Comments on: Volume One Hundred Fifty Five http://thesandtrap.com/columns/hittin_the_links/volume_one_hundred_fifty_five Golf News, Reviews, and Commentary Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:05:56 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Sherry http://thesandtrap.com/columns/hittin_the_links/volume_one_hundred_fifty_five#comment-12237 Sherry Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:39:45 +0000 http://thesandtrap.com/?p=2616#comment-12237 This whole issue with Michelle Wie is complex at best. Here we have an extremely talented young female golfer who appears to have been mismanaged up to this point in her career. Albeit I would never argue her right to play a PGA Tour event when offered an invitation to do so. It seems less than beneficial to her from a confidence standpoint. Can she win on the LPGA? or the PGA? The real question is can she get her head and her beautiful natural game back to win on any tour. She was in a great position in Springfield, IL to win and then "forgets to sign her card". Who is helping this talented young woman get a grasp on what is going on here? She is sounding more like a programmed robot in her after-rounds interviews and playing like one in a lot if instances. We NEED Michelle Wie to get it together and become a force on the ladies tour. Our current talent pool here in the US is certainly not as strong as the Asian contingent so to have Michelle go off to play the PGA Tour while she is struggling doesn't make a lot of sense. Personally I hope to see her make a commitment to the LPGA when she finishes college and make her mark on the game in a positive way and stop the sideshow distractions. This whole issue with Michelle Wie is complex at best. Here we have an extremely talented young female golfer who appears to have been mismanaged up to this point in her career. Albeit I would never argue her right to play a PGA Tour event when offered an invitation to do so. It seems less than beneficial to her from a confidence standpoint.

Can she win on the LPGA? or the PGA? The real question is can she get her head and her beautiful natural game back to win on any tour. She was in a great position in Springfield, IL to win and then "forgets to sign her card". Who is helping this talented young woman get a grasp on what is going on here?

She is sounding more like a programmed robot in her after-rounds interviews and playing like one in a lot if instances. We NEED Michelle Wie to get it together and become a force on the ladies tour. Our current talent pool here in the US is certainly not as strong as the Asian contingent so to have Michelle go off to play the PGA Tour while she is struggling doesn't make a lot of sense. Personally I hope to see her make a commitment to the LPGA when she finishes college and make her mark on the game in a positive way and stop the sideshow distractions.

]]> By: bobsuruncle http://thesandtrap.com/columns/hittin_the_links/volume_one_hundred_fifty_five#comment-12234 bobsuruncle Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:55:32 +0000 http://thesandtrap.com/?p=2616#comment-12234 Well, that's a fair question - where's all the money generated from the event going to? If someone has that answer, we'd all be glad to hear about it. But despite this very fact, look at the examples set by the Europeans. They all seem to be outwardly expressing their desires to play themselves onto the team, rather than put pressure on the captain (Faldo) to pick them. And we are talking about their best players - back-to-back British Open champion, Order of Merit winners, etc. The one and only American expressing anywhere near the same level of desire to get onto the US team is Kenny Perry. I guess, in our MTV world, perhaps only with (46 yrs of) age, comes a level of maturity and a sense of responsibility, pride, achievement, accomplishment, etc to having donned the red, white and blue. Jack has questioned the desire of the younger blokes, I wonder what he thinks of their attitude towards (not) representing the US Ryder Cup team? Well, that's a fair question - where's all the money generated from the event going to? If someone has that answer, we'd all be glad to hear about it.

But despite this very fact, look at the examples set by the Europeans. They all seem to be outwardly expressing their desires to play themselves onto the team, rather than put pressure on the captain (Faldo) to pick them. And we are talking about their best players - back-to-back British Open champion, Order of Merit winners, etc.

The one and only American expressing anywhere near the same level of desire to get onto the US team is Kenny Perry. I guess, in our MTV world, perhaps only with (46 yrs of) age, comes a level of maturity and a sense of responsibility, pride, achievement, accomplishment, etc to having donned the red, white and blue.

Jack has questioned the desire of the younger blokes, I wonder what he thinks of their attitude towards (not) representing the US Ryder Cup team?

]]> By: John http://thesandtrap.com/columns/hittin_the_links/volume_one_hundred_fifty_five#comment-12232 John Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:19:20 +0000 http://thesandtrap.com/?p=2616#comment-12232 Yikes! Chastising a US player for not wanting to put any effort into playing for his country? Seems you could accuse the last two US teams of the same, no? Only teasing. Seriously though, where does all the money generated by the Ryder Cup go? There must be many, many millions generated by the match, what is it spent on? If the money is put back into the sport or into a charity, then maybe you can tut-tut at Mahan but otherwise I think it's a little unfair on the guy. Why should any of them be obliged to play for free just because a PLC waves the stars and stripes and applies pressure on them to participate. It seems cynical on the part of the organisers that they should do so. Yikes! Chastising a US player for not wanting to put any effort into playing for his country? Seems you could accuse the last two US teams of the same, no? Only teasing.

Seriously though, where does all the money generated by the Ryder Cup go? There must be many, many millions generated by the match, what is it spent on? If the money is put back into the sport or into a charity, then maybe you can tut-tut at Mahan but otherwise I think it's a little unfair on the guy. Why should any of them be obliged to play for free just because a PLC waves the stars and stripes and applies pressure on them to participate. It seems cynical on the part of the organisers that they should do so.

]]> By: bobsuruncle http://thesandtrap.com/columns/hittin_the_links/volume_one_hundred_fifty_five#comment-12230 bobsuruncle Tue, 05 Aug 2008 03:31:00 +0000 http://thesandtrap.com/?p=2616#comment-12230 1. Can we stop the commentary on Ms Wie? It's a "yawn", as you've correctly pointed out. In any case, those extra hard working and dedicated young ladies from Asia have taken over the ladies scene. There's only 1 "Vijay" on the men's tour, but there are many "Vijays" on the LPGA. 2. Speaking of Vijay, congrats Mr. Singh. You are a shining example of what hard work and dedication can achieve. 3. Mr Mahan, how utterly shameful! In the year of the Olympic Games, is there no pride left in an athelete's heart to represent his country? Is it any wonder that Hunter has never won a major, and is in no danger of doing so in the future either? It's about the heart, not the wallet. Both Jack and Tiger will tell you so. 1. Can we stop the commentary on Ms Wie? It's a "yawn", as you've correctly pointed out. In any case, those extra hard working and dedicated young ladies from Asia have taken over the ladies scene. There's only 1 "Vijay" on the men's tour, but there are many "Vijays" on the LPGA.
2. Speaking of Vijay, congrats Mr. Singh. You are a shining example of what hard work and dedication can achieve.
3. Mr Mahan, how utterly shameful! In the year of the Olympic Games, is there no pride left in an athelete's heart to represent his country? Is it any wonder that Hunter has never won a major, and is in no danger of doing so in the future either? It's about the heart, not the wallet. Both Jack and Tiger will tell you so.

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