1948, in San Gabriel, California, is an American professional golfer, commentator, and author. He joined CBS Sports in 1986 as a golf analyst when his career on the PGA Tour was slowing down. During the network's Masters coverage in 1994, McCord made some remarks that led to his ban from covering the Masters Tournament.
McCord was known for his outspokenness and irreverence, and during the 1994 Masters Tournament, he remarked that the 17th green was so fast it seemed to be "bikini-waxed", and that body bags" were located behind the green for players who missed their approach shots. These comments did not go down well with Augusta National Golf Club, and they used their influence with CBS to have him removed from the Masters commentary team.
Several months later, McCord was officially cut from the CBS team at the Masters. While he continued to cover other golf events aired by CBS, he did not return to Augusta with the network. This was not the first time a CBS commentator had been banned from the Masters; in 1966, Jack Whitaker referred to the gallery at the end of the 18-hole playoff as a "mob" rather than "patrons" and was banned for the next five Masters tournaments.
McCord's ban from the Masters Tournament did not hinder his career. In fact, he believes it brought him more publicity than anything he achieved in golf. He continued to work for CBS Sports for over 30 years, becoming one of the most recognizable personalities and voices in golf broadcasting. However, in 2019, CBS decided not to renew his contract, and he was left without an on-course reporter gig.
Despite this setback, McCord remained active in the world of golf broadcasting. He co-hosted a program on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio and worked on other entertainment projects. In 2020, at the age of 72, he returned to golf broadcasting as an on-course reporter for "Capital One's The Match: Champions for Change" on TNT. McCord's wit and wisdom have made him a popular figure in golf commentary, and his outspokenness has become a defining characteristic of his career.
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He was fired from CBS in 2019
Gary McCord joined CBS in 1986 as a golf analyst and was known for his outspokenness and irreverence. While he was initially removed from the CBS commentary team for the Masters Tournament in 1994 due to his controversial remarks, he continued to cover other golf events for the network until he was fired from CBS in 2019.
During the 1994 Masters Tournament, McCord made a comment that the 17th green was so fast that it seemed to be "bikini-waxed", and he also mentioned "body bags" in reference to players missing their approach shots. These remarks led to his removal from the Masters commentary team, as Augusta National Golf Club used its influence with CBS to have him banned.
Despite this ban, McCord remained a prominent fixture on CBS golf broadcasts for over 30 years, providing wit and wisdom that made him hugely popular with viewers. However, in 2019, CBS decided not to renew his contract, marking the end of his long association with the network.
McCord expressed disappointment with CBS's decision at the age of 71, but he soon explored other opportunities to return to golf broadcasting. He co-hosted a program on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio and worked on various entertainment projects. In 2020, he returned to golf broadcasting as an on-course reporter for "Capital One's The Match: Champions for Change" on TNT.
Reflecting on his departure from CBS, McCord suggested that being let go did him a huge favor." He embraced the freedom of hosting his own podcast, "Off Their Rockers" with fellow former CBS analyst Peter Kostis, where he shared stories from his years at CBS and offered opinions on various golf-related topics.
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He is known for his outspokenness and irreverence
Gary Dennis McCord, born on May 23, 1948, is an American professional golfer, commentator, and author. He is known for his outspokenness and irreverence, which have gotten him into some controversies throughout his career.
McCord joined CBS Sports as a golf analyst in 1986 and quickly became known for his wit and wisdom, which made him hugely popular with viewers. However, his outspokenness also led to his banishment from the CBS commentary team for the Masters Tournament in 1994. During the network's Masters coverage, McCord made a comment that the 17th green was so fast it seemed to be "bikini-waxed," and that "body bags" were located behind the green for players who missed their shots. This comment led to his removal from the Masters commentary team, as Augusta National Golf Club used its influence with CBS to have him removed.
Despite this setback, McCord continued his career as a golf commentator and analyst, becoming one of the most recognizable personalities in golf broadcasting. He was known for his engaging and entertaining commentary, often cracking wise and injecting humour into his broadcasts. However, his irreverence and willingness to push the envelope with his comments continued to be a defining characteristic of his style.
In 2019, at the age of 71, McCord's contract with CBS was not renewed, ending a 35-year run with the network. This decision disappointed McCord, but it also presented him with new opportunities. He returned to golf broadcasting with projects like "Capital One's The Match: Champions for Change" and started his own YouTube podcast, "Off Their Rockers," with fellow former CBS analyst Peter Kostis.
McCord's outspokenness and irreverence have undoubtedly played a role in shaping his career, both positively and negatively. While they have gotten him into trouble at times, they have also made him a popular and entertaining figure in the world of golf broadcasting.
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He is also a golfer and author
Gary McCord is a professional golfer, commentator, and author. He was born in San Gabriel, California, and raised in Southern California. He graduated from Ramona High School in Riverside and played for the UC Riverside Highlanders of the University of California, Riverside. He won the NCAA Division II individual championship in 1970 and turned professional in 1971. McCord played in over 400 PGA Tour events, achieving two dozen top-10 finishes. His best two finishes on the PGA Tour were at the Greater Milwaukee Open, placing second in 1975 and 1977.
In 1986, at the age of 37, McCord joined CBS Sports as a golf analyst. He became known for his outspokenness and irreverence, which led to his removal from the Masters commentary team in 1994. Despite this, McCord continued his career as a broadcaster for CBS Sports until 2019, when his contract was not renewed. During his time at CBS, he co-hosted with Peter Kostis, and the pair are now hosting a YouTube podcast called "Off Their Rockers."
McCord has also co-hosted a program on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio and has worked on other entertainment projects. At 72, he returned to golf broadcasting for Capital One's The Match: Champions for Change, showing that he is still an active golfer and commentator.
In addition to his golfing and broadcasting careers, McCord is also an author. While specific details about his published works are scarce, he has co-authored a video podcast with Peter Kostis, titled "Kostis & McCord: Off Their Rockers," and has appeared as a guest on other golf-related podcasts, such as "Golf Innerview with Ann Liguori."
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Frequently asked questions
No, Gary McCord is no longer announcing golf for CBS Sports. McCord was a golf analyst for CBS for over 30 years but was fired in 2019.
CBS decided not to renew McCord's contract in 2019.
Yes, Peter Kostis was a colleague of Gary McCord at CBS. They were both fired in 2019 and now host a podcast together called "Off Their Rockers".
During the Masters coverage in 1994, McCord remarked that the 17th green seemed to be "bikini-waxed", and that "body bags" were located behind the green. This led to him being banned from the Masters commentary team.
Gary McCord hosts the "Off Their Rockers" YouTube podcast with Peter Kostis. He also co-hosted a one-hour program on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio and has worked on other entertainment projects.
