Ryder Cup has lost sight of key values
My Ryder Cup thoughts aren’t about winning or losing, it’s about respect, common courtesy, and decency and how these things seem lost in today’s Ryder Cups held on American soil (“Birdies & Bogeys: Time to take fans to task?” Sept, 29, GGP). IMHO, it’s about the impact of what I see as the blatant commercialization of the Ryder Cup and its effect on what the Ryder Cup is supposed to be.
For me, this Ryder Cup is a huge black eye for the PGA of America. And, they need to wake up and realign their priorities if there’s any hope in fielding strong cohesive Ryder Cup teams. A few of my thoughts:
● Stop paying the players. Just take this “issue” off the table completely. Why? They don’t need the money no matter if it’s wrapped in the blanket of charity. The PGA of America should funnel those funds to programs enhancing the game. Be done with it. Help grow the game with focus on its values and life lessons.
● Stop all alcohol sales at Ryder Cups. Why? Look at what alcohol does to the crowds. No matter what you charge, there are those who will pay because they are at the Ryder Cup.
● Ban cell phones from the grounds. Why? Because it just becomes another massive distraction for the players and everyone else when the whole crowd is trying to create a “look at me moment” to post somewhere that no one cares about.
In a nutshell, the PGA of America and the American teams need to stop pandering to everyone else’s needs and wants. The Ryder Cup should be a “zero revenue gain” event for the PGA of America with the game of golf in its best attire being the sole focus and winner.
Bruce Wireman
Georgetown, Texas
Fans weren’t the only offenders
While the behaviour of a seemingly large segment of the spectators was disgusting (“Birdies & Bogeys: Time to take fans to task?” Sept, 29, GGP), I don’t think that the players helped themselves with their own use of profanities.
Tennis has adopted fining or even forfeiting points and matches for audible obscenities. Golf should do the same. It is portrayed (correctly) as a game for all ages, and allowing a culture of loud swearing by players either for their own bad shot or for a (curious) celebration of a win should not be tolerated.
Robin Lawson
St Andrews, Scotland
Expanding player pool might help U.S.
A few weeks ago in your publication, John Steinbreder was suggesting the possibility of adding European players to the Great Britain & Ireland team to face the United States (“Divot: Continental spice,” Sept. 15, GGP) in the biennial Walker Cup, the U.S. having won 10 of the last 16 matches.
Now that Europe has bettered that ratio in the Ryder Cup matches, having won 11 of the past 15 editions, perhaps John Hopkins could pencil an article for balance with consideration to inviting players from Canada, Mexico, the rest of North America and perhaps even South America to the U.S. team to make it a fairer contest.
Steve Burnett
Woodhall Spa, England
(Steve Burnett is the deputy performance director for England Golf.)
Bring back Bradley as captain
I know it sounds strange, but I personally would not mind seeing Keegan Bradley leading the American team again in Ireland (“Americans claim nothing but an ‘almost,’” Sept. 29, GGP). Keegan is so passionate about the Ryder Cup. He has been hurt by a loss while being a team member, he has been hurt by not being selected as a team member, and he has been hurt this time as the captain. I truly believe he has learned so much from this endeavor and will be able to put this learning experience to good use.
I still vehemently disagree with U.S. Ryder Cup team being paid to participate in this event. I want players who are passionate about representing their country and consider it an honor to do so.
Jim Mason
Freeport, Florida
Reinstatement merits examination
I agree in most part with your column about amateur status and former pros being given an opportunity to return to amateur competition (“Amateur reinstatement is hardly an evil,” Sept. 22, GGP). I do believe you are on to something with the need for more transparency from the USGA. A member of our club went to a high level Division I school, played four years there and competed well at the collegiate level. After four years of trying to make it on the pro circuit, he was able to get his amateur status back in less than a year.
I support the reinstatement of amateur status but there needs to be a longer cooling-off period. Years and years of hard-core training puts former pros at a level that is unfair to those of us who did not play professionally. The U.S. Amateur is all but a collegiate event now. The U.S. Mid-Amateur is now pretty close to a semi-pro event.
In examining this issue, we should look at the spirit of the game and the intent of amateur versus pro, and why there is a distinction in the first place. If people can go back and forth then you have a distinction without a difference and it disheartens those who are truly amateurs and don’t feel they will be able to compete.
Russell Porter
Bethesda, Maryland
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