Michelle Wie Saga/Golf tips

[Hoosier Red]

Somewhat analagous to Michelle Wie is the Williams sisters in Tennis.
Everybody thought they would be a joke with their very raw games and little tournament experience. People thought they "wouldn't know how to win"

But they took their unorthodox tennis games and became for a time the top two players in the world, and it wasn't close.

Of course another parallel is Jennifer Capriati who was a prodigy before crashing and burning for 10 years before coming back.

[flyer85]

Somewhat analagous to Michelle Wie is the Williams sisters in Tennis.
Everybody thought they would be a joke with their very raw games and little tournament experience. People thought they "wouldn't know how to win"

The analogy is OK, but doesn't hold up because the main reason Richard Williams said he didn't want them in the USTA program was he didn't want them to learn the defensive style of baseline tennis that it tended to produce. Williams wanted them to learn an attacking style while not have to be concerned by the result. Also they really had no competition, unlike Wie who could have really benefited from learning to play and win against older players like Pressel, Creamer, Lincicome, etc.

Wie hasn't learned how to control her focus and emotions and win on Sunday and it is painfully obvious because she has been in contention numerous times only to melt under the pressure.

[Blimpie]

NO BLIMPIE, I'm NOT going to post Anna Kournikova pictures!!

Sounds like somebody has been reading their "stickies"...

Oh, well.... It was worth a try.

[flyer85]

Early struggles for Wie at the LPGA Championship. I've read stuff saying she has altered her smooth swing trying to gain more distance to compete with the men.

[KYRedsFan]

Heh heh

Outstanding Johnny

[jmcclain19]

A rich teenage girl with maturity issues - who would have thought?

[Redhook]

Early struggles for Wie at the LPGA Championship. I've read stuff saying she has altered her smooth swing trying to gain more distance to compete with the men.

That wouldn't surprise me. Her nickname used to be the "Big Wiesy" because her swing was comparable in tempo to Ernie Els. Now, it's super fast and hard. It's truely amazing how much her swing has digressed in the last few years. I put a lot of that blame on Leadbetter.

[Blimpie]

[Highlifeman21]

That wouldn't surprise me. Her nickname used to be the "Big Wiesy" because her swing was comparable in tempo to Ernie Els. Now, it's super fast and hard. It's truely amazing how much her swing has digressed in the last few years. I put a lot of that blame on Leadbetter.

From what I've read and heard, Leadbetter's distanced himself from her at an increasing rate over the past few years. He's still her "coach", but perhaps only by title.

[Redhook]

From what I've read and heard, Leadbetter's distanced himself from her at an increasing rate over the past few years. He's still her "coach", but perhaps only by title.

That could be true. It wouldn't surprise me.

I did see Leadbetter with Wie all the time in 2005 on the LPGA tour. In fact, I can't remember a tournament that she played in that he wasn't there. Last year she was still wearing the Leadbetter hat, but I wasn't caddying so I don't know if Lead was still there or not. I actually have no clue if she's still seeing him or not.

What I do know is her swing is getting worse. She's kind of like Tiger, who's swing is also getting worse IMO, in the fact that they could swing with KMART clubs or take lessons from my sister and still be a great player. There good inspite the instructor (kind of like the Reds last year with Narron ).

I've always heard that Leadbetter tends to "steal" good players from his other instructors to make him look good. I've actually taken lessons at the Leadbetter Academy. A few years ago for a few months I took lessons there and heard this rumor from quite a few of his instructors. It seems like one of his instructors improves/creates the good player, then Leadbetter swoops in and steals the good player to receive all the glory. That's pretty sad if true.

As you can probably tell, I'm not a big Leadbetter fan.

[Highlifeman21]

That could be true. It wouldn't surprise me.

I did see Leadbetter with Wie all the time in 2005 on the LPGA tour. In fact, I can't remember a tournament that she played in that he wasn't there. Last year she was still wearing the Leadbetter hat, but I wasn't caddying so I don't know if Lead was still there or not. I actually have no clue if she's still seeing him or not.

What I do know is her swing is getting worse. She's kind of like Tiger, who's swing is also getting worse IMO, in the fact that they could swing with KMART clubs or take lessons from my sister and still be a great player. There good inspite the instructor (kind of like the Reds last year with Narron ).

I've always heard that Leadbetter tends to "steal" good players from his other instructors to make him look good. I've actually taken lessons at the Leadbetter Academy. A few years ago for a few months I took lessons there and heard this rumor from quite a few of his instructors. It seems like one of his instructors improves/creates the good player, then Leadbetter swoops in and steals the good player to receive all the glory. That's pretty sad if true.

As you can probably tell, I'm not a big Leadbetter fan.

I'm not big on Leadbetter either.

That swingsetter garbage he put out on the market teaches nothing but how to cast the club. Awesome. Way to go.

Anyway, Wie needs to rebuild her swing and get rid of that ridiculous wraparound follow-through. She added it to attempt to add distance to her game when trying to compete with the Men and it's done nothing but hurt her. She's an all-world talent, it's time that she tapped into it and matured both herself and her game.

IMO, she just needs new/better handlers. Her parents are ruining her.

[SunDeck]

I was down in Pawleys during the Ginn. We figured she pulled out because she new the tropical storm was moving up the coast and would ruin her photo oppurtunities.

Anyway, I think this kid is quite confused right now. Maybe the best thing for her will be to go to college, gain a freshman fifteen and maybe let college help her to learn what she wants to do. It seems to me that she's got this unrealistic idea of playing with the men without having proven that she can compete consistently.

[Redhook]

I was down in Pawleys during the Ginn. We figured she pulled out because she new the tropical storm was moving up the coast and would ruin her photo oppurtunities.

Anyway, I think this kid is quite confused right now.

I agree. I really don't know what the Wie clan is trying to do or prove. Committing to another PGA event is that last thing they should've been doing this year. Now, she's shooting 80's on the easy LPGA courses. That's a bad sign.

Maybe the best thing for her will be to go to college, gain a freshman fifteen and maybe let college help her to learn what she wants to do. It seems to me that she's got this unrealistic idea of playing with the men without having proven that she can compete consistently.

She said she is going to Stanford. Right now, that would be a good thing for her.

You would think a normal person would see that they couldn't compete consistently against men. I don't think she'll ever be able to do it. If she keeps trying she'll eventually make a cut....whoopty do . She actually believes she can compete against the best week in and week out. There's no chance. Here's why:

1) Her short game. It's pretty bad. Her chipping and pitching are ok and will improve, but she's a terrible putter (compared to PGA standards). IMO, she will never be a great putter. Her overall short game, right now, would rank dead last on the PGA Tour. The best players in the world also have the best short games.

2) The distance factor. She hits it pretty far, but not far enough to compete against the best. If she had Tiger's short game she could be a top 50 player in the world. That's how good Tiger's short game is. But, with her lack of distance, she'll never be able to compete full-time on tour. I've seen her hit up close many times. She hits it ok (compared to men, not women). She hits a lot of low hooks though. She would struggle on firm courses holding the greens going for tucked pins. There's not enough ball speed to create the spin needed.

She needs to stop playing against men immediately.

[Redhook]

Anyway, Wie needs to rebuild her swing and get rid of that ridiculous wraparound follow-through. She added it to attempt to add distance to her game when trying to compete with the Men and it's done nothing but hurt her.

Absolutely. It looks ridiculous. And on her punch shots she never gets off her right side. It's a hook waiting-to-happen every time. I have no idea what Leadbetter was/is trying to teach her, but IMO, it's pure c***. It's brutal. Her swing and game is going down the tubes quickly.

She's an all-world talent, it's time that she tapped into it and matured both herself and her game.

She's the most talented female I've seen. By a lot. Much more talent than Annika and Ochoa. The only other female that is remotely close is Se Ri Pak. She's pretty awesome, but lost control of her driver a few years ago and hasn't fully recovered.

IMO, she just needs new/better handlers. Her parents are ruining her.

Very true. I have no idea what they're thinking. Initially, I thought they were doing the right thing by playing a few men's events, signing with NIKE, etc. because you just never know what's going to happen. They cashed in which is smart because they're set for life. However, the circus needs to stop. They don't need to the money or publicity anymore. They need to focus on getting her career back on track. They need to get her a decent instructor and focus solely on becoming the best women in the world.

It can still happen, but it's not close to the sure thing it once was.

[Yachtzee]

1) Her short game. It's pretty bad. Her chipping and pitching are ok and will improve, but she's a terrible putter (compared to PGA standards). IMO, she will never be a great putter. Her overall short game, right now, would rank dead last on the PGA Tour. The best players in the world also have the best short games.

That's what my uncle says is her biggest challenge. According to him, PGA greens are so fast it's like trying to putt on a pool table, . . . a big, slanted, uneven pool table. He says that if you don't have good touch on and around the greens, there's little to no hope for you on the PGA tour.