PGA of America slams Brandel Chamblee’s ‘offensive, sexist and disgraceful’ comments

PGA of America leadership issued a blistering condemnation of Brandel Chamblee Thursday, calling his explosive comments on golf instruction “offensive, sexist and disgraceful.”

“In good conscience we cannot allow Brandel Chamblee’s comment in a Golfweek interview on March 25 that golf instruction has been ‘b****-slapped by reality’ be allowed to stand without comment,” PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh and President Suzy Whaley wrote in a letter to the editor at Golfweek. “It is offensive, sexist and disgraceful. Using such crude and hateful language is abhorrent in any context and in this case a direct contradiction to the countless programs and initiatives those in the industry provide to ensure everyone feels welcome in golf.”

In the interview, Chamblee shared his unfiltered opinions on the golf instruction industry, TrackMan, and the unconventional swings of next-generation stars like Matthew Wolff and Viktor Hovland.

“The teachers are being exposed for their idiocy,” Chamblee said, arguing that the internet age has forced a philosophical shift for the industry. “They completely spread this flawed philosophy through all of teaching and all teachers stuck to that ideal and all teachers taught flawed philosophies and these philosophies finally got b****-slapped by reality. YouTube, there it is, you’re wrong, they’re right.

The PGA of America took exception to Chamblee’s usage of the phrase “b****-slapped” and to the overtures about the instruction industry implied throughout his interview.

“Using such crude and hateful language is abhorrent in any context and in this case a direct contradiction to the countless programs and initiatives those in the industry provide to ensure everyone feels welcome in golf,” the letter said. “Chamblee is certainly entitled to his own opinion, but it is unfair to paint all instructors with the same ugly brush.”

Waugh and Whaley’s note comes less than a day after Chamblee publicly apologized for the language used in his comments.

“I sincerely apologize for an unfortunate choice of words in the Golfweek interview,” he tweeted. “While the phrase was meant to mean harsh criticism, seeing words in black and white make you realize different contexts. Either way this was a poor choice of words and I apologize.”

I sincerely apologize for an unfortunate choice of words in the Golfweek interview. While the phrase was meant to mean harsh criticism,seeing words in black and white make you realize different contexts. Either way this was a poor choice of words that is offensive and I apologize

— Brandel Chamblee (@chambleebrandel) March 25, 2020

Chamblee told GOLF.com, “I’ve been at this for 20 years and work hard at choosing the right words, and would like to think that I choose them carefully but this wasn’t my best work.”

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