Florida Mid-am fight or was it ? anyone else see this craziness?

[eagle1997]

breaking news!

 

this fight was captured on tv.

 

the caddie was from the washington dc area.

 

 

 

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[smeech8000]

UPDATED: Jeff Golden has released a statement offering additional insight to the matter... from his perspective.

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/golden-dull-rude-caddie-apos-060300894.html

 

Here's the statement:

 

As some of you have seen, on May 13, I reached the finals of the Florida State Mid-Amateur. Unfortunately, the story that day was not the golf, but rather what happened during the rain delay that interrupted the tied match after 16 holes.

 

GolfChannel.com writer Ryan Lavner wrote an accurate, detailed article that explored the incident from all angles. When I was interviewed by Ryan last week, I was hesitant to give more than the minimum because I was unsure of what I should say. Much of my conversation with him was off the record, and over the past week others have posed some valid questions about the series of events that led to me withdrawing from the match.

 

My objective here is to stand up and say the truth, after receiving encouragement and support from prominent amateur golfers, friends and family.

 

* * *

 

When my name was announced on the first tee, my opponent’s caddie immediately asked an off color question. I laughed off the timing of that question, along with many other examples of bad etiquette to come. Alcohol appeared to be influencing his behavior. I’ve never seen an opposing caddie engage in so much conversation with a competitor. On the eighth hole I had become extremely frustrated because I was forced to back off my shot two different times when my opponent and caddie were talking and moving. I expressed my disappointment with their etiquette to the match referee following our group.

 

The ruling that came from the caddie’s comments on the ninth hole started because of a simple question that I posed: “Was that advice?” I thought this was the only way to slow down the caddie, clean up the etiquette and play a gentlemanly match. I felt justified in my decision, especially since my opponent then asked his caddie, “Why did you say that?” The caddie recused himself from the match, but he didn’t leave the property.

 

After calling the ruling on 9, my hope was that the match would move in a more gentlemanly direction, but the opposite proved true. The match turned even nastier, with more negative comments from my opponent on the 10th tee. Up ahead on the green, I missed my 30-footer for birdie. My opponent had a 15-footer to win the hole, and I conceded his putt. It didn’t matter to me that I was giving up my 2-up advantage. I was sick of the abuse from my opponent, and I wanted the match to resemble what you would expect of a FSGA final.

 

The rest of the match went smoothly. We were each playing decent golf, and he made a great birdie on 16 to square the match. Then it started pouring, and it looked like we were in for a lengthy delay. Instead of sitting in the shelter, getting sprayed by rain, my plan was to go to my car for dry clothes and sit in the clubhouse to watch the end of the Players Championship. It was a quiet, rainy Sunday, and there weren’t many people on property.

 

I didn’t even get my bag out of my car when the caddie reappeared and said he’d like to apologize. I most likely had a smile on my face, because I was ready to put the past behind us, and he punched me in the face. I was knocked to the ground, and by the time I looked up, he was walking away, to my surprise, toward the clubhouse. The pro shop is a separate building, so that’s where I immediately went for help. The inside of my mouth was bleeding and my face was throbbing. I realized my hand was also hurting –that’s what broke my fall instead of my head. Over the past week, I have visited my primary care doctor, who referred me for X-rays and CT scans of my cranial and facial bones. Thankfully, everything has come back negative.

 

The pro shop employee called the police and was extremely helpful, getting me ice and offering any help I needed. The police arrived, and the deputy concluded that there wasn’t enough evidence to justify pressing charges. I gave a recorded sworn statement to the deputy recapping the events.

 

The FSGA has one job, and that’s to follow the Rules of Golf. Unfortunately, there’s no rule for an inebriated “ex-caddie” punching a player in a match-play rain delay with no witnesses.

 

The FSGA gave me one option when the rain stopped. I had to play. My opponent had the option to concede the match and take responsibility for his caddie, but he told me he had nothing to do with what occurred.

 

It was impossible for me to continue because of physical and emotional distress, pulsing pain in my face, dizziness and cuts on my right hand from catching my fall, so I withdrew. I am surprised the FSGA decided not to suspend the event and resume it at a later time.

 

Since then, I’ve been a part of and made aware of countless meetings at the FSGA, and I’m confident they will reevaluate their policies to prevent anything like this from happening again.

 

To be clear, the purpose of this statement is to get the full truth out and explain the circumstances of my withdrawal. I’m obviously disappointed in the outcome. I’ve had overwhelming support from people who are equally disappointed with the way things ended, and I hope now that we can move on.

 

Source: http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sqhsuh

[smeech8000]

Everything seems to fit with previous narrative, except for this bit:

 

After calling the ruling on 9, my hope was that the match would move in a more gentlemanly direction, but the opposite proved true. The match turned even nastier, with more negative comments from my opponent on the 10th tee. Up ahead on the green, I missed my 30-footer for birdie. My opponent had a 15-footer to win the hole, and I conceded his putt. It didn’t matter to me that I was giving up my 2-up advantage. I was sick of the abuse from my opponent, and I wanted the match to resemble what you would expect of a FSGA final.

 

So my interpretation is that he conceded the putt to compensate/offset Dull's loss-of-hole penalty on 9, presumably out of guilt or as an olive branch. Or is there something else to it?

 

Wish we could just invite both sides to the thread, in true WRX DonD style...

[jmck]

Yeah, move it to Deal/No Deal, invite both parties, and then wait for someone like Thug Hunter to threaten further violence to get to the bottom of it.

 

The plot thickens!

[bladehunter]

concedes a 15 foot putt? strange gets stranger! I agree guilty conscious at work there. The whole statement up top reads like a Pro prepared piece.... As in attorney draft , signed by client

[bladehunter]

Wonder what this "off color" question was? why not print that ?

[golfandfishing]

^^^

 

My bet is on Golden Shower.

[MtlJeff]

Well, i guess his side is plausible too at the end of the day.

 

 

 

[smeech8000]

^^^

 

My bet is on Golden Shower.

 

My first thought as well.

[NPVWhiz]

More and more to me this sounds like an ex-Pro and his ahat caddie trying to needle and eff with an amateur carrying his own bag in the final. Raise your hand if you've ever seen a caddie that's had too much to drink. This guy is providing a lot of detail out there in public to be making this stuff up I think.

 

I may be the only one on the board that thinks this way, but the fact that Dull took the win that way, with the match so close and under those circumstances tells you a lot about the kind of person he is. I know there are a lot of "whatever it takes" folks on the board, but my take on this one has changed since I first read the description. I think it's more and more likely the case that the caddie was trying to get the match done for his boy...probably with his better judgment in a fog, and Golden just got fed up with it. Golden probably deserves kudos for keeping his game together enough for the match to be where it was.

 

The fact that the FSGA doesn't have a better way of dealing with this type of thing is surprising. The rules official that was with the group should have been able to gauge what was going on and intervene. Maybe that penalty was the rules official's way of sending the message and the caddie just couldn't let it go. Makes me think there are other players out there that have had to suffer this jackwagon and his allegedly boozed up bag handler. Surely that kind of stuff gets around the local tourney circle, which is never very large.

 

That kind of behavior has an odd, karma-like way of coming back around later to plant its teeth in your hind end...

[bigred90gt]

He said his mouth was bleeding and the pro shop had to get him ice, yet the officer who took the report noted in the report there was no indication of being struck and the caddie had no signs of striking someone on his hand. If you've ever punched someone, you know it is obvious. If you've ever been punched by a bare knuckle, you also know that is obvious.

 

I'd like to hear the story from the caddie and the pro shop.

[DON SVO]

He should have poured some 'tussin on it and finished that match 2 Up.

[bladehunter]

He should have poured some 'tussin on it and finished that match 2 Up.

 

agree.. I can see both possibilities.. But im telling you if you punch my face youre going to have to do it again when i get up.. You may whip my a** but youll have to do it .. 1 punch wont end the day .. ( maybe some golden gloves dude , but surely not some drunk caddie) Id have wanted to play ..and play i would have done..If on the side of right id wager theres no way to lose that match. Then you could give him the Diamond Dallas Page solute on 18 !! Thats why things just dont add up.. who gets punched ...lays there and then quits? low T count ???

[golfortennis]

More and more to me this sounds like an ex-Pro and his ahat caddie trying to needle and eff with an amateur carrying his own bag in the final. Raise your hand if you've ever seen a caddie that's had too much to drink. This guy is providing a lot of detail out there in public to be making this stuff up I think.

 

I may be the only one on the board that thinks this way, but the fact that Dull took the win that way, with the match so close and under those circumstances tells you a lot about the kind of person he is. I know there are a lot of "whatever it takes" folks on the board, but my take on this one has changed since I first read the description. I think it's more and more likely the case that the caddie was trying to get the match done for his boy...probably with his better judgment in a fog, and Golden just got fed up with it. Golden probably deserves kudos for keeping his game together enough for the match to be where it was.

 

The fact that the FSGA doesn't have a better way of dealing with this type of thing is surprising. The rules official that was with the group should have been able to gauge what was going on and intervene. Maybe that penalty was the rules official's way of sending the message and the caddie just couldn't let it go. Makes me think there are other players out there that have had to suffer this jackwagon and his allegedly boozed up bag handler. Surely that kind of stuff gets around the local tourney circle, which is never very large.

 

That kind of behavior has an odd, karma-like way of coming back around later to plant its teeth in your hind end...

 

My thought as well. The player, the caddy, or both, think the x-pro should have no problem dusting this guy, but since he has to do something other than play golf to eat, he's not where he thinks he should be, so resort to crap like this to win. But hey, if a guy who couldn't make it on tour needs to go to these lengths to win a mid-am, well, ok then. If Dull really said "why would you say that?" after the "advice", that's stone dead a violation. So the keyboard warriors who called Golden an ahat for doing it... might want to brush up on the rules. Choose your words carefully. I make it a point in casual rounds not to answer buddies' questions about wind etc, so I am ready for it in a tournament. If your caddy is drunk, well, you chose to have him haul, he's your responsibility.

 

What is strange is how there could have been a punch but no evidence of one. Did the pro shop employee's statement to police corroborate he was bleeding? Maybe Golden can roll with the punch? So he caught him but didn't really catch him?

 

This thing is sizing up to be the type of match that if both players were banned from amateur competition, there would be no great loss.

[Dr. Block]

He should have poured some 'tussin on it and finished that match 2 Up.

 

agree.. I can see both possibilities.. But im telling you if you punch my face youre going to have to do it again when i get up.. You may whip my a** but youll have to do it .. 1 punch wont end the day .. ( maybe some golden gloves dude , but surely not some drunk caddie) Id have wanted to play ..and play i would have done..If on the side of right id wager theres no way to lose that match. Then you could give him the Diamond Dallas Page solute on 18 !! Thats why things just dont add up.. who gets punched ...lays there and then quits? low T count ???

 

Getting punched and getting sucker punched with no understanding or expectation of violence are two entirely different things. Also sounds like the caddie caught him on the button and made his escape before he could get his legs under him again. Pretty cowardly. As an ex-boxer whose been in some scraps, I can tell you that nobody wins in a fight, everyone goes to jail. I've had numerous situations where I ducked and blocked a few shots before cooler heads prevailed. Could I have hit back, sure, but then I'd have to pay for a lawyer and explain the blemish on my record to future employers. It sounds like Golden is a civilized person not someone with low T and it sounds even more so like poor police work to me.

[micha]

I buy what Mr Golden is saying. I've seen some goofy caddies before from overzealous parents to drunk friends. Never heard of it going this far though but Golden's story seems pretty believable. I like that reverse gamesmanship he pulled on the caddie on 9 if the caddie was being a jack&$$ all day

[dam276]

Wonder what this "off color" question was? why not print that ?

 

I would bet a lot of money it had something to do with religion

[bladehunter]

He should have poured some 'tussin on it and finished that match 2 Up.

 

agree.. I can see both possibilities.. But im telling you if you punch my face youre going to have to do it again when i get up.. You may whip my a** but youll have to do it .. 1 punch wont end the day .. ( maybe some golden gloves dude , but surely not some drunk caddie) Id have wanted to play ..and play i would have done..If on the side of right id wager theres no way to lose that match. Then you could give him the Diamond Dallas Page solute on 18 !! Thats why things just dont add up.. who gets punched ...lays there and then quits? low T count ???

 

Getting punched and getting sucker punched with no understanding or expectation of violence are two entirely different things. Also sounds like the caddie caught him on the button and made his escape before he could get his legs under him again. Pretty cowardly. As an ex-boxer whose been in some scraps, I can tell you that nobody wins in a fight, everyone goes to jail. I've had numerous situations where I ducked and blocked a few shots before cooler heads prevailed. Could I have hit back, sure, but then I'd have to pay for a lawyer and explain the blemish on my record to future employers. It sounds like Golden is a civilized person not someone with low T and it sounds even more so like poor police work to me.

 

 

Oh I agree . I don’t go around trying to fight anyone. Avoid confrontation at all costs usually. But like I said. He’d better hit It on the button. Or else it would be as the old saying goes “ too wet to plow “.

[Man_O_War]

in a gun state like florida assaulting someone is like asking for stand your ground laws to be used for legal murder..don't do it

[fly787]

Strange things happen. Years ago I played in a qualifier and thought I had made it into the tournament only to find out late in the day that I needed to play a sudden death playoff with another guy for the final spot. I had been sitting around for 3 hours so I was really not prepared to play!

 

We went off on number 10 with just me in a cart and the other guy in a cart plus 10 of his closet friends and relatives.

 

I hit my drive in the fairway bunker and my 2nd shot in the green-side bunker, all while his entourage was attempting to bother me with laughing at me an openly cheering my two poor swings. ..this dude rips it down the fairway and hits his approach above the hole to 25 feet.

 

I'm in the bunker and the entourage including his fat a** wife/girlfriend are loudly saying this is over and I'm done etc... I hit to ten feet below the hole and they are cheering again.

 

Well .. somebody was looking down on me because the guy three putted and I drained my ugly a** par putt to win.

 

Somehow I felt sorry for the guy as he was really pretty nice in the defeat, but for his drunk group of "friends" .. they got just what they deserved.

 

So for me I have I think Golden handled it well up until the point of quitting. He needed to document the fight (which he did) and then file a complaint with the tournament officials and then press on. It was only nine holes left so ya gotta suck it up...

 

Later on he could have some of his "friends" visit Streamsong to have a discussion with the caddie out by hole 13 or 14 (the one with many hungry alligators... just sayin.

[MadGolfer76]

:drag:

 

I've seen worse fights in the hallways of my high school.

[avrag]

You guys seriously need to consider banning the addition of testosterone to your drinking water that is obviously happening.

It might be good for playing American Football.

For everything else, not so much.

[BNGL]

 

 

In nearly 20 years of golf I have yet to work a club that didn’t have surveillance on the grounds in some form. I think there might be something missing here. I haven’t played many FSGA finals, but have played s few state Opens with them. They’re a pretty good organization and in a final they’d have a qualified impartial tournament referee with the group plus the tens of others. I’d like to see a statement from the fsga on the matter.

[jmck]

 

 

In nearly 20 years of golf I have yet to work a club that didn’t have surveillance on the grounds in some form. I think there might be something missing here. I haven’t played many FSGA finals, but have played s few state Opens with them. They’re a pretty good organization and in a final they’d have a qualified impartial tournament referee with the group plus the tens of others. I’d like to see a statement from the fsga on the matter.

 

Agreed. That's going to be the closest we get to an unbiased explanation as to what actually happened.

[Bronxbombergolf]

So you’ve got two guys in a finals match. One is a tennis professional in Jacksonville , played in the US open at Oakmont in 2007 and was the 2007 FSGA player of the year. The other the 2017 FSGA player of the year who is a caddie at Streamsong who is out with another caddie from Streamsong on his bag. No one has said thAt the caddie who had the alleged assault was 6’7” and has been a career caddie at Brandon Dunes and Streamsong. Dull has been named by the FSGA as their Captain of the North South matches which is why the FSGA hasn’t released any statement. I’m going out on a limb and say that Golden was punched in the face and could have continued but couldn’t compete to win anymore because he probably had a mild concussion and to him who has another job and career that being the 2018 champ isn’t going to change his life. It’s mid am golf. Now Dull is the captain for the north team. Does he puck Golden for his squad?

[Ashley Schaeffer]

You guys seriously need to consider banning the addition of testosterone to your drinking water that is obviously happening.

It might be good for playing American Football.

For everything else, not so much.

 

You guys need to seriously consider banning sucking at everything.

It might be good for a Ryder Cup here and there.

For everything else, not so much.

[jjr]

Amazing story! I'm sure this is not the end of it.

 

My gut feeling is Golden did get punched by Hibbs. After reading a short article about Golden's 2007 trip to the US Open, he seems like a good kid who probably was shocked( and concussed) by getting sucker punched by Hibbs. Why else would you not continue all square with 2 to play?

[bladehunter]

Now golden is a tennis pro? Hmm.

 

I agree my gut says he may have been punched too. But I don’t feel like it was a one sided deal. Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time as they say. Hard to say the guy didn’t ask for it.

[Bloom]

Dang, so during the rain delay the caddie assaults the other player. What happens if there's not a rain delay? How does he get Golden to quit...he might have had to resort to driving his car on the course and running him down!

 

I think there's previous case law here that should be reviewed, in the decision of Happy vs. Shooter, 1996.

[MtlJeff]

Now golden is a tennis pro? Hmm.

 

I agree my gut says he may have been punched too. But I don’t feel like it was a one sided deal. Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time as they say. Hard to say the guy didn’t ask for it.

 

No one in the history of golf and tennis has ever been good at both and NOT been a jerk. They are two of the country clubiest sports around.

 

You can be good at one , but not both.

 

Now I just picture him exactly like Roger Dorn from "major league". I guarantee you you he's wearing a sweater-vest at this very moment