Latest-Golf-News-and-Information

January 6, 2005 18:50 - They're Off

The 2005 Golf Tour starts today in Hawaii, with the Mercedes Championship at Kapalua.

This event was won last year by Stuart Appleby, who will it be this time?

Can the Tiger come roaring back? Can VJ continue with his rich vein of form?

What do you think?

January 7, 2005 14:19 - Todays Golf Tip

The Right Elbow

The Right Elbow When most golfers attend a major tournament, they are often struck by how long the top pros hit their shots and yet how they seem to swing at the ball. It takes effort to hit a golf ball—make no mistake about that—but a top pro’s swing gives impression of ease because his overall timing is so precise. The power supplied by the body blends perfectly with the action of the hands. The big thing in coordinating the body with the hands is keeping my right elbow tucked in close throughout the swing. By doing this, you tie in the action of the right side with the blow, and it's the right side that supplies the power behind the shot. To look at it the other way—if you have a floating right elbow, that gives your body no chance to get its contribution in. You're just slapping at the ball with your arms and your hands. The body is dormant. The leading pros naturally have different features they have worked on and continue to work on to achieve the integration of the body and the hands, but I pass the "tucked-in elbow" on to you because it is an essential part of every fine golfer's swing.

This tip was contributed by Dr Richard Myers of Think and Reach Par
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January 10, 2005 15:30 - Re Attention Webmasters

We fried the www.BlogBurner server a little more
than 48 hours ago - we just weren't prepared for
the incredible rush of customers in the first two
days of launching the site.
The fully automated
solution to blog and ping is UP AND RUNNING - so
if you are already a customer start checking your
logs again.
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January 12, 2005 12:07 - Todays Golf Tip

The Putting Stroke

If there was on word that best described how your putting stroke
should feel it would be pendulum. It should be smooth, unhurried
and accelerate through the ball.

The movement of the clubhead comes from the rocking of the
shoulders. The arms, hands and wrists should not be absolutely
rigid, as this would result in a loss of feel, but they must not
be the engine room of the stroke either. No part of the body,
other than the shoulders, arms and hands must move. There is no
shifting of the weight and your head must remain absolutely still
with your eyes trained on the back of the ball. To ensure there
is no movement in the hips and legs feel that your knees stay in
exactly the same position throughout the stroke. Above all stay
relaxed and focus on the up and down motion-rather than a
twisting motion-of the left shoulder.

Remember to keep it smooth, slowly back and slowly through.
Tempo is as important to your putting as it is for your long
game.

If you have any questions you would like answered please add them in our comments section.

Keep your knees and your head still and accelerate the putterhead
through impact.
More Infomation

January 12, 2005 12:22 - Golf Potpourri By Mac Stevenson

Playing With New Foursomes is Exciting Change

It is rewarding to be a regular member of a favorite foursome;
however, you’re unnecessarily limiting yourself if you never play
with anyone but your own small group.

If you play in the same foursome or fivesome all the time, you’re
making a big mistake and cheating yourself out of a chance to
have more fun and excitement on the golf course.

Playing with different players from time to time gives you a
chance to make some new friends, and it also gives you a fresh
approach to the game. It’s much different mentally as opposed to
playing with the same foursome continually.

Let’s be honest: There’s something irritating about
everyone--yourself included--that is accentuated if you play golf
in the same group day after day. Our ears would be burning if we
knew what was being said about us in our regular foursome.
Comments like this: “Bill’s even slower than usual today, what’s
wrong with him?” Or, “Why can’t Leonard watch where his ball
goes? I’m sick and tired of spending half the day looking for his
lost balls.” If you play with a new crew occasionally, you’ll
find that you are more appreciative of your regular foursome. And
they’ll be more tolerant of your idiosyncrasies.

In tournaments--when competing with golfers you’ve never played
with--you will be at a disadvantage because you’re so used to the
habits of your regular foursome. That can be a big handicap if
you’re a serious golfer.

One way this potential problem can be solved is to get a group of
10-12 golfers that play regularly and throw balls on the first
tee to determine your playing partners for the day. This is
tricky though. If several players join the group who you don’t
enjoy playing with, your day can be ruined if you draw them for
your foursome for the day.

There’s another simple method of splitting up your foursome and
playing with different golfers: Challenge another foursome at
your club to a match--with or without handicaps depending on the
players--for modest stakes. Make it a stipulation that the
foursomes will be split--two players from each foursome playing
together. That makes for a competitive and fun round of golf
that‘s new and different. The same thing can be done with players
that you’re acquainted with from a nearby town.

Who you play golf with requires a diplomacy of the highest level
if you’re going to have enjoyable playing partners. There’s a
fine line between being selective and cliquish. On the other
hand, everyone is entitled to play in groups that are fun to be
with.

The main purpose of playing in a new foursome--whenever the
opportunity presents itself--is to make new friends; that’s one
of the primary objectives for most golfers.

Playing with new acquaintances can give you a fresh mental
outlook on the game; it’s fun to play with golfers you know only
by reputation. You’ll find you often play better in an unfamiliar
foursome because it’s just natural that you will want to impress
new acquaintances.

Golf is one of the best possible meeting grounds for the young
and not-so-young. In what other game can a 68-year-old veteran
hold his own against a long-hitting youngster of 30? The golf
course is one of the few meeting grounds where the young and the
old are on equal footing; it can be a rewarding experience for
both age groups.

When you come up with an excuse--real or contrived--to miss a
game with your regular foursome or fivesome, try and find a game
with some different players. It’s usually easier than you might
think, and it will make your regular games more enjoyable. And
you’ll make some new friends, old and young, that will be a
reward for your effort.

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January 13, 2005 17:26 - To days Golf Tip

The Importance of Footwork

One very important part of the swing that is often overlooked by
players who are striving to become better golfers is footwork.
There is a temptation in golf, as in nearly every sport, to grow
careless about your footwork when your hands are working well.
Professionals soon learn, however, that if they allow their
footwork to grow sloppy, their whole game will deteriorate. I
know from my own experience, and from conversations with other
golfers that the days when it is easiest to play good golf shots
are invariably those days when the feet are really doing their
job.

What does their job consist of? Well, your footwork determines
how well you pivot. In turn, the correctness of your pivot
largely determines whether or not you will be in the right
position to hit the ball to the best of your ability. There are
two checkpoints to establish clearly in regard to the role the
feet play. First, at the top of your backswing, your left heel is
raised off the ground and your weight transferred to your right
side. Second, at the completion of your swing, the positions are
reversed. The right heel is raised and the weight has been fully
transferred to the left side.

This and other tips to help you improve your swing are covered
in the Body Golf Full Swing Video.

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January 13, 2005 17:28 - Sony Open

To day sees the start of the Sony Golf Open.

This event was won by Ernie Els last year.

Can he do what Stuart Appelby did and retain his title.

What do you think?

January 17, 2005 15:52 - Golf quote of the week:

"Golf is twenty percent mechanics and technique. The other
eighty percent is philosophy, humor, tragedy, romance, melodrama,
companionship, camaraderie, cussedness, and conversation."
-Grantland Rice

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January 17, 2005 15:55 - Golf Potpourri

by

Mac Stevenson

Mysterious Disease Runs Rampant

Doctors and scientists across the Central and Northern Plains are
striving to find a cure for the recent outbreak of a mysterious
affliction called Cabin Fever. This disease is in its early
stages and doctors are optimistic about finding a cure within a
few months.

Cabin Fever--that horrid disease caused by sleet and snow and
howling north winds--is bearing down on golfers across most of
the nation.

The orange, red, and gold leaves littering the golf courses are a
harbinger that Old Man Winter is fast approaching.

Few golfers like winter, but the truth is that a three- or
four-month layoff has some benefits for your game. Most important
is the rekindled enthusiasm we all experience after a long break.
Some winters are worse than others; recently, out here on the
Central Plains we have been able to play some golf right through
the cold months. But, even so, there are long stretches when no
one can play.

Conversely, playing frequently during the six or seven warm
months can become a little boring and oftentimes frustrating. A
break in routine is good. Serious golfers are more than ready to
go after a prolonged winter layoff, with new hopes and new
theories to test.

When you do get a chance to play in the December-February period,
don’t take it too seriously. You’re going to be wearing too many
clothes to play well, and your timing and consistency will be
temporarily AWOL. Tee it up everywhere and just have fun. The
main thing you’ll get from the golf is some fresh air and
exercise and camaraderie.

When your weather turns cold and you can’t play, give the whole
deal a rest for a month or so. Then, when you think your case of
Cabin Fever might become terminal, start doing some indoor
chipping and putting. And watch some of the PGA tournaments on TV
in warmer climates like Hawaii; that will lift your spirits and
put you in the mood for spring.

You’ll be tempted to go out and buy some new clubs--perhaps a
driver or set of irons--during your enforced winter layoff. Don’t
do it. Wait until the weather is warm and you can test potential
new equipment under ideal playing conditions.

This advice doesn’t hold true for putters. If you find a putter
you think will improve your game, go ahead and buy it. You can
work with it on your carpet while the north wind howls and sleet
rattles against your windowpanes.

Another exception is a short, weighted practice club that you can
swing indoors; swinging it inside a few times a week will keep
your golf muscles toned. A weighted warm-up club is also a
valuable tool to loosen up with whenever--summer or
winter--you’re getting ready to leave for the course. It’s a good
habit to take some practice swings in your living room before you
drive to the club. And then if you have to rush to the first tee,
you’ll already be fairly loose.

During the winter, watching golf videos on TV and reading golf
magazines and books will give you some new ideas on methods to
improve your game.

If you become a little bored with your golf game toward the end
of the fall season, three or four months of Cabin Fever--when you
can hardly get outside--will be a sure-fire cure.

And don’t forget to work on your short game indoors and keep
those golf muscles toned with a weighted practice club that you
can swing indoors. That will enable you get off to a fast start
next spring with renewed hopes and high expectations for a big
breakthrough in your game.

More Infomation

January 17, 2005 15:58 - Sony Open Golf

What a finish!!

Ernie wasn't giving up his title easily was he, what a final round 62.

He wasn't at the races at the start of the day.

Full credit to VJ though he retained his composure under the pressure.

Who do you think will be top this year?

Will it be Ernie, Tiger, VJ or will we have somebody com from the pack

Post your votes

January 18, 2005 15:44 - Todays Golf Tip

The Plugged Lie

Hit a shot into a bunker shortly after a downpour and your ball
is likely to bury itself in the sand (the ball is then said to be
plugged). Only the top half of the ball may be visible above the
surface. When this happens your sole objective should be to get
the bal out of the bunker and anywhere on the green. The shot is
simply too difficult for you to worry about the position of the
flag.

Even professional players have to bite the bullet in this
situation, knowing they have little chance of controlling the
ball and getting it to stop close the hole.

Aim to come into the sand about an inch behind the ball. Drill
the clubhead deep into the sand as hard as you can. You will find
it hard to follow through because of the sand’s resistance.
That’s okay, it isn’t necessary to follow through this time. The
ball will explode out on a cushion of sand with a lot of tip
spin. So expect the ball to fun far more than it would if played
from a good lie in the bunker.

Sensei Mark Montaquila demonstrates this technique in the Shot
Saver and Trouble Shots videos.

Until next week…good golfing!

Dr Richard Myers

Golf quote of the week:

It is almost impossible to remember how tragic a place the world
is when one is playing golf.
Robert Lynd

January 18, 2005 15:48 - Golf Potpourri

By

Mac Stevenson

It’s Time to Review Your Golf Journal

Keeping a golf journal/diary has many benefits. Assuming you’ve
followed former advice and kept a journal during the past golf
season, now is the perfect time to read it and think about swing
thoughts and practice routines that worked for you last summer.

These thoughts will be fresh in your mind when you start the new
season that’s on the horizon. And--if you haven’t kept a golf
diary in the past--it’s the perfect time to start the sound
practice of keeping a golf journal throughout the golfing year.
Keeping a diary doesn’t mean you have to make an entry every day,
just when you feel you have discovered something that will be
beneficial to remember for future reference.

If you’re a serious golfer--regardless of your handicap--there’s
a simple way to improve your game.

Following the winter layoff, you undoubtedly go out and play from
memory with little thought to small details. As the new season
progresses and the weather warms, you become more serious about
your game. Problems raise their ugly heads. Perhaps you’ve been
pulling a lot of irons or pushing too many tee shots. Or you may
be hitting behind a lot of pitch shots.

When you’re having trouble with one particular shot, it’s good to
go to the driving range and try and figure out what you’re doing
wrong. And that’s when you start “thinking” golf.

Whether it’s the result of lessons from your pro or just working
by yourself, you discover a key swing thought that improves your
game. As an example, if you’re hitting behind your pitch shots,
it might help to move your hands forward at address. Or make sure
you keep most of your weight on your left foot.

Whenever you discover a swing thought that really helps on a shot
you’ve been having trouble with, enter it in a journal when you
get home; make the notation while the new thought is fresh in
your mind. You might discover the key on the driving range or
during an 18-hole round. All that’s required is a $.50 spiral
notebook--nothing fancy.

Just enter the day, month, year and a subject heading. Then write
something like this: “My drives and full- iron shots have been
inconsistent. After thinking about it, I decided to widen my
stance slightly to make it harder to sway. It helped today.”

All of us have periods of poor putting; even the pros go through
putting slumps. And you try all kinds of adjustments--grip
change, stance alteration, just about anything you think might
help until you hit on a key thought that works. Be sure and enter
that new method in your journal because it might help you a year
or so in the future, when you’re going through another putting
slump. And these mind keys are unique to your personality;
they’re not something you’re going to find in a book.

Make entries when something’s going real bad, not just when you
find a solution to a problem. That way you’ll recognize the
problem if it recurs in the future. When you discover what you’re
doing wrong, enter that too.

After you’ve made numerous entries concerning personal thoughts
about your game, it’s fun and beneficial to read through your
journal periodically. If you’ve been keeping a journal,
now--while the winter wind is howling outside--is the perfect
time to review your journal. You’ll be amazed at how often a tip
is recalled that you entered in your journal and had forgotten.

If you don’t keep a journal, the good and bad thoughts will
vanish from your memory and a valuable reference will be lost.
And best of all, it takes very little time and effort. You can
enter the most complex of thoughts that have occurred on the golf
course in just a few minutes.

You’ll be amazed at how quickly your personal swing thoughts add
up in your journal. It’s great fun to review your written
thoughts from time to time, and it will help you play better
golf.

January 19, 2005 15:14 - Who Invented The Game Of Golf ?

by: David Humphrey Well, who actually did invent the game of Golf? The question has been asked and argued for many years with no true winner. Many countries have a valid claim to an early game that resembles the game of golf. Some of the countries that make... (Read Article)

January 19, 2005 16:20 - This weeks Golf competitions

PGA
Buick Invitational
San Diego.

Last years winner winner was John Daly can he succeed where Big Ernie failed
and retain his title?

In the Champions tour we go to

Kaupuehu-Kona
Hawaii

Fuzzy Zoeller was last years winner.

January 19, 2005 16:52 - The Old Course Gets Tough

ROAD BUNKER, AND MORE, EXPANDED
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Going along with the trend to make championship golf courses
better defenders against technology, the commissioners at St.
Andrews have seen fit to rebuild 94 bunkers on that fabled
track in anticipation of the return of the Open this summer.
Among the changed bunkers is the famous "road bunker" on the
17th, which has been made three feet wider and the ground
around re-contoured so as to better gather misguided golf
balls. Also, the 12th hole has been made 35 yards longer, and
the lip of the bunker in front of the hole has been lowered to
make it invisible from the tee. Altogether, at 7,200 yards,
the course will be 185 yards longer than it was in 2000, and
at 616 yards the par-5 14th will be the longest hole in any
Open venue.
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January 20, 2005 14:25 - Todays Golf tip

Keeping Square from Start to Finish

Everybody seems to have a different idea as to how the clubface
works going back and then forward. I used to think of shutting it
on the backswing and working it from shut to open on the hitting
stroke. More recently I have discarded this idea and have been
going with a different conception—and I have been hitting the
ball much straighter than before and doing this much more easily.
The key to the approach I use now is to try to visualize, feel
and maintain my clubface so that it will be squarely parallel to
my intended line of flight at three very important stages of the
swing: halfway back, at the top, and halfway through the follow
through. For myself, it is easier to reach these positions with
the clubface squarely parallel if I think there is a wall behind
me that is parallel to the line of flight. That wall is my point
of reference. When I work with this thought in mind, I find that
my hips and my clubface close and later open at the same time.

At address you want the back of your left hand to be squarely
perpendicular to the line of flight. During the swing, you want
that other type of squareness where the clubface is squarely
parallel to the line of flight at the points I mentioned. It puts
you in wonderful positions throughout your whole swing and makes
your impact solid and sweet.

This and other tips to help you improve your swing are covered
in the Body Golf Full Swing Video.

More Infomation

January 25, 2005 13:17 - Putting is all about confidence

by

Mac Stevenson

Putting is all About Confidence

Putting is mainly confidence; however, the problem is how you can
capture and keep a much-needed feeling that you’re going to sink
it when you step over a putt. Some days it’s there and some days
it isn’t.

How can it be that during one round you putt beautifully and the
next you’re all but helpless on the greens?

Putting is one of the most inconsistent skills in all of sports;
the closest comparison is free throwing in basketball. Both
skills are mostly mental. Good putters usually putt well, but
even the smooth strokers go into short or prolonged slumps.

Pros are fairly equal from tee to green, with a few notable
exceptions like Tiger. It’s the guy or gal who putts well
throughout a tournament that brings home the bacon.

Unlike the basics--setup, grip, and swing--putting is a world
unto itself. There’s no right way or wrong way; it’s what works
for you that counts.

Your putting grip is important, but what feels good and works for
you might be a handicap for a fellow player. Consult with some
good putters and see how they place their hands on the club. It
doesn’t hurt to experiment with new methods occasionally.

The putter--as a club--is vital to your success or lack thereof.
And it doesn’t have to cost $100; some of the prices for golf
clubs have become ridiculous beyond belief.

Foremost, you need a putter that looks good to you; that sounds
silly, but if you don’t gain confidence from your putter’s
appearance, you won’t putt well with it. Clubheads on putters
come in so many diverse shapes and sizes that just selecting one
that seems right for you can be a chore in itself.

The weight is important, but only insofar as it feels right to
you; almost everyone has a different weight preference for their
putter.

Don’t hesitate to buy an inexpensive or used putter if you find
one you think might be a fit for your game. If you like
everything but the grip, you can have that changed in a golf
shop. And it’s not expensive.

When you have an old and trusted putter that has served you well
and you’re slumping, try fitting a new and different-sized grip
on it. All of these seemingly insignificant changes can give your
confidence a needed boost.

Don’t neglect your putting when you practice. But avoid becoming
obsessive about it. If you practice putting over a long period of
time, your back will begin to ache and your concentration will
wander to greener pastures.

The majority of golfers ignore two important shots while
practicing their putting:

(1) They don’t work on putting from the fringe, and that’s a shot
that most golfers use frequently on the golf course. Make sure
you devote part of your putting practice to stroking approach
putts from the fringe, both close to the actual putting surface
and--depending on the texture of the fringe--as much as eight to
ten feet off the green.

(2) A second troublesome putt that should be practiced frequently
occurs when your ball comes to rest on the putting surface
against the first cut of the fringe; that can be a daunting
problem if you haven’t encountered it. The key is hitting the top
half of the ball while stroking the putter smoothly over the top
of the fringe. If you try and chop down on this putt, it can have
disastrous results. However, having said that, sometimes chopping
down on the putt is the only way you can hit the shot if the
fringe is fairly high. You must experiment to find the method
that works best for you.

Short and focused putting practice is better than long, tiring
sessions that become boring. You can work on just about every
type of putt in a 15-20 minute practice period.

Another key to good putting is to keep a journal of thoughts that
work for you when you’re putting well. And, conversely, record
what is wrong when you’re in a slump. It might be something that
will recur--both good and bad--and if you have a journal to refer
back to, you can head off potential problems at the pass.

More Infomation

January 25, 2005 13:23 - Just sharing this with you

IF YOU DON'T READ THIS TO THE VERY END, YOU HAVE LOST A DAY IN
YOUR
LIFE.. AND WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED, DO AS I AM DOING AND SEND IT
ON FOR OTHERS TO ENJOY.

George Carlin's Views on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to
get old
is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so
excited
about aging that you think in fractions.

"How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!" You're never thirty-six
and a
half. You're four and a half, going on five!

That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump
to the
next number, or even a few ahead.

"How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey,
you're
gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life . . . you
become 21.
Even the words sound like a ceremony . . . YOU BECOME 21.
YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you
sound like
bad milk! . He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun
now,
you're Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40.

Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know
it, you
REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a
day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80s and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT
lunch;
you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime.

And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going
backwards; "I
Was JUST 92."

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become
a
little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!"

May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!
HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and
height.
Let the
doctors worry about them. That is why you pay " them " .

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts,
gardening,
whatever. Never let the brain idle. " An idle mind is the devil's
workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person
who is
with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are
alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love, Whether it's family,
pets,
keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your
refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is
unstable,
improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the
next
county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every
opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the
moments that take our breath away.

And if you don't send this to at least 8 people - who cares?
But do share this with someone. We all need to live life to its
fullest
each day

More Infomation

January 26, 2005 17:19 - This weeks golf tournaments

PGA
Bob Hope Classic
La Quinta
Last years winner was Phil Mickelson

Can he do it again?

European Tour
Caltex Masters
Singapore
Last years winner was Colin Montgomery

Can Colin put behind him what was a traumatic year ( except for his Ryder Cup performance) and get himself back up the rankings, more to the point can he win a major this year?

Champions Tour
Turtle Bay Championship
Kahuku Hawaii
Last years winner, he keeps on doing it, Hale Irwin

Last week.

Well done Tiger! is he back? he came through on the final day when it mattered.

In the champions tour hard luck Tom Watson beaten after bogeying the third extra hole but well done
Dana Quigley.

In South Africa Tim Clark won the SAA Open By 6 Shots, his victory puts him in the top 50
and hopefully a place in the Presidents Cup Team.

Happy Golfing

PS Dont forget to leave your comments.

January 27, 2005 17:24 - Todays golf tip

(GREAT UPHILL PUTT) GET IT THERE
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
There are only four ways to miss a putt: left, right, long, or
short. A good way to increase your odds by 25 percent on an
uphill putt is plan to have the ball finish one foot past the
hole if the putt is offline. Remember, most golfers leave
missed uphill putts short of the hole.

January 27, 2005 17:26 - HE CHALLENGES THE PLAYERS

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
AP sports columnist Tim Dahlberg wrote last week that the
reason the PGA Tour is losing a lot of the following it had
when Tiger Woods was top gun is mainly that the players have
taken the fun out of the game - for the fans and themselves.
He suggests you can watch a tournament and see nary a smile,
so intent are the pros on getting a big share of the big prize
package. Like the criticism the Champions Tour got not long
ago that it had no pizzazz, the PGA, says Dahlberg, is
suffering from personalities disorder. He's talking not just
about Vijay, whom he labels "robotic," but also about the
stoic Davis Love III, the non-smiling Reteif Goosen, and any
number of players you can name who, if they're enjoying
themselves, it doesn't show. What he seems to be pointing to
is a dry spell on Tour of players whom we can follow not just
because they play well, but because they intrigue us - John
Daly excepted, of course.
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January 28, 2005 13:07 - Improve your putting

If there was on word that best described how your putting stroke
should feel it would be pendulum. It should be smooth, unhurried
and accelerate through the ball.

The movement of the clubhead comes from the rocking of the
shoulders. The arms, hands and wrists should not be absolutely
rigid, as this would result in a loss of feel, but they must not
be the engine room of the stroke either. No part of the body,
other than the shoulders, arms and hands must move. There is no
shifting of the weight and your head must remain absolutely still
with your eyes trained on the back of the ball. To ensure there
is no movement in the hips and legs feel that your knees stay in
exactly the same position throughout the stroke. Above all stay
relaxed and focus on the up and down motion-rather than a
twisting motion-of the left shoulder.

Remember to keep it smooth, slowly back and slowly through.
Tempo is as important to your putting as it is for your long
game.

Keep your knees and your head still and accelerate the putterhead
through impact.

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Association

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January 28, 2005 13:10 - Golf quote of the week:

To some golfers, the greatest handicap is the ability to add
correctly. ~Author Unknown

January 30, 2005 14:06 - Caltex golf open

Monty put up a great fight but faltered on the run in, ok some of it was bad luck, especially landing in a divot on the 18th. so he finished joint 2nd. not a bad star to the year lets hope he can keep it up.

Could this be his year to win a major?

Let's not forget to congratulate the winner 22 years old Nick Dougherty, I have a feeling we will be seeing a lot more of this young man.

January 31, 2005 13:23 - Do you have a slice? this may fix it.

Interview
with Nick Bayley:

Creator of The "Draw" System

Nick Bayley is the author
of the highly successful "Draw"
System which has been used by over 5000 golfers to hit the ball further,
straighter and more consistently. And Nick was recently interviewed by The
New Zealand Golf Gazette where he shared his secrets to fixing the dreaded
golf slice.

Golf Gazette: Hi Nick,
and thanks a lot for agreeing to do this Interview. So let's get straight
into it. Why did you create a system to fix golfers slice and how long did
it take to put together?

Nick: The reason
I created The "Draw" System was because one day I was surfing
the web and I saw a statement that said "85% of golfers slice the ball."
Seeing that statement stopped me dead in my tracks and I decided right then
and there to do something to help as many golfers as I could to fix this problem.
Because being able to consistently draw the ball is easy, BUT it's
only easy if you're shown how. Like anything, if you don't know how to do
it, or have never been shown then of course it's hard or difficult.

From the point of seeing
that statement on the web it then took me 3 solid months to create and test
what I believe is the best step-by-step "How to Fix Your Slice System"
in the world.

Golf Gazette: So what
does a golfer need to do to hit consistent draws?

Nick: From all
my testing and research it has become very clear to me that all that is required
to consistently draw the ball is the following three things…

1. A golfer needs
setup for a draw, and

2. Swing from
the inside while contacting the ball with a slightly closed clubface, and

3. Have equipment
that encourages a draw.

And although it's possible
for a golfer to draw the ball with only two out of these three things being
correct, I've found that if a golfer wants to consistently draw the ball then
they must combine all three perfectly.

Golf Gazette: Clearly
you think it's so easy to fix a slice so why do so many golfers suffer from
this problem?

Nick: I believe
the main reason is because most of golfers are only ever shown a fraction
of what is needed to hit consistent draws. As I've said, a golfer needs to
setup for a draw, swing from the inside while contacting the ball with a slightly
closed clubface and have equipment that encourages a draw. And my system teaches
each of these elements in great detail.

In essence, my system
is giving golfers the complete solution rather than just tips that may or
may not help.

Golf Gazette: Apart
from the obvious advantage of hitting the ball straighter after fixing a slice
is there any other advantages?

Nick: I read some
interesting research that Golf Digest did back in 1981 to find out the difference
between a fade and a draw.

They setup a driving machine
to hit draw and fade shots and from their scientific tests they found that
on average a draw goes 17 yards further than a fade shot. And it doesn't take
a genius to work out that a slice is going to go even less distance than a
fade shot!

From the golfers who have
tried The "Draw"
System this 17-yard increase in distance is conservative, very conservative.
Because I've found that when a golfer changes from one who slices the ball
to one who draws the ball they get a huge increase in confidence. And this
huge increase in confidence combined with the change in ball flight from a
fade/slice to a draw is gaining most golfers an extra 25-30 yards more distance!

Golf Gazette: Your
system has a pretty amazing guarantee but could you explain in more detail
what exactly it is.

Nick: Sure, I guarantee
this system will fix any golfers slice in 90 days. If it doesn't then the
golfer can send it back and they'll get their money back with no questions
asked plus I'll pay them an extra $35. That's how confident I am that it works.

And through my follow
up with golfers who have tried this system I've found that it generally takes
most golfers about 30 days to consistently draw the ball.

But having said that,
the other day I received an email from a customer in Palmerston North, New
Zealand who had never, ever drawn or even hooked a ball in all his 7 years
of playing golf. And just 10 days after getting my system and following the
instructions I recommended he was drawing his shots 70% of the time. And this
helped him to win a prize for longest drive, nearest the pin and lowest gross
in the first competition he played in after receiving the system.

As you can imagine he
was pretty excited about all of this and it was a great start for my day getting
an email like that.

Golf Gazette: Do you
have any other success stories you can tell us about?

Nick: On my
website I have over 140 customer comments from golfers in over 21 different
countries. And I have more success stories and more coming in daily. But one
of the success stories I like the best is from the manager of the Two Under
Club here in New Zealand who has been playing golf for some 31 years now.
And like many golfers he has sliced the ball since starting to play this great
game. He tried my system and is now consistently drawing the ball, which he
is both amazed and delighted about.

Golf Gazette: So what
exactly do you get people to do in this system of yours?

Nick: On the first
four days of the system I teach golfers each element of the setup needed to
consistently draw the ball. Then on day five I get the golfer to combine all
these elements into one simple setup position that encourages them to draw/hook
the ball. Then for the next 14 days I give golfers drills that teach them
each stage of the swing from the take-away to the follow-through.

You see I've found that
getting golfers to do drills that force them to do a part of the swing correctly
is the quickest way to change a golfers muscle memory. Theory is all well
and good but if a golfer can't feel what they should be doing then all the
theory in the world will be of no use to them.

After completing all the
drills the golfer is then given advice on little things they can do with there
equipment to encourage a draw. Plus they are given simple tests that quickly
show if their equipment is encouraging or hurting their chances of hitting
consistent draws.

Most golfers find that
they have to do very little if anything to their equipment to help them draw
the ball. But for others their equipment will never allow them to hit consistent
draws and learning that this is the case can literally save golfers years
of frustration and heartache.

And finally on day 21
the golfer is shown a setup position that encourages a consistent, powerful
draw and given advice on what they should keep doing on a consistent basis
(drills etc.) to reinforce what they have done over the past 21 days.

Golf Gazette: It sounds
very detailed. How much are golfers meant to practice this to ensure they
fix their slice?

Nick: I recommend
that golfers spend at least 15 minutes on each daily exercise to fix their
slice after 21 days. Also 90% of everything in the system can be done at home
so there's basically no need for practice facilities other than a place to
hold and swing a club.

Golf Gazette: Are you
serious? With only 15 minutes a day for 21 days someone can fix a slice they
may have had for 30 years or longer?

Nick: Absolutely.
It's not the time so much as the sequence that a golfer learns all the steps.
It's like building a house. You don't start with the roof, but instead you
build a solid base and foundation. The same is true in the golf swing. Start
at the setup, then the swing, then the equipment. And if golfers are given
a simple plan to follow that is based on sound fundamentals, then there is
no way anyone can fail.

Golf Gazette: Sounds
great. How can golfers get more information about this new golf system?

Nick: Any golfer
who is interested in this golf system can get more information at my website:
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