As the immortal “Caddyshack” character Ty Webb famously said “see the ball, be the ball Danny.” Actually, the full quote delivered by Chevy Chase in the timeless classic comedy is “Stop thinking…let things happen…and be…the ball.”
As any golfer will tell you, all of the accoutrements you bring onto the course matter; a lot! Today Golf.com revisited a story of Tiger Woods and his ball that made all the difference at the U.S. Open nearly two decades ago.
Yes, it’s the ball, your clubs, cheap golf gloves, the right golf bag, proper tees, effective cleats, comfortable clothing etc. It all adds up and makes a major difference. In 2000, Tiger switched from his ball of choice in those days, a Titleist Professional, to a new Nike ball, known as the Nike Tour Accuracy.
All he did was win the U.S. Open by a record 15 strokes.
As Golf.com points out: “The ball was unlike any Woods had played previously, including the Titleist Professional he used to shoot a final-round 63 that very day. Despite the gaudy number, Woods had finished one stroke behind winner Jesper Parnevik at the Byron Nelson Classic. The U.S. Open at Pebble Beach was a month away, but “my ball” was still an unproven prototype.”
Being on the cutting edge of technology is a huge, but vastly underrated component of success in the sport of golf. Tiger Woods, who is a bit of a comeback story these days, is a classic example. The 43-year-old ranks second in both major championships won and PGA Tour wins; complementing the numerous other records that he holds in the sport of golf.
Simply put, despite a drop-off in recent years, he’s still considered one of the greatest golfers of all time, and deservedly so.
While that is mostly due to his one-in-a-billion ability and talent, complemented by his elite level of dedication and drive, don’t overlook his golfing equipment. All golfers, regardless of experience or ability, should pay a lot of attention to their equipment.
After all, a good craftsman can only be as elite as his tools.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, also contributes to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.