New sisters in the golf world

[reedf]

Originally Posted by divot dave

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.

You are correct in your determination that I have not personally experienced racism towards me. I am very thankful for that!!

But that really has nothing to do with how much it costs to play golf! Sorry, but contrary to popular belief, I DO NOT get the white boy discount! The cost that I incur to play this game is the same as anyone of any race! If I wanted to raise my daughter to be a golf pro, it would have cost me the exact same amount as it would cost someone else. If the girls were not allowed to play at a venue or not allowed to enter a competition based on their race, I would be right beside them in the protest line. But that is NOT what this article is about. It is about the cost associated with golf. I don't know, maybe it is a racial issue, why the hell else would he pay $1000 for a golf club?

[Mr3Wiggle]

LMAO at the father!!!  $1000 for a golf club for a 12 year old girl???  $52 everyday for golf and he's not buying a membership of some type???  Sounds like a moron.

[x129]

100 bucks seems pretty cheap for a golf club membership

The part that bothers people is that when they read the article there are no examples of racism in golf. There are just stories of spending a lot of money.  I am pretty sure that having an 11k simulator is something that 99% of all junior golfs don't have. Personally I like to ignore all athletic achievements below high school. Below that it is all about pushy parents and kids focusing too much on one sport.

Originally Posted by Mr3Wiggle

LMAO at the father!!!  $1000 for a golf club for a 12 year old girl???  $52 everyday for golf and he's not buying a membership of some type???  Sounds like a moron.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by x129

100 bucks seems pretty cheap for a golf club membership

The part that bothers people is that when they read the article there are no examples of racism in golf. There are just stories of spending a lot of money.  I am pretty sure that having an 11k simulator is something that 99% of all junior golfs don't have. Personally I like to ignore all athletic achievements below high school. Below that it is all about pushy parents and kids focusing too much on one sport.

As a kid I was buying my own golf clubs.  I was also paying my own green fees.  Started washing golf carts at a local course so I could play for free eventually.  The father is ridiculous.

[divot dave]

Originally Posted by TN94z

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.

crap, i had this nice elegant, diplomatic response all queued up.... then i accidentally closed the page. Bottom line for me is, I don't invalidate your position, just presenting a more favorable interpretation of the father's comments, assuming that he was asked some leading questions. I think if you read the article carefully, its clear the journalist intended to put a racial spin on it (not in a derogatory way either). Also, people on this thread are representing comments as belonging to mr. jackson that he is not quoted as saying... so its important to read carefully if we're going to make character judgments...

[TN94z]

Originally Posted by divot dave

crap, i had this nice elegant, diplomatic response all queued up.... then i accidentally closed the page. Bottom line for me is, I don't invalidate your position, just presenting a more favorable interpretation of the father's comments, assuming that he was asked some leading questions. I think if you read the article carefully, its clear the journalist intended to put a racial spin on it (not in a derogatory way either). Also, people on this thread are representing comments as belonging to mr. jackson that he is not quoted as saying... so its important to read carefully if we're going to make character judgments...

That is always a possibility with articles like these.  We are at the mercy of what the author chooses to use. I don't disagree with any opinion on this as it's all subjective to the reader.

[divot dave]

Originally Posted by x129

100 bucks seems pretty cheap for a golf club membership

The part that bothers people is that when they read the article there are no examples of racism in golf...

really?

here's a few:

http://www.thenational.ae/sport/golf/golf-failed-the-racism-test

http://onestowatchmedia.com/2011/11/24/golfs-dirty-secrets-elitism-sexism-classism-and-racism-2/

http://www.complex.com/sports/2011/06/the-most-racist-moments-in-golf-history/

[Big C]

This guy Eric Jackson sounds like a con-artist.  As others have astutely pointed out, there is no golf club around that costs $1,000. Secondly, there is no way he is paying the "rack rate" for golf every single day. A lot of small munis in Soutern California have Junior development programs that allow for unlimited range balls and discounted tee times, usually for as low as $80-90 a month. Even if his home course did not offer something similar, he could easily work out a deal with the local GM, given the frequency of his daughters play. Lastly, the unnecessary injection of race into the discussion of the cost of golf, is pitiful at best, disgusting at worst.

Shame on this reporter for not asking the important (and obvious) follow up questions in response to Mr. Jackson's transparent plea for cash.

[newtogolf]

Look hard enough for anything and you will find it, especially on the internet.  I keep reading that there is a significant decline in the number of African Americans in baseball and hockey has very little participation from minorities, so should we assume that to mean there's racism in baseball and hockey too?

Originally Posted by divot dave

really?

here's a few:

http://www.thenational.ae/sport/golf/golf-failed-the-racism-test

http://onestowatchmedia.com/2011/11/24/golfs-dirty-secrets-elitism-sexism-classism-and-racism-2/

http://www.complex.com/sports/2011/06/the-most-racist-moments-in-golf-history/

[Laws of Woo]

Originally Posted by 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.

A stock club? $1000 is really pushing it. But factor in after market shafts and its a whole different ball game. For example, Matrix's TP HD run $999 each...thats just the shaft. Or they could be talking Japanese clubs. JDM Driver heads alone can run $900+.

Buying something along those lines for a 12-14 year old is ridiculous though. I wish I had parents like that, that would buy me $1000 clubs, my parents didn't even like giving me $10 to play 9 holes.

[tiger187126]

Originally Posted by divot dave

really?

here's a few:

http://www.thenational.ae/sport/golf/golf-failed-the-racism-test

http://onestowatchmedia.com/2011/11/24/golfs-dirty-secrets-elitism-sexism-classism-and-racism-2/

http://www.complex.com/sports/2011/06/the-most-racist-moments-in-golf-history/

read the first part of his sentence, he's clearly saying that there's no proof of racism in golf in the article, which there isn't, just a guy complaining at how expensive it is and that somehow the color of your skin would deter you from playing because of the cost.

i mean i'm sure a poor white guy could just stroll onto any CC and play for free with house clubs

the moral of this story:

when you're kids are ultra competitive at sports it costs a lot of money. my little cousin did lacrosse (another sport that's had the elite tag put on it) and it costs a lot of money to do the whole travel thing and the equipment. baseball, basketball, football, etc. there's always a ton of money that can be dumped into supporting a child's sports habit.

and just like all these other sports there are more affordable ways to go about it.

[ApocG10]

Originally Posted by tiger187126

read the first part of his sentence, he's clearly saying that there's no proof of racism in golf in the article, which there isn't, just a guy complaining at how expensive it is and that somehow the color of your skin would deter you from playing because of the cost.

i mean i'm sure a poor white guy could just stroll onto any CC and play for free with house clubs

the moral of this story:

when you're kids are ultra competitive at sports it costs a lot of money. my little cousin did lacrosse (another sport that's had the elite tag put on it) and it costs a lot of money to do the whole travel thing and the equipment. baseball, basketball, football, etc. there's always a ton of money that can be dumped into supporting a child's sports habit.

and just like all these other sports there are more affordable ways to go about it.

I have no doubt my parents spent 1/4 million on me playing hockey over 14 years of travelling all over canada, buying gear, 4-5 hockey schools a year, sticks every week, hotel rooms, food, league fees, etc etc.

[darkhunter139]

Originally Posted by TN94z

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

I think people believe it is more expensive than it actually is.  If you buy used gear and don't play at top of the line courses during prime hours every week golf can be played for a pretty reasonable price.

[newtogolf]

Exactly, sounds like the dad was using the article for exposure and to get some free gear or sponsorship for his kids.  Not much different from the kid on this site that wanted someone to send him a driver, except the kid on this site didn't play the race card.

Originally Posted by darkhunter139

I think people believe it is more expensive than it actually is.  If you buy used gear and don't play at top of the line courses during prime hours every week golf can be played for a pretty reasonable price.

[MbolicGolf]

I find it amazing that all these clubs cost so much money when guys back in the day played with flattened spoons on sticks on a badly mowed lawn and shot in the 60's

[DocWu1948]

It's a good story, guys. Don't let any bitterness or silly statements by the old man detract from it.

[tiger187126]

Originally Posted by darkhunter139

I think people believe it is more expensive than it actually is.  If you buy used gear and don't play at top of the line courses during prime hours every week golf can be played for a pretty reasonable price.

the rates for young kids by me is extremely affordable compared to adults:

Season Pass

Juniors 6-12 $185

Juniors 13-15 $199

Junior 16-18 $230

Student 19-24 $900

Adult 25-59 $1300

Senior 60+ $900

so for ~$400 a year these two girls could play all their heart desires and by the time they're high school students they should have a home course that offers pretty steep discounts.

there's also a virtual range at one of the local courses:

Driving range $18/hour

Course $12/hour

i'm not sure how many 12-15 year olds have their own personal virtual golf setups, but it does seem to be a sound investment over paying hourly...

[tiger187126]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DocWu1948

It's a good story, guys. Don't let any bitterness or silly statements by the old man detract from it.

from the dad:

Quote:

"I didn't want them to get into a sport that had any physical limitations to it," Eric said. "If you are fat, skinny, tall or short you can play golf. The easiest way into the history books is golf for a black woman. The opportunities are there, and their face will be right next to Tiger's if they win an LPGA event."

i like the girls attitudes, but they seem to see golf as a way to pay for their future. i would hope they enjoy the game and are just not more victims of parents driving their kids to the edge trying to force them into something that's not in the kid's interest.

from one of the girls:

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.

all in all it is a good story, but too often are these stories trumped up because of race and comparing two girls who are good at golf (but haven't even reached the high school level, or did we forget Andy Zhang already?) to the williams sisters is just ridiculous. it's an over inflation of the ego, a unnecessary spotlight on two girls who are growing up and don't even seem to be that interested in what they're doing, and a soapbox for their father to cry to the public.

how about this:

when these girls are tearing up the LPGA we get a nice long look back at where they came from and what they went through. revisionist history is always better, and it would actually mean that we're celebrating their accomplishments instead of predicting a possible future for them.

i mean if they're going to be the williams sisters they only need like 40 something championships at the highest level.