What a wonderful article about (Bernhard) Langer (“More wunderkind than ever,” December 9 GGP). Bravo!!
I have often told anyone who would listen how impressive it has been to see a person at the highest level of our sport reinvent himself with the putter several times and remain at the top.
Most amateurs simply cannot truly know how good professionals putt and they do it under tournament conditions. To have been afflicted with yips at a young age and persevered through it all having the courage to try any method speaks to a strength of character.
I am old enough (78) and have played pretty good golf long enough to remember the days when a fellow who just went “cross handed” was treated like a man with a communicable disease. I know you’ll recall when (Langer) used to switch back and forth, cross to traditional, depending on distance. Then, along came the long putter. I even managed a first alternate spot in our senior amateur when I used the broomstick. Sadly, the nerves didn’t hold up in the playoff.
Langer does not get proper credit for his accomplishments. Thank you for this piece.
Al Jamieson
Burlingame, California
All those who want to get paid, in lieu of giving back to the country and fans who have provided them the ability to make exorbitant sums, are just rationalizing, if they actually know what that means (“Ryder Cup pay shadows stars in the Bahamas,” December 9 GGP).
If the players want to allocate sums of money to legitimate charities that they designate, I would applaud. Let the PGA (of America) send those monies to the charities.
These players who insist on being paid directly for representing their country should be required to visit Walter Reed Hospital or any veterans’ hospital and talk to the brave men and women who have lost limbs, or other body parts, representing our great country that allows the greedy to play a game, which they are quite good at. Their greed is reprehensible.
To support this greed, the PGA, in its infinite wisdom, is charging $750 per ticket for one day to those who normally play the quintessential muni (Bethpage Black). How many of those people can really afford that? So, corporations will be buying the tickets to give to their clients, who will be sitting in the corporate tents, sipping Negronis.
The PGA and its players have lost their way.
Charlie Miller
Westport, Connecticut
Tell them to allocate money to the Concession Cup matches between the best 25-and-older men and women from the U.S. and Europe (“Ryder Cup pay shadows stars in the Bahamas,” December 9 GGP). These matches honor the sportsmanship of Jack Nicklaus in the 1969 Ryder Cup. That’s something they should be able to get behind!
Alan Fadel
Palm Beach, Florida
(Fadel competed on the PGA Tour, is an Amateur Golf Alliance board member and the founder of the Concession Cup.)
The way I see it, having the honor of representing your country is payment enough (“Ryder Cup pay shadows stars in the Bahamas,” December 9 GGP). The players are only giving up a few days of their time, all expenses are covered, and I imagine they are spoiled rotten too.
Also, you’re right about how often – or not I should say – people get their clubs regripped (“Get a grip,” Divot, December 9, GGP). I play the Golf Pride CP2 Wrap. I’ve discovered if you clean your grips and golf glove on a regular basis you can extend the life of both by quite a bit. For example, I played 136 rounds this season (plus practice sessions), and ended the season with the same glove I started with (Caddydaddy Claw Pro). I’ve been playing the same grips for two years, and the only reason I got new ones last week is because my clubs needed to be extended by half an inch. If not for that I’d get another season out of those grips.
It’s amazing how much dirt accumulates on both the grips and the glove. Also, by regularly cleaning your grips/glove, they always feel fresh.
Sean Foster-Nolan
Weymouth, Massachusetts
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