Thoughts on Rickie Fowler and The Masters' tradition?

[deronsizemore]

Just curious as to your thoughts on this article: http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/blog/devil_ball_golf/post/Rickie-Fowler-gets-a-lesson-in-Augusta-National-?urn=golf-wp563

I'm not sure what to think. I know the Masters has a tradition there that they try extremely hard to live up too, but on the other hand, it isn't like turning a hat around backwards is doing something to tarnish that tradition.

[GaijinGolfer]

Well, Augusta is a club and they can set whatever rules they want.

[Uber$winG]

If the Augustan Powers-That-Be were true sticklers for cultured conduct they would require that all gentlemen remove their hats when indoors.

[Fourputt]

Gotta say I love it.  These kids sometimes need to learn that although the world may be their oyster, Augusta National is a world apart.  Maybe it's just a lesson in growing up - sometimes you simply have to go along with rules you may not agree with.  Just about everyone discovers this at one time or another in their lives.

[golf4fun12]

since it is their rules, then you have to go with it. simple as that.

[sean_miller]

Hipocrisy. A guy writes in to his favourite golf mag that Fowler on the cover in a backwards hat offends him, and people line up to shit on him. The Masters says the same thing and they rock? August National can suck it!!

[zeg]

It's their club, it's up to them to set their standards, but i'm with Sean.  Personally, I don't understand people's obsession with that club.

Plus, although it's hard to tell quite what the actual interaction was like, as described I think the wrong of condescendingly adjusting someone else's clothing far outweighs that of the hat itself.  The gentlemanly thing to do is to treat an adult like an adult and politely ask him to comply with the dress code.  I hope things were lighter-hearted than they came across in the description...

[Stretch]

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

Well, Augusta is a club and they can set whatever rules they want.

No negroes, no women, no jews, no backwards hats.

[rossvanwyk]

I think the whole things a bit of a joke. Some of the replies to that article are a laugh on their own. Going on about how these kids need to learn this and that and the world is going to hell.

Whatever.

As far as I can tell, Fowler is a good natured young man and isn't meaning to offend anyone or any club and is happy to comply. It's not like the guy is rocking up in a wife beater expecting to hack his way round the course.

If you're honestly offended by Fowler's clothing then I don't even know what to say. Perhaps you should watch the lad crack a ball, cos he's got some serious game.

He's not breaking any rules when he plays and he's happy to adhere to augusta's rules, however stringent they might be.

Enough of the pettiness let's have some more golf!!!

[colin007]

Originally Posted by Stretch

No negroes, no women, no jews, no backwards hats.

should i show them my "Kill Whitey" tattoo?

[inthehole]

same as Wimbledon in Tennis where you have to wear white.     The venue determines the dress code - the players have the option to comply or not play.    I like it - tradition in honorable sports is a good thing.      He needs to lose that flat brimmed hat anyways ...

srsly !

[jetsknicks1]

I get Augusta's point, wearing a backwards hat there is probably like wearing cut off jean shorts at my local course. I did feel the writer was pretty condecending in the way he talked about Ricky. I just got the feeling that he felt it was about time someone put Ricky "In his place"

[deronsizemore]

Is there an actual Augusta National rule that says "not backward hats?"

I agree with what someone else said, that the way the article is written, it seems that the Augusta National official could have approached the situation differently. The article makes it sound like there was a sort of heated exchange between the two and it was instigated by the official basically telling -not asking- Rickie to turn his hat around. I think it could have waited until the interview was over to discuss his hat.

That said, I realize it's Augusta's tournament and it's their rules, but Augusta also had to realize that this is what Rickie wears to every single tournament. It wasn't like he was doing it to spite Augusta National. If they didn't want him to dress the way he always does, they could have asked that he not come to the tournament.

[nleary9201]

Maybe Augusta should worry a little more about character than what direction the brim of your hat points.  Lets laud the whore monger, wife beater, sullen billonaire. Hang on every word Tiger speaks, like his opinion has divine grace. Go Ricky. Keep your hat backwards and your head on straight.

[ND Fan]

I love the Masters but I am pretty sure Augusta National is made up of  stuffy old white guys.  Not  a terrible thing mind you... I'll be one shortly,  I just doubt I would tell some 22 year old

multi-millionaire that has qualified for what many believe to one of the prestigious events in his sport how he should present himself.  He's a man now he should understand some decorum.  But old white guy should also be respectful of the situation himself and had said something outside the privy of the press or anyone else.

[newtogolf]

I understand the "it's their club, they get to set the rules" argument, and can even accept it as reasonable.  That said, would Townsend have "reached over and turned" Tiger or Phil's hat forward or respectfully asked them to comply?  Fowler is young, but he's a pro.  Just like they expect him to respect their rules and traditions they should respect that he's a professional golfer and deserves the same respect as other members on the tour regardless of his age.  Respect is a two way street.

[lumpuckeroo]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Gotta say I love it.  These kids sometimes need to learn that although the world may be their oyster, Augusta National is a world apart.  Maybe it's just a lesson in growing up - sometimes you simply have to go along with rules you may not agree with.  Just about everyone discovers this at one time or another in their lives.

Well put, there is a time and a place for everything, maturity is knowing when and where!

[nleary9201]

I think Tigers behavior is much more disrespectful than a stupid hat on backwards issue.  Everyone seems to foget his cussing and f bombs all the time, because the "scandal" was way bigger news.  Did the powers that be at Augusta talk to Woods about his behavior? I didn't hear about that.