Getting Paired with Tiger?

[GolfSpy Dave]

Check this out.

What do you think?

http://www.thegolfchannel.com/tour-insider/players-leery-paired-woods-35521/

[Moecat]

Interesting dilemna

 

One would think that the less outgoing/gregarious types will want to avoid that zoo. Imagine someone like Colin Montgomerie's head exploding if he were in that pairing!

[Matt Saternus]

That's a good article, and something I had not considered. We've been talking about whether or not he will get heckled/boo'd, etc, but I hadn't thought about the guy playing with him. They've long talked about the impact of playing in Tiger's group and how it negatively affects the score of his partner; I wonder how this will change that. I also wonder (and we'll never know) if/how much the tournament organizers will think about the people that they put with Tiger. Would they choose a "nobody" so that the attention doesn't negatively impact a star? Would they choose a star who is used to the attention? Someone who Tiger is friendly with, someone he doesn't like? Lots of interesting questions here.

[jamo]

The media would be crazy, though I think if I was a young player in the TOUR I would want to experience it once.

[Funkyfedora]

Just wish Tiger played the TPC Scottsdale 16th...

[jamo]

Just wish Tiger played the TPC Scottsdale 16th...

 

Imagine if he missed the green there. They would be booing especially hard for him.

[Funkyfedora]

They would have been booing the second he stepped on the tee...

[mainuh]

You could not have picked a better forum list to post this question in - "Tour Chatter"

 

While blinders might be a bit difficult to wear, I would suggest some OSHA approved ear protectors rated at atomic bomb level of sound blocking.

 

Like it or not, in my case I have never been a fan nor participant, I think that there will be more than a few customers/patrons being exited from more than one course this season.

 

rob

[JohnBarry]

It will be a circus no doubt. Imagine, just imagine if Tiger wins his one back, what a crazy media storm it will be.

[GolfSpy Dave]

You could not have picked a better forum list to post this question in - "Tour Chatter"

 

While blinders might be a bit difficult to wear, I would suggest some OSHA approved ear protectors rated at atomic bomb level of sound blocking.

 

Like it or not, in my case I have never been a fan nor participant, I think that there will be more than a few customers/patrons being exited from more than one course this season.

 

rob

There may be so many ejections at Augusta that the crowd is no longer a factor.

Distractions suck on the course, the more distractions, the more suckage.

Playing with Tiger before this was always tough, but some managed to deal with the pressure.

If you are paired with Tiger, you are a professional golfer. You will need to play like one, regardless of fairness.

[Matt Saternus]

There may be so many ejections at Augusta that the crowd is no longer a factor.

Distractions suck on the course, the more distractions, the more suckage.

Playing with Tiger before this was always tough, but some managed to deal with the pressure.

If you are paired with Tiger, you are a professional golfer. You will need to play like one, regardless of fairness.

 

This is an excellent point. Everyone has something they could complain about - the morning side of the draw got less wind, the afternoon got more sun, etc etc etc. You play the hand you're dealt.

[jamo]

This is an excellent point. Everyone has something they could complain about - the morning side of the draw got less wind, the afternoon got more sun, etc etc etc. You play the hand you're dealt.

 

Yeah everyone was complaining last year at the US Open because half of the players had to play through more rain. Well, thems the breaks.

[MmmmmmBuddy]

I saw Tiger at the WGC at Firestone in 2008. I was watching next to the 16th green, right on the rope on Thursday. Pin was cut Front Right. Watched group after group come through, and we were barely one deep. When Tiger's group was coming down 16, there was 5000 people marching down the path!!! We were 20 deep in 2 min. It was nuts!!! I can see not wanting to play with Tiger.

[NGage]

IMHO, outside of the media hysteria, the actual on-site things will run much smoother than most people think -- especially at The Masters. They simply won't put up with anything. On top of that...you have a much different spectator, or patron, at The Masters than say...at the PHX Open, or any other Tour stop.

 

Plus, I bet the Tour bends over backwards to make Tiger's transition back as smooth as possible. Look for him to be paired -- at The Masters and on -- with guys like Furyk, O'Meara, and others that he's known to be friendly with.

[GolfSpy Dave]

IMHO, outside of the media hysteria, the actual on-site things will run much smoother than most people think -- especially at The Masters. They simply won't put up with anything. On top of that...you have a much different spectator, or patron, at The Masters than say...at the PHX Open, or any other Tour stop.

 

Plus, I bet the Tour bends over backwards to make Tiger's transition back as smooth as possible. Look for him to be paired -- at The Masters and on -- with guys like Furyk, O'Meara, and others that he's known to be friendly with.

Not Phil and Yang on day one?

[jamo]

I saw Tiger at the WGC at Firestone in 2008. I was watching next to the 16th green, right on the rope on Thursday. Pin was cut Front Right. Watched group after group come through, and we were barely one deep. When Tiger's group was coming down 16, there was 5000 people marching down the path!!! We were 20 deep in 2 min. It was nuts!!! I can see not wanting to play with Tiger.

 

Tiger didn't play Firestone in 2008, he was out after his knee injury.

[GolfSpy Dave]

Tiger didn't play Firestone in 2008, he was out after his knee injury.

He may have meant 2007 or 2009...

Point of gallery swell is still valid as in yours with the injury.

[jamo]

He may have meant 2007 or 2009...

 

That is what I was thinking.

 

Point of gallery swell is still valid as in yours with the injury.

 

Yes, he does have that effect. If I was at a tournament, I would follow him too. Imagine if he did something amazing and you weren't on that hole! Ouch.

[NGage]

BTW, an interesting aside:

 

Did you know?.....Tiger will not play in a Pro-Am with an amateur that doesn't have a handicap of 10 or below.

[GolfSpy Dave]

BTW, an interesting aside:

 

Did you know?.....Tiger will not play in a Pro-Am with an amateur that doesn't have a handicap of 10 or below.

 

What? I was kind of counting on this this year.

 

Didn't know, not surprised.

Although I have a hard time riding in a car with someone who is a bad driver. Thinking 16 year old nephew. Whiplash is not part of one-car driving normally.

[jamo]

What? I was kind of counting on this this year.

 

Didn't know, not surprised.

Although I have a hard time riding in a car with someone who is a bad driver. Thinking 16 year old nephew. Whiplash is not part of one-car driving normally.

 

Now you know how I feel driving with my friends.... Anyway I'm not really surprised to hear that he doesn't play with people over a 10 handicap, because of all I've ever heard about him, but I still don't like it. This is a situation where I think the "he's made so much money, he owes us something" excuse actually applies.

[Addicted2Golf]

They would have been booing the second he stepped on the tee...

 

No, in the tunnel.

[Addicted2Golf]

The media would be crazy, though I think if I was a young player in the TOUR I would want to experience it once.

 

Not now, not like this.

[Addicted2Golf]

I've been making this point on several Tiger threads regarding his return to golf. I think he's being a bit of a tool for making his return at a major. Certainly he can do what he wants (and he does), but creating this kind of chaos at one of golf's most storied tournaments is not going to win him any fans in the locker room.

[GolfSpy Dave]

I've been making this point on several Tiger threads regarding his return to golf. I think he's being a bit of a tool for making his return at a major. Certainly he can do what he wants (and he does), but creating this kind of chaos at one of golf's most storied tournaments is not going to win him any fans in the locker room.

Do you think he has many that were his friends but now are not though? Seems like their Tiger position would be fairly established before this.

Disrupting the field at the tournament does make sense as a winning the tournament strategy though.

[jamo]

I've been making this point on several Tiger threads regarding his return to golf. I think he's being a bit of a tool for making his return at a major. Certainly he can do what he wants (and he does), but creating this kind of chaos at one of golf's most storied tournaments is not going to win him any fans in the locker room.

 

The Masters already is a media circus, and they aren't going to let him make it more of one. If they don't like someone, they wil not hesitate to kick them out. Look at Gary McCord. Last year, Phil made his return at a major too, they are the most important tournaments, so guys never want to miss one.

[GolfSpy Dave]

The Masters already is a media circus, and they aren't going to let him make it more of one. If they don't like someone, they wil not hesitate to kick them out. Look at Gary McCord. Last year, Phil made his return at a major too, they are the most important tournaments, so guys never want to miss one.

This is so different that Phil returning. He was welcomed and respected for the reasons why he was missing.

Tiger not so much.

[jamo]

This is so different that Phil returning. He was welcomed and respected for the reasons why he was missing.

Tiger not so much.

 

That's true, they were out for much different reason.

[Matt Saternus]

I've been making this point on several Tiger threads regarding his return to golf. I think he's being a bit of a tool for making his return at a major. Certainly he can do what he wants (and he does), but creating this kind of chaos at one of golf's most storied tournaments is not going to win him any fans in the locker room.

 

 

Do you think he has many that were his friends but now are not though? Seems like their Tiger position would be fairly established before this.

Disrupting the field at the tournament does make sense as a winning the tournament strategy though.

 

I think the locker room is pretty clearly divided on Tiger. He has his handful of friends and that won't change. It might make those who were neutral a bit more negative, but I would he cares a bit.

[NGage]

It might make those who were neutral a bit more negative, but I would he cares a bit.

 

While not in the locker room, that's me as a fan -- I saw some good...saw some bad...and was more-or-less neutral on him. Now I see more bad than good, and I'm not quite as neutral and a bit more negative on him overall.