Ted Bishop - Unfriended: Power Brokers, Political Correctness & Hypocrisy in Golf

Ted Bishop
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available

ISBN 978-0-940889-71-2
ISBN 978-0-940889-72-2 (ebook)

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my wife Cindy who has been with me every step of the way for 40 years. She has never wavered in her support and love for me. It is also dedicated to my daughters Ashely and Ambry, who are both good golfers, but even better people. And to Tom Watson whose friendship means more to me than anything I ever accomplished in golf.

Ted Bishop

Introduction

F or 23 months, I had the privilege to serve as the 38th president of the PGA of America, the largest working sports organization in the world today. It was the most exciting time of my life. The PGA of America owns the PGA Championship and the American share of the Ryder Cup, two of golf s most prized properties. On October 24, 2014, I was impeached as president for what some considered to be insensitive gender-based remarks. Unfriended is a chance for me to tell my side of the story and share my journey through golf.

Why are you writing this book? Are you doing it for the money? What are your motives? Are you angry? These were common questions that I was asked when UnfriendedPower Brokers, Political Correctness and Hypocrisy in Golf became a reality.

With this book, I was seeking self-validation and the opportunity to tell my side of the story surrounding my impeachment as the 38th President of the PGA of America. The first couple of chapters of Unfriended will explore the historic events behind my impeachment. But, the bulk of the book is about my journey through golf.

I had given 25 years of service to the PGA of America. It all culminated with my presidency in 2013-14. I took great pride in being a pro-active president who focused on what was good for the 28,000 men and women of the PGA. During my presidency, we were able to raise the profile and stature of PGA members. Just as important, I also wanted to have a positive impact on the game of golf.

I felt many emotions after my impeachment. Embarrassment, despair, rejection, betrayal, anger and depression would best describe my mental state in the weeks that followed my unceremonious fall from grace in golf. It was an extremely tough time for my family and me.

In December 2014, almost two months after my impeachment, things started to turn for the better. I was approached by Greg Fisher, a friend from high school. He and the Horizon Planning Group in Indianapolis wanted to plan a dinner and golf tournament to honor my accomplishments as PGA president.

Fishers group created The Mulligan OpenA charity event creating second chances. It certainly defined where I was at that point in my life. What made The Mulligan Open so very special was that Tom Watson; eight-time major champion; Tim Finchem, Commissioner of the PGA TOUR and Steve Stricker, PGA TOUR star all showed up on my behalf. Alex Miceli, publisher of GolfWeek, emceed a dinner and fireside chat with my three friends and me. Over 200 of my members and closest friends were in attendance. We raised nearly $50,000 for various charities.

When Tom, Tim and Steve, three of the most respected people in golf, came to Franklin, Indiana in my honor it spoke volumes. All of these guys had privately reached out to me in the aftermath of the impeachment. Not only did they offer me their encouragement and support, but they made it public when they showed up in Franklin on that Tuesday night in August 2015.

In Tom Watsons case, it didnt stop there. He was notified about a month after The Mulligan Open that he had been selected as an inductee into the PGA of Americas Hall of Fame. Watson issued the following statement.

While I was flattered by PGA President [Derek] Spragues honoring me to be inducted into the PGA Hall of Fame, I couldnt accept in good conscience because of how the PGA mishandled the firing of my friend and immediate past president of the PGA, Ted Bishop.

In my lifetime, this is probably the greatest display of friendship that anyone has ever showed me. If you know Tom Watson, you know that he is a man of great principle. He once resigned his membership at the Kansas City Country Club when he felt the club was discriminating against Jews. Watsons absence from the PGA of Americas Hall of Fame leaves a tremendous void.

I have learned a lot about myself and others throughout this tumultuous time in my life. Friendship is everything. However, it can sometimes be fickle. Power and personal agendas can trump relationships. Your closest friends could become your fiercest enemies and you are usually the last to know.

Would I change some things on my end? Absolutely. Who wouldnt want a few mulligans in the game of life? Unfriended is my mulligan.

In the days, weeks and months that followed my unceremonious removal as president of the PGA of America, readers of this book should know I was frequently targeted by the PGA of America. Obviously, there were former colleagues within the hierarchy of the PGA of America who were uncomfortable my perspective on events. They had good reason to be uncomfortable, as you will read in the following pages.

I decided to continue publishing this account while knowing full well that I would lose some friends. So be it. I also believe there are stories surrounding my golf career and my time with the PGA of America that readers will find compelling and instructive. There is no way that I can adequately express my thanks to Mike Beckerich at Classics of Golf publishing. When Mike read the manuscript he believed my story needed to be told. I am forever grateful for his confidence in me and my book.

How my term was preempted came about because of my own short-sightedness, followed by what I believe to be a dreadful mistreatment of me by the PGA. I reacted on Facebook and Twitter to some comments Ian Poulter, an English touring professional, made in his book Off Limits about Tom Watson, eighttime major champion, and Nick Faldo, a winner of six of golf s major championships. The fallout from my reaction was summed up best by writer Geoff Shackelford as part of Golf Worlds 2014 Newsmakers of the Year.

Ted Bishop made a lil mistake. For that, the controversial PGA of America president lost his job less than a month before his term was to end and he was to become a ceremonial-but-respected figure for having raised the associations profile. When responding to Ian Poulter on Twitter and Facebook, Bishops lil girl reference was seen as a demeaning remark for the head of a group with a less-than-stellar record on progressive matters. Others, though, saw the comment as a silly mistake that the PGA board overreacted to by hastily forcing Bishop out and sullying a body of work that included more energy and previous action than seen from previous PGA presidents.

During Bishops tenure the organization shrewdly appointed Pete Bevacqua as CEO and picked Tom Watson as Ryder Cup captain (widely praised at the time). Bishop grew close to PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, fostering a new and important relationship between the two organizations. Most indelibly, Bishop endorsed his organizations long-overdue awarding of its major events to public facilities, specifically Harding Park and Bethpage Black.