Rory's Comments on Driver

[Hamfist]

I didn't find his comments all that inflammatory. He's not happy with his play off the tee, and doesn't seem to like the current driver. No big deal. Send him a few more heads and shafts to test out, he'll eventually find one he likes.

 

[Canadan]

Add the fact that he's become the face of the PGA Tour so he's asked more questions than anyone these days. He's in a lose/lose situation now. If he backs off interviews and becomes robotic he'll get criticized. When he answers honestly he's criticized.

Would we rather have him share his true feelings or become an interview robot like Tiger? I for one appreciate his honesty.

this is what I really get stuck on.

If people don't want honest answers, is there even a point to player interviews?

 

[TheRyno]

I think both can be true. He likes attention but is definitely in the cross hairs with the media. Talented polarizing players in sports attract coverage like a bee to honey. If the focus is winning tournaments (majors especially) I think his current approach has to be distracting him from the main goal. Different strokes for different folks but I think if he went Bill Belichick style in his interviews he would get flack for a short period of time and the media would move on to someone else willing to feed them headlines.

 

[Canadan]

I think both can be true. He likes attention but is definitely in the cross hairs with the media. Talented polarizing players in sports attract coverage like a bee to honey. If the focus is winning tournaments (majors especially) I think his current approach has to be distracting him from the main goal. Different strokes for different folks but I think if he went Bill Belichick style in his interviews he would get flack for a short period of time and the media would move on to someone else willing to feed them headlines.

Is there an example recently where Rory has made it clear that he likes the attention, or is that just an opinion because he accepts interviews?

 

[tequila4kapp]

First, notice that Morikawa went back to the SIM driver this week. It’s not a good look for TM.

Second, compare actual statements:

"Obviously, I went to that new driver at Riviera, and it's just not....yeah."

And

“If I can hit it down the middle of the fairway, that’s great, but with the driver right now, the driver sucks. It’s not a good face for me, and we’re still trying to figure out how to make it good on the mis-hits. I’m living on the razor’s edge, like I’ve told people for a long time.”

 

[JB]

Add the fact that he's become the face of the PGA Tour so he's asked more questions than anyone these days. He's in a lose/lose situation now. If he backs off interviews and becomes robotic he'll get criticized. When he answers honestly he's criticized.

Would we rather have him share his true feelings or become an interview robot like Tiger? I for one appreciate his honesty.

While I believe there is something to that, I also believe he could have handled this answer better.
I thought his answers about the changes coming to the PGA Tour were fantastic and posted my feelings in that thread. I appreciated his candor about all of it.

 

[TheRyno]

Is there an example recently where Rory has made it clear that he likes the attention, or is that just an opinion because he accepts interviews?

Just an opinion. It seems like he likes to comment on anything and everything possible when sometimes the best thing to do is say nothing at all. Appreciate the honesty but the more you talk to the media the more of an opportunity you provide them to misrepresent you or put your foot in your mouth. Look at someone like Derek Jeter vs A-Rod, or whatever other example you can think of. Generally the guy who is bland is better off in the long term when it comes to how the media reports on them.

 

[KEV]

Just an opinion. It seems like he likes to comment on anything and everything possible when sometimes the best thing to do is say nothing at all. Appreciate the honesty but the more you talk to the media the more of an opportunity you provide them to misrepresent you or put your foot in your mouth. Look at someone like Derek Jeter vs A-Rod, or whatever other example you can think of. Generally the guy who is bland is better off in the long term when it comes to how the media reports on them.

I agree that the person that is bland is better off long term but on the flip side how many times to we complain that there isn't enough personality in golf and we want to see players be more open?

It's a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario.

Could he have said it better? Sure. I personally don't mind when a player points out that a piece of equipment isn't working for them. Colin moving back to an old driver just backs up Rory's comments.

 

[TheRyno]

I agree that the person that is bland is better off long term but on the flip side how many times to we complain that there isn't enough personality in golf and we want to see players be more open?

It's a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario.

Could he have said it better? Sure. I personally don't mind when a player points out that a piece of equipment isn't working for them. Colin moving back to an old driver just backs up Rory's comments.

Agree that Morikowa changed equipment like Rory but he’s the perfect example of a guy who won’t give the media much but smiles and bland quotes. They could both end their career with the same amount of majors but I know who I’d put my money on for a narrative as the better guy/player. May not be fair but that’s the game with the media.

 

[JB]

I agree that the person that is bland is better off long term but on the flip side how many times to we complain that there isn't enough personality in golf and we want to see players be more open?

It's a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario.

Could he have said it better? Sure. I personally don't mind when a player points out that a piece of equipment isn't working for them. Colin moving back to an old driver just backs up Rory's comments.

I agree with this too.
Yet the two most popular athletes in the modern era, never gave an answer on anything in Jordan and Woods.

I love honesty. I think its important in the modern social media age.
I just do not think saying you want to go back to an older model, with a company paying you millions is what should be done. Say it by changing. It does a disservice to the people that have dedicated hundreds of hours of time to do something unique specifically for you.

 

[odom730]

First, notice that Morikawa went back to the SIM driver this week. It’s not a good look for TM.

Second, compare actual statements:

"Obviously, I went to that new driver at Riviera, and it's just not....yeah."

And

“If I can hit it down the middle of the fairway, that’s great, but with the driver right now, the driver sucks. It’s not a good face for me, and we’re still trying to figure out how to make it good on the mis-hits. I’m living on the razor’s edge, like I’ve told people for a long time.”

This right here is the difference. Rory had a moment of honesty that shows he's not a huge fan of the current driver. Rory wants a good driver.

Bryson flat out said the driver sucks. Bryson wants to be able to swing as fast as humanly possible while getting no punishment for missing the center of the face.

Theses aren't the same thing. And I'm indifferent to Rory. I don't cheer for or against him.

 

[Canadan]

Just an opinion. It seems like he likes to comment on anything and everything possible when sometimes the best thing to do is say nothing at all. Appreciate the honesty but the more you talk to the media the more of an opportunity you provide them to misrepresent you or put your foot in your mouth. Look at someone like Derek Jeter vs A-Rod, or whatever other example you can think of. Generally the guy who is bland is better off in the long term when it comes to how the media reports on them.

I think that's where we differ (which is cool, of course).

For me, there's no point in an interview if it's all completely scripted and pre-calculated.

 

[KEV]

I think that's where we differ (which is cool, of course).

For me, there's no point in an interview if it's all completely scripted and pre-calculated.

I totally agree with this. You may as well just skip doing interviews at that point because you'll get no real substance.

 

[Pharaoh]

this is what I really get stuck on.

If people don't want honest answers, is there even a point to player interviews?

So people can dissect their every word and hold it against them. Thats society now. Find anything you can to destroy someone you don’t like.

 

[BuckNasty]

So people can dissect their every word and hold it against them. Thats society now. Find anything you can to destroy someone you don’t like.

I agree with this, we are so focused on the negative/canceling folks these days as compared to being positive and celebrating folks, and I believe it is all propelled by social media

 

[JB]

So people can dissect their every word and hold it against them. Thats society now. Find anything you can to destroy someone you don’t like.

It is, and that sucks. But I dont think its "honesty" bringing jabs at rival tours or their commissioners.
So I understand there will be some that do not agree with that side of it. Just as there are some that he could literally kick a puppy now and it would be okay. Thats the nature of the polarzing beast of the internet.

 

[alvinsmalvin]

For those claiming some do not want honest answers, all we can ask for, and presumably want, is honesty from an interview. How much is given is up to the interviewee/player and then we, the audience, are left to debate the answers.

In Rory's case, he's given a lot of answers lately.

 

[Mark_UK]

I don’t see any issue with what he said. Blaming his equipment for sub standard play is not much different from the majority of posts on an internet golf forum is it?

 

[PingEye2Man]

this is what I really get stuck on.

If people don't want honest answers, is there even a point to player interviews?

@Canadan I almost wish that they would greatly limit, heck, even do away with these awful interview sessions...does it really matter to us on how that driver is performing for one of only a handful of players that can truly utilize it to the fullest potential? To him, absolutely...but to us? I get how some want to know, what’s in the bag, but I hit Titleist Golf balls, why don’t mine react like when the pros hit them?!? I do prefer how they perform for me, so even if their biggest player said that they don’t seem to get as violent of a back-spin, I’d still continue to play them, I’m just happy to see it settle somewhere on the green, I just assume that it didn’t have 15 feet of back-spin...

 

[Canadan]

@Canadan I almost wish that they would greatly limit, heck, even do away with these awful interview sessions...does it really matter to us on how that driver is performing for one of only a handful of players that can truly utilize it to the fullest potential? To him, absolutely...but to us? I get how some want to know, what’s in the bag, but I hit Titleist Golf balls, why don’t mine react like when the pros hit them?!? I do prefer how they perform for me, so even if their biggest player said that they don’t seem to get as violent of a back-spin, I’d still continue to play them, I’m just happy to see it settle somewhere on the green, I just assume that it didn’t have 15 feet of back-spin...

I vote we either get rid of them, or appreciate the honestly.

If TaylorMade has a problem with him towing the line comparing his freakish former driver stats to current stats, they should be the ones to be worried about it.

 

[Sean]

I didn't find his comments all that inflammatory. He's not happy with his play off the tee, and doesn't seem to like the current driver. No big deal. Send him a few more heads and shafts to test out, he'll eventually find one he likes.

One of the announcers said yesterday that Morikawa went back to his SIM driver. Maybe the Stealth isn't all that it's cracked up to be.

 

[Hamfist]

One of the announcers said yesterday that Morikawa went back to his SIM driver. Maybe the Stealth isn't all that it's cracked up to be.

Possibly. Or, it may just feel different enough that he doesn't like it, yet. Unless he tells us, we won't know.

 

[alvinsmalvin]

I vote we either get rid of them, or appreciate the honestly.

If TaylorMade has a problem with him towing the line comparing his freakish former driver stats to current stats, they should be the ones to be worried about it.

Ok, so we just shouldn't discuss why Rory might not be happy with his driver? Or that maybe there is something more to it than the driver?

This site should know as well as any site how impactful the relationship between players comments and marketing of products are intertwined.

I guess I should just talk about which food will go away forever after I pick one.

 

[Canadan]

Ok, so we just shouldn't discuss why Rory might not be happy with his driver? Or that maybe there is something more to it than the driver?

This site should know as well as any site how impactful the relationship between players comments and marketing of products are intertwined.

I guess I should just talk about which food will go away forever after I pick one.

I think it'd be refreshing to talk about why he doesn't like the driver, rather than speculate on his mental health and in some cases be obsessively anti-Rory.

That'd be cool.

 

[JB]

Ok, so we just shouldn't discuss why Rory might not be happy with his driver? Or that maybe there is something more to it than the driver?

This site should know as well as any site how impactful the relationship between players comments and marketing of products are intertwined.

I guess I should just talk about which food will go away forever after I pick one.

You can talk about anything you want. You also don’t have to take part in any thread you don’t want to. Probably best to not demean the threads others create. Or take it to social media where the negativity and ******** is welcomed.