Bet you thought from the title that this was going to be like one of those e-mails you delete from your spam every day, didn't you........
Well, I was lucky enough to attend the final round of the J. Walker event in Perth Sunday, and noticed a few things.....
A lot of the players kick sand in the face of the idea that golf is becoming a game where everyone is fit and buff ala Tiger Woods. Stadler looks like he's smuggling pillows in his trousers, Craig Parry looks like a lunchbox with arms, O'Malley the same, and Angel Cabrerra is shaped like a mailbox. They also all hit it pure as anyone around.
Stadlers shot into 18 on the final day is the shot of the year thus far. Granted it was an easy hole, but he hit a 3 iron so high and straight it was sick. It never left the flag and honestly looked to be going in.....He actually was very impressive coming down the stretch, driving it really well despite being noticably nervous. Hats off to you Mr. Stadler. :toast:
It was darn hot in Perth, which makes it even more amazing that Stads came through....Looked a little warm for a lot of the guys out there.
The course was in great shape and is really quite a good modern design. HUGE greens with tons of rolls, excellent bunkering too. It's one of those courses that isn't really a top amateur course, or a major course, but is perfect for the average tour event. Lots of parking, lots of room for grandstands, toilets, etc...No pesky trees blocking views.......Stadium golf at its best....In great condition too....
Ian Poulter has the best clothes of anyone on any tour anywhere. The pants he wore yesterday, black with the Johnny Walker label in yellow on them, were brilliant. Add to that the attention to detail of matching yellow shirt, belt and socks.......Well thats just good style.....More on Poulter later......
Adam Scott hits it awesome. Better then you think he does actually. That being said, he really does struggle with the flat stick, which will keep him from winning a major in the foreseeable future. If Poulter putted for him, they'd win everything. He was hitting a 905R and just killing it, as well as a 3 wood that I hadn't seen before. He hit the 3wood on 10, about 20 yards past both his playing partners drivers.
Nick Flannagan was decked out all Nike, SQ everywhere, but hitting an Ignite with Diamana. Actually, lots of that shaft kicking around, but lots of Aldila and Grafalloy too. A few guys playing the Matrix stuff, but far more with the NV/NVS/Protopype which kinda surprised me. I was talking to a caddy or two that are locals and I know a bit, and one said that he had asked his guy why everyone had ProLites, NV, etc.....His player said that since they play the Euro Tour, they use stuff that keeps the ball down more then the stuff that's used in the States. A lot of them will play a higher launching shaft in the states, but stick with the low launch ProLites of the world when they play in Europe.
Phillip Archer hit two of the worst bunker shots I've ever seen. Both on the par 3 16th. First he hits it fat and leaves it in the bunker, then he tries to get really fancy and hit a high spinner that doesn't, it releases and almost ends up in the lake behind the hole.......Not pretty.....Angel Cabrerra (playing in the same group, and within 5 feet of him in the same bunker off the tee) hit his to 3 feet.....
A group that I followed a fair amount, and that I thought would be really good was Couples, Casey and Parry. Whle they were fun to watch, they all slashed it on Sunday. Couples still gets it out there in a hurry with tons of height and has one of the smoothest actions you'll ever see. It also appears that the ladies still love FC......There was more 35+ beave following Freddy then you'd ever expect to see. I'm sure they all dropped their kids off at the soccer carnival down the road, got their push-up on, jumped in their SUV's and headed out to watch the guy their husbands made them watch in the early 90's and that they all secretly pinned for. Red lipstick and hair-dye were everywhere.
Paul Casey hits it MILES. Thats about all I have to say about him, because he really didn't have his best stuff Sunday. He did keep his composure after a double, but thats about all I noticed.
Poulter is one of the best putters I've ever seen. He really looks like he was born to hold a putter. He also uses some wicked cool blades. Very traditional looking, no flash, no fuss, just nice traditional blades.....A stark contrast to his super-cool pants.....
Sung-Man LEE was some guy playing with Allenby who had a cool looking RAC utility club in his bag with an orange Matrix shaft. No idea what it was, and only saw it when he pulled it thinking he might hit it but didn't, but it looked cool.
Allenby is pretty impressive to watch on home soil. It's almost as if he comes here and expects to win, and his confidence just grows. His 18th hole was a thing of beauty; bomb a tee shot that never looked like it was anyting but perfect, knock it just right of the pin and drain the eagle putt to post -16 in the clubhouse. Lowest round (66) of anyone near the lead.....You just got the feeling that he ran out of holes.....Smashes that Srixon driver of his too......
Raphaël JACQUELIN wears cool pants. Not Poulter cool, but cool.
KJ Choi has a funny little hitch in his swing that is more obvious in person. That being said, he sure hits it well...Except on 10 when he hit the worst smother hook you've ever seen......
Angel Cabrerra melts it off the tee. Seriously, he was by far the longest guy out there this week hitting all PING (TiSi Tec FW) with Protopype in all.
I almost forgot to add this: If you bring a cell phone to a professional event, I hate you. If it rings and you are too stupid to put it on silent, then you deserve to be hit with a shovel. Same goes for bringing babies. As much as you want your 18 month old to enjoy golf, all it wants to do is scream and cry, especially when it's 35*C. Get a baby sitter, or stay home.
And finally this tidbit.......Natalie and I were standing at the range watching a few guy warm up when a caddy walks by. He looks at us, sees the BSG hat and says "Bombsquadgolf. You guys are everywhere" and starts to walk off.....I ask him how he knows about BSG and he smiles and says "My boss checks it now and again to see what everyone thinks of him"
....... :tup:
Anyway, thats all I can think of right now......I'll add to this if I can think of anything else.....
Speirsy11