Naz,

I've been to a few tournaments here in the states. 2 years ago at the Compaq Classic of New Orleans I got a chance to see the "Big Easy" Els in the "Big Easy" New Orleans up close. On the Friday round off the fourth hole he sent one down the cartpath and about beaned the bald guy in the head. He had to come into our world on the other side of the ropes. He hit a shot off the side of a drainage grate that hit the green near the hole. I stood amazed. His swing seems slow because of the distance it has to travel but his release is so powerful it is unreal.

The man is huge, tall, very long arms. Tiger on the other hand is about 190lbs., 6ft. The different body styles equates to more mass behind the shot for Ernie. Ernie also made a swing change that has made his swing more efficient. His posture is more upright on his drives this year.

An easy way to look at this is, if you take a string and put a weight on the end then spin it in a circle as fast as you can. It would be 90* from your fingers at the fastest spin. A golf swing is the same way, Ernie was at about 83* last year and made a 7* upright adjustment. Now he is at optimum power, with his size, longer arms, longer club length equals longer distance. Tiger has been at an optimum 90* since he made his swing change in 1997. Tigers advantage now comes from shot shaping, short game and course management. Tiger can still blow it by players if he needs to.

GolfBald

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