cypressperch
Well-Known Member
Like a wise old man once said, "This is like trying
to beat farts out of a dead mule." I think what is going on here with me is that I have worked long and hard to get where I am today (which is not that far of course!), and I can not in good faith to myself or anyone else with a fairly low handicap (that is accurate!) acknowledge powers in Tiger or anyone else that would make my own meager accomplishments smaller. A true scratch golfer will give me 3 strokes and I will be able to play him with an even chance to win. At +8.5, Tiger has to give the scratch golfer 8.5 strokes, so I get 11.5. If the three of us play a round, we will all be playing with an equal chance to win, provided we play the average round that went in to the determining of our handicaps. Have a bad day, you lose. But have a good day, you probably win if the others have average days.
The course where they are playing this match play event seems pretty wide open compared to places that I play. The rough in many places is not exceptionally difficult. The greens? I cannot help but believe that with greens so uniform and true as to roll that a lot of low handicap players, and perhaps others too, might have some of the best putting of their lives. Certainly, that lay-out is not like a US Open, and I think that I could do pretty well on that particular one.
Did anyone read what Tiger said when interviewed recently? He said that whenever he played that many matches in an event he was bound to have one or two bad rounds. Strange words from a God. As it turned out, he was correct and got beat though he struggled well. Tiger is not a God! He is mortal. He loses a lot more than some of you would believe, though he loses less than anyone else. He is a great, great athletic talent. One is not stupid to call him the best ever at golf because his records certainly justifies that conjecture. But some of the things that are said about Tiger are only things that a God could do, and Tiger cannot ever do those things. A God could spot Cypressperch three strokes a hole and still win. A God could eagle every hole, but no mortal has ever birdied every hole. Ben Hogan DREAMED of making eighteen straight birdies because it seemed possible. He may have hurt himself trying to make that dream a reality. To eagle every hole is beyond even Tiger.
So like it or not, Tiger just isn't that much better than Ol' Cypressperch. (By now, you know I like that sound of that sentence even though I only feel comfortable with the 36 strokes at a US Open Course when I am only entitled to 11.5 or whatever. It just sounds good.)
I honestly do believe that some do not realize how good a true zero handicap golfer has to be. They can go almost as low as the touring pros, but they just don't do it quite as often. Also, there is a wide variety of golfers who can have the same handicap. The long driver who playes "bomb and gouge" versus the machine that stays in the fairway, plays smart, and lets his short game do the scoring. I know, with Tiger it does not matter, he will win regardless.
The really neat thing about this forum when compared to a lot of others is how well we keep our composure when what we think is brought into question. Some of you have Tiger up there a little too high on a pedestal for me, but you are free to do that if you like. His achievements are amazing but never beyond the realm of possibility. When he starts shooting rounds with two or three aces, ten birdies, and an occasional albatros, I reserve the right to change my mind about his being or not being mortal. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :miz:
Lastly, can you just imagine what Tiger would be capable of if he started playing Mizuno MP-67's? It would not be fair to the other pros, would it?
And those old Hogan irons were not that bad, to say the very least.
to beat farts out of a dead mule." I think what is going on here with me is that I have worked long and hard to get where I am today (which is not that far of course!), and I can not in good faith to myself or anyone else with a fairly low handicap (that is accurate!) acknowledge powers in Tiger or anyone else that would make my own meager accomplishments smaller. A true scratch golfer will give me 3 strokes and I will be able to play him with an even chance to win. At +8.5, Tiger has to give the scratch golfer 8.5 strokes, so I get 11.5. If the three of us play a round, we will all be playing with an equal chance to win, provided we play the average round that went in to the determining of our handicaps. Have a bad day, you lose. But have a good day, you probably win if the others have average days.
The course where they are playing this match play event seems pretty wide open compared to places that I play. The rough in many places is not exceptionally difficult. The greens? I cannot help but believe that with greens so uniform and true as to roll that a lot of low handicap players, and perhaps others too, might have some of the best putting of their lives. Certainly, that lay-out is not like a US Open, and I think that I could do pretty well on that particular one.
Did anyone read what Tiger said when interviewed recently? He said that whenever he played that many matches in an event he was bound to have one or two bad rounds. Strange words from a God. As it turned out, he was correct and got beat though he struggled well. Tiger is not a God! He is mortal. He loses a lot more than some of you would believe, though he loses less than anyone else. He is a great, great athletic talent. One is not stupid to call him the best ever at golf because his records certainly justifies that conjecture. But some of the things that are said about Tiger are only things that a God could do, and Tiger cannot ever do those things. A God could spot Cypressperch three strokes a hole and still win. A God could eagle every hole, but no mortal has ever birdied every hole. Ben Hogan DREAMED of making eighteen straight birdies because it seemed possible. He may have hurt himself trying to make that dream a reality. To eagle every hole is beyond even Tiger.
So like it or not, Tiger just isn't that much better than Ol' Cypressperch. (By now, you know I like that sound of that sentence even though I only feel comfortable with the 36 strokes at a US Open Course when I am only entitled to 11.5 or whatever. It just sounds good.)
I honestly do believe that some do not realize how good a true zero handicap golfer has to be. They can go almost as low as the touring pros, but they just don't do it quite as often. Also, there is a wide variety of golfers who can have the same handicap. The long driver who playes "bomb and gouge" versus the machine that stays in the fairway, plays smart, and lets his short game do the scoring. I know, with Tiger it does not matter, he will win regardless.
The really neat thing about this forum when compared to a lot of others is how well we keep our composure when what we think is brought into question. Some of you have Tiger up there a little too high on a pedestal for me, but you are free to do that if you like. His achievements are amazing but never beyond the realm of possibility. When he starts shooting rounds with two or three aces, ten birdies, and an occasional albatros, I reserve the right to change my mind about his being or not being mortal. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :miz:
Lastly, can you just imagine what Tiger would be capable of if he started playing Mizuno MP-67's? It would not be fair to the other pros, would it?
And those old Hogan irons were not that bad, to say the very least.