New sisters in the golf world

[TN94z]

I love watching the new talent coming up and seeing the younger golfers taking it to the next level, so this article naturally caught my eye. Myah, 12, and Erica Jackson, 14, started playing golf at age 4 and have accumulated more than 300 tournament victories.  It started off like it was going to be a great article on the amazing beginning of a couple of great athletes.  But after I began reading, my opinion quickly changed. It seems more like a father trying to make a pay day than anything.  Maybe I am reading a little too much into it, but the numbers he throws out there just seem a bit crazy.  And to hear their dad, Eric Jackson, state that:

Quote:

"I believe golf is designed to price black people out, and if these girls don't get the financial backing they need, it could be the end of them competing."

"It's a very expensive game and it's going to take a village to raise a minority champion,"

Just really gave me a sour taste.  I have mixed feelings on this.  I'm not sure what he's trying to say here.  It's an expensive game for everyone from what I see.

He also states that:

Quote:

In the summer, they play on a nine-hole public course for $26 apiece for four hours every day, even Sundays.

"We only have 12 Sundays in the summer in Chicago before the cold hits. The Lord understands," Eric said.

If the girls get tired on the course, dad will spend the extra $20 for a cart. That's a total of $1,560 a month, not including cart fees, to practice.

In the winter months, they use an $11,000 golf simulator in the basement that the girls are rapidly outgrowing. Between practice, tournament fees, traveling, lodging, coaching and equipment, the family spends about $40,000 a year for the girls to compete.

"This is an expensive sport, and the better you get, the more expensive it becomes. The last club I bought Erica cost $1,000," Eric said.

1560 a month...maybe he should think about a membership.  11k for a simulator isn't bad, but I can't see them out growing it at their age.  My friends and I are grown men and we will never out grow his simulator.

A 1000.00 golf club??  Wow!   Maybe that's the problem right there.

The girls seem more level headed than the dad does, but maybe that's just me.

Erica hopes to attend Howard University, and Myah wants to study veterinary science at Georgetown or Cornell.

Quote:

"I wouldn't quit golf until I didn't need it anymore. It's a tool to help me get where I want to go in life," said Erica, who wants to coach someday.

Although golf has become the family business, with the girls missing as many as 20 days of school a year for tournaments, they maintain 3.4 grade-point averages.  It sounds like the girls have a bright future and I hope that I am just reading this wrong, but I hope their dad allows them to enjoy life and doesn't try to turn this into some kind of charity situation.

It just seems there are some unspoken motives here.  Am I wrong?

They also have interests in addition to golf. They volunteer at church and sing in the choir. They also enjoy taekwondo; each is a second-degree black belt.

[zipazoid]

Golf is designed to price black people out?

C'mon man.

[GatorCallaway]

"I believe golf is designed to price black people out, and if these girls don't get the financial backing they need, it could be the end of them competing."

"It's a very expensive game and it's going to take a village to raise a minority champion,"

Why does this being said not surprise me? I guess we should all send this clown some money so he can buy more $1000 golf clubs. Sounds to me like he bought a $400 club and made a $600 Escalade payment.

[RonTheSavage]

I think the girls are more level-headed than dad is:

They are part of a younger generation, and they are a lot less focused on race," Eric said. "They didn't grow up in the civil rights era like I did."

As a black man myself I would absolutely LOVE to see the day when race is not an issue. If the guy would've left race out of it and just complained that golf is expensive period, then fine but as the poster above put it.....C'mon man.

Good luck to these girls, with those grades they have a bright future ahead of them with or without golf. I hope they don't get poisoned with the " I cant because Im black" mentality from their dad.

Oh and Gator, not all black people drive Escalades.

[TN94z]

Originally Posted by RonTheSavage

I think the girls are more level-headed than dad is:

They are part of a younger generation, and they are a lot less focused on race," Eric said. "They didn't grow up in the civil rights era like I did."

As a black man myself I would absolutely LOVE to see the day when race is not an issue. If the guy would've left race out of it and just complained that golf is expensive period, then fine but as the poster above put it.....C'mon man.

Good luck to these girls, with those grades they have a bright future ahead of them with or without golf. I hope they don't get poisoned with the " I cant because Im black" mentality from their dad.

Oh and Gator, not all black people drive Escalades.

Exactly...golf is expensive, it's expensive on everyone.  I was fine with everything until the race comments and then the outrageous dollar figures.

[zipazoid]

A more accurate statement would be that golf prices out poor people.

[reedf]

Just taking a SWAG, based on the age of the girls, I'm guessing this guy is younger than me. He didn't grow up in the civil rights era! My fiance and I aren't doing too bad as far as income goes, but we couldn't afford to fund two kids in competitive golf or anything else at the level he is descibing! Has nothing to do with race! Sports can be very expensive! For EVERYONE!

[ApocG10]

He said he bought 'a' club for 1000$. Thats not a set of irons. So what club costs that much? The only one I know of is the Williams FW32 Gold Series Driver , which only comes in a mens version. There is no way a 12 and 14 year old will be able to effectively play with that. The most expensive womens clubs I can find are about ~400$ for a driver. Sounds like he is full of shit.

[divot dave]

Originally Posted by zipazoid

A more accurate statement would be that golf prices out poor people.

agreed... but taking the sympathetic approach to this guy, if he grew up in the civil rights era, i can understand why he would jump to the conclusion that its a race issue... (even though I disagree with his implication that its deliberate). With 27.4% of the black population living at or below the poverty line, compared to 9.9% of whites, his thought process is not totally unfounded.

[divot dave]

Originally Posted by GatorCallaway

Why does this being said not surprise me? I guess we should all send this clown some money so he can buy more $1000 golf clubs. Sounds to me like he bought a $400 club and made a $600 Escalade payment.

classy

[reedf]

Originally Posted by divot dave

With 27.4% of the black population living at or below the poverty line, compared to 9.9% of whites, his thought process is not totally unfounded.

Yes, but.....

'Myah reveres track and field legend Wilma Rudolph, and Erica particularly admires their fellow Chicagoan, President Barack Obama, whose home is less than a mile from the Jacksons'

Doesn't sound to me like they're living in the poverty stricken part of town. As a parent of 2 myself, I was always determined to give my kids anything they need to be succesful, even when I couldn't always afford it. I feel like I was able to do that for the most part, so I am completely compassionate towards any parent trying to do the same thing. Just don't try to play the race card! Raising my kids was hard too!

[newtogolf]

He was at best a kid during the civil rights era - a very young kid.  These are the people that will always make sure race is an issue even when it isn't.  Golf is an expensive sport for all races, not just black.  His comments remind me of the comments Mr. Williams made when his daughters were just starting their pro careers in tennis.  At least he did grow up during the civil rights era.

As for the costs, if it's not a mis-quote, he's insulting the readers intelligence or pan handling.  He either bought a set of clubs for $1000 or he's full of crap.  If cost were such an issue I'd suggest he learn about ebay and used equipment rather than whine about how much he's spending.  Someone that's spending $40,000 on golf for his kids per year doesn't have much of a position to cry poverty, that's over twice what I spend with a CC membership.

It's sad his daughters are being brought up in this environment where they are being taught that their chance to succeed is hampered by their skin color and not ability.  I do wish them luck.

[zipazoid]

As an avid Cleveland Browns fan, we've been hearing similar sentiments from Jim Brown as it regards his reduced role in the organization. Prior to Holmgren coming on board, JB answered only to the owner. After Holmgren was hired, JB had to report to him. He didn't like that, and publicly stated something along the lines that he's 'Nobody's boy'.

That's a shame on many levels, but it goes to show just how some people think - they're stuck in the 60s.

[newtogolf]

Off Topic:  JB is a guy that had an amazing career but is very bitter as are most of the ex-NFL'ers of his time.  His constant focus on race is tiresome, especially when he attacks current players who have no clue about what he's angry about.  The Browns would be best served to cut ties with him now.

Originally Posted by zipazoid

As an avid Cleveland Browns fan, we've been hearing similar sentiments from Jim Brown as it regards his reduced role in the organization. Prior to Holmgren coming on board, JB answered only to the owner. After Holmgren was hired, JB had to report to him. He didn't like that, and publicly stated something along the lines that he's 'Nobody's boy'.

That's a shame on many levels, but it goes to show just how some people think - they're stuck in the 60s.

[x129]

The guy is 42. The civil rights era was over by the time he hit grade school. Golf is expensive but so are most sports if you travel around the country. But in the end you really don't need to spend that much to be a good golfer. I would be shocked one of the courses in chicago didn't have a junior program which gave you unlimited golf for a couple hundred a month.  You don't need to travel the work looking for competition. Play all the open amateur events (woman have qualified at 12) against local high school/college gals will give the girls all the competition they need. Traveling the country is more for ego than skill development.

Personally I expect both of them to drop the game before making the LPGA. Read Erica's quote. That isn't one of a person that loves golf.

Originally Posted by reedf

Just taking a SWAG, based on the age of the girls, I'm guessing this guy is younger than me. He didn't grow up in the civil rights era! My fiance and I aren't doing too bad as far as income goes, but we couldn't afford to fund two kids in competitive golf or anything else at the level he is descibing! Has nothing to do with race! Sports can be very expensive! For EVERYONE!

[jamo]

He was at best a kid during the civil rights era - a very young kid.  These are the people that will always make sure race is an issue even when it isn't.  Golf is an expensive sport for all races, not just black.  His comments remind me of the comments Mr. Williams made when his daughters were just starting their pro careers in tennis.  At least he did grow up during the civil rights era.  As for the costs, if it's not a mis-quote, he's insulting the readers intelligence or pan handling.  He either bought a set of clubs for $1000 or he's full of crap.  If cost were such an issue I'd suggest he learn about ebay and used equipment rather than whine about how much he's spending.  Someone that's spending $40,000 on golf for his kids per year doesn't have much of a position to cry poverty, that's over twice what I spend with a CC membership. It's sad his daughters are being brought up in this environment where they are being taught that their chance to succeed is hampered by their skin color and not ability.  I do wish them luck.

This. All of it.

[divot dave]

Originally Posted by reedf

Yes, but.....

'Myah reveres track and field legend Wilma Rudolph, and Erica particularly admires their fellow Chicagoan, President Barack Obama, whose home is less than a mile from the Jacksons'

Doesn't sound to me like they're living in the poverty stricken part of town.

I respect your thoughts here, but for arguments sake, 1 mile in any direction in an urban center like Chicago can take you from the richest of the rich to the worst neighborhoods on earth.

Originally Posted by reedf

Yes, but.....

'Myah reveres track and field legend Wilma Rudolph, and Erica particularly admires their fellow Chicagoan, President Barack Obama, whose home is less than a mile from the Jacksons'

Doesn't sound to me like they're living in the poverty stricken part of town. As a parent of 2 myself, I was always determined to give my kids anything they need to be succesful, even when I couldn't always afford it. I feel like I was able to do that for the most part, so I am completely compassionate towards any parent trying to do the same thing. Just don't try to play the race card! Raising my kids was hard too!

Unless you've grown up in the face of racism, you really have no grounds to assert whether or not the "race card" should be pulled.

It seems to me that this IS an article about race and opportunity, regardless of how opaque the title is. I'm not sure if you read the article thoroughly, but to me it looks like the author is the one who put the racial spin on it to begin with. You have to consider the reality that often times comments (especially racial ones) are taken out of context, and I think this article leaves plenty of room for that consideration.

If this man's comments (contextual?) have left a "bad taste in your mouth" as it did for the OP, then you've missed the big picture. Its interesting to me that a thread would be started to discuss a few selective comments of the dad rather than celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments of these young athletes in a sport that has seen very little if any success from black females.

[TN94z]

Originally Posted by divot dave

I respect your thoughts here, but for arguments sake, 1 mile in any direction in an urban center like Chicago can take you from the richest of the rich to the worst neighborhoods on earth.

Unless you've grown up in the face of racism, you really have no grounds to assert whether or not the "race card" should be pulled.

It seems to me that this IS an article about race and opportunity, regardless of how opaque the title is. I'm not sure if you read the article thoroughly, but to me it looks like the author is the one who put the racial spin on it to begin with. You have to consider the reality that often times comments (especially racial ones) are taken out of context, and I think this article leaves plenty of room for that consideration.

If this man's comments (contextual?) have left a "bad taste in your mouth" as it did for the OP, then you've missed the big picture. Its interesting to me that a thread would be started to discuss a few selective comments of the dad rather than celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments of these young athletes in a sport that has seen very little if any success from black females.

If the dad's comments are indeed correct (which all we have to go by is this article) then HE is missing the big picture.  I was reading the article to actually post about the young girls' accomplishments.  But once I got into the article and read it entirely, their dad is the one that put the bad spin on it.  I mean come on....did you read his quotes?  1000.00 for a single club?  40k a year for them to play?   Golf is designed to price black people out?   And I am the one missing the big picture?

It sounds to me like the dad should have been celebrating the accomplishments and left the rest of the stuff out of the conversation.   I'm not going to say that these comments couldn't have been taken out of context and spun the way the author wanted them, but all I am commenting on is what I read in the article where the father was quoted saying these things....and that's the opinion I made from it.