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Patrick_Mucci

Did Technology almost ruin/alter the British Open
« on: July 21, 2002, 05:31:12 PM »
As Ernie Els was about to hit his tee shot on # 16 a cell phone rang.

This caused Ernie to back away, admonish the culprit and start his routine all over again.

His resulting tee shot was poor and he double bogied the hole.

Is it possible that this interuption, at a critical point in the tournament, and Ernies Pre shot routine might have dramatically altered the tournament.

As at Bethpage, should they be banned from the premises, and checked at the gate ?
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
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A_Clay_Man

Re: Did Technology almost ruin/alter the British O
« Reply #1 on: July 21, 2002, 05:39:40 PM »
There is no doubt in my mind that when he did reset the thought of it happening again was probably foremost in his mind.

Remember guns don't kill people, people kill people. So, technology had little to do with it, but some rude, inconsiderate, self-centered S.O.B. with a myth of self-importance, did.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
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John Bernhardt

Re: Did Technology almost ruin/alter the British O
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2002, 05:40:05 PM »
They were banned.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
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corey miller

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Did Technology almost ruin/alter the British O
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2002, 06:59:47 PM »
Patrick- They should be banned but just as on the thread about cell phones on the golf course, I am sure there are those who believe it is there "right" to be connected to the world while at this event.  What if there is an important business deal this guy might miss or perhaps it was just a friend calling to tell the guy he had finnally gotton some camara time. ;D
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
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ed_getka

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Did Technology almost ruin/alter the British O
« Reply #4 on: July 21, 2002, 07:23:50 PM »
Of course cell phones should be banned, as should morons who shout "you da man", but there is no fool-proof system for weeding out piss poor protoplasm. ::) Fortunately Ernie prevailed in the end.  :)
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:07 PM by -1 »
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"Perimeter-weighted fairways", The best euphemism for containment mounding I've ever heard.

Herb_Flood

Re: Did Technology almost ruin/alter the British O
« Reply #5 on: July 22, 2002, 03:09:55 PM »
I really don't have a problem with cell phones.It's the etiquette (sp?) or lack thereof that I have difficulty.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
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Patrick_Mucci

Re: Did Technology almost ruin/alter the British O
« Reply #6 on: July 22, 2002, 03:20:50 PM »
Herb Flood,

Sometimes people who are considerate of others and exercise proper ettiquette just forget to turn them off.

Well intended people make mistakes.

Checking them at the gate would seem to solve a growing problem.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
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Paul Richards

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Did Technology almost ruin/alter the British O
« Reply #7 on: July 22, 2002, 03:38:19 PM »
When Ernie was lining up what would be his final putt, you
could hear some idiots in the crowd yelling stupid stuff. :-X

Even at Muirfield. :-[

BTW, where was the streaker? :o
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
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"Something has to change, otherwise the never-ending arms race that benefits only a few manufacturers will continue to lead to longer courses, narrower fairways, smaller greens, more rough, more expensive rounds, and other mechanisms that will leave golf's future in doubt." -  TFOG

Rick Shefchik

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Did Technology almost ruin/alter the British O
« Reply #8 on: July 22, 2002, 07:54:22 PM »
I never carry a cell phone, but I'll have one at Hazeltine for the PGA as I write feature stories about the event for the paper I work for.

I have every intention of leaving the cell phone off, or leaving it in the press tent while I'm out on the course, but I'm genuinely concerned that I'll forget either to turn it off or to leave it behind. Maybe I won't be able to get onto the course with the cell phone at all -- which would be fine with me.

But I tend to agree with Patrick here -- I'd attribute the cell phone incident (almost all of them, really) to people who are forgetful, rather than selfish or inconsiderate.

Ban 'em at tournaments, is what I say. I need to be protected from my own memory loss.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:07 PM by -1 »
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"Golf is 20 percent mechanics and technique. The other 80 percent is philosophy, humor, tragedy, romance, melodrama, companionship, camaraderie, cussedness and conversation." - Grantland Rice

A_Clay_Man

Re: Did Technology almost ruin/alter the British O
« Reply #9 on: July 22, 2002, 08:05:43 PM »
Paul Richards- I believe the yell you heard on Ernies' one footer was a marshal asking, albeit loudly, everyone to stand still. Or something to that effect.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
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W.H. Cosgrove

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Did Technology almost ruin/alter the British O
« Reply #10 on: July 22, 2002, 08:15:16 PM »
I would like to believe that it is people who are 'forgetful'. But that, I believe, is naive.  Just like people taking calls during a movie, talking in the check out line at the grocery store or clients who come into my office and insist on taking calls during time set aside for a meeting between two professionals, these are people either so self important or so oblivious that others on the planet don't matter to them!  

This is just one more example of how the little things no longer matter.  Taking responsibility for ones actions and caring for those around us are the exception rather than the rule.  The long term consequences on society are dismal and cell phone etiquette or lack thereof is only the tip of the iceberg.  We haven't even mentioned cameras.

Golf to this point is one of the shining examples of how we can act.  Oh but wait .......82% of CEO's cheat at golf and those around them turn their heads (USA Today).  

What I would like to see but never will.....Els drops his club, climbs into the stands rips the phone from the louts hand, and climbs back down to the tee box. Then while the crowd cheers wildly, Els tees up the phone and sends transistors down the fairway.

By the way if you must have a phone(wife pregnant, doctor, emergency worker) then invest in a vibrating battery and slip discreetly away to make your call!

And I thought that a post on technology in Golf Club Atlas might have something to do with the Open and hitting Driver at Muirfield seemed a total folly. Just Ask Mr. Levet.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
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Dan Kelly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Did Technology almost ruin/alter the British O
« Reply #11 on: July 22, 2002, 08:15:53 PM »
Some people -- I have no idea how many, but some -- NEED cell phones, for professional and personal reasons. Banning cell phones bans those people. Is that really necessary?

Can't all cell phones be set to VIBRATE (or something), so that they don't BEEP? (I don't know. I'm the last holdout without a cell phone.)

Couldn't people be politely informed that all cell phones must be in the No-Ring mode -- and sternly advised that if their cell phone rings, they will be removed from the premises? Wouldn't that solve the problem?

Sure, you might have an occasional idiot who purposely leaves his ringer on, and you might have an occasional ... forgetful reporter who leaves it in the Ring mode. But there will likely be no more of those than there are idiots who'll yell "You Da Man!" or forgetful reporters who'll shout "In the Hole!" during a backswing.

(As for Els, yesterday: If we're going to blame a cell phone for a pulled iron, there must have been cell phones going off all over Muirfield yesterday.)
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
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"There's no money in doing less." -- Joe Hancock, 11/25/2010
"Rankings are silly and subjective..." -- Tom Doak, 3/12/2016

Dan Kelly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Did Technology almost ruin/alter the British O
« Reply #12 on: July 22, 2002, 08:21:20 PM »
A_Clayman --

One-footer? In the playoff?

Looked more like 4 feet to me. And it looked as if he almost pushed it wide right -- though, of course, ABC never gave us an angle where we could see for ourselves.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
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"There's no money in doing less." -- Joe Hancock, 11/25/2010
"Rankings are silly and subjective..." -- Tom Doak, 3/12/2016

Paul Richards

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Did Technology almost ruin/alter the British O
« Reply #13 on: July 22, 2002, 09:11:00 PM »
That putt by Els was EASILY a four-footer.  And, even in his interviews afterwards, no one was more surprised that it went in than Ernie himself!

It sure looked like it was going to slide by the right edge to me.  Maybe the wind knocked it in?
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
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"Something has to change, otherwise the never-ending arms race that benefits only a few manufacturers will continue to lead to longer courses, narrower fairways, smaller greens, more rough, more expensive rounds, and other mechanisms that will leave golf's future in doubt." -  TFOG

ed_getka

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Did Technology almost ruin/alter the British O
« Reply #14 on: July 23, 2002, 12:04:48 AM »
Dan,
 Nobody NEEDS a cell phone at a golf tournament, otherwise they shouldn't be there since they obviously NEED to be somewhere else they can't afford to leave. The world will continue to exist even if someone cannot be contacted for a few hours.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by 1056376800 »
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"Perimeter-weighted fairways", The best euphemism for containment mounding I've ever heard.
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