Category: Thrash Talk

The 2016 Olympics are fast approaching. It will be here before you know it. I get the sense that most golf fans couldn’t care less. We have so many events to look forward to — mainly the four majors – and oh yeah, if that guy Tiger Woods ever comes back, that it’s difficult to find a spot in our minds for an event about which we don’t know much.

In some sports the Olympics are at the pinnacle. In track and field, swimming, and a number of others, winning gold at the Olympics means you are the undisputed king of that sport. For some others — boxing, for example – it is place where the up and comers can show off their skills before making it into the professional ranks. Sugar Ray Leonard and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. are the first the comes to mind for me.

Continue reading “Why the Pros Should Not Play in the Olympics”

The model for a retired golfing superstar has been set. Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer have written what I would call the perfect book on how to do better in your retirement than in your actual career. Now it is Tiger’s turn.

I am not certain that we can agree that Tiger’s career is completely over, but his days of being a dominant force in the game are over. He is now giving interviews in which he says everything right up to “I am retiring.” I can understand the urge to spend time with his kids. Right now with his injuries and how he has played lately they probably bring him ten times the joy of anything golf-related. Add to this, his relationship with his father was so strong, he likely wants to mimic that relationship with his kids. His father was a teacher and now Tiger likely feels the urge to teach his kids as he was taught. Good for him.

Continue reading “Where Does Tiger Go from Here?”

Calling the Presidents Cup a second fiddle in the team match play events might actually be a compliment. The U.S. players versus the rest of the world except Europe was, by all accounts, a complete bore. The Americans have dominated the event since its inception.

So the 2015 playing of the event was vital to the future of the event. Another U.S. blowout and the event was all but finished. What we got was not only an outstandingly competitive event but also excitement from the participants and even a broader discussion about the involvement of two giants who are just now thinking about graceful retirements.

Continue reading “Who Really Won and Lost the Presidents Cup”

It’s been said that there is no such thing as bad publicity. That even if someone is saying something bad about you, they are still talking about you and therefore it is better than if they never spoke your name. Many different companies and the Kardashians live by this mantra. So when Suzann Pettersen apologized for her role in ConcessionGate, I asked myself if this was really the best decision.

On social media everyone is praising the decision to apologize. Before the apology she was getting roasted by all the American fans, and even a few former European players for her decision. It was hard to find anyone on her side. As the dust has settled a little more now, many people are saying that she was within the rules and Lee was just at fault as Pettersen was. Lee has the moral high ground, but Pettersen was not completely to blame. The action seemed to fuel the Americans and it helped them to produce a Medinah- or Brookline-like comeback to win the event. The incident and ensuing comeback was outstanding theater.

Continue reading “I’m Not Sorry You Made a Mistake”

I have been trying for years now to convince my wife that golf has never really been about golf, but rather an opportunity to hang out with my friends. That if I didn’t play golf that I would have found some other hobby, like wind surfing where I would have gone out to hang out with friends who were just as into wind surfing as I was. The idea is to hang out with people who enjoy the hobby as much as you.

Now the reality is, I did not get into golf because of any friendships. I started at golf because it was something that I could go out and do on my own. All other sports required someone, or a group or people to play. I played plenty of sports as a kid, football, baseball, soccer, basketball, tennis, but they all required someone else to participate. With golf I could go play eighteen holes or go to the putting green all by myself. Nobody needs to hit the ball back to you in golf.

Continue reading “The Newport Cup Is About the People”

In today’s economy it seems that one of the key indices of a healthy market is how the stock market is performing. Currently as China stock market underwent a crash it got me thinking about prospecting. I mainly wonder “If Jordan Spieth were a stock, would I buy or short him?”

There is no question his price in this Golf Street market would be extremely high. Two major wins and two extremely close calls; there is no other way to describe it than to measure it against Tiger’s 2000 season. It was not as good as that season, in fact, not really even that close but it is the closest comparison one can make in recent history. You need to go back to Ben Hogan’s 1953 season to find another to compare it to. Add to this the fact that the 2015 season isn’t over, a win at the season-ending Tour Championship would only add more fuel to a season already full of big fireworks.

Continue reading “Should I Buy or Sell My Jordan Spieth Stock?”

The one thing that makes sport great is rivalries. Baseball has series like the subway series. Football has divisional games which inferior teams can rise up and beat some of the best teams just because of the familiarity. I have been to an English Football derby and the electricity in the stadium is fantastic! Everyone – even the players – can understand the necessity of having someone against whom you compete. Someone who drives you to play better.

Golf has had its share of great rivalries. Consider Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson. These two guys grew up in the same caddie yard and then went on to compete on the PGA Tour. Hollywood couldn’t have scripted a better story. There was the big three for a while with Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player. They were the foundation for the modern golf rivalry. Each golfer to a man says they were constantly watching what the other guys were doing. As Arnold began to fade with age, Tom Watson became a worthy competitor to Jack and provided one of the best mano e mano fights that golf has ever seen in The Duel in the Sun. Jack Nicklaus has always stated that Tom made him a better competitor. Jack won more but Tom would rise up and challenge Jack, and very often beat him.

Continue reading “A Rivalry is Born”