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A Long Way Down: Pro Hits 70 Inches Away From Cliff Edge

Published

2 years ago

February 7, 2022

Jordan Spieth’s wife? And parents? He knows he has some explaining to do to Annie, and Shawn and Mary.

“I’m not really sure what’s going to happen there,” Spieth said. “I just saw the blimp shot from overhead, and it really bothered me. So I can’t imagine while she [Annie] was watching that live. They actually came out — my son [newborn Sammy] was out for the first time ever on 3 and 4, and I don’t know where they went from there. …

“So, yeah, I mean, my parents are here too, so not only do I have to explain to my wife, I got to explain to my mom, my dad.”

As for Spieth’s own thoughts on his second shot on Saturday on the 8th hole at Pebble Beach, where his ball had sat just inches from about a 70-foot drop off a rocky cliff? The results, of course, speak for themselves, as he did, indeed, hit, his ball flew over the flag and the green, and he was able to get up and down for a par during the third round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

But afterward, with about two or so hours to process it all, he wasn’t quite sure what to make of his latest — and perhaps greatest (?) — daredevil shot in a long line of them.

“Yeah, I asked Colt, I was like, Colt, you know, I was the one hitting it, so, I mean, you looked at it, was it, was I being dramatic?” Spieth said of Colt Knost, who, while working as an analyst for CBS, was near the shot. “He’s like — and he’ll always call me dramatic — and he was like, no. He’s like, I don’t know what you were thinking.

“And, I mean, I don’t know, just thinking about it now, it’s like kind of hard, it’s weird. It’s like, because there’s a story of the guys that drove off that cliff so, when they used to allow carts here. So I, I was thinking about that obviously walking up.

“So, not worth it, to be honest, but I guess I just, it was a weird situation. It was like, well, if I can hit it then just hit it.”

And that — if I can hit it — was what sold him on the shot. The eventual sequence went as follows: He took a stance over the ball; backed away; walked back; set up with his legs wider than normal to balance himself, with his left foot down the slope and his right above; took one half-swing; stood over it for 8 seconds; and swung.

"This is downright terrifying right now."

This shot from Jordan Spieth was quite the situation. ? pic.twitter.com/sq04R96GXQ— GOLFonCBS (@GOLFonCBS) February 5, 2022

“It’s so weird because if you can normally see the ball, like I never had a situation where you can see a ball, get a swing on it, but you’re not going to play it,” Spieth said. “So it was just kind of weird because it was like, well if I can get a swing on it and I can hit it then why would I take a drop? Like just whenever, you’re never over, I guess I saw a 65-foot cliff. So it’s an unusual situation, normally if you’re walking into a hazard, you see a ball, you hit it out. …

“I’m just glad I made the par to make it worth it, because I don’t think I would have made par with a drop, but if I made bogey it would have really not been worth it.

“But yeah, I mean it was, I was more like, it was more of a nervous and adrenaline hitting it and then when I got to the green as I was walking there it was more of like an anxiety feeling afterwards, luckily it wasn’t before.”

A reporter asked about the footing on the shot.

“I mean, footing was solid, but I didn’t have much room past where my left foot was, and the problem was it’s down sloped,” Spieth said. “Like if it was flat, it’s no issue at all. It’s the down slope that worries you because you’re going to try and — you’re getting more forward to your left side on a down slope in order to get the strike, right? You want your weight with the slope. I didn’t want my weight with the slope that time.

“So those are ones — I was almost sitting there going, is it worth it because, yes, I can get a strike on it, but am I going to back up out of fear and just kind of thin this in the water, you know, like kind of top it. …

A true cliffhanger starring @JordanSpieth. ? pic.twitter.com/jwCtyOwdpP— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 5, 2022

“And clearly the — if I felt like I was in real true danger of losing my life I would have pulled the ball back and dropped it. It wasn’t quite that severe. But it was enough to where I certainly couldn’t put a normal swing or shot on it.”

And what did his longtime caddie, Michael Greller, think?

Drop it. Both the idea. And the ball. Spieth’s ball had also crossed a red line that marks a penalty area, and it would have cost him a stroke.

“He said, I just don’t, I just don’t see the point,” Spieth said. “I don’t think it’s worth it. I just don’t see the point. Stuff like that, I think. …

“And I kept on, I was adamantly telling him, like pretty aggressively, like, please don’t get, go across that red line. To him. And that put him in a tough spot. But if he went across that red line, he wouldn’t have let me hit it, I don’t think.”

And if it all somehow happened during Sunday’s final round?

“He said that next, if that were to happen again, he’ll walk up, grab my ball and throw it in the water, so that I can’t hit it,” Spieth said. “He said, I should have done that. He was like, I just didn’t know what to do myself.”

This article originally appeared on Golf.com.

Videos

Funniest Moments on the PGA Tour

Published

2 months ago

June 11, 2024

The BLOG MAN

Watch this collection of the funniest moments on the PGA TOUR, from players reacting to Tiger Woods’ grandiose introductions to team antics at the Presidents Cup, Phil Mickelson’s dance moves, and more. You can thank us later… We will show ourselves out…

Need we say More???

Videos

Golf Bag Incident Caught on Camera

Published

2 months ago

June 7, 2024

The BLOG MAN

Delta Airlines Under Fire for Mishandling Golf Bags

Delta Airlines has found itself in hot water after a video surfaced showing airport staff mishandling golf bags on the tarmac. The footage, which has gone viral on social media, captures the moment when golf bags are carelessly tossed from the conveyor belt to the ground, sparking outrage among travelers and golf enthusiasts alike.

The Incident

The incident reportedly took place at a San Diego airport, where a passenger filmed the rough handling of the golf bags from the terminal window. The video shows several bags being thrown from the belt onto the tarmac, raising concerns about potential damage to expensive golfing equipment.

Reactions and Concerns

Travelers have expressed their frustration and disappointment with Delta Airlines over the incident. Golfers, in particular, are concerned about the safety and integrity of their equipment, which can be quite costly. The mishandling of golf bags is not only a matter of poor service but also poses a risk of damage to the clubs and other gear inside the bags.

Delta Airlines has specific policies regarding the transport of golf clubs, which are treated as standard checked baggage if they meet certain weight and size requirements. Golf bags should not exceed 50 lbs in weight to avoid additional fees, and must be properly packed in a travel case to prevent damage.

Delta’s Response

In response to the backlash, Delta Airlines has stated that they are looking into the incident and taking steps to ensure such mishandling does not occur in the future. The airline emphasizes its commitment to providing reliable service and handling baggage with care, but this incident has clearly put their procedures under scrutiny.

Preventative Measures

For travelers concerned about the safety of their golf clubs, it is recommended to use hard-shell travel cases and ensure that clubs are packed securely. Additionally, purchasing travel insurance that covers sports equipment can provide an extra layer of protection in case of mishandling or loss.

Watch the Video

The video of the incident can be viewed here.

For more information on Delta’s baggage policies and fees, visit Delta’s official website or check out detailed reviews and tips on traveling with golf clubs on Golf Gadget Review and Windtree Golf.

This incident serves as a reminder for airlines to handle all passenger baggage with care, especially items that are known to be fragile or expensive, to maintain customer trust and satisfaction.

Videos

Jon Rahm Shuts Down Replacing Rory McIlroy on PGA Tour Board, Explains Backing out of Inaugural TGL Season

Published

8 months ago

November 15, 2023

Resident PGA Pro

The former world No. 1 has no interest in long meetings or virtual golf

The most valuable asset is time, and Jon Rahm has no plans to spend his on any extracurricular activities that may take away from his golf game. Addressing the media ahead of the 2023 DP World Tour Championship, the former world No. 1 shut down the idea of replacing Rory McIlroy on the PGA Tour policy board and also provided an explanation regarding his departure from TGL after originally committing to the virtual golf league started by McIlroy and Tiger Woods.

“That’s hard to say,” Rahm responded when asked if McIlroy’s time on the board could have had an adverse effect on his game. “It is a significant commitment, so it could have an effect. It’s not only the meetings. It’s the phone calls and the players wanting to talk to you. So even the hours you spend on the course are a little bit busier.

“So, yes, it could hinder a little bit. There’s probably a reason why I can’t recall any great player being a full-time board member and winning tournaments and majors at the same time, at least in recent history. I can see how the lack of sleep will definitely limit your ability to compete.”

McIlroy’s role as a player director covered everything from the initial division in professional golf between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to the June 6 framework agreement announcement to the current negotiations. The PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund continue their discussions to house commercial operations under a new for-profit entity dubbed PGA Tour Enterprises. Additional suitors have joined the conversation as a Dec. 31 deadline, which many expect to be pushed back, approaches.

To McIlroy’s credit, these last two seasons have been the best of his career from a statistical perspective. The laugh-out-loud strokes gained numbers translating to four major top 10s and a third FedEx Cup title in 2022, as well as three worldwide victories and his fifth Race to Dubai crown in 2023. Despite McIlroy’s success, the two-time major champion has no interest in serving as his replacement.

“Oh, you won’t see me there,” Rahm continued. “Absolutely no chance. I’ve been asked a couple of times if I have any interest. But I’m not going to spend … I don’t know how many meetings they have, but they are six, seven, hours long. I’m not here for that. As regards to Rory, he’s obviously been put in a situation where a lot has been expected of him, and I don’t know the exact reason why he left the board. But I certainly wouldn’t blame him for wanting to focus a bit more on his game and his family and enjoy the bit of time. He’s truly earned that.”

Rahm not only has no interest in joining his PGA Tour colleagues in the meeting room but also in TGL. Backing out of the new league that features six teams and a 15-match regular season schedule, Rahm admits he may have overextended himself when telling McIlroy and Woods he would be joining their new venture.

“It’s just a time commitment,” Rahm said. “I can’t really commit to it right now. It would mean quite a bit of extra hours of flight and quite a bit of extra time away from home. And at the same time, having just redone a lot of my deals, I’ve got to think of my sponsors as well. So it would have been a bit more of a commitment than I expected at first. That’s basically it.”