2015 Hero World Challenge Discussion Thread

[mvmac]

Didn't watch any of the first round, might catch some tomorrow morning if they replay it. From what I remember from last year I think I liked it better when they played at Sherwood.

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/doug-ferguson/casey-two-more-co-lead-hero-world-challenge/

Quote

Casey birdied the final hole at Albany Golf Club on Thursday for a 6-under 66 that gave him a share of the first-round lead with Jimmy Walker and Zach Johnson in the Hero World Challenge.

The scenery and tropical sunshine made it feel like a working vacation, and a gentle breeze off the tip of New Providence island only added to the relaxation. Hideki Matsuyama (75) was the only player in the 18-man field who didn't break par.

Defending champion Jordan Spieth made a hole-in-one with a 6-iron on the second hole and finally added a birdie on a par 5 to join a large group at 67 that included Bubba Watson and Adam Scott, who lives at Albany and still holds - barely - the course record of 65.

Jordan Spieth's ace from today.

 

[Gunther]

This kid Spieth, he's pretty good.  Man!  Fun to watch.  I pretty much just FF'd through to his shots today, like I used to do with Tiger and Phil.  

[nevets88]

Mudball, MUDBALL!

 

[Pendragon]

This event had no appeal for me at all. I didn't watch even one shot. I did watch the televised events in Australia and Vietnam, though. 

[Archie Bunker]

18 hours ago, Pendragon said:

This event had no appeal for me at all. I didn't watch even one shot. I did watch the televised events in Australia and Vietnam, though. 

Me neither. Nice course to look at (some HD eye-candy). But when the pros start laughing and joking around with each other, you know it's not serious. No tension, no drama, boring as hell.

Didn't know what HERO made until I saw the commercials.

And that "trophy"... looks like something from Toys 'R Us".

 

Edited December 7, 2015 by Archie Bunker

[PEZGolf]

The segment when Tiger Woods was in the booth on Sunday was interesting for two topics:

1.  He said that Jordan Spieth's game was so good and consistent because he is "efficient".  This means that even when he hits a fair shot, he still leaves himself in position to possibly save par.  He showed this a few times on the back nine, when he missed fairways or greens.  In addition, Jordan is great at "bounce back".  Look how often he gets a birdie on a hole right after making a bogey.  He can score well when he has his "B" game.

2.  The banter between Tiger and Roger Maltbie was great when Tiger said he hated it when Roger would come up to Tiger's ball, pause, and then shake his head about the awful lie.  They also discussed how Tiger shushed Roger at the President's Cup in South Africa (as Patrick Reed did in the Ryder Cup).

  Tiger seems very relaxed about his recovery situation and his age as he approaches 40 this month.  The old intensity has been mellowed a bit, but as he said, he will still try to do his best.

  After September, I seldom watch golf, because football is on, the World Series is in October, and college basketball is warming up for the Grand Finale in March Madness.  I am happy that I got to see this segment, and watch Bubba display patience, excellent chipping, and good course management to win BIG!   He is fun to watch!

[plum]

watched it but its not a great tournament

[PEZGolf]

11 hours ago, plum said:

watched it but its not a great tournament

Agreed, but it is always fun to watch Bubba.  As Tiger and Roger Maltbie said, "He is the only golfer who can truly work the work with the new balls that are designed to go straight."  I am old enough to remember the Titleist balata balls, and if you  miss-hit an iron shot even a little bit, you would cut the ball and take it "out of play".  With Jordan, Bubba, Patrick Reed, the Zach attack (love that See More putter---I have used one since 1999 when Payne used his to one putt 5 of the last 6 greens in the final round of the US Open at Pinehurst #2),and Paul Casey in the field, and in contention after 54 holes, it was still exciting!

[natureboy]

I saw one clip of commentators mentioning how many in the field were having trouble with too much spin on the greens like the club below but Bubba wasn't.

 

Was he hitting it easier to reduce spin or lower so that his landing angle and spin rate balanced out - or a bit of both?

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golf-central-blog/spieth-golf-ball-wave-it-michael-bye-bye/

 

 

[PEZGolf]

1 hour ago, natureboy said:

I saw one clip of commentators mentioning how many in the field were having trouble with too much spin on the greens like the club below but Bubba wasn't.

 

Was he hitting it easier to reduce spin or lower so that his landing angle and spin rate balanced out - or a bit of both?

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golf-central-blog/spieth-golf-ball-wave-it-michael-bye-bye/

 

 

Probably both.  Bubba has great feel in his hands, and can really hit a variety of shots.  Just look at some of the chip shots he hit, where he moved the ball back in his stance.  One time, he used a utility club, and that was a big mistake.  Almost all of the players were having trouble with chip shots, including Jordan Spieth!

[colin007]

So Bubba's the only one that can work with the new straight balls but yet I'm still able to hit fifty yard slices and hooks? I mean, I don't intend to but....

[saevel25]

15 hours ago, colin007 said:

So Bubba's the only one that can work with the new straight balls but yet I'm still able to hit fifty yard slices and hooks? I mean, I don't intend to but....

I am PGA tour players can curve the ball a lot if they wanted to. I think they chose not to because it's not reliable for them. 
 

18 hours ago, PEZGolf said:

Probably both.  Bubba has great feel in his hands, and can really hit a variety of shots.  Just look at some of the chip shots he hit, where he moved the ball back in his stance.  One time, he used a utility club, and that was a big mistake.  Almost all of the players were having trouble with chip shots, including Jordan Spieth!

That is probably due to the bermuda grass they were playing on. Near the greens the grain works away from you because the water drains away from the greens. It gets very difficult to use the bounce with very grainy grass.

[PEZGolf]

4 hours ago, saevel25 said:

I am PGA tour players can curve the ball a lot if they wanted to. I think they chose not to because it's not reliable for them. 
 

That is probably due to the bermuda grass they were playing on. Near the greens the grain works away from you because the water drains away from the greens. It gets very difficult to use the bounce with very grainy grass.

 

You are right about bermuda grass.  I grew up in Central New York, with bent grass greens---Oak Hill CC in Rochester, McGregor Links in Saratoga Springs, Radisson Greens in Syracuse, the Leatherstocking Course in Cooperstown, etc.  When I go south and chip and putt on bermuda grass, it requires two days of practice to be able to handle the grain.  But, if you read the grain correctly, you can adjust.  Many golfers from our area---eg. Wayne Levi, and Derek Bard, who finished second to Bryson DeChampeau in this year's US Amateur---have been successful in making that adjustment.  Many golfers who grew up on bermuda grass, on the other hand, find it very difficult to adjust to bent grass greens!