The Return of Rickie

[RickyBobby_PR]

He missed a putt on 18 to go to a playoff today for US Open qualifying. He’s played some recent events on sponsorship exemptions. Guaranteed money by moving on

[GolfSpy_APH]

A reminder to keep the discussion to golf. 

[HeathS16]

Sad to see him struggle so much. Hoping the swing changes finally take hold for him. 

[fixyurdivot]

9 hours ago, HeathS16 said:

Sad to see him struggle so much. Hoping the swing changes finally take hold for him. 

Agree. He's a great example of "from the Penthouse to the Outhouse" as it relates to golf game mojo.  I mean some of the storylines are understandable (injury, coming back from surgery, life's lemons, etc.) but he just seemed to start a slide that never stopped.  Lots of players go through performance cycles but not typically ones with such large peak to valley and for this time span.  To be honest, I haven't followed Rickie's golf story that closely - what do most folks attribute the fall of his game too?

[TR1PTIK]

9 hours ago, HeathS16 said:

Sad to see him struggle so much. Hoping the swing changes finally take hold for him. 

He was so good when he was working with Butch Harmon and I felt like you could actually see what he was working on, what the changes were. I can't really tell what's going on anymore to be giving him so much issue (aside from the amount of rerouting which has always been present). Obviously, Butch wanted to (semi) retire, but does Claude teach so different? Probably style/communication yes, but I feel like it would have been easy for Rickie, Butch, and Claude to meet and formulate a game plan that would have allowed Rickie to maintain the same trajectory he had in 2014?

IDK, I'm not up to snuff on the game's top instructors but just kinda wondering aloud here...

[RickyBobby_PR]

9 hours ago, HeathS16 said:

Sad to see him struggle so much. Hoping the swing changes finally take hold for him. 

It’s more than just that to help him get back. His putting is also a weak part of his game now when in the past he was considered one of the better putters on tour and that saved him from higher scores. Also cost him a playoff opportunity at us open qualifying.

29 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

Agree. He's a great example of "from the Penthouse to the Outhouse" as it relates to golf game mojo.  I mean some of the storylines are understandable (injury, coming back from surgery, life's lemons, etc.) but he just seemed to start a slide that never stopped.  Lots of players go through performance cycles but not typically ones with such large peak to valley and for this time span.  To be honest, I haven't followed Rickie's golf story that closely - what do most folks attribute the fall of his game too?

As mentioned above when his strength became a weakness is put more pressure on the rest of his game which he’s still working thru the changes.

29 minutes ago, TR1PTIK said:

He was so good when he was working with Butch Harmon and I felt like you could actually see what he was working on, what the changes were. I can't really tell what's going on anymore to be giving him so much issue (aside from the amount of rerouting which has always been present). Obviously, Butch wanted to (semi) retire, but does Claude teach so different? Probably style/communication yes, but I feel like it would have been easy for Rickie, Butch, and Claude to meet and formulate a game plan that would have allowed Rickie to maintain the same trajectory he had in 2014?

IDK, I'm not up to snuff on the game's top instructors but just kinda wondering aloud here...

From my understanding and it’s been a while since I read anything about his work with butch and Claude. They were all on the same page with the swing work. But remember two people can teach the same thing and it can resonate differently in how they relay that to the golfer. But let’s not forget he is at a different point in life now with a wife, we saw rory and Spieth also stumble a little with changes in personal life while also fighting thru swing issues. Butch was also as much about the mental side of things as he was the swing and possible Claude wasn’t. It was butch who asked rickie if he wanted to be an Instagram star or pga tour golfer.

His new coach has him making some pretty big changes in his swing by turning less early in the swing which also tends to cause face to open, not be so shallow which causes steepening in transition and depending on wrist actions an open face. Tiger took 18 months for his first swing change to actually take over and be his normal swing, I doubt Rickie spends as much time as Tiger did hitting balls, so it could be awhile longer before Rickie’s new swing becomes his normal swing and sees the results, but if he still struggles with the putter that might not matter. The hot putter on tour tends to win

[Kenny B]

I still think Rickie's woes started when he went from ProV1 to that ugly TM Pix ball.  Maybe if TM drops him as a sponsor, he'll change back.

[RickyBobby_PR]

7 minutes ago, Kenny B said:

I still think Rickie's woes started when he went from ProV1 to that ugly TM Pix ball.  Maybe if TM drops him as a sponsor, he'll change back.

I think that’s as much coincidence as it is cause. He only played in 14 events in the 2019-2020 season which is the first year he made the change. His putting had already started to decline before that. He went from top or near the top to around 50th in strokes gained on 2017/18.

The putter wasn’t saving his bad rounds anymore at that point. 

[fixyurdivot]

29 minutes ago, Kenny B said:

I still think Rickie's woes started when he went from ProV1 to that ugly TM Pix ball.  Maybe if TM drops him as a sponsor, he'll change back.

Based on my exhaustive and data-centric ball testing, I placing this theory squarely in the "BIG FAT NOOOO" category.   

[Kenny B]

6 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

Based on my exhaustive and data-centric ball testing, I placing this theory squarely in the "BIG FAT NOOOO" category.   

When my game struggles, I have to change something!!  The ball is the easiest.  

[Shankster]

46 minutes ago, Kenny B said:

I still think Rickie's woes started when he went from ProV1 to that ugly TM Pix ball.  Maybe if TM drops him as a sponsor, he'll change back.

He needs to put the AMP Cell Pro (ACP) irons back in, and the ProV1… and wear more orange.  As soon as those new model blades (successor to the ACP) went in the bag… poof, gone.  I nearly bought a set of the first Rickie Irons… they were amazing.

Amp Cell Pro’s for reference.

[Kenny B]

5 minutes ago, Shankster said:

He needs to put the AMP Cell Pro (ACP) irons back in, and the ProV1… and wear more orange.  As soon as those new model blades (successor to the ACP) went in the bag… poof, gone.  I nearly bought a set of the first Rickie Irons… they were amazing.

Amp Cell Pro’s for reference.

Custom fit!!

[TR1PTIK]

1 hour ago, Shankster said:

He needs to put the AMP Cell Pro (ACP) irons back in, and the ProV1… and wear more orange.  As soon as those new model blades (successor to the ACP) went in the bag… poof, gone.  I nearly bought a set of the first Rickie Irons… they were amazing.

Amp Cell Pro’s for reference.

Buddy of mine had these with C-Tapers and they were absolutely amazing when I hit them. Not fond of the aesthetics, but I'd be willing to game them if I ever came across the right set.

[Shankster]

55 minutes ago, TR1PTIK said:

Buddy of mine had these with C-Tapers and they were absolutely amazing when I hit them. Not fond of the aesthetics, but I'd be willing to game them if I ever came across the right set.

I did a fitting for them… bought a set of TM’s instead… mistake.

[GaDawg]

I think it's the Barber's fault, he should have never gotten a haircut.

[Kenny B]

4 hours ago, GaDawg said:

I think it's the Barber's fault, he should have never gotten a haircut.

After The Golf Boys disbanded, the long hair with Bubba, Hunter, and Rickie was no longer trendy.  Rickie started hanging out with clean-cut Jordan and Justin.

Or...

Maybe he looked at Aaron Baddeley and thought... well, that's not working!

[Hacker1]

Will Ricky stay on the PGA or go to LIV?

Seems his best playing days are over so he is ready for LIV.

He really likes to be liked and if he goes to LIV he will no longer be a fan favorite, can he handle the tough press coverage?

I like Ricky a lot and his monochrome golf look.

[cnosil]

13 minutes ago, Hacker1 said:

Will Ricky stay on the PGA or go to LIV?

Seems his best playing days are over so he is ready for LIV.

He really likes to be liked and if he goes to LIV he will no longer be a fan favorite, can he handle the tough press coverage?

I like Ricky a lot and his monochrome golf look.

Based on todays reports he has moved:  https://progolfweekly.com/rickie-fowler-matthew-wolff-among-latest-names-to-join-liv-golf/

 

[Hacker1]

Shocked from his likeability need, not shocked from his current and future player performance.

I would see a lot of his sponsors dropping him and a lot of very bad press int eh future for him, way more than for Phil, he and Brryson will be the new big targets of the PGA, the media and public who are very anti LIV.

[KC Golf]

I really hope Ricky can tee it up at the US Open tomorrow since he is the #1 alternate.

I would hate to see him move to LIV.

[RickyBobby_PR]

3 hours ago, KC Golf said:

I really hope Ricky can tee it up at the US Open tomorrow since he is the #1 alternate.

I would hate to see him move to LIV.

You missed the news then, he’s signed with them as did Matt Wolff and a few others.

 

[Hacker1]

Have not seen either of them being interviewed on this yet nor are they in the LIV news section and not in the next LIV event.

[TR1PTIK]

All the reports of Rickie going to LIV have so far proven false. He's held conversations and appears to keep it as an option but continues to commit to PGA Tour events. Like I said before, I don't think LIV is an absolutely terrible option for Rickie (politics aside), however I find the reporting void any statement from Fowler or his team to just be annoying.

[MacTourney]

Rickie's standing starting to look more like a good tour journeyman, like a Bill Glasson or Joey Sindelar, to me.

[fixyurdivot]

Here's hoping Rickie brings his A game to the Scottish Open... since I picked him up on waivers for the FTx League. 

[GolfSpy_BNG]

16 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

Here's hoping Rickie brings his A game to the Scottish Open... since I picked him up on waivers for the FTx League. 

I noticed during the highlights of the JP he was back to his Scotty so maybe

[Kenny B]

1 hour ago, blackngold_blood said:

I noticed during the highlights of the JP he was back to his Scotty so maybe

He's got to try something different; can't get much worse... can it?

[GolfSpy_BNG]

15 minutes ago, Kenny B said:

He's got to try something different; can't get much worse... can it?

For sure. It looks better in the highlights. Granted it was a charity event but he finished top 5 in the individual portion or close to it 

[tider]

I think he needs to go back to Butch Harmen.  He played better and more consistent with him.  

[RickyBobby_PR]

12 minutes ago, tider said:

I think he needs to go back to Butch Harmen.  He played better and more consistent with him.  

His swing is what it is and it’s not his main problem. He can’t put anymore. He went from #1 strokes gained in putting in  2016/17 to #43 the next year recover a little bit the following year to 13 and hasn’t sniffed top 100 since.

His putter is what saved him before and during the Butch timeframe. It’s no longer his friend.