Let's say the best carpenter in the world has an 20oz claw hammer and a 16oz clawhammer in his belt. He finds he can consistently drive the nail all the way in with one swing using the 20oz, but he finds he is making hammer marks on the wood that will show in a finished area. So he switches to the 16oz, and finds he can drive the nail 99% of the way in, and finish it with a tap without leaving an ugly hammer mark. Being the professional he is, he uses the 16oz, even though using the 20oz would appear to be more macho. It's not that he CAN'T use the 20oz effectively, just that he doesn't always get the best results using it, so he uses the tool that does give him the best result. It's one of the things that make him Number 1!
Here's the deal. He has a very high swing speed which makes even the slightest miscue with the driver a bigger mistake than it really is. His high swing speed gives him many advantages, but it makes it very easy for him to be off target with his driver. Someone else who earlier this year would have easily been considered the number 2 golfer in the world (Phil) has the exact same issue. He likes to bomb his drives, but his high swing speed makes it tough to hit the fairway.
I have a similar issue. I'm the lowest handicap in our usual group (7 vs. 10s and a 12), but I'm the least likely to hit the fairway. I'm 50 yards past them when I am in the fairway, but a higher swing speed makes the slightest miscue a bigger deal than it would with a lower swing speed.
Most of the top players on the money list are the bomb and gouge type meaning that they hit it a mile off the tee, but are usually off the fairway and need to gouge a wedge out of the rough. The theory is that it's easier to hit it close to the pin with a wedge from the rough than a 5 iron from the fairway.
I am just surprised that the No. 1 golfer in the world appears to be struggling with an important club as if he were average (same goes for the No. 2 golfer).
It's obviously not that important of a club if he can win the Open with out it
A bit picky. He may not be the best at Driving right now and he probably never will be but his stats have improved. Phils #2 and he hits it in trash cans and on top of tents as well. We must think golf is easy.
It's obviously not that important of a club if he can win the Open with out it
I agree that he can win without it, but I wonder if he is under any pressure from Nike to use the money-maker (driver). I am sure Nike thinks it is a very important club!
Sure, the more bombs his SQ the more nike makes but more he wins the MORE nike makes (balls, irons, clothing...). I'm sure nike doesn't really mind if he doesn't hit the big stick as long as he continues to be #1
This guy just won 52 PGA Championships along with 12 Majors so he must be doing pretty decent, including hitting the driver, although as noted, that isn't his strongest part of his abilities.
Even the greatest players in their respective sports have weaknesses.
MJ didn't make all of his shot, he was not the quickest, nor was he a great passer but he got the job done
Joe Montana did throw interceptions and missed his target, at times, he wasn't the most mobile QB but he got the job done.
Wayne Gretzky wasn't fast, he missed shot, didn't make all of the passes but he got the job done.
The theory is that it's easier to hit it close to the pin with a wedge from the rough than a 5 iron from the fairway.
This may be so with the pga type courses but not the US open type courses. The rough is to brutal even with the wedge. Besides Tiger has shown that his long irons are as good if not better than most guys wedges
I would like to see Tiger hit his driver with 80-85% power. He doesn't seem to have a "go to" shot when he really needs to hit a fairway. If I need to hit a fairway I tee it up on the right side and hit a fade. If Tiger came up with a reliable "go to" driver, the rest of the field would really be in trouble.
I would like to see Tiger hit his driver with 80-85% power. He doesn't seem to have a "go to" shot when he really needs to hit a fairway. If I need to hit a fairway I tee it up on the right side and hit a fade. If Tiger came up with a reliable "go to" driver, the rest of the field would really be in trouble.
I think the rest of the field is saying "oh ****" already b/c I think he has a "go to" shot...we saw it y'day...It is his hard 5 wood. He hit it just about as far as Cink hit driver (#18 in regulation). Scary to think of a 460 yd par 4 that he hits his go to 5 wood that he says "normally" carries around 250 (then rolls out to say 260 or 270) that leaves him in the neighborhood of 200 yds which is a 6 or 7 iron...which btw is something he expects to hit inside 20 feet more often than not...me thinks we will see less and less of Sasquatch and more and more TW at the top of the leaderboard (than we already do)
Last edited by ForgedRbest : August 28th, 2006 at 01:16 PM.
Reason: inappropriate comment, please refer to GR's language and content policy
Tiger woods has evolved thru the years and does whats good for his game in that time.He used to hit a 2 iron stingers back in the 99-2000's then changed to the 5 wood not too long ago.He even has a punch driver. Anyone notice that he hit all the fairways using it and ended up 300 yards.
Tiger woods has evolved thru the years and does whats good for his game in that time.He used to hit a 2 iron stingers back in the 99-2000's then changed to the 5 wood not too long ago.He even has a punch driver. Anyone notice that he hit all the fairways using it and ended up 300 yards.
Yeah he usually hits it pretty straight with the stinger Driver. At the Buick Open, he hit a few of them and they were all dead straight and 330 yards long. That's pretty crazy to hit it that far hitting a punch shot. LOL.
Listened to an interview with Hank Haney on the subject of the driver and he suggests that, due to technology, it is really just a "specialty" club for Tiger in the present and future. His long irons and 3 & 5 woods can get him into position on most courses to go to his "short" game clubs for the shot to the green. Hank says with the new balls and drivers, Tiger just hits it TOO long to be useful most of the time.
August 27th, 2006, 03:03 PM
already b/c I think he has a "go to" shot...we saw it y'day...It is his hard 5 wood. He hit it just about as far as Cink hit driver (#18 in regulation). Scary to think of a 460 yd par 4 that he hits his go to 5 wood that he says "normally" carries around 250 (then rolls out to say 260 or 270) that leaves him in the neighborhood of 200 yds which is a 6 or 7 iron...which btw is something he expects to hit inside 20 feet more often than not...me thinks we will see less and less of Sasquatch and more and more TW at the top of the leaderboard (than we already do)
Linear Mode
Similar Threads
