Opinion & Analysis
No consolation? Breaking down Poulter’s rant
If you aren’t one of Ian Poulter’s more than 1.4 million followers on Twitter, you might have missed the flamboyant Englishman’s comments about the consolation match at WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.
Poulter fired off a series of tweets which displayed little faith in the venerable old institution of the consolation match the morning after his 1 up loss to Jason Day in the Match Play’s losers’ loop.
Like so many of our favorite athletes and celebrities, the plaid enthusiast has a history of colorful Twitter rants.
If you’re not familiar, Google “Ian Poulter + Twitter rant” for a bit of light reading.
The following are the match play ace’s comments:
Is this all just sour grapes, or does Poulter have a point?
Primarily, Poulter was correct in his assumption that Jason Day would withdraw from the Honda Classic. The PGA Tour announced the golfer’s WD last night and his replacement in the field by Luke List.
But there is a significant cash difference between the third and fourth place finisher (in addition to OWGR rankings points, FedEx Cup points, etc). For his third place finish in the tournament Jason Day collected a $615,000 check. Ian Poulter’s fourth place check amounted to $400,000. Perhaps both would have been willing to say “good, good” on the match and pocket identical checks for $507,500, but I’m not sure.
Regardless, Poulter’s contention that playing the second match on Sunday/ the sixth match of the week is a significant hardship, which compromises the participants play in the next week’s tournament (the Honda Classic) merits examination.
Here’s a list of the participants on the WGC-Accenture Match Play consolation match between 2005 and last year and how they fared in the next week’s tournament (if they played).
Certainly some (perhaps Poulter) will argue that the peculiar circumstances this year were the real marrow of his complaint. The majority of those who played on Sunday had to play most of their matches over four days, rather than five. Also, weather delays plus colder-than-average temperatures may have enhanced the fatigue the last four standing were feeling.
However, as we can’t suppose that all the players who didn’t play in the next week’s event did so because of the particular fatigue brought on by having to tee it up for another 18 holes after knowing they weren’t going to win the match play, it’s difficult to draw any firm conclusion from the “DNPs.” And obviously, such players would have had to have committed to the succeeding tournament well before their consolation matches.
It may be significant to note, however, that none of the players in the consolation match from 2005 to 2012 withdrew and that fatigue didn’t seem to be a serious issue for said players. All who played in the week following their consolation match made the cut in the succeeding tournament, with two—Lee Westwood in 2012 and Camilo Villegas in 2010—finishing in the top 10.
With his withdrawal this year, Jason Day was the first to break with that tradition.
Given this, there are many ways to spin Poulter’s comments. One way is that this is another example of a PGA Tour professional whining about problems 99 percent of the world (and 99 percent of professional golfers, really) would love to have.
Another possible reading is that Poulter, fiery and honest fellow that he is, is again airing his grievances with the powers that be, such as he did last year after a final-round 76 at the Barclays.
Your assessment of the situation might have much to do with your feelings in general toward the polarizing, passionate and pink-loving fellow. The reality, though, is that those who play in the consolation match and go on to compete in the next calendar event often play quite well.
As the editor-in-chief of this website and an observer of the GolfWRX forums and other online golf equipment discourse for over a decade, I’m pretty well attuned to the grunts and grumbles of a significant portion of the golf equipment purchasing spectrum. And before you accuse me of lording above all in some digital ivory tower, I’d like to offer that I worked at golf courses (public and private) for years prior to picking up my pen, so I’m well-versed in the non-degenerate golf equipment consumers out there. I touched (green)grass (retail)!
Complaints about the ills of and related to the OEMs usually follow some version of: Product cycles are too short for real innovation, tour equipment isn’t the same as retail (which is largely not true, by the way), too much is invested in marketing and not enough in R&D, top staffer X hasn’t even put the new driver in play, so it’s obviously not superior to the previous generation, prices are too high, and on and on.
Without digging into the merits of any of these claims, which I believe are mostly red herrings, I’d like to bring into view of our rangefinder what I believe to be the two primary difficulties golf equipment companies face.
One: As Terry Koehler, back when he was the CEO of Ben Hogan, told me at the time of the Ft Worth irons launch, if you can’t regularly hit the golf ball in a coin-sized area in the middle of the face, there’s not a ton that iron technology can do for you. Now, this is less true now with respect to irons than when he said it, and is less and less true by degrees as the clubs get larger (utilities, fairways, hybrids, drivers), but there remains a great deal of golf equipment truth in that statement. Think about it — which is to say, in TL;DR fashion, get lessons from a qualified instructor who will teach you about the fundamentals of repeatable impact and how the golf swing works, not just offer band-aid fixes. If you can’t repeatably deliver the golf club to the golf ball in something resembling the manner it was designed for, how can you expect to be getting the most out of the club — put another way, the maximum value from your investment?
Similarly, game improvement equipment can only improve your game if you game it. In other words, get fit for the clubs you ought to be playing rather than filling the bag with the ones you wish you could hit or used to be able to hit. Of course, don’t do this if you don’t care about performance and just want to hit a forged blade while playing off an 18 handicap. That’s absolutely fine. There were plenty of members in clubs back in the day playing Hogan Apex or Mizuno MP-32 irons who had no business doing so from a ballstriking standpoint, but they enjoyed their look, feel, and complementary qualities to their Gatsby hats and cashmere sweaters. Do what brings you a measure of joy in this maddening game.
Now, the second issue. This is not a plea for non-conforming equipment; rather, it is a statement of fact. USGA/R&A limits on every facet of golf equipment are detrimental to golf equipment manufacturers. Sure, you know this, but do you think about it as it applies to almost every element of equipment? A 500cc driver would be inherently more forgiving than a 460cc, as one with a COR measurement in excess of 0.83. 50-inch shafts. Box grooves. And on and on.
Would fewer regulations be objectively bad for the game? Would this erode its soul? Fortunately, that’s beside the point of this exercise, which is merely to point out the facts. The fact, in this case, is that equipment restrictions and regulations are the slaughterbench of an abundance of innovation in the golf equipment space. Is this for the best? Well, now I’ve asked the question twice and might as well give a partial response, I guess my answer to that would be, “It depends on what type of golf you’re playing and who you’re playing it with.”
For my part, I don’t mind embarrassing myself with vintage blades and persimmons chasing after the quasi-spiritual elevation of a well-struck shot, but that’s just me. Plenty of folks don’t give a damn if their grooves are conforming. Plenty of folks think the folks in Liberty Corner ought to add a prison to the museum for such offences. And those are just a few of the considerations for the amateur game — which doesn’t get inside the gallery ropes of the pro game…
Different strokes in the game of golf, in my humble opinion.
Anyway, I believe equipment company engineers are genuinely trying to build better equipment year over year. The marketing departments are trying to find ways to make this equipment appeal to the broadest segment of the golf market possible. All of this against (1) the backdrop of — at least for now — firm product cycles. And golfers who, with their ~15 average handicap (men), for the most part, are not striping the golf ball like Tiger in his prime and seem to have less and less time year over year to practice and improve. (2) Regulations that massively restrict what they’re able to do…
That’s the landscape as I see it and the real headwinds for golf equipment companies. No doubt, there’s more I haven’t considered, but I think the previous is a better — and better faith — point of departure when formulating any serious commentary on the golf equipment world than some of the more cynical and conspiratorial takes I hear.
Agree? Disagree? Think I’m worthy of an Adam Hadwin-esque security guard tackle? Let me know in the comments.
@golfoncbs The infamous Adam Hadwin tackle ? #golf #fyp #canada #pgatour #adamhadwin ? Ghibli-style nostalgic waltz – MaSssuguMusic
Episode #16 brings us Cliff McKinney. Cliff is the founder of Old Charlie Golf Club, a new club, and concept, to be built in the Florida panhandle. The model is quite interesting and aims to make great, private golf more affordable. We hope you enjoy the show!
Last week, I came across a reel from BBC Sport on Instagram featuring Scottie Scheffler speaking to the media ahead of The Open at Royal Portrush. In it, he shared that he often wonders what the point is of wanting to win tournaments so badly — especially when he knows, deep down, that it doesn’t lead to a truly fulfilling life.
View this post on Instagram
“Is it great to be able to win tournaments and to accomplish the things I have in the game of golf? Yeah, it brings tears to my eyes just to think about it because I’ve literally worked my entire life to be good at this sport,” Scheffler said. “To have that kind of sense of accomplishment, I think, is a pretty cool feeling. To get to live out your dreams is very special, but at the end of the day, I’m not out here to inspire the next generation of golfers. I’m not out here to inspire someone to be the best player in the world, because what’s the point?”
Ironically — or perhaps perfectly — he went on to win the claret jug.
That question — what’s the point of winning? — cuts straight to the heart of the human journey.
As someone who’s spent over two decades in the trenches of professional golf, and in deep study of the mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of the game, I see Scottie’s inner conflict as a sign of soul evolution in motion.
I came to golf late. I wasn’t a junior standout or college All-American. At 27, I left a steady corporate job to see if I could be on the PGA Tour starting as a 14-handicap, average-length hitter. Over the years, my journey has been defined less by trophies and more by the relentless effort to navigate the deeply inequitable and gated system of professional golf — an effort that ultimately turned inward and helped me evolve as both a golfer and a person.
One perspective that helped me make sense of this inner dissonance around competition and our culture’s tendency to overvalue winning is the idea of soul evolution.
The University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies has done extensive research on reincarnation, and Netflix’s Surviving Death (Episode 6) explores the topic, too. Whether you take it literally or metaphorically, the idea that we’re on a long arc of growth — from beginner to sage elder — offers a profound perspective.
If you accept the premise literally, then terms like “young soul” and “old soul” start to hold meaning. However, even if we set the word “soul” aside, it’s easy to see that different levels of life experience produce different worldviews.
Newer souls — or people in earlier stages of their development — may be curious and kind but still lack discernment or depth. There is a naivety, and they don’t yet question as deeply, tending to see things in black and white, partly because certainty feels safer than confronting the unknown.
As we gain more experience, we begin to experiment. We test limits. We chase extreme external goals — sometimes at the expense of health, relationships, or inner peace — still operating from hunger, ambition, and the fragility of the ego.
It’s a necessary stage, but often a turbulent and unfulfilling one.
David Duval fell off the map after reaching World No. 1. Bubba Watson had his own “Is this it?” moment with his caddie, Ted Scott, after winning the Masters.
In Aaron Rodgers: Enigma, reflecting on his 2011 Super Bowl win, Rodgers said:
“Now I’ve accomplished the only thing that I really, really wanted to do in my life. Now what? I was like, ‘Did I aim at the wrong thing? Did I spend too much time thinking about stuff that ultimately doesn’t give you true happiness?’”
Jim Carrey once said, “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.”
Eventually, though, something shifts.
We begin to see in shades of gray. Winning, dominating, accumulating—these pursuits lose their shine. The rewards feel more fleeting. Living in a constant state of fight-or-flight makes us feel alive, yes, but not happy and joyful.
Compassion begins to replace ambition. Love, presence, and gratitude become more fulfilling than status, profits, or trophies. We crave balance over burnout. Collaboration over competition. Meaning over metrics.
Interestingly, if we zoom out, we can apply this same model to nations and cultures. Countries, like people, have a collective “soul stage” made up of the individuals within them.
Take the United States, for example. I’d place it as a mid-level soul: highly competitive and deeply driven, but still learning emotional maturity. Still uncomfortable with nuance. Still believing that more is always better. Despite its global wins, the U.S. currently ranks just 23rd in happiness (as of 2025). You might liken it to a gifted teenager—bold, eager, and ambitious, but angsty and still figuring out how to live well and in balance. As much as a parent wants to protect their child, sometimes the child has to make their own mistakes to truly grow.
So when Scottie Scheffler wonders what the point of winning is, I don’t see someone losing strength.
I see someone evolving.
He’s beginning to look beyond the leaderboard. Beyond metrics of success that carry a lower vibration. And yet, in a poetic twist, Scheffler did go on to win The Open. But that only reinforces the point: even at the pinnacle, the question remains. And if more of us in the golf and sports world — and in U.S. culture at large — started asking similar questions, we might discover that the more meaningful trophy isn’t about accumulating or beating others at all costs.
It’s about awakening and evolving to something more than winning could ever promise.
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blopar
Mar 1, 2013 at 1:20 pm
Gosh Ian–doesn’t collecting $400 K so your fans can watch you duel it out in match play and placate the TV advertising sponsors who pump up your tournament purses interest you at all??? It is sports entertainment as well as competition in the long run!!!
William
Mar 1, 2013 at 8:13 am
I agree with everything Poulter says. But, had he won, we would not be having this conversation. If he doesn’t like the way the 3rd and 4th spots are decided, he doesn’t have to play in the event. Problem solved.
Golflaw
Feb 28, 2013 at 9:50 pm
Poulter is right. Playing for 3rd is a big nothing to a competitor. It’s to fill time for the sponsors. I’m old enough to remember when they also played a consolation game before the NCAA basketball games. The games were so lackluster and played with no emotion even TV gave up and it ended.
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Mike Leether
Feb 28, 2013 at 10:21 am
I care what Poulter has to say for about one week every two years. That is all….
Mark Burke
Feb 28, 2013 at 8:38 am
Just play golf.
Jim
Feb 28, 2013 at 4:30 am
If Tiger and Rory were playing for third place and Poultrr and Day were in final which match would you watch .
Simon
Feb 28, 2013 at 2:30 am
Poor Poults, he knew the rules when he entered the event. If he feels hard done by I will pick him up early one morning and take him to a factory to work 60 hrs a week for about $500 that should stop his whingeing
Steve
Feb 27, 2013 at 9:06 pm
I also agree with Poulter on this (of course, I pretty much always agree with him – he’s honest to a fault). I for one would LOVE to ba able to pick Ian’s brain for an hour regarding match play strategies and tactics.
luke keefner
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:42 pm
The consolation match is just there to fill up air time on tv. It would be pretty boring watching 2 guys walking to their shots for most of the telecast. The bright side would be choking on the same Michelob Light commercials over and over(sarcasm)
RJD
Mar 1, 2013 at 1:31 pm
ding, ding, ding!!! this is exactly what it is about. That entire day is nothing but commercials as it is but if you had one less match to air, it would be ridiculous.
jerrrrry
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:09 pm
TW 67 so true…….forgot all about that, glad you brought that to attention of those that don’t no how deep his integrity goes……
Jeremiah
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:05 pm
It’s his job. Sorry if playing golf and getting paid is so rough. He knew the stipulations of the event going into it. If you dont win, you play consultation round. If you don’t like it stay home. People would kill to be in his ugly shoes….
Blanco
Feb 27, 2013 at 5:36 pm
Yes Ian Poulter can say what he wants… but so can the pubic. He will continue to loose the respect of fans and the media with his combination of ignorant frat-boy perspectives and this “emo” super wealthy selfishness.
I must says this: anyone who thinks IJP design or its founder makes good looking clothing or makes clothing look good, has an extremely foul sense of esthetics and taste in general. If he wore it like John Daly wears Loudmouth, I’d have no problems with it… but this guy is SERIOUS about the gothic-argyle-spandex-leather thing. I started biting my nails again after watching his interview on Feherty Live– I have not stopped since.
Devon
Feb 27, 2013 at 6:02 pm
Agreed, my wife and I were watching the match play last weekend, she doesn’t know much about golf and giggled and mentioned he needs a new stylist. I told her that those were actually his designs and he owns a clothling line, the look on her face was priceless. Poulter’s ignorance and this “me me me” attitude is growing tiresome to watch these days.
Trevor
Feb 27, 2013 at 4:53 pm
Ian Poulter; LOL. I can’t stand his bratty-baby ways and tantrums. He cries when he wins, he cries when he loses, he cries about playing Golf for a living and cries when he has to spend time with his kids and play golf at the same time!
Just Ridiculous.
TWShoot67
Feb 27, 2013 at 4:12 pm
You know if he doesn’t like the format just don’t enter, it’s not like they changed the format and all of a sudden 3 and 4th play a consolation match …. it’s been happening for years. This is not soccer / football this is individual play. Why even bring up another sport. this is how golf has been played for ever in match play. You can always opt out if it’s too tough of a schedule. They are independent contractors, you don’t like it DON’T ENTER.
TWShoot67
Feb 27, 2013 at 4:08 pm
I have no sympathy for Ian Poulter who puts his foot in mouth at times, I ractually like who his is most of the time a fierce competitor, but sometimes he’s dead wrong. So he has no problem playing the extra 18 holes if it’s for 1 or 2 but not 3 or 4. Funny the day before this Tweet I read something like better coming in 3rd then 4th, now he says it’s first or nothing, that’s Tiger’s line? Of course every player wants to win, but it’s a small % that do. Guess that was a joke I didn’t catch, or that tweet was tongue and cheek. Seriously I know all about where Ian Poulter’s came from. Also part of his story is that he actually lied/cheated filling out card about his handicap to become a Club pro first before getting good enough to become a tour pro. So don’t feel too sad about a guy who lied in game where its all supposed to be about integrity. So not’s not give him all the props some may want to give the guy. I’ll give him props for making it. But you have to have talent not just a want or will yourself to be a touring pro, there’s too many parts of the game you have to be really really good at to become a pro. I personally sat and beat balls for 2 years every single day and never became a pro. i became scratch but not a pro. Just didn’t get the god given talent that some receive.
footwedge
Feb 27, 2013 at 3:50 pm
Ridiculous.
When he entered the tourney he knew there was a chance he might be subjected to the shame and horror of having to play a consolation round, where he would only recieve as little as $400,000 (to play a round of golf).
Get real
Dolph Lundgrenade
Feb 28, 2013 at 11:47 pm
He already earned the $400k before he tee’d off in the consolation match. For these players the $100k difference isn’t the deal. The win was the deal and that is over.
Tied for 3rd is better. Another format for the consolation would be even better. Maybe the 3-6 or 3-8 play some sort of skins match.
footwedge
Feb 27, 2013 at 3:12 pm
Total whiner, has no idea what a day of hard work really is. He’s complaining about playing a round of golf, of all things, and getting more money than 99.9% of people earn in an entire year.
Completely distorted sense of reality, sniffling baby.
setter02
Feb 27, 2013 at 3:41 pm
Do you know anything about Poults? He’s far from silver spoon fed/country club culture like so many other kids grew up into… Give the guy some props who at 17 and a 5 capper decided he was going to become what he is now… Do some research before expressing your opinion… He’s earned the right…
Boydeeo
Feb 27, 2013 at 3:42 pm
I understand your point that its hard to accept a complaint about this from a guy that makes more money both of us combined without getting out of bed
Do remember that he did start his career in a local pro shop and you have to beleive he worked is a$$ off to get there.
Just my 2 cents
Dane
Feb 27, 2013 at 3:11 pm
I agree with him…Put the 2 best Junior amateurs on for a second match if they need more golf on tv. That would be more fun to watch than 2 guys that don’t want to be out there.
Joey5Picks
Feb 27, 2013 at 3:59 pm
Or Chris Berman vs. Charles Barkley.
Kevin
Feb 27, 2013 at 2:42 pm
This is the key. The reason he has amassed great wealth without winning wiith great regularity is a result of the large purses from the sponsors and tv deals/exposure. I’m on the fence regarding “Poults”. I admire his visible tenacity in high pressure team and match play situations. I think his attitude should change some when he analyzes his situation and realizes his empire is intertwined with the hand that feeds.
Jerry
Feb 27, 2013 at 2:37 pm
Nobody wants to play for 3-4, and no one wants to watch it either.
PoloFox
Feb 27, 2013 at 2:23 pm
I am sorry but I disagree with him. Sure no one will remember who finished 3rd or 4th but there is a reason why PGA TOUR players get paid what they do. Publicity/Ratings!!! I mean seriously the amount of money he gets paid/wins… He can’t go out and play another 18 holes??? Come on!! I mean he does have FANS that want to watch him right?? Why not do it for them? If he did not want to play he should have dropped out!! End of story and don’t go on social media crying. Not a Poulter fan and this is another good reason why.
Gary Ward
Feb 27, 2013 at 1:58 pm
He’s right, the losing semi finalists don’t play off in tennis or in FA cup or champions league or in NFL and no-one complains we don’t know who comes third. Split the money and fed-ex points etc the Tv only uses it to fill between shots on the game everyones wants to see anyway.
larrybud
Feb 27, 2013 at 1:04 pm
He may be right, but it’s all about TV. It’s already slow going on TV when there’s only 2 matches going on. Make it 1 match and it’d be a snoozefest.
tom
Feb 27, 2013 at 12:34 pm
Ian is correct who cares tie for 3rd split cash..
Callaway X Hot
Feb 27, 2013 at 12:29 pm
Poulter is entitled to his opinion but to me he comes off as a spoiled brat that is upset because he did not win. Come one you’re making millions by playing golf and there may be some hard working folks who paid money to watch you play in the consolation match.
Suck it up and play.
Rob
Feb 27, 2013 at 4:19 pm
I agree, Poulter comes off as a baby. If he really had a good argument he could have stated it more maturely. The article does well to point out the importance of the difference between 3rd and 4th, not only for the cash they receive but for season-long points and rankings.
Rufiolegacy
Feb 27, 2013 at 5:44 pm
A lot of people feel the same way about Poulter, and maybe he is a bit of a brat. However, under the circumstances to get that close through the field and end up not in the finals match. I can understand his frustration.
Shark
Feb 27, 2013 at 9:51 pm
I disagree. I think he is to be admired as he plays to win. So many get cushy only concerned with cuts and monet (although he does get a knock for winning so rarely… Not sure why?)
But In a tourney until the last swing you feel you could win… In consolation match you hit first ball knowing you can only do third at best.
SCOTT MILLER
Feb 27, 2013 at 12:11 pm
Why is it so bad when someone states what they believe?? Let him make his point and let him feel the way he wants. It is none of my business.
Joey5Picks
Feb 27, 2013 at 3:58 pm
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and to make their point. It doesn’t mean others don’t have the right to question it. Bottom line; you have the right to say what you think, but you don’t have the right to do it without repurcussions or blowback.
E-gree
Feb 27, 2013 at 11:43 am
I agree with him completely!!!