Well I’m an avid golfer my self and I think he hurt the game in more ways than one. You take up golf because it gets It’s claws into you not because some ‘hero’ is out there and ‘inspires’ you to take it up. Way to many WANNA B hackers out there in the way. How many golf courses have drastically changed their layout because he hit it so far? J Daly and Tiger where the only ones to hit it 300 yards in the 90s now that’s the average. No he’s not great for the ‘game’, just the equipment makers pocketbooks
Scott McCarren, Fred Couples, Davis Love III, Ernie Ells, Phil Mickelson
also all are/were long hitters back then
among a select few others reg. tour members...
As someone that actually worked in the golf business
I saw the impact of Tiger coming on the scene
1997 was a huge bump for most retail outlets,
when Tiger won his 1st Masters
good or bad it was a shot in the arm of golf
Yes he brought a bunch of people into the game
a huge shot of adrenaline/awareness too, a huge influx of cash
it needed bad it was getting really stale/stuffy, dying on the vine
(
much like Adam Sandler's the 1995 movie Happy Gilmore did too)
that brought people to golf
that
wouldn't ever probably been involved in golf,
some good, some not so good,
it's what happens with growth
Almost anyone I played with,
wasn't really as good as I was
or didn't hit it as far as I could
there's a lot of long hitters that can't play very well too
a lot of long hitters are out in the woods/OB
A couple of the Club guys were really good, deceptively good
especially if you played handicaps, that's the great equalizer
a scratch golfer can play a 12 handicap &
be sort of fair
(
If they aren't a 'vanity handicap' that only posts lower scores
or sandbaggers that only post higher scores, they are really the worst)
& I was really more of a late bloomer to Golf,
I didn't really start to play regularly until I was 31, 1990
I was a Football & Baseball or Track guy, my heart was in drag-racing...
I really learned to Golf waiting for the days I could qualify,
out golfing with my racing friends, they started telling me I was pretty good
I never kept score really, just there to have some fun & waste time...
I started build club, it's a breeze compared to building cars...
I started build clubs for all my buddies...
I guess I just have more tolerance
for the people I played with or around, it was/is a tact/respect thing
everyone should be able to enjoy the open space & the game
it is still just a game
not many games you can play the exact game a pro does
only worse outcome
only 2 things in life
you can be bad at & still enjoy yourself
golf & sex
I owned;
Albatross Golf
Golf
Equipment
Apparel
Repair
for about 10 years, thru hi's & the lows, 9/11 was a killer
After Nov. 2008 was the end, you can guess why...
A small repair & retail, custom fitting clubs & a full-service pro-shop
across the street from a 2 championship golf courses/Country Club,
located in a small retail shopping center...
I have teaching credentials/was a golf professional & scratch golfer
I was a +2 handicap at my peak
(layman terms I shot a 2 under par most par 72/120 slope courses )
I retained my NCGA/USGA handicap...
I also did lil' mini tours, Maxfi & Pepsi or Sunshine tours
a couple of Nike Tour, Monday qualifying events
I was hitting it 300+ in the early-mid 90's too,
hell I could hit my 5wd/metal off most par 4's 270+ yards
farther than most people hit their drivers by 20-30 yards
Hell when the Bridgestone/Precept Ladies ball came out
late 1998-99, most men hit it farther than any other ball
it would compress & stay on the clubface longer, go farther even still
they came out with the same ball called it a Laddie (
'like Irish) ball
so Men wouldn't be playing a 'Ladies' Balls, a marketing gimmick
& a green box instead of the org. pink box
Long before the huge drivers or the hot balls or spring faces/MOI
before they were over 300cc, that was considered 'huge' early-mid 90's
with a
wound 90-100 compression Ballata Ball, soft covers/easily cut
extremely higher spin rates (less distance) than today's ball have
not the solid cores or several layers HOT soft compression-like today's balls
or the hi-$$$ hi-tech. 460cc 46"-48" Drivers with & expensive graphite shafts
or other exotic materials, especially 'today' with a HOT MOI/spring affects
The golf equipment changed too, de-lofted clubs/irons,
causing everyone to be hitting them all farther
heavier swing weights/longer shafts, but overall lighter clubs
& the HOT balls/low spin rate, or trampoline effect spring faces/hi-MOI
(moment of inertia)
Then the athletes in
a way, way better shape,
then the old plaid pants/knickers crowd of my dad's day
they are almost making 'old courses' obsolete for the big hitters...
Putting is still the $$ maker...
Which much of golf's participation has changed, the demographics
guys that are tall thin athletic (makes for a big arc) strong people
that would be playing basketball or football, 2-3 decades ago now
Some now pursue & love golf now, some actually make good money playing
but, that's less than 0.01% of golfers
I golfed with many, many people of various abilities, men & women
or youth crowd too, I enjoy playing with some of the younger crowd
I pretty much enjoyed
all the company
Just take a breath & relax, it's just a game, have fun
As I had said before
I'm not a huge Tiger fan
it's more of a personality thing that I don't like
I know people that know people etc.
but;
He has contributed to golf in many ways
his 1st Tee program, his dad Earl's vision is a great thing
for golf & many underprivileged kids, got a helping hand up
not a gift they had to actually work to earn & get it
& for growing the game of golf (some good, some bad)
His personal life is a wreck, tabloids ****, billionaires types of problems
I know nothing about having...
Golf;
IMO it teaches you to honor, to respect,
to be accountable for your own actions
"teaches you far more than just;
how far I can hit this lil' damn ball"
or
"
get the **** out on my way, your holding me up/slowing me down"
truly lacking any patience/respect for others, doing the exact same thing
it's also a great walk/ride in, '
in a great beautiful parklike setting"
for an 1-1/2 to 2 hrs for 9 holes
3-6 hrs for 18 holes, depends on the pace of play
Me & my Golfing buds could play 18 holes (with carts)
in easily less than 2 hrs at twilight
Tourney golf is really slow, it can be 6hrs + "a round"
I did get really frustrated in some of '
them types of settings'
with everyone trying to imitate Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Ben Hogan
Tiger Woods or whoever's a professional routine,
that you probably shouldn't really even be doing...
When 'for most players'
would benefit from quicker play
not use all the slow Pros routines
the weekend hackers, don't really know what they are even doing anyway
they're just mimicking the pros,
it's probably costing them strokes
When a normal 18 holes can be played easily in 3 or fewer hrs
sorry for the short book
I guess I had a lot to say & cover there
see ya'