Finally, golf's youth movement is not just a concept, but reality for PGA Tour [GD]

[nevets88]

Would be interesting to get some Moneyball numbers on this. Who is the Nate Silver of golf?

It’s why I remained a youth movement skeptic, even as touring pro’s prime years have begun to start earlier. For every Rory and Rickie and Dustin there were a counterbalancing Phil, Furyk and Zach. And at least in 2013, a certain Player-of-the-Year named Woods.

As Johnny Miller, who had 18 victories in his twenties (as did Tom Watson), observed in 2010. "We keep hearing there are all these great young players, but none of them have won very often. They look like they should be doing it, but nobody's really doing it."

But now, I think, they really are. Critical mass has been attained. I’m a youth skeptic no more.

http://www.golfdigest.com/story/finally-golfs-youth-movement-is-not-just-a-concept-but-reality-for-pga-tour?mbid=social_twitter

 

[mvmac]

Interesting stuff. I'll also share this bit. So many players have a legit chance to win every week.

The current movement is being led by the World Ranking leading trio of Jordan Spieth, 22, McIlroy, 26, and Jason Day, 27. And there is the vaunted high school Class of 2011, consisting of Spieth, Daniel Berger, Justin Thomas, Grillo, Patrick Rodgers and Ollie Scheiderjans. But what’s happening is not so much about individuals as the collective.

There has been a discernible increase in truly competitive, younger-than-ever players who are ready to win. They might have names we barely know, but there are really no more upsets or even Cinderella stories in pro golf.

It’s evolution – from a litany of factors. Bigger and athletes drawn to the sport, following better fitness regimens, who have emulated physical specimens like Tiger, Dustin and Rory. There is more intense early competition, and equipment that can be tuned to minimize persistent flaws, breeding more confidence to swing harder.

The ultra-competitive landscape in the minor leagues of pro golf demands going low in order to graduate to the next level. Consistent top-25 finishes doesn’t get it, but occasionally getting hot and converting into wins does.

As a result young players almost uniformly employ a highly-aggressive style built on big-hitting, flag-hunting and bold putting. When such a player is “on”, rounds like Kaufman’s closing 61 at Las Vegas can happen.

And with an increasing number of such players entered each week, the 10 percent or so who are “hot” make up a bigger number. I’ve come to believe that on his week, a young player who is hot now has the advantage over a steadier but less explosive old guy, even factoring in experience.

[ncarlsongolf]

The parody throughout golf is so much better than it had been for a long time.  I am very happy about the state of the game!