BUNKER MENTALITY
No Ifs,
No Butts, Stub It
Out
Getty Images/AFP
Both print and TV outlets routinely carry images of golf players and caddies with a nicotine-addiction smoking openly at work. As Mike Wilson explains, this presents entirely the wrong image for a sport already with its issues and losing out to more vibrant, health-conscious and contemporary sports.
Miguel Angel Jimenez smoking a cigar during a practice round prior to the start of the 115th U.S. Open Championship at Chambers Bay HK GOLFERăƒťAPR 2017
47
N
AFP/Getty images
Henrik Stenson's caddie Gareth Bryn Lord (centre) smokes as golfers play during the first round of the 78th Masters Golf Tournament at Augusta 48
HK GOLFER・APR 2017
ow here’s a sports trivia question to test the best. How many Olympic sports permit t heir pa r t icipa nt s to smoke during competition? Could Usian Bolt take a quick drag on a fag before settling on his blocks for the Men’s World Championship100m final, or a leading goalkeeper having a puff to calm his nerves before a vital penalty shoot-out? What about the cox in the Rowing 8 lighting-up as he steered his team to gold, or Roger Federer relaxing with a cigar in his chair at the change of ends? Maybe a couple of you ng scou nd rel ball-boys having a crafty fag behind the Wimbledon scoreboard, or Chris Froome lighting a tab to go with his celebratory glass of Champagne on the final stage of the Tour de France? Of course not, don’t be so stupid. Even bar room ‘Sports’ such as snooker or darts no longer allow smoking during play, they packed that in decades ago.
Ah, but yes, there is one Olympic sport in which competitors can enjoy a fag, maybe even calm the nerves ahead of a pressure shot that could make the difference between gold and silver. A nd it ’s golf, the Royal and A ncient Game. Royal, perhaps, Ancient, most definitely, when one considers the more antediluvian practices the game not only tolerates but, in some cases, actively supports. Men (and women) only clubs, jackets and ties must be worn in the clubhouse, no shorts or collarless shorts may be worn and, shamefully, until not so long ago, at certain clubs, like Augusta National, no blacks. However, there is one arcane custom still routinely practice still rooted in professional and amateur golf, being permitted to smoke during play, but the days of the smokefilled committee rooms and cigars being smoked in the clubhouse are thankfully long since gone. Yet, for a sport defined by its rules, the 600-plus pages of the R&A Decisions on HKGOLFER.COM
the Rules of Golf has a rule for almost every eventuality, from, ‘14 -3 A rtif icial Devices and Unusual Equipment; Abnormal Use of Equipment,’ to, ‘12b, Searching for or Identifying Ball Covered by Loose Impediments in a Hazard,’ nothing is left to chance. T hen t here ’s t he whole t h i ng about etiquette, for players, and spectators, who, at the Masters at Augusta are prohibited from running, where the caddies are required to wear ludicrous all-white and the winner gets to choose the menu for the subsequent preevent champion’s dinner. Yet, nowhere in the reams of paperwork pro duced by t he R& A - i n 2 016 t hey produced a 76-page Pace of Play Manual - does the governing body for the entire world other than North America and Mexico mention smoking during play. All the R&A had to say on the matter is, “Smoking hasn’t been an issue at our events but we do remind competitors to show courtesy to their playing partners,” hardly a resounding condemnation of one of the world’s major public health problems or bold leadership over an issue that frames golf firmly in the past. Why, when golf, like other sports, was forced to quit the habit of having tobacco brands as sponsors, the last event to go up in smoke, the Benson & Hedges International at the Belfry in 2003, won by Paul Casey? “Smoking is not permitted in enclosed public facilities during tournaments, this includes tented areas, hospitality facilities and grandstands, where separate designated smok ing areas wil l be created nearby,” explained a European Tour official, adding, “However, in keeping with golf tournaments around the world, smoking is permitted on the golf course.” And the media is far from blameless; both print and TV outlets routinely carry images of players such as 2018 Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjørn, his predecessors Darren Clarke and Sam Torrance sauntering up the fairway smoking a cigarette as evidence the stress they are under. Or Miguel Á ngel Jiménez puff ing on a celebrator y Hava na cigar fol lowing a sporting victory and caddies, many with a nicotine addition smoking openly at work, surely t his presents ent irely t he wrong image for a sport already with its issues and losing out to more vibrant, healthconscious and contemporary sports such cycling and triathlon. Neither the International Golf Federation HKGOLFER.COM
“Neither the IGF or the IOC had any protocols in place to prevent players and caddies smoking in Rio last year, revealing how short a distance the game has progressed culturally during its 112-year hiatus.”
(IGF) or t he I nter nat iona l Oly mpic Committee (IOC) had any protocols in place to prevent players and caddies smoking in Rio last year, revealing how short a distance the game has progressed culturally during its 112-year hiatus. Golf, at least at the elite end of the game had better clean-up its act, or, with a rapid decline in participation already underway, risk the entire sport going up in smoke.
Paul Casey watches his penultimate putt prior to winning the Benson & Hedges International Open in 2003. The tournament ceased in 2003, following the introduction of a ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship of sporting events by the British government. HK GOLFER・APR 2017
49