Capelle On Golf

Announcers on Fred Couples
On October 3 of last year Fred Couples (he is listed as FRED at the PGA Tour) turned 50. Finally these announcers will start calling him by his name, not by that silly sounding Freddy, which has made him seem like a little kid for the last 20 odd years.
PS: I like Fred, but that long putter’s got to go! Play golf or hang it up.

John Daly - enough already
I had a whole post prepared before his latest retirement following a MC in San Diego, then I said the heck with it, maybe he’s done. But if he plays again, I’ll publish it. Meanwhile, here is Gary Van Sickle’s take from the SI Group.
“I feel like I’m done enduring the Daly saga, and after the PGA Tour effectively pulled the plug on his previous show, I still don’t know why Daly is getting another crack. “

Tiger Woods’ on course behavior
I’ve been ranting and raving about this for years, so it was awesome to see Tom Watson speak out on the matter. And as for those who said he should he should have tried to communicate with Tiger in private, he tried last summer. But his message failed to get through to Woods.

I feel that he has not carried the same stature that other great players that have come along like Jack (Nicklaus), Arnold (Palmer), Byron Nelson, the Hogans, in the sense that there was language and club throwing on the golf course. You can grant that of a young person that has not been out here for a while. But I think he needs to clean up his act and show the respect for the game that other people before him have shown.”

JB Holmes the human tortoise
An exasperated Johnny Miller counted 8 practice swings on one shot. Two years ago when Holmes played Tiger in the Match Play he was using a similar number. So, unlike Sergio Garcia who got rid of the waggles - there has been no improvement from the tour’s all time tortoise. The TV people have got to learn to come back to Holmes when he is over the ball, or show replays shortly after the fact. On the plus side, he did ditch the long putter and no longer has his caddy stand behind him to line him up for putts.

Anthony Kim the slacker
Not long ago the golf world was going nuts over Kim. Mark O’Meara rhapsodized about his swing, and his swagger and confidence bespoke a winner. It looked for sure like a potential Tiger beater was emerging from his shell when he broke through and won at the 2007 Wachovia, then backed it up two months later at Woods’ AT&T National. Then poof - done with the Ws. And so I ask, why does this keep happening, over and over and over and over again and again and again in the Woods Era. Just when a player with potential looks ready to bust loose, they break down. If Kim had been trying his hardest his slump would be forgiveable, but he’s a serial slacker, content to cash checks and party on. He says he’s rededicating himself this year to the game. We’ll have to see about that.

Alex Prugh and his broomstick
This 25 year old grad from a big year on the Nationwide Tour is off to a rousing start on the PGA Tour, finishing 5, 5t, 10t in last 3 starts. No problem, except for he uses the long putter. Yuck! He’s in his mid twenties and his nerves are already so shot that he’s got to result to the broom? As for the stats, his broom must be working. From 3-5 feet, where the money is made, he’s made 95.56%, 13th on tour.  From 5-10 feet he’s 14th at 66.04%. I’d sure like to see what those numbers would look like if he’d used a real putter.