Kevin Shields
Super Moderator
Had another great time on my annual trip to Augusta. Thanks to ekennedy for hosting us at Secession. It is an American gem....one of the finest golf courses in the country. Took in the practice round on Tuesday and the first round on Thursday. While I'm sure I'll leave out a few things, here are some observations.
First and foremost...I said it in 1993 and I'll say it again and again. Fred Couples has to be the most gifted ball striker on the planet. If you ever have the chance to watch him play, do it. He's the coolest guy in the room, never misses the sweetspot and hits it better than anyone out there...period.
Brian Manzella is a workhorse. Gave a million lessons in entertaining fashion at the SI booth. Great seeing him.
Tiger hits it awfully hard and low nowadays. I'll leave it at that.
There's a whacked out fringe element that has Lee Westwood as a flipper and a less than top ball striker. There's a reason there are lunatics out there.
This is why stats lie. They have Darren Clarke as near the bottom in driving distance. I was on one of the measured holes. Totally heeled it off the bottom. On a few other holes he blew it past Ryo and Freddy.
On that note, Ryo Ishikawa needs a lot of work on his swing before he contends in these events. Way to fast and way too much curve. But he has a lot of time and tons of talent.
Furyk really knows where his ball is going, damn.
Mickelson may be the wildest driver I've ever seen.
Rory Mcliroy has one of the best swings out there. There isn't a shot he can't play. Saw him hit a dozen shots or so and he went thru them all. Cut, low, high high draw. Great short game. No wonder he can dominate any time he tees it up.
We've become way too addicted to slo mo cameras. Internet critics need to go watch live and see movements, ballflight and sequence.
Sat on #4 Thursday for at least 12 groups. Only saw one shot that would be characterized as bad. Vijay flared on in the right bunker. Couple missiles that came up just short. Amazing how at 240 yards how many pin seekers there were. Again, Freddy ripped hybrid to ten feet...never left the flag. He should've been five under on the front if he had Luke Donald putting for him.
The most amazing thing, if you're paying attention, is the pitching. If you honestly want to raise the level of your game...and I'm proof of this, improve your pitching. Sergio was close to last off Thursday and I felt like I had him all to myself on the side of the range. He was hitting this impossible pitch and had about ten balls from 50 yards within four or five feet.
Miguel Jimenez is a stud. It was a circus around Tiger Thursday and he took it right in his face. Hit a ton of solid shots.
Not important but Thomas Bjorn is enormous.
A lot of guys seemed to be working on something like tumble, right over left, clubhead out in front. Some things never change. As usual, Couples looked like he was working on nothing.
First and foremost...I said it in 1993 and I'll say it again and again. Fred Couples has to be the most gifted ball striker on the planet. If you ever have the chance to watch him play, do it. He's the coolest guy in the room, never misses the sweetspot and hits it better than anyone out there...period.
Brian Manzella is a workhorse. Gave a million lessons in entertaining fashion at the SI booth. Great seeing him.
Tiger hits it awfully hard and low nowadays. I'll leave it at that.
There's a whacked out fringe element that has Lee Westwood as a flipper and a less than top ball striker. There's a reason there are lunatics out there.
This is why stats lie. They have Darren Clarke as near the bottom in driving distance. I was on one of the measured holes. Totally heeled it off the bottom. On a few other holes he blew it past Ryo and Freddy.
On that note, Ryo Ishikawa needs a lot of work on his swing before he contends in these events. Way to fast and way too much curve. But he has a lot of time and tons of talent.
Furyk really knows where his ball is going, damn.
Mickelson may be the wildest driver I've ever seen.
Rory Mcliroy has one of the best swings out there. There isn't a shot he can't play. Saw him hit a dozen shots or so and he went thru them all. Cut, low, high high draw. Great short game. No wonder he can dominate any time he tees it up.
We've become way too addicted to slo mo cameras. Internet critics need to go watch live and see movements, ballflight and sequence.
Sat on #4 Thursday for at least 12 groups. Only saw one shot that would be characterized as bad. Vijay flared on in the right bunker. Couple missiles that came up just short. Amazing how at 240 yards how many pin seekers there were. Again, Freddy ripped hybrid to ten feet...never left the flag. He should've been five under on the front if he had Luke Donald putting for him.
The most amazing thing, if you're paying attention, is the pitching. If you honestly want to raise the level of your game...and I'm proof of this, improve your pitching. Sergio was close to last off Thursday and I felt like I had him all to myself on the side of the range. He was hitting this impossible pitch and had about ten balls from 50 yards within four or five feet.
Miguel Jimenez is a stud. It was a circus around Tiger Thursday and he took it right in his face. Hit a ton of solid shots.
Not important but Thomas Bjorn is enormous.
A lot of guys seemed to be working on something like tumble, right over left, clubhead out in front. Some things never change. As usual, Couples looked like he was working on nothing.