What Makes PGA Tour Players Freaks of Nature?

[martytilma]

But to infer, as others have, that just because you're not there, you're automatically disqualified from the "freak club", or that you can't get to that point, is quite short sighted.

My point exactly!

[Williamevanl]

Someone doesn't have to be on tour for me to place them in the "freak category" There's a story about a father talking to Trevino how about how his son might have the potential to play golf professionally. Trevino offered: "Take your son to 5 different courses that he's never played in your area. If he can shoot in the sixties on all five course than he might have a chance."

So yea if someone did that, I'd throw them in the freak category even though they weren't on tour.

[martytilma]

So even though person A has been golfing since they were 6 and practices 3 hours everyday they get stomped by person B who 'sort of' got into golf six months ago.

How often does that really happen, very rarely I would bet.

I've read that many of the best golfers get to scratch in about one year under normal circumstances, that seems crazy to me but hey that's talent for you.

And I'm sure that they only played one round every couple of weeks and never practiced. Am I right? Come on, talent will only get you so far. People become scratch golfers because 1. they have the ability. 2. they work hard and practice at it.

[Williamevanl]

So why are they that good?? They are that good because it's thier JOB! Hands down! Now granted you definitely need ability, but when you combine that with opportunity you get "Tour Player". I'm sure there are tons of people that never reached thier full potential in golf because a lack of opportunity, not ability. For anyone to say otherwise I think is crazy! JMO.

This is btw what Paper Tiger is all about. A guy with a lot of potential who was once really good at golf devotes an entire year and ridiculous amounts of cash to make the leap to Q school qualifying. He gets everything, a swing coach, sponsors, 8 hours on a range everyday etc.. He goes from a 15 to a plus handicap only to find that he is nowhere near good enough to qualify and play professionally, hence the scratch is shit rant. He plays with a guy at one point that plays off a +6 handicap that also can't make it on tour.

[shortstop20]

Keywords, one year.

Who goes from 15 handicap to PGA Tour member in one year?

[Williamevanl]

[QUOTE=martytilma;459545]How often does that really happen, very rarely I would bet.


Thats the point! :) of the billions of people on this planet a very small *very small* percentage of them have the ability to be ungodly good at golf with the same amount of practice that gets someone else to a 5 handicap. So yes very rarely is someone born that has the ability to become a professional golfer, maybe one in million.

[Williamevanl]

Keywords, one year.

In Coyne's case he wasn't really a 15 handicap as he played college or highschool and was good. The point was after so many years of not playing golf thats how far he fell.

[Williamevanl]

Read 3 pages, it explains a lot. :)

http://www.amazon.com/Paper-Tiger-Ob...der_1592402097

[Williamevanl]

Sorry Page 52

[DavidFehertysBike]

There are X% of geniuses out there…and X% of superb athletes. If Einstein had gravitated towards music he probably would have been the next Mozart…if Kolbe and Lebron had played soccer the US would win the World Cup…it’s just a coincidence that Tiger played golf…he probably would have been the next A-Rod or Peyton Manning if he went the other way.

Man...could you imagine kobe in mid field and lebron at fullback? Ridiculous.. I read that tiger was excellent hurdles runner in HS so i guess your idea is correct.

[martytilma]

Sorry Page 52

It won't let me read page 52.

[Williamevanl]

It won't let me read page 52.

hmm, when it opens click on search book put in pyramid and then click to the next page.

[Williamevanl]

ohh, :) I just saw the quote from earlier on page 57 and I wanted to correct it in verbatim it is goes

"They should amend those adds on tv-- These guys are good. How good? You have no @#$@ing idea!

[chilly]

I've been playing "seriously" for a year now, so I can't say I've been exposed to that many great players. I do have a few opinions based on what I've seen, though..

Anyone that is currently an avid golfer and is a 5hcp does not have the talent to be on the PGA Tour. I'm not saying that guy isn't a good golfer, but I believe that if a person had PGA Tour talent, they could play a couple of times a month and still be scratch or better.

What makes these guys freaks? The unworldly ability in all phases of the game. They hit the ball a mile off the tee compared to "everyone else". Their irons are so much crisper then "everyone else"...same for their feel for the short game, and putting ability. We've all played with a guy who hit it a mile but couldn't putt, or the short game guy who was lucky to hit one 240 off the tee. You just don't see the entire package that these guys have wrapped up in one individual. On top of that, they have the "nerve" to be able to play the game, the ability to control their emotions and make the shot when it counts. Add to that the course management aspect...it's just an unbelievably rare combination.

[pittpanther]

One thing we are forgetting

1. Innate ability
2. LOTS of practice
>>> 3. Experience in Competition <<<

Sure, you might be a plus-handicap, but if you have never competed before, your first competitive (or your first 100) tournaments may very well be an adventure. A kid who has played in tournaments since he was 8 will have a big advantage over the guy that is good but has never competed, and takes a year to focus only on golf.

For you musicians out there, it's the same as being a "bedroom guitarist" versus getting on stage in front of people.

[martytilma]

Their irons are so much crisper then "everyone else"...same for their feel for the short game, and putting ability.

Where do you think they develop a feel for the short game? Playing twice a month? I doubt it. Practice, practice, and more practice. A Tour player practices more in 1 month than I have in my life! By no means am I saying that

I could make the PGA Tour with the time and resources that pro's have, but I think its possible that some 5 handicap out there could. To say that it could never happen is just ignorant.

[shortstop20]

Agreed.

[Williamevanl]

I think the point is at some point you get diminishing returns on your practice. Lets say I'm a scratch golfer *getting close :)* and I start hitting 10 buckets a day and practicing my short game for several hours a day at some point I'm going to see little if any additional improvement. You can practice 24/7 but everyone will hit some kind of wall at some point. For most people that's around scratch. For the elite it's +6 to +10.

I think that's what Iacas was trying to say when he mentioned that they could tell someone was going to be about a 2 handicap forever.