Brad Owen

@LouStagner @4golfonline Why is everyone obsessed with WHY the ball goes too far?!? All that matters is that is DOES go too far in the elite levels. The why is irrelevant

This is crazy. Two USGA quotes. Read them in order. John Spitzer, USGA Managing Director of Equipment Standards (see video below): "...equipment plays a very very small role in this. The increases that we see at the PGA Tour level are almost entirely due to the player himself." The USGA's Distance Insight Conclusions document, page 3: "this assessment should not focus on player-related factors that contribute to increased distance, such as improved athleticism and swing techniques... we expect the main topic for research and assessment to be potential changes in the Equipment Rules." The USGA's own equipment standards director said that since equipment regulations went into effect in 2004 the player is basically the entire reason for distance gains. The USGA however decided to exclude the player from the assessment and aimed the rule changes at equipment.... ... even through their own director of equipment said equipment plays a "very very small role" in distance gains.

@bigfarkenmaxi That’s kind of missing the point of it. It’s meant to be a fun alternative to a regular putting green

@nickohern @OCMGolf Not ideal that half the practice putting green is basically unrealistic and unusable

First round on The National’s ‘Track’ course this morning. Amazing work again by @OCMGolf The 3 routings concept is a game changer! 👏🏻👏🏻 And the new practice putting green/short game area is pure… makes me want to start practicing again 🤔

@MarkAllenGolf @TalkBirdie_ToMe @nickohern @AusOpenGolf Agree, there is a flow to championship golf courses, especially those with classic finishes like KH 👍

@ocat1979 @TalkBirdie_ToMe @nickohern @AusOpenGolf I did it from memory. Apologies for not being accurate. Regardless - it’s a bad decision to rearrange an iconic golf course and a finish like this.

Feels like it's always a big main show, and today is no different. @nickohern and @MarkAllenGolf chat about Aaron Rai's fantastic win at the weekend. Is Cam Smith back? And, apparently, cheating can pay off for Tour Pros - at least the tours don't seem to care to be consistent. And more feedback from you on the Australian Open. All the links to listen here: linktr.ee/TalkBirdieToMe

@MarkAllenGolf @TalkBirdie_ToMe @nickohern @AusOpenGolf Just pointing out what you read out on the podcast was different to this

@ocat1979 @TalkBirdie_ToMe @nickohern That’s not the KH routing Brad. That’s the @AusOpenGolf routing for KH. It’s no good.

@fried_egg_golf Maybe an equipment rollback would reduce the need for such “absurd” pins 🤔

Scottie Scheffler on today's pin positions: "Most of the pins today were kind of absurd." "The one on 14 is the hardest pin I've seen in a long time."

@MarkAllenGolf Hip high to hip high he was perfection 👌

1997 was a beauty!! JF made a stack of cash playing golf 💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵💵

@GolfDigest @mikeclaytongolf Read the instagram comments on this video if you want to see why we need to shrink the game 🤦‍♂️ “old man yells at cloud” “they are better athletes now” “grow the rough, narrow the fairways” “build longer courses” “why should long hitters be punished”.

Three-time U.S. Open champion Hale Irwin is a strong supporter of the equipment rollback in golf. 👀 Listen to our full interview: glfdig.st/gRQ150YX00K

@bhughesgolf Not quite sure how to achieve this club position though 🤔🤣

The ball is not the intent - it’s just in the way of the swing.

@YettyGolf I think the whole golf world including himself after his results this year CUT CUT T70 73 CUT CUT CUT CUT

Would anyone be surprised if Cam Davis won the PGA Championship next week? Who is your tip for leading Aussie? ❤️🇦🇺🏌️‍♂️⛳️🦘

@NUCLRGOLF Yet a patron who dares break into anymore than a quick walk will be given the boot from the property 🤷‍♂️

⚠️🏌️🌺 #WARNING — Geoff Yang, the chairman of the competition committee at The Masters, spoke to Sergio Garcia on the 4th tee and gave him a code of conduct warning after he smashed his driver and broke it on the second tee box Should Sergio be punished?

@NoLayingUp x.com/kdodson11/stat… After doing this to his caddie yesterday

oh hell yea

This world feed commentary switching back and forth to the main feed is horrible @TalkBirdie_ToMe @MarkAllenGolf

@CB10891481 His profile says it all really. When you are an “ambassador” of any equipment company, your opinion is paid for and thus should be ignored in a debate

@LouStagner Why are you so dogmatically wedded to the idea of making every classic golf course obsolete? Who is paying you? It’s bizarre.

Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley says golf has become "one-dimensional." "Until recent years golf has been a game of imagination, creativity, and variety. The game has become much more one-dimensional." Great soundbite. It's also directly contradicted by the USGA's Distance Insights Project. Here's what their research actually found. Today's long hitters are good at everything. Report R56 measured how closely driving distance was linked to every other skill on Tour. Longer hitters have improved their approach play. They have improved their short game. They have improved their putting. R56's conclusion: "This can be interpreted as longer hitters becoming better at the non-driving distance parts of the game, while accurate hitters were becoming worse at the non-driving accuracy parts of the game." Read that again. The USGA concluded long hitters are becoming MORE well-rounded. The straight hitters are becoming LESS well-rounded. If anyone is getting more "one-dimensional," it's the shorter hitting accurate players, not the bombers. Report R14 (Mark Broadie) broke down what separates the top 40 players from the field: approach shots 36%, driving 32%, short game 17%, putting 14%. The single biggest contributor to elite scoring is still approach play. Non-driving skills account for 68% of the scoring advantage. R56 analyzed every tee shot on every par 4 and par 5 on the PGA TOUR over 15 seasons using Shotlink data. Driving distance explains 3% of scoring variance on a hole. Where your ball ends up (fairway, rough, bunker) explains 9% of scoring variance on a hole. Where you hit it matters three times more than how far you hit it. Ridley's claim "feels" right, but feelings aren't data. The USGA's research found that today's long hitters are more well-rounded than ever, approach play still matters more than driving, and distance explains 3% of scoring variance on a hole while where the ball ends up explains 9% of the scoring variance. The game hasn't become one-dimensional. The best players have added dimensions.

@MarilleyDavid @ClassicSwingX @chambleebrandel 18 majors between them, they beat Jack plenty of times

@ocat1979 @ClassicSwingX @chambleebrandel How often did they beat Nicklaus?

Everyone is freaking out over something @chambleebrandel said about Scotty Scheffler's swing. It steepens in transition exactly like Brandel says! Of course, the center of mass will shallow out from there in order find the plane on the way down.

@MarilleyDavid @ClassicSwingX @chambleebrandel Flat wins majors, ask Hogan or Player

@ClassicSwingX @chambleebrandel Upright wins Majors. Ask Jack.

@YettyGolf Adam Scott is my sneaky. Experience and decent form, hitting it long. As long as the broomy works ok he’s a chance

He’s a sneaky chance this year. ❤️🇦🇺🏌️‍♂️⛳️🦘

@KoT716818758724 @mikeclaytongolf @iaincartergolf @MrAndrewCotter @thwacknicklaus @jarodhitchcock @jamogolf @LouStagner @Lloyd_Cole @lawrencedonegan @AlistairPhilp1 And with off centre hits thoses gaps get wider

“Distance increases are due to athleticism”? 🤔 @mikeclaytongolf @iaincartergolf @MrAndrewCotter @thwacknicklaus @jarodhitchcock @jamogolf @LouStagner @Lloyd_Cole @lawrencedonegan @AlistairPhilp1

@MDGreen00 The quadruple points awarded for the Japan-Australasia event was way too much. Smyth plays 4 events (only 1 in Australia), gets a win and a few top 10’s and it’s all over before the last event. Where’s the reward for the guys who grinded it out for 15-20 events over the season?

All over. Cam John makes it 3 wins on the season and doesn't win the OOM. Todd Sinnott shoots 68 when it mattered for T4. Finishes 43rd and guarantees any event he wants next year. Clutch by Matt Griffin to finish T16 and secure 51st and a full card. Will be interesting to see if that's good enough for the Aus Open. Corey Lamb jumps from 75th to 62nd with a solo 7th and avoids being forced through Q-School. Big effort. I'll be back during the week to sum up the season and some OOM discussions. Thanks to all the everyone reaching out this season. Been pretty shocked by the response from everyone. Love you all xxx.