The Decider: Temper, Temper! Tiger's & Yours on the Course
by Ryan Ballengee on Jul 24, 2009 3:13 PM EDT
21 comments
In this week's Decider, we're influenced by the myriad response to Tiger's curse-laden experience at Turnberry. Shane Bacon weighed in with an opinion that I fully endorse. I tepidly endorse Rick Reilly's - only because it was written by Rick Reilly. Golf Girl has her own in support of Tiger. Stephanie Wei is kind of in support of Tiger. You choose your opinion.
I can opine on that subject another day. Here's my question, though, no matter where you stand on how Tiger behaves:
How do you like playing with golfers than throw a fit on the course when they play poorly?
Does it ruin your round? Does it give you a negative opinion of the person that you're playing with?
I ask this because the way you feel about playing with whiners and jerks in your round should be consistent with how you feel about pro golfers doing the same under tournament pressure.
Likewise, you should be consistent with how you treat the temperament of athletes in other sports. Were you made that Lebron James couldn't bother to shake hands with Dwight Howard and the Magic after losing the Eastern Conference Finals? Do you get angry every time Joba Chamberlain celebrates too much for one freakin' strikeout? How about when Peyton Manning thinks there should be a flag after every incomplete pass?
So, weigh in. Is golf less fun when other people make it obvious that it's not fun for them?
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Everybody has a temper – most of us learn to control it. Tiger hasn’t figured that part out yet.
I don’t mind someone getting angry at themself on the golf course – what bothers me is when they throw a temper tanrum with running stream of profanity or whining or club abuse. If it goes on long enough, it gets to be a joke for the rest of the group and we just go on without him…and he might not get invited back to play.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Jul 24, 2009 3:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I think the problem...
…is less about him showing emotion. Hey bring it on! I like to know Tiger’s human.
And maybe a bit more about frequency. When practically every 2nd or 3rd shot is a sigh, thrown club, f-bomb or something else it probably starts to become an annoyance and reflects poorly on the person – ANY person. God-like Tiger, or someone in your 4some.
So to answer the question…don’t like it, no Sir not one bit. And it’s reminded me to be less of a d-bag when I’m having a bad round too.
by NiceBallz on Jul 24, 2009 3:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
it’s not “showing emotion” – it’s HOW he does it – and the particular emotion. Most people love the celebrations…well…the high 5’s need some work…but it’s the language and juvenile club throwing that hurt his reputation.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Jul 24, 2009 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
and..
as I said somewhere else (on Wei’s I think)…if he were winning majors no one would have written or cared about this.
Court you don’t have to disagree with me on EVERYTHING :).
by NiceBallz on Jul 24, 2009 3:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
If he were winning majors, he wouldn’t be cursing up a storm (or quite as much of one)
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Jul 24, 2009 3:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Tiger has racked up a lot of fines for his language and club abuse during tournaments he has won – even majors. Just not quite as much as when he’s winning – you’re correct.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Jul 24, 2009 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
(lol) sorry NB – we ARE in agreement that his behavior is very bad and he doesn’t seem to care enough to fix it.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Jul 24, 2009 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I have to agree with Court on this one — emotion is okay, but I think most of us learn to control the display of our emotions, on or off the golf course. I respectively disagree with Stephanie and Rebecca’s posts — I think Tiger’s fits and profanity set a bad example for young people, golfers and non-golfers alike. You didn’t see this from Hogan, Nelson, Palmer, Nicklaus or Watson in the prime of their careers. Tiger can learn from their example of how he can control this aspect of his career — he excels in pretty much every other area, controlling his emotions could just stand some improvement.
by Bob Diercksmeier on Jul 24, 2009 4:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The greats may well have cussed. I don’t even have a problem with some degree of cussing. But, the way that Tiger does it gets under my skin. The guy is a champion.
A great story from ’77 Open from Nicklaus/Watson was that, at the end, Nicklaus put his arm around Watson and told him, “I gave you everything I had. You were just better.” Woods congratulates golfers on their victories. Was one of the first to call G. Lover. But on course, in the heat of the moment, not so gracious.
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Jul 24, 2009 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
wouldn’t you at least prefer that they do it under their breath or pull a “Christmas Story” thing " (ooohhhhhh fffffuuuuuuuuddddge) instead of screaming GD’s and F-bombs that can be heard hundreds of yards away ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Jul 24, 2009 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Could Tiger learn to control his temper more? Yes, yes he could.
Does it bother me or ruin the game because he throws a club or drops the f-bomb on occasion? No, no it does not.
by St Longo Drew on Jul 24, 2009 6:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Please do not
compare Tiger to Jack, Arnie & Ben. The media exposure and constant media pressure Tiger experienced at his first news conference was more than Hogan had in his lifetime. Jack & Arnie were able to live reasonably normal lives. Also, please leave kids out of this. Unless they are under seven, they have heard EVERY word scores of times – probably from you. Also, do not compare team sport athletes. Apples and oranges. This is 2009 and as a 60 year-old, I really like the past athletes and everything else that made baseball, football and golf my favorite sports. Tiger is still a little immature and his cursing is bad form. The truth is, he cares about his game and winning more than the others. I worry more about competitors who hit poor shots or make bad decisions and give it the, “OH, WELL, NO BIG DEAL”, attitude. Those are the guys with talent who grow up to be the Azinger, DLIII, Stewart Cink loser types. One major and 500 top twenty-fives.(ooohhhhhh fffffuuuuuuuuddddge)
...from the land of pleasant living, Baltimore.
by One-Eyed Golfer Guy on Jul 24, 2009 8:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
No argument at all on those points – though I do disagree with you a bit on the media. In the Hogan, Snead, Palmer, Nicklaus….eras, the media was just as present, if not more so. They were on the course watching every shot they hit – and they were less accepting of public displays back then, morality-wise.
And there is no doubt that Tiger is more determined to win than anybody in the game – but what does that have to do with his outbursts of foul language and club throwing ? How can you leave kids out when they emulate everything the guy does and the tradition of the game flies in the face of that kind of behavior ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Jul 24, 2009 9:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Regarding the media
Sure they were out there forever, but it’s a little different having a crowd of beat reporters writing for newsprint with some limited TV coverage versus the pervasive nature of 24 cable TV (with a golf-specific network) and the internet. Coverage is much more extensive now. Let’s pretend Arnie had the exact same style as Tiger with the club throwing and swearing – unless you were in the gallery you might have never known it.
I’ve seen Tiger in person at tournaments twice now and have never heard him swear or throw a club. I’m not saying he doesn’t, obviously he does. But he’s got cameras on him literally all the time. It’s on The Golf Channel, it’s on YouTube, it’s on lots of golf blogs. I think the size and intensity of the spotlight might be making this issue seem a little more than it really is. Maybe it’s partly on Tiger to realize that and act accordingly. I don’t know.
by Double Eagle on Jul 24, 2009 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sounds reasonable to me – “Tiger needs to realize that he’s in the spotlight and act accordingly” – I don’t think it could be said any better than that.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Jul 24, 2009 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
As I said, Partly...
And it’s partly on us to realize that when we want 24/7 coverage of people, we’re not always going to see their best side. And while we can certainly expect some level of decorum, he is who he is, and asking him to change wherever cameras might be present on or off the course is a bit much. When Tiger is in a tournament, literally every shot is recorded and there’s a shotgun mic shadowing him. Aside from any contenders, other guys end up on TV when they pass through TV holes – maybe.
I find it hard to believe none of the greats threw around salty language here and there in their times. It just never made the air because times were different.
by Double Eagle on Jul 25, 2009 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The greats of a few generations back might not have had to put up with the constant view of a camera, but there were people watching. If they were throwing tantrums on the course, there would be stories.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Jul 25, 2009 7:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Apples and
Oranges.
“…In the Hogan, Snead, Palmer, Nicklaus….eras, the media was just as present, if not more so.”
Please reread this and tell me you are serious. It took eleven guys to carry one TV camera and there were three networks. ESPN has more tape on Tiger than ABC, CBS & NBC combined have on Jack and Arnie during their entire careers. I luv ya, court, but, I respectfully disagree…
Tiger needs to fix this problem. Even though I feel this era is so incredibly different than past ones, the tradition of the game of golf demands he do so.
...from the land of pleasant living, Baltimore.
by One-Eyed Golfer Guy on Jul 25, 2009 8:22 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
So your idea is that unless something is on TV, it is not actually in the media ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Jul 25, 2009 8:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
How often did you read
the Philadelphia Inquirer back in the 1960’s? SI did golf stuff every third issue. Golf & Golf Digest had circulations of about 150 people each.
You rarely answer questions, court. You cherry-pick one item and slam it. I have yet to see you say when someone does make a good point, “Yeah, that makes sense. Let me rethink my position.”
It must be nice to never lose one…
...from the land of pleasant living, Baltimore.
by One-Eyed Golfer Guy on Jul 25, 2009 10:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
You didn’t ask a question – and you’re the one who zero’d in on TV camera’s in the 60’s, not me. Now you want to point out the obvious and get mad at me ? I’m the one who said that there would be stories out there if Jack or Arnie or Player or any of the greats of that era behaved like Tiger does.
Why would I read the Philadelphia Inquirer ? I didn’t grow up in Philly. We had the Akron Beacon Journal and the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Apparently you don’t read enough posts – I give credit when credit is due – many times to you.
We agree that Tiger needs to clean up his act – why are you complaining ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Jul 25, 2009 11:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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