Please Tell Me This Guy is in a SMALL Minority (Rickie Fowler GolfWorld Cover)

[dalejbrass]

I've met and played with Rickie.....he's a great kid and certainly someone I would prefer my kids to look up to vs some of the other "pro" sports players. Rickie keeps his head down, extremely well mannered and nothing but a gentleman. He spends a tremendous amount of time with his fans and he gets paid VERY well by Puma to wear that stuff.

Grant is an fool.....let me guess, he flipped out when Davis Love came to the tour wearing his mid crown titleist hat vs the high crown trucker hat that Trevino still wears.

Everything changes.....we should all embrace it.

[The Recreational Golfer]

Originally Posted by Zeph

A cap is pretty common on a golf course, so it wouldn't be unheard of for the players to wear them. Then again, not wearing a cap would probably attract even more attention.

Which hair styles are shown off by wearing a baseball cap? Baldness perhaps.

1. As for Fowler, he has heartthrob looks, and would attract a lot of fans if he would set his mane free.

2. See: Jim Furyk.

[MSchott]

I think the guy who wrote the letter is an idiot but there will always be conservative (not politically) traditionalists in the game who think that anything but Izod, Brooks Brothers and the like are the extent of fashion. Golf has traditionally been an old money game and this sort of attitude is not open to change.

[Clambake]

I read this guys letter and all I could picture was some cantankerous curmudgeon yelling at kids to "Hey, get off my lawn!".     I hope I never become like then when I get old older and senile more senile.

[Chris G]

It cracks me up how a cover can cause so much "angst" between everyone lol.

hes a young kid who wants to be defferent from everyone else, good luck to him hope he gets his first win soonas he really is a good player.

[erock9174]

Originally Posted by MSDOGS1976

The only thing I do like about his appearance is the rappers hat. I'm too old to adjust to that. Overall he seems like a nice kid.

I believe it's more Punk / Skateboarder-ish looking than what a rap artist would wear.  Just my take on it though.

[bunkerputt]

Man that dude sounds grumpy.  I've been a Ricky fan ever since he sank that putt in the Ryder cup...  you know which one I'm talking about if you pay any attention to golf whatsoever.

The only way I would rip the cover off would be if he was holding a Nike Slingshot iron instead of that club he's got.

[Deryck Griffith]

This archaic way of thinking demonstrated by John L. Grant, Crest Hill, IL is "one of" the reasons why a good number of country clubs around North America are dying for members.

I believe that there are certain traditions in the game of golf that are worth keeping; all of which, Fowler has not broken since he's been on the PGA tour. So what is this guy's problem?  As for the hat being backwards, like really?  It's the cover shoot of a magazine for goodness sakes!

[limoric]

Yeah, it is more punk/skater I think, but today's skaters dress like gangsters . I was a skater in the mid 80's to early 90's, pretty good too until I broke my tailbone the second time. Fashion then was more the California surfer look, by the late 90's it went to baggy pants worn halfway past the ass, but I think this was more of a Poser movement when skateboarding became popular again.

I'm not a huge fan of the flat billed hat, but I do like Rickie. That said, if he were wearing a welders hat, we'd probably all feel different about whether it'd be acceptable; So that leads to the next question; how is the flat billed hat any less disgusting then seeing guys wearing cutoffs and beater shirts?? I think the guy reflects his generation, but I don't know that he's an idiot. Arnold Palmer would be very insulted if any members wore any kind of hat in his club houses, does that make him an idiot who's out of touch??  Most members of country clubs would likely frown upon the hat, I think it's something you'll find way more on the muni courses.

I'm looking forward to when the style goes out of fashion, but it's not enough to make me flip my lid. The guy who wrote the editor could have taken it down a notch or 2...

All this said, Rickie gets paid a lot of money to appeal to the kids...I think that's lost on a few people.

[limoric]

Originally Posted by Deryck Griffith

This archaic way of thinking demonstrated by John L. Grant, Crest Hill, IL is "one of" the reasons why a good number of country clubs around North America are dying for members.

Man I wish that was the case in my neck of the woods. 100K to join the club near me and at least 5 year waiting list. 40K to join the next closest club and 1-2 year waiting list to play without restrictions...and definitely, the hat itself would be frowned upon universally. Perhaps it's just not a fashion that's caught on in Crest Hill...I have yet to see it on any of the course I play (city of 3 million)

[Deryck Griffith]

Originally Posted by limoric

Man I wish that was the case in my neck of the woods. 100K to join the club near me and at least 5 year waiting list. 40K to join the next closest club and 1-2 year waiting list to play without restrictions...and definitely, the hat itself would be frowned upon universally. Perhaps it's just not a fashion that's caught on in Crest Hill...I have yet to see it on any of the course I play (city of 3 million)

It's like there here in Toronto to (cost wise) to what you explained in Vancouver.  The economy didn't hit us as bad up North vs the States. That said, aside from obvious economic reasons, many courses in the US have super old fashioned rules that don't appeal to many people (younger specifically) who are considering a membership and the blatant desire to ignore the changing of the times is exactly what this guy who criticized Fowler is all about.

[CincyCreech]

Honestly, this whole discussion with how Rickie Fowler is a little out of control. People that are HATING.. are looking at it the wrong way. This is what it should be looked at " Is this good for Golf?" What does he do for this game.

Rickie Fowler is a good thing. He is attracting more people to golf. He is a professional, he plays awesome golf. Has had an awesome career and is going to be around for a long time.

What is golf about?

Expressing yourself..He stands out. He plays good. I mean he was apart of the ryder cup last year.

No matter what everyone is going to have their own opinion. I say your looking at it the wrong way. It's good for golf..

[jamo]

Originally Posted by CincyCreech

Honestly, this whole discussion with how Rickie Fowler is a little out of control. People that are HATING.. are looking at it the wrong way. This is what it should be looked at " Is this good for Golf?" What does he do for this game...

...No matter what everyone is going to have their own opinion. I say your looking at it the wrong way. It's good for golf..

Haters gon' hate.

Seriously though, I think the only person "hating" was the guy who wrote into GW. As far as I've read this thread, it seems like everyone is saying, "The kids dresses a little loudly, but he's a good player and it's not my business to tell him how to dress." I think most everyone here is looking at it the right way (unless I missed a few posts).

[CincyCreech]

All i read was the first couple post lol. Too long of a thread to buzz through at work.

[limoric]

Originally Posted by CincyCreech

Honestly, this whole discussion with how Rickie Fowler is a little out of control. People that are HATING.. are looking at it the wrong way. This is what it should be looked at " Is this good for Golf?" What does he do for this game.

Perhaps some people on the board and in the world don't want the game to grow, perhaps they liked it when it was an exclusive activity which brought like minded individuals together in a social environment they felt comfortable in. Perhaps these people are not looking at it the wrong way at all. Not saying I'm one of these people, I'm all for growing the game, but some day the game is going to get so big that the traditions with which it was built could be lost. Some day in the near future some activists group is going to lobby more freedom on golf course (denim, cutoffs, wife beater shirts, etc), someone is going to sue discrimination. I for one enjoy going to the golf course knowing that for the most part, the people I'll be playing with are going to act and present themselves in a more civilized fashion than what I experience off the course. It's not that one should dress a certain way, but they want to, to respect their fellow competitors, regardless of whether they would off course. This doesn't mean gray pants and blue shirt; go a little outrageous, but wear a collar and perhaps there could be a crease in your pink pants or shorts. In this regard, I think Rickie does it well, but I can see where the country club folk are coming from and I do believe they have a right to criticize an aspect of the game they love, (just as much as Rickie loves his flat billed hat). That said, I bet he and Charlie are not wearing them at the private country club events they're playing in and that's the difference between those who would liberalize the stiff traditions of the game and those who know how to act, when and where.

Like I said before, Mr Grant is perhaps being a little too sensitive, and I think he lacks perspective. The guys on Tour are also there to entertain the crowds, which are diverse; but I do see where he's coming from, whether I agree fully or not. If a guy showed up on the tee box with a flat billed hat, I'd say, "nice gangsta hat", chuckle and then tee off. Hopefully the guys got the game to back up his style

[adamgoodman]

Not to ruin the mood...

But I can't help but wonder what the replies would have been like if our esteemed leader had written a reply that was in agreement?  Or commented on the magazine cover in a similar way?

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by adamgoodman

But I can't help but wonder what the replies would have been like if our esteemed leader had written a reply that was in agreement?  Or commented on the magazine cover in a similar way?

I can't comment on the backwards cap since I do that quite often (it's more comfortable on my misshapen head), but I'll be the first to comment his head to toe monochrome neon coloured outfits look like something a 12 year old girl would wear. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Whatever floats your boat and all that jazz. At least he's not horking up loogies on the green.

[stealthduffer]

Originally Posted by dbuck

I think Fowler is a good player and a nice guy. I enjoy watching him because he seems to enjoy what he does. He seems to relate well to the fans, especially the younger ones which is good for the game.

I have to admit, I don't care for the "painters hats" on him or anybody else, but that is just my preference.  I don't think we will be seeing the low pants on the tour and certainly not at Augusta; the powers that be will take care of that.  As to the colors, don't know how old Mr. Grant is, but apparently he doesn't remember the seventies. I was a teenager then and we wore some colors that would make Ricky seem at least normal if not a bit conservative. Dig out some old Golf Digest magazines from the seventies and you will see colors (and some hair) on the PGA tour that rival Fowler, Poulter, and Daly. In fact, some of the styles made their way to the boardrooms of the "hip" in those days!  Oh, and flared pants legs that almost covered the shoes. And who can forget the big leg "miami vice" pants from the 80's.  I remember a commentator on the British Open (windy) saying one golfer had enough fabric in his pants to outfit a small sailboat.  Fashion is cyclical and it is no surprise that trends re-emerge now and then.

Great point - was visiting my folks over the weekend and we were looking at pictures.  What a hoot some of the '70's styles were!  Lots of loud plaid back then.  I miss my neon green golf hat from the '80's too.

To be honest Fowler's on-course fashion statement has never bothered me.  Great for his sponsors - one of the few that I can name off the top of my head.  Saw him passing out hats on 16 at Phoenix - what a great idea that was.  Not my style but lots of things aren't.