Golf In New York City Blog

In case you have been a sleep for the last 10 days, the New York Giants are in the Super Bowl.

Lawrence Tynes, the Giants field goal kicker made a 47-yard field goal in overtime to beat Brett Favre and the Packers, 23-20, to send the Giants to Super Bowl XLII

Earlier in the game, Tynes missed two field goal attempts that would have given his team the lead.

The Field Goal Kicker in Football can be compared to a golfer. They normally have time before the play to focus on the impending task. They must visualize the shot. Their leg is angled a lot like a golf shaft. And they must swing through the ball not to it. Both golfers and field goal kickers practice endlessly to perfect their timing.

Tynes had less than ideal conditions. With a minus-23 degrees wind chill, kicking that football must have been like kicking a piece of concrete.

Tynes missed a 37 yard attempt in the fourth quarter. The ball hardly became airborne and hooked badly. Many people blamed the center, rookie Jay Alford for a high snap but I could clearly see that Tynes rushed the kick. The result looked almost like a golfer who duck hooks a driver shot by getting too quick. He clearly lost his timing.

Tynes redeemed himself and his team. In the overtime attempt, he had perfect timing. The snap was perfect. The kick was also perfect. He started the ball slightly right and hooked it inside the right upright. This showed great concentration and confidence.

I can only compare it to a golfer missing a 10-foot birdie putt on the16th hole, a 4- foot birdie putt on 17, and yet somehow, making a 40- foot putt on the 18th hole to win the tournament.

Great Job – Go Giants