# Tiger is back. all Hail tiger **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 5, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614 "2011-08-05T17:38:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 19
**Author:** ![DKW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dkw/32/3118_2.png) [@DKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DKW)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/361 "2018-09-24T01:26:43Z")
In related news, Hakuho won his 41st championship and the 14th with a perfect record! 😃 All right, I know this is the kind of question that I Shouldn’t Be Asking, like does the complete 100% acceptance of Mary Murphy shrieking like a hysteria ward patient on amphetamines as a good, good thing because she’s “full of energy” and “showing she cares” or whatever the hell it was strike anyone as a tad suspicious, but dangit, it’s eating at me, and if you can’t ask the “wrong” questions here, where _can_ you ask them. So here goes. Ahem… Why aren’t there any new young black (or black-ish) contenders in professional golf? I wasn’t really expecting a big influx. Golf is a damn difficult and expensive sport, and more accessible sports like basketball will always have far greater preference. I wasn’t expecting someone to show up in the first few years, either; it takes time for a new star to emerge. But it’s been over two decades now. I expected _someone_ to at least make some waves on the [Web.com](http://Web.com) tour by now. It’s funny to think about Tiger’s incredible, enduring popularity and how it’s translated to almost no _influence_. Look at legends like Muhammed Ali, Wilt Chamberlain, Wayne Gretzky, Larry Bird, Jimmy Connors, Mike Tyson, Royce Gracie, Chiyonofuji. They not only dominated, they completely redefined their sports and influenced countless future athletes. What’s Tiger’s legacy going to be? He brought in a great big bunch of money and sold some video games? ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/362 "2018-09-24T02:35:10Z")
as far as black kids golfing, as you said golf is usually an expensive sport to play , there are very few places to play for free. The equipment is not cheap either. and even now some country clubs have no or very few black members. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/363 "2018-09-24T03:01:36Z")
> [@DKW](#): > > It’s funny to think about Tiger’s incredible, enduring popularity and how it’s translated to almost no _influence_. Look at legends like Muhammed Ali, Wilt Chamberlain, Wayne Gretzky, Larry Bird, Jimmy Connors, Mike Tyson, Royce Gracie, Chiyonofuji. They not only dominated, they completely redefined their sports and influenced countless future athletes. What’s Tiger’s legacy going to be? He brought in a great big bunch of money and sold some video games? He did drive a lot of interest in golf, generally, during his peak – a lot of new golf courses got built during those years, and a lot of people took up the game (just not necessarily a lot of black youths). The start of Tiger’s troubles with injuries coincided with the economy tanking in 2008, and the golf industry took its big downturn at that same time. > **[Tiger Woods can't single-handedly save golf, but he can help it by winning...](https://www.desertsun.com/story/sports/golf/careerbuilder/2018/03/10/tiger-woods-cant-single-handedly-save-golf-but-he-can-help-winning-again-pga-tour/413917002/)** > > Tiger Woods seems to be back, and some people won't like that, but it is good for golf I seem to remember that, during his heyday, Woods was sponsoring some sort of golf scholarships or classes for inner city kids, but I may be mis-remembering. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/364 "2018-09-24T03:56:18Z")
> [@DKW](#): > > Why aren’t there any new young black (or black-ish) contenders in professional golf? > … > It’s funny to think about Tiger’s incredible, enduring popularity and how it’s translated to almost no _influence_. Look at legends like Muhammed Ali, Wilt Chamberlain, Wayne Gretzky, Larry Bird, Jimmy Connors, Mike Tyson, Royce Gracie, Chiyonofuji. They not only dominated, they completely redefined their sports and influenced countless future athletes. What’s Tiger’s legacy going to be? He brought in a great big bunch of money and sold some video games? First, I don’t get most of your references, if you’re talking about inspiring kids of ethnicity X to play sport Y. There were plenty of black basketball players before and after Wilt, plenty of black boxers before and after Tyson, plenty of white tennis players before and after Connors, etc. Second, Tiger has had a TREMENDOUS influence on the sport. Almost all golfers train like athletes now, because Tiger did. And while it’s true that there hasn’t been another black golf phenom, almost all the white golf phenoms were inspired to make golf their first sport by Tiger — and many who weren’t inspired directly by him still made golf their first sport because Tiger made the game so lucrative. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2018, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/365 "2018-09-24T04:03:03Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I seem to remember that, during his heyday, Woods was sponsoring some sort of golf scholarships or classes for inner city kids, but I may be mis-remembering. Mostly correct. He started the Tiger Woods foundation the year he turned pro, 1996, and it is still going. It includes golf-related activities, but its main focus is on helping kids do well in school. He has donated his winnings from selected golf tournaments to the foundation, totaling tens of millions by now. ---
**Author:** ![a\_dudes\_thought\_s](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@a\_dudes\_thought\_s](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a_dudes_thought_s)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/366 "2018-10-11T16:45:52Z")
Maybe they should have hot chicks walking around in skimpy clothing to get some attention. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/367 "2018-10-11T17:43:19Z")
> [@a\_dudes\_thought\_s](#): > > Maybe they should have hot chicks walking around in skimpy clothing to get some attention. Wasn’t that what got Tiger in trouble to begin with? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/368 "2019-04-13T00:04:20Z")
After two rounds at the Masters, Tiger is one shot off of the lead. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/369 "2019-04-14T18:14:13Z")
Looks like Tiger’s about to put on another green jacket. Good for him. It’s so weird having them done this early. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/370 "2019-04-14T18:20:45Z")
And he is new a few minutes away from his fifth Masters Championship. Amazing. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/371 "2019-04-14T18:31:10Z")
I think we can now say that yes, Tiger is back! ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/372 "2019-04-14T18:36:34Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Looks like Tiger’s about to put on another green jacket. > > Good for him. > > It’s so weird having them done this early. Yeah, what’s up with that? I saw a Facebook post so turned it on to see his final putt, but assumed he was only about half way through his round. Nice to see him it, though. Personal choices aside, he and Nicklaus are the GOAT (and not sure how you would put one atop the other). ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/373 "2019-04-14T18:39:13Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > Yeah, what’s up with that? I saw a Facebook post so turned it on to see his final putt, but assumed he was only about half way through his round. > > Nice to see him it, though. Personal choices aside, he and Nicklaus are the GOAT (and not sure how you would put one atop the other). Bad weather coming in so they changed today’s format. They had threesomes instead of pairs and the lower half of the field started at Hole 10. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/374 "2019-04-14T19:20:17Z")
Gotta admit I’m not a huge fan of golf or sports in general but I smiled when I heard he won and saw the pictures, big moment for him after everything he’s been through these last few years. Guy must feel on top of the world right now. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/375 "2019-04-14T19:21:05Z")
Great finish. Not sure if I’m happy or sad that Koepka didn’t sink his second last putt to put the sweat on Tiger. ---
**Author:** ![mako88sb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@mako88sb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mako88sb)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/376 "2019-04-14T19:31:16Z")
Well, I was hoping Corey Connors would finish better but what a great day! Must admit I used to have doubts that Tiger would ever win a major again but some great play in 2018 changed that opinion. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/377 "2019-04-14T19:59:01Z")
Very encouraging day for Tiger. His top 12 finish means he’s eligible to play the Masters next year. Still hasn’t won a full field event, but he’s making progress. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/378 "2019-04-14T20:31:32Z")
the Klan founders of Augusta are once again spinning in their graves ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/379 "2019-04-14T20:32:52Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > His top 12 finish means he’s eligible to play the Masters next year. Is this a subtle attempt at a joke? :dubious::rolleyes:😕 ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614/380 "2019-04-14T20:34:38Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > Very encouraging day for Tiger. His top 12 finish means he’s eligible to play the Masters next year. Still hasn’t won a full field event, but he’s making progress. Somehow I think he will be back for the Masters next year. No matter what I think of him personally, I love a great comeback story and I don’t think anybody can deny that he went through a lot physically and worked like crazy to come back. He was so good then seemed to flame out so spectacularly. It’s nice to see him back in contention for GOAT. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614.md?page=18) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-is-back-all-hail-tiger/591614.md?page=20)