Tiger Is in His Competitors Heads March 22, 2008, 6:12 am

by Union Quickpicks
I could not disagree more with the author's comments. Let us remember about the mental aspects of the game. No matter how well a player scores, Tiger always seems to be lurking.
It is also well documented on how hard it is to play with Tiger. Just ask Sergio. Jeff Oglivy just admitted to it. Not just because of Tiger, but the hoard of fans/media that follow him. Can anyone say "Arnie's Army"? And how about the hoards that followed Nicklaus? There is no question that Yesterday's greats coped much better playing with Arnie & Jack than today's pampered pros play with Tiger. Johnny Miller's comments on these guys choking are spot on!!
Also remember the British Open @ Hoylake: a very short course. Tiger schooled the world on how to play the short course (i.e. kept the driver in the bag) & won going away. So exactly where were all the other pros better suited to such a short course? Why did they not beat Tigre there?
Watching the Accenture Match Play clearly bore out Tiger's affect on the competition. When I saw that Stewart Cink was going to face Tiger in the finals, I laughed. The day BEFORE the match, I KNEW that it was not going to be a question of who won, it was a question of how soon would Tiger close out Cink?
Cink looked absolutely pathetic out there from the 1st hole on. He embarrased himself & he knew he was going to get slaughtered: his body language clearly showed this.
Just as players like/dislike a given course, or us amateurs have certain holes @ our munis/home course that we habitually either do well or botch up on, there is no question that a player like Tiger is in the heads of the other pros whenever Tiger tees it up with them.
As a result, it places even more pressure on them to do well & it is that pressure that adds to the liklihood that they will make critical errors in tourneys that open the door for Tiger to yet again rip their hearts out.
There is also no question that todays purses make settling for losses to Tiger alot more palpable. Then again, it is Tiger who also in the reason why the purse have increased so dramatically.

TIGER WOODS COMPETION March 21, 2008, 2:04 pm

by TOP FLITE
Brandon......
I agree that the courses favor Tiger. The change in golf courses has fallen right into his favor. And, as you said, he picks and chooses the ones that favor his game.
However, I STILL believe the PGA TOUR lacks closers. Those who can close on Tiger when in contention or the lead. Johnny Miller says it best, "they choked."
Look at the number of players behind Tiger and add up their majors. Look at the competition behind Nicklaus and add them up. Jack had many more finishers behind him.....regardless of the lenghth of the course.
Remember.....Jack won 18 majors and finished 2nd, 19 times. That's 37 majors finishing 1st or 2nd........and, with the tough competition around him. It's 39 if you count the 2 major amateur titles.
Also, Jack Nicklaus, The Golden Bear, was known to be able to charge from behind on Sunday and catch his prey. TIGER HAS NOT DONE THAT ONCE! NOT ONCE!
I respect Tiger. He's a fantastic player. He belongs in the ranks with the best. But I'm not going to say he's the best of all time.
Long courses and the lack of competitive closers has played into his favor. Not his fault. Just the way it is.
Being in the right place at the right time.

Re: March 21, 2008, 1:15 pm

TIGER'S COMPETITION March 21, 2008, 1:15 pm

by JEFF CORKEN
I AGREE THAT FROM #2 ON THE TOUR TODAY PROBABLY HAS MORE REALLY GOOD PLAYERS THAT IN NICKLAUS'S TIME, BUT GREAT PLAYERS - NOT REALLY GOOD ONES - HAVE THAT SPECIAL SOMETHING THAT ALLOWS THEM TO WIN MAJORS - THE REAL MEASURE OF GREATNESS. LOOK AT THE GROUP WITH WHICH THE BEAR HAD TO CONTEND AND TODAY'S COMPARABLE LOT PALES IN COMPARISON. PALMER,PLAYER,TREVINO,BALLESTEROS AND WATSON - 25+ MAJORS - THAT'S ALOT TO COMPETE AGAINST OVER A CAREER AND THERE IS NOTHING LIKE THAT ON TOUR TODAY. NO QUESTION TIGER IS THE BEST EVER, BUT HE IS NOT FACING A GROUP LIKE THAT WHO WERE INTIMIDATED BY NO ONE. IT REALLY IS TOO BAD

tiger proof my arse March 21, 2008, 10:14 am

by stormin normin
Here is a thought, leave the courses alone and grow the rough to us open standards every week. All who watch golf know that if its thick rough it puts a premium on accuracy and lets face it if tiger can't just go out there and pound the ball anywhere and still make a birdie, then i think guys who can't club them 350 yards will still have a chance. What do you think?

Pit Tiger against Past Greats with same conditions, equiptment March 21, 2008, 8:44 am

by C
Tiger is great. Probably the best athlete in the world. The other players on the tour are great as well, or they would not be where they are.Tiger has coaches for golf, yoga, fitness, golf psychology,etc,and with all of that support, has learned how to psyche out his fellow competitors.
However-------------
Compare today with the conditions and technology that Jack, Arnie, and Bobby Jones played under.Compare todays purses with the pittance paid years ago- and the pleasures and comforts today's players have as a result.
Players today are really well taken care of.Volunteers take care of their every need. They are pampered on tour-picked up from the airports-well fed at the tournaments-housed with volunteers-Given a new vehicle to drive for the length of the tournament. Their motor homes are pumped with gas, and pumped out of sewage.They are paid appearance fees,incentives to play in a particular tournament.People give them gifts.There are sitters for their children, Organized bus tours and activities for their wives and children.They are idolized,catered to,pampered.The details are all taken care of.The last place player earns a liveable wage.Many,not all, came up having played golf in college, family support, moms and dads that catered to them.( It is hearwarming when you see one, tears in his eyes, talk about his dad and how he supported him in his golf)
What do they have to do?- Worry about their game. Practice. Tough life.
The greens are perfect- maybe the only week of the year for that particular course. The golf courses are well manicured-and while the rough may be high at a few venues- it is not full of holes as it is at a regular course.
They play with equiptment that is not available for amateurs. The balls, the clubs, couse conditions , the technology ,is so far superior to the days of Sam Snead, Jack , Arnie, Bobby.Imagine what those guys could have accomplished with today's equiptment,technology, conditions, and pampering.Watch the old "Shell's World of Golf" series and watch the balls bouncing and skittering across the scraggy greens.
Rewind the years- Give Arnie, Jack , Bobby and Sam the same level playing field as today and pit them against Tiger and see what would happen.WHO would break what records?
Hmmm, Lets have a PGA tournament on a scruffy course with all the players using equiptment from years past and let's see how they play.Now THAT would be fun.And a true measure of a great player.

RE: Pit Tiger against Past Greats with same conditions, equiptment March 21, 2008, 1:19 pm

by ROBERT JOLY
THE BEST ATHLETE IN THE WORLD IS THE DECATHLON WINNER AT THE OLYMPIC EVERY 4 TEARS.I DOUBT THAT TIGER WOOD WOULD WIN EVEN ONE OF THOSE 10 EVENTS OF THIS COMPETITION.

In defense of Tiger's foes March 21, 2008, 7:00 am

by Tim Dwyer
I really doubt Arnie could ever refer to the rest of the field as "spineless duffers," as you suggested.

Tiger Proof March 20, 2008, 10:07 pm

by Mark Bishop
I disagree with this idea. It's Tiger woods that makes Tiger Woods unstoppable, not the lack of competition, certainly NOT the golf courses.
Why not play at 6100 yards then Lorena Ochoa could beat Tiger.

Tiger Proof March 20, 2008, 5:53 pm

by Robert Joly
We can't Tigerproof because Tiger Wood is already Tigerproofing himself.
After mnore than 12 years on the PGA tour , Tigger Wood has still to play more than 50% of the tournament on the PGA Tour. Tiger Wood is like Jack Nicklaus. They both try to win the same tournament year in and year out,That is why they look so impresive.
That is why they won some tournaments 6 or 7 times They dominate a perticular golf course and they will play it year in and year out.Don't make the course to difficult for Tiger's game or he wont show up the next year.Doral is a great example.
They should be or should have been force to play a perticular tournament on tha PGA, except the Big Four, only once, till they went through all the other tournaments in a period of 3 years.Unless to defend a title the next year;
The sponsors have no respect on the PGA and neither the fans.
tour

The thinking goes in the wrong direction March 20, 2008, 5:37 pm

by Peter
It's this thinking which shows, that it isn't about the sport anymore, it's about the money others then the players make. Similar to Michael Schumacher's dilemma: every year the only reason for new rules and regulations where only about to stop him from being the best, finely tuned on his and his teams little weaknesses. Why can't they accept, that somebody is the best and will stay there until somebody better comes up??? Just face it, the best what Tiger does is his focus and mental strength, its not about being longer or better in short play.
And for the other part: Nicklas, Palmer, Hogan, Jones etc. have lived in a totally different world, with so less real competition, its a real shame to compare their lousy records with Tiger.

 

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