Kerr on Wie

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bcoak

bcoak

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“I don’t like the way she’s swinging at it,” Kerr said. “It’s just way too technical, trying to be way too perfect. David (Leadbetter) is a great teacher, but whatever path they’re on, I just don’t like it.”

Kerr went on to say that she played with a 12-year-old Wie and found it beautiful to watch. Now, Kerr almost wants to look away.

“She’s one of my best friends, and I wish her the best; I really do,” Kerr said. “But she needs to take a hard look at what they’re doing.”

I watched some recent video and she is right. Swing looks awful. Her finish is sawed off. Too bad she can't go back in time and re-capture the 14yo swing
 
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niblick1

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Wie had an athletic, natural, powerful (even if people sometimes overestimated the power) swing when a young teenager. She had zero short game and even then couldn't putt. Now she has a passable short game and still can't putt (just watching her and Suzann Pettersen may give you the yips). Her swing should have been tweaked as needed, not overhauled.

I actually watch a decent amount of LPGA golf and just attended part of Women's NCAA. My basic observation is that there are not enough girls just being dropped off at a course when they are kids to just go play, have fun, play till or after dark, learn a wide variety of shots, learn how to scratch out a win versus your friends, and learn how to putt under pressure for dimes against the other kids on the putting green. It's as if feel, touch, guts, and instinct don't matter. Ray Allen didn't have to overcome four coaches make his jump shot fit some idea of the perfect jump shot form.

The NCAAs were remarkable to me for the very slow, grinding, non-fun looking style of play. Very few players looked like they were having fun. It was a short set-up and and emphasis on mistake-free golf; the ball-polishers have an edge over the natural athletes in this format.

The thing Wie had going for her (her natural swing) has been methodized into a a sort of ugly, mechanical look. Kerr's comment is unsurprising.
 
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Mike Thomas (sunmart)

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Wie at 14, believed to be the youngest player in a PGA Tour event, making improbable putts that sent roars across Waialae Country Club and threatening to become the youngest player to make a cut. With a birdie on her final hole for a two-under-par 68, she finished at even-par 140 for the tournament.

Wie tied for 80th in the 144-player field, one stroke short of those who advanced to Saturday's third round. She finished ahead of more than a dozen Tour event winners.
 
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bryan@nobackswing.com

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Bob Rotella quote:

"The best players, from Jones down through Palmer, Player, Nicklaus and Trevino, have always taken pride in the fact that their swings were a bit idiosyncratic and highly personal. The best players have always had the courage to swing in their own way and ignore teachers who insisted that only a classic swing could win".
 
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eric54

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sunmart said:
She was the greatest 14 year old golfer ever no matter what sex. Leadbetter simply led her down the wrong path.
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She didnt win the US Girls which suggests to me that there were better 14 year olds about. Haney led Tiger down the wrong path. Didnt stop him winning majors let alone regular tournaments.

Wie was just a lot of hype because of how far she hit the ball for a girl/woman. As we all know golf is not how far but how many
 
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welshdentist

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How many players have come out of named teacher or IMG academies and blitzed the tour?

How many have showed promise and gradually tapered away?

Maybe things aren't being taught well, and I don't mean technique (but that too in some teachers cases)

Weird how many top players have worked it out themselves with a guiding influence to nudge them here and there.
 
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Bigwill

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eric54 said:
She didnt win the US Girls which suggests to me that there were better 14 year olds about. Haney led Tiger down the wrong path. Didnt stop him winning majors let alone regular tournaments.

Wie was just a lot of hype because of how far she hit the ball for a girl/woman. As we all know golf is not how far but how many
Click to expand...

The temptation is to think that's all she is because the results haven't matched the expectations, and the media hype. But make no mistake, she did have an immense amount of talent (Sony @ age 14). I think that her "handlers" went a long way toward ensuring that the promise of that potential wasn't fully realized. With the right people around her, I have little doubt that she could have been one of the top women in the game. I think a lot of people have that same feeling, hence the disappointment in where she is at this point in her career.

That said, though she's been around forever, she's still very young. Barring injury, or outside influences, she has time to pick things up. Whether she will or not remains to be seen...
 
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eric54

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Bigwill said:
The temptation is to think that's all she is because the results haven't matched the expectations, and the media hype. But make no mistake, she did have an immense amount of talent (Sony @ age 14). I think that her "handlers" went a long way toward ensuring that the promise of that potential wasn't fully realized. With the right people around her, I have little doubt that she could have been one of the top women in the game. I think a lot of people have that same feeling, hence the disappointment in where she is at this point in her career.

That said, though she's been around forever, she's still very young. Barring injury, or outside influences, she has time to pick things up. Whether she will or not remains to be seen...
Click to expand...

Dont disagree that she has talent and been handled poorly but all she has ever been is potential and we all know that means jack. Like you say she still has time on her side and may fulfil that potential but can never see her dominating the LPGA let alone competing with the men
 
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bryan@nobackswing.com

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welshdentist said:
How many players have come out of named teacher or IMG academies and blitzed the tour?

How many have showed promise and gradually tapered away?

Maybe things aren't being taught well, and I don't mean technique (but that too in some teachers cases)

Weird how many top players have worked it out themselves with a guiding influence to nudge them here and there.
Click to expand...

good point, it would be cool to see some data on this.

everybody seems to blame her family or handlers, but what about herself? maybe she "just wasn't that into it". although i guess you could blame that on her people as well.
 
drewyallop

drewyallop

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The huge sponsorship money may be a factor. Becoming independently wealthy before the pro career even starts may extinguish the fire in the belly for many. Liberace famously replied to criticism of his talent "I am crying all the way to the bank".
 
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