"Because I can't putt like those guys"...

[HuskyHawk]

It’s the consistency that really sets the pros apart. Even within the pro ranks, playing 72 holes really differentiates the cream of the crop from the rest, who have a good run through Saturday but just can’t maintain that consistency. The interesting thing regarding putting is that a lot of us generally think pros are better at sinking putts than they are. The 10-ft PGA tour make % is 40%. One of the biggest differentiators in putting from really good amateurs to pros is that the pros are EXCEPTIONAL at avoiding 3-putts.

They are also exceptional at getting inside 10 feet. Incredible accuracy on approach shots.

 

[Chin Diesel]

As others have said, each sport is a bit different.

For the SEC player, he may have such an advantage of across the board talent to his left, right, in front of him and behind, that small mistakes aren't capitalized on by the defender. It's why a Travis Jones goes under the radar nationally until he blows up every lineman at the Senior Bowl. It's almost impossible for us fans to dissect how good a UGA offensive lineman is because the 'dogs have a great QB and RB's who can make defenders miss. Same on the defensive line. A DT misses an assignment by a bit and another talented defender wins his battle and the play still goes for zero yards even though the DT blew his assignment. In the pros it's rare for multiple defenders to win their battle on every play.

Baseball, we all know about pitchers who lose their form, tip their pitches, can't shake a bad at bat, a bad inning or a bad start. Same for hitters with holes in their swings. You have to be able to do it all. I have a good friend who is close with Texas Rangers ownership. He says the newest thing with MLB isn't just batting cages behind the dugout, it's 3D video pitching technology where the batter sees the pitcher and all his pitches before he takes a live swing at the plate. He says be the time the game starts batters have 30-40 "swings" against that pitcher.

For golf it's about the good miss, taking advantage of good breaks and minimizing the damage of bad breaks. Avoid OB, penalty areas and double bogeys at all costs. And, as it's often been said the longest distance in golf is the 6" between your ears. Another thing. The sound the club and ball make when they ball strike; it's just different. Heard a story a few weeks ago about Lee Trevino and Tony Finau. Trevino was on the range with his back turned to Finau and without looking or seeing who he was talking about said that person is going to be a very good pro. Just knew the sound and how it sounded different than others on the range. I'd put a friendly wager that everyone on this board who says they are a good putter wouldn't rank in the top 200 of PGA tour (or Champions Tour) for strokes gained putting or putts per round.

 

[FairwayFlyer]

You can pick any sport. In your prime you need to either spend a few minutes or innings on the court or on the field in a professional game with a crowd. Is there a sport you could briefly participate in where the crowd would be unaware that you don't belong? Could you play right field for two innings and attempt to bunt in your one AB?

 

[Chin Diesel]

They are also exceptional at getting inside 10 feet. Incredible accuracy on approach shots.

Not really. No one on the PGA tour averages anywhere near that.

How Far Do Golfers Hit Their Irons? Why Approach Play Is so Important · Practical-Golf.com

Our article shows how far golfers hit their irons and explains why approach play is so important for scoring.

practical-golf.com

 

[Chin Diesel]

This is another chart. Which goes back to the OP. They're not all tap in birdies. These pros know how to putt to get their scores.

 

[Chin Diesel]

One final one for today. Shot dispersion using a mid-level touring pro, a teaching pro, a 10 handicap and a 15 handicap. Shot dispersion and distance control from 100 yards and 150 yards.

Pros v. Amateurs: Shots from 100 yards and 150 yards

I read a great article on a golf blog recently about what distance people think they hit their drivers versus how far they actually do, and it made me think… what is the reality of the 100- and 150-yard shots for the average player? How does this compare to a Tour Professional hitting from the...

www.golfwrx.com

 

[Jaydumo20]

As others have said, each sport is a bit different.

For the SEC player, he may have such an advantage of across the board talent to his left, right, in front of him and behind, that small mistakes aren't capitalized on by the defender. It's why a Travis Jones goes under the radar nationally until he blows up every lineman at the Senior Bowl. It's almost impossible for us fans to dissect how good a UGA offensive lineman is because the 'dogs have a great QB and RB's who can make defenders miss. Same on the defensive line. A DT misses an assignment by a bit and another talented defender wins his battle and the play still goes for zero yards even though the DT blew his assignment. In the pros it's rare for multiple defenders to win their battle on every play.

Baseball, we all know about pitchers who lose their form, tip their pitches, can't shake a bad at bat, a bad inning or a bad start. Same for hitters with holes in their swings. You have to be able to do it all. I have a good friend who is close with Texas Rangers ownership. He says the newest thing with MLB isn't just batting cages behind the dugout, it's 3D video pitching technology where the batter sees the pitcher and all his pitches before he takes a live swing at the plate. He says be the time the game starts batters have 30-40 "swings" against that pitcher.

For golf it's about the good miss, taking advantage of good breaks and minimizing the damage of bad breaks. Avoid OB, penalty areas and double bogeys at all costs. And, as it's often been said the longest distance in golf is the 6" between your ears. Another thing. The sound the club and ball make when they ball strike; it's just different. Heard a story a few weeks ago about Lee Trevino and Tony Finau. Trevino was on the range with his back turned to Finau and without looking or seeing who he was talking about said that person is going to be a very good pro. Just knew the sound and how it sounded different than others on the range. I'd put a friendly wager that everyone on this board who says they are a good putter wouldn't rank in the top 200 of PGA tour (or Champions Tour) for strokes gained putting or putts per round.

I never knew about that pitching technology. That's insane!

 

[Palatine]

It's not one thing. There are an incredible number of shots that have to be mastered. There is basic stuff like draws and fades, and a pro might have three of each. Then their are trajectories high balls, stingers, flops. You need a bagful of those. And each of those shots changes on uphill, downhill, flat lies, fairway or rough or sand. And we're not on the green yet. With combinations some guys can hit 60 or 90 different shots.

Once you can hit enough shots to compete, then you can begin talking about the mental game.

Still, you go to the golf course with your buddies, hit bad shot and someone will inevitably say, "You picked your head up."

 

[housekeys]

The mind and the physical. The mind implies high IQ of the game and ability to handle pressure (all sports). The physical implies an ability to play to speed and physicality of your teammates and opponents. Those are the main differences, IMO. Mastering the little things and god given ability separates pro's among pro's. In my humble amateur level opinion (IMHALO).

 

[uconnfan68]

It’s the consistency that really sets the pros apart. Even within the pro ranks, playing 72 holes really differentiates the cream of the crop from the rest, who have a good run through Saturday but just can’t maintain that consistency. The interesting thing regarding putting is that a lot of us generally think pros are better at sinking putts than they are. The 10-ft PGA tour make % is 40%. One of the biggest differentiators in putting from really good amateurs to pros is that the pros are EXCEPTIONAL at avoiding 3-putts.

They get to play on perfect, if fast, greens. That’s why they make so many. They don’t usually do that at your local muni.

 

[NEforceUConn]

Coming back to baseball I was 1st row watching the Yankees in an early warmup. Jeter was out in right field. He was playing catch with the 3rd baseman. The 3rd baseman would move his glove (target) from right on the bag, to belt high to right by his ear. For about 10 throws in a row from right field Jeter hit the glove without the 3rd baseman's glove moving an inch. And they were just messing around!

 

[Rocktheworld]

Ya my bad, carry on with the unnecessary explanations

Get the sand out of your vagina, kid

 

[Hunt for 7]

The difference in taking great god given ability and being a pro, boils down to what is between the ears. It is as simple as that. Finding confidence and keeping belief is the difference. Doubt enters the mind and then performance becomes a problem. Those that can keep bad thoughts out of the equation succeed.

 

[giddyup]

Unless you're playing on tour level courses, at tour speeds, it's impossible to determine whether you can really putt, or chip, or hit irons, or even drive. I played TPC River Highlands (Cromwell, CT), many years ago, just a week or so after the tournament. The greens were like parking lots. Couldn't hold any shot without tour level spin. Putting was comical, and I thought that was something I could do. It was just too fast.

A friend of mine had son on lower level Nike tour. It was brutal. These guys can play with any average top level pro on the tour for a round. It’s the playing 2 rounds to make the cut and 2 more rounds at a consistently high level that breaks most of them. All it takes are a few lapses and you’re done. This kid was phenomenal out of an Ivy. After a few years he gave it up because he didn’t the mental fortitude to string 4 together.

 

[jibsey]

I was just a volunteer at a Korn Ferry event and watched these kids mostly 25-30 yrs old from about 5 feet away for 5 days. They hit the ball perfectly even when the shot is “bad”. Bunkers, water, green slopes take their nearly perfectly straight shots to our eye and can cause them bogeys. The drives are unimaginably far. I saw them hit shots that I would have bought the entire bar rounds for, and they would shake their head in disgust. BTW, a young pro stayed in my house for the tourney( to save money), great kid. I drooled over his $5000 Launch Pro.

 

[Kolumbo]

These types of debates and I start thinking about different sports and I always feel like football is the easiest sport of them all.
Golf - Complete focus for over 4 hours 4 days in a row
Hockey - 82 games. playoff series. Shift after shift of heavy physical exertion and one lapse and you give up a goal
Baseball - 162 games. playoff series. It's slow and tedious but you have to be in the game mentally and whether in the field or in the box, you have to be 100% focused
Basketball - 82 games. playoff series. Extremely phsyical exertion offense and defense. My gripe is the dimensions haven't kept up with the athletes. They look like giants playing nerf basketball out there.
Soccer - extreme conditioning and skill level
Tennis - 5 hour matches with intense focus. I think returning a serve is probably the most difficult thing to do.
Football - 16 games. 60 minutes each. Offense, defense, or special teams. short bursts of play between long periods of standing around. The play is intense but once the ball is hiked, it's mostly athleticism and reaction. Football has just a fraction of live action compared to the other sports

I still say skill and natural ability. Guys like Rudy Gay and James Bouknight are incredibly skilled but not the strongest physically on the court and never seemed like the hardest workers to me. I'd say many kids who were incredibly skilled were probably not the hardest workers because they didn't have to be. Guys that put it all together go pro and if you are great at everything, you might play like Jordan at times.

 

[Jaydumo20]

These types of debates and I start thinking about different sports and I always feel like football is the easiest sport of them all.
Golf - Complete focus for over 4 hours 4 days in a row
Hockey - 82 games. playoff series. Shift after shift of heavy physical exertion and one lapse and you give up a goal
Baseball - 162 games. playoff series. It's slow and tedious but you have to be in the game mentally and whether in the field or in the box, you have to be 100% focused
Basketball - 82 games. playoff series. Extremely phsyical exertion offense and defense. My gripe is the dimensions haven't kept up with the athletes. They look like giants playing nerf basketball out there.
Soccer - extreme conditioning and skill level
Tennis - 5 hour matches with intense focus. I think returning a serve is probably the most difficult thing to do.
Football - 16 games. 60 minutes each. Offense, defense, or special teams. short bursts of play between long periods of standing around. The play is intense but once the ball is hiked, it's mostly athleticism and reaction. Football has just a fraction of live action compared to the other sports

I still say skill and natural ability. Guys like Rudy Gay and James Bouknight are incredibly skilled but not the strongest physically on the court and never seemed like the hardest workers to me. I'd say many kids who were incredibly skilled were probably not the hardest workers because they didn't have to be. Guys that put it all together go pro and if you are great at everything, you might play like Jordan at times.

Wow. I think I agree with the majority of this. I think people may balk at the football thing initially, since it is the most popular sport and it would seem silly to think that the most dominant sport is the "easiest" but I think you're right. I'd like to add to your argument:
In pro-football there is a trend with taking College bball athletes and transforming them into TEs or WRs (with very little prior football experience)
They do the same with soccer players>kickers and track guys>kick returners.
But the same can't be said in reverse. You don't take a college TE and turn him into a pro power forward because he probably can't dribble or shoot.
Or you don't take a fast wideout and convert him into a CF, leadoff hitter because he probably can't be taught to hit like a major leaguer or play center field at a pro-level.
No one says "that cover corner could be a starting point guard in the NBA"
I'm sure you can poke around and find one or 2 examples of the reverse but for the most part football is the easiest to convert a non-football player into a pro.

 

[cohenzone]

I had a law school friend years ago who won a few state golf amateur titles over the years. Very long hitter with the old clubs and balls. Hard to say what he might have done if he focussed on golf. We had a law school team tournament and in the second smartest move of my life i got him to be my partner. No. 1 was marrying my great wife RIP. My magic golf moment was actually winning a hole for us when the hole got in the way of a long birdie putt. Nobody in school was in his golf universe.

 

[Chin Diesel]

These types of debates and I start thinking about different sports and I always feel like football is the easiest sport of them all.
Golf - Complete focus for over 4 hours 4 days in a row
Hockey - 82 games. playoff series. Shift after shift of heavy physical exertion and one lapse and you give up a goal
Baseball - 162 games. playoff series. It's slow and tedious but you have to be in the game mentally and whether in the field or in the box, you have to be 100% focused
Basketball - 82 games. playoff series. Extremely phsyical exertion offense and defense. My gripe is the dimensions haven't kept up with the athletes. They look like giants playing nerf basketball out there.
Soccer - extreme conditioning and skill level
Tennis - 5 hour matches with intense focus. I think returning a serve is probably the most difficult thing to do.
Football - 16 games. 60 minutes each. Offense, defense, or special teams. short bursts of play between long periods of standing around. The play is intense but once the ball is hiked, it's mostly athleticism and reaction. Football has just a fraction of live action compared to the other sports

I still say skill and natural ability. Guys like Rudy Gay and James Bouknight are incredibly skilled but not the strongest physically on the court and never seemed like the hardest workers to me. I'd say many kids who were incredibly skilled were probably not the hardest workers because they didn't have to be. Guys that put it all together go pro and if you are great at everything, you might play like Jordan at times.

Putting Bouk in the same category as Rudy Gay is a huge insult to Rudy. While Rudy never won a championship at UConn, he has played almost 1200 games and started almost 800 games. He has been in the league for over 15 years. He's was a very good scorer in the NBA for a decade. Bouk hasn't shown the ability to sustain anything in the NBA for more than a game or two. Rudy has had to work plenty hard to do what he did and be where he is.

Rudy Gay Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more | Basketball-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats of Rudy Gay. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, shoots, school and more on Basketball-Reference.com

www.basketball-reference.com

 

[jibsey]

Putting Bouk in the same category as Rudy Gay is a huge insult to Rudy. While Rudy never won a championship at UConn, he has played almost 1200 games and started almost 800 games. He has been in the league for over 15 years. He's was a very good scorer in the NBA for a decade. Bouk hasn't shown the ability to sustain anything in the NBA for more than a game or two. Rudy has had to work plenty hard to do what he did and be where he is.

Rudy Gay Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more | Basketball-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats of Rudy Gay. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, shoots, school and more on Basketball-Reference.com

www.basketball-reference.com

I agree. Rudy was and is a stud.

 

[SubbaBub]

There isn't a one size fits all answer to this question. Each sport and individual has a different reason or reasons why they don't make it. There are often many reasons also, not just one. In baseball for example it could be as simple as you have a hole in your swing and once the scouting report is out, pitchers will hammer you low and in. Some guys can't lay off the high, hard stuff. Some guys can't hit a curve ball. With pitchers, it's often command or control. A couple inches on way or the other is the difference between paint and watching a guy go bridge. Too many walks are a killer as well. Some guys have trouble repeating their delivery. This is all not taking into account the mental aspect or work ethic or genetics or talent or athleticism or a million other things.

And some can't stay healthy or take the every day wear and tear of practicing every day, playing several times a week and still perform at that level.

The simplest catch all is that the very best internalize every perception, decision, reaction, movement and counter movement so they are doing everything they need to do to win on pure instinct without thinking about any of it 99% of the time.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Perfect example of preventing a big number today at Wells Fargo. Last hoke of the day and Hatton cannot win.

502 yard par 4.

He pulls drive left of creek on left side of fairway and ball trickles in to creek. He has to drop on a side hill lie in thick grass. Hits his third to a front right bunker, 75 feet to pin. Blast out of bunker, sink the putt and card a bogey.

The 5 cost him solo third place but a 6 would put him in 4th. But these guys don't just throw away shots.

Even scratch golfers are taking a 6 on that hole.

 

[jibsey]

Perfect example of preventing a big number today at Wells Fargo. Last hoke of the day and Hatton cannot win.

502 yard par 4.

He pulls drive left of creek on left side of fairway and ball trickles in to creek. He has to drop on a side hill lie in thick grass. Hits his third to a front right bunker, 75 feet to pin. Blast out of bunker, sink the putt and card a bogey.

The 5 cost him solo third place but a 6 would put him in 4th. But these guys don't just throw away shots.

Even scratch golfers are taking a 6 on that hole.
View attachment 88092

They don't get too high or too low no matter if good or bad results. I noticed that.

 

[August_West]

First of all lol how golf heavy this is. Golfers are hilarious. You’re not special. Golfers are not special. They just think they are.

None of all this matters. There are 3 components to top line success, and it doesn’t matter if you are striking a little white ball with a stick, writing elegant computer code, getting OJ off for murder, tackling fast running backs, or cooking a risotto that will make your knees buckle. It’s all the same

1) inherent aptitude ( born with in simple terms) inherent talent for specific items
2)recognizing the aptitude for that item (this is huge)
3) developing proficiency through incredibly thorough training in the recognized field.

People can be good at any of a number of things by a various combination of a couple of the above. The pros check all boxes to some extent . The true greats ( in every field) are in the 99.9 percentile in at least 2 of those boxes.

This ain’t about athletics , it’s about human potential.

 

[huskyfan224]

First of all lol how golf heavy this is. Golfers are hilarious. You’re not special. Golfers are not special. They just think they are.

None of all this matters. There are 3 components to top line success, and it doesn’t matter if you are striking a little white ball with a stick, writing elegant computer code, getting OJ off for murder, tackling fast running backs, or cooking a risotto that will make your knees buckle. It’s all the same

1) inherent aptitude ( born with in simple terms) inherent talent for specific items
2)recognizing the aptitude for that item (this is huge)
3) developing proficiency through incredibly thorough training in the recognized field.

People can be good at any of a number of things by a various combination of a couple of the above. The pros check all boxes to some extent . The true greats ( in every field) are in the 99.9 percentile in at least 2 of those boxes.

This ain’t about athletics , it’s about human potential.

Says the guy who probably can’t break 90