Bubba Protests Long Drive Competition at PGA

[Golfingdad]

In my experience people who say that, almost always do care what third parties think. People who genuinely don't care, don't waste their time telling anyone they don't care, precisely becase, they don't care.

He then goes on to make some quip about winning the longest 3 iron driving competition. OK he probably thought he was being sarcastic, but he was aware of this achievement and felt it necessary to say it. My own guess is that he does care, and that Savvyswede was correct on the very first page. Bubba felt he was on a bit of hiding to nothing if he didn't win it.

I somehow doubt however that shockwaves would have gone out around the planet that Bubba and his pink ping had failed, and the most sensible thing to do was tee a couple of balls up, smack them, have a laugh, and move on. Even if he didn't win it, who cares (well perhaps Ping do) but there was no good reason not to think he'd have gotten himself a top 10 spot even with a slightly mishit drive

He's obviously fragile upstairs, and there's a weakness there as he can clearly be rattled. Riling a talented player isn't always advisable of course, but he could equally self-destruct

It might become very interesting to see how he handles a potentially hostile crowd at Gleneagles. They'll be aware he can be got at, and if he starts whining and praising the lord and generally conforming to every stereotype possible, don't expect him to be let off lightly. Tom needs to have a word with him

Great post (especially the unusual brevity - I was able to read the whole thing)!  Agree with all of it.  Another thing in his interview that was telling was how oblivious he was to the question of whether or not he took himself too seriously.  His actions yesterday made it pretty clear to all that he did, yet he basically mocked the question as if he thought it was a joke.

[turtleback]

I can see both points. Im no Bubba fan but if he doesn’t want to participate then why give the guy a hard time about it? But then again it's for charity and Jack Freakin Nicklaus did it back in the day Bubba you can do it today. I think I just swayed myself to the side of Bubba needs to get over himself.

I hate when I go to work and they want everyone to dress up like a super hero or Hawaiian theme ... so I sort of understand his point of view ... I like going to the office and doing my job and going home ... the golf course is his office ... he is there to learn and focus on the course, and attempt to be the best he can on Thursday, plus this is a major right?

As people have pointed out, it isn't that he didn't want to participate, it is that he had to make such a big deal of it with his yapping and that he cut his nose off to spite his face by not hitting the shot he certainly would have normally.

And as for his need for seriousness in his practice round?  Oh please.  As someone mentioned this is the guy who ginned up the whole crowd for his Ryder Cup (or was it Pres Cup?) tee shot.  But hitting the shot he would have otherwise hit in the absence of the contest will ruin his tournament preparation?

As to his religion, Bubba's understanding of Christianity is about as paper thin and shallow as it comes.  An attitude of "I'm going to go to heaven so I don't care what people think" as compared to "Let your light so shine before men , that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matt 5:16) Bubba apparently has never heard about trying to be a good witness.  Being a Christian does not make someone a good person, it shows them just how bad a person they really are even when they think they are good. Or at least it should.

Bubba is living proof that it is not a lack of maturity that keeps certain players (yes, Sergio, I am looking at you) from winning majors.

[Mr. Desmond]

Oh, well, that's Bubba.

Who cares?

(But sometimes you've got to gut it up for the overall good of the game, spectators, and event -- the "other" Bubba probably knows that ... maybe he'll show up tomorrow.)

[Crim]

Agree with all of the other stuff you said, but I believe this is incorrect.  They weren't "raising" money for charity.  Nobody was pledging an amount for each drive hit, or each yard gained, they were simply awarding prize money to charities on behalf of the winners.  Him hitting or not hitting a drive doesn't affect the bottom line of the charities either way.  (At least that's what I think I heard yesterday)

I admit that I have no idea how the charity thing worked. I'll give him a pass on that.

Still want him to hit OB for trying to prove a ridiculous point. He proved that he's a big baby.

[Golfingdad]

Still want him to hit OB for trying to prove a ridiculous point. He proved that he's a big baby.

Me too.

EDIT:  Wait, maybe not.  We want that because we want him to realize he was a dummy by adjusting his practice to "prove a point."  But if that actually were to happen, there is a good chance he'd continue to take himself too seriously and continue to blame others, and basically say its the PGA's fault he went OB because they prohibited him from practicing properly by holding the hokey long drive contest. :)

[Ernest Jones]

As to his religion, Bubba's understanding of Christianity is about as paper thin and shallow as it comes.  An attitude of "I'm going to go to heaven so I don't care what people think"

Great observation.

"I don't have to be a good person, I'm a Christian."

[RJH999]

I admit that I have no idea how the charity thing worked. I'll give him a pass on that.  Still want him to hit OB for trying to prove a ridiculous point. He proved that he's a big baby.

I hate the "proving a point". Just say "No, I don't want to do it" instead of writing a paragraph on why he thinks it's ridiculous. Shit down Biyatch!

[Mr. Desmond]

Great observation.

"I don't have to be a good person, I'm a Christian."

Ooh, boy, you've hit that one on the button.

See that a lot in the "Bible Belt."

I see a lot of people who call themselves Christians, but show little empathy for others.

Have a client who worked on a Christian Church, and the contract specifically excludes a certain guarantee in very plain language, and they had time to review the contract... for a month. Because the work did not relieve a factor that was excluded, the Preacher chased the workmen off the grounds and has not paid. My job is to get them to the trading table and talk about what's in both of our best interests ... I will listen to their story, ask questions, and persuade them that payment is in their best interests. But I can't get them to even return my calls or respond to my positive way of handling the matter.

It makes one cynical... it's disappointing but proves that we're human with all of our flaws ... and sometimes our actions seem hypocritical.  Flawed like golfers who will not participate in a long drive contest that is unobtrusive.

[newtogolf]

I wonder what role this will all play in his performance in the tournament.  His comments and antics have blown it so far out of proportion that I have to think there will be aftershocks tomorrow and through the weekend.  I wouldn't be shocked if fans shouted "Hokey" after his swing at the 10th or taunting him to hit his 3i before his turn.

We know Bubba is easily distracted and annoyed so at what point does he completely lose it and blame his poor performance on the PGA for re-introducing the long drive to the festivities?

[Crim]

I wouldn't be shocked if fans shouted "Hokey" after his swing at the 10th or taunting him to hit his 3i before his turn.

He'll have quite the gallery being paired up with Rory.

[Mr. Desmond]

I wonder what role this will all play in his performance in the tournament.  His comments and antics have blown it so far out of proportion that I have to think there will be aftershocks tomorrow and through the weekend.  I wouldn't be shocked if fans shouted "Hokey" after his swing at the 10th or taunting him to hit his 3i before his turn.

We know Bubba is easily distracted and annoyed so at what point does he completely lose it and blame his poor performance on the PGA for re-introducing the long drive to the festivities?

"Hey, Bubba, I think your 3i is longer!"

[Cool Breeze]

In my experience people who say that, almost always do care what third parties think. People who genuinely don't care, don't waste their time telling anyone they don't care, precisely becase, they don't care.

He then goes on to make some quip about winning the longest 3 iron driving competition. OK he probably thought he was being sarcastic, but he was aware of this achievement and felt it necessary to say it. My own guess is that he does care, and that Savvyswede was correct on the very first page. Bubba felt he was on a bit of hiding to nothing if he didn't win it.

I somehow doubt however that shockwaves would have gone out around the planet that Bubba and his pink ping had failed, and the most sensible thing to do was tee a couple of balls up, smack them, have a laugh, and move on. Even if he didn't win it, who cares (well perhaps Ping do) but there was no good reason not to think he'd have gotten himself a top 10 spot even with a slightly mishit drive

He's obviously fragile upstairs, and there's a weakness there as he can clearly be rattled. Riling a talented player isn't always advisable of course, but he could equally self-destruct

It might become very interesting to see how he handles a potentially hostile crowd at Gleneagles. They'll be aware he can be got at, and if he starts whining and praising the lord and generally conforming to every stereotype possible, don't expect him to be let off lightly. Tom needs to have a word with him

I agree with everything in this post.

Very well said and spot on I think.

In my experience people who say that, almost always do care what third parties think. People who genuinely don't care, don't waste their time telling anyone they don't care, precisely becase, they don't care.

He then goes on to make some quip about winning the longest 3 iron driving competition. OK he probably thought he was being sarcastic, but he was aware of this achievement and felt it necessary to say it. My own guess is that he does care, and that Savvyswede was correct on the very first page. Bubba felt he was on a bit of hiding to nothing if he didn't win it.

I somehow doubt however that shockwaves would have gone out around the planet that Bubba and his pink ping had failed, and the most sensible thing to do was tee a couple of balls up, smack them, have a laugh, and move on. Even if he didn't win it, who cares (well perhaps Ping do) but there was no good reason not to think he'd have gotten himself a top 10 spot even with a slightly mishit drive

He's obviously fragile upstairs, and there's a weakness there as he can clearly be rattled. Riling a talented player isn't always advisable of course, but he could equally self-destruct

It might become very interesting to see how he handles a potentially hostile crowd at Gleneagles. They'll be aware he can be got at, and if he starts whining and praising the lord and generally conforming to every stereotype possible, don't expect him to be let off lightly. Tom needs to have a word with him

He would have to hit 3-iron on every par 4 or 5 that round.

Yeah, that would really stick it to the man.

[chasm]

He'll have quite the gallery being paired up with Rory.

That'll be something of a long drive competition in itself. It'll be a circus, that grouping, I feel quite sorry for Kaymer being in the middle of all that. Mr Watson is certainly going out of his way to advertise that he's a dick. The number of his fans must be getting smaller every day.

[flopster]

Just a complete ingrate douche bag, the sport has risen to the level of providing these guys with very comfortable lives for them and their families and the event asks him to do one simple task that he would normally do during the tournament and he says no despite the fact he knew it was for charity and then have the audacity to say I'm a Christian so it's okay? I really hope he gets ripped on out there this week, I think he could have just hit his normal shot and would have either won or been damn close and just be on his merry way but he chose to try and educate the tournament that these contests diminish the integrity of the event and that he has to be right because of his religious beliefs. Blubba wah wah fits perfect now. Greg Norman during the 87' US open hit a teed ball with his driver from the 16th fairway just to see if he could reach the green for the fans after they showed their displeasure of him hitting an approach iron before during a practice round, I was there to see it all and the fans loved it, by the way he didn't make it. Blubba Wah Wah is now my most disliked player out there and I get the feeling he's probably going to do some backing up in the next day or so if he has any sense.

[Ernest Jones]

He'll have quite the gallery being paired up with Rory.

Hopefully Rory beats him like a rented rowboat.

[RJH999]

Hopefully Rory beats him like a rented rowboat.

I hope Kaymer beats em' both

[Ernest Jones]

I hope Kaymer beats em' both

Yours in earnest, Jason.
Call me Ernest, or EJ or Ernie.

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[FarawayFairways]

Does it sound anything like this comment from Hoylake less than a month ago?

'There's just a thousand people in this fairway, all I want to do is play golf, that's all I want to do. '

It's worth pointing a few things out here. Bubba had played the first 10 holes in one under, but afterward his petulant outburst he had a triple bogey seven at 11 and dropped three further shots with only one birdie as he came home in 42. It points to Bubba not exactly handling the bad guy role, so begs the question why he invites it in? His single act of silliness has probably ensured that outside of Tiger, he's now secured one of the more troubled build ups he could have designed for himself

On the subject of the Ryder Cup I think it was Ian Poulter who started it, and Bubba gave it back. Having said that, Poulter is one of those rare breeds who enjoys, nay, thrives on sticking his head into the lions mouth and daring it to bite.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Xhu5gLST_k

Poulter and Rose went onto win the match, the only European success of the morning, but they needed to show they weren't being cowed