Opinion & Analysis
In defense of adult autograph seekers and vendors
Recently, Jordan Spieth put adult autograph seekers at the 2017 Pebble Beach Pro-Am in their place by telling them to “get a job” and to stop profiting from his success. Fair enough. It’s his autograph to either give or not to give.
It’s easy to see where he’s coming from, but before we praise Spieth for standing up against these losers, creeps, vultures, or whatever else you want to call them, let’s take a look at the autograph industry and who suffers from Spieth’s stance.
Essentially, you can put autograph seekers into five different buckets. I’ll go through each category with the perceptions and reality of each before ultimately getting to the point.
1) Kids
No one in their right mind is going to argue with kids who want an autograph. In the world of autographs, it really is all about the kids. Have you ever seen a kid get an autograph from their favorite athlete? Then you know what I’m talking about.
2) Adults getting the autograph for their kid
This one is also tough to take a stand against. There’s a number of reasons why a parent is at a sporting event without their child, but still wants to provide them with an awesome souvenir. Let’s say an 8-year-old had school and couldn’t miss, but the father went to the practice round at Pebble Beach and had the opportunity to get a Jordan Spieth autograph for him. Any concerns here? Not from me, but maybe you disagree.
3) Adults who want the autograph for themselves
OK. I see your point. Maybe this is a little weird. Especially when the adult is years, if not decades older than the athlete. But let’s say a middle-aged man wants a John Daly autograph for his man cave, or a middle-aged woman wants an Adam Scott autograph. Still as weird? There are certainly stranger things for adults to collect than autographs, so maybe we shouldn’t judge too heavily.
4) Those seeking autographs to sell at charity events
This one could be sticky for some to rationalize, and easier for others. Let’s say you’re running a charity event to raise money for ALS Research. At the event, you’re giving away a number of different items to raffle off and the profit goes to the research fund. Among those gifts is a Jordan Spieth autograph that was obtained at the AT&T Pebble Beach practice round by an adult. So yes, the autograph was obtained and sold, but the money went to charity. Hmm….
5) Adults with the intent to sell the product on Ebay
This is far and away the easiest group of people at which to point the finger and tell them they’re morons. Specifically, Spieth’s case against this group of people is that they have no intent to give the autograph to a kid or a good cause. They’re simply profiting off of his name…literally, and Spieth has a point. But what if we think about this group in a different light?
Imagine yourself as the parent of a 10-year-old kid who idolizes Jordan Spieth. You can’t afford to fly the family out to Pebble Beach to see Spieth play and hopefully get an autograph, but your child’s birthday is coming up and you really want to give him a signed Pebble Beach golf flag. So what do you do? You go straight to eBay and see if anyone is selling a Jordan Spieth-signed Pebble Beach flag.
You buy it.
It was $125, but hey, not that bad for an awesome gift. It comes in the mail five days later, just in time for the birthday party. And when your child opens up that gift, his eyes light up. He hangs the flag on his wall and looks at it everyday. Maybe he even starts to play golf every weekend because the autograph got him so excited.
Now, is it really that big of a deal that the person who provided the kid with the autograph made a few too many dollars off of it? Would you rather the 10-year-old Jordan Spieth fan never get the autograph?
The point is, there’s a demand for Jordan Spieth autographs. Whether it’s kids, adults, grandparents or dentists who want it for their waiting room, there’s a market. And there’s a short supply. Jordan Spieth is the only person in the world who can provide a Jordan Spieth autograph, and someone somewhere down the line is going to make money off of selling that autograph to the parent of the 10-year-old kid who wants it.
If it wasn’t for the autograph-selling adults, some children would never have access to their idol’s autograph.
What would you do?
- LIKE72
- LEGIT25
- WOW6
- LOL7
- IDHT3
- FLOP23
- OB21
- SHANK434
In my last post, I explained the basic performance dynamics of “smash factor” and “gear effect” as they apply to your wedges and your wedge play success. If you missed that post, you can read it here.
At the end of that post, I promised “part 2” of this discussion of what makes a wedge work the way it does. So, let’s dive into the other two components of any wedge – the shaft and the grip.
It’s long been said that the shaft is “the engine of the golf club.” The shaft (and grip) are your only connection to all the technologies that are packed into the head of any golf club, whether it be a driver, fairway, hybrid, iron, wedge or even putter.
And you cannot ignore those two components of your wedges if your goal is optimizing your performance.
I’ve long been an advocate of what I call a “seamless transition” from your irons into your wedges, so that the feel and performance do not disconnect when you choose a gap wedge, for example, instead of your iron-set-matching “P-club.” In today’s golf equipment marketplace, more and more golfers are making the investment of time and money to experience an iron fitting, going through trial and error and launch monitor measuring to get just the right shaft in their irons.
But then so many of those same golfers just go into a store and choose wedges off the retail display, with no similar science involved at all. And that’s why I see so many golfers with a huge disconnect between their custom-fitted irons, often with lighter and/or softer graphite or light steel shafts . . . and their off-the-rack wedges with the stock stiff steel ‘wedge flex’ shaft common to those stock offerings.
If your wedge shafts are significantly heavier and stiffer than the shafts in your irons, it is physically impossible for you to make the same swing. Period.
To quickly improve your wedge play, one of the first things you can do is have your wedges re-shafted with the same or similar shaft that is in your irons.
There’s another side of that shaft weight equation; if you don’t have the forearm and hand strength of a PGA Tour professional, you simply cannot “handle” the same weight shaft that those guys play to master the myriad of ‘touch shots’ around the greens.
Now, let’s move on to the third and other key component of your wedges – the grips. If those are not similar in shape and feel to the grips on your irons, you have another disconnect. Have your grips checked by a qualified golf club professionals to make sure you are in sync there.
The one caveat to that advice is that I am a proponent of a reduced taper in your wedge grips – putting two to four more layers of tape under the lower hand, or selecting one of the many reduced taper grips on the market. That accomplishes two goals for your scoring.
First, it helps reduce overactive hands in your full and near-full wedge swings. Quiet hands are key to good wedge shots.
And secondly, it provides a more consistent feel of the wedge in your hands as you grip down for those shorter and more delicate shots around the greens. And you should always grip down as you get into those touch shots. I call it “getting closer to your work.”
So, if you will spend as much time selecting the shafts and grips for your wedges as you do choosing the brand, model, and loft of them, your scoring range performance will get better.
More from the Wedge Guy
- The Wedge Guy: What really makes a wedge work? Part 1
- The Wedge Guy: The easiest-to-learn golf basic
- The Wedge Guy: Golf mastery begins with your wedge game
- LIKE3
- LEGIT3
- WOW0
- LOL1
- IDHT1
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK4
19th Hole
Vincenzi’s 2024 Wells Fargo Championship betting preview: Tommy Fleetwood ready to finally land maiden PGA Tour title
The PGA Tour season ramps back up this week for another “signature event,” as golf fans look forward to the year’s second major championship next week.
After two weaker-field events in the Zurich Classic and the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, most of the best players in the world will head to historic Quail Hollow for one of the best non-major tournaments of the year.
Last season, Wyndham Clark won the event by four shots.
Quail Hollow is a par-71 measuring 7,521 yards that features Bermudagrass greens. The tree-lined, parkland style course can play quite difficult and features one of the most difficult three-hole stretches in golf known as “The Green Mile,” which makes up holes 16-18: two mammoth par 4s and a 221-yard par 3. All three holes have an average score over par, and water is in play in each of the last five holes on the course.
The field is excellent this week with 68 golfers teeing it up without a cut. All of the golfers who’ve qualified are set to tee it up, with the exception of Scottie Scheffler, who is expecting the birth of his first child.
Past Winners at Quail Hollow
- 2023: Wyndham Clark (-19)
- 2022: Max Homa (-8)
- 2021: Rory McIlroy (-10)
- 2019: Max Homa (-15)
- 2018: Jason Day (-12)
- 2017: Justin Thomas (-8) (PGA Championship)
- 2016: James Hahn (-9)
- 2015: Rory McIlroy (-21)
Key Stats For Quail Hollow
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes gained: Approach will be extremely important this week as second shots at Quail Hollow can be very difficult.
Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Akshay Bhatia (+1.16)
- Tom Hoge (+1.12)
- Corey Conners (+1.01)
- Shane Lowry (+0.93)
- Austin Eckroat (+0.82)
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
Quail Hollow is a long course on which it is important to play from the fairway. Both distance and accuracy are important, as shorter tee shots will result in approach shots from 200 or more yards. With most of the holes heavily tree lined, errant drives will create some real trouble for the players.
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee Past 24 Rounds:
- Ludvig Aberg (+0.73)
- Rory McIlroy (+0.69)
- Xander Schauffele (+0.62)
- Viktor Hovland (+0.58)
- Chris Kirk (+0.52)
Proximity: 175-200
The 175-200 range is key at Quail Hollow. Players who can hit their long irons well will rise to the top of the leaderboard.
Proximity: 175-200+ over past 24 rounds:
- Cameron Young (28’2″)
- Akshay Bhatia (29’6″)
- Ludvig Aberg (+30’6″)
- Sam Burns (+30’6″)
- Collin Morikawa (+30’9″)
SG: Total on Tom Fazio Designs
Players who thrive on Tom Fazio designs get a bump for me at Quail Hollow this week.
SG: Total on Tom Fazio Designs over past 36 rounds:
- Patrick Cantlay (+2.10)
- Rory McIlroy (+1.95)
- Tommy Fleetwood (+1.68)
- Austin Eckroat (+1.60)
- Will Zalatoris (+1.57)
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermudagrass)
Strokes Gained: Putting has historically graded out as the most important statistic at Quail Hollow. While it isn’t always predictable, I do want to have it in the model to bump up golfers who prefer to putt on Bermudagrass.
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermudagrass) Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Taylor Moore (+0.82)
- Nick Dunlap (+.76)
- Wyndham Clark (+.69)
- Emiliano Grillo (+.64)
- Cam Davis (+.61)
Course History
This stat will incorporate players that have played well in the past at Quail Hollow.
Course History over past 36 rounds (per round):
- Rory McIlroy (+2.50)
- Justin Thomas (+1.96)
- Jason Day (+1.92)
- Rickie Fowler (+1.83)
- Viktor Hovland (+1.78)
Wells Fargo Championship Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), SG: Off the Tee (23%), SG: Total on Fazio designs (12%), Proximity: 175-200 (12%), SG: Putting Bermuda grass (12%), and Course History (14%).
- Wyndham Clark
- Rory McIlroy
- Xander Schauffele
- Shane Lowry
- Hideki Matsuyama
- Viktor Hovland
- Cameron Young
- Austin Eckroat
- Byeong Hun An
- Justin Thomas
2024 Wells Fargo Championship Picks
Tommy Fleetwood +2500 (DraftKings)
I know many out there have Tommy fatigue when it comes to betting, which is completely understandable given his lack of ability to win on the PGA Tour thus far in his career. However, history has shown us that players with Fleetwood’s talent eventually break though, and I believe for Tommy, it’s just a matter of time.
Fleetwood has been excellent on Tom Fazio designs. Over his past 36 rounds, he ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Total on Fazio tracks. He’s also been incredibly reliable off the tee this season. He’s gained strokes in the category in eight of his past nine starts, including at The Masters, the PLAYERS and the three “signature events” of the season. Tommy is a golfer built for tougher courses and can grind it out in difficult conditions.
Last year, Fleetwood was the first-round leader at this event, firing a Thursday 65. He finished the event in a tie for 5th place.
For those worried about Fleetwood’s disappointing start his last time out at Harbour Town, he’s bounced back nicely after plenty of poor outings this season. His T7 at the Valero Texas Open was after a MC and T35 in his prior two starts and his win at the Dubai Invitational came after a T47 at the Sentry.
I expect Tommy to bounce back this week and contend at Quail Hollow.
Justin Thomas +3000 (DraftKings)
It’s been a rough couple of years for Justin Thomas, but I don’t believe things are quite as bad as they seem for JT. He got caught in the bad side of the draw at Augusta for last month’s Masters and has gained strokes on approach in seven of his nine starts in 2024.
Thomas may have found something in his most recent start at the RBC Heritage. He finished T5 at a course that he isn’t the best fit for on paper. He also finally got the putter working and ranked 15th in Strokes Gained: Putting for the week.
The two-time PGA champion captured the first of his two major championships at Quail Hollow back in 2017, and some good vibes from the course may be enough to get JT out of his slump.
Thomas hasn’t won an event in just about two years. However, I still believe that will change soon as he’s been one of the most prolific winners throughout his PGA Tour career. Since 2015, he has 15 PGA Tour wins.
Course history is pretty sticky at Quail Hollow, with players who like the course playing well there on a regular basis. In addition to JT’s PGA Championship win in 2017, he went 4-1 at the 2022 Presidents Cup and finished T14 at the event last year despite being in poor form. Thomas can return as one of the top players on the PGA Tour with a win at a “signature event” this week.
Cameron Young +3500 (DraftKings)
For many golf bettors, it’s been frustrating backing Cam Young this season. His talent is undeniable, and one of the best and most consistent performers on the PGA Tour. He just hasn’t broken through with a victory yet. Quail Hollow has been a great place for elite players to get their first victory. Rory McIlroy, Anthony Kim, Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark all notched their first PGA Tour win at Quail.
Throughout Cam Young’s career, he has thrived at tougher courses with strong fields. This season, he finished T16 at Riviera and T9 at Augusta National, demonstrating his preference of a tough test. His ability to hit the ball long and straight off the tee make him an ideal fit for Quail Hollow, despite playing pretty poorly his first time out in 2023 (T59). Young should be comfortable playing in the region as he played his college golf at Wake Forest, which is about an hour’s drive from Quail Hollow.
The 26-year-old has played well at Tom Fazio designs in the past and ranks 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Total on those courses in his last 36 rounds. Perhaps most importantly, this season, Young is the best player on the PGA Tour in terms of proximity from 175-200 in the fairway, which is where a plurality and many crucial shots will come from this week.
Young is an elite talent and Quail Hollow has been kind to players of his ilk who’ve yet to win on Tour.
Byeong Hun An +5000 (FanDuel)
Byeong Hun An missed some opportunities last weekend at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. He finished T4 and played some outstanding golf, but a couple of missed short putts prevented him from getting to the winning score of -23. Despite not getting the win, it’s hard to view An’s performance as anything other than an overwhelming success. It was An’s fourth top-ten finish of the season.
Last week, An gained 6.5 strokes ball striking, which was 7th in the field. He also ranked 12th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th for Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. The South Korean has been hitting the ball so well from tee to green all season long and he now heads to a golf course that should reward his precision.
An’s driver and long irons are absolute weapons. At Quail Hollow, players will see plenty of approach shots from the 175-200 range as well as some from 200+. In his past 24 rounds, Ben ranks 3rd in the field in proximity from 175-200 and 12th in proximity from 200+. Playing in an event that will not end up being a “birdie” fest should help An, who can separate from the field with his strong tee to green play. The putter may not always cooperate but getting to -15 is much easier than getting to -23 for elite ball strikers who tend to struggle on the greens.
Winning a “signature event” feels like a tall task for An this week with so many elite players in the field. However, he’s finished T16 at the Genesis Invitational, T16 at The Masters and T8 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The 32-year-old’s game has improved drastically this season and I believe he’s ready to get the biggest win of his career.
- LIKE8
- LEGIT4
- WOW1
- LOL1
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK1
19th Hole
Vincenzi’s LIV Golf Singapore betting preview: Course specialist ready to thrive once again
After another strong showing in Australia, LIV Golf will head to Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore looking to build off of what was undoubtedly their best event to date.
Sentosa Golf Club sits on the southern tip of Singapore and is one of the most beautiful courses in the world. The course is more than just incredible scenically; it was also rated 55th in Golf Digest’s top-100 courses in 2022-2023 and has been consistently regarded as one of the best courses in Asia. Prior to being part of the LIV rotation, the course hosted the Singapore Open every year since 2005.
Sentosa Golf Club is a par 71 measuring 7,406 yards. The course will require precise ball striking and some length off the tee. It’s possible to go low due to the pristine conditions, but there are also plenty of hazards and difficult spots on the course that can bring double bogey into play in a hurry. The Bermudagrass greens are perfectly manicured, and the course has spent millions on the sub-air system to keep the greens rolling fast. I spoke to Asian Tour player, Travis Smyth, who described the greens as “the best [he’s] ever played.”
Davis Love III, who competed in a Singapore Open in 2019, also gushed over the condition of the golf course.
“I love the greens. They are fabulous,” the 21-time PGA Tour winner said.
Love III also spoke about other aspects of the golf course.
“The greens are great; the fairways are perfect. It is a wonderful course, and it’s tricky off the tee.”
“It’s a long golf course, and you get some long iron shots. It takes somebody hitting it great to hit every green even though they are big.”
As Love III said, the course can be difficult off the tee due to the length of the course and the trouble looming around every corner. It will take a terrific ball striking week to win at Sentosa Golf Club.
In his pre-tournament press conference last season, Phil Mickelson echoed many of the same sentiments.
“To play Sentosa effectively, you’re going to have a lot of shots from 160 to 210, a lot of full 6-, 7-, 8-iron shots, and you need to hit those really well and you need to drive the ball well.”
Golfers who excel from tee to green and can dial in their longer irons will have a massive advantage this week.
Stat Leaders at LIV Golf Adelaide:
Fairways Hit
1.) Louis Oosthuizen
2.) Anirban Lahiri
3.) Jon Rahm
4.) Brendan Steele
5.) Cameron Tringale
Greens in Regulation
1.) Brooks Koepka
2.) Brendan Steele
3.) Dean Burmester
4.) Cameron Tringale
5.) Anirban Lahiri
Birdies Made
1.) Brendan Steele
2.) Dean Burmester
3.) Thomas Pieters
4.) Patrick Reed
5.) Carlos Ortiz
LIV Golf Individual Standings:
1.) Joaquin Niemann
2.) Jon Rahm
3.) Dean Burmester
4.) Louis Oosthuizen
5.) Abraham Ancer
LIV Golf Team Standings:
1.) Crushers
2.) Legion XIII
3.) Torque
4.) Stinger GC
5.) Ripper GC
LIV Golf Singapore Picks
Sergio Garcia +3000 (DraftKings)
Sergio Garcia is no stranger to Sentosa Golf Club. The Spaniard won the Singapore Open in 2018 by five strokes and lost in a playoff at LIV Singapore last year to scorching hot Talor Gooch. Looking at the course setup, it’s no surprise that a player like Sergio has played incredible golf here. He’s long off the tee and is one of the better long iron players in the world when he’s in form. Garcia is also statistically a much better putter on Bermudagrass than he is on other putting surfaces. He’s putt extremely well on Sentosa’s incredibly pure green complexes.
This season, Garcia has two runner-up finishes, both of them being playoff losses. Both El Camaleon and Doral are courses he’s had success at in his career. The Spaniard is a player who plays well at his tracks, and Sentosa is one of them. I believe Sergio will get himself in the mix this week. Hopefully the third time is a charm in Singapore.
Paul Casey +3300 (FanDuel)
Paul Casey is in the midst of one of his best seasons in the five years or so. The results recently have been up and down, but he’s shown that when he’s on a golf course that suits his game, he’s amongst the contenders.
This season, Casey has finishes of T5 (LIV Las Vegas), T2 (LIV Hong Kong), and a 6th at the Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour. At his best, the Englishman is one of the best long iron players in the world, which makes him a strong fit for Sentosa. Despite being in poor form last season, he was able to fire a Sunday 63, which shows he can low here at the course.
It’s been three years since Casey has won a tournament (Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2021), but he’s been one of the top players on LIV this season and I think he can get it done at some point this season.
Mito Pereira +5000 (Bet365)
Since Mito Pereira’s unfortunate demise at the 2022 PGA Championship, he’s been extremely inconsistent. However, over the past few months, the Chilean has played well on the International Series as well as his most recent LIV start. Mito finished 8th at LIV Adelaide, which was his best LIV finish this season.
Last year, Pereira finished 5th at LIV Singapore, shooting fantastic rounds of 67-66-66. It makes sense why Mito would like Sentosa, as preeminent ball strikers tend to rise to the challenge of the golf course. He’s a great long iron player who is long and straight off the tee.
Mito has some experience playing in Asia and is one of the most talented players on LIV who’s yet to get in the winner’s circle. I have questions about whether or not he can come through once in contention, but if he gets there, I’m happy to roll the dice.
Andy Ogletree +15000 (DraftKings)
Andy Ogletree is a player I expected to have a strong 2024 but struggled early in his first full season on LIV. After failing to crack the top-25 in any LIV event this year, the former U.S. Amateur champion finally figured things out, finished in a tie for 3rd at LIV Adelaide.
Ogletree should be incredible comfortable playing in Singapore. He won the International Series Qatar last year and finished T3 at the International Series Singapore. The 26-year-old was arguably the best player on the Asian Tour in 2023 and has been fantastic in the continent over the past 18 months.
If Ogletree has indeed found form, he looks to be an amazing value at triple-digit odds.
- LIKE3
- LEGIT3
- WOW1
- LOL2
- IDHT0
- FLOP2
- OB0
- SHANK0
Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
Things got heated at the Houston Open between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti. Here’s why
Justin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
Tiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
Report: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
Report: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
Neal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
What we know about Bryson DeChambeau’s 3D-printed Avoda irons
Kevin Tway WITB 2024 (May)
Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver:...
Matthieu Pavon WITB 2024 (May)
Pavon’s WITB accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Ping G430 Max (9...
WITB Time Machine: Rory McIlroy’s winning WITB, 2015 Wells Fargo Championship
Then-No. 1 player in the world Rory McIlroy began the week at the Wells Fargo Championship at 3-1 odds, if...
Akshay Bhatia WITB 2024 (May)
Akshay Bhatia what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. Bhatia is deciding between drivers. More photos...
-
19th Hole3 weeks agoJustin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
-
19th Hole3 weeks ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
-
19th Hole2 weeks agoLET pro gives detailed financial breakdown of first week on tour…and the net result may shock you
-
19th Hole3 days agoReport: LIV star turns down PGA Championship invite due to ‘personal commitments’
-
19th Hole1 week agoGary Player claims this is what ‘completely ruined’ Tiger Woods’ career
-
Whats in the Bag2 weeks agoTeam McIlowry (Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry) winning WITBs: 2024 Zurich Classic
-
Equipment1 week agoGolf fans left surprised by LIV’s choice of course for its 2024 individual championship event
-
Equipment2 days agoDetails on Justin Thomas’ driver switch at the Wells Fargo Championship
JThunder
Feb 17, 2017 at 2:30 am
Having something autographed by an athlete (or celebrity) who didn’t autograph it for you is like having a love letter from a beautiful girl (or guy) that wasn’t written to you. As a kid, I didn’t see the point, and I certainly don’t now. That $125 spent on some piece of junk for a kid could surely have been spent better (for one thing, waiting for a chance to obtain a personalized autograph, if that’s the ultimate goal.) The autograph hounding – and the ludicrous high-fiving – is the relatively harmless but still ugly side of our worship of celebrity. The income and adulation they receive is entirely disproportionate to their comparative value. But then, the same is true for most corporate CEOs, and in essence part of that same culture.
Seriously, though, stop high-fiving players too. I cringe every time – one ill-timed move could end a career, especially with all the drunks at the tournaments.
jc
Feb 13, 2017 at 7:00 pm
I get them to sign their book…that way, they know I spent some money that they got…I have Jack, Phil, Leadbetter….Chick Evans…(old golfer)….
Bob
Feb 13, 2017 at 4:44 pm
There was only one autograph I ever wanted…Arnie’s. And that was just to get close enough to shake his hand…
KoreanSlumLord
Feb 13, 2017 at 11:01 am
Kids only. The athletes should ignore the adults and the problem is fixed. I dont understand a lot of United States culture. The one thing that confuses me is adults who wear NFL/MLB/NHL jerseys with another guys name on it. In Korea and Japan, this is for the guys who have certain feelings for other guys. I think of same thing when I see grown azz men waving a piece of paraphanalia to another man to sign. Maybe they want the sex with that guy. Spieth is right on this one.
Ronald Montesano
Feb 12, 2017 at 5:34 am
The sheer number of comments is astonishing…I want Andrew Tursky’s autograph now!
If a professional athlete sees the same people at multiple events, she/he certainly might suspect that a profit-maker is in attendance. In a case like that, I see no problem with not granting an autograph. If the athlete gets a bad vibe (these are superhumans, after all, with powers of sensitivity beyond my own) from the autograph seeker, again, deny the scribble.
If Jordan Spieth moves the needle, then his moves need to be considered for an article. This is newsworthy, as it involved an interaction with the gallery and a subsequent, public statement (in an interview.) I like how Tursky laid out a hierarchy of seekers, and gave each a level of ethical justification. I wouldn’t give him a shank on this one, lads.
moses
Feb 11, 2017 at 12:51 am
LOL look at the Like to Shank ratio. It’s EPIC.
James Wallace
Feb 10, 2017 at 11:16 pm
I forged Jordan’s signature to give to my dad for Father’s Day, when the US Open was at Chambers. All to get revenge for when I was young, I got an “autographed” JT Snow baseball that was done by the guy at the gas station they bought the baseball from.
Sure, it was 15 years ago, and sure I’m now a grown man, but that taught him.
Someone
Feb 10, 2017 at 4:05 pm
Also, you don’t stop people from buying stuff cheap and fixing it up and selling it for more. Just like an autograph seeker, they gotta do the leg work to get that autograph like travel, tickets, and hotel. It’s just ridiculous. You don’t sell your car to someone and then dictate how they are to use it. Payment was made by the seeker in the form of ticket to the event at a minimum, not to mention other costs. Reward is seeing the event and possibly getting an autograph.
Someone
Feb 10, 2017 at 4:02 pm
The fans paid to watch and paid to get in. They are ultimately responsible for people becoming famous and making all the money that they do. Arnow signed for adults all the time. Even had conferences where people stood in line and waited. He sat there knowing full well that without them he wouldn’t be who he is or where he is. What’s the difference? You know jordan signed a full beer bottle for a “guy” and everyone posted that he was cool for doing it. That beer isn’t for a kid for sure. And also, you don’t sign and then get to tell people what to do with your autograph. It’s just like giving a homeless person money. You don’t control what they do with it because you have the money to them because they don’t have any. If you want them to buy food or clothes, give them food or clothes instead. Your good deed ends with what you handed off. Celebrities do not need to sign anything, but for their reputation and livelihood, it would behoove them to reconsider any stance against signatures. Regardless of intention, someone paid, watches them, follows them, and does the legwork to wait in line to get that signature. America is the world’s symbol of capitalism, in that people can find almost any way to make money or succeed or be whatever you want to be. A person who puts in the legwork to chase after autographs, can do what they please with their collected autographs, just like how a kid keeps a signed player’s card and may end up selling it in the future for money when it’s of more value. Who are we to judge other people ? It’s ridiculous for a celebrity to think that giving an autograph is unreasonable. Asking for autographs has been a long time way for celebrities to show appreciation to their fans. Doesn’t matter if they plan to sell it or not, that autograph belongs to that fan. They did the legwork to follow and such, why shouldn’t they be rewarded? That’s how you build up a fan base. Tin cup anyone? The other player was a douche…not many douchebags make it far and eventually they lose it all one way or another “no friends, loss of respect in community, loss of status, gambling, bills, etc.”
ooffa
Feb 10, 2017 at 3:34 pm
Stop being an entitled doofus and sign the autographs. You should be thrilled to have the opportunity to do so. And BTW speed up the play a bit will ya.
Brian
Feb 10, 2017 at 1:53 pm
Great, you can get autographed gifts for your kids on Ebay. However, those profiteers are doing so using someone else’s name/likeness. Just like any other marketed product using someone’s name/likeness, the athlete should get a cut of those proceeds.
If these leeches want to profit from someone else’s name, they should pay the athlete for the autograph in the first place.
Shanks for the Memories
Feb 10, 2017 at 12:23 pm
Whoops. Used a real name instead of the pen name that goes on all the obviously satirical articles that aren’t funny.
Shanks for the Memories
Feb 10, 2017 at 12:13 pm
Crap. They accidentally put a real name on this obviously satirical article instead of the pen name for all the other satirical articles that aren’t funny.
Grizz01
Feb 10, 2017 at 11:29 am
I wonder what Arnold Palmer would say to Jordan Spieth?
Bwall
Feb 10, 2017 at 10:07 am
Unless it’s on a check, there is no need for a grown man to have another grown man’s autograph.
Brian
Feb 10, 2017 at 1:51 pm
What about a grown man that has another grown man’s autograph….that he still has from when he was a kid?
Otherwise, I agree. As an adult, I find it incredibly lame to seek autographs, wear sports jerseys or any other clothing with another man’s name/likeness on it.
mr b
Feb 10, 2017 at 9:51 am
if you’re truly getting it for a kid that’s okay.
but I firmly stand by the ideas that NO grown man should EVER 1. wear another grown man’s sports jersey. 2. Ask for another grown man’s autograph.
i don’t judge others that do this but these are my personal beliefs
Ryan
Feb 10, 2017 at 6:03 pm
“I don’t judge others that do this, but I’m gonna go ahead and judge others that do this.”
Patricknorm
Feb 10, 2017 at 9:13 am
My son played in the NHL, AHL, KHL and on the Canadian national junior team. It’s scary how people are drawn to a relatively famous athlete. What’s off putting at least for a Canadian from a small town, the lengths people will go to get an autograph from an athlete. Often I’ve seen autograph hounds thrust binders in front of my son to sign pages of cards. Seriously?
He’s good at signing to a point. He always signs for children or fans that want him to sign his jersey. As parents we don’t especially take the time to collect memorabilia about him, just stuff where he’s played in the Worlds or a playoff finals.
Maybe it’s me but I’ve never felt the urge to get something signed by a famous person. It doesn’t reflect anything expensive to me and besides , if an athlete is signing say 25 autographs it can’t be worth much. What I treasure is the conversation I’ve had with a prominent person. Personally I can’t fathom a person’s zeal to obtain a signature. Besides, it eventually fades.
birdie
Feb 10, 2017 at 9:10 am
simple solution….the athlete ONLY signs for kids…and they make it personal. they ask the kids name and they sign it to him. this way, everything he signs is ” to jimmy, from Jordan”. cuts down on resale.
I'mNotTigerWoods
Feb 10, 2017 at 12:51 am
Agree completely with Jordan… I’m sure he’s privey to all that stuff going on, which the average person isn’t. It’s his autograph and if he only wants to sign for juniors so be it.
cgasucks
Feb 10, 2017 at 9:28 am
Yep…if I was in position, I would only sign for kids and people who really appreciate it.
cgasucks
Feb 9, 2017 at 10:36 pm
Many many years ago (early 90s) I was an autograph hound chasing hockey players for their signatures not for profit, but for myself. During that time there where a close community of people like me chasing signatures, some like myself were doing it for fun, but some where doing it for profit by selling it to their local sports memorabilia store. The people I knew that did it for profit where mostly respectable to the athletes and some even developed a good relationship with them. If you’re going to chase John Hancocks for profit, be respectful to them and don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
Usher1
Feb 9, 2017 at 9:50 pm
I had a first hand account of dealing with the group of individuals collecting autographs for profit. I was an usher for a season while in University for the Blue Jays. I was usually given the seat section that had the visiting team dugout. After batting practice, visiting players would come over and sign for a few minutes. The majority of these individuals are simply ridiculous and would do whatever to get that star players autograph. I dealt with 20 to 30 of these individuals every home game. I could tell you many stories and traits of the autograph seekers but I will sum it up with one incident. The San Francisco Giants were in town…the big autograph was Mr. Barry Bonds. He did not come over and sign the first 2 games of the series. Final game there was about 20 autograph for profit seekers. Everyone went into the dugout so the autograph hounds left. 4 or 5 very young kids were still along the first row seats and Bonds came back out to sign for these few kids. Well the autograph hounds came rushing back. They were crushing, knocking over, and stepping on these children. I was right there and started grabbing these grown men by shirt/jacket collars or their backpack and pulled them over the row of seats and off the kids. Then security staff came and cleared them out of the section. Not sure if they got ejected from the stadium or not.
My advice like mentioned previously is personalize all your autographs. Then the autograph hounds will not want them but the kid who wants it will be ecstatic or the parent who wants it for their child or the person who wants it for their office or man cave.
Dill Pickleson
Feb 9, 2017 at 8:56 pm
from the article link this is my favorite:
adult males who a) wear professional sports jerseys unironically
i had a girlfriend where my jersey in high school. but, that’s a little different.
Joey5Picks
Feb 10, 2017 at 12:39 am
No one over the age of 30 should wear a jersey…and if you do, don’t tuck it in.
RHJazz
Feb 9, 2017 at 8:55 pm
The “what if” example about the kid’s cherished memory could just easily be, kids memory is of getting shoved aside by some overgrown man-made child so he can stock his memorabilia “store.”
Mad-Mex
Feb 9, 2017 at 8:14 pm
As a former baseball/football card/autograph collector, the simplest way to drop the value of an autograph is to personalize it and sign it something like this “To (name) , Jordan Spieth”.
A TRUE fan will cherish this, an autograph hound will be quickly disappointed.
RAT
Feb 9, 2017 at 8:01 pm
My son played Pro baseball and he always signed for everyone. I got in line for him when he was young because some adults and hounds would push him away not waiting their turn and then by the time he got to the front the STAR would move on or just pass on by. Pros get paid plenty and to give their time to sign things is part of that star package. I would say sign one thing per person and make sure all get what they came after an autograph ! Arnie always did it that way. Besides without fans there would be no BIG MONEY for the stars.
Lob Wedge
Feb 9, 2017 at 7:12 pm
Wait..
So you’re saying that professional athletes don’t sign memorabelia to be sold by businesses agglutinate with them? That the only way we get an autograph without showing up is through autograph stalkers? That autograph stalkers are really doing it for the kids?
Golly gee..
Jack
Feb 9, 2017 at 10:38 pm
LOL yeah, good job justifying that. Honestly I’m not sure what an autograph does vs a picture to inspire. I have a few autographed basketballs that I bought, but that’s only cuz I like those players. If it was personalized then it would have been awesome but it was just a generic signature.
Matt
Feb 9, 2017 at 7:03 pm
I always applaud Spieth’s honesty but often he comes across as a whiner. I think adults who obtain autographs to sell on eBay or other market is pretty crappy.
Randy
Feb 9, 2017 at 5:50 pm
I think Spieth is a crya**, I wouldn’t sell a autograph on ebay but what about the rising cost of golf equipment, largely due to manufacturer’s signing guys like Spieth . We’re spending $1,200 for a set of irons and $500 for drivers!! I don’t think it’s a big deal if someone sells their autograph for a $100
The dude
Feb 9, 2017 at 7:30 pm
Haha….buy your sticks on eBay
Steve
Feb 9, 2017 at 9:44 pm
Manufacturers aren’t charging $1,200 for a set of irons and $500 for a driver because they have to pay players like Spieth. They’re able to charge that because we’re willing to pay it. If people stopped spending $1,200 on new irons, prices would drop until people started buying again.
ZQ RascalZ
Feb 9, 2017 at 5:35 pm
Completely pointless article. WRX scraping the bin with this one
Tom
Feb 10, 2017 at 9:00 am
did it hit a nerve ?
Philip
Feb 9, 2017 at 5:27 pm
Where do you draw the line – I’ve seen these adult autograph hounds plow through children. You give someone an inch and they will take your arm. Total fail for an article!
JustTrying2BAwesome
Feb 9, 2017 at 5:12 pm
What would I do? I’d kick the professional autograph-selling adults right square in the balls. That’s what I’d do. Should be perfectly acceptable, and in some cases encouraged, for the kids to kick the professional autograph-selling adults right square in the balls.
blake
Feb 9, 2017 at 7:19 pm
I think you’re living up to your name, but punches would also be acceptable.
Jack
Feb 9, 2017 at 10:39 pm
I’d recommend a sharp elbow.
Brian
Feb 10, 2017 at 1:59 pm
Trying2Hard2BAwesome is more appropriate. When will humanity evolve past the point of prescribing violence as the answer to their slights?
Hans
Feb 9, 2017 at 5:12 pm
These autograph hounds are asking players to give up their time (for free!) so that they can make money off the players. What person wouldn’t find that annoying in the same situation? Not to mention some of these hounds the players see can be pretty obnoxious to boot.
Players don’t mind giving back some attention to fans that come see them. But to give up their own time so someone else can make money off their name and even worse to spoil the atmosphere for the kids – good on Jordan for saying something.
Double Mocha Man
Feb 9, 2017 at 4:57 pm
I’d be careful telling someone to “Get a job” if they already have one. Sounds conservative/Republican/Tea Party to me. Did Jordan vet each of those requesting his signature to make sure they were unemployed?
Mad-Mex
Feb 9, 2017 at 6:41 pm
Seriously? You that brainwashed you cant keep your political views off a golf site? Your a cult leader’s wet dream.
Double Mocha Man
Feb 9, 2017 at 8:10 pm
Sorry pal, when the issue becomes “Get a job” it does become political. I will be watching Speith closely from now on…
Mad-Mex
Feb 9, 2017 at 8:18 pm
So, Speith be concerned because your “watching” him? Your not that important “pal”.
Tom
Feb 10, 2017 at 12:22 am
roflmao…. BAZINGA!
Tom
Feb 9, 2017 at 7:42 pm
Nohny Noct is that you? Poor taste in a post
Sheriff
Feb 9, 2017 at 10:28 pm
Lol! You’re an idiot
Tom
Feb 10, 2017 at 12:16 am
Ur a high strung y a p
not having it
Feb 10, 2017 at 11:39 am
So are you inferring that the stereotype of liberals not having jobs is correct? Why else would you immediately label Spieth “conservative/Republican/Tea Party”? Obviously, Spieth’s comment is a common cliche’ used in similar context to phrases like “f*** off”. Also obvious, is the fact that you are just trolling, and if you are going to insist on being a troll then at least try to do so with a more intelligent response than, “Sounds blah, blah, blah, political jab because Trump is POTUS and the world is going to end blah, blah, blah, and more nonsense”…
TR1PTIK
Feb 9, 2017 at 4:56 pm
I like that you’re trying to provide a different perspective and your opinion is certainly objective. However, the caveat here is that the adult autograph seeker/eBay seller is still profiting off of someone else’s success. More importantly, they are profiting off of kids. You give a great example wherein a mom or dad wants to do something awesome for their kid and get an autographed collectible from their favorite sports icon. What happens when the kid asks how they got it? Doesn’t that completely cheapen the gift? Meanwhile, the guy who sold it on eBay is back on the course stepping over or on top of more kids to get another autograph. I have zero problem with an adult wanting an autograph from someone they admire. It’s perhaps a little weird in some scenarios, but in most cases nothing to be concerned about as long as they are respectable about it. If I were in Spieth’s shoes, I’d absolutely do the same thing.
Fred
Feb 9, 2017 at 4:45 pm
You forgot adult autograph dealers who use kids to get the signatures. Yes, they do this, and it is horrible.
Matt K
Feb 9, 2017 at 4:39 pm
Not a big autograph guy. They’re for kids… not dentists or Adam Scott loving soccer moms. If I walk into some dude’s mancave and he’s got a bunch of autographed memorabilia, my opinion of him goes down a few notches. Get a kegerator and some pennants maybe, a Bobby Orr superman photo if you’re a Bruins fan or ‘insert your teams iconic photos’. I had a great time getting a cap signed at the 1997 PGA championship at Winged Foot. I was in Denver earlier in the summer and my Dad brought me over to Cherry Hills, he bought me a hat that I later got all signed up at the PGA. Still have it… few good ones on there Ernie, Duval, Vijay, think JD signed it. Remember I ran into Nick Price – not in the autograph line, he was just walking from point A to B – he gave me the Heisman, said he’d catch me later lol. Didn’t happen, I still like him, it wasn’t the time for him to sign. Anyway… I was 13! It was fun, the hat isn’t in a special place or anything, but I wouldn’t ever discard it, its a great reminder of that trip. I never really did it again, the autograph thing, once was enough. Adults who do… get a job!