We've had enough of the Tiger tales

OPINION: Are you sick of all the Tiger talk, asks Anthony Barkley in this week's Golf Pro.

I know I am, and from the interview with Rory Mcllroy the other day it sounds like most fellow professionals are as well.

I don't think anyone will forget what he has done and respect for the guy has dropped worldwide, but golf needs him back.

I even find it hard to use him as a good reference any more, especially with the young ones.

But his absence has caused a mini depression for golfers. You always hear about the financial crisis but I think without him there is almost a golfing crisis. Numbers attending tournaments, TV coverage and interest in the sport has dropped immensely. Like one PGA tour player commented, Tiger pays for my children to go to university, hinting without him the ridiculous amounts that these guys play for may drop. Of course this is an exaggeration, but it's certainly had a damaging effect.

Will he win when he gets back? I think he may come back bigger and stronger than before as he will have the motivation to in essence pay back his fans and sponsors.

Locally we see the Invitational team has been named. One absence is Vaughan McCall, who withdrew due to family commitments. The team is Liam Balneaves, Cody Harper, Mat Whittington, Jeremy Hall and Matt Tautari. This is still a very solid team with every chance of winning in 2010. Jeremy had some good form at the South Island Amateur as did Cody, Liam, and Vaughan. Great to see our guys playing so well.

Robyn Boniface showed her class again at the New Zealand women's seniors golf championships in Hamilton. She cleaned them up in both the strokeplay and matchplay, which is an awesome accomplishment.

The Southland masters team has taken a blow with the news that one of Southland's best players is moving North. I understand that Peter Brinsdon will move to Wellington just after a year of getting his amateur status back. If he remains a member in Southland he could still represent this province but he is likely to end up in yellow-and-black colours.

Being just a couple of years away from the magical 50, we may even see Peter playing some of these Legends Tour events. One of these is in Queenstown this weekend so pop into Kelvin Heights Golf Club.

» Anthony Barkley is a New Zealand PGA qualified golf coach based at the Invercargill Golf Club at Otatara.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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