Sir, – Contrasting various forms of football with golf, Denis O’Shaughnessy observes how when players of rugby, soccer or GAA are interviewed they refer to colleagues by nickname and suggests that golfers are immune to this (Letters, July 18). Ironically the first golfer he mentions is Tiger Woods, whose full name, Eldrick Tont Woods, is essentially never used. Many of the nicknames of the most famous golfers, perhaps reflecting the sport itself, are just too long for practical use however. Referring to one’s rivals as The Golden Bear rather than Jack, or The Great White Shark instead of Greg, sounds bizarre. Footballing nicknames of whatever code seem to, pretty consistently, be short. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN O’BRIEN,
Kinsale,
Co Cork.
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Sir, – I fear Denis O’Shaughnessy has missed the cut on golfers’ linguistic immunity to using nicknames.
Has he not heard of Arnie, Sevvy, Himself, the Golden Bear, Woosie, Supermex, Slammin’ Sam, the Big Easy, Doc and Wild Thing?
And what about birdies, bogeys, stymies, and oozlers? – Yours, etc,
NORMAN FULLAM,
Baily,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – G-Mac. – Yours, etc,
ATTRACTA HEFFERNAN,
Rathmines,
Dublin 6.
