The themes around their influence this week, as the catalyst for Ko's recent decline, have tapped into all the ingrained stereotypes about Asian parenting but without demonstrating much insight.
We loved Lydia when she was doing well, one of thebest athletes that New Zealand has ever seen.
We marvelled at her work ethic from a young age, and dedication from her entire family.
We were relieved when she decided to stick with the Silver Fern, unlike several other Korean-born golfers who spent years here then switched allegiance.
But now, as she struggles, it's largely because of her Korean upbringing and obsessed, domineering parents Gil Hong and Tina Hon. Really?
There is a bit of "casual racism" in the sentiments expressed, and the slavish adherence to the views conveyed by former coach David Leadbetter, as if he is a whistleblower, bravely expressing the truth behind the tyranny in Ko's life.
Leadbetter's comments could be self-serving, as he has a mixed legacy.
Ko's success during his tenure owed much more to the foundations laid over a decade by longtime coach Guy Wilson.
Lydia Ko. Photo / Photosport
And Leadbetter's attempt to overhaul Ko's game, as one golf writer said, "took the most rhythmic, beautiful swing in women's golf and turned it into a loopy version of what Jim Furyk does", with the awkward looking "A" swing.
It's a shame that, for a country that has embraced Asian immigration, we still view everything through a western prism.
Gil Hong and Tina Hon – along with the incredible efforts of Wilson – have done what no New Zealand parents have managed. They produced a golfer out of this country who went to the top of the world.
It was Tina, especially, out there in the wind and the rain, watching her daughter practice and compete, every day from the age of five.
That's true, unfiltered dedication.
And the environment that Gil and Tina created produced a unique character; in such a mentally demanding sport, Ko was a free spirit, full of personality and fun.
That's partly why she was (and is) so popular on tour, because she was so different to many contemporaries, who lacked charisma and charm.
Ko was also a breath of fresh air in New Zealand, where many athletes keep their real personas hidden, most notably our beloved All Blacks, whose unsurpassed brilliance on the field is matched with unrelenting blandness off it.
The recent comments have also shown a lack of understanding about Korean culture.
Korean values, like Japanese, are built around a family core that's hard for us to comprehend.
Lydia Ko. Photo / Photosport
That's why, in both countries, it's still common for parents to live with their married children, while helping to raise the grandchildren, rather than being across town in a retirement village.
It's a culture of reciprocity; parents do everything they can to give their offspring the best possible life, and the children deliver on those sacrifices.
Ko can't be who she is without her parents, and expecting her to start disregarding their advice or instruction is akin to asking her to stop being Korean.
There are a number of layers to Ko's recent struggles, including the increasing competitiveness of the women's tour, and the power game of the new breed.
The constant changes in Ko's stable (coaches, caddies, equipment) in recent years also haven't helped and her parents have surely made some mistakes, but let's keep some perspective.
Ko is the best female golfer this country has ever had, and probably ever will.
Even if she never wins another tournament, it's hard to see her achievements being surpassed.
The 22-year-old is already a national treasure.
And her parents, who have surely done more to unearth such a gem that anyone else (with again, noteworthy mention to Wilson's remarkable contribution) deserve our enduring praise and gratitude, like Donald McCaw, Sandra Williamson and Kevin "Smiley" Barrett, rather than cheap, unfounded criticism.
