I love Hogan's swing and his post-impact alignments.
However, I also love Tiger Woods' swing and I have seen many photos of him looking equally as good post-impact. Here is one.
Jeff.
Tiger is not there yet...although his iron swing with his irons is much closer than some of the swipes he makes with his driver...although he drove well in the closing few holes I saw on Monday.
I think that to keep the right wrist bent this far past impact suggests some rignt triceps...my biomechanics knowledge (pretty limited )but that is the way I see it...
The sand, I suspect, is helping to exaggerate the appearance on this pic...but even then I do not think that many modern players would look like this even out of sand.
Short sand shots often some throwaway (very well timed) is used...this is what Mark Roe has been teaching Lee Westwood if I understood a recent article... and fairway bunker shots...Well, Rocco - for all his great play, did not look like this on the play-off hole.
Well, Rocco - for all his great play, did not look like this on the play-off hole.
Rocco had a sidehill lie with the ball sitting down in the bunker. He hit down on it but got over the top and pulled it left. Certainly a bad shot since he had plenty of green to work with if he had kept it right of the green.
You guys have to remember that Ben Hogan's average driving distance was taken at 253 yards. With the technology these days 300+ yards are far more routine. It even means I could hit 3 wood past one of the greats . It doesn't take a mathematician to work out that the accuracy required for the increase on drive length is far far higher. Woods would hit the fairway alot more if he was only hitting 250 yards too.
I noticed that Tiger's right hand is a little more rolled on the grip to where # 3 is not aft. Am I seeing things? What does he have to do to get the pp behind the shaft? Is that why he practices that (what looks like to me) severe start-up swivel? Els also looks to have the same grip. Does this explain the high right forearm at address? The higher the right forearm at address the more severe the startup swivel? Seems simpler to start with it closer to the plane (sweetspot plane that is)
Over good buddies
PS That was one of the best majors I have ever watched. It comes close to the first I have ever watched, the '86 Masters!
You guys have to remember that Ben Hogan's average driving distance was taken at 253 yards. With the technology these days 300+ yards are far more routine. It even means I could hit 3 wood past one of the greats . It doesn't take a mathematician to work out that the accuracy required for the increase on drive length is far far higher. Woods would hit the fairway alot more if he was only hitting 250 yards too.
I agree (and I am no Leibnitz!) BUT...if Hogan had the same technology he would be considerably longer and I dare say still quite accurate. I have watched Tiger on the range as well as on the course. On the range he is a freaking machine, his rhythm (TGM definition of course) is mesmerizing. He overaccelarates on the course especially with the driver...what a great pair of hands he has! I think this knee injury may convince him to keep his rpm a little more constant. When Tiger is in the fairway who can beat him? Range Tiger makes the best move I have ever seen (although I once watched Tom Purtzer hit is like a minor deity for two hours!) Course Tiger is less mechanic and more intuitive genius! I honestly believe that as Tiger "matures" his game will acquire more precision. He already has it mechanically, but he cannot resist slashing one out there 340!
You guys have to remember that Ben Hogan's average driving distance was taken at 253 yards. With the technology these days 300+ yards are far more routine. It even means I could hit 3 wood past one of the greats . It doesn't take a mathematician to work out that the accuracy required for the increase on drive length is far far higher. Woods would hit the fairway alot more if he was only hitting 250 yards too.
Unfortunately, you are wrong, Matthew. Math is necessary to verify your statement as follows:
- let's assume that an average fairway is 30 yard wide;
- let's assume that post-accident Hogan's FIR was 80% on the average and his average drive was 253 yard long;
- let's assume that Woods's FIR is 50% on the average and his average drive is 305 yard long;
- in order to be on the average fairway after the driver tee shot:
a. Hogan's misses should not exceed 15 yards left or right that makes nearly 6% of allowed deviation margin (15:253=0.059);
b. Woods's misses should also not exceed 15 yards left or right that makes nearly 5% of allowed deviation margin (15:305=0.049);
c. the difference is only 1% that is much much too small a value to justify Tiger's inferior ball striking quality comparing to Hogan's.
- if Woods is the same quality of ballstriker as Hogan was, his average FIR should oscillate between 70 and 75% which is an unreachable goal for him until now;
- Hogan was reported to start almost all par 4's and 5's with his woodenheaded driver, while Woods is often using his #3 wood or a long iron that surely "unfairly" improves his FIR statistics in this context;
- in defense of Woods, we may conclude that today's quasi-roughs on PGA Tour (except US Opens, of course) encourages PGA players to concentrate more on driving distance than driving accuracy. Having said that, IMHO, this fact would not bring Woods much closer to Hogan anyhow.
Please correct me if I am wrong in some of the above points and calculations.
)but that is the way I see it...
. It doesn't take a mathematician to work out that the accuracy required for the increase on drive length is far far higher. Woods would hit the fairway alot more if he was only hitting 250 yards too.
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