Bryson "The Driver Sucks"; Cobra rep follows up on their side

[hrfdez]

I praised my driver today after a smooth 77

[chisag]

18 hours ago, russtopherb said:

That's not an apology.

That's an "oh crap I'm very close to costing myself a LOT of money so I better have my agent write something for me ASAP" statement.

 

... I think it was more of an ... all these people at Cobra have bent over backwards for me, loved me like a spoiled child when I have tantrums, backed me up through thick and thin and have always been there for me. I realized after my last tantrum that I made public instead of private that I had really pi$$ed them off and hurt them professionally but even more so, I hurt them personally so I kinda apologized.

... Fwiw, when I play with really long hitters it is always a mixed bag. Yes, hitting the ball 300+ off the tee can be a huge advantage but it also brings in trouble most golfers do not have to deal with. On many holes if I hit it 260 and just off line I might be in the first cut or maybe the light rough. On that exact same line, 310+ puts them in the trees or worse. 325-360 brings all kinds of trouble into play that are really not the holes design. Really big hitters rarely take out an iron and almost always use driver on every hole because it can be such a weapon, but honestly I am a little surprised they don't choose when to attack and when to be conservative. And Bryson hits it waaaaay off line and it is clearly not the drivers fault. He is the epitome of Go Big or Go Home and of course he has done both. 

[Shankster]

53 minutes ago, MattWillGolf said:

Brooks Koepka post round interview today. " Drove the ball great. Love my driver." 

Love that.
 

I saw a tweet about BK shoulda showed up with a Cobra driver and hit every fairway.  Would have been outstanding for their little whatever the heck it is they have going on.

[tony@CIC]

18 hours ago, russtopherb said:

That's not an apology.

That's an "oh crap I'm very close to costing myself a LOT of money so I better have my agent write something for me ASAP" statement.

I agree - maybe the word came down to him  -if you don't like it go somewhere else. 

[TBS]

1 hour ago, tony@CIC said:

I agree - maybe the word came down to him  -if you don't like it go somewhere else. 

Funny thought - who would Bryon's next sponsor be?

 

Funny ones I've thought of:

PXG - Imagine the commercials between Bryson and Bob Parsons!

XXIO - because no other equipment company wants him

TourEdge - they need to break into sponsoring "younger" athletes

Honma - Bryson begins doing more Asian tour events and redefines his image overseas

[Lacassem]

11 minutes ago, TBS said:

Funny thought - who would Bryon's next sponsor be?

 

Funny ones I've thought of:

PXG - Imagine the commercials between Bryson and Bob Parsons!

XXIO - because no other equipment company wants him

TourEdge - they need to break into sponsoring "younger" athletes

Honma - Bryson begins doing more Asian tour events and redefines his image overseas

I would put some cash on Honma for sure. Nice thought process there.

[The 19th Hole]

52 minutes ago, TBS said:

Funny thought - who would Bryon's next sponsor be?

 

Funny ones I've thought of:

PXG - Imagine the commercials between Bryson and Bob Parsons!

XXIO - because no other equipment company wants him

TourEdge - they need to break into sponsoring "younger" athletes

Honma - Bryson begins doing more Asian tour events and redefines his image overseas

What no Taylormade - So they can put like 6 more models out a year?

 

 

[HeathS16]

Idk why I love Brooks’ pettiness so much, but I’m here for it. Bryson legit manufactured his own coffin this week and then lied down in it.

[funkyjudge]

On 7/16/2021 at 4:05 PM, TBS said:

Funny thought - who would Bryon's next sponsor be?

 

Funny ones I've thought of:

PXG - Imagine the commercials between Bryson and Bob Parsons!

XXIO - because no other equipment company wants him

TourEdge - they need to break into sponsoring "younger" athletes

Honma - Bryson begins doing more Asian tour events and redefines his image overseas

I know David Glod, CEO and Chief Club Designer at Tour Edge Golf quite well ( I have been a Tour Edge Fitter/Dealer for more than a decade). Glod is a nice guy, but he would put up with Bryson and his nonsense for about ten minutes before telling him to take a hike.

Bob Parsons of PXG with Bryson could be a really interesting pairing ... at least until the inner Marine in Parsons came out.

Bryson has a history of alienating his sponsors and supporters/team members. My cousin was Dechambeau's fitness trainer and advisor until he told Bryson that he was doing his body more harm than good with the super high-protein, high-calorie diet.  Bryson thought that he knew better than my cousin Greg, who not only has a Master's Degree in Physical Therapy and Exercise Physiology, but also worked with (and continues to work with) Peyton Manning, Karl Malone, Donna DeVaronna, and scores of other very successful professional athletes. Bryson went from giving Greg a huge shout-out in his post U.S. Open press conference to acting as if Greg and his company didn't exist after he was given advice that he rejected. BTW, you'll notice that Bryson has more recently cut down on the high-calorie diet and dropped about 20 lbs.

[2puttbogey]

On 7/15/2021 at 3:50 PM, TBS said:

What he has done is incredible, but at what point will he realize that his plan is not perfect?

It’s so much of this. He is presented as being so smart, but let’s face it he is not. What he is doing carries a large margin for error. So when he’s off it’s not going to go well, but when on it can be incredible. 

[Middler]

And the thing is, it won’t be long before the next time Bryson puts his foot in his mouth again, and again, and again. Eight year old…

[sixcat]

On 7/16/2021 at 4:58 PM, The 19th Hole said:

What no Taylormade - So they can put like 6 more models out a year?

 

 

I’ve read a couple of different places, the new owners of TaylorMade will look to downsize their Tour footprint toward the end of this season. They are looking at more of a Ping/Titleist model from what’s being discussed. 
 

Bryson and Big Bob “Pigman” Parsons would be a match made in heaven/hell, depending on your perspective. 

[HardcoreLooper]

How hard would it have been, during the initial interview, to say something like "You know, I just didn't have it going with the driver today.  Some days it works and I look like a genius, and some days it doesn't work - and you get this.  We all fight the driver some days, and I'm no different."

Can't his handlers coach him on how to respond like this, instead of acting like a 4 year old?

[aerospace_ray]

On 7/15/2021 at 1:25 PM, TBS said:

If I was an equipment company, I would stay far away from Bryson. The amount of resources you would have to put forward to R&D to make a driver that fits Bryson would take a lot of time, money, and people. 

Full recap of what happened - in Bryson's post round interview (https://twitter.com/theopen/status/1415699970276139010?s=21) he says the "driver sucks" and mishits result in really bad shots. Golfweek then gets a Cobra rep to comment on his statement. The rep who goes into detail about what they are having to do to work with Bryson. People are actively CAD'ing to get him a better driver.

 

 

At what point is Cobra not seeing ROI when Bryson demands so much? What they design for him would never touch a shelf in a big box store.

So I have posted previously that IMO Bryson needs to make his mind up whether he’s wants to be like the professional long drivers or compete with a consistency which positions him on a Sunday to have a chance of winning. Like the Cobra rep stated, “the magic bullet becomes harder and harder to find the faster you swing and the lower your loft gets” (Golfweek link-Cobra Rep quote).

Bryson certainly has the physique to bulk and swing all out like the long drivers. But both are erratic at best and live for the one monster shot. Bryson has one shot per grid and while he can play outside the grid — i.e. fairways he then reveals a key weakness IMO with the wedges he uses. So it looks like he is scrambling like a short hitter around the greens yet he hit longest freaking drive in the group.

So I say all that to say the next company should he part ways with Cobra (and I don’t think he will near term) will need very experienced and patient team to cater to Bryson’s high demands regarding equipment. Not too many companies with single length club technology track record/resources that Cobra possess. Sure the other big companies could assemble a team but is the risk (ie. business model and potential profits) worth the gamble? I mean should he get a green jacket or another US Open everybody has new opinions and profits most likely follow.

Right now he has time on his side and a body that can do what in his mind he is trying to achieve but….. that won’t last forever and the older he gets unless he begins to dominate then he better get some public relations advice and simplify things a bit regarding his equipment and course management. Talent is there but so it is for many many others in game today. I hope he finds success again as I do think he's good for the game. 

[Middler]

3 hours ago, aerospace_ray said:

So I say all that to say the next company should he part ways with Cobra (and I don’t think he will near term) will need very experienced and patient team to cater to Bryson’s high demands regarding equipment. Sure the other big companies could assemble a team but is the risk (ie. business model and potential profits) worth the gamble?

…unless he begins to dominate then he better get some public relations advice and simplify things a bit regarding his equipment and course management.

He already has a team of at least 6 including two coaches, an agent and a social media director. I’m sure he gets good advice, but he’s “too smart” to listen and too immature to stay composed when faced with adversity. 

https://brysondechambeau.com/team

[fixyurdivot]

3 hours ago, aerospace_ray said:

So I have posted previously that IMO Bryson needs to make his mind up whether he’s wants to be like the professional long drivers or compete with a consistency which positions him on a Sunday to have a chance of winning. Like the Cobra rep stated, “the magic bullet becomes harder and harder to find the faster you swing and the lower your loft gets” (Golfweek link-Cobra Rep quote).

I've had the same thought since his transformation.  When it works, it works with authority. But the margin of error is, IMHO, just too narrow and, on most tour tracks, just too punishing. I honestly think if he just dials it back some, he still maintains the length advantage and puts himself in better scoring position more frequently.  Then he can tell Cobra their wedges suck .

[ronkie31]

Well, in the end re Bryson, who hasn't, if not blamed, but at least tried a new club or club setting, etc. to overcome a streak of crummy drives? However, we DO pay our $ for every inch of that, not free! Bryson apologized, but further, we should also hear that he bought every member his Cobra team a big $ gift too. He needs to grow up yet, pretty mature though for his age. Let us give him one more chance to explore the limits of golf's newest technologies. It is just fun, however none of his findings will trickle down to us mortals in golf. Lessons, concentration & not hardware are my answers...oops, but just maybe I do see a new 2022 driver to try!

[Middler]

1 hour ago, ronkie31 said:

Well, in the end re Bryson, who hasn't, if not blamed, but at least tried a new club or club setting, etc. to overcome a streak of crummy drives? However, we DO pay our $ for every inch of that, not free! Bryson apologized, but further, we should also hear that he bought every member his Cobra team a big $ gift too. He needs to grow up yet, pretty mature though for his age. Let us give him one more chance to explore the limits of golf's newest technologies. It is just fun, however none of his findings will trickle down to us mortals in golf. Lessons, concentration & not hardware are my answers...oops, but just maybe I do see a new 2022 driver to try!

Seriously? I can't think of another touring pro his age with more self-inflicted behavioral incidents. So we agree to disagree, but that's allowed...

[BMart519]

I don't think anyone generates more discussion than Bryson on tour at the moment considering Tiger isn't playing. Even casual golfers will bring up random things about him on the course, good or bad. For an OEM in Cobra's position (well behind the big 3/4), they need him worse than he needs them. It wouldn't be hard to build his own custom clubs as in the past. It's not like he can't play on tour or has to move to variable length if he doesn't get clubs from Cobra.  

Rickie Fowler doesn't even play his own special edition blades. Nobody else is getting wins to draw attention to Cobra product (which is misguided but apparently drives sales or these companies wouldn't sponsor so many players). Most notable would be Lexi and her misses in Majors. 

It wouldn't be a surprise to see another company sponsor him and make it priority behind the scenes to hype up their equipment to market how well they could tailor their product for unique applications and leverage the fallout from this incident. Callaway is making low loft stuff for Phil in longer lengths and has a number of Long Drive players (used to sponsor Kyle Berkshire who is higher ball speed than Bryson). If he suddenly picked up another 10 yards in average driving distance, it would generate some buzz. 

[IDontGiveAchuck]

On 7/18/2021 at 10:20 AM, sixcat said:

I’ve read a couple of different places, the new owners of TaylorMade will look to downsize their Tour footprint toward the end of this season. They are looking at more of a Ping/Titleist model from what’s being discussed. 
 

Bryson and Big Bob “Pigman” Parsons would be a match made in heaven/hell, depending on your perspective. 

I would pay to see/hear those interactions!