Nicest and Rudest

[Hoganman1]

I think most of these guys are fairly nice. It probably depends on how they are playing as to how cordial they are when interacting with galleries. Years ago at a practice round at the Masters I was following Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke. It was early in their careers and they weren't that well known. They were waiting on the 6th tee for the green to clear with only a hand full of people outside the ropes. A woman asked her husband who they were.  I told her and said she should  offer Darren a cigar. He laughed walked over and shook my hand.

[dennyjones]

1 hour ago, robmaxfli said:

Old thread I know...Every time I went to a golf tourney back in the day I would search out and follow Fred Couples. circa 1990s. Mostly at the Byron Nelson but a few other places too. 

Every time I saw him his face just looked pissed off. He wanted nothing to do with the galleries or Pro-Am partners if it was a Wed. ..He just looked plain unhappy to be playing. He would look around while waiting to hit like he was in the twilight zone. 

I guess all those drunk patrons yelling "Freddie, Freddie" got to him.

I saw him this past summer in Grand Blanc, Michigan.   He was a joy to follow, interacting with the crowd and seeming to enjoy the huge gallery of people.

[Bo the Golfer]

When I lived in Massachusetts I attended the Deutsche Bank for a few years in a row. Followed Tiger during a pro am one year and he had nothing to do with anyone. Had great interactions with Phil, Kenny Perry, and Bill Haas's girlfriend who asked us about things to do locally. I'm of the opinion that these guys are at work and granted it's on a stage but it's still their job.

[308 Ragin Cajun]

Chi Chi Rodriguez was the nicest pro I've ever met.. We attended the tournament at New Orleans for the 3rd & 4th rounds in about 1984. My then wife and my son Sean, then about 5. We arrived in New Orleans to find the 3rd round rained out, and went to our hotel the check  in. Chi Chi and his small entourage were sitting in the lobby waiting to go to a movie. We went over to get Chi Chi's autograph for Sean. Chi Chi talked to Sean, asked him his name, and Signed his autograph book " To my pal Sean- Chi Chi Rodriguez. The next day we spent chasing Sean around the golf course, and since we had tickets to the hospitality room, we decided to go back there and get Sean some more autographs. We ran into a guy from our home town with a camera and told him about Chi Chi,. and he said Chi Chi just finished  and should be come ing into the hospitality room shortly. may be we can get a picture. Sure enough, chi Chi shows up, and my friend asked him about a picture. Chi Chi looked down and said" My buddy Sean!". ,and picked him up and took the picture. I was amazed that after 24 hours, and probably signing hundreds of autographs, he recognized and remembered Sean's name.

 

Edited February 18, 2019 by 308 Ragin Cajun
mispelling

[p1n9183]

+ Roberto de vicenzo.. he comes to my home course for a clinic in the 90´s. The player most commited to people, children and grouth of the sport.
- Angel cabrera.. great player but a real ass.
 

[Hoganman1]

I hate to hear Cabrera is a jerk. I really like him and the way he seems to just show up in the majors. 

[Vinsk]

I followed Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson at the API and they both interacted with the fans and just seemed like real cool guys. Snedeker and G Mac were cool too. For you older guys ...my only verified jerk ( aside from media stories)  was George Burns. My cousin was a rookie on the PGA Tour and was a roommates with Kieth Clearwater in college. They were traveling together to a tournament and when in the parking lot Burns tossed a beer can at their car, shot the finger and called them p**** rookies. Other young guys had told my cousin they weren’t surprised as he was known as a total douchebag.

[RickK]

On 2/18/2019 at 1:06 PM, robmaxfli said:

Old thread I know...Every time I went to a golf tourney back in the day I would search out and follow Fred Couples. circa 1990s. Mostly at the Byron Nelson but a few other places too. 

Every time I saw him his face just looked pissed off. He wanted nothing to do with the galleries or Pro-Am partners if it was a Wed. ..He just looked plain unhappy to be playing. He would look around while waiting to hit like he was in the twilight zone. 

I guess all those drunk patrons yelling "Freddie, Freddie" got to him.

That is interesting.  Back in the 90s, my wife and I went to the Houston Open Pro-Am.  We followed Fred around for several holes.  We were standing beside 17 tee box when he came up.  They had to wait on group ahead.  Talked to him for a minute or two and my wife asked him if she could get a picture with him.  He obliged and was about as nice as he could be.  

Probably the nicest pro I ever had the pleasure of meeting was Arnold Palmer.  I was a marshal 2 days in a row at a tournament.  Talked with him on the tee box the first day.  2nd day, he remember who I was, said hi again, and brought up the discussion he and I had had the day before.  He was a true gentleman.  

Interesting enough, probably one of the rudest pros I witnessed was Payne Stewart...but this was early on in his career particularly during the Pro-Ams.  Apparently someone had a chat with him along the way and he had a complete turn around long before his death.  

 

Edited February 20, 2019 by RickK

[robmaxfli]

Ii was at the US Open @ Pebble Beach - practice round . A group of us were sitting in the bleachers behind the 17th tee. Jerry Kelly hits his tee shot - poorly - and then turns around to us and started cussing us out. I assure you that no one made a sound ...We all just looked at each other and said "what did we do"?.

Saw another guy named Frank Lickliter at Colonial one year. He was cussing people out for no apparent reason. Saw Vijay Singh deny autograph requests rather rudely.

Somehow Golf brings out the mean streaks in some of the pros. We fans think that they have the best job in the world but the pros don't act like (or don't think) that they do. Arnold Palmer knew he had a great life and had no reason to be an ass.

[mcanadiens]

11 hours ago, RickK said:

Interesting enough, probably one of the rudest pros I witnessed was Payne Stewart...but this was early on in his career particularly during the Pro-Ams.  Apparently someone had a chat with him along the way and he had a complete turn around long before his death.  

I've been reading John Feinstein's The Majors, and he goes into Stewart's metamorphosis.  It gives a bunch of the credit to his wife Tracey. 

[Bucki1968]

Okay....Rude/Jerks-(based on personal experience/witness), Vijay, Trevino, Ian Poulter.

Nice/good guys-(again based on personal experience), Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Sergio Garcia, David Duval, Davis Love III, Tim Petrovic, Frank Nabilo. Actually if I think about it I can probably come up with a few more in both groups. 

PS I have also seen Nicklaus be rude to people too but nice more often than not so I put him in the nice group.

[Philo]

Darren Clarke is a nice guy.  Followed Phil Mickelson around the Houston Open one year and while he waited on the tee boxes he talked to us about his Chargers and Padres and asked questions about the Texans and Astros. Very nice guy.  I followed Bubba at a Pro-Am round one day and in 18 holes he did not say one word to any of his playing partners.  He spent the entire round talking to his caddie about green slopes, yardages, etc.  I know he wants to learn as much about the course as he can, but come on, these guys paid a lot of money to play a round of golf with you. 

[3jacker]

Nicest - Joey Sindelar. Gave me a sleeve of Titleists, a golf glove, talked to me about the golf swing, his ball flight, my golf game - all when I was about 13.  Will never forget it, my friends and I were awed. 

Rudest - None I've ever interacted with.  Jerry Barber (Mr X) once farted on purpose during my backstroke on a green but I don't consider that rude.  But some might. 

[Herkimer]

8 hours ago, 3jacker said:

Nicest - Joey Sindelar. Gave me a sleeve of Titleists, a golf glove, talked to me about the golf swing, his ball flight, my golf game - all when I was about 13.  Will never forget it, my friends and I were awed. 

Rudest - None I've ever interacted with.  Jerry Barber (Mr X) once farted on purpose during my backstroke on a green but I don't consider that rude.  But some might. 

I believe Miller Barber is Mr. X. Am I right?  Jerry, I believe is/was his brother.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[3jacker]

You're right, Miller was Mr. X.  I do not believe they were related, however.

[Herkimer]

12 hours ago, 3jacker said:

You're right, Miller was Mr. X.  I do not believe they were related, however.

I should have checked earlier.  You're right -- Jerry and Miller were not related.

[Sandy Divot]

Many years ago I followed Brad Faxon and Billy Andrade during a practice round in Greensboro. After putting out on the first green, they came over, introduced themselves, shook my hand, and we talked the rest of the round. I almost felt like I was part of a group playing a casual round on a weekend morning. I really haven't had any rude experiences, but JC Snead and Curtis Strange looked absolutely miserable playing a Champions event in Hickory, NC a few years ago.

[ChetlovesMer]

I had the opportunity in the mid-90's to spend nearly an entire day with Bruce Fleisher. You could not meet a nicer guy. He seemed to have time for everyone.

My dad and I met Vijay Singh briefly. Again, he was very generous with his time. I thought Vijay went above and beyond what should be expected of a person when it comes to interacting with the fans. A few fans are ridiculous jerks. Plus some of them are drunk. Vijay was incredibly patient and accommodating. I was very impressed.