The 108th U.S. Open Championship

[peaygolf89]

Originally Posted by BigPapaVol

if Garcia can putt it at all, he's got the best game for a long tight course.

I FOUND YOU!!!!!

This is crazy!!!! Sergio is great, but the worst putter on the Tour! NO CHANCE TO WIN THE OPEN! If he putts like a demon.......OK! I doubt his chances!

When it comes to golf......you can not touch me!!!!!

15+ at Augusta????? Please?? You are crazy. Not a course on the planet would do that. Down hill, down grain, maybe????? Get a clue....Tiger is not the best...Nicklaus is as of now! Tiger will be later, but not now!!!!

[orange+white=heaven]

Originally Posted by peaygolf89

I FOUND YOU!!!!!

This is crazy!!!! Sergio is great, but the worst putter on the Tour! NO CHANCE TO WIN THE OPEN! If he putts like a demon.......OK! I doubt his chances!

When it comes to golf......you can not touch me!!!!!

Honestly, if not for the Sunday yips, Sergio likely is a British and US Open champion. Chances get better for him all the time...

[BigPapaVol]

Originally Posted by peaygolf89

I FOUND YOU!!!!!

This is crazy!!!! Sergio is great, but the worst putter on the Tour! NO CHANCE TO WIN THE OPEN! If he putts like a demon.......OK! I doubt his chances!

When it comes to golf......you can not touch me!!!!!

you might be surprised.

You wanna explain Sergio's victory at a very tight, very long and very quick TPC Sawgrass?

You might beat me playing golf, but you ain't gonna outthink me at golf, especially if you're like the typical club pro.

[BigPapaVol]

Originally Posted by peaygolf89

I FOUND YOU!!!!!

This is crazy!!!! Sergio is great, but the worst putter on the Tour! NO CHANCE TO WIN THE OPEN! If he putts like a demon.......OK! I doubt his chances!

When it comes to golf......you can not touch me!!!!!

15+ at Augusta????? Please?? You are crazy. Not a course on the planet would do that. Down hill, down grain, maybe????? Get a clue....Tiger is not the best...Nicklaus is as of now! Tiger will be later, but not now!!!!

look at any ratio of wins to tourneys played, including Majors, and Nicklaus isn't even close. I mean, it's not even close. I will grant you that there were more true greats of golf in Nicklaus' day, but the depth of the fields was absolutely anemic compared to today.

Make all the arguments you'd like, but you might consider sticking to playing golf rather than talking about it.

Yes, 15 at Augusta. 15 at Muirfield. Buddy of mine just finished the Nationwide event in Raleigh and said those were 15 on Friday and Saturday.

[orange+white=heaven]

Originally Posted by BigPapaVol

look at any ratio of wins to tourneys played, including Majors, and Nicklaus isn't even close. I mean, it's not even close. I will grant you that there were more true greats of golf in Nicklaus' day, but the depth of the fields was absolutely anemic compared to today..

Jack himself said, paraphrasing, "I think I might have been a little better driver of the golf ball, but in the other aspects, Tiger is the best..."

[doozer]

Forgive my ignorance, but I an not familar with what a Stimpmeter does.

[BigPapaVol]

Originally Posted by doozer

Forgive my ignorance, but I an not familar with what a Stimpmeter does.

it's basically a ramp of particular length and slope that is set up on a flat portion of green. The ball is rolled down the ramp and the distance it travels, in feet, is the Stimpmeter reading on that course. If the ball travels 12 feet when rolled down the ramp, reading is a 12, which is what the pros typically play. Those would be very quick on a typical golf course.

[BigPapaVol]

Originally Posted by orange+white=heaven

Jack himself said, paraphrasing, "I think I might have been a little better driver of the golf ball, but in the other aspects, Tiger is the best..."

FWIW, Jack was a much better driver of the golf ball, save a couple year run for Tiger around 1999 and 2000.

Jack was also a very good long iron player, even to the point of rivaling Tiger, but Jack was only a decent wedge player and was a very streaky putter (although he could freaking 2 putt from anywhere on any surface).

Tiger is the best long iron player ever, he's the best from the rough, he has at least one of the best wedge games ever, and is a monster around the greens. For my money, he's the best putter in the history of the game and in the clutch, it's just no contest.

[doozer]

Originally Posted by BigPapaVol

it's basically a ramp of particular length and slope that is set up on a flat portion of green. The ball is rolled down the ramp and the distance it travels, in feet, is the Stimpmeter reading on that course. If the ball travels 12 feet when rolled down the ramp, reading is a 12, which is what the pros typically play. Those would be very quick on a typical golf course.

i googled it too. interesting.

[orange+white=heaven]

A couple of questions and answers from an interview with golf writer Ian O'Connor...

I’ve always felt Nicklaus’ runner-up finishes in majors was impressive, which adds a little more ammunition on his side for greatest golfer ever. Agreed or who is your choice for greatest golfer ever?
I used to think Tiger Woods had to win a 19th major title to be declared the greatest of all time. I no longer believe that’s the case. If Tiger retired tomorrow, I think he goes down as the greatest ever. I know I’ve already said that Nicklaus had tougher rivals to overcome, but Woods’ domination of a deeper-than-yesteryear tour has been so staggering that I don’t think Jack could’ve quite matched it under the same circumstances.

O'Connor wrote a book titled Arnie&Jack..

Do you have a favorite Palmer and Nicklaus moment?
I’ve gotten the most feedback from readers on one tender moment in the book. Winnie Palmer died of cancer in November of ’99, and when Arnie called Jack to deliver the devastating news, Jack was down at the Q-school tournament with his son, Gary, who was trying to earn his tour card after eight failed attempts. Arnie knew Jack cared far more about his children than he did about any of his 18 major victories, so he told him to stay with his son and not to worry about attending the funeral. Of course Jack would have none of that. He flew with Barbara to Latrobe, Pa., attended the service and then the reception at the Latrobe Country Club. At the reception, Arnie walked over to Jack and told him to turn on the TV to see if his son Gary had finally earned his card. Jack didn’t think it was the right time and place, but Arnie insisted. So they turned on the TV and watched as Gary Nicklaus finished off a seven-under 63 to become a member of a tour his father helped make. Arnie and Jack turned to each other and fell into each other’s arms and started crying. I think that scene shows there was some love and affection beneath the thick layers of competitive tension between these men.

Complete interview... USGAwebsite

[volfanbill]

Gotta also disagree with peaygolf's assertion that Sergio has no chance. He's come way too close way too many times in the majors to be counted out of it. However, I'll agree that there's no way Augusta runs a 15+. Maybe a 14, but not past 15.

[orange+white=heaven]

Faldo did say the greens at Memorial were running 15... it wouldn't surprise me if Augusta ran over that on a particularly dry afternoon...

[BigPapaVol]

Originally Posted by orange+white=heaven

Faldo did say the greens at Memorial were running 15... it wouldn't surprise me if Augusta ran over that on a particularly dry afternoon...

when the pros are hitting everything 4 feet past, they're really quick. 15 is certainy doable today. I played Augusta when they were slow, according to the members, and they were as fast as anything I've ever played.

[Vol423]

Originally Posted by orange+white=heaven

Harrington leads the tour in scrambling and putting, and is 9th in top ten finishes. T2 in scoring average, but a whopping 134 in driving accuracy... Is it Paddy's time?

Allenby and Leonard lead greens in regulation, but are 65 and 162 in driving distance...

Phil leads scoring average, but is 155 in driving accuracy..

My point?... toss away Eldrick Woods, and I don't know where you look for a favorite.

I'm not certain how relevant any of those stats are when considering the U.S. Open. For instance, the greens are so much faster in the U.S. Open than they are in the PGA Tour as a whole, that the ability to be near the top in greens in regulation on the PGA Tour will not necessarily translate to hitting a lot of greens in regulation in the U.S. Open, particularly if you aren't hitting the fairways.

[peaygolf89]

Originally Posted by BigPapaVol

look at any ratio of wins to tourneys played, including Majors, and Nicklaus isn't even close. I mean, it's not even close. I will grant you that there were more true greats of golf in Nicklaus' day, but the depth of the fields was absolutely anemic compared to today.

Make all the arguments you'd like, but you might consider sticking to playing golf rather than talking about it.

Yes, 15 at Augusta. 15 at Muirfield. Buddy of mine just finished the Nationwide event in Raleigh and said those were 15 on Friday and Saturday.

15!? NoChance! He is wrong! Ask any USGA or PGA Official what the regulations are. 15 is not an option!!!!! Not playable!