Are Trees the Only Defense Against Tiger?

[Phil Benedict]

Various threads bemoan ANGC's strategy of adding trees,  contrary to the trend of removing trees at other classic courses.  Absent US Open style rough, aren't trees the only defense against Tiger?  The first cut creates a bit of uncertainty as to spin but, given that most of Tiger's approach shots are with short irons or wedges, not enough to really hurt him.  Trees, if there are enough of them, can slow him down if he is driving erratically.

[wsmorrison]

Having one of the greatest arsenal of recovery shots in the world aided by his ability to shape shots on demand and his strength, gives him the ability to hit shots others cannot.  He misses more fairways than just about everyone and still wins.  What if he was able to get his driver back on track?  He'll win more than half the time.  Why hasn't he?

[cary lichtenstein]

Why not just plant the trees in the fairway, they won't both Tiger.

[Phil Benedict]

Wayne,

I agree that Tiger is amazing at hitting recovery shots, even from the woods.  But dense woods or strategically placed trees can be a problem even for him.  Rough and fairway bunkers don't seem to bother him as much.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Why does there need to be a defense against Tiger?

[PThomas]

1. have his wife follow him around in a bikini all round

2. food poisoning - that almost got him at Bay Hill, I think he only won by 10 that time

3. have everyone in the gallery write "Tiger who" on the backs of their hats

4. Put Kryptonite in his bag

5. Muzzle Stevie so he  can't threaten those damn photographers

6. have the starter tell him Nike stock went down 50% right before his first tee ball

7.  tell him research just uncovered proves wearing red is a sign of weakness

8. whisper to him "a REALLY good golfer could win hitting his tee shots as short as Corey Pavin"

9.  tell him Mark O'Meara will NOT be able to clean his house this weekend

10.  tell him Jack's 5(?) Australian Open wins have just been added to Jack's total of majors

[Jay Flemma]

11.  Schedule every tournament for a links course other than St. Andrews.

[Phil Benedict]

Jeff,

Interesting philosophical question.  I think the conjunction of a supremely gifted player and modern ball and driver technically have made driver accuracy a non-factor on many courses.  Tiger flat out doesn't have to hit fairways to win golf tournaments on most courses the pros play.  I think this is partly due to the fact that he drives it so far that he only has short irons left to most par 4 greens.  With old technology, the penalty for swinging so hard was much greater because of ball spin.  With a balata ball and wooden driver, Tiger (and everyone else) would have to dial it back to compete because the ball had so much spin.

The argument for a defense against Tiger is that driver accuracy should matter some in competitive golf.  

BTW, I think ANGC is motivated primarily by a desire to protect score against the modern pro in general and Tiger specifically.  He shot 18 under as a 20-year old and they panicked.  They may rationalize the changes with reference to shot values and the like but they care about most is the winning score.

[John Hohman]

There is absolutely no defense against Tiger -- especially trees.

For one, his ability to recover from the trees is second to none. In fact, at times he might hit better shots from the trees than he does from the fairway. When he is in the trees he must focus even more intensley than normal -- and we all know what that means.

For two, the man is so incredibly talented and intelligent that just because the trees are giving him momentary difficulty doesn't mean that he won't adjust his game to take the trees out of play. He isn't senslessly bombing the ball, he is doing it because it gives him the best chance to make birdies. Unless you force him to hit 4 irons off every tee by lining 15 yd fairways with dense trees on either side, Tiger will hit 3-wood/5-wood when needed and be sure to MISS IN THE SAFEST LOCATION with his driver. He's going low no matter what you do.

Maybe, just maybe, the best defense against Tiger is shag-carpet greens. Imagine if he showed up at Agusta and the greens were running, say, 7 on the stimp. It would throw him completely off his game. For a second, at least.

 

[mike_malone]

 If you try to do something to stop Tiger that also causes problems for everyone else in the field it won't work. I think you need to allow clicking cameras and cell phone ringing at PGA Tour events. Since Tiger gets the biggest following he will have the most interruptions. If that fails maybe Dick Cheney should walk along with him; that ought to make him nervous.

[A.G._Crockett]

You're on the wrong track here.  Tiger isn't winning because accuracy doesn't matter, and he hits it farther than anybody else.  He is winning IN SPITE OF HIS INACCURACY because his short game is second to nobody on Earth.  It also happens to be the most exciting golf to watch that I've ever seen, and it's for the same reason that people loved watching Palmer more than Nicklaus.

He is inaccurate, IMO, because he is still finishing a swing change.  He is somewhat more accurate now that he was a year ago, and his winning % shows it.  In another year, he might be completely untouchable.

But in any event, the harder you make a golf course, the more you favor the best player(s).  If you want to Tigerproof a course (though I don't know why you would) then make every single hole a 360 yd. par 4 with a dead flat green and no trouble anywhere.

[wsmorrison]

You're on the wrong track here.  Tiger isn't winning because accuracy doesn't matter, and he hits it farther than anybody else.  He is winning IN SPITE OF HIS INACCURACY because his short game is second to nobody on Earth.  It also happens to be the most exciting golf to watch that I've ever seen, and it's for the same reason that people loved watching Palmer more that Nicklaus.

He is inaccurate, IMO, because he is still finishing a swing change.  He is somewhat more accurate now that he was a year ago, and his winning % shows it.  In another year, he might be completely untouchable.

But in any event, the harder you make a golf course, the more you favor the best player(s).  If you want to Tigerproof a course (though I don't know why you would) then make every single hole a 360 yd. par 4 with a dead flat green and no trouble anywhere.

Well done, AGC.  Your post sums it up correctly, for me at any rate.

[John Hohman]

"He is winning IN SPITE OF HIS INACCURACY because his short game is second to nobody on Earth."

I don't buy it. I'm not saying that he won't become more accurate, but, lets face it, how more accurate could he possible become -- 5-10% maybe. That still doesn't make him especially accurate (He'll be about 100th statistically if he improves by 10%). As fairways narrow, it will be increasingly more difficuly to increase accuracy without sacrificing distance. He simply hits it too hard and too far to become very accurate with a driver.  

Accuracy just doesn't really matter, especially in comparison to how much distance does matter. The man led in Doral with 80% GIRs! So, its not like he was having to get up and down from all over the place to keep himself in contention.

And, one more note: Why would such an intelligent player choose to sacrifice accuracy for distance if it was such a hinderance to his play? Answer: He wouldn't.

[Matt_Cohn]

If you want to know what courses Tiger thinks don't fit his game, just look at which tournaments he chooses not to play, right? (Pretty much...)

[Jim Nugent]

If you want to know what courses Tiger thinks don't fit his game, just look at which tournaments he chooses not to play, right? (Pretty much...)

Maybe, though my guess is that he chooses not so much by course, but by tournament.  Like Nicklaus, he gears his schedule around the majors.  He wants to peak for them.  Doesn't he usually skip the week before, so he can prepare?  That has little or nothing to do with the courses.  

Overall, which top courses does Tiger not play?  

[mike_malone]

 Colonial seems to be the only good course he misses each year. My guess is Mastercard versus American Express is the likely answer. The only reason I see for his appearance at Warwick Hills is the sponsor. That course seems Tiger proof according what people have said. Other than that course most of his U.S. choices are top courses.

  Harbor Towne always comes after the Masters and Westchester often before The U.S. Open so that could be why he misses those gems.

  But, I think you can see he usually doesn't play those boring TPC courses.

   I know Wachovia is trying to get him to that course which seems like a good test.

    Why should he fear anyone, anywhere ?