Bill O'Reilly discusses golf (and woman)

[j]

I know we beat the subject to death...but Bill wrote this in his newsletter and I think it speaks volumes for the way us men golfers feel.

Only thing I'm trying to figure out is if he did it "tongue in cheek".

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Teed Off
By: Bill O'Reilly for BillOReilly.com
Wednesday, May 28, 2003

A lot of middle-aged white guys are teed off because Annika Sorenstam got to play golf in a recent PGA event.
At first, I couldn't figure out the angst. Surely, Annika is nicer to look at than most of these golf guys who often dress in green pants and yellow shirts.

Are there no mirrors in the clubhouses?

I mean, here's a trim young woman walking around smiling and hitting the ball.

So what's wrong with that? Well, there's plenty wrong with it as I found out.

Based upon dozens of conversations with male golfers who take their hobby very seriously, I can now report that Annika's foray into the world of men's golf was looked upon as an intrusion into the very essence of maledom.

The guys sense a threat to their fairway hegemony and they don't like it one bit. Let's take it step by step.

Golf is boring, there's no question about it. You just whack a little ball and drive the cart and whack the ball and drive the cart ... I'm sure you get the picture.

But while driving and whacking the guys talk. And what they say is not meant for women to hear.

The entire golf dynamic in the USA is built around guys yakking amongst themselves much like the ladies lunch deal.

And trust me, most American women do not want guys at their lunch table even if they do happen to be Swedish.

So it wasn't really about Annika's golf game, it was about Annika being on the course at all.

Once the dam breaks, many guys feel that women will swarm the tees and all macho camaraderie will cease.

The golf course is a refuge for the beleaguered American man who has to behave at home, at work, and most other places. Out on the fairway he can curse and tell dirty jokes.

He can scratch, and snort, and scream, and then drink what he wants in the clubhouse bar. He gets out of the house for five hours and nobody's giving him directions in the golf cart.

So Annika Sorenstam ran into a male cultural buzzsaw that I believe she's clueless about. In Sweden, it's too cold to play golf most of the year.

But here in the USA the golf course is a primary male sanctuary and even though some women have succeeded in taking up the sport, the guys generally don't like it.

You think Bill Clinton wants Hillary on the green with him? You think George W. wants Laura in cart?

WELL THEY DON'T!

To be fair, I must tell you that I do not play golf. I did as a kid and I was rotten at it.

I have no patience for the game and it's harder than it looks. Plus, I was a bachelor for many years and there were few ladies on the links so why waste my time?

Standing around telling putter jokes and hearing about big Len's monster drive held absolutely no appeal for me.

So I cannot feel the pain of male golfers but I am beginning to understand it. American men today are under enormous pressure on all sides.

Playing golf with the guys is a release, a therapeutic session where boys can be boys and get away from the demands of domestic bliss and the chaotic workplace.

In that respect golf is good. If the guy can come home refreshed and happy, everybody around him benefits. Hey, it's better than a strip club!

Annika Sorenson didn't make the cut in the tournament and millions of guys cheered, albeit some silently. Annika stumbled upon something primal, emotional and crucial for many men.

The boys need time away from the girls and the golf course is a convenient escape. It's nothing personal, Annika, and please don't take it to heart.

But the simple truth is: Some guys simply don't want you around.

[Guest]

I am a female college student that just wrote a paper on women's rights. You can only imagine what's going on inside my head right now. LOL. I'll be as nice as possible. I can understand that men may not want women on the tour, but that is blatant discrimination. Our country is built not only on freedom but on equal rights as well. What century is this by the way? Men, grow up, and come out of the Dark Ages already. LOL

Let's all hope that Chad doesn't strangle me when he sees that I'm whining about women's rights on the board. LOL

[mf_dolphin]

Jenn, I have no problem with women competeing on the PGA tour. What I have a problem in this case was she didn't earn the right as a professional to play. If she really wanted to do it she should have gone to Q school and qualified for her PGA card. Then I would have fully supported her right to be there.

[weatherlover427]

I also don't have a problem with it. I am an active believer in gender equality and I feel that women should be just as equal as possible as men.

[chadtm80]

Who let that dam girl on the board.. lol.. You all can now see what I had to go through and listen to while she was writing that dang paper... Thank you D.B.C.C. NOT.. lol Yes Marshall the point is she didnt earn it... Thats my beef with the whole thing as well..

[j]

I think SOME of the woman may be missing the point. As Bill points out:

The golf course is a refuge for the beleaguered American man who has to behave at home, at work, and most other places. Out on the fairway he can curse and tell dirty jokes.

He can scratch, and snort, and scream, and then drink what he wants in the clubhouse bar. He gets out of the house for five hours and nobody's giving him directions in the golf cart.

It's not really as big a deal as some would like it to be. The above statements simplify it, but I don't think there are many men that would argue that what he said isn't true! We are not ashamed of it...Golf is very much like a fraternal organization. We have our fun with the guys, then we go home to our loving wive's and love them to death! No problems! (Unless of course we've had too much to drink at the clubhouse)

[mf_dolphin]

J, the women don't want us to have a refuge LOL They understand! Just don't care

[j]

uh oh....there will soon be wailing and gnashing of teeth from the rank and file.