Q. Obviously you're revolutionizing preparation for these events by coming to venues much earlier than obviously everyone else is. Is this going to be a constant for the other majors, because obviously it's working very well here? And second, do you learn from that to use a different club, pull one club from your bag, put another one in? How often have you used that this week?
PHIL MICKELSON: It's going to be a constant for me because it's helping me play better. I don't know about other players, but for me it's been working well. It also gives me a chance, as you mentioned, to get my club setup optimum for the golf course, and I put a wedge in that Roger Cleveland over at Callaway helped me design after I made my first trip here. I called him up from Winged Foot and said, "Roger, I need you to design a 64 degree wedge. I need it with a certain amount of bounce, I've got to hit a lot of high bunker shots out of the sand."
I have used that club extensively, the only club I've used out of the sand, I think, and it has saved me a ton of shots.
The first week I put it in the bag was at Memorial because I wanted to get a little taste for that club, and I hit the shot on 10 where it was replayed where it was a flop shot that went in the hole. Then I used it out of the bunker on 16 out of that plugged lie that flew up and rolled in.
The shot today on 10, I couldn't have done with my L wedge, I had to use the 64. I've used it a ton around the greens, and that one club, if I'm able to be successful tomorrow, that one club has saved me a lot of shots, more than one or two a round possibly. If I'm able to be successful, I will give credit to that one particular club for being the little extra edge.
__________________
tongzilla
Last edited by tongzilla : 06-18-2006 at 07:01 AM.
__________________
When James Durham recorded 94 at the Old Course at St Andrews in 1767, he set a course record that lasted 86 years. Golf: A curious sport whose object is to put a very small ball in a very small hole with implements ill desiged for the purpose - Sir Winston Churchill
You're not ever going to limit the advantage of knowing the course, but you CAN limit the advantage of knowing how the course is setup/playing in the weeks before the tourney and there can be big differences.
I don't think anybody should be allowed to play the course within the weeks leading up to the event and all players should be given the same standard practice rounds during the first part of the week.
__________________
"Support the On Plane Swinging Force in Balance"
"we have no friends, we have no enemies, we have only teachers"
Simplicity buffs, see 5-0, 1-L, 2-0 A and B 10-2-B, 4-D, 6B-1D, 6-B-3-0-1, 6-C-1, 6-E-2
Maybe Course Knowledge is overrated? Know Thyself.
Johnny Miller said: "Ben Hogan must be rolling over in his grave", and "I thought this was supposed to be a precision game?" Memorable commentary from the 'Yipper'.
Paralysis by analysis, Lynn should know this better than anyone because he is in (was) the financial world as i am.
Sometimes you can just have too much information and that goes for practice well.
But the key is doing what is SMART with that information and making the CORRECT DECISION. What good was all Phil's (or Rick/Dave's) work for if he wasn't smart enough to pull out the 4 wood for so many holes today?
__________________
I'm not a TGM or PGA certified Pro, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night
On one hand, knowing the spots to hit doesn't guarantee anything - you still have to hit them....
On the other, knowing the spots to hit is very important - even lets say that knowledge might only give you a shot or two - that may be the margin that wins championships.....
After just listening to Phil's interview Jim's paralysis by analysis comment rings even more true. I think Phil's extraordinary preparation actually put more pressure on him down the stretch. I HAVE TO DO IT! If I don't, all this hard work is for naught. I wouldn't be surprised if other cultures feel this way, we must be rewarded for our efforts, but I know it is pervasive in the American culture. I know I certainly practice it, and you would think golf could teach me to drop it!
Let’s not lose sight of the forest for the trees. Golf is played by one person, one shot at a time.
Tour Players are a special breed of Golfer. Extraordinary talent and monumental efforts are part of their make-up but their profound drive to win is their Master Attribute. The talent, course scouting, coaching and physical conditioning are subordinate.
Phil M. demonstrated the will to win on every shot he made whether good or bad. He demonstrated Sportsmanship through till the end. You can’t ask anymore of anyone. His performance was the very definition of Competitor. I’m glad to have witnessed that exhibition and have gain something myself because of it.
Looking back on this experience, maybe his Course Scouting did more harm than good. Maybe, through too much preparation, something inside you gets tempered? Maybe his situational analysis and his normal response; grinding it out, being creative, stay in play, have been fuddled by a playbook and forethought out scenarios outlining “what you’ll shoot today” on each and every hole. Without the Playbook, he may have walked up the eighteenth fairway at ten under. Only ONE person gets handed a trophy. Maybe he’ll think that it’s not such a team sport after all. (Well, unless Yoda is on the team)
What a tourney! I absolutely loved the way they set up this course.
It's time for another maketing campaign, this one entitled -"What in the HELL did Phil do?" Did anyone see Frank Nobilo go down on the course to recreate the shot? Phil had no second shot. It's not like he just mis-hit it. Monty mis-hit his approach to 18, Furyk mis-hit a putt on 15. But Phil tried to do something ridiculously impossible. A 1/1000 attempt. AND he mis-hit it to boot. It's easy to bash Phil on Monday morning, I guees. But man he really blew it.
Props to Olgivy! Parred the last 4 holes with some stellar shots. He WON it.
Hybrid Mode
