What is up with Justin Thomas aka JT?

[elwhippy]

He looks dazed and confused on the greens and his long game has gone awol. Didn't realise his dad follows him everywhere. He needs to ask his dad to stay home, and dare I say it, try another coach. 

[MattyO1984]

4 hours ago, Need4spd said:

He actually won’t make anything by missing the cut, but we get your point.

 

He will actually...every professional gets money this week, even if they miss the cut. It's something the R&A has done for years to recognise the cost of travel, accommodation, etc. 

[MattyO1984]

JT just looked lost yesterday.

 

As a big fan, whilst I had the main coverage on the Television, I had JT's featured group on my iPad and as soon as he missed his birdie putt on 17 and left himself a difficult comebacker, I just knew that as bad as it had been the bottom was going to fall out of it even more. He was missing everything right so why, for the life of me, he seemed to aim so tight down the right hand side was beyond me then from there, it was just a you know what show. 

 

Everything can be linked back to his putter. Whilst it has never been a particular strong point, for as well as he hit it, he putted just fine. Like Monty in his prime, his approach play was so good that he was giving himself so many chances but also giving himself so many chances to see putts just missing which has to affect your psyche. Then, when the approach play goes off, the putts he was once missing for birdie are now the putts he is missing for par. If he can fix the putting then it would have a positive impact on everything else.

[kwcsports]

10 hours ago, southpaw72 said:

I have no credentials to support myself but I wholeheartedly disagree. He can’t make a 4’ putt. He can’t find a fairway. A gir. Etc. he’s in deep in a slump and I don’t think that’s the case at all. He needs a new coach, dad needs to stay home. Then again he’ll make more this week missing the cut than I ever will from the sport of golf so who am I to say anything. 

Putting has been horrible. I think when his swing is so bad, it puts more pressure on his short game, it's all part of it. We can agree he's in a big slump and doing the things you've mentioned can't hurt.

[MattyO1984]

Level par today and one ahead of John Daly, he has sorted himself out!! 😂

[Chunked]

23 minutes ago, MattyO1984 said:

Level par today and one ahead of John Daly, he has sorted himself out!! 😂

Haha. Maybe he can take something positive from this round. He’s whipping DJ today. So there’s that. 

[Ferguson]

He's got a washed up caddie on the bag.

He's feeling pressure from the marital relationship.

He's trying TOO hard to be like Tiger.  

 

 

Without making "real changes", JT will remain a Kuchar level player for the next 18-24 months.

 

 

[Pops99]

Good bounce back today for sure but he can’t be picked for the Ryder Cup with this current form can he? Will be interesting to see what ZJ does with him. 

[3whacker]

as much as i think JT needs to make a coaching change....we have to remember he is a guy with 15 WINS and TWO Wanamaker trophies on the shelf

[MFBach]

9 hours ago, MattyO1984 said:

Everything can be linked back to his putter. Whilst it has never been a particular strong point, for as well as he hit it, he putted just fine. Like Monty in his prime, his approach play was so good that he was giving himself so many chances but also giving himself so many chances to see putts just missing which has to affect your psyche. Then, when the approach play goes off, the putts he was once missing for birdie are now the putts he is missing for par. If he can fix the putting then it would have a positive impact on everything else.

I think this is easily the best explanation for JT’s recent form. I’ve been following him since his Am days in college, and I’m not sure his body language and vocal frustration has ever been worse than it is currently. He’s obviously in a funk and worse than knowing it, he’s acknowledging it. Playing into it instead of working out of it. 
 

His biggest issue is, and has always been, consistently putting well enough to capitalize on the opportunities his tee and iron games provide. He has plenty of length. He doesn’t need more speed, he needs to hit the center of the face. He doesn’t need a new coach, he’s proven he is capable of being one of the best ball strikers on Tour. He doesn’t need a new caddy, Bones is literally one of the best in the business.
 

JT has all of the tools to be elite, but his poor putting has worked its way backwards from the greens, affecting his mindset before he even tees off. All the comparisons with Rickie are fair, but he hasn’t fallen off to the same extent yet. He needs the same thing Rickie needed though, just a little bit of confidence.

 

Attribute it to whatever you like, even if it’s a 38” counterbalanced putter, but the putter didn’t make Fowler swing the driver better. It didn’t improve his approach proximity or scrambling percentages. It helped him find/regain something that he had not had on his side in a long time… the care free, instinctive, belief in his game and the frame of mind that come along with it.
 

Rickie isn’t contemplating mechanics, swing thoughts, equipment, or anything except the next shot since his recent return to form. He knows what he can do and he’s doing it. JT needs to find his “spark”. Whatever piece of the puzzle he’s missing to free up his mind and the rest of the his game along with it.
 

The Versa shouldn’t get the credit for Rickie’s turnaround. His putting improved, fair enough, but we’ve been watching him improve from top to bottom for the better part of a year now, culminating in a win. It was a piece of the puzzle. It gave him enough reliability to be comfortable and confident, and that freed his mind and the rest of his game, allowing him to improve. 
 

Fowler found his “missing piece” in his caddie’s bag, an odd looking putter. Koepka found his in the gym, his physical health. Speith and Jason Day have been through it, even Tiger has been there. Where, when, what, or how JT finds his “it” is the question. Given his talent though, I’d bet on him to get “it” back. 

[JohnnyCashForever]

On 7/9/2023 at 1:06 PM, mat562 said:

Borrowing Tom Cruise's shoes has thrown the low point of his swing out of kilter.

 

Jordan disregarded his promise to wear the bespoke cream-colored suit that they each had commissioned from the same tailor while on a drunken lost weekend in Saigon and instead decided to wear the suit and champagne-stained shirt he slept in last night on the plane.    

[pjc]

Justin Thomas is weird looking

[Chunked]

5 hours ago, pjc said:

Justin Thomas is weird looking

Everyone is weird looking to someone. 

[MattyO1984]

Yesterday afternoon was OK particularly given how tough the course seemed to become with what seemed to be pretty strong winds. 

 

Off the tee yesterday, it seemed really good and just checking we was 6th in strokes gained off the tee. That's something because at times he has seemed really, really wild off the tee this year and that was not the case yesterday. Approaching and then on the green was more of the same. Iron and wedge shots not particularly amazing - ok but not as good as he has been - and then not holing enough on the greens but all in all, it was not horrible which after last weeks first round and four missed cuts in 6 events I will, as a huge JT fan, take. 

 

Let's see what today brings. 

[PearSorbet17]

I wonder if Justin Thomas aka JT still thinks “I love me some me”. 

[PeterHenric]

The comment he made about how he will putt with a shoe as long as it is a Scotty Cameron shoe is so shortsighted. IMO, Scotty Cameron's are the prettiest putters out there but do not perform as well as other manufacturers. The terms "overrated" and "uninspired" are what comes to mind when I think of Scotty Cameron putters. I don't know if he has a top to bottom contract with Titleist so he can't use anything other than a Scotty but I'd look really hard at other mfg's if possible.

[DataGolfer]

Needs to lay off the cocaine and spend a weekend with Butch

[trackcoach13]

To quote Bill Parcells:

"You are What Your Record says you are..."

Edited July 28, 2023 by trackcoach13

[black bnr32]

And the record says, you missed another cut.

[bscinstnct]

On 7/21/2023 at 11:30 PM, Chunked said:

Everyone is weird looking to someone. 

 

[So_Cal]

5 hours ago, PeterHenric said:

The comment he made about how he will putt with a shoe as long as it is a Scotty Cameron shoe is so shortsighted. IMO, Scotty Cameron's are the prettiest putters out there but do not perform as well as other manufacturers. The terms "overrated" and "uninspired" are what comes to mind when I think of Scotty Cameron putters. I don't know if he has a top to bottom contract with Titleist so he can't use anything other than a Scotty but I'd look really hard at other mfg's if possible.

He would be crazy not to try a jailbird.  Nobody is setting the world on fire with a counter balanced X9

[iBanesto]

Edited July 29, 2023 by iBanesto

[aenemated]

3 hours ago, bscinstnct said:

 

 

"More than most people even." 

[SunDevil009]

11 hours ago, PeterHenric said:

The comment he made about how he will putt with a shoe as long as it is a Scotty Cameron shoe is so shortsighted. IMO, Scotty Cameron's are the prettiest putters out there but do not perform as well as other manufacturers. The terms "overrated" and "uninspired" are what comes to mind when I think of Scotty Cameron putters. I don't know if he has a top to bottom contract with Titleist so he can't use anything other than a Scotty but I'd look really hard at other mfg's if possible.

The greatest golfer of all time might disagree with you there considering he won most of his 15 majors and a record 82 PGA Tour events with his Scotty. Despite playing for many manufacturers in his career he has almost always used one. The current world #1 plays one too despite being sponsored by a different manufacturer. Way off base to say it might be a money reason to play Titleist / Scotty Cameron too because they pay way less than all the other big name manufacturers. The only reason they still get top pros every year is because their equipment is fantastic from driver down to putter and golf ball.

 

[Port and Starboard]

Going off of what I've read on JT lately, he's been a busy man over the last year or so after getting married and making some other lifestyle adjustments.

 

He'll sort it out in time.   He's way too talented not to IMO.

 

Still.......................It must be nice to be a Hall Of Fame shoe in at age 30.

[One Putter]

10 hours ago, So_Cal said:

He would be crazy not to try a jailbird.  Nobody is setting the world on fire with a counter balanced X9

Easily the ugliest putter they make.

[So_Cal]

6 hours ago, PeaceSurfGolf said:

The greatest golfer of all time might disagree with you there considering he won most of his 15 majors and a record 82 PGA Tour events with his Scotty. Despite playing for many manufacturers in his career he has almost always used one. The current world #1 plays one too despite being sponsored by a different manufacturer. Way off base to say it might be a money reason to play Titleist / Scotty Cameron too because they pay way less than all the other big name manufacturers. The only reason they still get top pros every year is because their equipment is fantastic from driver down to putter and golf ball.

 

Cameron blades (not retail) are nice, at least when they’re close copies of PING.  Their mallets are not good however IMO.   My handicap went down quite a bit after switching from a Phantom 5.5 to an Odyssey.  Much more stable with better feel.  JT should try an Odyssey 7s.  Very good putter.  Odyssey is winning twice as many tour events and majors as Titleist this year. 

Edited July 29, 2023 by So_Cal

[RainShadow]

16 hours ago, golfman1023 said:

Needs to lay off the cocaine and spend a weekend with Butch

 I don't think it's blow, but it may be booze....

[SunDevil009]

6 hours ago, So_Cal said:

Cameron blades (not retail) are nice, at least when they’re close copies of PING.  Their mallets are not good however IMO.   My handicap went down quite a bit after switching from a Phantom 5.5 to an Odyssey.  Much more stable with better feel.  JT should try an Odyssey 7s.  Very good putter.  Odyssey is winning twice as many tour events and majors as Titleist this year. 

Max Homa is rolling the ball great with his 5.5. Especially since he started using aimpoint. 2 wins this year, 4th in the FedEx cup standings, ranked 7th in the world right now. Here are some putting stats:

 

Strokes gained putting - 12th

Total putting - 11th

Putting average - 5th

Putting over 25 feet - 5th

 

You'd think he may just be hitting close approach shots and making short putts but that's actually not the case at all. He is ranked 124th in proximity to the hole. He makes up for it by being an extremely good lag putter. So feel may be an issue for you with the 5.5 but clearly Max has great feel with his.

 

I watched Justin's round 2 days ago trying to see what was wrong in his game and I noticed he seemed to be putting really smoothly and with good speed - just had a lot of bad reads. Not sure if that's on JT or Bones but it doesn't matter how well you roll it if you misread the break and pick the wrong line. Maybe he should try aimpoint like Max. Seems to be working well for a lot of top players of all manufacturers.

[JetSpeed79]

No one is discussing the real issue here: chronic ankle hypothermia has destabilized JT’s swing and destroyed his game. 
 

This is why old people hate joggers. They knew all along. We were foolish not to listen.