11/21/24
May 07, 2008
PGA Dresses Down John Daly for Golfing Topless: A video of John Daly golfing in Branson, Mo., with no shirt or shoes has prompted this response from PGA Commissioner Tim Finchem: "There are certain things about presentation that we must insist on."
The common golfer, at least around here in St. Augustine, could never tee up without a shirt or shoes. He'd be kicked off the course. Our best public course even requires a collared shirt. I don't think it's all that fun to see Daly squander his talent with booze and hard living. Woo hoo! Drunk acts like ass! Cue the laugh track.
posted by rcade at 08:34 AM on May 07, 2008
The worst course I've ever played on had dress code regulations. I've seen players go barefoot, never have I seen a player without a shirt, not even on the driving range. He knew they were filming, and he should have known better.
posted by dviking at 09:13 AM on May 07, 2008
The worst course I've ever played on had dress code regulations. I've seen players go barefoot, never have I seen a player without a shirt, not even on the driving range. He knew they were filming, and he should have known better. I'm betting your name wasn't on that course. Daly's is, in this instance, and he just drummed up a ton of business for Murder Rock. Rcade, if you could point me to the tax file that shows Daly to be destitute and the record book that shows Daly without a victory in a major, I'd appreciate it. The man has accomplished far more than most golfers. Could he have done more? Likely, but not guaranteed, and if he had to do it in a fashion that made him unhappy, what's that worth? I'm going to send Commissioner Finchem an email later this afternoon challenging him to a round. If he wins, he can badger Daly all he likes. If he loses, he must leave Daly leave alone. Finchem gets to pick one club out of my bag, and I must play the entire 18 holes with that. In return, Finchem can only use the stick up his ass.
posted by wfrazerjr at 09:31 AM on May 07, 2008
This discussion could go some different ways: 1. Does JD have the right to wear`whatever he wants, on his own course? Maybe. 2. Do the PGA have the right to expect it's players maintain a professional lifestyle? Maybe. I've always like JD, I've always wanted him to succeed, and I've always hoped he would get past all the personal problems he's had to endure over the years. But this is just strange. I would have zero problemo with playing barefoot, in fact, I attended the US Senior Open at Bellerive C.C. in 2004. It was my first time at such a course and I remarked about how I would play that course w/o shoes, because it was groomed so beautifully. But the no shirt thing is just disgusting. By the way, he's also wearing jeans, which here in STL, is another thing shined down upon at the majority of public courses. I'm about out of sympathy and hope for JD.
posted by BoKnows at 09:35 AM on May 07, 2008
This reminds me of an anecdote about George Burns and Harpo Marx. One day, they were out playing golf on a hot day and decided to take off their shirts. The club manager came out and told them to put their shirts back on. Burns and Marx protested that it was hot, and you could go topless at a public beach, so why not at the golf course? The manager pointed in the rule book to where it said you had to play with a shirt on, and so they obliged. The next day, they played again, and shortly after they started, someone ran into the clubhouse yelling, "Burns and Marx are playing without their pants!" The club manager goes back out there, and Marx calmly says, "You were right. The rulebook says we can't play without shirts. But it doesn't say anything about pants!" The club manager realized he was beaten on this one. The club amended its rules after that, allowing players to play without shirts at extreme temps, but requiring pants at all times. (In keeping with the thread, let's all be thankful Daly didn't try this. Shirtless is bad enough.)
posted by TheQatarian at 09:56 AM on May 07, 2008
Rcade, if you could point me to the tax file that shows Daly to be destitute and the record book that shows Daly without a victory in a major, I'd appreciate it. What would be the point? I didn't say he was broke or that he's never accomplished anything. I don't see how you could go down the laundry list of his personal travails and say he hasn't wasted his talent by being known more for being a drunken oaf than for his golf skills. Butch Harmon recently commented, upon quitting as Daly's coach, that "the most important thing in his life is getting drunk." Daly reminds me of Dennis Rodman. He should look at how Rodman's life looks today, now that his game is gone and he's still desperate for attention, and ask himself whether all of his clowning is worth it. ... if he had to do it in a fashion that made him unhappy, what's that worth? Happy is not a word I'd use to describe a person who gets into as much trouble as Daly, booze-related and otherwise.
posted by rcade at 10:03 AM on May 07, 2008
I read TheQatarian's story with near-trepidation. I thought the punchline was going to be something about George Burns using his dick as a golf club.
posted by NoMich at 10:15 AM on May 07, 2008
Anyone who's ever actually been to Branson knows better than to take this too seriously. Sure, sure, sure, decorum, being a professional and all that but seriously to make a stink over this when it happened on course he owns in a redneck backwater....please. It's like getting pissed at Wolfgang puck for eating fries at McD's while driving cross country. Besides, when I read the thread title, my first thought was that Daly had made some crack about ladies golfing topless...
posted by Tinman at 10:39 AM on May 07, 2008
I don't think this is a golf issue. I think this is more a "John Daly should not appear shirtless while cameras are rolling" issue. I don't care what the PGA thinks about his behavior or appearance at this course. This wasn't a PGA event. It's similar to having them get upset if he likes to swim nude in the pool at his house. Now if he appears at a PGA event like this, that's different. It's like getting pissed at Wolfgang puck for eating fries at McD's while driving cross country. Not quite. You can class up fries and call them pommes frites. And Wolfgang Puck became famous for fancifying pizza, so pommes frites aren't too far removed.
posted by THX-1138 at 01:22 PM on May 07, 2008
Happy is not a word I'd use to describe a person who gets into as much trouble as Daly Not to start a pitched battle here, but exactly what laws has Daly violated to get into so much trouble? Are we talking city, state, or federal laws, or just the "rules" for expected behavior? Because if it's the latter, I don't let others impose their idea of what constitutes good behavior on me. Daly just wants to live his life according to his own rules.
posted by irunfromclones at 01:56 PM on May 07, 2008
Read his Wikipedia entry, Clones. He's been thrown off a flight for drunkenness, charged with assault for a domestic violence incident, and suspended indefinitely from the tour and told to seek alcohol counseling, among other things. He's also lost millions gambling and one of his wives, during their marriage, was imprisoned for running a drug/gambling ring. None of this makes him the worst guy in the world, but I think the cumulative effect makes stunts like this topless gag and the Hooters Gruden gag far more stupid than amusing. Living his life by "his own rules" doesn't seem to involve, well, rules. I can see why the PGA gets tired of it.
posted by rcade at 03:17 PM on May 07, 2008
JD may want to tone it down just a little. Seeing as he is no longer an exempt player and gets into tournaments ONLY by the charity of 'sponser's exemptions', a directive from the commish that 'there will be no more John Daly' is all it would take to make him go away forever. I doubt many sponsers who are putting up millions in prize money for what is in effect advertising, self-promotion and association with a 'gentleman's game' perceived of a higher earning, disposable income crowd, would be too disappointed if the carnival side-show act was not around.
posted by jaygolf at 04:02 PM on May 07, 2008
Keep in mind that JD has no ownership in this course, and I have no idea how the owners could have thought he'd make for a great marketing gimmick. Regardless, even if his name is on the course, going shirtless on a video like this was in bad taste. Seems at least someone else agrees with the oddity of using JD as course's namesake.http://waggleroom.com/story/2007/6/29/121644/479
posted by dviking at 05:07 PM on May 07, 2008
Read his Wikipedia entry, Clones. He's been thrown off a flight for drunkenness, charged with assault for a domestic violence incident, and suspended indefinitely from the tour and told to seek alcohol counseling, among other things. He's also lost millions gambling and one of his wives, during their marriage, was imprisoned for running a drug/gambling ring. And playing golf shirtless relates to any of those things how? I'm not excusing them, but are they relevant here? Happy is not a word I'd use to describe a person who gets into as much trouble as Daly, booze-related and otherwise. So you have him on speed dial, do you? Have coffee with his therapist on a regular basis? Daly looks pretty happy to me with his shirt and shoes off in the sunshine, playing the game he loves. How horribly his life has turned out! Do you think he was drunk in the video? If he wasn't, where exactly is the harm in any of this? Daly loves golf, loves being a ham and loves the country. Again, how horrible! I doubt many sponsers who are putting up millions in prize money for what is in effect advertising, self-promotion and association with a 'gentleman's game' perceived of a higher earning, disposable income crowd, would be too disappointed if the carnival side-show act was not around. Yes, they hate all that media attention and free publicity. Better to focus on any one of the 140-145 Tour players who have all the personality of a head cover.
posted by wfrazerjr at 05:49 PM on May 07, 2008
Yes, they hate all that media attention and free publicity. Better to focus on any one of the 140-145 Tour players who have all the personality of a head cover. I take it you don't watch the PGA much. Their corporate sponsors tend to run along the likes of Cadillac, Fidelity Investments, various banks and insurance companies. I doubt they really value the kind of publicity that Daly brings. Then again, maybe Daly can get a sponsor's tattoo on his belly...I'm sure Hooters will pay big money for that!
posted by dviking at 09:48 PM on May 07, 2008
Anyone who's ever actually been to Branson knows better than to take this too seriously. Sure, sure, sure, decorum, being a professional and all that but seriously to make a stink over this when it happened on course he owns in a redneck backwater....please. posted by Tinman I've played on and been around golf courses my entire life all over the south. No matter the class of the golf course I've never seen anyone play shirtless and shoeless. I've never been on a course where you wouldn't be thrown off for this. This isn't daly fitting in with his surroundings. I have no opinion on daly and his love of playing shirtless, but this is on daly. His choice. Your idea that hey, this is the south, what do you expect, is BS. And from your tone, yes, I realize I'm wasting my breath.
posted by justgary at 01:11 AM on May 08, 2008
And playing golf shirtless relates to any of those things how? I'm not excusing them, but are they relevant here? I made that clear in the original comment that sparked your rebuke: I don't think it's all that fun to see Daly squander his talent with booze and hard living. What you see as wacky frivolity I see as yet another sign the guy can't control himself. So you have him on speed dial, do you? Have coffee with his therapist on a regular basis? Now you're just being an ass. It's OK for you to assess that he's happy, but I can't express a contrary opinion?
posted by rcade at 08:12 AM on May 08, 2008
Drunk acts like ass! Cue the laugh track. You called him an ass in your opening salvo. You've made it clear you think he's some stumblebum drunk who's wasting his life. You've also said in so many words you think he's unhappy? You've given all these priors, which I don't deny. But it seems to me you're also reading an awful lot into a guy playing golf in less-than-casual attire, which makes me wonder -- have you been hanging out with John Daly? Watch the video again and tell me -- just how unhappy does he seem? I take it you don't watch the PGA much. Their corporate sponsors tend to run along the likes of Cadillac, Fidelity Investments, various banks and insurance companies. I doubt they really value the kind of publicity that Daly brings. I take it you don't understand publicity. This is nothing new with Daly, and yet tournaments continue to bring him in. Why? Because he gets the name of the tournament mentioned on nightly sports shows and in the papers when he either a) plays a solid round and gets everyone's hopes up and b) goes off the rails. Doesn't hurt the sponsor one bit either way. One more thing for those who view golf as a near-religious experience -- that's great, I get it. Most of us, however, don't. We go to the course to have a few pops and enjoy ourselves. It's no different from fishing. Ask Daly and I think he'd tell you the same. So to him and me, playing a non-tour round in a pair of jeans and not much else is no big deal.
posted by wfrazerjr at 09:10 AM on May 08, 2008
But it seems to me you're also reading an awful lot into a guy playing golf in less-than-casual attire, which makes me wonder -- have you been hanging out with John Daly? No. I've just had my fill of apologists for the guy on Florida radio who reacted to the Harmon comments with a bunch of the-media-done-him-wrong BS, as if he's never done anything that would cause people to stop giving him the benefit of the doubt. If you want to think of Daly as a happy drunken wildman, knock yourself out.
posted by rcade at 09:50 AM on May 08, 2008
Oh, I don't disagree with you that Daly has done a ton to harm himself and his career. I just think carrying that over to a video of a guy playing golf without a shirt is a bit ridiculous.
posted by wfrazerjr at 10:52 AM on May 08, 2008
I think we can all agree (BaaHaaHaaHaa!) that the real issue is that John Daly should not be photographed without his shirt. Ever.
posted by THX-1138 at 11:45 AM on May 08, 2008
I think THX is on to something there. If Tiger had been playing golf without his shirt and shoes on, that woulda been a Nike commercial. John Daly, not so much. If LPGA could double attendance with their ladies playing w/o shirts, you know they'd be on it like stink on a monkey.
posted by worldcup2002 at 01:53 PM on May 08, 2008
I think we can all agree (BaaHaaHaaHaa!) that the real issue is that John Daly should not be photographed without his shirt. Ever. Seconded.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 02:30 PM on May 08, 2008
Earlier that day, John's girlfriend walked into the bedroom to find him putting on a shirt and shoes. "What the heck are you doing?" She asked. "I thought you were going to play golf!" "Aw hell, " he replied. " I'm out of smokes, I gotta go to Seven-Eleven first!"
posted by tselson at 02:49 PM on May 08, 2008
We'll score that an eagle for tselson. Well done.
posted by BoKnows at 04:18 PM on May 08, 2008
So the pastel plaid pants, white belt, pastel shirt (matching the pants of course) and white golf shoes are still de riguer?
posted by steelergirl at 09:45 PM on May 08, 2008
Glad you didn't say a hole in one, Bo. Then I'd owe everyone a drink! Steelergirl, not sure exactly what you mean. Yes, golf wear of the yesteryear was atrocious, but if you have to wear a shirt and shoes to go to a convenience store, shouldn't you at least have to do the same on a golf course?
posted by tselson at 11:15 PM on May 08, 2008
And, steelergirl, thanks to some of the younger Aussie and European players on the tour like Ian Poulter, Aaron Baddeley, Henrick Stinson, and others, the retro golf look is getting hot again. The only problem now is that the plaid pants are made by Burberry and cost $200, with the belt setting you back another c-note. I have to shop at thrift stores to keep up!
posted by tahoemoj at 02:35 PM on May 09, 2008
A wfrazerjr vs rcade throw-down. Thats like Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla.
posted by irunfromclones at 02:50 PM on May 09, 2008
Mecha-Godzilla? Is that like the Chicano version?
posted by Chargdres at 04:29 PM on May 09, 2008
No, that would be Chica-Godzilla. Not to be confused with Hecka-Godzilla, which is a lot more giant lizard.
posted by irunfromclones at 04:51 PM on May 09, 2008
A little less disturbing than Rodman in a wedding gown, but disturbing at any rate.
posted by brandy at 10:06 PM on May 09, 2008
Oh, I don't disagree with you that Daly has done a ton to harm himself and his career. Word. I guess we were having a heated agreement. I need to see all the Godzilla movies again.
posted by rcade at 08:19 AM on May 10, 2008
You scalawag! Ruffian! This shall come to fisticuffs! Oh, and re: Godzilla...
posted by wfrazerjr at 09:32 AM on May 10, 2008
I need to see all the Godzilla movies again. Here ya go: Godzilla (Godzilla, King of The Monsters) [1954] Godzilla Raids Again [1955] King Kong vs. Godzilla [1962] Mothra vs. Godzilla (Godzilla vs. The Thing) [1964] Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster) [1964] Invasion of Astro-Monster (Godzilla vs. Monster Zero) [1965] Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (Godzilla Versus the Sea Monster) [1966] Son of Godzilla [1967] Destroy All Monsters [1968] All Monsters Attack (Godzilla's Revenge) [1969] Godzilla vs. Hedorah (Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster) [1971] Al Gore's favorite Godzilla vs. Gigan (Godzilla on Monster Island) [1972] Godzilla vs. Megalon [1973] Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (Godzilla vs. The Cosmic Monster) [1974] (wfrazerjr vs rcade) Terror of Mechagodzilla [1975]
posted by irunfromclones at 12:52 AM on May 11, 2008
That comment must have took a while.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 07:41 AM on May 11, 2008
C'mon clones, the least you could've done would have been to give us direct links to watch those movies. All you did was give us a shopping list. :) (Sorry, no fancy schmancy HTML here.)
posted by BoKnows at 01:58 PM on May 11, 2008
As I always suspected, the PGA is way above the common golfer. Finchem should get a life and have some fun. We don't care what they ware just how they play. Next he'll be telling them to get a haircut, what is this the sixties?