majorchamp

This is a curiosity question. I was just given in a very special circumstance, a BMW Championship Tournament flag signed by Pete Dye. My googling skills are coming up with zilch looking for something similar. I feel I am in possession of a very special item here. Anyone have a clue on what you think it's potential value is?

As good as Rory is, and will be...I still believe we haven't seen the best of Tiger yet (with regards to the last 5 years, not 2000) and once a couple of those things click in his game, I think his best still beats Rory's best. The tournaments this year where he has played up to "Tiger" standards, and even then its probably 80%, his playing competitors have been astonished at what he could do with the golf ball and how he played. That level of "fear" is still there, it's just dormant because all the players who have been on tour since 2000 fully know that he still has "it" and its a matter of time before it reappears. They have seen him at his best, they have seen what he can do and unfortunately all these recent young guns in the last handful of years have been spoiled with a mediocre Tiger. The fear is there, he just needs to put it altogether for multiple tournaments and when his name pops up on a leaderboard and "doesn't" go away, players "will" react. just my 2 cents.

Tiger won't be dominant again mostly because the depth of fields and quality of talent is more superior then 10-12 years ago. Hell, I am somewhat curious if the quality of his play "today" would get him wins (less dominant wins by margins of strokes) but wins nonetheless back 10 years ago. I think his putting sucks right now. He seems to be hitting the ball just fine, he just can't get the ball in the hole.

Thanks for the additional comments. So yesterday I worked on creating more pressure between my left bicep and my chest. I was hitting some 8 irons very well. I also worked on getting my hands down faster. Today...all hell broke loose, and it's because my practice swings look awesome (in my opinion) but my real swings look like complete and utter donkey sh*t. I don't hvae the greatest golf analyzing software (using the free V1 software on my computer)...so if any of you want to take some measurement line drawing stabs, I would greatly appreciate it. First, here are some pics I took with some lines I drew. I can definitely see my left arm lower in my practice swing, as well as better club position behind my body. You can even see where I drew shaft lines. This is my practice swing (wedge) The yellow line is my starting setup. The blue line is where my shaft is 3/4 on my backswing The blue line also is where my shaft is on the downswing, which I think is a great thing..means I am on plane. Ideally, don't I want that below the yellow line though? The green line is my left arm position when I am at the utmost top of my backswing. This next picture is my real swing. Same colors apply, but you can see how screwed up everything is, and more over the top or upright. Here are my videos that I have slowed down, which match these Practice Wedge Real Wedge Practice 4 Iron Real 4 Iron Why I can't swing with a ball in front of me, as if it was my practice swing is beyond me.

Same with Rory's....I guess I don't see the left bicep + chest compression happening

When I look at this swing of Tiger's....maybe I just don't have the "eye" for seeing certain things, but I feel like he "lifts" his arms too. does he not?

Delav, I "really" appreciate the detailed post and insight into my swing. I am going to need some time to process all that you are talking about. The left bicep and the chest is interesting...I have known about "lifting" my arms for quite a while..in fact I have done it my entire life most likely. The hands moving outside on the takeway is closer to my attempt at keeping the clubhead outside the hands. The slowness of the hands on the downswing is a stickler for me...simply because I have always been led to believe the swing starts with the lower body and the arms "fall" in succession with the lower body firing..versus "actively" dropping the hands which I used to do...and promoted much worse casting then I do now. I've been analyzing quite a bit of footage from Tiger, Rory, Mahan, etc... so I am curious now to go back and look at their swings to the points you have mentioned...specifically the move to the top. Thanks man!

Here are 2 more videos from today...I really slowed them down. I am really struggling with that impact position. I just keep messing up on my first downward movement and my hips, and I am slightly coming over the top as well.

So I've only been out a few times this year, but I am already making good progress in a few specific areas of my swing. 1. I've been working on my takeaway and moving it straight back, rather then the inside. 2. I am "trying" to move away from "lifting" my arms once I am past the take-away and more focus on rotation of my shoulders to move the club to the top. 3. Casting is something I have fought for a long time. Fortunately my timing has always been good so I get away with it. I am starting to create a better start of my downswing. As I get about hip high you can tell I start to lose it a bit...and this has to do with me not getting my hands across my body near impact so I can "trap" the ball more...I still have what appears to be a scooping approach, even though I take nice divots and hit the ball very solid. So getting that forward leaning shaft at impact is something I am still working on..it's tough. Is there anything in my swing that strikes you as odd or something I need to look at that is causing me to maybe lose my lag, etc... Today's focus was to keep my head and upper body from progressing toward the target on the downswing and watching these videos, I do a good job of keeping it still / behind.

this thread is still going on. wow.

I am also well aware how much "forward" my upper body goes close to impact versus keeping my lower body going forward and rotating..while keeping my upper body "back"..so that is one of the next things to work on.

Hey guys, So I am continuing my pursuit of a better downswing :) My swing from yesterday compared to today is night and day I believe in terms of the start of my downswing and my follow-thru. I know the problem areas..but figuring out the solution on maintaining that lag throughout the entire downswing and keeping the forward angled shaft at impact is a bit tough. However, my progress between yesterday and today might very well be the correct direction I am heading. Approaching impact I still "lose the lag" and got some funkyness going on with my lower body prior and after impact. A buddy of mine also believes he notices my backswing "lifting" around the time I get past parallel to the ground during the takeaway. It's hard for me to see it, but I do feel like I am missing something during the backswing up to the top. Visually it looks fine, but I feel like I need more separation between my head and the club shaft. Maybe its no big deal..I feel like players like Sean O'Hair and Justin Rose have nice separation. I do need to work on taking the club straight back on the takeaway...it's a bit too inside. Anyways, just a cluster of questions in my head right now..here is the visual evidence. Yesterday: Today: Need your thoughts please. Thanks

1st Time out the other day 2nd Time out this year Was absolutely crushing my driver. High, straight, and far! 300+ yards on many of them. trying to work on clearing my hips better, and letting the club fall on the downswing, rather then me throw it at the ball or get in somewhat of a casting position.

Your absolutely right...someone bumped the camera

During Bubba's Masters speech, he thanked the staff in the locker room, being very gracious, and I heard a "whoa whoa whoa" quite loud. Was curious if anyone knows more context around that. Not trying to make an issue out of nothing..just sounded like someone was bothered he was addressing the staff at Augusta National. Knowing how tight they keep their reigns on everything, it wouldn't surprise me but didn't know if you guys had any more context.

I love it...and your right.I know the media hates his answers, but I have no issue with them.

I get so tired of some of the most boring ass, repetitive questions reporters ask players, but especially Tiger. One day I want a player to just reply "you guys ask me the same question after every tournament, or everytime...and I give the same answer...why do you think its going to be different" It's like they are expecting an answer like these: "Tiger, you just won...how does the win make you feel?" "Glad you asked...I feel like crap, you know...I hit the ball great, but I didn't want to win" "Tiger, what do you think of Rory?" "Oh, I think he is an as*hole...he will never compare to me and I think he is going to fail in the coming years" "Tiger, do you think you will ever regain the dominance you once had" "oh not at all, I mean have you seen my life and what I have gone through....my game is going down the toilet..I just squeek in a few good rounds here or there..but you need to focus your attention on Rory...I am done for" I want to punch them all in the face for their stupidity!

Sure I agree about the icy stares, but that is common sense too :) any wife/gf would give icy stares after being humiliated like that.

agreed. I guess a fair example is that GQ article Tiger was in back when he started. A "reporter" (not someone he paid, but an actual journalist) heard him make an off-color joke, and Tiger said "that's off the record right" and the reporter said "nope, I heard it, sorry". That is fair game, IMHO, unless Tiger had said "what I am about to tell you is off the record...and if the journalist had agreed, that would be fine" but that conversation was done in the privacy of a limo. Unfortunately, the participant WAS a journalist so they acted on that and wrote about it. Throwing Tiger in the mix regarding comments he made, etc.. in regards to other players speaks to the "disrespectful" notion I believe Hank writing this book conveys.

So Tiger and Elin giving each other icy stares because their marriage was crumbling was potentially out of context? Or that Tiger was cheap and Haney often had to pay for their meals, because Tiger thought it was funny to be cheap? I can understand the Navy seals one having more context around it, but others seem to stand out on their own but really didn't need to be included regardless of whether they were his memories or not. That still bothers the hell out of me, lol..the whole memories argument.

The excerpts are not summaries or opinions of what he wrote, it's my understanding many of the excerpts leaked "are" what he wrote...so technically forming an opinion on those excerpts is valid.

If I end up reading it...I won't pay for it :) I know I said the circle thing...I thoroughly enjoy have good discussions and personally hate it when people give short snide remarks, or anything of that nature as a response...so I do appreciate the level of back and forth we have shared :) cheers!

I am going to fall into a trap here..as in (well majorchamp read the book)...but of the "leaks" that came out...the "sewage" is there more context/content surrounding what the leaks stated, or are the leaks the gist of the bad stuff?

I have to give it to you...you are very detailed :) It's the timing, but as mentioned earlier, it's just the fact that he was paid by Tiger to do a particular job, invited into his private home/life and his expenses were taken care of, a place to stay, would have dinners with Tiger's family, and because he had "memories" he felt it was ok to share the memories he had during those private stays, whether they were fact or just opinion based on his observations. Point being, I think its disrespectful and unprofessional what he did because that 2% as everyone keeps saying is "enough" to dirty the book up merely for more sales which downgrades its quality and purpose. I will keep falling back on the opinion that if you apply yourself, as a person, into this situation and a friend wrote a book about you without even notifying you in advance, or that this friend was collecting details of your life to include in a future book without your knowledge, I think ANYONE would be particularly hurt by that. Am I alone in that opinion?

Weak analogy coming... So when Phil's wife was going through cancer, and his game showed signs of weakness and Rick Smith or whoever was his instructor at the time wrote a book, it would be ok for him to highlight various opinions about what he saw Phil and his wife were going through and how it affected his game. I said "weak" because Phil's game didn't take the striking downward crumble that Tiger's did, but the point is still made. Do you not realize that every single married athlete in this world has some drama in their life that affects their well being, mental and physical state? Hell, every single married normal person in this world has the same problems. If my wife and I have a fight, I try not to let it affect my day at the office, but its going to have some bearing. That's nobody's "business" though and certainly shouldn't get a mention in a "book" because someone observed it. If Haney wanted to say Elin and Tiger's marriage fell apart, which was obvious given the drama that unfolded publicly for Tiger, that is fine because that is common knowledge. But to include the various "details" as to what precipitated the crumbling of the marriage isn't necessary. But that is still beside the point (for me personally) because I again think Haney coming out with the book in the first place is slimy.