PGA Tour Thread

Golf is my Game

GreeBo wrote: »

People seem to mistakenly think I'm saying he will get to #1 next week or something. I'm not. As I said, if he keeps up his current form he will be #1. #1 comes from consistent results.

Id agree with you you are spot on there. Effectively he is the best player in the world at this moment, like these four weeks, so if he keeps going like that he will reach number one at some point if the general pattern of results from all of them kept going the same. Its a small period and all so no garantees that will continue like that, but that doesnt take from the fact that its true at the moment. And the fact that he has taken a leap forward with the muscle work and going all out for distance makes it all the more interesting. If he was just someone creeping along up the list even with a few wins, it wouldnt be so remarkable. Were used to that as players find good form while not doing a whole lot different, or just get better at handling being in the hunt week in week out. But the pumping himself up and it giving him instant results almost is almost unprecedented. Sure, he was doing well before and already a contender and whose knows how good he might have become anyways, but not to the extent we have seen since the corona restart. Watch this space sort of thing I think. Therell be a lot of lads going for the same pumping iron routing come the winter pause if he sustains this and simply outgunning the rest keeps up this rate of results. Its not like he has improved his short game or competitiveness or something else. Its like property, theres three things that matter in modern golf for these lads, distance, distance, and distance.

eagle eye

Bryson the s a long way off being number 1. It's very hard to get there. Just look at Webb Simpson, two wins, four seconds, a third, and a bunch of top twenty finishes over the last twelve months and he's number 6.
Also, as well as Bryson is playing I really feel the sweating is affecting him. I think it's likely why he hasn't got over the line during this rich vein of form.

Deeper Blue

This has to be one of the least interesting courses I've ever seen on tour. Bomb and gouge personified. No wonder Wolff and Bryson are near the top.

Mushy

Wouldnt be betting against Bryson now anyway

Golf is my Game

Danny Willett, thats good to see. Does really seem to be back.

bamayang

Will there ever be a point where all of Brysons shots aren’t followed by a “WOW x yards out with a pitching wedge”...

Golf is my Game

When the shorten the ball hopefully I think anyways.

GreeBo

Hmm, I’m not really sure this is still golf.
It’s a bit like those death match modes you see in computer games where skill and defence are irrelevant and it’s just all out blunt attack.
Yeah it can be fun now and then, but it’s not how the game was designed to be played.

Golf is my Game

I think there a paradoxically thing about it is that the harder you try to hit it you actually dont hit it more off line which is what used to be assumed. Its not that his bad ones are missing the target by a hundred yards. Golf has been going that way. Maybe as well as shorted the ball they should make maximum driver head smaller like 300 cc or something like they used to be. We were all able to hit them, bit it was probably the smaller face and sweet spot that meant there was a benfit in precision and smashing all out with protein shake muscles didnt necessarily pay off. But with the big face, they have gradually realised something else - smashing it with all youve got does pay off. Which makes par 4 and par 5s an obsolete idea.
What would like to see from some of the statistics lads is how would he and Kepka and Rory and the likes have done if only par 3s were taken into account. Effectively, who is the best golfer when driver is taken out of the scene. Would be interested in that for sure I think myself.

GreeBo

GreeBo wrote: »

Hmm, I’m not really sure this is still golf.
It’s a bit like those death match modes you see in computer games where skill and defence are irrelevant and it’s just all out blunt attack.
Yeah it can be fun now and then, but it’s not how the game was designed to be played.

There is nowhere near enough punishment for wayward drive, he still finds himself with a direct line to the green 90 or 100 yards out.

With his driving distance now they need some serous punishment for being off line. At the very least he should have other trees to get through or very thick rough where his ball may be lost.

Golf is my Game

Deleted User wrote: »

There is nowhere near enough punishment for wayward drive, he still finds himself with a direct line to the green 90 or 100 yards out.

With his driving distance now they need some serous punishment for being off line. At the very least he should have other trees to get through or very thick rough where his ball may be lost.

Becuase the courses arent designed for that. When your carrying the ball 320 or more then your carrying any designed in bunkers and narrowing and what not. Thats why the thing has gone so far out of balance. What should they do, put fairway bunkers at 330 ? Then they all just take 3 wood to 290 and keep hitting the fairway. Golf courses are all designed for a certain range of shots. When you go outside that then theres nothing that can be done. Courses are just obsolete. SO lets not rebuild them all, lets take the shots back in to line with the original game that has been fine for a hundred years since steel shafts came in.

Deeper Blue

They seriously need to roll the ball back.

I have zero interest in watching lads thumping the ball as hard as they can. It's caveman golf.

Commentators creaming themselves every time Bryson hit it 350+ gets old after a while too, we didn't need to hear it on every single hole.

Golf is my Game

NDWC wrote: »

They seriously need to roll the ball back.

I have zero interest in watching lads thumping the ball as hard as they can. It's caveman golf.

Commentators creaming themselves every time Bryson hit it 350+ gets old after a while too, we didn't need to hear it on every single hole.

To be fair to them, it is THE story of whats going on, so you cant blame them really. Its not them hitting it 370.

GreeBo

The only option unless the powers do something is 6 inch rough just off the fairway. It could be done without any expense or special rulings, but any tournament doing it risks the wrath of the players.

Deeper Blue

Golf is my Game wrote: »

To be fair to them, it is THE story of whats going on, so you cant blame them really. Its not them hitting it 370.

That's true to be fair, and there's no doubt it's impressive, particularly the accuracy. I just don't think it interesting to watch.

It probably doesn't help that I'm not a fan of Bryson!

fullstop

GreeBo wrote: »

The only option unless the powers do something is 6 inch rough just off the fairway. It could be done without any expense or special rulings, but any tournament doing it risks the wrath of the players.

I know the comment was made by someone else above, but I think they need to seriously look at the ball now. They have everything tuned to the nth degree to the point where he’s able to go at a 5 degree driver as hard as he can and not worry about the ball spinning too much and going off line. You could never have done that back in the days of wound balls.

Golf is my Game

GreeBo wrote: »

The only option unless the powers do something is 6 inch rough just off the fairway. It could be done without any expense or special rulings, but any tournament doing it risks the wrath of the players.

Thats not really golf either though really. Or at least not golf as it should be and is like some of the not that good in my opinion American courses that have too much water lining the fairway. In the fairway. Or in the water. That heavy rough will penalise them sure, but its then just a hack out for a shot and carry on. So they will still gamble on the big hit. If the big his is big enough, then you can probably wedge it to the green. The hole proportion of the game and full range of shots through the bag is being lost and thats the problem. Not just that they can shoot 21 under. Thats always been there and those lads are going to be able to do that sometimes their so good. Its how they do it. And 370 yard drive stuff is like finding a flaw in the game. Not problem, its not cheating or anything. But its a flaw that has changed the game and needs now a rule change to bring it back into the balance game that we love to play and watch.

GreeBo

fullstop wrote: »

I know the comment was made by someone else above, but I think they need to seriously look at the ball now. They have everything tuned to the nth degree to the point where he’s able to go at a 5 degree driver as hard as he can and not worry about the ball spinning too much and going off line. You could never have done that back in the days of wound balls.

I've always said it's the ball they should target first.
The ball is too smart at the moment, it means the players don't need to have as much skill as they used to.
Dumb the ball down (by removing dimples) and then the players have to upskill and also learn how to hit long irons again!

GreeBo

Golf is my Game wrote: »

Thats not really golf either though really. Or at least not golf as it should be and is like some of the not that good in my opinion American courses that have too much water lining the fairway. In the fairway. Or in the water. That heavy rough will penalise them sure, but its then just a hack out for a shot and carry on. So they will still gamble on the big hit. If the big his is big enough, then you can probably wedge it to the green. The hole proportion of the game and full range of shots through the bag is being lost and thats the problem. Not just that they can shoot 21 under. Thats always been there and those lads are going to be able to do that sometimes their so good. Its how they do it. And 370 yard drive stuff is like finding a flaw in the game. Not problem, its not cheating or anything. But its a flaw that has changed the game and needs now a rule change to bring it back into the balance game that we love to play and watch.

I 100% agree, but individual courses and tournaments can't do anything about the tech, all they can control is the course setup.
Its USGA & RANDA who need to get their fingers out. They jumped all over wedge grooves and COR back in the day.

BTW I'm ok with them hacking out and taking an effective penalty, we saw what happened to Bryson last night when he tried it.
I'd rather that than watch him hammer a drive and then pop an 8 iron onto the green in 2 on a par 5...

Golf is my Game

True, but course setup can make a mess of it too. Us Opens went crazy in 80s and 90s with that kind of punishing roughs as they tryed to keep scores at their target of par to win or so and it was just wrong too where a missed green by f yards made a fool of the players as they chunked 3 times to get out and effectively couldn't pitch. And you could have a decent drive skip off the fairway and 6 inches was the difference between a clean iron in and a hack and hope. They tried similar with ultra narrow fairways but that was a nonsense too even though it made scores hig but in a lottery way and so nobody felt they were getting a fair chance. Threw up a fair few dodgy level winners too. So while the course setup can hide the symptom of mad scores and crazy drives, it's at the expense of finding worthy winner in the best golfer and becomes a bit of a lotto.

bren2001

Golf is my Game wrote: »

True, but course setup can make a mess of it too. Us Opens went crazy in 80s and 90s with that kind of punishing roughs as they tryed to keep scores at their target of par to win or so and it was just wrong too where a missed green by f yards made a fool of the players as they chunked 3 times to get out and effectively couldn't pitch. And you could have a decent drive skip off the fairway and 6 inches was the difference between a clean iron in and a hack and hope. They tried similar with ultra narrow fairways but that was a nonsense too even though it made scores hig but in a lottery way and so nobody felt they were getting a fair chance. Threw up a fair few dodgy level winners too. So while the course setup can hide the symptom of mad scores and crazy drives, it's at the expense of finding worthy winner in the best golfer and becomes a bit of a lotto.

Graduated rough. I don't think anyone is suggesting fairway or 6 inches of rough. You can have fairway, first cut and then 6 inches.

Fairway is fairway. They should be tight and challenging to hit with proper placement of bunkers (or tee boxes) but rewarding if hit.

First cut players should penalise a player meaning they lose the ability to control the spin on the golf ball.

The rough should penalise you to the point it is a bit of a hit and hope. If Bryson (or anyone) wants to try and overpower the golf course, there has to be a massive penalty for going offline.

GreeBo

bren2001 wrote: »

Graduated rough. I don't think anyone is suggesting fairway or 6 inches of rough. You can have fairway, first cut and then 6 inches.

Fairway is fairway. They should be tight and challenging to hit with proper placement of bunkers (or tee boxes) but rewarding if hit.

First cut players should penalise a player meaning they lose the ability to control the spin on the golf ball.

The rough should penalise you to the point it is a bit of a hit and hope. If Bryson (or anyone) wants to try and overpower the golf course, there has to be a massive penalty for going offline.

I actually am talking about fairway and then heavy rough side by side.
As Bryson ably demonstrated, controlling the spin is much less of an issue if you are only hitting an 8 iron for your approach.

Now if we bring the ball back and guys are hitting a 5 iron from the rough we might start to see people take more care to hit fairways.

Golf is my Game

Golf should be tested by the design and length of the holes right threw the bag. Par threes should be spread from 9 iron to 3i for the longest lads, and more club for those shorter than them - that gives the longer lads their advantage, but they are all playing to the same penalising areas. The par 4s should have every from a wedge to a would second - and even more club for the shorter players. The par 5s should be everything from reachable in two for the longest (but with a perfect drive and a 4i or longer second), and the other three requiring 50-150 yards third shots for all them. That brings the orgin design of the course; bunkers, water, dogs legs, slopes, etc as the penalty areas for anyshot offline in play for all. Not that some can bomb the trouble away as the ball flies clean over it laughing, or being so long that missing the fairway puts you so close to the green that is easily reachable anyway even if its not with the ideal control. We have all the golf courses of the world - make them play the way they were built which is with the above spread of shots. And you can do that by making the longest lads able to carry it no more than 270 yards with full welly like McIlroy Dechambeao or Koepka.
Lest Make Golf Great Again. Shorten the ****ing ball.

GreeBo

I'd be expecting more then a 4i for your second on a par 5 for everyone. Reaching out at all in 2 should be reserved for the longest guys only and should be 3 wood territory, otherwise it's a long par 4.

santana75

bamayang wrote: »

Will there ever be a point where all of Brysons shots aren’t followed by a “WOW x yards out with a pitching wedge”...

Yeah Its getting old at this stage. The sky commentary team of nick faldo et al seemingly have to refer to BDCs diet and weight gain every time he's taking a shot. They're like that bloke at work who keeps making the same joke over and over and never understands that whatever humour that was there initially is long since dead and buried.

callaway92

santana75 wrote: »

Yeah Its getting old at this stage. The sky commentary team of nick faldo et al seemingly have to refer to BDCs diet and weight gain every time he's taking a shot. They're like that bloke at work who keeps making the same joke over and over and never understands that whatever humour that was there initially is long since dead and buried.

They're not Sky's team, but I now what you mean. It's a headwreck.

How about the old chestnut of "oops, Bryson's maths didn't work on that putt!"

Dr. Bre

Decent field for this weekend . Bryson finally taking a break

Golf is my Game

santana75 wrote: »

Yeah Its getting old at this stage. The sky commentary team of nick faldo et al seemingly have to refer to BDCs diet and weight gain every time he's taking a shot. They're like that bloke at work who keeps making the same joke over and over and never understands that whatever humour that was there initially is long since dead and buried.

Do you lads be on the soccer forum complaining about soccer commentators saying how well Messi did and how good his control and skill was when he scores a goal? He's done it hundreds of times now, we know he's brilliant, so maybe they shouldn't even mention that he goaled at all?
Brysons driving is the topic of golf at the moment. Because he's playing very well and consistently. Because he won. Because he has changed his game for the better in a short period of time, ina a dramatic way, and he said he was going to do it, did it it, we can all see it, and it's getting the results. and it had implications for the whole game truly for those who care about it even if he is just it's most visible aspect right now. So for the 10 holes he takes a driver, and the ones he boms it past 370, and an average longer that 350, yes its worth talking about.

Mantis Toboggan

Bubba has some round going, quad bogey, triple and double bogey with 3 birdies and he's only on the 13th!

Mantis Toboggan

Bubba has some round going, quad bogey, triple and double bogey with 3 birdies and he's only on the 13th!