Golf's Greatest Hope
The recent documentary on HBOMax about Tiger was pretty good. Most of it is about stuff that most of us already heard about over and over years ago, but it reminded me that his father did him no favors with regard to building him up to be the next Ghandi in the world.
It made me ponder what Tiger's life/career might've been like had he had a different father. Would he have been even better than he was? Maybe not as good? Did Earl's incredibly unrealistic expectations of his son, many that went far beyond golf, help Tiger or hinder him?
Earl was many things to Tiger, good examples in many ways that helped launch his son's belief in himself as a golfer. But Earl's example as a husband to Tiger's mother?
Father teaches son, "do as I say, not as I do."
Son listens, but also OBSERVES.
Later on, son becomes his father.
It's a tale old as time itself, but it generally doesn't garner much attention unless it happens to be about arguably the greatest sports icon in the history of the sport he represents.
DJ won in Dubai and what did he do? He took the following week off. Same with Koepka. Same with all of them, it's become more the norm than the exception.
Fat cats aren't interested in chasing mice, and there are quite a few fat cats on the PGA Tour.
Bryson is the most interesting person on tour today imo. How many Super Bowl commercials were any of the rest of the pga tour players in a few Sunday's back?
He's polarizing. Like him or loath him, people tune in to watch him either do well or to fail. In some respects, the same it went with Tiger. Outside of Bryson, very few of them give me a reason to watch the coverage like I used to. There are few storylines in golf today that are compelling.
My impression is that Tiger was hyped since the Bob Hope time. Then 3 straight Junior Championships followed
by 3 straight Amateur Championship. So, when he hit Milwaukee, it was signed, sealed and delivered. 24/7.
They had the product to sell.
As far as Jordan Speith, he was red hot winning 11 tourneys and Majors. The boy next door straight from
Father Knows Best and Andy Griffith. Aw Shucks.... And, then it happened. Brand failure. JMO....
PA-PLAYA Bryson is the most interesting person on tour today imo.
He's polarizing. Like him or loath him, people tune in to watch him either do well or to fail.
He's forgotten the reason he became a golfer, let alone a Pro golfer. Winning. Or, maybe he's another Rickie Fowler; all hype, small peanuts, on Tour.
I don't care for him or to watch him, yet without 'loathing' him. He just does not do much for tourneys I've been watching, when he's been in. But, at least he is still making most cuts, unlike Rickie. Who???
Bryson better get back to 'playing golf', real soon. He has numbered his own days. He reminds much of a mudslide. Slow & sloppy.
Other than majors, Bryson is the only reason I'd watch a tournament nowadays, especially with Koepka out. Or if I have money on it. Like him or not he's interesting, at least to me
I found him to be a bit of a bore just starting out... much too analytical and a slow poke. And at times he can still be overly calculating, although I think he's made strides in speeding things up.
But I can't remember any player in recent memory who has made a wholesale change in strategy the way he has.
In the end it always comes down to getting the ball in the cup in the fewest strokes possible, and I guess that's what has surprised me the most - his putting and short game in general have improved. Of course, the argument could definitely be made that his new strategy indeed puts more pressure on his short game, because no matter how far he hits it - his swing isn't going to be on-point every week.
He's different, and that's not a bad thing for golf at the moment.
DeChambeau thinks way outside the box, something I can relate to and I find him pretty
entertaining on so many levels.....he has that 'what's he gonna do next' factor.
And if Tony Finau (Utah native) ever figures out how to finish the deal come Sunday,
he'll be in the mix for years to come....hard to root against TF.
A LOT of good young talent on the tour, probably more parity than ever.
- Edited
O' yeah, throw in Harry "One Button" Higgs, that guy is pretty entertaining.
PA-PLAYA his swing isn't going to be on-point every week.
I agree but with the single length Cobras, he's going to have as close to a consistent, grooved swing as anyone on Tour.
garyt1957 And from what I've seen BD is not a choker like so many of these guys.
He seemed to have had a couple of breakdowns early on, but appears to be in good command emotionally and mentally now. Had Westwood clinging to him last week and still finished strong and it seems like he had some strong chasers in the U.S. Open and did the same.
