Golf Thread

[booyaka]

Caught about 10 minutes of the LIV golf on youtube - It's literally an exhibition game - there is barely a "crowd" there - literally single file of people here and there around some greens, zero atmosphere..... That's the bit I just don't understand, there is no atmosphere at all, after 20 years of playing in front of huge crowds etc - it's got to be dull for these pros surely??

Bubba signed on for LIV I see - Not played since last May, World Number 86 and falling fast, installed as one of the team captains for next year...

"My wife loved the idea, we prayed about it, we came to this decision and here we are.

Another utterly nauseating quote

Last 4 signings for LIV -

Charles Howell III: 43 years old, No. 169
Jason Kokrak: 37 years old, No. 36
Henrik Stenson: 46 years old, No. 173
Bubba Watson: 43 years old, No. 86

 

[magicroundabout]

Personally I can't see LIV Golf lasting past another year.
Even the fans are starting to realise how poor the golf is and how little they have to play for.

It's just money. No other reason but money. A rich mans play toy.
Theirs no heritage, no passion, no real competition and certainly no quality.

I believe the only good thing to come from this is that it's shaken the branches of the PGA and DP. So they look at their own format and winnings.

 

[azazl187]

Personally I can't see LIV Golf lasting past another year.
Even the fans are starting to realise how poor the golf is and how little they have to play for.

It's just money. No other reason but money. A rich mans play toy.
Theirs no heritage, no passion, no real competition and certainly no quality.

I believe the only good thing to come from this is that it's shaken the branches of the PGA and DP. So they look at their own format and winnings.

It simply will last longer than that due to the players competing in it. They can't play the PGA now so they have no where else to go. I can quite understand why the would want to play it as well. a lot of these golfers just want to play golf, they don't care if there is a crowd or not and the fact they are being paid millions makes it all the sweeter

 

[booyaka]

It simply will last longer than that due to the players competing in it. They can't play the PGA now so they have no where else to go. I can quite understand why the would want to play it as well. a lot of these golfers just want to play golf, they don't care if there is a crowd or not and the fact they are being paid millions makes it all the sweeter

It will last as there is an unlimited supply of money getting throw at it....There is no requirement for LIV to make a profit/balance the books so to speak.

The two big things that will decide where the future of pro golf lies are:

- Does LIV get world golf ranking points?
- And can the PGA continue to uphold the bans on players/anti competitive lawsuits ?

If in 1/2/3 years time - Brooks/Bryson/Garcia etc etc aren't getting Ranking points - they will potentially drop out of automatically qualifying for things like The Open / Masters etc.... That will be a tough one for a lot of the biggest names.

Are they going to go play in Asian Tour events to make up points etc - No idea.

Interestingly - Since getting $200 million or whatever - Mickleson is a combined +40 in LIV events.

 

[RossGReds]

It simply will last longer than that due to the players competing in it. They can't play the PGA now so they have no where else to go. I can quite understand why the would want to play it as well. a lot of these golfers just want to play golf, they don't care if there is a crowd or not and the fact they are being paid millions makes it all the sweeter

Disagree on that point. The majority of the top guys do want to play in front of large crowds. Many of them said so themselves during covid when they were playing with no crowds, that it just wasn't the same.

 

[azazl187]

Disagree on that point. The majority of the top guys do want to play in front of large crowds. Many of them said so themselves during covid when they were playing with no crowds, that it just wasn't the same.

True but don't underestimate the pull these players will also feel about just getting out there and having a quietish game if golf without the pressure of the crowd. They have had crowds for so long now that this feeling will have even more appeal

 

[booyaka]

True but don't underestimate the pull these players will also feel about just getting out there and having a quietish game if golf without the pressure of the crowd. They have had crowds for so long now that this feeling will have even more appeal

no chance - which top sports person would ever say they want to play in front of no one....

It's exhibition golf, it's not tournament golf...

 

[azazl187]

no chance - which top sports person would ever say they want to play in front of no one....

It's exhibition golf, it's not tournament golf...

I'm just trying to say that is where they all started. After all this time of exhibition golf do you not think that earning more money and going back to your roots doesn't have some appeal?

 

[booyaka]

I'm just trying to say that is where they all started. After all this time of exhibition golf do you not think that earning more money and going back to your roots doesn't have some appeal?

The money - 100% appeals - it's clear the amount of players that have moved over to LIV....

It's about nothing else - It's all about the money - that's my frustration - don't give me all this nonsense and patter about "growing the game" / "new way of playing" / "changing things up" etc - Just be honest and say it's about the money....

For Charles Howell III to say - "‘Money didn't play a role" - That's a joke....

 

[booyaka]

ahhh - Annoying day again.

Belleisle Open (our big local open - 150 players)

4 pars to start, 5 bogies after that with 2 three putts on 7 and 8... Very annoying as my average 3 putt is every 24 holes according to shotscope.

Birdied 10, but then silly doubles on 12/14 and 17 and a birdie at the last (ridiculous 50ft putt!!)

Net 72. Prizes on every hole for closest to the pin/longest drives etc - Got a couple of measures on 3 & 10. Will see if they hold up...

Course was excellent and greens very good.

 

[magicroundabout]

I went out with the new big stick yesterday for the first time.
Having not used a full length driver in over 5 years or ever using an x-flex shaft I totally had a mixed bag off the tee.
I found myself snap hooking the ball more often than not. So I need several hits on the range to try and fix this issue.

When I did control the driver, it was just so good. Par 4, 330 yards, left myself with a 58deg 25yard pitch wedge
Par 5 (elevated tee), 561 yards, left myself 255yards into the green.

Obviously the ground is dry and run out is exaggerated but even if I loose 20 yards on these I'm super impressed.

 

[booyaka]

X flex will certainly be great when it's on - but when your slightly off, can be brutally hard to control. Lacks that slightly more forgiving element you get from standard stiff shaft.

Must admit to having slight regrets moving to 425 LST driver compared to my 425 Max previously.... Whilst the LST certainly spins less, it's nowhere near as good on the mishits/off centre strikes. The Max just spun up too much for me, the LST was great numbers on Trackman, but 3/4 months into the LST, I've not got the love for it yet.....Will persevere with it for now

The 425 3 Wood however - unreal - literally a rocket. Hit one today off the deck, 260 yards - My average (Performance average via shotscope) is 242 yards with 3w. LST driver is 258....

Finding my 4 iron is averaging 207 and my hybrid is 208.... Might need to consider 5w/7w to fill the gap between 3w and 4i/hybrid.

 

[magicroundabout]

Yeah I found that out yesterday

Sounds like you don't need a driver with a 3 wood performing that well. As for the gap filling. Yeah it looks like you'll need something. Maybe a 3 hybrid @ 19deg would possibly help

 

[booyaka]

Yeah I found that out yesterday

Sounds like you don't need a driver with a 3 wood performing that well. As for the gap filling. Yeah it looks like you'll need something. Maybe a 3 hybrid @ 19deg would possibly help

Certainly hitting 3 wood more off the tee but don't want to get out the habit of hitting driver.... Once you stop, it's hard to go back to it...

My 3 hybrid is 19 degrees fixed. (older Cobra with no adjustability)

4i is Mizuno HMB (22 degree) but goes a long way. Gapping up the bag is great but both these clubs do the same numbers almost. 5i in set is 25 degrees.

So I think something around 19/20 is ideal but the hybrid is very low flight, Ping 7 wood is 20.5 but can turn up and down 1.5 degrees. Love the 3 wood so might take a punt on a 7 wood and see if that gets me better flight/height but still some distance.

 

[Quinnaay]

X flex will certainly be great when it's on - but when your slightly off, can be brutally hard to control. Lacks that slightly more forgiving element you get from standard stiff shaft.

Must admit to having slight regrets moving to 425 LST driver compared to my 425 Max previously.... Whilst the LST certainly spins less, it's nowhere near as good on the mishits/off centre strikes. The Max just spun up too much for me, the LST was great numbers on Trackman, but 3/4 months into the LST, I've not got the love for it yet.....Will persevere with it for now

The 425 3 Wood however - unreal - literally a rocket. Hit one today off the deck, 260 yards - My average (Performance average via shotscope) is 242 yards with 3w. LST driver is 258....

Finding my 4 iron is averaging 207 and my hybrid is 208.... Might need to consider 5w/7w to fill the gap between 3w and 4i/hybrid.

How is shotscope ? Isit worth the money I’ve got a Garmin s20 watch and it tracks most things and records stuff but doesn’t seem as in depth or accurate as maybe the shotscope and I’d like to see more into analytics.

Also for people talking below I use 3 wood off the tee my sim 2 driver is usually left because I can’t control it yet hit my 3 wood about 235yards and way way straighter.

It’s frustrating because I know the closer I get to the green off the tee the better my % of hitting the green on my next shot is massively increased.

 

[booyaka]

How is shotscope ? Isit worth the money I’ve got a Garmin s20 watch and it tracks most things and records stuff but doesn’t seem as in depth or accurate as maybe the shotscope and I’d like to see more into analytics.

Also for people talking below I use 3 wood off the tee my sim 2 driver is usually left because I can’t control it yet hit my 3 wood about 235yards and way way straighter.

It’s frustrating because I know the closer I get to the green off the tee the better my % of hitting the green on my next shot is massively increased.

For me shotscope is amazing value for money and really really good to look at your stats in depth etc - I know where I'm missing, how many times i'm long/short etc.

Really really helped me improve.

Quick stats - from 2021, I was short with my approach shots between 50 and 175 yards 28% of the time..... So this year I try and consciously take an extra club - I'm now only short 20% of the time.... That's a big improvement over a year.

Loads of other things like that can be worked on as you know where you are missing/lacking etc.

100% would recommend.

 

[MikeTimbers]

Courses are playing so short at the moment! Either that or I've suddenly developed perfect technique

Two 79's back to back mean I'm down to 8.4 so long may the super quick fairways last!

 

[booyaka]

Courses are playing so short at the moment! Either that or I've suddenly developed perfect technique

Two 79's back to back mean I'm down to 8.4 so long may the super quick fairways last!

nice - yeah - down to 9.3 myself...

Crazy that my 8 counting rounds for handicap have come in my last 10 rounds....

 

[magicroundabout]

Certainly hitting 3 wood more off the tee but don't want to get out the habit of hitting driver.... Once you stop, it's hard to go back to it...

My 3 hybrid is 19 degrees fixed. (older Cobra with no adjustability)

4i is Mizuno HMB (22 degree) but goes a long way. Gapping up the bag is great but both these clubs do the same numbers almost. 5i in set is 25 degrees.

So I think something around 19/20 is ideal but the hybrid is very low flight, Ping 7 wood is 20.5 but can turn up and down 1.5 degrees. Love the 3 wood so might take a punt on a 7 wood and see if that gets me better flight/height but still some distance.

I'm going to go back to a TopTracer range and set my gapping again. Having used my new irons for 6 months and now new hybrids etc I want to see how they all fit together still as they did when I first gapped them in February.
Plus I need actual yardages off the deck and off the tee for my new hybrids.

On Saturday I found myself 222yards from the centre of the green and usually would hit my old 4 hybrid as I knew this would land approx 205/210 and 3 hybrid 220/225.
Hit my new 4 hybrid and I went through the green and landed 10 yards past. Really should have used my 5 iron (Av 195) and stayed short. Maybe it's the warm air or a pure hit. But it didn't half go

 

[booyaka]

Won our doubles in the pouring rain tonight!!

Long time since I played in that weather.... "managed" our way round.... Alternate shot so just hit irons instead of going for greens etc from 220/240 etc - it was very wet.

Into the semis now.