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

[Lihu]

I checked big fan. Lefties need to stick together.

For all we know, his caddie probably agreed to the "abusive" behavior and Bubba was more than likely up front about it upon hiring him.

[Golfingdad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyder

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.

Do we even know this though?  He was berated once and it was caught on camera with microphones, and now it seems like we extrapolate every sideways glance and non-audible comment in the direction of his caddy as negative TOWARDS his caddy.

By the way, a slightly different perspective of the Travelers story:

Quote:

With Watson holding a one-stroke lead on the par-3 16 ^th hole, Scott called for his player to hit a 9-iron, which wound up in the water hazard short of the green. Watson scolded the caddie for his decision, a move that was largely viewed publicly as a player failing to shoulder the blame for an errant shot.

Watson and Scott, though, never saw it that way.

“In that heat of the moment, I might have gotten a little upset, but Teddy knows I love him,” said the 2012 Masters champion. “I have no disrespect toward him. It was a heat-of-the-moment thing.

“It’s funny, when we got to 17 tee, Teddy was like, ‘I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.’ I was like, ‘Teddy, we can still birdie the last two holes and win this thing.’ … I was still in the moment, I was still trying to win the tournament and Teddy was a little shaken up, but that’s one of those things. We’re going to have good moments and bad moments. That one [was] a bad moment.”

“I wasn’t devastated because of anything that he said,” Scott added. “It was because he hit a perfect shot. I wanted him to hit a 9-iron and he hit it just like I wanted him to. For me, I felt like I ruined the tournament by getting him to hit a 9-iron. When he said I was disappointed on 17 tee, it wasn’t because of anything he said. It was because I chose a club that went in the water.”

Both maintained they were surprised at the traction this story gained in the hours and days following the final round.

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golftalkcentral/watson-caddie-make-light-disagreement/

[KillEveryGopher]

I checked big fan. Lefties need to stick together.

For all we know, his caddie probably agreed to the "abusive" behavior and Bubba was more than likely up front about it upon hiring him.

Yeah, his caddie is doing just fine. I'm sure he has no complaints. However, we, whether we should be or not, are judging Bubba's personality and I'm sure many feel the way he treats his caddie and some in the gallery is a comment on the rest of his life. That's probably unfair, but we tend to take a snippet and paint a broad brush.

I know this, he really shouldn't smart off to his wife. Angie looks like she could whip Bubba! Great collegiate basketball player in her day!

[Crim]

Still undecided, I really like watching his drives and balls out play though.

[Spyder]

I checked big fan. Lefties need to stick together.

For all we know, his caddie probably agreed to the "abusive" behavior and Bubba was more than likely up front about it upon hiring him.

I highly doubt this because this is not a natural scenario. Nobody hires someone with an opening statement of "Hey, I'm pretty much going to be an ass when you do things wrong and bring negative attention upon myself. If you can handle that, you can carry my bag!".

It's more or less that they've been together for X amount of time and his caddie tolerates it. This would be the more likely and natural scenario that would make more sense, at least to me. He's probably compensated well and enjoys what he's doing in the grand scheme of things.

I could hold his bag and take his whining with no problem for sure. But, there's no arguing about what it does to his "portrayed character" as a professional golfer in the spotlight on national television. My perspective from home, watching him on TV, is that he's kind of a whiny little baby. That doesn't mean I wouldn't jump at the opportunity to caddie for him though.

[KillEveryGopher]

Do we even know this though?  He was berated once and it was caught on camera with microphones, and now it seems like we extrapolate every sideways glance and non-audible comment in the direction of his caddy as negative TOWARDS his caddy.

By the way, a slightly different perspective of the Travelers story:

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golftalkcentral/watson-caddie-make-light-disagreement/

Well, that is why he is polarizing. Some think his honesty is refreshing. Others might think the answer to the question should have been something along these lines:

"Scott and I might have disagreements but in the end it always comes down to my decision. It is my responsibility."

That sees to be Phil and Bones' relationship. They argue as well, but is there any doubt who is in charge in that situation. Phil is going to hit what Phil wants to hit.

[David in FL]

Yeah, I like him.

[jshots]

I like Bubba, but I was a little unimpressed this weekend by some of the things coming out of his mouth.

Specifically on 18, I think it was Saturday, when he hit the "mud ball". And immediately yelled "MUD BALL". I felt like he was just making up excuses and I felt that way several other times throughout the Masters. Seeing professional golfers put blame on something like that makes me cringe a little bit.

[KillEveryGopher]

I like Bubba, but I was a little unimpressed this weekend by some of the things coming out of his mouth.

Specifically on 18, I think it was Saturday, when he hit the "mud ball". And immediately yelled "MUD BALL". I felt like he was just making up excuses and I felt that way several other times throughout the Masters. Seeing professional golfers put blame on something like that makes me cringe a little bit.

Par for the course for Watson. As was the crazy tee shot on 13 and the approach shot on 15. You have to take the good with the annoying. Kind of like marriage I guess.

[3putter]

I'm def a fan of his play and imagination. I even like him for the religious angle too, so I guess I'm a fan

[Spyder]

I like Bubba, but I was a little unimpressed this weekend by some of the things coming out of his mouth.

Specifically on 18, I think it was Saturday, when he hit the "mud ball". And immediately yelled "MUD BALL". I felt like he was just making up excuses and I felt that way several other times throughout the Masters. Seeing professional golfers put blame on something like that makes me cringe a little bit.

lol That cracked me up. "MUD BALL! OHHHHhhhh. MUD BALL!!!!!"

[Golfingdad]

Specifically on 18, I think it was Saturday, when he hit the "mud ball". And immediately yelled "MUD BALL". I felt like he was just making up excuses and I felt that way several other times throughout the Masters. Seeing professional golfers put blame on something like that makes me cringe a little bit.

Yeah, and on the video of him berating his caddy last year, the first thing out of his mouth was a complaint about a gust of wind.  Maybe his MO is just to complaing about something right away when it goes wrong.

[Hammer 4]

Yeah, and on the video of him berating his caddy last year, the first thing out of his mouth was a complaint about a gust of wind.  Maybe his MO is just to complaing about something right away when it goes wrong.

And it seems that a good percentage of the time when he does something wrong, or doesn't get the results he wanted, he looks at his caddie, as if he gave Bubba bad info. or something. I hope he stops doing that, cuz it doesn't make him look so good.

[3putter]

And it seems that a good percentage of the time when he does something wrong, or doesn't get the results he wanted, he looks at his caddie, as if he gave Bubba bad info. or something. I hope he stops doing that, cuz it doesn't make him look so good.

Funny how I see the same thing and see it more as a look of "Didn't that putt look like it broke right?", or "We/I sure got that one wrong" as oppose to him casting blame on the caddie.

I'm with @Golfingdad on him calling out his caddie at the travelers last year. That was a bad look. A

[scopek]

Funny how I see the same thing and see it more as a look of "Didn't that putt look like it broke right?", or "We/I sure got that one wrong" as oppose to him casting blame on the caddie.

I'm with @Golfingdad on him calling out his caddie at the travelers last year. That was a bad look. A

That's what I thought with those looks, too. I've always gotten the impression that Bubba and his caddie are very close friends. The person he went to immediately to hug after his win was his caddie. One thing I like about Bubba is that he's spoke openly about his problems with anger and how he's really tried to work on that over the years. He strikes me as the kind of guy that would be the first to admit his flaws. I respect that. I'm a fan.

[hilmar2k]

A little off topic (but not much).

I didn't realize how old Bubba was. I never figured he was closer in age to Tiger than to Mahan.

[phan52]

I have to give him some credit because I don't know how he does it with that homemade swing, but I voted no because he is such a dick to his caddie when he makes a mistake, particularly on the greens.

I was rooting hard for the kid yesterday. Spieth had some regrettable body language, but at least he wan't blamng someone else for his trials.

[TJBam]

Do we even know this though?  He was berated once and it was caught on camera with microphones, and now it seems like we extrapolate every sideways glance and non-audible comment in the direction of his caddy as negative TOWARDS his caddy.

By the way, a slightly different perspective of the Travelers story:

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golftalkcentral/watson-caddie-make-light-disagreement/

Thank you for quoting this article.  There is nothing but positive interviews and articles about the relationship between the two, though everyone always wants to cite that one time with the 9 iron.

Now my own opinion (to not implicate @Golfingdad ) :

Scott has been on Watson's bag for 9 years now?  Making a great amount of money, plenty of off time, and having a talented golfer as a coworker?  And if Watson "mistreats" him as so many would like to put it, then why hasn't Scott quit after these 9 "abusive" years?  He's a victim?? OMG we should have a fundraiser and save him from that hell!! Sometimes men get excited and yell.  Guess no one here has had a high pressure job or a rules dispute on the course or played any competitive sports.  Grow a pair fellas.