On weekends I really enjoy being able to watch European Tour golf tournaments. While watching an event from South Africa I was finally able to pinpoint somthing that had been bothering me for a while, the reactions/expressions of frustration that tour pros exhibit on most of their shots.
Not once after missing a putt from within 20 feet did a player not make some sort of outwaard gesture as an expression of annoyance (kicked putter, head shake, wince). While golfers rely on their game and expect to make every putt, their propensity to whine after missed shots has become cliche'. If I were to sum up a tour event in one word, it would be annoyance. For a gentleman's game, the prevalence of sneers, sighs, and other immature expressions of grief are unacceptable. Obviously, a golfer is going to miss more putts under 20 feet then they are going to make, and it should be treated as such, the expressive nature of professional golfers has lent itself to poor form.
2 comments:
Oh stop. 20 feet is a distance where you should be able to make it if you read the putt right and hit it the right speed.
Consider how one can miss a 20':
a) by leaving it 1 inch short - obviously, that's painful, and the putter shoudl justifiably be angry with himself;
b) by reading it correctly, but misjudging the speed so the ball lips out - this is painful enough to be so close, so any whining is justified;
c) by reading it incorrectly; the putter probably put a true stroke on the ball but he is incensed at his green-reading abilities that he missed. In this case, some self-flagellation is allowed.
This isn't a 50 footer, where luck would come into play. A well struck, well read 20 footer should go in. As a pro, anything else is unacceptable, and it would be OK to whine.
I do it - I guess you wouldn't enjoy playing with me.
Eric,
Watch TGC on a Saturday morning and see the frequency of the bitching which I find to be a nuisance.
"20 feet is a distance where you should be able to make it if you read the putt right and hit it the right speed."
Care to play in any four-ball events? Your putting and my semi-sporadic bombs off the tee can bring in some serious $$$.
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