Just Saw This Today

[birly-shirly]

I do not watch statistics, neither I watched all majors of recent years. But if I am to choose - it would be certainly a guy who won mainly because of his overall luck, short game and putting without great accurate ballstriking from tee to green.
I think we can find quite a few who fall into this category recently.

Conversely, a "best player who never won a major" list would include a great ballstriker who couldn't putt or chip well. Probably Knudson. Certainly not current no.1 who is a total disappointment from the tee not being rather a bomber. In real golf he would have no chances to smell top ten of players.

You asked for my opinion -- thus, remember that I have the choice to say unpopular things.

Cheers

No problem Dariusz - but let's have some names. Major winners who played poorly or who struck the ball poorly IN THEIR BIG WEEK and who, in your opinion, don't deserve their place in the history books.

 

[Dariusz J.]

No problem Dariusz - but let's have some names. Major winners who played poorly or who struck the ball poorly IN THEIR BIG WEEK and who, in your opinion, don't deserve their place in the history books.

C'mon, they all deserve because they won, i.e. were the best in this particular week. I do not remember statistics though. Thus, this would be a player whose putting was over average while FiR (and GiR) under average of the field. If someone has statistics of majors in these categories - please share.
Never was impressed with latest Woods stats but it is not a novelty. I guess he hit less than 50% when he won last US Open title and Masters against DiMarco but putted and chipped great. Correct me if I am wrong though.

G'nite because must get up early tomorrow and drive some hundreds of kms tomorrow. Retun in Sunday evening so we can finish our conversation.

Cheers

 

[birly-shirly]

Well - stats will only tell you part of the story. If the course is running fast, someone could be driving the ball great but missing fairways into the semi-rough. I'm not saying stats are irrelevant - but I think it's a wee bit harsh to write someone off on their stats, without seeing them actually play. Especially when they're putting good scores together.

 

[dschultz6072]

Well - stats will only tell you part of the story. If the course is running fast, someone could be driving the ball great but missing fairways into the semi-rough. I'm not saying stats are irrelevant - but I think it's a wee bit harsh to write someone off on their stats, without seeing them actually play. Especially when they're putting good scores together.

Exactly. The only "stat" that matters 100% is score. The rest are just there for reference. 2 factors for a good golf shot: luck and a good golf swing. Any time luck plays a factor, that's how it's gonna be. Some people get lucky every now and then. And some are luckier than others a lot more often.

 

[drewyallop]

Dariusz ... the engine that powers so many threads here. Good on you przyjaciel.

 

[DCgolf]

The long drive is the slam dunk contest of golf. Fun to watch nothing to do with the game.

 

[Brian Manzella]

Back in 1988, New Orleans City Park had Art Sellinger in for a couple of clinics.

He was so big a guy back then, when I picked him up at the airport, he barely fit in my car. I asked him if he ever played football, and he replied no, only golf.

He and I went to play Belle Terre CC in Laplace, and he hit it a mile, but I beat him by a couple.

We played together in an exhibition scramble with us two and a pre-Manzella-ized Nakia Davs, against Larry Griifin—a former Nat'l Asst. Champ, Peggy Benandi—the wife of the head pro and a solid low handicapper—and my star pupil o'the day, Tom Bartlett.

We got beat.

Art popped his tee shot up on #1, and we used mine. I just about held out the wedge shot, and we were one up. We looked to go two up on #2, but Bartlett made some silly putt. On three, a 560 yard par-5, we had 7-iron in, and Nakia chipped one gimme for a halve—her only decent shot of the day. All I remember about the rest of the nine, was a 6-iron I hit to a good after again using my drive, only to be topped by another goofy putt by Tom.

We lost by two.

At that point in time, Art was as long as anyone, and was the forth best player in a group of four pros and tow lady ams.

Nice guy though.

 

[Dariusz J.]

Well - stats will only tell you part of the story. If the course is running fast, someone could be driving the ball great but missing fairways into the semi-rough. I'm not saying stats are irrelevant - but I think it's a wee bit harsh to write someone off on their stats, without seeing them actually play. Especially when they're putting good scores together.

Yes. Make fairways slower and the rough higher, that's all.

Exactly. The only "stat" that matters 100% is score. The rest are just there for reference. 2 factors for a good golf shot: luck and a good golf swing. Any time luck plays a factor, that's how it's gonna be. Some people get lucky every now and then. And some are luckier than others a lot more often.

In any possible sport I was active in people could agree that a team A. or a player A. won because he was lucky, not better. Remember this when you watch golf.

Dariusz ... the engine that powers so many threads here. Good on you przyjaciel.

Well, I am doing my best to be a guardian of the true spirit of this sport.

Cheers

 

[birly-shirly]

I thought this made for interesting reading. Tiger Woods's positive spin finally rings true despite late wobble | Lawrence Donegan | Sport | The Guardian

Now Donegan is anything but a Woods fanboy, but hear what he has to say here:

"He may indeed have found just two fairways in his final round but the fact is he missed several of those fairways by a matter of inches. Time and again he hit good tee shots, especially with his three-wood, only to see the ball go further than intended, eventually running through the fairway."

and here

"He is driving the ball beautifully, his swing is tight and, most importantly, in control, and as was the case in his prime he is hitting shots other golfers can only dream about.

Rory McIlroy, paired with Woods for the first three days, hit some wonderful shots over the week those 54 holes but not even the Northern Irishman's best friend could dispute the American outplayed the heir presumptive to his title as the world's most recognisable golfer. The former world No1 played shots the future world No1 could not"