The Very Qualities that make Jordan Spieth Great will be the Toughest to Sustain [GD]

[nevets88]

I'm getting mixed messages here. Press high on Spieth, low on Spieth. Manic depressive sports writing. Yes, he's mentally tough, but that's not the whole story.

 

Whereas Woods, for example, borrowed from golf’s tried-and-true formula for being a dominant player -- kill the par 5s, effectively shrinking par 72s to par 68s -- Spieth doesn’t have the power to rely on those kinds of easy birdies. Although he was first on the PGA Tour in percentage of birdie or better on par 4s, and second in that category on par 3s, he was 39th on par 5s.

...

Spieth’s way of going consistently low suggests sleight of hand. He’s not long (ranked 78th in driving distance with an average of 291.8 yards), nor particularly straight (80th in hitting fairways), and doesn’t hit a ton greens (49th). But Spieth still managed to finish fourth in strokes gained tee to green, which was even better than his rank (8th) in strokes gained putting.

http://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-very-qualities-that-make-jordan-spieth-great-will-be-the-toughest-to-sustain

Edited October 2, 2015 by nevets88

[saevel25]

I'm getting mixed messages here. Press high on Spieth, low on Spieth. Manic depressive sports writing. Yes, he's mentally tough, but that's not the whole story.

http://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-very-qualities-that-make-jordan-spieth-great-will-be-the-toughest-to-sustain

I think that Par 3 birdie or better is not very repeatable from year to year. Even during Tiger's run in the early 2000's he was only in the top 10 twice from 1999 to 2004. Tiger's iron play during those years was amazing. 

The crazy thing is he's average to just slightly above average in putting from inside 10'. He hasn't been in the top 50 in the past three seasons in that category. I wonder if he struggles with putts that break less. He seems to like Augusta's greens which break a lot. He struggled a lot at St. Andrews which you can get slower and flatter greens. Which might make sense why he putts so well from 15-25'. Putts break more the further your away from the hole. 

The guy is pretty stout in the short game this year. 

I think he will always be around on Sundays because of his short game and putting. If a player with a dominant long game is on then he will have a hard time overcoming that advantage. 

[Gunther]

Spieth will get longer too, it's something he's focused on during the off season.  I don't think he'll do it with a dramatic swing adjustment but probably with strength and speed training.  So, provided the short game stays the same, he's going to be a top player for years to come.

[MrDC]

Everything golf is tough to sustain, so it's fair to question if he can stay among the best, few ever could, but he's such a great putter and I think it's the one thing that is perhaps easiest to maintain, if he were doing it with length I would question his longevity more.

Edited October 2, 2015 by MrDC