Shiv:

Hah--that sure got you didn't it!  

I'd love to see you and Wigler tee it up against Wie. I don't know what type of players you guys are except some say you're long but I'd just love to see where you hit it compared to her. I'd also love to see what would happen if the two of you went head to head against Wie on the flat in either stroke play or match play! And for a kid that plays at her level it seems to me she really can't chip or putt for shit!!  

I played last week with a guy who "lined up" his long (60 foot+) chips and putts by standing at the mid pointperpendicular to the line, and holding two clubs parallel to the ground, viewing them with intense care.  I never had thee courage to ask him what he was doing, but as he had a very good round I assume it helped him, at least psychologically.  Anybody else seen this sort of pre shot routine?

PS--if Wigler can get a club head speed of 164, and Wie can do 148, why, oh why, is the USGA confining its testing to 120?

I've got to tell you guys the ultimate "no pre-shot routine" story that still kills me to think about. A good old friend of mine now--Mike Tiernan--from Delray Beach (Gulf Stream G.C. and Maidstone) was an excellent tennis player and a near All-America lacrosse player at UNC and he decided at maybe 30 or so to give up tennis and get into golf. He understands competition as well as anyone I know--he knows course management now as well as any one I know. He made a dedicated study of what it took to get good at golf--he hung out with some good players and picked their brains and observed them carefully when he was starting to learn golf.

But for some reason he never did learn the importance of some kind of "pre-shot routine" IF ONLY to get himself started to hit the ball. He used to get sort of locked up over the ball, sometimes just flailing around aimlessly and sometimes was unable to take it back--he'd back away, start again, whatever.

So one time on the 15th tee at Gulf Sream many years ago he got up to hit his tee shot and couldn't do it. He backed away, got up again, had the club sort of moving all over the place without any purpose. He backed away again, got up to the ball again, started sweating profusely and finally screamed "OH GOD!"

Now the guys he was playing with were experienced golfers, his friends, and we're looking at this in fascination and looking at each other in amazement. Finally, Charlie Neff, a very funny guy says to Mike; "Mike, stop that stuff and just go over there behind that tree and wack off because that's about all you haven't done yet!!".

Of course all of us fell on the ground laughing our asses off including Mike. And immediately following that we taught him the importance of a set pre-shot procedure to be followed the same way every time including some little starting key like a forward press or perhaps a little Gary Player left leg kick to get himself going. He did all that and has been a fine golfer ever since!

Shivas -

54?

I'll admit what Wie does before hitting a shot ("pre-shot routine") is different and far more time consuming than just a swing trigger. It is that although it definitely is a great education in mini swing mechanics. Most all these young Asian gals seem to do somewhat the same thing as Wie does and they even have their Dad's, caddies or all those things combined into a "on the bag" swing coach behind them to line them up on all their long shots and putts too.

That's definitely unnecassary and while I was walking PCC with a young lady from my club who's one of the best players in the city she mentioned watching Wie practice and there were people around here to line her up, tee the ball up for her, wipe her brow etc. I said to that friend you've got to be kidding about all of that--and she said, Nope, all of that. I wonder if Michelle has a key somewhere to turn her on and off?

TEPaul,

I'm going to tee it up with Wigler and Shivas next week....that will be very similar to them teeing it up with Wie! I feel like I hit like a 13 y/o girl....

Joe

I don't get it. I have a swing speed of 95 mph, and I tried every driver, every shaft and every ball. My irons go exactly the same as always, 7 iron is 155 yards, 4 iron is 184 yards, driver goes further than the old persimmon woods. I get about 230 in the air plus another 20 yards roll on normal fairways.

I am 6 feet tall, weight is 185 pounds. Anyway who can get me to 300 yards gets $1000.

I have had the great pleasure of playing with both Shivas and Dave Wigler. Both are impressively long and I stand in awe of their long hitting, but neither of them hit it over three hundred yards when I played with them.  i do remember Don Mahaffey being a yard or so in front of David, but they still did not reach the magic three hundred mark.

Of course this was at sea level on fairways that were not hard and fast.

Guys, the girl is longer.

"but I've played with Wigs enough to know that he's got a ball speed well in excess of Wie's 148.  

Shv:

And just how do you know that? Do you and Wigler carry a little ball speed tester around with you? I think this whole thing is hilarious. Maybe the first thing you should do before having your manhood threatened and getting all defensive is to go see her hit the ball--she probably really can blow it by you, Wigler and Matt Ward too! Golf will never cease fascinate me-- a 13 year old girl phenom is threatening the manhood of distance proud male golfers all over America!

This is very funny!

This reminds me of what my father always said after a round of golf:

"I averaged 300 yard tee shots today.....150 up, and 150 back down."

Dave, the mother of all pre-shot routines, Gib.  Enough said!

Shivas,

I received two calls at home this weekend telling me to violate my self-imposed no GCA ban on Saturday or Sunday and help you out.  The theoretical maximum ball speed with a .83 driver is 150% of club head speed.  Therefore, Wie's club head speed is 98 - 105 mph.  I have gone to three different professional club fittings.  In each case, my club head speed was 109 - 114 and my ball speed 160 - 165 (I lose some power from a flawed swing).  There is no human way Wie hits it past me.  If she averaged 306.5, then they definitely measured the two holes that were down hurricane, downhill, and last watered during the Clinton administration.  That is not ego, just fact.  How does the match go...she beats me 4 and 3 but is at least ten yards behind me off every tee - same goes for Shivas!