Everyone is getting excited about the return of Brady and Belichick. Only this time they are on opposite sides. Tom Brady the leader of the Superbowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Bill Belichick the leader of the New England Patriots who failed to reach the playoffs.
Lets just look at my previous sentence for a second. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are defending Superbowl champions. In fact they have a chance to repeat with the exact same roster they had last season. That’s right they did the almost impossible feat of resigning everyone from their Superbowl winning team. The Patriots didn’t make the playoffs their first year without Tom Brady. In fact they didn’t even have a winning season. It’s also a problem when the individual on a football team that gets the most attention from the media is the coach. The true leader of a successful NFL team should be on the field playing.
The Buccaneers only loss was last week against the L.A. Rams. A team I picked to go to the Superbowl this season. The Patriots only win so far was against the N.Y. Jets. The Jets are arguably the worst team in the entire league. Does anyone actually believe this is going to be a competitive contest? I definitely don’t!
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have one of the best pass rushes in football. The Patriots have rookie quarterback Mac Jones starting against them. Take the over on 2.5 sacks for the Bucs on Sunday night.
Sure it might be interesting to see how Tom and Bill greet each other before the game. They are both professionals though so don’t expect anything disrespectful. When it actually comes to the game though. This should be an absolute blow out for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It’s possible the game could be out of reach at halftime.
Observations -Matt Stafford and the LA Rams Receivers look to have an optimum situation. The Rams have the second easiest strength of schedule at both positions. Matt Stafford is a veteran signal caller with multiple 5000 yard seasons already in the books. With the season ending injury to Cam Akers. I expect Sean McVey to lean on the pass more.
-The LA Chargers have the toughest strength of schedule for Justin Herbert and his wideouts. Justin Herbert has been a popular pick in drafts just after the Top Tier of Quarterbacks come off the board. Coming off his outstanding rookie performance. Fantasy Managers are obviously expecting his success to continue. That might not be the case for the sophomore QB.
-The Broncos look like they will begin the season with a two RB platoon of Melvin Gordon III, and Javonte Williams. This has scared off a few Fantasy Managers. With the easiest strength of schedule for Running Backs. A platoon approach could still produce two 1000 yard Running Backs with plenty of TDs to go around. Don’t be afraid to draft either back as an RB3 with huge upside.
-The 49ers and the Patriots look poised to have a lot of production from their Tight Ends no matter who they have throwing the ball.
A lot of people are predicting a breakout season for Irv Smith jr. With a difficult strength of schedule for Tight Ends that might not be the case.
If you are struggling deciding who to pick when your turn approaches. Let the Strength of Schedule guide be the tie breaker whenever possible.
First of all to those of you that have followed me from the beginning. Thank you!
The website has been inactive for quite awhile. The website crashed at the end of 2020, and had to be totally rebuilt. Also my focus has been on my new role as a Pro Sports Podcaster.
The Pro Sports Podcasters is a podcast available across all platforms that covers all sports.
The podcast has 2 scheduled episodes per week. The first uploads on Tuesday, and the second on Friday.
For those of you most interested in my golf content. You can still get a tonne of golf information on my Cobe Life Youtube page, cobelifegolf on Instagram, and Cobe Life Golf on Facebook.
Now that the website is back up and running, and even more importantly secure. I will once again be adding content to this website.
I appreciate your patience during this time, and promise to bring you some great content soon.
The world is both separated and unified in the fight against a common enemy. Covid-19 has forced us to rethink our priorities. This year has completely changed everything I had planned. Some things have been put on hold. A few things I had planned may never happen. Not all is lost though. The Lock Down forced me to improvise, and I found new avenues to explore. Nobody knows how long this situation will last. When it does finally subside, and things return to something that loosely resembles normal. I will be ready to provide my faithful followers with a wealth of information.
I apologize for the lengthy hiatus. For a while discussing golf or fantasy football just felt so trivial compared to what’s going on in the world. It took me going out on the course completely alone to play 18 Holes to realize how necessary these trivial distractions are. So I won’t let a week pass without a post. During my absence I’ve studied Golf club fitting, and now offer a casual Driver Fitting for Beginners looking to improve their game off the Tee. If you haven’t seen it yet I encourage you to watch the highlight video on my welcome page. It will go into further detail about the Fitting process. I have also noticed that my reviews of products specifically aimed at Beginner Golfers have been well received. I plan on doing many more in the near future.
For awhile it was unknown if the NFL would have a 2020 season. Now that it is underway I will begin to provide short term Fantasy Football advice. Things can change so much week to week that long term advice seems foolhardy. My first piece of advice for 2020 is to stockpile Running Back depth. Players are still trying to get into game shape, and as a result injuries are far more likely. Running Backs get injured at a greater rate than the other skill positions so make sure you have a couple extras on your bench.
Hopefully I haven’t let things slide for too long, and this post finds those of you that have been loyal from the beginning. There are some great things to come, and I don’t want any of you to miss out!
Let me know if there are any things you would like me to cover in the upcoming posts. Remember this Blog isn’t for me. It is really for you. So let me know what you are most interested in right now.
Take care, and stay safe during these troubling times.
Since the modern free agency era in the NFL began back in 1993. The addition of unrestricted free agents has allowed talented “mercs” to switch teams every Season. They were either looking for a bigger pay day, or the possibility of signing with a Superbowl bound team. The 2020 off season has had it’s share off NFL stars sign with new squads.
High profile signings in the AFC
Philip Rivers – signed to a 1 year deal with the Indianapolis Colts
Stefon Diggs – acquired by the Buffalo Bills via trade with 4 years remaining on his contract
Melvin Gordon – signed with the Denver Broncos for 2 years
Brandin Cooks – acquired by the Houston Texans via trade with 4 years remaining on his contract
David Johnson – acquired by the Houston Texans via trade with 1 year remaining on his contract
Jordan Howard – signed with the Miami Dolphins for 2 years
Austin Hooper – signed with the Cleveland Browns for 4 years
Byron Jones – signed with the Miami Dolphins for 5 years
Chris Harris Jr – signed with the Los Angeles Chargers for 2 years
Kyle Van Noy – signed with the Miami Dolphins for 4 years
Shaq Lawson – signed with the Miami Dolphins for 3 years
Linval Joseph – signed with the Los Angeles Chargers for 2 years
Vic Beasley – signed with the Tennessee Titans for 1 year
Mario Addison – signed with the Buffalo Bills for 3 years
Derek Wolfe – signed with the Baltimore Ravens for 1 year
Calais Campbell – acquired by the Baltimore Ravens via trade with 1 year remaining plus a 1 year extension
WINNERS AND LOSERS OF EACH DIVISION
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The biggest winner
If I had to select one team in the AFC that had the most successful off season. It would have to be the Miami Dolphins. They made some of the absolute best Free Agent signings in the entire league. They had a tonne of Cap room space and spent it wisely. They have the makings of an all star Defense in place with their new acquisitions. They then followed that up by convincing the league they weren’t interested in the most dynamic player in the draft Tua Tagovailoa. Allowing them to patiently sit at their fifth pick draft position and take him there. Keeping all of that additional draft capital to spend on key positional players. The Miami Dolphins might take a Season or two to properly develop. They should be seen as a legitimate challenger to the AFC East crown.
The biggest loser
This shouldn’t come as a surprise. It ends up being a team from my winner’s division the AFC East. It’s of course the New England Patriots. The dynasty has come to an unfortunate end. Tom Brady has decided to finish his career elsewhere. Leaving the New England Patriots with a total unknown at Quarterback. Their Offense was abysmal with Brady at Quarterback last season. Try to imagine how it will be now. They have one of the oldest teams in the league by average age. To add insult to injury former star Tight End Rob Gronkowski agreed to come out of retirement. Only if the Patriots agreed to trade him to Tampa Bay so he can play with Brady. The New England Patriots didn’t make any key acquisitions in Free Agency. They also had a very uninspiring draft. Looks like they are hoping to find their Quarterback of the future next season or the season after.
This list is in no particular order. These are just a few Players that I believe find themselves in a perfect situation to have a great Fantasy Season. Each one of these Players should outperform their Average Draft Position barring injury.
Andy Isabella
Arizona Cardinals – Wide Receiver
This selection goes against one of my basic rules in Fantasy Football. Stay away from Rookie Wide Receivers! In this particular case I don’t see the risk involved to be nearly as high. First of all the Arizona Cardinals will begin the Season with a new Head Coach, running an entirely new Offense, with a Rookie Quarterback. This negates any chance for preexisting Receiver preference. The Offense being run is essentially a College Football Air Raid Offense, which Andy Isabella should be more familiar with. This particular Offense relies on getting the ball out quick, and utilizes a lot of underneath routes where Andy Isabella truly shines. All of that adds up to what could be an amazing rookie season for Isabella.
Lamar Jackson
Baltimore Ravens – Quarterback
Despite only starting 8 games last Season, Lamar Jackson proved that he could be a valuable Fantasy Football Quarterback. What was most impressive about his performance, was that it appeared as though the playbook was limited to just a few set plays. A lot of what he accomplished was through pure athleticism! Now imagine what he can do with a full off season dedicated to helping him succeed as the starting Quarterback. With his mobility he could finish the Season as the Ravens’ number one rusher. You know that means Fantasy gold. I see him as a late Round bargain that could become your weekly starting Quarterback.
Mike Williams
LA Chargers – Wide Receiver
There’s no denying that Mike Williams has the size (6’4″ 220lbs) and big play ability (10 TDs in 2018) to dominate in the NFL. For some reason though I’ve seen quite a few drafts that have him going much later than you would expect. I have seen him fall into the 6th or 7th Round in 12 team leagues. On what should continue to be a high powered offense with Philip Rivers at the helm. Mike Williams should continue to have a lot of opportunity. Especially in the Red zone where Keenan Allen usually draws dounle coverage. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Mike Williams finishes the Season with more Touchdowns than Keenan Allen, who is being drafted much earlier.
Courtland Sutton
Denver Broncos – Wide Receiver
If you have followed me long enough then you will know that I’m a Denver Broncos fan. So you might jump to the conclusion that my selection of Courtland Sutton is a touch biased. It isn’t and I’ll explain why. Courtland Sutton will be receiving passes from a proven Quarterback for the first time. I’m not a huge fan of Flacco but he is a veteran starter with a Superbowl ring. Courtland Sutton will begin the Season on top of the Denver Broncos depth chart. He began last Season as the third option. Unlike other Players that suddenly find themselves as the number one target in the off season, Courtland Sutton got a taste of what it’s like last Season, and performed well. The Denver Broncos are the only team in the AFC West that are seen as a Defensive powerhouse. I like the Chargers Defense for Fantasy but in reality they allow too many big plays. Courtland Sutton looks poised to have a breakout season.
Marlon Mack
Indianapolis Colts – Running Back
Marlon Mack appears to be on paper a slam dunk pick at Running Back. The Indianapolis Colts look like a lock to make the AFC Championship. Not only do they possess a high scoring Offense, but their young Defense is dominant as well. Marlon Mack had a lot of competition last Season, and proved he was the starter. He improved in every statistical category. The Colts should be playing with a lead in the majority of games. This could lead to an increased workload for Marlon Mack which means more fantasy points. If I can get Marlon Mack as my RB2 I’ll be thrilled.
Jared Cook
New Orleans Saints – Tight End
Quite a few Fantasy Football analysts would argue that last Season was Jared Cook’s breakout Season. 896 yards with 6 touchdowns for a Tight End is excellent. So far this Season Jared Cook is being drafted as though last Season was an anomaly. There is reason to believe that his numbers this year could be better. He leaves Oakland, and goes to New Orleans. That’s an upgrade. He will now be catching passes from Drew Brees instead of Derek Carr. That’s also an upgrade. He will be catching passes in the Superdome instead of Oakland-Alameda Coliseum. That’s definitely an upgrade. Jared Cook has the potential for a very high ceiling this Season.
Kirk Cousins
Minnesota Vikings – Quarterback
Kirk Cousins was on my list of potential breakout Players last Season. I targeted him in all of my drafts, and didn’t get him in a single one. Did he breakout? No not really, but he did have a good fantasy Season. He is now in a position to have a great Fantasy Season. With a full Season and off season of preparation he should know the Offense perfectly. He should be totally in sync with his two star Wide Receivers Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. With Dalvin Cook back his completion percentage is guaranteed to improve, and it should yield some very easy passes for touchdowns as well. Vikings are also in win now mode so Cousins’ is expected to perform.
Let me know if there is another Player that needs to be added to this list in the comments.
The Arizona Cardinals did what I expected and selected Kyler Murray with the first pick. This would come as a surprise to some because they already had Josh Rosen who they picked 10th overall last season. What this means is that the hiring of Kliff Kingsbury was a calculated gamble to not only switch to his Air Raid Offensive scheme, but acquire Kyler Murray to run it as their Quarterback of the future. Kyler Murray is a two sport athlete and had already been selected by the Oakland Athletics in the first Round of the Major League Baseball draft. This adds a considerable amount of risk to selecting him first overall. What if the Arizona Cardinals aren’t a success? What if Kliff Kingsbury’s system doesn’t work in the NFL? Kyler Murray is significantly undersized as NFL quarterbacks go, so there will always be injury concerns. What if Kyler Murray decides that baseball is a better fit? Lastly what if Josh Rosen, now a Miami Dolphin goes on to have a hugely successful career? That’s a lot of what ifs when you are talking about the number 1 pick in the NFL draft.
Clelin Ferrell – Oakland Raiders – Round 1 Pick 4
The Oakland Raiders, and in this case more specifically Mike Mayock selected Clelin Ferrell 4th overall. What makes this a particularly important pick for the Oakland Raiders is that practically every analyst including myself expected them to select somebody else. Somebody better to be honest. Clelin Ferrell wasn’t as highly rated as a number of other players in the draft so his selection came as a surprise to everyone. Josh Allen went after him. Ed Oliver went after him. Devin White went after him. That’s three players that were seen as potential stars on whichever team selected them. Mike Mayock and especially Clelin Ferrell will be judged by how well he performs in comparison to the players selected after him. Mayock has gone on record as saying that Clelin Ferrell has not only the skill but the character to be a leader on the field for the Oakland Raiders. Now that’s either a clever way of saying that he might not be the best player at his position, but he will make up for it with leadership, or that they had concerns about potential character flaws with the other players available. Whatever it may be Clelin Ferrell was a risky pick at 4th overall.
Daniel Jones – New York Giants – Round 1 Pick 6
As surprising as the Raider selection of Ferrell was. The selection of Daniel Jones by the New York Giants two picks later was totally shocking. Aspirin sales probably spiked in New York the next day because fans woke up with a headache. When ranking Quarterbacks before the draft I had Dwayne Haskins first, Kyler Murray second, Drew Lock third, and then who cares. The remaining Quarterbacks I saw as second round or later selections. Most analysts did, although Daniel Jones had become somewhat relevant leading up to the draft. By relevant I mean it was looking like depending on what happened early Daniel Jones could sneak into the first Round. He did more than sneak. He was selected 6th overall! Even Daniel Jones was shocked to be selected so early. He will be compared to every Quarterback selected after him, and it was obvious that he considers at least a few of them to be better Quarterbacks. Talk about a pick that Giants fans deserve to feel worried about.
Montez Sweat – Washington Redskins – Round 1 Pick 26
Was this pick a total steal, or have the Washington Redskins been duped? Montez Sweat has the size and skill to become a dominant pass rusher in the NFL. Before the draft there was conflicting information regarding his health. Specifically a heart condition which could limit his time on the field. Early reports were that teams should be concerned about the situation but news surfaced on the day of the draft that early reports were incorrect or at least overblown. As Montez Sweat continued to fall in the first Round while other pass rushers quickly came off the board. The Washington Redskins decided to trade back into the first Round to grab him at 26th overall. I have a feeling that they got an absolute steal but it remains to be seen.
The Offseason hype always begins with the most valuable Free Agents, and the projected Top Quarterbacks in the NFL Draft. This year that includes Kyler Murray, Dwayne Haskins, Drew Lock, Le’Veon Bell, Earl Thomas III, and Nick Foles. Two of these Players will most likely land in predictable spots. Kyler Murray has become the obvious number 1 pick of the draft as determined by the poll of popular opinion. Nick Foles will most likely be starting for the Jacksonville Jaguars this season. It’s an obvious fit, and Jacksonville is already begun the process of clearing some Cap room. The remaining Players on the list have some uncertain landing spots. Before I get into that I’ll begin with the single most talked about Player right now …
KYLER MURRAY
Will Kyler Murray go number 1 overall in the draft? I’d say that there is about a 90% chance of that happening. The real question is which team will select him? As of the writing of this article the Arizona Cardinals have the first pick of the NFL Draft. Some NFL insiders have gone on record proclaiming that the Cardinals have already decided to take him with the first pick. There are plenty of reasons to doubt it though. The Arizona Cardinals selected Josh Rosen with the 10th pick overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. Last Season wasn’t a success but that can’t be attributed to Josh Rosen’s play. The first half of the season was a total failure because of poor decisions made by the coaching staff. It took an overhaul of the coaching staff to actually open up the playbook, and provide Josh Rosen with an opportunity to showcase his skills. The Arizona Cardinals looked like a much better team the second half of the season. Josh Rosen wasn’t considered as a reach at the 10th pick either. He was touted by most analysts as the most NFL ready Quarterback. In that same draft people expected the Cleveland Browns to select Sam Darnold with the first pick. I didn’t mind you. I had Baker Mayfield as my number 1 and the Cleveland Browns agreed with me. So just because the masses have chosen Kyler Murray as the top Quarterback, doesn’t necessarily make it so. Another reason there is reason to believe the Arizona Cardinals might pass on Kyler Murray is the plethora of other needs they currently have. Keep in mind that unless you see Josh Rosen as a total bust, then Quarterback isn’t one of their most pressing needs. If I was Steve Keim (General Manager of the Arizona Cardinals) I would be looking to trade down and acquire more picks. Theoretically the more darts you throw in the draft, the better your chances are of hitting the bullseye. Steve Keim’s most recent acquisitions haven’t been very successful. That could be why he might give up on Josh Rosen after only one season, and stake his reputation on what appears to be a safe bet in Kyler Murray. How would it look if he traded down and acquired another four picks, and missed on all of those? Trust me a lot of the decisions being made by General Managers and Coaches in the NFL are motivated by fear.
Is Kyler Murray a safe bet? What constitutes a safe bet at Quarterback in the NFL these days? I really liked Baker Mayfield last year, but did I consider him a safe bet? The answer would be no. I can tell you that I was more secure about Baker Mayfield being the first pick in the NFL Draft in 2018, than I am about Kyler Murray as the first pick this year. You know who entered the league as safe bets? Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, John Elway, Cam Newton, and Troy Aikman. Everyone was certain that those five Quarterbacks would make a significant impact. Obviously they were right because they have 9 Superbowl rings as Quarterbacks between them. The only one that hasn’t won a Superbowl is Cam Newton. Which brings up an important point. Cam is at his best when he can threaten opposing defenses as a runner with the ball as well as a passer. As the league has implemented additional rules to protect Quarterbacks. Those rules become moot when they are running with the ball. Cam Newton might be the most physically imposing Quarterback in the league, but he is also one of the most often injured. There have been some incredibly dynamic Running Quarterbacks, but all of them have had mostly limited success due to injury. Much has been said about Kyler Murray’s lack of size. At only 5’10” tall he has made use of his mobility to create angles to passing lanes, and buy himself extra time in the pocket. That’s fine at the college level but in the NFL it only takes one full shot from a 275 pound linebacker to significantly reduce a Quarterback’s mobility. Look what Von Miller did to Cam Newton in Superbowl 50. Cam Newton wanted the game to be over by the third quarter. Cam Newton is 6’5″ 245 pounds and he had enough. How would 5’10” 195 pound Kyler Murray handle it? Is he a safe bet? I don’t think so.
WHERE WILL LE’VEON BELL BE?
People have been asking this question since November of last year. We still aren’t any closer to figuring it out. The first obstacle to overcome is the cost of acquiring him. Le’Veon Bell is asking for 25 million dollars a year. That’s a hefty price for a Running Back. That’s a high price for a Quarterback. If you look at his numbers and judge his worth based solely on that, then yes he is worth every penny. Unfortunately there is a lot more to it. He just sat out an entire season of football. Which means he could be a problem if he ever disagrees with your Head Coach. He has had some injuries in the past, and plays in one of the most precarious positions in football. There’s no guarantee that he won’t get injured after just a few games. His numbers were excellent with the Pittsburgh Steelers. How much of that was his own ability, and how much of it was attributed to being on one of the most dynamic offenses in football?
Which teams would be the best fit for Le’Veon Bell? He would prefer to go to a contender so that really limits the possible teams. Of course he might just go wherever the money is. Lets begin with the win win scenarios. Maybe the best possible landing spot for Le’Veon Bell is the Indianapolis Colts. Andrew Luck is a Superbowl quality Quarterback. T.Y. Hilton can keep Defenses from stacking the box. The Colts Defense is better than most people give them credit for. They also have a tonne of Cap Space so they could actually afford him. Do they actually want him though? The early indications are that they don’t. A number of teams have looked into Le’Veon Bell already and the Colts aren’t one of them. The Houston Texans are an up and coming team that could benefit from acquiring Le’Veon Bell. They would probably be interested but not at the amount he’s looking for. They just don’t have the Cap Space with quite a few key Players approaching Free Agency. The Baltimore Ravens would be an interesting place for Bell to move to because of the long standing rivalry with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ozzie Newsome isn’t in the habit of taking on high cost risky Free Agents. He generally builds teams through the draft and develops players. So that appears to be a no go as well. Washington could sign him but they have Derrius Guice coming back from injury at quite a bargain in comparison. You would assume that they would want to see what they have there first. Are you beginning to see a pattern emerge? If Le’Veon Bell wants to be the highest paid Running Back in the NFL. He will probably have to do it with a team that’s currently rebuilding.
2018 was a great year for Cobe Life. It saw the official launch of Cobe Life on YouTube. The Cobe Life Golf page on Facebook has grown quite rapidly. Cobesports on Instagram has garnered some serious interest as well. As I’ve developed new and more advanced video and sound editing techniques, the quality of the Cobe Life videos have improved significantly. All of this has encouraged me to take on far greater projects in 2019.
For those of you that have shown increased interest in my Sports predictions, product and course reviews, and Beginner Tips you needn’t worry about losing any of that in 2019. I will continue to produce quality content that’s similar to what you’ve come to expect. What I’m most excited about, and hopefully you will be too, is the new content that’s on the way.
A few of the new additions you can expect to see in 2019 are:
FULL GOLF COURSE HOLE BY HOLE VIDEO AND BLOG REVIEWS
THE COBE LIFE CUP AMATEUR GOLF TOUR
THE FIRST SEASON OF THE YOUTUBE BIRDIES & BOGEYS WEB SERIES
THE SEASON LONG TAYLORMADE PROJECT A BALL REVIEW
THE SEASON LONG WEDGE VS CHIPPER CHALLENGE
THE GTA FISHING DAY SERIES
THE WEEKLY COBE LIFE SPORTS TOP 8
2019 is a pivotal year
When I made the decision to make Cobe Life my primary endeavor back in June 2017. I gave myself a 3 year window to turn it into something substantial. Now although the Cobe Life platforms have grown, they aren’t at a level that gets significant interest from sponsors or advertisers yet. It’s because of this that 2019 will also see the launch of the Cobe Life Patreon website. In order to continue to bring you the quality content you’ve come to expect I’m going to have to make some of it exclusive to my most loyal supporters. The largest project I will be undertaking this year is the Birdies & Bogeys web series. Now my plans are to make each episode free to watch on the Cobe Life YouTube channel. Outtakes, behind the scenes content, bloopers, and how each episode was made will most likely appear on the Patreon site. My top tips for each Fantasy Football week will be reserved for the Patreon site as well. I will also have special product giveaways that only Patreon supporters will qualify for. Of course the content you have already come to expect across the various platforms won’t change. In fact, with enough support through the Patreon site I’m hoping that my regular content will improve.
So there are some of you that believe that simulators are only good for testing the distance and spin of golf clubs. The only time you even use a simulator is when you are at your local golf store testing to see if the newest Driver will help you hit longer off the tee. Now for those of you that are lucky enough to live where golf can be played year round. Well I can understand why you might not be interested in simulator play. Although there are benefits to using one every now and then.
I’ll begin with the obvious, which is to figure out your distances with each club. What many beginner golfers might not realize is that it’s important to know two distances with each club. If I were to ask you how far you hit your 7 Iron. Your answer might be, roughly 140 yards. What your answer should be is, I carry it about 135 yards, and average 140 yards total distance. It’s just as important to know your carry distance. On the course it isn’t enough to know the total distance to the Pin. What if the total distance is 175 yards, and that’s how far you hit your 4 Hybrid. In order to get there though you have to carry a pond that’s 165 yards to the opposite edge. Sounds doable right? It would be except your actual carry distance with your 4 Hybrid is only 163 yards. So unless you hit it perfect you are likely to end up in the water. The great thing about Simulators is that they are better at measuring Carry distance than total distance. While playing on the course it’s easy for you to figure out total distance if you use a GPS or Rangefinder. Carry distance, not so much.
How often do you find yourself on the course with a difficult to execute shot, and decide against trying it because it could result in a lost ball, and big number on the scorecard? Then of course you wonder later if you could have made it. Well those are exactly the type of shots you can learn to make in a simulator. Punch shots, high flops, controlled draws or fades. You can try them out during a simulated round of golf and see if you are able to make them. Pretty soon shots you might have been nervous about will begin to seem relatively easy. That confidence will then carry over on to the course. There is nothing more important than your degree of confidence when standing over a shot. Simulators can help give you that.
THE BAD
Is playing a round of golf in a simulator comparable to real world golf? In a word NO. In the real world I’m a 22 handicap. If I actually calculated my Simulator handicap I would be about a 11 handicap. How often do you get a perfect lie on the course, on perfectly even ground? The correct answer is never, with the odd tee box as an exception. Fatigue plays a role in every round of golf as well. I would be lying if I said that I didn’t experience a bit of fatigue while playing a simulated round. It’s nothing compared to the level of fatigue I experience over the course of a real round of golf though. On an actual course I usually find myself clubbing up over the last few holes because I am unable to swing as hard accurately. In a simulator I play the appropriate club all the way until the end.
Another thing a simulator can’t recreate is weather conditions. Now this could also be considered a bonus because nobody enjoys playing in the rain or high winds. Sure you can simulate how it will affect ball flight, but it doesn’t affect how your swing would change if you were wet and the grips on your clubs had become slippery.
LETS NOT FORGET FUN
The problem most golfers have with Simulators is that they instinctively compare the experience to actual golf. What you should really be doing is seeing it as an entirely different thing. Consider it to be more of an extremely high tech video game. You don’t see football players complaining about the lack of realism in Madden. Car buffs can’t wait to get a video gaming race seat to play Gran Turismo in. Both of those examples aren’t remotely close to the level of realism golfers get to experience in a Simulator. Maybe it’s because the current technology has come so close to feeling like the real thing that we forget that deep down it’s still just a game. A game that fortunately for us can help us improve our ability to play the real thing.
