"Paranoia is raging already, and it's wearing thin among club residents."

I don't usually feel too sorry for folks who choose to live in a gated community, but it's hard not to shed a wee tear for the folks of Isleworth when you read this note about Tiger's security detail from this week's Steve Elling authored Up And Down column.

Paranoia is raging already, and it's wearing thin among club residents. Woods is using a private security staff that is phoning in the license plate numbers to club authorities of vehicles that circle past his house or the driving range when he is practicing. Small wonder that some Isleworth residents, fully aware that he put the club on the global map when he moved there in 1996, are counting down the days until he moves to South Florida.

Comments

[frankgc]

I came across this site a couple of years ago and was immediately impressed by it. Original, thoughtful content was its hallmark, and I always enjoyed Geoff's take on the world of golf.

One aspect of the Tiger debacle is that it's changed the tone of the site. It's almost as if it's become the tabloid site for golf - a radaronline/tmz all rolled into one.

I read Geoff's posts often filled with acerbic comments about Tiger and his team and it comes across to me as if all Geoff thinks about is how to slam Tiger and Co.

Geoff, I think you've changed. Certainly the site has. I wish you'd go back to how you were before all of this happened. It was a much better place then.

[Hawkeye]

I think Geoff's coverage of the scandal has been second to none, but it's far more interesting and genuine when he digs deep to insult the Jones clan and other straight-line target golf afficionados...
Btw, can anyone get John Daly to send the Coore/Crenshaw office phone number to Billy Payne?

[Pickworth]

I came across this site a couple of years ago...and like you frankgc, I'm still here...

For me it's because there are still many good reasons to check in. It may have developed in unexpected and surprising ways and good communication can be like that.

We are all participating in a digital media revolution and are challenged to find something to say. Not just geoff.

[chico]

I'll be very glad when we get back to the golf too-but I do reserve my right to be thouroughly pissed off with Tiger.

[Ky Laffoon's Ghost]

Geoff has done great work keeping up with this story in all its sordid glory. The differences in viewpoint expressed here have been interesting, funny, over-the-top, and on very rare occasions out-of-bounds. But almost entirely civil (even between the Montanan and the Doctor). Not a single Shackelfordian wanted this to happen, but most of them were in a good position to understand the significance of Tiger's self-immolation, for Golf in particular, and that has been our primary subject. (OT, but this is why Peter Kostis got his ass handed to him when he started pulling his "I'm important and you're not" stuff last year around the time of the Statue of Liberty Invitational, or whatever they call it.) I haven't followed the story elsewhere, but comment threads on non-golf sites seem to be full of "leave the kid alone, he is just doing what comes naturally, he is just a golfer" sentiments. For a multitude of reasons Tiger Woods is not simply a "golfer" in the way that many very good professionals are just that, and that is why this story won't go away until Tiger just puts up, or shuts up and slinks off into obscurity. To think otherwise is somewhat similar to believing that Watergate was just a third-rate burglary. Not that a Constitutional Crisis brought on by the personal demons of a President is remotely as important as Tiger Woods, but personal demons are by nature interesting when they get loose in public and have serious consequences for their owner and his profession.

[longtimegolffan]

I retired (early I am pleased to say) just before the Tiger scandal hit so I can't comment on what this site was like in years gone by because I didn't have time for blogs BUT....

1. You can't cover golf and not cover the Tiger story - good and bad.
2. I have found Geoff's writings to be quite fair and often humourous.
3. The Tiger fans who just want this to go away should brace themselves. When the steroid scandal hits (and it will) it is going to make the mistress scandal seem like a picnic.

[jayem]

There are two types of peope in this world good people and jerks. About 5% of people are jerks, this applies in all walks of life, Doctors, Lawyers, Indian Chiefs, Golfers. If there are 200 Pro Golfers with PGA Tour Cards 10 of them will be jerks. Since last Thanksgiving I think one has defined himself. The other one I can think of immediately defined himself on Twitter recently and many times before that. That leaves 8 to find anyone want to "have a go"
Been looking at Geoffs site for about 6 or 7 years, a Canadian journalist suggested it to me. I like it and look almost daily, Tiger has to be covered, I guess, but I'll be pleased when its over

[tlavin]

I'm with jayem, we will all be happy when it's over. Meaning, it will be a relief to have him back playing so the focus of the conversation will slowly but surely return to competition. Tiger will always be viewed differently, but most of that will be sublimated, I hope, and we can return to discussing whether any of the new guys will actually mount a consistent threat to Tiger. While we're talking about whether Tiger will return to his old dominant self, that is.

[blader]

Count your blessings. Geoff follows and aggregates the tabloids so we don't have to.

[Claude]

"Not a single Shackelfordian wanted this to happen..."

OK, Laffoon, so our group now has a name? Where's the t-shirt?

"The Regular Shackelfordians: Irony Spoken Here"

[Ky Laffoon's Ghost]

Capital idea, Claude! Geoff will have to take responsibility for the t-shirts though, with a link on the left side of this window. Your epigram and the photograph of Picturesque Rustic Canyon Golf Course on the back should do the trick (I've been there, and not only is it picturesque, the golf is outstanding). On the front pocket we could put "Golf is not a matter of life and death. It's much more important than that." Heck, Geoff could probably even make a dollar per shirt and get up into the high two figures! I'd certainly buy several.

[Frank]

I'm pleased to see Geoff calling the game's jerks out. May it continue.

[dbcooper]

Agree, Geoff does a great job.

Best site in golfdom, imo.

[F. X. Flinn]

We're not allowed to play golf in t-shirts at my club

[Claude]

@ Flynn. "We're not allowed to play golf in t-shirts at my club"

You guys wear shirts? Must be some fancy-dan place.

[Ky Laffoon's Ghost]

Hey, we could have golf shirts made...they don't allow t-shirts (or denim) at my golf course either. But what about a red mock turtle? We could channel Tiger on Sundays.