Opinion & Analysis
In defense of Tiger and Patrick Reed
Recently, I read a fascinating piece on Deadspin about Patrick Reed. I read it twice actually. I may even buy the upcoming book about him when it comes out. I’ve read Hogan by Curt Sampson twice, and The Big Miss by Hank Haney/Jaime Diaz three times.
The unflattering biographical tell-alls can be utterly fascinating to read, whether it be in sports, entertainment or politics. And with sources and information as accessible as ever, and the public’s insatiable desire for immediate details, such works are being produced in rapid turn around time with awaiting appetites. In recent cases, it is happening during an athlete’s career. There are consequences to this, though, yes?
I grew up a huge sports fan as a kid. I still am a big sports fan, although I don’t get as invested in players and teams as much as I used to. Nowadays, I marvel more at an athlete’s skill versus getting behind personalities or teams. Some of this metamorphosis is attributable to my own (purported) maturity, but it’s more than that — sports has changed. Rooting for your teams in the 80’s and early 90’s, I’d argue, was finest era in sports fandom, as most athletes still had that old school, win-at-all-costs mentality coupled with, and this is important, a nonchalance toward a growing media presence.
On any given night, I could take a break from my homework and turn on the MSG channel to watch an everyday-man-turned-warrior like John Starks play with absolute presence and sheer disregard of consequence as he butted heads, literally, with superior opponents like Reggie Miller and Michael Jordan. He didn’t care about creating a “brand” or forming friendships or making nice or being called out on Twitter. He wanted to win.
The ’96 Yankees were like this, too; Cone, Bernie, and O’Neill — you could feel their intensity when the camera was on them, yet they seemed largely indifferent to the lens. Logical or not, I always found it refreshing watching O’Neill hurl helmets into dugouts after meaningless ground outs. The “villains” at the time were just as fun to root against. Rivalries sell, and with its endless attempts to create one, golf knows this very well.
Occasionally, certain sports figures can still conjure up similar sensations of boyhood like enthusiasm and/or vitriol in me. Shouting at the television is not uncommon during Jets games. Tiger Woods could always revive adolescent-like wonderment; not just with his talent but with his in-the-moment fist pumps, roars and press conference call-outs of Steven Ames or Sergio Garcia. He was just such an in-the-moment bad a**.
But now Tiger appears to be a broken man. And perhaps we — the media, and the public that supports it — is at least partially to blame. Diaz, in his latest article “Free Fall” for Golf Digest, wrote:
“I believe it’s fair to posit that the trauma of being publicly shamed changed him.”
He was referencing the exposure of Tiger’s off-course scandal and its effects on his ability to stay fearless on the course. Conveniently absent from Diaz’s theory is the role he, personally, could have had in this free fall in assisting with Miss. This should not be a groundbreaking suggestion.
Even for us lay people, the hypothesis that Tiger is suffering from performance anxiety due to intense media scrutiny should not be hard to understand. I saw recently that the Golf Channel was having a round table discussion concerning Tiger’s prognosis. I considered DVR’ing it, then didn’t. I stopped myself. It felt cheap, like I was the last man climbing onto a meaningless pile-on (and this, coming from a guy who has been part of the problem for too long). I mean, seriously, a roundtable discussion? What’s next, a Task Force? Oh, wait…
Which now brings us back to Patrick Reed and his recent allegations, media depictions and upcoming tell-all. Although I have yet to read the related book, I’m sure it reaffirms damaging accusations mentioned in the article, which, among other things, claim that Reed stole money from fellow golfers and cheated in competition (in golf, the latter is a cardinal sin).
I am not sanctioning Reed’s purported behavior or misdeeds, nor am I necessarily doubting their authenticity. I had heard similar stories about his unlikable nature prior to the Deadspin article, and his “top-5 player in the world” comment following Doral in 2014 was shortsighted and unsportsmanlike. But you know what it wasn’t? Rehearsed. It wasn’t robotic. It was actually what the guy was thinking which, in a day and age in which Belichick-like responses to press inquiries are the preferred status quo for athletes, should be cherished, not chastised.
Let’s all come to the not-so-shocking realization that revealing one’s closet skeletons to the rest of the world may have its consequences towards the performance of athletes we crave to watch; particularly with golf, which, perhaps more than any other sport, commands the highest level of mental conviction and has easily suffered the most high-profile casualties to over-active brains.
Speaking of task forces, the 2014 Ryder Cup was an event that American golf fans would like to forget. But when Reed hushed the European crowd after draining a putt, I initially cringed. But then I thought, “This is awesome.” It showed guts. It got me into it. It showed me that he didn’t need any pod system or personality test to be invested in the process as other golfers apparently required.
I hope Reed’s confidence — much like Tiger’s — does not become the next takedown project of the public and the media. And so, I’m doing the unthinkable in 2015. I’m becoming a Patrick Reed fan. I hope he continues to p*** people off, if that is what comes naturally to him. I’m not so much endorsing him, personally, but I’m supporting his freedom of expression and comfort in his own skin.
Heck, this is America. What golf doesn’t need is another personality-less block of cheese, regurgitating mind-numbing responses and masking his emotions. And if he is a villain, so what? At least he’s true to himself. Besides, villains are far more interesting than sticks in the mud.
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Of all the clubs in our bags, wedges are almost always the simplest in construction and, therefore, the easiest to analyze what might make one work differently from another if you know what to look for.
Wedges are a lot less mysterious than drivers, of course, as the major brands are working with a lot of “pixie dust” inside these modern marvels. That’s carrying over more to irons now, with so many new models featuring internal multi-material technologies, and almost all of them having a “badge” or insert in the back to allow more complex graphics while hiding the actual distribution of mass.
But when it comes to wedges, most on the market today are still single pieces of molded steel, either cast or forged into that shape. So, if you look closely at where the mass is distributed, it’s pretty clear how that wedge is going to perform.
To start, because of their wider soles, the majority of the mass of almost any wedge is along the bottom third of the clubhead. So, the best wedge shots are always those hit between the 2nd and 5th grooves so that more mass is directly behind that impact. Elite tour professionals practice incessantly to learn to do that consistently, wearing out a spot about the size of a penny right there. If impact moves higher than that, the face is dramatically thinner, so smash factor is compromised significantly, which reduces the overall distance the ball will fly.
Every one of us, tour players included, knows that maddening shot that we feel a bit high on the face and it doesn’t go anywhere, it’s not your fault.
If your wedges show a wear pattern the size of a silver dollar, and centered above the 3rd or 4th groove, you are not getting anywhere near the same performance from shot to shot. Robot testing proves impact even two to three grooves higher in the face can cause distance loss of up to 35 to 55 feet with modern ‘tour design’ wedges.
In addition, as impact moves above the center of mass, the golf club principle of gear effect causes the ball to fly higher with less spin. Think of modern drivers for a minute. The “holy grail” of driving is high launch and low spin, and the driver engineers are pulling out all stops to get the mass as low in the clubhead as possible to optimize this combination.
Where is all the mass in your wedges? Low. So, disregarding the higher lofts, wedges “want” to launch the ball high with low spin – exactly the opposite of what good wedge play requires penetrating ball flight with high spin.
While almost all major brand wedges have begun putting a tiny bit more thickness in the top portion of the clubhead, conventional and modern ‘tour design’ wedges perform pretty much like they always have. Elite players learn to hit those crisp, spinny penetrating wedge shots by spending lots of practice time learning to consistently make contact low in the face.
So, what about grooves and face texture?
Grooves on any club can only do so much, and no one has any material advantage here. The USGA tightly defines what we manufacturers can do with grooves and face texture, and modern manufacturing techniques allow all of us to push those limits ever closer. And we all do. End of story.
Then there’s the topic of bounce and grinds, the most complex and confusing part of the wedge formula. Many top brands offer a complex array of sole configurations, all of them admittedly specialized to a particular kind of lie or turf conditions, and/or a particular divot pattern.
But if you don’t play the same turf all the time, and make the same size divot on every swing, how would you ever figure this out?
The only way is to take any wedge you are considering and play it a few rounds, hitting all the shots you face and observing the results. There’s simply no other way.
So, hopefully this will inspire a lively conversation in our comments section, and I’ll chime in to answer any questions you might have.
And next week, I’ll dive into the rest of the wedge formula. Yes, shafts, grips and specifications are essential, too.
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Golf's Perfect Imperfections
Golf’s Perfect Imperfections: Amazing Session with Performance Coach Savannah Meyer-Clement
In this week’s episode, we spent some time with performance coach Savannah Meyer-Clement who provides many useful insights that you’ll be able to implement on the golf course.
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s 2024 RBC Heritage betting preview: Patrick Cantlay ready to get back inside winner’s circle
Just a two-hour drive from Augusta National, the PGA TOUR heads to Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C. Hilton Head Island is a golfer’s paradise and Harbour Town is one of the most beautiful and scenic courses on the PGA TOUR.
Harbour Town Golf Links is a par-71 that measures 7,121 yards and features Bermuda grass greens. A Pete Dye design, the course is heavily tree lined and features small greens and many dog legs, protecting it from “bomb-and-gauge” type golfers.
The field is loaded this week with 69 golfers with no cut. Last year was quite possibly the best field in RBC Heritage history and the event this week is yet another designated event, meaning there is a $20 million prize pool.
Most of the big names on the PGA Tour will be in attendance this week with the exceptions of Hideki Matsuyama and Viktor Hovland. Additionally, Webb Simpson, Shane Lowry, Gary Woodland and Kevin Kisner have been granted sponsors exemptions.
Past Winners at Harbour Town
- 2023: Matt Fitzpatrick (-17)
- 2022: Jordan Spieth (-13)
- 2021: Stewart Cink (-19)
- 2020: Webb Simpson (-22)
- 2019: CT Pan (-12)
- 2018: Sotoshi Kodaira (-12)
- 2017: Wesley Bryan (-13)
- 2016: Branden Grace (-9)
- 2015: Jim Furyk (-18)
In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value).
Key Stats For Harbour Town
Let’s take a look at key metrics for Harbour Town Golf Links to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their past 24 rounds.
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes Gained: Approach is exceedingly important this week. The greens at Harbour Town are about half the size of PGA TOUR average and feature the second-smallest greens on the tour. Typical of a Pete Dye design, golfers will pay the price for missed greens.
Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Scottie Scheffler (+1.27)
- Tom Hoge (+1.27)
- Corey Conners (+1.16)
- Austin Eckroat (+0.95)
- Cameron Young (+0.93)
Good Drive %
The fairways at Harbour Town are tree lined and feature many dog legs. Bombers tend to struggle at the course because it forces layups and doesn’t allow long drivers to overpower it. Accuracy is far more important than power.
Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds
- Brice Garnett (88.8%)
- Shane Lowry (+87.2%)
- Akshay Bhatia (+86.0%)
- Si Woo Kim (+85.8%)
- Sepp Straka (+85.1%)
Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs
Pete Dye specialists tend to play very well at Harbour Town. Si Woo Kim, Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk and Webb Simpson are all Pete Dye specialists who have had great success here. It is likely we see some more specialists near the top of the leaderboard this week.
SG: TOT Pete Dye per round over past 36 rounds:
- Xander Schauffele (+2.27)
- Scottie Scheffler (+2.24)
- Ludvig Aberg (+2.11)
- Brian Harman (+1.89)
- Sungjae Im (+1.58)
4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)
Strokes Gained: Short Game factors in both around the green and putting. With many green-side bunkers and tricky green complexes, both statistics will be important. Past winners — such as Jim Furyk, Wes Bryan and Webb Simpson — highlight how crucial the short game skill set is around Harbour Town.
SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds
- Jordan Spieth (+1.11)
- Taylor Moore (+1.02)
- Wyndham Clark (+0.98)
- Mackenzie Hughes (+0.86)
- Andrew Putnam (+0.83)
5. Greens in Regulation %
The recipe for success at Harbour Town Golf Links is hitting fairways and greens. Missing either will prove to be consequential — golfers must be in total control of the ball to win.
Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:
- Brice Garnett (+75.0%)
- Scottie Scheffler (+69.9%)
- Corey Conners (+69.0%)
- Shane Lowry (+68.3%)
- Patrick Rodgers (+67.6%)
6. Course History
Harbour Town is a course where players who have strong past results at the course always tend to pop up.
Course History over past 24 rounds:
- Patrick Cantlay (+2.34)
- Cam Davis (+2.05)
- J.T. Poston (+1.69)
- Justin Rose (+1.68)
- Tommy Fleetwood (+1.59)
The RBC Heritage Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (24%), Good Drives (20%), SG: SG (14%), SG: Pete Dye (14%), GIR (14%), and Course History (14%)
- Shane Lowry
- Russell Henley
- Scottie Scheffler
- Xander Schauffele
- Corey Conners
- Wyndham Clark
- Christiaan Bezuidenhout
- Matt Fitzpatrick
- Cameron Young
- Ludvig Aberg
2024 RBC Heritage Picks
Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)
With the exception of Scottie Scheffler, the PGA Tour has yet to have any of their star players show peak form during the 2024 season. Last week, Patrick Cantlay, who I believe is a top-5 players on the PGA Tour, took one step closer to regaining the form that’s helped him win eight events on Tour since 2017.
Cantlay limped into the Masters in poor form, but figured it out at Augusta National, finishing in a tie for 20th and ranking 17th for the week in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. The former FedEx Cup champion will now head to one of his favorite golf courses in Harbour Town, where he’s had immaculate results over the years. In his six trips to the course, he’s only finished worse than 7th one time. The other finishes include three third places (2017, 2019, 2023) and one runner-up finish (2022). In his past 36 rounds at Harbour Town, Cantlay ranks 1st in Strokes Gained: Total per round at the course by a wide margin (+2.36).
Cantlay is winless since the 2022 BMW Championship, which is far too long for a player of his caliber. With signs pointing to the 32-year-old returning to form, a “signature event” at Harbour Town is just what he needs to get back on the winning track.
Tommy Fleetwood +3000 (FanDuel)
I truly believe Tommy Fleetwood will figure out a way to win on American soil in 2024. It’s certainly been a bugaboo for him throughout his career, but he is simply too talented to go another season without winning a PGA Tour event.
At last week’s Masters Tournament, Fleetwood made a Sunday charge and ended up finishing T3 in the event, which was his best ever finish at The Masters. For the week, the Englishman ranked 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 10th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking and 16th in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Harbour Town is a perfect layout for Fleetwood, and he’s had relative success at this Pete Dye design in the past. In his four trips to the course, he’s finished inside of the top 25 three times, with his best finish, T10, coming in 2022. The course is pretty short and can’t be overpowered, which gives an advantage to more accurate players such as Fleetwood. Tommy ranks 8th in the field in Good Drive % and should be able to plot his way along this golf course.
The win is coming for Tommy lad. I believe there’s a chance this treasure of a golf course may be the perfect one for him to finally break through on Tour.
Cameron Young +3300 (FanDuel)
Cameron Young had a solid Masters Tournament last week, which is exactly what I’m looking for in players who I anticipate playing well this week at the RBC Heritage. He finished in a tie for 9th, but never felt the pressure of contending in the event. For the week, Young ranked 6th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 6th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.
Despite being one of the longest players off the tee on the PGA Tour, Young has actually played some really good golf on shorter tracks. He finished T3 at Harbour Town in 2023 and ranks 20th in the field in Good Drive% and 16th in Greens in Regulation in his past 24 rounds. He also has strong finishes at other shorter courses that can take driver out of a players hand such as Copperhead and PGA National.
Young is simply one of the best players on the PGA Tour in 2024, and I strongly believe has what it takes to win a PGA Tour event in the very near future.
Corey Conners +5500 (FanDuel)
Corey Conners has had a disappointing year thus far on the PGA Tour, but absolutely loves Harbour Town.
At last week’s Masters Tournament, the Canadian finished T30 but ranked 20th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach. In his past 24 rounds, Conners ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 3rd in Greens in Regulation % and 24th in Good Drive %.
In Conners’ last four trips to Harbour Town, his worst finish was T31, last season. He finished T4 in 2021, T12 in 2022 and ranks 8th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course over his past 36 rounds.
Conners hasn’t been contending, but his recent finishes have been encouraging as he has finished in the top-25 in each of his past three starts prior to The Masters, including an impressive T13 at The PLAYERS. His recent improvement in ball striking as well as his suitability for Harbour Town makes Conners a high upside bet this week.
Shane Lowry (+7500) (FanDuel)
When these odds were posted after Lowry was announced in the field, I have to admit I was pretty stunned. Despite not offering much win equity on the PGA Tour over the last handful of years, Shane Lowry is still a top caliber player who has the ability to rise to the top of a signature event.
Lowry struggled to score at The Masters last week, but he actually hit the ball really well. The Irishman ranked 1st for Strokes Gained: Approach on the week and 7th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. As usual, it was the putter that let him down, as he ranked 60th in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Harbour Town is most definitely one of Lowry’s favorite courses on the PGA Tour. In his six starts there, he’s finished in the top 10 three times, including third twice. Lowry is sensational at Pete Dye designs and ranks 7th in Strokes Gained: Total in his past 36 rounds on Dye tracks.
Lowry is perfect for Harbour Town. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 5th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 2nd in Good Drive% and 5th in Green in Regulation %. If he figures it out on the greens, Shane could have his first win in America since 2015.
Lucas Glover +12000 (FanDuel)
This is one of my weekly “bet the number” plays as I strongly believe the odds are just too long for a player of Glover’s caliber. The odds have been too long on Glover for a few weeks now, but this is the first event that I can get behind the veteran being able to actually contend at.
Glover is quietly playing good golf and returning to the form he had after the understandable regression after his two massive victories at the end of 2023. He finished T20 at The Masters, which was his best ever finish at Augusta National. For the week, Lucas ranked 18th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 20th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.
Over his past 24 rounds, Glover ranks 9th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th in Good Drive %. Harbour Town is a short course that the 44-year-old will be able to keep up with the top players on Tour off the tee. He’s played the course more than 20 times, with mixed results. His best finishes at Harbour Town include a T7 in 2008, but recently has a finish of T21 in 2020.
Glover has proven he can contend with the stars of the Tour on any given week, and this number is flat out disrespectful.
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Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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Report: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
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Ludvig Åberg WITB 2024 (April)
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19th Hole1 week agoDave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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19th Hole3 weeks agoThings got heated at the Houston Open between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti. Here’s why
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19th Hole1 week agoTiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
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19th Hole2 weeks agoReport: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
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19th Hole5 days agoTwo star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
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19th Hole4 days agoNeal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
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19th Hole3 days agoReport: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
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19th Hole2 weeks agoAddiction, spinal fusion, and scam artists – Everything Anthony Kim revealed in candid interview with David Feherty
THONG
Mar 8, 2015 at 12:46 am
Always room for another POS on he PGA tour!
Del Capslock
Feb 16, 2015 at 11:19 pm
Who is a better winner, Patrick Reed or Jason Day?
leo
Feb 17, 2015 at 4:12 pm
patrick reed
Tony
Feb 16, 2015 at 6:52 pm
Thinking its a good idea to tell the crowd “Shhhh” when your team is getting their ass handed to them is sure sign of pure arrogance and selfishness. No surprise there is a book coming out that has bad things to say about him, I imagine they couldn’t fit it all in.
Patrick
Feb 15, 2015 at 12:40 pm
John Iaciofano, the details of your writing isn’t a problem, but I wish you would have considered writing two separate articles. Implying an equivalency between addiction and stealing/cheating/bigotry is inappropriate and I hope you take this into account in the future. It’s quite offensive to those who are working to recover from addiction or have had addiction severely impact those we love.
Brad
Feb 18, 2015 at 11:27 am
As I read the article, personally, I felt it was well written, and a pretty good piece. I think he was trying to correlate their demeanor, not their transgressions. Both Tiger and Patrick have a case of “If you aint’ first, you’re last Ricky…”
Growing up in a household where dependency issues were the norm, taking offense to this article was never even a thought. Sometimes it feels like no correspondent can write an article on here without being blasted?
Donnie
Mar 4, 2015 at 8:22 am
Addiction?? Addicted to what?? Did you mail in your TW fan club check for 2015. Addiction.. Pffft!
Awedge333
Feb 15, 2015 at 12:35 pm
The article was enjoyable – a good read regardless of ones perspective. However, the comments are a hoot.
Tiger will be done when the endorsement train stops running. He got a ton of people to watch golf. When he is yesterday’s news, no one will really care – I don’t now. He is responsible for where he is in life.
Regarding Reed, fun to watch. Putting the “hush” on the Ryder Cup gallery was fun also. Here’s hoping for him that he’s not as bad as we are lead to believe – if he is, his endorsements will dry up too.
leo
Feb 17, 2015 at 4:20 pm
if they do so be it he will still be making several million a year in prize money and will continue to be his own man not cow towing to what tthe politically correct a-holes want him to be.stay as you are patrick and you will continue to be my favorite tour player
farmer
Feb 14, 2015 at 11:41 am
If the author is going to accuse Reed of stealing and cheating, there needs to some sources cited. How did he steal the money? From whom? Where and when did he cheat? Otherwise, meaningless drivel.
Donnie
Mar 4, 2015 at 8:24 am
This is fairly well known accusation, not something this author brought to light. Media will beat the crap out of a dead horse…
Travis
Feb 14, 2015 at 11:34 am
I met Patrick Reed last year before the self-incriminating gay comment…one thing that flashed thru my mind when I met him was an episode of Family Guy when Stewie turned to Lois, “this guy don’t sit right with me Lois…he don’t sit right with me”
I crack myself up…
Jack Wullkotte
Feb 14, 2015 at 10:05 am
I have been inside the ropes of the PGA Tour for nearly 68 years. I have been privy to many stories of indiscretions, infidelity, wild Parties, altercations and many other misguided or stupid acts that are frowned upon by the general public, but, will never be revealed, because, these things happened in a time when there were more important things to worry about or talk about, like depressions, wars, inflation,diseases, Babe Ruth, Lou Gherig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays, the original big three, Hogan, Nelson and Snead, then Nicklaus Palmer and Player. Years later, when there was a lack of really important issues to write about, the media began to investigate notable personalities more thoroughly, apparently looking for something that would shock the people and cause great concern and lots of controversy. In the case of Tiger Woods, overnight, after his incident with the car crash and the revelation of his indiscretions off the golf course, in the minds of many people, he became the most evil person on earth. My wife was a good example of the switch.
She watched his U. S. Open win at Torrey Pines and thought he was the greatest thing since sliced bread. When the bad news came out, she absolutely hated his guts and put a hex on him that will last forever. My thoughts were, it was no worse than what our former president, Bill Clinton did in the oval office of the White House and all the other things he was accused of and probably rightfully so. In fact, I don’t think it was anywhere near as bad. As far as Patrick Reed’s comments are concerned, it’s a common occurrence and not about to end soon. I’m sure gays make derogatory comments about heterosexuals, also. My thought about Tiger is, “What a waste of talent.” I don’t think anyone will ever dominate any sport the way he did golf.
Jack Wullkotte
Feb 15, 2015 at 8:08 am
Sorry Bubba, but when an amateur can dominate a sport, the competition is not there. Bobby Jones was a great golfer, but comparing his record with Tiger’s is like comparing apples and oranges. Jones did not compete weekly with the likes of Gene Sarazen, Walter Hagen, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan. True, he probably would have held his own, but no way would he have dominated.
leo
Feb 17, 2015 at 4:37 pm
sadly tiger reacted to his situation the way he was” supposed” to.he was more concerned with public opinion and corporate sponsors than being true to himself.had he come out and said this is what i did this is who i am and if you don’t like it tough his bank account would have suffered but his golf game probably would have recovered much quicker.this whole thing about public shaming is a joke it is only effective if you allow yourself to be ashamed.if you do something own it and if the public doesn’t like it too bad for them.his air of invincibility was shattered not only on the golf course but in his own mind and that is harder to come back from than a bad back
LH
Feb 28, 2015 at 4:18 pm
d
LH
Feb 28, 2015 at 4:20 pm
I find it funny how you/many others, refer to things as being “Tiger’s concern”. This is about business. Dollars and sense.
LH
Feb 28, 2015 at 4:27 pm
When you’re in the public eye, you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Why is that so hard for the average person to comprehend? I don’t feel sympathy for Tiger but I do have empathy. At the end of the day, we are all in search of one thing. To be happy. Yet we all judge each other for it.
Daniel
Feb 14, 2015 at 8:00 am
Great article. Very interesting view on on course behavior that some view as disrespectful and obnoxious. I really enjoyed your John Starks reference and it really shed a different light on to PReeds on course antics. I feel his personality is precisely what makes him so good. Hopefully he truly does have enough self confidence to endure the incoming media onslaught that he will soon be faced with. He is definitely a compelling figure in golf.
obo
Feb 13, 2015 at 9:58 pm
If this kid Reed would loose 25 Lbs. he might get into the top 5. Clearly he lacks self discipline on and off the course.
leftright
Feb 13, 2015 at 10:38 pm
Must be nice to be a perfect human being. I’ll be looking for “obo” on the leaderboard.
Retro
Feb 14, 2015 at 1:23 am
Your the frickin loser who’s probably 50 lbs overweight. People like you are a real drain on society.
smart aleck
Feb 15, 2015 at 1:13 pm
You’re.
Jon Silverberg
Feb 13, 2015 at 9:53 pm
I couldn’t disagree more, even if you are also a Jets fan…focusing on media images is a red herring…someone who does things which could reasonably be seen to be risking destroying his family, or someone who steals and cheats, is what he is, and it is a major error for us to allow ourselves to be distracted from that by caring about competitiveness or struggles to regain form…Do I believe I know much of what these two paragons actually did? Yes, I do (in Reed’s case, I believe it is quite telling that no one in the golf world has risen to deny he did these things…it’s a case of the dog that didn’t bark…)…the world would be a better place if he hadn’t cheated and stolen and had lost his Ryder Cup singles match, not the other way around…
Dpavs
Feb 13, 2015 at 5:40 pm
I agree that it’s time to turn the tables on the media indulging the overly politically correct elements of the US and elsewhere.
But I do still believe in a pretty simple axiom. You do stupid stuff, you get stupid results.
LH
Feb 28, 2015 at 4:29 pm
The word stupid is irrelevant when you have x-amount of money. Trust me on this.
Rich
Feb 13, 2015 at 5:03 pm
I for one do not give concession for the age of sports stars as a reason for poor behaviour. If you are going to be in the public eye and consequently a role model whether you like it or not, you better behave or be cut down for it. Anyway, fact is that everyone is different. Some people like a villain and some don’t. I quite like a villain but they’ve got to have some class, of which neither Reed nor Woods possess. If the USA want to build their Ryder Cup team around Reeds attitude and by default, his behaviour, go right ahead. A bit of fire is one thing but being an a$$hole is another.
Rich
Feb 14, 2015 at 5:50 pm
Could just as easily left out “fact is that” and it would have said what I intended. Basically, everyone is different and likes different things but I think PR and TW are a$$holes so I don’t like them. I would be happy if both of them disappeared and were never to be seen in the public eye again.
leo
Feb 17, 2015 at 4:42 pm
fortunately a-holes like you are invisible and have never been in the public eye
Martin
Feb 13, 2015 at 4:10 pm
I watch sports and go to concerts because the people I am watching can do amazing things be them physical or musical.
I don’t really care that much about them personally, I don’t want to hear their political views or their thoughts on global warming.
Tiger is a rare sports figure that I intensely dislike as a man. He built an image that was completely fake, his on course persona is not really an issue to me, the deity has became in the media which then blew up when he hit the fire hydrant and has now become kind of sad is something I no longer feel anything about.
I think of him in the same thought as ARod, an incredibly talented but massively flawed person who is incredibly so unaware of the world around him doesn’t understand why people react the way they do to them.
Rich
Feb 14, 2015 at 5:53 pm
How can you go to concert for a musician and say you have no interest in their views or politics etc etc? Most, if not all artists write/perform songs about their thoughts or political views or something similar or don’t you listen to the lyrics?
leo
Feb 17, 2015 at 4:46 pm
flawed according to you and based on what you’ve read. do you know these guys personally?
Foreleft
Feb 13, 2015 at 3:27 pm
I watched the Ryder cup and a poorly led and motivated United states team crash and burn.
I didn’t like Patrick reed until his singles match with Stenson. His attitude during the best match of the day was outstanding. Aggressive and full off vim and fight. The U.S. Ryder cup team needs to find another 11 to match him and I’m from ireland!.
BigBoy
Feb 13, 2015 at 3:18 pm
Karma is a big bus that doesn’t discriminate.
LH
Feb 28, 2015 at 4:33 pm
I would assume it’s ok, that some don’t believe in Karma.
Jon
Feb 13, 2015 at 3:06 pm
Very well written and to the point. The polarization of these high-profile players must take it’s toll on their performance. The constant attention given by the media and swarming him wherever he goes asking to many questions has to take a toll. Every move, mistake, missed shot, shanked practice shot has to be exposed and analyzed.
I agree.. I think people (media) should lay off. We need characters out on the tour not just robots.
Kevin
Feb 13, 2015 at 2:29 pm
I can’t agree with anything you say about liking to watch Tiger’s fist pumping and hopping around greens, cheering himself on. I never felt like that resonated with the majority of golf fans. I always had the utmost respect for his game, and I still consider his to be the greatest short game ever (before all of the recent yips), but I never particularly liked him and I don’t think he cared all that much if anyone did. He was phony. He was with his wife and kids, and a dog, licking their faces, probably a staged dog at that, in People magazine right before the scandal broke, selling an image that could not have been further from the truth. His entire life was a persona, a ruse. He wasn’t one of your Yankee and Knicks heroes, the comparison is offensive. He wasn’t what you see is what you get. He was the guy who has slipped by with his dirty association to A-Rod and the Canadian doctor (both well known for designer steroids), and who crafted an image and possibly a physique built on lie after lie. It’s really hard to feel sorry for him . I agree that the public shaming has taken the edge off of him. He does seem almost desperate to be liked in some way now. I have a strange feeling watching him, that once his playing days are over, he might actually be a great color analyst for golf. He has shown a little self deprecating humor recently, though he’s also incredibly defensive, but I think when the pressure of expectations are gone, and he can finally be himself, his intellect and sense of humor might win some people over, not unlike what Nick Faldo has done.
Bert
Feb 13, 2015 at 3:51 pm
Yep! But I do not wish bad times on anyone (not that you did). I too never liked his or Steve’s conduct on the course or during interviews. However he could really play and could intimidate his competitors, the media and his coaches. My hope would be for him to regain the competitive level he once obtained, be himself and not so defensive and compete with the Patrick Reed’s of the tour.
Mike
Feb 13, 2015 at 2:21 pm
First let me say that I think you totally underestimate the ego of a professional athlete to think that what the media writes about them has much, or anything to do with what’s going on under the hood. Rightfully or wrongfully, these are a supremely confident group of people, not unlike CEO’s. You should try hard to avoid confusing coincidence with causality.
Second, I’m not sure why we care, or even why we’re surprised that pro-athletes aren’t perfect human beings. OF COURSE they have non-PC views of some kind (who doesn’t), OF COURSE they say stuff they wish they hadn’t (who doesn’t), OF COURSE they exhibit behavior that a lot of folks think of as questionable from a moral standpoint (who doesn’t). SO WHAT? I care about how they play, not how they live. I care about how they behave under pressure, not under media spotlights. I care about the good things they do throughout their careers in public, not the bad things they do in private. Grab 125 people off the street and I’ll guarantee you there are “bad apples” in the bunch….why would the PGA Tour be any different?
Next, I wish I had a few do-overs for some of the dumb stuff I did in my teens, AND my early twenties, and I suspect most people do. And yes….golf is not a team sport, so who cares if Patrick’s mates weren’t really mates. Cut ’em some slack folks. Glass house and stones stuff comes to mind. I’m sure glad no one wrote a book about the dumb stuff I did, even if no one would read it.
Finally, this negative media crap has gotten out of control because we (the fans) love to consume it. We are all a bunch of media rubberneckers, which certainly makes our behavior somewhat moralistically questionable. Take a minute to post a comment, or send the writer/author/journalist an e-mail when you think what they’ve written is crap. The only thing we have in common with these pro’s is that we’re supposed to be adults too.
Christian
Feb 16, 2015 at 11:29 am
Preach!
Brian
Feb 16, 2015 at 4:15 pm
The negative press is just as much a part of the celebrity life as the positive press is. It’s an accepted part of being famous and very wealthy from the sport you play. If Tiger, or his fans don’t like that, then all Tiger needs to do is give back all the money and get a real job where he can live in virtual anonymity like most of us do.
DB
Feb 13, 2015 at 2:02 pm
It’s our fault. Consumers read these books and articles, just dying to find out more than they should ever have access to about a person they don’t really know, writers see what types of articles are getting the most mileage, so they feed the hungry consumers what they want. It’s too bad we (consumers) can’t just watch athletes play their sports and leave it at that. We have this insatiable desire to get the dirt on someone and bring them down to our level. It’s no wonder Marshawn Lynch has taken the stance he has against the media.
bosse
Feb 13, 2015 at 1:09 pm
reed was 17 when he allegedly did bad (as illegal/cheating) stuff. i can come up of a zillion bad things i did at that time.secondly, when he said he was top 5 in the world, if we hadnt this silly 2 year OWG cycle, he probably had been, and probably will be soon. I am swedish and i know first hand how norlander and team really disliked lots of reeds sides. but hey, golf isnt a team sport.. i think reed is awesome. plays well under pressure, good putter, good irons, good wedges (good all around really) and a heck of a match player. with tiger gone we should really encourage some animosity between reed-rory-fowler-spieth-koepka. and if you ask me, reed will probably be second after rory in that bunch. ofcourse jimenez and stenson will trump them alll but that is another story…
Johnnie McFarland
Feb 13, 2015 at 12:42 pm
I’ve often wondered if the future will eventually be colorless and soulless with minimal displays of emotion in all walks of life since all of our actions are endlessly under surveillance, scrutinized, and subject to disdain and ridicule. Will any form of independence versus groupthink be acceptable? Can a person have “character,” be it good or bad? And will that character always be in question for someone else’s personal gain and/or agenda as is such the media’s need and desire and “duty” to expose the truth and facts about a person, no matter how private those facts maybe? So why risk being decadent chocolate when you can stay under the radar as plain Jane, ho-hum vanilla? Today’s endearing hero will eventually be tomorrow’s despised villain.
Jim
Feb 13, 2015 at 12:36 pm
What an honest, fresh viewpoint.
sam
Feb 13, 2015 at 8:24 pm
What a predictable thing for a golfer to say.
Timbleking
Feb 13, 2015 at 12:31 pm
AMEN! Definitely a Reed’s fan, for his game and behaviour on the course.
Tom Bowles
Feb 13, 2015 at 12:20 pm
Everyday here I read how there are a lot of perfect people who like to judge the behavior and actions of people they don’t know and who are personally unaffected by their actions. They like to pile on and hold people accountable for things that “normal” people do. It doesn’t make the actions of the accused right, but everyone deserves a break. If the intense scrutiny of an indiscretion at any level were shone on one of these people, they’d wilt under it. Many people say, “I’d never do anything like that…” But what have you done where you needed someone to cut you a break? Would you like to be constantly reminded of your mistake every day? How sanctimonious would you think we’d be if you were the target of that reminder? That messes with a person’s emotions and psyche no matter how strong you think you are.
Whether it’s Woods, Reed, Sabbatini, or any other golfer who runs afoul of the “Moral Authority Police” no one deserves treatment like that. In fact they’ve resorted to attacking other golfers who they see something on TV they don’t like, they run to a thread and proclaim their distain and the pile on begins. Bubba Watson comes to mind.
There is a double standard. If you’re not an “approved” player, it’s OK to be attacked. However, those very same people will rush to the defense of an “approved” player because they’ve never run afoul of their standard. This is a fallacy. Every man has a skeleton in their closet; something that cannot see the light of day or they’ll be just as embarrassed as anyone else. But they forget that when they choose to criticize someone else. And don’t try to defend someone unapproved. You’ll be lambasted for everything from cancer to not being a “real golf fan.”
We like to believe our heroes are faultless. This too is a fallacy. My father spoke of the exploits of some of his heroes in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, etc. that the press kept relatively quiet, or it was swept under the rug because that’s how men were then. Some names are legendary, but they’re still considered a hero. Do indiscretions need to be exposed? Sure. Do we need to keep them alive and the constant judgment going? No. It no longer is about the person and indiscretion itself once it sees the light of day and an apology made. It’s now about the one judging them and simply bringing it up because of a bias, often venomous, that that person should no longer be credible because of a mistake or flaw, or something that someone thought they saw. For every bad story or experience about someone posts, there is someone who has a 180 degree experience. But their opinion or experience isn’t important. You’re clearly wrong and a “fanboi.” What does that even mean? It’s a throwaway insult that means nothing.
If people spent less time being perfect and judging others they’ve never met, just maybe this place will get more cordial. But I guess as long as people continue to think they’re superior to others, we’ll always have it.
glennithy
Feb 13, 2015 at 10:51 pm
If there was a like button, I’d be pounding it into pieces right now. I can’t tell you how many times when I’m golfing with a stranger and the subject of Tiger’s indiscretions comes up and the incredulous stares I get when I ask them, ” how did something that really was between Tiger and his ex-wife have anything to do with you or affect you in any way? ” I don’t understand how everyone is so judgmental of some they don’t know.
Well written. Thank you.
D Louis
Feb 13, 2015 at 11:54 am
In America and the UK, there seems to be insatiable desire to rip down your “hereos” and watch them publicly suffer and bleed and then wonder in the end why they dissappear. I often wonder how bad it will get and if it will affect the very sports that everyone loves to watch. Will it change, I’m not sure it will with the power people have now through social media. Is it jealousy and vindictive behavior, probably….and how many of these so called “perfect” critics lead virtuous lives…not all I’m sure
Ilsompati
Feb 13, 2015 at 12:16 pm
Mr. Woods pretty much ripped himself apart. His issues are no fault of the fans.
Rando
Feb 13, 2015 at 11:53 am
Being fiercely competitive, unrehearsed, un-PC, etc. is all great. But Reed’s homophobic comments last month were despicable and inexcusable. The world seems to have let this one slide, but imagine if he had used the N word instead. (Sad that the world doesn’t equate these types of bigotry but I do.)
I am not a fan and will likely never be.
Ilsompati
Feb 13, 2015 at 12:07 pm
It isn’t healthy taking the actions of others so seriously……
bosse
Feb 13, 2015 at 1:14 pm
it was stupid, but once again, he was 24. its bad language which is probably due to culture and peer group language in the upbringing. he needs to get the bad attention for it, so he learns and understands and changes. once again. the gay jokes we made when i was young (between friends, never to gays) was never understood as really bad ugly habit until i got older. let the guy learn and change. i wonder if we expect these guys to be so grown up at such a young stage
Jay V.
Feb 13, 2015 at 1:19 pm
The intentions of what he said were definitely not homophobic. The analogy would be to replace what he said with “p***y” or “Sally” or whatever. I get what you’re saying and it’s absolutely not appropriate or excusable in any way… but I guarantee you that he didn’t mean it as anything more. I consider myself a fan of his just because the other 99% are usually cookie-cutter personalities with cookie-cutter swings and cookie-cutter responses.
Joe
Feb 14, 2015 at 7:53 am
The pussification of America.
Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me.
Ryan
Feb 13, 2015 at 11:48 am
I would love to see more athletes simply own what they say. Publicists and teams make these guys apologize for what they really think and want to say. It’s absolutely ridiculous. If you say it, own it. If it ticks people off, oh well. Stick to your guns. So what if Patrick Reed is arrogant or swears at himself; it shows he cares about winning and not just walking away with a paycheck.
Tommy Bolt
Feb 13, 2015 at 11:43 am
Great article. Positive or negative, the guy is real. Props.
sam
Feb 13, 2015 at 11:41 am
Like the guy for his opinions if you want, but why would you sacrifice your integrity by admiring someone who is a buttface?
frendy
Feb 13, 2015 at 11:39 am
What an old, tired assertion.