Ian Baker-Finch returns to tournament golf on the PGATour this week at the Crowne Plaza Invitational. His last outing in any form of professional golf was at the same event in 2001, but previous to that, it was at the 1997 Open Championship.
It was part of Ian Baker-Finch’s chequered past that drew me to the golfing mecca of St.Andrew’s last year. I’d been there as a kid but only had a vague recollection of the place and so much golf had gone under the Swilcan Bridge since then. In fact, one particular incident I was interested in had gone straight past the Swilcan Bridge which crosses the burn on the 18th hole at St.Andrew’s.
At the 1995 Open championship, Ian Baker-Finch had hooked his opening tee shot across the 18th fairway passed the bridge and out-of-bounds. All done under the gaze of Arnold Palmer who was in the same group. I wanted to see for myself how difficult (or easy) this was to do.
Baker-Finch was the 1991 Open champion. You need to be a good golfer to become 1991 Open champion but by 1995 his game had deteriorated. In truth, it wasn’t his game that had deteriorated, it was his golfing mind. He’d play perfect practice rounds but come big tournaments, his game went the way of the 2001 Argentinian economy.
The hook shot out-of-bounds from the first tee at St.Andrew’s was in the middle of the downfall. He missed the cut, withdrew or was disqualified in all twenty nine PGA Tour events that he entered in 1995 and 1996. In 1997, he shot a 92 at the Open at Royal Troon and retired from tournament golf.
I had considered playing The Old Course but the Dunhill Links Championship had been rudely scheduled for the same weekend so I was confined to watching some guys who seemed know how to play the game a lot better than I did.
I eventually dragged myself away from the action at the roadside hole, walked around the 18th green and stood behind the 1st tee.
There was a tense three-man playoff underway which was eventually won by Robert Karlsson. Ross Fisher had managed to scuttle a low draw into the burn to blow his chances but it was still a long way from the out-of-bounds alongside the 18th fairway though.
Standing behind the tee I could see how you could hit it out-of-bounds though. The fairways at St.Andrew’s are cut short and extremely wind blown.
They’d pass for greens at 50 percent of the golf courses on the planet. Both errant and well hit shots can run forever. If I could latch onto my duck hook that appears from time to time, I think I could pop it over the other side of the 18th easily.
But I’m just some amateur golfer with a golf website, and as amazing as this may sound to some of you, I didn’t win the 1991 Open Championship.
Andy Brown of HomeofGolf.TV
Guest
Whatever be the reason that shot perhaps startled the many thousands gathered there and I wouldn’t be surprised if Arnold Palmer felt a touch of guilt himself to see the young (well, 35-year-old) hit such a poor tee under the gaze of the many spectators who had gathered there. It is unfortunate that for someone who has a Major championship to his credit, this shot is often talked of in the same breath as his win purely to highlight the temperamental nature of his game which has seen its fair share of disasters after promising quite a bit. You just have to go back to his first appearance at the Open championship where after holding the 36-hole lead, he collapsed to a 79 in the third round. Finally he did finish in the top ten but after the first two rounds he had promised so much that it seemed that it would be fructify into a better result. Unfortunately, that was not to be. Now I think he has left a far greater mark by giving his stamp on some great courses and my personal favourite, which I had a chance to play a while back is the one at the Bintan Lagoon Resort. I think all of us must also remember that this is the same guy who managed to win his first Major by shotting 64 and 66 in the last two rounds and that should be considered a fantastic achievement.
Michael Green
Roar Pro
Yeah thanks Benjamin for the link. So great to see him shoot well this morning despite a few nervous tee shots once again. Let's hope he makes the cut. My IBF link morphed into a video quizzing pro's on the art of "The Ian Baker-Finch shot". Not a hook out-of-bounds but a shot out of the water.
Spiro Zavos
Expert
For old hacker it was something of a relief to see Ian Baker-Finch's duffed shot. Even the best can do them. But it also highlighted the fact that the difference between being very good and very bad in a sport where nerves, hand and eye cordination is a very small margin. The IBF slump reminded of the time Greg Chappell made, I think, 7 consecutive ducks towards the end of his cricket career. Thanks to Benjamin Conkey for putting up the IFB link, which morphed into links showing the technique of the incredible Bobby Jones. How good would he have been with the modern equipment?
Choppy
Guest
It great to see IBF shoot a couple under today and from the little I saw he looked like he was having the time of his life. It was hard seeing such a good guy just lose so much confidence he couldn't play anymore. You are right Conks, he is a very good commentator, he and Faldo are probably my favourites. I didn't like Faldo as a player but he is an exceptional commentator.
Benjamin Conkey
Editor
Here is the shot you speak of: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QapCSTIqXZc He has turned himself into a handy commentator. He conveys the passion of golf. How frustrating it can be. He's also a great sport. I remember that Frontline episode where "Mike Moore" (the man that couldn't shoot under 120) was giving him golf tips! Classic. And you're right..you don't win a British Open without being a decent player.