Questions to Ponder

[Kenny B]

I am posting this article by Mike Purkey in today's Morning Read because he raises some interesting questions.  Comments on any of them, or do you have a new question to pose?

 

Plenty of Open-ended questions to ponder

 

By MIKE PURKEY  | June 19, 2019

 

Questions while staying up late to watch the U.S. Open:

Yes, Pebble Beach captures our imagination, but isn’t it really a seven-hole golf course? Paul Azinger said on Fox that players would have 8-10 approach shots with wedges each day. Doesn’t that make Pebble as outdated as Merion?

© GOLFFILE/KEN MURRAY

Matt Kuchar leaves Pebble Beach still searching for a major championship.

Is Matt Kuchar too nice to win majors? Or is he so ultracompetitive that he maxes out his abilities?

Did Gary Woodland win the U.S. Open when he chipped in for par at No. 12 on Saturday? Or when he reached the par-5 14th in two on Sunday?

How much do you think Tiger Woods was hurting physically at the Open? Mentally?

Do you think Axis1 is getting a lot of orders for the putter that Justin Rose used at the Open? (It’s the Axis1 Rose, and it’s a gentle $449, claw grip not included.)

Have you ever seen a world-class player hit it as badly and score as well as Rose did? Does it make you want to go practice your short game?

Anybody seen Bubba Watson?

Aren’t you glad that Graeme McDowell made that putt on the 72nd hole at the RBC Canadian Open that got him into the British Open in his hometown of Portrush, Northern Ireland?

Say what you will about Brooks Koepka and his brute strength, but doesn’t he qualify as one of the two or three best putters on the PGA Tour? Have you tried running your index finger down the putter grip?

Don’t you wish that announcers would stop calling them “fairway metals”? No, they’re not made of wood, but irons aren’t made of iron, either.

Is it “good shot” or “nice shot”?

Whom are you buying: Viktor Hovland or Matthew Wolff?

The LPGA has a Korea problem. Whose fault is that? The LPGA’s? The media’s? The players’? The fans’? Should the LPGA encourage the players to speak English and give interviews? Should the media try harder to introduce the players to the public? Should the players step up and give back to the LPGA for the opportunity they’ve been given? Should American fans be more open-minded?

Which do you think Koepka likes more: the way he plays or the way he looks? Wouldn’t he look better if he got rid of that bulge in his left cheek that’s likely filled with some kind of tobacco product? Isn’t spitting unbecoming in a major champion?

Is it looking more and more like 2015 was just one magical year for Jordan Spieth and probably won’t be repeated?

Anybody seen Cameron Champ?

What happened to saddle oxfords? Do you miss them?

© GOLFFILE/KEN MURRAY

Rory McIlroy leaves Pebble Beach with some unanswered questions.

Isn’t Rory McIlroy really a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma? Is he the most physically talented player out there? If anyone can figure out why he can’t perform at the top level in the biggest events, would you please tell him?

Is Lexi Thompson the Rory McIlroy of the LPGA?

Ernie Els says that now that he’s 50, he’s going to play events on the Champions Tour. Isn’t that the best gift that tour could have received? Don’t you think PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan is putting a gentle full-court press on Phil Mickelson to join the Champions a year from now? What’s the likelihood that happens?

Anybody seen Lydia Ko?

What do you think the percentage is of players who were out of the running in the final round of the U.S. Open who didn’t try their hardest?

Did you have to stay up past your bedtime to watch the U.S. Open on television?

Mike Purkey has written about golf for more than 30 years for a number of publications, including Golf Magazine and Global Golf Post. He lives in Charlotte, N.C. Email: [email protected]; Twitter: @mikepurkeygolf

[sixcat]

I will offer my opinion on a few of these questions, in no particular order.  

• Doesn’t that make Pebble as outdated as Merion?  The short answer is, yes!  Not to mention that if Pebble were inland and not on the ocean, none of us are likely to have ever heard of it.
• Is Matt Kuchar too nice to win majors or is he so ultracompetitive that he maxes out his abilities?  Kuchar is a solid Tour pro with no distinguishing traits to separate him from the pack of other solid Tour pro's.  Kuchar is just a regular Joe!  He gets more out of less than almost anyone else on Tour.  I still think he's an ass who has done an exceptional job of masking the fact that he is an ass though.
• Isn’t Rory McIlroy really a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma? Is he the most physically talented player out there? If anyone can figure out why he can’t perform at the top level in the biggest events, would you please tell him?  Rory stopped being "Rory" when he changed his body.  Not a popular opinion but one I firmly believe!
• Is it looking more and more like 2015 was just one magical year for Jordan Spieth and probably won’t be repeated? Spieth is the poster child for "feel" players.  He moved completely away from playing a feel game and became far too technical after watching Jason Day obliterate the field at Whistling Straits.  If he can get back to playing the game with the feel he did in 2015 rather than studying yardage books and trying to mimic positions like the 24 handicapper in the elevator, he can be the Spieth of 2015 again.  If he continues this "technical" BS he's been chasing the past couple of years, he will continue to be what we see right now.
• The LPGA has a Korea problem. Whose fault is that? The LPGA’s? The media’s? The players’? The fans’? Should the LPGA encourage the players to speak English and give interviews? Should the media try harder to introduce the players to the public? Should the players step up and give back to the LPGA for the opportunity they’ve been given? Should American fans be more open-minded?  The first person who needs to be more "open-minded" is the person who wrote the opening line of this ridiculous question!  The LPGA doesn't have a Korean "problem."  Like any other women's sport, they are seeking a seat at a table completely dominated by men.  Where those women are from has no bearing.  Most men still wouldn't watch if every player were 6 foot, blonde and from Texas.  To be honest, I watch with my daughter and enjoy it more than any non-major PGA Tour event!
• Is Lexi Thompson the Rory McIlroy of the LPGA?  Lexi hasn't been "Lexi" since the USGA screwed up her mind!

Just my opinions, however brief they are.

[THEZIPR23]

 Pebble Beach captures our imagination, but isn’t it really a seven-hole golf course? Paul Azinger said on Fox that players would have 8-10 approach shots with wedges each day. Doesn’t that make Pebble as outdated as Merion? Yes, it's not even the best course on 17 mile drive

Is Matt Kuchar too nice to win majors? Or is he so ultracompetitive that he maxes out his abilities? I think he plays as good as he can every time he tees it up. He may just not be good enough to win a major

Did Gary Woodland win the U.S. Open when he chipped in for par at No. 12 on Saturday? Or when he reached the par-5 14th in two on Sunday? 12 & putt 14 on Saturday. Those 2 shots change his whole mentality and approach for remainder of tourney. 

How much do you think Tiger Woods was hurting physically at the Open? Mentally? Hurt but not injured. Something he will deal with forever. 

Do you think Axis1 is getting a lot of orders for the putter that Justin Rose used at the Open? (It’s the Axis1 Rose, and it’s a gentle $449, claw grip not included.) Yes but not for me. 

Have you ever seen a world-class player hit it as badly and score as well as Rose did? Does it make you want to go practice your short game? This happens every week, we just don't see it because most of the time the guys that are doing it aren't in the lead. 

Anybody seen Bubba Watson? 3 wins last year, top 15 at Masters and 2 other top tens this year. He is doing fine. 

Aren’t you glad that Graeme McDowell made that putt on the 72nd hole at the RBC Canadian Open that got him into the British Open in his hometown of Portrush, Northern Ireland? Yes

Say what you will about Brooks Koepka and his brute strength, but doesn’t he qualify as one of the two or three best putters on the PGA Tour? Have you tried running your index finger down the putter grip? Incredible putter. 

Don’t you wish that announcers would stop calling them “fairway metals”? No, they’re not made of wood, but irons aren’t made of iron, either. What should we call them?

Is it “good shot” or “nice shot”? Both

Whom are you buying: Viktor Hovland or Matthew Wolff? Both

The LPGA has a Korea problem. Whose fault is that? The LPGA’s? The media’s? The players’? The fans’? Should the LPGA encourage the players to speak English and give interviews? Should the media try harder to introduce the players to the public? Should the players step up and give back to the LPGA for the opportunity they’ve been given? Should American fans be more open-minded? Not touching this one. 

Which do you think Koepka likes more: the way he plays or the way he looks? Wouldn’t he look better if he got rid of that bulge in his left cheek that’s likely filled with some kind of tobacco product? Isn’t spitting unbecoming in a major champion? Obviously he ran out of questions to come up with. 

Is it looking more and more like 2015 was just one magical year for Jordan Spieth and probably won’t be repeated? He has struggled and had flashes of brilliance. I like him but he may have hit his peak potential already. 

Anybody seen Cameron Champ? Not surprising. Golf is not a one dimensional game. 

What happened to saddle oxfords? Do you miss them? Best looking golf shoes

Isn’t Rory McIlroy really a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma? Is he the most physically talented player out there? If anyone can figure out why he can’t perform at the top level in the biggest events, would you please tell him? Rory is his own worst enemy. 

Is Lexi Thompson the Rory McIlroy of the LPGA? See Rory above. 

Ernie Els says that now that he’s 50, he’s going to play events on the Champions Tour. Isn’t that the best gift that tour could have received? Don’t you think PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan is putting a gentle full-court press on Phil Mickelson to join the Champions a year from now? What’s the likelihood that happens? I don't see the top players going to Champions tour when they can still compete on regular tour. 

Anybody seen Lydia Ko? Golf is hard and getting harder on LPGA. 

What do you think the percentage is of players who were out of the running in the final round of the U.S. Open who didn’t try their hardest? None just watch Rose on 18 when tourney was already over. 

Did you have to stay up past your bedtime to watch the U.S. Open on television? Nope West coast.