Happy birthday Tiger

Happy 40th b-day to a prolific feline, the legend that is Tiger Woods.

http://time.com/tiger/

Inco

This is from 2007 but still very interesting. It details the racism Tiger faced at his first club.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/jul/16/golf.theopen20073

Surely that isn't either news to you Mac, or remotely surprising?

Not news or surprising, but is it not better to find out what actually happened rather than speculating. I posted the link as it appeared on twitter as part of people celebrating Tiger's 40th.


I am not sure the golf world has properly recognized that only 20 years ago its best ever player was subject to racism. And as you all know I think Tiger would be a lot more popular if he were not black.

McLaren wrote:Not news or surprising, but is it not better to find out what actually happened rather than speculating.  I posted the link as it appeared on twitter as part of people celebrating Tiger's 40th.


I am not sure the golf world has properly recognized that only 20 years ago its best ever player was subject to racism.  And as you all know I think Tiger would be a lot more popular if he were not black.

That will be just you and 9C then eh Mac? No one is 'celebrating' at all.

I don't think 9C would be necessarily be more popular if he were not mixed race. If you look at his closest analogue in professional sport, Federer, you could say the Smug Swiss is less famous and less well liked than 9C. 9C is certainly the more famous of the two.

If 9C does lack popularity in any respect, it's got nothing to do with his skin, and everything to do with his lack of personality, humility, humour and good sportsmanship.

You might as well say if he wasn't American he'd be less famous/liked too.

Super

How many times have you heard a racist or "un-pc" remark about Tiger in golf clubhouse?

I'm not sure I ever have Mac. I've certainly heard much more people be gushingly sycophantic towards the moron then disparaging.

Sounds like you got lucky. I hated watching golf in the clubhouse growing up, when tiger was in his prime, as you had to listen to numerous racist comments whenever he came on the screen. Which as we know was often.

I actually avoid the St.Andrews Club Clubhouse Mac, as I don't like the people there. It was only last year that women were permitted, and the chat in there is your typical football nonsense.
Been a member 5 years there and never been made to feel welcome.

My other club, whilst not exactly liberal, is much more friendly, we've had a black captain and even have a trans-gender player. So, sure a 'right on' person like you would see that as pretty remarkable.

Thanks for sharing Mclaren. I'd hope that Tiger's legacy will be to increase participation in golf by people of all races. I was only a nipper in the 90's but I believe golfers have become more diverse since then, largely thanks to Woods' influence.

No sign of that diversification in America's black population though inco and, at the top level, pro participation and resultant success is way behind what it was thirty years ago.
Quite possible of course that his miserable public persona turns off every single race in equal measure.

Also quite possible that black America sees the athlete, the money and the toys and strives to reach such success via other means. But certainly no golfing legacy there.

Super, I'm intrigued regarding the trans-gender player. Male to female, or FtM? If male to female, I can imagine many of the lady members being up in arms about her playing from the forward tees!

Male to female Ray, I don't think anyone cares about the tee situation. The ladies are a pretty friendly bunch of people and don't seem to mind so much.

Princedrac is currently tweeting some nice Tiger OWGR stats at the moment.

https://twitter.com/VC606