Loading...
'Friends as enemies': A sociological analysis of the relationship among touring professional golfers
Fry, John Bloyce, Daniel
Fry, John
Bloyce, Daniel
Citations
Altmetric:
Advisors
Editors
Other Contributors
Affiliation
EPub Date
Publication Date
2015-08-06
Submitted Date
Collections
Files
Loading...
Main article
Adobe PDF, 337.03 KB
Other Titles
Abstract
This paper examines the relationship among male touring professional golfers from a figurational sociological standpoint. The paper is based on 20 interviews from players with experience playing at various levels on the EPGA professional tours and a level ‘above’ that. The results indicate a workplace culture where many begin to adopt the attitudes and behaviors that encourage the development of networks of temporary ‘we-group’ alliances. The ‘touring’ aspects of professional golf means many players strive to forge these alliances to help reduce feelings of loneliness, isolation, and homesickness while away for long periods of time. Such stresses are intensified given the globalization of sport generally and the associated increases in labor market migration that has become commonplace. The urge to develop friendship networks constrains players to behave in a manner expected of them rather than in a way that reflects their actual emotions, such as maintaining a positive attitude during difficult times like spells of poor performances and time away from their families. The relationships among players on tour is, however, non-permanent and/or partially changeable. Players are ‘friends’, characterized by togetherness and camaraderie, while, at the same, showing evidence of tensions and conflict as they are ultimately in direct competition with each other for a share of the overall prize money.
Key words: professional golf, workplace relations, sport labor migration, figurational sociology, friendship networks
Citation
Fry, J., & Bloyce, D. (2015). 'Friends as enemies': A sociological analysis of the relationship among touring professional golfers. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 52(3), 336-360. https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690215597659
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Journal
International Review for the Sociology of Sport
Research Unit
PubMed ID
PubMed Central ID
Type
Article
Language
en
Description
Series/Report no.
ISSN
1461-7218