Tiger plays 'conventional' golf. Does it matter?

[MisterS3]

I'm watching golf at the moment and i am noticing all the different styles of golfers, and it got me thinking about some of the guys i've played with who either have:
a) a bag full of woods/hybrids at the expense of long irons
b) a belly/broom putter
c) a 2ball or some other larger non-anser style putter.
etc.

Now my point is not to have a go at any of the above - i fit into those categories above, and appreciate why we as casual golfers use such clubs, but the question is whether its a coincidence that the best player in the world has what i would call a conventional bag? And further he plays quite conventional style i.e his putter grip etc.

I also noted Adam Scott (who seems to be the pundits choice for next world no.1) plays a very similar style to Tiger.

Obviously golf is about getting the ball in the hole and there is no column for style and method. But it just got me thinking about at the top level with all these guys trying different putter, grips etc. (Vijay and Sergio being best examples) whether using the 'conventional' method would suit them best?

[Mike]

Just caught 5 mins when making a cup of tea earlier. I actually thought exactly the same when I saw Tiger putting (the birdie that got him to -1). Conventional putter, stance, swing etc. Here's me looking for gimmicks to cure my putting ills. That one sight alone has convinced me it's all in my head.

As to hybrids and the like I can't really comment as I've never tried them - though of coruse as an illustrious member on here always reminds us, it's about scoring (one and same as enjoyment?) so if four hybrids and a chipper is your fancy then all well and good.

As to the top pro's putting I read an article in a golf mag this month from some celebrated putter makers and they reckoned that 'confidence' was the single greatest asset a putter could give a guy. So, maybe if the likes of Sergio has 'lost it' with conventional sticks he has to keep searching!

[Stu-Pid]

Tiger isn't a great putter because he uses a conventional grip, he's just naturally a great putter. I suspect that he could switch to any putter, any grip and any length and still be just as good.

Chances are that any pro who is using a non-standard grip or non-anser style putter has previously played with, and struggled with, a more conventional approach. You only tend to change something in golf if it's not working*.







* or if a newer and more shiny model is released... :D

[StickMan]

Hear what you trying to say however to judge if there is any correlation between ‘conventional bag’ and others IMO would be hard to judge. Perhaps knowledge of what the past top players used would be a better indication, rather than that of pundits future predictions? Anyone know? :rolleyes:

You could also argue that style and method of play is very much unique to every player as we are all different but again you may be right in some sort of generalisaton. It’s an interesting perspective, but one which will always be objective not to mention controversial.

[Cliche Guevara]

Tiger has been using basically the same putting style since he was young, honed with his dad, its the one area that Butch Harmon didnt touch when he took over as his coach (dont know if Haney has done anything on this score).

Adam Scott was a disciple of Harmans and im sure there is no surprise as to why they both play similarly

[golf_bhoy]

Wasn't David Duval playing a "conventional bag" when he "disappeared"? So if it worked for Woods but not Duval, what conclusions can we draw? No safe ones.

"What's In The Bag?" (The Golf Channel last night) had a hybrid/FW special and asked Nicklaus a few questions. I wasn't sure if they were trying to get him to advocate, or find if he used (in his prime), hybrids.

I'm sure he was a long iron man but hit those a lot higher than his peers, so could stop the ball on the greens where they couldn't. Maybe that's what they trying to get from him; hitting the ball higher is good and hybrids will do that for us.

Woods is the same now with the long irons. He already has the shot shape/height produced by hybrids, in his bag. I don't. Do you?

[MisterS3]

I wasn't really questioning us and what we use (although lighter shafts - like the speedsteps in my pro combos will send the ball plenty high!).

Just asking whether at the top end of the game, keeping it simple or conventional is the best way? Talent aside.

Aside - Looking at my bag, i seem to have taken the 'conventional' route bar the hybrid (which i'm looking to replace!)- and thus could have possibly been influenced by the conventional approach.

[golf_bhoy]

OK, so it's a straight comparison between Woods and Duval then, both with conventional bags.

J/K. You can't tell anything "talent aside" since that is (nearly) all that separates the top players from one another.

Another deciding factor in the irons v hybrids decision would be money. How much extra do any of these guys get for sticking a hybrid in their bag? No we'll probably never know and should not draw the conclusioin they're all carrying hybrids because the clubs are user-friendly.

As for putting ... Frank's nailed that one I think. The only ones I see unconventional are those who've had problems with conventional clubs and styles in the past.

[Chip_Unsure]

Interesting thread.

Adam Scott is a great player- in fact probably my favourite player right now. However he is a total clone of Tiger when you look at their swings. Check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZecViQxUwss

Even his bag has a very similar set up I believe.

As for equipment, Tiger is not quite as "pure" as he used to be. I have read that he's no longer consistently playing with a 2 iron, and at times favours a 5 wood as well as a 3, and has even been testing a utility club.

I guess it's simply playing the clubs that work for you. My twist is playing a 16deg rescue in place of a fairway wood and the a 20 deg and 4 iron down. Fairway woods don't seem to agree with me.

[eggs]

"What's In The Bag?" (The Golf Channel last night) had a hybrid/FW special and asked Nicklaus a few questions. I wasn't sure if they were trying to get him to advocate, or find if he used (in his prime), hybrids.

I'm sure he was a long iron man but hit those a lot higher than his peers, so could stop the ball on the greens where they couldn't. Maybe that's what they trying to get from him; hitting the ball higher is good and hybrids will do that for us.

Woods is the same now with the long irons. He already has the shot shape/height produced by hybrids, in his bag. I don't. Do you?

I've seen it reported several times that Nicklaus used softer shafts in some of his longer irons than in the rest of the set, which may (or may not, of course) have contirbuted to his prowess in this regard.
The same references indicate that other pros at the time did not shaft their clubs in this way - how true this is I couldn't say.
Also should be taken into consideration that today's 3-iron has the same loft as a 2-iron from them days and, correct me if I'm wrong as I don't know too much about set make up from that period, there wasn't much call for extra wedges. So players chose 3 woods, 2 to SW, putter and... a.n. other - possibly a 1-iron? (today's 2-iron).

As for carrying and using long irons, or any club for that matter, surely it only matters that a) you can use them effectively and b) the course you are going to play is likely to require those shots that these clubs produce.
I can only assume that as pros - touring pros in this case - are going to be able to hit pretty much any club as well as it's possible to, they'll generally choose a long iron due to the control and accuracy they can get with it over using a more forgiving but less easy to tightly control hybrid or lofted wood, hence the 'conventional'-looking bag of the better player.
For many handicappers, it's likely to be the other way round.

And for the record, my game bears no resemblance to Woods' whatsoever but he has started using a 5-wood for some tournaments in the last year or so (surely a hybrid is just around the corner for him.... :D )

[Mike]

Here's a thought

Playing 'conventional' golf is the way to go. It offers the best return on effort in terms of accuracy and control.

All the Pros aspire to play this way but, not being perfect, they have weaknesses that they overcome with clubs lacking 'purity'.

Tiger is the best golfer on the planet and thus has the skill to play any game he sees fit.

[Longshot]

Remember the famous quote about Golf being 90% mental and the other 10% is mental too ?

Do what works for you.

Vijay became World No.1 with a broomhandle putter.

[Marker]

A lot of players need the hybrids to get the ball high from distance.
I doubt Tiger will move to them as he hits the ball high anyway.
I admire him for playing golf the traditional way and taking golf to the next level.

Having said that if we had dismissed new clubs and technology we would still be playing with hickory shafted mashies and such.