Golf - classic or dud

Playing golf is something I won't do till I'm a good bit older but it is the best activity for people as they get older. Very social, not too strenuous, lots of dinners/drinking sessions. I love golf on BBC, Alex Hay is such a polite and good humoured man. There's no sport left on TV with as little glitz as Golf right down to the commentators.

Ah golf.....I even love the rippling applause and the noise when they hit the ball

Rant over.

am sad i am missing the open (already missed wimbledon and the eng sri lanka test series) but the good thing abt missing the open is not hearing Peter allis' 'commentary'. It's just torture really.

They then started creating artificial coastal scrubland all over the world.

apparently American golf courses are more "artificial" than Irish & Scottish ones, and there is some pressure on courses over here to become less natural so as to appeal to yankee dollar.

but whatever, it's all golf = all boring middle class men off playing their boring game and cosying up to the boss over a few gin and tonics and then drink driving home.

The fact that there is no player interaction only increases the enjoyment of the game for me. Sublime and no jock0's around to spoil your day.

golfing with the boss=dud, which is why almost nobody does it.

My husband streaking across golf courses at sunrise in the early 70's=classic.

Miniture Golf- A good time for druken teenagers on a Saturday Night. Watch where your standing at the ramp over water hole, I was hit with a flying ball and got a bruised collar bone. It was funny till the booze wore off...

Classic Allis - Hay exchange from yesterday;

Allis (lamenting Seve's withdrawal due to being rubbish now): 'I'm afraid there aren't too many things you get better at as you get older'.

Hay: 'Sweeping?'.

today they showed a bunch of CLIPS together [highlights, perhaps] with some krazy 'dance' music over the top.

one commentator: is that the sort of music you like to dance to?

another commentator: no, actually. I'm more of a gavotte-merchant.

I have an inkling that the another one was allis. if so: AllyC is OTM.

and the end of the open yesterday was rather thrilling

Allis: A mention to Mrs [x] who's just about recovered now from the shock of the burglary. I hope they catch the culprits soon.
Hay: Terrible. [Proceeds to say something about appropriate capital punishment to apply when they are caught]
Allis: Ooh no, surely a bit of flogging first. So the punishment lasts longer.
Hay: Oh yes, of course.

i hit golf balls this week. i have more natural ability at it than most other things that involve hitting balls. fun. and v. satisfying when you actually get it up in the air and far away. though i usually don't get quite as much distance as others. dunno if that's a strength thing or a technique thing (or the stella i had?). not too much exercise if you're just driving, though.

(we never heard of Africa in America, btw. TS: chatty, bubbleheaded non-news v. snide content.)

I've started playing again recently too and my handicaps gone down from a 14 to about an 11/10 - played ardeer and carded an 84 (an unecessary 7 [!!!], and three unecessary 6s) but shoulda been a 79. that is playing to handicap I guess (it was 14) but I reckon markers would have given me the 7 and 6s as 5s (taking into account the rest of my card.)

I love golf.

soft hands!

do you like it? do you play? are you watching wentworth? will you play golf with me?

let's play golf

Yay!

- Make sure all words are spelled correctly.
- Try different keywords.
- Try more general keywords.
- Try fewer keywords.

ahem:
http://sports.yahoo.golfserv.com/apps/courses/profile.asp?Crs=14815

9-hole courses: dud.
18-hole courses where one of the hole designs is repeated a half-dozen times: dud.
Lots of changes in elevation: classic.

Golf is classic so long as you're playing well...

I think "links" golf has something to do with those weird golf course where the 18th green is also the 1st green, the 2nd also the 17th &c. (like uh st andrew's?) hence the name "links", but I'm not entirely sure.

where does the name "links" come from?

No punches are spared for the PGA's awful racist history, and yet, I still want to play at Augusta. And I don't even golf!

the "culture" surrounding it can seem quite exclusive and overdefined in a boring and elitist way but I don't assume all golfers/people who play golf fall into that trap but, since it is the way, they probably always have to compromise to it, a little, which is offputting

I don't mind watching it on the telly but wouldn't choose to, really. I have been to a tournament or so and the day was OK but not for the golf, so much. like any sport I don't really like to watch (a lot of which I (would probably) quite enjoy playing, for fun), I might watch the final day or so, if there's nothing else to do/friends are watching it

my problem is talking about golf

I cannot stand people talking about golf

not talking about a tournament, if it's on, but, I'm sure, I wouldn't be interested in that either

people talking about their own games, especially to people who haven't invited it or expressed any interest

and loudly

one of the most boring things

(he (the person that prompted this) also talks about money and, probably, cars (another two of the most boring things))

(I used to play golf, btw, and was a member at my local club (years ago))

(crazy golf and pitch & putt are, of course, classic)

oh the inevitability of it all!

Woods' playing ws brually clinical and as much as I wanted to see a close finish it didn't matter in the end. DiMarco played v well, great put for par (on the 15th, i think) to stay in touch. Only one winner tho'.

What a finish this year - poor Harrington :-(

And Lineker interviewing Romero in Spanish...

poor Harrington? Poor Sergio more like (ahem choke ahem)

Golf is classic for golf shorts, mini-golf, and a slight high school reputation for badassery earned for accidentally knocking someone's teeth out with a golf club, but everyone assuming you did it on purpose because the victim was a douche.

Golf is not classic for golf courses and the haughty, smug culture.

that was exciting.

Oh Sergio :((((

Apparently there is a big doping problem in Golf these days. madness.

it was great on thursday when they were asking one of the players (can't remember who) about the doping allegations. his response was exactly what I was thinking, which was "I'm note entirely sure how doping would really improve anyone's game"

classic if for no other reason than inspiring goofy golf.

despite myself i rather enjoyed the end of the open. no problem with segio garcia but i was glad the paddy won, especially after falling into the drink twice ont he last hole.

"poor Harrington? Poor Sergio more like (ahem choke ahem)"

Ha! I posted that just after Harrington's ball hit the water for a 2nd time at the 18th.

Poor Sergio :-(

But what a fantastic finish. No probs w/Harrington's win. He played great.

BUT POOR SERGIO :-(

really delighted that harrington won!

PAIDI

hurrah

i like golf, in theory at least. and golf video games are so relaxing!

so happy for him...what a worker he is. must be close to greatest Irish sportsman of all time.

lol yr goin down america

I have loved the game, but I'm looking to sell the clubs now. Too damn hot to play here.

Seve :( hopefully will be okay.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/7673984.stm

nice video there. something about seeing golf brings me back to being 5 and 6 years old, watching with my parents.

i like golf, in theory at least. and golf video games are so relaxing!

the sounds effects in nintendo golf!!! i also like golf in theory and practice

golf is classic, i'll be sad when it snows. also, golf courses aren't so bad - they're good habitats/refuge for all kinds of wildlife - waterfowl, deer, elk, etc etc. not that big of a deal on a course like greywolf in canada, which sits in the middle of forest and mountains, but pretty cool for courses planted in the middle of the city. good course design is about trying to use the land as it is - planting native plants, ensuring proper water drainage, and naturally merging the course into the existing terrain as much as possible.

i also like golf video games, but i might be biased since part of my job is designing and building courses for golf video games and golf sims

Golf is fun. It's a "sport" that one doesn't have to be good at to go out there and try to play. It's a good exercise in concentration and patience. I put "sport" in quotes because people sometimes want to argue if it's a sport or not.

I even love to watch televised golf. The announcers cliched commentary is really amusing as hell, and then they go and say something really stupidly funny that becomes a classic "repeat it" line. I don't fit on on the golf course at all, and can't play for s**** but it's still the only "sport" in which I can even slightly participate in real life and get away with it. Geekiness on the golf course seems to be accepted for some odd reason. I have fun being the "caddy" just walking the course with someone who actually can PLAY the game, and it gives one an excuse to dress up in ridiculously flashy clothes that anywhere else are a clashing eyesore. A golf course is lovely too, all that expanse of green grass manicured and sand traps raked in zen like designs. I think if I have to define it, I like it because it is refined, unlike other sports like football or basketball. (Yep, I am a definite chick).

am i the only dude watching this

With some justice, golf has been called "a good walk spoiled". I can't say I ever loved it and for most people like me it is pretty dud. But my dad loved it and taught me to appreciate its finer points, just as he taught me to love boxing and appreciate it, too.

Golf is all about achieving fine control over how the club face meets the ball. Ridiculously fine control. Tiny deviations from perfection can result in the ball flying off in all directions and doing nasty things to your score. It appeals to people with a lot of patience, because that is what it takes to swing a golf club in an idiotically nuanced manner, time after time.

My dad liked the gentle camraderie of the golf course, the bad, old jokes and jibes, the strange jargon, the slow pace and the greenery. He wasn't a fierce competitor and he never bet more than a pittance, and only when his partner insisted. But he could whup about 95% of the other players and do it graciously, almost apologetically.

So, in honor of my father, whom I dearly loved, I will say classic.

yeah but is l0u1s jagg3r the only dude watching this

classic: walking around slowly and sort of doing something on a nice day
dud: rich ppl, golf courses ruining the environment

Golf is also the worst game to take up for the day as a complete novice. Normally sport accommodates dilettantes to at least test their hand-eye coordination and participate in some cack-handed manner. Golf destroys the unpracticed. I speak as a wounded survivor.

yeah, ditto.

also classic (pains me though it does to admit it): frisbee golf. esp when you bring beer/w33d

^^^that actually sounds like an awesome game, esp if the "pin" is some sort of quoit peg and the weather is intensely hot

I've given it up, but breaking 80 that one time was pretty great.

i had to look up 'quoit peg' but yeah, it's fun

I think I've once parred a hole, and I've played about 40-50 holes in my life, most of them short par-3s. But what a par it was! Only 80 yard from pin to green but view completely obscured, hit it to about 15 feet! Such are the moments that make it all worth it, surely. Hit the first putt 20 feet past and somehow holed the resulting monster. Easy game tbh.

If you were playing with a flying ring then a quoit peg would work, I'd just imagine there's some sort of table you've gotta land the frisbee on

I'm glancing at the leaderboard occasionally, hoping that this K Perry guy falls apart so I can hilariously point out (to no one but myself) that he's hot and he's cold aaaand so on, ohoho.

tiger is pissed

the masters is def the best sporting event in the world

lol i have pointed out 2 friends that i like to think of kenny perry as katy perry's dad. he's freakin awesome tho. would love to see him win the masters

i fuckin love tiger so much

Thing I've learned from golf commentary: Every single golfer is the greatest human being who ever lived...every one is described as a true gent, honest as the day is long, an inspiration...etc.

Feel sorry for the caddies in there full-body condoms.

Loved the enthusiasm of the guy who was reporting on the players gold bags, he was just so excited.

I quite like golf now, it's relaxing to watch. I want that Spanish guy, Angel something to win, or the Japanese dude with the cool hat.

'their'

What, you mean that Argentine?

Or do you fancy Mr Jiminez for some sort of Lazarine upsurge?

*Jimenez

On yeah, Cabrera, the Argentine! I was half-a-sleep when watching!

Wd like either of the two leaders to win, but I fear Campbell will nick it off both ;_;

aint nothing better than masters sunday imo

pretty great 2 get tiger & phil paired together

lefty is killin it!

OMG THAT SHOT PHIL

OHHH

!!!

omg Woods lolol

watch phil eagle 8 now

Wd like either of the two leaders to win, but I fear Campbell will nick it off both ;_;

― taddletail (country matters), Sunday, 12 April 2009 18:15 (1 hour ago) Bookmark

loooooool

how many fucking putts is tiger going to leave short

ffs

oh boy phil

tiger's been struggling with his irons today...he's putting fine, he just isn't sticking his approaches to <10 feet

That was a severe brain-fart by Mickelson.

yeah, and that's just the way he is, i suppose. playing a nine there is a dumb play. all the trouble is short and being a little long of the pin is not a problem at all...just take your par and get to the par 5 imo

good drive by tiger. he needs an eagle here to have any shot

too long at 12 and you're on the downslope from hell dude

Kenny Perry's swing is even weirder than Jim Furyk's.

xxxpost, I don't think the club selection was the problem as much as the abbreviated swing.

I love Furyk's swing dearly

also I will be happy with this Masters if there is ANY winner other than Chad Campbell

but he will win :(

yeah you dont wanna be long either but it's better than wet. perry's swing is something else...he looks like my mom the way he hesitates at the top of his swing

Somewhere Charles Barkley is looking at Kenny Perry's swing and saying "It just isn't fair!"

lollll barkley, thats who it reminds me of. good call

damn

lol furyk

lol villegas looks like a caddy w/ his all white outfit

if tiger cant stick it from 172 he shouldnt even be out there. srsly his approach shots are such shit right now :/

mickelson will regret that 5 at 12, i know it, he'll lose by 1 or 2

tiger ~needs this putt~

WHOA PHIL

todd hamilton is probably one of a VERY few men to have gotten wet at 12 and escaped with a par

also i think he caught part of a tree w/ that shot!

xpost that hole-out was amazing!

my money's on mickelson

is there a more boring player on the course right now than perry?

CHAD CAMPBELL

i hope that answers your qn

also perry != boring

lol he's two putted like every green

that is what makes his case intriguing. he is teetering on the cusp of greatness and the precipice of failure

how the hell is tiger seven over lifetime on par 4s at augusta? weird statistic

OMG PHIL

Have Tiger Woods' arms always been like that, or is his shirt just making them look bigger?

xp louis nah that's just boring ass golf

william, dude is HUGE

kenny perry is building up to something, and i don't know what it is

aneurysm

n/h
http://www.insidesocal.com/tomhoffarth/TigerWoods_450x400.jpg

anyway woods needs something special, don't see it

mickelson needs some great golf over the next 3 and some wobbles from chad/kenny

pause

lol cozen

OMG the shadows on the green made me think he aced that for a second!

(re: "aneurysm")

"in your life have you ever seen anything like that!"

twas the iconic shot of our times

and yet nobody wd remember it if it had rolled straight in without pause

shame the little hunchback argentine everyman isn't going to win tbf

Ten!

oh boy

i mean look at perry - he sees greatness - he can scent its musk - but it is tantalisingly, agonisingly, one shot away

also lol tiger

lj that is not exciting!!! people close to greatness and choking is much more entertaining.

also tiger lucked out w/ that drive

kenny perry plays it safe shocker...bet he gets up and down for par here

ffs can nobody see that campbell will win and it will be a massive anticlimax

btw if shingo katayama wins i will run naked thru london in a cowboy hat

woah nice work from sandy lyle

whoooaaa @ phil & kenny

:D

he has chosen greatness

lol phil

Phil looks so slim now!

:(

campbell's win becomes yet more inevitable

omg tiger :(

lol

off the tree, haha

Mickelson played that shot so safe, what's the point?

i dont think he meant to lay up on his second, and i think his third was a mishit that didnt spin

Well, at least he's the leader in the clubhouse.

BAM

that

is a shot.

"boring"

angel!

And Katayama officially does for Mickelson's chances.

I <3 that man

And now for our British viewers, an interview with the world's most charismatic sportsman

o perry

wikipedia already has kenny perry finishing second. whaaat?

fancy him making this putt?

play-off

LJ's nightmare could happen

campbell will definitely win now

he stared at greatness and choked

I'd like to see perry or cabrera win.

duhhhh

but it will be campbell

just cant see how Perry can pick himself up

shame the little hunchback argentine everyman isn't going to win tbf

― lo (cozwn), Sunday, 12 April 2009 22:08 (1 hour ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

might be wrong here

the everyman who has won the us open in the past

im just glad this isnt an 18 hole play-off the next day like in the US Open.

looks like cabrera might be out of it

lol british commentators perving on wives n daughters

campbell has it in the bag now if he gets on the green

oohh

everybody is choking.

Cabrera aint out of it now!

waht

great shot!

so will we have a larry mize moment?

I think we'll have another round after this.

i hate to say it, but this is extremely exciting

Hooboy

He almost made that.

god that was close

!!

all 3 should make it to the next hole

wd not want either of those putts to stay in the playoff tbf

Nice

fkn hell great putt

dont see them missing

Cabrera doesn't take much time, he just walks up and hits it.

OHHH

oohh!

now lj can relax

those putts were massive, very missable

I don't like Campbell's wife's hair, ugh

i would like to point out i have been notm in this thread

*pause for breath*

Chad Campbell is one lumpy piece of milquetoast.

kenny perry goes large

he's almost in tears, and I sorta feel for him

Come on dude.

got to love cab's style, just get down and hit it

Alfred Molina is killin' it out there.

lolllll

he's only 40 too

It's over.

yeah

Doc Ock might win by two here.

That was a little bit anticlimactic.

the crowd are a bit muted

lol at wikispeedia

aw

another great golfing choke :(

and he's so gracious in defeat :(

Cabrera is so cool, especially when he tried to whack it through the trees - I thought the tree was just gonna split in half.

Great call up there jel!

Well done Cabrera, that was the sneakiest win of a major - really wasn't talked about as a winner until he actually won. His game on the greens came really good.

Fwiw, ESPN was talking Cabrera up big time on Sunday morning, thinking he might be the one to overtake Kenny Perry.

what a great masters, watched almost all of it over the four days.

I thought Sunday's round was great theater. I love watching the Masters.

me too, or any other golf. it makes me extremely happy. ken brown on bbc was amazing throughout.

missed most of this due to taxi duties ocer easter bank holiday, seemed like a great event

LOL @ Tiger Woods changing the face of golf, making it a sport for athletes: 3-way playoff between a 48 year old, a fatboy and some pudgy little geezer who's never seen the inside of a gym in his life

i dunno, phil mickleson has been hitting the weights since i last saw him, that's for sure.

Still a bit of a chubster tho

he's no marathon runner, but i still think golfers are kinda of bulkier muscle wise than before tiger, if you will.

gotta love the real human touch displayed by the ny times in the blurb for its lead story on the masters:

"Angel Cabrera may be golf's new international face as the sport seeks new markets."

http://www.nytimes.com/pages/sports/golf/index.html

EARTH TO NY TIMES: THE PGA'S INTERNATIONAL MARKETING STRATEGY IS NOT THE FIRST THING I WANT TO READ ABOUT THE BEST MASTERS TOURNAMENT IN YEARS

the anti marketing dollar, that's a good dollar right there.

i swear to fucking god, the ny times angle on EVERYTHING is "what are the P.R. implications of this"

STOP STOP STOP JUST STOP

What are PR implications of Cabrera not having a blonde trophy wife?

brunette college dollar, but tina fey has that market nailed in 09 the bitch

i dunno but somebody should write 800 words about it for the Sunday magazine

Up the workers

ah international marketing strategy... after the Masters I was getting a little sentimental about my youth and Isao Aoki's second place finish in the US Open resulting in a Japanese marketing leverage that the pga used on a go forward basis...

can they just become a B2B publication and be done with it?? PLEASE??

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01203/CONSUMER_Adverts_T_1203733c.jpg

New Gillette line-up: Angel Cabrera; Andy Reid; Amelie Mauresmo

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01203/CONSUMER_Adverts_T_1203733c.jpg

"New Gillette line-up: Angel Cabrera; Andy Reid; Amelie Mauresmo"

Absolutely hilarious

good article in newest nyer abt remaking a old tom moore designed course in scotland -- dont think its free online but there is a slideshow & v.o.:

http://www.newyorker.com/online/multimedia/2009/04/20/090420_audioslideshow_askernish

SO I played my first round of golf this weekend. Not bragging, but I think I did okay, scoring an 86.
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Tell ya what, those little niner side courses can seem a lot longer than they really are!

It was fun just to get out there with my dad. The last time I held a golf club, it was at an Arnold Palmer range with a buddy who sat a box of Franzia down on the bench and watched me skip golf balls across the range like they were stones across a fishin' pond.

I wasn't sure what to expect after that last experience. Fortunately, Dad was patient with me and whaddya know, I even got the ball in the air once every three or four strokes.

We pulled our clubs in the little rickshaw carts. We ate baloney sandwiches at the pavillion with the water coolers. We managed to avoid most of the downed tree branches leftover from last week's storm. I'm 35 and he's 59, and it was one of the better father/son activities we've had in a long, long while.

The moral of this is that I was expecting to suck and almost backed out of playing since it was so early in the morning. But a friend of mine's death this week kinda weighed in on me seizing some moments and I went anyway. I still sucked, but I'm glad I went, and now that it's not as intimidating anymore, I might invest some time in getting better.

But rest assured, even if I continue to suck, I'll still have fun out there.

And why yes, I am aware of this thread: In every mid-life crisis ever

Thanks for mentioning it.

Really want to have the money/time to play golf again at some point in the future, would love to play a round with my dad or some of my uncles.

Hey, nice job! 86 is not bad at ALL for a first round. Er...that was for a full 18 holes, right?

Tell ya what, those little niner side courses can seem a lot longer than they really are!

Also, "I shot in the mid-80s. Had it gotten hotter, I would've gone back to the clubhouse!"

an 86 on your very first full round would be some prodigy shit

xxpost well

I had a lot of fun out there, but I really got into fishing a few years ago too, and well, wouldn't be too awful upset if I never fished again.

PP, I'd offer to sell you my clubs and bag but the travel or shipping expenses make it not worth it.

Anyone hear the Golf last night? Enjoyed Woods' meltdown so much

The talk of 'new markets' REALLY needs to be kicked out!

why don't we talk about golf here?

i hardly play anymore :/

this kuchar guy is all over the place - i'd have an easier time rooting for him if he wasn't a left hand low putter - savages

craig stadler is really laboring

oh lol u meant abt pro golf

ya :/

i play amateur golf too tho

i have great difficulty separating the culture of the game from the game itself, which is one reason i don't play it often. the other is that i can't afford to play it often. but it seems like every time i go home now i get talked in to playing at least 18 holes with my dad, who plays in tournaments and stuff and likes to be ultra-competitive about it and lend me his loaner pair of shoes and give me endless unsolicited pointers. the feeling of finally finishing the game is classic - 4 hours of continuous golf is too much for a noob.

for a moment there, all was british

ugh @ phil's white belt

http://www.starskins.co.uk/acatalog/eng-1293_s.jpg

Where can I watch this online?

masters.org

or maybe justin.tv if you want a tv feed

lj if it makes u feel better whenever i golf i talk with a plummy british accent

well whenever i golf i end up making a colossal laughing-stock of both myself and the sport

i like westwood but he worries me a lot -- last week he was in contention in houston & all but forgot how to play for a 3 hole stretch on saturday

he's um basically doing just that right now

yea thats a tuff hole

great, great sunday

earlier, forget which genius commentator: "tiger without emotion is like, superman, uh, with kryptonite"

fucken smug twat mickelson will walk it now

jesus, mickelson just hooked it to the right on 10, he's fucked

choi is playing out of his mind atm, that was a perfect 3 on ten

i want couples to win

couples or choi, or even westwood, fuck tiger and phil

get the fuck outta here with that shot phil

wow

rip fred

oh no

what the fuck is tiger going to do here

more air than tree irrc

whooooops

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT

After i cum you better start sucking my cock to get it hard

ok i lold

TIIIIII-GERRRRR

haha it sounds like tiger is imitating his wife nagging him

wonderboy has looked incredible all week - am amazed he's not running away with it tbh

I want tiger to go into some ricky henderson 3rd person steez

oh damn choi

wonderboy obv being anthony kim

oh fuck OFF mickelson

that was a hell of a putt

followed by an awful drive. that's phil!

cad otm

phil cannot hit the driver at all

KIM

freedom got an ak

i think it is safe to say that anthony kim is officially going in

god damn there has been some fantastic golf over the last couple days. i love the masters so much.

anthony kim will win like 30 majors

wow tiger needed that eagle tbrr

KIM

― call all destroyer, Sunday, April 11, 2010 4:32 PM (52 seconds ago) Bookmark

i sent this exact message in a text

loving the kim right now

is kim the guy witht he sassy belt?

Westwood will not even get a top-three finish at this rate. Kim on one hell of a charge - but...what's with the belt buckle?

xp!

Portions of this tournament are being broadcast in 3D, which I find bizarre.

oh wait THAT'S why kim isn't running away with it

that's an excellent display name btw jordan

will be heug

http://www.mocksession.com/30fps/%20/TIGERTONGUE.gif

thanking u xp

holy motherfuck

christ

phil is such a ridiculous mfer

oh mickelson

cold blood, shit

kim will have a fun shot coming up

played lee (and kim)

phil

XD

holy shit tiger

lol @ tiger

TIGER MELTDOWN

Tiger three-putt, how about that.

rip tiger

heaven needed a club sandwich

club - chick - club

"go hard, GO HARD"

great putt lee

GREAT putt anthony

philly mick

aaaaaaaa game over

was sure peter alliss just referred to woods' troubles as his "trousers tibulations"

tribulations*

alliss talking about 'the orientals' incl anthony kim

pretty sure it was trials and tribulations but it seems a real pity to ruin the fun

that'll do it

laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaame

well congrats to phil--made some unbelievable shots when it mattered most

yeah he deserves this

i can hear sportswriters around the nation typing out how family man phil mickelson prevailed over the heathen tiger woods

^^^lol, yeah this

he sorta totally deserved it but imo anthony kim deserved it just as much

i can hear sportswriters around the nation typing out how family man phil mickelson prevailed over the heathen tiger woods

― johnny crunch, Sunday, April 11, 2010 5:56 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark

SI_JonHeyman easy choice: rather see great guy whose wife, mother have cancer win than guy who dates porn stars and club "hostesses''
27 minutes ago via web

btw this matteo dude!

fuckin 16!!!

he played really nice

his english isn't bad either

Mickelson was great, but I thought Tiger was remarkable too. Who else can hit it all over the place on Sunday, miss putts he should make, and still manage a 69? And the interview right after was excellent: no, I'm not satisfied, I entered to win. Not trying to slight the winner here.

how long till your face evens out when u have a tan like that

manassero vs kim rivalry to echo thru space and time

xxxp yeah he def said something sensible and non-awkward which is a++++ in that room with those dudes.

Tiger was remarkable too. Who else can hit it all over the place on Sunday, miss putts he should make, and still manage a 69?

the joke that writes itself

That crossed my mind..."He's managed quite a few 69s the past year."

preferred lies: the tiger woods story

no, I'm not satisfied, I entered to win

Um, I'm sensing some real Tiger hate here. Let me guess--he used to be your very definition of truth and morality and virtue, and now you feel terribly let down.

lol jon heyman

wtf are you talking about? he's a dickhead and always has been.

Not sure how to respond to that, other than to say "How so?"

well i mean for whatever individual reasons we may all have for mocking the most easily mockable sports figure in recent history, my personal opinion is that, excellence at golf aside, he's an amoral mercenary off the course and often a petulant whiner on it.

Golf coverage is so gross. Don't the toadie commentators ever feel bad for themselves?

ashamed of themselves, I mean

do you get peter alliss?

I'll give you the mercenary, placing him with hundreds of other professional athletes who take obscene amounts of money because someone's willing to give it to him. He gets even more of it by virtue of being better than just about every other professional athlete.

Amoral? Jack Nicholson can spend his life fucking anything that moves, and he's just lovable, naughty Jack. Unless you're talking about Nike's business practices, in which "amoral" is a mighty large leap for me.

And I just don't recall Woods ever being a whiner on the golf course. A temper, yes--not the same thing. I don't remember him ever making excuses when he doesn't play well.

i remember him slumping dramatically after every missed putt like it's the end of the goddamn world.

i mean you're right, tiger's kind of just a blown out version of shit that lots of athletes do. so i'm not sure why you're confused that we would make easy jokes at his expense?

he went through a period of whining about cameras and crowds

I just think he's competitive above and beyond where you'll find even most professional athletes. And I think you'd find parallel behaviours in Jordan, Federer, Gretzky, or anyone else who's ever played at his level. Jokes are fine, jokes are good; I've made more than a few Tiger jokes myself the past while. I've just been really appalled at the holier-than-thou stuff that sometimes accompanies them.

i remember him slumping dramatically after every missed putt like it's the end of the goddamn world.

yeah, this. man up.

if peter alliss is the main bbc guy i think he is remarkable. i would listen to anything he commentated.

point me to any holier-than-thou stuff in this thread?

by the way i guess it shows how long it's been since i've watched golf on tv but i never realized how fucking gargantuan woods' upper body has become.

yeah he went nuts on weights at some point though i have no idea when

I joined the thread late--after a few weeks of nothing but, I'm probably sensing it where none exists. Point taken.

yeah man that's cool i'm just sayin it's bizarre to come into an ilx sports thread and act like the ppl there are naive plebes or something. we all good now.

tiger shanked a tee shot at one point today and his little outburst at himself was the most petulant, flouncy little thing i've ever heard from a professional athlete. it sounded like it came from a will ferrell movie or something.

I still can't support "amoral." He's spent his life excelling at a sport. He makes a pile of money. He's got a temper on the golf course. He's been his a serial adulterer for the past few years. It doesn't add up to amoral for me.

xp yes that was SUPER flouncy

And for what it's worth, I came into the thread saying that Mikelson played great, and Tiger played great too. That's all.

tiger is a total robotic dork who is and has been hard to root for in real life, but he is and has been an incredible golfer who's really fun to watch and root for. imo

Great to watch, not sure about rooting for.

Mickelson was fantastic and way more consistent.

Britishers in being 2nd: Andy Murray, Westwood...England to lose the WC final?

I really hope they don't renew Peter Alliss' contract.

english wish for a loss in the final. 2nd in the group, maybe.

when my therapist okays it maybe I can talk about my time spent caddying at a private club

I really hope they don't renew Peter Alliss' contract.
― xyzzzz__, Monday, April 12, 2010 12:52 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

wtf, why?

is his racism to elegant evocation ratio dipping again?

i've only heard him twice but he's already right up there with Vin Scully in my estimation, and maybe better. they're actually quite similar - gentle-voiced old dudes who prefer stories about the players' upbringing than stats and who seem to have a kind of direct line of sympathy hooking them directly into the action. where alliss may have the edge is that he does have a wicked sense of humor that you can tell he's always barely suppressing. one last piece of approbation: not many people realize how difficult it is to do that vocal style - barely above a whisper but with energy and exuberance and urgency. it's incredibly difficult and requires serious vocal/diaphragm control. (aside from golf commentary the other great field for people who can carry off this technique is nature documentaries.)

I think I first complained about Peter Alliss on ilx about 7 years ago (gawd please let me go!), but here we go again.

No other commentator on the BBCs commentary appears to be too much into stats. And I've never heard someone so LESS in control of his voice -- that mumblin' murmuring you get as the putt is delivered is EXCRUCIATING to listen to because of his lack.

The article I read yesterday re: Alliss smacked of ageism but it isn't that. Richie Benaud is the greatest commentator I'll ever have the pleasure of hearing and the contrast couldn't be greater. Man would often not speak unless he really had something he could add. No 'opinions' (as he was arguing with one of his commentators yesterday) thx. And no wavering voice. In cricket you get old timey stories but they seemed way more relevant to what was going on in the field. At least as Richey told 'em.

i would like to hear this guy!

dude aren't you the guy that posted some really anti-cricket stuff on ilx

hahaha no wait we just had a rum old discussion about the rules :D

amidst this sincere engagement w/ golf I wld like to approve of Richard Meltzer's Holes: a book not entirely about golf, which I found very enlightening on a lot of matters, especially LAWNS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vthfSPF_LCw

lmao @ "anti-cricket"

I shot a +2 72 this weekend. First round since October 10, 2009. 6 birdies, a triple bogey and two double bogies. 3 shots in the water, 1 shot out of bounds. Fuck tech support, i'm practicing for the Champions Tour.

the end of this matchplay match btw jb holmes & bubba watson is hilarious

the announcers were cracking on jb "wandering the desert"

Its like Woods never went away and just changed his name to McIIroy instead.

Great stuff.

heh not quite

been playing like crazy. just bought a rescue wood.

was passively watching some golf on the tv last weekend, and although it wasn't the first time i'd noticed the golf channel logo, it was the first time it ever registered that the G wasn't just some chinese restaurant font G, but the swoosh of a driver next to a tee. uh, right?

http://www.pitchengine.com/brands/timewarnercablecarolinas/images/89675/golfchannellogo.jpg

The meaning doesn't matter, its just ugly regardless. You may be right tho.

I see a moon and a sugar-cone

been playing a bit again recently, forgot how satisfying the feeling catching the ball is. also was pleased to discover the irons I lusted after when I bought my starter set (a set of titleist dcis that retailed at 700 in 97) now only run you 60/70 on the electronic bay... so I helped myself to a set and farmed the old iroms out to my brother.

need to pick up a cheap driver, it's no fun being 50/60 yards disadvantaged off the tee

anyone watching the masters? watched it for about 8/9 hours but am totally exhausted now, hitting the hay. mcilroy looking great, course seems to be playing tough. enjoying mickelson's wacky adventures so far.

montgomery as commentator is really depressing and kinda cringey tho. "i bogeyed this hole every round in 1997........and i lost by one shot" permeated by that wind hum you hear when watching golf...

bitcoins!!!

i did not and i regret it. What times are we talking here? Cant do late nights this week :(

wish I had sky

midday till pretty late darragh.

you don't know anyone who works there do you cozen? there are mad cheap friends and family deals.

pfft the gf would have my nuts.
Pity

well you could get away with the last few hours of sunday night maybe...that's the primetime

yeah well i'm packing her off up the county for father's day as it happens.

Will rory still be anywhere near tho

I do (my golfing buddy as it happens, will have a word today. last time I asked him he said nothing doing but I reckon it's cause he didn't fancy the hassle)

treated myself to a new driver yesterday, gonna go drill it in the rain

getting out tomorrow with my last remaning mate who plays before he fucks off to australia and all

Rory tearing it up again today - he just eagled the par 4 8th to go -10.

unbelievably strong position...

i miss playing golf :( london ppl wheres the most affordable place to go?

ah golf racism..."it's the far eastern mind, they have a calmness, perhaps more than other parts of the world."

ethnic criticism, bill

Sucks that i'm missing this

i def support rorys scortched earth campaign even if theres no drama by sunday fuckit

hurt my shoulder a couple years ago and haven't played golf since, but I'm heading out tomorrow to the aptly named Wicked Woods. Really amazed at the cost- $32 for 18 holes and a cart. Three years ago it was $48.

http://images.pegs.com/imageRepo/1/0/16/9/445/1050763cdms_img_pho_000_nc__276598_Golf_Course___J.jpg

damn looks gorg

i hope 2 play a lot next week when ill be down in the outer banks area

can't wait to earn enough to be able to play golf while living in london

mcilroy 8 clear now. agree with you johnny, if it was tiger a few years back this would be boring but the thought of rory winning by some ludicrous margin is kinda intriguing.

"do you like the shaved approaches colin?"

"i do! i do yes."

This is horrible! He's gonna lose a 12-shot lead on the back nine on Sunday, isn't he?

this is kinda insane...he is putting insanely well.

10 clear? Not supposed to get this excited about golf on a Friday afternoon unless it's the Ryder.

(Of course, a bunch of ppl, incl Yang, haven't even teed off in r2, so one of them could shoot a 65 or something...)

could not be rooting harder for McIlroy. was crushed when he blew the last one

man going 65-64 is so pimp

in the water at 18...

BETHESDA, Md. -- Rory McIlroy has birdied the 16th and 17th holes to reach 13-under par at the U.S. Open, the lowest score at any point in the 111-year history of the tournament.

McIlroy hit his second shot on the par-4 17th at Congressional on Friday to 8 feet and made the putt that put him at 13 under. He eclipsed a record held by Tiger Woods (2000) and Gil Morgan (1992), both reaching 12 under at U.S. Opens at Pebble Beach.

McIlroy is searching for his first major victory. He leads Y.E. Yang by 10 shots with two holes to play in the second round. Yang had an afternoon tee time.

McIlroy eagled the par-4 eighth hole when he holed out from the fairway to get to 10 under.

wow, so if he goes under par in round 3 or 4 he'll just be breaking his own record, daaamn

aw

still, cutline should be at -3 and he just plays the wkend himself or vs a few dudes

double bogey too...still.

any golf pros here? why am I slicing my driver but not my irons? hand rotation?

angry peach!

cozen, you need to have the ball closer to your front foot when you address it, adjust your stance accordingly

/protip

that's for the driver/woods only

mcilroy on some tiger woods shit - too bad i havent been able to catch any of this

i'll watch him play tomorrow, he shouldn't collapse until sunday anyway

darragh, ball is already three balls toward the front foot at address

from googling, it seems this is a common problem

think I might try it ahead of my front foot, will give the head more time to get square

mcilroy on some tiger woods shit - too bad i havent been able to catch any of this

i'll watch him play tomorrow, he shouldn't collapse until sunday anyway

in his defense he only collapsed once and only had one bad hole today even though the pressure was clearly on him

would be awesome to have another golfer like this to cheer for.

yes absolutely

hmm cozen i believe u may be what is known as a 'poor golfer'

I suffer from somewhat of the same complaint tho it manifests itself in different ways

cozen do you create a divot when you hit your irons? creating a divot means you're staying down and through the ball- it's going straight. the natural inclination when hitting woods is to come up so you don't chunk it- stay down as much as possible when hitting woods without hitting sod. i had a bad slice and now it's a plable fade

also try to put the front foot slightly ahead of the back one- the farther the front foot is ahead of the back foot the more likely you are to hit a hook/draw

just got back from the driving range fyi ;)

kinda funny that berman is announcing this like americas cup or something -- "the swedes have passed the spainards"

Played today for the second time in a week. There is some oujia board action happening sometimes when I think to myself, goddammit, just put your head down and hit that ball. I was making these awful 10 yard chip shots this morning, just paused for a moment and blam, 80-yard Gateway Arch to the green. It's a fun feeling.

All I know is golf is frustrating as hell if you're not good at it.

I spend more time at driving ranges than actual golf courses. It's cheaper, for one thing, but the sound of a golf ball being smacked by a driver's sweet spot is amongst life's greatest small pleasures.

brownie, I have a natural fade (outside-in swing). tried hitting the driver today (on course probably not the best place to try fixes but w/e) with an accentuated in-out swing (aiming the down swing at one o'clock) and it's was hitting a straight push (leads me to believe there are two issues: not turning hands over so club face open at contact hence the push, couple with outside-in swing)

accentuating the inside-out swing was interesting though: could feel my right elbow much closer to my body when swing out on the downswing, which I think is how it should be

mid 80s on past three rounds but really want to break 80

harrington is so depressing to watch these days

is anyone watching this? rory is just...wtf

garrigus & his kiddie putter is lol

my 'wtf' is for Garrigus' toy putter...that's the shortest putter I've ever seen anyone use

xpost!

yeah i keep laughing every time they show it

jeeeeeesus

r<3ry

was a great shot there by serg

yeah amazing.

great moment

Rory bringing it home. He's gonna do this

yep can't see him failing the way he's playing. he has produced some unbelievable approach shots all day long. i'd say he'll feel he could have had a few more birdies. that said he saved par v well a few times too.

he played to keep it on an even keel, i think he could have attacked it more today but i think he'll go out to beat the course tomorrow, will win by more

he fairly attacked it imo...just wasn't putting as well. like he was close to the pin loads of times. would be v annoyed to par the 16th too.

199 thru 54 holes is still madness

yeah ridiculous really

I hope he wins--twice in a year would be cosmically cruel. I don't think it's quite the gimme Costas just described--a four-stroke swing on a single hole is not all that unusual--but he'd really have to be creative to lose this one. (Imagine how exciting the British Open would have potentially been if he'd hung on at the Masters...)

what's really encouraging (for him) and terrifying (for the others) is that his style doesn't really seem to include defence. like he just attacked the pins all day today and was completely in control. easier to make par when you're inside 8 feet over and over again. that birdie he got from the rough, was it on the 11th, that was incredible. plus the saved pars in the first few holes with the approach shot to about a foot and the bunker shot were both amazing too.

i'm going to the open on the saturday next month, so here's hoping he's still in this kind of form.

yeah he gave himself chance after chance for birdie today, and as you said his putting was a little off. it could have been a massacre by this stage

Over on the Tiger thread, I think I estimated his chance of catching Nicklaus (after this year's Masters, and that one ominous putt he missed) as down to something like 30 or 40%...somewhere in there. If McIlroy goes out and wins big tomorrow, I'd be inclined to cut that in half.

I predict a 70 and a 6-shot margin of victory.

here's the betting lines to win:

Rory McIlroy -2000
Field (Any Other Player) +850

pretty sure the mothers of the other players are rooting for mcilroy at this point

as long as he doesn't get a call from the mafia like he did last time

"Over on the Tiger thread, I think I estimated his chance of catching Nicklaus (after this year's Masters, and that one ominous putt he missed) as down to something like 30 or 40%...somewhere in there. If McIlroy goes out and wins big tomorrow, I'd be inclined to cut that in half."

Don't think its anything to do w/McIlroy tho'. He culd win many majors, not sure (and its not a criticism) he doesn't have the drive that Woods had (and probably still has, even if much of the body and mind are unwilling to accommodate).

All for another day - this is so great. Hope it all happens in a very boring way tonight.

Very quick explanation--I don't want to derail the thread into Tiger talk. If McIlroy wins today, especially if he does so convincingly, obviously that'll sweep away whatever mental garbage was lingering from the Masters (based on the past three days, apparently not much). And at that point, I could easily see him going out and winning four or five majors over the next five years. If that were to happen--a huge, speculative if, I know--then it's just math: five fewer chances for Tiger would cut his odds considerably.

good start

yeah, he looks solid

i shot a 93 yesterday (50-43), had a 5 putt on the front ;_:

hit the same pitch shot into the water four times yesterday, i was looking round for rene russo tbh

Not sure when a golf lead becomes 100% safe, but even with the pressures of an Open, he's getting close. (I look around for Rene Russo whether I'm golfing or not.)

he's gonna kill it based on his first three or four holes

westwood putting in a very good round so far too

yang is playing solid, just needs to make some putts

approaching nonsensical that he made that putt

i've probably played less than 20 rounds of golf in my life, and i still sorta think that knee-jerk "golf is a boring sport for rich ppl" criticisms are as or more irritating than the boring rich ppl that play golf

like i get that 'golf development' is a pernicious thing, but how is the actual game itself more inherently evil than like bocce ball or croquet

anyway i have been thinking about golf lately and kinda want to play a round, badly

yeah golf has a pretty deep working class tradition in the UK at least and is also rad so haters can take a 5 iron to the balls afaic

also in the interest of full disclosure, i am training as a physician, so at some point i will be legally obliged to purchase a set of golf clubs

yesterday was my first round of golf in three years and I realized how great it felt sitting at the 19th hole and drinking a beer. tho it gets expensive when you have other interests (fine wine and women in my case)

what are those white dots on the green, they're not ball markers?

yesterday was my first round of golf in three years and I realized how great it felt sitting at the 19th hole and drinking a beer.
― brownie, Sunday, June 19, 2011 8:49 PM (9 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

^otm. the post-golf pint has to be up there with the best pints

ok those "white dots" are just tiny grown in leaves

fuck's sake

...that'll do it

lol

Dont be a dick on a golfcourse

yah stensons a bitch

rory ur shit go home

more like bogleroy

more-y shotilroy

scraping his way to the luckiest of victories

why do sky keep introducing montages with a bit of commentary including the song title. it's fucking weird...

disgrace if he wins tbfh

i know

Every northie with a guitar getting a plug tonight

is mcilroy a man united fan, so many Norn Ironz are...I'm googling with hope.

hope that he isn't obv

he fucking is.

he'll hardly falter at this stage of the season then

oops think he just had an andrew cole

oh shit it begins. In the water at the 15th

is mcilroy fucking up lads im in mexico without a tv

GET OFF ILX

aw jaysus love to be watching this spectacular meltdown and all

ps im langers

holy shit an elephant just stood on his ball on the 12th green

hey michael

Rory is killing it, eight ahead thru 14.

i always thought the dude looked more like a surfer from point break rather than a golfer

ps gwan ya good thing

rory can't buy a putt now

looking like a regular us open the past 8 holes or so

montgomery is so weird

i always thought the dude looked more like a surfer

1. ok, i walked down to the sushi place to watch the back nine- hostess said the exact same thing

2. server comes into the same restaurant, where she works, with a brand new driver. explains to me that it's a birthday present from her father who won the BC Open in 1983.

it's raining golf, also water

BC Open winer is this dude

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Lindsey_(golfer)

w/e broken link

congrats to Rory

can we talk about shane mcmahon trailing rory's dad????

how many strokes behind?

BC open used to be held in my home town until a few years ago

Very quick explanation--I don't want to derail the thread into Tiger talk. If McIlroy wins today, especially if he does so convincingly, obviously that'll sweep away whatever mental garbage was lingering from the Masters (based on the past three days, apparently not much). And at that point, I could easily see him going out and winning four or five majors over the next five years. If that were to happen--a huge, speculative if, I know--then it's just math: five fewer chances for Tiger would cut his odds considerably.

he's been a factor in his last four tournaments and absolutely crushed this one. the runner-up, Jason Day, at -8 had a good enough score to win the tournament like 80% of the time and Rory beat that by EIGHT strokes, shattering pretty much every U.S. Open record in the process - and he's only 22, meaning his peak years could be ahead of him. if Tiger really hasn't changed you know he's going to train like mad to beat this kid, sadly I think the unsaid thing in the broadcast is that Tiger will probably never again be favored to win any tournament unless he wins one, like, this year.

I'm old enough to remember those Nicklaus-Watson showdowns in the late '70s--wouldn't it be amazing to have Tiger and McIlroy go at it one Sunday in a major? All during Tiger's era of dominance, no one ever really stepped up to take him on; it was amazing how people fell apart all around him during majors. That's not meant to take anything away from him--obviously, his brilliance is what drove the head game. You get the feeling that McIlroy's more ready than anyone ever has been, especially in view of the fact that he's already had his "character-building" meltdown. Short term at least, this may be good for Tiger--it may spur him on. (Or maybe he's gone for good, or maybe McIlroy's just a blip; I have no idea, but I'm hoping for that showdown.)

if sergio starts putting again there'll be three of them tbh

^ No way.

McIlroy is not a blip (xp)

I'm inclined to agree, but I can think of two or three others who made almost as big a splash and then faded.

I'm inclined to think McIlroy will never do this again. As in, he may win many many majors, but not like this. Just an awesome, but one-off, career performance.

The most impressive things is to have come back from the humiliation at the Masters. Don't think I've ever quite seen it like this in any sport - it usually would take a year, maybe more, to re-group.

I checked Tiger's majors, and three times he blew away the field; three of his first four were by margins of 12, 15, and 8 strokes. Of the next 11, two were by five strokes, six were by 1-3 strokes, and three were playoffs.

yup, and McIlroy is not Tiger Woods.

yeah this is ridiculous, I don't want this to be like the LeBron/Michael Jordan thing where everyone has to collectively say "let's stop comparing kids under 24 to Tiger Woods". but I would definitely bet big on McIlroy winning at least 4 more this decade. this is a once in a lifetime performance but I don't even think McIlroy's peaked yet. in addition, Day is looking pretty sharp too and is only 23. Tiger's got his work cut out for him if he's gonna beat Nicklaus

I think R.Mc has one big advantage over Tiger -- Earl Woods didn't put a golf club in his hands when he was a baby. He's got the game and talent of Tiger without having the category-5 mental stress hurricane "I Am Tiger Woods" going on in his head 24/7.

Yeah, and I hate to say it but at the moment I feel like it's more likely than not that Tiger is done.

Live fast, die young, leave a nice well-defined divot.

lol

the only thing i'd worry about with rory is that his eerie resemblance to van morrison becomes a weight he can't deal with as he grows older

can't tell you guys how awesome it would be if McIlroy and Tiger both had a 2-3 stroke lead on the rest of the field on Day 4 of some major

can't see how this victory has proven rory's fit to take on tiger 1-on-1 in those circumstances- nobody was near him for the past three days tbf

well if not Rory then Jason Day or someone like that - basically we're seeing an influx of awesome young golfers that I haven't really seen before in my life, the type of golfer that everyone was hoping would come up to challenge him over the past decade and a half. We all know about Tiger's insane dedication and work ethic so I'm wondering if this inspires him to train harder than he ever has. Obviously one major is not an indication of a great career but after watching McIlroy for the past year this seems like it could be the beginning of a ridiculous career, especially since he's probably not as good now as he's going to get.

well yeah i do think mcilroy is exceptional, aside from the point i was making, but in the next four years there'll be at least one more along, and in the four years after that there'll be another.

we're just seeing the results of the tiger boom in golf from 2000 or so onwards

so where does that leave Tiger?

i guess this is the question that everyone has - seeing a McIlroy/Day/Sergio rivalry is going to be nice, but if Tiger becomes a legit threat it'll make every major a must-see event

tiger's a phenomenon but tbh with the coming through of an influx of tiger-inspired kids, allied to his public breakdowns, tbh i'd like to see odds on garcia collecting more majors from now til they both retire

I think R.Mc has one big advantage over Tiger -- Earl Woods didn't put a golf club in his hands when he was a baby. He's got the game and talent of Tiger without having the category-5 mental stress hurricane "I Am Tiger Woods" going on in his head 24/7.

― Mr. Patrick Batman (WmC), Monday, June 20, 2011 1:05 PM (3 hours ago)

i disagree with this - tiger was a machine and never really had any stress/nervousness/anything bascially ever in his career until this recent weird situation

until

not just the stress tho, he seems to have recurring niggling injuries that might be exacerbated by stress but might just be the kind of deterioration that some athletes are prone too

and riding everything

yeah i think that's pretty obviously separate from the kind of mental issues WMC was referring to, idk

xxp

yeah fair enough kk, it didn't inhibit him for long enough i suppose

i mean i suppose due to his supersuperstardom he had a larger and rougher fall than rory would have / could ever have if he found himself in a similar situation but who knows, tiger's situation, like the man himself, was pretty unique

i disagree with this - tiger was a machine and never really had any stress/nervousness/anything bascially ever in his career until this recent weird situation

Whether it was visible to us or not, you think there was no stress there? I think Tiger's spent the past 2 years finding out you can't be a machine for 30 years without repercussions. He doesn't have any frame of reference for dealing with the repercussions mentally. Meanwhile, as NV points out, his joints are showing signs of breaking down after holding together an incredibly powerful frame and musculature. He's got to completely rethink post-machine life, mentally and physically.

just like john connor

tiger's going to figure out why we cry

beautifully worked

i mean, seriously, if you had to bet, how many more majors can Tiger win at this point?

can? or do i think is most likely? or do i think is plausible?

I think he's got one more in him before he comes apart in a big gibbering mess.

how many is most likely? does he still have any shot at the record or are the odds too stacked at this point?

like, I wouldn't bet that he'd never win a major again, because he has so many chances at it, but he's definitely racing against time

i don't think he can get the record now

wd consider a bet on him never winning another right now. otoh if he can get his head together and rebuild his game away from the glare of the fame monster - big "if", obv - he could be playing and winning for plenty long enough to completely eclipse Nicklaus. i think there's enough to his game that he could come back as good as he's ever been, but he's got a shitheap of obstacles to overcome first.

he needs rory to trash talk him again

i sort of feel the same way about this as i do about Jordan's comeback in Washington - the odds are so stacked against him, but if anyone could do it, it's him right?

His long game is so reliant on hulk-strength + torque = clubhead speed...his joints are saying "no, fuckit, ENOUGH." Gonna have to remake himself into Corey Pavin Mk 2...

but if anyone could do it, it's him right?

I don't see any reason why that's true.

because he's got such a ridiculous drive to improve and crush the competition unlike really any other golfer out there besides a few of the greats. i have the feeling that if it is even a little bit possible that he will find a way to do it.

then again, that competitive edge seems to have been lost in him as of late

ok now I'm convinced that Bee OK is one of your sockpuppets

put down the cliches, man

Tiger's got heart. Tiger wants it more. He will roar again. But can the young guns catch him?

there's something to be said for the idea that Tiger had the one of the greatest temperaments for the big tournaments and that it's quite possible that he can recover his mentality, if not his physique

The average age of people carrying clubs here in St Andrews has dropped by about 30 years in the past couple of days. Admittedly this is during the time when people are playing their yearly game of tennis, so maybe the oldies are doing that.

there's something to be said for the idea that Tiger had the one of the greatest temperaments for the big tournaments and that it's quite possible that he can recover his mentality, if not his physique

i kinda wonder if the whole house of cards falling down put paid to that mentality too, which must have been a construct of sorts.

but if anyone could do it, it's him right?

I don't see any reason why that's true.

― Mr. Patrick Batman (WmC), Monday, June 20, 2011 5:07 PM (1 hour ago)

because he's tiger fuckin' woods man, come on

he used to be

you're acting like he's just another guy - dude was awol for over a year and out of nowhere legit contends for the masters

the british will be at st andrews twice and pebble beach probably once in the next 9 years, plus augusta every year. he's not getting shut out for sure

idk if he'll come back as good as he's ever been - don't know if we'll see a golfer on that level for a few decades, who knows - but if he can even approach that level you can't count him out

we'll see who's closer to right as the years pass. Like I said, I think he has one more major, his '68 Comeback, left in him. Beyond that --

::shrug::

Hopefully he'll be wearing a black leather jacket when it happens...Serious question: Think he was watching yesterday?

He issued a "...wow! Congrats to Rory" statement before it was over.

I'm trying to picture him sitting there in front of the TV: "Oh, fuck--this is bad. This is not good." (I'm kidding--I think it's the best thing that could happen to him.)

that statement he made was definitely a suggestion by his PR agent, I have to imagine his real feelings were "I'm going to crush this kid"

that statement he made was definitely a suggestion by his PR agent,

explain to me how the fuck you know this

I have to imagine his real feelings were "I'm going to crush this kid"

The problem with that is that he hasn't beaten anyone the past two years. I think he'll love the challenge, but he's at a point in his career where he can hardly zero in on one guy. It's enough right now just to win again.

explain to me how the fuck you know this

obviously I don't but it didn't strike me as something he would have said in his pre-scandal days

The problem with that is that he hasn't beaten anyone the past two years. I think he'll love the challenge, but he's at a point in his career where he can hardly zero in on one guy. It's enough right now just to win again.

Yeah but what I get from him is that he has that Jordan-esque mindset, that his only goal is to crush the competition regardless of anything, even if it's not really plausible I can guarantee* you that's what he's thinking

*can't actually guarantee

I think R.Mc has one big advantage over Tiger -- Earl Woods didn't put a golf club in his hands when he was a baby.

Photo in the papers today of 18 month-old Rory swinging his first club after his dad bought him his first set. Tiger was 3 when his dad started him.

http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/2011/06/20/article-1308607215490-0026939F00000190-1779_223x335.jpg

Yeah, there's a clip, from Ulster TV, I imagine we'll all be seeing a lot of in the next few years of him being interviewed and then pitching balls into a washing machine(!), which is how he used to practice.

"I guess this is the question that everyone has - seeing a McIlroy/Day/Sergio rivalry is going to be nice"-frogsbs

Which one of these is not like the other? I'll give you a hint: paella.

No fucking way does Garcia belong in a discussion with those other two.

belongs in it as much as tiger on 21/06/2011

well I'm hoping his putting game is going to get better

belongs in it as much as tiger on 21/06/2011

― the waitress and the frogbs (darraghmac), Tuesday, June 21, 2011 9:40 AM (10 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Same with Walter Hagen, Arnold Palmer and Tom Morris Jr. Not sure your point.

funny old round of golf today... played along with very amiable retiree from RSA, scratch golfer and all round nice person. very pleasant way to spend a sunday afternoon, playing golf and getting the inside view on apartheid-era pro-am golf

doesn't really capture the majesty of the happenstance but w/e

nice, any insights you'd like to share?