Who will be Bubba’s biggest threat? Rory McIlroy? Maybe not, His only success at Doral - was tossing his three-iron, a good 25 yard testy, tense heave, at that - into the drink. He’s not happy with his play. Maaaybe Mickelson, who is ranked 21st. Dustin Johnson, back from his magical-mystery leave – won Doral. (Bubba finished 3rd. On a course he “can’t stand.”) Ricky Fowler. Fowler had incredible results in last year’s four majors, tying for: fifth at the Masters; second at the US Open; second at the British Open; third at the PGA. Forget Tiger, he’s gonzo for now.
Why does Augusta National so suit golfing southpaws? Because lefties who can fade the ball benefit from the layout. For the right-handed golfer, a draw must be played. And a draw is harder to execute than a fade. Or so say the experts, most of us can’t hit anything but an accidental slice, hook, fade or draw. Anyway...
Now let’s focus on Bubba. He’s currently ranked no. 2, no. 1 being Rory.
It should be emphasized: Bubba Watson is singularly spectacular in bringing out scintillating shots. He’s probably the best artiste of the one-of-a-kind shot since maestro Seve Ballesteros was orchestrating himself around courses, weaving his magic golf club wands with hocus pocus locus focus.
Who can forget Bubba’s lofted club snap-hook from the trees on the 10th at the 2012 Masters or his 305 yard “carved – sliced” drive from the fairway, on a downhill lie at that, at the 18th hole in the 2011 Hyundai Tournament of Champions at Kapalua that rolled feet from the pin – and wowed Sir Nick Faldo – a man not easily wowed?
It should be further emphasized: Watson is singularly irregular in bringing out a swing style that varies from swing to swing and he’s consistently inconsistent as to where he’ll finish up on his follow through.
Sometimes, like Arnold Palmer, he’ll swing so hard he almost comes out of his shoes. Amazingly he’s never taken a golf lesson, except once from his Dad, (though he’s proud to tell kids, he did go back and get his college degree.)
He’s the antithesis of Woods who has studied his swing up the yin yang. Of course, Woods is only second to Nicklaus in majors, with 14, so perhaps Tiger’s methods, until this past year or so, weren’t so crazy – but it’s hard to see the free-wheeling golf-boy-band singing Watson adhering to such a strict, solemn, swing regimen.
TrackMan Pro has no place in his repertoire. For all we know, he may think it’s a video game.
Watson may be a bit loosey goosey with the swing, but he’s impeccably a god-fearing (respecting) man. He gives to charities. He’s gone back to schools and thanked his teachers for helping him. He’s a family man.
What makes him such a study is that he’s impeccably incorrigible too. He can make an off-the-wall Bubba Clause Christmas rap video and create a likeable take off the t-shirt, after sinking a 50 yard putt, video. He’s got a glint in his eye that spells mischievousness.
But his personas mesh or mash – when he lets loose with his pink Ping. His clubhead speed has reached 128 mph. For us average hackers, we’re lucky to hit 90 mph. He describes his swing as having a “wide arc.” It’s like Noah’s ark, animalistic and like Noah’s voyage one never knows what kinds of rough he may venture into. But when he does hit the green, usually in two shots even for par-5 holes, he can putt with consummate consistency. At one time, as Brendan Porath, editor of SB Nation points out, Watson once went 291 consecutive, competitive holes without a 3 putt.
That’s amazing. And daunting for those who might think he only has the long, not the long and short of it, in this game that others call golf.
What does Bubba call golf? A calling? A mission? A quest to convert those, who play conventionally in shots and strategy, into a Watson wannabe? Or, a crying game?
For what it’s worth he readily admits he cries a lot. (He says he gets it from his dad. He says his dad acted tough but was a bit “wimpy.”) But Bubba can barb with the best of them, too. Before his first Masters win, when he and Tiger would do practice rounds, Bubba would tease Tiger (paraphrasing):
Man, you wish you could hit that far don’t you
And Tiger would claw back:
The only W you’ll ever have is in your last name.
With Bubba having 7 PGA tour victories now, Tiger’s gonna need a new riposte.
And top teacher Billy Harmon describes Watson (kindly) as “...a freak. I think he’s the most natural golfer that I’ve ever seen...” He adds “You can’t teach talent, but you can mess it up.” Perhaps Bubba was aware of this somehow – and perhaps that is why he never had a lesson, was never concerned with how his swing looked, was never concerned with what others thought of his club selection, or resultant shot appearance...
Every golfer, from amateur to ace, craves distance. Bubba has theories on distance. He talks of extension on the backswing, and follow through, but he also adds a bit of homespun common sense (but applying that common- sense advice to most weekend golfer’s games is TOTALLY difficult to do, successfully) and that is
swing hard.
Bubba makes it look easy. And now his threesie 2015 Masters awaits…