How good is Jordan Spieth!?!?

[sms316]

And of course Spieth has never done anything extraordinary to get into a playoff, which led to his first win on tour.

[benno_r]

$53 mil I wouldn't get bored with that....

I wouldn't either.

But I would get bored watching it on TV. Just like watching Jordan Speith.

[benno_r]

And of course Spieth has never done anything extraordinary to get into a playoff, which led to his first win on tour.

Yeah there was a glimmer of hope back then. Unfortunately he fell quickly off that wave of excitement.

[PeteyD]

Really what you are saying is that golf is boring to watch unless it is a train wreck.

[benno_r]

Really what you are saying is that golf is boring to watch unless it is a train wreck.

In a round about way you could say that.

It's not just Jordan that I find fits into this category of "boring".

[WBennett]

If I wanted to watch a train wreck, I would have watched Lucastro on Vic Champs Monday last year. Oh, I did.

I would prefer to watch Jordan any day.

[PeteyD]

Kevin Na. If the contest is close I find it interesting. I will watch the majors, and sometimes have it on ion case something interesting happens. But Golf on TV is not my favourite. As Virge said, no contest when NFL is on

[Scifisicko]

Could be wrong but I think Rory is a lot longer off the tee than Spieth.

yeah pga stats have him 19 yards longer off the tee. Not such a big difference with the other clubs. Spieth hits 1/3 of his drives over 300 yards so the concept of bomber off the tee is relative.

[FuzzyJuzzy]

He is boring because he doesn't have the firepower.Like Luke Donald - he hits it an average distance, he has a short game that is amazing and pretty much sinks everything inside 10 ft. He is probably what you would call a perfect modern golfer. Uses the technology to hit a baby fade around the golf course, hits it the right distances and then boxes everything he looks at.But, any decent golfer can do that.. no where near as often as he does it... but there isnt a shot in his bag that a decent amateur hasnt got.This wasnt the same with Norman, Rory, Tiger Ernie, Phil, Bubba and others. They have that ability to just pull a shot out of their arse that makes everyone just sit back and realize that they are truly not in the same league. Jump on YouTube and look at some of the shots Tiger has played, listen to some of the commentator's stories. No one waxes lyrical about that time Jordan hit it 260 down the center with a baby fade, then pulled the next shot left into a bunker and boxed a 15 footer for par. But look up one of Tiger's shot at the Mercedes that Fehrety talks about, or the shot that Phil played at the Scottish Open or the chip or Rory hitting Driver and 9 iron to a 600 yard par 5 or even Patrick Reed hitting THAT shot out of the shit to win his first tourny.yeah he is a good golfer, but it aint entertainment unless there is some other story attached. The guy shot 28 under or something like that on the weekend to win by 8 or so. I watched about 10 holes and zoned out for the boredom.It is like watching Zach Johnson or that fat dude with the hot ex wife win golf events. But at least Duffner was entertaining with the 4-8ft putts.

Like always Virge, you say it better than most any of us here do. Good stuff. Spieth is a solid golfer, but doesn't have the "superhuman" element to him. They're saying similar things about Steph Curry in the NBA - he's not tall, big or ripped...just an everyday type of dude who is killing it on the floor. He does know how to knock down threes though. And he's just about scratch golfer too. Some blokes get all the talent.

[benno_r]

If I wanted to watch a train wreck, I would have watched Lucastro on Vic Champs Monday last year. Oh, I did.

I would prefer to watch Jordan any day.

Ok how about this example.

Scenario 1:
1 - Jordan hits a driver up the middle of Victoria GC 18th to center fairway
2 - Jordan hits an iron to the green, but rolls through the fringe.
3 - Jordan chips to 3ft.
4 - Jordan wins the hole, and his match 2UP

Scenario 2:
1 - Jordan hits into the right fairway bunker on top of the hill on Victoria GC 18th
2 - Jordan hits wedge out of pot to safe position.
3 - Still too far from the hole, Jordan lays up to 50m. Shot was a little offline, ends up behind the awkward left hand bunkers, though still on the fairway.
4 - Jordan opens up his 58 and nips one over the pot to a downhill slope on the green, but it fizzes to 2ft
5 - Jordan sinks the 2ft putt to halve the hole, and win the match 1UP

So....

Which version is more exciting?

[Ron Burgundy]

$53 mil I wouldn't get bored with that....

I saw that too. Phil & Tiger were #2 & 3 with $50mil & $48mil respectively in off course earnings alone, largely because people get excited about watching them play and big brands will pay huge money to be associated with that. 22YOJS is #1 in the world and had one of the best seasons ever last year but only got half of that. Americans don't go to NASCAR races to watch the cars drive smoothly around in circles for hours. They go for the crashes.

[benno_r]

I did a little experiment at work today - there are 5 people who are casual golfers. Asked them who they knew.

5 knew Tiger
5 knew Rory
5 knew Jday
2 knew Speith

Edit: This has always been my point about moving the needle. People who aren't fanatics like us have a lot less interest in him.

[PeteyD]

You should ask about other players who turned pro at he same time. Otherwise you have confirmation bias.

[benno_r]

You should ask about other players who turned pro at he same time. Otherwise you have confirmation bias.

I don't know what that is Pete, but I'll do that too. Considering they move the needle less, I predict no one will know Bowditch, Kisner or Reed, but I'll ask about Bubba too.

[backintheswing]

I don't know what that is Pete, but I'll do that too. Considering they move the needle less, I predict no one will know Bowditch, Kisner or Reed, but I'll ask about Bubba too.

Throw Kevin Na or Sergio into the poll as well.

[PeteyD]

It just means you have weighted the survey in your favour, to get the desired result.

[benno_r]

It just means you have weighted the survey in your favour, to get the desired result.

My intent was to throw the names of recent world no 1s (the players you expect people to know) into the mix.

I am fully aware no one will know Na, or Kisner, or Bowditch. But this isn't about if they generate excitement - it is about if Speith generates excitement.

[benno_r]

OK Poll update. Now this isn't me showing pictures, it's me just saying names.

People who are casual golfers (sample size 5):
Tiger - 5
Rory - 5
JDay - 5
Speith - 3
Mickelson - 3
Bubba - 2
Sergio - 1
Kisner - 0
Bowditch - 0
Na - 0
Lee - 0

People who dont play golf (sample size 4):
Tiger - 4
JDay - 4
Rory - 3
Speith - 2
Mickelson - 2
Bubba - 2
Sergio - 1
Kisner - 0
Bowditch - 0
Na - 0
Lee - 0

[PeteyD]

Anecdotal but shows he is known amoung non golfers. Interesting.

[PeteyD]

Actually to be a fair survey it would have to be of people who regularly watch golf. That might be a struggle.

[benno_r]

Anecdotal but shows he is known amoung non golfers. Interesting.

You'd hope so since he won 2 majors last year, comes to Australia to play, and is world number 1.

[Johnny Canuck]

My intent was to throw the names of recent world no 1s (the players you expect people to know) into the mix.

I am fully aware no one will know Na, or Kisner, or Bowditch. But this isn't about if they generate excitement - it is about if Speith generates excitement.

This has nothing to do with Spieth "generating excitement".

[Johnny Canuck]

Actually to be a fair survey it would have to be of people who regularly watch golf. That might be a struggle.

It should also be conducted in multiple countries.

More Australians will know Day due to more press coverage, same for Spieth in the US and Sergio in Spain.

[benno_r]

This has nothing to do with Spieth "generating excitement".

It has everything to do with it. I find Speith boring. Everybody here tells me I am wrong. If you are boring, you are not generating excitement.

I have said time and time again he is an amazing golfer, and seems a decent guy. Who bores me.

No one here seems to be able to accept that.

[Coopers Country]

I do find it a little strange that he ranks above Phil and Bubba in both groups , 5 and 2 majors
I wouldn,t have picked that , he has also has had only 3 years as a pro , 4 to 5 years less than JDay and Rory
Actually surprised than any non golfers knew his name