2015 PGA Tour

[FL4WL3SS]

Well because the 2015 season already started.
 
In case you didn't already hate Patrick Reed enough. Here's more ammo:
 
http://www.cbssports.com/golf/eye-on-golf/24786320/patrick-reed-drops-expletive-and-gay-slur-on-course-will-be-fined
 
His apology was piss-poor an insincere.

 

[Comfortably Lomb]

Guy doesn't give a hoot. Gotta respect that. But also, screw him.

 

[Lupe Whalewatch]

who hasn't said that after leaving a 3 foot putt short???

 

[Comfortably Lomb]

who hasn't said that after leaving a 3 foot putt short???

 
I would have been run out of town if there were a microphone on me back in high school and college.

 

[SoxJox]

 
I would have been run out of town if there were a microphone on me back in high school and college.

Wait...you mean you WEREN'T run out of town?
 
Edit: On second thought...you WENT to HS and college?

 

[luckysox]

who hasn't said that after leaving a 3 foot putt short???

Many, many, many golfers have found a way not to say that after leaving a 3 foot putt short.

 

[Average Reds]

Many, many, many golfers have found a way not to say that after leaving a 3 foot putt short.

 
Fairly certain that Lupe was mocking Reed, not defending him.
 
Might want to check your sarcasm detector. 

 

[TFP]

 
Fairly certain that Lupe was mocking Reed, not defending him.
 
Might want to check your sarcasm detector. 

I didn't read it that way.

 

[Average Reds]

I didn't read it that way.

 
I would have a hard time believing he wasn't sarcastic, but I guess I could be wrong.

 

[Freddy Linn]

Crazy finish in Shanghai.
 
Tim Clark has made over $23M in his career with just two wins.  With his runner-up, he has one second place finish in every year since 2004, except for three seconds in '07.  He always makes big checks.

 

[Lupe Whalewatch]

Who the hell is Chris Como??

 

[Comfortably Lomb]

Who the hell is Chris Como??

 
Tiger is entering the "throw shit at the wall" phase of his career.

 

[cshea]

Tiger's back this week, playing in his own event, the small 18 man field Hero Challenge at Isleworth.

He's doing his media now and by reading some of the quotes on Twitter it sounds like the plan with Como is for Tiger to drop some bulk/weight and get his swing back to closer to what it was in his amateur days.

 

[FL4WL3SS]

Some swings...
 
https://vine.co/v/Onl3gdH9u5v
 
https://vine.co/v/OvBAYuKZrXA
 
Wider stance. Wider takeaway. More balance. Longer Swing.
 
I like it.

 

[cshea]

He seems to finally be acknowledging that Foley's swing wasn't good for him physically.

The press conference has been encouraging, he's saying the right things. Hopefully it the work he is doing translates onto the golf course.

 

[FL4WL3SS]

Definitely looks like a more natural fit for him and its encouraging. It was odd that he went to stack and tilt to begin with and even odder he stayed as long as he did, as it never seemed a fit for him. A big part of the philosophy is that it eliminates the cut shot and that's always been a staple for him. And it seemingly did the opposite and eliminated the draw for him. Given the principles perhaps the back injuries played a factor in that.

It was also odd to listen to him speak after the change and how the way he talked was different. He became so much more technical talking about trackman numbers and the like rather than feel or eye, which he always had been and is needed. I don't know if forced is the right word but it didn't seem like him.

Hopefully this gets him back in the mix, but I still firmly believe that until his putting gets back, he's not returning to being Tiger. Obviously he's too old now and no longer has the physical advantages he did when he was TIGER, but to get back to winning majors he needs to be the putter he used to be.

Literally everything you said in this post is wrong.

 

[FL4WL3SS]

He wasn't using a stack and tilt methodology, first off. There is a big difference between what Foley teaches and stack and tilt. While some of the principles are the same, they are different and calling what tiger was doing stack in tilt is wrong. Not every swing that emphasizes staying centered is stack and tilt.

Stack and tilt does not try to eliminate the cut shot. The emphasis on the swing is to make solid contact by having the same point of impact on every swing. They promote it as a "get rid of your slice" swing for beginners, but what swing theory doesn't?

Foley's swing did not "eliminate the draw for him", but Tiger himself had consciously tried to eliminate that side of the golf course. Like Hogan, Tiger is terrified of going left because he's never been able to control it. So with his driver, he's tried to prevent it. His best golf in 2000 saw him able to hit the ball with all ball flights.

Read up on stack and tilt and not just go by what you hear on the golf channel. There are fundamental differences between what Foley teaches and stack and tilt. For example, Foley teaches a centered evenly distributed weight distribution at setup whereas stack and tilt requires more weight on the front foot and even promotes shifting weight forward during the swing.

 

[FL4WL3SS]

Stack and tilt promotes hitting in to out, which results in a draw

This is completely wrong. Hitting in to out is the worst thing you can do in a swing and causes a slice. There is no swing theory that would promote this and it certainly is not a principle of stack and tilt.

 

[Zomp]

Hitting in to out causes a slice?  My swing is inside out and I've always been a right to left player.  Interesting...
 
 
 
Edit:  A quick google search shows opinions are all over the map...like most things in golf.

 

[Zomp]

and while I don't know much about the golf swing, I will say that I don't think PP's last statement is off.  Tiger can't dominate courses anymore because the field has caught up with him in power (and he's getting older).  It will be interesting to see how he handles courses in the future. His short game needs to get back to being one of the best ever, especially in the clutch.

 

[barbed wire Bob]

This is completely wrong. Hitting in to out is the worst thing you can do in a swing and causes a slice. There is no swing theory that would promote this and it certainly is not a principle of stack and tilt.

Not according to Foley

These easy adjustments to your swing will get you routinely hitting a draw:

1. Drop your right foot back an inch or two at address. This creates room on the downswing for the desired in-to-out swing path, which is essential to producing a draw.

2. Feel like your hands are moving more around your body--instead of above it--during the backswing. Do this correctly, and it'll feel like your hands have swung behind your right shoulder. This also makes it a lot easier to deliver the club on an in-to-out path and promotes the slightly open clubface you need at impact.

3. To start down, shift your hips toward the target, and hold back your shoulders as long as you can. This will prevent the common fault of spinning the upper body toward the target and shifting to the back foot, which causes the swing path to become out to in and shuts the clubface. The result is a shot that starts left and often slices.

4. Minimize forearm rotation through impact. This idea often gives golfers pause, but excessive forearm rotation toward the target causes the face to shut prematurely. Remember, the face has to be pointing right of your target at impact. That's what starts the ball to the right and sets up the draw.

http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/2012-12/sean-foley-law-of-the-draw

 

[FL4WL3SS]

There's a critical step there, he's telling you to modify your stance so that the path of the club goes slightly inside and feels like it comes outside. That is critical. If you attempt an inside out swing with a normal stance, you will hit a slice. In to out is what most golfers do that causes that over the top move that you see with most slicers.

EDIT: when you close your stance as he suggested, you don't really have an in to out swing. You are swinging on a square path to your body, but this helps promote an inside path to your ball with a closed club face. That is critical to hit a draw.

If you notice Tiger's practice swings with Foley, he was exaggerating an over the top move to help him avoid the left side and hit a fade.

 

[FL4WL3SS]

Hitting in to out causes a slice?  My swing is inside out and I've always been a right to left player.  Interesting...
 
 
 
Edit:  A quick google search shows opinions are all over the map...like most things in golf.

Are you sure your swing path is in to out? Or does it just feel that way?

If it is, then I would guarantee that you make some sort of compensation. For example you have a quick release and roll your wrists or maybe you hit a pull draw.

EDIT: I may actually be confusing what you're calling in to out with what I consider swinging to right field. In that case, I'm wrong. You can swing that way effectively, but not without a lot of release and wrist roll. I will say, consciously trying to bring the club inside will cause an over the top move in 99% of golfers.

 

[Zomp]

yes you're right.  I swing to right field.

 

[barbed wire Bob]

Are you sure your swing path is in to out? Or does it just feel that way?
If it is, then I would guarantee that you make some sort of compensation. For example you have a quick release and roll your wrists or maybe you hit a pull draw.
EDIT: I may actually be confusing what you're calling in to out with what I consider swinging to right field. In that case, I'm wrong. You can swing that way effectively, but not without a lot of release and wrist roll. I will say, consciously trying to bring the club inside will cause an over the top move in 99% of golfers.

Yeah, I think there is some confusion regarding terminology. If you read the writings of older golf instructors, they tend to refer to any swing where the club approaches the ball from the inside as an in-to-out swing and I tend to follow that. From reading your posts I get the impression you prefer the more modern terminology defined in this linked article (posting from the phone so the quote function isn't working well).

http://www.golfwrx.com/139927/swing-path-problems-and-how-to-fix-them/

 

[cshea]

Tiger is +5 through 16 and DFL, albeit in an 18 man field. I haven't been able to watch but it sounds like the short game is a complete mess.

Him being rusty was to be expected but I thought he'd do a bit better since Isleworth is his home course.

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

He's chunked a few chips.  Amateur-like chunks.

 

[Number45forever]

I played about 60 rounds this year and didn't hit two chunks around the green as bad as Tiger did today (what, four times?!).  And I'm a fat 4-handicap from Vermont.  Swing looks pretty good to me and he looks lean, which I think is great for him.  There's reason to hope he'll be great again.  But his short game has been shit for two years now and thats, um, a problem.

 

[Lupe Whalewatch]

Potential Tiger WD coming shortly

 

[cshea]

Puked on the first tee, made birdie.

He won't WD, this is his tournament that benefits his foundation. He'll play it out.

 

[Lupe Whalewatch]

Yup-gutted out a pretty good round too.

Spieth is absolutely on fire...28 birdies in his last 64 holes .

 

[cshea]

Spieth is absurd. -26, 12 shots clear of the rest of the field. He may double up the field before this thing is over. Back-to-back wins for him. 

 

[Lupe Whalewatch]

Scary shit for Patrick Reed and family...
 
http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golf-central-blog/patricks-reeds-wife-hospitalized-after-seizure/

 

[TomBrunansky23]

Wasn't sure where to put this one but apparently Rory has a new girlfriend...her name is Erica Stoll.
 
Not all that interesting until you get to the part where she was one of the the PGA officials who realized he was nowhere to be found on Sunday at the 2012 Ryder Cup and woke him up so he wouldn't miss his singles tee time.
 
A fact I didn't realize when she ran the volunteer orientation meeting I attended before the 2013 PGA here in Rochester.  I remembered her right away when I saw the article today.  I wouldn't describe her as knockout model-type gorgeous, but I would say she was very, very pretty and hilarious.  She had all of us old (and really old) men laughing and definitely paying attention to her presentation.
 
IIRC she mentioned that as part of her duties for the PGA of America she would spend the better part of the year leading up to the PGA Championship living in the city of the event and working on-site, moving on to the next city once the tournament was over.

 

[cshea]

The TOC at Kapalua is this week, which kicks off the bulk of the 2015 season. Day, Kuchar, Horschel and Bubba are the headliners in the small field. I always enjoy watching this event, looking forward to the start of the season.

Rumor has it Tiger might be kicking his season off in Phoenix.

http://m.espn.go.com/golf/story?storyId=12132533&src=desktop&rand=ref~%7B%22ref%22%3A%22http%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2Fy4ZGibbrT4%22%7D

 

[FL4WL3SS]

i'm in full on Tiger lovefest this year. I think he's going to have a big year. It seems he's finally at peace with himself and his game.

 

[cshea]

Tiger says he will play Phoenix and Torrey to start his season. That'll be a fun week in Arizona. Super Bowl and Tiger at the WM.

Kapalua tees off today. Giddy up.

 

[FL4WL3SS]

Tiger has had an interesting history in Phoenix. 
 
- He had the infamous hole-in-one on 17 in 1997
- He had the crowd move a boulder as a 'loose-impediment' to bend the rules
- A heckler was tackled after following him around the course, found later to have a gun
 
Hasn't played since 2001. I'll enjoy watching his return.

 

[Freddy Linn]

Holy shit.
 

PGA Tour player Robert Allenby said he was kidnapped Friday night after missing the cut at the Sony Open in Hawaii, according to a broadcast report.
 
Allenby's caddie, Michael "Mick" Middlemo, told the Golf Channel that the 43-year-old, four-time PGA Tour winner spent Friday night at a wine bar in Waikiki when he was abducted, placed in a car, beaten up and driven 6½ miles away.
 
According to the report, Allenby said he was robbed of all his cash, credit cards and cell phone. The Golf Channel showed a photo of Allenby that it said he took himself that showed a large scrape above his swollen left eye as well as scratches on his nose.
 
According to the report, Allenby said he was found by a retired military man in the middle of the night. The man got him together and brought him back to his hotel near Waialae Country Club, site of the Sony Open.
 
As of Saturday afternoon, Allenby and police were reviewing surveillance footage from the bar in an attempt to identify potential suspects, the report said.
 
A Honolulu police spokesman did not immediately return a call to The Associated Press seeking confirmation. A phone call to Allenby went straight to voice mail.
 
Although he hasn't won on the PGA Tour since 2001, Allenby is 27th on the tour's career money list with more than $27 million in earnings.
 
News of the reported abduction quickly circulated around the PGA Tour on Saturday night.
 

 

[WayBackVazquez]

We should have a post to keep track of players who WD from tournaments because of injuries after bad rounds. Inevitably, the first time 39 year-old Tiger Woods withdraws because of injury, he'll be accused of quitting or faking and we'll hear that he's a disgrace to the game.
 
Today, Ryan Moore, 32, withdrew because of a "neck injury" after shooting a 77 yesterday. He's expected to play next week in Scottsdale.

 

[FL4WL3SS]

For once I agree with you.

I feel dirty.

 

[cshea]

22 players within 3 shots of the lead today. Should be a doozy of a finish.

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

Hard not to root for Compton

 

[FL4WL3SS]

Hard not to root for Compton

Was just coming here to post this. I'm rooting hard for him.

Colt Knost is on fire though.

 

[cshea]

Haas is on 18 with a 1-shot lead. Wayward tee shot has opened the door ever so slightly, but 18 is a par 5. 
 
This may be trickier than I thought. He's got to either hit it like a baseball on a tee or hit if lefty. 

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

He's going to earn his par from there

 

[Freddy Linn]

This lie was the only way this hole was going to be interesting.

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

Bogey = six man playoff(or more)

 

[cshea]

That'll probably do it. Nice recovery from Haas. 

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

Damn, he looks smooth