Dear Tiger,
Golf commentator Rick Reilly recently upbraided you in an ESPN.com column for your behavior during golf tournaments. When I first read the words, "Woods needs to clean up his act," I was surprised that a writer whose livelihood depends on access to golfers like you would jeopardize his career by potentially alienating the game's most important player.
After a little thought, though, I realized how I had overlooked and even indulged your bad manners. After rooting for you so long and so intensely, I had grown used to your grimaces, cursing, and club slamming. The TV coverage has indulged you, too. The camera has stopped following the flight of your ball, staying focused on your face and waiting for a reaction. Your reaction to the shot, unfortunately, has become part of the story and the coverage.
Reilly has done golf, and you, a great service. All true golfers know the game is more important than any single player; I have no doubt you believe this. And, as I argued some years ago, golf is "the last outpost of American manners" in a sports culture where individual brashness and bravura have been valued over the grace of an unselfconscious devotion to playing the game well. (Thanks to your friend Roger Federer, tennis is making a comeback in this direction.)
Wondering if my judgment was too harsh, I sent Reilly's column to 20 fellow golfers, all of them big fans of yours, asking for their reactions. The responses were nearly uniform: "Somebody had to say it." They spoke of your lack of "decorum" and "etiquette," your "visible display of temper" and use of profanity, none of which should be excused by your much-vaunted competitiveness, because "you still have to behave."
Millions watch your every move, and, most importantly, it's from you that our children copy their golf swings and golf manners. You are one of the few public figures my twelve-year old son recognizes by name. As one friend put it, "I'd slightly modify the New Testament text and say to Tiger, 'To whom many admire, much is expected."' However, you already know that -- through the work of the Tiger Woods Foundation, you have already given much of your wealth to children. But they also need to see that blazing smile of yours in the face of pushed drives, pulled irons, and missed putts.
You might wonder why a Catholic journalist would devote a column to golf on a Catholic Web site. Did you know the shepherds of St. Andrews who invented the game of "gowf" in the 12th century were Catholic? So were the Dutch who, others now claim, invented the game in the Middle Ages. But Catholics have a vested interest in any promotion of human excellence where a tradition of rules and manners is an integral part of attaining that excellence. To put it another way, we Catholics know that the virtues are not made up by each individual but are handed from generation to generation as part of a tradition. We learn them from the past, as it were.
The Scottish Presbyterians, like Old Tom Morris, who developed the modern game, were stubborn in preserving golf's traditions. You may already know the story of Morris redesigning the course at St. Andrews, named after a Catholic saint, in the 1860s. Since Morris was having putting woes, some of the caddies suggested Morris should make the holes larger. But Old Tom, with a laugh, declined. Morris's biographer aptly notes, "As a stiff-backed Presbyterian he intended to earn his way into heaven, and as golfer he would earn his way into the hole."
You have done so much that is right for the game and for society. I agree with Reilly when he pointed out, "In every other case, I think Tiger Woods has been an A-plus role model; never shows up in the back of a squad car with a black eye." But now your fans are asking for something more.
It will take courage to admit to yourself that your manners need improving. Anyone who watched your U.S. Open victory at Torrey Pines last year on a badly damaged left knee knows you have courage in abundance. You don't need to make a speech about it, or respond publicly to Reilly, just resolve to do it. We know you can.
Nevertheless, certain words that we're not allowed to say on the radio really ought to be outlawed. Unfortunately, I suppose we'd have to make an exception for saying them in the context of teaching people what words are against the law to say.
Deal Hudson is wrong. Look closer. Yes, Tiger Woods gets frustrated and angry when he makes a mistake, and he vents those emotions in the moment. But the target of his ire is always exactly -- and very obviously -- the same: himself. He is always respectful of other players, officials, fans, press, and his caddy. He doesn't make excuses, or try to blame anyone for his mistakes. But what I think makes him a role model more than anything else is this: he reacts, and then let's it go, and its over and back to business. He does not skulk through the rest of a round and then vent to the press about how the course was unfair, or fans distracted him. This is a very mature, healthy, adult way to handle what are quite common emotions that all of us experience. Deal Hudson seems to want Tiger to be indifferent, or worse: insincere. I don't.
I caddied at Winged Foot in the late 1950's and by best friend caddied for Jack Nicklaus in the 1959 US Open. In those days, Fat Jack, as he was called was 19 years old and the National Amateur Champion. He obviously evolved into the Jack Nicklaus we knew in the latter part of his professional career. As I walked around Winged Foot and caddied for and observed the likes of Sam Snead, Gary Player, Chi Chi Rodriquez and lesser pros, I realized quickly that they all respected the sport, the crowd, and their opponents. They even respected their caddies here and there. There were guys like Terrible Tommy Bolt, who could break and toss clubs and throw a tantrum quite often. But he was not normal. Golf is a game of decorum and sportsmanship, and I rue the day that those elements disappeared from most of American life. I was sort of shocked by the story and the comments on Woods and I believe that he will learn something from them. By the way I am not a prissy Catholic and I don't think that one's religion should be brought up in one form or another. One thing is for sure, we could use a bit more manners and respect for institutions in all with what we do.
Richard J. Garfunkel
Host of the Advocates
WVOX Radio 1460 AM
www.wvox.com
New Rochelle, NY
YES,Tiger Woods is an excellent golfer, but that is not enough to be GREAT! To curse, rant and rave, throwing his club is a sign of weakness, but on the other hand, to be humble and gracious in making or missing a putt, is a sign of greatness, and pure frofessionalism. To win a tournament in meekness of heart is an act that would be forever remembered as a "TRUE CHAMPION", and one that most people would want their children to copy as a role model.
Tom Cook "GOD BLESS AMERICA"
Since when are real people model good sports ? I agree with the "pointless prissiness" comment. Why should a sports writer get into this, especially a US based sports writer? I vote for more authenticity on TV and less fake outrage a la Rusho Limbo!
I grew up watching Jack Nicklaus, modeled my swing after him and learned golf etiquette from him. I couldn't have been more, really, delighted when Tiger boomed onto the scene and brought back my enthusiasm for watching golf.
He showed a little change in his temperament after his father's death and the birth of his first child, but it's slipping away fast. At this point even if he overtakes Jack's 18 major record, unless he leaves the anger behind, I really couldn't say he's the greatest golfer of all times. Golf is one of those rare sports where good sportsmanship is truly expected, respected and revered.
I would definitely join those who would like to see Tiger get a grip. He's already proven he can win. Let's see him prove he can be a role model.
Ed, I too grew up watching Jack Nicklaus. Much of my philosophy and approach to the game is from watching Jack. Perhaps I have a faulty memory but the worst I can remember coming from Jack was his "Oh Jaaaaaack" comment after a poor shot. No slamming or tossing of the club, no language. It's part of the sport. There will never be a John McEnroe in golf, and that's fine with me.
Tiger is human and he's done more for charity and children than most any other public figure. I salute him for all that he has accomplished. His behavior is not the end of the world, but it is important. Like it or not, he IS the guy to look up to if you are at all involved in golf. There's nothing more difficult than controlling your negative emotions after a poor golf shot, but control you must. It’s just as important as calling a penalty on yourself when no one else saw the violation. For Tiger it's really just about fine tuning an already fine public persona, and nothing will stop me from rooting for his - and Phil's - continued success. But it would be nice to see him rein those emotions in and complete the picture.
I agree. We should confine our good ethics to the sport of golf, and nominate Tiger Woods as the Golfing AntiChrist until he cleans up his act.. on the golf course, at least.
If that sounds sarcastic, that's because I meant it to be. It's foolish to separate ethical behavior in competitive games from the rest of a person's life; that life is a connected continuum. It's also worth noting that this "game" is a PROFESSION for Woods, from which he derives more income than the rest of us ever see. Further, do I need to remind you of the allegations and studies claiming that violent video games induce players to repeat that violence in other situations? How is Woods or any other professional sportsman exempt from that alleged effect? If Woods is behaving badly on the green, you can be reasonably certain that bad behavior has either (a) carried over from golf into other venues or (b) carried over from the rest of his personal life rather than originating in golf.
So, yes, let's separate the bad behavior of the player from the bad behavior of the man, excoriate him for the former and give him a blind-eyed free pass on the latter. That sounds like a fine strategy.. to give the man a mixed message, that is.
Personally I could care less what he does or where. Most of these celebrity sports people think they should be bowed to. And it will never change because the people that worship them are just as obnoxious. All the needs in the world and we make millionaires out of these spoiled brats!
I agree with you Deal. I'm an avid TW fan but I'm getting tired of his childish behavior on the golf course. He's professed to be a model for children who've taken an interest in golf and other sports .
Yet, we see, or hear him out on the links, cursing, throwing tantrums, and reacting to every missed shot, "badly". Tiger needs to learn some decorum and "self control", if he wants mine and many others continued support.