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Mickelson accused of cheating

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Wed, Mar 10 2010 11:58 AM (37 replies)
  • TarheelsRule
    5,564 Posts
    Sun, Jan 31 2010 1:29 PM
    My comment about distance not being the issue relates to wedges, not the full set of clubs. I totally agree that the distance of clubs / shafts / balls is totally out of control today. I am in my mid 50's and can hit the ball farther today than I could when I was in my 30's. The combination of balls, irons with stronger lofts and perimeter weighting make the old 6,000 yard golf courses a pitch and putt. I saw an old Shell's World of Golf the other day, Sam Snead versus someone of that era playing at Pine Valley, one of the top courses in the world, even today. On the par fours that were 425, they were hitting a 245 yard drive and a 180 yard 2 iron or 3 wood. Often on the longer par 3's they were hitting 3 woods. The driver and ball of today add 30 to 40 yards at least making it necessary to stretch the courses to 7500 yards or longer. It is almost insulting to watch the pros play a course like Harbour Town in Hilton Head, SC which is a par 71 and about 6900 yards and shoot 18 to 20 under par. This course was built by Pete Dye in 1969 and at the time one of the more difficult on the tour with the tight fairways and small greens. It has been stretched out as far as possible today and unless the balls or clubs are somehow limited, it soon will not be a viable tour site. The PGA tour needs to work to protect the traditional golf courses and not make them be stretched to 8000 yards to attempt to protect par. Much like the softball leagues did years ago, maybe a restricted flight ball would be the answer.
  • borntobesting
    9,706 Posts
    Sun, Jan 31 2010 1:50 PM

    Grooveless clubs ? Think about it. That is virtually what all of todays drivers are. The grooves on most drivers that have them are for show only.Most of the drivers that have grooves are on a spot on the head that never touches the ball unless you make a horrible pass at the ball.

     I have thought for a long time if the drivers had grooves that actually did something that the drives might be a tad shorter due to a little more spin but the the increase in accuracy would more than offset any slight decrease in distance. And I am seriously considering taking my driver to a club maker and see if he can mill real grooves in it. Might not be able to though due to the thinner club faces in drivers today. 

  • BOFFMEN
    337 Posts
    Sun, Jan 31 2010 1:54 PM

    Why do you think the rough got increasingly higher on the PGA tour?

     

    It was to try and penalize the grip it and rip it mentality.

     

    However the u-grooved irons and wedges negated this effort by the PGA and players were still getting to the greens in regulation.

     

    Many courses were not even designed to have such high rough either.

     

    That’s the USGA and PGA Tour reasoning (I believe)…if they go back to v-grooves the penalty for not hitting the fairway with their drives will be exactly that…a penalty.

  • SweetiePie
    4,925 Posts
    Sun, Jan 31 2010 4:01 PM

    Nice interesting research Boffman. Same with the insights from Tars...and others. My views are most likely self centered. At 5'3", 105 lbs, the benefits of 44" shafts or longer are wasted on me. My swing is already flat and my irons are bent to 3 degrees flat. If I nut the tee ball in windless, flat fairway conditions, 235 to 245 is about it. I make up that weak distance with my wedge game and putter. Having the Eye2 wedge, perhaps I am being thin skinned.

  • andyson
    6,415 Posts
    Mon, Feb 1 2010 6:32 AM

    They will need to rip my Eye2 sand wedge from my cold, dead hands.

    SweetiePie, 235 to 245 on your driver is very, very good and compares favorably with many LPGA tour players.  Several years ago (2005??) I played a round with Meg Mallon (5' 6") at the Raven course in Phoenix. Her LPGA average driving distance was 245yds and she easily out drove several of the men in our 5 some that day.

  • SweetiePie
    4,925 Posts
    Mon, Feb 1 2010 8:37 AM

    Thanks, Andy. My average is probably in the 220 range. A 400 yard hole is usually a driver and 4 wood for me. Oh well...LOL

  • SweetiePie
    4,925 Posts
    Mon, Feb 1 2010 1:00 PM

    andyson:
    They will need to rip my Eye2 sand wedge from my cold, dead hands

     At least we will know where to find it.

  • NormH3
    214 Posts
    Tue, Feb 2 2010 8:14 AM

    Interesting. There are a few PE2 left hand wedges on EBAY for $200 buy it now. Maybe they think phil needs a few more

  • JoelWhite
    101 Posts
    Tue, Feb 2 2010 10:35 AM

    A four hundred yard hole from the womens' tee would be a par 5, right? Congrats for reaching the green in two. :)

  • SweetiePie
    4,925 Posts
    Tue, Feb 2 2010 1:52 PM

    Yes. At the club where I play the back nine offers two at that distance 400 and 398 but it only elevates the par to 38/74 with a total of six par 5's for 18 holes, from the reds.

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