June 16, 2013

Jimmy White and the World Snooker Championships (6 finals, 0 wins).

Poor old Phil. Seems like it's just not meant to be. He's had some pretty good chances over the years. That one was up there but I don't agree with his own assessment that it was his best yet. I think Winged Foot is still the one that really got away.

The next one that ends on his birthday is Pebble Beach in 2019. The following year, he'll turn fifty two days before the championship starts at Winged Foot. Of the next seven venues for the US Open, Phil has been second at three of them (Pinehurst, Shinnecock, Winged Foot).

It was nice to see Rose close it out so well. He kept his head while those around him were losing theirs. A sign of the times at the last when he drove to the very spot from which Hogan hit "that shot" with a 1-iron in 1950; Rose hit a 4-iron. Hogan's 1-iron had 17 degrees of loft on it. I don't know the specs of what's in Rose's bag, but standard for a 4-iron these days is 23 degrees and I'd guess his probably isn't any stronger than 21 degrees.

posted by JJ at 10:08 AM on June 17, 2013

Me at life (47 years, 0 wins).

posted by NoMich at 10:43 AM on June 17, 2013

I spent a good bit of time out at Merion this week and was thrilled with how things played out. The players, fans, and everyone else involved were awesome. I'm particularly thankful that Mother Nature took her turn early in the week giving the superintendent and all-star crew a chance. They came through with flying colors, I have to say.

I was pulling for Rose and happy to see him win. In game and character, he's a worthy champion.

Something else worth mentioning because pro athletes deserve credit when they earn it --- Most of the players were incredibly nice, but Els, Bubba, and Boo Weekley earn special notice for signing autographs for every kid in the crosswalk I was near on Tuesday. And extra-special notice for Darren Clarke who not only signed for every kid, but interacted with all of them in a very personable way, as well.

The only thing that sucks is now I have to wait a month for the Open Championship. Muirfield's list of winners ranks with any and it'll be interesting to see who adds their name to that bunch. Varden, Hagen, Player, Nicklaus, Trevino, Watson, Faldo (x2), Els and ___?

posted by 86 at 11:59 AM on June 17, 2013

The Rose of England?

posted by billsaysthis at 12:27 PM on June 17, 2013

Not Posh Spice, Owlie?

posted by billsaysthis at 11:55 AM on June 18, 2013

The changes at Muirfield are interesting. Key things I noticed:

Several holes - the 1st, 6th and 15th - have been made into more acute doglegs. Maybe it's just the way things sit to my eye, but this actually makes the holes easier in my view. The first, from the old tee, for example, I have always found difficult because it's not quite a dogleg. The correct shot from the tee is probably a 3 or 4 iron down to the very slight bend to the right, but it's very hard not to really want to haul off with a driver and let it drift right into that bend. From the new tee, it's an obvious choice - you either hit an iron up to the corner, or you take on a definite shaped cut round the corner. I'm not sure I'm explaining that well, but somehow making the driver tee shot more difficult seems to me to make the choice easier, and in doing so removes the subtle trick those tee shots used to be able to play on dummies like me!

The new tee at the ninth is actually similar although there's no change in angle, but by taking it back 50 yards, it somehow makes it less interesting, because you'd have to really muller it to get it all the way up into the nasty trouble. From the old tee, you're faced with a choice of hitting a long iron short of the trouble and leaving yourself a long second shot, or trying to hit driver over the trouble and through a narrow gap to leave yourself a much shorter shot possibly setting up and eagle. It's a slightly unsubtle solution.

The strangest one I found was at 18. From the old tee, I hit 3-iron to stay short of the bunkers on the left, but managed to get into the first one (at about 260). That's links golf for you. But we went back to the new tee and I hit 3-iron again, and to my amazement, hit it into the same bunker (at +300). When you get up to the fairway you discover a very subtle downward slope from the beginning of the fairway for about 40 yards. Had I hit my iron shots further, I'd have landed on a flatter bit of ground and stayed short of the bunkers; as it was, I was catching that downslope and launching forward into them.

My favourite change is one I wouldn't have really noticed unless I'd asked the question. I thought I was just driving badly so was mostly joking on the tenth tee when I said to my playing partner: "Did this hole get narrower?" He informed me that it had. They've moved the three righthand bunkers 15 yards left to make room for a new chipping practice area for the Open. Naturally, I then smashed one straight right into that practice area. It's very nice, but makes the 10th quite long!

posted by JJ at 05:29 AM on June 19, 2013

which I found quite pleasing when set against the USGA's continued obsession with defending par.

Seconded wholeheartedly.

posted by tahoemoj at 12:47 PM on June 19, 2013

Thanks for all the insight, JJ. It will without a doubt improve my watching experience.

posted by tahoemoj at 11:58 AM on June 20, 2013