ncates00

First, we’ve addressed the first part: he went after more distance. That’s been documented and it certainly affects both driver and irons when you try to change your swing. Second, while chipping and putting are distinct from the long game, when you have been hitting it all over creation like he has been, you’re going to be in some pretty tough spots to try and get up and in. Third, you’re presuming he had mental game issues first. That doesn’t make sense. Cause most people will struggle as a consequence of trying to fix/change mechanical issues. There’s nothing to deal with mentally until there’s an issue. It could be argued that his off the course activities could be a distraction, and I’m sure it did to some degree, but these guys are professionals. So are those of us who work in a professional job. Getting married and having a social life doesn’t impact your job performance like some seem to suggest. That’s just life and it isn’t “on the course.” His golf swing is on the course.

I’m referring to this, not just approaches. Ballstriking encompasses his SG off the tee as well. His ballstriking is more important because there are more strokes to be gained and he did gain more. Add the approach and off the tee; you’re only comparing putting v. Approach. Note: I realize the previous posters referred to only irons; I think it’s broader than that and should encompass both driving and iron play as they will have some crossover skill relation (LSW).

I agree with you- his game that year was amazing, but like I said above, I think he saw how important distance is for longevity. Obviously it helps in the short term as well with shorter clubs in and all that, but I think distance is the most important factor for extending your career. Additionally, people are always looking to improve and really the only thing JS could improve upon moving past 2015 was his distance. I don't know if he had this thinking or whether his coach said it. Who knows? Like you said, he was incredibly efficient and ranked high in every category, but I guess a pro has to nitpick his own game. I get the desire to constantly improve, but you certainly don't want to set yourself back like he has. I think he has gotten a little bit longer off the tee (this year he averages 295.5 for 77th place, while 2015 was 291 for 78th). He's also gained a mph or two in average ballspeed. However, he was top 15 SG off the tee in 15 and is now 198th, so it doesn't look like that was a good decision. Looks like he traded 4 more yards for nothing to me, as it has seemingly affected his entire ballstriking game. Agreed, but what I think the previous posters were trying to get at was his ballstriking is more important and that's what fell off so much. While he gained so much with putting, there's more potential for gaining strokes against the field in ballstriking. See this year's PGA that I posted about. If JS hit the ball like BK did, he would've run away with the PGA. BK gained a ton of strokes on ballstriking alone- more than JS's putting even.

At the PGA, Spieth only gained .7 strokes off the tee, lost a little approach to the green, gained a stroke around the green, and gained a whopping 10.6 strokes on the field in putting (1st place in putting). He gained 12 strokes on the field in total and where did he finish? We remember the dominance he had and he was a world beater because he hit the fairway and hit the green (often close) and made every putt. I think he lost his swing trying to hit the ball longer. Noble pursuit as he knows distance is so important. He was trying to improve in the long term to prolong his career. Look at Tiger and Phil. They’re still competing out there with these young guns because they have length. Phil is crooked as ever, but he still has distance to compete (his drive accuracy notwithstanding). If Tiger hits the fairway, you can’t beat him. He is the greatest iron player ever and we all know that. That’s why JS went after distance because as he ages, he will become irrelevant quickly. Rory, DJ, BK, and those guys will play into their 40s because of their prodigious length. J Rose went under a similar pursuit that led to him winning the US Open a few years ago and obtaining the world number 1 spot until this week. J Rose is also a renown ball striker. Maybe JS is getting back. He's playing well and maybe he can keep it going and get back in contention.

How are these different from the i500's?

I see that but like you said, there will always be outliers. Tiger certainly is one. That has no bearing on the 10% you advocate. If anything it’s quite a bit tougher. That’s what made his win so amazing. I agree.

I see your point. But I think the gap is bigger than you think BECAUSE of Tiger’s impact on the game. Tiger changed the game and we have guys out there longer, straighter and closer to the hole than ever. And more of them doing it too. BK is dominating these guys and looks very impressive doing it.

Haha, those guys = DJ, Rory, Spieth, Tiger, Phil, Molinari, J Rose, etc? Yeah ok. C’mon. I’m not denigrating Tiger’s Accomplishments; I didn’t need the Masters (or any more) for me to believe he’s GOAT. I’m just suggesting that BK’s wins are some of the most impressive against the best fields we’ve seen. We’ll have to just disagree for the same reasons we mutually agree Tiger’s competition was greater than Jack’s. You’ve said it yourself stating that today’s athletes are bigger, stronger, better across the board in all sports. I guess except for who Tiger played right? 🤦‍♂️

This is exactly why I’ve been asking for the mathematical equation for determining who’s the best. BK’s 4 majors (other than Tiger’s Masters this year) are arguably the best wins due to strength of field. Tiger, of who I’m a fanboy, won by landslides but against much lesser fields than BK has. Bob May, Chris DiMarco, Rocco Mediate, etc are good but c’mon. I know BK has a ways to go but still.

Maybe that’s because they use some of the same courses and players play a similar game nowadays because it works. Besides when DJ won his major, even Furyk as a shorter hitter was competitive. ZJ hung around on this one for a little while as did others. BK is just playing other worldly. The golf course doesn’t demand anything extra- he’s just doing it better than everyone else.

You were saying?

You need to go to the gym if you think BK is a "muscle man." He's strong no doubt, but "muscle man," come on bro. He's simply training as a professional athlete should train. I'm not a pro athlete and I lift heavy things because it's good for you. Go read LSW. Speed kills. Look at strokes gained too while you're at it. Tiger can play deep at this level later in life because he has speed. As he ages, he will lose speed but has speed to give to remain competitive for a little while. I mean at 43, he's still well above tour average in speed and ball speed. If you never have speed, you have nothing to give and will fizzle out quicker.

Off the top of my head, there are exceptions to avoiding personal liability under an LLC. Things like negligent hiring and/or supervision by the owner of an LLC doesn't void liability. A lot of people get caught up on this point--this doesn't matter in the slightest.

Like others have said, BK looks great early. He looks like the Terminator.

My advice is to take lessons with a good pro that gives you measurable results. Once you buy into a good pro's teaching, do NOT listen to other Joe Pros or friends, despite their well intentions. Stick to what you have paid for and are working on. They don't know the particulars of your swing and what you are working on, so clear out the noise. As far as playing, take some lessons, hit some balls, and get out there after learning the rules and etiquette. Most good players will be fine to play with you if you're a nice person and can play quickly; they don't care so much about your game as they are wanting to play well themselves. Mind your matters and be good company and people will want to play with you even if you're starting out.