Do pro golfers like Anthony Kim really believe these garish belt buckles make them cool?

Jul 10

Do pro golfers like Anthony Kim really believe these garish belt buckles make them cool?

Golf has long suffered from an obvious deficit of cool. While Tiger Woods may have changed this for himself with his dramatics, that hasn’t shifted the landscape for all the rest of pro golf.

So what are golf’s best doing to be hip?

Breaking out big, hulking, garish belt buckles of course. This trend’s been going on for a while, but Rocco Mediate brought it to the forefront with his peace sign belt buckles at the U.S. Open. With Rocco, the journeyman battling his sports’ great unmovable force shot for shot, it was sort of cool. Mediate wasn’t trying to promote himself with his buckle. He was just being himself, the same wise guy who’d dress up in Tiger red for that Monday playoff with Tiger.

That’s the rare exception though. For there’s Annika Sorenstam sporting AS belt buckles with small 59s on them at the U.S. Women’s Open. You know to remind all those youngsters in the field that she once shot a 59 (newsflash Annika, they still don’t care) while pimping her own brand. And as classy as Sorenstam is, you haven’t seen a seller this determined since a QVC host.

Anthony Kim - the new IT golfer of the moment because of a few largely meaningless Ws - one ups even Annika with his country music singer-worthy, hunking belt buckles though. The ones that Tiger himself has made fun of.

This is how pro golfers have decided to try and show some personality? Through belt buckles?

Golf can now give up on ever being cool. Even the cricket players are laughing now.

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11 comments

§ Gary A said on : 2008-07-10 @ 17:51
I agree completely, belt buckles are one of the lamest, most juvenile ways to show personality. Can you imagine tiger with a large tigers face belt buckle it would look ridiculous. What's next? those ridiculous shooter sleeves NBA players wear? Thanks for pointing the ridiculous fashion statement out
§ Kiel Christianson said on : 2008-07-10 @ 21:30
Rodeo cowboys think belt buckles are pretty cool. I'd love to see you guys tell one of those dudes they're belt buckles are lame.
§ Ron Mon® said on : 2008-07-10 @ 21:46
I think that Gary and Chris are idiots. Believe it or don't, the world doesn't run on cool. Maybe in Vegas and other roach traps, but not in the rest of the USA. Take a leave of absence from your plastic cool cultures and visit flesh and blood America, like the LA neighborhood that Kim calls home.
§ Kiel Christianson said on : 2008-07-11 @ 00:29
BTW, I was going to say, "...they're lame," then revised. In case you were wondering....
§ Joe said on : 2008-07-11 @ 11:20
If you knew anything about the modern day sub culture you would know that belt buckles are tight but you don't. I also didn't know that winning a tourny on tour could ever be meaningless especially winning over a million dollars each time. Oh, nevermind you must be a big time millionare as this online sports blogger you are lol....Everything about AK is cool from his swagger to his hot on backwards at bryon nelson last year to his hip hop blasting in the players parking lot to his youthful modern day handshake. I don't know why there are so many haters out there but then again the same thing if not worse happened to tiger when he was coming on as well.
§ Ross said on : 2008-07-12 @ 22:56
The guy has won two tourneys....Who cares about his belt buckle?

I'll tell you what isn't cool!!! Your blog is about nothing.
What about his play? Are you a golf blogger or a belt blogger?
You should leave this kind of blogging to Timmie boy !!!
§ Stacy said on : 2008-07-13 @ 21:09
Give AK a break. He's working hard and winning. He earned his belt buckle.

And, wins are never meaningless...
§ Blogger said on : 2008-07-13 @ 23:15
Do you wear lipstick and spandex pants? You seem a little girly and somewhat of a golf loser type.
§ BV said on : 2008-07-14 @ 12:15
lol....Baldy!! I think Ross called it this time - you really should leave the lame-o posts to TimmyMac, Monny, and Kiel!

After all - Nesmith has to get value out of SOME of you....and El Cheapo can't cvarry the whole load! ;)

No Kiel - we just figured you were 'expanding the limits of the English language' like your leftist buddy Monny! ROTFL
§ Butch said on : 2008-09-21 @ 22:04
So is Anthony Kim's Ryder Cup W "largely meaningless?" :)
§ DPG said on : 2008-09-22 @ 09:11
I thought it showed American Spirit. So what !! He's is proud to be an American and not afraid to show it or express it. He was repreenting U.S.A