RetroJFrancisco

Hey, Cheers for the response.. By ROM do you mean range of movement? For some reason I too feel heavy lifting kills flexibility, I could be way off, but it just seems to make sense. Flexibility is obviously also massively important to a golfer trying to make some money out of the game

I've been training for 4 - 5 months now, fairly intense stuff, I naturally find it easy to put on both fat an muscle.. Do you think there is a point when you simply become too bulky or does weight lifting kill flexibility for golf ?? I dont take steroids and never would, I take natural supplements. I'm looking to turn professional and go on some mini tours around the country in April, but exercise in the form of heavy weight lifting and cardio has become part of my daily routine.. I know Mcilroy has started training weights and I have read his work out regimes but he's not in it to put on muscle, I am, and lets be serious, he's not exactly muscular. Would be interesting to get peoples takes on this, cheers.

Donaldson was the standout rookie on the European team and hit the winning shot that will go down in history, he consistently comes in the top 10 on the ET and was leading the Race to dubai up until Rory won the open.. He will be in the next Ryder Cup team.

Interesting if Azinger gets picked and the US still lose? Who will those poor players have to blame then haha? :( Players need to man up and take responsibility, the Ryder cup was lost because the US simply didn't hit as many good shots as We(the europeans) did.. Winning gets done by nothing less than good shots, pairings don't matter.. I used to play regional level with a guy who I did not like very much, but guess what, he hit the ball to 10 feet all the time. Boils down to this: If you hit more good shots/good putts than the other pairing, you win.

Yes it makes perfect sense, I think it must be one of those "American-English" sort of things.. Ya know..

It's a totally trivial thing to debate about anyway, the only thing that matters is we (Europeans) hold the cup for another 2 years, and the way things are going, you (Americans) won't be getting your hands on it for a while longer than that.. Enjoy those sour grapes boys.

Okay, Jonny Miller & Jack Nicklaus were on SkySports (The channel they broadcast Golf here in the UK) they both spoke and both said "We" as in "We (the states) need to start making more putts" As far as I'm AWARE*** (may need correcting on this) they were nothing to do with the US team this year and were simply bystanders.. Stupid off topic argument anyway, just trying to show my point.

"We" as in "us" as in "Europeans" What a strange thing to say? If I mention my favorite football team (soccer team to you lot) in conversation I would say "we played well today".. Its perfectly good English and I can't quite see how you would see otherwise?

So we've done you at your own game then? American style golf? You should be beating us at that surely? Around a hardpan links course, steady 30mph wind with a light misty drizzle(standard british weather golf wise) we could have beaten you by another 8 points

Golf is easier in the states, sorry to throw such a curve-ball about.. but its true.. :Golf is 1 dimensional in the states, here in Europe we learn to play every type of golf imaginable be it links golf or parkland golf, firm fairways firm greens to soft greens soft fairways.. Having played quite a few times in the states (+50 times), I can confirm that every single time I have played the course has been set up in the same way: Firm fairways- Soft greens.. Its so much easier to play the game this way.. Granted, I've played tough american courses, as I've played easy European ones.. But on the whole, US courses are set up much easier. Europeans are better rounded golfers, we learn different shots from a young age as they are needed from one course to the next.

Nah I'm only throwing around a bit of banter but seriously, us Welsh don't take jibes at our rugby team lightly.. And if you're English yes you did beat us this year, but.. 30 points to 3 will always live long in your hearts.

If I was off 8 I'd probably cry at the state of my golf

The title of this made me chuckle so much.. Where I come from, if you cry, ya better expect some stick off your mates! Personally I dislike bubba a lot, and despite him deservedly winning yesterday, he still comes across like a big girl when he cries.. Man up Bubba.

Round of Even par.. Started dodgy (+3 thru 5) and managed to finish level, first round this year so far as the weather has been breathtakingly bad (Record breaking). Swing felt totally rusty but was 100% expecting that: All in all a decent start back.

I'm probably not in the position to comment on US HCapping from over this end of the pond, but a solid +1 handicapper (consistently shoots -1 obviously) would qualify for the cut week in/week out on the lower tours regardless of event or course.. My best mate turned pro off +2 (was a shaky plus two at that! I've seen him shoot high 80s) and routinely makes cuts week after week.. The top 100 in the world really are a different breed.. But from what ive encountered over my few years of highly highly competitive golf: The pro's on TV really aren't what people make them out to be.

Gotta disagree man, +5 players would easily qualify for nationwide tour, thats 1 in 100million sort of stuff.. Most of the current tour players turned pro off around +2/+3 You'd be hard pressed to find MANY who turned pro off +5 or lower, also its worth noting that here in the UK (handicapping system) +5 is a virtual impossibility.. +3 is usually as low as anyone can get without being a superstar.

Bubba watson comes across as a total moaning BIATCH after he hits a bad shot.. Takes it out on other people too, total dic*.. Oh and he is religious and thinks god helps him win golf tournaments, god be like: "Shall I help the starving kids in Africa.. Nah screw it.. Masters is on..GO BUBBA" Hilarious really.

One thing that is really grinding my gears at the moment is Pro's launching their putters into the air after missing a putt.. It seems to be happening more these days.. Often they end up dropping it and damaging the green, I watched Jordan Speith do it last week and he hardly repaired the damage, this may sound petty but if someone did that on my HOME course and damaged the green I would tell them to show some bloody respect. I wince every time they do it.. Anyone else this way inclined? To me just shows a lack of respect and I would never do it.. Maybe im just being petty here..

Its all to do with cultures ect, where I come from wearing your hat in a bar/pub (clubhouse) or even someones house is seen as incredibly rude.. Its not trivial in this part of the world, just as im sure some things you guys do would seem trivial to me and the folk around here.

One of the first things you learn as a young golfer is to remove your hat when shaking hands and when entering the clubhouse.. Its seen as a big no no where I come from to leave your hat on when shaking someones hand (golf or not), passed down through many generations of coal miners that always wore hats. Maybe it isn't seen as such a big thing in the states.

I usually shout as loud as I can during my opponents downswing.. Im not saying it works but I do have a pretty good matchplay %

My mind just exploded

I really feel like height vs distance is a bit of a myth.. Maybe with the correct identical technique then the taller guy might be able to gain a few extra yards.. I really dont buy into this "taller guys have distance so much easier".. Good on the guy, I'm over the moon that it wasn't some 6 5'' steroid freak who won it like the usual long drive events.

Haha thanks man, I quit school 1 and a bit years ago aged 17 after what seemed like a waste of time, I'm not academically gifted as far as school is concerned.. I have never been the sharpest tool in the box, but I can see a good golf shot and it just seemed logical to peruse a career in something that I could actually do and was good at. Im not totally aware in how the UK amd US handicap systems are different, but for shooting that for shooting the course record I only came down something like 1 shot (from 1 to 0).. When you ever see a +2 or +3 figure golfer in the UK it tends to be something of a rarity, years of many many rounds below par.. Nobody really gets lower than +2 realistically.. As far as the magazines are concerned.. Well.. I can only hope you are right! Haha! :)