Golf World and Golf Digest readers continue to react to recent pieces by Jerry Tarde and Ron Sirak about "reclaiming golf's image."

Dear Editor, No question that golf’s image is ripe for a reclamation project. But many of the attacks on the game are self-inflicted. Why would a young woman want to take up the game when she would never be welcome to join the nation’s most prestigious golf club, Augusta National ? Why would a young man or woman of color want to play a game when, at every trophy presentation at every golf tournament they watch on TV, they see nothing but the well preserved faces of old white men? And talk about tone deaf, maybe Ping should consider giving to a worthy charity the $10,000 it cost to present some of its tour players with gold putters.

A.C. Taylor
Montclair, NJ

Dear Editor,
I'd like to add a point to Ron Sirak's April 13th article on Obama and golf's stimulating potential...

Ron suggested that President Obama get his girls into The First Tee program. I think he can do one better by getting Obama's wife, Michelle, involved in the Washington D.C. chapter of EWGA (Executive Women's Golf Association.) Michelle can learn alongside her girls about the values and skills associated with the game of golf. Then, when they take their first presidential vacation to Hawaii or other golf destination, Michelle can round out the foursome and make it a family affair!

Berith Jacobsen
Founder, EWGA of Denver
Denver, CO

Dear Editor,
Sirak said, "Mr. President, call on all those who can get out of their carts and walk when they play." Try to find public courses which will let you walk these days. In my south Florida area (approx. 30 square miles), I know of 2 regular courses, and 2 executive public courses, which allow walkers any time.

Jay Stahan
Deerfield Beach, FL.

The golf industry realizes, I think, that the issues you raise are its Issues: affordability, access, (the potential for) fitness and family friendliness. The industry's new Get Golf Ready program addresses affordability and access, if not on the level that Mr. Taylor suggests. (Though some journalists would not be shocked to hear that Augusta National quietly admitted a female member in the next year). And given the hungry offers I've received from starving golf courses lately, I also think that golfers will get more opportunity to walk--or play nine, or play six or bring their kids--anything that will make them customers. Golf's shake-out has begun. And judging by these letters you are not alone if you felt that it needed a shaking.

--Bob Carney

When first Jerry Tarde, in his Golf Digest Editor's Letter, and then Ron Sirak, in Golf World's Bunker section, wrote about burnishing the tarnished image of golf, you responded. Most of your emails and letters were supportive. But this one, from a course manager in Arizona, had some bite.

Dear Editor, I read with amusement the commentary titled “Reclaiming the image of golf” (bunker 4/20/09). For the past several years, the golf industry has promoted an elitist image: Top 100 courses costing hundreds of dollars to play, glowing descriptions of these courses in the Golf Digest/Golf Magazine pages, $600.00 drivers, iron sets costing upwards of $ 1,000.00, golf balls in the $ 50.00 per dozen range, average golf courses charging outrages fees for mediocre conditions based on geographic location alone. What did they expect the public to think? Perusing you magazine (of which I am a subscriber, so I am not slamming you) I find ads not only for the aforementioned golf clubs and resorts, but also for Rolex, Tag Heuer and Infiniti. All remarkable products to be sure , but waaaay beyond my means!

When was the last time anyone in the golf media wrote about or reviewed any golf course under $ 30.00? They won’t, because anything that inexpensive must be too cheap. I run a small 9-hole golf Course in Tempe AZ ( one block south of the vaunted “Golf Mecca” Scottsdale) with a high end green fee (middle of winter) of $20.00 with a cart. My greens are as good, if not better, than any area course charging 5 to times as much, so there good golf courses out there (of which we are only one) that do appeal to the masses, and deserve more attention from those in charge of promoting the game of golf.

Thank you,

Michael Caraway General Manager Rio Salado Golf Club Tempe, AZ

We're guilty as charged, Michael. We've promoted golf as the sport of CEOs and, well, rich folks. That image (and the reality of golf's demographics) has generated great investment and corporate involvement in the game, sometimes in a kind of "can you top this" extravagance, especially in course design and construction. Unfortunately, this high-end image has overshadowed golf's more egalitarian face, a face, to be fair, we have also promoted. Examples: The U.S. Open Challenge, the Search for America's Worst Avid Golfer, best public course lists, the Frugal Golfer, and Places to Play, our list of top public courses as rated by golfers themselves. (Read Ron Sirak's essay today on golf's blue-collar roots.) You're right, though, the emphasis has been on the sizzle. A lot of us learned the game on the kind of course you manage. In our effort to refurbish the image of the sport, maybe we ought to revisit our roots.

A New Jersey traditionalist offered a different take on golf's image problem. He says, put back the walk in a good walk spoiled.

Dear Editor,

The way to reclaim the image of golf is to ban golf carts. One of the principle reasons for their required use is to give a facility the appearance of affluence and luxury rather than what ragged groups of golfers trudging all over the place would impart. That way of thinking doesn't go well anymore.

William R. Gedgard Cherry Hill NJ

William, as a former caddy who likes to walk and take a caddy, I empathize. But I've also got to admit that carts attract and retain many golfers who otherwise would not play. And, yes, that changes golf's image, not necessarily for the better. Studies of the next generation of retirees suggest that, unlike their predecessors, they are looking for activities that keep them fit. (So their taking up golf as a retirement sport is no longer a given). Golf has the potential to do that, but not when everyone must take a cart all the time. Indeed, any game with a six-mile walk embedded in it is the perfect retirement sport, provided you walk. But golfers should have a choice and be encouraged to share "driving" duties when they do take a cart so that some walking is involved. Carts that carry four bags, sometimes driven by a caddy also help. Having options is key.

These letters raise two critical issues for golf's future: affordability and fitness. To appeal to both young golfers and more "youthful" retirees, the sport will have to offer both. That's not a bad thing.

Thanks for writing.

--Bob Carney

I'm surprised that there has not been more reaction to the announcement that Corning Glass will no longer sponsor the Corning Classic, making this year the last Corning event ever. The lack of reaction is one more element of a shrinking LPGA presence. We did get one irate letter, asking, essentially, what the hell's going on with the LPGA?

Dear Golf World:
When are you guys going to have the guts to ask Carolyn Bivens two questions that are CRYING OUT to be answered?
1. Why is the LPGA losing all of these tournaments? It is April and I think I have watched 3 LPGA tournaments and now Corning is gone.
2. Why are there LPGA tournaments in Mexico, South Korea, and Thailand
that are not televised in the US?

As far as I am concerned, Bivens should be fired for incompetence and lack of communication to LPGA fans. What is she doing?

David Singletary
Gilroy, CA

The president of the LPGA's Tournament Owners Association, Gail Graham (a former player), told [Golf Worl's Ron] Sirak, "Perhaps the tour has outgrown Corning, which is sad." I would feel a lot more confident about Graham's first point -- about the LPGA outgrowing Corning -- if there was another tournament in some big metropolis waiting to take its place. I suppose we won't know for sure about that until the 2010 LPGA schedule is released, but right now I'm skeptical. Since the start of the season, the LPGA has lost events in Hawaii and Orlando, and is dealing with serious title sponsor issues in Phoenix, Houston and at its premier event, the LPGA Championship. If you ask me, the LPGA isn't outgrowing events, it's hemorrhaging them.

You should also read Ron Sirak's analysis of recent events. Michelle Wie in Korea? Paula Creamer skipping Kingsmill to play a JLPGA event in Japan? There's a reason, says Sirak:

The common thread that ties together those appearances by three global stars is money. All will receive appearance fees, a practice of paying players merely to show up that is common around the world but not allowed on the PGA Tour or the LPGA. Wie can still command six figures when playing abroad, Creamer will get $1 million to appear in Japan and Woods, of course, is the king at $3 million a pop. But is what's good for the players good for the tours? Do the tours need to get out in front of this globalization of the game?

Sirak argues that the international tours ought to use these tough times to re-organize, recognizing the fact that old regionally-based schedules are antiquated.

If part of that reinvention is losing Corning, though, it's sad. A final look from stargazette.com is worth a read.

--Bob Carney

We get loads of letters about Tiger, some from readers inspired by him, others from skeptics who question whether he'll ever be as good as Jack Nicklaus. But most letters, for some reason, have to do with Tiger's body language and on-course gestures. Yesterday we heard about the two sides of Phil Mickelson. Today, it's Tiger's turn.

Dear Editor,
In regard to comments by reader Ashton Violette, in which the writer indicates a distaste for Tiger Woods' joyous victory celebrations, the insinuation is that great champions of the past kept their emotions under wraps. The writer suggests that Tiger should "take a look at tapes of Jack Nicklaus after dramatic moments." Perhaps we should start with Nicklaus' triumph at St. Andrews when he launched his putter high in the air after holing the clinching putt, nearly decapitating Doug Sanders, his slain opponent. Or, how about the 1975 Masters, when, after sinking a 50 foot bomb on the 16th green, Jack jumped high in the air and raced around the putting surface like a thoroughbred? There are countless other video moments of great past champions celebrating the thrill of victory. If there is one thing one thing that Tiger may, one day, look back on with a small dose of humility, it should be the ease with which he hurls "GD's" and "F-Bombs" on such a public stage.

Dave Simm, PGA
Director of Instruction
Ventana Canyon Golf Club
Tucson, AZ

Dear Editor,
Tiger's one bad habit: Well, maybe not his only one but the most obvious on TV. We are invariably treated to a close-up of Tiger spitting. Yes, he's a great athlete, and yes, he makes the PGA tour and players a boatload of money and yes, he's the greatest pressure putter who ever lived. But spitting in public is a a crude and unbecomming habit, especially for someone whose every on course move is recorded on film. Tiger, you set the bar high in every other area. This is an easy one to fix.

colemantorgan@aol.com

Tiger left Augusta frustrated, and, though he presented a mellower face in his Washington press conferences the past few days, he's "not done stewing," according to Dave Shedloski on golfworld.com, mostly because of his recent putting:

Woods needed 122 putts on the confounding Augusta putting surfaces, the fourth worst effort among the 50 players who made the cut.

By the way, if you missed it, his radio interview with Hall-of-Fame coach John Thompson is worth a listen.

--Bob Carney

(Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

I was reading today a sport psychologist's comment that, based on body language, Phil Mickelson got under Tiger's skin at the Masters. He did it, the psychologist concluded, without even trying. (Thomas Bonk described their Sunday round together beautifully. ) It got me to thinking that Phil seems to do the same to some of you.

Dear Editor,
Once again Phil Mickelson provided entertainment, but not professional golf at its
best at the most recent Masters. Wife Amy says it best..."playing with Tiger...last
round of the Masters...Phil lives for this".

Why not get it going all the time, why wait for Tiger ?

Had Tiger Woods been within one shot of the lead headed to the back nine
a different story would have been written.

Will James
Westchester, N Y

And yet others of you absolutely love him....

Dear Editor, "Phil the Thrill" or "Buzz Kill"? How about a third Phil (as compared to Angel Cabrera)? At the 2007 Open Championship at Carnoustie, then US Open champion Cabrera walked off the practice green on Tuesday, gave one autograph (there were ten kids by the fence, including my grandson Sean who was holding a U.S. Open flag) and walked away. A short while later Phil came by and started giving autographs. Over 75 (I counted) autographs later, including one to my granddaughter Alessandra (who he called a real cutie--okay, so my input is slightly prejudiced) and Phil left a lot of very happy golf fans. The USGA/PGA can worry all they want about the economy, or a decrease in rounds played. Ask the golfers to show the fans the type of respect that Phil showed them, and you'll have fans for life.

On the economic side, provide a reasonable amount of signatures to the
public and you won't have speculators charging $500/autograph.

Ron Stewart
Queensbury, NY

Suffice to say Phil connects with people. And connections take many different forms.

--Bob Carney

Both attending and watching the 2009 Masters telecast a joy--even for someone who has been to a bunch of them. But my starry-eyed optimism about the tournament and the direction it's headed under Billy Payne met cold water when I read some of your letters, post Augusta. Let's take this point by point:

The galleries:

Dear Editor,
The behavior of some of the fans in golf galleries has been deteriorating over the last ten or fifteen years. One of the few places you could expect proper decorum was at the Masters.This year I noticed that even at Augusta National there were some of those misplaced soccer or football fans that insisted on shouting at the top of their lungs, such inane comments as "go in the hole" or "you da' man." I was very surprised that those who ran the tournament allowed this to occur, and didn't insist that the patrons' demeanor be respectful to the game and the players.
Harve Shaprow
Boynton Beach, FL

The 16th hole:

Dear Sir: John Hawkins' complaints about Augusta's 16th green are long overdue. The severe slope makes Saturday's right pin unapproachable and dull to watch while Sunday's left pin is accessible even with a poor shot. Why not provide more of a shelf on the right to allow more birdies on Saturday and to create more problems for wayward shots on Sunday? Robert Clark Bethesda, MD

The caddies:

Dear Editor,
Several years ago, I wrote you concerning the use of local caddies for the Masters. You chose not to publish my comments, so I write again, and I reiterate: The Masters lost a lot of it's aura when local caddies were no longer required. To dress the present (tour caddies) in white jumpsuits, is a poor substitute for the real thing!

Gene Puckett
Midlothian, VA

Dear Editor,
I can’t find a list of the prize money for this year’s tournament. Is this confidential?

Timothy J. Norris, P.E.
North Olmsted, OH

Nope. Here's the list.

Dear Editor,
In your April 20, 2009, "Masters Report" you spend the whole first part of the article on the woes of Ken Perry and not on the exciting victory of Angel Cabrera. The comment that "Cabrera capitalized on the deficiencies of others" is way out of line. And so is "his luck is better than his English." Both comments demonstrate clear chauvinism on GW's part. Give the man some credit!

Chris Jackson
Walpole, MA

My two cents. Masters galleries continue to be the most knowledgeable and most polite around. You're right about there being a few more yahoos than there used to be, but I'm not sure dragging them out will accomplish much. What works best is peer pressure and in Augusta those idiotic yells don't get much support. You get nasty looks. That said, I'm sure they're working on it. As for the 16th hole, I get where John is coming from, but really, given the history of that hole, the great shots that have occurred there, the roars that have emanated from that corner, do we really want to change it? I'm leaning no. The caddies are a losing battle. Finally, Golf World's coverage--and cover-- speak for themselves. There were a dozen great stories to tell and just one issue to tell them. I think we did right by Mr. Cabrera.

--Bob Carney

I heard great things about the coverage Sunday. The Tiger/Phil "tournament" in the early going, the Kenny Perry/Angel Cabrera/Chad Campbell tournament later. But not everyone was pleased with either television's coverage or print's.

.

Dear Editor,
In reporting the activities of the Masters, most newspaper media seem to be imperceptive to what was really happening. Obviously the standings are reported, including who came in first, as well as the three who went to the playoff. The alternate stories are of the terrific battle between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. The roar of the crowd was probably only present because of their pairing; but there was hardly a
clash, except for personalities.

How could the reporters miss the steady struggle of Kenny Perry to maintain his top position, which was in constant jeopardy, and lost a few times? This struggle was throughout most of the rounds played, and yet, if it weren't for the fact that he was part of the sudden death team; he most likely wouldn't be mentioned.

Is there some secret code among the publishers, as they do with Vijay Singh, to not mention Kenny Perry as much as possible? Perry's performance at Augusta was in peak form, and he created a good mystifying show for the gallery; yet hardly mentioned in our golfing media.

This Golf World subscriber hopes that this issue doesn't make the same mistake of not giving a champion some deserved recognition.

Perry Green
Winsted CT

Perry, thanks. Check out the coverage on golfworld.com. I think you'll appreciate the sympathetic account of Perry's quest by Dave Kindred.

I love this letter from reader Joe Stoessel in Marietta, Georgia. For those of you who have tried everything to stop slow play or at least get slow players to see the error of their ways, you'll enjoy it, too.

Dear Editor,
My Saturday morning foursome has a standing tee time at 8:08 A.M. at a beautiful course in North Georgia. We drive an hour each way and always play behind the same guys, who have had the first tee time for many years. We engage in the usual small talk on the practice range, including an occasional mention that they might consider playing a little faster! Even if we wait until they are on the first green before teeing off, we usually catch up with them by the third hole. They all live locally and the clubhouse staff cuts them a lot of slack regarding pace of play (the marshall usually rides by just to say hi).

Finally, one Saturday, while my buddies and I were pacing around in the fairway waiting to hit our approach shots, I got an idea for how we might get our point across one more time about slow play. They liked the idea so, the following week, two of us managed to sneak folding chairs onto our golf cart, hiding them behind our bags. We also brought along the morning newspaper.

On the sixth hole, we had the perfect opportunity to execute our plan. They were on the putting green going through their usual time consuming rituals and could see us clearly back in the fairway waiting to hit. Out came the folding chairs in the middle of the fairway. We sat down, unfurled the newspaper and were cracking up, waiting to see their response. All of a sudden we could hear a roar of laughter from the green and they were all pointing back at us. Fortunately, they weren't offended and actually managed to speed up some the rest of that day!

By chance, "Big Ed", the friendly marshall, happened to be in the vicinity to witness our little stunt and he appreciated the humor as well. He even told the pro shop staff about it and they congratulated us after our round when we went in for lunch. Over the years, the staff has had to endure a fair amount of complaining from the local boys and were glad to see them get a little dose of their own medicine.

One positive result has been that, on occasion, they now let us take the first tee time if we are short a player or if they are in a particularly good mood! We figure this saves us at least 25-30 minutes a round. But, overall, old habits die hard and we still find ourselves standing around in the fairway thinking about new ways to get even.

Joe Stoessel
Marietta, GA

I've put a folding chair in the back of my car with golf clubs. Thanks, Joe.

--Bob Carney

Your post-Masters letters to Golf World are taking sides, as usual. Not surprisingly, there is great support for Kenny Perry. More surprising is a bit of anti-Cabrera sentiment.

Dear Editor:
Pure gold, Kenny Perry. His great play was exceeded only by his grace. Perhaps he could take solace that, in the greater scheme of things, the impact of the win by Angel Cabrera will mean more to a entire country, than to a single fine country man.

Hilary Ross
Fresno, CA

Dear Editor,
The media has created too much pressure and hype for the common mortal American tour player to win the Masters anymore. This is why so many foreigners win it, as they know little of its history and prestige to want it as badly as so many American players. You now have to be from another planet, or be raised on a dirt floor, like Cabrerra to win this thing. To watch Kenny Perry play the first 70 holes like a Hall of Famer and the last 2 like a 2nd-flight chop from my club, was tough to watch. Mental coaches should teach players more on how to 'finish' an event, particularly a major.

Scott McBreen
Seattle WA

Dear Editor,
I do appreciate Angel Cabrera's accomplishments in capturing two of America's most prestigious majors in less than two years. However, I do not appreciate that Cabrera has stated that he chooses not to learn our language.

Fran Durkin
Waverly, PA

I share your admiration of Kenny Perry, who does know how to close but didn't do it last Sunday. What's more, he knows how to face the music (and the media) when he doesn't close. He did that with both grace and candor Sunday. As for Cabrera: He speaks English reasonably well. When asked why he uses a translator in situations like the Butler Cabin ceremony, he said it is because he wants to be sure to say precisely what he intends. Given the attention paid to every nuance of Masters champion's interview, I'm not sure I disagree; it's certainly meant as no disrespect to this country. Cabrera is a worthy champion, translator or no.

--Bob Carney

Golf World readers, who've been sitting on their hands for a few days, were quick to react to the Masters finish. Like me, they felt for Kenny PerryThey were also critical of Tiger on his ability to finish at Augusta National.

.

Dear Editor,
Kenny Perry's display of sportsmanship after his heartbreaking playoff loss at the Masters was as praiseworthy as his final round play, which surely got overshadowed by the Tiger and Phil show. He may not have set the "oldest to win a major" record this time, but there are three more this year and if he gets into contention Mr. Perry will be more of a fan favorite than Rocco at the '08 Open.

Pete Wlodkowski
Carlsbad, CA 92011

Unfortunately, Kenny Perry does not want to be Rocco Mediate; he wants to be Trevor Immelman or Charles Coody or Ben Crenshaw or even Tommy Aaron. He wants a major and he wants a green jacket. It was hard to watch that slip away from him and his family yesterday, one of the saddest sites I've seen in golf. The agony of this defeat moved frequent correspondent Ron Field to suggest a new method for deciding ties. Don't.

Dear Editor, I think it is about time that play-offs were done away with and when there is a tie those players be joint winners. It is a shame that after some great golf there had to be a couple of losers in The Masters. If there is a dead heat in The Kentucky Derby, or any horse race, the horses don't have to re-run. They are declared joint winners. Likewise track and field or swimming. They don't have to re-run a marathon or whatever and don't have to re-swim a race. The three-way tie at The Masters should have been just that. As it turned out the three players were in the last two groups, but thee other week a player had to hang around for nearly three hours for a play-off and promptly lost.

Let them all be winners.

Ron Field
Morton. WA

Ron, I can't say that the same thought didn't occur to me yesterday as the three players teed it up on 18 for the fifth time, but a tie would bring no satisfaction, settle no bets, and ultimately please few, none of them players. As cruel as the game can be, and it was yesterday to Perry and Chad Campbell, what makes that green jacket (or any major trophy) significant is that the winner knows he's beaten, not just tied, the best in the sport. Plus, can you imagine the choreographing of post-game interviews and jacket-presentation ceremonies? The press wouldn't stand for it.

And then there was Tiger, who, after all the fireworks through 16 delivered another bogey-bogey finish and left the grounds red hot.

Dear Editor, It has become apparent with Wood's struggles on the finishing holes the past 4 years, including his last 2005 Masters victory, that in order for him to break Jack Nicklaus' majors record he will have to depend on winning the U.S.Open, the British Open or the PGA Championship to achieve that feat, because it has become very evident that winning another Masters may have passed him by with the "Tiger proofing" of Augusta National Golf Club.

Gene Martineau
Roseville,Ca.

Oh, ye of little faith (and I mean you, Gene.) Had Tiger Woods made half of the putts he lipped out, he could have bogeyed in from 15 and still won. He'll be working hard on his driving (How can he say that his drive on 17 was a good shot?), but especially on his putting from less than 15 feet, I suspect. He called it the most "frustrating" Masters ever, for that reason alone.

Interesting that you should mention "Tiger-proofing." Regardless of the new length of the course, this year's tournament served up nearly 30 per cent more birdies than last year's (977 to 758), 35 per cent more on the back (537 to 396). Eagles went from 19 to 34, up ten on the back nine to 25. Pars remained about the same, meaning that we saw fewer doubles and "others", thanks to more playable hole locations--and better weather.

--Bob Carney