Take on Worlds

[scott s]

Captain

I was one of the guys after the four hit with a slight tail,then turned hard in our face.  I knew
we had no chance.  I killed one,lead my four,and was 20 short of the bubble number.  Im not sure what the answer is,but after training all year,working on my swing,and taking a week to compete,im a little bitter.  I watched Bobby Bradley and three others have the same luck,when Carl W and Carl H were sitting at 399.  A slight wind kicked as the walked to the tee,and knew they were done.  I like 2 out of 4.  Even if 2 guys hit huge numbers,it is better that the wind taken you out.
Scott

[The_Power]

Scott the other way to do it would be to take the winner of each group of 4 and 2 wildcards, anyone who wins their group of 4 like you did deserves to advance.

[rdwinther]

Scott Smith was shafted!

Scott hit one of the hardest balls of the event and still lost by 30 to someone who hit 2 minutes before he did.

Im so sorry Scott.  I know how how you worked all year, and to have that happen was not fair, at all

Ryan Winther

[The_Power]

Everyone in that group was shafted, the LDA do have a rule in place for such a dramatic change in conditions, seems strange to me that it wasn't invoked.

[pgaloom]

With the situation the US, or World economy is in...Be thankful we have a venue at all.  Things we can't control as humans are as follows:

Mother Nature
taxes
cost of living
appreciate it.

[captainamerica]

"With the situation the US, or World economy is in...Be thankful we have a venue at all.  Things we can't control as humans are as follows:

Mother Nature
taxes
cost of living
appreciate it."

Brad,

You just said it best!  People have spent a TREMENDOUS amount of their hard earned money and time to be in the position of Scott Smith, Josh Crews, etc...and for that opportunity to be taken away from them the way it was basically flushed all that money and hard work down the drain!  It was a waste and it was no fault of their own and very unfortunate.  And a format change could help/keep that from happening in the future.

[The_Power]

We can control the format though, and we need one that doesn't result in a competitor standing on the tee knowing they have no chance of advancing even before a ball has been hit!

[scott s]

A great week overall!  Conditions will always be a factor.  Ryan W had a ill timed injury
which hurt his chances.  He will get his title.  Very proud of Carl and his win!  He is a class act!
Back to training!  See ya next year

[MartijnBruins]

Being in Mesquite for the first time i was very impressed by the senior competitors during the final day.
Some were shafted by the wind and all still managed a perfect smile for Art rattling of a live 30 seconds ESPN "Dick's/Remax/Mesquite commercial" 3 seconds after losing. (e.g. Pat D. / Vince C. / Bobby W.)
Dammit, very professional indeed!

It seems to me this generation understands very well the importance of pleasing the sponsors and some of the open division contestants can learn a lot from them....

[A-ROB]

Ball was hit and found by grid worker which was called back at 351 immediately after it came to rest.
I know what a spinner looks like. I couldn't yell you the spin rate but the ball that was called back 351 was hit hard.

So what your saying is there was no ball hit 351 by miller?
Any ball lying on the logos or #'s is easily seen with binoculars?

Balls are called back as fast as possible. If the grid crew doesn't see it land or rolling out they would wait to confirm so the wrong # doesnt get called back.

This ball was seen rolling and came to rest after the ball was hit. Therefore called back at 351 after ball was hit. Not after set waiting to confirm.

I'm not saying it wouldn't be possible a ball landed on a sign or balloon and bounced back in. I'm just telling you how it was called. And the ball flight of the ball hit was not conducive to spinning. That ball was half as high as joes normal ball flight and was hit hard.

[captainamerica]

I understand how the ball was called, and that is where the controversy lies.  I and everyone I have talked to believe it was called incorrectly for whatever reason.  Not one person that I have talked to has told me that they saw a ball anywhere near 351.  I watched his entire set.  His first ball came to rest just to the right of the first logo around 321...Which I saw lying there with my own two eyes.  I then watched him hit his next 5 balls OB.  I will ask again, did you see him hit more than one ball (his first) in play?  I didn't and neither did anyone else I have talked to...that is the problem!  If the ball hit a balloon and came back into the grid, we need to figure out a way that doesn't happen in the future.  I understand that mistakes get made and things happen sometimes...on this stage with that much money at stake, it shouldn't be happening.  Perhaps cameras in the grid?  Maybe go back to 3 on the tee so it's easier to follow the balls?  Again, this just happened to be Joe...it could have been any competitor.  It isn't trying to discredit Joe by any means.  On the other hand, a 351 ball does discredit one of the best, most consistent long drivers in the sport, Landon Gentry who killed his ball with a bullet trajectory 322.  And talking to Landon, he pounded that ball.  Landon is not 30 yards behind Joe when he kills it, he's just not.  Look at round 2...   

[BigButSmall]

I'm sure this wasn't a isolated occurrence.

Matt UK

[gringo]

Every year there are people that are 400+ yards away in the bleachers that claim to "know" more than the ones that are out there less than 40 yards away. The grid guys do an amazing job and are out there for countless hours. Mistakes are made in all sports but I have zero doubt that someone, well it would have to be ones because no single individual could pull it off, would not call back a fictitious ball. These comments are nothing more than blatant allegations of cheating and need to stop.

[theauditor]

This is way I am in favor of an agency of grid workers that supervises the grid workers.

[captainamerica]

Gringo,

I did not accuse anyone of cheating, in fact stated that perhaps the ball hit a balloon and came back in, or some other mistake was made.  At this level, mistakes like this shouldn't be happening.  Joe hit his first ball in and was accurately called/posted on the jumbotron at 321.  He DID NOT hit another ball in play.  AFTER the set was over, they removed the OB from his 4th ball and put up a 351.  I am not accusing anyone of cheating as I have faith that the LDA tries to do the right things for us.  I 100% believe a mistake was made and at this level, with so much at stake, that is unacceptable.  If there is anyone that was there and saw Joe hit more than one ball in the grid, please speak up.  I have talked to well over a dozen people, that only saw ONE ball in the grid at 321.  Seeing it with my own two eyes and having what I saw confirmed by quite a few people, there was a mistake made!  How do we prevent it from happening in the future?

[The_Power]

I was there and the posting of the fourth ball at 351yd did seem strange. Personally I think his first ball went 351yd and the 321yd posting was the mistake, Joe hit that ball hard and low down the right side of the grid when there was a little lull in the wind, and by my eyes it certainly looked to be farther than 321yd. 

[A-ROB]

Call the LDA. They will have the info you need. Round by round. Ball by ball.

[gringo]

I know that every year something like this comes up and I have to go with what the grid guys say. Let's remember that all numbers and postings on the board are not exact. I have seen that board change many times. Let's remember that the bleachers are 30+ yards behind the teeing area, so it's possible that the mistake is up there.

[A-ROB]

The scoreboard isn't always right. Like the announcer said 100 times. The scoreboard are approximates and can change. Once ball is confirmed they rarely change scoreboard to confirmation #. Scoreboard is there to keep hitter informed on hit balls. It's not the gospel and if you treat it as though? That's your own issue. SCOREBOARD IS NOT OFFICIAL #'s

The 351 ball was as it lie on the grid as well as seen come to rest after ball was hit.
If you want to learn the process on working grid and box? By all means try it. You will have a new respect for the grid workers at Worlds.
That's all I have to say about the issue.

[captainamerica]

I understand that we have to go by what the final number is called back and I understand that the board is an approximation.  Typically a ball that is posted on the board may change by 1-2 yards, not 30.  His first ball was lying just to the right of the FIRST painted logo on the grid.  That was at 320.  The ball would have had to be near the THIRD painted logo for it to be 350+.  If they would have changed his first ball to 351, I would have been skeptical but more understanding than them changing an OB ball to 351, after I watched 5 shots go OB.  I really believe his 4th ball must have hit a balloon and got a favorable bounce back into the grid.  After the set, the grid worker found that ball and called it back.  That is the best way that I can justify it.  It is a difficult job working the grid, but as everyone agrees, mistakes happen.  At this level with so much at stake, they SHOULD NOT be happening.  Again, how can we prevent mistakes being made in the future?  At this grand event, perhaps we put several cameras in the grid to help alleviate it?  Any other ideas/suggestions? 

A-Rob, I have asked twice, and will ask a third time...did you see Joe hit more than ONE ball in the grid?