2015 Masters Discussion Thread

[atb5079]

We all thought Rory's rival was going to be Rickie, but it's looking more and more like it's going to be Jordan.

Speaking of Rickie, yesterday's round symbolized him perfectly. He gets hot, gives you the sense he's going to make a run, and then falls off the wagon at the end. Just symbolizes how his career has gone. Every time you've thought he's taking a step forward and is going to win a major...or hell, win more than one friggin tournament.....he takes a step back. I know there are Rickie fans out there, and I love Rickie as well, but he is reminding me more of Charles Howell III than Rory McIlroy.

After last year, I am willing to give him another year of relief before I totally lower my expectations of him. I really think a little more time with Butch will do him well. He's obviously got the talent to go low and compete at the biggest stages. He just needs to piece 4 good rounds together.

[Natural Patrick]

OMFingGod     is not something most parents would have to apologize for.

Right. Other people do it so its OK. Can't say I'm surprised by that argument.

Really. I've never heard any pro athlete curse in quite that manner before. Guess I've just led a sheltered life.

How about the club slamming fits after he screws up a shot? Is that OK too? It is possible that another player might have to play from a spot that he has gouged at some point.

I'm not a Tiger fan but, it has nothing to do with profanity coming out of his mouth. Yes you have lived a Very sheltered life.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisP

We all thought Rory's rival was going to be Rickie, but it's looking more and more like it's going to be Jordan.

Speaking of Rickie, yesterday's round symbolized him perfectly. He gets hot, gives you the sense he's going to make a run, and then falls off the wagon at the end. Just symbolizes how his career has gone. Every time you've thought he's taking a step forward and is going to win a major...or hell, win more than one friggin tournament.....he takes a step back. I know there are Rickie fans out there, and I love Rickie as well, but he is reminding me more of Charles Howell III than Rory McIlroy.

After last year, I am willing to give him another year of relief before I totally lower my expectations of him. I really think a little more time with Butch will do him well. He's obviously got the talent to go low and compete at the biggest stages. He just needs to piece 4 good rounds together.

That's why Tour competitions are more than 1 round.  Over four rounds, the also-ran's fall back and the more consistent players climb toward the first page of the leaderboard.

It's also one of the negatives in match play, as far as TV is concerned.  A mid tier player can have a hot round and knock off one of the contenders, then he'll do a fade in the next match.  All he accomplished was to send half of the TV audience to find something more interesting to watch.  It's one reason why we will never see much match play on Tour - it just doesn't make for good viewing.

[Hardballs]

Wasn't long ago a certain young talented role model threw an iron into a lake due to frustration/anger, many were said to be "disgusted" by that type of behaviour, but now it's forgotten, just like tigers outburst will be, it's no big deal! I was watching extreme trawler boat fishermen on TV the other week, when one guy, after his catch, mentioned he got a "salty splash in the face", now I work in construction so I'm used to coarse language, and I hear this type of filth on the porn channels I subscribe to, but I don't expect to hear that kind of filth on late afternoon TV, I was shocked, but now I'm over it!

[Mr. Desmond]

We are all wound differently. What Tiger does is tame and almost everyday - guys let go of clubs, pound the club into the ground or waive it like a poorly behaving sword -- they may mutter profanities under their breath, they may catch themselves saying it louder and not do it again during the round.

I attended the Byron Nelson one year, around 2006 or so... not a big crowd on a Saturday Morning and a small crowd following Justin Leonard ( the Nike years).. He hits a drive into the water, the crowd walks up the fairway, Leonard is behind, I'm looking at him and he screams a rather loud F-bomb. (I smiled)

It's their living and they are demanding of themselves.

What's my excuse?

Unrealistic expectations. As many have stated, "Golf is hard."

[Zeph]

Don't we have a thread or ten that covers this subject already? Let's talk about The Masters.

Two hours until coverage!

[Natural Patrick]

Jimmy Walker -3 through 5, Nice to see. I really thought he was going to have a better showing than he has.

[durhamramblers]

Maybe some of these guys just aren't as fanatical about winning as we think they should be. I think my expectations of them are more about me, and my projections on them, than them.

[RandallT]

Don't we have a thread or ten that covers this subject already? Let's talk about The Masters.

Two hours until coverage!

Unscientific, but I had been sorting the leaderboard by "Today's Round" every day, just to see how the first batch of players was doing.  As the first players got midway on the back nine, it always seemed that the total of everyone's scores (maybe 20-30 players on the course) was just a few above par each day.  Today, the total of everyone's scores on the course is just a few shots under par.

Possible indication scores will be lower today? The first players are only on the 12th hole, so I get that this is not necessarily meaningful. But hey, it's something. The front nine, anyway, doesn't seem to be playing any harder than it has. If anything, possibly easier.

[RJH999]

Thank goodness lots of the players are not mic'ed up more often. You'd only be left with liking Matt Kuchar. People swear, @Rick Martin . Just as it confounds you how a professional athlete trying to compete under enormous pressure to do something he's worked his entire life to do could possibly do something as outrageous as [S]commit an actual crime[/S] let fly with a curse word, I remain confounded as to why that confounds you. People swear. Thank goodness the line in an NFL game isn't mic'ed. Or the benches in a hockey game. Or the local foursome of guys playing golf. Or, you know, anywhere where men are playing a sport. Do you? You wonder what he tells his kids about behaving the way he does? Guess what? I swear. Sometimes I swear around my kid. My wife too. And we're great parents … the weird thing is, our kid knows she doesn't get to swear until she's older. It's something adults get to do while kids do not. Edit: oops. @jamo had already covered that.

You are the real MVP, sir.

[durhamramblers]

Conversation between Zen caddie and Zen golfer, on the eighteenth fairway, for the Win. Caddie: "Club?" Player: "I see the shot on the canvas of my mind, trackless, as the sky is, to a flock of birds." Caddie: "Indeed: Who is the you you were before you were born? Club?" Player: "Indeed, the same one as the father who makes the grass green. Six Iron.":)

[RandallT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeph

Don't we have a thread or ten that covers this subject already? Let's talk about The Masters.

Two hours until coverage!

Unscientific, but I had been sorting the leaderboard by "Today's Round" every day, just to see how the first batch of players was doing.  As the first players got midway on the back nine, it always seemed that the total of everyone's scores (maybe 20-30 players on the course) was just a few above par each day.  Today, the total of everyone's scores on the course is just a few shots under par.

Possible indication scores will be lower today? The first players are only on the 12th hole, so I get that this is not necessarily meaningful. But hey, it's something. The front nine, anyway, doesn't seem to be playing any harder than it has. If anything, possibly easier.

Found REAL stats. Front nine is a tad easier thus far:

[Mr. Desmond]

Is it difficult to find putting stats or driving stats this week?

Or does the Masters forbid it?

Can't find them.

Looking for ZachJohnsons' stats -- he went to a Scotty putter last week, and a new grip and canned it. Back  to the SeeMore this week.

[pumaAttack]

No Tiger and Rory featured streaming group?!

[RandallT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisP

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Martin

Interesting. The par-5 pin locations are there for the taking. The 2nd, 13th and 15th are the traditional Sunday ones, but the 8th is moved into a position where you could see some Eagles. Also, the 14th is a birdie hole today as the pin is closer to where the balls were ending up yesterday, so they're inviting players to use the slope. However, the pin locations on 11 and 12 are dangerous. You dare not go for those pins.

All in all, after hole 12, it's all green lights. You can go low.

Quote:

Is 3 a tough pin placement and 4 an easy pin placement? By the numbers today, those holes are playing differently than their averages so far this tourney. Sample sizes not huge today yet, of course.

[RandallT]

Is it difficult to find putting stats or driving stats this week?

Or does the Masters forbid it?

Can't find them.

Looking for ZachJohnsons' stats -- he went to a Scotty putter last week, and a new grip and canned it. Back  to the SeeMore this week.

I can't find great stats compared to other majors. For the hole stats, you had to go to Course Info. Then pick a hole. THEN, pick cumulative stats. Nothing else there regarding stats.

Overall the "Track" feature is good, not great. Was hard to navigate in and out of (lost who you were tracking if you watched a video), and you had to see a separate leaderboard in another window to get context how the player was scoring for the round.  Wouldn't be too hard to improve the feature.  Overall, the stats features for the Masters has been weaker than the typical major, IMHO.

[durhamramblers]

Anybody know where the radio coverage is?

[Valleygolfer]

Yeah the cursing, club slamming fits get old. He certainly is the poorest example of how to conduct yourself on the golf course. I wonder what he tells his kids when he gets home? I wonder what the Tiger lovers tell their kids when they're watching his expletive filled rants on TV. I hope Spieth shatters his scoring record.

My dad swore at times playing softball and occasionally I slip and say one in front of my kid. She says daddy you said a bad word. I say I know and I am sorry. All is forgiven. Why is tiger held at a higher standard? No reply is needed. Carry on.