Bubba says Tiger is going the "wrong way"

[SpacklersEdge]

http://www.thegolfchannel.com/tour-insider/notes-bubba-woods-wrong-42788/?hj=xfs

Basically, Bubba says Tiger is mental, and he just needs to go out and play some golf.

I agree, I have been saying for years, 'where is the Tiger who used to grip and rip and try to just flat out dominate'. I think he is too caught up in the perfect swing, longenvity, etc., needs to find a common ground.  Best nine he played this year was the back 9 on Friday at the Masters, he played that 9 like he would have 6 years ago.  SEE: second shot on 18.

[Nineteenth]

From what I've gathered, Tiger is a feel player. I believe he just needs to get his swing in sync to the point he doesn't think about mechanics anymore. He just needs to keep doing what he's doing and he will get to that point where he plays "golf" rather than "golf swing". When he does, he will win again. Often.

[Mattplusness]

As soon as the media stops treating him like he's Miley Cyrus he will start playing better. I can't imagine how much pressure the guy is under with thousands critiquing his every move from the swing to what drink he orders. I'm sorry but I feel bad for the guy.

[clamber]

Originally Posted by Mattplusness

As soon as the media stops treating him like he's Miley Cyrus he will start playing better. I can't imagine how much pressure the guy is under with thousands critiquing his every move from the swing to what drink he orders. I'm sorry but I feel bad for the guy.

Same.

[TourSpoon]

I have to go with Bubba on this one. I have said it before, but the swing to win the 97 Masters speaks for itself. There was a glimpse of greatness on the front 9 with the 31 this year, but it fizzled on the back nine. Blaming the media is really lame. Tiger, his father, and Nike set up the marketing machine and image in a calculating way that now may be proving to be a hindrance. Publicity is great when you get your own Gatorade brand, but it is a bitch when you get busted cheating on your wife with porn star and others of the same ilk. "If you live by the sword, you die by the sword", immediately comes to mind with all the attention he gets. The guy just needs to get out of his head and play some golf.

[shades9323]

He just needs to board the ho train again and he will be alright.

[bunkerputt]

Man I love Bubba Watson.  My favorite part about him, besides how he pounds it like a beast, is how he cries like a six-foot-three baby every time he wins.  That dude is open and out there.  He's inspired me to get out there too.  Tiger Woods needs Jesus.  He needs to get get his heart under control, thank God for his talent, and go out there and use it, plain and simple.

[iacas]

Every player is a feel player. That doesn't mean they can't relate mechanics to their unique feels.

[Kieran123]

I don;t know if Tiger has always been a feel player. I would class him as always being mechanical. His father made him mechanical.

[newtogolf]

Originally Posted by Kieran123

I don;t know if Tiger has always been a feel player. I would class him as always being mechanical. His father made him mechanical.

Based on the article about Tiger in Golf Digest I'd say he's more of a feel player and was even more so in his early years.  According to the article his hips often released to early and as a result he had to use "feel" to time his hands and arms so he'd strike the ball properly.  It wasn't until Harmon started coaching him that he tried to limit the feel and make his swing more repeatable.  Tiger was and continues to be in search of a swing that is so mechanical he can repeat it every time even in high pressure situations.

[caniac6]

Tiger seemed like he was making progress, and now he is hurt. Lets see how he does upon his return. I wonder if his biggest concern seem to be the toll his swing has teken on his body.

[delav]

Originally Posted by TourSpoon

The guy just needs to get out of his head and play some golf.

It's this exact issue that makes me genuinely wonder if we will see a dominate Tiger Woods again.  Being the very private and prideful individual he is, the airing of all that dirty laundry, the loss of his reputation, the great expectations upon his return.... all of this must shake his confidence when in public.  Add swing changes and injuries and it's not wonder why he's still struggling to put together a solid tournament.

I believe there is a huge amount of work to be done between his ears, and I'm not convinced we will ever see the same Tiger we once knew.

[SpacklersEdge]

I have no doubts he will win some more majors.  Again I reference the back 9 at the Masters this year.  When he get's hot, he plays like nobody else in the world can.  You never see other guys pull of that 30 yard fade uphill around/under a tree to 10 feet in competition.  That's what I think Bibba is saying, when he plays shots like that, he HAS to revert back to feel, nobody practices the mechanics for a shot like that.  That's something you aquire by trial and error, no?  Or how about that 40 yard running hook onto the par at the masters, no mechanical repeatability can teach that shot, you either have that or your don't talent wise.  He needs to lpay more like Bubba, it's the easy shots where the normal mechanical swing comes that get him in trouble if you ask me.

[ghalfaire]

I would agree with most of the above (Tiger just needs to swing like he used to and play golf) but I'm not sure his knee if physically up to it and/or not sure he trusts the knee yet.  But I do agree he needs to play more and get comfortable in his new environment & relationship with the media.   Best way to shut them up and stop the speculation is to win a few and you can't do that at home.

[boogielicious]

Don't you think it is kind of pathetic that the media asks every player who wins a tournament about Tiger?  He wasn't even in the tournament.  Is it a special requirement that all interviews have questions about Tiger's swing?  Geez.

Hey, Aaron Rogers, you just won the Super Bowl. What do you think about Peyton Manning's throwing mechanics?

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by boogielicious

Don't you think it is kind of pathetic that the media asks every player who wins a tournament about Tiger?  He wasn't even in the tournament.  Is it a special requirement that all interviews have questions about Tiger's swing?  Geez.

Hey, Aaron Rogers, you just won the Super Bowl. What do you think about Peyton Manning's throwing mechanics?

I think that's the nature of golf. In other sports, people who aren't very good don't keep buying equipment, trying new methods, and best of all, giving each other advice!!

Other weekend warriors typically find a level of play (and competition) that suits them or they quit. They work to stay in shape while playing, but don't typically compare themselves to the pros and critique every nuance of their mechanics on video in an effort to turn themselves into something they are not, because unlike golf fans, they don't need a reality check. endrant/

[walk18]

Originally Posted by SpacklersEdge

Best nine he played this year was the back 9 on Friday at the Masters, he played that 9 like he would have 6 years ago.  SEE: second shot on 18.

Yeah but he made that awesome charge with his new swing, which I think is solid and will serve him well if he can just stay healthy.

Originally Posted by bunkerputt

Tiger Woods needs Jesus.  He needs to get get his heart under control, thank God for his talent,

Oh brother..give it a rest please.

[Shorty]

Originally Posted by bunkerputt

Tiger Woods needs Jesus.

And won't that do wonders for his credibility?

That would be as nauseating as Bubba Watson talking about himself in the third person, as he is so fond of doing lately.

The one thing that is guaranteed to make a sane person suspicious of someone is to let them know that they have found Jesus.

Give us a break and leave the superstitious nonsense back where it belongs. In the dark ages.