Tiger Woods is apparently threw a hissy fit over shutter clicks during his swing at the recent Doral tournament. Golfers, what do you think? Does he have a legitimate beef? Or do you think -- as I do -- that he's being a bit of a crybaby, as photographers are part of the sport?
Tags:
-
-
If they are clicking during his swing then I have no issue with Tiger being pissed
steveincolorado and finswin56 like this. -
-
They need to get super powerful lens and take pics from a distance that the shutters aren't heard then. Silence when a shot is being taken is just a golf thing. Even non-profesional golf
finswin56 likes this. -
I've never been focused enough personally to let a small noise affect my swing, but then again I'm no Tiger Woods.finswin56 likes this. -
I don't blame Tiger one bit. The amount of concentration he needs to have to have a perfect swing, while swinging as hard as he does, im sure it does bother him, and would both any other golfer. Afterall, that is why everytime you see golf on tv, you could hear a pindrop while golfers are teeing off. It's out of respect for the focus and concentration required. Afterall, course marshalls and PGA officials hold signs advising the crowds to be quiet during tee shots, and clearly they arent being as quiet as they should be. I agree with Tiger 100%. I agree with the photogs needing awesome action shots, but... do it from a distance to minimize noises and distractions.
finswin56 likes this. -
My frame of reference for this used to be baseball. My question was, if big leaguers can concentrate on a swing while 50,000 people are talking, cheering and taking pictures why does a golfer need complete silence?
Of course, baseball players are just trying to make contact -- they're not trying to place the ball. -
(Baseball players measure their distances in feet by the way..we're talking yards in golf)finswin56 likes this. -
Also if I could play on golf courses with fairways as wide as a baseball field, I'd let people yell aat me and take pictures all day long without worrying about where my ball ends up.
Last time I checked there weren't any bunkers or water in baseball either! LOLfinswin56 likes this. -
-
well a grown man throwing a hissy fit is one thing....a photog messing up your shot is another. and no, the photogs are NOT part of the sport....they are spectators just like the fans and need to respect the players and the game. I hate golf myself but can understand where he's coming from.
-
-
-
-
Doesnt he snap like this about once a year? Always comes across as a cry baby to me. He's the best in the world, possibly ever, lets not blame the shutter of a camera for a bad shot.
-
-
-
Tiger was right on! I don't blame him one bit for getting pissed at that "person". These people need to show some respect, this is what Tiger does for a living. It's the same thing in tennis. As far as baseball goes, I better not say anything, I hate baseball.
-
finswin56 likes this.
-
It's hard to explain, but basically he's a steaming pile of elephant ****, and the rest of the guys are styrofoam. The camera hounds are the flies.
Even harder to explain, is just how important concentration aspect in golf is to someone who doesn't play. I have yet to meet the person who can truly appreciate this aspect unless they have played the game.
Two points will help explain it though.
Let's say the typical tournament winner takes 280 strokes. That margin of victory is typically only a couple of shots, often just one. Just one stroke separating the winner, who competed in a field that is often a hundred touring professional golfers deep.
Meanwhile, the cost of an errant shot is often more than just one stroke. Now understand that Tiger is swinging his club around 125 MPH, and striking a ball that is designed to spin. One degree, just one degree more open or closed on the club face, and his ball can be lost. We're not talking about a total flinch. In fact, completely missing the ball can sometimes be better than hitting it just a degree from flush.
He has every right to ***** about this. The media understands the rules surrounding the game. Is the newer fans that don't appreciate them.DrAstroZoom and steveincolorado like this. -
Steve, you bring up some points and they have some merit, but and there is always a but there are reasons it is a big deal.
Just for a little background on where I am coming from. Many years ago I was a Golf Pro, not nearly good enough to be on Tiger's level but I played minor tournaments, though I was mainly a teaching pro. I also used to caddy at the Bob Hope, Buick Invitational, Lexus Challenge (Senior) and LA Women's open when I lived in Cali. I still play to a single digit handi, and should be back to scratch by end of summer after taking a couple years off while the kids are young.
Golf is a sport that is played on a completely quiet arena, time spent on a golf course is time spent with very little outside distraction apart from conversation while walking to the green. Golf is also a game that is measured in 10ths of an inch, to be metric lets say milimeters.
Professional Golfers hit the ball in the same spot on the club, be it iron, wood or putter pretty much each and every time, this enables them to hit the ball the exact same distance each and every time. If you were to ask TIger, Faldo, Cink or even a friend of mine named Lumpy, to hit a ball 105 yds, 157yds, 162yds, they could get the ball within a 10-15' radius or closer over 80% of the time. They know their distance almost to the yard. This is the life blood of their game, if they didn't know how far they were hitting the ball to be within literally a few yards or less they would be like me a club pro or out of the game. The difference between pro golfer and golf pro is that close.
Missing the sweet spot of the club, affects the shot played, it affects spin, and it also affects the speed of the ball coming off ofthe club, especially playing with forged irons, as do a lot of pro golfers. This has a couple of different results, one that the ball flies out of line, flies too high or too low, or doesn't travel far enough. At three hundred yards a few milimeters off of the sweet spot results in 20 yds out of line.
There really is no margin for error in golf. Now 'so what' you might say, well the courses they play are setup to be fast, and narrow and with hazards. It is not like playing your local muni, 20 yds off of line could be the difference between middle of green or fairway or hazard or deep rough, and trust me its deep. A loss of one stroke can be the difference between winning and missing the cut.
There isn't this factor in baseball, an out doesn't mean the team cannot score a run on that play, sometimes sacrifice flies are a solid tactic, batters are trying to get the bat on the pitch, and not worried about milimeters, missing the sweet spot isn't as fatal as it can be in golf.
In baseball, football or basketball, the arenas they play in are loud and noisy and you are focused all the time, but with this noise there isn't anything that stands out or really distracting, loud maybe but it all blends in. Therefore the noise isn't as big a factor or distraction. I used to play with Mike Williams, and one time during his NBA career he had made 97 straight free throws and still holds that record I think. I asked him about the noise when they were on the road when he was at the free throw line and he said what noise? He said that the noise wasn't a factor becasue it was constant, he said if everyone was silent and then screamed when he made his FT, then that could change things but noise itself didn't affect him.
Golf is quiet, deathly quiet. As a player you can HEAR everything that happens as it is a wide open space and sound carries for ever. An example when I was competing, on the greens when we removed our glove, if we hadn't done that walking up to the green, then we would make sure that we turned away from the player who was 'away' to hide or mask the sound of the velcro so it wouldn't affect them, cause the rip of the velcro sounds like a cannon when there is no noise.
During shots, marshalls keep the crowd quiet and completely still. The problem is that when you are that focused and it is that quiet, you can hear anything. A sudden sound while playing a shot can cause a flinch, twitch or shake to occur and this can result in shot being missed by that 10th of an inch and a shot that ends up miles from the hole, rough or worse yet in a hazard or OB.
In the case of cameras and media, it is a tour policy that cameras are forbidden on the course the Thurs through Sun of the tournament for the general population (this is terribly enforced) to stop the sound of shutters going off in players' backswings. The media is expected and reminded not to take pictures of players during their backswings, and if they want action shots to make sure it is after they contact the ball, or if they have to have a backswing, then make sure you are far enough away, I think the unwritten rule was 50 yds away to avoid the noise being a distraction.
When it is so bloody silent that you could hear a pin drop, and you are in your backswing and a shutter that sounds like a firework going off occurs and you flinch and you miss the ball by a few milimeters and you lose momentum and lose a tournament you will be pissed and rightly so, especially as the media members are professionals and are expected to act as such. This is what Tiger is so mad at, the photogs know the rules, are reminded of them but consistently week in and week out this happens. Tiger is a competitive guy and hates to lose and hates anything that stops him from achieving that goal. Thus he hates photogs who take pics in his backswing.Last edited: Mar 27, 2008steveincolorado, finsgirlie, Finrunner and 3 others like this. -
-
-
I have seen Payne Stewart blow gaskets, Faldo get steamed three times in one round with different distractions, even Leonard who is one of the funniest guys on tour get pissed at stuff like this. The difference being is that the lens is always on Tiger and we (the public) see more of that. Hell Tiger was on MSNBC on Monday giving info on Dubai real estate investments and **** like that. I can't get away from him at work!finswin56 likes this. -
finswin56 likes this.
-
I go to the cafeteria, its loud, there is music, phones ringing, people talking but the noise is all one big sound. Then go to the library, its quiet, then someone's phone rings and you are instantly distracted and looking up to see which idiot forgot to turn their phone on vibrate or silent. -
The reason you see more of Tiger's complaints is becasue you see more of Tiger than any other golfer in history. That is a fact. Tiger is the reason we watch these tournaments for the most part. People who are not into golf do not watch golf on TV to see Adam Scott or Jim Furyk play great. -
Thanks for posting on this Paul :up: You do the argument much more justice than my feeble attempt.
mnfinfan likes this. -
Thanks guys, Golf is my passion. From when I was a kid playing with plastic clubs on St. Andrews with my dad and Uncle to playing the muni down the road, I love the traditions, the etiquette, the self regulation of penalties and the respect one has for each other and the traditions of the game. Courses will be open up here soon and I cannot wait to get back out on the course :woot:
-
I've already been out 6 times this year. I'm playing tomorrow because it's going to snow Sunday. -
-