"Let's see at Oakmont next June. COuld be the best of both worlds. He will have to hit driver on many holes...."
Jim:
I don't think so, at least not if he doesn't feel like it, and frankly I don't think he will. We played Oakmont in the last month or so and from the tips (other than #4, #7, #10 and #15)----and I doubt Tiger will use driver there, or need to if it's relatively firm and fast).
About halfway around I starting thinking that Woods may not use drive on this course as amazing as that sounds. I think he could even reach the 661 yard 12th hole with a 3 wood and whatever. We just saw him rely on long iron, 5 wood and 3 wood tee shots at the longest course in Major Championship history and win the thing handely.
When we went through Oakmont recently there were a couple of holes that they left with the type of rough they want for the Open as "example" holes and it was so unimaginatively tough they cut it back down.
There's going to be a real premium on fairways and greens at Oakmont if they get that course the way the USGA wants it and if it's like I think it will be Woods can play that just fine without touching his driver. The US Open at Oakmont the way it's going to be set-up is not the type of course anyone wants to be "flogging" the ball off the tees.
I think Woods will use his Medinah game plan at Oakmont and that was a game plan he only touched his driver a few times and even that minimal driver usage didn't benefit him. And that was the longest course in Championship history.
Furthermore, Woods really does amaze me because it's just not hard to see that he just doesn't need to come out of his shoes to hit his driver 320 yards and accurately, and that most every time he swings that driver with balance he hits it just fine and every time he comes out of his shoes he's all over the place. He might have his driver back in control as he did in 2000 and if he does he might win a few more majors by 12 or 15 shots.