Being in the public eye, athletes get both love and hate from fans. Every single thing that they do, whether on-field or off-field, is subject to immense scrutiny. Ian Poulter and a few other golfers who joined LIV Golf know this better than most. In fact, hate from the public has silenced a huge part of Poulter’s life, his passion and enthusiasm for cars.

The LIV golfer has a passion for collecting cars, especially Ferraris. He owns a wide collection of several rare models, including the Enzo, F40, F50, and 288 GTO. Calling them the “Works of Art,” he doesn’t even drive them. In 2019, the 3x PGA Tour winner revealed that when someone has a love for cars, they don’t drive them, they just watch them, and that’s what he does. He used to show off his cars regularly, but that has reduced after joining LIV Golf.

A fan brought up the topic, asking why Poulter is no longer creating car content. “I was getting so much abuse for joining LIV Golf. And people were battering me for showing any wealth. Even though all the cars were purchased before LIV,” Ian Poulter wrote, replying to the fan. “So many hypocrites in the World. The very people battering me have wanted a pay rise at their work or applied for a higher paying job. Simple your a hypocrite. Take care of No1 first and that’s your family. THE END.”

The 12x DP World Tour winner has openly discussed the abuse he faced in the past as well. He described post-LIV abuse as “pretty vile,” and blamed the media for escalating it. Poulter even noted that the abuse disrupted his eating. The Englishman had to turn to sausage sandwiches and chocolate, as he was feeling “awful” and “slovenly.”

“But I was feeling awful, slovenly, and it was plainly not a good situation,” Ian Poulter said.

It’s not just him who faced the abuse. Graeme McDowell also faced similar backlash. In fact, he received death threats and “go die” messages for defending LIV Golf. “I can’t turn on my Instagram or Twitter account without someone telling me to go die,” he told BBC.

Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm, Danny Hatton, Greg Norman, and many others have faced similar criticism for leaving the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf.

Notably, Ian Poulter linked the move to family-first decisions. Back when Poulter made the move, the money on the PGA Tour was not that great. As Greg Norman has always highlighted, the LIV’s inception created a much-needed competition. According to him, it is this competition that compelled the PGA Tour to make several changes, like introducing the equity program and raising prize money.

For Poulter, though, it was not just money, but time with his family, too. He reflected on the same while responding to another fan who asked if he missed the PGA Tour.

“I play 14 times a year now instead of the 28 I used to. So no I don’t miss doing over half the year away from the family. But the European Tour and the PGA Tour were a huge and the most influential part of my whole career and I loved playing on all the Tours I’ve played on. ❤️ 🙏🏻👊🏻,” Ian Poulter wrote.

This reply highlights that it is the quality time Poulter gets to spend with his family that he treasures the most. While the money would have been a big influence, the family part is also there. One can see his love for his family in the conversations he has with his son, Luke Poulter.

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Ian Poulter is his son’s biggest supporter

Ian Poulter has always shown support for his son, Luke Poulter’s game, and career. Most recently, he shared a four-word message for him ahead of the Walker Cup 2025. “Let’s have a week,” he said. The 20-year-old was about to make his Walker Cup debut against the top American amateurs.

Just before that, Poulter had shared another heartfelt message for his son. “To be able to compete against and with your son in an event is completely fulfilling. I am extremely fortunate to have been gifted that unique experience and it makes me so happy,” Ian Poulter wrote in an Instagram post’s caption.

The message came after he and his son both narrowly missed qualifying for the US Open 2025. Luke Poulter started strong but fell short by a few shots after missing back-nine chances. But the 12x DP World Tour winner showed excitement about competing alongside his son rather than being disappointed.

The heartfelt message even included a Ryder Cup memory, where Poulter embraced his teenage son in 2018 after the European team won. Ian Poulter asked his son to practice if he wants to play in a Ryder Cup match, too. After the exchange, Luke Poulter cried, and Ian Poulter said that he also wells up every time he sees that picture.

Ian Poulter’s story shows that behind the headlines and criticism, his decisions have always circled back to protecting his family.