I know you are invovled in golf i the Riviera Maya and want to say Gracias for doing such a great job.

You are talking about just one of my posts. You haev to read more, I did sperate posts on Iberostar, Bahia Principe, Moon, and Riviera Cancun. I actually have covered more courses in your area than almost anyplace else – you should be happy

The one asterisk to Myrtle Beach however, is most residents seem to be tied to golf/tourism in some way and the place is so back door that no local ever really pays for green fees – or cover charges in clubs – or damn near anything. It’s a handshake and “I’ll get you back” kinda place.

My economic argument was actually not “lame”. First, my statistics about who plays golf and the relative income of golfers (in the U.S.) comes from a golf marketing organization (I didn’t intend to cite them, so I — of course — have forgotten who the hell they are), not from my imagination or something I heard on TV. Second, the increasing stewardship of golf might actually be evidence of the wealth associated with it, as there is loads of scientific literature that “going green” happens mostly in wealthier parts of the world. Third, I never argued that other sports would solve the world’s problems. Golf, however — unlike soccer — is reserved for those with more money than not. It is in many cases a public display of wealth. It also takes wealth to construct and maintain courses.

Now about your facts about soccer; Please check them again. I would interested to hear your sources.

First, soccer did not cause the Football War between Honduras and El Salvador (if that’s the war to which you refer). The actual cause was — like nearly every single other war in history — economic. In this case it was directly about migration caused by a shortage of resources. If you meant that reference as a joke and you fully understand the true cause of that war, I apologize.

As far as the deaths from soccer go, you have inflated the figures. There are perhaps dozens of deaths from fan riots per year, and hundreds in bad years. And these are caused by fans, not players, nor the sport. These fans were largely poor, mind you, though in some places they weren’t perhaps “Africa” poor (as in the U.K.), but the conditions under which these riots occur are most certainly indirectly related to economic disparity.

Indirect causality is key here. Displays of wealth (clothing, vehicles, cigars, etc…), the fenced-in large areas of well-tended land (often in improbable settings like deserts), prohibition to entrance by fees exceeding the annual salary of a neighboring population, or private status (which is historically racist and sexist), or merely the association between golf and wealth, can and will and does have negative indirect effect! Golf fans may not riot as frequently as soccer fans, but that doesn’t mean that golf does not do damage — whether that is environmental or economic.

I never (in my letter) said that any sport is doing any better (especially those things you mentioned — mountain-biking lifts? How insipid is that?) — skiing should most certainly be taken to task — but that doesn’t mean you should lightly shrug your shoulders to the direct and indirect effects of your own favored sport as you did in your article and in your response to my letter.

If you truly believe that golf is more democratic than plutocratic, and requires merely sticks, balls, and holes, then make that your kind of golf. Practice it publicly and solely, prosyletize, and get poor kids in the world into it. Work on shutting down courses whose environmental practices (or count of Mercedes Benzes in the parking lot) is egregious. Make environmental stewardship and egalitarianism the mission of your beloved golf.

But, I don’t think that’s the kind of golf you play, nor do I think that was the purpose of your defense.

Thank you for responding.

Funny how editing works, and yes, my article was greatly shortened and edited, especially the environmental section, where I openly admit that the history of golf has not been one of very good stewardship, but how that has and is rapidly changing, probably more so than in almost all other sports going in opposite directions (bigger stadiums, more snow making, tow-in surfing, lift-served mountain biking, heli-hiking, etc)

But it was your lame economic argument that bothers me the most. Sure golf is not going to solve teh world’s problems, especially that of the less developed third world nations to which you allude. Does that make it a bad thing? None of the other Outside sports, from climbing to surfing to track are going to cure the world’s evils either. My point was that it is a minimalist game that at its base level requires little equipment or infrastructure, unlike many of the sports regularly featured in Outside. I think it has an especially good track record when compared to soccer, a sport that is widely embraced and available in the poor coutntries you mention, a sport that is directly responsible for hundreds of deaths a year, thousands in bad years, and is the only sport that actually started a war.

Essentially, I did not miss your point, I hijacked it to serve my agenda by highlighting your claims and refuting them, individually. In the unedited letter, I actually agreed with your overall published point that golf was a real sport, but made the argument that golf’s status as a sport wasn’t relevant to your defenses of it.

If, as you claim on this blog post, your point was that golf is a sport worthy of publication in Outside magazine, then that must have been edited out of your article. Otherwise, I would have happily added a couple of paragraphs explaining why your arguments do not satisfy that claim.

And regarding the name-calling — perhaps, I am an a**hole, Larry (I’ve been called worse by better folks than you). You, however, don’t have enough evidence to be sure that I am an a**hole. But, really? Name-calling? Are you twelve? But, okay, if that’s the way you want it: I’m rubber, you’re glue, bounces off me, sticks on you. Infinity.

As Public Relations Manager of Stowe Mountain Lodge, I would like to apologize for your less than pleasant stay with us. Although Stowe Mountain Lodge boasts incredible amenities and arguably the best location in the Northeast, we pride ourselves on our outstanding customer service above all else. We would like the opportunity to remedy your negative past experience at Stowe Mountain Lodge.

Please contact me to discuss some options that will ensure your memories and perception of Stowe Mountain Lodge is in line with the high standards we hold. Thank you and have a good evening.