Post by philknj on May 31, 2015 22:02:02 GMT
My 90-minute drive to the shuttle parking lot was uneventful, although I spotted a For Sale sign on the lawn of the Hanwha office I always pass on the way down.
I passed through the front gate at 7:40 AM...Julieta Granada’s team was teeing off at #1. Brooke Henderson was teeing off at 7:50 AM, so I took a seat in the bleachers to watch. Using driver, she hit a low tight draw. Lexi Thompson hit the same-lookong shot at 8 AM, except with a wood or hybrid.
I crossed the street with Pernilla Lindberg, who just came off the 18th green after playing an early 9 holes, to check out the big practice putting green next to the hotel. It was crowded, but not particularly interesting. Beatriz Recari had multiple dowels and tees placed between her feet to scientifically set up her putting stance. Hee Young Park and Ju Young Park practiced separately, but later The Rocket stood behind the line and watched the Pocket Rocket attempt long lag putts.
I made a quick tour of the pro shop. They don’t have much gear on display...almost all of it is Callaway. They had one club I hadn’t seen before, a bulked up 21-degree Cally utility iron with a screw weight inserted into the sole and a stiff KBS steel shaft. The price was underneath the plastic wrap covering the butt end of the grip - $225! Are they crazy?!
A visit to the driving range was most instructive. They had two types of range balls, Volvik S3 White Colors and unmarked Callaways. If you played neither brand, how do you pick one?
Hanwha’s ‘B’ team showed up at the same time, Ji Young Oh and Christine Song. Oh was hitting a lot of high sweeping hooks with a hybrid...I’m guessing that’s NOT what she was trying to do. Later, she put on an impressive pitching display. She peppered a flag on the practice green from three different distances (established by range finder) using the same club. I’m guessing the distance range was 25-40 yards or maybe 30-45 yards.
I give credit to Christine Song...she is trying to get better. Also, her daddy is on the bag, so I doubt she can treat 2015 like a summer vacation. Today, she gave her Ping G30 driver a second look, courtesy of the Ping rep on hand. They went over to the TrackMan stall where she hit balls with a couple of different shafts and loft settings to identify the best combo. A light breeze was blowing directly against the players; does TrackMan measure that, too? I couldn’t hear much of what they talked about afterward, but Mr. Ping assured her that regardless of shaft and clubhead settings, she had a low spin driver that was going to give her a lot of roll on the fairway.
But, what can TrackMan do about her swing? Nothing, of course. It looks OK overall, but her (low) swing speed at impact must be killing her. When she hit drivers with Oh at the same time, the difference in ball flight and distance was shocking. What can Song do about this? Is it related to whatever medical waiver she’s currently has to stay on tour? I don’t know. Should she get a total swing tear-down and re-build? That’s how David Leadbetter made his rep with Nick Faldo and Nick Price. Maybe she should attend a Minny Yeo bootcamp and be turned into twisted steel. But, buying a bulk shipment of “vitamins” and “creams” from BALCO is no longer an option!
Mr. TaylorMade was busy on the range. He had Amy Yang try out a few Aeroburner drivers, but she was not totally sold. She kept looking at the grip on one of them afterward like it was weird.
A young girl was repping DST Golf, which is the training club with the bent shaft. HK Seo walked by and was genuinely amused by it, like it was the first time she had seen it. I guess she doesn’t waste her time watching GolfChannel commercials. Jennifer Johnson tried one out and I heard Mariajo Uribe give a loud endorsement for the product.
Yani Tseng looks a little lost with the driver. She does a lot of low mini backswing waggles, but her actual backswing is quite high. Her ball went in every direction with no predictability.
Watching Recari from behind the target line is fascinating. It’s the pronounced way she drops her right elbow to the inside on the downswing...done with effortless ease...a great anti-slice move for us civilians, but it must be hard to copy, or else more of us would be doing it.
Mr. Honma was walking around not doing much. He has two high-profile players, S.S. Feng and Ha Na Jang. I don’t know if the LPGA has any other Honma players right now (Jimin Kang is sticking with the Symetra Tour these days).
Towards the end of my time at the range, I moved to the far left where Meena Lee and Sun Young Yoo were working side-by-side. The early morning northbound light breeze had turned into a gusty wind. Meena got a laugh when she kicked up some dirt with one of her irons and it blew back into Yoo’s face!
I took a break and walked east into the area of the Marriott Fairway villas. There was a gazebo with rocking chairs across from the spa building, so I sat down, scribbled some notes and made a phone call. I started walking back to the Bay Course, then changed my mind and headed over to the 10th tee of the Pines Course, which I hadn’t seen before. It’s to the right of the range, deep into the woods, and nowhere near the 1st tee. I made a swing video of Melissa Mabanta at 12:40 PM with my junky 2004 Kodak camera, the first of thirteen videos I would make on this trip.
Mi Hyang Lee was scheduled to tee off at #10 on the Bay Course at 1:10 PM, but I was in no rush. I stopped off at the hotel putting green. A rep for the Cure Putter had several leaning against a bag, along with a plastic case of washers, bolts, and miscellaneous hardware...you can Frankenstein a putter to your own specifications. Ayako Uehara inquired about this product and tried it out...it has a wide face...she deliberately hit one off the toe from at least six feet and made it. I doubt she could have done that with her Ping mallet. Her caddie/coach exchanged e-mails for follow-up
I back tracked starting from the 18th green to see who was out here already. At the 14th tee box, Il Hee Lee arrived and her drive became video number two. She comes across as outgoing and likeable to me. I passed Min Seo Kwak...maybe the fashion police critique got back to her regarding the JDX camo caps. I saw only solid colors this week.
I was perched at the fairway elbow of #12 when Mi Hyang’s group passed through. Her daddy was following the group, but I don’t remember seeing him last year. He was wearing a mailman’s sun hat with VOLVIK across the front. Her mom is also here, but I saw her only at the practice green. At the 13th tee box Mi Hyang saw me and said:
“Long time, no see.”
“Yeah, it’s been a full year, but I was also thinking of going to the KPMG at Westchester next month...”
“Did you get a grounds pass yet?”
“Well, no I haven’t looked into it so far...”
“I can get you a grounds pass.”
I said “thanks”...and remained speechless after that!!!
I videoed her drive at #13. As the group started walking the 13th fairway, one of the ams who had mashed his ball asked me, “Aren’t you going to take my picture?” I gave him the most logical answer imaginable: “I didn’t know you were going to hit a good one!”
Just one other guy followed this group up the 13th fairway. I think he was amazed with “the juice” I had with Mi Hyang! He asked me what was her name, has she won in the US, how old is she, etc. He sure liked her swing, and who wouldn’t?
After the group putted out at #13, we advanced over to the 14th tee box. There’s a food station next to it (which I knew about in advance). As I watch the ams tee off, Daddy asks me if I want something to eat. I say okay, thanks...I grabbed what looked like an Italian hot dog...they had no onions, just mustard. Then Daddy asks me if I want something to drink. I say okay, thanks...picked a can of Michelob Ultra.
A few words about her caddie: His name is Ivan Galdame from Spain. He had a couple of passes around his neck...one of them said he was a guest of Miguel Angel Martin, who plays the PGA European Senior tour. Further research say he recently looped for Alejandra Llaneza, who is tops on the Symetra Tour this year. He was on the bag for Jean Van de Velde’s second and last win on the PGA European tour in 2006. He was NOT on the bag during JVDV’s 1999 meltdown at the British Open. I don’t know if he was on the bag when Mi Hyang won in Japan last year; Daddy was on the bag when she won in New Zealand last year.
My second MHL video was at the short par-3 17th...with a wedge she cut off her follow-through a little bit past vertical...a cool shot and a good one. The third and last one I took was from directly behind the tee box at #6 with driver. Here’s the group audio reaction I picked up after impact:
Nice baaaall!
Woooooowwwww!
Beauty!
Keep going, keep going, keep going!
Hmm...I think TV commentary like this could spice up the dullest tournament!
Mi Hyang’s group finished their day at #9. Her drive had rightward leakage into the rough. One of the ams said it was the only one that cut all day. Her group finished around five-under. Afterward, Mi Hyang said I should Facebook her regarding the grounds pass. Well, I said I’m in Facebook, but I really don’t use it, but I’ll follow up.
Update: After coming home Saturday night, I sent her a thank you message via Facebook, and clicked the Friend Request button. Now it’s wait and see. Maybe I’m one of many such requests she needs to handle.
Needless to say, the rest of the Wednesday was a bit anticlimactic. Ayako Uehara and Chella Choi went out for a late nine holes, starting at #10. I took one more video, a drive by Kendall Dye at #13. More great commentary:
That’s how you rip iiiiittt!
I passed through the front gate at 7:40 AM...Julieta Granada’s team was teeing off at #1. Brooke Henderson was teeing off at 7:50 AM, so I took a seat in the bleachers to watch. Using driver, she hit a low tight draw. Lexi Thompson hit the same-lookong shot at 8 AM, except with a wood or hybrid.
I crossed the street with Pernilla Lindberg, who just came off the 18th green after playing an early 9 holes, to check out the big practice putting green next to the hotel. It was crowded, but not particularly interesting. Beatriz Recari had multiple dowels and tees placed between her feet to scientifically set up her putting stance. Hee Young Park and Ju Young Park practiced separately, but later The Rocket stood behind the line and watched the Pocket Rocket attempt long lag putts.
I made a quick tour of the pro shop. They don’t have much gear on display...almost all of it is Callaway. They had one club I hadn’t seen before, a bulked up 21-degree Cally utility iron with a screw weight inserted into the sole and a stiff KBS steel shaft. The price was underneath the plastic wrap covering the butt end of the grip - $225! Are they crazy?!
A visit to the driving range was most instructive. They had two types of range balls, Volvik S3 White Colors and unmarked Callaways. If you played neither brand, how do you pick one?
Hanwha’s ‘B’ team showed up at the same time, Ji Young Oh and Christine Song. Oh was hitting a lot of high sweeping hooks with a hybrid...I’m guessing that’s NOT what she was trying to do. Later, she put on an impressive pitching display. She peppered a flag on the practice green from three different distances (established by range finder) using the same club. I’m guessing the distance range was 25-40 yards or maybe 30-45 yards.
I give credit to Christine Song...she is trying to get better. Also, her daddy is on the bag, so I doubt she can treat 2015 like a summer vacation. Today, she gave her Ping G30 driver a second look, courtesy of the Ping rep on hand. They went over to the TrackMan stall where she hit balls with a couple of different shafts and loft settings to identify the best combo. A light breeze was blowing directly against the players; does TrackMan measure that, too? I couldn’t hear much of what they talked about afterward, but Mr. Ping assured her that regardless of shaft and clubhead settings, she had a low spin driver that was going to give her a lot of roll on the fairway.
But, what can TrackMan do about her swing? Nothing, of course. It looks OK overall, but her (low) swing speed at impact must be killing her. When she hit drivers with Oh at the same time, the difference in ball flight and distance was shocking. What can Song do about this? Is it related to whatever medical waiver she’s currently has to stay on tour? I don’t know. Should she get a total swing tear-down and re-build? That’s how David Leadbetter made his rep with Nick Faldo and Nick Price. Maybe she should attend a Minny Yeo bootcamp and be turned into twisted steel. But, buying a bulk shipment of “vitamins” and “creams” from BALCO is no longer an option!
Mr. TaylorMade was busy on the range. He had Amy Yang try out a few Aeroburner drivers, but she was not totally sold. She kept looking at the grip on one of them afterward like it was weird.
A young girl was repping DST Golf, which is the training club with the bent shaft. HK Seo walked by and was genuinely amused by it, like it was the first time she had seen it. I guess she doesn’t waste her time watching GolfChannel commercials. Jennifer Johnson tried one out and I heard Mariajo Uribe give a loud endorsement for the product.
Yani Tseng looks a little lost with the driver. She does a lot of low mini backswing waggles, but her actual backswing is quite high. Her ball went in every direction with no predictability.
Watching Recari from behind the target line is fascinating. It’s the pronounced way she drops her right elbow to the inside on the downswing...done with effortless ease...a great anti-slice move for us civilians, but it must be hard to copy, or else more of us would be doing it.
Mr. Honma was walking around not doing much. He has two high-profile players, S.S. Feng and Ha Na Jang. I don’t know if the LPGA has any other Honma players right now (Jimin Kang is sticking with the Symetra Tour these days).
Towards the end of my time at the range, I moved to the far left where Meena Lee and Sun Young Yoo were working side-by-side. The early morning northbound light breeze had turned into a gusty wind. Meena got a laugh when she kicked up some dirt with one of her irons and it blew back into Yoo’s face!
I took a break and walked east into the area of the Marriott Fairway villas. There was a gazebo with rocking chairs across from the spa building, so I sat down, scribbled some notes and made a phone call. I started walking back to the Bay Course, then changed my mind and headed over to the 10th tee of the Pines Course, which I hadn’t seen before. It’s to the right of the range, deep into the woods, and nowhere near the 1st tee. I made a swing video of Melissa Mabanta at 12:40 PM with my junky 2004 Kodak camera, the first of thirteen videos I would make on this trip.
Mi Hyang Lee was scheduled to tee off at #10 on the Bay Course at 1:10 PM, but I was in no rush. I stopped off at the hotel putting green. A rep for the Cure Putter had several leaning against a bag, along with a plastic case of washers, bolts, and miscellaneous hardware...you can Frankenstein a putter to your own specifications. Ayako Uehara inquired about this product and tried it out...it has a wide face...she deliberately hit one off the toe from at least six feet and made it. I doubt she could have done that with her Ping mallet. Her caddie/coach exchanged e-mails for follow-up
I back tracked starting from the 18th green to see who was out here already. At the 14th tee box, Il Hee Lee arrived and her drive became video number two. She comes across as outgoing and likeable to me. I passed Min Seo Kwak...maybe the fashion police critique got back to her regarding the JDX camo caps. I saw only solid colors this week.
I was perched at the fairway elbow of #12 when Mi Hyang’s group passed through. Her daddy was following the group, but I don’t remember seeing him last year. He was wearing a mailman’s sun hat with VOLVIK across the front. Her mom is also here, but I saw her only at the practice green. At the 13th tee box Mi Hyang saw me and said:
“Long time, no see.”
“Yeah, it’s been a full year, but I was also thinking of going to the KPMG at Westchester next month...”
“Did you get a grounds pass yet?”
“Well, no I haven’t looked into it so far...”
“I can get you a grounds pass.”
I said “thanks”...and remained speechless after that!!!
I videoed her drive at #13. As the group started walking the 13th fairway, one of the ams who had mashed his ball asked me, “Aren’t you going to take my picture?” I gave him the most logical answer imaginable: “I didn’t know you were going to hit a good one!”
Just one other guy followed this group up the 13th fairway. I think he was amazed with “the juice” I had with Mi Hyang! He asked me what was her name, has she won in the US, how old is she, etc. He sure liked her swing, and who wouldn’t?
After the group putted out at #13, we advanced over to the 14th tee box. There’s a food station next to it (which I knew about in advance). As I watch the ams tee off, Daddy asks me if I want something to eat. I say okay, thanks...I grabbed what looked like an Italian hot dog...they had no onions, just mustard. Then Daddy asks me if I want something to drink. I say okay, thanks...picked a can of Michelob Ultra.
A few words about her caddie: His name is Ivan Galdame from Spain. He had a couple of passes around his neck...one of them said he was a guest of Miguel Angel Martin, who plays the PGA European Senior tour. Further research say he recently looped for Alejandra Llaneza, who is tops on the Symetra Tour this year. He was on the bag for Jean Van de Velde’s second and last win on the PGA European tour in 2006. He was NOT on the bag during JVDV’s 1999 meltdown at the British Open. I don’t know if he was on the bag when Mi Hyang won in Japan last year; Daddy was on the bag when she won in New Zealand last year.
My second MHL video was at the short par-3 17th...with a wedge she cut off her follow-through a little bit past vertical...a cool shot and a good one. The third and last one I took was from directly behind the tee box at #6 with driver. Here’s the group audio reaction I picked up after impact:
Nice baaaall!
Woooooowwwww!
Beauty!
Keep going, keep going, keep going!
Hmm...I think TV commentary like this could spice up the dullest tournament!
Mi Hyang’s group finished their day at #9. Her drive had rightward leakage into the rough. One of the ams said it was the only one that cut all day. Her group finished around five-under. Afterward, Mi Hyang said I should Facebook her regarding the grounds pass. Well, I said I’m in Facebook, but I really don’t use it, but I’ll follow up.
Update: After coming home Saturday night, I sent her a thank you message via Facebook, and clicked the Friend Request button. Now it’s wait and see. Maybe I’m one of many such requests she needs to handle.
Needless to say, the rest of the Wednesday was a bit anticlimactic. Ayako Uehara and Chella Choi went out for a late nine holes, starting at #10. I took one more video, a drive by Kendall Dye at #13. More great commentary:
That’s how you rip iiiiittt!
I've joined her in progress and then followed her to the end. But, if she really delivers on the grounds pass, it's only right that I give her the 18-hole fanboy treatment, which I've never done for anyone before. Like you, I normally follow particular groups or players for nine holes at the most.
