British Golf Professionals...Were they once different?

[craigstardis1976]

I have been watching some old Open Championships on YouTube. Someone has very meticulously restored some old BBC coverage of final days play from various Opens circa 1970-1985.

I have only got into golf the last two years but I am struck by a number of differences beyond the obvious (equipment, clothes, hairstyles, the technical limitations) regarding the attitude of many of the professionals from the UK during this time.

For example there are interviews with Nicklaus, Watson, Palmer, Miller, Trevino and a very young Seve and pretty much what they say and how they say it is in a manner you see contemporary top professionals speak today. Maybe minus some of the psychobabble and obviously the language is a little different but essentially the same message and demeanor leading professionals have today.

Contrast that to interviews with Jacklin, Oosterhuis, a young Faldo and Ken Brown and their demeanor is entirely different. They almost look down at their feet when talking, it is plainly obvious from Jacklin and Brown's body language they are uncomfortable talking. Jacklin sounds like the most depressed man on Earth and one gets the impression there is disdain at the fact they are expected to do anything except play golf. Also I noticed at this time, the overseas players tended to smile more and acknowledge the crowd a lot more.

Can anyone with more experience in the game explain why this was? (Maybe, I am entirely wrong. I know its difficult to judge from 30-40 year old highlights.) Were home fans not behind the home golfers as much during this period? Was there still a snobbery that being a successful British professional was somehow not altogether a good thing? Were they taught to be aloof as part of the persona expected from golf professionals at the time?

Thanks,

Craig.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Think the US were way ahead of us at that time in being media savvy, all the tour pros nowadays have PR training,

Think it was just how it was then

 

[Deleted member 15344]

The ones you picked were all pretty boring people anyway - Brown has got better but Faldo was very single minded and a determined person

Players like Torrance and Woosnam were more of the characters back then for GB no doubt there were others

 

[craigstardis1976]

Think the US were way ahead of us at that time in being media savvy, all the tour pros nowadays have PR training,

Think it was just how it was then

A very good point. Off topic but are the A Flex clubs still working well for you and do you really go from Driver to a 22 degree hybrid with no club inbetween?

 

[craigstardis1976]

The ones you picked were all pretty boring people anyway - Brown has got better but Faldo was very single minded and a determined person

Players like Torrance and Woosnam were more of the characters back then for GB no doubt there were others

Am I right in thinking Torrance never really contended to win a major and Woosnam didn't hit his peak until the late 80's or early 90's?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Am I right in thinking Torrance never really contended to win a major and Woosnam didn't hit his peak until the late 80's or early 90's?

Yep pretty much got that right - Torrance I think was hanging around in contention for one Open around 85 ?

Woosnam won multiple times on the ET throughout the 80's but it was late 80's when he started challenging in Majors and won Masters in 91. He also had a great challenge in the Open in 2002 ? ( might be later )

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Most British pros lived in the shadow of their US counter-parts and weren't overly media savvy. Once the likes of Seve, Faldo, Lyle etc all started winning around the world and we competed in the RC they had to adopt

 

[craigstardis1976]

Most British pros lived in the shadow of their US counter-parts and weren't overly media savvy. Once the likes of Seve, Faldo, Lyle etc all started winning around the world and we competed in the RC they had to adopt

Homer:

Why do you think they were less media savvy? Were the British pros considered less than the American pros even by people in Britain?

Craig

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Homer:

Why do you think they were less media savvy? Were the British pros considered less than the American pros even by people in Britain?

Craig

It was more a case of never being in contention in majors. No-one had won since Jacklin and there weren't too many tournaments covered on TV other than the majors and maybe five or six UK based events per season. Press and TV coverage wasn't as intense and social medial didn't exist. The US players were more use to doing this sort of thing