Paula Creamer and the Great American Tantrum

[zeg]

My hat's off to you for your sportsmanship. Sucks to lose to someone who's being a jerk, but if they beat you, they beat you, and sinking to their level would mean the youngsters watching see two bad apples instead of one. Hopefully they learned from you how to deal with someone who's playing like a 2-year-old on the course.

[iacas]

In other words, she was pissed with the club selection because (she felt) that Colin wasn't factoring in the firmness of the greens when giving her a club, and her shots kept hitting the green and rolling off the back.

Interesting - because on that particular shot, she couldn't have landed it much closer to the front of the green. That first bounce was 25+ feet.

[Harry Longshanks]

Interesting - because on that particular shot, she couldn't have landed it much closer to the front of the green. That first bounce was 25+ feet.

That's exactly what the announcers were saying at the time, IIRC. I believe they also said (more or less), "she clearly doesn't know that everyone has had the same problem."

[GaijinGolfer]

I too noticed Creamer throwing a tantrum on almost every hole. I understand how badly she wants to win, but IMO as a pro golfer you should be expected to keep your emotion under control.
From what I saw, none of the other ladies were throwing tantrums (no matter how bad their shots were).
I used to really be a Paula Creamer fan, but lately it seems like she has turned into a spoiled brat or a diva who throws a fit when things dont go her way.

[ctmurrray]

I too noticed Creamer throwing a tantrum on almost every hole. I understand how badly she wants to win, but IMO as a pro golfer you should be expected to keep your emotion under control.

She apologized to her caddy. She gave an interview on the subject and admitted she was wrong and is taking this as a learning experience. She overcame this event and won the tournament. What else do you want from her? I have heard Tiger swear on TV, and at the time they mentioned he often swears at his bad shots (and the announcers wished he did not do this so much). Yet I have not seen his apology.

[Lefty731PM]

A few weeks later, I learned what happened to my opponent. He went to play golf there the next day, and was told that he was SUSPENDED from play for 30 days for throwing the club on the 17th hole and setting a poor example of sportsmanship that was witnessed by the owner's son, and other players. He could not believe that he had paid for the year, and now could not play for 30 days. The owner told him, "This is my course, AND I SET THE RULES, and there is NO appeal."

The other day I was reading a post about a "Country Club" where the fees are x gazillion and you have to spend a minimum of $1000 a month on food, for example and I was thinking how awful it must be to play at a place like that and what revolting types must play there.

But I really enjoyed your post. The owner seems like a good bloke to me. Just goes to show that some people with money have a bit of class to go with it.

[ClairefromClare]

Well, tantrum or not, she won the tourney. Just so she doesn't think there's any cause and effect.

[whip_it_out]

Yeah, but if Colin had only lined her up correctly (or given her the proper club on approach), she would have holed that putt as fate and god intended. Clearly the caddy's fault.

I think mistakes are

almost always the players fault. You always see players and caddies debating clubs, so no ones at fault there. And how LPGA tour players always have their caddies read their putts is beyond me. You're a professional golfer, read your own putt. So I will never say a caddie is at fault for a shot on, or around the green.

[bradpet]

For what it's worth, I think it's important to bear in mind that everyone is human - pro golfers included. Everyone has their moments - happy, sad, angry, frustrated ... the lot.

No, I'm not about to break into a religious sermon & I'm not about to defend disgraceful behavior. It's just that I get annoyed when someone, usually the media, drag out the old "but they're a role model" chestnut when someone displays a bit of emotion on the course.

Fair enough if the person starts throwing clubs or swearing profusely. Someone like that deserves to be criticized. However, most displays of frustration or disappointment usually happen in pressure cooker situations. An occasional show of frustration is completely understandable.

Often it seems to be the media that drags out the "role model" criticism particularly when they've been refused an interview or haven't liked an answer to a question. Whether ••••••••ers are labeled 'role models' or 'millionaires who should know better', they're still human. It would be hard to conceive the pressure a ••••••••er would face, for example, as part of the leading group on the final day of a big tournament.

It's bad enough being a weekend hacker trying to sink a 3 footer for a rare par, with nobody watching (or caring).

[PEZGolf]

Did you see the BIG HUG that Paula and her caddy gave each other after she "sealed the deal" and won by one shot? In her post-round interview, she admitted that she is learning to control her emotions and take blame upon herself. She has a lot of competitive spirit, as we all know, and she is TRYING to learn to channel that in the right way.

[Elvisliveson]

I too noticed Creamer throwing a tantrum on almost every hole. I understand how badly she wants to win, but IMO as a pro golfer you should be expected to keep your emotion under control.

I agree it was a constant barrage, more than just a momentary loss of self control. She really went bonkers on Friday, from throwing her club to menacing her caddie. This went far beyond the yelling at the ball or themselves that I've seen Cristie Kerr and Morgan Pressel do. Hopefully she learns from her egregious mistake and moves on, but anyone who's objective knows she went too far with her behavior.”

[GaijinGolfer]

She apologized to her caddy. She gave an interview on the subject and admitted she was wrong and is taking this as a learning experience. She overcame this event and won the tournament. What else do you want from her?

I want her to grow up and stop with the pouting and tantrums. She is a very talented golfer and with her sex appeal she could make millions through marketing contracts, but she needs to learn how to control her emotions.

If she put half as much energy into making shots as she does on dramatic outbursts, she would win a lot more often.

[Harry Longshanks]

I want her to grow up and stop with the pouting and tantrums. She is a very talented golfer and with her sex appeal she could make millions through marketing contracts, but she needs to learn how to control her emotions.

Except . . .

she did win after throwing the tantrum.

[golf_junkie27]

I agree it was a constant barrage, more than just a momentary loss of self control. She really went bonkers on Friday, from throwing her club to menacing her caddie. This went far beyond the yelling at the ball or themselves that I've seen Cristie Kerr and Morgan Pressel do. Hopefully she learns from her egregious mistake and moves on, but anyone who's objective knows she went too far with her behavior.”

In fairness to her, she was playing near her home and has had a tendency to put too much pressure on herself in that scenario. It reminds me of the Mark Calcevecchia story I read in GD. He was playing poorly in front of family and friends and told his wife to go make the plane reservations. She gave him a stern talking to and told him to shape up and play better. He ended up going -8 over the next 13 holes and finished tied for 7th.

You put too much on yourself and you're bound to go a little nuts.

[Harry Longshanks]

In fairness to her, she was playing near her home and has had a tendency to put too much pressure on herself in that scenario. It reminds me of the Mark Calcevecchia story I read in GD. He was playing poorly in front of family and friends and told his wife to go make the plane reservations. She gave him a stern talking to and told him to shape up and play better. He ended up going -8 over the next 13 holes and finished tied for 7th.

That's a good point G-J. At the winner's interview, she started bawling when talking about friends and family being there.

[PEZGolf]

That's a good point G-J. At the winner's interview, she started bawling when talking about friends and family being there.

You guys are right, that was one of the reasons she was so intense. That does not excuse her tantrums, but it does explain them. Hopefully, she was fined heavily for them, and she has learned her lesson so this will not happen again----ANY WHERE.

[geezer]

What is wrong with you people!!?

You want a player heavily fined for loosing her temper? Is modern society really so P friggin C that a sportsperson can't show some emotion without getting a fine?
Creamer had an outburst of negative emotion. Should players also be fined for OTT otubursts of positive emotion?

[worst_shot_ever]

I don't think she should be fined, just publicly humiliated -- and now she has been . The question is whether she's mature enough to realize she should feel some shame about this (her behavior was hardly "positive" emotion). Her statements, at least, suggest maybe she understands, but who knows what she really thinks.

One of the commentators in a later round mentioned that she is often extra hard on herself when playing in front of family and friends; however, at least where I come from, acting like she did in front of friends and family would make the episode even more personally embarassing, and hardly a defense.

When she acts out like she did at Samsung -- right or wrong, fairly or unfairly -- she opens herself up to the cliched stereotype of the spoiled little girl. That's not good for her, nor is it great for the LPGA, quite frankly.