Okay, here is a place for the Golfers to talk about tournaments, clubs, swing help or thoughts.
Today is the Players Championship, which I think ought to be the 5th Major. Largest pot in the PGA. The daunting 17th, which seems to bring excitement every year. At least we will get to see Sergio blow up yet again.
Originally Posted by BWillie:
I'm afraid Rory has the choke gene like I do. When I was a junior golfer I lost countless tournaments by missing 2 to 4 foot putts on the final holes. The anxiety just builds up and I just fail. Hands start to shake. Palms sweaty. Putter stroke becomes jagged. Maybe next time he should have a couple beers after the turn.
I grew up next to a shitty public course that had no watered fairways, no range, and no teaching pro. I started out jumping the fence with a set of Gene The Machine Litler's I the pulled out of the pump house. My dad who was a golfer jumped the fence with me one day and I think he was a little surprised I could hit it at 11/12 years old. Since I had no teaching pro I talked him into sending me to some golf camps. I really didn't learn much at those but I did get to pound balls which I still love to do. Anyway all those camps have a tournament the last day. The last year I went to a camp I was 15 and it was the best one. The USGA Jr Golf School at Boca Raton West. It was run by Gary Wiren who used to be the Editor of Golf Digest. So I'm playing in the tournament at the end and the kid from Horton Smith GC got it around pretty good that day. On the last hole which was a par 5 I had a short birdie putt to finish up my round. I had no idea it was for the win but I missed it. When I missed it I let go of my putter and put my hands on the sides of my head in disbelief. As my putter fell over it landed on my ball. I tapped in for what would have been a par and a tie for 1st. When I told the guy keeping my score I said that's a 6. It's golf so you have to call penalties on yourself, that's just the way it is. Gary Wiren was standing on the side of the green watching and as i walked off the green he asked what my put was for and what score did I make and I told him I made a six because my putter landed on my ball. He was impressed that I new the rule and that I called it on myself. So we have the last meeting that night and they give out trophies and various awards. I received the Sportsmanship Award because I called the penalty on myself. That's one trophy you never really want to win. Especially like that. Makes me want to puke thinking about it. I've always thought that had I made that putt for birdie my golf career would have been decidedly different. As it was it put me behind the 8 ball at an early age and I just never really overcame it confidence wise. I've won a decent match or two in my life and won a few tournaments here and there when I got older in what I'd call weak fields. I did make a straight down hill two footer for a win once so I didn't always choke but alas, what could have been. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Hoopsdoc:
Was that an all time choke job by Rory or is it just me?
Don’t get me wrong, Brysons bunker shot was amazing, but if Rory makes 2 gimme putts he wins it outright.
I told my buddies when Rory took the lead that he’d choke it away.
The putt on 16 is just flat out inexcusable and everyone will talk about the putt on 18 but the real fuck up was the chip...he should know better than to leave it above the hole there. Hell a 7-10 footer below the hole is a much easier putt there.
Chamblee called it out instantly and was right. [Reply]
I think when Rory missed the putt on 16, the putt on 18 made his asshole pucker and he choked.
If you have played enough golf, you know that feeling the moment the doubt creeps in. You make nothing the rest of the day.
On the other side, when you start seeing every line and draining putts, the hole looks like a rain barrell.
I won a four-man scratch and scramble at my home NJ course where I drained putts from everywhere, including 30 and 40 footers. I think they used about 11-12 of my putts. I think I had runs of 4 in a row, 3 and 2 and 2.
I also won a 2 man championship at a public course in NJ where I learned to play. There is even a plaque on the wall from like 30 years ago. [Reply]
It wasn't easy, but that was a gutless putt he hit on 18. Hit it hard to the back of the cup and take the break out of it in that spot. It really doesn't matter if you go 3 feet by there at that point anyway. [Reply]
