"It used to be a lot of fun to play"

From John Hawkins' 2008 Masters story in Golf World (Hat tip: Geoff Shackelford):

After years of dealing with disadvantages one could trace to his lack of supreme power, a top-tier control player such as Jim Furyk might figure to factor, but even he speaks in somewhat jaded tones. "It's a pretty good test of golf," Furyk said. "I mean, it used to be a lot of fun to play. It's not fun anymore, but it definitely got a lot more difficult." Addressing the notion that people don't hoot and holler over solid pars, Furyk added, "I don't think we have [heard roars] for the last few years. It's obviously a decision they [tournament officials] made. It's their event, a different golf course, and there's a different way to approach it now."

The question now becomes, can you really turn the clock back? Just how dull will the tournament have to become before the membership realizes how ill-advised the Hootie Johnson-driven changes of the Tiger era were?