THIS is Tiger Woods

[TigerCurtis333]

For those of you who watched Sportscenter today, they revealed this story (I'm not sure what the SC anchors' name was):

The story goes a couple years ago Nike wanted Tiger Woods to test three prototype drivers. After hitting with each, Tiger said, "I like the light one." The Nike executives said, "They weigh the same." Tiger looked at them and said, "No they don't." So Nike went back and weighed them again - turns out the one Tiger liked was 2 grams lighter - that's 0.7 ounces lighter - that's how precise Tiger Woods can be.

That's amazing. 0.7 ounces and Tiger felt it and knew it after a couple of swings - even when the guys who made the dumb club thought they weighed the same. That's just Tiger being Tiger. Has there ever been a player as special not only talent wise, but mentally around the game of golf? I don't think so.

[Mully]

That reminds me of a story about Ted Williams. Ted had recently returned from the war and had stepped in for batting practice, when he announced that the distance was off. Sure enough, they measured the distance from plate to rubber and it was a few inches off regulation. It's amazing how precise the pro's can be.

[rubbery]

Something similar happened with Larry Bird. He was shooting around with the rest of the Celtics, and he said that the net was too low, it turned out it was like less than an inch off.

[Ceej]

Dumb luck on the Tiger one
The other ones are believable

[shortstop20]

Not necessarily dumb luck. 0.7 ounces on a stationary object is different than 0.7 ounces on a moving object(during the swing).

That's my .02 anyways.

[907golfer12]

Dumb luck on the Tiger one

I hope you are being sarcastic?

[Ruari]

For those of you who watched Sportscenter today, they revealed this story (I'm not sure what the SC anchors' name was):

I think I heard the same thing about Bobby Jones, the amateur golfer from the 1930s. He slected a set by feel and they're still around somewhere, apparently, and the balance and weight difference is as close as any machine today can do. Anyone else hear anything about that?

[kc8kir]

That's correct about Bobby Jones. They examined his clubs and found that all of them had exactly the same swingweight, flex point, and fequency. The only club that was off was his 8 iron, which Bobby Jones himself attested to never swinging well.

[alcyone]

Not to doubt Tiger's ability but the weight difference of 2 grams would translate to 0.07 ounces, not 0.7. Even I could tell a difference of 0.7 ounces, and I doubt seriously that Tiger can tell 0.07 ounce difference. I'm not saying it would be impossible, but.....

Remember that "swing weight" isn't the total weight of the club, but the distribution of the weight. A wedge may weigh 50 ~ 75 grams more than a 3 iron from the same set, and they will both have the same swing weight.

Just so you know, a dime weight about 2.2 grams, a dollar bill about one gram.

[dave s]

Dumb luck on the Tiger one

Probably not. My fingers can feel the difference between a guitar string that measures .009 or .010. Same with MLB hitters can feel < 1 oz differences in bat weight; When you work with tools (driver in Tiger's case) everyday you can easily recognize the slightest change in size/weight. dave

[Ceej]

Not to doubt Tiger's ability but the weight difference of 2 grams would translate to 0.07 ounces, not 0.7. Even I could tell a difference of 0.7 ounces, and I doubt seriously that Tiger can tell 0.07 ounce difference.

Oh my god don't doubt Tiger's ability on this board

[alcyone]

Oh my god don't doubt Tiger's ability on this board

Oh heavens, I would never do that. I'm a huge Tiger fan. What I cast doubt on is the reporting.

[DavidFehertysBike]

I can notice that kind of difference in a putter, but in a full swing club that kind of sense is otherworldly.

[goblue107501]

I had seen/read this story somewhere a while back as well. After hearing it again it reminded me of two baseball players who had similar abilities.

Tony Gwynn had told a story about his bats. He had certain requirements for his bats and said that if you blindfolded him he could tell the difference between his and another that was the same length, weight, and grip.

Greg Maddox held and interview with a reporter for a magazine and the reporter gave him a challenge. The reporter got in full catching gear and crouched behind the plate to see if he could catch a pitch -- with his eyes closed. The first two he didn't close the mitt in time, the third pitch he caught. Meaning that Maddox threw the pitch so perfectly that it hit the webbing of the catchers mitt without the guy having to move at all to catch it.

[Nowsounder]

Tiger Woods revealed recently he has been playing for at least 10 months with a torn ligament in his left knee, and that he suffered a double stress fracture in his left leg two weeks before the U.S. Open. PGA Professional Paul Casey provided the most graphic description of the injury, based on a conversation he had had with the caddie of Robert Karlsson, the Swede who played alongside Woods in the third round. “He [Gareth Lord] said there were actually noises coming from Tiger's knee,” Casey said. “Clearly he was suffering. There was a moment where Tiger, I think at the 18th, stepped up to hit his tee-shot and backed off because of weird noises. They all chuckled and he said, 'I shouldn't hit this one too hard.' He got it in play and made eagle.
It is interesting to consider Tiger's performance in the context of the Now. In my book, "Peace and Par - Enjoying Golf in the Now," I maintain there is no one who stays in the present, in the zone, better than Tiger. Many of us have played athletics with pain. I remember basketball games with a sprained ankle, and baseball games with a sore arm. I never had the illusion that these injuries did not effect my performance. I remember consciously favoring the injury as I naturally anticipated the pain. Tiger on the other hand goes to his own Being, the energy within him and stays in the moment. Tiger addressed the ball, took his normal, full backswing, transferred his weight, tourqued his knee and created
club speed that would tear your socks off if you stood too close, and finished with his classic follow through all in the Now. Even though somewhere in his long and short term memory bank there existed the knowledge: "the pain is coming", Tiger did not hold the thought of this future pain. Tiger stayed in the Now shot after shot for five days. When the pain came at the end of the shot, Tiger endured it knowing all pain is going out. He then stood straight, handed his club to Steve and walked down the fairway completely focused on the task at hand, winning the US Open.
The ego and its partner, the pain body loves to anticipate the future and the potential for pain: the upcoming dentist appointment, visiting a critically ill friend or relative, or the golf match or lunch with the person who never shuts up. We miss so many breaths, so much of life in this moment because we embrace that future pain. Take a lesson in life from Tiger. The pain, like the future is an illusion. We only live in a series of "right nows".

[bigwilly319]

that reminds me of a story, i bought two Ball Park hot dogs one time, and as I walked away, i noticed one was slightly lighter than the other. I opened up the wrapping and saw that one was a little more plump than the other. I then ate them both. They were delicious!!!

(just kidding. I don't even like hot dogs)

[tonyy]

I never heard those stories mentioned in this thread. Simply incredible.

[erikpmort]

haha lewl on the hot dog.

And guys remember if that weight was in the clubface, then it is magnified by the speed of the swing, and that can make a little seem like a lot. physics 101