Latest on the Big Break

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by SCGolfer

I thought Hiroshi and Brian would be that last two standing....very surprised.....looks like Josh could get hot and win this thing. His wedge play is excellent, the rest of his game doesn't stand up to Brians.



Jason

Do you really think his wedge play is excellent? I spin the ball way better than he does, and I pretty much suck. His 100 yard SW's were hitting on the front of the green and rolling all way to the back. That, to me, is not good wedge play.

[joeyo]

Originally Posted by Eracer

His 100 yard SW's were hitting on the front of the green and rolling all way to the back. That, to me, is not good wedge play.

I don't know if you have to spin the ball to be an excellent wedge player, I know I'd rather be hitting them to 5 feet instead of spinning them back 25. Just from watching the BB it looks like his misses are always thin. He probably wasn't hitting the ball as well as he wanted to.

[Sandy]

Originally Posted by joeyo

I don't know if you have to spin the ball to be an excellent wedge player, I know I'd rather be hitting them to 5 feet instead of spinning them back 25.

From what I saw of him last night he was hitting them to 25ft and then having the ball roll another25 - 50 out across the green on most of his shots. Did he have a single short putt to make on any of the holes? Brian on the other hand seemed to getting close AND finding pins the others weren't getting anywhere near. It seemed like he was always on the other side of the flag to the other two, and usually 1/4 of the distance from the hole.

[joeyo]

Originally Posted by Sandy

From what I saw of him last night he was hitting them to 25ft and then having the ball roll another25 - 50 out across the green on most of his shots. Did he have a single short putt to make on any of the holes? Brian on the other hand seemed to getting close AND finding pins the others weren't getting anywhere near. It seemed like he was always on the other side of the flag to the other two, and usually 1/4 of the distance from the hole.

Thats true, Brian was throwing darts and was definately on his game. I think some of these challenges throw the players off. They are all tournament golfers, Hiroshi was prob the best challenge player aka lobs over walls, shots under trees, etc. but the 9 holer showed who is the real tournament golfer. I think if Matt Every made it through the challenges he would have won hands down in the 9 hole challenge that guy is a player, i think he will be playing the nationwide next season.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by joeyo

I don't know if you have to spin the ball to be an excellent wedge player, I know I'd rather be hitting them to 5 feet instead of spinning them back 25. Just from watching the BB it looks like his misses are always thin. He probably wasn't hitting the ball as well as he wanted to.

Maybe. I didn't watch many episodes of this BB, since I was bored to tears after the first one. Maybe Josh is a better wedge player than what he showed last night, but to me it looks like he has such a rounded and upright swing that he hits thin iron shots a lot.

[goatster]

i have seen most of the shows and was surprised to see Hiroshi go.since every body was always saying ho good he was.he was having back problems he mentioned it to BK.that it only hurt on the follow thru.but if you know that pain is coming i dont care what part of your swing it is its gonna mess with you.

plus with Hiroshi being exempt from day one.he just didnt have the pressure of all the other guys.

would have been nice to see (Kevin?)The Eliminator go all the way.that guy really earned his keep from day one he knew he was going to be in every elimination challenge.

Josh has the least experience but seems to be playing decent golf.

[figjam]

Originally Posted by bdcrowe

That's an interesting perspective, Sib. What exactly is "bad" about a belly putter, and what is worse about a broomstick?

I don't think it's necessarily about yips, but about what is easier for a person to hit and feel confident about. Is something "bad" because it's easier? By that logic, are you playing persimmons and 2-irons?

Have to agree with Sib on this one, any serious player who stoops to the longer putters has some serious issues on the greens. Sib didn't say the belly or long putter was "bad", just the mug holding the other end. And there is no doubt that technology advances in other equipment has allowed some lurkers to eak out very luctrative careers on tour that they couldn't have achieved when talent alone was the pre requisite.

[SCGolfer]

eracer,

I belive Josh showed during some of the challenges that his wedge/short irons were solid. He dominated one of the earlier challenges that required choosing a yardage and hitting to a circle, he smoked it with his wedges. Seems like under the pressure of the 9 holes he hit the ball thin and it also appeared the greens were playing pretty hard. I don't think for a second he will beat Brian because he doesn't have the experience, but I think he has a fairly solid game and his wedge play has helped. As joeyo stated the guy with the best game and my pick to win was Matt Every and he got booted early, but he made it to the finals at Q school and will have exemptions on the Nationwide tour.....I think he obviously had the best game out of the group.

jason

[JamesR]

hiroshi lost because he was never under "elimination" pressure. BK and Josh had been in tight spots before. I think if Brian keeps playing like he is now, hes gonna take it.

[bdcrowe]

Originally Posted by figjam

Have to agree with Sib on this one, any serious player who stoops to the longer putters has some serious issues on the greens. Sib didn't say the belly or long putter was "bad", just the mug holding the other end. And there is no doubt that technology advances in other equipment has allowed some lurkers to eak out very luctrative careers on tour that they couldn't have achieved when talent alone was the pre requisite.

I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion. And I don't have much of a dog in the fight; I just find this line of thinking to be kind of peculiar. Sib said that his belly putter is "bad enough" (I guess broomsticks are worse?), and you say that a player is "stooping" to a long putter.

My question is, exactly what makes this bad? Sib seems to think it has something to do with hand position. You both seem to think it is indicative of talent level. I don't see that hand position has much to do with it, as long as it is within the rules of the game. Will you next say that strong grips are bad because it is obvious those players don't have the skill to square up the clubhead? It's just hand position.

It also seems to center on the fact that long putters may make scoring easier? Isn't that the point? That's probably why Harrington was using one, why more tour pros are using hybrids, and why driver heads are 460cc's. Are they stooping here because they have serious issues on the fairways and tee boxes? Or are they choosing the tool that they feel most confidence in and thus gives them the better chance of scoring with?

In parting, were you indicating that Harrington wouldn't have talent enough to eek out a career without his long putter? Or that Phil doesn't have talent enough to do it with one (much less 2) oversized, shape-promoting drivers? I'm just curious where you draw the line and why? Is the game-improving technology you favor alright, but the technology that you don't like isn't? Are you going back to blades, persimmons and a weak Jonny Miller grip?

Sib says that he could "probably" score just as well with his persimmons, which I guess tells me he isn't using them. Why, Sib?

*** Note that a lot of this is tongue-in-cheek, but I would seriously like to understand these distinctions that some out there make. Sib and fig, you're just the target of the conversation because you hold the opinion and thus should be able to help me understand.

The reason I take such interest is because I hit some balls with a long putter a couple of weeks ago. I have a good putting stroke. I really do. That long putter was just deadly, though. Convince me not to get one.

[Bump-N-Run]

How can you guys watch this??? I think the only way is to TiVo and skip to the end.

They constantly fill the hour with teasers and they replay the same sh*t that just happened 2 minutes ago.

I tried to watch.. But I couldn't any longer..

[SiberianDVM]

I'm not using the persimmons because I'm saving them to beat you over the head with.

[bdcrowe]

. Well played sir.

May I sugest a long putter instead? More reach.

[DouginGA]

The problem with this BB was that anthony got eliminated way too early. every show needs a "dickhead" to make it interesting and with gerry, kevin, josh, brian and roshi who would you want to root against? there was no donatello or I forgot the blonde ditzt in the chick one to make you wish evil on someone.

[kwcsports]

I'm pulling for Josh. I think the other guy is a bit of a jerk. He talks about all his experience and tournament wins, but I have never heard of him other than the Canadian Tour 8 years ago.