Flakey faldo

[Teetotal]

just finished reading Faldo's latest official biog which was really interesting as when i was growing up he was a hero winning majors left right and centre yet don't really know that much abt him as a person. However i've now decided that I don't think he's such a top bloke. He's treated his family like trash, had affairs, let down sponsors, grassed up playing partners and was generally bit of a wierdo loner and whines and whinges throughout the whole book about everyone not liking him. Has anyone else read it and if so has it changed your opinion of him?

 

[Trueblue]

I have not read his book but I have followed him very closely. Like you teetotal he was my hero growing up and it's quite a shock to suddenly realise that your heroes have weaknesses and unattractive streaks in them. Totally agree about his marriages etc but suppose it takes two to tango and all that. I do think he is an entertaining commentator...maybe because he is a bit of weirdo!!

After reading his book, what do you think he will be like as a Ryder Cup captain?

 

[MacMachattie]

Interesting stuff Teetotal, will have to get my hands on it for a scan. I've always thought he's a pretty strange character but there has been the odd admirable incident. When he won the 1996 Masters as Norman collapsed I thought he showed a great deal of restraint and sportsmanship. He didn't celebrate, just embraced Norman at the end and you could see he felt for the Great White.

 

[Trueblue]

Yeah know what you mean about that - although imagine if Nick had just gone mad and started a Tim Henman fist-pump and a Tom Lehman-style dash around the green...classic!

 

[Teetotal]

I think he will make a gd Ryder Cup captain as the team will be a lot younger by then and they will have all grown up looking up to him. I reckon he's got a lot of regret by the way he handled things but I guess he has a real need to win. Nothing like hindsight I guess.

 

[Severiano798488]

My judgement of Faldo is clouded by the fact that he was the only pro to refuse to sign an autograph for me at the Open when I was a kid back in 1989.

He was Masters champion and had won the Open in 1987. Compared to Norman, who signed my cap and chatted to me for over five minutes before the final round despite being in contention for the title, his precious behaviour was embarassing.

I admire Faldo immeasurably as a player, but as a man I don't - episodes like that tend to stay with you and are hard to erase from the memory.

The one moment when he came close to redeeming himself in my eyes was when he burst into tears in Seve's arms on the final day of the 1995 Ryder Cup. And despite my own experience I will still be cheering him on with genuine enthusiasm at Valhalla next year.