Masters: Whose Shot was Better from the Pine Straw? Bubba or Phil

[Valleygolfer]

Trees smees. These guys hit with people standing next to them, probably crunching potato chips. The simple fact Bubba had to curve a shot is one thing, but to stick the green that was amazing. I know he practices this all the time but to pull it of in sudden death is crazy.

[Shorty]

Originally Posted by mchepp

Absolutely agree. Forget trees on Phil's shot, just consider the distance and that he had to clear the ravine. Bubba's was with a 52 degree wedge. Yes it had to hook but that seems to be Bubba's specialty.

So, what you are saying is that Phil hitting a six iron straight onto the green and close to the hole when his swing was unobstructed astonished you. Hmmmm

[mchepp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mchepp


Absolutely agree. Forget trees on Phil's shot, just consider the distance and that he had to clear the ravine. Bubba's was with a 52 degree wedge. Yes it had to hook but that seems to be Bubba's specialty.

So, what you are saying is that Phil hitting a six iron straight onto the green and close to the hole when his swing was unobstructed astonished you. Hmmmm

Well that would have me ignoring the fact that he was hitting the shot off of pine straw and it was 190 yards over a creek. So to say it was a straight forward 6 iron is a bit of a misnomer.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by mchepp

Well that would have me ignoring the fact that he was hitting the shot off of pine straw and it was 190 yards over a creek. So to say it was a straight forward 6 iron is a bit of a misnomer.

I think having to curve the ball 40 yards off a worse patch of pine straw > a stock 6-iron.

That's all it was: a stock 6-iron, albeit off pine straw (which is easier to hit off than everything but the fairway). Phil probably hit it a bit shorter than he was planning, which made the shot appear riskier than it really was (like I said before, he was probably trying to put the ball up into the slope so it'd feed back).

Still, they're roughly equal in my mind, even though I keep arguing for the Bubba shot. Bubba could have hit that ball lots of places and made a par, like Oosthuizen almost did.

[Shorty]

Originally Posted by mchepp

Well that would have me ignoring the fact that he was hitting the shot off of pine straw and it was 190 yards over a creek. So to say it was a straight forward 6 iron is a bit of a misnomer.

Phil said himself that he had a good lie and that the trees were not an issue. He never said it was that hard a shot.

Do you think that he would expect the ball to go in the creek?

Do you think he is not skilled enough to hit a six iron on the green?

Do you think he doesn't know his distances?

Spectacular as it was, it is in likelihood the most overrated shot of all time, if you want to split hairs. Now---the timing of it and the location, that is something diferent.

Noone is saying it was easy, but bottom line is, Phil hit a six iron onto the green and close to the hole at a very exciting and significant moment.

[bwdial]

Originally Posted by mchepp

Absolutely agree. Forget trees on Phil's shot, just consider the distance and that he had to clear the ravine. Bubba's was with a 52 degree wedge. Yes it had to hook but that seems to be Bubba's specialty.

That he hooked 40 yards and hit farther than he hit an 8 iron at 12.

[allin]

I voted Phil's, I just feel it was the more intimidating shot. Both players knew the tournament was probably going to be decided on the result. The spin and curve on Bobba's shot was unreal. As long as. Bubba's shot escaped the woods he had a shot for par, bogey was his worst probable result. If. Phil missed double oreven triple bogey was possible.

[tristanhilton85]

Originally Posted by mchepp

Absolutely agree. Forget trees on Phil's shot, just consider the distance and that he had to clear the ravine. Bubba's was with a 52 degree wedge. Yes it had to hook but that seems to be Bubba's specialty.

I agree here... everybody keeps saying that it was a straight shot for Phil, but the curved shot is the shot that Bubba would rather hit anyways so it's kind of a wash.  I think that Bubba pulls that shot off more often than Phil pulls his off and there was a greater margin of error for Bubba's.  However, as others have said, Bubba's was for the win, so I guess I'll give the edge to his shot.

[xxsoultonesxx]

Bubba for sure. Playoff pressure, hooked the hell out of his drive, and it's do or die.

Phils was not a bad shot, and I think it was a great shot...but the timing just wasn't as crucial as Bubba's.

Phil had a relatively clear view of his target, Bubba didn't.

[Shorty]

Quote:

Origi Phil missed double oreven triple bogey was possible.

How would that be?

If it goes in the creek he would still probably be up and down for par. Bogey at worst.

He said himself the trees weren't a factor so it's not like it's going to hit a tree and bounce backwards.

[The_Pharaoh]

Originally Posted by Shorty

How would that be?

If it goes in the creek he would still probably be up and down for par. Bogey at worst.

He said himself the trees weren't a factor so it's not like it's going to hit a tree and bounce backwards.

OK, we get your point. You think Bubba's shot was better. Now stop trying to force YOUR opinion on others. We don't give a frog's fat arse what you think.

[bobsuruncle]

voted bubba ... the trees were not in play for Phil, and in fact helped "framed" the shot for him, and as mentioned above, was a stock 6-iron straight shot and which he did not intend to hit short, which helped get the spectacular result he got.

even if bubba knew louis was short, in his mind he must have thought it was a reasonably straight forward up-and-down for louis, so he absolutely had to get on the "dance floor" and two putt to match louis and extend the play off.  a pressure packed 40-yard curler beats a straight, framed 6-iron.  even if Phil made birdie (which he did) or par, he had more holes to play coming in.  bubba was in a sudden death play off - no extra holes to make up shots coming in.

[zipazoid]

Originally Posted by iacas

I think having to curve the ball 40 yards off a worse patch of pine straw > a stock 6-iron.

That's all it was: a stock 6-iron, albeit off pine straw (which is easier to hit off than everything but the fairway). Phil probably hit it a bit shorter than he was planning, which made the shot appear riskier than it really was (like I said before, he was probably trying to put the ball up into the slope so it'd feed back).

Still, they're roughly equal in my mind, even though I keep arguing for the Bubba shot. Bubba could have hit that ball lots of places and made a par, like Oosthuizen almost did.

Heh, the way Bubba curves the ball, his shot was a stock wedge.

Kidding. Bubba's shot had a lot more variables in it that Phil's, beginning with not being able to see his target. The only thing in Phil's favor was his shot was 40 yards longer. Aside from that, Bubba's was much harder.

[lumpuckeroo]

I say Bubba's shot, it was the shot that won the tournament, even if Phil would have not pulled off his shot he still had chances to recover.  Bubba's was do or die.

[zeg]

Both pretty similar in my mind. Both are beyond the skill of most casual golfers to call up on demand, but not so nuts that the other pros can only laugh when they see them (as opposed to TW's 190 yard PW). Both were in pressure situations, although tempered in that both needed only a moderately good result given the situation of the competition.

In the end, I give the edge to Phil because his winning won me an FT-iZ driver from GolfSmith.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Shorty

Quote:

Originally Posted by mchepp

Well that would have me ignoring the fact that he was hitting the shot off of pine straw and it was 190 yards over a creek. So to say it was a straight forward 6 iron is a bit of a misnomer.

Phil said himself that he had a good lie and that the trees were not an issue. He never said it was that hard a shot.

Do you think that he would expect the ball to go in the creek?

Do you think he is not skilled enough to hit a six iron on the green?

Do you think he doesn't know his distances?

Spectacular as it was, it is in likelihood the most overrated shot of all time, if you want to split hairs. Now---the timing of it and the location, that is something diferent.

Noone is saying it was easy, but bottom line is, Phil hit a six iron onto the green and close to the hole at a very exciting and significant moment.

Tiger fanboys sticking up for Phil? Has the world gone mad?

Phil two putted after his shot and made a birdie. Bubba two putted and made a par. Worst case scenario Bubba doesn't hit the green and has a chance to get up and down for par. Miss the par putt and the playoff goes an extra hole. Bubba had nothing to lose and he hits shots like that routinely every round, but like Phil he hit it during an exciting and significant moment, just maybe slightly more exciting and significant due to the playoff.

[MSchott]

Originally Posted by Shorty

Phil said himself that he had a good lie and that the trees were not an issue. He never said it was that hard a shot.

Do you think that he would expect the ball to go in the creek?

Do you think he is not skilled enough to hit a six iron on the green?

Do you think he doesn't know his distances?

Spectacular as it was, it is in likelihood the most overrated shot of all time, if you want to split hairs. Now---the timing of it and the location, that is something diferent.

Noone is saying it was easy, but bottom line is, Phil hit a six iron onto the green and close to the hole at a very exciting and significant moment.

But like Bubba's shot it's the situation that makes it a harder shot. And Phil left it below the pin making for an easy putt.

[jamo]

Tiger fanboys sticking up for Phil? Has the world gone mad? Phil two putted after his shot and made a birdie. Bubba two putted and made a par. Worst case scenario Bubba doesn't hit the green and has a chance to get up and down for par. Miss the par putt and the playoff goes an extra hole. Bubba had nothing to lose and he hits shots like that routinely every round, but like Phil he hit it during an exciting and significant moment, just maybe slightly more exciting and significant due to the playoff.

Bubba had something to lose. It was far from a forgone conclusion that Louis was going to hit so (relatively) poor of a chip.