Calvin Peete

[cabinessence]

He just had an episode of Playing Lessons With the Pros, really interesting watch. It's obvious he hasn't played in forever and was hitting the ball extremely short (e.g. 157-yard 4 iron on one hole), but man that swing was still solid.


How long did he drive the ball in his prime? I didn't know much about him until today, apparently he led the PGA Tour in driving accuracy every year from 1981-1991. Johnny Miller said "No question that, for a period of time, he and Curtis Strange were the best players in America." He also has Tourette's.

 

[warbirdlover]

I saw that also. I think his swing looks better now then it did when he was on tour.

 

[Eracer]

I've always liked Calvin Peete. I followed him around the course for a while at the 1995 Verizon here at the TPC course. He may not have been the longest out there, but he could still smack the heck out of the ball. His accuracy was unparalled. Still is. I though it was a good show last night. Proves that you can score well without hitting the ball a long way. Obviously, you have to play the right tees...

 

[IrishGolfer]

The guy was a dude. Awesome player at his peak, a "straght dowen the pipe" guy. Only took up the game late (I think in his twenties). PLayed a key role in some Ryder Cups. Length and his flat stick cost him a few majors, but someone all of us could relate to (iow "I could hit the ball THAT far!").

Nice to hear he is still kickin' about.

 

[bames]

He just had an episode of Playing Lessons With the Pros, really interesting watch. It's obvious he hasn't played in forever and was hitting the ball extremely short (e.g. 157-yard 4 iron on one hole), but man that swing was still solid.


How long did he drive the ball in his prime? I didn't know much about him until today, apparently he led the PGA Tour in driving accuracy every year from 1981-1991. Johnny Miller said "No question that, for a period of time, he and Curtis Strange were the best players in America." He also has Tourette's.

Are you sure he swung all out on with the 4 rion? Just asking because I play often with I guy who plays off scratch. He is always playing different shots with clubs that suprise me. He had a 110 yd shot in one time and stuck it close. I asked him what he used because of the low ball flight and he said a 9 iron. I questioned the 9 and he just responded by saying that it just "felt right" for that shot.

 

[cabinessence]

Are you sure he swung all out on with the 4 rion? Just asking because I play often with I guy who plays off scratch. He is always playing different shots with clubs that suprise me. He had a 110 yd shot in one time and stuck it close. I asked him what he used because of the low ball flight and he said a 9 iron. I questioned the 9 and he just responded by saying that it just "felt right" for that shot.

I think he just doesn't have much left in the tank. He's also 60+ years old and never plays golf any more.


BTW here are his stats from 1982, when he won four tournaments:
http://www.pgatour.com/players/00/19/35/stats/1982.html

Driving distance: 250.8 yards
Driving accuracy: 81.3%
GIR: 72.4%
Scoring average: 70.33

 

[LyleG]

Awesome player at his peak, a "straght dowen the pipe" guy.

Yep, he was Mr. Accuracy. He was 18/18 in GIR for 4 straight rounds, he also at one point hit like 64 straight fairways.

I think his biggest accomplishment was the racial adversity he would have had to overcome. Golf was predominantly a white mans game when Calvin was teeing it up on tour.

 

[Clugnut]

Is that the guy who can't bend his left arm straight?

 

[footballking732]

Is that the guy who can't bend his left arm straight?

i thought that was tim clark??

 

[MGP]

Is that the guy who can't bend his left arm straight?

Yep, he had some kind of serious elbow problem like a fused elbow or something like that. It caused his left arm to sort of stick out like a chicken wing during his swing but it also made him swing very much under control. I saw the guy play an exhibition when I was in college and the guy hit the ball incredibly straight.

 

[cabinessence]

Another weird fact...

Only four times in PGA Tour history has a player hit every fairway in a tournament. Peete did it twice, in the 1986 and 1987 Memorial.

 

[Eracer]

Is that the guy who can't bend his left arm straight?

I remember reading an article in a golf mag many years ago that talked about Calvin, and how he'd had to develop a "right-sided" swing. He used his right hand much more actively than most, and gained accuracy because of it.