Black golfers question whether Tiger should do more for his race?

[jambalaya]

Tiger does things quitely. He actually is kind of a reserved kind of fellow. His personality just doesn't lend itseld to broad sweeping statements. He really prefers his actions to speak more of himself. Quit treating him as mainly a black man. He is just a man.

[pittpanther]

people need to learn how to take responsibility for themselves instead of looking for handouts.

Who is this comment directed towards? The auto industry? The banking industry? Wall Street? In this entire thread, exactly who is not "taking responsibility for themselves?"

Turn off the Rush Limbaugh and grow up a little before making statements like this. Here's an anecdote. Since the 70s, urban areas have been underserved by entertainment/movie theaters. The classic downtown theaters all closed up, replaced only by suburban complexes. Magic Johnson recognized an opportunity and started a chain of well-managed movie complexes in urban centers. When Tiger retires and has more time on his hands, I hope he opens a chain of 9-hole par three golf course in urban areas throughout the country. And then get the schools to participate and start golf teams that take advantage of the facilities, to get kids comfortable with the idea. These are the kinds of ideas people are looking for - not handouts! Magic Johnson DID something to help, and made money in the process. Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, etc have done nothing of significance. Tiger Woods - the jury is still out.

[steve8820]

There was a juniors expo today at the golf store I frequent near Atlanta. The place was full of children and families, and I want to say that a good 25-30 percent of the young people in attendance were black. How many of those kids would have been there if not for the fact that they have had Tiger as an idol and role model for their entire lives? I see black people on the golf course virtually every time I play; I've been the only white guy in a foursome on more than one occasion. Because of Tiger Woods, many more African-Americans play golf now than 10-15 years, and I'd say that fact is indisputable.

Hmmmm..... You speak of a few ethnic groups in your post. African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, and white-trash. Anyone else catch that?

[thedoxology]

people need to learn how to take responsibility for themselves instead of looking for handouts.

As far as I'm concerned, the above quote is the end of this story and should've been the response to whoever that golfer was. Make the shots or don't, it's not that complicated.

[thedoxology]

Who is this comment directed towards? The auto industry? The banking industry? Wall Street? In this entire thread, exactly who is not "taking responsibility for themselves?"

I get what you're saying and it's very intelligent but Tiger is squarely in his prime right now. In 20 years if that guy said it it's a different story but right now Tiger is trying to beat everybody else in golf.. period.

I think the 9 hole par three golf course in urban areas idea is feckin genius though, that would be awesome. If he NEVER does anything for the community then I could see some complaints but right now the guy is just playing golf. We should all just stop talking about race though, if he was white he should still do things for the community, black, latino, asian, et al.

[Fat Slice]

Magic is all about enriching Magic.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03082009...eat_158587.htm

Magic came to speak to a company where I was an EVP and all he talked about was how to sell to black people, not how to empower them in any way. I'm willing to think of him as neutral as I don't know much more, but from what I've seen, he's no savior. My opinion, worth what you paid for it.

[jcrob902]

Was watching Golf channel last night and they had a mini tour player stating thet Tiger should be doing more for black up and comming players.Then they asked Tiger and his answer was I do plenty thru my foundation.What do you think?Should he do more?Is he really obligated to do more?

Alright enough already, how many are you are black? not me,how many grew up in a prominatley black neighborhood? I did, how many are married or dateing a black women? I am, hw many actually spend time with real black people? I do, and the thing they want the least is someone giving them something for free!!! now wit hthat being said there are plenty of hood rats and other lazy ass people that go under different titles and of different color that feel that someone should be doing something for them and that they deserve something for free that's why white people are on welfare as well ( although some do actually use it to it's purpose most don't) no person of respect or pride wants anyone to do something for them that they can do for themselves no matter what color it's always the lazy disrespectful greedy people that want what someone else has or want's the person that worked hard to get what they got to give them some for free. Just look around at work or school or wherever it's always the people that are trying to slide by and do as little as possible that are always complaining about things not being fair and those are always the people that are blameing some one else for there own problems. sorry for the long quote but this topic really chaps my ass.

[jcrob902]

People who want Tiger to represent himself as black because his appearance shows mostly African-American traits are hypocrites and are using the very thing to push their cause that they say racist people should get over(and they should).......the color of a person's skin. Why can't Tiger just help the human race as a whole? Like he has been doing for years?

People that think Tiger has mostly black triats have never seen a close up of his mother, check out the may issue of golf digest tiger looks so much more like her than Earl. I mean I know poeple from India ( living in Detroit ) that are darker than Tiger so skin color means nothing most Tai people are just a shade lighter than he is I spent almost a month in Japan with Tai men and women and there the same color my son is I'm white and my wife is black.

[Garthmo]

No matter how much some people get, they still think they deserve more.

+1 on that. Why does everyone think they are owed something. If you want to be a better golfer, then spend the time on the range and on the practice green and work hard of it. geesh...

[topspin4hand]

FWIW, as a Black golfer myself - and based upon my empirical evidence of knowing a few dozen other Black golfers, I have yet to hear one of them say Tiger's not done. Usually it's quite the contrary: Tiger has shone the light on a sport many of these guys have loved for a couple decades in some cases.

Basically, I'm saying that the title of this thread - and several of the responses - is misleading. The vast majority of Black golfers think Tiger is great and do not question whether he's "done enough." So while the small minority (no pun intended) who may have expressed such an opinion, please please stop with the comments that are critical of all Black golfers. Most of us think Tiger's is a great example.

[shortstop20]

People that think Tiger has mostly black triats have never seen a close up of his mother, check out the may issue of golf digest tiger looks so much more like her than Earl. I mean I know poeple from India ( living in Detroit ) that are darker than Tiger so skin color means nothing most Tai people are just a shade lighter than he is I spent almost a month in Japan with Tai men and women and there the same color my son is I'm white and my wife is black.

I've seen the issue of Golf Digest and I've seen pictures of his mother. His physical traits still look more African American than Thai IMO. I bet most people consider Tiger an African-American.

He's an awesome golfer, that's all that matters to me.

[Batmanrb89]

Here's the truth, and I'll leave it at that...

Earl, a retired United States Army lieutenant colonel and Vietnam War veteran, was of mixed African American (50 percent), Chinese (25 percent) and Native American (25 percent) ancestry. Kultida (née Punsawad), originally from Thailand, is of mixed Thai (50 percent), Chinese (25 percent), and Dutch (25 percent) ancestry. This makes Woods himself one-quarter Chinese, one-quarter Thai, one-quarter African American, one-eighth Native American, and one-eighth Dutch. [11] He refers to his ethnic make-up as “Cablinasian” (a portmanteau he coined from Caucasian, Black, (American) Indian, and Asian).

So where in here does it say that he's 100 % African American, I have nothing against anybody, but c'mon already. He's the first Black Golfer to do all of these things???? Why isn't he the first Asian Golfer to do all of these things????

Let these guys play golf and compete already, enough with the "Build up" to every tournament Tiger and Phil enters. They don't need "Hype", if they did, Don King would be a Golf Promoter.

Side note: I can personally say this because I have met Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, they are too very pleasant people to be around, and aren't even close to the public persona that they have been tagged with.

[AmenCorner]

They had this same discussion on Outside the Lines the other day on ESPN. The arguments brought forth from the Black pundit were absurd, and quite honestly I was insulted at how dumb they were. The interviewer asks, "who is to blame for the current lack of african-american talent on the PGA Tour" and his answer was "golf." Golf who, like the entire game of golf? "Yes" he says. He then goes on to point out the English only requirement of the LPGA tour that was passed and subsequently dropped.

This guy obviously had no place in his life for logical, blameless explanations for the lack of black, talent such as the near extinction of the caddie.

My personal opinion is that golf is becoming even more of an aristocratic sport in this country? Why? Because the recent real estate grab has probably eliminated a lot of public golf courses which it did here in Ft. Lauderdale at the course I learned to play at. If I was 9 years old again today, I probably wouldn't learn to play golf.

[Batmanrb89]

The course I learned on shut down a few months ago also, upsetting....

[AmenCorner]

Here's the truth, and I'll leave it at that...

Amen. I couldn't have said it better.

[JetFan1983]

Tiger is more asian than black, guys. He was constructed in his mother's womb for goodness sakes!

[The Gill]

From GolfWrx:

Although portrayed in the media as African-American, Tiger actually has more Asian ancestry. His father Earl is mixed African American (50 percent), Chinese (25 percent) and Native American (25 percent) ancestry. His mother Kultida, originally from Thailand, is of mixed Thai (50 percent), Chinese (25 percent), and Dutch (25 percent) ancestry. This makes Woods himself one-quarter Chinese, one quarter Thai, one quarter African American, one-eighth Native American, and one-eighth Dutch.

I want to know what Tiger has done for Dutch golfers.

[Bamma]

I am one who looks forward to the day when Tiger Woods would not need to be referred to as a Black golfer, or an Asian golfer, or an African-American golfer, or as any other race or combo. Why can't he just be a golfer? Why is it that anyone needs to consider him in any other terms besides just the world's best golfer? Does it matter what his race is to anyone? Should it?

And if he is of the same race as other prospective golfers, why does he owe it to them to do something to help them along? Does Jack Nicklaus owe it to me to do more to help me with my golf career (okay, bad example, since my golf career consists of shooting rounds of 90-110)? Why would he need to? I don't get what Tiger is supposed to have been doing in these guys' minds to do more for them. Why can't they go and do it for themselves? Tiger did. So have many others. Granted, some present PGA golfers were born into fairly well-off families and had an easier road without the financial challenges, but many, many pros have had to do it the hard way; working other part time jobs in addition to club pro/teaching gigs, grinding through mini-tours making just enough money to pay for the entry fees into the next event, etc. But they knew that their own hard work was what would get them where they wanted to be, and they did it. The ones unwilling to put in the hard work did not make it, and are probably now sitting around wondering why someone else did not do more to help them, too.

Sorry for the rant, but the whole topic just smells of entitlement to me.