Today’s Forum Thread of the Day comes from Irishman1979 who asks WRXers whether or not they feel today’s era is “lame” compared to that of Ben Hogan and Sam Snead’s time. Irishman1979 cites a bygone clubhouse culture of playing cards and drinking cocktails as some of his reasons why he feels today’s era is much more uptight and lame. Our members share their thoughts.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- the bishop: “The top guys are now mini-corporations in their own right and really have to protect their “brands” at all costs. You see so many guys, even mid-level guys sometimes, that have their own brand logos embroidered on the back s of their caps. These brands help drive multiple revenue streams for them, so they don’t have to rely solely on on-course winnings to support themselves and their families. I think they do still socialize, but a lot of that is done behind the gated confines of the private clubs they belong to at home or through sanitized Instagram outings like SB2K or whatever that was.”
- dlygrisse: “No different than any other major sport. NFL players used to have off-season jobs as well. But yeah, it was more “romantic “ back in the day. Guys scratching out a living on the road, hoping to save enough to buy a ranch and “retire”.”
- BB28403: “OP people have not changed. They still do all that fun stuff just without you seeing it to document it on your phone and then PR has to get involved, yadda yadda yadda. Read the book Bud, Sweat and tees. It shows you that even in the late ’90s the same shenanigans were going on. Heck tiger is documented as up to them as well as Daly. So yep the distractions are still there if you want them. Most guys who are “woke” to the pitfalls of that lifestyle know to avoid it. A lot of golf wives actually walk the course with their players. I’m sure trying to help fend off temptation. Because what you describe from a psychological perspective is a real problem. And the fact that it can end a marriage and cause terrible emotional pain to many is also a problem. But hey make your own choices!”
- stingerfade: “It’s just nostalgia thinking it was “better”. As stated, the cell phone is really the main reason I think guys don’t let loose anymore.”
- caniac6: “I would say that guys in most sports were looser, and had more “fun” back in the old days. The sports reporters were friends with the players, and the things they did on nights out did not end up on the internet, or in the paper. I worked for a guy that was close to some of the Redskins back in the 60s & 70s. I heard some stories that never made the papers.”
Entire Thread: “Is today’s PGA Tour culture lame compared to the classic era of Snead and Hogan?”