2013 WM Phoenix Open Discussion Thread - Page 4

 

He has huge crowds follow him every hole wherever he plays so I would think he would be used to it?

Has had a hole in one on this hole, back when it was even more raucous...

 

You want that, go to a football, baseball, hockey game and leave golf in peace.  That crap has no place in the auld game.   It kept the GGO from ever becoming more than a curiosity, and they were eventually told by the Tour to tone it down or they'd go elsewhere.  Watching Bradley and Haas blow short putts today on 16 is just the sort of thing that could get it shut off.  A few complaints from the players and the Tour will act.

Last week while watching the Farmers at Torry Pines, I was wondering why the American Flag which has been on the 17th green the past couple of years, was not there this year.

 

Then today, I noticed the American Flag on the 17th in the Phoenix Open.

 

Does anyone know if this is a tradition, which the US flag will be rotating Tour events?

 

Seems like I've seen the American Flag in other events, Jack's Memorial event each year comes to mind.

 

Thanks, Club Rat

 

The flag and some military personnel were on one of the holes last week (they made point of showing in the broadcast) and this week.

The "Auld" game? Really? You mean the game that excluded blacks for decades and for the most part is still populated at the highest levels by those who grew up in the country club system? I'm all for decorum in the game but the PGA Tour promotes what happens at the 16th hole in Phoenix. They love it and the fans love it. They are the people who allow the stadium look on that hole and actually specify's architecture to promote stadium golf. Also, for the most part the players love it. Phil sure the heck does.

Hope that you don't get the X Hot Extreme because of Phil, 'cause the one he's using is the RAZR FIt Xtreme.       From Callaway's website:

 

In his first tournament round with a new RAZR Fit Xtreme Driver in the bag, Lefty shot 29 on the back nine (his first nine of the round), made four more birdies on the front side and barely lipped out a 25-foot birdie putt for 59 on his last hole. All in all, it was an incredible debut performance for Mickelson’s new driver, which has 8.1° of loft, a 5 gram weight in the toe and a 3 gram weight in the heel.     “I finally gave our new RAZR Fit Xtreme a chance,” Mickelson said. “And I tell you what, on Tuesday, when I hit it, I kept looking up and I was almost in disbelief at how easy it was, how straight it was, and the misses weren’t bad. I put it into play in the Pro Am yesterday and I hit it great.   I drove it phenomenal, and felt really good with it,” Mickelson said after his round. “And the thing that’s so great about it is I can make the same swing with my irons as I do with my driver and the ball goes very straight and easy…So that was the big thing. I drove the ball much better here.”

Yeah, there's no such driver as x hot xtreme. There's razr fit extreme (beachcomber just got one) x hot, and x hot pro (hopefully mines in its way soon!)

 

Discrimination was practiced across the board, to our national shame, so so don't try raising that flag.  It was rampant in all occupations, and it still hasn't been totally resolved, so golf is the least of that problem.

 

 

 

Phil also schmoozes with the gallery all of the time.  He simply enjoys it.  Others don't.  Hass didn't look that happy even before he missed that short putt.  And while Bradley was having a bad day in general, the crowd didn't help his demeanor any with the boos.  I think that booing is crass and boorish in any sport, but worse in what is supposed to be a game of honor.  I don't see any place for poor sportsmanship, even from the gallery.  You would be correct in characterizing me as an old fashioned traditionalist, but that doesn't make me wrong.  There is a place in the world for keeping tradition, and it's my opinion that golf is one of those places.  I'll take an Augusta gallery any day over that circus at Scotsdale.

 

  I love the circus, it is one of the best tournaments of the year with what might be the best 3 hole stretch on the pga tour in terms of scoring and fun to watch. Tradition in golf has too much oppression associated with it, I have no desire to go back to that.  

I think cheering and going mental is good when they hit the green, and booing when they miss it is pure banter. But booing when someone misses a 4 footer is just harsh and isn't what golf is all about.

Having something like that on a UK course wouldn't be a good idea, especially if they serve booze, you would see fighting on the side on the fairway!

From ESPN:

 

 

 

Those are NASCAR-like numbers.  How is that bad for the game?  The pros know what thery're getting into when they sign up for this event.  Just as they know what they are getting when they play at Augusta, the Old Course, or Torrey Pines.  I don't see this type of stadium atmosphere trending, but I don't see a problem with one stop on the tour. 

 

These guys all paid their dues at munis, on the mini tours or at universities where the only crowds were family and friends.  Now they're teeing it up with 20,000 drunk fans ready to praise or punish depending on the stroke.  It's a feaking 8-iron for most of them.  How hard can that be?

The crowds at Phoenix provide a unique atmosphere, but it's not one that the PGA Tour should attempt to emulate at every tournament.

 

• When a basketball court is laid down in the middle of a football stadium during the Final Four, and 60,000 fans show up, it's incredible; when under 3,000 show up at the same stadium for a basketball game, it's embarrassing.
• The most prestigious Formula 1 race of any given year is run on the streets of Monte Carlo. It's a fantastic spectacle, but drivers rarely have an opportunity to pass, and Grand Prix racing would be a tedious procession if every race was held there.
• There is a 10K race I run every 4th of July that has an entry cap of 60,000 runners. It's a lot of fun running through the streets of midtown Atlanta alongside thousands of other runners, with thousands more lining the course, bands and DJs blaring music from every bar and restaurant, but again, every footrace shouldn't be like that.

 

It's not so much the NASCAR numbers as it is the NASCAR mentality.

 

< ducks >

It's one tournament and the players all know what they are signing up for.  I am all for a tournament that can draw that many people.  

 

I wouldn't like if they were all like this but one per year isn't going to hurt anyone :) 

I thought it was a game of putting the ball in the hole?

Also, Phil hits a 187 yard 8 iron, it flew the whole way. Imho that is really long.