NOT OT: Bubba's driver off the deck on 18 yesterday

[PThomas]

Better, and riskier:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szjQ1-jS9L8

but a lot of guys can hit that shot Phil with a 3wood, dontcha think?

[Phil McDade]

Better, and riskier:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szjQ1-jS9L8

but a lot of guys can hit that shot Phil with a 3wood, dontcha think?

Paul:

I'm just not all that enamored of drivers off the deck; I'm not sure it's thaaaat hard of a shot. I mean, I've done it successfully a few times, and I'm as bad as it gets. I don't think we see it that much on the Tour because it's too long of a shot for folks, and nearly all of the courses played on Tour don't provide the width and forgiveness that Kapalua does. (And think of the true risk with Watson's shot -- so the ball doesn't cut. It ends up in the spectator stands for a free drop, and an up-and-down for birdie with nothing between him and the hole except ground. Kim risked going in the junk or worse if just a tad short or offline with his shot. Watson played well right of the canyon, bunkers and junk. Kim went OVER the canyon, LEFT of the bunkers, and cleared the junk by about 10 yards.)

[RSLivingston_III]

I am curious as to how this is not OT. It is much better than the football talk, but I am missing the GCA connection.

[Terry Lavin]

Playing around the par five 15th(?) at Olympia Fields North I pushed my tee shot into the right rough and was severely blocked out by the trees and 250+ from the green. My rather beautiful young caddie informed me Woods had hit the green from a similar place in the Open with an iron. I haven't seen the shot but it must have been pretty special. Needless to say I told her not to expect a similar result!

Mark,

I was inside the ropes with Woods that day and saw that shot.  I was walking with Peter Kessler, he of the sonorous tones and self-important bearing.  When Tiger hit the shot, just five feet from us, Kessler turned and not exactly sotto voce, declared, "That's why we came."  To which I replied, in perfect mimic tone, "And to think he did it WITHOUT the Perfect Club."  Not missing a beat, he said, "You know, Tiger's used the Perfect Club, on the range at Isleworth."  "End of Infomercial" was all I said, as we walked around the corner and saw that Tiger's ball was but ten feet from his eagle 3.  Unbelievable.  Maybe not as dramatic as Mickelson's six-iron at Augusta last year (on 13 or 15), but just amazing.

[PThomas]

I am curious as to how this is not OT. It is much better than the football talk, but I am missing the GCA connection.

he used the slope of the fairway to feed the ball to the hole

[JESII]

Terry,

Was a three iron? Or three wood? My recollection from the sofa was three wood.

[Jason Topp]

Why is the course so soft?

Jim:

They had a downpour that morning.  Also there was no tailwind.  It made the course in general far less interesting than normal.

[George Pazin]

Playing around the par five 15th(?) at Olympia Fields North I pushed my tee shot into the right rough and was severely blocked out by the trees and 250+ from the green. My rather beautiful young caddie informed me Woods had hit the green from a similar place in the Open with an iron. I haven't seen the shot but it must have been pretty special. Needless to say I told her not to expect a similar result!

Mark,

I was inside the ropes with Woods that day and saw that shot.  I was walking with Peter Kessler, he of the sonorous tones and self-important bearing.  When Tiger hit the shot, just five feet from us, Kessler turned and not exactly sotto voce, declared, "That's why we came."  To which I replied, in perfect mimic tone, "And to think he did it WITHOUT the Perfect Club."  Not missing a beat, he said, "You know, Tiger's used the Perfect Club, on the range at Isleworth."  "End of Infomercial" was all I said, as we walked around the corner and saw that Tiger's ball was but ten feet from his eagle 3.  Unbelievable.  Maybe not as dramatic as Mickelson's six-iron at Augusta last year (on 13 or 15), but just amazing.

  Thanks for sharing.

Getting the distance right is indeed the most amazing thing to me. It has happened so many times on the 18th there that it almost seems a function of the ground. Not quite sure I can figure out how, however.

[JESII]

Thanks Jason,

I only saw one shot and it splatted dead on one of the greens...the course is really cool to watch when it's firm.

[JNC Lyon]

I am curious as to how this is not OT. It is much better than the football talk, but I am missing the GCA connection.

I think there is a connection if you consider Bubba's shot as an example of "shotmaking."  Yesterday's commentators, particularly Nick Faldo, pointed out that the shot was a great example of shotmaking that players don't use much anymore.  He stated that Bubba is not concerned with swing mechanics as much as he is with hitting different types of shots.  The shot he hit on 18 was anti-mechanical and based completely on feel.  Many people say this concept has disappeared from the pro game, but Bubba's shot yesterday might indicate that it has not.

How does this relate to golf course architecture?  Many writers argue that shotmaking has disappeared in the last few decades.  Some blame new equipment, others blame modern architecture that does not encourage it.  Bubba's second shot on 18 indicates that the right type of architecture can encourage or even force players to think outside mechanics, play by feel, and make shots.  Because it was more than the typical full-swing approach, the shot demonstrates one reason why the 18th at Kapalua can be considered a great golf hole and an example of great architecture.  If great architecture encourages shotmaking, than the 18th at Kapalua (Plantation) certainly qualifies as great.

[CJ Carder]

Not to get off point--but what is there about drivers off the deck?  Does it help your overall game to be able to do that?  A few years back, I watched Vijay warming up at the Masters before an early round and he hit drivers off the deck for 45 minutes.  I have no idea what he was trying to accomplish, since I don't think there are any (many?) drivers off the deck at Augusta.

My understanding is that it's such an incredibly difficult shot to pull off, that you just have to be spot on with your balance / release / angle into the ball / etc.  When you have really tight fairways and tight lies and your contact has to be perfect, it's probably not a bad drill.  I know I've used it myself in the past to help with impact.

[Tim Martin]

Well, I didn't see the shot, but that's a pretty typical shot on the 18th at that course -- one Coore and Crenshaw envisioned with the lay of the land. Els hit a closer one with a huge, sweeping draw (3-wood?) a few years ago.

Watson cuts EVERYTHING -- it's his natural swing.

Phil-Although his natural shot may be a cut this guy shapes it as good or better than anyone in the game today. He can hit all the shots.

[Mike Tanner]

Without the canvas, Watson couldn't have painted the picture. That's why this thread isn't OT.

[JNC Lyon]

Without the canvas, Watson couldn't have painted the picture. That's why this thread isn't OT.

My point exactly in my post above.

[Tim Martin]

This is the video for those who didn't see it:

http://www.pgatour.com/video/r/highlights/top_shots/2011/01/06/mine_11hyundai_rnd1_18_2nd_eag_watson_25804.pgatour/index.html

The replay is from a much cooler angle than the live shot.

OK, I just watched this.  That's exactly what a driver off the deck does.  Like I said, nobody on the planet can hit a draw or a hook (at least not a solid one) with a driver off the deck...aboiut 60% of them slice, 39% of them merely cut and 1% of them go dead straight.  He played the shot perfectly by allowing for the huge slice off that downhill slider lie.

I think Shivas described it perfectly. Back in the day when Lanny Wadkins knew he needed to hit a big slice off the tee he would hit driver off the deck or tee it just above the ground. Few mortals can hit a hook with a driver off the deck, especially a 460 cc driver.  

[Mike Tanner]

Agreed, Mr. Lyon. I wanted to support that position with something a bit more colorful than, "bump."   

[JNC Lyon]

Agreed, Mr. Lyon. I wanted to support that position with something a bit more colorful than, "bump."   

 

[Phil McDade]

Well, I didn't see the shot, but that's a pretty typical shot on the 18th at that course -- one Coore and Crenshaw envisioned with the lay of the land. Els hit a closer one with a huge, sweeping draw (3-wood?) a few years ago.

Watson cuts EVERYTHING -- it's his natural swing.

Phil-Although his natural shot may be a cut this guy shapes it as good or better than anyone in the game today. He can hit all the shots.

Tim:

Agree -- but a cut is his go-to shot. It's basically the shot he uses similar to Hogan's fade -- if he's gotta have a shot, in the crunch, that's what he goes to. Did it a fair amount at last year's PGA.

He's fun to watch, no doubt -- I'd rather watch Bubba play than about 99 percent of the Tour auto-pilots, because he does know how to shape shots. I just didn't think this particular shot was all that amazing, or even difficult, for a guy who's really long, can shape shots, and hits a natural cut.

[Doug Wright]

This is the video for those who didn't see it:

http://www.pgatour.com/video/r/highlights/top_shots/2011/01/06/mine_11hyundai_rnd1_18_2nd_eag_watson_25804.pgatour/index.html

The replay is from a much cooler angle than the live shot.

These guys are good. I hope Bubba wins so they can put a plaque on the spot from which he hit this outstanding shot.

[Tim Gavrich]

The thing that amazed me most about the shot was that he took a little divot!  Some Youtubers commented "best shot ever!!" or something like that and while I wouldn't go anywhere near that far, I'll be surprised if we see five cooler shots this year.

I think that hitting driver off the deck is a lost art; more people should practice it.  If you can hit driver off the deck, you can hit any other shot!  And I like it on certain par 5s better than hitting 3-wood because when you hit driver off the deck, a less-than-perfect shot is not going to go quite as crooked as it would with the 3-wood (at least in my experience), since you effectively have to hit the driver a bit thin.  This also makes it a good play on firmer fairways.  I love hitting it in tournaments--my coach is not so much a fan of the play, though.

[William_G]

My favorite shot to hit at Bandon because of the tight lies is, "driver off the deck". Into the wind on long par 4s or par 5s. Love it!

The shape of the sole of my new driver is very rounded allowing for the club get lower without digging in.

So it's the firm and tight lies at Bandon plus the sole of the club, resulting in a fun shot!

Great shot Bubba!

More people should try it!

Thanks