There is no doubt about Tiger being the best player in the world right now, but it is good to see that the other top players are doing what the can to close or minimise the gap.
We haven't talked about it much, but at the Bellsouth Phil was carrying two drivers, both Callaway FT-3's, but with different set ups. He's got one to help him hit the fade he used to win in 2004, and one that helps him hit a long draw without having to change his swing. He's going to carry both this week as well.
He continues to look for those half-stroke savings that add up to wins in the big events. I think you have to admire the way he thinks about the game - he's not just working on his swing, but matching his swing to the course he's playing.
Looking at his stats this year, he has to be a big contender this week.
Its funny how Tiger can play two different competitions this early in the season, one person sees the one where he Hacks his way around ending up in all sorts of problems, albeit with that underlying gutsy attitude & miraculously coming away with a score we'd all never achieve on our best day. And then the other person sees him the next day at another event & Tiger is another person, each shot fantastic & coming away with the crown for another day.
I saw both Tiger event recently. Lets just say If I was a person to put money on Tiger I wouldn't be doing so early in the season. I saw this patern last year & I'm seeing it this year too. He's not the only golfer to suffer the season start gremlins. He's like Jenson Button on New Tyres.... Uncompetitive the first few laps, but blazingly good when they're warmed up.
I think it's a pretty cool idea for him to carry two drivers. It seems to me that his game is based more on feel, so if anyone can use different drivers, of different lengths, it's Phil. His game is more art than science, so he can create different shots better than most players.
I wonder what club he took out of the bag to accomodate the extra driver. It might have been a wedge, since he had trouble on Saturday on 18 at the BellSouth, when he seemed to be in between clubs on his fourth shot, and put it in the water. If he did, in fact, take a wedge out of his bag, it may be even tougher at Augusta, with all the delicate shots the players face around the greens.
I think it's a pretty cool idea for him to carry two drivers. It seems to me that his game is based more on feel, so if anyone can use different drivers, of different lengths, it's Phil. His game is more art than science, so he can create different shots better than most players.
I wonder what club he took out of the bag to accomodate the extra driver. It might have been a wedge, since he had trouble on Saturday on 18 at the BellSouth, when he seemed to be in between clubs on his fourth shot, and put it in the water. If he did, in fact, take a wedge out of his bag, it may be even tougher at Augusta, with all the delicate shots the players face around the greens.
It was a gap wedge at Sugarloaf. I read somewhere that at Augusta it will be the sand wedge - he said the course is so long he can't imagine using a sand wedge!
His idea with the two drivers is to be able to hit different shot shapes without having to change his swing. Imagine being able to step up, hit a long draw, go back to your bag, step up again, take the same cut and hit a soft fade!
Oh, okay.. my mistake .. he did use the 52 when he put it in the water... right?
Yeah, the 52 was the dunk in the water - they said the 60 wouldn't get him there and that the 56 would've been the perfect club. Again, I'm just repeating what the commentators said, but they said it was the 56 he had taken out.
To be honest, I'm somewhat surprised by this, as you would figure the extra wedge would be particularly valuable in Phil's hands, but if what he did last week is any indication, I guess it isn't such a loss.
OK, I actually heard he took out the GW (52) and was trying to finesse the SW (56)....I presume the FW (60) wasn't an option from the drop area, which IIRC was around 90 yards.
At any rate.....doesn't it seem ludicrous to remove a scoring club to gain an advantage on one or two drives? Which do you think will have more effect over the course of 72 holes?
Which holes is he likely to use one of his 4 wedges (he also carries a PW)? I suppose #8 is a short pitch, and the newly lengthened #15.....#2 remains reachable, correct? #13 is he's up in the pines or over by the creek and has to lay up.
But think of the number of times he might have a wayward drive, and won't be able to reach the green. If you go far left on #2, #5, #9, #10, #14 and #17, or too far right on #1, #11, and #18, plus throw in the newly lengthened #7....all holes we will see guys get into a stymied spot where they can't reach the green and end up playing sideways. What will they have left? If it's 80-120 yards, and Phil has the wrong wedge in his hands.....
OK, I actually heard he took out the GW (52) and was trying to finesse the SW (56)....I presume the FW (60) wasn't an option from the drop area, which IIRC was around 90 yards.
At any rate.....doesn't it seem ludicrous to remove a scoring club to gain an advantage on one or two drives? Which do you think will have more effect over the course of 72 holes?
Which holes is he likely to use one of his 4 wedges (he also carries a PW)? I suppose #8 is a short pitch, and the newly lengthened #15.....#2 remains reachable, correct? #13 is he's up in the pines or over by the creek and has to lay up.
But think of the number of times he might have a wayward drive, and won't be able to reach the green. If you go far left on #2, #5, #9, #10, #14 and #17, or too far right on #1, #11, and #18, plus throw in the newly lengthened #7....all holes we will see guys get into a stymied spot where they can't reach the green and end up playing sideways. What will they have left? If it's 80-120 yards, and Phil has the wrong wedge in his hands.....
Too clever by half IMO.
My recollection could be wrong - maybe it was the 52. Either way, no, I don't think it's worth removing any of his wedges to have an extra driver in his bag.
I remember the announcers saying the 52° was too much club for a full swing, so that's why he half cocked it.
And that's why it went in the water.
Phil will probably make his ultimate choice about carrying two drivers after the practice round or after the first round.
I think he'll stay with the two big sticks.
What other long clubs could he trade to put another wedge in his bag?
My recollection could be wrong - maybe it was the 52. Either way, no, I don't think it's worth removing any of his wedges to have an extra driver in his bag.
Dave Pelz would roll over in his...oh, wait, he's still alive - nevermind. Please continue.
What other long clubs could he trade to put another wedge in his bag?
That is a great question... its going to be tricky, because the players need either a 5 wood, hybrid, 2 iron or 3 iron specifically for the par 3 fourth hole - depending on the wind, they need at least two of these clubs.
And Erik brings up a good point, about Pelz. All that work Phil does with Pelz, and he relies on less than four wedges.
You'd wonder why Phil doesn't just get a 54* and a 58* wedge. I suppose he can't try them now but he should have experimented at Sugarloaf. The post about him being stuck without one of his wedges is silly as he will obviously lay back to a full shot when the time comes
April 4th, 2006, 07:05 AM
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