Did Bubba become king of the PGA long drivers BECAUSE of his name? You almost have to wonder... chicken/egg, egg/chicken?? Whatever the case may be, this man has the perfect name to match his prodigious length off the tee. Anyone who can bomb a ball as far as Bubba Watson should, from this day forward, be referred to as "a Bubba!"
Maybe we'll take it to a vote some day.
With his trademark pink shafts, this PING man has been at the top of the tour (give or take one spot) for longest average driving distance since 2006. Before that, he held the undisputed title at the Nationwide Tour in 2005 as well. His distance is legendary and he has been known to bomb balls well over 400 yards on a consistent basis! If courses allowed for it by design, Watson's average would probably skyrocket.
I first took serious notice of Bubba Watson, after an article appeared in Golf Digest, which described the struggles Watson experiences trying to stay focused throughout an entire round, due to the slow pace of play on the PGA tour. Watson has an active mind, which makes it hard for him to remain in the moment when play drags on, as it often does. This may explain how, sometimes from a position of relative strength, Watson will sometimes make unexplained unforced errors. I share that trait and it instantly made me sympathetic to him...
Whatever his issues, Bubba Watson is exceptional - especially from a statistical point of view. Despite using a driver with 6.5 degrees of loft, he launches the ball at a stunning 16 degree angle, which is several degrees more than the tour average. He also manages to do this with a very low spin rate and a club head speed of over 120 miles per hour. This allows Bubba Watson the ability to rocket balls at just under 200 miles/hr. No kidding! The numbers are staggering, frankly.
Despite the obvious focus on distance when talking about Bubba Watson, we would surely be remiss not to point out that there is much more to his game than length. Perhaps what sets him apart from most other so-called bombers, is his ability to dramatically shape his shots in any direction. If you can call it that, his "usual" ball flight is high, but his signature shot is a very low fade that Watson calls a "dink cut" (don't ask me why?!) He has also been known to play a number of spectacular hooks and outright slices as well, when called upon to do so.
With a Chi Chi Rodriguez like talent, Watson exhibits a "feel" for shots that is all but lost on tour, especially as the focus of equipment makers and golf teachers has moved away from the type of homegrown improvised swing that Watson has mastered. Indeed, as Watson himself explained in that Golf Digest interview, he has never taken lessons, or had a golf coach. Like other virtuosos with unusual swings (like Jim Furyk), Bubba Watson grooved his own swing path and found a way to make the golf ball do spectacular things.
This should stand as somewhat of a lesson to the golf establishment. Today's young golfers tend to emanate from golf schools, summer camps and junior teaching programs that have shifted the emphasis away from feel toward an almost zealous quest for technical perfection. As such, the sport is generating many golfers with very repeatable swings, but who are far too mechanical and who often lack the ability to improvise. Like classic golfers of old, Bubba Watson works the course from all angles and in any kind of difficult condition.
In such a technically driven environment, Bobby Jones would probably have been criticized for having too much lower body movement, for using too much hands and for bringing the club back well past parallel. These are all the same things you'll hear commentators point out about Bubba Watson. But, the proof is in the pudding...
As we start the 2010 season, Bubba's game seems sharp and we would not be surprised if he claimed his first victory soon. Only a few months in, Watson has two top 5 finishes and is on pace to triple his earnings. As he has always done, Watson is finding a way to figure it out on his own.
Off the course, Bubba Watson can often be found on Twitter, posting a picture or two and blasting one or two words in response to friends or fans. Despite his reputation for having a short fuse and a lack of patience, one quickly realizes that Watson is a kind and charitable guy, who also takes great pride in his deep Christian faith. Bubba has also been known to have a bit of a sense of humor, as you can see at http://bit.ly/bro5QY
At 6'3", Bubba Watson is a tall man, but not quite as tall as his beautiful wife Angie, who stands a few inches taller than him. Angie is an accomplished athlete herself, having played professional basketball and maintaining a single-digit golf handicap. She describes Bubba as being "amazingly talented in almost anything he tries".
The more I learn about Bubba Watson, the more that comes as no surprise...
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