Gettin' PH back on track

PAULWATSON · 17-12-2010 12:47pm #1

Any ideas on what has happened to PH and how he can get his game buzzin' again.

Personally I think he is one of these modern day science geeks who will do anything so long as it appears advanced. He is tested on more swing mechanic systems than you can shake a putter at, he has eating plans, fitness routines, mental workouts. PH just grip it and let things happen. Science will not hole a snaking 4 footer for par.

Any other thoughts?

macdonagh2007 · 17-12-2010 1:44pm

I think he showed move on from Bob Torrance and seek help from Pete Cowen or Denis Pugh. Sean Foley is the man but he wont come to Ireland.

murphdogg11 · 17-12-2010 2:55pm

I think he was very foolsish to make those swing changes. He had just won 3 Majors in a short period of time & was a match for anyone. His driving has disimproved dramatically & this appears to have affected other parts of his game as well. I know that his motivation was to improve his game but it clearly hasn't & I for one don't see him getting back to major winning level again.

blackwaterfish · 17-12-2010 4:01pm

the problem as i see is little or no confidence off the tee with the big dog. imo, if he could find fairways with any kind of consistancy he'll be a force again. the rest of his game will click into place once he stands on a tee and has a clue where its going.

also i'd get:

A New caddie... just to freshen things up. and someone who isnt afraid to make an intervention when the ****s hitting the fan and PH's head is drooping. too often ive seen ronan flood just stand and observe, like a spectator, when the giant black hole of doom surrounds PH. Someone more chatty like billy foster or Bones mackay to keep his man focussed on whats necessary and to make key suggestions re shot type & shape. theres very little of this chattyness between PH & RF as far as i can see. Padraig obviously may prefer a quieter Looper but the current system isnt working imo.

Employ a new long game swing coach... for obvious reasons. altho i have huge respect for bob torrence.

Short game should remain as is. Putting touch will return when confidence in other keys areas is climbing - padraig on-form is a superb putter.

Take a break from Rotella for first 3 months of 2011... and see what happens.

Sign on with taylormade...just to use one of theyre drivers... again to mix it up. or possibly Ping or Callaway. I have no faith in Wilson. PH has used TM's sporadically before afaik... but really get them working on producing a customized one for PH. Have them working nights & sweating bullets to produce one that suits the guy.

His offical driver is the wilson smooth... used one a few times.. piece of crap!

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If all else fails... brain transplant + dye hair again, maybe have an affair to build up self confidence.

TheRoomWrecker · 17-12-2010 5:12pm

A bit of time spent with Mr Claude "Butch" Harmon

look at the long games that his current crop have

LuckyGent88 · 17-12-2010 6:04pm

clearly his main problem is off the tee....the guy just cant hit the fairway especially in pressure situations and that then puts pressure on his short game which doesnt need much work on.

i think his problem off the tee is that he is trying to bomb it out there 300yards every place where it is not even necessary....just look at the success of short and medium hitters this year of say 270/80 yards (donald,kaymer,gmac and furyk) PH def has a good a short game as these players so he must focus in getting his ball in play no matter how far it goes off the tee.....stop flakin at the ball

WHIP IT! · 17-12-2010 7:11pm

LuckyGent88 wrote: »

clearly his main problem is off the tee....the guy just cant hit the fairway especially in pressure situations and that then puts pressure on his short game which doesnt need much work on.

i think his problem off the tee is that he is trying to bomb it out there 300yards every place where it is not even necessary....just look at the success of short and medium hitters this year of say 270/80 yards (donald,kaymer,gmac and furyk) PH def has a good a short game as these players so he must focus in getting his ball in play no matter how far it goes off the tee.....stop flakin at the ball

I wouldn't put Kaymer and McDowell in the short/medium bracket at all. They're both what you often hear referred to as 'sneaky long'...

Harrington has no confidence off the tee right now. I'd go along with the earlier poster who suggested a change of equipment - anything to change it up a bit. The simplest little thing will turn Harrington's form around - he's not a million miles away.

PAULWATSON · 17-12-2010 8:40pm

some interesting replies, fellas.

Maybe PH just needs a break from the game. You hear of him putting 8 hour sessions over his winter break, mad. Is he burned out?

Trampas · 17-12-2010 9:04pm

I agree with a lot being said.

Get rid of ronan for starters (never mix family with work) and then try a new coach.

PAULWATSON · 17-12-2010 9:28pm

Always thought Ronan was a solid bagman, he walked PH to three majors after all.

I fear PH will struggle to keep up with these young gunslingers, they can boom time the driver and make putting look like a piece of piss.

VikingG · 17-12-2010 9:52pm

I remember the PGA tour stats and Padraig had the least number of 3 putts and was among if not the closest to the pin from within 100 yards....

The trouble is consistency off the tee....which oddly enough is exactly the same issue that I have.... see I always knew we had something in common.

RGS · 17-12-2010 10:19pm

His driving is the problem and i agree he needs to rein it the bombs.
Instead of trying to hit it over 300 yds he should just hit it 270/280.
Even using a three wood would be a help as he is geerally accurate with the 3W.

His irons are solid and his short game is top notch.

JerryHandbag · 17-12-2010 11:40pm

murphdogg11 wrote: »

I think he was very foolsish to make those swing changes. He had just won 3 Majors in a short period of time & was a match for anyone. His driving has disimproved dramatically & this appears to have affected other parts of his game as well. I know that his motivation was to improve his game but it clearly hasn't & I for one don't see him getting back to major winning level again.

Pretty much my opinion too. Cant help but feel that if he just kept doing what he was doing, he would be world no.1 by now especially with Tigers implosion. Its rare golfers win majors in their 40s and Harrington hits that milestone next year. Plenty more majors comin from this island, but more likely from McDowell and McIlroy

blackwaterfish · 18-12-2010 9:08am

WHIP IT! wrote: »

he's not a million miles away.

100% agree with this... a couple of tourneys of decent driving stats would see him regularly post top 10 finishes and kick on from there.

DH2K9 · 19-12-2010 12:16am

Good form at the end of the year so know reason why he cant't pick up a win or two. Anybody know what tour he is committing to most or is he doing his crazy schedule from the last 2 years?

LostPassword · 19-12-2010 11:40am

I think he overdoses on psycho-babble - he should try a few bong hits before the round to tune the old brain out

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VikingG · 21-12-2010 9:43am

Interview with him last night on Off-The-Ball... you can find it here..

http://www.newstalk.ie/programmes/all/offtheball/listen-back/

Interesting discussion afterwards on whether he overthinks everything afterwards...

AldilaMan · 21-12-2010 1:20pm

Direct link here http://media.newstalk.ie/listenback/22/monday/1/popup

Fast forward to 27mins and 50 seconds

AldilaMan · 21-12-2010 1:40pm

Just listened to it. He drives me mad. He now knows the cause of him missing left and right - his body coming out of the shot. Nothing worse than a two way miss. Not one mention of how he can't hit a driver into a fairway to save his life. God I wish him well everytime he plays but he's got to be the most frustrating to follow !!

Gettin' PH back on track

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