We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Patrick Reed is Good for Golf: Prove Me Wrong

Go to article
I can’t prove you wrong, he moves the needle. Every time he is in the mix though I really root for someone else and like today, when guys started missing putts and it was apparent Reed was going to win, I just turned it off. I am enjoying the meme on Instagram though.
 
I have a hard time arguing against this. With Tiger fading in to the sunset golf could use a villain to keep interest up. It would be really nice if we could get some personality in to the sport and maybe get Reed a nemesis or rivalry going. I absolutely dislike the guy but at least he brings something for viewers to root against.
 
I don’t see how he is good for golf. But I don’t think he’s bad for golf either. He’s never gonna be the big draw though, is he.
 
He is absolutely good for the game. He is also only 30 and getting better so I expect a lot of wins including some Majors out of him the next decade.
 
tahoebum said:
He is absolutely good for the game. He is also only 30 and getting better so I expect a lot of wins including some Majors out of him the next decade.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how you get that. I'd suggest the majority of golfers first thought when they hear the name is cheating douche bag. Given those two things are completely accurate, how is he good for the game?
 
zooropa said:
I'm not sure how you get that. I'd suggest the majority of golfers first thought when they hear the name is cheating douche bag. Given those two things are completely accurate, how is he good for the game?
Click to expand...

He is great for the Ryder Cup team and golf needs a villain. People tune in to see him including the haters. Sergio has been a douche bag on the course for decades and he is good for the game as well. Polarizing sports figures attract more attention to their sports.
 
I find it ironic often that "honest" golfers on the course, who post and say they never cheat or lie,, will stab their business partners in the back, and cheat on their wives, or not give their bosses an honest days work for an honest days pay,, complain about someone who has gotten caught with their hand in the cookie jar. The "Word" says,,, there is none righteous, no not one...
 
JB said:
I’m not speaking of his infidelity. But to think those things don’t impact youth and role model goals is a unique thought.

I was speaking to Tiger Woods breaking the rules at the Masters.
Click to expand...
No pattern of questionable rules issues for TW. PR has a habit of playing fast and loose with the rules. I can’t tell you how many times we have had issues with junior golfers soling a 3 wood behind their ball when they have no intention of hitting it, because that's what PR does. They learned that fro Mr Reed. It the continued transgressions and multiple issues, one of two is one thing, but there haveR been several issues, and many many that have not been called out but a simple youtube search will show many examples of his fudging lies. He is very talented there is no doubt, but he is not good for the game IMHO.
 
Coach Sean said:
No pattern of questionable rules issues TW. PR has a habit of playing fast and loose with the rules. I can’t tell you how many times we have had issues with junior golfers soling a 3 wood behind their ball when they have no intention of hitting it. They learned that fro Mr Reed. It the continued transgressions and multiple issues, one of two is one thing, but there have been several issues, and many many that have not been called out but a simple youtube search will show many examples of his fudging lies. He is very talented there is no doubt, but he is not good for the game IMHO.
Click to expand...
You could search for “cheating” with just about any top player and find many “loose” interpretations. I still can’t fathom how the role model thing is being used when some of the greats had so many issues on and off that it’s head spinning.

Social media charges environment and it’s obviously called to the forefront vs TWs drop or IJP anti Semitic words or drug offenses, etc etc etc. but I’m not sure I can buy the role model idea as a reasoning. In my opinion anyway. Not when the sports biggest role models have struggled with so many of their own on and off the course
 
tahoebum said:
Polarizing sports figures attract more attention to their sports.
Click to expand...

Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Billy Martin, Bobby Knight etc..all sold lots of tickets.
 
tahoebum said:
He is great for the Ryder Cup team and golf needs a villain. People tune in to see him including the haters. Sergio has been a douche bag on the course for decades and he is good for the game as well. Polarizing sports figures attract more attention to their sports.
Click to expand...

Sergio isn't a cheat, though.
 
zooropa said:
Sergio isn't a cheat, though.
Click to expand...

I clearly saw him cheat in Abu Dhabi by tamping down some marks on the green although an official cleared him of, my eyes weren’t lying to me. Tiger bent the rules more than once including the boulder incident. Sergio was also DQ’d for damaging greens at a tournament and was also caught on tape spitting into the cup at a tournament. In my book Reed and Garcia are both D’bags and both are good for the game.
 
Maybe these incidents will get the players to be a little more involved in his group vs hoping the rules officials and him get it right.
 
As much as I’m not the biggest fan, he’s growing on me. Despite the negative comments and pressure, he thrives Off of if.
nbc really beat a dead horse on that ruling meanwhile Rory was clearly in the wring with his drop but it git 1/4 of the amount of mentions.,,,

Reed seems to be one of the most mentally sound players on tour which speaks volumes for the negative press he gets. So yes, I do think he is great for golf.
 
OITW said:
Basically an American Ian Poulter with more wins
Click to expand...
im curious.....how at all is Reed in any comparison to Ian Poulter? Other than them both being incredibly good singles match play players.
 
I think his game is the pinnacle of what average golfers aspire to be; scorers, not long hitters or heroes. However, it is good to have a punching bag or villain as you said.
 
I agree he is good for golf.

 
JB said:
Every sport has heroes and villains and the last two decades have shown that winning cures all. He has been on tour just short of 10 years and has built a pretty rock solid resume. Patrick Reed is good for golf.

Reed has 9 PGA Tour Victories and 3 wins on the Euro Tour. He is a major winner and has had a top 10 in every major and top 5 in 3 of the 4.

He is a good interview and says what’s on his mind.

He has had some brushes with the rules in the past, although I don’t believe yesterday was one of them.

So prove me wrong, Patrick Reed is good for golf.

111-1024x692.jpg


Continue reading...
Click to expand...
I agree totally.
 
One of golf's big problems is that many, many people just cannot wrap their heads around the golfing tradition of honesty and self-policing. Every other sport or game that I know of has legions of refs and officials patrolling the pitch/field, whereas in golf you're expected to call a foul on yourself. In a difficult situation a golfer is supposed to stop playing and ask for someone to come over and give a ruling, and I cannot believe that would ever happen in football (both kinds). You don't often see Phil Michelson clutch his leg and roll around on the grass pointing at Justin Thomas while moaning about how much pain he's in.
 
I think Patrick Reed is just downright fun to watch. Like others have said, his shortgame is incredible and his scrambling style is incredible. The guy is 198th right now on tour in driving distance and he just won by 5 shots on a 7700 yard course. It was an amazing performance.

Honestly I don't care about his supposed character flaws, I don't care if the news media and twitterverse paint him as a "Bad Person" - anyone who trusts the opinions of those two sources, is diluted.

It's no different then when I watch Tiger, he's just so much fun to watch, because of his golfing talent. I don't care that he has a colorful past and that he's made a few mistakes in his life - we all have. No one paints Tiger as the "Bad Guy" just because of his past - he's loved and defended by most golf fans.
 
Certainly seems like he's good for generating forum traffic.
 
JB said:
You could search for “cheating” with just about any top player and find many “loose” interpretations. I still can’t fathom how the role model thing is being used when some of the greats had so many issues on and off that it’s head spinning.

Social media charges environment and it’s obviously called to the forefront vs TWs drop or IJP anti Semitic words or drug offenses, etc etc etc. but I’m not sure I can buy the role model idea as a reasoning. In my opinion anyway. Not when the sports biggest role models have struggled with so many of their own on and off the course
Click to expand...
I agree in terms of the role models, I dont think athletes should be role models per see. But in the case of golf (and how the sport ismnplayed), the PGA tour players tend to set the tone for younger players (and much of the population) in terms of fashion, equipment and how the game is played. If PR has the image of winning while manipulating the rules or cheating it will have a negative trickle down effect in golf.
 
Coach Sean said:
I agree in terms of the role models, I dont think athletes should be role models per see. But in the case of golf (and how the sport ismnplayed), the PGA tour players tend to set the tone for younger players (and much of the population) in terms of fashion, equipment and how the game is played. If PR has the image of winning while manipulating the rules or cheating it will have a negative trickle down effect in golf.
Click to expand...

Portrayed as the villain, I don't see how this is anymore possible than what we have witnessed the last 2 decades. Reed isn't new on tour, or new to controversy and yet it has not trickled down as far as I can tell to players all of the sudden taking short cuts. Anymore than they would from other players that have done the same. While I agree that constant club throwing and slow play has trickled down, I do not think a cheating (which his past is up for interpretation) is a trickle down with how he has been portrayed to the public. Young players do not want to be vilified, and if one thing we know for sure, tantrums, off course issues, etc etc etc has not vilified players at all yet.
 
It's time for the PGA Tour to operate under a specific Tour-Only rule book that covers these nuances to 1) protect the field, 2) protect sponsors, and 3) protect the emerging sports betting focus. These guys aren't going to stop taking these liberties on the course, because Reed is FAR from the only golfer who gets cavalier with the rules.
 
JB said:
Portrayed as the villain, I don't see how this is anymore possible than what we have witnessed the last 2 decades. Reed isn't new on tour, or new to controversy and yet it has not trickled down as far as I can tell to players all of the sudden taking short cuts. Anymore than they would from other players that have done the same. While I agree that constant club throwing and slow play has trickled down, I do not think a cheating (which his past is up for interpretation) is a trickle down with how he has been portrayed to the public. Young players do not want to be vilified, and if one thing we know for sure, tantrums, off course issues, etc etc etc has not vilified players at all yet.
Click to expand...
I can't say it is directly connected and it could be blamed on many things, but I have seen an uptick in juniors cheating over the past several years. The reason I am very adamant about Reed is that on two recent occasions while serving on the rules committee in a State Championship, we have had an issue with a golfer using a FW wood to improve his lie by crushing down the grass behind his ball, then switch to an iron (he was called on it, and the kid was in no way going to hit a fw from where he was) and the response was that he had seen PGA guys do it so he thought it was allowed (this is one move Reed likes to do). My main point is whether its a golfer or a baseball player who is playing loose and fast with the rules, and that athlete is having success, others will follow that lead to gain a perceived competitive advantage.

Reed has a long history of being a suspected thief and his cheating rumors go all the back to his college days,(not to mention he has also done what Speith had done with his ANti gay slur in China in 2017). and yet he has so much talent that he wins, and has been/is close again to a world top ten ranking. We get that these guys are human, but it is a constant issue with this guy. His dark cloud is not good for the game.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top