How to Properly Line Up Your 4th Putt

photo credit: sidewalk flying     Think about it; more strokes are taken with your putter than any other club in your bag.   Why  does the putter  contribute to so much frustration?   The reason is because it is much simpler to hit a 30 foot putt than to knock a 170 yd. approach shot to within 10 feet.

Golfers take putting for granted,  a minimal amount of  total practice time is spent on the practice green using a club that contributes to more strokes than any other, go figure?  

Have you ever noticed that players seem to get more careless after they missed their second putt?   Many, with no time taken, will just casually walk up and stroke their third attempt to hole out.   There is something to be learned from this; every putt counts !

How to Relax when you are Hitting 3 off the 1st tee.

photo credit: bradleypjohnson     Your shot off the first tee goes in the water, you're hitting 3 and  the game has barely begun.   Having a “bad day”  dominates your mind.

Every great player has a “can do attitude”, Tiger Woods is  a great  example.   He tries as hard to  make a bogey putt as he does an eagle attempt.    To play well,  you  must have a mental toughness no matter what  the situation.  

Anger,  resulting from a feeling  that you “deserve” to make  a good shot, can be a major roadblock.   Any bad shot is history, so put it out of your mind as soon as possible and don't dwell on it.   Think of   how to execute your next shot to the best of your ability.    Utilize bad shots simply as good learning experiences.

How to Rationalize a 6 hr. Round

photo credit: Bruno MAZZONI     Slow play  will ruin your  game of golf.   A slow group will slow down everyone behind them,  just like a slow car on a two lane highway.   Speed your play with the following steps:

(1)    Plan your shot  strategy while going to your ball.    (2)   Line  up your shot while others are playing theirs.   (3)   Limit your practice swings to one.   (4)   During green play, take several clubs with you (putter/wedge etc.)  to eliminate going back to the cart.   (5)   Whoever is closest to the pin should attend the pin.   (6)    Don't mark your  ball, putt out.   (7)    Once everyone putts out,  leave the green immediately.    (8)   Keep talking amongst your group at a minimum, you are there to play golf, not have a gab session.   (9)    Be polite when asking to “play through.”

Right Knee Angle

photo credit: greg.robson     Everything that moves needs a brake, the golf swing is no exception.    During  the backswing, most of the weight is shifted to the right side (right leg).   When the weight shift occurs there can be a tendency to “sway,”  when this happens a reverse pivot occurs.  

In the address position, try tilting your right knee (right handers) to the left, slightly in the direction of the left knee.   This small adjustment will improve your backswing coiling action, therefor, generating greater torque which results in more distance.   This is a minor change that will make a major difference in your game.

Footnote:   Notice how many PGA Tour Pros do not use this  technique.   If you check out the address position photo's of any major champion, you will notice this method is present.

Change of Course Rules Needed

photo credit: Vidbynäs Golf Club     I think it's time that golf course management change the rules.   Have you ever  scheduled a round with a golfing partner only to be paired up with a couple of schmucks.   It's happened to me too often and it's time to speak out about it.

Golf Courses charge a lot for an 18 hole round of golf, some charge triple figures   Why should the starter decide who you should play with.   If you are a 5 handicap and you are placed with a couple of green-horn's (everyone is  a greenhorn at one time) isn't that going to ruin your day, it sure would ruin mine?   We should all have the right to play with whomever we choose to, period.   If the course won't allow that, go somewhere that will.   Enough is enough already !

Ups and Downs

photo credit: fPat     For most golf lovers, there is no greater high than playing a great round of golf, or no greater low, than playing  miserably.   It's only a game isn't it?  

If you love the game, the desire to play better is  a top priority.   The thrill of exceeding your own capabilities makes all your efforts  and work,  worthwhile.   For days the feeling of accomplishment stays with you.   The great game you had is the main topic of conversation at home, at work and yes, even in bed.

Play rotten and you rethink whether this is the right  game for you or not.   You feel like you lost your best friend.   For hours, maybe even days, you go over the horrible way you played.   You punish  yourself by  thinking about the five, 3 putt greens you had, you are in a state of depression.   Fear not, we all go through this.   Ah, isn't golf grand?

Nike SQ Dymo2 Driver

photo credit: Homayon Zeary     The new Nike SQ Dymo driver is an innovative design that gives the  user  a means to adjust the club to suit their own individual style or preferences.   The club incorporates the new Str8-Fit adjustable  fitting system which features a new shaft  adaptor and housel system.   The shaft  adaptor and housel tilt 2 degrees off axis, which leads to eight possible clubface and lie  angles.   Testing shows that the eight settings produce  up to  45 yards of directional difference.  

You can find your best ball flight by altering the face angle (2 degrees closed to 2 degrees open),  lie angle (58 degrees to 62 degrees) and effective loft (8.5 degrees to 12.5 degrees).    

The system is user friendly since it provides visual and audio feedback when the  shaft and clubhead are in place.   Retail $449 at www.Nikegolf.com.

Will Tiger Ever be the Same

photo credit: Keith Allison     It has been 9 months since Tiger Woods  has played tournament golf.   Suffering torn ligaments and a hairline fracture  in his left leg, Woods has been  in rehabilitation in hopes of making a strong comeback in  the 2009 Masters.   The question is whether Tiger  will be the same  player that left the tour for surgery after the  2008 U.S. Open.

Woods had a good showing in the  WGCA  Championship at Doral in  March, coming in with a final score of 11 under  par.   He was forced to make a swing change to take some of the pressure off his left knee, how this will  affect his all around play is anyone's guess.   Most likely, however, Tiger will come back with a “roar” and dominate  the game as he has done for so many years now.   Maybe.

Tickets to the Masters

photo credit: fernand0     The cost of a Masters tournament badge, one of the toughest tickets to obtain  of all  sports, will cost slighlty more in 2009.   The price of the Masters  badge will be raised from $175 to $200.   The $200 covers admission to all four days of play.   The last increase occured in 2004, when the price went from $125 to $175.  

The Masters, compared to golf's other major tournaments, is still considered a real bargain.   The British Open (The Open) is $266, The U.S. Open costs $400 and the PGA Championship charges $300.   These prices include all practice and tournament rounds.

A waiting list for the Masters series badges was established in 1972 and closed in 1978 when demand far exceeded supply.

Phil Mickelson, No. 2 Man

photo credit: danperry.com       Phil Mickelson's win at the WGCA Championship elevated him to the No. 2 position in world standings.   With a 19 under par, Mickelson beat Nick Watney by one shot in a thrilling finish.   Watney missed a 20 ft. putt to force a play-off.

Tiger Woods finished with a respectable 11 under par on Doral's “Blue Monster” in Miami, FL.   After a nine month rehab from knee surgery, Woods had trouble on the putting green.

Mickelson, in his late 30s, now has a total of 36 tour victories.   With four more wins, Mickelson will break Tom Watsons career total of 39 PGA victories.

If Tiger regains his form, this year's Masters Tournament could turn out to be a classic battle between the No. 1 and No. 2 players in the world.   Stay tuned !

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