Re: The Ryder Cup (1999) -- US Golfers Are Not Opinionated Troublemakers

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Date Posted: 06:28:18 09/30/99 Thu
Author: Tim Nash
Subject: Re: The Ryder Cup (1999)
In reply to: Duncan Mackenzie 's message, "Re: The Ryder Cup (1999)" on 12:18:01 09/29/99 Wed

> Absolutely jingoistic, not to mention unsporting.

We differ on jingoistic, Duncan. Hey, they weren't standing on the other side of the green with their kilts on their backs mooning the Britts ala' Braveheart. They weren't looking over at the other side with a "take that" expression on their face ala' Monty. (And when Monty does that, I think it is fine.) The US players just got excited and emotional and temporarily lost their ability to hold it in. It wasn't planned, and I'm sure if they could take it back they would -- because of all the clamor it has caused.

Perhaps we need a sideline in golf (like there is in football, for instance) where the team members that aren't playing can't cross the line without potential penalty.

Hmmmm... that gets me thinking. Is what you find objectionable the celebration and the fact that the opposing team could see it, or is the problem where it took place?

I agree that I wouldn't have wanted to be put in the same situation as your player on the 17th. Who would want that -- as it is an indication that one is losing. OTOH, they are pros and should be capable of handling this type or similar types of distractions.

Ya' know, I've thought at times that it might just be better to let the crowd make all the noise it wants all the time. Basketball players shoot free throws with lots of noise and they get use to it and handle it. I think if pro golfers got use to there being noise all the time that camera clicks and various shouts eventually wouldn't bother them. It is the extreme silence during setup and swing that makes the even small occasional noise distracting.

I don't feel a display of emotion (even as great as on 17) by an opposing team or spectators, in itself, is unsportsmanlike-like. However, I don't think there should have been ANYONE stepping on that green except the players in the match and their caddies.

> I expect there will now be a backlash at the Belfry in
> 2001, and it will be unpleasant for the americans.

Probably true. But maybe some of what happened here was a backlash from some of what I've read happened to the US players two years ago, particularly Tiger. I'm not saying it is right, though. Where will it end?

I think there is NO PLACE in golf for the rude crowd comments to Monty, the reported incident with Mark James' wife, etc.! PERIOD!

> Agreed, but the situation was a little different when
> Leonard stepped up to the ball.

Yeah? And the point? It was still an unlikely putt and didn't count for any more strokes than any other putt on either side. One could just as easily pick any other shot that _determined_ the winning of 1/2 a point and say that it decided the winner of the cup. Just because that putt came toward the end of the rounds doesn't make that 1/2 point it earned any more determinative. It just makes it more apparent that the stroke is extremely important to the outcome and how important that stroke (or any other other determinative stroke) is/was.

Tim

From: The Mountain, Cough Drop Div.

�� Date & Time Composed ��

September 30, 1999
9:25 am EASTERN STANDARD TIME

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