Comments on: Woods 2000 vs. Woods 2007

By: Aaron

Aaron — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:06:16 +0000

Ahh, I would also like to point out one thing. Putting! The Tiger of 2000 putted his brains out. He finished 2nd in putting that year. He made almost everything that year, especially in majors! Now, does that mean Tiger2000 was a better putter than now? Well, I guess so. It’s hard to say, because we all know how fickle putting is. We all know one day, week, or even month we can have our putting and then the next its GONE. Well, ball striking wise, Tiger is far superior to 2000 in so many ways…however, his putting results are nowhere near the standard of 2000…Do a little research, and you will see, that if Tiger had putted like he did 2000 in the recent years..he would have won 4 majors in ‘05, 3 majors in ‘06, and 3 majors in 07′…all three of those years he had 2 majors where he finished all the way at the bottom of the field (and sometimes dead last) in putting, yet managed to only finish a couple strokes out of win (see ‘05 US open, ‘05 PGA, ‘06 Masters, ‘07 Masters, ‘07 Us Open). Think about that. Tiger putts like crap and still managers to practically win these majors. Think about how well he must be striking the ball to do that! Now think about if he had putted like 2000 in these majors? He would have ran away with them, just like he did in 2000.

Yes, Tiger had a pretty swing in 2000…however, it was not as effective as some people would like to believe. The driver was straighter simply because it was shorter. And his iron game has vastly improved since then, particularly with distance control, which is the key to good iron play. It’s the PUTTING that made 2000. If Tiger starts to putt like 2000, WATCH OUT. It looked like he almost started this year, but then at Doral he fell apart with the putter. Just like the last few years: a few good weeks, then it would leave him, just in time for the majors. Can’t wait to see him putt well in a major for a change..it would be a runaway.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:57:50 +0000

Firstly, using only the top 10 best finishers in each given week is not the best practice since entire field scoring averages are available with a little bit of work. Also, why such focus on driving accuracy? You forget Tiger Woods is about 15-20 yards longer now than in 2000. Also, where did you get the idea that Tiger is hitting more fairway woods and irons now than he used to? In fact, it is the other way around. Since the courses have been legnthened, Tiger has been pushed into hitting more drivers nowadays than he used to. Remember 2000? Remember Tiger’s patented 2 iron stinger? Remember how many times he played that off of tees to get that 70% fairway stat? Factor in the extra length he has now, and you realize he is at about the same place with the driver…The reason he changed for the more length as opposed to the accuracy is because he saw Vijay Singh win 9 times in 2004 using the bomb-it-down-there-as-far-as-you-can method..so, in 2005, what did Tiger do? He changed drivers, length and type of shaft, and ended up 2nd in driving distance in 2005 with something like 316 yards off the tee. Your comment that you are trying to look beyond the “typical winning is everything” aspect is absurd, because that is all Tiger cares about! Since that is what Tiger is trying to achieve, winning more, and that is all, then THAT is the criteria you should be using. He does not care about his stats. He cares about the WINS. And until he needs to hit the ball in the fairway more to do that, the fairway% WONT be an issue. Go back to winning% as a comparison, and you will see he is better now. How can you not? He is winning at a better clip now than in 2000, despite how many of his challengers have gotten MUCH MUCH better. I’d have to say for that to happen, he has to have gotten a lot better too, huh? Yeah, think about it.

By: Phil

Phil — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:18:22 +0000

BD - Thanks for pointing out the Cog Hill omission. The tables now reflect the changes.

Kanadianhozer - Thanks for your insights. Yes, it is true that we are trying to analyze an ever changing world of golf as if it were static. And that is precisely why I like to look beyond the typical winning is everything or one stat or opinion tells all type of commentary that is all too prevalent in today’s golf world.

By: BD

BD — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:30:01 +0000

Phil — Shouldn’t Cog Hill be on this list? If so, that should mitigate the gap somewhat as I have Tiger 15 strokes better there in ‘07 versus ‘00.

By: Kanadianhozer

Kanadianhozer — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:05:20 +0000

Dudes I think you are forgetting a few vital variables into the matrix that you are thinking can give us a ruff guesstimate of Tiger’s progress, if we want to second guess tiger..lol…sum of the basic factors that need to be factored in imho, are the weather, golf ball improvements, Tiger’s new driver, and ’senior clubs, Green Superintendants of courses (setting them up more difficult with ruff etc @the longer landing spots), …etc, etc…and I know that you were not making a finite list, but still, there is a lotta factors that would suggest that Eldrick’s present claim is true, even without the added ’spin’ of Stevie Williams, who must now be making a fortine, and how is it again when the caddies (stevie) can probably make more than the 150th place pro on the PGA tour…lol…slight exaggeration for affect,….but mebbe Stevie is getting paid by Nike etc to be a shill as well these days?…

By: Phil

Phil — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:53:53 +0000

BD, Thanks for asking. The seven are: Torrey Pines, Bay Hill, Augusta National, Sawgrass, Muirfield Village, Firestone, East Lake
Putts per GIR are not available at the for the individual events (or I haven’t found them or don’t have access).

RON, I agree. Here’s another eye opener: in 2000 he hit 71.22% of the fairways (#54 on tour), in 2007 it was 59.83 (#152), and he’s probably using a lot more irons and fairway metals now then back then.

By: Ron

Ron — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:59:18 +0000

Actually, these statistics don’t surprise me at all. I’m glad to see these comparisons because it really seemed like he hit it better in 2000. He once even commented about pressing Fred Funk on winning the driving accuracy in 2000.

By: BD

BD — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:47:30 +0000

Phil: Good work. Could you list the courses? Also, what about putts-per-GIR?