This weekend surprisingly displayed some exciting golf in spite of their not being a major men's professional tournament. Paula Creamer tamed a difficult Oakmont course over the weekend for her first major. She displayed some clutch shot making on the back nine to win going away. I applaud the USGA with softening up the course for Sunday's round. Oakmont can easily humble anyone as displayed in the 2007 U.S. Open, when Angel Cabrera won with a 6 over par total.
In Illinois, Steve Stricker held off Paul Goydos, the new Mr. 59, to win by two at the John Deere Classic. While I was glad to see Goydos push Stricker to the end, I really do not like watching putting contests on TV. This golf course required little imagination in any part of the course, so it will be nice to watch the Open Championship this week as it returns to St. Andrews.
Scott Cole
www.scottcolegolf.com
Showing posts with label Oakmont. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oakmont. Show all posts
Monday, July 12, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Michelle Wie - How NOT To Develop a Junior Golfer
Michelle Wie appeared on the golf scene 6 or 7 years ago as a teenage, can't miss phenom who could hit with the big boys on the PGA Tour. Because of her prodigious length off the tee and beautiful golf swing, her father consistently entered her in men's amateur events, and she even played in a couple of the PGA Tour events in Hawaii. Unfortunately, she never learned how to win, and since joining the LPGA Tour officially a couple years ago, she has only one victory.
This week at the U.S. Women's Open at Oakmont, Wie missed the cut with rounds of 82 and 76. Meanwhile, 15 year old prodigy, Alexis Thompson, who has dominated junior girls and women's amateur golf, stands in a tie for 6th, after firing the low round of the 3rd round yesterday.
Wie, who is now a student at Stanford, has clearly regressed as a golfer. She once fired a 68 in a PGA event in Hawaii, and now clearly has lost all confidence. While she has one of the beautiful swings in the women's game, she is inconsistent and wild. Her putting is mediocre.
The development of Tiger Woods as a golfer is the blueprint many will try to follow. Obviously, that has worked out, although his development as a person has not. Woods competed at all levels of the game until he dominated. While still a junior golfer, he did compete in a PGA event or two, because he qualified. But, he still played junior golf, then men's amateur golf and college golf, before taking his talents to the professional level. He dominated every level and learned how to win, and win often. He came to the PGA Tour with no fear.
Michelle Wie never even won the USGA Girls Junior Championship. One of her rivals, In-Bee Park won it once, was runner-up once and medalist twice. She has had far more success on the LPGA Tour than Wie. Alexis Thompson won the event in 2008. However, I believe Thompson is jumping the gun as well at 15. She, like Wie, is a great player at this age, but needs to win more. She never won the U.S. Women's Amateur, so why turn pro now?
It seems that women's golf is becoming more like women's tennis. They turn pro at a very young age and this can lead to early burn out. Let the kids grow up a bit and enjoy their youth a bit. What's the rush?
Scott Cole
www.powergolftraining.net
www.onlinegolfswingcoach.com
This week at the U.S. Women's Open at Oakmont, Wie missed the cut with rounds of 82 and 76. Meanwhile, 15 year old prodigy, Alexis Thompson, who has dominated junior girls and women's amateur golf, stands in a tie for 6th, after firing the low round of the 3rd round yesterday.
Wie, who is now a student at Stanford, has clearly regressed as a golfer. She once fired a 68 in a PGA event in Hawaii, and now clearly has lost all confidence. While she has one of the beautiful swings in the women's game, she is inconsistent and wild. Her putting is mediocre.
The development of Tiger Woods as a golfer is the blueprint many will try to follow. Obviously, that has worked out, although his development as a person has not. Woods competed at all levels of the game until he dominated. While still a junior golfer, he did compete in a PGA event or two, because he qualified. But, he still played junior golf, then men's amateur golf and college golf, before taking his talents to the professional level. He dominated every level and learned how to win, and win often. He came to the PGA Tour with no fear.
Michelle Wie never even won the USGA Girls Junior Championship. One of her rivals, In-Bee Park won it once, was runner-up once and medalist twice. She has had far more success on the LPGA Tour than Wie. Alexis Thompson won the event in 2008. However, I believe Thompson is jumping the gun as well at 15. She, like Wie, is a great player at this age, but needs to win more. She never won the U.S. Women's Amateur, so why turn pro now?
It seems that women's golf is becoming more like women's tennis. They turn pro at a very young age and this can lead to early burn out. Let the kids grow up a bit and enjoy their youth a bit. What's the rush?
Scott Cole
www.powergolftraining.net
www.onlinegolfswingcoach.com
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