VJ's New Best Friend!

[Onebulldogs]

A Loser?

It seems to me, VJ's switch from the R7 to the Cleveland products has been a disaster. With the new HiBore, he is in danger of dropping out of the big five. How does that help sell drivers.

HiBore = HiScore??? :golfer:

[stickman]

he should definatly go back to the r7 or comp

[NikeTaylormade891]

No,

Hi-bore = Highly Boring

[AllenIverson]

He was in some pretty extraordinary form when using the R7, but he can't constantly play at that level. I'm sure Clev have got the hibore set up perfectly for his swing/game....

[AllenIverson]

and yes I'm a biased Cleveland fan!

[six00imola]

i dont think it has anything to do with his equipment

[golfernut78]

for shell/houston open:

driving accuracy: 67.9% t-43

driving distance: 297.3% t-18

putts per round: 28.3 t-23

greens in regulation: 59.7% t-69

 

what does the hibore have to do with only hitting 59.7% of greens? i'm sure there is a lot that you don't just see in stats, but in the events i've seen him in this season, his driving didn't seem like a problem. his putting has been a big problem (but averaging 28.3 seems like a step in the right direction - but then again theres a lot chips in there that helped that number).

 

i have to give a disclamir for this rant. in playing a round today, i played with two gentleman who were both playing tm r7 tp drivers, and spent the whole day ragging on my sasquatch, many times pointing how the technology in it is cheating (but i guess movables weights isn't an advantage nor technology). don't understand why the small decline in vijay's game is being blamed on not using an r7. for that matter, how many tournaments have been won with the r7 this year? its not the driver, its the player, the players game.

[Johnny]

Come on... it's not the driver... Vijay just wants to BOMB it... missing fairways he's not too worried about..Besides it's still early in the season, when they play some more dry courses the distance will go up.

 

We all know if Vijay made more putts he would be world #1.

[LionGolfer]

i dont think it has anything to do with his equipment

 

Exactly! :golfer:

[tarik]

VJ obtained the holy grail in golf by becoming #1 in the world, and guess what brand he was playing when he did it? Thats right Cleveland Golf! When Tiger fell of the leader boards for three years straight do you think everyone was saying that he needed to make a switch from NIKE back to Titleist? Nope, they said it was because he switched swing coaches or got married. Long story short the PLAYER defines what he will do in his career not the brand of club he plays.

[skinnamon]

im gonna have to agree with tarik, i guess last years 4 wins with the comp was a bad year

[cdilling72]

When phil switched to callaway everyone said that was a huge carreer mistake, he seems to be doing allright, the way that they can tune their clubs the brand doesn't really matter, he'll turn it back around.

[300_yard_drives]

he played the best off the tee when he had the r510 tp not the r7.

[sigmamason]

VJ obtained the holy grail in golf by becoming #1 in the world, and guess what brand he was playing when he did it? Thats right Cleveland Golf! When Tiger fell of the leader boards for three years straight do you think everyone was saying that he needed to make a switch from NIKE back to Titleist? Nope, they said it was because he switched swing coaches or got married. Long story short the PLAYER defines what he will do in his career not the brand of club he plays.

 

 

Ummm, Tarik not sure what internet boards you were part of during the time that Tiger fell off as number 1, but the anti-Nike team was in full effect on here and every other golf board.

Nike was/is the anti-golf company. People blamed Nike for his swing, his getting married, his haircut, his golf scores, etc...every other golf guru blamed Nike and wanted him to switch to taylormade or Titleist and go back to Butch, including a few people that were banned from here and every other golf board. The old yahoo golf board was filled with comments that would have made a marine drill instructor blush...

People have been blaming Cleveland for the decline in Vijay's game, even though he has been on TV saying that he changed his swing and now he is trying to change it back...

His major issue has and always been his putting, he was best with a belly putter, that is when he made his run...

He has not gotten better with the standard putter, that is not to say that he sucks, since he can beat the pants off of all of us with or without a belly putter....

What plagues sergio is the same problem that plagues VJ and has started hurting Tiger's game...putting. If VJ doesn't cure that, it doesn't matter what driver (r7 with 9 weights, Nike SQ, Callaway FT3, Northwestern plus 10, Wilson Pd5 (His sponsor before going to Cleveland), Yonex, Adams, Titleist, etc...) he hits...

[kmrev]

The state of VJ's game runs a lot deeper than what driver he is using. At the tour level of golf, the players can swing any club from any manufacturer.

 

It has nothing to do with what driver is in his hands...

[Extreme Firepower]

I think a lot of the equipment changes can affect a players confidence when they make the change and as a result his swing and game suffer rather than the equipment itself outright being suspect which is what some people seem to be implying.

 

Who's to say that model changes for Duval playing Nike were the result of his current slump?

 

We're too quick to blame brand changes and I think a lot of it has to do with some posters aversion or hating of certain brands... or the fact we're all just unadulterated Ho's pimped to our brand :golfer:

 

Personally VJ putting has always been suspect and I think that as he goes longer without a win the more it eats into the rest of his game, equipment changes can add to this but is not the sole root cause

[CSR]

It's the putter, not the driver, that's causing Vijay's problems. :golfer:

[pingshack22]

Anyone who thinks Vijay would be playing better with a TM driver right now is not watching golf tournaments this year. His problem is obviously the putter, so should he change to a TM Rossi or whatever the guys on this website are using. Give me a break !!!

[greyman09]

The biggest mistake he made was going to that short putter. It has cost him a couple of tournaments this year. He should never have switched from the belly putter.

[elnino82]

I think time is starting to catch up with him.

VJ is not exactly a young guy and it is hard to play at your highest level and maintain it there.

When you're 40+ every year makes huge difference.

Just look at LoveIII.

Although I really wish it is just a short slump rather than beginning of VJ's declining.

[slicer365]

I truly believe he is burning himself out. After Friday's round he was out on the pratice tee until 10 PM that night. He spent 2 hours before his round Staurday, practicing a 3 footer in one of those putter path gadgets. He must have hit 3 buckets of balls before his tee time, also.

 

The Hi-Bore is a fun club to hit. It's long. i don't think Hi-Bore is the blame. Roland Thatcher plays the Hi-Bore and he was 7 under. Vijay said he has been working on swing changes and he would experimenting in the next few tournaments.

[xxio]

Actually combo I think. VJ switched to a longer driver and a shorter putter. He should go back the other way. Shorter driver, longer putter.

[jwjrgolf]

I think the lack of use by other Cleveland staff players proves the Hi-Bore is a failure so far.

[plus1]

lol its kinda funny hearing a few members blame vjs club for his irratic play!.......it is obviously nothing to do with the driver and all to do with his self confidence and swing. vj will be back, wheter he is using a hibore or r7! have faith

[MrParr1Noid]

The world is Flat! :) I recall someone saying that ViJay should not have gone from his belly putter. If I remember right, he was using a 35 inch Never Compromise JSS Milled putter when he was #1 in the world. ViJay has alot of things working against him right now, competition is better than ever, he's getting long of tooth, and quite frankly, he can't make a putt either. :) Driving the ball is the least of him problems. :ok:

 

Will ViJay be back? Who knows but I hope so, I for one enjoy his competitive nature, and ViJay has added lots to the PGA Tour. :bb:

[tarik]

I think allot of people here are using VJ's equipment as a scape goat for his less than spectacular play. He has said numerous times that he is experimenting with various swing changes and I feel he has yet to see the fruits of his labor. I don't think he needs to change his driver or putter, but rather, his swing and his putting stroke.

 

He is still beating Tiger in fairways in regulation (58.8% vs. 56.5%), average score (69.51 vs. 69.62), and putts per round (28.72 vs. 29.73). VJ is one of the hardest working players in golf and its only a matter of time.

[DemolitionMan]

Come on... it's not the driver... Vijay just wants to BOMB it... missing fairways he's not too worried about..Besides it's still early in the season, when they play some more dry courses the distance will go up.

 

We all know if Vijay made more putts he would be world #1.

 

That's like saying a few missed putts here and a few missed greens there, what maybe 4 total per tournament?...and Tiger would win all the majors every time.

 

VJ is a stand up guy, he won't bite the hand that gave him a fat contract and publicly blame Cleveland. And it makes perfect sense it's the player, it's the swing, not the club. But let's not discount the comfort level a club may give a player and what that translates to. Prior to the Masters, VJ has been seen hanging around TM tour van quite a bit. If his contract allowed, he would put the TM driver back in the bag in a heartbeat for the simple fact that it's one less thing to think about.

[Onebulldogs]

Wow - I stirred up a pot of worms with this post. Now that everyone has had a chance to have their say, I will say what I really believe.

 

Most of VJ's problems are confidence related. Tiger and Phil are younger and better then he is. Young bombers like Camillo/Bubba/JB are the future of golf. He knows it, but he is the ultimate competitor. NOBODY has gotten more out of their talent then VJ. His work ethic and committment to excellence are 2nd to none. Unfortunately, the reality of age is setting in and he is "looking" for the solution to his problems. One of Tiger's greatest assets, he believes he is better then everyone. Right now, VJ is playing like he doesn't believe he is better then everyone.

 

Putting - that NC putter looks rediculous in his hands. While his putting hasn't been hacker level, the lack of confidence is visible in his stroke. I agree that going back to the long putter would be a good move. Looking down at the two-tone NC putter has to be like looking at failure. Sometimes change is good, just for change's sake.

 

Driving - From the performance of the Cleveland pros on tour, I don't believe the HiBore is suitable for a PGA pro. While it has forgiveness, I have seen no evidence it is "longer" then the competition for a great ball striker. As a result, the ball striker pays a "freakish" look price for no gain. Lacking confidence in his driver, VJ has "searched" for a solution with longer shafts. Since he won't go back to TM, he should put the more traditional Cleveland driver in his bag.

[WanderDukeCubs]

The biggest mistake he made was going to that short putter. It has cost him a couple of tournaments this year. He should never have switched from the belly putter.

 

Well, he did win about 6 times, including the PGA Championship, and get to #1 in the world in the 2nd half of the 04 season after switching to the short putter.

[wedgetoafoot]

The only way that I would agree with Vijay's problems being attributed to his driver is if I saw a US Kids Golf Air Kicker in his bag. I think those Footjoy commercials are cutting into his range time. That's got to be it.