Golf forum

Anyone else think that Sandy Lyle was out or order walking off after the 1st 9 holes of the open?

I dont care how much or a mare your having, as a profesional he should have sucked it up and finsihed the round, and appeared for the second 2moro. I honestly think that its shocking behaviour. The only time a pro should not finish a round is if he's picked up an injury. What kind of message does that send out? "if its not going well for you its ok to storm off!"

*rant over*

John,

Thats a very good point that I hadnt even taken that into account. That makes his actions even worse really. 

There have been times when I have felt like giving up but all you need is that one good hole and everything changes.  If Sandy had accepted a bad start and parred the back 9, he wouldn't have been too far out of contention and a decent second day would've seen him make the cut.  I've only ever once walked off, and that was because it was raining so hard I could only see 100 yards.  Five minutes later it started thundering anyway. 

Never give up, never give in.  It's not the course that beats you, it's you beating yourself. 

Aparently he hit a couple of duff shots and hurt his fingers (havent we all), but still not a reason to bail out.

I wonder if he will still get his apearance fee? 

Having been inside the ropes as a Caddie with Pros who have been having a nightmare and decided to call it a day I have a different view. I think for them guys its better to get out of the way and let the other players who are in with a chance get on. Someone playing as bad as Sandy Lyle was is going to start effecting the players in his group nevermind all those who have to stand waiting behind him on every tee, every fairway.

I think though like John says he got there via exemption but I think there needs to be some time frame for Exemptions to prevent players like Sandy or other former Past Winners who don't have a shot at winning or even making the cut taking places of up and coming players. Heck I'd rather see them give more spots to some amateur players instead of bringing back old timers who won the trophy 30 years ago.

As for all the European Boys complaining about Sore Wrists, well its time they stopped playing so rubbish and spending all their time hitting balls out the rough. Don't hurt your wrists hitting balls off the cut and prepared.

Thats not a bad idea, or if like all the other tour players they had to be ranked at a certain level before qualification. (not the same as the tour qualifying, but in the top 200 say)

Sandy said he had ''rattled his fingers'' after a few terrible shots. Although that is no reason what so ever to storm of the  course.

As a junior I think he is setting a terrible example that it is aLL RIGHT TO DO THAT BUT CLEARLY IT ISNT.

THATS MY OPINION.

I think Danny's idea that past single winners should have to be in the top 200 current players to get an exemption.  It was even more ridiculous at the Masters where a good percentage of the smaller field is made up of past champions that had no chance of winning.

However I would give a lifetime exemption for players that have won a Major multiple times.  It is brilliant to see the true greats continuing to play like Nicklaus, Player and Palmer.  I'm sure Tiger's swing will still be worth watching in 30 years time.

11 over after 9 holes????

I dream about being eleven over after 9 holes!

I'm a junior as well (15yr old), Frazer, and I dont quite have the same opinion.

I have pretty much the opinion of Christopher Watmore. Guys, put your feet in his shoes. If you were playing that bad (as a pro), you have fingers that aren't 100%, the weather is terrible - would you walk off? I probubly would, and I'm not one for giving up - never walked off the golf course in my life.

Main reason I would walk off is because it isnt fair on the playing partners. I've found playing with someone that is playing terrible can rub off on the other players - thus could happen with Sandys playing partners - is it fair on them?

In that said, I can see where yous are coming from - he could probubly have lasted for the 18 then never played the 2nd round.

Thats my opinion!

Going slightly off topic but i was at the practice day on wednesday and had the pleasure of being with in ear sgot of the great white himself, and to say i was a little disappointed is a understatement!  ebing a 30 yr old i have grown up on the great man himself so asked him if he would sign my programme( something that a number of top pros had done that day!) to which he gently pushed me away! fair do's i thought until the 9 yr old asked him to sign his cap, this he did but carried on storming up the fairway and then turned around and threw it to the ground some 10 ft inside the roped off courdon!

 and on a side note i think Mr Lyle was bang out of order! planty of up and coming youngsters worthy of a spot and also some of the Ryder cup heros who missed out in the last few weeks qaulifiers!!

Young Marc, you appear to be a very good player for one of your age, but please do not make the mistake of thinking that what the Pros do would be acceptable in any open amateur event, which I will magine is what you are aspiring to play in the future  once your handicap is down to a level that will enable you to enter.

How your playing partners are playing is of no consequence, or shouldn't be to you, if you are concentrating on your own game.

No excuse for giving up unless it's a genuine injury. Seems like the toys came out of the pram with Mr Lyle on this occasion. A big part of why I (and most of the other golfers I know) enjoy the game is the mental challenge to keep going whenever you are having one of those days. The temptation has been there on many occasions but I have only ever walked off once - and on that occasion I feel it was justified.

It was a four ball on New Year's Day in Portstewart about 3 years ago. We had all teed off on the 10th, and had all found the fairway - but we just left the 4 balls there and walked back to the club house. It was sleeting - sideways - and there was a gale blowing.

Some times you just have to take your medicine. On the above occasion we left the course because we were likely to get hypothermia if we stayed there. I wasn't actually playing that badly given the conditiions. I have been playing far worse and have kept going. I actually find the opposite happens to me whenever I am playing badly. I keep going over the bad shots in my head once finished and the only way to overcme this is to get back oyut there and play again. Take 5 minutes away from everyone else and get yourself back on track again. I

I would imagine at this stage that Mr Lyle regrets what he did and wished he had just toughed it out for the next 9 holes. The chances are he would have had a great second round. With his first being likely to be mid 80's at best, all the pressure is off and he could have just relaxed. He may well have shot in the 60's on Friday and everyone would have been saying what a good example he had set.

There is a very big difference between deciding to pack it in when you are playing a friendly fourball in lousy conditions and being in a competition, where packing it in, is most definitely frowned upon.

Personally I have never retired from a game ,even though there have been many occasions, far worse than what we are seeing at Birkdale, when I would have liked to, late Mar/early April at Westward Ho/Saunton for the West of England Open Amateur Strokeplay, when the rain and wind is unbearable. No fun playing a round on the Saturday morning, soaked through to the skin, knowing that you have to go out again in the afternoon to do it all again. If the weeather stays the same over the weekend it all has to be done again on the Sunday.

Amateurs also do not have the luxury of a caddie to keep the clubs dry and look after their man like the Pros.

You are right John. Its not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog and that is why Mr lyle is a disgrace. The only thing worse than losing is Quitting.

A colleague in the US, who has been playing for 25 years, is too stubborn to quit.  Last year, during he describe as "ana absolute stinker" , he stepped up to the par 3 15th, hit it and turned an walked away.  A couple of seconds later a huge shout went up from his playing partners as the only hole in one of his golfing career went in. 

His biggest regret is not seeing it go in, but he maintains that no matter how bad your round is going, you are only one good shot away from magic and therefore you should never give up. 

He quit !

Sportspersons should never quit

remember that runner who's father helped his son cross the line with his pulled muscle

we should all send Sandy a copy of that - and he would be ashamed to ever compete in a  high profile competition ever again !

what do you think John Pettitt who I haven't conversed with for some time ?

I can see where you guys come from, but still I stand by my opinion.

I would also like to add that the chief exec of the R&A revieved a letter from Sandy Lyle, and a phone call, agrees with Sandys decision (didn't at the time), as he was injured.

So, yes, he quit through injury....

I beg your pardon? Why be so ignorant?

You know and I know that if its cold, and wet, and you are in thick rough you can jarr your hands pretty easily - and it hurts some bit.

Doing this a few times in succession can really hurt, and when your hands are hurting and you are playing as badly as he was there was no real point in continuing in my opinion.

Also, shame on you, John, if you think I'm gullable - i just am not! I have heard the Chief Exec (of the R&A) agree with Sandy Lyle on the fact that his hands were hurt, and I will most certianly take his word over yours. Sorry, harsh but true!

As for Sandy Lyle recieving captaincy for the Ryder Cup, I dont see why not? He has probubly been one of the most accomplished golfers of his time - over his career he deserves it. Don't you think?

Who would you choose as the next Ryder Cup captain, John?

I beg your pardon, you little upstart with very little knowledge of this game and its traditions. Being a Scot I can appreciate you supporting Sandy, as we all did when he won the masters.

I spend most of my time these days playing out of thick rough so please don't try to tell me that a professional player with more expertise than me does not know how to play these shots without injuring themselves.

You have missed the point completely because you don't like to see a fellow countryman being derided for a schoolboy error of judgement. He was granted an exemption because he is no longer good enough to qualify and then dropped out, not because of an injury (That was the excuse) but because he was playing like a handicap golfer and his pride was going to be severely dented.

Referring to the discussion between the Chief Exec and Mr Lyle by letter and by phone and then stating what Dawson said, you are once again forgetting what Dawson said when this incident happened and he was not a happy bunny. The fact that he decided to let it go does not make it right.

Sandy Lyle has indeed been a great player over the years and we have all enjoyed his victories, but I am afraid I am from a school that believes  certain traditions should be maintained and to walk off after being granted an exemption tells me that he is only thinking of himself, and that kind of attitude is not what we would expect from a Captain of our Ryder Cup side.

I would choose Colin Montomerie because of his record as a player, his record in the Ryder Cup itself and his passion.

You will need to change your attitude if you are thinking of progressing in this wonderful game or you will fall by the wayside.

I am not alone in thinking this way about his surrender.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-1036100/No-excuse
s-quitter-Sandy-Padraig-shows-spirit.html

Did the San Marino football team ever quit in any of their World Cup qualifiers when playing teams like Germany and England, and being 5 or 6 nill down at half time? No, they didn't, and neither should Sandy Lyle. Different game, but same reasoning. "It was wet, and my fingers were cold!!" It's summer in Britain, what the bloomin heck do you think your fingers were gonna be like eh numbnuts? Jeez. 

John, I see where you are coming from, and I agree with you partly.

I too am from a school where you should never quit - just like you were, and I have never quit once in any sport.

However, I still stand by my opinion.

Jon, you really cant compare football with golf - they barely have ANYTHING in common (apart from they both use a ball).

Also, Jon, I take it you've never played high winds and horazontal rain? And you've went into the rough and get the tingling in your fingers? If you do that a few times in a row, I reckon your fingers are going to be numb (ironic that you said "numbnuts" )!

Im away to play golf now. 

Padraig had an injured wrist & he never gave up, looked what happened to him!!

I think for Sandy to give up after 9 holes was a bit premature, especially in the Open where anything over par would make the cut. Even being +11 after 9 he surely could have produced something to get it a bit more respectable.

 I was at the Belfry last Thursday & I met Paul McGinley who was there for some coaching. I bet he wished that Sandy had pulled out before the start & given him more of a chance.

I remember once watching Tiger play & in between shots he was being sick (& it was raining etc), but he never gave up & I'm sure he won the event in the end?

John.

Well, I'm a Scot and I'm ashamed of Sandy Lyle and his attitude at The Open. As a past winner he should have had more respect for the Open, (which he has won in the past) for his fellow professionals, and for the traditions of golf.

I think the R&A should remove his exemptions for his behaviour. He has not shown a good example of what being a professional golfer is all about. They should do the same with Rich Beem who did the same.

 Edward Jeffrey.

Marc, if you were to say that then you would be wrong I'm afraid. Yes I have played in severe weather, horizontal rain, sheltering in the trees with lightning overhead, hitting a 3 wood into a 148yd par 3, frozen course with temporary greens and feet I could hardly feel, plus the shite problems I was born with plaguing me every time I play golf, personally I'd say I've put up a hell of alot more. Now get back in your box young man.

Edit: typo