What has professional golf become?

[twofbyc]

Saudis just dropped 600m (reportedly) in Rahm, and also reportedly Finau and Hatton are soon to follow.
IMO, these guys will never remove the moral stain of the blood money they’ve accepted (not for winning anything, mind you, just a bribe to show up).
It looks like the PGA is on the brink, because golfers (like all pro athletes) have such a hard life that 10 million a year ain’t enough; in reality, there is no number that will be if it’s for winning/ranking in a tournament. They want it just to show up.
I’m now working up a projection for when life as we know it ends due to greed. Doesn’t seem that far away.

 

[Padreruf]

I had an email conversation with Ron Green, Jr., a noted golf columnist. His take was that it used to be about the game...but now it is about the money.

PIF is using these high profile players as leverage on the PGA Tour to agree to their demands or to face a reduced status. These signings make no monetary sense, but when you have billions then monetary sense does not matter.

I cannot criticize the players...what would I have done if someone had offered me tens of millions to do what I loved doing anyway? As one commentator put it, "In today's world there is little clean money -- most of it has some dirt on it."

Sad.

 

[Bamaro]

Saudis just dropped 600m (reportedly) in Rahm, and also reportedly Finau and Hatton are soon to follow.
IMO, these guys will never remove the moral stain of the blood money they’ve accepted (not for winning anything, mind you, just a bribe to show up).
It looks like the PGA is on the brink, because golfers (like all pro athletes) have such a hard life that 10 million a year ain’t enough; in reality, there is no number that will be if it’s for winning/ranking in a tournament. They want it just to show up.
I’m now working up a projection for when life as we know it ends due to greed. Doesn’t seem that far away.

Golf, football, baseball etc, all are being ruined by excessive greed! ☹

 

[crimsonaudio]

I cannot criticize the players...what would I have done if someone had offered me tens of millions to do what I loved doing anyway? As one commentator put it, "In today's world there is little clean money -- most of it has some dirt on it."

That quote reeks of rationalization.

Sure, to a point, it's true. But many people choose the right thing over money every day.

 

[Padreruf]

That quote reeks of rationalization.

Sure, to a point, it's true. But many people choose the right thing over money every day.

I mostly agree with you...that group is shrinking in my opinion. I know more ministers than you would believe who compromised their preaching and teaching in order to move up the food chain and pastor larger and better paying churches.

 

[crimsonaudio]

I mostly agree with you...that group is shrinking in my opinion. I know more ministers than you would believe who compromised their preaching and teaching in order to move up the food chain and pastor larger and better paying churches.

Oh, I agree. Wasn't suggesting that greed is rare, just saying that using it as a broad-brush excuse for unethical / immoral behavior is a rationalization.

 

[Its On A Slab]

Dana White has his eyes on full-contact golf.

"All eyes on Tiger Woods in the octagon!!!'

 

[twofbyc]

That quote reeks of rationalization.

Sure, to a point, it's true. But many people choose the right thing over money every day.

Fewer and fewer every day. The “keeping up with the Joneses” gene is alive and well in America. The world, actually.
Money will corrupt everything - because the more and more people getting massive amounts of it (undeservedly IMO) will make life in general harder and harder on those who don’t.
Padre, with all due respect, there’s a difference between dirt and blood.

 

[Crimson1967]

I don’t follow or care about golf. I have never heard of the people mentioned in the OP. I have heard about the Saudi involvement in golf but I really don’t know all the details.

Does what’s happening in golf have possible ramifications beyond golf?

 

[Padreruf]

I don’t follow or care about golf. I have never heard of the people mentioned in the OP. I have heard about the Saudi involvement in golf but I really don’t know all the details.

Does what’s happening in golf have possible ramifications beyond golf?

PIF has already moved strongly into Formula 1 and men's soccer:

PIF is one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world with roughly $700 billion in assets under management. It has ties to F1, boxing and WWE, as well as an 80% ownership stake in Premier League club Newcastle United. PIF upended the professional golf world over the last two years with the launch of LIV Golf. Google answer.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

"For the LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. " 1 Timothy 6:10

*Money isn't the root of evil, it is the love of it.*

The human condition hasn't changed from the beginning of time. It craves and lusts after power, prestige, wealth, or a combination thereof.

 

[CrimsonJazz]

Dana White has his eyes on full-contact golf.

"All eyes on Tiger Woods in the octagon!!!'

I would watch that.

 

[crimsonaudio]

I don’t follow or care about golf. I have never heard of the people mentioned in the OP. I have heard about the Saudi involvement in golf but I really don’t know all the details.

Does what’s happening in golf have possible ramifications beyond golf?

Their money will infect everything it is allowed to. These are people who do things like this:

Saudi Prince Bought Plane Tickets for His 80 Falcons - View from the Wing

“My captain friend sent me this photo. Saudi prince bought ticket for his 80 hawks.” These birds could each bring one dead animal on the plane because they’re allowed one carrion. Word is the inflight movie was Angry Birds.

viewfromthewing.com

and

Saudi Arabia could take ‘effective majority control’ of London Heathrow

Investors may sell shares to oil-rich state’s Public Investment Fund, which already owns a stake, report says

www.theguardian.com

 

[twofbyc]

"For the LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. " 1 Timothy 6:10

*Money isn't the root of evil, it is the love of it.*

The human condition hasn't changed from the beginning of time. It craves and lusts after power, prestige, wealth, or a combination thereof.

So you’re saying “the love of money” is ingrained in the inherent “condition” of humans craving and lusting for power, prestige and wealth?
If so, how do you overcome the “human condition” in regards to money? Religion has tried, but its success stories are dwindling day by day, and its famous failures are legion (as Padre noted but we’ve all seen).
So, at this point, how do you separate money from the love of it? Personally, I think that is something that’s ingrained (with very few exceptions, statistically speaking); there are those with a natural aversion to the craving, and there are those who adapt that quality when they see what it does to people. But IMO it’s folly to consider that number of people to be anything more than barely above statistical significance. As a species, over 99% of the world, that’s what we’ve become.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

"For the LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. " 1 Timothy 6:10

*Money isn't the root of evil, it is the love of it.*

The human condition hasn't changed from the beginning of time. It craves and lusts after power, prestige, wealth, or a combination thereof.

It wasn't really in their universe back then, but "power" (which entails wealth) should be added...

 

[TIDE-HSV]

So you’re saying “the love of money” is ingrained in the inherent “condition” of humans craving and lusting for power, prestige and wealth?
If so, how do you overcome the “human condition” in regards to money? Religion has tried, but its success stories are dwindling day by day, and its famous failures are legion (as Padre noted but we’ve all seen).
So, at this point, how do you separate money from the love of it? Personally, I think that is something that’s ingrained (with very few exceptions, statistically speaking); there are those with a natural aversion to the craving, and there are those who adapt that quality when they see what it does to people. But IMO it’s folly to consider that number of people to be anything more than barely above statistical significance. As a species, over 99% of the world, that’s what we’ve become.

I strongly disagree. That's one of the most pessimistic views of humanity I've ever seen. No, I don't think that possessing wealth and the love of wealth equate. The scripture writer knew exactly what he was saying. The problem is greed...

 

[JDCrimson]

The parent sin is idolatry, the children sins are greed, lust, gluttony, and envy.

I strongly disagree. That's one of the most pessimistic views of humanity I've ever seen. No, I don't think that possessing wealth and the love of wealth equate. The scripture writer knew exactly what he was saying. The problem is greed...

 

[Bamabuzzard]

*So you’re saying “the love of money” is ingrained in the inherent “condition” of humans craving and lusting for power, prestige and wealth?
If so, **how do you overcome the “human condition” in regards to money? Religion has tried, but its success stories are dwindling day by day, and its famous failures are legion (as Padre noted but we’ve all seen).
So, at this point, how do you separate money from the love of it? Personally, I think that is something that’s ingrained (with very few exceptions, statistically speaking); there are those with a natural aversion to the craving, and there are those who adapt that quality when they see what it does to people. But IMO it’s folly to consider that number of people to be anything more than barely above statistical significance. As a species, over 99% of the world, that’s what we’ve become.

*I wish that was all "wrong" with the human condition, but yes, the desire/lust/craving for power, prestige, and wealth is a part of the human condition. A better description would be the desire for "more". Human beings aren't content with much of anything, we always want "more", then when we get "more", it isn't long before that "more" isn't enough. It is a part of our fallen nature

**

 

[Its On A Slab]

I am wondering: which one of the disciples had the best handicap? Were any of them scratch golfers?

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I am wondering: which one of the disciples had the best handicap? Were any of them scratch golfers?

I'm not sure, but Judas paid the country club dues with the money he stole out of the kitty.