cfritchie

Yips? I don't know...but I'd say no. What I think is it is clear Tiger has a crazy technical mind, I'd say mine is similar but not anywhere near his level. I've been a pretty decent athlete over the years mainly because I have the ability to analyze a motion and then on some level apply it. What happens to me when I go through changes or get into a slump is there is just to much going on in my head. I start contradicting myself and all of a sudden I can't figure out what to do. What it takes is to get off the range, get off the chipping green, walk away from the putting green and get alone on the golf course and just play. Just rip it and chase it and don't worry about the technical side of it. The other option is getting completely away from it and letting my mind re-boot. I suspect Tiger has been working hard the last few months and his brain is firing on so many levels he can't see straight. Maybe what he needs is a 4-5 days away from it to quit thinking...but it doesn't look like time is going to allow that. Just hit it and be an athlete and hit it again!

So many of us do stupid things when we are 17, honestly stealing $400 and lieing about it is no different then 80% of the golfers who don't turn in low scores to skew their handicap and then enter a tournament and win prizes from those of us who do turn in every card. I'd like to see the honest stats of 18 and under boys who shoplifted or stole something. I'd bet it is upwards of 75%.

Very interesting read...pun intended. My first thought was to agree with this.. "“You have to remember that he was 17 years old,” he said, of Reed’s freshman year at Georgia. “We all do a lot of stupid shit when we’re 17.”" My second thought is to think of my own brother who I did not grow up with, but had the ability to play the tour, he had scholarship offers to top Division 1 schools, this was 30+ years ago. A father I didn't grow up with was a PGA professional and had his tour card prior to a career ending injury. He was "that" father to my brother...pushed him to an extreme level in golf and demanded excellence. My brother rebelled by forgoing college and getting married and starting a family. My father drank himself to death..I never really had a relationship with him because of the booze... The point being I really keyed in on the "over-heard" conversation between Patrick and his dad where it sounded as though his dad was really tough on him about winning at all cost. As a young man it's possible he didn't know how to play fair or play by the rules, he was never taught these things, the only thing that mattered was "winning." Do we have to "own" our decisions, sure we do. But like the quote above we all do stupid shit when we are young. It seems as though the parents like to think they are not throwing their son under the bus but the way I read it they are doing exactly that. I don't know that I have sympathy for Patrick but it also seems there is more to this story then anyone wants out there. It sure didn't seem like anyone cared much until he became something worth tearing down...I wish him well, I hope the family can put the pieces back together again....

I think I have a free subscription to GD, this is so poor that I'm going to call them and ask them to stop sending me the magazine. I've been a editorial photographer for 8 years. I'd be ashamed if any magazine I shot for did something like this.

It wouldn't surprise me if the reporter was even "given" the question. I'm still waiting to see one quote from anyone defending Tom Watson? The President of the PGA basically took Phil's side this morning.

Was I the only one who caught Morning Drive this morning. Tim Rosaforte's comments after he had a telephone conversation with PGA President Ted Bishop during a break on the show? Ted Bishop told Rosaforte that he and Phil had a conversation at the Scottish Open Pro-Am where Mickleson told Bishop that they were getting no communication from Tom Watson, Bishop suggested Mickleson reach out to Watson, which he said he had done and was not getting any communication. I also read on twitter that it is being suggested that Watson sat Phil and Keegan because he overheard them complaining about his leadership. I also read Keegan and Mickleson learned of being sat in a text message...Really? If that's true that is NO WAY to lead. Rosaforte went on to say that Phil was basically the team spokesman and more comments from other players would eventually start to come out. It seems as though this has been building for quite some time.... I have to say I was on the fence and kinda 50/50 but a dictatorship type of leadership just doesn't work anymore.

You need to have a conversation with my wife!

I would vote for both answers... When I heard the press conference Phil was answering the question that was asked..was a dig at Watson..yeah a bit of one. I thought of it as more of "we" meaning all needed to approach things differently. What I like about some athletes is when they do state their own opinion and are not robots...I suspect that if it got to the point it did in that press conference then it was 200x's worse behind the scenes. Did Phil cross a line...I think he did...I'd rather that then just the same old boring crap answers...

Exactly! It was a beating yet..in some ways a lot of fun.. Until on 15 when I absolutely nutted one on my nemesis hole...hit it about 290..yeah...I got some role. I had wedge into the green. As I'm standing over the ball I hear from behind...."Just keep your head down...stay in the shot!" Really "Pro" you just hit hybrid from 205 and are 15 yards short and left of the green!

This is just a rant...and maybe to get a little laugh...at the expense of someone else of course... Last week was a bit of a long one..this week I knew would be really busy. I had a funeral Saturday so I knew my only chance for a round of golf was Sunday morning. My home course had a tournament and I was just a walk-up. When they called my name I was informed we'd be the last group out and I was playing with "one of the pro's"...they kinda made it sound important.. Now...I don't share it really with anyone but I was in the program years ago..like 20? (PGA)...my handicap index is a 1.2 and trending to a .6. I came back last fall from an 8 year layoff. The thing is I'm not at all pretentious about it or arrogant about it...heck I'm 50...I know I can shot 83 as quick as 73. Well..the group I joined left an open spot with me to ride along with "The Pro." Now having a history in the golf business 20+ years ago I know there are a lot of teaching pro's who well...teach. They love the game and really are not that accomplished as players...I was one of them..I carried about an 8 handicap back then. This "Pro" was playing with his brother and another walk-up, he was dressed to the 9's. He presented himself as though he was about to tee off on #1 at The Masters... the other player was solid player maybe a 5 or 6. I was secretly really look forward to a good round of golf, I'm pretty competitive and love nothing more then to whip up on someone 20+ years younger..I don't advertise my handicap..I typically just play and let the chips fall where they may. On this day it started with a real nice 3 wood down the left side..solid swing..then a crappy 8 iron and a bogey to start the day... "The Pro" made double with a horrid 9 iron 20 yards short of the green, a pitch 35' short and a nice 3 putt..But hey it's the first hole there is plenty of time to get this going! I think on the 3rd hole...after 2 doubles in a row "The Pro" let me know how starting out slow was normal for him...he'd done it before when he "played the Adams Tour" a few years back...oh boy...here we go. Well to make a long story short I finished the day 1 over and "The Pro" well..."I wasn't keeping score today, when asked by the cart girl on 17." About 2/3rd of the way through the match after "The Pro" had made 3 doubles in his first 4 holes, 6 or 7 bogies and 1 birdie (he was at least 8 over when he made this birdie..his quote after the putt was "now I can get back into the red numbers!...huh?" While standing on 12 tee box the marshall approached us and asked "The Pro" how the round was going said.. "going great, right around par!" Maybe he meant just the current hole since he'd only hit one shot? The marshal also told us we needed to pick up the pace... "The Pro" was the slowest player I'd ever played with...he spent more time talking and doing who knows what then anyone I've ever scene...I was behind him when the marshall said this..I just pointed at "The Pro" and gave a shrug...the marshal grinned. Did I mention he was sponsored by "Zero Bounce" wedges...I need to google that..never heard of them. He mentioned this on 13 fairway when he had 85 yds into the green...he hit it 65. All in all it was a decent round...a bit of a boring 73 as I hit all but 2 fairways and 2 greens but seemed to leave myself a down hill left to right fast putt all day..really didn't make anything. I love this game...and some of the characters that make it so fun!

I have to disagree with this...if you think us scratch to low single digit handicappers hit it like pro's...well you've never played with a pro. The difference between a 2-0 and a guy making a living on tour is about the same as a 0-2 and a 12. I don't know that I represent the typical low handicap golfer. My index is currently a 1.2 and trending to a .6. I turned 50 years old a week ago and my club head speed with a driver is between 95-105. I don't hit it a long way's but can be "sneaky" long at times. How is my ball striking...well it's better then a twelve but trust me I have plenty of misses and off center hits..enough that it drives me crazy. For me the difference is I'm a decent putter, have a good short game and I can control my misses or at least have a VERY good idea of where they are going to be. I also know how to manage a golf course. I know when to hit driver...I know when not to hit driver... I chase par just like some of the guys on TV..I miss more then I hit it perfect.... For me it is about managing the misses, not making the big numbers...knowing where to be aggressive and even sometimes playing for a bogie.

Until recently it was taught that path was the start line...

Well since you asked...LOL...yeah I choked big time! So on 13..it is typically a tough hole for me..it is a dog leg right but the entire length of the hole along the right side is a large creek with heavy trees, plus the fairway is elevated so if you miss the fairway right it slopes hard into the trees/creek which is marked as a lateral hazard. My "big miss" is a block right and I like to play a right to left ball..but aiming down the center actually set's me up for a potential big miss. I decided to play it safe and hit a 3 wood since we had an unusual wind at our back and the tees were up a bit. The three wood is easier for me to turn over. I hit my worst shot of the day..basically a quacker to the left that never got more then 25' off the ground..it left me about 3 feet from a large rock retaining wall...the only good thing I was standing in a drainage hole that had casual water so I got a drop. I rushed the next shot, a 7 iron from 162 and missed the difficult green left and didn't make the 8' putt for par after a difficult pitch... Well standing on 18 tee it is a hard dog leg left, water runs down the entire left side. From the tee box you must decide how much of the water you want to carry. If you aim more left you have more carry, but less club into the green. On this day the wind was out of the left..normally it is out of the right and I aim at the fairway bunker and turn the ball over and I'm all good. Well on Saturday I was really wanting to shoot under 70, so a part of me was ok with a bogie... If I hit driver and didn't turn it over the left to right wind would put me in the trees and farther from the hole....I hate a fade...and a left to right wind! I decided to hit the 3 wood, aim at the 150 turn it over and I'd have a wedge into the green! I go through my normal routine and get ready to draw the club back...I'm not very good at the Tiger stop and re-set...all of a sudden as I draw the club back my mind goes to 13 tee box and the low quacker I hit left comes to mind! Well...I was lucky to make contact! The ball hit off the toe and headed dead right...so much on the toe I almost missed it! I was really worried about it being in the trees/driving range. I find my ball, it is laying on a medium to bare line and I have 212 into the club and a half wind over a bunker to the flag....guess what club that is....yeah my 3 wood again. I figured I needed a 230 yard shot to get there. I could have laid up with a wedge, and then wedge it to the green..if it were a tournament and a bogie gets me a win that is what I would have done. Well, I wasn't going to let my head beat me so I'm hitting the 3-wood. Water running the full length of the hole, down the left side and trees and driving range down the right. I knew if I took a real aggressive swing my ball would have a hard time turning over. I pulled it back and caught it flush with a slight fade/push. It was headed about 20' right of the pin and landed a foot short of carrying the bunker. I was ok with that..I knew now I could easily make bogie and shoot 69. I still wanted a par but my "fear factor" was gone. I had a 40'-50' bunk shot..the only thing tough about it was it was a severe uphill lie. I used my 60 degree wedge, I knew I needed to hit it pretty good since it was into the wind. I carried the ball with a nice high trajectory to 7' just under the hole and buried the putt for the par...a crazy par. That damn thought of 13 could have easily cost me my 68, a double bogie was very easy to make on either 17 or 18. I was pleased with my recovery after the tee shot but we all got a good laugh over the choked tee ball!

I agree...I don't like a bogie on a overly hard course..or an easy course.... Now there are gray lines there...l wouldn't overly celebrate a career round if I felt it was on a course where I was hitting wedges into every hole, reaching all the par 5's in two, etc. With that said...I've shot some 2 or 3 over rounds on a few real hard courses and I'm OK with it but there is still something magical about shooting even par or better...even if the differential doesn't reflect it was a huge accomplishment.

I've never seen a round on the tour where they said he shot a -4 but it really was a -2 because of the differential...now with that said...if you play a crazy easy course and you play from the most forward tees...then the round may be a bit skewed...I'd say for a single digit handicapped player playing the championship tees or one up is a legitimate round. If there are black, blue, and white tee's I'll never play the white tee's...it just wouldn't feel right. With that said it's not right to always play a course with every tee being all the way back...they don't setup many courses this way for PGA or USGA events...they use multiple tees so you hit various shots.

My brother turned down a full ride to Tulsa and Hawaii to get married...this was back in the late 70's early 80's. He was burned out because our dad (I didn't grow up with him) pushed him so hard. He stayed in the game as an assistant pro another 10 years but almost never played. If he did he'd shoot 2 or 3 under every time he teed it up. Easily had the talent to play on the tour...he hasn't played a round of golf in probably 15 years...

Did the winners ever get posted?

I don't pay a lot of attention to the differentials. I'm not a happy camper shooting 75 on a course that is rated 75.1. If I hit it straight, putt and chip well then I'm somewhat content. With that said the Pete Dye course at Stonebridge Ranch is one that has my number. I don't think I've ever broken 80 on it. Shooting even on that course would feel like 2 or 3 under..and the differential would prove likewise.

All my rounds since coming back are posted here...the good bad and ugly. http://www.golfhandicapnetwork.com/WebForms/GolferDefaultDXGrid.aspx If the link doesn't work. http://www.golfhandicapnetwork.com Chris Fritchie Texas

70.1, 125, -1.9

Agree on the scratch golfer thing....I bet when I had my handicap card at a zero there were only 4 rounds at par or better..maybe one of those rounds was -1. The thing is the other 6 were not over a 75.

I should start out with a touch of history...yeah this is a long read...sorry...it's kind fun to re-live my golf history..maybe someone can pickup a few things. I picked up the game at 20 years old (I'll be 50 on Friday) when my brother gave me a set of clubs, I was terrible. I didn't grow up with my father or brother but they were both long time golf professionals. My father a life member of the PGA, we didn't have much of a relationship as alcohol prevented this and he passed way a little over 20 years ago. He was a legend in South Texas with his teaching, his name is Kelly Monroe. I did like most of us and got addicted, I was fairly athletic and at the time was playing semi-pro racquetball. All of this took place probably somewhere around 1984. For the first 3-5 years I was just a hack beating the ball around the course and getting some tips from my dad when I'd see him once a year or so and getting my brother to help. A few years passed and I was starting to hit it pretty good, never very far but at some point fairly consistent. I started helping out at a local golf course in exchange for free golf somewhere around 1991, it wasn't long after that I got fed up with the current job and left it as the golf course offered me a job as an assistant pro. I was probably a 8-9 handicap. I went the next 3 years down the path of learning to teach, mostly spending time watching Hank Haney teach and attending a bunch of his "Teaching The Teacher" seminar's. I could teach much better then I could play. Moved to East Texas for a 1st assistants job and all I needed was my oral interview to get my Class A, never any better then a 4-5 handicap. My goal when heading out on the course was to shoot 79 or better. I opted out of the golf business to by a landscape company and settle down, probably 1994 or so. I'm now a professional photographer..I have been for the last 9 years. At this time I started getting more free time to play golf and really work on my game, in the golf business there just isn't any time. For the next few years I worked hard on my game, driving up to Dallas to work with a couple guys at Hanks facility in McKinney. I'd hit lots and lots of balls, daily. I joined Eagles Bluff Country Club just south of Tyler got my amateur status back and my handicap was now a 3 or 4. I won the club championship, then moved to Dallas after leaving the landscape business. I played another 2-3 years with the goal of getting my handicap to a zero, I accomplished this and due to some severe pain from a couple surgeries that kinda went wrong I decided to put the clubs down and learn to play guitar...yeah I suck at that. I shot many rounds at 1 or 2 over and several even par rounds. I can't remember if I actually shot under par, if I did it was no more then 1 under. The pain was just to much. Not really while playing but the side effects of swinging all the time...another stomach surgery and after 6 months of not playing one round later the pain was coming back so I was done...this was probably 2006 or 2007? It's now October of 2013 and a close friend starts posting about some great scores and having a blast...I had to try it again! I borrowed his back up set, played a scramble and was hooked! I spent some cash on all new equipment and the quest was back on. The first few months I'd have the pain, mostly in the evening and never when I played. It was on a pain scale of 4-5 with occasional 7 or 8 but the spells didn't last as long as they use to. As of today it is very hit and miss so I can fight through it pretty easy, it never bothers me when playing. I should add I play hockey and that keeps me active and actually helps keep things freed up in my stomach, and maintains flexibility a bit, I'm a goalie. So back to my career round of 68 on Saturday. As you can see with my index it's been getting better. I had a six week hiatus starting first of July due to having some bone spurs removed from my shoulder. The game was coming along but I was still fighting the big miss, a block right. I'll always fight that. Well two weeks ago an old swing thought resurfaced and all of a sudden the irons were crisp, the driver while not perfect all of a sudden the misses were very playable and the good shots were great. Prior to Saturday I had two rounds, one even par and one +1. Top that with changing how I was reading putts and all of a sudden I'm making 3-5 birdies a round instead of 1 maybe 2. I felt good things happening. So the Wednesday before my (career) round I went through a fitting session because my driver was giving me fits...good shots had a slight fade ( I hate a fade!) and the shaft just felt rigid. Turns out it was an x-stiff and the SLDR face just wasn't a good fit. The fitter had me go back to my RBZ, add a new shaft and the misses were much better. I've only used the new shaft once and yes the misses were better but I really hit the ball low...it could have just been that day...I've not hit it since and look forward to dialing it in. So here is what surprised me on my 68 and what I learned. The day was cool, we had a cold front come into Dallas on Friday night and myself and a few buddies had a 8:20am tee time. It was a bit chili for us Texans, a cool 56 degrees with just a touch of moisture in the air. I had a hard time getting lose on the range...I'm almost 50 remember! It was my first time to hit the new driver..the good shots felt good but I had a hard time hitting the ball high. Everything came off a bit low..but it seemed to on all the clubs. I just figured it was the cool morning and I was pretty stiff, not getting a real good turn. The good thing is a low trajectory is a bit easier to control. The round started off as usual, the first few holes are pretty easy, I didn't hit any great shots but was making decent contact. I had to get up and down on the 2nd hole a short par 3 but made a decent chip and a nice 5' putt for par. I hit a nice tee shot on 3, even though it had a bit of a fade to it...I hate a fade! I want to turn the ball over! My second shot was a push 7 iron, missed the green by 6 inches..it was very windy..about a club and a half all day...if not 2 clubs when the day ended. I was on the fringe and lagged it up to 2 feet..easy par. The next hole is where my round started real nice...my second worst tee shot of the day but I found it just on the tree line right and punched a 4 iron to 60 yards and go up and down for a birdie..nice 8' putt. The next hole, very short par 4 I hit a nice drive but left my wedge about 22' short..nice putt straight up the hill for a birdie..The next hole a par 3 I pushed a 9 iron pin high about 25'..nice putt, that's 3 in a row. I won't review the whole round but as golfers we know we can remember every detail of it...now what is my daughters birthday? So what I learned was I didn't really have a great ball striking day..I hit it ok, had a couple great shots and a few that were less then stellar. I left some out on the course with not hitting good chips/pitches on a couple par 5's where I could have had a couple more birdies. I was shocked to learn my career round wouldn't come with ridicolous ball striking and phenomenal putting. The ball striking was solid but not "wow", I've hit it much better. The putting was above average but similar to the last 3 rounds. Over the years I think I've put to much emphasis on having a "great" golf swing. I've been obsessed with hitting it perfect and this round proved it's about getting it around the course. My short game was very solid, I had a few real nice up and downs and my putting was above average..I attest this to my new approach at reading greens not really a "hot day" putting. So the moral of the story is you don't need a great golf swing to play really good golf. Just learn to know where you are going to miss it, have a nice short game and play within yourself. Have a few go to shots and manage the round..My only bogie I over thought the hole and played it as if I were afraid... I'm anxious to see what my next 10 rounds will be...I know it's golf and an 82 is right around the corner! The 18th hole was comical...I really choked it up...I'll be happy to share the details if any made it this far.

One of my good buddies is a caddie...his guy didn't make the 2nd event in the playoffs. He plays on my hockey team and only makes about 1/4 to a 1/3 of the games but pays for a full season so when he is home he knows he has a spot. When they play 3-4 weeks in a row it is brutal on the caddies, the tour players don't have a much easier schedule. If his guys makes the cut and plays the weekend he'll catch a late Sunday flight or an early Monday flight to the next event. On Monday he might get a bit of a break but he'll usually do laundry and get caught up on personal things. If the player is in town and wants to practice then he'll spend time doing that. Tuesday he walks the course, charts any changes and such. He'll usually do a practice session and maybe a practice round with his player. Then Wednesday is either Pro-Am or practicing with the player....Thursday tournament begins. I don't care if you are making $150 or $150 million...your body and mind don't get less exhausted because your checkbook is bigger. My buddy really enjoys being home and relaxing, sleeping in his own bed and just goofing off and hanging with the kids, going to soccer or baseball practice and getting in some hockey is what he does. It's not easy....mix in time zones and such...not a walk in the park...

Done