The 2013 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard

[iacas]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

I still believe it won't be a huge factor at the Masters.  US Open?  Different story.

Why? 5-woods everywhere seems like a reasonable plan.

And two things about Augusta, since Brandel basically says he can't win unless he puts out of his MIND good (even better than the past two wins):

1. Jack did okay hitting a fade (slightly different course, admittedly).
2. If Tiger really thinks he needs to draw his driver at Augusta, do you think he can't figure it out in two weeks? He knows the BFL now.

[Rick Martin]

Originally Posted by rehmwa

I think it's funny that the announcers are so scared of an uptight response that they feel the need to apologize to the viewing public for verbalizations of people that don't work for the network in the first place.  Golf Channel might just need to be a bit more diligent on the 'buzzer/delay' device - and the announcers would likely garner a better response, then, by showing humor instead of whatever it is I've seen them doing

players are real people, they'll show frustration, ....... just like humans -

maybe the network needs to reassess their audience, they just might be catering to an outdated demographic and golf fans are a bit more diverse than the current preconceptions

I liked how Miller circled the little kids standing behind the rope with his telestrater.

I don't like hearing foul language while watching the tournaments. Best for the networks not to have those ultrasonic mics on top of the players -

I like Matt Kuchar's responses to bad shots much better than TWs.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by iacas

Why? 5-woods everywhere seems like a reasonable plan.

And two things about Augusta, since Brandel basically says he can't win unless he puts out of his MIND good (even better than the past two wins):

Jack did okay hitting a fade (slightly different course, admittedly).

If Tiger really thinks he needs to draw his driver at Augusta, do you think he can't figure it out in two weeks? He knows the BFL now.

Move these to the Masters thread... We are going to see a lot of this type of debate which will be fun to track.  We should let the Bayhill thread live on its own, and the Masters thread take shape.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

Move these to the Masters thread... We are going to see a lot of this type of debate which will be fun to track.  We should let the Bayhill thread live on its own, and the Masters thread take shape.

If you bought the site your check hasn't cleared yet. :) Or arrived... It belongs here because it's what they're saying after Bay Hill based on his play at Bay Hill. The Masters hasn't begun yet.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blitz28179

They showed a slo mo video of his 1st water ball and it looked like he didnt chunk it IMO.Johnny miller

agreed that he did but it didnt look like it to me.Maybe it was the wrong club or the wind?I guess the pros chunk shot looks different than when I do it.

I think we're referring to the 2nd water ball as the chunk.  No idea what Johnny Miller was talking about, though, as I was watching the Live@ online coverage.  I didn't get to see Fowler's approach 'cause my boss walked in my office just as he was hitting.

Johnny's initial comment was about the first shot, and he only said that he hit it fat.  Ricky himself said he hit it fat.  It wasn't a pure chunk by any means, but he only missed by about 8 feet of being perfect.   For most of us that would be absolute precision.  That slight miss is invisible even in a slow mo replay.  The second shot was a no contest chunk.  Ricky knew it before the ball reached the top of its trajectory.

[bplewis24]

Why? 5-woods everywhere seems like a reasonable plan. And two things about Augusta, since Brandel basically says he can't win unless he puts out of his MIND good (even better than the past two wins): [LIST=1] [*] Jack did okay hitting a fade (slightly different course, admittedly). [*] If Tiger really thinks he needs to draw his driver at Augusta, do you think he can't figure it out in two weeks? He knows the BFL now. [/LIST]

5 woods and long irons into the fairways are fine, but during this tournament he was hitting into fairway bunkers and into the rough even with those clubs. My only point was that he could still get away with that at the Masters because of the lack of thick rough in many areas, but at the US Open that would like the present a different challenge. I don't think he has to drive it great to win at the Masters, but I think that if he does he will win going away. Here he was last in the field and still won comfortably.

[Paradox]

the whole athletes cursing thing is funny to me.  Media, TV, fans all want mics stuck to every athlete all the time so they can feel like an "insider" but they don't seem to stop and think about what they might end up hearing.  Athletes are people, and people get frustrated in the heat of the moment when passion is very high.  I could care less about it and think anyone whining should be shot down quickly.  If its not in a direct interview(excluding something like NASCAR) then it shouldn't be an issue, ever.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Johnny's initial comment was about the first shot, and he only said that he hit it fat.  Ricky himself said he hit it fat.  It wasn't a pure chunk by any means, but he only missed by about 8 feet of being perfect.   For most of us that would be absolute precision.  That slight miss is invisible even in a slow mo replay.  The second shot was a no contest chunk.  Ricky knew it before the ball reached the top of its trajectory.

You're right, I just watched my DVR recording.  He said he hit it a hair fat.

What's really bad is that he got the announcer jinx.  As he was choosing clubs they were talking about how he's had a double bogey or worse in every tournament except this one, up until that point.  And he promptly gets a triple.

[Seth0194]

Grats to Tiger, Ricky played solid was pulling for him.

[clarkeycats]

Tiger played solid. His scrambling was great to watch. Even though it was because his work off the tee was so bad. If he can get that fixed in the next couple of weeks, the Masters will be interesting.

[Cracker24]

Originally Posted by clarkeycats

Tiger played solid. His scrambling was great to watch. Even though it was because his work off the tee was so bad. If he can get that fixed in the next couple of weeks, the Masters will be interesting.

I beg to differ. I think the Masters will be more interesting if Tiger doesn't fix his driving. At least then it'll be close.

[clarkeycats]

I beg to differ. I think the Masters will be more interesting if Tiger doesn't fix his driving. At least then it'll be close.;-)

Ha, yeah, good point. At this point last year we thought Tiger was back, but we remember how he performed at the Masters. I personally don't think he is performing well enough to win the Masters, but I'll still be supporting him.

[Deryck Griffith]

Originally Posted by iacas

Why? 5-woods everywhere seems like a reasonable plan.

And two things about Augusta, since Brandel basically says he can't win unless he puts out of his MIND good (even better than the past two wins):

Jack did okay hitting a fade (slightly different course, admittedly).

If Tiger really thinks he needs to draw his driver at Augusta, do you think he can't figure it out in two weeks? He knows the BFL now.

Exactly.

Brandel mentioning Tiger's need to hit a draw (with the driver) to win the Masters is ridiculous.  Case in point, #13.  I do not EVER remember seeing Tiger hit a driver on that hole.  Tiger has always hit a draw on that hole with his 3wood just at the apex of the turn and the ball rolls out on the slope of the fairway which allows him to go for it in two.  Based on what I have seen of Tiger swing the last year, hit still has his draw shot with the 3wood (and 5wood for that matter).

Regarding the other holes, Tiger can play the angles effectively to get away with a straighter mini cut with the driver.

For example:

#2 - he can skirt the trees on the left and land the ball just before the fairway bunker on the right of the fairway..

#5 - again, skirt the left side, play over the left fairway bunker on the left and place the ball into the fairway

#9 - the only hole with the driver where a draw may be necessary; however, if unsuccessful, there is tons of room to bail out and get away with it.

#10 - skirt the left side again (there aren't any fairway bunkers on this hole).

Besides that, the course can accept tee shots with big fades (especially # 11) which is a hole that needs the fade shot with the driver way more than any other hole (besides 13) that needs draw with the driver.

[Rick Martin]

small, inconsequential detail - noticed that TW, after holing-out on the final hole, put the ball in his pocket......many players throw the ball into the crowd or give it to a kid behind the ropes.......what does TW do? Give the ball to Lindsey? Or his Mom? or Phil Knight?

also, wonder what Stevie Williams is thinking now? Remember that slam he had on TW when Adam Scott won a tourney or was it the Pres Cup or something?

BTW, someone start this week's PGA event thread.....I've done my share until Sawgrass (I'm counting the days).

[jamo]

also, wonder what Stevie Williams is thinking now? Remember that slam he had on TW when Adam Scott won a tourney or was it the Pres Cup or something?

He's still reeling from Scott's amazing Bridgestone win. Best one he's ever seen!

[Stretch]

[sacm3bill]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Johnny's initial comment was about the first shot, and he only said that he hit it fat.  Ricky himself said he hit it fat.  It wasn't a pure chunk by any means, but he only missed by about 8 feet of being perfect.   For most of us that would be absolute precision.  That slight miss is invisible even in a slow mo replay.  The second shot was a no contest chunk.  Ricky knew it before the ball reached the top of its trajectory.

You're right, I just watched my DVR recording.  He said he hit it a hair fat.

What's really bad is that he got the announcer jinx.  As he was choosing clubs they were talking about how he's had a double bogey or worse in every tournament except this one, up until that point.  And he promptly gets a triple.

I thought the same thing, but now it occurs to me - lots of the footage is delayed by a bit (you know how they're always saying "and just a moment ago, at #8..." when they cut to a different golfer)...  So I wonder if they already knew he had hit the ball in the water when they made that comment and put the graphic up. (They clearly had the graphic ready, so I'm sure they'd been monitoring the possibility or actuality of a double by Fowler all day.)

What made me suspect this is they just cut to a shot in the Tavistock Cup where the announcer comments, "His caddy just said 'It'll definitely get there'..."  just prior to the golfer then hitting his tee shot and the camera tracking the ball as it comes up short in the water. That was clearly a case of the announcer knowing it was going to go in the water.

So maybe not a jinx, just good TV editing. (Either way, sucks for Fowler keeping that streak alive with only 3 holes to go.)

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Johnny's initial comment was about the first shot, and he only said that he hit it fat.  Ricky himself said he hit it fat.  It wasn't a pure chunk by any means, but he only missed by about 8 feet of being perfect.   For most of us that would be absolute precision.  That slight miss is invisible even in a slow mo replay.  The second shot was a no contest chunk.  Ricky knew it before the ball reached the top of its trajectory.

You're right, I just watched my DVR recording.  He said he hit it a hair fat.

What's really bad is that he got the announcer jinx.  As he was choosing clubs they were talking about how he's had a double bogey or worse in every tournament except this one, up until that point.  And he promptly gets a triple.

Yeah, I told my wife when they said it that Ricky was screwed - the commentators had just put the hex on him.