56 replies to this topic

[johnboy1954]

Hi everybody,just wondered what your views are on the undoubted talents of John Daly.I have just been watching him in the Hong Kong Open when he lost his head and threw his SW away.I have to say that for myself,I like players to be original and get the ball in the hole in their way but have to say that his outbursts and tantrums are not good viewing for kids who are looking to take up or improve their golf.We all have  bad days,some have bad holes whilst I seem to somehow have bad shots lol but I just laugh it off.I cant see the point in getting annoyed because what's done is done,I just wish he'd get his head right as I enjoy watching individuality in a player.Your thoughts?

[dereckbc]

John Daily threw his career away decades ago. He left it in the bottom of a bottle of whiskey and beer.

[KILLEDBYASHANKEDWEDGE]

Hide your kids johnboy, Daly has his EuroTour card.

[farmer]

Great talent, now eroded by age and abuse.  Tommy Bolt was known for throwing clubs and outbursts on the course, as was Tom Weiskopf.

[Sean2]

I always thought Mr. Daly had some psychological issues that were never addressed. Many think it was always about partying and booze. Perhaps those were just symptoms?

[Guia]

Some people a just self destructive, they are called losers.

[MadGolfer76]

"Talent" has the ability to sustain itself. Personally, I think the term is overused.

[Bob_golf1]

Guia, on 16 November 2012 - 02:38 PM, said:

Some people a just self destructive, they are called losers.

Yor are the loser or judging others

[Guia]

Every one judges others!!  Don't be naive.  You just judged me.

Edited by Guia, 16 November 2012 - 02:47 PM.

[Sean2]

Again, I always thought Mr. Daly was judged a bit too harshly. Then again, I was a counselor for kids who had severe emotional and behavioral problems in an alternative high school. Maybe I just see him a bit differently.

[saltrunner]

I made mention of this in a previous post concerning Daly dropping out of the Singapore Open last week. I understand we have all tried to understand what his situation might be and how it must be difficult with all the pressure involved but geez enough already ......

[heavybladed]

Sean2, on 16 November 2012 - 02:50 PM, said:

Again, I always thought Mr. Daly was judged a bit too harshly. Then again, I was a counselor for kids who had severe emotional and behavioral problems in an alternative high school. Maybe I just see him a bit differently.

I saw the Feherety episode with JD. Apparently his old man used to get drunk and beat the hell out of him and his brother. Things like that often do irreparable damage to a child. It always sounded more accurate to me when deep rooted issues are referred to as demons.

[mikpga]

Define wasted?  Two majors will be a far greater achievement than most.  He obviously has some issues, as most do, and despite those issues look at what he has accomplished!

[saltrunner]

I agree Mikpga ... 2 majors is nothing to ignore ... but I think many people wonder what he could of done if he had gotten his act together....... big hitters are a dime a dozen these days but back then Daly was truely a freak of nature...... had he done more .....courses would have been Daly proofed instead of Tiger proofed......

[mikpga]

What if?  We can take the same question to all the "talented" tour players who never won a major, or simply never won!

[mikpga]

And if he did get "his act" together would he have won?  Did he have "his act" together when he won at Crooked Stock?

[PZero]

mikpga, on 16 November 2012 - 11:59 PM, said:

Define wasted?  Two majors will be a far greater achievement than most.  He obviously has some issues, as most do, and despite those issues look at what he has accomplished!

True, but I guess everyone thought he could have done much more if he stayed sober and took better care of himself. The same was said for Mickey Mantle, who was beyond great at baseball, though we all imagine what more he could have done.

[Guia]

The Mick, my favorite of all time.  He was a party animal, but his biggest problem was bad knees.

[hogans71]

Why is talent in quotes?

[KYMAR]

Daly is a waste and will fade from the public eye in due time i am sure. His "aww shucks, just trying to live and let live" act is exposed as total Bull when the examples of his utter self absorption are tallied and considered by reasonable people. Yes, it's true that everybody deserves 2nd chances. But john has had those chances and dozens more. Partly because of his ability, but mostly because he is a total freak show. Like equipment company's, he retains a fan base of those who will never concede his actions are a detriment to his level of play or the game itself. His career is replete with examples of disrespecting his FC's, disrespecting tournament sponsors, disrespecting the tour and in fact the game itself. And then, to add insult to injury he invariably plays the "hey, just looking for someone to give me an opportunity out there. All that I have done for them, to not give me another sponsors exemption feels like a slap in the face" card.  It's nauseating in it's arrogance. I suppose if I were like him, unwilling to go out and earn my spot, I would have quietly chuckled each time a confirmed sponsor invite came through. He has extended his career by a decade by acting like and dressing like a clown. One WD after another over the years, and how many missed cuts have been simple surrenders after 20-25 holes?  where he somehow gathered the nerve and mental fortitude to finish the 2nd round with a tidy 82. But if he gets it in his head that he wants out of there. prepare for 7 balls in the water, a shrug of the shoulders and a 'thanks for the invite but I'm all out of balls. Whats that you say? You can get me more balls and I can continue to play in this tournament that you invited me to? No thanks, i think I'm good. But hey, Don't forget to invite me next year!"

[Vindog]

He now has a tour card, so..considering where he was a few short years ago, he is improving vastly.  People are trying to deny that still for some personal reason.

0.00 wins and no place in history would be a waste.  2 majors = not a waste.  Obviously could have been better though

[Swisstrader98]

Ah yes an original "what a mess John Daly is" thread! There are only about 250 of these in the past 3 weeks.

[KYMAR]

Vindog, on 17 November 2012 - 12:25 PM, said:

He now has a tour card, so..considering where he was a few short years ago, he is improving vastly.  People are trying to deny that still for some personal reason.

0.00 wins and no place in history would be a waste.  2 majors = not a waste.  Obviously could have been better though

I am sure you would agree Vin the waste of his talent and ability can only be identified subsequent to his early success. No one would go through the career of someone with zero majors and say ' boy that guy wasted his talent' because it would be entirely possible that guy totally maximized his talent. So when he wins the PGA or the Open, his talent was maximized. Since then with all the moronic decisions he has made, he has clearly wasted his talent.

I wouldn't be nearly as harsh if John was just a guy who flourished for a few years, played clutch golf and won a few majors then settled into a relatively ordinary career the rest of the way. Lee Janzen comes to mind as an almost perfect example of the kind of player I'm talking about. This is what I know, last November 45 year old John Daly was drinking beer, riding his mower shirtless in Arkansas by day and writing "please please please pick me" letters to tournament sponsors by night. Last November 47 year old Lee Janzen was battling kids half his age at Q-school.

Here is a quote from each guy.

"Who am I to think that I don't have to qualify? That would be really a sense of entitlement and I don't have any entitlement," he said. "I've won big tournaments, but it's strictly on the guy who is shooting the lowest score."


"I have no goals here because i don't get in anything. Everyone turned me down on the west coast"

I will let you match quote to player. HINT: It's as easy as it seems.

[deasy55]

The main difference between Daly and Janzen is that Daly has a tour card

[KYMAR]

deasy55, on 17 November 2012 - 12:54 PM, said:

The main difference between Daly and Janzen is that Daly has a tour card

That may be the main difference between their circumstances, but not even close to the main difference between them as men.

[Guia]

Janzen was a one dimensional player.  I know that is a terrible thing to say for a 2 time U.S. Open winner.
Janzen was the perfect player for a U.S. Open set up, no flash, just down the middle, hit the green, and
a decent putter.  One of the toughest test in golf, maybe the toughest. I would not say that he wasted
any talent, but got the most of what talent he had.  

Daly on the other hand was/is the exact opposite of Janzen.  He won with power and aggression.  His
major wins were on more open courses.  I am not a Daly fan but his win at the Open was inspired golf.
Daly was a golfer with much more talent than Janzen.  Daly could have had a much more successful career
but didn't have the class to make it happen.  He wasted his golf career and his personal life.

Edited by Guia, 17 November 2012 - 01:33 PM.

[monkeynaut]

Okay.  I think the big problem is people are looking at this wrong.

I would submit that Daly has actually  OVERACHIEVED.  He's an imbecile and a drunk who can hit a ball far and on occasion keep it in play. On rarer occasions he can maintain a modicum of focus for four days in a row.   That he has 2 Majors when so many more consistent players have none is a monumental achievement.  

I have criticized him  in the past. Perhaps my criticism was unwarranted. I think less than wasting his talents and blowing opportunities at winning, maybe we should be praising his ability to stay in the public eye for so long.

[Guia]

That would be like praising a train wreck or a beheading.

[Vindog]

"If I get a card, I can pick and play everything over there," Daly said. "China has no cut, and if I can play halfway decent, I should lock it up. That was my whole goal, to get a European Tour card. I have no goals here because I don't get in anything. Everyone turned me down on the West Coast."

That paragraph makes a lot of sense to me.  I don't know why people have to take ONE sentence out of context, in relation to the whole.  John Daly has made it very clear from the get go that he'll play wherever he can, whether it be Europe, Asia or here.  Seeming as though he had his ET card locked up and was trying to get into the Race to Dubai, why would he have goals here at this time if he is not in any events?

And I'll say it again, compared to where he was and hoe far people thought he would go, he is improving.  Like it or not.  HE has an ET card and is exempt in 2 of the 4 majors.  He might even <gasp> get a win in Europe and climb the owgr.  Love him or hate him but did anyone really, REALLY think he would ever get a card on either major tour?

I'll give him props, even if nobody else will.

Edited by Vindog, 17 November 2012 - 04:37 PM.

[Vindog]

Also...Why is a thread on "wasted 'talent'" revolving around thrown clubs?

Is Tiger wasting his talent too?