I know there's quite a few golfers on this board, I've got a question. What is up with the flashy young Spaniard? I realize he's a "feel" type player, but my goodness, he's wearing me out with those re-grips! I don't remember when he started getting hung up with this idiosyncrasy, is there a cure? If not, by the time he's thirty he'll run out of daylight before he can get 18 holes in. Got to admit he's playing some great golf right now, but if he doesn't knock it off I'm putting him on my "all-nerves team." He's gonna be right next to Nomar Garrciapara (sp?) and his 29 point check list before he'll step into the box!

Don't think it will ever catch on at the public links. Most of the seniors I play with would fall over if they tried to address the ball and waggle the golfclub for that long. The younger golfers would rather hit the ball, run after it, and hit it again before it stops rolling. Nope, I think it's just Sergio's way of icing his opponent...like a pitcher stalling on the mound, or a coach calling time-out before a free throw.

Icing, well I didn't think of that. Guess my mental side of the game needs as much work as my fairway driver :p

His address/waggle/re-grip is so tedious! But He is hot and whatever it takes to stay there....
I will give you the update after this coming weekend...The wife and I are going to Palm Springs for the long weekend and have tickets to the Bob Hope for Saturday.
Watch for me on TV!

Did you catch the Grip-o-meter that they put up last week at Kapalua? Counted 25 re-grips on one approach shot.

Check out the discussion at the newsgroup rec.sports.gofl for further commentary and dissection. I think I could summarize the common feeling as, if he was in the group in front of you here in the NW, he wouldn't live through 9 holes.

That said, he sure is kicking bootie lately.

Cedar, I think you are right on. Along with Sergio's hot play he has 'gamesmanship' as they like to call it (psyching, distracting, and even trash talking the opponent). If you don't think it happens at the PGA level you should listen nearby at one of the tournaments. It's just not loud or obvious, as in the NBA for example. And Sergio comes from Spain where his fellow countryman, golfing great Seve Balesteros, is considered the best distractive 'gamesman' among PGA players.

As for recreational golf, that is full of this kind of stuff of course. My teenage son and I always have talked trash during basketball play. It has carried over to the golf course. I think it makes for a more fun game of golf - within reason. No 'accidently' dropping your bag of clubs during an important tee shot backswing like my friend Mike Kelly does ocassionally (not the guide MK). Otherwise it's fun.

RT

OK maybe, I can see where that waggleing might work on an opponents mind in the tee box. But on the second or third shot they're going to be from 20-80 yards apart, and with sergio's length most likely he is hitting last. So the other guys hit and he is sizing up HIS lie not worring about what "ol serg" is up to. Bottom line, I think the kid is thinking too much.

Could you imagine a pre-casting routine like that? ...oh yeah, its called fly-fishing...

Good one Randy