Golf is often considered a gentleman’s sport. Traditionalists might characterize it as a game of higher class, devoid of foam No. 1 fingers and shirtless, painted fans.

Unfortunately, golf received a rude awakening this month with charges of racism that do not seem to be going away. First, Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman said opponents of Tiger Woods should “lynch” him in a back alley as a way of challenging his dominant play.

Tilghman’s unbelievably poor choice of words led to a two-week suspension, which ended four days ago. GolfWeek magazine kept the issue burning with a cover photo depicting a solitary and empty noose in front of an ominous purple sky. The move led to the firing of Dave Seanor, vice president and editor of GolfWeek. All of those actions were prelude to what many wanted all along — comments from Tiger Woods.

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Unquestionably the greatest active golfer and probable best to ever play the game generally stays away from controversial topics, either because he does not fancy himself a fire starter or because it better suits his endorsement game. If the latter is true, one can easily look to Michael Jordan as a similar athlete who worked almost as hard at his squeaky clean endorsement image as his sporting craft.

Woods himself finally addressed the issue last week saying, “I am socially active every day of my life.” Woods made his remarks Wednesday from Torrey Pines in La Jolla, Calif., where he made his first start of the year at the Buick Invitational.

“And that’s with my foundation, what I try to do with kids.”

Earlier in the month, Woods accepted Tilghman’s apology, going on to call the story a “non-issue.”

Unfortunately and wrongfully, his forgiving mood prompted many commentators to suggest Woods could have done more, adding he has not been more vocal on social issues.

On Thursday, NFL Hall of Fame player Jim Brown said Woods should have spoken out against Tilghman’s remarks.

According to ESPN.com, while appearing on ESPN First Take, Brown was asked whether Woods had a responsibility to speak out on certain issues, as an African-American.

“He should have come out right away,” Brown said. “Instead, he waited until it was politically correct (to comment). The word ‘lynch’ ... there is no redeeming part of it. When you say lynch, you’re gonna have to pay the price. That is a very embarrassing word, a humiliating one, in the history of our country.”

Brown is right in his characterization of the word lynch but he has no right to throw Woods under the bus for not being a more vocal black spokesman. Many have unfairly labeled Woods as a pushover.

However, that is where the problem lies because Woods, who like so many other Americans, traces his cultural heritage to a number of different nationalities. His father, Earl, was black and his mother, Kultida, is from Thailand. He seems to be the personification of the American “melting pot” theory.

He has no obligation to ethnic groups to be their chief spokesperson. He owes no fallen heroes. His chief responsibility is his family, child and wife. From the outside, which is where he keeps the media, those needs appear met 10 times over.

His response to dimwitted comments like the one Kelly Tilghman made this month or the ones Fuzzy Zoeller made in 1997 are not headline grabbing rants. Woods displays grace and accepts apologies. His even tempered approach and steady hand are characteristic to be admired, both on and off the golf course.

To insist otherwise is the true insult.

STEPHEN HEMELT is the city editor at The Daily Iberian. Contact him at stephen.hemelt@daily-iberian.com.