Doping finally hits the PGA

no, common guys. not even the top runners dope! so there's no way golfers do, right?

Tiger's and Phil's head firmly in the sand:

World number one Tiger Woods, who has come out in favour of drug testing, was asked on Tuesday if he would be surprised if a golfer tested positive.

"If anything, probably out here it would be testing positive for maybe being hung over a little bit," he said.

"But that's about it. I know some guys have taken Medrol packs for inflammation in their wrists, but, other than that, I really don't see anybody doing anything, or have heard anybody doing anything."

Phil Mickelson also said he thought golfers were clean and said he did not think there was "even a remote chance" that a golfer would test positive for steroids.

So what if golfers dope? You think being stronger makes you a better golfer? Performance enhancing drugs can make you bigger, stronger, recover faster from workouts but they won't make your golf swing stay on plane, your putts break properly and improve your touch around the greens. This article is bull shit.

What if you could go from driving 250 to 300? Would that help your game?

Alan

Are you kidding? The difference between the Nationwide tour and the Pga tour is very small talent wise, but very large in income and amenities. With no testing and hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line, nobody in their right mind should think that some aren't taking performance enhancing drugs.

Of course most will stop now knowing that testing will start. Again, just like baseball, it will be impossible to know how many where actually on it unless they did surprise random testing on all the players immediately.

Player also revealed he had himself rejected offers from doctors to take Human Growth Hormone (HGH).

"Every doctor I go to, without fail, says 'Gary, you must take HGH'," he explained.

"He said it will make you stronger, your skin will be thicker because your skin starts to get scaly, your hair is stronger, your complexion will be better, you'll be more supple.

"He said you'll start hitting the ball 20 to 30 yards further.

Apparently with HGH that's not too far off the mark.

Hurculese wrote:

So what if golfers dope? You think being stronger makes you a better golfer? Performance enhancing drugs can make you bigger, stronger, recover faster from workouts but they won't make your golf swing stay on plane, your putts break properly and improve your touch around the greens. This article is bull shit.

Are you kidding? A stronger golfer hits farther drives. They can now use 2 clubs less for the next shot which will make a difference of a few feet more accurate. Much easier to make a 4 ft birdie putt than a 22 foot birdie putt.

They will also stay stronger throughout the week and have a bigger physical advantage on Sunday when the other players are wearing down.

hmmm.. this would explain why that meat-head Long John what-his-name gets into his rages with his girfriends and ex-wives

rippy cripple wrote:

Hurculese wrote:

So what if golfers dope? You think being stronger makes you a better golfer? Performance enhancing drugs can make you bigger, stronger, recover faster from workouts but they won't make your golf swing stay on plane, your putts break properly and improve your touch around the greens. This article is bull shit.

Are you kidding? A stronger golfer hits farther drives. They can now use 2 clubs less for the next shot which will make a difference of a few feet more accurate. Much easier to make a 4 ft birdie putt than a 22 foot birdie putt.

They will also stay stronger throughout the week and have a bigger physical advantage on Sunday when the other players are wearing down.

His point is that who cares if you can hit it 500 yards if you can't keep it straight? Even hitting it far and straight, leaving a <100 yard shot to the pin doesn't come close to guaranteeing a 4 ft. birdie putt, or even that you'll stick your approach on the green. Brute strength does not equal finesse.

I agree that being able to rely on your strength holding up over four days would be very beneficial. Even more so for the "Monday qualifiers."

Being a roided lumberjack won't make you a skilled golfer but we're talking about already skilled golfers taking the stuff.

There are already PGA Tour pros who can bomb it 400 yards in longball competitions. Like Hank Khuene. It simply doesn't help you if you can't finesse the ball on your approach shot, work out of trouble (sand or rough), or if you can't properly read the greens. Like the old saying goes, "drive for show, putt for dough."

I have always maintained that there would be many golfers on drugs, the risks are low and the rewards are so very high!

Bigger, Stronoger, Faster... and more relaxed!! Alert!!

Imagine a epo endurance, steroid hgh strength, with marajuana relaxedness and modafinil alertness... I bet if I took all that I could improve my round.

Apparently none of you have heard of beta blockers.

Beta blockers steady your nerves. Pro golfers have known this for awhile. Helps keep your hands more steady.

A couple years ago they tested at some French event and found all kinds of drugs including coke and ecstasy. Golfers are not as boring as they look apparently.

Yes, I would think it's highly unlikely that multi-millionaire athletes (who can afford anything) in a sport with so much money at stake, yet is completely unregulated, would all be drug-free.

Steroids and other physical oriented drugs are probably rarely used but beta blockers and focus drugs are most likely used by many.

I always get a kick out of runners talking about doping problems in other sports.

Pot, meet kettle!

ascascasc wrote:

Apparently none of you have heard of beta blockers.

Beta blockers steady your nerves. Pro golfers have known this for awhile. Helps keep your hands more steady.

I thought this was common knowledge that many golfers use beta blockers. I also wonder if some would use anti-anxiety drugs as well. Not what we would commonly think of as performance enhancing but it could be for golf.

Eyegore wrote:

Apparently, several golfers have confided in Gary Player that they've taken performance-enhancing drugs while active on the PGA tour. I was a bit surprised, but I guess it was bound to happen. Here's a link to the story:

I always knew that there was no way Fred Funk could hit drives like that without being on some juice.

In all seriousness, I honestly think that in a lot of cases, steroids like HGH would do more harm than good to a highly skilled golfer. Putting on extra upper body mass could help a player hit longer but it could also change his natural swing mechanics which would negativly affect their game.