Tour Players Complain about Playing 4 Weeks Straight

[jamo]

Just for reference, Here's Byron Nelson's schedule in '45.  Won 11 in a row, and had to [U]drive himself[/U] to most all of these events.  And not on interstate highways either, but lousy two lane roads.  Most of his fellow pros were  in the same boat.  THAT was a grind.

What's your point?

[Golfingdad]

Just for reference, Here's Byron Nelson's schedule in '45.  Won 11 in a row, and had to drive himself to most all of these events.  And not on interstate highways either, but lousy two lane roads.  Most of his fellow pros were  in the same boat.  THAT was a grind.

Well, there's his problem right there ... what the heck are they all doing taking a BOAT on the highway???  Morons.

What's your point?

Ummm ... that there were potholes???

[nick1998bunker]

I get sorta burnt out after 2 days of a tournament and travel, an I never get to do practice rounds. Tournament rounds are completely different than regular rounds. The pressure is intense. You wouldn't understand if you don't play tournament rounds, or if you have nothing to prove. But for me, I put down 200 dollars for a two day tournament, my parents like to book a 500 dollar house usually, you can't just show up and have no stress. I feel like I have to play well or I just wasted a lot of money, dragged my family through a day of travel, and I feel like I'm bullshitting about my ability if I can't score well. You play every hole scared and nervous. You probably wouldn't understand as secure adults, and the top 30 pros don't have to worry about money, but it's still a stress to play well. Much unlike a Sunday round or even a club championship for that matter.

[Lihu]

I get sorta burnt out after 2 days of a tournament and travel, an I never get to do practice rounds. Tournament rounds are completely different than regular rounds. The pressure is intense. You wouldn't understand if you don't play tournament rounds, or if you have nothing to prove. But for me, I put down 200 dollars for a two day tournament, my parents like to book a 500 dollar house usually, you can't just show up and have no stress. I feel like I have to play well or I just wasted a lot of money, dragged my family through a day of travel, and I feel like I'm bullshitting about my ability if I can't score well. You play every hole scared and nervous. You probably wouldn't understand as secure adults, and the top 30 pros don't have to worry about money, but it's still a stress to play well. Much unlike a Sunday round or even a club championship for that matter.

I wonder if that "sense of responsibility" is contagious? I wonder if you can make a trip out here and give some of the guilt to my son?

[Flyrdrive]

What's your point?

My point was, (I thought obvious) 30 tournaments a year, (winning most of them), driving yourself coast to coast and Florida to Canada on what would amount to farm roads today was a real grind.

Back to your pity party for today's Pros.

[Spitfisher]

Some one may have pointed this out before, but worth mentioning. I believe some of the golfers are burnt out while others are exhausted.

Thursday, Frid, sat and Sunday - hard core competitive golf and practice, stress, nutrition and sleep is paramount.

Monday morning, travel and move into a hotel or accomodations

Tuesday, practice, practice rounds, sponsor appearances and celebrity round

Wednesday Pro/am round, practice, more sponsorship appearences

Their personal assistance are earning their pay, these past few weeks

Now multiply this by 5 weeks straight, then the Ryder cup!

[jgreen85]

I've not heard other players make similar comments. Seem to only be coming from Phil. I imagine this isn't much of an issue for the younger guys. There's a reason top athletes stop being top athletes when they reach a certain age. MJ practiced occasionally with the bobcats, and all of the players said he still could be in the nba. Primary reason he isn't is b/c he'd take two weeks to recover from each game. First thing to go is your ability to bounce recover from strain not your strength or your speed the ability to recover and compete/train. Phil is saying, "I can still compete; I just need a couple of weeks between tournaments." He clearly wants to win this before he retires. Playoffs should be a grind/sprint and they shouldn't change it. Otherwise these are just plain old tournaments.

[jamo]

Back to your pity party for today's Pros.

Gonna be a rager. We're all very well-rested!

[Lihu]

I've not heard other players make similar comments. Seem to only be coming from Phil. I imagine this isn't much of an issue for the younger guys. There's a reason top athletes stop being top athletes when they reach a certain age. MJ practiced occasionally with the bobcats, and all of the players said he still could be in the nba. Primary reason he isn't is b/c he'd take two weeks to recover from each game. First thing to go is your ability to bounce recover from strain not your strength or your speed the ability to recover and compete/train.

Phil is saying, "I can still compete; I just need a couple of weeks between tournaments." He clearly wants to win this before he retires.

Playoffs should be a grind/sprint and they shouldn't change it. Otherwise these are just plain old tournaments.

Ability to recover is just one of the many things. There are plenty of things older people just can't do now that we could do in my 20's, because of loss of power speed and agility.

[cfritchie]

The Stanley Cup playoffs last for about six weeks after an 82 game schedule. The playoff games are usually every other day or every third day to allow for travel. In the finals, that could include cross country travel. A couple years ago Patrice Bergeron played with a punctured lung. When asked why he always hustled, Joe Di Maggio said that there might be someone at the game that never saw him play. I don't have much sympathy for some prima donnas that claim to be tired. Shoot, I feel the caddies would be more tired than the players.

One of my good buddies is a caddie...his guy didn't make the 2nd event in the playoffs. He plays on my hockey team and only makes about 1/4 to a 1/3 of the games but pays for a full season so when he is home he knows he has a spot. When they play 3-4 weeks in a row it is brutal on the caddies, the tour players don't have a much easier schedule.

If his guys makes the cut and plays the weekend he'll catch a late Sunday flight or an early Monday flight to the next event. On Monday he might get a bit of a break but he'll usually do laundry and get caught up on personal things. If the player is in town and wants to practice then he'll spend time doing that. Tuesday he walks the course, charts any changes and such. He'll usually do a practice session and maybe a practice round with his player. Then Wednesday is either Pro-Am or practicing with the player....Thursday tournament begins.

I don't care if you are making $150 or $150 million...your body and mind don't get less exhausted because your checkbook is bigger.

My buddy really enjoys being home and relaxing, sleeping in his own bed and just goofing off and hanging with the kids, going to soccer or baseball practice and getting in some hockey is what he does.

It's not easy....mix in time zones and such...not a walk in the park...

[jgreen85]

I think it's safe to say most on here have white collar jobs. Imagine the guy going to work on roofs in phoenix in 115 degree heat 5 days a week for 8 hours a day and hoping they call him in on sat/sun for some OT. Zero sympathy for these "athletes."

[Hammer 4]

To those that do complain, I would suggest they work on a construction job for a month as a labor, or even a framer and then tell me how hard a 4 week grind is....

Most carpenters don't go to a gym, their work, is their workout...

[iacas]

I think there are different kinds of exhaustion or effort.

I'd prefer to see the best in the game playing at their best. I've said before I just want to see good golf. Some players like a break to re-charge the batteries. Players - even when they're off - are not sitting around on their couches 24/7. They're hitting balls, going to the gym, etc. Phil has his arthritis, too, which may play a role.

Let's not compare professions that are not really comparable.

[Slice of Life]

I think there are different kinds of exhaustion or effort.

I'd prefer to see the best in the game playing at their best. I've said before I just want to see good golf. Some players like a break to re-charge the batteries. Players - even when they're off - are not sitting around on their couches 24/7. They're hitting balls, going to the gym, etc. Phil has his arthritis, too, which may play a role.

Let's not compare professions that are not really comparable.

This.

I can engineer 52 weeks a year and not get tired. But walking 72 holes in four days on top of hours of practice is absolutely tiring.

Think about it...fly out on Monday, get all settled and checked in...Tuesday and Wednesday you're practicing, then 18 holes a day for 4 straight days...(in pants, no less ). Then you repeat the process. You have no free time at that point, and it would be exhausting.

Baseball players play more games, but I've played baseball...you can get more "beat up", but 18 holes of golf (walking) is more tiring than playing a baseball game. And it isn't even close.

[Mr. Desmond]

I agree with Erik and others... it's not a valid comparison between tournament golf and laboring in the sun hammering nails, or working with wood, or other occupations.

But I bet the guy hammering nails on a roof might want to engage more of his brainpower once in a while, as does the guy in carpentry, although that does seem brain and labor. I work in front of a computer most of the day, researching legal issues, drafting contracts, looking at how various states differentiate their laws ... and at the end of the day, I'm fried. There is nothing like hitting a few balls outside.

But Tournament Golf? Your brain is fried if not your body, and your body must be kept in somewhat decent shape, some more than others. You're traveling, working out, taking care of nagging injuries, the family may or may not be around, and you are playing in front of thousands of people -- athlete, entertainer, endurance, intelligence. It's tough to keep that up at the highest levels every day for 3-4 weeks.

I know that after 3 days of grinding at legal issues, that 4th day is not as productive. I wish that I was more machine-like, but I'm human ... and so are golfers. So are the guys hammering nails, who have their off-days. It just doesn't show as much. It shows up on the golf course - clearly.

[Patch]

I think it's ok to complain about something while still giving it your all to the end result. The recreational golfer can not even begin to know what it's like to play 16, highly competitive rounds in a 4 week period. This, while adding in the travel, and practice rounds. Probably some family issues thrown in there too.

I am not a fan of the Fed-Ex finals, but it is what it is. The players don't have to play in it if they don't want too. I remember when the topic of how the Fed-Ex was first being formulated, there was some concern of it's final format as far as the time involved to compete.

Back when my own amateur game was decent, I use to play in 5-6 local, and state tournaments each year, which consisted of 72 holes over a 4 day period. I remember I did not win anything, and I had only one top 10 showing. Nothing stellar on my part. However, as fun as it was to play in these tournaments, by the end of a tournament, I was quite tired, and my other hobbies took over from golf for a while. I can't imagine what it would be like to play PGA tournament level golf week in, and week out, on a yearly basis.

I think to get a good perspective, a recreational golfer should go play 18 holes a day, for 4 consecutive days, while trying to play better each successive day. This, while throwing in some practice time in between rounds.

[jgreen85]

I think there are different kinds of exhaustion or effort.

I'd prefer to see the best in the game playing at their best. I've said before I just want to see good golf. Some players like a break to re-charge the batteries. Players - even when they're off - are not sitting around on their couches 24/7. They're hitting balls, going to the gym, etc. Phil has his arthritis, too, which may play a role.

Let's not compare professions that are not really comparable.

Shouldn't endurance play a role in golf? Why not play tournaments over 4 weeks, one round per week? Why not let these guys ride carts? Why not reduce the # of holes to 9?

Phil is getting old, he should be declining that's the nature of every sport. Tim Duncan is a marvel b/c he's still very effective at an advanced age, but because he has transformed his game. Phil still wants to bomb it off the tee like he's in his twenties. Was Jim Furyk complaining?

You're correct, these professions aren't comparable; one is recreation and the other is REAL work.

Looks like folks are pretty well-entrenched in their opinion on this, which is fine, I am as well. Perhaps we can both agree if Phil were 27 we wouldn't hear these complaints?

[iacas]

Shouldn't endurance play a role in golf?

You act like it doesn't currently.

Tiger's talked about several times.

You're correct, these professions aren't comparable; one is recreation and the other is REAL work.

Oh please. At least we know now that you don't have anything more to contribute to this thread since your mind's made up.