Tiger: Overrated?

[mr_economy]

Originally Posted by Pink22m

I actually think Tiger is one of the better dressed golfers on tour.

I agree. Criticizing athletes for their apparel while performing is a little off as it is. Anyone who has ever walked 18 holes in heat of any kind (avec or sans bag) knows what a Godsend modern technical fabrics can be. They may not look like something that belongs at a millionaire clubhouse dinner, but anyone who expects that on the course is silly.

 

[Violinist]

Originally Posted by mr_economy

I agree. Criticizing athletes for their apparel while performing is a little off as it is. Anyone who has ever walked 18 holes in heat of any kind (avec or sans bag) knows what a Godsend modern technical fabrics can be. They may not look like something that belongs at a millionaire clubhouse dinner, but anyone who expects that on the course is silly.

my friend of my father played golf in what I guess were bespoke T&A shortsleeve dress shirts... he didn't sweat much. I guess he was one of the more stylish golfers out there.

 

[Thracozaag]

Originally Posted by Quirk

Not to take anything away from Tiger, because he's obviously a great golfer, but he's winning by just one, two, three strokes. I don't really know golf well, but it seems like any given day there are bunch of people who can beat him, so why are people letting him win so often? They say he's won more than 1 of 4 tournaments he plays! I keep hearing about the "intimidation factor", but come on, these guys are pros and they've had a a long time already (8 or 9 years?) to get over the awe factor. Why do they keep letting themselves get psyched out!

One of the annoying side effects of Tiger's success is that people who earlier had no interest or experience with golf are now coming out of the woodwork with their uninformed opinions (not to take a swipe at you personally--was listening to some ESPN "experts" the other night).
And yes, Tiger is that good--probably the best ever when it's all said and done.

koji

 

[mrpologuy]

Tigers clothing has nothing to do with this thread. We are talking about whether he is overrated or not. Lets keep talking about that and not his clothes.

 

[chorse123]

Originally Posted by mrpologuy

Tigers clothing has nothing to do with this thread. We are talking about whether he is overrated or not. Lets keep talking about that and not his clothes.

Perhaps, but this IS a clothing forum, so I think it's always appropriate.

 

[Thomas]

His clothing further perpetuates the edge he has over the rest of the field. It's bad enough dealing with Tiger on a Sunday when he's near the lead - but the red shirt?

Red is one of the more noticeable colors, particularly in a sea of green, thus others can easily find him and - more to the point - see him when they would rather not be reminded he's around. I would think that Phil & co. tend to wince when they see a red shirt on Sunday at a major. God help them if they're standing over a four-footer and sees a red shirt.

So, is he overrated? I don't think so, since he finds every tool at his disposal and uses them mercilessly. He'll keep winning until his back goes out.

 

[Quirk]

Originally Posted by Thomas

He'll keep winning until his back goes out.

Elin will take care of that.

 

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by Quirk

Elin will take care of that.

Honestly, I don't know how he can still practice as much as he does...

 

[Violinist]

Originally Posted by Thomas

His clothing further perpetuates the edge he has over the rest of the field. It's bad enough dealing with Tiger on a Sunday when he's near the lead - but the red shirt?

Red is one of the more noticeable colors, particularly in a sea of green, thus others can easily find him and - more to the point - see him when they would rather not be reminded he's around. I would think that Phil & co. tend to wince when they see a red shirt on Sunday at a major. God help them if they're standing over a four-footer and sees a red shirt.

So, is he overrated? I don't think so, since he finds every tool at his disposal and uses them mercilessly. He'll keep winning until his back goes out.

I think the red shirt has something to do with his cultural upbringing. His score and confidence far more demoralizing than a garment.

I feel bad for guys like Weir and Els, who would be doing even better if Tiger wasn't at this level. The PGA tour is incredibly deep, and the competition has never been stiffer. It just so happens that Tiger is once again on that insane level.

Koji, I'm glad that golf has become more popular. All the better for us who are actually into it, and have been for a while. What's the result? More TV coverage, better tournaments, more and better golf courses, more and better choices of equipment.. etc... since the golf boom of the mid 90s, you can chart the sharp increase in money purses on tour. At the same time, choice areas started developing golf courses like crazy. I don't think there's ever been a better time to be a golfer. Sadly, I don't have the time to dedicate to it anymore. I don't like golf unless I'm shooting somewhere around 80 or lower. For me, that takes a lot of practice.

 

[bachbeet]

First, I think life interrupts' avatar is great!

I don't care for golf and don't follow it. However, whenever Palmer or Nicklaus played, I wanted to know what happened. With, Tiger I'm even more interested. He does have that killer instinct that most great pro sports players have. He seems to will himself to win.

And, as for the comments about the clothes, I thought it was funny and meant as a jest. And, I also think golfers wear flashy colors to let other golfers know they are around and hopefully won't get hit with a ball.

 

[mr_economy]

Originally Posted by Violinist

my friend of my father played golf in what I guess were bespoke T&A shortsleeve dress shirts... he didn't sweat much. I guess he was one of the more stylish golfers out there.

It really depends on the climate. I played in Kansas Junior Golf Association events all throughout my youth, and with the heat index usually somewhere between 110 and 115 degrees, wondering if you were stylishly dressed was the very least of your concerns.

I can certainly see paying more attention to dress for a formal golf outing with a boss or client, but when performance is your sole concern, it need have no place.

 

[Quirk]

This really has nothing to do with that overrated hack

, but I thought it was pretty amazing:

08.25.2006 07:46 pm (ET)

RENO, Nev. (AP) -- Japan's Yusaku Miyazato became the first golfer to make two holes-in-one in the same round of a PGA Tour tournament when he aced a pair of par 3s Friday at the Reno-Tahoe Open.

Miyazato accomplished the feat on the 230-yard, downhill seventh hole and then the 173-yard, uphill No. 12 at the Montreux Golf and Country Club.

Bob Tway had two aces in the same tournament at the Memorial in 1994 and Glen Day did the same at the Greater Hartford Open the same year, but PGA Tour officials said they could find no record of any golfer on tour who pulled it off the same day.

Miyazato, 26, who lives in Tokyo, speaks only a little English so his caddie served as a translator for reporters after the round. But he knew how to answer directly when asked how he planned to celebrate Friday night.

"Drink much beer. Big party," he said with a wide smile.

Miyazato has played four years on the Japanese Tour, earning less than $1 million in that time, he said through his caddie.

He had one previous hole-in-one and was "very excited" when he holed out the first one on Friday with a 4-iron.

"But the second time, it was really unbelievable. I couldn't believe it," Miyazato said through his caddie. He hit a 7-iron for that one.

Because of the undulating nature of the greens, he didn't see either drop in the cup. The crowd let him know the first was an ace.

On No. 12, the gallery was sparse so he was expecting it had hit the pin but bounced away.

"When I went to the green, I was surprised," he said.

Miyazato started the second round tied for 17th at 3-under 69, six strokes behind first-round leader Will MacKenzie. His second hole-in-one pushed him to 8-under and he finished with a 68 for the day to get to 9-under 135 for the tournament.

MacKenzie was playing in the group ahead and was told there had been a pair of aces by the same golfer, but didn't know who it was.

"We heard them cheering back there," he said.

PGA Tour officials had Miyazato sign the two Tour Stage golf balls he used, which they planned to send to the World Golf Hall of Fame at St. Augustine, Fla.

"I'm very proud of the PGA Tour history," Miyazato said. "Everybody watches the PGA Tour on TV [in Japan] because there are many Japanese professionals."

Miyazato, who was born in Okinawa, is playing in the tournament on an international exemption granted by Reno-Tahoe Open officials and was eligible because he won the rookie title in Japan last year. He missed the cut at the Sony Open in Hawaii in January, the only other PGA Tour event he has competed in this year.

He plans to try to qualify for the PGA Tour at qualifying school this fall.

His tour earnings so far are $8,775 and he's ranked 365th in the world golf rankings. He was tied for 1,345th in birdie average and tied for 845th in par-3 average at 3.38, although that number is sure to improve after Friday's performance.

Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

 

[edmorel]

Surprised that Tiger's attire is coming under attack when Nike obviously pays him tons of money to wear that crap. Anyone here would do the same. As for feeling bad for the other guys that can't compete with Tiger when he is on; those guys (Els, Love, Mickelson, et al) are making at least double the money that they would be making if Tiger was not around.

 

[Bradford]

WOW - what a great finish!!!

So now he's won 4 in a row, 52 events overall and gone to 10-1 in playoffs.

Clearly overrated

 

[Violinist]

Originally Posted by edmorel

Surprised that Tiger's attire is coming under attack when Nike obviously pays him tons of money to wear that crap. Anyone here would do the same. As for feeling bad for the other guys that can't compete with Tiger when he is on; those guys (Els, Love, Mickelson, et al) are making at least double the money that they would be making if Tiger was not around.

you're right, Tiger totally put golf on the map. He's a lot of the reason why the matchplay championships in South Africa had the first 1million dollar prize, and started that trend. Since Tiger became big, the size of annual earnings of the top 20 has like, quadroupled. Now, finishing in the top 20 makes you a ton of cash.