[smoothaction]

You know, I really think J.B. Holmes is going to be the guy that breaks out of the young pack and really makes a name for himself. I mean, the guy has won one time on tour as a rookie and is longer than Tiger and it just seems he is just a few shots here and there from being on the first page of the leaderboard week in and week out. He made a move this weekend in the third round only to give it back at the end of his third and then gave it back fully in his final round. He has gotten away from the saw putting grip he was using before and now is using a standard putting grip and seems to be putting better.


Something tells me after he gets a little more time to work out the rough edges on tour, he is going to be a superstar. Anyone agree?

[gopack2]

I followed him all day yesterday (a friend of mine is caddying for him) and he made it look easy for 11 holes (6 under) but then the wheels came off on 12. It seems that was his nemisis hole this week. He made 2 doubles and a triple on that hole. He's learning that he doesn't have to hit the driver every hole and that is helping. He is the longest player I have ever seen in person. He hit a cut 3 wood in the middle of the green on 8 from 310 yards and we saw him hit 3 wood over 300 three other times. He definitely has the talent. Also, in regards to his putter grip, he used both yesterday.

[gators77]

I saw him at the 84 Lumber and when I tried to explain his swing to other people I just said he takes it real short then looks like Barry Bonds through the golf ball. Easily the fastest rotational movement that I have seen by any golfer. Granted the boy kills it, he just needs to learn different shots required for all the tour courses. The win does help the confidence and if he gets through without those few mistakes he'll be right back there many more times.

[Orlimar1]

I think he's got a ways to go yet. You would think as often as hit hits driver wedge, even on 7200yd courses, he'd be able to stick them close. In a lot of tourneys I've watched, I've seen him and Bubba have wedges in to greens, and miss the green.

He may be a major player, but he still has quite a bit of refining to do with his short game.

[stp]

Orlimar1, on May 6 2007, 08:27 PM, said:

I think he's got a ways to go yet. You would think as often as hit hits driver wedge, even on 7200yd courses, he'd be able to stick them close. In a lot of tourneys I've watched, I've seen him and Bubba have wedges in to greens, and miss the green.

He may be a major player, but he still has quite a bit of refining to do with his short game.

JB or Bubba hitting a wedge is the same as the average pga player hitting a seven or eight. It is still a 150-160 shot regardless of the club.

[Orlimar1]

stp, on May 6 2007, 10:43 PM, said:

Orlimar1, on May 6 2007, 08:27 PM, said:

I think he's got a ways to go yet. You would think as often as hit hits driver wedge, even on 7200yd courses, he'd be able to stick them close. In a lot of tourneys I've watched, I've seen him and Bubba have wedges in to greens, and miss the green.

He may be a major player, but he still has quite a bit of refining to do with his short game.

JB or Bubba hitting a wedge is the same as the average pga player hitting a seven or eight. It is still a 150-160 shot regardless of the club.

I've seen them both miss greens (badly) from less than 100 yds from the middle of the fairway. For J.B. to become a real threat this is one of the things he'll have to get better at before he becomes a top player. IMHO!!

[kgk]

Orlimar1, on May 6 2007, 11:14 PM, said:

I've seen them both miss greens (badly) from less than 100 yds from the middle of the fairway. For J.B. to become a real threat this is one of the things he'll have to get better at before he becomes a top player. IMHO!!

I agree that stellar wedge play is paramount on the PGA Tour, and I think it's really a problem of simplicity rather than practice or talent (for Bubba at least). Bubba has great hands and great touch, and can hit any shot he wants ... which is part of the problem. I'm not sure he's developed a real "go to" shot ... he always seem to be trying flops, skippers, runners, you name it, but never the same thing on any green. He's so busy creating a shot he doesn't seem to have something consistent and comfortable.

[300yard+]

J.B needs to get the putter going.

[smoothaction]

I really think J.B. Holmes is a bit different than players like Watson and Kuehne. He is different than Waston in that he has a shorter swing which means his timing does not need to be as good as Watson with his overly long backswing. So, he is able to control his power better than Watson. I think he is different than Kuehne in that he has his personal life in order so he can work on the area's of his game that will make him a better player down the road.


Hank Kuehne could have been a world beater because when he really goes after one he is longer than both Watson and Holmes. The thing that's crazy about Kuehne is that the year he broke the PGA tour distance record at 321.4 yards, he had geared his swing down a lot. Back in his AM days he was 30 yards longer than he is now. Just goes to show you, you can have all the talent in the world but if you have too many off the course problems going on you can't work on the things needed to put you over the top.


I think Holmes has a better chance than Watson and Kuehne to really make a impact long term on the game.

[thenextnumber1]

the problem with holmes, watson and kuehne is that there bad holes are AWFUL and there good holes are the same as the top pro's.

If they can cut out that 1 double, or 4 bogeys they have in there rounds because they hit it wild on some occasions then they will be right up there.