You seem to be criticising the broadcasters/social media and how they’ve jumped on a great shot but It’s moments like that which get people excited about golf. Why wouldn’t they make the most of it? Better than seeing Dechambeau savage a green.
The impressive thing isn't the technique, it's the ability of top class athletes to be able to perform in the moment when everyone is watching. We can all score a penalty at Wembley if playing with your mates but not sure we could do it in the world cup final with tens of millions watching. He had one chance to pull off that shot, and he did as all sporting greats seem to do.
Absolutely ... I can't even middle a straight shot with my playing partners watching me than 100's of people and cameras on me for 100's of dollars! LOL. Also I would like to point out that if the stuff I had read about his clubs is correct, his 9 iron more akin to my MP-5 pitching wedge instead of 9 iron.
Pretty much this. To see the shot at the time, to execute it at the time when you only have one shot at it, that's the real difficulty. If you leave me a day at Augusta's 16th, I can chip it in as well, but I very much doubt I'd see the exact line and hit that exact spot to make it happen before narrowing it down by trial and error.
Agree that this is a factor, a big one for us… But I think where Mark is right, It’s the fact that these guys are out day in day out, most probably practising the shots as we speak ... I support and agree this is a superb shot executed at perfection, Very impressive for the common mortals we are. But I love the fact that Mark debunked the fact that it is easier than we think
@@codywright3958 Exactly! These guys are trying it with the ball sitting up in the sand and yet they still can't make it slice/curve the ball the way Tiger did with the ball sitting down. The one trying to debunk how hard it was simply didn't do his homework about the lie of the ball and that the only other pro who would try that shot would probably be Phil. Reed was in that same bunker with a better lie, and shanked it and hit the tree.
The bal was not sitting down, that fairway bunker looked like concrete with some sand sprayed on top. Watch how his foot steps didn't make any imprint at the sand. Also the amount of side spin created was only possible with pure contact. Nevertheless great shot to pull that of considering he had one go.
Michael Holmes I’d agree. I think he did release the club but to him he has a feel in his body that produces that shot, it happens to look amazing. It’s just his feel.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE (Further adding to your point about loft) Tiger’s iron lofts are exceptionally WEAK. His PW is 50° so his 9 iron is 46° adding to the difficulty!
Tigers ball was plugged more than yours was, he had one go at it under pressure, plays with weaker lofted clubs, and had an absolute heap of side spin on it, and crossfields out here saying he wasn’t that impressed, who is this guy 😂
The difference for me is that you muppets were trying to hit the shot for a bit of fun, no pressure to get it right. Tiger has the pressure of the competition, his golf reputation and 1000s of people watching. I would like to see you pull it off with that pressure, very unlikely, that's why Tiger is class and that shot was spectacular in my opinion.
Darren Butler not sure how you get easy from this. Maybe everyone in here is a good player or tour player. Hang on yes this is the comments sections. Haha hello fellow pros. 😂😂😂 Why do you make stuff up. It’s so boring.
Steve Wright how much pressure do you think Tiger feels on day 3 in a none major. The guy who used to only play about 11 events a year. I know you would feel pressure but you could argue he might even struggle to get the juices always going when not a major. Maybe?
The old school players were more creative. I don't believe many modern day players could have pulled off that shot in that situation. Probably Phil, Bubba could execute it. Wouldn't put money on anyone else...
Anthony McKenzie Just watched a UA-cam video with 3 “Club Pro's” who set up an experiment to see if they could move the ball that much.. After a couple of goes, they were doing it consistently😉 Don’t get me wrong, fantastic shot under competition play, but don’t discredit other players by thinking they couldn’t do it..
@@MC-nb6jx Okay, I respect your opinion but I disagree. yeah when you're practicing with no pressure easy to move the ball. Do it under pressure with thousands of people watching you. Which tiger seems to do more than any other golfer ever. Just look at his highlight reel. And I disagree with Mark on this video saying other tour pros could do it. Maybe a few greats of the game. But most are too afraid to try it and would have laid up in front of the green. I meant no disrespect to any other tour pro or club pro if they're honest they would probably agree and that's why them pro's couldn't do it the first time. That proves my point.
not hard? but not easy? imagine doing it in front of a crowd, imagine doing it at that attitude, imagine etc etc.... you are doing it just as much as the media that you are trying to discredit.
Did you check and see what the loft of Tiger's 9 iron was? The TV guys were saying that several pros said they increased the loft in their irons to compensate for the altitude which not only added distance but also flattened the descent angle of shots so they added loft to get more spin. So Tiger's 9 iron may very well be weaker than the 9 iron you guys were hitting with.
It was an amazing shot under pressure during a tournament. I think you're underestimating it/hating a little bit on Tiger. First off the trunk of the tree was about 10 feet left of the pin in the TV shot where Tiger inspects from the bunker. Add to that the massive crown of the tree which extends another 10-15 feet to the left. From where you're standing in the bunker you should curve it closer to the red flag than the yellow, which looks to be almost in line with your imaginary pin. Also, it was more than slope that zipped the ball 20 feet across the green in a matter of seconds. You can visibly see the ball spin and accelerate after it bounces a couple times. A world class shot which would have been broadcast/hyped equally well had it been executed by McIlroy or DJ. Maybe it's because we've come to expect these things from Tiger that they're no longer seem as impressive.
Mark moved it maybeeee half as much a tiger did, watch where tigers shot starts and where marks starts, incomparable, tiger is aiming his feet almost on a 45 degree angel to the pin, his caddie may have said 25 yards to the pin from where he started it but it looks like muchhh more, closer to 35 yards I would imagine
As well at altitude much tougher, I watched Patrick Reed attempt almost the same shot, hit the tree and advanced maybe half the distance to the hole. It was an outrageously hard shot under all the circumstances.
I think the follow through simply represents intent. Tiger has described being a feel player since childhood and being taught to "see the shot, feel the shot, hit the shot". The follow through is for him to "feel" the slice and translate it into a swing. Brilliant recovery shots have always amazed the viewers/announcers. I think because regular golfers have the ability to find the same trouble, but as your video demonstrates, sometimes a few tries are needed to pull off the recovery.
Tv companies are amazed by the wizard whereas mark always wants to look behind the curtain to see how the magic is actually performed. Great vid once again 😀
I shared this very same opinion online today (prior to your vid being posted) and was practically scolded because people thought I said the shot was easy (not what I said). I said the physics of that shot were quite simple and plenty of people could replicate it. What’s most impressive in my mind is that Tiger felt confident enough in the shot (in his ability to hit the shot) to do so in competition. Then again, that’s what really makes Tiger TIGER. He does things under the pressures of tournament play that no one would ever think to try because the risk vs reward is so great.
I paused the video at the Superman sells daily planets just to make this comment. In the years I’ve watched this channel that has been by far my favorite comment! The comic book nerdness gets you all the respect mark! Thank you! Hahaha
I don't think the finish was for show, probably more a mental thing than anything. Still an amazing shot, I'd be impressed if anyone pulled that off mid round. Much harder to do it with the actual tree in front of you in the middle of a tournament in my opinion. But that's just part of watching any sport really and what makes it exciting or enjoyable to watch.
StarlitShadows Agreed on the mental part. To be getting into such an exaggerated position at the end you’ll need to be moving into a position to do so during the swing.
The question is really simple. If Tiger hadn't played the shot, would any of us ( in a similar situation ) have the imagination or the bottle to take that shot on with a crowd as big as that in such close proximity . I personally would have to hand over more than a signed glove lol.
Golf is so full of routine, uneventful shots that it's fun to get amped over a really cool one like that, I imagine for the commentators as well. That fact that he put it that close to the hole, when alot of shots from the middle of the fairway don't get close, is what made it more special.
17:12 99.9% of the field? Come on, be honest. Patrick Reed missed his version of this shot. I appreciate the content and respect your desire to point out that it’s easier to pull off from a bunker, but the tone of the video comes off as sour. And all the fuss about the helicopter finish. Is it so important for you to play contrarian to how the media covers Tiger that you have to undersell everything else about #ThatShot? Hitting it pin-high and almost rolling it in, after slicing a 45° 9-iron at 7,800 feet, in a WGC tournament was pretty remarkable to see live.
The important point shouldn't be whether or not others have the capability to make the shot. Tiger isn't God, so others can do anything he can do golf-wise. The point is that he did it UNREHEARSED...in a tournament...at an altitude he's unfamiliar with...with real trees...and most importantly, he hit the shot PRECISELY the right distance and, given the ridiculous side spin that shot required, he landed it at PRECISELY the right spot on the green. I think it was one of the best shots I've ever seen played, actually. The only thing that could have made it better was if it had been in the final round and he'd been closer to winning. Loved the video by the way, even if I don't altogether agree with the conclusion.
“Easy shot” yet you practiced it all day and still couldn’t exactly recreate it. It’s not just about curving it. It’s curving it out of a bunker, around a tree and landing it exactly on the number he needed at altitude in front of thousands of people.
The beauty of how this played out, I would bet thousands of $$$ that people will start playing just from seeing something like that theatrical shot. Even if he exaggerated a little it’s still good for the game. Great video Boys
An important thing to remember: Tiger plays very old-school lofted clubs. His 9i is actually 45.5º so really more of a modern PW. Makes hitting that shot even crazier, especially when you throw in that the ball moves less in thinner air.
You are 100% right on fading due to loft! I moved my lie upright 1 degree on 4i - 6i to correct my ball flight back towards center because of the strong lofts on the 919 Forged.
I love a bit of Hollywood in Golf! Look at Boxing, football and many other sports it’s all about the drama and that gets viewers and participation. The golf world is a better place having Tiger back even if it’s all smoke & mirrors. Great vid - really enjoyed!!!
Love the format of this video. Straight after I watched it went to the range to see how much I could get my 9 iron to cut. My stock 9 iron shot is a bit of a draw, sometimes too much. If I really worked at going out to in and trying to cup my wrist to open the face I was able to get a slight cut, but nothing more than 5-7 yards. I've done it accidentally on the golf course, but trying to intentionally do it is harder than it looks. It's a great game to play on the range though. I'm looking forward to more videos like this.
Thanks for that fun analysis. What's amazing with that shot is that there's potential for collateral damage, as you said. He's also in a tournament. He's only got one go at it and he gets it done ! That means he has such an incredible experience about how he can move the ball when he needs it.
@@MarkCrossfield I commented before I watched the video, that shot was one of the few that stuck in my mind from the tourney. Great tips on how to achieve such a shot. Cheers! 👍
Great explanation!!! Loved seeing the replay of the shot... Just amazing how he could just strike it so clean from where he was... What a knowledge drop... BOOM!!!
I remember watching Seve play “impossible” shots when his impetuous mindset got him into places other players would just try to escape from. His belief in being able to pull off ridiculous saves was addictive and we followed him not because he was a great golf player, (even though he was), but because we knew he would get himself in a horrible place and then produce a bit of “Seve magic” to make par. It wasn’t golf in the purest sense, it was theatre and we loved it. The great players of the day admired not so much the skill, but his belief in his ability to rescue any situation. Tiger may not have Seve’s charisma but he sure has the same belief that he can get out of trouble in one shot rather than two.
Honestly, this is why Tiger is great for golf. He displays true showmanship and emotion to the great game of golf. He could walk around like he is just doing a job.
Good try ,but you left out a few things. 1 40foot tree in front of you with limbs hanging off. 2 pressure, getting it right in 1 go with so much on the line. I agree that they made it more than it was, but he's TIGER WOODS mate , enough said!!!!!!
Theyve underestimated the swing! Sky had one angle and it was pretty crazy the way it turned! These guys were doing nothing close i inow that for sure.
Great vid. The "shot" is a welcome reminder of the skill the top players have. Watch coverage of golf and it is predominately fairway,green,putts when it's their ability to recover and create shots that sets them apart.
Loved that - didn’t look possible without a Tiger skill set but clearly understanding the parameters of the situation and how the ball could react with the right strike and path proves it’s in most players locker. Great video!!
I find it amazing that (probably the same) people are on one hand saying most tour pros couldn’t pull that shot off under that pressure, but can’t accept that an 8 handicapper like Raymondo doesn’t play to his handicap on some of the hardest courses in the world whilst on camera and hungover.
At last my answer regarding D-plane and Game Improvement clubs has been answered, by de-lofting these clubs is it harder to hit it straight or is the increased MOI, toe weighting helping things
Agree. It's got me thinking about that as well. For example, with my game improvement irons, should I use the same shafts with more loft (7 iron going from 30° to 35°) in order to help me hitting it straighter?
Yes Dan, I always practice this shot and the first time I achieved it cost me dear; I hit the mat and pulled the ligaments on my right arm and I was out of golf for 6 months. The fact that I practice it was caused by deep scars from a Texas Scamble. I hit a great drive that landed in front of a tree. Nobody wanted to use that shot because there was a tree in the way. Second shot nobody even reached the tree; I could have used my putter and knocked my ball past the tree. I thought bugger that I will learn how to do it and spent the next mopnth on the range trying to bend the shot, thanks to UA-cam tutorials. Alas, I havent been able to bend it the other way but, maybe one day ;-)
I think it was more of setup and face angle. The face was open at address and contact. It ended up being a push and slice in same shot. Also the ball way back in his stance did help with de-lofting the club to help get more side spin. The hard part is hitting the exact grove on the club to make all that happen
That was fun!! Tiger did grow up playing all types of different shots with his dad instead of playing golf swing like most kids today. Agreed it was a great shot, but Tiger also likes to add a little flare just in case you weren’t sure it was great!
Mark, the thing that got me back into golf as an adult in the early 2000s was watching the miraculous shots tiger (and others) hit. I was taught a very boring version of the game as a kid, all math, no imagination. As a creative person shot shaping and looking at the course differently now is what gets me back out there week after week. I practice a couple of times a week and finish every session with something "fun". Tried this shot yesterday. Hurt my back. Agree its easier out of a bunker. Got a few to turn that much, and couple of sideways bounces, but no side sauce. :) However, i WAS coming up with some pretty crazy follow throughs, i thought they were because of the path i was trying to create,So i'm surprised you think that part was more theatrics than anything. Ill trust you on it though. :) Awesome vid mate - perhaps you could consider doing a series re-creating famous shots from the last 30 years or so? Would love to see Ray some input from Golf Historian RAYMONDO.
For the premier league we have Monday night football and it’s huge, because people care about analysis. I’d love to see you do this kind of show...who knows, maybe it would get picked up by sky! Great vid
Good video guys. Great fun! I am certainly not a Tiger fan boy due to all his off course indiscretions however, I do recognize him as the GOAT and admire his uncanny ability to visualize a shot and pull it off in the pressure cooker that is the moment. Chalk up another one for the highlight reel! He is still great for our game.
What is even more impressive is that tigers 9 iron is lofted like a pitching wedge. He has really weak lofted irons. Love the vids mark. You guys are awesome
Anyone can get in a bunker and swing a club face open to a path, but knowing how to judge distance, start line, sword fight finish, the whole package is what made it impressive.
It’s not about what it numbers it takes to hit that shot, but rather being able to do it in one go on command. You could use your argument to any sport and make it seem like it’s something anyone can do, bc each individual shot or play can be done by many outside of that moment, but not many can do them in that moment. Tiger is the most exciting thing in golf whether you accept it or not, and I’d imagine that his impact directly affects even you and your viewership in a positive way.
It's still an amazing shot, because he saw the shot, and executed it exactly how he envisaged it, first go. I'm impressed that you guys broke it down so you could recreate it, I know I couldn't do it on purpose, I don't have that skill set. None the less, loved the video.
If you watch the video of Tiger hitting that shot, his swing path really doesn't look too crazy to the left. What are the chances he opened the face at least a few degrees - that would make the ball slice much easier?
Great piece guys, but we have to be fully factual on this. He took the most lofted club he could to generate curvature, that being a 9 iron. His standard 9 iron was going 190 yards. This was 135 + 20 on for the fade. This was the true skill of the shot. Getting the yardage correct. Was it Hollywood in the finish - of course it was & you’re not wrong! But this is tiger, he’s box-office. Could most of the field have played that shot, given a one time only play? No-way! Probably only 6-7 players could have done it. Making that around 10% of the field. But again; bloody great video guys. Thanks. 😊
I thought I heard Brandel Chamblee say on the Golf Channel that he curved it 15 to 20 yards. Also, don't forget that Tiger's 9 iron loft is around 45ish degrees. Love your videos
I think golf may be the only sport where their athletes do cool things that draw attention to the casual fan, but golfers like to try to bring down the enthusiasm. Same thing happened when Cameron Champ came along everyone including casual people were getting excited and golf heads just kept making comments about how all we are seeing are vids of Champ's swing.
Great video fellas. Should do more shot remakes to make us mere mortals feel a little better. My view - the spin was always going to be there out of the bunker (also aided with the hard left to right slope of the green) and swinging so far left. Yes i agree any other tour pro could pull the shot off and we wouldn't hear a toot. What I'm most impressed with is the distance control and strike. But then again its these guys' bread and butter, they have done this their whole lives. Like all greats of their sport... he believes he can do it when the world is watching. For example: average premier league players will score free kicks for fun in training. But Beckham would more often than not pull it off in the big game on more than one occasion.
Love you’re videos but I have to disagree a bit on this one. It’s one thing to attempt this shot when your out with a couple of friends on a casual Sunday.. but to attempt it in a a championship round with a audience watching, knowing full well you could miss it and take one of them out, it’s a type of pressure that I don’t believe you can replicate. Maybe the media over did it a bit but it was still a pretty spectacular shot. Shame he missed the putt right after.
Would the altitude of the course make it harder to do as the air is thinner there so less resistance for the ball to be affected by?? Makes it even more impressive.
I can't speak for everyone, but for me it's how he moved it over and around the tree to the correct part of the green and fed it down to the pin. We didn't have numbers but visually it looked almost impossible.
Love to learn about how to do it. It takes nothing from the shot, it shows thoughts and how things are possible. As you’ve said many times, you rarely get the perfect distance with the perfect lie.
Twitter is so misleading. From the exchanges I read earlier today, before getting a chance to watch the video, I thought you were dismissing the shot and saying anyone could do it in that situation. Great, great video! Learned a lot!
me thinks that Tigers follow though isnt totally theatrics.. if you have club speed that high and are coming massively out to in, you dont want to try and stop that tight rotation with your back, especially after having surgery on your back.. i do the same thing involuntarily as well hitting fades and cuts.
I always had the mind set of the follow through is it helps with the feeling you are trying to have with the shot. It has nothing to do with the shot. But it just helps with the shot needed somewhat like when players over exaggerate practice swings to help with a feeling.
Very good video, I might be wrong but you definitely showed it's easy to move the ball out of a bunker but didn't really show how easy it was to do and then get so close, could you guys play that shot and hit target, would love to see another video on this
Very interesting video & a great insight into what made the shot so good yet not a one off & repeatable to the skilled golfer like you 3 fine gentlemen!
It's defenitely easier to curve the ball from the bunker. Personally I'm terrible at curving it to the right though with shorter clubs, but I can hit big hooks from the bunker with a 9 iron quite easily. The impressive thing with that shot was that he pulled it off perfectly in that moment though. The esthetics with the tree, his follow through and the spin made it look amazing, which it was, but technically every tour player can pull it off. Tiger probably pulls it off on a much higher percentage than others though. He has hit so many great fairway bunker shots in his career. Even at this stage of his career after all his surgeries he still pulls them off quite regularly from uncomfortable stances which is really impressive
You seem to be criticising the broadcasters/social media and how they’ve jumped on a great shot but It’s moments like that which get people excited about golf. Why wouldn’t they make the most of it? Better than seeing Dechambeau savage a green.
Honestly one of the greatest shots I’ve ever seen! Anyone agree??
The impressive thing isn't the technique, it's the ability of top class athletes to be able to perform in the moment when everyone is watching. We can all score a penalty at Wembley if playing with your mates but not sure we could do it in the world cup final with tens of millions watching. He had one chance to pull off that shot, and he did as all sporting greats seem to do.
Absolutely ... I can't even middle a straight shot with my playing partners watching me than 100's of people and cameras on me for 100's of dollars! LOL. Also I would like to point out that if the stuff I had read about his clubs is correct, his 9 iron more akin to my MP-5 pitching wedge instead of 9 iron.
Correct one chance to pull the shot off.
Absolutely!!!
Pretty much this. To see the shot at the time, to execute it at the time when you only have one shot at it, that's the real difficulty. If you leave me a day at Augusta's 16th, I can chip it in as well, but I very much doubt I'd see the exact line and hit that exact spot to make it happen before narrowing it down by trial and error.
nailed it and that's why you don't see "99%" of the other players attempting shots like this.
Tiger only had one go at it, that's the hard bit
@Ricky7D agreed
Agree that this is a factor, a big one for us… But I think where Mark is right, It’s the fact that these guys are out day in day out, most probably practising the shots as we speak ... I support and agree this is a superb shot executed at perfection, Very impressive for the common mortals we are. But I love the fact that Mark debunked the fact that it is easier than we think
Not to mention the ball sitting “down” in the bunker. Hard shot to hit. I wouldn’t think he practices that a lot.
@@codywright3958 Exactly! These guys are trying it with the ball sitting up in the sand and yet they still can't make it slice/curve the ball the way Tiger did with the ball sitting down. The one trying to debunk how hard it was simply didn't do his homework about the lie of the ball and that the only other pro who would try that shot would probably be Phil. Reed was in that same bunker with a better lie, and shanked it and hit the tree.
The bal was not sitting down, that fairway bunker looked like concrete with some sand sprayed on top. Watch how his foot steps didn't make any imprint at the sand. Also the amount of side spin created was only possible with pure contact.
Nevertheless great shot to pull that of considering he had one go.
I can move the ball 25 yards from a bunker, no problem.
However, you would probably call it a shank ;)
It was a great shot......Nothing Hollywood about it!
Michael Holmes I’d agree. I think he did release the club but to him he has a feel in his body that produces that shot, it happens to look amazing. It’s just his feel.
heck no, big tournament on the line of course he would take the chance of screwing up his swing to "hollywood it up" lol
IMPORTANT TO NOTE (Further adding to your point about loft) Tiger’s iron lofts are exceptionally WEAK. His PW is 50° so his 9 iron is 46° adding to the difficulty!
Tigers ball was plugged more than yours was, he had one go at it under pressure, plays with weaker lofted clubs, and had an absolute heap of side spin on it, and crossfields out here saying he wasn’t that impressed, who is this guy 😂
The difference for me is that you muppets were trying to hit the shot for a bit of fun, no pressure to get it right. Tiger has the pressure of the competition, his golf reputation and 1000s of people watching. I would like to see you pull it off with that pressure, very unlikely, that's why Tiger is class and that shot was spectacular in my opinion.
LOL@muppets! These guys trying to debunk how great Tiger's shot was is hilarious!! You muppet's need to remember the ball was also sitting down.
I`m pretty sure Tiger only had one go at it as well.
😂😂👍👍
Tiger may of had a tad more pressure on him too 🤷🏼♂️
Easy shot though, he was just playing to the crowd...... Crossy said so. 🤷🏼♂️
Darren Butler not sure how you get easy from this. Maybe everyone in here is a good player or tour player. Hang on yes this is the comments sections. Haha hello fellow pros. 😂😂😂
Why do you make stuff up. It’s so boring.
Steve Wright how much pressure do you think Tiger feels on day 3 in a none major. The guy who used to only play about 11 events a year.
I know you would feel pressure but you could argue he might even struggle to get the juices always going when not a major. Maybe?
Tiger has an uncanny ability to see and hit shots very few tour pro's could hit or even try. He's been doing that his whole career
Watch videos of Lee Trevino moving the ball (both ways) and he also did it his whole career..
@@MC-nb6jx will do
The old school players were more creative. I don't believe many modern day players could have pulled off that shot in that situation. Probably Phil, Bubba could execute it. Wouldn't put money on anyone else...
Anthony McKenzie Just watched a UA-cam video with 3 “Club Pro's” who set up an experiment to see if they could move the ball that much.. After a couple of goes, they were doing it consistently😉
Don’t get me wrong, fantastic shot under competition play, but don’t discredit other players by thinking they couldn’t do it..
@@MC-nb6jx Okay, I respect your opinion but I disagree. yeah when you're practicing with no pressure easy to move the ball. Do it under pressure with thousands of people watching you. Which tiger seems to do more than any other golfer ever. Just look at his highlight reel. And I disagree with Mark on this video saying other tour pros could do it. Maybe a few greats of the game. But most are too afraid to try it and would have laid up in front of the green. I meant no disrespect to any other tour pro or club pro if they're honest they would probably agree and that's why them pro's couldn't do it the first time. That proves my point.
not hard? but not easy? imagine doing it in front of a crowd, imagine doing it at that attitude, imagine etc etc.... you are doing it just as much as the media that you are trying to discredit.
Did you check and see what the loft of Tiger's 9 iron was? The TV guys were saying that several pros said they increased the loft in their irons to compensate for the altitude which not only added distance but also flattened the descent angle of shots so they added loft to get more spin. So Tiger's 9 iron may very well be weaker than the 9 iron you guys were hitting with.
Crossfield’s genuine haterade....
Exactly ! Salty asf
Coach can do anything... just not on purpose...lol!
It was an amazing shot under pressure during a tournament. I think you're underestimating it/hating a little bit on Tiger.
First off the trunk of the tree was about 10 feet left of the pin in the TV shot where Tiger inspects from the bunker. Add to that the massive crown of the tree which extends another 10-15 feet to the left. From where you're standing in the bunker you should curve it closer to the red flag than the yellow, which looks to be almost in line with your imaginary pin.
Also, it was more than slope that zipped the ball 20 feet across the green in a matter of seconds. You can visibly see the ball spin and accelerate after it bounces a couple times.
A world class shot which would have been broadcast/hyped equally well had it been executed by McIlroy or DJ. Maybe it's because we've come to expect these things from Tiger that they're no longer seem as impressive.
Mark moved it maybeeee half as much a tiger did, watch where tigers shot starts and where marks starts, incomparable, tiger is aiming his feet almost on a 45 degree angel to the pin, his caddie may have said 25 yards to the pin from where he started it but it looks like muchhh more, closer to 35 yards I would imagine
As well at altitude much tougher, I watched Patrick Reed attempt almost the same shot, hit the tree and advanced maybe half the distance to the hole. It was an outrageously hard shot under all the circumstances.
This comment is hard to believe. We moved it more than the 25 yards that his caddy quoted. You know the guy there giving yardages.
Exactly Matt.
@@MarkCrossfield LOL! If you say so.
I think the follow through simply represents intent. Tiger has described being a feel player since childhood and being taught to "see the shot, feel the shot, hit the shot". The follow through is for him to "feel" the slice and translate it into a swing. Brilliant recovery shots have always amazed the viewers/announcers. I think because regular golfers have the ability to find the same trouble, but as your video demonstrates, sometimes a few tries are needed to pull off the recovery.
Tv companies are amazed by the wizard whereas mark always wants to look behind the curtain to see how the magic is actually performed.
Great vid once again 😀
"I can do anything" 😂
Brilliant😂😂
I think it comes down to there is a difference between the ability to hit a shot and the ability to see the shot in the first place!
Exactly, maybe phil would of seen it but i cant think of many others who wouldve! Even if they did they certainly wouldnt of attempted it!
I shared this very same opinion online today (prior to your vid being posted) and was practically scolded because people thought I said the shot was easy (not what I said). I said the physics of that shot were quite simple and plenty of people could replicate it. What’s most impressive in my mind is that Tiger felt confident enough in the shot (in his ability to hit the shot) to do so in competition. Then again, that’s what really makes Tiger TIGER. He does things under the pressures of tournament play that no one would ever think to try because the risk vs reward is so great.
I think people were just as impressed by the spin and the fact he nearly holed it never mind the curvature too!
👍
Brilliant shot, arnold palmer follow through not required.
Re club selection Tiger's 9 iron is actually like most PWs. He uses a 49/50 degree PW still so I'd imagine 45-46 degrees on his 9.
Excellent stuff... Maybe a new series?
Recreating (or failing. Lol) great golf shots of the past 👍
That's a great idea
I agree. Recreate all the best shots from the last 50yrs
I paused the video at the Superman sells daily planets just to make this comment. In the years I’ve watched this channel that has been by far my favorite comment! The comic book nerdness gets you all the respect mark! Thank you! Hahaha
I don't think the finish was for show, probably more a mental thing than anything. Still an amazing shot, I'd be impressed if anyone pulled that off mid round. Much harder to do it with the actual tree in front of you in the middle of a tournament in my opinion. But that's just part of watching any sport really and what makes it exciting or enjoyable to watch.
StarlitShadows Agreed on the mental part. To be getting into such an exaggerated position at the end you’ll need to be moving into a position to do so during the swing.
The question is really simple. If Tiger hadn't played the shot, would any of us ( in a similar situation ) have the imagination or the bottle to take that shot on with a crowd as big as that in such close proximity . I personally would have to hand over more than a signed glove lol.
That's why tiger is one of the best to ever grace the game, and your, well..., you
Golf is so full of routine, uneventful shots that it's fun to get amped over a really cool one like that, I imagine for the commentators as well. That fact that he put it that close to the hole, when alot of shots from the middle of the fairway don't get close, is what made it more special.
17:12 99.9% of the field? Come on, be honest. Patrick Reed missed his version of this shot.
I appreciate the content and respect your desire to point out that it’s easier to pull off from a bunker, but the tone of the video comes off as sour. And all the fuss about the helicopter finish. Is it so important for you to play contrarian to how the media covers Tiger that you have to undersell everything else about #ThatShot? Hitting it pin-high and almost rolling it in, after slicing a 45° 9-iron at 7,800 feet, in a WGC tournament was pretty remarkable to see live.
Did reed go round or did he try to go over????
Mark do u have any 'black' friends ?
The important point shouldn't be whether or not others have the capability to make the shot. Tiger isn't God, so others can do anything he can do golf-wise. The point is that he did it UNREHEARSED...in a tournament...at an altitude he's unfamiliar with...with real trees...and most importantly, he hit the shot PRECISELY the right distance and, given the ridiculous side spin that shot required, he landed it at PRECISELY the right spot on the green. I think it was one of the best shots I've ever seen played, actually. The only thing that could have made it better was if it had been in the final round and he'd been closer to winning.
Loved the video by the way, even if I don't altogether agree with the conclusion.
It was vintage tiger. What we all love to see. Also, it could have had something to do with with the equipment he uses. Taylormade I think
“Easy shot” yet you practiced it all day and still couldn’t exactly recreate it. It’s not just about curving it. It’s curving it out of a bunker, around a tree and landing it exactly on the number he needed at altitude in front of thousands of people.
Also explains why bubbas shot at the masters was a thing of beauty... he did with a pitching wedge... most impressive is the distance control
pretty sure he did it with a LOB wedge. 60 degree
pfffffffff i can do that with a 9 iron easy.... (says a slicer 30 handicapper...)
The beauty of how this played out,
I would bet thousands of $$$ that people will start playing just from seeing something like that theatrical shot. Even if he exaggerated a little it’s still good for the game.
Great video Boys
An important thing to remember: Tiger plays very old-school lofted clubs. His 9i is actually 45.5º so really more of a modern PW. Makes hitting that shot even crazier, especially when you throw in that the ball moves less in thinner air.
You are 100% right on fading due to loft! I moved my lie upright 1 degree on 4i - 6i to correct my ball flight back towards center because of the strong lofts on the 919 Forged.
I love a bit of Hollywood in Golf! Look at Boxing, football and many other sports it’s all about the drama and that gets viewers and participation. The golf world is a better place having Tiger back even if it’s all smoke & mirrors. Great vid - really enjoyed!!!
Love the format of this video. Straight after I watched it went to the range to see how much I could get my 9 iron to cut. My stock 9 iron shot is a bit of a draw, sometimes too much. If I really worked at going out to in and trying to cup my wrist to open the face I was able to get a slight cut, but nothing more than 5-7 yards. I've done it accidentally on the golf course, but trying to intentionally do it is harder than it looks. It's a great game to play on the range though. I'm looking forward to more videos like this.
Thanks for that fun analysis. What's amazing with that shot is that there's potential for collateral damage, as you said. He's also in a tournament. He's only got one go at it and he gets it done ! That means he has such an incredible experience about how he can move the ball when he needs it.
It was an excellent shot, not a fan of Tiger but have to give credit where credit is due.
Did you watch and do you have any comment that relates to the points in this video 👍👍
@@MarkCrossfield I commented before I watched the video, that shot was one of the few that stuck in my mind from the tourney. Great tips on how to achieve such a shot. Cheers! 👍
Great explanation!!! Loved seeing the replay of the shot... Just amazing how he could just strike it so clean from where he was... What a knowledge drop... BOOM!!!
I remember watching Seve play “impossible” shots when his impetuous mindset got him into places other players would just try to escape from. His belief in being able to pull off ridiculous saves was addictive and we followed him not because he was a great golf player, (even though he was), but because we knew he would get himself in a horrible place and then produce a bit of “Seve magic” to make par. It wasn’t golf in the purest sense, it was theatre and we loved it. The great players of the day admired not so much the skill, but his belief in his ability to rescue any situation. Tiger may not have Seve’s charisma but he sure has the same belief that he can get out of trouble in one shot rather than two.
Honestly, this is why Tiger is great for golf. He displays true showmanship and emotion to the great game of golf. He could walk around like he is just doing a job.
Good try ,but you left out a few things. 1 40foot tree in front of you with limbs hanging off. 2 pressure, getting it right in 1 go with so much on the line. I agree that they made it more than it was, but he's TIGER WOODS mate , enough said!!!!!!
You have to also remember P.Reed has similar shot and did not make it more than 20yrds
Also the fact that it was blind and he couldn't even see his target. The embarrassment if he duffed it or hit it into the crowd. 1 shot
Theyve underestimated the swing! Sky had one angle and it was pretty crazy the way it turned! These guys were doing nothing close i inow that for sure.
MythBusters of Golf! Keep 'em coming!
I think the shot was amazing. Let’s remember Tiger was in a tournament and had to land the ball pin high with only one go !
Good points.
Great vid. The "shot" is a welcome reminder of the skill the top players have. Watch coverage of golf and it is predominately fairway,green,putts when it's their ability to recover and create shots that sets them apart.
Loved that - didn’t look possible without a Tiger skill set but clearly understanding the parameters of the situation and how the ball could react with the right strike and path proves it’s in most players locker. Great video!!
I find it amazing that (probably the same) people are on one hand saying most tour pros couldn’t pull that shot off under that pressure, but can’t accept that an 8 handicapper like Raymondo doesn’t play to his handicap on some of the hardest courses in the world whilst on camera and hungover.
At last my answer regarding D-plane and Game Improvement clubs has been answered, by de-lofting these clubs is it harder to hit it straight or is the increased MOI, toe weighting helping things
Agree. It's got me thinking about that as well. For example, with my game improvement irons, should I use the same shafts with more loft (7 iron going from 30° to 35°) in order to help me hitting it straighter?
Yes Dan, I always practice this shot and the first time I achieved it cost me dear; I hit the mat and pulled the ligaments on my right arm and I was out of golf for 6 months. The fact that I practice it was caused by deep scars from a Texas Scamble. I hit a great drive that landed in front of a tree. Nobody wanted to use that shot because there was a tree in the way. Second shot nobody even reached the tree; I could have used my putter and knocked my ball past the tree. I thought bugger that I will learn how to do it and spent the next mopnth on the range trying to bend the shot, thanks to UA-cam tutorials. Alas, I havent been able to bend it the other way but, maybe one day ;-)
I think it was more of setup and face angle. The face was open at address and contact. It ended up being a push and slice in same shot. Also the ball way back in his stance did help with de-lofting the club to help get more side spin. The hard part is hitting the exact grove on the club to make all that happen
That was fun!! Tiger did grow up playing all types of different shots with his dad instead of playing golf swing like most kids today. Agreed it was a great shot, but Tiger also likes to add a little flare just in case you weren’t sure it was great!
Video analysis almost at Brandel’s level!!
Can’t wait for the 2 of you to get together in the commentary booth!!
Mark, the thing that got me back into golf as an adult in the early 2000s was watching the miraculous shots tiger (and others) hit. I was taught a very boring version of the game as a kid, all math, no imagination. As a creative person shot shaping and looking at the course differently now is what gets me back out there week after week. I practice a couple of times a week and finish every session with something "fun". Tried this shot yesterday. Hurt my back. Agree its easier out of a bunker. Got a few to turn that much, and couple of sideways bounces, but no side sauce. :) However, i WAS coming up with some pretty crazy follow throughs, i thought they were because of the path i was trying to create,So i'm surprised you think that part was more theatrics than anything. Ill trust you on it though. :) Awesome vid mate - perhaps you could consider doing a series re-creating famous shots from the last 30 years or so? Would love to see Ray some input from Golf Historian RAYMONDO.
You call him Superman, don't forget Super-Mex.😉😉 His ability to move the ball all way's was fantastic..
For the premier league we have Monday night football and it’s huge, because people care about analysis. I’d love to see you do this kind of show...who knows, maybe it would get picked up by sky! Great vid
It was a very impressive shot, the amount of sidespin on the ball when it hit the green was crazy
Bloody brilliant Mark, well done sir, very well done!!
Go back and look at bubbas shot out of the trees on 10 at augusta. Love to see yall try that.
Already on it.
Good video guys. Great fun!
I am certainly not a Tiger fan boy due to all his off course indiscretions however, I do recognize him as the GOAT and admire his uncanny ability to visualize a shot and pull it off in the pressure cooker that is the moment. Chalk up another one for the highlight reel! He is still great for our game.
He sure is 👍
“I’m not a lil monkey” 🤣😂🤣 Amazing stuff guys!
Cheers 👍
What is even more impressive is that tigers 9 iron is lofted like a pitching wedge. He has really weak lofted irons. Love the vids mark. You guys are awesome
Really enjoy this technical analysis golf from you guys. Brilliant shots by the way....
I wonder if his caddy suggested the shot?
Anyone can get in a bunker and swing a club face open to a path, but knowing how to judge distance, start line, sword fight finish, the whole package is what made it impressive.
As usual always educational & entertaining, keep it up boys.
It’s not about what it numbers it takes to hit that shot, but rather being able to do it in one go on command. You could use your argument to any sport and make it seem like it’s something anyone can do, bc each individual shot or play can be done by many outside of that moment, but not many can do them in that moment. Tiger is the most exciting thing in golf whether you accept it or not, and I’d imagine that his impact directly affects even you and your viewership in a positive way.
What difference do you reckon altitude would make to your efforts recreating the shot? Great vid btw
15% off our curve 👍
I agree with A. Flynn. Do a series trying to create great shots
It's still an amazing shot, because he saw the shot, and executed it exactly how he envisaged it, first go.
I'm impressed that you guys broke it down so you could recreate it, I know I couldn't do it on purpose, I don't have that skill set. None the less, loved the video.
Love the video, never would have thought it's easier to play this from a bunker - WOW
It was a great shot. Not as hard as I originally thought for someone with those skills. Fun learning about the numbers and recreating.
We had lots of fun doing it
Awesome video!! Dive into more iconic shots like this!!!!
If you watch the video of Tiger hitting that shot, his swing path really doesn't look too crazy to the left. What are the chances he opened the face at least a few degrees - that would make the ball slice much easier?
Great piece guys, but we have to be fully factual on this.
He took the most lofted club he could to generate curvature, that being a 9 iron. His standard 9 iron was going 190 yards. This was 135 + 20 on for the fade. This was the true skill of the shot. Getting the yardage correct.
Was it Hollywood in the finish - of course it was & you’re not wrong! But this is tiger, he’s box-office.
Could most of the field have played that shot, given a one time only play? No-way!
Probably only 6-7 players could have done it. Making that around 10% of the field.
But again; bloody great video guys. Thanks. 😊
I thought I heard Brandel Chamblee say on the Golf Channel that he curved it 15 to 20 yards. Also, don't forget that Tiger's 9 iron loft is around 45ish degrees. Love your videos
I think golf may be the only sport where their athletes do cool things that draw attention to the casual fan, but golfers like to try to bring down the enthusiasm. Same thing happened when Cameron Champ came along everyone including casual people were getting excited and golf heads just kept making comments about how all we are seeing are vids of Champ's swing.
Great video fellas. Should do more shot remakes to make us mere mortals feel a little better. My view - the spin was always going to be there out of the bunker (also aided with the hard left to right slope of the green) and swinging so far left. Yes i agree any other tour pro could pull the shot off and we wouldn't hear a toot. What I'm most impressed with is the distance control and strike. But then again its these guys' bread and butter, they have done this their whole lives. Like all greats of their sport... he believes he can do it when the world is watching. For example: average premier league players will score free kicks for fun in training. But Beckham would more often than not pull it off in the big game on more than one occasion.
Love you’re videos but I have to disagree a bit on this one. It’s one thing to attempt this shot when your out with a couple of friends on a casual Sunday.. but to attempt it in a a championship round with a audience watching, knowing full well you could miss it and take one of them out, it’s a type of pressure that I don’t believe you can replicate. Maybe the media over did it a bit but it was still a pretty spectacular shot. Shame he missed the putt right after.
Good points
Would the altitude of the course make it harder to do as the air is thinner there so less resistance for the ball to be affected by?? Makes it even more impressive.
I can't speak for everyone, but for me it's how he moved it over and around the tree to the correct part of the green and fed it down to the pin. We didn't have numbers but visually it looked almost impossible.
The shot tracer Instagram shown how are it moved in a post. Was super impressive
Love to learn about how to do it. It takes nothing from the shot, it shows thoughts and how things are possible. As you’ve said many times, you rarely get the perfect distance with the perfect lie.
What’s impressive is how it bounced. You can see it was about 30 yards off target but the bounce made it roll close to the pin.
Twitter is so misleading. From the exchanges I read earlier today, before getting a chance to watch the video, I thought you were dismissing the shot and saying anyone could do it in that situation. Great, great video! Learned a lot!
People don’t listen when it comes to Tiger. It’s so sad.
Thoughts on the follow through of Tiger's being a product of a fused spine and just not being able to absorb the extreme left swing?
Defo 👍
me thinks that Tigers follow though isnt totally theatrics.. if you have club speed that high and are coming massively out to in, you dont want to try and stop that tight rotation with your back, especially after having surgery on your back.. i do the same thing involuntarily as well hitting fades and cuts.
I always had the mind set of the follow through is it helps with the feeling you are trying to have with the shot. It has nothing to do with the shot. But it just helps with the shot needed somewhat like when players over exaggerate practice swings to help with a feeling.
Very good video, I might be wrong but you definitely showed it's easy to move the ball out of a bunker but didn't really show how easy it was to do and then get so close, could you guys play that shot and hit target, would love to see another video on this
Very interesting video & a great insight into what made the shot so good yet not a one off & repeatable to the skilled golfer like you 3 fine gentlemen!
Here's an idea: A mini series where you try recreate famous golf shots and use the data devices to illustrate the technicalities of the execution!
It's defenitely easier to curve the ball from the bunker. Personally I'm terrible at curving it to the right though with shorter clubs, but I can hit big hooks from the bunker with a 9 iron quite easily. The impressive thing with that shot was that he pulled it off perfectly in that moment though. The esthetics with the tree, his follow through and the spin made it look amazing, which it was, but technically every tour player can pull it off.
Tiger probably pulls it off on a much higher percentage than others though. He has hit so many great fairway bunker shots in his career. Even at this stage of his career after all his surgeries he still pulls them off quite regularly from uncomfortable stances which is really impressive
Mark, could you post the numbers from gcquad online from this session? Would love to see all the numbers. Great vid by the way :-)
Arno Kamphuis he wouldn’t he failed.
You guys probably should have used a PW. Tiger plays older traditional lofts, his 9 is closer to 45*.
With altitude, temperature, seeing how wedges were going 200 yards and how he didn't practice this , it was a great shot.
I wish I could have "Liked" this video a 100 times! Fantastic job!
It was fun to do Tim 👍