Darren Clarke Slams 2014 Ryder Cup Venue

[Phil Benedict]

It's a pity such a great competition so often ends up on a less than stellar venue.   I don't know about the course in question but I do know that Scotland has some pretty good courses to choose from.

http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?z1081805218&z=950240351

[Dan Herrmann]

Darren should know that it's all about the money, not the quality of the course.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Did he say the same thing about the choice of the K Club in Ireland for the 2006 Ryder Cup?  I haven't been to either Gleneagles or the K Club but from what I am lead to believe the choice of the K Club is much more of a travesty than Gleneagles.

[John Kavanaugh]

Darren needs to get a big boy haircut.

[Phil_the_Author]

Since the site was chosen a while ago, why is this an issue for Darren at this time?

[John Kavanaugh]

Since the site was chosen a while ago, why is this an issue for Darren at this time?

He mistook pity for celebrity...He needs an attention fix.

[John Kavanaugh]

The Darren Clarke bio...I am amazed at the lack of championships...and the haircut.  http://www.darrenclarke.com/ism/sites/clarke/stats.shtml

[Tim Pitner]

Since the site was chosen a while ago, why is this an issue for Darren at this time?

He mistook pity for celebrity...He needs an attention fix.

John,

That's just mean-spirited.  

As to why it's an issue now, it's because he just played the course (and shot a 73).  

Does anyone think Clarke's wrong?  The fact that money drives the selection of the venue doesn't mean that we should applaud it.

And, yes, Clarke should win more and, on talent alone, he should have an Open Championship to his name.    

[Kalen Braley]

Since the site was chosen a while ago, why is this an issue for Darren at this time?

He mistook pity for celebrity...He needs an attention fix.

John,

That's just mean-spirited.  

John mean-spirited?        

I just can't imagine even one ounce of impurity in the man..  

[Wayne_Kozun]

The Darren Clarke bio...I am amazed at the lack of championships...and the haircut.  http://www.darrenclarke.com/ism/sites/clarke/stats.shtml

And how many major championships are on your bio?  Winning two WGC events is not too shabby - having your wife suffer terminal cancer and dying can take your mind of off your game for a wee bit.

[Brian_Ewen]

Even Rugby Correspondents are unhappy with the venue !

http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/headlines/display.var.1651745.0.0.php

[John Kavanaugh]

If anyone can find one mention or picture of his wife on his web site please let me know.  I think a smidge of cancer awareness would be more valuable for a man in his position than whining about where he will be playing in 7 years.  Based on his career so far I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't on the team anyway.

http://www.darrenclarke.com/ism/sites/clarke/index.shtml

[Wayne_Kozun]

Even Rugby Correspondents are unhappy with the venue !

But rugby correspondents have had their brains fried by seeing props in the new form fitting jerseys.  Maybe Daniel Carter can wear these - but it is nae attractive on most of the lads with #2 and 3 on their backs.

[Adam Clayman]

This whole notion of American Style course being preferred by the UK is the best bit o' irony in the game today. Down right counter-intuitive, yet fitting.

Has anyone seen the recent PBS documentary on the U.S. image in Europe?

We need more courses in Poland.

[John Kavanaugh]

The Darren Clarke bio...I am amazed at the lack of championships...and the haircut.  http://www.darrenclarke.com/ism/sites/clarke/stats.shtml

And how many major championships are on your bio?  Winning two WGC events is not too shabby - having your wife suffer terminal cancer and dying can take your mind of off your game for a wee bit.

I have won best built road in the State of Illinois 3 out of the last 5 years and Prime of the Primes three years ago.  My record of late is unsurpassed in the industry.

[Wayne_Kozun]

If anyone can find one mention or picture of his wife on his web site please let me know.

It took about 10 seconds of searching to find this:  

My boys will be heading back to school soon after spending most of the summer back in Northern Ireland.  We were there together on the first anniversary of Heather’s passing and I would like to thank all of you who took the time to send their best wishes at such an emotional time.

From this page http://www.darrenclarke.com/ism/sites/clarke/clarke_article.shtml

[John Kavanaugh]

Only last week in Akron, a man called Jim Coll, from Ravenna, Ohio, came over to my caddy Billy Foster when we were at Firestone and slipped a $100 into his hand for the Foundation.   Thank you Jim it was much appreciated and will go towards deserving causes.

What foundation...where is the link to the foundation?

[Brian_Ewen]

http://www.darrenclarkefoundation.org/

[John Kavanaugh]

http://www.darrenclarkefoundation.org/

Thank you..If anyone in Ohio knows Jim Coll please send him this link so he can see the excellent work being done.

[Jack_Marr]

If anyone can find one mention or picture of his wife on his web site please let me know.  I think a smidge of cancer awareness would be more valuable for a man in his position than whining about where he will be playing in 7 years.  Based on his career so far I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't on the team anyway.

http://www.darrenclarke.com/ism/sites/clarke/index.shtml

Should everything he says be about cancer awareness?

[John Kavanaugh]

I am beginning to respect Darren for the fact that I have spent almost an hour looking through his sites and have not found one word of what type of cancer his wife had or even a picture of her.  The only thing he talks about is himself and how hard this has been on him and his sons.  I'd probably be the same way...Why send money to doctors who couldn't save his wife...screw em.

[Kalen Braley]

If anyone can find one mention or picture of his wife on his web site please let me know.  I think a smidge of cancer awareness would be more valuable for a man in his position than whining about where he will be playing in 7 years.  Based on his career so far I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't on the team anyway.

http://www.darrenclarke.com/ism/sites/clarke/index.shtml

Should everything he says be about cancer awareness?

Clearly thats not what JK was asking....

Even the goals/hopes/aims of the foundation on his foundation site had no mention of cancer awareness.  Does seem a bit odd...but everyone deals with thier grief in different ways I suppose..

[Jay Flemma]

I think he's right, but you also can't argue with success...they used to get beaten on the links and said "we can't beat 'em, lets join 'em" and built the Belfry.

They keep beating the u.s. on parkland layouts.  Why change ween they are hoisting us with our own petard.

What's a petard?

1.   an explosive device formerly used in warfare to blow in a door or gate, form a breach in a wall, etc.
2.   a kind of firecracker.
3.   (initial capital letter) Also called Flying Dustbin. a British spigot mortar of World War II that fired a 40-pound (18 kg) finned bomb, designed to destroy pillboxes and other concrete obstacles.
—Idiom
4.   hoist by or with one's own petard, hurt, ruined, or destroyed by the very device or plot one had intended for another.

[jim_lewis]

I agree with Darren. The Nicklaus course is the third best course (by a large margin) at Gleneagles. It may even be a worst choice than the K-Club.

Jim

[Jack_Marr]

If anyone can find one mention or picture of his wife on his web site please let me know.  I think a smidge of cancer awareness would be more valuable for a man in his position than whining about where he will be playing in 7 years.  Based on his career so far I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't on the team anyway.

http://www.darrenclarke.com/ism/sites/clarke/index.shtml

Should everything he says be about cancer awareness?

Clearly thats not what JK was asking....

Even the goals/hopes/aims of the foundation on his foundation site had no mention of cancer awareness.  Does seem a bit odd...but everyone deals with thier grief in different ways I suppose..

My point is that the media reported his comments on the Ryder Cup venue - who knows what else he said that day? He could have spent the rest of the week for all we know talking about his loss.