Mickelson answers putting question, Tiger Woods tenaciously scrambles. Also, Laura Davies doubts Michelle Wie's mental state. And, Odyssey XG Two-Ball putter not quite Divine!
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It’s easy to see why professional golfers become distracted when Tiger Woods is somewhere in the pack. If he’s only a few strokes back, chances are his resolve will carry him to victory. That is precisely what happened this weekend at the Dubai Desert Classic.
On the flip side, no one seems to be afraid of Phil Mickelson.
J.B. Holmes’ memories of a 2006 victory at the FBR Open was all he needed to maintain his purpose for this year’s event. And, the claim to fame that he beat Mickelson was also a good incentive.
Phil’s putter let him down once again claiming that a misread putt and a few that “slid by the edge” contributed to a playoff. Although Butch Harmon has been working with Mickelson on his 150-yard approach shots, Lefty found that his golf ball wasn’t as close to the hole as was Na’s. That must have also frustrated him.
This week on our Golf for Beginners podcast we discuss Mickelson’s views from the putter. Is it better to keep your eyes over, or behind, the ball?
We also talk about how the amateur golfer can use Tiger Woods’ scrambling ability and tenacity to improve your own game.
Michelle Wie takes center stage once again as she receives an exemption to the Fields Open. Has her physical injury healed? Has her mental game improved? All questions will be answered in two weeks.
Laura Davies believes that psychological damage that Michelle Wie endured from playing golf in men’s tournaments will take a year to heal. She also thinks that her own game is ready for the next level, affirming that this is her year to dominate the LPGA Tour..and that includes toppling Lorena Ochoa! At least Davies understands what it takes to win, but, at forty-four years old and with a plethora of new stars on the horizon as well as Annika Sorenstam back in form, the LET star is going to have her hands full.
The Odyssey two-ball putter has become a mainstay on the PGA Tour. From professional golfers to amateurs, all gain assistance from the golfball-sized white discs on top of the clubface which help align a ball to its target.
Where the design was initially unusual, the technology which offered exceptional resiliency and performance also became the backbone of Odyssey’s line-up of putters. And, with the introduction of the elasticore multi layer insert technology, the advancements are noticeable.
With the introduction of the Divine Line of putters designed specifically for women, I wondered if I would notice a difference between the new White Hot XG and the Divine, or if one should rely on a putter’s performance predominantly based upon the length of its shaft?
This question, and more, are answered in our golf podcast.
Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@worldgolf.com.
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She may be a bit rusty, after a while out of the competitive game, but I expect her to play reasonably well.
Congratulations! You are the first of the previously dormant Wie Warriors to announceyou faith in Bubbles, 2008 edition. Perhaps now that you've broken the ice, some of the others will emerge from hibernation.
Stanley, Norman, One-Putt, Ghet Rheel, et al, let's hear it!
Tell me Max, what is your definition of "playing reasonably well?" And why do you think that Bubbles will be able to play golf at that level?
Alex USMC 1969-73
Who is bubbles?
Btw, I think Michelle Wie will play well, because she has been injury free and pain free for some time, and thus has been able to practice more.
By play well, I mean make the cut, and finish in or close to the top half of those who do.
Even if she is swinging great, it would probably take 3 or 4 events to get into the competitive mode of things.
First of all, "Bubbles" is always capitalized.
Bubbles is a pseudonym for Michelle Wie, a name which brings to mind her effervescent personality when she describes her "sparkly" wristwatch.
Your most recent post is laced with contradictions. First you say that your definition of "playing well" is to make the cut and then finish in the top half of those playing the weekend. That would certainly indicate a player to be close to top form.
Then you say that it will probably take her three or four events to get into the mood of competition.
Max, I've got to tell you. If Bubbles isn't into the spirit of the competition for whatever reason, she won't make the cut at the Fields.
According to your reckoning, it will take Bubbles half of the events to which she hopes to get exemptions to get in the competitive mood of things. What then? Will she win one of the subsequent LPGA tournaments as diehard Wie Warrior Stanley predicted last November?
One more question. With her "injuries" behind her, with her hectic enrollment at Stanford over with, and with another year of maturity on her side. do you think that Bubbles willl enter the LPGA qualifying tournament, i. e., "Q" school, and attempt to become a bonafide member of the LPGA, in the same manner as Annika, Paula, Lorena, Morgan, and hundreds of other LPGA tournament WINNERS did?
Alex USMC 1969-73
I do not think that the Wie Camp will allow MW to try and qualify through Q school. The title of "golf phenom" is certainly burned into their brains and they feel that 2008 will be just like any other year. I do not see Michelle winning any tournament until she is at least 21 years old. When will she severe the umbilical cord from her parents ? Unfortunately, her mental game is still only a 4 out of 10.
I don't expect her to enter q-school, because I expect her to win enough money on the lpga tour in 2008 to qualify automatically.
As I said, I think she will make the cut, and finish about half way of those.
What I meant by take a bit of time to get into the swing of things, is actually contend for titles.
You sure have a lot of confidence in the golf game of a player who hasn't been relevant in a tournament in about a year and a half no matter what the competition. Remember, her precipitous decline stated long before any of her alleged injuries.
As for Bubbles winning enough money to earn exempt status, that will be a big order indeed.
If she actually competes in the maximum eight events allowed, and that's a big IF since she might have to earn her way into the US and British Opens, she would have to cash on average about 100K per event to become exempt.
That would mean making all the cuts and probably winning a tournament. Even a diehard Wie Warrior such as yourself would have to agree that Bubbles performing that well would be a very long shot.
But hey, hope springs eternal, and you Wiebots seem to have an unending supply of hope.
Realistically though, you folks will have to get a grip eventually. There is a distinct possibility, a possibility that becomes more of a probability every day, that Bubbles' golf game reached its peak two or even three years ago. There are ample precedents for Bubbles to be just another in a long line of teenage female prodigies who failed to fulfill the expectations of their fervent admirers.
Max, if you want to dream on indefinitely, be my guest. What ever floats your boat.
Alex USMC 1969-73
Bubbles would need to win a total of around $100,000 in her exemptions on the LPGA tour to finish in the top 90 and get exempt status.
That would mean tnat she would have to make all her cuts and finish in the upper half of those who made the cuts. If she could somehow wangle invitations to the US and British Opens, her average take per event would have to be about $8,500 per tournament.
Any missed cuts would put additional pressure on her subsequent events to get higher placings.
So, Max my friend, it won't be enough for Bubbles to merely show up for yhe photo ops.
She'll have to first GET the exemptions, and then make all the cuts, and then finish in the top half to sneak in under the wire. That's a BIG order for any part timer college student.
$12,500 per event.
Alex,
Would that be Bubbles 3.0? Regardless, methinks there are some glitches in the software. Better call tech. support.
I think the glitches in Bubbles' game are beyond tech support. She needs a major overhaul.
Maybe she should be scrapped for a newer model.
It looks as though Max is the lone Wie-wee who cares to comment. And he's far too mild mannered.
We could use a character like Ghet Rheel. I really liked his Astroturf Conspiracy theory.
Maybe some of the other Wie crackpots will post some goodies once Bubbles takes to the links again.
I'd really like to see Earrings make the cut at the Fields. That would surely bring the loonies out of hiding. We could use some of their humor.
Alex USMC 1969-73
I think the Wiebots' game has declined to a degree commensurate with Bubbles' decline. Another way to say it is that reality has set in.
Now, if only the ineptitude of phony, overrated politicians like Obama could be exposed so easily.
Yes, Osama Obama, as he is known to Fat Teddy, is about as shallow as the Rio Grande at Brownsville.
Maybe the Wiebots have accepted a healthy dose of reality.
For a little entertainment, I browsed through the archives at several of the threads concerning Bubbles in the last eighteen months. Some of the ravings by Norman, Stanley, Ghet Rheel, and Jim C are positively priceless.
I wonder if those jokers ever re-read their rants and outrageous predictions. One would think they would be embarrassed by such nonsense. Maybe they are embarrassed and that's why they haven't been heard from in such a long while. The Fields may bring them out of the woodwork, since Bubbles will be there pounding out her 300 yard drives.
LR
Supposedly, Bubbles has been practicing diligently at Big Horn near Palm Springs. How she manages as much with Stanford being about 500 miles away is anybody's guess. Also, she spent a lot of time in Florida over the Christmas break learning from Leadbetter.
She is familiar with the course the Fields will be played on. In fact, she finished third there two years ago. She will have no excuses.
If she doesn't make the cut at the Fields, maybe she should seriously consider packing it in for at least a year.
Although most of the Wiebots who used to post here are hibernating, on another blog called wietalk.com several of her diehard fans are actually predicting that she will win the Fields in a runaway. One crackpot said she will shoot 65, 64, and 63, 22 under par for an easy win.
Alex USMC 1969-73
Thanks for the Wie blog, I will have to check that out. Anyone have any idea what Wie's grades were during this last semester when she spent numerous hours on the golf course practicing? I don't know how a college freshman would make the grades if she were on the practice tee all the time. As far as the crackpot predicting the 22 under par this weekend, it does not surprise me. There are still numerous people living today that believe that the world is flat. That is more believable to me than Wie performing at that level.
She may do okay this week though (making the cut) as she probably does not have as much pressure on her as last year. People do not expect as much out of her, and she may just do ok.
Looking forward to watching,
LR
Those scores that the delusional Wiebot predicted would actually be 24 strokes under par. And that would be for THREE rounds!
Such scoring would undoubtedly shatter the LPGA record for 54 holes.
Although this one joker is the most extreme, several others predict that she will be 15 shots or better for the three rounds, something that Bubbles could never accomplish when her game was at its peak.
That's a good question as to how a freshman at a prestigious university could maintain passing grades with so much time spent away from the classroom.
I don't know much about Stanford's attendance requirements. However, when my youngest daughter attended---and also graduated---from Northwestern U., her freshman year was very demanding and required her constant presence.
I don't think they grant any sponsor's exemptions at Stanford.
Alex USMC 1969-73
Yes, I have not heard anything about what her first semester grades were and how she is doing this semester. But, if she has been practicing as much as has been reported, how much time has she been studing for her classes?
Alex, are you sure the wiebot who predicted a 65, 64, and a 63 was not referring to her test score averages? That would be much more realistic than golf scores.
LR