Tiger too muscular?

[Golf_Predictor_Guru]

I don't think he'll be in Mr Universe any time soon, so he should be fine!

[Carolinahooker]

His swing is just way off. If his short game wasn't so good he would have shot a 78 out there. I can't remember the last time I watched him hit so many bad shots. His recovery game is so good he didn't pay for it all the time.

It is kinda' reassuring to watch the best player in the world go through something we amateurs have done many times. I have hit some of those same shots off the tee. I, of course, am at least 40 yards shorter :)

[Donnie_Brasco]

Why do you think being more bulky inhibits flexibility?

Muscle connect to tendons which then attach to bone. When a muscle contracts, it shortens, pulling on the tendons at both ends. Fascia is a connective tissue seen throughout the body. Muscles and surrounding tissues are meant to glide freely on top of one another. When they are restricted, the joint they supply won't have it's optimal range of motion. When muscles are tight they are already putting load on the tendon from a resting position! a.) the muscles are tight putting load on the tendon b.) the tendons tighten when gripping c.) the tendons are then ask to stretch past their extreme when flexing the wrist

[saltman]

His physique is not at all the issue.

His swing is noticeably different, maybe by design, I don't know. That is for him and Hank to answer. His rotation isn't as dynamic, his hips aren't clearing as fast and his swing plane is different. Looks like he is coming down inside quite a bit and his swing is flatter than ever which Hank seems to love. Still a great swing and a swing that should win a lot, but he looks like he is fighting it a bit. His putting has also been very inconsistent for his standards.

All of this seems to point to a long layoff more than anything else.

[allin]

Every argument that Tiger is to big seems based on the assumption that he has lost flexibility. With all the pictures of him out there swinging it should be easy to illustrate whether his shoulder turn etc is as big as it has been in the past. I feel that he still trying to refine his swing to put less stress on his knees. The stance seem narrower, he is not straightening and whipping his hips through as aggressively as he did in the past. The combination of time off, swing changes, body not completely back etc more likely explain his recent inconsistent play. He probably won't be all the way back until next year. All golfers have had to refine their swings as they get older. Because of the wear and tear on his knee Tiger is being forced to start making changes a little sooner.

[NorCalGolfer]

Muscle connect to tendons which then attach to bone. When a muscle contracts, it shortens, pulling on the tendons at both ends. Fascia is a connective tissue seen throughout the body. Muscles and surrounding tissues are meant to glide freely on top of one another. When they are restricted, the joint they supply won't have it's optimal range of motion. When muscles are tight they are already putting load on the tendon from a resting position!

You copy and pasted that from a Google search... No one uses "Fascia" in a sentence unless they're a Dr. lol

[Surefire]

Muscle connect to tendons which then attach to bone. When a muscle contracts, it shortens, pulling on the tendons at both ends. Fascia is a connective tissue seen throughout the body. Muscles and surrounding tissues are meant to glide freely on top of one another. When they are restricted, the joint they supply won't have it's optimal range of motion. When muscles are tight they are already putting load on the tendon from a resting position!

Ok so the muscles are tight, pulling on the tendon. Why do you stretch the tendon? You didn't really answer my question. The answer is you don't, you relax the muscle. You do this perhaps through a stretching exercise, but you definitely don't stretch a tendon. Fascia has nothing to do it, it is the covering that wraps around muscles, tendons, everything in fact. To release the fascia you would use, a ball, a massage, or even a foam roller.

[HytrewQasdfg]

My 2 cents worth.

My guess is after the surgery he worked to build the muscles up in his leg so they could help him stabilize his knee (and thus help protect his knee.)

Knowing Tiger (nto that I really do), if he worked hard to build up one set of muscles (his leg) he went the extra mile and worked to build up all his muscles.

My guess is he worked just as hard on his stretching/flexibiltiy as he did building muscle, so I don't think it is a concern.

What is different is he has come back with a different body than when he left. Not only is his knee different from the surgery, but his body feels different with the newly aquired extra muscle. IMHO, it is just taking him time to groove in his swing with the changes he has made in his body. His body feels different (because it is), so he is having to work out a new swing/feel to go with it.

No different than if someone gained 20 pounds of fat in the offseason. In the spring they would have to learn their swing all over again.

Give him time. He'll work it out.

If Tiger keeps up with the heavy weight lifting, it will be interesting to see how it affects his career down the road. IMHO, it will enable him to extend his career by a significant number of years.

[Boss5]

He definately looks like he has been bulking. He should be doing some flexibility training as well as weights. Monster drives!

[shortstop20]

Look in the new issue of Golf Digest, Tiger isn't hardly any bigger(if at all) than he was before. TV distorts his size.

my .02

[Donnie_Brasco]

Look in the new issue of Golf Digest, Tiger isn't hardly any bigger(if at all) than he was before. TV distorts his size.

You must be kidding me? Looking at the picture now

he has put at least 2 inches in his biceps alone.. his shoulders, traps, hips, thighs.. His body looks completely different

[ecco]

He has definitely gotten bigger, and in my opinion cannot get down and through the ball like before, hence the erratic shots

[iacas]

He has definitely gotten bigger, and in my opinion cannot get down and through the ball like before, hence the erratic shots

The armchair pontificating that goes on sometimes never fails to leave me shocked, surprised, and dismayed.

[Bo the Golfer]

He has definitely gotten bigger, and in my opinion cannot get down and through the ball like before, hence the erratic shots

Have to agree with Iacas-if only Tiger would join The Sand Trap then his swing would be saved!!

Michael Breed had Tiger's swing from 2000 and this past weekend on The Golf Fix last night and it looks to be as simple as Tiger not keeping his spine angle. He looks a shade bigger to me but I am not sure this is the cause of his problems.

[TN94z]

The cause of his problems is the fact that when you take a 10 month layoff, you lose feel and timing. I think everyone should just give the guy time and stop picking "the best player in the world's" game apart. He could be working on changes that we don't know about. He beat the world's best last year on one leg...one leg! Do you really think that adding an inch or two to his biceps is going to kill his golf swing?

[Chief Broom]

He definately looks like he has been bulking. He should be doing some flexibility training as well as weights. Monster drives!

And yet Phil was out driving him at the Masters?

These arguments are going around the net and at golf courses everywhere. I don't know the answer. Tiger does appear to be bigger to my eye. Both in that picture in this thread (he looks hoooge in that pic!) but also at The Player's this past week. And his game is obviously off. Off by Tiger standards that is. If there is any connection between the two I would tend to think it is more of a comfort issue than one of lost flexability. In other words Tiger isn't comfortable with his swing (obviously) and it is possible that his size, his new knee, his long lay off, etc. could all be contributing to his lack of comfort. This would also tend to make me think that once Tiger regains that comfort level his game will naturally improve. And by Tiger standards that will be impressive. I also imagine that when Tiger regains that comfort with his new size his shot making should go off the charts.

[saltman]

One might read this thread and think the guy has gone from #1 to #300. You would think he is taking half swings these days. One off the cuff comment from Johnny Miller and here we go.

Its not as if he has ever had great success at The Players. He has put himself in contention every week and has a win to his credit this year.

Lets not blow this out of proportion.

[pjsnyc]

I'd venture a guess and say that he is simply filling out. The guy is pretty much in the absolute prime years of his life. I wouldn't say he's much bigger than he was 5 years ago - just more fit/cut (and don't compare him now to when he was a tweenager) and tighter fitting shirts if you ask me. You can look to other sports to see examples of athletes filling out when they're in their prime - Ken Griffey Jr. and Barry Sanders to name a couple.