What a surprise? There is a brouhaha over money involving elite men’s golf and the Ryder Cup. The split over money: Europe vs Team USA. The European players are happy to play for their nations, whilst the Americans want to be paid for their time. This is a crystal clear illustration of the different cultures at play here at the top of world golf. The fact that Donald Trump is skulking around somewhere paints a further mercenary picture of the stars and stripes approach to life. Putting aside the fact that these American players earn squillions of dollars via their elite golfing performances on their tours, it is a very real reflection of the lack of respect in which they hold their institutions and governing bodies.
USA Ryder Cup Players Say Show Me The Money
Apparently, they are so touchy on the subject that they took offence at the opening ceremony speech made by European Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald. Shamefulness can get greedy folk jumping at shadows that aint even there. In this Trump inspired greed fest era, where wealthy billionaires pay bugger all tax and needy folk get shafted in America – this new player driven attitude will fit right in. Donald denies that he was having a go at them and said that his motivational speech was aimed at his own team and was written a long time ago.
The Disunited States Of Professional Golf
LIV golfers populate both Ryder Cup teams and these players who took the money have faced little retribution for slamming the door in the PGA’s face. What it has done is sew doubt and mistrust in the minds of many. These golfing renegades want their share of the proceeds from big ticket events like the Ryder Cup if they are playing in them. They are not content to see profits funnelled back to the governing bodies, as they usually are. When the Ryder Cup is held in Europe that money goes to the European tours. Likewise when in the US it is divided up by the PGA of America.
“The U.S. players and captains will each receive $500,000 this week – $300,00 of which must be donated to charity – while the European team won’t be rewarded financially.”
“As to its importance on the bottom line, Bishop says that the PGA of America a decade ago would typically net about $10 million on an international Ryder Cup and about $25 million for a domestic event—not including the television rights fee revenue.
“What we would do is take that $35 million and allocate it over a four-year period of time. And when you break that down, the PGA of America when I was president had an annual budget of $156 million,” Bishop says. “So that was $8.75 million a year and an important engine for our association.
- How much of it goes to the PGA of America pros throughout the country? None of it directly. But Bishop said that each of the 41 chapters gets an annual payment that was increased from $90,000 to $180,000 plus an annual percentage increase in the aftermath of the 15-year, $440 million television deal (through 2030) that was negotiated during his tenure.”
- Money Money Money
- The split over money: Europe vs Team USA. It is inspiring to see mega-wealthy golfers fighting over money LOL. It would be even funnier if I wasn’t doing it so tough myself right now. And I am sure there are plenty of ordinary folk out there in my situation too. As per usual, what this is really about is POWER. Who has it and who can wield it? The golf media will build this up to stoke the animosity between old rivals; and the US fans will be their usual loud mouthed selves. Trumpified America is only going to be nastier and more full of itself! “You’re the man!!!! U- S- A, U$A, USA, U$A”
The American Effect
“Social media and the internet have made the American effect upon Australians more deadly. Sovereign Citizens and Christian far right terrorists have murdered in cold blood our police men and women. They have been inspired, if that is the right word, by far-right influencers in the United States. An America, where guns may not grow on trees, but they are easily obtainable, just the same. It is estimated that there are some 600 million guns knocking about in the USA. Extreme political views are one thing, but armed extremists are a much more dangerous thing entirely.”
Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of The Stoic Golfer; Money Matters and America Matters: Pre-apocalyptic Posts & Essays in the Shadow of Trump.
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