Notes on the First 2 Days at Turnberry
The difference between play on Thursday and Friday at Turnberry pretty much sums up links golf. When there’s no weather, you saw golfers take advantage of the course and go low. Once the wind starts to blow and the rain moves in it’s a different game altogether. Mishit a drive just a little and more than likely you’ll stare in disbelief as the wind moves it 50 yards from where you want it to be. When it’s not windy, good ball strikers can avoid most of the bunkers, but when it blows it becomes a game of chance.
I’ve been trying to sell golfers on Scottish links courses ever since my wife and I took our trip in April. Watching the British Open should help drive that point home. If you love the game, a trip to Scotland will be life changing. Go a little out of season and don’t be afraid to drive yourself to some of the most beautiful and challenging golf courses in the world. The Scots are fabulous people and will treat you royally. Click here for pictures of my trip and some visual motivation.
I tend to root for the underdog, except in golf where Tiger is my favorite when he’s playing. I think I may have figured out why. When he’s on it offers hope that the game can actually be tamed. Of course it can’t, but it’s motivation that with a little more time on the range and putting green we’ll actually be in control of what we’re doing – for once.
Tiger’s swing has always looked like it lives on the edge, like trying to drive a 600 horsepower Chevy Nova in a straight line. When it works you’re unbeatable, but when you’re off even a fraction look out! Right now Tiger is still coming back from a 9 month layoff and battling a swing that has a tendency to wobble. Who of us doesn’t feel his pain when he loses those shots to the right. It’s like nails on a chalkboard!
I’m wondering what Tiger’s next step will be. Will he spend most of his waking life at the range trying to control his out of synch downswing or will this push him to once again go for a swing change. Tiger still wants a major this year so I suspect he will battle on in hopes he can win the PGA in a month. If that doesn’t work, he may well use the offseason to retool.
Thank God for Tom Watson. At least that must be what the Royal & Ancient is thinking. If a 5 time Open winner who is also 59 was not leading the Open, how far would the TV ratings fall this weekend with Tiger’s departure? There are a lot of guys who could win this year, but the fear is that someone will back into it, rather than snatch it from the field. Watson, Marino, Singh, Goosen, Johnson or maybe even Sergio could have the Claret jug by tomorrow. Let’s just hope whoever it is leaves us with a compelling story that we can relive again and again at 19th holes around the world!
Related posts:
- What We Learned From Watson At Turnberry
- Cliff Notes On The Open
- What’s Wrong With Pro Golf These Days?
- Scottish Trip Wrap-up
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