Dateline Bishopsgate

When last we checked in with our heroes, Ted Bishop was on a train for Siberia and hundreds of entry-level employees at PGA HQ were airbrushing his visage out of two year's worth of May Day parade photos.  

One item that I hadn't seen when I last posted was this statement from the LPGA that Shack added as an addendum to his Friday post:

LPGA STATEMENT ON PGA OF AMERICA/TED BISHOP

The PGA of America’s quick and decisive action sent a strong message - reinforcing a

consistent belief that with so many positive gains being made among golf’s leading organizations, there is simply no room, nor willingness, to take a step backwards.

So, a silly locker-room taunt is a step backwards for womynkind?  Mike Whan has seemed to be a sensible sort during his term as LPGA Commish, but why does the LPGA even wade into these waters?  Per Jaws, we're gonna need a bigger fainting couch.

There is no doubt that Bishop's tweet and Facebook post was beneath the dignity of his office, though I'd hasten to add that much of Bishop's two-year term falls into that same category.  But by Day 2 of the story you could start to feel the backlash, as people looked around and perhaps realized there isn't much there there.

First, Jay Coffin discloses his own misogyny:

Two years ago my son, 6 years old at the time, was loafing in a YMCA-league soccer game. Absolutely loafing. When the game was over, I walked over to him and told him I was disappointed he didn’t try harder and that he was playing like a girl.

It turns out his wife wasn't crazy about the analogy, though in her defense their daughter was within earshot.  But here's the gist of the piece:

Golf Channel made attempts to reach several of the most respected women in the game and nearly all did not feel comfortable enough to comment. 

Annika Sorenstam released a one-sentence statement later in the day. Nancy Lopez spoke softly. Golf Channel’s Paige Mackenzie made pointed comments on both Morning Drive and Golf Central. Prominent PGA of America member Suzy Whaley spoke strongly and eloquently and was the least afraid to tackle the issue. 

“Obviously, I was extremely disturbed by it,” Whaley said on Golf Central. “There were extremely insulting and sexist. 

“For me to hear comments that are derogatory about young girls, or insulting, just because you are a girl, is offensive. Our board of directors took swift action. The PGA of America finds it quite critical to be inclusive and we will continue to do so moving forward.” 

Everyone else? Radio silence.

Yeah, can't blame them there.... the link above has the video of Paige Mackenzie's comments if you must.

Alex Micelli caught up with Derek Sprague, Bishop's temporary replacement, who had this to say:

Twenty-four hours later, Sprague sat in his office at Malone (N.Y.) Golf Club as the interim president of the PGA. 

"It has been a whirlwind," he said by phone Friday night after having orchestrated Bishop's removal. “This is a dark day for the PGA of America. This is the first time in our 98-year history that this has been done."

Wait, isn't calling the day dark, you know, racist? 

Weathervane James Corrigan, with an evening to review the bidding, seems now to think the PGA might have gone overboard:

This was as quick and as complete a fall from grace as any official in the game’s long

history. In a couple of clicks on to Twitter and Facebook - in which he lambasted Poulter for daring to criticise the Ryder Cup captaincies of Sir Nick Faldo and Tom Watson - Bishop signed his own P45, as well his own excommunication order from the game’s corridors of power.

However, far from feeling any empathy with Bishop, a controversial, outspoken character who always polarised opinion, the LPGA Tour on Saturday welcomed his ousting.

There's more for those that have the stomach, but little doubt that the PGA has taken a one-news-cycle gaffe and provided a week's worth of ridicule.  Does anyone happen to know what a P45 is?

My funniest moment of the weekend was a discussion of this subject in the Willow Ridge pro shop.  In noting my own personal failings on the subject, having called Kent a little girl for not coming out to play on Friday, our shop assitant Lynn added the coup de grâce in noting that "He isa a little girl."  As with use of the "n" word by black, she has immunity but the reader will still grasp my point.

And, lest you're consumed with pity for our Ted, we have a clarification of his status from the PGA of America indicating that My Trotsky analogy might have been a tad overwrought:

Ted will enjoy the same rights and privileges of all PGA members, including the ability to attend PGA of America events. He will continue to be recognized as the 38th President of the PGA, and his record of service during the time period which he served will remain intact. Due to his removal from office, he will not serve on the Board of Directors in the role of Honorary President, nor will he be granted the rights and privileges of a Past President in our governance structure.

Does that clarify things for you?  My reading is that he's not in danger of an ice pick to the head (how great for me that I can use my vast knowledge of Russian history here), but he'll not be terribly welcome at said PGA of America events.