Ball and club technology have been mentioned here as factors which obliterate classic golf courses where pro game is concerned.

What about steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs?

Does the PGA Tour test for them in a rigorous manner?

NBC just mentioned that the originally 5-9, 150-lb Villegas just put on 25 lbs of muscle. They said he is a workout fiend. What?

While I would love to continue to believe in the purity of golf,  I prefer to use the old Reagan doctrine - Trust but Verify.

BTW - steroids also may also help eye-ball coordination and focus - is what I heard on the radio, but I totally believe it.

It was reported that when Duval bulked up he was also taking creatine which was considered a "supplement" and sold at GNC stores. It supposedly improves what they call "fast twitch muscles."  

I don't know if creatine helps the fast-twitch muscles, but it will certainly help the growth of muscle mass. I would bet that the average person who works out 5 days a week, eats a proper diet, and takes creatine could add 25 pound of muscle in 6-10 months.

The cover story on the 3/04/06 GolfWeek is on the golf fitness craze. Gary Player is incredible. From the article: "In 40 years, his weight has not fluctuated more than two pounds, partly because of the crunches he does with a 100 pound weight on his stomach."

Douglas, the best exercise for me the day before or the day of playing is laps in the pool. Swimming seems to stretch the right muscles and the water is low impact.

It was reported that when Duval bulked up he was also taking creatine which was considered a "supplement" and sold at GNC stores. It supposedly improves what they call "fast twitch muscles."  

Same "creatine" as Mark McGwire, right?  

Craig, I think he was on Andro and the occassional needle from his fellow Bash Brother.

Voytek:  I thought you were referring to the marketing trend a couple of years back where courses were compared to "Pine Valley on steroids" or other such phrases.  I haven't seen it again recently, maybe someone finally got the message that the promotion of steroids has not been a great thing.

Tom: I am glad it made you look at my thread, though.

Even though the steroid problem may be now a minor (or even non-existent) factor considering golf's admirable honor code,  I think it could be a problem in the future.

Pros will need the ever-increasing clubhead speed to succeed, and designer drugs are just the ticket, particularly if they also improve motor skills, which I believe they do.

That means more and more length, even after the equipment performance barrier had been reached.

How much weight did Sergio, Tiger and Phil put on as they got a little older ?

I've self edited this as it could have seemed as if I was trying to imply something else.

If you look at a picture of college Tiger and the Tiger of today there's a striking difference. He talks a lot about working out and his gym routine.  
He's bulked up big time and he chooses clothes now that emphasise that so he doesn't look smaller than the competition.

However I believe in him, and maybe I'm naive, but he's the last one I'd suspect.  So just going on looks alone cannot tell us who is doing what. Hasn't it been the case in many sports that it's the second tier athletes trying to complete at the top, or those who are dominated by their coaches who choose to go down this route?

I think you guys are discussing the wrong tour.  Have you noticed how many mustaches are on the LPGA tour?

Shivas,

Kind of like when your "cubby"  Sammy was with our Texas Rangers?

I remember in the 80s and early 90s reading articles about the rumors of steriod use in baseball and it was generally dismissed, with claims that a guy on steroids would the fine control over muscles necessary to adjust during a swing to hit a breaking ball, that kind of thing.  Well, that turned out to be a load of crap -- though maybe most of the players believed it until McGwire and Bonds started bashing home runs on a daily basis.

So I distrust any "common wisdom" that may hold that golfers can't benefit from steroids because the touch skills like putting would be hurt.  Given that distance for distance's sake has become a larger determinent in success lately due to the all carry/no roll driver trajectory making the FLOG strategy a feasible one, taking steroids and getting an extra 20 yards would seem to be a good strategy for a player who is struggling and needs an advantage.  Not worth the risk for a Tiger or Phil (who could believe Man Boobs takes steroids anyway )  But if 10 years from now a lot of players were doing them, or something similar, the leaders might have to do it to keep up.

I very much doubt the PGA tour tests for drugs, and I think it would take a major scandal to make them start.  Unlike team sports where there are owners and players that act as checks and balances to each other, the pro golfers run the tour, so they'd have to vote to have drug tests on themselves.  Somehow I don't see that happening unless they thought they'd lose TV money, because they probably feel they are above the indignity of peeing in a cup, and would hate the black eye it would bring to the tour when one of their number was caught.  And if they test for steroids, there might be calls to test for other stuff, and if they test for enough that's illegal or questionable that might start to affect more than just the John Dalys on the tour!

BTW, never heard of claims that steroids helped hand/eye coordination though, that's a new one on me.....where do I sign up?

Tom Doak and Tom Paul

I don't know about 'Pine Valley on steroids', but the members at Royal Sydney describe thier course post overhaul as 'viagara'.  It might not be longer, but it is harder!

James B

Chris

I thought an "Amanda Vanstone" was a duffed shot, you know, fat and short (and perhaps effective but not pretty ).

 

James B