2012 Honda Classic Discussion Thread

[Chief Broom]

Springtime in Augusta is about more than just blooming azaleas...

[Motley01]

Tiger's low stinger. Did you guys see that this weekend? He hasn't used it for years. Why did he pick this turney to play that shot?

Like seriously, where did it come from all of the sudden. And why DIDN'T he use it for over 3 years? What??? Come on Tiger fans? (I am not a Tiger fan).

[brocks]

Tiger's low stinger. Did you guys see that this weekend? He hasn't used it for years. Why did he pick this turney to play that shot? Like seriously, where did it come from all of the sudden. And why DIDN'T he use it for over 3 years? What??? Come on Tiger fans? (I am not a Tiger fan).

Yup, he lost that shot sometime during Haney's tenure, and he got it back under Foley. It's not an easy shot to hit, or everybody would be doing it. Some of the experts on the Golf Channel had a brief discussion recently about the changes in Tiger's swing that allowed him to hit it again, but I can't remember exactly what they said. He's been hitting it for the last few months; I think he first showed it in Australia. What I hadn't seen before this week was his new driving iron; I gather it's some kind of two iron that he can hit 280 or so, and the announcers were raving about the ball speed he produced with it.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by Motley01

Tiger's low stinger. Did you guys see that this weekend? He hasn't used it for years. Why did he pick this turney to play that shot?

Like seriously, where did it come from all of the sudden. And why DIDN'T he use it for over 3 years? What??? Come on Tiger fans? (I am not a Tiger fan).

He has used the shot in windy conditions.  Not sure why you believe he hasn't used it in over 3yrs?

[zipazoid]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

He has used the shot in windy conditions.  Not sure why you believe he hasn't used it in over 3yrs?

Haven't you heard? He's not a good wind player.

[jhwmusic]

Originally Posted by Motley01

Tiger's low stinger. Did you guys see that this weekend? He hasn't used it for years. Why did he pick this turney to play that shot?

Like seriously, where did it come from all of the sudden. And why DIDN'T he use it for over 3 years? What??? Come on Tiger fans? (I am not a Tiger fan).

Yeah, he was hitting some of those 2 iron stingers like 280 on wet fairways...that was awesome.   That shot has always been something that no other player could pull off so consistently.

I don't think he was using it because I don't think he could control it with that ugly ass Hank Haney swing...same reason he couldn't control his driver....It was probably duck hooking when he tried it.  I am just not a fan of what haney teaches...YOU MUST HIT A DRAW!

[jhwmusic]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

He has used the shot in windy conditions.  Not sure why you believe he hasn't used it in over 3yrs?

Oh come on. I think what he meant is that he hasn't used it as much...and he is right.   He has definitely not used as much as he once did.  In years past he used it all the time...tight fairways or just because he felt like showing off.

[Motley01]

Ahhhh very interesting. I didn't know he wasn't able to play that shot because of his swing he had with Haney. I always was wondering about that.

I do like to see him hit that shot, its very cool. And he did lite it up yesterday.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by zipazoid

Haven't you heard? He's not a good wind player.

Hahah, yeah that shot into 18 green was terrible. :D

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by jhwmusic

Oh come on. I think what he meant is that he hasn't used it as much...and he is right.   He has definitely not used as much as he once did.  In years past he used it all the time...tight fairways or just because he felt like showing off.

Do you honestly think he hits a shot because he wants to show off? :D

[iacas]

Originally Posted by zipazoid

Perhaps, but you cannot win in Miami in March six times without having to deal with the wind. To say he's not a good wind player is simple not true. His record shows it. Not to mention another six wins at Bay Hill - also in Florida in March & in the wind.

Sure you can. I don't remember any significant wind in any of those events, certainly not for four rounds.

Originally Posted by TourSpoon

He also won 3 British Opens. Does the wind ever not blow at The Open?

Did it blow when he won? It didn't blow much at all when he won twice at St. Andrews. His win at the shorter course where he hit irons off the tees was played in relatively calm conditions as well. He's struggled in the winds - he shot 80 the one year in the winds, didn't he? And the MC in 2009.

Plenty of people have talked about how (relatively) bad Tiger is in the wind for years. It may be in comparison to his otherwise great game, and thus he might win with his B game on windy days or something, but as a consistently good wind player Tiger's never been considered one by the people I've talked to, including Tour players. He's struggled (again, it may be a relative definition of struggling) in the wind in the past.

And I don't recall a time when he ever fired a round or controlled his golf ball like he did on Sunday in relatively moderate to high winds.

[jhwmusic]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

Do you honestly think he hits a shot because he wants to show off? :

Absolutely....what do you think Bubba Watson and Phil Mickelson do on a daily basis?   He wants to show all those crazy shots he can hit...not because he needs to....because he can!   He hits so many unnecessary bending shots, it's unbelievable.  Think about it like when an NBA player is on a fast break.  It's a way of expressing himself and showing people how good they really are.  Nobody else in the world could hit that shot the way Tiger hit that shot.  They can hit a stinger 3 iron but not like Tiger could.  its the same reason he keeps changing his swing...because he CAN!!!   He wants to be able to do stuff that nobody else can.  it's like when successful rock guitarists learn jazz chops...they are bored to death with playing the same old chords...so they reinvent themselves and their style.   People who are truly GREAT have to push themselves and keep progressing.  They aren't satisfied when they are standing still.  So yes, I feel he has DEFINITELY hit that stinger to show off!

[nevets88]

I've never seen Woods' stinger live. Those who have seen it, how high does it typically go for his 2I? 3wd?

[jhwmusic]

Originally Posted by nevets88

I've never seen Woods' stinger live. Those who have seen it, how high does it typically go for his 2I? 3wd?

Oh...it depends how high he wants to hit it.  It's amazing how low and how far it carries...looks like a bullet.  Ever seen the nike commercial of him knocking out the windows?

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by iacas

Sure you can. I don't remember any significant wind in any of those events, certainly not for four rounds.

Did it blow when he won? It didn't blow much at all when he won twice at St. Andrews. His win at the shorter course where he hit irons off the tees was played in relatively calm conditions as well. He's struggled in the winds - he shot 80 the one year in the winds, didn't he? And the MC in 2009.

Plenty of people have talked about how (relatively) bad Tiger is in the wind for years. It may be in comparison to his otherwise great game, and thus he might win with his B game on windy days or something, but as a consistently good wind player Tiger's never been considered one by the people I've talked to, including Tour players. He's struggled (again, it may be a relative definition of struggling) in the wind in the past.

And I don't recall a time when he ever fired a round or controlled his golf ball like he did on Sunday in relatively moderate to high winds.

In recent memory... At Tiger's own Chevron event in November of last year... The Santa Ana winds were blowing and he played pretty darn well - shooting 69 on day one when they had 30+mph wind gust.  I'm not a Tiger Woods historian, but I can't remember him struggling any more than any other PGA professional in windy events.

[TourSpoon]

Well, it must have been real calm during those 24 rounds for Tiger to win. I don't ever remember 4 calm days at the Doral without wind being a factor at some point. I have been to The Doral more times than I can count and it's a good to stiff breeze on the average March day with the exception being a mild breeze. I have to go with my actual on course experience with this one.