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Wie flops again: new excuses needed for British Open, links golf tips and correct grip pressure

Monday July 30, 2007 | 10:37:55 402 words, 12986 views  

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A lower back injury two months ago forced Natalie Gulbis to reassess her golf swing. She had to take a month off and change her posture to compensate for the strain. Michelle Wie’s wrist accident has forced her into a rehabilitative state which has, unfortunately, cost her more than a few cuts at inopportune times. This trauma has also changed the public’s perception of the girl once considered to be the LPGA’s answer to Tiger Woods.

Natalie Gulbis stepped up and was ressurrected at the Evian Masters this weekend, becoming a first-time Rolex winner. Michelle Wie is still struggling to compete aptly although finally making a cut after a year’s worth of trials and tribulations. Two injuries with two separate and distinct outcomes. One golfer became a winner due to her injury, the other becomes more frustrated over time.

This week Golf for Beginners discusses Michelle Wie’s uneasy level of comfort. How can she play well for two days with an injured wrist and then falter during the final two days? We don’t believe her problems are totally related to her injury anymore but rather becoming a psychological issue, the battle to win rather than just compete.

Next stop for the LPGA (and Michelle Wie) is St. Andrews G.C. for the Ricoh Women’s British Open. The Old Course is considered by some to be the “home of golf” and a links-style course, completely different than the parklike grounds of the Evian Masters Golf Club in France. This challenge will certainly prove the mettle of all the women on tour.

As Tiger Woods has stated before, “To win at St. Andrews is the ultimate.”

We also give you a golf tip on how to keep your grip comfortable on the club during a trying round of golf. Grip is probably the one aspect of “G.A.S.P” that can save, or ruin, a round of golf!

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This podcast is supported by Scotland Golf Tours and Florida Golf Travel.

Permalink 36 comments

Comments, Pingbacks:

Comment from: smudge [Visitor]
Agree completely that Wie's injury is psychological. I don't for a second believe there has ever been a wrist injury of any significance. She was doing lousy at the end of last year and perhaps made a smart decision to not play for a while (hoping it was a temporary downswing) but feigned injury to avoid her sponsors getting antsy. But there is no way a 16 or 17 year old is going to, first, be off with a sprained wrist for 5 months (we all konw how well and quickly we healed when we were young) and there is no way, as you've correctly identified, that a sprained wrist is going to cause the "I have some good days and some bad days". It either hurts or it doesn't and if it hurts you don't play, simple as that, and if it doesn't, and you play bad, it's because you are bad.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-07-30 @ 16:04
Comment from: Stanley [Visitor]
Stacy:
"Michelle Wie's wrist accident has forced her into a rehabilitative state which has, unfortunately, cost her more than a few cuts at inopportune times. "
_____

She hasn't missed any cuts on the lpga tour since 2003. She did have two withdrawals though.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-07-30 @ 16:50
Comment from: Stanley [Visitor]
Stacy:
"Michelle Wie is still struggling to compete aptly although finally making a cut after a year's worth of trials and tribulations. "
__________

She has made plenty of cuts in that time period, perhaps you are referring to the breaking par in a round stat.
And that is a silly stat, given the different difficulties of courses and that many of those rounds were played at mens events.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-07-30 @ 16:53
Comment from: Stanley [Visitor]
Stacy:
"We don't believe her problems are totally related to her injury anymore but rather becoming a psychological issue, the battle to win rather than just compete."
__________

Perhaps you would like to read my analysis.
I believe that she did have that injury. I believe that she came back too early to try and play the lpga & US Womens Open, and I believe she tried to come back early because she didn't want to miss those events.
I also believe that she was not injured at the Evian Masters, but that her 84 in the 3rd round was due to a lack of tournament play, where she didn't grind very well when the chips were falling down. However, she did come back well in the fourth round despite starting with a disasterous double bogey, she rallied well.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-07-30 @ 16:57
Comment from: Joe R [Visitor]
Very good article and right on target.

Stanley.....You are certainly delusional and are in serious need of help. I also doubt you know much about golf. MAybe you will fade away with your girl MW......
PermalinkPermalink 2007-07-30 @ 18:23
Comment from: Stanley [Visitor]
Joe R,
I pointed out several mistakes in the article and yet you said it was a "very good article and right on target".
You are deluded, completely and utterly. Good luck, you need it.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-07-30 @ 18:52
Comment from: Jim C [Visitor]
Unlike somone I could name, I am not going to speculate on whether Stacy's latest flop at writing a golf bolg is due to a wrist injury, or whether it is something psychological.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-07-31 @ 01:09
Comment from: One-Putt [Visitor]
"Comment from: Stanley [Visitor]
Stacy:
"Michelle Wie's wrist accident has forced her into a rehabilitative state which has, unfortunately, cost her more than a few cuts at inopportune times. "
_____

She hasn't missed any cuts on the lpga tour since 2003. She did have two withdrawals though."

Stacy never let accuracy or research stand in the way of rushing a blog out of the hopper.

PermalinkPermalink 2007-07-31 @ 04:18
Comment from: Mike [Visitor]
"I don't for a second believe there has been a wrist injury of any significance"--(smudge).
Midhelle Wie is not only an athlete, but also a famous public figure (that's what she's been 'built up'), similar to a politician whose worth, aside from her own ability, depends on the public's impression toward her. If there are quite a few (smudge)s and they are not your political enemies, then better check and see if you have been sincere enough in dealing with the public.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-07-31 @ 07:39
Comment from: Alex [Visitor]
Mike,

Please do us a favor.

Put down your bong, your crack pipe, and your Bloody Mary and re-write your post in English that can be read and understood by those of us who have English as a first language. Thank you
PermalinkPermalink 2007-07-31 @ 08:56
Comment from: smudge [Visitor]
Thanks Mike, I wasn't quite sure what he was saying either??????
PermalinkPermalink 2007-07-31 @ 09:28
Comment from: Stanley [Visitor]
Mike,
Don't worry, the people like smudge are not just skeptics. They have been against Wie long before any withdraws or anything like that.
No matter what she would say or no matter what she would do, they would be against her, so there is no point in trying to satisty the questions of those kinds of people.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-07-31 @ 10:40
Comment from: Mike [Visitor]
Thanks Stanley, but sorry, you misunderstood me because of my bad English. What I meant was: If there are many (smudge)s out there doubting your integrity (I notice there are many), then it could be because you (MW) have an image problem. So how about review yourself and see if you have been quite sincere toward all golf fans. Hope I do not need to translate myself one more time.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-07-31 @ 11:44
Comment from: George [Visitor]
Bottom line, the most important one: congrats to Natalie Gulbis.

Gulbis has always been a class act and a good golfer, and it's great to see her get her first win. And a win in a big tournament with all the best golfers in attendance

Great going, Natalie! Great to see you in the winner's circle with Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressell, and Brittany Lincicome.

These are young, up-and-coming golfers with a great future. And they are golfers who know how to win.

-George
PermalinkPermalink 2007-07-31 @ 12:26
Comment from: Stanley [Visitor]
Mike: "What I meant was: If there are many (smudge)s out there doubting your integrity (I notice there are many), then it could be because you (MW) have an image problem. "
__________

I understand what you mean Mike. However, it is not worth trying to satisfy what people like Smudge think. There are many people like Smudge who would be against Michelle Wie no matter what she did. So she does not have an image problem just because those people are unhappy with her. She has plenty of fans who are very happy and that is more important.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-07-31 @ 15:54
Comment from: Jim C [Visitor]
Here's a prediction. This week Michelle Wie will do at least as well as Natalie Gulbis.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-07-31 @ 16:04
Comment from: Alex [Visitor]
Stanley,

If one is a fan of Bubbles and he or she is very happy with her and her golf game,
that person is more like slap happy than just plain happy.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-07-31 @ 18:31
Comment from: Alex [Visitor]
Jim C,

In line with your prediction that Bubbles will play as well as Natalie this week, I've got another prop for you.

Next week a great transatlantic liner from the White Star Line is leaving Southhampton for New York. It's on a collision course with a gigantic iceberg in the north Atlantic.

Who do you like?
PermalinkPermalink 2007-07-31 @ 18:36
Comment from: Lance R [Visitor]
Jim C,

That's an interesting prediction, but I must disagree. Natalie Gulbis has not been consistent this year, and at one point missed three consecutive cuts. However, she is coming off a great win in France and playing well. Conversely, Bubbles has been playing poorly over the past 12 months and her greatest recent milestone was breaking par. She may do fine for a round or two, but I predict that she will have at least one round in the mid to high 80s that puts her far out of contention.

Stanley,

You claim that some of would not support Bubbles regardless of what she does. Big Stan, while I do not necessarly agree with you comment, you are the exact opposite. Whatever Bubbles does or says, regardless of how hideous, you will come up with some lame justification for her actions.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-08-01 @ 00:00
Comment from: John D [Visitor]
How many rounds in the 80's will Wie-Wee post this week?

I predict that the second round will be in the 80's.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-08-01 @ 05:20
Comment from: Alex [Visitor]
Fellows,

You guys seem to have forgotten about Bubbles' patented withdrawals.

If she posts a big number(80 or worse)in the first round, she might resort to the old reliable WD.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-08-01 @ 07:55
Comment from: Florida Mike [Visitor]
Michelle is working her way back into form. There are always going to be setbacks and bad rounds in the recovery process. For those of you, who think her wrist injury was a fabrication, well ya'll are just idiots who will try in any way possible to apply the worst motives to Ms Wie in order to justify your innate hate and bias towards her. As for you Trolls (alex, smails, booger, etc....) Your opinion doesn't matter.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-08-01 @ 09:57
Comment from: Oui Oui Oui [Visitor]
This is how this has become:

A year or two ago, Wie was trying to make cut at PGA Tour and did come close twice. Nowadays, she is trying to make cut on the LPGA and/or breaking 80.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-08-01 @ 10:17
Comment from: Johnny N. [Visitor]
Oui Oui Oui,
She got an injury. When players are coming back from injuries and regairing strength, people don't expect that much of them for a while. Hence the lower expectations for the British Open.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-08-01 @ 10:44
Comment from: John D [Visitor]
How much of 'a while' does she need?


She has been using the same excuse for the last 8 or 9 months. And remember, real athletes and younger people tend to heal faster.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-08-01 @ 13:03
Comment from: Lance R [Visitor]
Florida Mike,

Just how many "setbacks" and "bad rounds" can you blame on Bubbles bad wrist? Her WD from the John Deer last year did not have anything to do with her wrist, nor did her last place finishes at two consecutive events against the men. I do not know if her injury is a fabrication or not. But at this point, it is getting a little old and she is blaming poor performances on her wrist before it was injured and long after. If she sucks this week, as I am sure she will, you will hear it once more.

Good point Alex, I forgot about the WD card that Bubbles likes to play when things are not going well. But my gut feel this week is for a MC.

Time will tell,

LR
PermalinkPermalink 2007-08-01 @ 15:08
Comment from: Spencer Spellman [Visitor] · http://www.skinnymoose.com/fore
I hope Wie can bounce back this weekend. St. Andrews isn't an easy place for her to do so. It can be a tough task in golf to try to bounce back in mid season from the kind of losses she's had this year.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-08-02 @ 01:04
Comment from: Alex [Visitor]
It's time for Bubbles and her supporters to stop playing the "wrist injury" card.

Look you Wiebots, if Bubbles actually had an injury of such severity, she would never be able to play a tough layout like St. Andrew's in even par. Never.

Nor would she have been able to make the cut at the Evian at even par.

It is far too convenient for her apologists to blame her train wreck rounds on her "injury."

To what do you credit her decent rounds if the wrist(s) are so tender and painful.

What her game lacks now, and has lacked for the last calendar year, is any semblance of consistency.

Her last top-notch finish was at the 2006 Evain.
Since then, despite a fair round occasionally, it's been all downhill. Her inconsistency is almost legendary.

The larger question for all you Wie-wee's to consider is will she regain her form? Can she regain her form?

David Duval was once number one in the world. He has been in a years long slump. However, once during his horrendous drought, he shot a 63 at Avenel and either set or equalled the course record, after which he returned to his spotty form.

Nothing is etched in stone that says that Bubbles will ever regain her good form of the first half of 2006. It's time you diehard Wie Warriors realized as much.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-08-02 @ 11:24
Comment from: Stanley [Visitor]
Alex,
You obviously don't know what is going on.

As she said herself her wrist was physically fine in time for the Evian Masters, just a bit of pain here and there, no big deal.
After her 84 there, she said it had nothing to do with the wrist and was simply the result of not having much competitive experience in a while and dropping lots of silly shots here and there. That 84 wasn't as bad as an 84 might usually be considering players like Brittany Lincicome shot 82 having shot 66 in the opening round, and there was many 80+ scores in that round.

The Evian 4th round was also very promising in that it didn't get away from her like the 3rd round despite a very bad start to it.

The British Open first round of even par was a very good round, but getting back into the competitive side of things isn't that easy for a player after a layoff from the game, and considering before that injury layoff she played some mens events where she hadn't been in contention.

Alex, through the Evian and British, she has been returning to form nicely, her wrist getting stronger, her shots more consistant. You will do well to realise that you had your fun while she shot some rounds in the 80s while trying to regain her strength in her wrist and form after such a long layoff, but you should realise that, that fun is over. She showed at the Evian & British that she was well on the road to getting back towards the top 5 in the women's game, and with the Canadian Open and Safeway Classic played, she may well have contended in 2007 on the lpga tour.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-08-02 @ 20:29
Comment from: Alex [Visitor]
The world of golf according to Stanley:

An 84 isn't so bad, and a 76 is promising.

PermalinkPermalink 2007-08-02 @ 22:22
Comment from: Alex [Visitor]
Stanley,

It is my opinion that you need one of two things, or possibly both. You should become serious or undergo intense psychotherapy.

According to your posts, in which you wax ecstatic about Bubbles' renewed golf game, you are most encouraged by her brilliant showing in the recent Evian.

Now, I can understand an unrepentant Wiebot such as you being imbued with some guarded optimism when Bubbles made the cut at even par, and sat at T23rd going into the weekend

But that is not the cause for your ecstacy. No, you are most gratified by by her final two rounds at the Evian, which she completed in a brilliant 160 strokes.

And you are particularly enamored of that gutsy final round 76. That's the one where despite a double bogey start, she showed her moxie and ground it out courageously. Stanley, she scored FOUR MORE BOGEYS in that round! Hardly an example of grinding it out.

Even in yesterday's first round at the Ricoh, Bubbles actually held the lead or was tied for the lead for a few holes, being three under par after ten holes. Then she went into her customary swoon and rang up three bogeys in her final eight holes.

Stanley, I'll say this for you. Bubbles needn't do much to make you gloriously happy.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-08-03 @ 08:39
Comment from: Alex [Visitor]
Jim C,

Natalie made the cut, while Bubbles missed the cut. AS usual, your prediction is wrong.

And Stanley, your paeans of praise and rosy predictions for Bubbles are not only as wrong as wrong can be, they are downright ludicrous.

Hey Stanley, I thought you said Bubbles' days of shooting in the 80's were over?

You guys better get off this Bubbles kick before the men in the white coats come to take you away.

If you don't, you'll end up in a room with no window, a steel door, and rubber wallpaper.

And worst of all, putt4par is liable to be your roommate.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-08-03 @ 14:11
Comment from: putt4par [Visitor]
No need to worry, Stanley. The only loon that is liable to be placed in protective custody is the twit from the previous post.

Alex, you need to shave a small part in your eyebrows, just above your nose, that way you won't be mistaken for being a brother of that other loon with the wraparound eyebrows, your good friend, little twig, aka Lance R.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-08-03 @ 20:08
Comment from: Alex [Visitor]
putt4par,

The tenor of your posts has raised an interesting question among the more sane and lucid folks reading and posting here.

The question: Is it humanly possible for anyone to be as imbecilic as putt4par is pretending to be?

Anyone got an answer?
PermalinkPermalink 2007-08-03 @ 20:17
Comment from: putt4par [Visitor]
One mght assume that you are including yourself in that questionable group of sane and lucid folks.

Now why on earth would you lie to decent folk like that Ali? You baeen neither sane nor lucid since you were weaned off diapers. Full of sh*t maybe but neither sane nor lucid.

Jeez Ali, as an imbecile, you wouldn't want anyone to recognize you would you? You've been admiring yourself in the mirror again, Ali, you vain little toad.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-08-03 @ 21:11
Comment from: Alex [Visitor]
It is a sign that putt-putt is going off the deep end when he can't even think up his own material. He has been reduced to repeating the words verbatim of someone with whom he thinks he is arguing.

Too bad. At times I actually used to enjoy verbal sparring with old putty-brain.

I hoped that he would get over Bubbles' latest flop, but now I'm not so sure.
PermalinkPermalink 2007-08-03 @ 21:29

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