Play of the Week 25
October 9, 2011
This week’s POTW is us! A celebration of the first anniversary of the PF!
Congrats, LG, on keeping this thing going for a full year. At over 10,000 hits, we’ve started off well. Here’s to keeping it going for many years to come.
-JK
Play of the Week 24
September 26, 2011
The POTW this week…or maybe for the whole year…is Bill Haas.
The Tour Champion and proud owner of $11.4MM is none other than son of former PGA Tour player Jay Haas. Like Jim Furyk last year, Haas had a 3-shot lead coming down the back 9 Sunday of The Tour Championship. Like Furyk, Haas bogeyed down the stretch. However, Haas’s bogeys gave Hunter Mahan a shot at a win–if Mahan could’ve birdied the extremely difficult 18th hole. Mahan par’d to force a playoff. The first hole was a replay of the 18th hole. Both players hit their shots short and right, Mahan in the sand, Haas in the far more difficult bermuda rough. Haas hit his ball to about 15 feet, Mahan to about 5 feet. Haas stood up and hit the 15-footer with 2 feet of break to the bottom of the cup. Mahan made par.
While Haas’s putt could’ve been enough for the POTW, it was the second playoff hole–the 17th–where Haas showed his metal.
Haas put his drive into the bunker on the right side of the fairway. Now, I’ve hit the drive at 17. It’s tough. Just look below. However, I’ve never hit it in a PGA Tour event, so I can only imagine what it must feel like. I certainly don’t blame the guy for bailing right.
Unfortunately, from the bunker, Haas hit his ball over the left of the green, which has a steep slope leading to water. Mahan put his drive in the fairway and his approach to the center of the green. It looked all but certain–Mahan was the champion.
In a stroke of luck, it hasn’t rained more than 2 inches in the last 2 months here in Atlanta, and the East Lake was a little low. There is a rule that, if you can see more than half of the ball in water, you should be able to hit it out. Haas’s ball found ground under the surface of the East Lake, and he had a shot. That is when Haas took the tournament.
Did you see that? Let’s look again.
No way.
One more time.
The playoff ended on the next hole, when Haas made par and Mahan bogeyed from the front-right bunker. Haas won the tournament without hitting a single green-in-regulation for any of the three playoff holes. A tremendous tournament capped off by an amazing playoff and a heroic shot.
To you, Bill Haas, you have earned this POTW. We salute you. And your enormously bloated bank account.
Play of the Week 23
September 19, 2011
This week’s POTW is….me. Something always seems wrong with our self-service POTWs, but this week I have to say–I’m pretty happy. After a pretty dismal stretch, the last five sets nine-holes (or each 9 of 45 holes) have all been in the 30s, including 3 nines of -1, 35. Although none have been played on long courses, I finally figured out how to get my ballstriking back to where it was years ago. With the putting and chipping I have been working on lately, it’s been a good ride. The only problem–just about every course in GA has aerated their greens within the past few weeks, so I’m not scoring like I would be if the greens were still pristine. However, it’s been a fun week or so.
What did I change? I started hitting 3-iron on the range and really working to make an inside-out swing. The consistency has been tremendous. Hitting clubs like they were made to be hit…well, it helps.
So here’s to me!
Play of the Week 22
August 31, 2011
This week’s POTW goes to: VEGAS, BABY!
In pursuit of our goal of documenting our golf adventures and providing colorful and exciting reviews for our readers, the principals of the Power Fade are heading West to sunny Las Vegas this weekend. We will be taking a detour to Mesquite, NV to play one of our favorite courses – Wolf Creek. Expect reviews, exciting accounts of gambling gone awry, and a breakdown of our first ever PF alternate shot round!
Happy Labor Day Weekend, PF’ers
Play of the Week 21
August 22, 2011
This is a belated play of the week in honor of Keegan Bradley. Keegan played tremendously at the PGA Championship, battling back from a triple-bogey 6 on the par 3 15th to close with two birdies and a par and win the 93rd PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club.
Congrats to you, Keegan. You’ve earned this.
PS, we are sorry for waiting so long to post, but LG and I have both been very, very busy with our real jobs.
Play of the Week 20: 100th Post!
August 9, 2011
This week’s play of the week goes to … THE PF! In our 20th POTW, we post our 100th post all-time.
At the current moment, we have been writing for less than one year and have over 7,700 views all-time–and are climbing every day. LG, I have very much enjoyed this little project we have. Although it’s not always easy to maintain, it’s milestones like these where we remind ourselves just how much fun we have here.
Thanks to all our readers for keeping us in it. Your thoughts, comments, and viewership have been a great benefit to us. We look forward to posting our 1000th post sometime soon.
Play of the Week 19
July 18, 2011
This week’s POTW goes to Darren Clarke, champion of the Open Championship at Royal St. George’s. Clarke fired a final-round even par 70 to capture the Claret Jug, winning in style by 3 shots of Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson.
The 42-year old Clarke was playing in his 20th Open. After losing his wife to breast cancer, Clarke was the sentimental favorite. He played very consistent golf all day long, smiling and laughing for much of a final round that, at times, was very tense. Even though American Phil Mickelson caught him at one point during the round, Clarke played cool and collected golf, hitting countless artful shots to save pars, capture birdies, and distance himself from the field.
Moreover, Clarke is the kind of guy golf needs. Rarely do golfers seem like regular human beings, but here is Clarke: 42 years old, drinking a Guinness at the post-championship press conference and talking about how the champs back in N. Ireland would be pissing drunk. When interviewed about the Irish Open, Clarke said “I may not be sober, but I will be in Killarney.” He’s not a physical specimen, he doesn’t hit the ball 3,000 yards, and he doesn’t wear a size 30 pants–in fact, after working out to get into shape, his agent told him he played better when he was fat! He’s a regular guy, and that’s something we can all get into.
So here’s to you Darren. Have a Guinness–or 100–and enjoy your trophy. You’ve earned it.
Also, the PF would like to give a mini-POTW shout out to Dr. Bob Rotella, sports psychologist. Dr. Bob is the author of several books on the mental aspect of the game of golf, including Golf is Not a Game of Perfect. LG and I have both benefited greatly from Rotella’s take on the game, and Dr. Bob was mentioned during the Open broadcast for his Wednesday conversation with Darren Clarke. It paid off. Here’s to you.
Play of the Week 18: Watney’s 27
July 6, 2011
(Late) props this week go out to Nick Watney who shot a remarkable 27 on the back nine on Saturday at Aronimink during this year’s AT&T National. Yep. 27. 2. 7. That’s basically all we need to say.
What did Nick have to say about his remarkable play?
“For some reason the ball just — the hole looked really big on the back [nine],” he said. “The ball was going where I was looking, and by the time I looked up, I was 8 under par.”
It’s just that simple, folks.
P. S. – The PF humbly requests that Nick show some love to his original home course – The Davis Municipal. Bring that trophy around, Nick!
Play of the Week 17
June 21, 2011
This week’s play of the week is obvious to anyone who would read this blog. Rory, you were superb. Four rounds in the 60s, a -16 finish to the US Open, breaking or tying a dozen records–it was truly amazing. From his scores in last year’s British (I believe he shot 62? LG, correct me if I’m wrong) and this year’s Masters (4-shot lead heading into the final day), we knew Rory had game. But the Norman-like collapses left us doubting. This was no doubt. You performed like Tiger, Jack, or Arnold. And, better yet, you were humble and personable afterwards, which this game needs. I’m looking forward to seeing more.
So here’s to you Rory. Let’s hope you can save golf.
A PS for the PF here, I also want to honorable mention YE Yang and Robert Garrigus. Both Garrigus and Yang tied for third behind McIlroy and Jason Day. Anyone who reads this blog knows that Garrigus appears on it regularly–I think maybe his game gives me hope that one day I can be on the Tour too, because we have similar swings and many of the same faults. Yang showed that he’s not just a one-hit wonder (winning the PGA over Tiger two years ago). Garrigus, playing in just his 3rd major ever, showed he has the skill to compete. We at the PF salute you both too for sticking around. We’re looking forward to following you as well.
Play of the Week 16
June 8, 2011
This weeks POTW goes to Steve Stricker, champion of the Memorial Tournament.
Although a little belated, Stricker’s play this weekend needs to be commended. Stricker played incredibly, including two hole-outs in a four-hole span from Friday to Saturday. Although it’s not quite as impressive as Rocco Mediate’s 4-hole-out performance at CordeValle (the subject of POTW 2 and POTW 2.5), in four holes, Stricker hit an ace and holed out from the fairway on a par 4. He is now ranked 4th in the world, and he stands as the US’s best chance to overtake one of the pesky Euros (Westwood, Donald, and Kaymer) for the #1 ranking.
Although Stricker only managed a one-shot victory, a win is a win, and we’re proud of it.
So here’s to you, Steve. We hope to see you represent us (or, US) well at Congressional.
The Power Fade Golf Blog 