Re: Americans vs The World

hi ian
i have heard of two over here but know nothing about them or how many people go to them or how they manage to get to go to them, i do think its a shame that schools in the usa teach it as a sport but that dont seem to happen over here. i know of two good golfer that started playing when in the raf and they got time off to play all over europe for the raf, seems our forces do more than out schools do. most good teens over here seen to have to go to a usa collage to fine tune there game and learn what a pro realy does and how to be a pro golfer. i know of no schools here that play against each other in a legue like the do in football, rugby, cricket, hocky, basketball, swimming, athletics, etc.
bill

Re: Americans vs The World

No Robin, I am not implying any criticism at all, and I am not suggesting that a laid back approach to golf is right or wrong in my reply. I am just making an observation and relating it to the thread which is considering the difference between US golf V Other countries.

Regarding the point you raised though: I think it is good to enjoy golf and play your game in your own way unless it adversely affects others enjoyment. I personally like the company of most people I play with and meet in golf, it's a great sport. I dislike those few that are thoughtless and spoil others enjoyment . I guess I am serious regarding my skill improvement and I always like to win, I could not be "Bovvered" to turn up otherwise

Re: Americans vs The World

Hi Bill

Rightly or wrongly [ ignoring international rowers ] we don't really have a post 18 college system that has sports scholarships on the US model.

However at secondary school level I suspect that in reality the States is not that much better than here in that mostly it will be the independant schools that that have the resources and inclination to teach and promote golf - there are just more of them; for instance my son goes to the same school as did Paul Casey and they have just had another 16 year old leave to follow in Paul's footsteps. The school plays competitively against other schools and the pupils play at county level.

So yes, competitive inter school golf does exist but I think one of the problems is that within the state education system golf is often , like Rugby & Tennis to lesser extents, seen as elitist (not surprisingly given how some clubs behave) and heaven forbid that in a system where through out the nineties playing fields have been sold off in droves and competitive sport pushed to the margins, that any sport that encourages talented individuals should flourish. [Sorry a bit of a rant developed there].

Re: Americans vs The World

Ofcourse, the point I meant to make was that in the end only one person can win, its not the end of the world if you lose, and, you [not you] should not spoil other peoples or your own day by being mardy about it.

Re: Americans vs The World

Abso-blooming-lutely, shake their hand, congratulate them and don't blame your loss on anything but their better game.