Ron Green wrote, “Maybe it’s being hopelessly romantic, holding on to one more piece of the past …” (“Ryder ravage: Pay over pride,” November 18 GGP).
While I share the disdain over the ever-increasing amount of money paid to top-line athletes, there is a bigger change that bothers me. For the majority of its existence, the Ryder Cup was about sportsmanship and camaraderie over all else. For the past two decades, this has been eroding. The partisanship of fans is one thing, and I can very much enjoy the biased rooting interest of the home crowd, but the viciousness between players/caddies that reached new heights in Rome has turned me off from the Ryder Cup.
In that way I realize I am holding on to the past, but I believe Bobby Jones would be appalled at the contentiousness that exists during the competition now.
Don Richardson
Lakeland, Florida
After 65 years as an avid golfer and consumer of all aspects of the game, I’m done (“Ryder ravage: Pay over pride,” November 18 GGP). I rarely watch a PGA Tour event anymore and interestingly don’t miss the unending commercials interspersed with an occasional shot. I won’t watch the majors (and I have worshiped at the cathedral that is Augusta forever) because I simply won’t allow the Irrelevant Saudi Blood Money League players to enter my conscience.
I was already angry at the ticket prices for next year’s Ryder Cup. That, combined with the fact that Irrelevant Saudi Blood Money League players will be allowed into the Ryder Cup, had already made me decide I wouldn’t be watching. Now adding insult to injury, greed has resulted in pay-for-play for the Americans, so that seals the deal for me. I’m not interested.
I’ll still read GGP and stay somewhat in touch with the game through Ron Green and Golf Channel’s “Golf Central.” I’ll still have a passing interest in the LPGA and DP World Tour, but my days of sitting glued to the TV to watch any event are over.
Ross Couchman
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
What’s not disclosed in any of the talks of LIV, Ryder Cup, money, etc., is that the 31,000 members of the PGA of America, who teach and administer golf for golfers, juniors, seniors, veterans, beginners, fundraisers, etc., are being crushed by the greed of a couple of hundred tour professionals (“Ryder ravage: Pay over pride,” November 18 GGP).
The PGA of America relies heavily on the Ryder Cup and PGA Championship revenues to support those who actually work in golf to the millions of players and possible millions of potential golfers. The potential golfers and regular golfers are paying the price. The Saudis and the PGA Tour players need a major wakeup call because most of the golfers out there don’t give a rip whether they’re getting paid enough. If they are so influential on the golf market, let them cash in on their likeness – endorsements, etc. – and leave the masses alone. The bottom line is most of them are as interesting as a life insurance salesman.
Dan Gawronski
Savannah, Georgia
A survey would likely demonstrate that fans love watching the best U.S. players compete in the Ryder Cup simply for the love and honor of representing their country. Why do ticket prices need to be out of reach of most of us? Why do some of the highest-compensated players in any sport need more money, particularly when it isn’t needed in order to entice them to play? (“Ryder ravage: Pay over pride,” November 18 GGP)
Apparently, golf is trending toward the top 1 percent. Sad to see our country, and golf, thinking that money is the single most important aspect of life on what will be not much of a planet that likely remains.
The Ryder Cup represented the purest form of the sport. Apparently, this too is poised to be destroyed by the haves.
Susan Rand
Ferrisburgh, Vermont
If the Americans are to be paid a living wage for playing in the Ryder Cup, changes need to be made to the selection of the team (“Ryder ravage: Pay over pride,” November 18 GGP).
How would you like to be a Cameron Young or Keegan Bradley, passed over for a lucrative payday because you are not as connected to the captain as was Justin Thomas?
When this added layer of greed comes to be, the Ryder Cup team should be made up of the 12 players who qualify using the criteria set by the PGA of America. No more captain’s picks.
Charlie Jurgonis
Fairfax, Virginia
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