Dottie Pepper on switching the clubs for a microphone by joining CBS network

by John Huggan

At a place that has always prided itself on traditional values, a little bit of history was made last week at Augusta National. After 79 years of male domination, a woman was part of the CBS network’s broadcast team for the 80th Masters.

Make that a well-qualified woman. When it comes to golf, Dottie Pepper has just about done it all. As a player, the now 50-year- old won 17 times on the LPGA Tour, including two Majors. In 1992 she completed something of a ‘Grand Slam’ when she was leading money-winner, Player of the Year and winner of the Vare Trophy awarded to the professional with the lowest stroke average.

Pepper also represented the US with distinction in six Solheim Cups. Her record of 13 wins, two halves and only five losses is a telling indication of a renowned and often loudly expressed competitiveness (there has surely never been a golfer with a more appropriate surname). Twice she emerged from the biennial contest with a 100 per cent record.

All of that came to an injury-induced end more than a decade ago, however.

“I stopped playing mostly because of my body,” she says. “It certainly wasn’t lack of interest. I’d had two shoulder surgeries by the end of 2004. And I have a very arthritic neck. Plus, when I had the first surgery in 2002 I realised I was pretty well burned out. And when the second one came along I had nothing left in the tank.”

Still, it didn’t take long for Pepper to embark on the path that has taken her all the way to American golf’s most-watched telecast.

Encouraged by former LPGA player Judy Rankin – now a much-respected commentator – the New York State native has progressed steadily through the ranks.

“Through Judy and a couple of others going to bat for me I got a start with NBC and Golf Channel,” says Pepper. “Judy’s initial advice is with me still: ‘Say as much as you can in as few words as possible.’ And try to be prepared for anything that gets thrown at you. It’s that simple and that complicated.

“I actually started in the studio. There wasn’t really space for me at NBC at the time. But they created a position for me. I was doing Thursdays and Fridays for the USA network and on the weekends I was home. But at maybe the fifth event of 2005, NBC needed an extra body on Saturday and Sunday. So I stayed and it worked out. By the time of the Players Championship that May I had a full-time job.”

Last week Pepper moved seamlessly into the slot vacated by former European Ryder Cup player David Feherty (now with NBC, below). Working the short 4th and par-five 13th holes, her expertise, knowledge and research were soon apparent. Most strikingly, we learned of the ball former USPGA champion Jeff Sluman used to make the only hole-in-one on the 240-yard par-three back in 1992.

“Jeff told me his mother had never asked him for anything golf-related,” says Pepper. “But she wanted that ball. And it was buried with her when she died two years later. Such a cool story.

“For the 13th, I talked with Curtis Strange. He shot 80 in the first round of the 1985 Masters. His bag was packed when he showed up the next day. But he shot 65-68 to be right in contention. Then at the 13th in the last round he had 208-yards to the hole. He hit a four-wood into Rae’s Creek then went in to try and play it. He made a six and didn’t win. He still finds it hard to talk about.

“I think the 13th might be the best hole in the world. That’s partly because of the strategy involved, partly because of the architecture and partly because it is just there. Alister Mackenzie didn’t have to do anything. He found that hole more than designed it.”

For all that she is well aware of the groundbreaking nature of her presence at the Masters, Pepper is forever keen not to over-emphasise her gender.

“Hopefully I was hired because I am the best person for the job and not because I am a woman,” she says. “I walked away from Augusta hoping I did the best job anyone could have done.

“Besides, the microphone doesn’t know if you are male or female, but it absolutely knows if you haven’t done your homework.”

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