The Sand Trap » Swing Thoughts

Fan No More

Erik J. Barzeski — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 15:29:01 +0000

I used to consider myself a fan of Sergio Garcia and Gary Player. Sadly, their actions at the 2007 Open Championship put an end to that.

Before the tournament even began, Gary Player saw fit to tease us with his famous "neener neener, I know a secret" announcement that "someone" was taking drugs and that "at least ten, maybe a hell of a lot more" golfers on pro tours were using drugs. I agree with Gary's basic point - he believes strongly in drug testing and the damage that could come to the sport if players are found to be using drugs to enhance their performance - but I'm disgusted that Gary, a legend of the game, chose the biggest stage he has to make the most damaging statement he's ever made about the game of golf. His actions lack the class befitting a champion of the game.
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The Continuing Michelle Wie Saga

Erik J. Barzeski — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 22:00:00 +0000

A few years ago I gave Michelle Wie the benefit of the doubt. Last year I stood up for her. While people were screaming "she hasn't won anything!" (despite winning the 2003 Women's Public Links) and declaring that she should follow the same path Tiger took to success in the world of golf, I sat back. I suggested that the Michelle Wie story will be written by Michelle Wie, and that only years (or decades) later could we sit back and judge whether Wie had taken the best path.

I was both wrong and right. It appears the story is no longer being written by Michelle Wie - she's merely a bit player in the sad story of B.J. Wie's corruption of his daughter. She's the "talent" and he's the ruthless, money-hungry stage dad who's making all the wrong moves.
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The Cheers Have Left Augusta

Erik J. Barzeski — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 19:04:31 +0000

Through most of two rounds of the 71st Masters, one thing is clear: the music has died. The cheers have died. The excitement has died.

With a first-round lead of -3 (which required a 20-putt performance by one of the two leaders) and a stroke average of 76.147, Augusta National is playing more like a U.S. Open venue than the host course of The Masters. You can not only count on one hand - no, make that half of one hand - the number of eagles we saw in the first round.

Have you ever heard less cheers at any golf tournament than you heard yesterday during the first round of The Masters?
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USGA Becoming Golf’s Repo Man?

Donald MacKenzie — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 16:00:16 +0000

Greetings from semi-retirement, Sand Trappers. I couldn't help but chime in with a quick thought or two about the USGA's announcement (and concurrent R&A announcement) proposing a change in the rules regarding grooves on irons and wedges.

When I first read the proposed change last week, it seemed fairly reasonable. It would only affect the best players using urethane balls, which might increase the importance of driving accuracy without taking the air out of the ball or changing driver designs. But then I wondered if this proposal has a deeper meaning that isn't so benign.
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One Ball to Rule them All?

Erik J. Barzeski — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 23:00:00 +0000

A few months back, the rebel Ohio Golf Association (which once legalized the tamping down of spike marks) bucked the rules once again and played their "Champions" event with a uniform ball. The results? OGA officials came to realize that golf ball technology is a complex science.

What's more, they came to realize that a uniform ball is decidedly not the way to solve the distance dilemma some believe exists in modern golf.
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Woods Can be Toppled Today at the PGA

Guest Author — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 13:00:00 +0000

Tiger Woods is nearly unbeatable when he is tied for the lead on Sunday at a major championship. However, after watching yesterday's round, I think there three things that could allow us to witness one of the most incredible David versus Goliath upsets in golf history. If one of the players follows the criteria below, they might be the one holding the Wanamaker trophy today instead of Woods.

Tiger Woods stood with CBS reporter Bill McAtee after Saturday's round and let the world know just what kind of major championship was playing out before those in attendance and on the course.

"It honestly doesn't feel like a major," Woods said. "I mean in a major you expect that you're going to look for a lot of pars and hope to sprinkle in a couple of birdies when you can, but you just can't do that and hope to contend this week at week at Medinah with that mindset. I saw all the low scores early on, and some guys were three or four-under-par through six holes - when that kept happening I knew I had to go low."
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Tiger’s Driving Accuracy

Dave Koster — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 19:50:42 +0000

While everyone is ranting and raving about equipment, flogging, and other factors in the distance debate, I saw one of Tiger's stats tonight on The Golf Channel that I thought was interesting. Here are Tiger's best tournaments since 1999 with regards to driving accuracy:

Year    Tournament        Accuracy     Result
----    ----------        --------     ------
2000    British Open       91.0%        Won
2006    British Open       83.3%*        ?
1999    Funai Classic      85.7%        Won
2000    Bay Hill           83.9%        Won
2005    British Open       83.9%        Won
2001    Memorial           82.1%        Won
2002    Buick Open         82.1%        Won
*Through three rounds

When Tiger keeps it in the short grass, he's doing quite well. I'm willing to bet that a good portion of the above tournaments he wasn't hitting driver much either. Tiger is feasting on Hoylake with his stinger 2-iron off the tee with a plan to stay out of trouble. I'd say that it is working so far.

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Sick of Wie Whiners

Erik J. Barzeski — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 01:30:27 +0000

Joe Ogilvie may have said it best: "She's better than Tiger was at 16. I played with Tiger, and Tiger wasn't this good. Everybody is like, 'Win, win, win.' She's 16. Chill out. Once she gets to winning, you'll get sick of her winning."

I'm not a raving, ranting Michelle Wie fan. I'd like to see her win a tournament. I'd like to see her learn to crush opponents. I'd like to see her spend some more time competing against her peers.

But don't put me in the camp of Wie detractors, either, and I'm sick of hearing from those who are.
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Old School Bomb and Gouge

Erik J. Barzeski — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 22:08:31 +0000

Guess where this quote comes from?

I'd rather play a wedge second shot out of rough than a 5-iron from the fairway if I gain 40 or 50 yards by doing it… There's ninety ways to get out of the rough after a long drive, but no way at all to pick up those yards you've lost by hitting them soft.

Tiger after his T2 at the Western Open? Phil discussing his strategy at Hoylake or Winged Foot?

How about Sam Snead in his 1962 book Education of a Golfer? You wouldn't have guessed it, but the same problems that "plague" the PGA Tour these days "plagued" the game in the 1950s, too. Or was golf "in ruins" back then, too? If so, how did it survive?

Guess what? The game back then was still won by the guys that put the ball on the green in regulation and putted well, just as Dave has shown it does now.

Thanks to Golf Blogger for the lead.

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The FedExCup: Failure from the Start?

Erik J. Barzeski — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 18:30:36 +0000

As I write this, a ticker at pgatour.com/fedexcup informs me that I have but 184 days, 1 hour, 22 minutes, and four seconds until the start of the 2007 PGA Tour season and, by implication, the beginning of a "New Era" in golf - the FedExCup.

Earlier this week, Tim Finchem laid out the rules, points distributions, and the other mundane details of what will certainly become the most mundane "playoff" system in all of modern sport. It is, after all, the only playoff system in which nobody is eliminated and which accepts participants who won't even be in the league the following season.

The announcement has stirred the pot of discussion, and though everyone from John Hawkins to us here at The Sand Trap has an opinion, I've yet to see one supporting the plan.
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