Phil and his equipment.....(no, not that equipment!)

[Rockford35]

I gotta get into this.

Phil changed up to Callaway, and he's sucking the hind tat. He played better today, but why is everyone blaming his stick change?

The guy is a professional and ranked in the top 5 in the world. He has said that he has ZERO concerns about his equipment for the last two weeks, even before the Canadian. In fact, he stated on Wednesday that he feels as tho he could "shoot as low as he ever has in his career".

Sounds like a guy that knows the equipment works.

Now, if he could just get his brain behind a bit of that and hit some good shots.

Tiger's lost the touch with his putter, period. Maybe he should go to the Two Ball White Hot.....

R35

 

[Slingblade61]

I am constantly being both horrified a reassured by the shabbiness of professional play these days.

Horrified because in my feeble mind, these guy's should be able to tie a clubhead on a length of garden hose and shoot par.

Reassured about my own shabby play because they cannot.

Did you see Haas and DiMarco BOTH chunk it off the lip of the same bunker to have the ball land back at their feet earlier?....priceless

Bottom line....I don't care if you are The sweet baby Jesus, an equipment change is going to affect your play until you get the new gear dialed in.

:smilie_ca

 

[Jeff Gallo]

Supremely over looked

if you really need to talk equipment there is no way i will let you get away without noting one fact that most people overlook. Greenskeeping has changed too, at least as fast, if not faster than club design. what have we (as golfers) gotten in the last hundred years, a new ball and graphite shafts, while greenskeepers have gotten combustion engines, new breeds of grass, the same new metals in their blades that we've got, and new fertilizers. not to mention courses are getting longer too. something that the USGA refuses to admit is that golf is changing all around, golf isnt getting easier because its getting harder at the same time. even on rainy weeks that would reduce greens thirty years ago to ball swallowing bogs they remain ticklish as ever.

so there is no deterioration of the skill of tour players, just an overlap in the progression of greens and golf technology.

 

[Rockford35]

I am constantly being both horrified a reassured by the shabbiness of professional play these days.

Horrified because in my feeble mind, these guy's should be able to tie a clubhead on a length of garden hose and shoot par.

Reassured about my own shabby play because they cannot.

Did you see Haas and DiMarco BOTH chunk it off the lip of the same bunker to have the ball land back at their feet earlier?....priceless

Bottom line....I don't care if you are The sweet baby Jesus, an equipment change is going to affect your play until you get the new gear dialed in.

:smilie_ca

As I mentioned, Phil has already reiterated that he has his equipment dialed in 100%. So really, i don't follow your reasoning.

But i am with you that he should be playing with a garden hose. Maybe between his and Tiger's shots, he can whip Tiger everytime he says the "M-F" word on national television. I counted three in my limited time watching this afternoon.

Garden hose, Titleist, Callaway, hickory shafts. These guys need to play better, no matter what they wield in their bags.

Greenskeeping or not, hitting balls long with your irons that you've had for a year isn't any fault of the grass or the machine that mowed it. But i understand where you're coming from Gallo.

R35

 

[buddha33]

As I mentioned, Phil has already reiterated that he has his equipment dialed in 100%. So really, i don't follow your reasoning.

But i am with you that he should be playing with a garden hose. Maybe between his and Tiger's shots, he can whip Tiger everytime he says the "M-F" word on national television. I counted three in my limited time watching this afternoon.

Garden hose, Titleist, Callaway, hickory shafts. These guys need to play better, no matter what they wield in their bags.

Greenskeeping or not, hitting balls long with your irons that you've had for a year isn't any fault of the grass or the machine that mowed it. But i understand where you're coming from Gallo.

R35

FWIW, I'm with you, Rock. I think the equipment change is vastly overrated. If dude can hit a golf club, dude can hit a golf club. I'm sure he's had ample opportunity to get used to his new equipment.

It seems obvious to me that he came out tight and finished tight. There's a lot of pressure on these guys to perform. This format is vastly different than the standard stroke play tourneys they play week in and week out. Some respond to the change and pressure better than others. Phil didn't respond well.

Also, I'd like to petition for a smiley farting guy with a 'Cleveland' sign in hand. That's about what you'll get when you shoot a round with me.

 

[Rockford35]

Also, I'd like to petition for a smiley farting guy with a 'Cleveland' sign in hand. That's about what you'll get when you shoot a round with me.

Gold.


R35

 

[DaveE]

I gotta get into this.

Phil changed up to Callaway, and he's sucking the hind tat. He played better today, but why is everyone blaming his stick change?

The guy is a professional and ranked in the top 5 in the world. He has said that he has ZERO concerns about his equipment for the last two weeks, even before the Canadian. In fact, he stated on Wednesday that he feels as tho he could "shoot as low as he ever has in his career".

Sounds like a guy that knows the equipment works.

Now, if he could just get his brain behind a bit of that and hit some good shots.

Tiger's lost the touch with his putter, period. Maybe he should go to the Two Ball White Hot.....

R35

I think Phil's poor play was a combination of his response to the pressure and to some degree his change of equipment. Phil and the other Americans nearly all showed evidence that the "choke" is alive and well. The Euros keep coming in as underdogs and can play without pressure because they're not suppose to win. If you're Tiger and Phil paired in the opening match, lets face it, you are expected to win big. Big pressure, big choke.

As far as the equipment change goes, I just think it takes time to have complete confidence in your clubs. At setup you look down and you don't see your old friend, but instead a new mistress and so maybe your a little nervous about the next move. I know what he said, but he was never going to admit he made a mistake about changing when he did. He should have waited until after the Ryder even if he had to play without the endorsement money. I don't think he needs the money. Given a little time to make the adustment I'm sure he'll play Callaway/Hogan or whatever as well as he ever played Titleist, they're all good.

:flipa: This is neat, we get little flip-off guys now.

 

[bdcrowe]

The US's problems over the weekend were all equipment-oriented. I didn't see one Cleveland Launcher headcover in the lot. Stupid Bastards.