With the US Open this week there is a lot of focus on golf in the United States. One senior director of the USGA said the great thing about golf is that with the handicapping system and two golfers can compete against each on a equal basis.
I play in a golf league that uses handicaps. The league is made up of 14 two player teams. Each player has an established average which he or she plays against. In a match the lower average person from each team play each other and the two players with the higher averages play each other (remember in golf the lower you score the better). the winner is determined by who did better against their average.
My partner (male) and I played a womens team this week. What bothered me is on the second hole my opponent approached me and asked if I would let her win this week. This is an experience that I have never had with a man in all my years of playing. I found it odd that she would even ask me that question. As we got to the fourth tee, my partner and I were on the men's tee away from the ladies and he asked me if we should let them win. He was approach by his opponent and asked the same question. So obviously it was a strategy the ladies had. After a brief discussion we agreed that we would not let them win.
My partner and I won the match ( I shot a 45, even with my average, my opponent shot a 64, 3 shots above her average). So even though I shot 19 strokes better than her I only won by 3 strokes. If she had shot a 60, 1 stroke better than her average, she would have won.
There was a bit of razzing afterward that we beat two women. That's the beauty of the game though, we were able to compete on an equal basis because we were playing against our averages.
I thought it was unfair for the women to use the femininity to minimize our victory. I thought it was unfair of the women to ask us to throw the match. When woman portray themselves as the weaker sex to try and influence men would you agree that it is anti feminist?
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2 comments:
HI Tom,
I honestly don't know anything about the game of golf but understand the dilemma you were in. It seems the women submitted themselves to gender-type, ascribing to themselves the traits, behaviors and roles normative for people of their sex in their culture. They don't realize how they allow the myths that justify inequality to perpetuate. They were looking for special treatment because they were women.
I am glad you and your partner won.
I can't believe that nowadays, women are still asking this question? Geez, why play if you are going to throw the game! Was it more about winning than playing? Or, was it more beating the men? Why would anyone from either gender want something that you didn't not honestly earn?
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