These Guys are Good

Kurn · #1 06-19-08, 10:09 PM

The title is the old tag line from PGA commercials.

I heard this on sports radio this morning. No idea when it happened or how accurate, but here goes.

Vijay and Phil played a practice round where they switched bags. Phil played righty and Vijay played lefty.

They both shot in the 70's.

As Gus would say - sick.

GTDawg · #2 06-19-08, 10:58 PM

Vijay Singh said in an interview a while ago that he was "about a 6 handicap" left-handed.

And, I've seen Phil Mickleson play a few holes in a practice round right-handed. I would say he is probably close to single digit handicap right-handed.

I'm surprised both of them were able to shoot in the 70s. (Some random course from decent tees, maybe). But, I wouldn't be totally surprised if I saw a story about it.

***
The more sick thing is watching people skip golf balls across the pond in front of the 16th green at Augusta. There is some level of body control that allows people to be that perfect with a golf swing and it just isn't fair.

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I would like to say though...I've been playing a lot recently and I am working on recovering my handicap from a few years ago. I got it down to 7 or so right now and I think I can get it back down to 3 or so over the next month.

The plan is to be at or near scratch by the end of the year. Maybe I'll play some mini-tours in Florida and win enough money to go to Q-school....

Dodoubled · #3 06-20-08, 12:52 AM

I would argue that you're already one of the best golfers on this forum -- and if your track holds up, maybe even the best. Anyone else out there toying with scratch? Or even low-level single digits, for that matter?
Best of luck with all of that.

As for Mickelson, I had read somewhere a while ago that he's actually a right-handed guy who just plays left-handed. Sure enough, our friends at Wikky confirmed that.

Talking Poker · #4 06-20-08, 01:22 AM

Defendant is an excellent golfer, as I recall. He hasn't been around for a while though. PM him and maybe you can get him to come post in this thread.

Kurn · #5 06-20-08, 08:05 AM

As for Mickelson, I had read somewhere a while ago that he's actually a right-handed guy who just plays left-handed. Sure enough, our friends at Wikky confirmed that.

I've heard that too.

Makes me think of Mickey Lolich, a lefty who pitched from '62 -'79 mostly with the Tigers. The story was that he was actually right handed, but broke his right arm when he was 12 and taught himself to pitch lefty so he could keep playing with his friends and just stuckwith it.

I've also heard that the only thing Michael Vick does left handed is throw a football but I'm not confident in the source and besides, Vick won't be throwing many passes for a while.

Kurn · #6 06-20-08, 08:09 AM

The more sick thing is watching people skip golf balls across the pond in front of the 16th green at Augusta. There is some level of body control that allows people to be that perfect with a golf swing and it just isn't fair.

The other thing they talked about on the show yesterday was how you can go to any tournament and watch any group of tour pros and they all drive the ball 300+ and straight, they all can hit a 5 iron 230 to a spot in the fairway, they can all drop 50 balls in a practice bunker and blast 50 of 50 into a 2 foot circle around the pin and Tiger can still pwn them even with a bad leg.

Reel Deal · #7 06-20-08, 10:31 AM

For a time during the mid 1990s I was getting to play 2-3 times per week and got my handicap down to about 6-7.

My career round was on the Stadium Course at the TPC @ Sawgrass in '95 when I shot 76 from the blue tees... was actually 3 under after the first six holes, started par, par, birdie, par, birdie, birdie, obviously at that point I started thinking about my score, had a couple shaky holes but finished the front 9 at one under 35. Had an up and down back 9 with birdies on 13 and 16, I actually got to the 17th tee at +1 but then made bogey on 17 and double (gag!!) on 18 for a 76. I did shoot a 75 on another course but don't consider it as good as the 76 on the Stadium.

Life changed a lot shortly thereafter, kids, law school, increased responsibilities at work, and I now hardly have any time for golf (I think last year I played maybe 5 full 18 hole rounds). Kinda sad. It's definitely a game that you have to be playing on a regular basis. My handicap now is probably 14 or higher. My swing, especially with a driver, is very much based on timing so if I'm not getting to play a lot and have that timing down, it really makes a huge difference (I really struggle right now to hit fairways).

I did get to play once with a guy who was playing the mini-tours in Florida and in Asia and although I was about a 7-8 handicap when we played, he was playing a completely different game. Every tee shot was a booming high-arching draw into the center of the fairway and every time he missed a green he’d get up-and-down. I think he shot 69 that day and I remember thinking if this guy can’t make the PGA Tour, how good are those guys?!?! They really are unbelievably talented, and that makes what Tiger’s doing (did??) that much more impressive.

GTD, I’ve been at the practice rounds at Augusta a couple times and have watched them skip balls onto the green at 16. That’s a blast to watch, but I don’t think that particular shot is really as hard as it might appear? I don’t know, may have to try it sometime and see.

GTDawg · #8 06-20-08, 01:56 PM

@kurn

Billy Wagner.

He is naturally right-handed. He broke his throwing arm twice as a kid/teenager. He taught himself to throw left-handed by throwing fastballs up against a barn wall.

And learned to throw 98mph+ in the major leagues...

@reel deal

Anybody can screw up and hit one thin that skips across the ground.

But to be able to take a random iron and, on command, swing in such a way to hit the ball thin and have it skip across a lake (sometimes bouncing 3/4 times)...I know I can't do it.

Reel Deal · #9 06-20-08, 02:55 PM

Take out a 4 iron, hood it, grip down and I think it wouldn't be all that hard, but I haven't really tried it so I'm not sure. Next time I'm at the range I'm definitely going to try it though!

Kurn · #10 06-20-08, 06:56 PM

I played varsity golf in High School, and in my early 20's got my handicap down in the 9-10 range. Best round was a 78, twice. Closest I ever came to an ace was summer of '74. 195 yds. 4 iron to, well, almost 0" from the cup. Couldn't see a blade of grass between the ball and the cup.

I haven't played in 5 years since I hurt my knee and then my back.