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Feel

TigerWoods1997

Tiger, after winning his fifth Masters title, remarked that though he had lost distance, he still had the feeling in his hands; and that was critical to his precise shot-making. Professional guitar players rely on their hands in the same way.

Instrument makers, whether guitars or golf clubs, want you to believe that their products make the difference. But when faced with a challenge, the pros who play them rely more on their hands.

Since my specialty is poetry, let me try to convey the essence of this idea in four lines:

Feel

When in the moment,
And the moment is clutch;
It’s not in the instrument,
It’s all in the touch.

Leon S White, PhD

 

And for those who watched the Masters and have followed the controversy over this year’s rule changes, here is a second four liner about the new drop rule:

 Preferred Drop

The Drop Rule Change: drop from the knees
Has given some Pros a pain in the butt;
My guess they’d prefer to drop to their knees
After making a long and winding putt.

Leon S White, PhD

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When Tiger was the Master of the Masters

2005-06-13-in-nike

Tiger’s ball at the penultimate moment

With Tiger finally returning to the Masters this year, it is a good time to remember one of his most famous Masters shots that he made on the 16th hole in 2005. If you saw it live I would bet that you still remember it. But even for those of you that do and also for those that missed it, I offer this recollection.

♦A Masters Chip for the Ages

From a difficult lie beyond

the steeply sloped sixteenth green

a steely-eyed Tiger sent his ball
to a spot far above the hole,

the ball coming crisply off his wedge,
flew low, bounced once

and rolled on a yard or two
until gravity took over,

causing it to turn sharply,
and start slowly down the slope

towards the hole, speeding up
then slowing again as it got closer.

“All of a sudden,” Tiger’s words,
“it looked really good.”

“How could it not go in?” and
when it stopped, a single turn short,

“How did it not go in?”,
“And all of a sudden it went in.”

It was as if Tiger’s will
had given gravity an assist.

“In your life,” the tower announcer’s voice,
“have you seen anything like that?”

While around him, the patrons’ roar
rose rocket-like, fueled by sheer wonder.

Leon S White, PhD

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A Masters Chip for the Ages: Tiger on 16 in 2005

 Tiger's ball at the penultimate moment

 

With Tiger absent from this years Masters, it is a good time to remember one of his most famous Masters shots which he made on the 16th hole in 2005. If you saw it live I would bet that you still remember it. But even for those of you that do and also for those that missed it, I offer my recollection as follows:

♦A Masters Chip for the Ages

From a difficult lie beyond
the steeply sloped sixteenth green

a steely-eyed Tiger sent his ball
to a spot far above the hole,

the ball coming crisply off his wedge,
flew low, bounced once

and rolled on a yard or two
until gravity took over,

causing it to turn sharply,
and start slowly down the slope

towards the hole, speeding up
then slowing again as it got closer.

“All of a sudden,” Tiger’s words,
“it looked really good.”

“How could it not go in?” and
when it stopped, a single turn short,

“How did it not go in?”,
“And all of a sudden it went in.”

It was as if Tiger’s will
had given gravity an assist.

“In your life,” the tower announcer’s voice,
“have you seen anything like that?”

While around him, the patrons’ roar
rose rocket-like, fueled by sheer wonder.

Leon S White, PhD

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