Journalists, bloggers and fans have weighed in on both sides: It's much ado about nothing; Woods is under a constant spotlight, everything he does gets overanalyzed and blown out of proportion. Or, behind Curtain No. 2, Woods is being a bad role model and needs to work harder to stifle those f-bombs and control that temper.
Sounds like Tom Watson is in the second camp. In the October issue of Golf Digest, Watson is quoted extensively - one of those Q&A's without the Q's - on his experience at Turnberry in the 2009 British Open. Along the way, he touches on a few other topics. And Watson said this about Woods:
"I did write Tiger a note earlier in the summer about his behavior, but it's personal. Don't know whether he received it, and I really don't want to go there."
Pretty neat trick by Watson: Say you don't want to go there while bringing it up in a magazine article, thus ensuring your comments get noticed.
Watson has always been one to speak his mind. To let others know what he thinks. And while he wasn't explicit in the above remarks, I don't think there's any way to read those comments except as an admonishment - a scolding - of Woods. Watson, we can infer, wrote Woods a note to say he disapproved of Tiger's tantrums.
Should make for an interesting encounter the next time they see each other, perhaps at the Masters' Champions Dinner.
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Comments
Good morning,
Tom Watson has always be like that. He dose, at times, wear his morality on his sleeve. But he is a hell of a golfer!
We tend to look at the superstars of sport as robotic, almost non-human. It is refreshing that Tiger Woods, arguably the greatest current sports superstar, is human and sometimes wears his emotion on his sleeves. Should he try to control it more, certainly. But every now and then showing his disgust at a bad shot I believe connects him more with the everyday golfer.
If Tom Watson is talking about this, then you know other Golf Professionals have probably discussed this with him in private. I think he has made a valid point. I teach alot of Junior Clinics. If I were to act like that while playing on TV, one of my Juniors would sooner or later ask me if that is proper behavior. It would not be for me and Tiger needs to know and does know it is not proper behavior for him.
I have played with people who have completely lost it. It tends to be very unpleasant or occasionally funny. I have been known to become emotional from time to time. When it happens my playing partners generally remind me about decorum. In watching Tiger play I have seen him occasionally become irritated, however I’ haven’t seen anything excessive. I think Tom Watson is completely within his rights to reprimand Tiger if he finds his behavior to be unacceptable. I certainly don’t think it should be any different for anyone else. Tiger on the course is just another golfer. He doesn’t get a pass. If you were to ask Tiger I’m sure he would agree and I don’t think he would be offended at all.
A birdie on the course is worth two in the bush
It bothers me to see a professional golfer slam his clubs or throw them during a tournament. Showing their disgust with a poor shot is expected, but not that way.
I think Tiger should continue to express emotion and if it’s swearing or tossing a club then kids will learn that people on TV are everyday people and not some higher elite class of humans. Tiger just happens to play golf consistently better than anyone else.
If Watson is so worried about the image of golf, why wouldn’t he write a letter to the media and ask them to edit those negative actions out? What would he have said in his letter to Tiger, “careful, you don’t want to ruin the image of the game”?
I think the media would argue that it’s equivalent if not more entertaining to show his flaws as it is his near perfection. Besides, if Tiger doesn’t show any flaws, it would only force the media to dig deeper into his personal life to find some dirt to throw around him. Maybe it’s the price he pays to keep his wife and kids out of the spotlight? The mob, I mean media, has to get their cut or someone might have an accident.