Gotta-Grip Golf Blog

Tiger Woods, Rory Sabbatini, Arnold Palmer, Davis Love, Payne Stewart, Lee Trevino, Greg Norman and others…may all be joined by a new celebrity—not for golf, but for public speaking fame. Welcome Sue Simmons to the club!

I was not even nine years old when I heard my first curse-word on the golf course. Getting to ride with my dad when he golfed several times back then, I got a taste of bad language from my father’s friend who had a nasty temper when he missed a shot.

I freely admit to having cursed myself, and I have heard the most demure; shout, mutter, utter, mouth, and/or gesture a curse word in my life. I must also admit to being amused by the YouTube video sent to me as an e-mail link by a friend where Ms. Sue Simmons "lets the F-bomb fly" on an NBC TV News program, in what she apparently thought was a taped teaser for the 11:00PM news in NYC, which was actually LIVE...OUCH!

Sue Simmons is a New York City TV Anchor on WNBC. After making a major four-letter word faux pas, she apologized for her remark, which was meant as a joke not to be televised, and went on to say that it will not happen again. I would think that like the rest of the world, she means it will not happen again until she stubs her toe, etc. Apparently, there has been so much flack over her on-air remark that she may lose her job…A job she has had for a long time.

Curse words have no place on live TV where kids are potentially watching, nor do they belong on a televised broadcast of a golf match, but let’s face it—We are all human.

If you think about it, no person (unless born, raised, and died in a monastery), will go through life without hearing surly language. I even wonder about what the Amish, or Monks say when they accidentally drop a brick on their feet. No matter what words come out of one’s mouth at that time, we know what they meant and why they said it.

I say…lighten up; Sue Simmons shouldn’t be fired (I am sure she already feels bad enough), just like Tiger, Rory and any other person who shows their human side occasionally at work should not lose their entire career over mere words. If however, they were publicly showing hatred, as opposed to anger, that is another story, which requires swift and severe action.

I am playing golf this weekend so I promise to try to keep my mouth shut if something bad happens on the %#@* course, but will report the $&@# here if I fall short.

A guy from Gotta-Grip.