Golf Unfiltered Podcast 68: Don't be hatin' on Bryson DeChambeau

I'm riding solo again this week on the Golf Unfiltered Podcast, but luckily there is plenty to talk about in the golf space (plus there's plenty of beer in my fridge). Today's episode starts off with me ranting about my golf game toils and tribulations after playing one of the worst rounds of golf I've played in a long time. I then share my thoughts on Bryson DeChambeau and why he's such a polarizing figure. I even manage to work in my thoughts on the Spring Break Escapades of Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler and Smylie Kaufman.

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Open Championship 2014: Fantasy Golf Picks

I can't go with The Big Cat. I can't do it. I'm sorry. Yes; it is very tempting to use Tiger Woods as a fantasy golf pick for this week's 2014 Open Championship. Back surgery or no, it's still Tiger freakin' Woods. He won the last Open at Hoylake in 2006. He's the greatest player of this generation.

He's also not going to win this week. Sorry, I'm a realist.

That being said, my fantasy golf picks for the week are all pretty conservative. Adam Scott and Justin Rose are the best players on the planet, and that's not totally taking into account their respective World Golf Rankings (1 & 3). Henrik Stenson (no. 2) also belongs in that conversation. These three men alone have taken over the sport and don't seem to be slowing down any time soon.

Rory McIlroy is doing typical weird Rory things, but he's still a decent pick this week. If we can find a way to have him skip the second round, he'll be in good shape. Hopefully.

Jimmy Walker is my only American choice for the week. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing for the stars and stripes. Regardless, I feel he's at the pinnacle of his ability and as such should be shown respect. Walker could steal the Claret Jug right from under everyone's noses.

Martin Kaymer is riding the German Hot Streak and should be in contention near week's end. Could he win both Opens this year? He's already got the US national title, and if the World Cup taught us anything, it's that it's really good to be a German athlete these days.

That leaves us with Freddie Jacobson and Sergio Garcia. There are probably stronger plays than both of these gents, but something tells me Freddie is going to win a major at some point in his career, and I refuse to believe Sergio can't do the same.

Fantasy Golf 2014: The Masters

It's the most wonderful time of the year! The season's first major tees off this week at The Masters from legendary Augusta National Golf Club, so get your fantasy golf rosters ready because this week is going to be special. Yes, we all know that Tiger Woods is out of the tournament. Boo-hoo, whatever will fantasy golfers do? You're going to pick Adam Scott and Rory McIlroy on your roster, that's what. Both men are easily the favorites heading into the week, and don't be surprised in the least if Scott successfully defends his title come Sunday.

Jason Day is another must-have on my fantasy golf picks this week. He absolutely loves playing at Augusta National and has done so incredibly well over the last few years. The same can be said for Phil Mickelson, bad back and all. Look for Lefty to be in the mix by Saturday, as evidenced by a solid showing in Houston last week.

Could this be the year that Sergio Garcia finally breaks through at a major? He's ranked sixth in the world -- his highest ranking in decades -- and seems to be firing on all cylinders headed into this week. Oh, and let's not forget Jimmy Walker, who has three tournament victories already this golf season.

Adam Scott wins GWAA Player of the Year, Writers Stir the Pot

Adam Scott was voted as the Player of the Year by the Golf Writers Association of America, according to the Associated Press. It is a somewhat shocking development on its surface, since Tiger Woods was the obvious favorite heading into the vote. Woods, who fell five votes short of Scott's total (218 total votes were cast), won the PGA Tour and PGA of America's Player of the Year award last season following a year that included five tour wins in 2013... but no majors.

Scott, on the other hand, won four times worldwide and The Masters, which obviously pushed him ahead of Tiger in the eyes of those writers who voted. The GWAA award takes into account a player's total body of work throughout the year and not just how he performs on a specific tour.

That latter point makes all the difference in the world when you consider what Scott accomplished this season. Following his first Green Jacket win in April, Scott almost completed the Australian Slam but did help Australia win the World Cup later in the year. So then why does this award seem so vindictive?

Well, as CBS Sports' Kyle Porter points out, golf writers might have held Tiger's rule violations throughout the year against the World No. 1. If that comes across as surprising, then you simply don't know us golf writers that well. (No offense, chaps.)

Golf writers like to stir the pot. That shouldn't be news to anyone. So, when given the opportunity to create a stir (like a POY vote, for example), golf scribes tend to take advantage.

Steve Williams is Thinking About Retirement

Steve Williams, the one-time Tiger Woods caddy and current looper for Masters Champion Adam Scott, is embarking on a farewell golf tour, according to reports. As Matt Richens of Stuff.co.nz writes, Williams has been a caddy for over 35 years and may be on the last leg of his career.

"Next year will be 36 years," he said. "I like 36, it's a nice number, it's a golf number [two rounds is 36 holes and most halves of golf courses are par-36]."

How creative of you, Stevie. Williams has already informed his current boss, Scott, of his intention to hang up his caddy bib sooner rather than later. Whether that means Williams will no longer be a full-time caddy and continue on a part-time basis or if he's quitting altogether remains to be seen. Many former full-time caddies continue working on an ad hoc basis for a number of golfers, especially when a tournament occurs near that caddy's hometown.

Adam Scott is looking to boost his playing schedule up a bit in 2014, which will mean longer stretches on the road for weeks at a time. There is also talk of Scott playing more often in Australia, which would coincide with a recent rejuvenation of the sport Down Under. Furthermore, with the 2016 Olympic Games on the horizon, it is likely Williams will be the bag-man for Scott in that historic event.

Fantasy Golf Picks: 2013 Tour Championship

The 2013 PGA Tour season comes to a close this week at the Tour Championship presented by Coca-Cola. The FedExCup Champion will also be determined on Sunday, along with the newest $10 million winner in the season-long series. Tiger Woods enters the week as the FedExCup Points leader, followed by Matt Kuchar, Brandt Snedeker, Phil Mickelson and Bill Haas.

East Lake in Atlanta will once again host the Tour Championship. The venue has proven to be a tough test for the world's best players over the years, however we are sure to see some exciting golf near the home stretch.

Here are my fantasy golf picks for the 2013 Tour Championship.

Fantasy Golf Picks: 2013 Deutsche Bank Championship

The second round of the 2013 FedExCup Playoffs is this week as the top 100 players will tee-off at the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston. The main story for the week will be how points-leader Tiger Woods will play following his back injury last week at The Barclays. Woods still holds a slight lead over Adam Scott, but he is in danger of being dethroned should Scott produce another strong performance.

Rory McIlroy is the defending champion this week, so keep an eye on him to build off his strong performance at the PGA Championship.

Here are this week's fantasy golf picks for the 2013 Deutsche Bank Championship.

Fantasy Golf Picks: 2013 AT&T National

The PGA Tour returns to Congressional CC near our nation's capital for this week's AT&T National, hosted by Tiger Woods. While Woods is out of commission this week and will not be playing due to injury (again), a flurry of big names are in the field. Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan, Adam Scott, Billy Horschel and others should look great on your fantasy golf roster this week.

I decided to get a little wild with my picks, choosing some names that could be considered outside of the box. Graham DeLaet played well in last week's Travelers Championship, so I went with the Canadian to continue his strong play this week. While I don't necessarily care for the guy, Horschel makes another rare appearance on my roster thanks to his performance at the US Open two weeks ago. Finally, Charlie Hoffman gets a start despite letting his chances at a win in Hartford literally slipped through his fingers at the Travelers.

Fantasy Golf Picks: 2013 US Open Championship

The season's second major is set to tee off at Merion Golf Club just west of Philadelphia (born and raised, on the playground is where I spent most... nevermind). Tiger Woods is once again the overwhelming favorite headed into Thursday, however a slew of young first-time winners are drooling at the bit for another victory in 2013. Phil Mickelson had a strong showing last week at the FedEx St. Jude Classic, however can Lefty keep his poise to finally win his first US Open? Matt Kuchar is the only other two-time winner this season, and coming off his win at The Memorial two weeks ago, he might be a strong second favorite.

Let's not forget about reigning Masters Champion Adam Scott. While he has been quiet since his victory at Augusta, Scott has proven he can remain patient and consistent in the most nerve-racking situations.

Here are my picks for the 2013 US Open from Merion Golf Club.

Fantasy Golf Picks: 2013 Tampa Bay Championship

Following Tiger Woods' victory last week at the WGC - Cadillac Championship, the PGA Tour returns to Innisbrook for the newly-coined 2013 Tampa Bay Championship. A handful of strong names are in the field, including Jason Day, Sergio Garcia and Adam Scott. My fantasy golf picks this week include first-time plays this season, which will hopefully give me a boost in my league rankings.

Fantasy Golf Picks: 2012 HP Byron Nelson Championship

The PGA TOUR returns to the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas for the HP Byron Nelson Championship this week, and defending champion Keegan Bradley looks to be playing rather well so far in 2012. Last year's runner-up Ryan Palmer is also back in action, however I highly doubt he will be of any concern to the rest of the field. Here are my fantasy golf picks for the event.

Final Thoughts on 2011 Presidents Cup

As the 2011 Presidents Cup is now in the books (USA 19, Internationals 15), the world was treated to an exciting exhibition event that included most of the world's best players on quite possibly the toughest golf course on the planet. I have shared my thoughts on the first two days of the Cup over the past few days, so I figure I will wrap everything up with my final thoughts on the 2011 Presidents Cup from Royal Melbourne in Australia.  Just to get this out of the way, Tiger Woods was pretty much a disappointment throughout the week. While he would eventually sink the Cup-clinching putt for the Americans on Sunday, the former World #1 went through a nasty two-day stretch where he only won 1 hole in team play. In fact, his play was so irradic and inconsistent that the phrase "former World #1" just seems silly nowadays when referring to Woods. Still, it was somewhat nice to see him actually smiling at the end of a tournament.

Jim Furyk was by far the MVP of the Presidents Cup for the Americans. He went undefeated throughout the week (5-0) and made a ton of clutch putts and solid iron play to hold off any opponent(s) he faced. His pairing with Phil Mickelson turned out to be an ingenious move by American Captain Fred Couples, and is definitely one I would like to see again in a Ryder Cup.

Adam Scott played solid throughout the week even when his partners seemed to let him down on a regular basis. While I have no doubt that caddie Steve Williams offers Scott a new way to manage golf tournaments, the buck stops there as far as I am concerned with Stevie. Scott is a tremendous talent that is on another upswing in his career, which will hopefully yield a major win or two in the near future.

The team of Ernie Els and Ryo Ishikawa was simply fun to watch for most of the event. It honestly reminded me of a father playing golf with his son in the respect that Els was showing the young superstar 'the ropes' in front of the world. A trial by fire, so to speak; and the young Ryo responded. His clutch putts in days two and three were awesome to watch for the International team, and the reactions by Els was just as cool to watch.

Bill Haas and Charl Schwartzel. Well. Thanks for showing up, I guess?

Royal Melbourne was repeatedly compared to Augusta National throughout the week. This obviously did not bode well for Greg Norman. Oops.

A great event all around. The course showed its teeth often and in an array of different ways, often changing throughout the day and in-between morning and afternoon sessions. Play was exciting, and the prime time coverage was an awesome compliment for the weekend.

Mickelson & Furyk; Old Dogs' New Trick

While everyone will be talking about the obvious pairing of Woods/Stricker vs Scott/Choi on Thursday in the opening round of the President's Cup, another pairing should garner a good amount of attention for entirely different reasons. Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk have the distinguished honor of being labeled the 'most experienced' players on the American team, having appeared in a combined 31 President's Cup matches in their careers. What is perhaps even more shocking - at least to me - is the fact that they have never been paired together during that stretch.

In fact, the only time Mickelson and Furyk have played together was at the 1999 Ryder Cup where they lost to Sergio Garcia and Jasper Parnevik.

That streak has come to an end, of course, as American captain Fred Couples will send this seasoned duo out to face the International team pairing of Retief Goosen and Robert Allenby. They will face-off in the fourth match of the day, which many Americans will be able to watch tonight as the Golf Channel broadcasts the event for the first time live in primetime.

Chalmers Wins Australian Open; Tiger Charges

(Note: The following was originally published by the author on Waggleroom.com) Late last night as many golf fans in North America were enjoying their Saturday evening, our friends in Australia were watching the conclusion of the Australian Open on Sunday afternoon. Despite a surging Tiger Woods in the Open's final round, countryman Greg Chalmers captured the title by firing a 3-under 69 marking his second victory in this tournament (previous was 1998).

Defending champion Geoff Ogilvy shot an impressive 7-under 65 to tie for fourth along with Adam Scott, Nick Watney, Jason Day, and Nick O'Hern. Day and Scott were favorites going in to the tournament this week, however neither could piece together four solid rounds to give themselves a solid chance at the title... which could also be said for Tiger.

Woods - the 36-hole leader - shot an abysmal 75 in his third round that would ultimately spell the end of his hopes for getting back into the winner's circle for the first time in two years. His charge on Sunday, however, did feature flashes of brilliance and included a birdie on the tough 12th hole at The Lakes and a resounding eagle chip-in on the 14th hole, which brought him to within one shot of the lead with four holes left to play.

Tiger was the clubhouse leader following his round, but Chalmers' would only need an up-and-down on his 18th hole to capture his second national title.

Greg Norman Excited About Fellow Countrymen on Presidents Cup Team

As many players continue to stake their claim for inclusion on this year's President's Cup team, International team captain Greg Norman is excited that he will be joined by a few familiar faces when competition begins November 17th. Fellow Australians Adam Scott, Jason Day, and Geoff Ogilvy have already qualified to play in the event for the Internationals, according to a Sportal.com article earlier this morning. The three men will bring a great deal of expertise and familiarity to Royal Melbourne this November, hopefully giving their team an edge over what appears to be a strong American opponent. Norman has also had a great deal of success at this particular golf course, which he hopes to share with his team.

"You look at Jason Day, Adam Scott and Geoff Ogilvy, we have the three lynchpins of golfers carrying the Australian flag, so I think it is nice to have that in that department," Norman said.

"As for my experience of Royal Melbourne, I can just tell them (that) I remember every putt. I know where the pin position is going to be. I know how to play the golf course" (sportal.com, 2011).

Norman will also be tasked with choosing his captain picks - or "wildcards" - within the next few days. If he wishes, he can grab fellow countryman Robert Allenby who has also played Royal Melbourne numerous times in his professional career.

The Long Putter: To Ban or Not To Ban?

(Note: The following post was originally publshed by the author for WaggleRoom.com) Stroke: A "stroke" is the forward movement of the club made with the intention of striking at and moving the ball, but if a player checks his downswing voluntarily before the clubhead reaches the ball he has not made a stroke.

Putt:

•1.       hit golf ball with tapping stroke: to hit a golf ball with a gentle tapping stroke along the ground on a green, aiming for the hole

•2.       tapping golf stroke: a gentle tapping stroke that rolls a golf ball along the ground on a green, aiming for the hole

The above definitions are from the Rules of Golf and the Encarta World Dictionary (respectively) and define what the "powers that be" deem as a golf stroke and putt. However, thanks to Adam Scott and Keegan Bradley over the past two weeks, you can already hear the murmurs coming from around the bend: exactly how "legal" is the use of a long or belly putter in professional golf? 

According to a recent article byRandy Phillips of the Postmedia News, these long putters are an "aberration" and should be removed from the game as soon as possible. For the record, I also have never heard of Randy Phillips.

The United States Golf Association and R&A - gatekeepers of how the grand old game is played - missed the boat when they had the chance to ban the use of belly putters and long putters years ago.

Unfortunately, now with the winners of two big tournaments over the last two weeks on the PGA Tour using them, any attempt to ban those putters from competition might be a case of trying to shut the barn door after the horses have bolted.

The biggest issue that naysayers to the long putter have regarding their use is the anchoring technique that players will use while putting. In the case of a belly putter, a player can anchor the putt-end of the club into his stomach (hence the name, of course) and make a pendulum-like swing without the worry of a player breaking his wrists. For a longer putter - such as what Adam Scott used at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational two weeks ago - a player holds the club with a split-handed grip to create the same pendulum motion. In both examples, the player's wrists remain steady and a smooth putting stroke is the result.

This lack of "wrist breaking" seems to be the major issue that has everyone up in a tizzy. According to an interview for the Toronto Star, putting-guru Dave Pelz suggests that "the feel and the ability to determine the stroke needed to putt the ball the right distance are helped." Furthermore, Pelz argues that the longer putters prevent the player's forearms from rolling-over, thus eliminating the possibility that a putt can be pushed or pulled off-line during impact.

While I am certainly nowhere near a professional-grade golfer, I decided to put this argument to rest - at least for myself - by conducting a small experiment at my local golf course. The method was simple: I would hit ten putts of roughly 10 feet with my conventional putter, then hit ten similar putts with a belly-putter borrowed from the pro shop. To disclose, I have never played a full golf round with a long putter of any kind and have only had limited experience using one in a golf store previously.

My results were somewhat surprising to me, especially since I went into the experiment expecting little to no difference between the two clubs. However, after making only 6 putts from 10 feet with my conventional putter (35-inches in length), I made 8 putts from the same distance using the belly-putter. In other words, my putting accuracy for this experiment improved from 60% to 80% in a matter of minutes.

Now, I fully understand this was not a fool-proof experiment by any means. Any number of external variables could have altered or affected the results of the experiment, but for the most part the conditions remained the same in both trials. Furthermore, I also knew which way the putt was going to break after attempting it one time, so a more accurate test would be to play a full round with the long putter instead of using it on a practice green. Regardless, I did feel a slight difference in the two clubs and can certainly understand where Mr. Pelz is coming from. The conventional putting stroke offers a larger margin for error; there is no doubt about that.

However, two factors remained to hold true or both clubs: I had to know how hard to hit the putt and I needed to start the putt on my intended line appropriately.

Should the USGA and R&A ban the use of longer putters during competition? Personally, I don't see the purpose of doing so. As far as what the aforementioned definitions suggest, a "stroke" is still being made on the golf ball.  More importantly, a player still has to read the green, account for the surrounding elements such as wind and grass type, determine the appropriate speed of the putt, and make a confident stroke while in the midst of thousands of spectators at a professional tour event with millions of dollars on the line.

Those latter details, in my opinion, separate the professionals from the amateurs.