Spieth Out of Line (2019 U.S. Open)

[rob0225]

Is Spieth out line here by laying the blame on the caddy?

U.S. Open: Jordan Spieth blasts caddie Michael Greller after poor shots

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Jordan Spieth got after caddie Michael Greller during the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

 

[saevel25]

If the contractual expectation is that his caddie handles yardages and club suggestions than it might be a fair criticism.

[rob0225]

41 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

If the contractual expectation is that his caddie handles yardages and club suggestions than it might be a fair criticism.

Really? I understand having the caddie assist in yardage and club selection but IMO ultimately it's up to the player to know what club to hit.   It's hard to believe that a player would rely that heavily on a caddie...."Here hit this club and aim right of the sand trap"...

Edited June 15, 2019 by rob0225

[saevel25]

25 minutes ago, rob0225 said:

Really? I understand having the caddie assist in yardage and club selection but IMO ultimately it's up to the player to know what club to hit.   It's hard to believe that a player would rely that heavily on a caddie...."Here hit this club and aim right of the sand trap"...

Let’s say the caddie miscalculated the downhill or wind? Again, it’s all about the agreed expectations. 

[David in FL]

Meh.  They want to be part of the team, they gotta accept some of the bad along with the good.  

[rob0225]

12 minutes ago, David in FL said:

Meh.  They want to be part of the team, they gotta accept some of the bad along with the good.  

Fair enough.  Could be nothing more then Spieth venting versus laying the blame directly on the caddie.

[iacas]

I remember a story where Stevie Williams insisted that Woods hit the 60 on the 72nd hole at Torrey Pines in 2008.

He said he knew his job was on the line at the time. He knew how much Tiger wanted that win. He knew what was riding on that shot.

The caddie has an important role. If he miscalculates the wind, or the elevation, or clubs a guy wrong, the guy has the expectation that he can trust his caddie.

Also, sometimes, at higher levels of play, players HAVE to have something to blame other than themselves. It allows them to think that they're not fallible, that they don't make mistakes. It's important, psychologically, for them to maintain this belief.

[Chris223]

This is such a non-issue to me, this happens every week, multiple times on tour, caddies know it comes with the job, this is being blown out of proportion because it’s Jordan Spieth

[Vinsk]

20 minutes ago, iacas said:

players HAVE to have something to blame other than themselves

Sergio takes this to new heights.

[leftybutnotPM]

42 minutes ago, Chris223 said:

This is such a non-issue to me, this happens every week, multiple times on tour, caddies know it comes with the job, this is being blown out of proportion because it’s Jordan Spieth

Only because Spieth is the leader of the "We hit this" and "We played well" and "We worked hard" brigade until there's a fail. Then it's "you" or "he".

It's riduculous because no-one is going to feel offended if a player says "I played well." Are the dozens of hangers-on that insecure that they think they deserve credit?

Edited June 15, 2019 by leftybutnotPM

[Zippo]

My personal opinion, unbacked by any evidence, is that he was venting. I also think that the player should have the ultimate responsibility for club choices at this level of play.

[DeadMan]

I get the feeling that this happens pretty frequently with Spieth. And I'm not sure that it's even really him berating Greller as opposed to just being a little fidgety on the course and needing to vent sometimes.

2 hours ago, iacas said:

Also, sometimes, at higher levels of play, players HAVE to have something to blame other than themselves. It allows them to think that they're not fallible, that they don't make mistakes. It's important, psychologically, for them to maintain this belief.

I get the feeling from watching Spieth that this is very true for him.

[Chris223]

15 hours ago, leftybutnotPM said:

Only because Spieth is the leader of the "We hit this" and "We played well" and "We worked hard" brigade until there's a fail. Then it's "you" or "he".

It's riduculous because no-one is going to feel offended if a player says "I played well." Are the dozens of hangers-on that insecure that they think they deserve credit?

Nobody is infallible.  Accept the fact that this was a frustration vent and move on, it happens... it seriously is not a big deal.  Twitter just has to find something to trash anyone and everyone over and THAT is whats ridiculous

[jlbos83]

I think to an extent the players may tend to "blame" the caddie (or anything else they can, the camera click, the gust of wind, etc.) in order to maintain their confidence, which is kind of a big deal in a US Open situation.  The caddie and the player both know it, the caddie accepts it as part of the job.  The player doesn't want to start questioning whether they are making the right shot, we all know what happens when you lose your commitment.  Would it be better if the whole world didn't hear it, probably, but is it really going to change their relationship?  Probably not.

[p1n9183]

The caddie also works as a teraphist on the course. It´s better for the team if he take responsability for the bad shots and let spieth take the credit for the good ones. That keep spieth´s mentality in a rigth positive place.

After the round they can review it and share real feedback to improve, not only spieth as a player but also Michaele as a caddie. 

[rehmwa]

golf journalism is the most childish grasping at straws ever.  It's such a slow week that someone, hiding in the basement of a church somewhere, has to put a record on and play it backwards on super slow to try and construct some type of fake conflict just to get a couple clicks

some weeks I think it's worse than tabloid flyers

Story - guy hits a couple bad shots, grumbles about the result.....everybody goes on with life and the tournament.

News at 11, and then all week.  because apparently there's nothing better to write about.

[mcanadiens]

Spieth just had the misfortune of getting picked up by the TV audio.

Bet this happens every week. 

[Buckeyebowman]

Read an article where the author spoke with Bubba Watson's caddie. Bubba can blow up, and blow up big! The caddie had no problem with it, said Bubba gets it out of his system and then it's done with. He also said that if you have a thin skin you have no business being out there. Besides, a lot of pro caddies are damned good golfers in their own right. They know the game and, more importantly, they know their man's game.