Is Tiger Woods a cheat?

[HTL]

A golfing partner is on beta blockers that, among other things, reduce anxiety and tremors. We kid him that he is a better golfer for it.

Are amateur golfers taking beta blockers cheats??

They are a banned drug and I doubt he would be allowed to play on he PGA. Very good point, is he cheating? hhhhhmmmmm I dont know, think that point deserves a post of its own.

 

[OldWindy]

That's gotta be one of those over-suits as per Little Britain...!

 

[vig]

That's gotta be one of those over-suits as per Little Britain...!

Looks like he needs to Sh*t, maybe it's not muscle but a build up of excrement.

Who in their right mind would want to look like that?

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Good idea for a thread HTL shame the likes of Pinseeker don't have the ability to discuss it properly.

I don't think there is anything wrong with laser eye correction - maybe because I've had it done myself - as it's just a move in technology. We use new science to make better clubs, balls, bags etc so why not allow it on ourselves.

Of course some of you might say that drugs could be classed in this way but no normal people should be using steroids etc in normal life either but quite alot of us have laser surgery thesedays.

Also there are quite alot of players who've had it done now aswell - I may be wrong but I think Westwood has?

 

[madandra]

You could say that eye surgery is reconstructing or restoring the eye sight.

 

[rgs]

Hes not the only golfer to undergo eye surgery. Harrington had it done a few years ago.

I have no problem with players undergoing eye surgery to correct a defect in their vision, if they dont have surgery they are wearing glasses or contacts.

Cheats are those who used substances on the banned list.

 

[USER1999]

Yeah, but back to the OP, what if it enhances eyesight beyond 20/20. What if you already had 20/20, and went and made it better. There are guys on tour who had perfectly good eyesight, who had this done because TW had it done (although his eyesight was rubbish).

When does it become cheating?

 

[OldWindy]

There must be a downside to having 20/20 vision - wouldn't you need reading glasses? What if TW played out of his socks and wrote the wrong score down?

(BTW, HTL - your "pointless" post is getting good attention...must be in the top 20 for views and replies by now!)

 

[Herbie]

Herb, may be you need to contribute to posts before just diving in and criticising the previous poster. If you have nothging constructive to say, try saying zip. It is a free world, but it doesn't take much to be polite. Sensing a trend in your posts.

And you have no sense of humour so I assume you are american, and no doubt a bit of a trouble causer at your local club perhaps. There was absolutely nothing but objective comment and humourous intent in my post, if you cant see that it is you that has a social problem not I.
If you are looking to pick a fight on a web site I am only too willing to accept your facebook challenge.
Now go back and read it very carefully and you will see it is relevant to the posted topic, the topic itself is more funny than of any importance to me and if this is all you have to deal with in your life ,well you can think yourself as not having a bad day. You have obviously taken a dislike to someone you dont know on a web site, is it because Im not sending you PMs and inviting you to look up by golf bag, or join me for tea and biccies at my club?
Enjoy the social dance while you can cos you cant take it with you.

 

[USER1999]

You know the great thing with this forum Herb is that you can click ignore on someones user name, and not have to read any more of their tedious, assumptive, humourless posts.

Done.

 

[Imurg]

Yeah, but back to the OP, what if it enhances eyesight beyond 20/20. What if you already had 20/20, and went and made it better. There are guys on tour who had perfectly good eyesight, who had this done because TW had it done (although his eyesight was rubbish).

When does it become cheating?

Simple answer to that is when they make up a rule that doing this contrevenes. Until there is a rule you can do absolutely anything you like. Whether it is in the spirit - ah well that is another question entirely. You could go down the same route with technology. Where is that going to stop? I know the R&A are doing their bit(ish) but if a manufacturer can keep a club withing the current rules and you can hit the ball 400 yards with 3 yards dispersion with it then they would have to change the rules to combat it.

Until the powers that be see eye surgery (or any other enhancements) as against the spirit of the game or that you would gain an unfair advantage from it, then Tiger and co can have as much sugery as they like. Is it unfair that you should be able to see properly without glasses - no I don't think so. And is better than perfect eyesight an advantage in golf? Again I don't reckon it is. Why does it matter that you can see the flag clearly from 400 yards away - you still can't reach it. Reading greens may possibly be a grey area, but that is all fairly close up and the difference in eyesight wouldn't have a noticable effect.

Better eyesight would make a difference in a sport involving a moving ball such as cricket. If you can see which way the ball is spinning you can adjust your shot accordingly. In golf you are hitting a staionary ball to a stationary target (assuming the wind's not blowing!) so any increase in eyesight is going to have a negligable effect.

 

[viscount17]

There must be a downside to having 20/20 vision - wouldn't you need reading glasses? What if TW played out of his socks and wrote the wrong score down?

(BTW, HTL - your "pointless" post is getting good attention...must be in the top 20 for views and replies by now!)

windy, 20/20 is optimal, 20/10 is better than normal, a hawk is about 20/2, never seen one with glasses though

 

[Leftie]

Sorry guys but can't "see" the problem. As long as he can see the ball on the tee/ground well enough to hit it, what does it matter if he can see it with 10/20, 20/2 vision or what ever.

TW and other top players don't need good vision to see where the ball goes. They have the advantage (which we mortals do not) in that they have a large gallery of spectators to exactly spot where any errant shot ends up and sometimes, allegedly, help it end up in a fovourable position.

 

[PeterPumpkinEater]

On the beta blockers/relaxing comment. Just a thought, I posted a thread about Copper Bracelets and whether they worked, some people actually commented and stated that theirs made them calmer and more relaxed around the course. Is this an advantage?

 

[Herbie]

Sorry guys but can't "see" the problem. As long as he can see the ball on the tee/ground well enough to hit it, what does it matter if he can see it with 10/20, 20/2 vision or what ever.

TW and other top players don't need good vision to see where the ball goes. They have the advantage (which we mortals do not) in that they have a large gallery of spectators to exactly spot where any errant shot ends up and sometimes, allegedly, help it end up in a fovourable position.

I agree, when I practice I often hit a number of balls without looking where they go as a way of maintaining the head down at point of contact, if I strike well they are usually in a decent location, so eyesight is only relevant during set up, even then , blind people can learn to play golf.To me, the fact that Tiger had his eyes done is not a worthy point regarding the cheating aspect.

 

[ball_basher]

holy smoke !!! you make it sound like he has some bionic eyesight , my friend i was playing crap golf before surgery 8 weeks ago i see my self as coming back again as a good golfer , does this make me a cheat ? if so im giving it up again cos i dont like cheats !!!!!!!!!!!