Steve Williams: Golfers Take Themselves Too Seriously

[Anchor44]

On the highest level of the top 0.001% of the profession, a caddy most certainly can make a difference. This is the only person interacting with an elite athlete during 16+ hours of competition. There is no level of intimacy between a support staff and athlete on that level in any other sport. The dude stands 5 feet from his competitor at all times and sees every nuance of every shot.

 

I'm not defending Williams or really caring, but in a game that is 90% mental and 50% physical, you better have the right kind of person on that bag. It can't be just anyone...

 

Tiger doesn't win any of his "injury" rounds without Stevie's adjustments. Go ahead, tell me why I'm wrong.

You're wrong because one can play very, very well without anybody on the bag. I've done it many times

[station2station]

The guy is entitled to his opinion, and that is all it is.

 

I think most caddies provide a valuable service to their players. Calling them glorified push carts does them a disservice.

 

Thanks dad.

 

Stevie Williams is an idiot. It didn't take much for 90% of the golf fans in this thread to come to a consensus. It called the wisdom of the collective.

[scotee]

Wow, I guess there's no need to read the article if you can just make a bunch of assumptions that fit your opinion easier.

 

Na knows he has a problem. He's been working for years trying to find his way through it. He doesn't need to hear anything from his fellow competitors nor their caddies. The TOUR and their rules' officials must decide when his play is slow enough to warrant a penalty and give it to him.

 

Edited to add: In all fairness, the original article is not linked in this thread. Scotee's first post has a link to the article that is the response by Steve Williams after this Golf Magazine article about Kevin Na.

 

http://www.golf.com/...psyche?simple=1

 

If you haven't read it, I recommend it. Great play-by-play on how he posted the highest single hole score in the history of professional golf.

 

Thanks for that link Matt. Good but painful to read.

[Leftagain]

The guy is entitled to his opinion, and that is all it is.

 

I think most caddies provide a valuable service to their players. Calling them glorified push carts does them a disservice.

 

Thanks dad.

 

Stevie Williams is an idiot. It didn't take much for 90% of the golf fans in this thread to come to a consensus. It called the wisdom of the collective.

 

Most golf fans that see a thread with Stevie Williams in the title and ignore it, most that come to these type of threads are pre-disposed to dislike the man (rightly or wrongly, depending on your point of view).

 

There is no collective wisdom here, simply anti-Stevie sentiment amongst those already anti-Stevie..

[wobgon]

The guy is entitled to his opinion, and that is all it is.

 

I think most caddies provide a valuable service to their players. Calling them glorified push carts does them a disservice.

 

Thanks dad.

 

Stevie Williams is an idiot. It didn't take much for 90% of the golf fans in this thread to come to a consensus. It called the wisdom of the collective.

 

Most golf fans that see a thread with Stevie Williams in the title and ignore it, most that come to these type of threads are pre-disposed to dislike the man (rightly or wrongly, depending on your point of view).

 

There is no collective wisdom here, simply anti-Stevie sentiment amongst those already anti-Stevie..

So you are anti-Stevie?

[Burt Chance]

If I was Na I would have taken a 9 iron to his kneecaps while saying "think I'm slow? Dodge this!" What an Word not allowedhat.

 

Caddies have no business making comments to a player ever. The tour should put him in his place.

 

A caddie has every right to say whatever they want. Should they? 99.9% of the time no. We can all agree on that.

 

Your attitude towards caddies and your line "The tour should put him in his place", reeks of elitism. Quite frankly it's embarrassing. Caddies are not slaves but don't let that fact cloud your opinion.

 

Sure Stevie should've kept his mouth shut and only spoken to Adam about it, but Stevie also isn't some flat rate fee caddie at a country club. If he felt like it was affecting his boss's play, then in return it affects his paycheck.

 

Am I looking too deep into this? Sure. But to say it's not Stevie's business is ignorant.

[MtlJeff]

I think the term "put him in his place" does come off as a bit condescending. But Stevie doesn't work for the PGA tour, he works for his player who is an independant contractor. The PGA tour's business is with the independant contractors, so i do see the argument that the tour really should not tolerate any shenanigans from a person who could be in their view, a fairly unimportant asset in their business. Stevie is the most famous caddie in the world and no one is paying for tickets to see him

 

To me it's like a company hiring a big shot executive consultant, and then that person goes out and hires their own administrative assistant on his own dime. The assistant can't just strut around like they own the place and insult the other workers, they don't even work there

 

I don't see caddies as an essential part of the tour's business success, they are hired by the talent and paid for by the talent. If they are contributing to a poor work environment for people the tour needs (like players) then maybe they should be told to keep their mouth shut

[sixtysevensixtyseven]

http://www.msn.com/e...qpVp?li=BBnb7Kz

 

 

If I were Adam I would find another full time caddie and move on. Seems like too much of a distraction. Caddies take themselves too seriously.

 

Steve Williams overstates his importance time and time again. He's a big idiot who carries a golf bag for a living and drives race cars. Not a whole lot of intelligence required to be Steve Williams.

[Marco]

Stevie's adustments? :cheesy: :cheesy: :cheesy:

 

yeah, since when is Stevie a chiropractor ???

[EKELLY]

Gee, that's like saying the Bull's wouldn't have won anything without Phil Jackson. They still had Michael, and Tiger still had TIGER!!! Caddies are important, but i never saw Ole Stevie hit a shot!!......

[iBanesto]

To be honest does anyone really care about caddies?

 

You don't watch golf for the caddies.

[vleisman]

To be honest does anyone really care about caddies?

 

You don't watch golf for the caddies.

 

May I present Mrs Thomas Aiken

http://media.gettyim...ure-id494816850 " />

[iBanesto]

To be honest does anyone really care about caddies?

 

You don't watch golf for the caddies.

 

May I present Mrs Thomas Aiken

http://media.gettyim...ure-id494816850 " />

 

Trust me I know of Katie Aiken...

 

I was going to bring her up to refute my claim :haha:

[27x10.5]

I heard not many tour guys really like Na either, not even due to the slow play just as a person. Who knows

[wcbjr]

To be honest does anyone really care about caddies?

 

You don't watch golf for the caddies.

 

Or Mrs. Reed?

 

[Sun Devil]

This Na incident reminds me of the altercation between Angel Jimenez vs. Keegan and his caddie.

 

Never have liked Stevie. Disliked the way he abrasively handled some photogs, people paying to see Tiger, patrons, fans, etc.

[halcyan]

I think both Steve and Tiger share some blame for the rift, but when it comes down to it, Steve was just very fortunate to be picked by one of the best and should just shut up about any slights--real or imagined. Also Tiger gave him fame and now he is using it to criticize pros. Biting the hand that feeds him I think.

[Outlier]

While "Stevie" is clearly just a bit narcissistic, and a total jerk.... that doesn't mean is wasn't right. Na is insufferable and I cannot imagine that he doesn't negatively impact those in his group during tournaments. The tour has got to get this reeled in.....Na, Crane, Jason Day even Speith at times absolutely need to be meaningfully penalized. Once the tipping point i s reached with viewership being affected it will be too late. Many don't in major league baseball didn't recpgnize the problem either.

[Outlier]

I think the term "put him in his place" does come off as a bit condescending. But Stevie doesn't work for the PGA tour, he works for his player who is an independant contractor. The PGA tour's business is with the independant contractors, so i do see the argument that the tour really should not tolerate any shenanigans from a person who could be in their view, a fairly unimportant asset in their business. Stevie is the most famous caddie in the world and no one is paying for tickets to see him

 

 

I don't see caddies as an essential part of the tour's business success, they are hired by the talent and paid for by the talent. If they are contributing to a poor work environment for people the tour needs (like players) then maybe they should be told to keep their mouth shut

 

"To me it's like a company hiring a big shot executive consultant, and then that person goes out and hires their own administrative assistant on his own dime. The assistant can't just strut around like they own the place and insult the other workers, they don't even work there"......Yes they can and yes they do...happens every day. Corporate environments are just like anywhere else. If you are the hired "pit bull" of the man, woman, or flavor of the month it's your world -until it isn't.

[sixtysevensixtyseven]

While "Stevie" is clearly just a bit narcissistic, and a total jerk.... that doesn't mean is wasn't right. Na is insufferable and I cannot imagine that he doesn't negatively impact those in his group during tournaments. The tour has got to get this reeled in.....Na, Crane, Jason Day even Speith at times absolutely need to be meaningfully penalized. Once the tipping point i s reached with viewership being affected it will be too late. Many don't in major league baseball didn't recpgnize the problem either.

 

Watching a pitcher who works fast makes watching a baseball game fun. I hardly watch baseball anymore unless it's playoffs or Quick Pitch on MLB.

 

Steve Williams just needed a way to stay in the spotlight and Na gave it to him.

 

It is a coin toss on what would be worse, watching Kevin Na play or listening to Steve Williams talk. Thankfully Kevin Na isn't in contention ever. Could you imagine having to watch him every Sunday?

[Sean2]

I thought only folks who played Wilson took themselves seriously.

 

Seriously?

[bscinstnct]

While "Stevie" is clearly just a bit narcissistic, and a total jerk.... that doesn't mean is wasn't right. Na is insufferable and I cannot imagine that he doesn't negatively impact those in his group during tournaments. The tour has got to get this reeled in.....Na, Crane, Jason Day even Speith at times absolutely need to be meaningfully penalized. Once the tipping point i s reached with viewership being affected it will be too late. Many don't in major league baseball didn't recpgnize the problem either.

 

Watching a pitcher who works fast makes watching a baseball game fun. I hardly watch baseball anymore unless it's playoffs or Quick Pitch on MLB.

 

Steve Williams just needed a way to stay in the spotlight and Na gave it to him.

 

It is a coin toss on what would be worse, watching Kevin Na play or listening to Steve Williams talk. Thankfully Kevin Na isn't in contention ever. Could you imagine having to watch him every Sunday?

 

When we are young, we dont mind the lazy, summer pace of baseball.

 

As we get older

 

Things annoy us ; )

[Splitter]

Isn't Kevin Na the guy that makes Bubba look like a good boss?

 

And isn't Kevin Na pretty much a millionaire?

 

So, the whole thread is about the angst everyone feels over a coulple of millionaires, who are both known tools, arguing?

 

C'mon kids! It must be winter or something...

[sixtysevensixtyseven]

Isn't Kevin Na the guy that makes Bubba look like a good boss?

 

And isn't Kevin Na pretty much a millionaire?

 

So, the whole thread is about the angst everyone feels over a coulple of millionaires, who are both known tools, arguing?

 

C'mon kids! It must be winter or something...

 

This must be the first golfwrx thread you've read, right? Bolded could be the mission statement of this site.

[Splitter]

Isn't Kevin Na the guy that makes Bubba look like a good boss?

 

And isn't Kevin Na pretty much a millionaire?

 

So, the whole thread is about the angst everyone feels over a coulple of millionaires, who are both known tools, arguing?

 

C'mon kids! It must be winter or something...

 

This must be the first golfwrx thread you've read, right? Bolded could be the mission statement of this site.

 

Lol.. They're not all millionaires..

 

Kidding!

[Pepperturbo]

He's right. I meet many golfers that take themselves far to serious; worse, they don't have a game that merits it.

[Sean2]

Some people seem to think that the caddie is simply a biological push cart. For many players a caddie is a lot more than that. I don't know why some feel the need to denigrate the caddie so much.

[Matt J]

I don't denigrate caddies, but I do feel that some take themselves too seriously :)

[sixtysevensixtyseven]

I don't denigrate caddies, but I do feel that some take themselves too seriously :)

 

Exactly. It's a tough job but I think it is more about building rapport with the player than actually perfecting a skill like a player would. Essentially caddies fall into good gigs a la Michael Greller. Sure he's a good caddy but most importantly Jordan Trusts him. It could've happened with any number of others if it weren't him.

[Carl Spackler3]

Caddy mantra:

 

Show up,

Keep up,

 

Shut up