Golf’s old heart of darkness

THE dismissal of Steve Williams’ vile comment by Greg Norman as “not racist” and his claim that golf has “always been cohesive” are an insult to our intelligence.

I am old enough to remember when Charlie Sifford, the black former caddie from the Carolinas, was finally given his PGA card in 1960 at 40 years of age.

In spite of vicious and relentless abuse from the loathsome “Confederate” galleries who would kick his ball into the rough, he was eventually a champion on the Tour. His election into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2004 was a belated gesture of recognition by the golfing world of his long and ultimately successful fight against racial exclusion.

Golf has NOT always been “cohesive” and Norman may be too young or insensitive to acknowledge our deplorable past, but this incident must not be swept under the carpet.

Dr John Cameron,

Howard Place,

St Andrews.

Frazier piece a real knockout

CONGRATULATIONS for a truly superb article by Tom English on the life and sad story of Joe Frazier. This was a piece in the very finest traditions of Scotsman sport journalism, and worthy of comparison with the best. Thank you.

Brian Bannatyne-Scott,

Murrayfield Drive,

Edinburgh

Levein needs change of tack

IT IS unbelievable that the manager of our national football team is once again raving about a narrow victory against a real minnow ranked well over 100 by Fifa. We smashed Cyprus 2 – 1! This was another test to see whether Mr Levein was willing to produce an “attack based” Scottish side which might have a chance to qualify for the next World Cup. The win against Cyprus was scraped with his single striker. The Tartan Army and our country deserves much more.

With the improvement in players available, we must revert to an attacking side with a minimum of two strikers before we end up bottom of the next qualifying group. I cannot see this leopard changing his spots so I fear the worst.

Iain J McConnell

Gifford

East Lothian

Notes on a national lottery

THERE is more than a whiff of hypocrisy in those who object vehemently even to a mention of any Scots’ participation in a GB Olympic football team. It has become almost a badge of honour to do so. These same sterling patriots supposedly trying to protect our game see nothing in a Scottish team made up in good part of “Scots” whose connections to the country are, at the very best, tenuous. The irony, surely, cannot be lost.

Alexander McKay

New Cut Rigg

Edinburgh

Darts the victim of snobbery

I WOULD just like to ask the question, Why the snobbishness in the press towards the sport of darts? This is not just a problem with local press but also in the nationals also.

The protagonists of darts are, unlike other sports, reluctant heroes. They are ordinary men and women who play their sport not for financial gain but for the glory of being good at what they do.

There are no overpaid preening prima donnas strutting their stuff to be found on the oche – just genuine working class heroes. If you combine this with the high tech presentation of today’s sports coverage, you’re on to a winner. A recent survey suggests there are around six million active participants in the sport up and down the country – what other sport can boast these numbers?

Jim Wood

Youth Darts Coordinator

Cummingston

Moray