For golf fans, choosing a side isn’t necessary, which makes this week’s public spat between some of golf’s longest-serving and respected journalists, and the on-trend and home to the popular Fore Play podcast, Barstool Sports, that much more fascinating.

Here at GolfWRX, we documented the dispute, but what’s more interesting to me at least, is the reason behind the transparent divide. Here are three areas which I feel have strengthened the partition in recent times.

New breed of Fans, New form of Media

In contrast to a decade ago, not every golf fan plays anymore, and it shouldn’t be a pre-requisite for loving the sport and expressing opinions on the game. Golf has seen an influx of new followers, particularly thanks to the DFS/Betting world, with the popularity of betting on the sport surging. The new generation of media has tapped into that demand, and it’s no surprise that the PGA Tour has now taken measures to ensure that betting is now more accessible to fans at Tour events from 2020 onwards.

With this new generation comes the casual playing golfer—a demographic which gobble up 21st-century style content and leave the ponderous old-school journalists scratching their heads. The type of fans that would rather consume a segment where a Tour pro has their guard down being themselves over reading a 1000-word piece over-analyzing a freakish swing such as Dustin Johnson’s which is entirely alien to 99.99% of even the most avid golfers.

While many long-serving golf writers miss that point, it’s not lost on some of the biggest and most established golf productions such as Golf Channel. There is a reason why the likes of Jonathan Coachman, who from a WWE background, was drafted in to liven up the channel’s PGA Tour Live coverage. That reason is for the new generation of golf fan, and quite frankly, he’s been a breath of fresh air.

Could the old-guard of journalists do more to be more inclusive to golf’s new fans? Absolutely. Is that likely? Judging by the resentment shown over certain media members excited reaction to a fist-bump with Tiger Woods at the Presidents Cup, it would seem unlikely, and it’s a failing on their part.

The Tiger Conundrum

Speaking of the fist-bump incident which sparked Sunday’s social media battle, we get to the media’s relationship with the sport’s superstar – Tiger Woods. To say Woods’ relationship with the press while he was in his pomp was strained would be an understatement. Reserved and reticent, for a significant period of his career Woods mastered the art of speaking while saying nothing.

While it’s conjecture to conclude what effect that had on journalists back in the day, what’s on record is how certain senior members of the press were sanctimonious in their coverage of the 43-year-old throughout his struggles.

Fast-forward to successful spinal fusion surgery and Tiger 2.0 emerges, feeling blessed to be able to walk once again let-alone play the game. He chooses to embrace all that comes with his return—including media coverage. Now, with a choice between new generation media outlets, which lavish Woods with love and adulation or a hierarchy of long-standing reporters who kicked him while he was down, it’s hardly surprising which side he chose to embrace.

Whether they choose to admit it, the fact that respected journalists from multiple prominent publications decided to aim for something as futile as media members celebrating a friendly fist-bump from the game’s best player portrays a feeling of a potential paradise lost.

Journalist/Media Member

I can only echo the opinion of many WRX members who aired the view this week that there is a subtle difference between what title you give to members on each side of this divide—the traditional reporters/journalists and members of the media.

Plain and straightforward, Barstool’s members were given media passes at the event. While those critical of their “fanboy” behavior are perfectly entitled to their opinion that these media members acted unprofessionally, those media members are also perfectly entitled to cover the sport how they see fit. More importantly, however, is that it’s the coverage many of the new everyday golf fans wish to see, an element lost on the traditionalist media members.

In a sport which is hardly conducive to change, the added fresh content alongside the traditional form helps in growing the game. Those in a privileged position of covering the game should embrace all forms of media that do that and throw away any abstract and entitled notion of what they feel golf coverage ought to look like.

Can both forms co-exist?

We asked WRXers can the new form of media brought by the likes of Barstool and others co-exist alongside the classical approach which the older guard of media in the sport brings, and typically received plenty of interesting takes on the matter.

In my particular view, it’s necessary to the sport that both do co-exist, not least because there is a significant audience for both. But respect and acceptance should be given, particularly from those who have been covering the sport a certain way for several years and who are more reluctant to see a modern approach impose on their conservative method of reporting.

While a certain amount of conflict is exciting, keeps everyone on their toes and can lead to interesting discussion, not accepting all forms of content will lead us to an “Ok, Boomer” vs “F— you Millenial” divide, which it’s fair to say, isn’t best for the sport.