If you could change one thing about Rory..

What would you change about Rory?

  • Nothing, it’s just a matter of time

    Votes: 10 24.4%
  • His coach

    Votes: 5 12.2%
  • His caddy

    Votes: 13 31.7%
  • Something else, please state

    Votes: 15 36.6%

  • Total voters
    41

MarkT

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This is what Rory said about the last few days and his swing. He’s probably the most over-analysed player on the planet and we’ve all got an opinion on him.
So, if there was one thing you could change to help get him back to winning ways what would it be? Rather than a long list of the usual suspects eg approach play, wedges, mental approach I’ve kept it brief and you can expand in the replies.

Any answers and workings by Sunday afternoon and will post a piece, thanks
 

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D

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Rory isn’t too far away and there is no doubt just a few tweaks needed to refine the changes or even step them back a little as he suggested

I would suggest he has more pressure on him every time he starts than anyone else because we all know when it clicks he can destroy courses

Just before the Pandemic he was World No1 and cruising - he stuttered last year with it looks like some swing changes - won’t take him much to get back

I don’t understand really why people think a new caddy will make a difference
 
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Lord Tyrion

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I'm with @Jimaroid , it's largely upstairs so a sports psychologist is probably 1st up. The skillset is all there in spades, (wedge play apart which was excluded from the options ?). Perhaps a change in coach would resolve this along with technical issues put I'm not sufficiently knowledgeable about technical matters to identify weaknesses there.
 

Curls

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When Rory is playing brilliantly he is a joy to watch and I believe anyone could carry his bag. When he has a wobble, he needs someone to snap him out of it, with good advice or a stern word. Remember JPs “you’re Rory McIlroy” at the Open? (Censored version!).

Every now and then after a poor round he says someone said something to him on the range and the next day he was flying. That should be happening on the course. I’m sure Harry Diamond is a great guy, I’d love to be playing golf with my friends, but if I were playing for majors I’d want the best professional I could find. That is not Harry. Who will remember his top 10s? Even Jack and Tiger are compared primarily by one number; 18 plays 15.

I believe Rory will win more majors, he’s too good not to, but it’s his mindset that concerns me and a great caddy goes a long way to fixing that.
 
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Jimaroid

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I pressed post too soon like a monkey thumbed idiot. Let me try again.

His psychology. I’ve always thought that Rory playing at 90% is better than nearly all other players playing at 100%. He puts too much pressure on himself and no matter what he says about his mindset when talking off the course he appears to make too many bad decisions on it.

Go back to his earlier career when he barely thought about what he was doing. That happy stride down the fairway he had, thinking less, just hitting the shots. He doesn’t need to try as hard as others. Just. Think. Less.

I think his head has been ruined by sports psychology mumbo jumbo. Go back to the young Rory who couldn’t care less.
 
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Wow you do seem to love starting polls. Did you work for Mori in a previous life?
 

Slab

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Change Nothing

Sure there's things he could be better at (like every pro out there)

But for me there's no big drama that he must fix, if there is a problem it's that he's just not as good as some people want him to be.
It simply can't be said that he alone can destroy courses or lap the field.... there's maybe 20 or 30 other guys that 'on their day' are every bit as good as Rory is

This is not a problem, this is just the competition
 
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He seems to be chucking in 1 bad round every tournament. I'd rather he shot 69, 70, 70, 68 than 65, 66, 83, 71.
 

Sats

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He needs to clear his head I think. In that piece, he admits he and others have been seduced by Bryson's distance and has unnaturally changed his swing that has caused some swing faults. I'd like him to do what's natural, he's hardly a short hitter now is he, and he's got the ability no doubt.
Take a step back, get a swing that he doesn't need to think twice about, and improve his overall game rather than chasing distance.
 

USER1999

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Not sure what I would change, but in general, I think the standard of golf at the top has never been higher, and the number of players who can play at this level has never been larger.
One of any of the top 10 / 15 players can turn it on and romp away with the tournament. There isn't room for mistakes, or weaknesses, and I di think Tory has a few.

There was an interview with Spieth a while ago, and he said that he needed to re-engage with his younger self, to stop getting bogged down with detail and past history. Rory would do well I think to listen to this, as it is someone who has been there, and done it at a very high level too.
 

Curls

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Not sure what I would change, but in general, I think the standard of golf at the top has never been higher, and the number of players who can play at this level has never been larger.
One of any of the top 10 / 15 players can turn it on and romp away with the tournament. There isn't room for mistakes, or weaknesses, and I di think Tory has a few.

There was an interview with Spieth a while ago, and he said that he needed to re-engage with his younger self, to stop getting bogged down with detail and past history. Rory would do well I think to listen to this, as it is someone who has been there, and done it at a very high level too.

Didn’t realise Spieth said that, very interesting. I like him, yeah he takes an age but he does come across as a good bloke so I’d like to see him back on top again. Especially because even when he’s winning he’s capable of slicing it as far off line as I can. That’s impressive ?
 

Billysboots

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I’ve always thought it’s a mental thing with Rory. One mistake or missed putt seems to lead to his game unraveling very quickly, and four or five bad holes in quick succession these days is all it takes before a player is out of a tournament.

I also agree the quest for distance may be a factor, and it’s unnecessary. It’s not all about length, as my lovely wife regularly reassures me.
 

clubchamp98

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I have never understood why top players who have won multiple majors want to change their swing.!
Isn’t a swing that can win the open good enough???
This is the problem for me , when things go wrong he has to many things going around in his head and he then makes mistakes.
Just go back to the swing he won with and that will be good enough in most tournaments.
 
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I’ve said change coach.But not a permanent change.
I would like him to visit with the likes of Pete Cowan or Butch Harman. Not to change his swing etc, but to think about and consult on areas of the game which could do with improvements.
Cowan is a short game guru, perhaps he could consult on his pitching.
Both are also renowned for their assistance on the mental side of the game, eg when Cowan basically told to Koepka that if he wants to be the best he had to start believing he was the best.
 
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