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A Good Walk Spoiled


Dolfan in NYC

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Part of it goes back to the '08 knee surgery but even then I kind of agree it's mostly mental. He got it in his head (I gather, partially from what doctors told him) that the best thing for his health was to change his natural swing.

 

Well, he's certainly done that. I don't think Tiger's swing today looks like it did in '08 before the knee injury. And it sucks. It's a miracle he still wins some of the smaller tournaments at all. It looks really robotic, mechanical, and at times outright unnatural. It's just not him.

 

His putting is also nothing close to what it was. I mean, I don't want to say he's fallen off the cliff as badly as Vijay Singh did there a few years ago. But it's close.

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It is a fall from much higher than Vijay and is way bigger to me. I don't think we've seen anything quite like it in sports ever.

He has to figure something out to get his head right. What makes the most sense would be to go back to Butch but I doubt the two would ever agree to it.

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Not sure how I feel about Davis Love as Ryder Cup captain again.  It definitely bothers me that Jim Furyk who is a Ryder Cup absolute dog was given a voice in the task force that decided the captain.  Furyk has been terrible in the Ryder Cup and was probably the main reason the US lost in 2012.  I don't think he has the mental game to withstand that situation.  He's one of the most accurate drivers on tour and still one of the best iron players but he can't get it done in crunch time and that whole event is a pressure cooker.  But he had a big problem with Freddy when Freddy texted him instead of calling when he didn't select him for the last Presidents Cup team. 

 

I just don't get how you pass over Couples to go back to Love and you have guys like Furyk, Tiger, and Mickelson on the committee making that decision. It's just stupid to me.  I get it, you have Tiger and Phil who are two of the best golfers of any era and Tiger probably the greatest of all time but when it comes to that event they're not.  They're not even average.  They're bad.  And you have Phil constantly making public statements and airing his opinions.  Why should anyone care.  They could leave Phil at home and not lose anything and actually be better off without the bitching. 

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Tiger Woods taking leave of absence from pro golf. "When I think I'm ready, I'll be back."

57 days seems good enough for Tiger.  

 

He's just announced he's playing The Masters.

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Tiger Woods taking leave of absence from pro golf. "When I think I'm ready, I'll be back."

57 days seems good enough for Tiger.  

 

He's just announced he's playing the first two rounds of The Masters.

 

That seems better.

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Well, I certainly missed the mark about Tiger's performance this weekend. Don't know if he's going to make it interesting on Sunday (only because I don't know if anyone is going to make it interesting on Sunday), but certainly better than 99% of folks expected, I think.

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Good showing so far for Tiger. Has done better than I expected him to. Tomorrow will be interesting to see how Spieth holds up mentally after last year and with that late double bogey.

Rose is still if not on his heels, close enough to make this interesting.

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Tiger may have broken fingers after that hit in the brush/roots. Shit looked like it really hurt.

 

Rose on the 8th hole was a proper scramble. Wanked the tee shot, spuffed it against a tree for his second. His third was sublime, his putt was an Around-the-world rimjob followed by Rose doing a lil shake rattle and roll.

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I enjoyed the tournament but wish there would have been more suspense in the final round.  Spieth never really let anyone get close.  Spieth has such a solid and consistent all around game.  If he keeps playing this way and perfecting his game, we will see some amazing golf for a long time.  Especially with Rory, Rickie, and Patrick Reed all being young and playing so well also. 

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Normally I am glued to the final round of the Masters, but nobody made a serious run at Speith, and the outcome was never in doubt, so it was just background noise most of the afternoon yesterday.

 

I think it would have been a lot more interesting if Phil was paired with Speith and started off hot yesterday. Speith was always going to be the crowd favorite paired with Rose, but against Phil going for #4? Not a chance, and maybe it would have messed with him.

 

Interesting stat: -14, which Mickelson and Rose both finished at, would have won 70 of the previous 78 Masters tournaments.
 

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Spieth will be bald faster than Ryan Geztlaf by the look of it.

 

That's rare.

 

Honestly, I wasn't that into this year's tournament. Obviously what Spieth did was amazing but it really kills a lot of the drama. My big hope is that they don't go nuts and "Spieth-proof" the course but that's probably what will happen and next year will have some goofy high score for the win.

 

Game is in good hands. There are a ton of good young players out there that will keep golf compelling for years. And I think Phil and Tiger showed here they are far from done just yet too. Next couple years could be a lot of fun.

 

EDIT: Forgot to mention, loved the sendoff for Ben Crenshaw. "I feel like I won the tournament." That was great.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Calvin Peete recently passed away at age 71.  He was the most successful African-American golfer before Tiger Woods, winning 12 times on the PGA Tour in the 70s and 80s ...

 

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golf-central-blog/peete-12-time-tour-winner-dies-71/

 

I remember watching Peete on TV in the 80s.  As all of the flashier golfers were trying to hit the ball a mile and end up in the woods or water at the worst possible time, Peete just quietly did his business.  His drives were a bit short but always straight, and he always won by simply being a consistent player on the course.  Nothing flashy -- he just got the job done.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Odd question, but I'm kicking myself for missing the final round of the Players. Does anyone know any replay schedule or way to watch a replay of the final round? 

 

On another note, great sign that Rory is seeing these guys playing well and rising his game up. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Does anyone else on here play?

I just started. I really wanted to for a while but never got around to it. By "just started" I mean that I've gone to the local driving range a bunch and have swung using whatever club they have available. I'm largely using a 7-iron because it seems really forgiving. I've also just watched a ton of YouTube videos and articles on how to swing a golf club.

It is SO friggin' hard. I'm at the point where I think 25% of the balls I hit aren't completely muffed. I don't think that's hard considering I didn't even know until last week that you had to keep your left arm straight or you linked your hands when gripping a club and I'm using some random unfitted iron at a crappy club. I've also had a few of the people at the range give me a few pointers. I tend to move from my set posture upright way too early, and that's obviously no good. So I'm at least conscious of that and the phrase "keep your tush line" has entered my internal vocabulary.

My younger cousin's really good at golf and has been playing since he was 8. He's going to give me an unofficial lesson this weekend. There's also a Par 3 public course within walking distance from my house and they have lessons, too. This seems like an ideal place to learn.

But man, anyone who says golfers aren't athletes is so completely wrong. Getting a good swing requires the absolute greatest sense of physical timing imaginable. It also requires agility and strength since hip muscles weren't really built to snap and stop at warped speeds. I haven't even contemplated putting or chipping yet.

It's also great motivation to get into the gym again, since I was sore as anything after my first two days doing this. The workouts that coincide with golf are actually really good for all parts of life -- the core -- and don't need weight training if I'm away from the gym.

This is such a great, fun hobby. If anyone has any tips for a newcomer please let me know!

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Some tips I remember from when i started. I'm right handed and started at 14 (now on the cusp of 35 with a 21 handicap) with an old howson 8 iron and a fazer putter. 

 

Swing through the ball not at it. You're going to be tempted to hit at the ball in order to get a clean connection and to skite it up the fairway. dont. Get a stone chip, a piece or grass or something noticable different in colour, but flat and place it a half inch in front of where you want the ball to go. Address the ball normally, and with a half swing (i.e. dont choke yourself with your own shoulder) attempt to hit both the ball and the object. That way you're not hitting the foot of the club, or lifting up on your through swing and topping the ball.

 

Dont tiger it - tiger has been playing since 3. you've been playing a week. you're not going to hit bombs every single time. When i hit or putt I mime Benjamin Crenshaw to myself. Its sad, but its the perfect name to give you enough time for the backswing and the followthrough.

 

Positioning - for lower numbered clubs, where you're going to hit longer distances, position the ball closer to your left foot. For higher loft clubs, more towards the centre.

 

Putting - the bin lid. You're not going to sink 40 yarders or even 10 footers in your first couple of games. Most times, aim to get within a bin (trashcan) lid of the hole and you'll 2 putt around a course in no time. 

 

youtube david leadbetter. his old vhs tapes helped me a ton when i was forming my swing. Also look at pros who have a similar build to you, for best ideas on how to adopt a swing.

 

You'll get frustrated beyond belief, but then you'll boom a drive exactly where you want it to go, or hit a pin high diamond of a shot and you'll have won the ryder cup in your head. It's those feelings man.

 

Enjoy it but take your time before going out and buying a ton of clubs. Test drive everything you can...

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