More often than not I agree with Rick Cleveland, but today's article was bs...

[Xenomorph]

...http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080615/COL0504/806150332/1177/COL0412

For one... he continually references Mickleson's decision not to carry a driver as a sign he didn't respect the course. Uh... yeah.. that worked out really well for Lefty, huh?

He quotes Randy Watkins as having his feelings hurt that guys can hit driver/iron into par 5's that he used to have trouble reaching. ...Maybe that's why Randy Watkins never did so great on the tour.

Are guys (even very average players like me) hitting the ball farther than they did before electricity? Sure.. But I bet one of the holes at MSU's course didn't have 650 Yards as the measured distance either. And it's not like the field overpowered Torrey Pines this week. Hell, the best player in the world needed a 12 ft birdie to finish in red numbers.

Btw, Rick... what's in your bag? You're such a champion of nostalgia when it comes to golf. Is your #1 driver a Wilson persimmon wood?... Or lemme guess.. One that says something like Hi-Bore, Burner or Fusion.

....****.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

[No message]

 

[Todd4State]

I don't really understand why some of these "sportswriters" get upset because players get better over time. I'm not talking about just golf, I'm talking about all sports.

It's like they're disappointed that players are bigger and better and the equipment and technology is better.

Aren't sports supposed to be about entertainment? If I'm going to watch pros, I want to see people that are exceptional at the sport. I'm a huge baseball fan, and I want to see guys hit a baseball 550 feet and throw a fastball 100 MPH. It doesn't matter to me that the players are generally 6'3" and are using top of the line equipment and technology. If I want to watch guys that are at the same level as me, I'll go watch rec league softball.

I guarantee you that if Bobby Jones or the great Randy Watkins- it seems weird using them in the same sentence- had the same equipment as Tiger and Mickelson, they would have no problems using it. Just like Babe Ruth probably wouldn't have a problem using today's computer technology weight training (cough) techniques that baseball players use today.

 

[RebelBruiser]

Exactly. Diet and exercise routines are much better these days. For that matter, people are just generally getting larger than they used to be. And of course the technology has changed. However, you're still competing against others who have the same tools at their disposal. If you're the best in the world with this technology and weight training, you'd be one of the best in other eras as well.

The other thing I'll add, in reference to Cleveland's article, is that when you hit the ball 330 yards with your driver, a mishit will go further off track than a mishit would go if you only hit it 230 yards.

Yes the technology made it tougher for the old timers to hit the ball straight at 200 yards or so. However, it's just as difficult with this new technology to hit a ball in the fairway at 330 yards. If you hit a ball 5 degrees off line, you're going to be much further left or right if you hit the ball 100 yards further.

And as he mentions, the courses are longer and the fairways are narrower to keep up with the game. I'll bet Cleveland wishes TV hadn't added that pesky color to its pictures.

 

[gdogg]

to concentrate on how to keep the greens at his courses in playable condition. jeez.

 

[vhdawg]

</p><font size="1">/Knows it's Randy Watson</font>

 

[thunderclap]

goddam that boy can sing.

 

[vhdawg]

nm

 

[dogfan96]

umm.. good and terrible.</p>

 

[lawdawg02]

from the what's going down episode of that's my mama.

 

[dogmatic1]

If we're lucky, you and I will be crusty old curmudgeons one day, too.

The gear is definitely better, but so is the skill, and that's the part he doesn't want to come to grips with. With the notable exception of Gary Player, I can't think of one of the guys from the wooden woods and balata days who followed any sort of real exercise and training regimen. Nicklaus is in good shape today because he has to be to get around, but look at some footage of him back in his prime -- sort of doughy, and smoking cigarettes quite a bit as well. Most of the guys followed the Walter Haggan model of drinking and smoking like Fuzzy Zoeller -- playing the TOUR was an excuse to live the country club lifestyle for a living.

Let's put a persimmon wood in Tiger's hands right after we put a leather football helmet on Peyton or Eli. Then we can all ride our mules to the games, or follow the action via telegraph as we huddle around a chalkboard downtown.