During the British Open back in 2015, an incident during the final round incited fury among golf fans. As Zach Johnson proceeded for a putt to seal a win in a three-way playoff, a BBC correspondent, Peter Alliss, made a se*ist remark about the golfer’s wife, Kim Barclay, when the camera panned to her. He jokingly uttered,
“She is probably thinking – ‘if this goes in I get a new kitchen’”, implying how the couple would spend the prize share.
Immediately after, there was a barrage of negative comments against Alliss, and the BBC ended up issuing an official apology.
“Peter made a light-hearted comment which was inappropriate and we apologise if anyone was offended.”
This wasn’t the first time that Alliss made an ignorant comment through his commentary. Controversy sparked when Paul Dunne hugged his mother during the third round of the same tournament. Alliss connected the sight with inappropriate fantasies and stated,
“Ah, that must be mum. Perhaps he likes older women. I don’t know but I hope I got the right one.”
These were just two instances from a single tournament. In the past, he had made remarks on feminist movements that nearly dragged the BBC into a pit of fire.
Peter Alliss’ controversial remark on women’s rights put BBC in a difficult spot
Alliss, who is a former professional golfer, is well known for his controversial stands. In 2015, his words on women’s rights in golf caused a major outrage. The comment implied that golf’s attempt to give equal rights to women created turmoil in the sport. He stated,
“I’m told the Ladies Golf Union has lost 150,000 members since equality for women came in. Hundreds of women have left golf clubs because they’ve gone from paying half fare to full fare. It’s caused mayhem”.
He further continued,
“The equality thing is a great part of golf. Equality for women: a few people battled away to get it, they got it, and they have buggered up the game for a lot of people.”
His remarks highlighted the unfortunate mentality of sports commentary. His words lacked respect and sensitivity. Later, BBC had to apologize for his comments, but many believe that the organization should have taken severe measures to address such issues, at least when repeated.
Se*ism is not uncommon in sports, including golf. While women fight for greater purses and more recognition, there are still elements who think that such comments fit into today’s changing socio-political scenario. Even golf influencer, Paige Spiranac has gone ahead and voiced her opinion on the gender inequality that prevails in the sport. But, with players like Nelly Korda and Annika Soresntam creating engagement, the future of women’s golf seems promising.
