28 Nov Gripes from garb to gab about today’s pro golfers

Well my observations on the enthusiasm (or lack of) by several of golf’s millionaires certainly struck a nerve with many readers — here’s a selection of a few gripes that fell upon my desk.

Why do these players, who are openly on display for several hours for four days a week dress so appallingly? Or, as one reader put it, ‘like sacks of potatoes!’

Where are the tailored trousers and elegant outfits of those great golfers who have long left us? For the purists there’s little appreciation for the new style of casual athletic ‘rapper looking’ golf shoes. Black shoes worn by professional golfers were frowned upon just a generation ago.

What’s with the dark glasses and players looking like racing car drivers with advertising stuck everywhere? Swearing openly for all to hear after a miss-hit shot, or spitting, was a point made by some readers together with the plea to abolish the following phrases heard a thousand times when a player is being interviewed: ‘I didn’t have my A game’, ‘it could have been much better’, ‘that was the highest score I could make today’, and ‘I would like to thank my team’ etc.

But perhaps the comment that came up most was to please ask the players to refrain from saying that it’s really not about the money.

Out of Bounds: These days a missed putt by a top player is often followed by a look of total disbelief, and then an animated discussion with their caddie as to how the putt could have failed to drop. Is this a nervous reaction that seems to be spreading, or a way of coming to terms with adding one more to your score card? In the words of a famous old player ‘get on with it!’