PGA Tour Confidential: Playoff Storylines

Every week of the 2011 PGA Tour season, the editorial staff of the SI Golf Group will conduct an e-mail roundtable. Check in on Mondays for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors and join the conversation in the comments section below. TIGERLESS PLAYOFFS: WHAT, IF ANYTHING, SHOULD WE LOOK FORWARD TO? Jim Herre, managing editor, SI Golf Group : Hello everyone, and welcome to the final PGA Tour Confidential of the regular PGA Tour season. Next week the FedEx Cup playoffs kick off with the Barclays. I'm really curious to see how the pros fare at one of my favorite courses, Plainfield (N.J.) Country Club, a delightful Donald Ross gem, but I'm also interested to see what the level of interest will be without Tiger Woods in the field. What's your guess? And are there other storylines we should be watching? Mark Godich, senior editor, Sports Illustrated : This is the opportunity for a young gun to separate himself from the field. Maybe Rickie Fowler breaks through. Perhaps Webb Simpson follows up with another victory. Or maybe Keegan Bradley makes a statement for Player of the Year honors. Alan Shipnuck, senior writer, Sports Illustrated : We're used to life without Tiger. Interest will be high because all the other players we care about will be there. And a lot is up for grabs, not least player of the year. Stephanie Wei, contributor, SI Golf+ : When you say "we," do you mean those of us who cover golf? Because Joe Sports Fan was planning to watch because he wanted to see Tiger, but now he'll enjoy one of the last weekends of summer. Damon Hack, senior writer, Sports Illustrated : I think it's a tough sell without Tiger. The format was designed to compel the big boys to play more. Even a diminished Tiger is still the biggest selling point in the game. The TV ratings will tell the tale. Shipnuck : Sure, having Tiger would help. But this season (and last) has helped wean golf fans. There are more guys to root for now than before. Mike Walker, senior editor, Golf Magazine : Other than player of the year — which is pretty meaningless because McIlroy's not eligible — it's hard to see many storylines for the FedEx Cup playoffs. But consecutive events with strong fields always build interest and momentum. As Shipnuck said, everyone's gotten used to the Tiger-less Tour. Gary Van Sickle, senior writer, Sports Illustrated : It's hard to gauge the interest levels. I've heard from two regular golf fans who said they have zero interest in watching golf the rest of this year. The tournaments are always interesting because they have good fields and appealing courses, but I'm not sure how fired up the average fan will be. Pretty sure the folks in N.J. will be very excited to see the pros tackle Plainfield. (Read Gary Van Sickle's mailbag and ask him a question.) David Dusek, deputy editor, Golf.com : The interest among golf fans will be high because plenty of good players will be on hand and the pros will love Plainfield, but the FedEx Cup was not created for golf fans. It was concocted by the PGA Tour in order to create buzz among “general sports fans.” With pre-season football in the air and Tiger not playing, those fans aren't going to tune in. Van Sickle : If Phil Mickelson wins or contends in any of the events, TV will be saved. Dusek : Agreed. When Tiger's controversy broke, Tim Finchem told every person holding a TV camera that the PGA Tour's ratings were always good and that when Tiger played they spiked. The FedEx Cup Playoffs without Tiger will give us a chance to see that theory put to the test. Wei : I'll be watching to see how many players tinker with a belly putter. First, Adam Scott won the Bridgestone with the broomstick putter. Then Keegan Bradley drained a bunch of clutch putts with a belly putter to capture the PGA Championship as a rookie and become the first player to win a major with a long putter. And now, Webb Simpson takes the Wyndham Championship with a belly, too. Shipnuck : Yes, the disease is spreading. Seemed like everyone in contention at Greensboro had a long wand. Godich : I went to a long putter a few months back, and though I have played little since, I absolutely love it. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Herre : You think we'll see more belly putters on the local, amateur level? Personally, I could never get the feel for one, and traveling with the thing was a hassle. Hack : It's such a bad look, isn't it? I'm waiting for someone to walk onto a practice green with a long putter anchored between his teeth. The USGA missed the boat on the long putters. Wei : It was already bad after the Masters. When I showed up to the practice green at Hilton Head two weeks later, I couldn't believe how many guys were messing around with a belly. Ernie finally put aside his ego and switched. Bill Haas and Camilo Villegas both used one that week for the first time. I can't wait to see how many there are at Plainfield! Van Sickle : These are young guys using the belly, not desperate old guys who need a putting crutch. I don't think a groundswell of ams will switch, but the topic is probably worth researching. Dusek : If weekend players get used to seeing pros winning with belly putters, they'll be more apt to try one. The tough part is getting the right fit for a belly putter because, well, there are a lot of different sized bellies out there. Van Sickle : The phenomenon is just a sign that the stigma is gone. Damon says it's a bad look, but I think the percentage of traditionalists who would agree with him is shrinking by the year. Now, if we can just get them to quit thinking rangefinders are a bad look, we can make some progress and speed up play. Dusek : Charles Howell told me in Atlanta that he's never seen someone who used a belly putter and putted poorly, which is one of the reasons he converted. Godich : Matt Kuchar was one of the top putters on Tour in 2010, and even he switched. Van Sickle : As a long-time user of The Claw grip, I can vouch for the fact that golfers do what they have to do to make putts. I wonder how many players on the AJGA circuit and junior golf are using belly putters or long putters? That would indicate a possible trend. Hack : I don't recall seeing a long wand on my trip to the junior circuit last year. Those kids were fearless and played fast, God love 'em. Godich : They played fast because they knew the rules officials would enforce the slow-play rules. Dusek : Belly putters are all over the Nationwide Tour, which makes a lot of sense. If they really are beneficial, then the guys who are trying to earn a PGA Tour card would be the most motivated to try one. Godich : The difference in ball-striking between a PGA Tour player and a Nationwide player ain't much. It's mostly the putting, along with the mental aspect, of course. Tell us what you think: Is the FedEx Cup going to be interesting despite Tiger's absence? Will you watch? Tweet