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Big Questions for 2017

The 2017 golf season is here and as we golf fanatics look towards the future there are plenty of questions for the upcoming season. Jaime Diaz of Golf World poses a few of those in his piece,”Golf’s 10 Biggest Questions for 2017.”

He starts off with who will be the best player and names a few of the top players as candidates but my money is on Rory McIlroy. I think Rors is fed up with all the attention placed on his competitors and he is in such a good place right now. He’s comfortable with himself and is in total control of his life…and his game.woods-gd

Diaz then asks what I think is the biggest question of the year, how will Tiger do? That’s is the question and will always be until Tiger decides to hang it up. Tiger is coming back from back surgeries and the world will be focused on his every move, as usual. At 41 his window is closing but if he is healthy there is no telling what Woods may accomplish. It appears that Tiger has mellowed and has come to terms with the fact that he is Tiger woods the human, no longer longer Tiger Wood the Super-human. But I think Woods can still win on tour… maybe even throw a major in there over the next few years if he can stay healthy.

Next he asks if Bryson DeChambeau is ready for primetime? And while the jury is still out on Bryson’s ability to consistently win on tour I think he has made an impact on the game already. Cobra is marketing a new line of single length clubs this season. Wow, one season and he has changed the game already…at least for this selling season.

Diaz then hits a sore spot for me and many other fans, Will slow play finally hit critical mass? Slow play is a problem for everyone except the tour winners. With the new commissioner saying the good thing is they finish on time for television any attempt to improve it on tour looks minimal. Jason Day just said he’ll go back to being more “deliberate” which means a notoriously slow player will get even slower. I say that absolutely nothing will happen here and we’ll continue to suffer through hours of “non-action” each and every week.

Who will be the best on the LPGA Tour is the next question. Lydia Ko has made huge changes with a new caddie, coach and clubs and at 19 may be at a critical point in her young professional life.

Diaz goes on to ask questions about Donald Trump (ugh), Bernhard Llanger, Phil Mickelson and more and it is worth the read. And I have a few questions of my own that I’ll be interested is seeing in 2017.

Will Stacy Lewis break her slump and win again?

How will the USGA handle Trump at the U.S. Women’s Open being held on his course this summer?

Can Phil Mickelson win another major (U.S. Open) at 47?

Can Lexi Thompson get her putter under control and be the dominate player her long game allows her to be?

Will low key Steve Stricker make laid back Freddy Couples look frenetic as he captains the Presidents Cup Team?

But the most pressing question for me, the one I ask every season…will I ever beat my brother in stroke play again? That’s a tough one.

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2 Comments

  1. Brother, I agree with you on Rory Mc coming back to claim the #1 rank. I believe Tiger will have a good year, might even win. Bryson DeChambeau will continue a downward spiral and Cobra will abandon it’s single length shaft clubs after 1 season. You’re probably right that the PGA TOUR won’t take any steps to speed up the game( because that would require them to get tough with their players) but I really hope we’re wrong on this. It doesn’t help when some of the Big Young Guns are notoriously slow players, like Day and Spieth. Lydia Ko will get knocked of the women’s pinnacle by Arita Jutarnugan. Stacy Lewis remains funked. The USGA continues to trample on it’s dignity and institutional johnson and fawns over the Donald. Lexi Thompson continues to dig for oil with the biggest divots in the history of the women’s game while remaining frustrated on the greens. Stick will be cool , calm and collected as Team USA wins another Presidents Cup. And who knows if you’ll best me in stoke play again? The Nicklaus Medal is waiting here in sunny St. Augustine, so come on down and win it.

  2. WOW, thanks for such a thorough comment….sounds like a a few “Ramblings from the Easy Chair” might be on deck. Stop practicing and write a few up and maybe I’ll have a chance.

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