The talented in golf on a steady rise

[laconic517]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

I agree you're not playing head to head where you can physically affect your opponents performance but there is a lot of psychology used in match play that could affect their performance.  Such as conceding putts and not letting your opponent putt out to build confidence that comes from seeing their putts go in.  Attacking the course to place pressure, having the ability to change your play based on their well hit or poorly hit shots.

I've played match play a few times and to me I felt a different pressure competing against an individual rather than just trying to shoot my lowest score even though we were playing against the course.

I know what you mean, but since you can practice putting after the hole this doesn't really work that way.

if you COULDNT practice putting after the putt was conceded, it would be a GREAT strategy.

[mchepp]

I will probably take some heat for this, but I think Tiger has attracted a higher quality athlete to golf. In the 50's, the best aside, the athleticism was not as required as today. I think today's golfer is taller, more fit, and stronger than their peers from the 50's.

[RonTheSavage]

Originally Posted by mchepp

I will probably take some heat for this, but I think Tiger has attracted a higher quality athlete to golf. In the 50's, the best aside, the athleticism was not as required as today. I think today's golfer is taller, more fit, and stronger than their peers from the 50's.

I would agree with this. Dustin Johnson can dunk a basketball, who says white men cant jump??

[x129]

Jack could supposedly dunk also.  But if your 6'4 and you can't dunk there is something wrong with you.  If DJ was like 5'8 and dunking we could talk about white men jumping.

Athletes in golf is nothing new. The level of athleticism in all sports is just  at a different level these days. The rewards for being good now are a lot more than in the 50s/60s, training is better, and there are just a heck of a lot more people to choose from.

Originally Posted by RonTheSavage

I would agree with this. Dustin Johnson can dunk a basketball, who says white men cant jump??

[RonTheSavage]

Originally Posted by x129

Jack could supposedly dunk also.  But if your 6'4 and you can't dunk there is something wrong with you.  If DJ was like 5'8 and dunking we could talk about white men jumping.

Athletes in golf is nothing new. The level of athleticism in all sports is just  at a different level these days. The rewards for being good now are a lot more than in the 50s/60s, training is better, and there are just a heck of a lot more people to choose from.

Im 6'3 myself and played high school/JC basketball, so I can appreciate a 6'4 golfer dunking a basketball is all Im saying. Just because you're over 6 feet dosent mean something is wrong with you if you cant dunk. ( I know what you're thinking and yes I could dunk LOL, just not anymore because Im old ) And Dustin Johnson just didnt dunk he did a 360 in the video that I saw.

Im not saying athletes in golf is nothing new just new since Tiger came on the scence. Ofcourse you'll have your exceptions but I wonder how many golfers who are currently on the Champions Tour had fitness regimens built into their practice while they were on the PGA tour?

[allin]

I think the physical requirements make team sports like football and basketball have smaller talent pools.  A seven-footer is competing against other seven-footers for that center position--the height requirement alone eliminates 99% of the population.  Same with offensive and defensive lines in football where first priority is size and strengh.

This is a point I had not thought of. But golf is accessible to a pretty wide range of body types. Smaller players with superior flexibility or speed, superior ball striking, short game touch are competitive. I actually think guys over 6' 6" or over 300 lbs because of the increased difficulty repeating full swings while keeping everything under control is more of a challenge. I think the availability of longer shafted clubs with shafts that can basically be made stiffer and more forgiving heads helps them, but eventually keeping balance and control outstrips their size advantage. I imagine big guys are encouraged to play sports where size is crucial, so that might be part of it also. Off topic but one of the announcers at Wimbledon was relating a conversation with an NBA center about 7 footers eventually dominating tennis. The center didn't think so too difficult to bend your back and knees for all the low shots he felt. We smaller guys sometimes forget big can be limiting in sports besides horse racing and gymnastics even if running isn't required.

[allin]

I think the physical requirements make team sports like football and basketball have smaller talent pools.  A seven-footer is competing against other seven-footers for that center position--the height requirement alone eliminates 99% of the population.  Same with offensive and defensive lines in football where first priority is size and strengh.

This is a point I had not thought of. But golf is accessible to a pretty wide range of body types. Smaller players with superior flexibility or speed, superior ball striking, short game touch are competitive. I actually think guys over 6' 6" or over 300 lbs because of the increased difficulty repeating full swings while keeping everything under control is more of a challenge. I think the availability of longer shafted clubs with shafts that can basically be made stiffer and more forgiving heads helps them, but eventually keeping balance and control outstrips their size advantage. I imagine big guys are encouraged to play sports where size is crucial, so that might be part of it also. Off topic but one of the announcers at Wimbledon was relating a conversation with an NBA center about 7 footers eventually dominating tennis. The center didn't think so too difficult to bend your back and knees for all the low shots he felt. We smaller guys sometimes forget big can be limiting in sports besides horse racing and gymnastics even if running isn't required.

[allin]

I will probably take some heat for this, but I think Tiger has attracted a higher quality athlete to golf. In the 50's, the best aside, the athleticism was not as required as today. I think today's golfer is taller, more fit, and stronger than their peers from the 50's.

[quote name="RonTheSavage" url="/t/60022/the-talented-in-golf-on-a-steady-rise/18#post_737181"]I would agree with this. Dustin Johnson can dunk a basketball, who says white men cant jump?? [/quote] [quote name="x129" url="/t/60022/the-talented-in-golf-on-a-steady-rise/18#post_737202"]Jack could supposedly dunk also.  But if your 6'4 and you can't dunk there is something wrong with you.  If DJ was like 5'8 and dunking we could talk about white men jumping. Athletes in golf is nothing new. The level of athleticism in all sports is just  at a different level these days. The rewards for being good now are a lot more than in the 50s/60s, training is better, and there are just a heck of a lot more people to choose from.  [/quote] I am only 6 ft. but I could dunk, 2 handed only small hands, into my middle 30's getting fat as much as age ended that. I think access as much as anything besides prize money has attracted better athletes. After WWII more public courses and relatively less expensive private clubs were built. So far the hoped for infusion of young minority athletes many believed Tiger would attract hasn't happened. At my home course an avid senior brings his grandson occasionally. The young man has some obvious talent. He says his grandson prefers basketball with his buddies. I think most pros come from families where golf is a big deal. Maybe the children of people Tiger attracts will produce more minority players.

[RonTheSavage]

By the way within the last couple days I read somewhere that DJ "hinted" that rim he dunked on may or may not have been a regulation rim. LOL