Luke Donald 1st time in history

[melman]

First time one player has been the leading money winner on BOTH the PGA Tour and the European Tour. This past Tuesday he was also voted PGA Player of the Year by his fellow tour members. What is extra nice for the average guy who just plays on weekends is that Donald is NOT one of those long hitting guys off the tee. His driving distance of the tee would be in the bottom 50% of world class players. How does he do it?? He uses the old Ben Hogan method. Hit the ball on the fairway with your drives, hit great iron shots, be super around the greens and make big putts.
Would have been nice to have seen Hogan in is prime. They said he never had to hit great "recovery" shots because he never got in trouble. :lol: One of the great old Hogan stories I have read is where before the start of a round he could tell you within a ten yard circle where each of his drives where going to end up. Getting is tee shot to set up his iron aproach shot was his forte. So hard to compare era's in any sport but I have to "all-timers" as Jack, Tiger and Seve. However when you consider that Hogan was in a major car accident in his prime he may just have been better than all of them.

[cj]

I love watching Luke Donald play. I think I hit the ball about as far as he does. I hope he wins at least one major next year.

[PhantomOnTour]

Before hitting his approach shot he asked his caddy for his distance.
The caddy says, "It's 156 or 157 yds"
Hogan replies, "Make up your mind"

[Greyfox]

He definitely deserves Player of the Year and has a swing to die for.
Having said that I can't help but feel that Luke is in the same boat as Colin Montgomery, who also had a beautiful swing.
Colin led the European Order of Merit several times but could never win a Major Championship. Is that Luke's fate as well? Me thinks so.

[melman]

cj--Yeah as far as Luke but can you control where it goes like he does? :)
Zach Johnson set the game plan for Luke and all the non big hitters at The Masters. The year Zach won his green jacket all the other leaders where going for the par5's in two. Zach stuck with his plan and layed up, then hit great irons to get his birdie's. Augusta does favor the long hitters but it can be overcome. Donald is just the type to do it.

[JustRalph]

Accuracy is the name of the game. I worked a few golf tournaments as a police officer. Off the Tee I heard players tell each other exactly where they were gong to play the ball, so as not to interfere with each other. Most of the time they were within ten yards or so.

I had a buddy who went to a clinic at Firestone and he said Craig Stadler put two hoola hoops 200-250 yards out and hit 25 shots. 2 were outside the rings by a few inches.

[senortout]

Accuracy is the name of the game. I worked a few golf tournaments as a police officer. Off the Tee I heard players tell each other exactly where they were gong to play the ball, so as not to interfere with each other. Most of the time they were within ten yards or so.

I had a buddy who went to a clinic at Firestone and he said Craig Stadler put two hoola hoops 200-250 yards out and hit 25 shots. 2 were outside the rings by a few inches.

That only suggests that the other twenty-three made their goal.....finish the tale

[JustRalph]

That only suggests that the other twenty-three made their goal.....finish the tale

you got it. the other 23 inside the rings........and he supposedly hit a few blindfolded too..........

[098poi]

Here is the shot of the year from the pgatour site

http://www.pgatour.com/video/r/highlights/top_shots/2011/12/14/highs_11soy1_Haas_nm498a.pgatour/index.html

[rastajenk]

Can't argue with that one.

[DJofSD]

Here is the shot of the year from the pgatour site

http://www.pgatour.com/video/r/highlights/top_shots/2011/12/14/highs_11soy1_Haas_nm498a.pgatour/index.html

Total commitment to the shot. Notice the full swing and no deceleration into the impact. Half of golf is confidence.

[Overlay]

Before hitting his approach shot he asked his caddy for his distance.
The caddy says, "It's 156 or 157 yds"
Hogan replies, "Make up your mind"
Reminds me of a football coach who was trying to bring a boastful Sammy Baugh's self-confidence down a notch, and told him, "All right, Baugh, on this next pass I want you to hit the receiver in the eye." Baugh replied, "Right eye or left?"

Sam Snead once commented: "The only three things I fear are lightning, Ben Hogan, and a downhill putt."