Its Sunday morning at the Masters. The air is still cool and fresh at Augusta National Golf Club. Play has yet to start and I'm wandering around the course, taking-in the incredible scenery. No other golf tournament has so much tradition... no other tournament is played on such hallowed ground. Every blade of grass at Augusta National recounts the history of golf. If there is such a place, this is where the ghosts of golf's legends live. You can almost feel the presence of President Eisenhower watching, as the spirit of Bobby Jones floats through the hot Georgia breeze. There is nothing quite like it.
By 11am, there is a spattering of patrons mulling around. A few are busy staking out good spots for their green chairs. Once placed, a green chair will not be moved even if left empty for hours, a phenomenon unique to the Masters. Other patrons are slowly heading toward the 1st or 2nd holes, finding good vantage points to see golf's biggest stars, who will be teeing off in about an hour or so. All in all, things are still very quiet on the course.
As I meander behind the 14th green, looking up toward the clubhouse, I notice Steve Williams walking in my direction. In his trademark Valvoline blue tee-shirt, Tiger's caddie is checking on the course and taking notes in preparation for the final round of the Masters. We are, for a short moment, alone and in close proximity to each other.
When Williams is only a few feet away, I say "good luck to you and Tiger today Steve"...
With that, he brushes by me. He is obviously avoiding eye contact; close enough to shake my hand, but choosing instead to totally ignore me. Like a man raised in a barn, he did not acknowledge me or my words. A simple nod would have sufficed. Had it been someone else, I might have been insulted or surprised, but this is Steve Williams after all. What else would you expect? In my life, I've met heads of State, shared meals with Hall of Fame athletes, and had conversations with some of the top business people of our time. So, a snub from the guy who carries Tiger's golf clubs is certainly not a traumatic experience. I simply shrugged it off and chuckled at the ignorance of the man.
Hours later, on that same 14th hole, I would be standing against the ropes nearly half way down the fairway, at a spot where you can see the players hit their approach shot and also clearly see the green. We had all just cheered a great iron shot by Fred Couples and were waiting for Woods and Choi to arrive, when I noticed Tiger's mother walking behind us. She was surrounded by her usual entourage and clearly looking for a spot from where she could see Tiger play the hole. I signalled to her bodyguard that she was welcome to stand on the rope in front of me. She is a tiny woman and wouldn't block my view, but I knew she wouldn't possibly be able to see Tiger from behind the crowd. At our invitation, she slipped in front of my father and I.
Anyone who watched the Masters on Sunday will recall that Tiger had a rare brain cramp on that 14th green, three-putting from close range. When she saw that, Tiger's mother yelled "Oh! He is pissed off!" The moment was surreal.
My father and I looked at each other in shock and amusement. You just wouldn't expect that kind of language from a tiny older lady... Then, as if she had been entitled, she left without taking a second to thank us for making room for her up front. In fact, just like Steve Williams had done, she basically ignored me and the people around her.
All this to say that life has a way of repaying people for how they treat others. These are not major trespasses, but the way these people act shows a basic lack of upbringing and social grace. As the saying goes, money does not buy class.
Despite the fact that I am not a fan of Steve Williams, I was courteous enough to wish him luck when I came across him. Having been raised to respect people and to yield to a lady whenever appropriate, I was only happy to make room for Tiger's mother. Both Williams and Mrs Woods repaid me with ignorance and bad manners. Surrounded by the likes of these people, is there any wonder that Tiger Woods is such a miserable man who feels a sense of entitlement and that the rules of decency do not apply to him?
In contrast, I followed Phil Mickleson for several holes that afternoon, getting within a few feet of him, especially when he hit that incredible recovery shot from under a tree at the 10th hole. Faced with a potentially devastating miss that could have cost him the lead, Mickleson was gracious with fans, politely asking for the gallery to make room, thanking everyone and acknowledging his fans when he successfully hit the shot. In similar fashion, his caddie "Bones" was polite, saying please and thank you repeatedly. How difficult is that? For most civilized people, it is second nature to be courteous.
The same can be said of the diminutive Mrs Choi, a lovely lady who chatted with us on two occasions, as she followed KJ. She was also gracious and thankful, especially when we let her stand in front of us at the ropes.
In all the years that I've followed the game of golf, I have had the privilege to meet a number of PGA Tour players and caddies. Most are warm, genuine people. Even some of golf's biggest stars will show tremendous grace, respect, patience and warmth. As has been said many times, golf is a gentleman's game.
In contrast, the Tiger Woods clan seems more and more embattled and miserable. Woods appears to me as an island unto himself, surrounded by water but dying of thirst.
As such, aside from the spectacular golf we witnessed and the compelling stories that emerged, this year's Masters tournament will stand as a study in contrasts, between the classy and thankful family man who won the event and the miserable super star who fell short... and who has fallen short in more ways than one for quite a while now.
By 11am, there is a spattering of patrons mulling around. A few are busy staking out good spots for their green chairs. Once placed, a green chair will not be moved even if left empty for hours, a phenomenon unique to the Masters. Other patrons are slowly heading toward the 1st or 2nd holes, finding good vantage points to see golf's biggest stars, who will be teeing off in about an hour or so. All in all, things are still very quiet on the course.
As I meander behind the 14th green, looking up toward the clubhouse, I notice Steve Williams walking in my direction. In his trademark Valvoline blue tee-shirt, Tiger's caddie is checking on the course and taking notes in preparation for the final round of the Masters. We are, for a short moment, alone and in close proximity to each other.
When Williams is only a few feet away, I say "good luck to you and Tiger today Steve"...
With that, he brushes by me. He is obviously avoiding eye contact; close enough to shake my hand, but choosing instead to totally ignore me. Like a man raised in a barn, he did not acknowledge me or my words. A simple nod would have sufficed. Had it been someone else, I might have been insulted or surprised, but this is Steve Williams after all. What else would you expect? In my life, I've met heads of State, shared meals with Hall of Fame athletes, and had conversations with some of the top business people of our time. So, a snub from the guy who carries Tiger's golf clubs is certainly not a traumatic experience. I simply shrugged it off and chuckled at the ignorance of the man.
Hours later, on that same 14th hole, I would be standing against the ropes nearly half way down the fairway, at a spot where you can see the players hit their approach shot and also clearly see the green. We had all just cheered a great iron shot by Fred Couples and were waiting for Woods and Choi to arrive, when I noticed Tiger's mother walking behind us. She was surrounded by her usual entourage and clearly looking for a spot from where she could see Tiger play the hole. I signalled to her bodyguard that she was welcome to stand on the rope in front of me. She is a tiny woman and wouldn't block my view, but I knew she wouldn't possibly be able to see Tiger from behind the crowd. At our invitation, she slipped in front of my father and I.
Anyone who watched the Masters on Sunday will recall that Tiger had a rare brain cramp on that 14th green, three-putting from close range. When she saw that, Tiger's mother yelled "Oh! He is pissed off!" The moment was surreal.
My father and I looked at each other in shock and amusement. You just wouldn't expect that kind of language from a tiny older lady... Then, as if she had been entitled, she left without taking a second to thank us for making room for her up front. In fact, just like Steve Williams had done, she basically ignored me and the people around her.
All this to say that life has a way of repaying people for how they treat others. These are not major trespasses, but the way these people act shows a basic lack of upbringing and social grace. As the saying goes, money does not buy class.
Despite the fact that I am not a fan of Steve Williams, I was courteous enough to wish him luck when I came across him. Having been raised to respect people and to yield to a lady whenever appropriate, I was only happy to make room for Tiger's mother. Both Williams and Mrs Woods repaid me with ignorance and bad manners. Surrounded by the likes of these people, is there any wonder that Tiger Woods is such a miserable man who feels a sense of entitlement and that the rules of decency do not apply to him?
In contrast, I followed Phil Mickleson for several holes that afternoon, getting within a few feet of him, especially when he hit that incredible recovery shot from under a tree at the 10th hole. Faced with a potentially devastating miss that could have cost him the lead, Mickleson was gracious with fans, politely asking for the gallery to make room, thanking everyone and acknowledging his fans when he successfully hit the shot. In similar fashion, his caddie "Bones" was polite, saying please and thank you repeatedly. How difficult is that? For most civilized people, it is second nature to be courteous.
The same can be said of the diminutive Mrs Choi, a lovely lady who chatted with us on two occasions, as she followed KJ. She was also gracious and thankful, especially when we let her stand in front of us at the ropes.
In all the years that I've followed the game of golf, I have had the privilege to meet a number of PGA Tour players and caddies. Most are warm, genuine people. Even some of golf's biggest stars will show tremendous grace, respect, patience and warmth. As has been said many times, golf is a gentleman's game.
In contrast, the Tiger Woods clan seems more and more embattled and miserable. Woods appears to me as an island unto himself, surrounded by water but dying of thirst.
As such, aside from the spectacular golf we witnessed and the compelling stories that emerged, this year's Masters tournament will stand as a study in contrasts, between the classy and thankful family man who won the event and the miserable super star who fell short... and who has fallen short in more ways than one for quite a while now.
I totally agree with you, thats why those people who think they have it all should think twice... as the saying goes the higher you are the lower you will become..Tiger and his gangs were all go down in history as the PHONY..FRAUD.FAKE ..PEOPLE IN THE WORLD OF GOLF..
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great insight Pete. And what a great metaphor for Tiger: a man surrounded by water who is dying of thirst.
ReplyDeleteIt's as if everyone around him feels that same sense of "entitlement" that Tiger said justified his infidelity.
ReplyDelete