Sorry, I just don't get it

[Sweep]

I am a few days late with this, so if this has been discussed before please accept my apologies.
After watching the RBC Heritage on Sunday, can anyone explain what was going on with the military personel on the 17th green?
I noticed that the flag on this hole was not the usual flag for the event, but a Stars & Stripes and seemingly the caddy had to remove the flag from the hole and pass it to a very smart soldier standing to attention at the side of the green. The soldier would then hold the flag with his arms outstretched and with the flagstick not touching the ground, until the caddy retreived it. The players would then shake hands with the soldier before he marched off.
I love America and I love Americans (apart from Mr. In-the-hole) and I have great respect for their military, but this is a golf competition. I guess it may have something to do with respect for the national flag, but if that is the case, don't stick it in a golf hole. I know that Harbour Town gives free entry to serving military personel to this event so it may be to underline some affiliation, but this is not the first time the PGA Tour has involved the military. As the title suggests, I just don't get what the military has to do with golf. Am I missing something?

 

[JustOne]

As the title suggests, I just don't get what the military has to do with golf. Am I missing something?

PGA golf fuels the war!!! :whoo:

 

[Jumboross]

I've seen it on a number (maybe all?) PGA Tour events this year. `

 

[JustOne]

I thought it was because the events raise money for military charities (amongst others)... rather like our 'Help the heroes'.

 

[virtuocity]

I am a few days late with this, so if this has been discussed before please accept my apologies.
After watching the RBC Heritage on Sunday, can anyone explain what was going on with the military personel on the 17th green?
I noticed that the flag on this hole was not the usual flag for the event, but a Stars & Stripes and seemingly the caddy had to remove the flag from the hole and pass it to a very smart soldier standing to attention at the side of the green. The soldier would then hold the flag with his arms outstretched and with the flagstick not touching the ground, until the caddy retreived it. The players would then shake hands with the soldier before he marched off.
I love America and I love Americans (apart from Mr. In-the-hole) and I have great respect for their military, but this is a golf competition. I guess it may have something to do with respect for the national flag, but if that is the case, don't stick it in a golf hole. I know that Harbour Town gives free entry to serving military personel to this event so it may be to underline some affiliation, but this is not the first time the PGA Tour has involved the military. As the title suggests, I just don't get what the military has to do with golf. Am I missing something?

What's the problem. Really?

 

[CMAC]

Birdies for the Brave, a PGA TOUR Charities, Inc program is a military outreach initiative proudly supported by the PGA TOUR. Since 2005, the TOUR has joined with players, corporate partners, TPC club members, fans and TOUR employees to raise more than $6.5 million for military-homefront charities that provide vital services and programs for military men and women and their families. Birdies for the Brave was established by TOUR player Phil Mickelson and his wife, Amy.
http://together.pgatour.com/causes/military.html



The military are at many events not just golf, gives an opportunity to show support for the brave souls that defend our countries with their lives.
I'm all for it, we don't do enough for the sacrifice they and their families make, but that's another thread altogether.

 

[arnieboy]

Maybe they are just proud of their flag and military....admirable.

 

[Jumboross]

I support it. Good to raise awareness of these issues. Numerous serving and ex servicemen and families go through very hard times as a result of what they do so we can go out and play golf on a Saturday morning rather than polishing bayonets. I know that's a bit trite, but you get my point?

 

[duncan mackie]

Am I missing something?

you seem to be missing the HUGE involvement of all US sports with support for the military; watch a NASCAR event (the whole thing) etc

sometimes it's more overt and reported more obviously for the PGA in the feeds we see - sometimes the underlying feeds don't cover it at all.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Maybe they are just proud of their flag and military....admirable.

Have so much respect for the way Americans honour their flag and military.

I saw it at an event last year. Selected military personel would go out and remove the flag on certain hole, and every single golfer went over and shook their hand and had a few words. Nice to see and something that the selected few will always remember.

 

[Adi2Dassler]

Have so much respect for the way Americans honour their flag and military.

I saw it at an event last year. Selected military personel would go out and remove the flag on certain hole, and every single golfer went over and shook their hand and had a few words. Nice to see and something that the selected few will always remember.

Indeed.Whilst I rarely agree with America's military interventions, that's an issue with the policy makers rather than the serving men and women.Don't think it would work here,though...we're a wee bit more restrained than our brash American cousins.

 

[Keyser Soze]

A few years ago, NASCAR had to be run on a monday, which, for the first time in history, this monday happened to be on memorial day. Anyway, the cars raced off at 200 mph, got to a predetermined time, all stopped out on track, turned off the engines, had a minutes silence, started up again and off they raced. Incedible.

I agree with the concept of American's being brash, to a certain point of view. One of my best mates comes from Pittsburgh and he's not brash in anyway, but what the Americans do is bigger and better than anywhere else. They honour their services. Note the build up to the Superbowl for example and the way they time their Navy fly past's to the nano second (never better displayed than the opening ceremony to the 204 Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills)

 

[JustOne]

Have so much respect for the way Americans honour their flag and military.

I don't, although I do find it intriguing. Respect isn't the word I would choose for any nation (indeed person) that has fighting in it's soul. It's a job.... a chosen profession, and unfortunately a necessary one, however it should be supported properly by the government so we DON'T have to have it in our faces all the time. Societies based around fighting or indeed those that fight isn't right in my opinion although I do empathise with the charitable side of it - some people just get hung out to dry!


Time for a cuppa......

 

[Sweep]

Have so much respect for the way Americans honour their flag and military.

I saw it at an event last year. Selected military personel would go out and remove the flag on certain hole, and every single golfer went over and shook their hand and had a few words. Nice to see and something that the selected few will always remember.

I agree about their respect for their flag. I fly our Union Jack at home (or St. George's flag today). I don't have a problem with it, I was just asking why they did it. To me I have to say it seems odd, paying respect to a golf flag, but each to their own. I am all for supporting the military and I am well aware of how lucky we are to have them and I support our military charities here. I think one of the best things the PGA Tour does is the amazing amount of money it raises for lots of charities.

 

[srixon 1]

It's because the Americans get behind their services and respect what they do for their country. When I was in the navy and serving on a ship in Portsmouth, (some of) the locals would fill you in if they got the chance. It was referred to as "skate bashing". Absolute crazy, without a navy there would have been no Portsmouth.

 

[stevie_r]

I don't, although I do find it intriguing. Respect isn't the word I would choose for any nation (indeed person) that has fighting in it's soul. It's a job.... a chosen profession, and unfortunately a necessary one, however it should be supported properly by the government so we DON'T have to have it in our faces all the time. Societies based around fighting or indeed those that fight isn't right in my opinion although I do empathise with the charitable side of it - some people just get hung out to dry!


Time for a cuppa......

So to confirm then, you don't like nations that have an army and have to use it at some stage? I presume you are the only adult in Britain that hasn't heard of conflicts like WWII? I'm amazed, they made a film about it once.

So you see it as a necessary job (wrong, it's a lot more than that) but feel that nations that have to fight are wrong?

Two more questions:

Any chance you could choose a particular viewpoint and stick to it?

In which way are service charities and support organisations in your face all the time? No one insists you donate any money, time or effort.

Edit: How do you feel about peace keeping and peace enforcement operations? They too have claimed more than their fair share of casualties.

 

[Hacker Khan]

I've been at a baseball game in Denver where they had a flypast by jets and then some vets got presented to the crowd on the mound, and the crowd went mad like it was Bieber up there. I've also seen men in military uniforms being cheered on internal flights for no other reason than they have a uniform on. And in my office in the US they have a lot of ex military working there.

As Srixon said, it's a completely different mindset over there where if you are serving or ex military you are really respected. Personally I thought it was a bit weird at first, but it is great to see especially the ex military respected and I think it's one of the better sides of the US attitude to patriotism.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Perhaps if our flag was respected a bit more at home we wouldn't have some of the problems we do. I have seen them do this thing with the flag at the side of a green before and while I understand what they are doing, it is hardly conducive to speed play up which is a big issue on the PGA tour anyway. The US mindset regarding their flag and their serving personnel is completely different.