Jared Willerson
Super Moderator
Kevin, I vote baseball. Simply because they have the most slots available, with a regimented progression sequence.
Not really talking about the monetary issue, which is a good point. More like the current crop of players trying.
Being from Georgia, I have to ask a question. What makes hockey so expensive? Seems similar to football to me, equipment wise and all you need is some ice, ice skates, stick and puck.
Fact- a 16 year old kid from nowhere can win the US Open someday.
The pool is huge.
if you don't get in with one of the big soccer clubs before you're 14 you can forget it. And that is dependent of some know fek all low level tw@t regarding you as talented. Once you're in, you've a great chance of making it.
Another factor which occurred to me is the amount of knowledge required in golf (assuming you are no just one of those mega mega talented folks) as compared with other sports which are more dependent on physical prowess and instinct.
I'm pretty sure loads of golf guys could make that famous claim "if I had know then what I know now I'd have made it on tour".
I've been watching a lot of what you guys call soccer lately, and believe me there are guys playing at the top level (English Premiership) who are bordering on incompetent. They are incredibly fit and fast though, that's why they made it.
Along those same lines, Kevin, I've heard some Division 1 golf coaches using Trackman ball speed as a determining factor in recruitment.
It's like saying if you have speed, I can teach you the rest.
Glad that wasn't a determining factor when I was recruited...
Thoughts?
You can't possibly be talking about Wayne Rooney?...and that's why I don't expect England's football team to win a world cup in my lifetime. Plenty of fitness and speed... but no brains.
Along those same lines, Kevin, I've heard some Division 1 golf coaches using Trackman ball speed as a determining factor in recruitment.
It's like saying if you have speed, I can teach you the rest.
Glad that wasn't a determining factor when I was recruited...
Thoughts?
That type of apathy is why most college golf coaches are not very good. Ball Speed? Good grief.
I have lots of gripes with college coaching and recruitment in general but dismissing a kid because of one factor in a sport like golf is silly. This is why you will see people from nowhere win big events. Too many are getting dismissed for something that, while important, does not a complete golfer make.
For instance, you have Player A and Player B. Player A has 157 ball speed, tour(ish) short game and can putt the lights out. Player B has 173 ball speed, decent short game and is passable with the putter. A gives B 2 shots a side. Yet Big State U signs B. This type of madness happens all the time.
Shouldn't be a determining factor but should be a heavily weighted one...the reality is if you don't have a minimum of i'd say 110-112mph you really are going uphill and have to be great everywhere else.
Now don't go running to the PGA stats page and start listing allllllllllllll the big time players with less than 110mph; i know they're there andi can name a few off my head but swingspeed/ballspeed matters and is an advantage.