is tiger woods even human?

[Patt]

Originally posted by: dethman

Originally posted by: BlinderBomber

Originally posted by: kranky
Not to take anything away from Tiger, but if you had been taught how to play golf from the time you could walk, and getting to play as often as you wanted, you could probably be pretty good too.

I think golf, bowling, billiards, and some other sports that are heavily reliant on muscle memory could be mastered by many people if they had the opportunity.

What about baseball? That's all muscle memory, but some people never can get it right. Tiger has an enormous amount of talent that has been finely honed through years of playing.

baseball is not all muscle memory. you have to adjust what you do for every single pitch that comes at you because every pitch is different. in golf, the ball just sits there.

The ball may 'just sit there', but it can be on a flat surface, angled left, right, in a divot, in 4 inches of grass, in 12 inches of grass, in sand.

I think few people would argue that it is not hard to hit a golf ball ... I'd agree. However, it is deadly hard to control exactly where that ball is going to. Anyone who tells you otherwise is obviously not a golfer, and is therefore making ignorant statements about the sport.

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

Originally posted by: MrDingleDangle

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

Originally posted by: meltdown75

Originally posted by: PlatinumGold

Originally posted by: meltdown75
Yeah today was super impressive. I didn't miss much, and I taped a lot of yesterday's coverage and fell asleep watching it last night (after I played 18 ).

Tiger is an absolute freak of golf...

No one should be able to dominate as much as he does, not in golf. Yet he is taking the parity out of golf simply by putting his game head & shoulders above the competition.

You can't take anything away from past greats of the game. Just like you can't compare Gordie Howe & Gretzky or Barry Sanders and Payton. Different eras, different people. Can you imagine the records Barry would have set if he actually would have CARED?

Anyhoo... you can try to be as good as you can possibly be at something, but if you don't have TALENT - it doesn't matter. Muscle memory and athletic ability are two different things, but IMHO they are also inextricably linked.

I think Tiger could have been good at quite a few sports, but he is a golfing GOD!

exactly, MJ was "good" at a few sports but he will never be to other sports what he was to BBALL.

OMG - MJ is a perfect example of an UBER athlete.

The fact that he even played AAA baseball is beyond my comprehension! It's amazing, really. Some guys play their whole life to get to that level. And he hung in there, kinda / sorta, didn't he? Perhaps his celebrity status gave him the free pass on to the team.

Still... mad props. Athletes that cross over into other sports are just SICK.

well, if you want to talk cross over athletes, Deion as much as people love to hate him WAS a superb crossover athlete, All Star football player and could have been an all star baseball player if he had played a bit more. he was much much better at baseball than MJ ever could have been.

also, Bo would have been a star at both.

Yeah, Bo was probably the best example, I was watching something on ESPN once I think where they put it the best, it was unfair for everyone for Bo Jackson to get hurt, he could have been the greatest athelete ever. before his injury he wasnt even at the peak of his career and he was already an allstar baseball player and probowl football player

I'm sorry, the best example of a crossover athlete is Dave Winnfield. He's the only person to ever get drafted in 4 (that's right, FOUR) professional leagues!

 

[brandonbull]

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy

Originally posted by: BCYL

Originally posted by: classy
Tiger right now is the best golfer ever. He just doesn't have the longevity yet of Jack, but he has surpassed Jack in every other category. I think what really seperates him is the fact he is an athlete and is built like one. He is physically just superior to all the other guys. He looks like he probably pumps iron. The other guys are great golfers, but not athletic or have the physical development. Tiger is a great golfer and looks very much like he works at his physical aspect. He is no doubt dominate, more dominate than anyone before him. Kinda scary because at his age you would expect him to get better.

You are right, Tiger does pump iron... i read in a golf magazine a while back, Tiger spends a few hours in the gym everyday conditioning his body...

Yep, he can bench 350lbs, not many golfers can say that

steroids

 

[skace]

Originally posted by: Patt
The ball may 'just sit there', but it can be on a flat surface, angled left, right, in a divot, in 4 inches of grass, in 12 inches of grass, in sand.

I think few people would argue that it is not hard to hit a golf ball ... I'd agree. However, it is deadly hard to control exactly where that ball is going to. Anyone who tells you otherwise is obviously not a golfer, and is therefore making ignorant statements about the sport.

And those conditions change the club you use, not the swing. You change your swing and you, supposedly, lose at golf.

 

[dainthomas]

Originally posted by: Patt

Originally posted by: dethman

Originally posted by: BlinderBomber

Originally posted by: kranky
Not to take anything away from Tiger, but if you had been taught how to play golf from the time you could walk, and getting to play as often as you wanted, you could probably be pretty good too.

I think golf, bowling, billiards, and some other sports that are heavily reliant on muscle memory could be mastered by many people if they had the opportunity.

What about baseball? That's all muscle memory, but some people never can get it right. Tiger has an enormous amount of talent that has been finely honed through years of playing.

baseball is not all muscle memory. you have to adjust what you do for every single pitch that comes at you because every pitch is different. in golf, the ball just sits there.

The ball may 'just sit there', but it can be on a flat surface, angled left, right, in a divot, in 4 inches of grass, in 12 inches of grass, in sand.

I think few people would argue that it is not hard to hit a golf ball ... I'd agree. However, it is deadly hard to control exactly where that ball is going to. Anyone who tells you otherwise is obviously not a golfer, and is therefore making ignorant statements about the sport.

rofl @ "sport"

 

[bignateyk]

Originally posted by: skace

Originally posted by: Patt
The ball may 'just sit there', but it can be on a flat surface, angled left, right, in a divot, in 4 inches of grass, in 12 inches of grass, in sand.

I think few people would argue that it is not hard to hit a golf ball ... I'd agree. However, it is deadly hard to control exactly where that ball is going to. Anyone who tells you otherwise is obviously not a golfer, and is therefore making ignorant statements about the sport.

And those conditions change the club you use, not the swing. You change your swing and you, supposedly, lose at golf.

ever heard of a draw shot? There are tons of different shots where you have to alter your swing. For example, when hitting certain types of lies, it is beneficial to swing on an inside-out plane. When hitting sand shots, depending on how buried the ball is, you completely change your stance, weight, and sometimes swing plane.

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: bleeb
He is like the Ron Jeremy of Golf.

Excellent analogy

 

[NanoStuff]

yes bignateyk, black people are human too.

 

[bignateyk]

Originally posted by: NanoStuff
yes bignateyk, black people are human too.

LOL

 

[Thraxen]

LOL @ the people acting like Kranky's statement is false. WTF? Sure, I doubt a majority of people could be as good as Tiger, but obviously playing golf since you could walk has had a major role in how good he is today. To think otherwise is simple asinine. And, yes, much of it is muscle memory.. wtf is wrong with you people?

 

[Miramonti]

Tiger's greatest strength is his ability to concentrate and maintain his concentration through the greatest of physical and mental challenges.

That is unteachable.

 

[Thraxen]

Originally posted by: jjsole
Tiger's greatest strength is his ability to concentrate and maintain his concentration through the greatest of physical and mental challenges.

That is unteachable.

Of course it's teachable. There are certainly some people that never handle pressure well, but there are countless others out there that have learned to handle pressure situations... be it anything from sports to public speaking.

 

[Patt]

Originally posted by: skace

Originally posted by: Patt
The ball may 'just sit there', but it can be on a flat surface, angled left, right, in a divot, in 4 inches of grass, in 12 inches of grass, in sand.

I think few people would argue that it is not hard to hit a golf ball ... I'd agree. However, it is deadly hard to control exactly where that ball is going to. Anyone who tells you otherwise is obviously not a golfer, and is therefore making ignorant statements about the sport.

And those conditions change the club you use, not the swing. You change your swing and you, supposedly, lose at golf.

More golf misinformation. Although conditions can dictate what sort of club you use, if you only use one swing, you're going to absolutely suck at golf. You must tweak your swing to hit the ball high, low, move from right to left, from left to right, add more backspin etc.

Please comment only on things you know of.

And as for anyone who denies that golf is a sport ... I don't claim that it is the most physically taxing, nor is it dangerous insofar as someone might blind-side you, but it takes incredible hand-eye coordination and timing. Plus, add this to the fact that Tiger Woods as an athlete is so superbly conditioned, his game never lets down when he needs it. Challengers to Woods just don't have his conditioning, and after 4-5 hours in heat and pressure, you need everything to click to win major championships.

 

[Thraxen]

Originally posted by: Patt
And as for anyone who denies that golf is a sport ... I don't claim that it is the most physically taxing, nor is it dangerous insofar as someone might blind-side you, but it takes incredible hand-eye coordination and timing. Plus, add this to the fact that Tiger Woods as an athlete is so superbly conditioned, his game never lets down when he needs it. Challengers to Woods just don't have his conditioning, and after 4-5 hours in heat and pressure, you need everything to click to win major championships.

IMO, golf's a game, not a sport. If you are going to say that hand/eye coordination is the criteria for "sport", then going to a LAN party could be called a sporting event. Granted, on hot days it can become physically demanding, but I don't think you can say heat = sport. Most of what people consider "sports" are physically demanding whether it's hot or cold.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

if he wasn't human they wouldn't let him play. duh!

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: Patt
And as for anyone who denies that golf is a sport ... I don't claim that it is the most physically taxing, nor is it dangerous insofar as someone might blind-side you, but it takes incredible hand-eye coordination and timing. Plus, add this to the fact that Tiger Woods as an athlete is so superbly conditioned, his game never lets down when he needs it. Challengers to Woods just don't have his conditioning, and after 4-5 hours in heat and pressure, you need everything to click to win major championships.

IMO, golf's a game, not a sport. If you are going to say that hand/eye coordination is the criteria for "sport", then going to a LAN party could be called a sporting event. Granted, on hot days it can become physically demanding, but I don't think you can say heat = sport. Most of what people consider "sports" are physically demanding whether it's hot or cold.

You must not have ever played golf. It is physically demanding regardless of weather

 

[Patt]

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: Patt
And as for anyone who denies that golf is a sport ... I don't claim that it is the most physically taxing, nor is it dangerous insofar as someone might blind-side you, but it takes incredible hand-eye coordination and timing. Plus, add this to the fact that Tiger Woods as an athlete is so superbly conditioned, his game never lets down when he needs it. Challengers to Woods just don't have his conditioning, and after 4-5 hours in heat and pressure, you need everything to click to win major championships.

IMO, golf's a game, not a sport. If you are going to say that hand/eye coordination is the criteria for "sport", then going to a LAN party could be called a sporting event. Granted, on hot days it can become physically demanding, but I don't think you can say heat = sport. Most of what people consider "sports" are physically demanding whether it's hot or cold.

Sport: A form of leisure-time physical activity that is planned, structured and competitive.

Check. Check. Check. Golf requires your whole body to be in synch, and to perform at a high level you need to be a good athlete. That doesn't mean necessarily that you'll be ripped and really muscular ... but that doesn't mean you're not an athlete.

 

[z0mb13]

Originally posted by: Thraxen
LOL @ the people acting like Kranky's statement is false. WTF? Sure, I doubt a majority of people could be as good as Tiger, but obviously playing golf since you could walk has had a major role in how good he is today. To think otherwise is simple asinine. And, yes, much of it is muscle memory.. wtf is wrong with you people?

Kranky's statement makes it sound like anyone can be like tiger if they practice a lot and/or start at a young age. but this is simply not true. If this is true, why cant other players beat him? Sergio and Phil both start at a very young age, and they even come from well off families.

Can anyone be as good as MJ or gretsky by just simply practising and create "muscle memory"? The answer is no, these people have great talent combined with great work and dedication.

 

[Miramonti]

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: jjsole
Tiger's greatest strength is his ability to concentrate and maintain his concentration through the greatest of physical and mental challenges.

That is unteachable.

Of course it's teachable. There are certainly some people that never handle pressure well, but there are countless others out there that have learned to handle pressure situations... be it anything from sports to public speaking.

Concentration can be improved to a certain degree only. He not only has the mental discipline to block major distractions out but also has the physical brain chemistry required to do it, which is not to be overlooked. He's proven it by being in the greatest pressure situations for a top athlete, and not only performing well but excelling.

That level of focus can never be taught.

 

[Thraxen]

Originally posted by: Patt
[Check. Check. Check. Golf requires your whole body to be in synch, and to perform at a high level you need to be a good athlete. That doesn't mean necessarily that you'll be ripped and really muscular ... but that doesn't mean you're not an athlete.

Hmmm... still weak though. I don't consider bowling a real sport either, but it fits that definition. I'm fine with people calling it a sport, but I still consider it a game.

 

[z0mb13]

Lol people that are bashing golf must never played it...

Tiger made it look so easy because he is GODLIKE.. the average hacker (like me) feels pretty good if I can break 90 on a muni course. Trust me golf is FAR from easy.

 

[Miramonti]

Originally posted by: z0mb13

Originally posted by: Thraxen
LOL @ the people acting like Kranky's statement is false. WTF? Sure, I doubt a majority of people could be as good as Tiger, but obviously playing golf since you could walk has had a major role in how good he is today. To think otherwise is simple asinine. And, yes, much of it is muscle memory.. wtf is wrong with you people?

Kranky's statement makes it sound like anyone can be like tiger if they practice a lot and/or start at a young age. but this is simply not true. If this is true, why cant other players beat him? Sergio and Phil both start at a very young age, and they even come from well off families.

Can anyone be as good as MJ or gretsky by just simply practising and create "muscle memory"? The answer is no, these people have great talent combined with great work and dedication.

Agreed. Success at that level is a combination of raw physical ability, experience, desire, work ethic, and mental fortitude.

There will always be haters tho.

 

[meltdown75]

Oh jeebus, not the game / sport debate.

I think it's fair to say that golf is a game to some and a sport to others. To the foursome playing in front of me whose average age ~80 and they take 6 shots to reach the green, it's more of a game. When you are trying to play competitively and dedicating yourself to golf, it becomes a sport. It just depends what you're in it for, and what you get out of it. The same is true for a myriad of other activities. To me, golf is a sport. I work out to improve flexibility and range of motion. You don't do physio-ball workouts and weight training for something like... darts. I don't know... that's my diplomatic opionion on that subject.

...

I am still kind of shocked that LUUUUUUUUUUke Donald didn't play better. You hear about the whole "playing with Tiger" thing, but this guy just always seems so lackadaisical and calm / cool that I thought he would stand in there with the Tige-ster. Not to mention a bevy of other players that just sort of fizzled down the stretch, including my favourite bogey-at-crucial-times Canuck, Mike Weir.

 

[Miramonti]

Originally posted by: z0mb13
Lol people that are bashing golf must never played it...

Tiger made it look so easy because he is GODLIKE.. the average hacker (like me) feels pretty good if I can break 90 on a muni course. Trust me golf is FAR from easy.

I think the only game Thraxen played when he was a kid was 52 card pickup.

 

[Patt]

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: Patt
[Check. Check. Check. Golf requires your whole body to be in synch, and to perform at a high level you need to be a good athlete. That doesn't mean necessarily that you'll be ripped and really muscular ... but that doesn't mean you're not an athlete.

Hmmm... still weak though. I don't consider bowling a real sport either, but it fits that definition. I'm fine with people calling it a sport, but I still consider it a game.

In reality, I don't care what people refer to it as though. It is just semantics. I think at the level I play, it is a sport. For you, maybe it is just a game, that's cool.

Regardless, it is still my favorite sport/game ... and it is something I'll play for the rest of my life

 

[meltdown75]

Originally posted by: Patt

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: Patt
[Check. Check. Check. Golf requires your whole body to be in synch, and to perform at a high level you need to be a good athlete. That doesn't mean necessarily that you'll be ripped and really muscular ... but that doesn't mean you're not an athlete.

Hmmm... still weak though. I don't consider bowling a real sport either, but it fits that definition. I'm fine with people calling it a sport, but I still consider it a game.

In reality, I don't care what people refer to it as though. It is just semantics. I think at the level I play, it is a sport. For you, maybe it is just a game, that's cool.

Regardless, it is still my favorite sport/game ... and it is something I'll play for the rest of my life

QFT... similarly, when I go shoot hoops, I'm just playing a game. When my friends come down and play, it sort of becomes a sport at that point.

I guess it's sort of a gamey sport... or a sporty game... sporty sporty game sport actually.