"Quite clearly, George -- and golf --- needs to get out more."

John Huggan tackles the big picture issue in the latest embarrassment from one of golf's leaders and says George O'Grady's "blatant faux pas" speaks "a wider malaise in the game."

Quite simply, today's golf world isn't even a close facsimile of society as a whole, the result, perhaps, of a system that is too often exclusive rather than inclusive. Much work -- still ongoing -- has been done to rectify that situation, but if ever there was an indication of just how far golf has to go, then the extent to which O'Grady is out of touch represents a clear signal.

Brian Keogh anticipates inevitable media bashing by the higher ups in golf suggesting the reaction to the idiotic comments this week has been overblown.

Shooting the messenger will be part of that deal with this story. Yet again, the press - fuelled by the public outcry on social media sites - will be accused of over-reacting and making mountains out of molehills.

As one player put it when avoiding a leading question recently: “You’re just looking for a story.”
Well, quite. If golf wants the big money that power other major sports, it must answer the same awkward questions.

Yet it’s anathema to the culture on tour. You just had to listen to Rory McIlroy this week when talking about the press speculation on his impending management split.

“If you want to be in the circus, you have to put up with the clowns,” McIlroy said when confessing that something was “up” with his management relationship and the distraction it has caused.