Results Of Golf Nut Poll: Is Tiger Getting Too Much Coverarge?

We recently polled our readers since Tiger’s return to competitive golf. His return was much anticipated and reported over and over. I think that some golfers really thought that I was going after Tiger on this one But the question that I was really trying to get to was geared at the media, not Tiger.

I received a number of comments on the site and on Twitter where people thought I was down on Tiger. Not so at all, but in this day of media, media, and more media, I really thought that Tiger might be an pretty good example of how the media over reports everything.

So our poll asked three questions related to this topic. And golfers responded in fantastic numbers. So first let me share the information with you, then I can give you my thoughts.

The first question was “Do you think the media gives too much coverage to Tiger?” 67% of golfers and golf fans that responded said yes.

The second question was “Are you, as a golf fan, already tired of hearing about Tiger?” 50% of the respondents said yes to this.

The third and last question was “Do you think that other golfers that deserve more coverage get ignored because of the media focusing too much on Tiger?” An overwheliming 86% answered this question with a yes!

So what does this information imply, or say for that matter? Well here is what it says to me.

I believe, and the data seems to back me up here (at least I’m pretty sure it does) that most golfers and golf fans respect Tiger and appreciate what he brings to the game. And many of them really like him and watch him whenever he plays.

But the media, like they tend to do so much, seem to have focused too much on him since his return. And I think that is reflected in the numbers above. And I have two thoughts on this.

First, it could hurt Tiger’s popularity in the long run. And say what you want, but Tiger has been good for the game of golf, especially in the dollars and cents department. Purses are bigger, TV audiences are larger, and more young kids are trying the game than ever before.

My second concern is the other golfers that are potentially getting “ignored” to some degree. Or maybe I should say overshadowed in the news coverage. With the increased dollars, interest, and coverage of golf that Tiger has helped to bring, wouldn’t it be a shame if too much of that attention is focused on Tiger to the detriment of other golfers? I think that it would. I think it would be a shame for those golfers and for the golf fans who want to hear about the new “young guns’. Or who want to hear more about it when Tom Lehman shows up or Ernie Els gets his swing back. Every one gets shorted in that situation.

All of this just seems to me to reinforce that we as golfers are growing as tired of the media over reporting in golf as we are in the daily depressing news that we hear every day right now. We want variety and not just the same thing over and over.

To sum it up, I remember Tiger’s first tournament back this year and there was Phil Mickelson coming off a practice round. He didn’t even slow up for the cameras, He just smiled and said “Don’t worry, he’s coming” to the reporters. Gee, I wonder who he was talking about.