Can't get that mojo working

Don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing.

I never watched his reality show, although I did walk by Trump Tower once. Joy Ann Reid says he is cut to the quick that pop culture is rejecting him.

She is  astute. Yes, Americans have exported pop culture to the world.  Yes, our political life has become a branch of pop culture.

But she overlooks golf.

Kennedy with his sexy Hollywood star charisma and photogenic golf swing.

Reagan the cowboy movie star and golfer.

Bill Clinton the sax playing southern boy with a passing resemblance to Elvis but also golfer.

Bush the lovable dorky dad who golfs.

Obama the cool hipster who dances and sings and hangs out with  pop stars but also golfs.

How deep does this pop thing go? I'm not totally convinced.  There are plenty of us around who don't live our entire lives in a pop dream world.  (We don't play golf either.) Hillary Clinton is an anti-pop figure. She may have swung a golf club now and then, but she was never serious about it, the way so many men are. She thinks people should grow up. She is 100% mojo free. What a killjoy. Even at that she got almost three million more votes than the reality pop star golfer in chief. Golf, the boys' game for men.  So structured, such a parody of outdoor living. Cleaned up and structured "natural" setting, lots of gear to buy, real estate opportunities galore, and to people like me at any rate boring beyond comprehension.

The only effective critique of pop culture comes from the critical theorists. Pop is a charismatic system that serves the power structure by obscuring the mostly mundane nature of human existence.  It is not mere entertainment. Someone serious should write about golf from the viewpoint of critical theory. It is a comprehensive way of looking at social issues that gets around what seem to be fragmentary or unrelated cultural phenomena. Golf is a subset of the charismatic pop category, "sports."

Comments

[Ingineer66]

I never watched his show either and we walked past Trump Tower in April. But some nut job had sent a package of white powder to the building the day before, so we didn't want to deal with the security and media frenzy that was going on to try to enter the lobby.
Interesting golf observations. We mostly heard about Clintons and W's jogging, but I guess they all played some golf.
I waited until I was almost 50 to take up golf. A little over a year into it, I am not very good yet, but I do enjoy the game and it is an extra excuse to be outside. I think I know more women that golf than men. We all have a good time hanging out together. From what I have seen so far, there seems to be a generational difference in how people act at the course. While there are always exceptions, people 30-65 are mostly relaxed and enjoyable to be around. Out for fun and social interaction. People less than 30 are in a hurry and just focused on playing. And people over 65 are just uptight that there is anyone other than their group on the course.

[Hattie]

Ingineer: I suppose that is because the older and younger players take golf more seriously as an indicator of status and feel that the rabble are ruining it. But to me it's a funny way to enjoy the outdoors. I'd rather go hiking.
More: An avid golfer acquaintance of ours who lives in Palm Springs is doing more hiking and less golfing these days. This could be a trend.

[Ingineer66]

I like hiking too, but the wife prefers golf. So we mostly hike on the course. Almost never use a cart, so we get plenty of walking in.

Golf as a sport has become less popular in recent years. Across the nation there are several courses that have closed. Some people say it is because of the demise of Tiger Woods and others say it is that young people have too many other things to keep them busy. My guess is a little of both, but Woods was a pop icon that helped bring attention to the game.

[Michael Strickland]

Dear Hattie:

I play bad golf occasionally as a moderately poor person, on inexpensive municipal layouts, and thoroughly enjoy the game as both a social activity and a good, long walk with something amusing to focus on. (I hate hiking, for some reason, possibly because I start daydreaming and fall off cliffs and things.) Plus, you don't have to play AGAINST anyone in golf, unlike tennis for instance, but can play with/against yourself. It's a great older person's game, and at a certain age, the difference between genders shrinks. I've played with 70+ women who didn't hit it very far but they were usually accurate and had great short games, and very often beat me.

Having said that, the aspiring rich, corporate, toxic masculinity, power structure of country club golf is an entirely different kettle of capitalist fish, with its tendril offshoots of expensive resort courses in Hawaii, Palm Springs, Florida, etc. If you want to find out what the old power structure really thinks, get a subscription to "Golf Digest" and read between the lines.

Sorry to read about your kitty. I can't even think about it or I'll start crying.

[Hattie]

Everyone: Thank you for the kind words about our Fred. We are just dragging ourselves around today.
Michael: Did you ever play at the Sharp Park Golf Course? I used to live in Pacifica within walking distance of it. Last time I was out there my sister and I had quite a nice meal at the club house.
Very pleasant place.

[Hattie]

Oh, and the Pebble Beach Golf Course and tournament just jumped into my mind. That was a big deal with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope.

[Michael Strickland]

Dear Hattie: I love Sharp Golf Course in Pacifica, and play there with my Bad Golfers Club all the time. The 1920s clubhouse is frozen in time and totally cool.

[Hattie]

Michael: If you ever drive by 66 San Jose Avenue, that's where we lived. My sister and daughter were there recently and took a selfie in front of the house.