Bubba Watson....Fan or not a fan?

[inthehole]

Bubba seems to be the most polarizing figure in professional golf today.     He has fans & haters ... for a multitude of reasons.      I know some may be ambivilent on the issue, but for the sake of the poll, lets keep to fan or no fan.     I'm curious how this turns out ... let me break the ice - as a fellow home made swinger, I like what he's able to do with that swing ... fan.

[Abu3baid]

Anyone that can make his own swing an win the majors I'm a fan!

[hilmar2k]

Where's the ambivalent option? I like his game, but he's a little too emotional and Jesus-y for me after the round.

[Ernest Jones]

Tough call.

Big fan of his aggressive playing style.

Big fan of anyone who routinely hits a 9i 200 freakin' yards.

Can't stand his putting, especially his routine with the herky-jerky practice strokes that appear to bear no relationship whatsoever to the putt at hand.

He also comes off as a bit of a prick in a lot of situations although he seemed to be a pretty cool playing partner in the final round of the Masters.

I voted "not a fan"

[Spyder]

I'm a fan of his talent, style of play and the entertainment factor that both of them provide. But, from the very little I know about his personality and what I see on TV, I do not like his personality. TV can make almost anyone look bad, but he's constantly on camera/mic complaining and blaming everything else besides himself for mistakes and bad shots. This irritates the hell out of me.

I guess I am a fan though as I spent most of my time watching him this year. I'm usually glued to Tiger coverage at The Masters, or any tournament for that matter, so Bubba filled my void this year.

[ClayHbg]

I'm a fan and I actually appreciate the way he handles himself on the course.  He treats his caddie like $hit, but golf actually needs more of the emotion and passion people like Tiger and Bubba bring to the game, not less.  Hell, you hear more emotion on any given Saturday coming from 30 handicappers missing 20 foot putts, but people act offended when the pros expect themselves to play well.

All that being said...if I hear one more commentator say, "he's never had a golf lesson in his life" I might pluck my eyeballs out of my head.  He was on the UGA golf team.  OF COURSE he's had a lesson.

[Spyder]

I'm a fan and I actually appreciate the way he handles himself on the course.  He treats his caddie like $hit, but golf actually needs more of the emotion and passion people like Tiger and Bubba bring to the game, not less.  Hell, you hear more emotion on any given Saturday coming from 30 handicappers missing 20 foot putts, but people act offended when the pros expect themselves to play well.

All that being said...if I hear one more commentator say, "he's never had a golf lesson in his life" I might pluck my eyeballs out of my head.  He was on the UGA golf team.  OF COURSE he's had a lesson.

This is fine and I do agree with the sentiment in regards to raw emotion/words. However, I think there's a fine line where a player should not cross and keep their mouth in check. You can't sit there and belittle your caddy over every last thing that goes wrong. You're the one sponsored, you're the one making final decisions and executing the shot. You're also the one holding the big check.

I said this before, but I'll say it again. If he's going to jump on his caddy as if his caddy is costing him money, he needs to thank his caddy first when he wins. If he's playing that large of a role in your success, you need to realize the road goes both ways and pay him his dues.

[KyleAnthony]

I am a huge bubba fan. Followed him at the final round of the northern trust open and he seems like a really nice person who can really play them game. He yelled at some Guy next to me but he had it coming hitting record on his phone making a loud noise in bubba's backswing. So I voted fan

[Hammer 4]

As Frank N. on the GC said of Bubba, he see's the world through different glasses. I think he's a tad bizarre sometimes, But, the dude can play golf. Am I a fan ? no, but I don't dislike the guy either, at least until he blames his caddie for some ,mistake that He made.

[KillEveryGopher]

Totally agree with the "golf lesson" storyline. Sure, I get it, he was raised in a tiny town and was homemade early on. As said, I'm pretty sure he had a golf lesson at Georgia.

Watson just doesn't have a TV personality. Mickelson, no matter what he really is, has TV charisma. Bubba just doesn't. Berating his caddy and going ape crap over a snapped twig as he steps to the ball doesn't help matters any.

[iacas]

Couldn't vote. Put me solidly in the "meh" category.

I don't particularly care for his attitude many times. I also appreciate his talent.

[Ernest Jones]

All that being said...if I hear one more commentator say, "he's never had a golf lesson in his life" I might pluck my eyeballs out of my head.  He was on the UGA golf team.  OF COURSE he's had a lesson.

Totally agree with the "golf lesson" storyline. Sure, I get it, he was raised in a tiny town and was homemade early on. As said, I'm pretty sure he had a golf lesson at Georgia.

Yeah, the never had a lesson or any instruction in his life is pure horse shit IMO. He is certainly less technically minded than most but you don't get to the Tour without a little help along the way. Makes for good copy though.

[GaijinGolfer]

Not a fan.  I dont appreciate the crying, the Bible thumping and the know-it-all attitude about his swing.

[cipher]

I will say fan, because I do enjoy watching him play, especially when he gets the air time a final group gets.  He is just very fun to watch for me.

[iacas]

I said this before, but I'll say it again. If he's going to jump on his caddy as if his caddy is costing him money, he needs to thank his caddy first when he wins. If he's playing that large of a role in your success, you need to realize the road goes both ways and pay him his dues.

For all we know his caddie knows that's part of his game, and how he works best, so he rolls with the punches and knows that it's really nothing in the end. We only see the "show."

If Bubba said to you "I'm gonna bitch you out every time I hit a bad shot, because when I do that I play better golf than when I blame myself or worry about your feelings. Carry my bag, take the abuse and know when to make a wisecrack back - and when not to - and you can earn a few hundred thousand, caddie in the majors, etc. Do you want the job?" Most everyone here would say yes.

Of course, it's possible he could just be a jerk, and his caddie just puts up with it, but who knows?

[Golfingdad]

Where's the ambivalent option?

Put me solidly in the "meh" category.

This is me.  Don't love him (don't love any of them - don't know any of them) but don't hate him either.

I just like watching the guys who are the best at the game I love do their thing.

[Spyder]

For all we know his caddie knows that's part of his game, and how he works best, so he rolls with the punches and knows that it's really nothing in the end. We only see the "show."

If Bubba said to you "I'm gonna bitch you out every time I hit a bad shot, because when I do that I play better golf than when I blame myself or worry about your feelings. Carry my bag, take the abuse and know when to make a wisecrack back - and when not to - and you can earn a few hundred thousand, caddie in the majors, etc. Do you want the job?" Most everyone here would say yes.

Of course, it's possible he could just be a jerk, and his caddie just puts up with it, but who knows?

Well, his caddie has to know that being berated is part of his job and part of Bubba's game because he's subjected to it often. Trust me, I don't feel sorry for his caddie because I'm sure he's compensated well and he most likely enjoys his job (I can only imagine and assume he does, or he'd quit. So, he's enjoying some aspect of it at the least).  But, it doesn't take away from the fact that he comes off whiny and and as having a problem with keeping himself in check to some viewers at home. As long as he's winning and his caddie has no problem carrying his bag, who cares. I still forge my opinion based on what I see though, which is all I have to work with because I don't know the guy.

I don't care about the guy either way. I do appreciate his talent and I am a huge fan of the entertainment that he brings with his unorthodox playing style and aggressive nature, as well as his remarkable distance. If he's on, he is definitely watchable for these reasons. I can't help but be annoyed when he throws a hissy fit though.

[KillEveryGopher]

I do have mixed emotions. I believe in the increased responsibility of the sports star to act with dignity and professionalism. They are making a crap load of money and influence children AND adults. However I'm  not sure what people would think of me if I had a camera following me all around my job. And it only takes one misstep to label some a jerk or a hind end. Of course I make a lot less and don't get to walk the fairways of Augusta. With great blessings come burdens. Watson has a responsibility to act a little less arrogant. I'm just not sure he has the ability to do that.