Hobert Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 For some reason, I find J.R. Smith's foray into college golf, just up the road from me in Greensboro, NC, to be quite interesting and fun. I love that a former long-time NBA player, who played on the biggest stages over his career, admitted to being nervous before his rounds. I also enjoy that while he could simply play for fun, he chose to try to compete at the college level at the age of 36. https://www.si.com/golf/news/j-r-smith-made-his-college-golf-debut-and-it-was-pretty-fascinating PMookie, GolfSpy_SHARK and Vegan_Golfer_PNW 3 Quote 849D with Evenflow Riptide (stiff) V Steel 3 wood 699U 3 (19.5*) 699 (4-6) / 699 Pro (7-PW) with Tour 120 shafts (stiff) JAWS Raw (50/54/58 degrees) ER8v with Fujikura MC shaft (firm) Kirkland V3 2023 2.5+ / University of Miami Stand Bag Nitron - Forum Test Review Pro L2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRW Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 I'm not opposed to him playing, but I feel like there is some young potential player that is losing out so this guy can stay in the limelight. Quote Ogio Woode 8 Hybrid Stand Bag PXG 0811 X Gen4 @ 6* - Fujikura Motore X F3 7X PXG 0211 @ 13.5* - Fujikura Motore X F1 8X PXG 0311 XP Gen3 3i-PW - PX LZ 6.5 PXG 0311 Forged 54/60 - PX LZ 6.5 Scotty Cameron Special Select Newport 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyBobby_PR Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 19 minutes ago, CRW said: I'm not opposed to him playing, but I feel like there is some young potential player that is losing out so this guy can stay in the limelight. How is he stealing someone’s spot? If there was a better player dont you think the coach would have put that player on the team? Do you think international women coming to play college golf in the states are stealing a spot from a potential American woman getting on a team? GolfSpy_SHARK and Hobert 2 Quote Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4 Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120 Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60 Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1 Ball: Titleist Prov1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip Strokes Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 1 hour ago, CRW said: so this guy can stay in the limelight. calling NC A&T State "the limelight" is a stretch that a gymnast would be envious of. GolfSpy_SHARK, RickyBobby_PR, Nolan220 and 2 others 4 1 Quote SIM2 8º | KuroKage XD 70TX SIM 3W 14º | Fujikura Atmos Black Tour Spec 9TX SIM2 5W 18º | Fujikura Ventus Black 10X U500 2i | Fujikura Ventus HB Black 10TX T100 4-PW | Dynamic Gold X7 SM6 52* SM8 56* SM8 60* | Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 DW | BGT Stability Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy_SHARK Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 Hey if you can hack it you can hack it. He also shot a 83/78 I believe so he is by no means lighting anything up. Hobert and RickyBobby_PR 2 Quote Check out my reviews: G710 Irons Official Review I MC Shaft & V Series Putter Official Review 2022 Forged Tec's Official Review I Nitron Push Cart Official Review WITB: Weapons of grass destruction (link to WITB) Traverse is filled with all this shiny metal and tracked by RadSpeed 8* - MotoreX F1 6X SIM 3W - Project X HZRDUS Green U505 Driving Iron 17* - Project X HZRDUS Black SpeedZone 4H - Project X HZRDUS Black 2022 King Forged Tec's 4-PW - KBS $ Tape 130 48 (SM8), 52 & 60 (SM7) - Nippon Modus 125 S ER2VI PROV1X #19 Are you a veteran? Check out the Veterans Golf Association (VGA) Thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRW Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 1 hour ago, Chip Strokes said: calling NC A&T State "the limelight" is a stretch that a gymnast would be envious of. This thread and all the media coverage is the limelight. It wouldn’t have mattered what school he played at, being a former NBA player will keep him in coverage for the foreseeable future. Probably right up until he’s done playing. Quote Ogio Woode 8 Hybrid Stand Bag PXG 0811 X Gen4 @ 6* - Fujikura Motore X F3 7X PXG 0211 @ 13.5* - Fujikura Motore X F1 8X PXG 0311 XP Gen3 3i-PW - PX LZ 6.5 PXG 0311 Forged 54/60 - PX LZ 6.5 Scotty Cameron Special Select Newport 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRW Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 2 hours ago, RickyBobby_PR said: How is he stealing someone’s spot? If there was a better player dont you think the coach would have put that player on the team? Do you think international women coming to play college golf in the states are stealing a spot from a potential American woman getting on a team? No, I don’t think the coach would have put a better player in that spot. The guy shot an 83 his first round out. There have to be literally thousands of potential college athletes without a spot that could out perform him. He’s there because of who he is. Quote Ogio Woode 8 Hybrid Stand Bag PXG 0811 X Gen4 @ 6* - Fujikura Motore X F3 7X PXG 0211 @ 13.5* - Fujikura Motore X F1 8X PXG 0311 XP Gen3 3i-PW - PX LZ 6.5 PXG 0311 Forged 54/60 - PX LZ 6.5 Scotty Cameron Special Select Newport 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobert Posted October 12, 2021 Author Share Posted October 12, 2021 (edited) http://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=player&tid=24592 He was not good in his first time out, but he was also not last in the tournament with 2 golfers from Lasalle finishing worse. Without knowing his typical scores/handicap, I don't know that we know one way or another whether this tournament was truly representative of his skill or whether he actually displaced a better golfer. Even looking at this tournament in a vacuum, he apparently deserves a spot on Lasalle's squad. Edited October 12, 2021 by Hobert Nolan220, PMookie and GolfSpy_SHARK 3 Quote 849D with Evenflow Riptide (stiff) V Steel 3 wood 699U 3 (19.5*) 699 (4-6) / 699 Pro (7-PW) with Tour 120 shafts (stiff) JAWS Raw (50/54/58 degrees) ER8v with Fujikura MC shaft (firm) Kirkland V3 2023 2.5+ / University of Miami Stand Bag Nitron - Forum Test Review Pro L2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyBobby_PR Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 39 minutes ago, CRW said: No, I don’t think the coach would have put a better player in that spot. The guy shot an 83 his first round out. There have to be literally thousands of potential college athletes without a spot that could out perform him. He’s there because of who he is. He’s the fifth player on a team at a smallish university. It’s also a historical black college. The number of golfers that would be looking to be a number 5 at that school is probable in the low hundreds of that. What coach is going to put a bad golfer in a team over a good one? GolfSpy_SHARK and Hobert 2 Quote Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4 Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120 Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60 Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1 Ball: Titleist Prov1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berg Ryman Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 I mean, here's my take on it. NC A&T's golf program has been around since fall of 2017, making it one of the newer programs in the country. NC A&T is a HBCU. NC A&T has some international players along with JR and his teams for a roster of 6, all of whom are playing for this team in this tournament at Elon. As far as I see, using JR Smith's celebrity to raise the profile of a new team in the NCAA Space at a school that is an HBCU in a sport that admittedly has not always been the most friendly to minorities can only be a positive. Much in the same way Steph Curry went out and and basically sponsors Howard's golf team and the PGA Tour announcing that every HBCU team in the country would receive a 10K grant from the tour, this matters to people and it matters to people who have been part of marginalized communities and people who haven't come to golf the way the majority thought they might as part of the Tiger boom. It's only a good thing that JR is playing, I hope he continues to get better this season and puts some solid golf in to at least allow his voice and name to elevate the stories of these teams around him. tehuti, Hobert, cnosil and 4 others 7 Quote In a Hoofer Lite bag TSR2, 10 degrees, A1 setting, Fujikara Speeder NX Blue 50-S Stealth, 15 degrees, VA Composites Nemesys 70-S E722, 19 degrees, Oban Devotion 80-S JPX 921 Hot Metal Pro 4-P, Nippon 950GH Stiff Flex CBX Zipcore 50* (bent to *49) and RTX Zipcore Tour Rack 54* (bent to *55), DG 115 Spinner, Tour Issue Staff Model TG 60*, Dynamic Gold 120 S300 SIK Golf Flo-C Tour B-XS (2022 Model) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2puttbogey Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 There MAY be a better player that he took the spot of, but the exposure is good for the game. There’s all this talk about the “athletes “ in the game now. Unfortunately most of the best athletes in the country don’t get exposed to golf, so maybe this will help with that, but probably not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRW Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 14 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said: He’s the fifth player on a team at a smallish university. It’s also a historical black college. The number of golfers that would be looking to be a number 5 at that school is probable in the low hundreds of that. What coach is going to put a bad golfer in a team over a good one? One who is looking for the coverage. I think @Berg Rymancovered the why better than I could have. Like I said, I'm not opposed to him playing, but I think someone(s) are losing out because of it. Maybe the coverage this brings to the school and their program will pay dividends for others in the long run, but to act like that's not what is going on is disingenuous at best. Quote Ogio Woode 8 Hybrid Stand Bag PXG 0811 X Gen4 @ 6* - Fujikura Motore X F3 7X PXG 0211 @ 13.5* - Fujikura Motore X F1 8X PXG 0311 XP Gen3 3i-PW - PX LZ 6.5 PXG 0311 Forged 54/60 - PX LZ 6.5 Scotty Cameron Special Select Newport 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobert Posted October 12, 2021 Author Share Posted October 12, 2021 35 minutes ago, Berg Ryman said: I mean, here's my take on it. NC A&T's golf program has been around since fall of 2017, making it one of the newer programs in the country. NC A&T is a HBCU. NC A&T has some international players along with JR and his teams for a roster of 6, all of whom are playing for this team in this tournament at Elon. As far as I see, using JR Smith's celebrity to raise the profile of a new team in the NCAA Space at a school that is an HBCU in a sport that admittedly has not always been the most friendly to minorities can only be a positive. Much in the same way Steph Curry went out and and basically sponsors Howard's golf team and the PGA Tour announcing that every HBCU team in the country would receive a 10K grant from the tour, this matters to people and it matters to people who have been part of marginalized communities and people who haven't come to golf the way the majority thought they might as part of the Tiger boom. It's only a good thing that JR is playing, I hope he continues to get better this season and puts some solid golf in to at least allow his voice and name to elevate the stories of these teams around him. Well said! Quote 849D with Evenflow Riptide (stiff) V Steel 3 wood 699U 3 (19.5*) 699 (4-6) / 699 Pro (7-PW) with Tour 120 shafts (stiff) JAWS Raw (50/54/58 degrees) ER8v with Fujikura MC shaft (firm) Kirkland V3 2023 2.5+ / University of Miami Stand Bag Nitron - Forum Test Review Pro L2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobert Posted October 12, 2021 Author Share Posted October 12, 2021 (edited) 33 minutes ago, CRW said: One who is looking for the coverage. I think @Berg Rymancovered the why better than I could have. Like I said, I'm not opposed to him playing, but I think someone(s) are losing out because of it. Maybe the coverage this brings to the school and their program will pay dividends for others in the long run, but to act like that's not what is going on is disingenuous at best. I still have a hard time coming to a conclusion one way or another with respect to J.R. displacing other players from the NC A&T team with this one tournament as our only data point... Two of the other four NC A&T golfers only beat him by 3 and 5 strokes respectively. It could have simply been an off weekend for him. We shall see. Edited October 12, 2021 by Hobert GolfSpy_SHARK and CRW 2 Quote 849D with Evenflow Riptide (stiff) V Steel 3 wood 699U 3 (19.5*) 699 (4-6) / 699 Pro (7-PW) with Tour 120 shafts (stiff) JAWS Raw (50/54/58 degrees) ER8v with Fujikura MC shaft (firm) Kirkland V3 2023 2.5+ / University of Miami Stand Bag Nitron - Forum Test Review Pro L2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berg Ryman Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 11 minutes ago, Hobert said: I still have a hard time coming to a conclusion one way or another with respect to J.R. displacing other players from the NC A&T team with this one tournament as our only data point... Two of the other four NC A&T golfers only beat him by 3 and 5 strokes respectively. It could have simply been an off weekend for him. We shall see. And again, it's worth noting the team only has 6 players, it's not like they have a back-up roster of talent they can pull to like a Oklahoma State or really any d1 team. This is a team in its infancy. If there were other options I'm sure the coach probably exhausted them. GolfSpy_SHARK, RickyBobby_PR and Hobert 3 Quote In a Hoofer Lite bag TSR2, 10 degrees, A1 setting, Fujikara Speeder NX Blue 50-S Stealth, 15 degrees, VA Composites Nemesys 70-S E722, 19 degrees, Oban Devotion 80-S JPX 921 Hot Metal Pro 4-P, Nippon 950GH Stiff Flex CBX Zipcore 50* (bent to *49) and RTX Zipcore Tour Rack 54* (bent to *55), DG 115 Spinner, Tour Issue Staff Model TG 60*, Dynamic Gold 120 S300 SIK Golf Flo-C Tour B-XS (2022 Model) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMookie Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 All I know is that JR is getting hit up by everyone who is underage to buy them beer! Most popular guy on the team! GolfSpy_SHARK, Hobert and Chip Strokes 3 Quote Driver: Ping G430 Max 9*, Ping Tour 70X Fairway: Ping G425 15*, Ping Tour 70X Hybrid: Ping G425 22*, Ping Tour 80X Irons: Ping i230 4-GW, TT DG X100 Wedges: SMS 50D/54V/58DModus 130 stiff, +1” Putter: EAS 1.0 Ball: Titleist 2023 AVX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyBobby_PR Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 If it’s done to get eyes on the program it failed in its first attempt based on the article. GolfSpy_SHARK 1 Quote Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4 Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120 Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60 Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1 Ball: Titleist Prov1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyBobby_PR Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 This didn’t help the scoring at all https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/32389408/ex-nba-star-jr-smith-stung-hornets-high-scores-first-collegiate-golf-tournament GolfSpy_SHARK and Chip Strokes 2 Quote Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4 Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120 Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60 Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1 Ball: Titleist Prov1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip Strokes Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 from the article: “Smith had the sixth-best score out of six players on his team. The Aggies finished 11th in the 13-team field, 57 shots off the pace set by tournament champion Elon.” that’s a very long winded way of saying he had the worst score. GolfSpy_SHARK 1 Quote SIM2 8º | KuroKage XD 70TX SIM 3W 14º | Fujikura Atmos Black Tour Spec 9TX SIM2 5W 18º | Fujikura Ventus Black 10X U500 2i | Fujikura Ventus HB Black 10TX T100 4-PW | Dynamic Gold X7 SM6 52* SM8 56* SM8 60* | Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 DW | BGT Stability Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobert Posted October 13, 2021 Author Share Posted October 13, 2021 13 hours ago, Chip Strokes said: from the article: “Smith had the sixth-best score out of six players on his team. The Aggies finished 11th in the 13-team field, 57 shots off the pace set by tournament champion Elon.” that’s a very long winded way of saying he had the worst score. Essentially, yes. But he did manage to beat two Lasalle golfers... Quote 849D with Evenflow Riptide (stiff) V Steel 3 wood 699U 3 (19.5*) 699 (4-6) / 699 Pro (7-PW) with Tour 120 shafts (stiff) JAWS Raw (50/54/58 degrees) ER8v with Fujikura MC shaft (firm) Kirkland V3 2023 2.5+ / University of Miami Stand Bag Nitron - Forum Test Review Pro L2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobert Posted October 13, 2021 Author Share Posted October 13, 2021 J.R. also managed to accidentally step on a hornet's nest and get himself stung a few times during his final round. Not a great weekend for sure. Quote 849D with Evenflow Riptide (stiff) V Steel 3 wood 699U 3 (19.5*) 699 (4-6) / 699 Pro (7-PW) with Tour 120 shafts (stiff) JAWS Raw (50/54/58 degrees) ER8v with Fujikura MC shaft (firm) Kirkland V3 2023 2.5+ / University of Miami Stand Bag Nitron - Forum Test Review Pro L2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tchat07 Posted October 13, 2021 Share Posted October 13, 2021 Let's put it this way when is the last time ESPN covered a story about a kid finishing 81st in a tournament. I have no problem with JR deciding to do this and getting an opportunity, I just am personally not a fan of the overhyping of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobias_Hoyt Posted August 29, 2023 Share Posted August 29, 2023 On 10/12/2021 at 9:44 PM, Berg Ryman said: I mean, here's my take on it. NC A&T's golf program has been around since fall of 2017, making it one of the newer programs in the country. NC A&T is a HBCU. NC A&T has some international players along with JR and his teams for a roster of 6, all of whom are playing for this team in this tournament at Elon. As far as I see, using JR Smith's celebrity to raise the profile of a new team in the NCAA Space at a school that is an HBCU in a sport that admittedly has not always been the most friendly to minorities can only be a positive. Much in the same way Steph Curry went out and and basically sponsors Howard's golf team and the PGA Tour announcing that every HBCU team in the country would receive a 10K grant from the tour, this matters to people and it matters to people who have been part of marginalized communities and people who haven't come to golf the way the majority thought they might as part of the Tiger boom. It's only a good thing that JR is playing, I hope he continues to get better this season and puts some solid golf in to at least allow his voice and name to elevate the stories of these teams around him. If you are currently playing sports in college and you want to worry less about grades, then I recommend the studydriver service. You can just click here! You will be taken to the service's website and will be able to order a written paper from experts. great point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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