04/16/24
February 20, 2012
Mickelson's Ball Ends Up in Fan's Shorts: Phil Mickelson's errant tee shot at 15 in the Northern Trust Open Saturday ended up in a spectator's shorts. When Mickelson approached, the man was lying prone on the ground. "I thought for sure I took him out," he said.
The gesture was especially nice given that the spectator had not asked for anything, and had actually stepped away from Phil.
Great ending to the event yesterday, good for golf.
posted by dviking at 06:45 PM on February 20, 2012
Why did Phil sign RIGHT HANDED?
posted by bluemagpie at 10:02 PM on February 21, 2012
He is right handed.
posted by tselson at 10:27 PM on February 21, 2012
He is right handed.
But golfs left?
I'm the same way. I'm right-handed (writing, throwing), but golf, shoot (hockey) and bat left-handed. It's actually not that rare.
The rare person is the one that throws/writes left-handed but bats/golfs right-handed. Only a couple of athletes are like that (Rickey Henderson is one of them).
posted by grum@work at 11:21 AM on February 22, 2012
My fiancee golfs, drinks, smokes, left handed, but is right handed with everything else.
posted by Debo270 at 12:00 PM on February 22, 2012
shoot (hockey) and bat left-handed. It's actually not that rare.
If you ask a European, that's the correct way to shoot a hockey puck. Since power for a hockey shot comes from the top hand, it makes more sense to have your stronger hand at the top of the stick, using the bottom hand as a fulcrum. That's why you see so many "left handed" European hockey players; they are actually right handed.
posted by tahoemoj at 12:09 PM on February 22, 2012
I think David Feherty does as many things as he can backhanded.
posted by beaverboard at 01:05 PM on February 22, 2012
I met a guy at an amputee golf event once. He pointed out that those who had lost arms, almost without exception, played backhanded (so if you'd lost your right arm, you played with right handed clubs, if you'd lost your left, you played with left handed clubs).
Makes sense if you try to hit a ball with one hand. You can generate more power more quickly hitting it the "right way round", but it's very hard to hit it straight because you're using small, fast twitching muscles in your wrist and hand. Going backhanded means you're using bigger, slower moving muscles in your shoulder and upper arm, making you less able to make a last minute snatch at it.
It's probably in your link, tselson, but I think the reason Phil plays the "wrong" way round is that he grew up watching his dad play and then standing in front of a mirror trying to make the image of himself repeat what he'd seen.
Rory copied his dad too. Luckily for him, Gerry has a decent swing. And speaking of the youngster, now that Donald is out of the matchplay after round one, Rory will go to World Number One if he wins the tournament, just like he told me he would one day when I first met him. He was 7 years old.
posted by JJ at 09:43 AM on February 23, 2012
Should have played it where it lied.
Nice gesture by Mickelson, though, signing the glove for the fan.