Natalie Gulbis--not just a pretty face!

[Elvisliveson]

Am I the only one that thinks Natalie looks like a little butch? I've seen her show on TGC and without her golf attire, she's a little hefty lookin.

Yeah, you might be the only one. I met her up close and she has one of the banginest bodies I've every seen: hard as a rock and curves in all the righ places. Hard to imagine many women with a fitter body. She's a real gym rat and it shows.

[iacas]

When we were over at the tourny in Orlando, she mentioned in an interview that they have "changed her swing dramatically more this year, than any other in the past".

Excuses, excuses.

[PEZGolf]

Yeah, you might be the only one. I met her up close and she has one of the banginest bodies I've every seen: hard as a rock and curves in all the righ places. Hard to imagine many women with a fitter body. She's a real gym rat and it shows.

I agree with you. She looks in superb condition.

[total consciousness]

(Editor: asinine, rude, crude, lewd comment removed.)

[joshtpa]

Excuses, excuses.

Joking or not, I believe, her exact words contradict your saying that she is NOT going through a swing change.

[iacas]

Joking or not, I believe, her exact words contradict your saying that she is NOT going through a swing change.

And I've heard her and Butch say she's working on nothing but a continuation of the same changes she's been working on for years. Regardless, "excuses, excuses" was my attempt to put an end to a fairly pointless discussion in which neither of us have provided any sort of evidence. I heard what I heard, you heard what you heard.

Edit: Unless you've got a relevant quote from Natalie or Butch, this portion of the discussion's over.

I've seen her hit up close and it is amazing how well she strikes the ball. She hits a beautiful high 10-15 yard cut about 270-290 with her driver... I really didn't expect her to be that long. (very consistent too)

Her stats put her driving average at 240.8.

She has two extra veterbrae in her back, and her swing has always had a pronounced dip to it, and Butch Harmon has advised her on the changes. She said this week that she has changed her putting posture and stance and that should help as well.

I believe she just has one extra vertebrae. Her putting and short game, like most women, could definitely stand some improvement. If I were her, I'm not sure I'd focus so much on the long game. Annika really started dominating when she worked on her short game. I wish one of the women would do it. Even Lorena can't compete on weeks when she's missing more greens than normal - even she relies too heavily on her long game to cover up her somewhat messy short game.

[Phil McGleno]

Natalie ain't doin' nothin she wasn't doin' last year. And with those legs and the pushed up breasts, I doubt any of y'all have even really seen her swing.

[iacas]

Edit: Unless you've got a relevant quote from Natalie or Butch, this portion of the discussion's over.

Here's a

relevant quote (emphasis mine):

Source: Natalie Gulbis Q. Are you still working with Butch Harmon? NATALIE GULBIS: Absolutely. Q. Do you see him very often? NATALIE GULBIS: I see him or one of his teachers every single time I’m home. But I call him every single day as soon as I get back from the golf course. Wake him up at 5:00 a.m. usually because of the of time change. Q. Is he able to offer suggestions? I mean, obviously you tell him how you’re playing and he knows your swing. Is he able to give comments about what you might be doing if things haven’t worked out or what you could be working on? NATALIE GULBIS: For sure, especially with technology now. I have a Canon camera where I can take a picture of my swing if I’m not swinging well and send it to him. Because sometimes you get into a swing that you just don’t know what’s going on, or you have a shot that you can’t fix. But for the most part I can say, Hey, it feels like I’m hitting the ball left and it feels like this. What do you think I can do? And it’s usually a trigger memory. My swing hasn’t changed but I have a tendency to go out and try this or try that, and it might be a shot that I’ve forgotten. Maybe there is real tall rough that week or something with the putting. It’s always little reminders , and sometimes it might be course management. Sometimes you’re hitting the ball well and you play a certain way, and other times you aren’t striking it so well, so you play a little more conservative. So it’s a lot of golf and course management, too.

Here's another article:

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/lpga/2008-07-22-gulbis-evianmasters_N.htm USA Today]But Gulbis feels her best golf is coming as she heads into a stretch that will include the Women's British Open and the Canadian Open. Last year she gave part of the credit for her win to a back injury two months prior that forced her to take a month off and change her swing.

That implies the swing change was done last year (leaving this year open to "incremental" changes). This was before her win last year (as stated). It wouldn't be unusual for an announcer to remember old information. And as for the seemingly always snide (in three posts?) Butch Harmon in this forum, it's too bad he's not the actual Butch Harmon. He could certainly settle it once and for all. P.S. #2 result in Google for "natalie gulbis swing changes 2008" is this very thread. P.P.S. Natalie's in 20th with only one round to go, so thus far this year, she is just a pretty face on the LPGA Tour.

[shredfit]

Her stats put her driving average at 240.8.

After seeing her hit driver repeatedly on the range, I find the 240.8 average really suspect.

On another note, I did observe Natalie hitting a lot of 3 woods(and even hybrids) off the tee on the course(even on par 5's)... Perhaps this factors in to her average? I don't know, but I suspect it does. And yes, I've seen her hit in real life... Frankly, I was stunned she struck the ball like she did... Wow!

[iacas]

After seeing her hit driver repeatedly on the range, I find the 240.8 average really suspect.

The LPGA, like the PGA Tour, uses holes on which the vast, vast majority of golfers are likely to hit driver. You might be able to add a little distance (5 yards or so), but 30 to 50 yards? No.

Brittany Lincicome leads the LPGA Tour at less than 270 yards . Natalie's not hitting it 270 to 290. P.S. I thought this went without saying, but apparently not: "maximum driver distance" and the distance they average when they're playing for a score can be quite different. I can hit it 300 yards if I really try, but it'll be one out of ten or so and the other nine will be goodness knows where. That being said, it's still highly unlikely that Natalie can hit it 50 yards further than her Tour average.

[RickPro]

The LPGA, like the PGA Tour, uses holes on which the vast, vast majority of golfers are likely to hit driver. You might be able to add a little distance (5 yards or so), but 30 to 50 yards? No.

she can hit it further, but she doesn't completely let loose, because she has more confidence at hitting it at a certain slower tempo. on tour you dont try to drive the ball 300 yards everytime, its not a long drive contest.

dont worry about distance, but worry about hitting the fairway. give yourself an opportunity to shoot a low score on the hole.

[PEZGolf]

The LPGA, like the PGA Tour, uses holes on which the vast, vast majority of golfers are likely to hit driver. You might be able to add a little distance (5 yards or so), but 30 to 50 yards? No.

You are right on all counts!!

[GaijinGolfer]

P.P.S. Natalie's in 20th with only one round to go, so thus far this year, she is just a pretty face on the LPGA Tour.

Yup, 10 shots back. Unless she has the round of her life and the leaders have a major meltdown, I dont see her pulling off this time.

Paula is 6 shots back...

[PEZGolf]

Last year, by winning her first LPGA Tournament at the Evian Masters, Natalie got the "monkey off her back". She is NO LONGER the "Anna Kournikova of golf". This week, she defends her title at Lake Geneva, and she says that she really, really wants to win. She and her instructor, Butch Harmon, thought her second victory would be easier to achieve than her first, but so far, that has not proved to be true. She is a great asset to the Tour, and not just for her looks and her game. She is very fan friendly and is a real charmer. I have had the good fortune to meet her at the Wegman's in Rochester, NY,and at the practice rounds for the 2006 Women's Open at the Newport Country Club. She takes her time signing autographs and talks with many of the fans. The Tour is lucky to have her and Paula Creamer playing at the same time. We are rooting for her to win this week, but it will not be easy with ALL the Top Ten entered to play!

I am sure that you all have seen that Natalie has posted scores of 69, 71, and 72 and stands at 4 under, which is 10 shots back of Angela Park. She is making a credible showing, but not a great defense of her one and only title.

Being an OLD guy, it is great to see Juli Inkster (11 under) and Helen Alfredsson (10 under) play well!!

[JonnyGolf]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, her swing is holding her back. You can see that she is an athlete, but the compensations she makes will prevent her from becoming top tier.

So, she will win again, but it will be about holding it together as her swing falls to pieces under pressure.

[csalcedo_tw]

she's an excellent ball striker.. there's more to her than only her pretty face

[PEZGolf]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, her swing is holding her back. You can see that she is an athlete, but the compensations she makes will prevent her from becoming top tier.

One thing that some people overlook is the competition on the LPGA Tour. I know that it is almost a cliche to say it, but "it is TOUGH to win out there". Look at Lorena---she is #1, but she has lost the last two Majors. And she did NOT lose them to Suzann, Annika, Paula, Cristie, or one of the other top Ten. No, she lost them to Yani Tseng and Inbee Park. And Inbee is the YOUNGEST to ever win a Major.

Paula has a better swing and overall game than Natalie, and that is why she has won three times. So, it will be tough for Natalie to win again. Nonetheless, she is fun to watch and "enjoyable" as well.

[shredfit]

The LPGA, like the PGA Tour, uses holes on which the vast, vast majority of golfers are likely to hit driver. You might be able to add a little distance (5 yards or so), but 30 to 50 yards? No.

iacas, I would agree with you but I seen her do it... Without a doubt, on the range and on the course. Course example: Interlachens #15 a slightly uphill par 4 345 yards... Natalie hit driver(the only driver I seen her hit on the course that day...mostly 3 wood off the tee, she might have a strong 3 wood she hits it pretty low) and ended up 55 yards from the hole(cut center left). I know this for sure because I could hear her caddie tell her(I was on the left side of the fairway gallery about 20-30 ft from her, in roped off trees) So Natalie hit a slightly uphill drive(she cut around a tree, a perfect shot for her) 290 yards. Incidentally, her playing partners(two smaller girls that hit driver) were 40-50 yards behind Natalie with their drives. Come to think of it, I watched Natalie hit quite a few 3 wood and hybrid and her driver was at least 30-40 yards longer... It was quite easy to see where balls were ending up on Interlachens range. I too, really didn't expect Natalie to be that long.