Confidentially Speaking

The Sports Illustrated/Golf.com gang does a Sunday evening e-mail roundtable, that's typically available on Monday morning at golf.com.  This week's had some fun questions to review, analyze and, where appropriate, rebut.

1. In 2013, Tiger Woods won a players’ vote for PGA Tour Player of the Year, Phil Mickelson won Golf Magazine's version and this past week, the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA) selected Adam Scott as its POY, by a five-vote margin over Woods. Who was the most deserving POY?

The Professionals' Opinion: The gang, including Bamberger, Shipnuck, Travelin' Joe Passov (I want HIS job) and Gary Van Sickle, amongst others, were all over the place, appropriate in view of the fact that it was a dead heat.  Shipnuck made a strong point that it depended on when you voted, especially in view of Adam Scott's strong December back home in Australia.

My Take:  Eh, don't really care all that much, though I'd note that Tiger would undoubtedly trade his year for Scott's, Rose's, Phil's (and that one's gonna leave a mark) or the Duf's (i.e., anyone who bagged a major).  Kinda rules him out, no?

2. Johnny Miller predicted that Justin Rose will take over the No. 1 ranking from Tiger Woods in 2014. Who do you think will be No. 1 at the end of 2014 and why?

The Professionals' Opinion:  No company for Johnny on this particular limb, as only Tiger and Scott are mentioned.

My Take: Rose is a nice player, but that makes him one of a gaggle of nice players.  Plus, I still think his putter is suspect.  

The mathematically logical answer is Tiger, since he'll retain his ratings points from his five 2013 wins and only Scott and Stenson seem within striking range (the World Golf Rankings website has a widget allowing me to have the updated rankings displayed on my blog.  I'll put that on Al's To-Do list right after resolving the embedded video issue).

And I can't resist throwing in a World Golf Rankings factoid from a few years ago,  There was a point during the era of Peak Tiger where his lead over the second place Mickelson was so ginormous, that anyone who had earned world ranking points was closer to second place than Phil was to Tiger.  That, my friends, is dominance.

5. In person or at home in HD, the 18th at Kapalua in Maui looks spectacular. What’s the most beautiful hole you’ve ever played?

The Professionals' Opinion: The 15th at Cypress Point, previously noted by your humble blogger in this post, gets the most mentions, each of three writers expressing a preference for it over the more famous and infamous 16th.  Also noted were the 12th at Manele Bay (also noted previously by my own self) and the 18th at Barnbougle Dunes, conveniently located in Tasmania. 

The 18th at Barnbougle Dunes, above.  The 16th and 17th at Cypress Point, below.  The 16th tee is out of the frame to the left, and the shot plays approximately 230 yards, the first 210 yards of which is Pacific Ocean.  Did I mention that it's into the prevailing wind?

My Take:  Goodness, where does one start?  Let me start by noting that after watching the slideshow on the Barnbougle Dunes website, I don't know that No. 18 is even the prettiest hole on that golf course. 

I might be compelled to add the 11th at Balybunion (just to hear the caddy say, "Don't go right m'lad, you've got all of Ireland on your left"), the 13th at Portrush or the 9th at Royal County Down.  See what you think of my choices:

This view of the 11th at Balybunion omits the Atlantic Ocean to the right.  But it's a spectacularly natural green complex, and is also famous for the absence of bunkers.

The 13th at Royal Portrush, playing back towards the sea.  The modest false front on the right side of the green is evil incarnate. 

The 9th at Royal County Down where, as the song goes, The Mountains of Mourne Sweep Down to the Sea.  It does RCD an injustice to speak of specific holes, as it is an indescribably beautiful and distinctive course, which looks like no other in the world.

But perhaps I spoke too hastily, and really meant to throw Theresa's pen pal a bone and cite either the 11th or 13th at Pacific Dunes:

The 11th (above) and 13th (below) at Tom Doak's Pacific Dunes.  The massive blowout bunker on the right of No. 13 draws your eye to the extent of ignoring the Pacific Ocean to your left.

Upon the review of the judges, it has been ruled that Turnberry deserves some kind of acknowledgement, perhaps a look at the famed 9th hole.

From the 9th tee at Turnberry, with the famed lighthouse in the background.  For the record, that's not the optimal line for your tee shot.

I've got more, but we'll save them for the next Polar Vortex.

And, as long as we're all here, here's a question from the prior week:

1. It was a great week for great swings. Sweet-swinging Louis Oosthuizen won in South Africa while Adam Scott finished T8 in Hawaii with surfing buddy Benji Weatherley on his bag. Who has the best swing in golf?

The Professionals' Opinion: Adam Scott gets the most love, though King Louis and Tiger also get their props.  A couple of the writers correctly point out that swings are overrated, and that Nicklaus, Trevino and Palmer all had idiosyncratic moves that were none to pretty.  And those guys cashed a couple of checks.

My Take: Michael Bamberger mentions his love of Ernie Els' tempo, to which one can only add an Amen.  But the guy I'd watch on the range the longest is still Freddie Couples, he's got that silky smooth tempo and I'd be hoping to absorb his coolness by osmosis.  I'd toss a handful of grass and make sure to stay downwind...