Golf: the good and bad

Thanks to Chris Henry's blog at EagleParBirdie for this post. Over two articles Henry highlights a disruptive influence creeping its way into golf and "two figures who maintain their heroic stature."

The first centres around a story on the antics of John Daly at the recent PODS Championship. The Tampa Tribune told how the American, after he had failed to make the cut for the event, hung out at a Hooters bar by the 17th hole.

Reporters covering the event described this area of the course as "raucous", understandably as it is believed the bar served unlimited wings, beer and parking for $69!

This leads to Henry expressing concern as to the present conduct of the watching galleries at US golf events: "Aren't tailgate parties meant for parking lots rather than golf tournaments?"

Golf, of course, has always been seen as a civilised and highly skilled sport and so rowdy spectators plied with beer can hardly be seen as welcome. With atmospheres "akin to a stag party" the real spectators who genuinely come to watch and learn from the pros at first hand are losing out.

Henry sums up the problem: "Now, golf tournaments are beginning to attract people who couldn't give a s***t about golf but are coming out because they can get free wings, beer and hooters all day."

Henry counteracts this with a posted article on the great work done for the underprivileged by Tiger Woods and Ernie Els. Despite some players offering nothing back to the game that has served them so well, these two leading players have set up organisations which "offer under-privileged kids the opportunity to learn a game while [also] developing as human beings."

The Tiger Woods Foundation and the Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation, Henry argues, show that two of golf's most prominent figures are willing to leverage their talent "for leadership in a way that empowers lives."

These two articles both reflect on the morality of golf as a sport, much more than would ever be seen on mainstream sports news sites.

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Asian golf on the rise

Thanks to Patricia Hannigan (the Golf Girl) for this post.

She highlights the fact that now half of the world's top twenty women's players are Asian, with this figure at virtually zero just ten years ago.

Players such as 18 year old Michelle Wie (pictured, right) have been at the forefront of this surge but the current leading Asian is Ji-Yai Shin at world no. 7.

Considering she is only 19 years old, there is a real prospect that Asian players may soon be ruling the women's golf world.

As the Golf Girl states: "The LPGA Tour is paying close attention to this Amazin' Asian golf trend and there will surely be more high profile events held in Asia in the future, as they acquire more globally oriented sponsors and build a strong international fan base."

This article has sparked great debate on her blog, with issues being raised on whether these Asians carry enough 'personality' on the Tour and why there isn't a similar trend in the men's game. To see these comments, click here.

Chris Henry, on his EagleParBirdie blog, backs this up with an article on increased commercial sponsorship of Asian golf events.

Mercedes Benz have recognised the surge in popularity of golf in that part of the world and have become "title sponsor of a regional tour in Southeast Asia." Now, certainly in regards to the women's game, Asia is now being recognised not only as the source of the best up-and-coming golfers but also as the best place to generate money.
Picture: www.chosun.com

The Golf Girl post in particular highlights how these blogs can pick up on these growing trends in golf and from that spark debate on the issues behind them.