It’s time. Actually, it’s long overdue. The PGA of America needs to reinstate past PresidentTed Bishop.
This issue has been ignored far too long. Others have written about it yet the Association continues to bury their head in the sand. One of the most overblown occurrences in the Association’s history has not been rectified. If you’re aware of the story it makes you scratch your head or maybe bang it against the wall. If you do not know the story I’m happy to revisit the ridiculous nature of this incident.
First, some background…
The PGA of America is an association of more than 30,000 members. There are three officers and a CEO that direct the mission of our Association. Just to be clear, the PGA of America is not the PGA Tour. They are two separate entities.
While many who take an interest in the game may know who Jay Monahan is. It’s unlikely they know the leaders of the PGA of America. Monahan is the Commissioner of the PGA Tour and has been front and center with the issue of his tour and the new LIV tour. Supposedly there is an effort underway to combine both tours and undoubtedly you have probably seen Mr. Jay discuss the potential future of professional golf.
What you probably haven’t seen very often are any of the current officers of the PGA of America. I’m sure a majority of the members don’t know their identities. I’ll help you out. Currently our President is Don Rea Jr. Serving as Vice President is Nathan Charnes. Eric Eshleman is our Secretary. I doubt the golfing public has become familiar with these gentlemen. It’s often the case with our officers. To be fair they’re usually managing the operations of a golf facility in conjunction with attending to their duties as officers. They often fly under the radar but as officers they always fly first class.
The face of the Association is our CEO. Recently this position welcomed a new man to the helm, Derek Sprague. He actually is a PGA member, unlike many of his predecessors. Some say this is a good move having one of our own guiding the Association. He should be knowledgable with the issues facing us. I’ve never met Derek Sprague. I’ve met Ted Bishop once during a PGA Championship.
The 2010 PGA Championship was held at Whistling Straits in Kohler, WI. Early in the week I volunteered to teach a junior clinic. The officers came out to watch. Ted Bishop was among the threesome, at the time serving as Secretary of the Association. I noticed something different about Bishop. He had a presence about him.
When he ascended to the office of President I noticed a change. Unlike other officers before him, Bishop became the face of our Association. Previous officers weren’t public figures. They only surfaced during the PGA Championship or the Ryder Cup. Nothing against these gentlemen but in leading the largest sporting organization in the world the majority of golfers have no idea who these people are or what they do.
Ted Bishop changed that. He got in front of the camera. He promoted the Association. He was visible. It was refreshing to see our President front and center with other leaders of the major golf organizations. I always felt our Association took a back seat in the hierarchy of golf. Not with Bishop. He was determined to promote the PGA of America on the same platforms you’d find other golf leaders.
Then it happened. The silly back and forth between Ted Bishop and Ian Poulter. Poulter spouted off about the American’s performance in the 2014 Ryder Cup. Bishop’s reply advised Poulter to stop acting like a “lil’ girl.” From there the spat grew astronomically. You would have thought World War III started.
This non-issue ultimately resulted in Bishop being removed from office. His legacy would be tarnished by an interaction that likely occurs every day on elementary school playgrounds. In today’s society where politicians, entertainers and sports figures hurl four letter word insults back and forth, the Bishop/Poulter incident overshadowed those gross improprieties for some strange reason. Perhaps at the time the PGA of America had nothing better to do.
Today Ted Bishop is an outcast from the Association where he invested countless hours of time and effort while also managing a golf club in Indiana. Recently Major League Baseball ruled that Shoeless Joe Jackson and Pete Rose should be eligible for election into the Baseball Hall of Fame. It’s the right move but a decision that should have been made years ago. Still, it illustrates how a sport can take the high road and make a proper decision. You decide which is the egregious — betting on baseball or “lil’ girl.”
Since their decision the PGA of America has not allowed Bishop to exercise any of the privileges normally granted to past Presidents. This needs to be rectified. An apology should be issued. The Association overstepped its bounds removing him from office. Ted Bishop’s legacy has suffered enough.
Derek Sprague and the current officers are assembled this weekend in Charlotte at our championship. This issue should be on their agenda. It’s a quick decision and the right course of action. The PGA of America should not be waylaid into meaningless issues that destroy other’s lives. This entire situation has bothered me for years and perhaps it’s done so with other members. I heard a comment the other day watching the first round of the PGA — “If you’re gonna be stupid why not go all in?” Check that box with this incident.
I invite those individuals who ultimately decided to seal Ted Bishop’s fate to stand up and honestly say they have never in their life said an unkind word towards another person. Those who made the decision should be ashamed of themselves. Playing the “ holier than thou” card here doesn’t fly.
Derek Sprague is now the leader of our Association. He is well aware of this issue. He is a past President. In fact he was Ted Bishop’s Vice President during the incident.
Derek, stand up and do the right thing. Call Ted Bishop. This weekend would be the opportune time.