Suffice it to say that former Houstonian and prominent professional golf instructor Butch Harmon won’t be receiving any holiday greeting cards from the family of female golfer, Michelle Wie after the following public remarks from over the weekend:
“The whole thing is absolutely ridiculous,” he says. “Michelle has regressed. She is worse now at 17 than she was at 14. To continue telling us that she is getting better by playing with the men is an insult. She says it’s a learning experience. What is she learning by finishing last? It’s hurting her mentally.”
“She should go play with the women and dominate that competition first. But the whole Michelle Wie camp is about money. The biggest difference between Earl [Woods, the father of Tiger] and BJ [Wie, Michelle’s dad] is that Earl didn’t worry about money. He knew it was more important for Tiger to learn to win and then the money would take care of itself. But Michelle Wie wins nothing.”
“You should invite her to the next member-guest competition at your home club and she might actually win something because what’s going on now is ridiculous. And it’s not good for the game of golf.”
Next time, Butch, tell us what you really think and don’t beat around the bush. HT Geoff Shackelford.
Butch it sounds like you may be a tad jealous, maybe… missing the spotlight. “But Jones had brought the problem on himself by doing so well in his first US Amateur championship at age 14 and becoming the toast of golf. The shotmaking skill Jones exhibited at Merion, and the very idea of a still growing adolescent palying adults on equal terms drew large crowds, a rush of national press attention, made him a marked man.” The Immortal Bobby” by Ron Rapoport.
I beleive that 1st US Amateur was followed by the 7 lean years…this all has a familiar and contempoary ring to it now doesn’t it.