Better Designer: Mickelson or Woods?

[Matt_Cohn]

Geoffshackelford.com caught an article about Phil Mickelson's plans as a golf course designer. It sounds like he'll have some top-quality properties and projects. And, we all know about Woods' first effort in Dubai.

So, the question is: between Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, who will become the better designer?

[PThomas]

Phil is given at least half credit for one of the Whisper Rock courses in Az...

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Depends on who has the better staff.  PM used Gary Stephenson at the highly acclaimed first course at Whisper Rock in AZ. TW is supposedley using Fazio's staff in Dubai.

From the golfweek article:

 Mickelson is working on River Rock with golf course architects Todd Schoeder and Jeff Zimmerman of Design Workshop, a Denver-based company. Architect Gary Stephenson of Dallas, who collaborated on Whisper Rock, will work with Mickelson on Cabo and also has been very active in the Palmwood project.

[tlavin]

They're both pretty smart and responsible men.  They both seem to have great vision and they've surely built up a reservoir of knowledge on the subject, but whoever doesn't want to work hardest on his game has the best chance to become the best designer because he'll have more time to devote to getting better at the job.  That means that Phil will kick Tiger's ass.  That's about the only way he might kick his ass though...

[Kevin Pallier]

How big is your crystal ball ?

[Kalen Braley]

It appears Lefty isn't quite as Hefty before.  Take a look at this:

"The last three or four months, I've done a lot with my trainer, Sean Cochran, to address that," Mickelson said at the news conference "I immediately lost 20, 25 pounds and put on about 10 to 15 more with muscle from lifting."

[cary lichtenstein]

Impossible question because they each have a full time committment to their games and advertisers, so until they do a Ben Crenshaw/Tom Weiskopf, neither will actually be responsible for the work that he supposedly produces, it will be their "ghost architects"

[Jordan Wall]

It appears Lefty isn't quite as Hefty before.  Take a look at this:

"The last three or four months, I've done a lot with my trainer, Sean Cochran, to address that," Mickelson said at the news conference "I immediately lost 20, 25 pounds and put on about 10 to 15 more with muscle from lifting."

Down to a B-Cup now...

[JR Potts]

It appears Lefty isn't quite as Hefty before.  Take a look at this:

"The last three or four months, I've done a lot with my trainer, Sean Cochran, to address that," Mickelson said at the news conference "I immediately lost 20, 25 pounds and put on about 10 to 15 more with muscle from lifting."

30ish man.....gaining 10-15 lbs of muscle....I've seen this before.  Now if he can keep his scores under the record breaking number the other man set.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I am not sure how to even run with this. We do not know their staff makeup or time committments etc to the business. Neither have spoke a great deal of their vision as to what great architecture is. However Tiger does seem to grasp that last component better than Phil.

[Martin Del Vecchio]

It appears Lefty isn't quite as Hefty before.  Take a look at this:

"The last three or four months, I've done a lot with my trainer, Sean Cochran, to address that," Mickelson said at the news conference "I immediately lost 20, 25 pounds and put on about 10 to 15 more with muscle from lifting."

I haven't seen the new Phil yet, and until I do, I will file this comment in the same folder that holds the "I hit it 30 yards farther with this new driver" comment.

[Matthew Hunt]

Has Brad Faxon did any courses?

[Kalen Braley]

It appears Lefty isn't quite as Hefty before.  Take a look at this:

"The last three or four months, I've done a lot with my trainer, Sean Cochran, to address that," Mickelson said at the news conference "I immediately lost 20, 25 pounds and put on about 10 to 15 more with muscle from lifting."

30ish man.....gaining 10-15 lbs of muscle....I've seen this before.  Now if he can keep his scores under the record breaking number the other man set.

Maybe they do need Roid testing in golf.  I'm no expert in the matter, but its my understanding that even putting on 1-2 lbs of muscle per month is pretty darn good, and phil did 10-15 in 3 months?

I sure hope this won't affect his entrance to the Golf Hall of Fame like Big Mac  

[Garland Bayley]

Has Brad Faxon did any courses?

google brad faxon architect turns up the first entry as
www.boothgolf.com/about.html

[Joel_Stewart]

PM used Gary Stephenson at the highly acclaimed first course at Whisper Rock in AZ. TW is supposedley using Fazio's staff in Dubai.

Is this true that Tiger is using Fazio's staff?   What does that mean, he isn't using Tom Fazio himself, only his labor?  The mock up with Tiger standing next to the golf course model didn't look that interesting.  You would have thought he would build 100 foot high sand dunes in Dubai but it looks like a development in Florida.

As for Whisper Rock, I have played it and talked with Gary Stephenson about it.  I really enjoyed it, the greens which Phil supposdly designed and helped shape are fantastic as well as the massive chipping areas around the greens.  There are a few strange quirky things on the course, a big out of place rock in front of the green on #9 and some weird walls on other holes but otherwise it is one of the best facilities in all of Arizona.

[Garland Bayley]

To a certain extent it depends on how smart and observant they are. Tiger of course went to Stanford and studied business. Lefty went to Arizona State and studied psychology. The academic rigors of Stanford may give Tiger an edge, but the subject matter may give Lefty the edge. The Stanford intellectual may not have as much an edge as you might think, because when Lefty scheduled a golf match with Bill Gates, he said having an opportunity to play with the world smartest man was a great opportunity, and that he was sure Bill would be pleased to have such an opportunity.
 
Just thought I would share a little chuckle I found in GD.  

[peter_p]

Golfweek's Forecaddie reports Tiger will receive $26 million for the work in Dubai, plus an undetermined share of the the real estate. Animus for Ernie and Phil?

[Gary Slatter]

My bet is Phil, because he will be doing full time sooner than Tiger.