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Thursday, July 26, 2007

Spin This...

I'm a glutton for distance. And frankly, I've never hit he ball TOO FAR in my life. Nope. Never. Not once. Now maybe I've hit through a few fairways that have landed in some lakes, bunkers or even OB, I've never blamed those poor shots on actually hitting the ball too far. Instead, I just blame myself for hitting the wrong club. And I'm a fairly long hitter. Even still, I'll never admit that the ball goes too far. Not until I can drive every par-4 and reach every par-5 in two. Maybe then I'll loosen up.

Also, I've hooked, sliced and just about everything in-between the ball, but those are bad shots not because I hit them too far, rather because I was poorly aimed or my clubface was shut or open. Those arent bad shots because of my macho distance. More distance in my mind, is always an advantage when compared to hitting it short. Never up, never in...

On the other hand, I have had times where I've spun the ball too much with an iron or wedge. Where my carry was robbed because the ball ballooned, hitting that atmospheric wall that sent my ball short into a greenside bunker. I've had pitches, chips, lobs--all that have come up short, thanks to having too much spin. I've had it happen in the rough too. Even there, I've had balls check up, while others didn't. In a sense, spin sometimes has had a negative effect on my ability to score, making me inconsistent. And while spin is obviously helpful for the bomb and pitch style of play we see on Tour, when Tiger is at his best with his wedge, it's not becuase he spins it a lot, its because he actually takes spin off it.

With that said, do you think it's possible for the USGA to put new restrictions on today's U-grooves? Can they really verify that added spin is helpful, or that the reason players on Tour are getting up and down is due to more spin from the rough? Maybe they're just getting better! Maybe it's the ball? Maybe their putting is better? What about the clubface finish? Weighting? Loft? Bounce? Maybe it's everything.

What do you think, folks?


PS: After writing that blog entry, I immediately retract saying I've never hit the ball too far. There was one time. To that foursome I hit into about 3 years ago at Tokatee GC in Hood River, Ore., I'm really sorry. I had no idea I could hit it that far. You really didn't need to hit my ball back at me.

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