Greatest Shots ever

[Acropo]

Mickelson's from teh straw is the shot of the year so far in 2010...
Harrington's 5-wood to 5 feet in the British Open 2008...
Seve Ballesteros: too many to choose from but start with the 'car park shot' - not least, because the rumour is that he actually meant to play it - he selected that line and went for it. Don't you love it when a plan comes together?

Also Seve - the World Matchplay at Wentworth. He's lining up a shot and then backs off, disturbed by something a spectator has done or said. He turns to him and says "Can I ask you to keep quiet. I know you're nervous - I'm nervous too!" Then he naturally nailed it. Repeated on TV often.

Karen Stupples, 2nd shot to the 2nd, British Women's Open, final round, Sunningdale, 2004. About 200 yards to the hole, narrow entrance to the green with bunkers and gorse bushes all around. Absolutely nailed it - trundled into the hole for an albatross (double-eagle) 2. She'd just eagled the first, so picked up 5 shots in two holes. Even Christie Kerr (her playing partner) was moved to say 'great golf shot'. The tournament was effectively over; Stupples won her first (and so far only) Major by 5 shots from Rache Teske (who she?).

I was following the wonderful Grace Park; the second hole was clearly visible from where we were (the fourth?) and we both saw it. Grace looked like she lost interest at that point - from two behind to 7, in less than 20 minutes and she'd done nothing wrong. I almost got lockjaw from where it dropped in astonishment.

[albatross]

Shaun Micheel at PGA. Hits it to 2 inches with a major on the line? Come on, it doesn't get better than that.

[sean_miller]

The greatest shot I've ever seen in person was made by my wife. The same principle was used by Constantino Rocca in the '95 British Open, but I like my wife's version better.

Constantino Rocca was on the road, behind the road hole (17th at St. Andrews). Some players bounced shots off the wall back onto the green, but Rocca grabbed his putter. He hit down on the ball, compressing it. The ball rebounded over the putter blade, spilling onto the green. I can't remember whether or not he made the putt, but wow.

My wife's version was the culmination of my poor job at explaining and demonstrating a flop shot. We were playing a par 3 where the green was on a plateau - a shelf really. She came up just short of the green - she'd have to either pitch over the shelf, or hit into it and have the ball release over the lip onto the green. Instead, she hit directly down on the ball with an opened up 9-iron, causing it to spill over the blade, straight up into the air with a hint of top spin. The ball landed on the apron and rolled up the pin. She said, "that's pretty hard to do, but it really works". I almost fell down. "That was amazing - how did you think of doing that!?!?" Then she says, "That's the shot you were showing me how to do the other day." She still laughs about it - I knew then I'd never be an instructor.

[Doctorfro]

My son in his conference championship this past Monday. 190 yards, out of the rough, sidehill-uphill lie, into a 20 mph wind with a five iron, landed and stuck a foot from the cup. Tap in birdie. Best I've ever seen IN PERSON. There's a bazillion other greatest shots out there. Way too many to name.

[shortstop20]

What's this car park shot everyone is talking about?

[sean_miller]

What's this car park shot everyone is talking about?

It's "the shot" for many people in the 38 - 50 demographic.

1979 British Open - try youtube - tons of great Open stuff there. I'm not sure if it's from the same tournament, but there's a bit where Nicklaus pulls a drive into the deep rough. Pulls his second into the rough too. He chops one onto the green, then drains a long putt. Routine par.

[Zeph]

Not a particulary difficult or spectacular shot I would say. Ball lying on grass that has been trampled down, what tour players love hitting off. Was not exactly a huge parking lot of asphalt with cars all around.