Into The Rough

Respect your fellow golfers

2011-10-11T15:43:00.003+01:00

You hit a shocker, it happens- keep the toys in the pram. Do not swear, test the flight capabilities of your club or appeal loudly to mystical bodies. Your partners are trying to enjoy their day, even if you aren't. Losing your cool means losing the game.
Do not scream and do a lap of honour if you play a career shot - others may be concentrating on doing the same near by.
If your group falls more than one hole behind the group in front and there is another group behind, you must let them play through. Two-ball groups have priority on the course over all others. If you are holding them up then let them through - someone will return the favour to you one day.
If you are looking for a lost ball you have 5 minutes to find it. If there is a group behind, wave them through while you are looking rather than hold them up.
If you are holding up a group playing in an official club match or competition and you are not, you should let them through regardless of the situation in front.
If you are being held up, do not hit your ball into the group in front to speed them up, even if they deserve it. Lawyers are doing well enough these days without defending your next personal liability case.
If playing in a fourball better ball game it is usual to change the order of teeing off between you and your partner at the 10th tee.
When playing foursomes, the non-playing partner should walk ahead in anticipation of the playing partner's shot. It is meant to be a quick game so get moving!
After your round, shake hands with your partners, "Well played, Better luck next time, etc..", and doff your hat as you do so. It's what golf is all about.

Etiquette for watching golf

2011-10-06T15:42:00.002+01:00

Do not take your camera to tournaments. If your trigger finger cannot survive a day without a lens, some tournaments have cameras at the practice ground for you to take pictures of the players.
Turn your mobile phone off - you are out watching golf and nothing should interrupt something as enjoyable as that!
Do not make any noise when players are setting up to play or making a stroke.
Appreciate good play not bad play. If they yip it from two feet then sympathise rather than celebrate.
Think of the people watching behind you. Kneel down if you are at the front and keep an umbrella low if you are using one.
Wait until all the players have completed a hole before moving to the next tee to watch them hit. Tiger will still be there when you arrive.

Course Management Tips

2011-10-01T15:37:00.000+01:00

Know how far you hit each club. I can't go any further here if you don't! Go to a flat practice ground on a calm day, hit 20 balls, pace out the distance, remove the best two and the worst two and work out the average distance. If this is not possible, play a course with a yardage chart and note how far you hit the ball with each club as you play.
Play within your yardage limits. Even Tiger does not hit his Sunday best every time. Give yourself a margin for error by taking a club that you know will get you there, even if not hit 100%. It will reduce the pressure on the shot too.
Plan how you will play the hole before you play it. If the bunkers are in range from the tee, take a club that will not reach them. If the trouble is at the front of the green, take enough clubs to get you at least to the middle, even if you miss-hit it.
Leave yourself an uphill putt where possible.
Judge your own game. Everyone has off days and on days. Decide which one you are on before attempting a glorious shot. If it is an off day, leave yourself a margin for error by going for the widest part of the fairway or the middle of the green.
If you hit a ball into the rough, pick a spot on line with that point where you last saw the ball and walk directly to it. Hopefully you will find it more easily and it will also speed up your game.

Lockers - What is the point?

2011-09-28T10:15:00.001+01:00

My club has 750 members so lockers are in demand. After being on the locker waiting list for 4 years I finally got mine yesterday. I dashed down to get my key and was chuffed to find I had a ground level one, no need to lug a big bag above my shoulder. I was also pleased to see my big bag fitted snugly in.

So there I was all pleased with myself when i started thinking of the practicalities of it. When I finish a round of golf I like to clean my clubs in my own time, so the clubs would have to come home with me anyway. I also go to golf from home so I'm properly dressed when I arrive. I drive to and from the club so its easy to throw the clubs in and out of the car.

So I think my locker is a white elephant. The only time i can think of it being any use is the one day of the year where i play and then get drunk afterwards but even then a taxi would take my clubs.

Who has lockers and can anyone tell me what use I can make of mine now that I have finally got one?

No bad shots

2011-09-23T10:50:00.000+01:00

It may sound overly simple, but the key to a round is usually not in how many good shots you make, it’s how few bad shots you had. A bad shot is not only one that isn't good aesthetically, it’s bad because it didn’t help you at all, takes you from not being in trouble to suddenly being in major trouble or it throws off your whole course management game plan. You don't have to risk hitting that bad shot. Usually, there is a safer way of getting ‘ there” that avoids the unnecessary risk of a bad shot. You might have to hit some risky shots at times, but when there’s potential for bad results, choose a safer route. Don’t risk hitting bad shots when you don’t have to.

Get up and down

2011-09-18T10:49:00.000+01:00

Unless you're totally “in jail,” here’s one tip which – provided you make the putt – will allow you to get up and down. First, identify the shot you want to make – be it a chip, pitch, Texas wedge, etc – and then pick the area where you want the ball to land. The key is giving it the proper amount of room to roll. Finally, be crisp through the ball – toward the target, and be sure to strike it clean. It is much better to be positive and aggressive in your approach, than weak and tentative.

Value of the short game

2011-09-13T10:48:00.000+01:00

The following example will help illustrate where and why pros are so superior to the average golfer. Say you happen to get your new, extra-long hitting driver and with your new metal three wood you’re able to bomb two shots and carry it through the back of the green to some light rough in two. If you have a great short game, you hole out the chip for an eagle. If you have a good short game, you chip up close and sink the putt for a birdie. If you have an OK short game, you probably chip up to ten feet, take two putts and get a par. If you have a poor short game, you stub your chip, take three puts and bogey the hole. See the difference between a potential eagle, and a bogey (or maybe worse)? Right. Your short game. Always end your practice with some short game work.

Your work is done

2011-09-08T10:46:00.000+01:00

A lot of golfers have a control issue with the game of golf. They think they can influence where a ball goes after it’s been struck. You can't. Once it's been hit and is on the way, it's out of your hands. You can yell at it. You can encourage it. But in reality, your influence over the shot only exists before and during the shot. Once the ball's been struck, it will go where? Right. Where you hit it. Worrying about where it's gonna go immediately after you hit it is often what causes problems – like looking up, topping the ball, hitting it thin – during the swing. So don't worry about what you can't control. Focus on the shot at hand. Then, your work is done until the next shot.

Texas wedging

2011-09-03T10:42:00.000+01:00

You may have heard the adage “your worst putt is still better choice than your best chip.” Try testing this theory someday on the practice green. Take a half dozen of two different types of balls – be it brand, color or numbers. Choose three spots off the green – yet relatively close to the green – which mimic actual situations you might find yourself in during a round. Alternate between chips and putts from each of your various lies. The goal is to get close enough to get up and down. Then look at the results. If you aren't chipping better than you putted, you may want to seriously consider how much better you might score utilizing the Texas wedge (the putter) when you’re off the green.

The ball doesn't move

2011-08-30T10:35:00.000+01:00

Take a backswing, and then stop at the top and look down at the ball. Guess what? The ball didn't move. It's still there, exactly the same way it was before you started the swing. So why is there this great need to hurry down and hit it before you've even completed the backswing? There shouldn't be. The ball won't move. It will just stay there. You could take ten seconds to complete the swing and the ball will still be there. Make that simple concept a part of your thinking process. Relax. The ball doesn't move till you actually hit it. You can take a nice, smooth backswing and downswing, and allow the club to strike the ball at the bottom when the clubhead speed and timing is just right. Try it. The ball will be waiting for you.

Tunnel vision

2011-08-25T10:32:00.000+01:00

When you’re driving a car through a tunnel, all you can see is what's ahead, right? There is nothing to the side of you to distract you. So it should be in golf. You survey what's out there on the hole, determine the tunnel or proper target line towards the hole and then act on it. Eliminate all distractions to the sides, and set out on your path to get you to the hole. Your objective on the drive is to get from the tee box to the middle of the fairway. Your objective on the approach shot is to land it on the green, as close to the hole as is practical and possible. Miss a green, and you chip toward the hole. Hit the green, you zero in on the putt until you hole out. See your target through “tunnel” vision. Eliminate the other variables. Keep it simple, focus and execute each shot to go directly to your particular target and you will get there in fewer strokes.

Stop hitting it fat

2011-08-20T10:32:00.000+01:00

For those who iron shots fat (too much dirt/grass), there's a good chance you are doing many things right, but simply need to change ball position in accordance with your stance. Try moving the ball back in your stance – be it a quarter of an inch, a half, or even a whole inch – closer to the midpoint between your feet. You want to have the ball positioned in your stance in the spot that consistently allows you to strike it cleanly.

Staying down on short shots

2011-08-15T10:20:00.000+01:00

You can look up too early to see where your shot goes, and sometimes you can look up too late. The best method is the modern golf swing, but sometimes on shorter shots, the head needs to stay down a bit longer. Here's a drill: Practice a long putt. Make sure after hitting the ball, you have stayed down on the ball until it’s at least half-way to the hole. Do the same on chips. Stay down well after the ball is struck – looking at the spot where you've just hit the ball until the ball is at least half-way to the hole – then look up. Try the same method with lofty pitches; don't look up till the ball has landed on the ground. You’ll improve your ball striking, and reduce the chances of hitting it thin.

Be it woods or irons, keep your swing the same

2011-08-10T10:19:00.000+01:00

Many people question if they should change their swings according to which club they're using. The short answer is No - the modern golf swing should be the same with irons and woods.

First, check your ball position with the irons. Just 10 years ago, most golfers moved their ball position for each club up to 14 inches - from inside the forward heel for drivers - to inside the back foot for wedges. This "forced" us to have slightly different swings for each club.

Today's top players change their ball position only about 3 inches from driver to wedge to putter. This allows the swing to be nearly exactly the same with all clubs. The only change is the width of the stance - controlled by moving the back foot from narrower to a wider stance - based on the length of the club being used. The key is keeping your center behind the golf ball.

Picture: Two professionals: one with a driver; and one with an 8-iron. Notice how their head and center set up behind the ball? This allows them to swing the short iron and driver with the same, basic swing mechanics. The amateur shown at the right has her "head and center" already in front of the ball at address, causing a very steep angles into the ball. This results in weak contact ... usually short and right of the target.

Drills: Try placing your 9-iron in the center of your stance for 5 balls. Then move the ball position forward 2 inches and hit 5 more balls. Then move the ball forward, and hit 5 more balls. Each time, you should notice a shallower divot and crisper contact.

The Out, Up and Down blueprint

2011-08-06T10:17:00.000+01:00

Getting out of trouble, and then getting up and down to save par is something that happens more often for really good golfers than it does for the not-so-good. You are salvaging a score when it could have been a disaster. But, it is something that can be done. And, to a varying degree, getting out of trouble and salvaging bogey can be just as rewarding. To accomplish this after you’ve found yourself in trouble, you have to do three things: 1 – You have to hit a shot that gets you out of trouble. Find the fairway or a position near the green; 2 – Hit the next shot up onto the green, preferably as close to the pin as possible, but at least on the surface; and 3 – Attempt a putt to save par (or bogey) . If you hole it, you have gotten up and down. If you miss the putt because it was just too far of a putt to make, that’s OK. Out, up and down (in two) keeps the big numbers off the board.

Putting primer

2011-08-02T10:09:00.000+01:00

Try to establish a routine before each putt, and here’s a quick checklist you may want to consider. While your order of thoughts may be different, make sure you go through the same process each time. 1 – Determine the distance of your putt. For this example, let’s pick 40 feet as an example. 2 – Determine if it's straight, left-to-right, right-to-left, and to what degree. 3 – Determine whether it's level, uphill, downhill or where it flattens out if on a hill. Then, determine how firm you must hit the ball from 40 feet in order to leave yourself a ‘gimme.’ Then, aim along your chosen line, stay down and execute your shot – firm and confident. And repeat the same process the next time you putt.

Negotiating Slow Greens

2011-07-30T10:08:00.000+01:00

Sometimes – usually early during a round – it will dawn on you that the greens you are playing on are S-L-O-W, slow. Putts are coming up way short, even if you strike them firmly. You may then want to consider the “Five feet past” rule. Since your normal putting stroke has been leaving you five feet short all day, hit those long lag putts firm enough to go about five feet past. The drag on those slow, uncut greens will slow the ball down right around the hole.

Know the course

2011-07-25T10:04:00.000+01:00

If you’re playing a course for the first time – or even if you've played it before, but never stopped to notice – stop to take a look at the topographical layout of the land. Find out where the high point and the low point of the course is located. Chances are practically all putts will want to break toward that low point on the course … even the ones that look straight or like they're going in the opposite direction. Additionally, most putts will break downhill from the high point of the golf course – even the ones with an optical illusion that makes them look like they're going the other way. For other areas within the course, pay attention to holes near lakes and sides of hills. Most contours will cause shots to break away from hills and toward lakes. When in doubt on a putt, hit it straight. But on a course where you know the high point-low point, when in doubt, trust gravity.

Try the five-star plan

2011-07-20T10:05:00.000+01:00

Next time you're on a practice putting green, try this drill: Pick a hole that's got some slope and some break. Then get out five balls and place them all about three feet from the hole, as if they were the points of a star. This will give you every type of putt you'll encounter – left-to-right, right-to-left, uphill, downhill. Once you can make all five, move back to four feet and so on until you believe you can make everything.

A walk in the park

2011-07-15T10:03:00.000+01:00

Ever watch the pro golfers on TV and how they walk? If so, you’ll notice they are fluid, balanced and in rhythm. Why? It's because they’re trying to go through the whole round in balance. They don't want a herky-jerky walk, which may cause a herky-jerky swing. Their swing pace begins with their walking pace. Nobody is laboring or trudging as they walk. A point could be made that each golfer is setting up their shot hundreds of yards down the fairway as they establish a graceful rhythm with a graceful walking pace, and maintain that pace right through their shots. Then they walk calmly to the next hole, and do it again. Smooth walking pace. Smooth shots. Something to think about.

You can't miss

2011-07-10T10:02:00.000+01:00

If you strike a putt the proper speed – and it’s aimed at the center of the hole – it's going to go in. Period. It sounds simple, because it is. A firmly hit downhill 3-footer that might go 10 feet past the hole if missed, won’t. Why? Because it hit center cup. Putting is not that complicated. Determine the line and aim accordingly. Then hit the putt with the correct speed, and if it’s aimed properly, it'll go in. Do this often enough and you'll be a great putter.

Best chipping day ever

2011-07-06T16:24:00.000+01:00

Have you ever broken down the best day you ever had driving the ball? Or putting it? Chipping it? Try it some time. Think about what factors were present those days to cause those to be the best chipping/putting/irons days you ever had. Identify them. You'll probably find similar thoughts were there during all of these ‘best’ days. You were relaxed that day. You tried to swing it with more rhythm that day. You concentrated on staying down and through your shots more that day. Once you realize what you need to think to hit your best shots, focus on thinking those thoughts during the next round you play. It’s not coincidence you had those good days, so find out what caused it and make it part of your routine. Every day could be your ‘best’ day.

Gripping the putter

2011-07-01T16:21:00.000+01:00

Everyone has differing methods to grip the putter. But how hard should you be gripping it? Many teaching pros advise to grip it as softly, mildly and easily as is humanly possible, while still allowing you to be able to control it. Though you have to hold it firm enough to not be collapsing at impact, the softer you grip it throughout the stroke, the less likely you will put that extra push on the ball at impact and send it flying eight feet past every time. Be firm enough to accelerate through the ball at impact, but grip softly at the same time. Do this, and you’ll master that thing called ‘putting touch.’

Chipping over obstacles

2011-06-27T16:14:00.000+01:00

Whenever possible, make your chipping practice into sessions that translate into something you can use on the golf course. Try plopping pitch shots over the practice bunker as a drill to get you used to concentrating on making good contact and helping to remove the fear of obstacles. If you have a pool at home – even a small, plastic one – try hitting over the water and landing shots just beyond the water's edge to get used to pressure shots over lakes. The goal is to get a stroke you can trust on the course when the going gets tough.

Parallel universe

2011-06-23T16:11:00.000+01:00

One of the reasons a shot ends up going crooked is because your body alignment – where your body is actually aiming – and the projected target line through the ball – where you think you are aiming – are not going in the same direction. Since your swing path tends to follow the body's alignment, alignment is incredibly important. Body alignment consists of not only your feet and shoulders, but also your hips and knees. All four should periodically be checked to see if they are all aiming where you think they’re aiming. A club lined up against all four areas should be pointing at the target. Further, a line from behind the ball, through the ball and to where you are aiming should also be at the target. These two lines should be parallel to each other, like a railroad track. Make sure your alignment is “on track” from you to the target, and you’ll hit straighter shots to that target.

Become a machine

2011-06-18T16:08:00.000+01:00

If you've ever watched a touring pro hit about fifty straight, perfectly struck, bombed drives, you would feel like you were watching a machine. And in a sense, you are watching a machine. The great golfer has refined his swing to be machine-like in its efficiency. The machine-like pro has incorporated such things as near-perfect swing planes and near-perfect launch angles with perfectly-timed swings that produce optimum clubhead speeds and ball flights. Great swing fundamentals can be learned from good teaching pros. Learn them. Then, start to think like that machine-like pro. Become a machine. Just plug yourself in to the concept of you, the golfer, becoming a swinging machine, and allow the “machine” to hit your shots through your body.

Learn about golf watching baseball

2011-06-12T16:02:00.000+01:00

Watch a good baseball player taking batting practice some time and you’ll see an excellent example of great lower body weight transfer. All that power stored in the right leg striding over onto the left leg (for right-handers), clearing out the way for the upper body's arm and shoulder muscles to control a swing that culminates with solid contact through the ball and into a follow through. The baseball player's footwork and stride into the ball is the foundation of their swing. Similarly, the golfer's lower body weight transfer onto the left leg serves as the golfer's foundation. Learn from baseball and get more power from your legs for your golf game.

Formula for power

2011-06-03T16:00:00.000+01:00

Take two golfers – Golfer A and Golfer B. Golfer A hits the ball way past everyone else off the tee, even though he hits somewhat behind the ball. Golfer B practically guides the swing, catches it reasonably clean, but leaves it short. Golfer A hit longer because he or she was coming through the ball with such tremendous clubhead speed that they powered the ball out past everyone – even though they had less than perfect contact. Golfer B was trying so hard to pick the ball clean, he or she dissipated their clubhead speed before impact. Swing under control, but swing with authority to hit it longer.

Gaining feel when chipping

2011-05-25T15:57:00.001+01:00

Not all chips are the same. Some hit and roll more than you want them to. Others bite and stop faster than you want. The key is the amount and type of spin you put on each shot. The best way of controlling spin is hitting either near the toe or the heel of the club. If you chip out on the toe with a slightly open blade, you will impart backspin and the ball will stop quicker. Conversely, if you hit with the more closed blade – or hit the shot nearer to the heel of the club – the ball will release and roll further. Practice chips on or near the toe with varying degrees of open blade, and after some experimentation you’ll find a shot you can hit with consistency and control.

Reason to believe

2011-05-20T15:55:00.000+01:00

For every shot that you take, your mind has to have a reason to believe you are going to pull it off. Of course, your mind knows you will tap in one-foot putts, but it has doubts about left-to-right six footers. You know you can hit drives, iron shots, chip shots under wide open, pressure-free conditions, but does your mind think it can handle shots with out of bounds, lakes and trees lurking nearby? That's why practicing to hit shots under various forms of external pressure is so important. You need to satisfy your mind you can pull off a successful outcome on these shots. Make this the goal of some of your practice sessions. Give your mind a reason to believe. Once the mind has been won over, the body will be able to pull most anything off.

Set-up position for arms

2011-05-15T15:55:00.001+01:00

One thing nearly all good golfers have in common is a set-up that allows them to be in position to hit consistently good shots all the time. If you look at pictures of pro golfers head on at address, one area of the set-up you will always see (besides good posture) is a tight triangle formed by the two hands on the grip, up through the arms to the shoulders and across the chest. For a right handed golfer to have this tight triangle at address, he would have the tip of his left elbow pointing at his left front pocket, while at the same time, he'll have the tip of his right elbow pointing at his right front pocket. The exact point on each pocket you point at may vary, but all good golfers set up this way. Look at a picture of a pro at address, stand in front of a mirror and mimic the stance, and you can set up like a pro, too.

Target practice on the green

2011-05-10T15:54:00.000+01:00

When hitting shots to the green, think like you’re throwing darts. A great shot would be the bullseye. Each concentric circle further out would be one degree removed from that perfect shot you were aiming for. However, the bullseye center of your target is not always the flagstick. Using a tightly tucked pin as the target could result in your slightly off-centered hit ending up in the bunker, or on the short, wrong side of a green. Instead, think of your concentric-circled target as being located where the greatest percentage of shots that hit the target also end up staying on the green. Usually this is somewhere near the center of the green, and usually, the pin is included within your target. If not, be sure to choose your targets wisely, get into less trouble and hit more greens in regulation.

DON'T FORGET THE EARS

2011-05-05T15:51:00.000+01:00

This is not really a golf tip, but it's a good health tip. When you are putting on sunscreen, and EVERYONE should be doing that, don't forget to put some on your ears. Most people think about face, neck, arms, etc. and forget that ultra sun-sensitive ear area. Skin cancer happens there. Cover your ears!!

A big (and obvious) tip

2011-04-30T15:48:00.001+01:00

I'm a 19 handicapper whose card normally consisted of 3-4 pars and 4-5 horror holes. I shouldn't be a 19 handicapper but there's been something fundamentally wrong in my swing which I couldn't put my finger on since I've started to play golf seriously about 18 months ago.

Last week, whilst on a golf tour, I found the missing link. My hands have been too far away from my body. My hands are now tighter to my body and I'm like a different golfer. Since this 'Eureka' moment, I have shot +16, +16, +18 and, last night, +14. I still had a double and a treble last night, but that was just down to one poor shot on each hole. To have 16 of my holes no worse than a bogey is a big improvement to the card.

As I see it, with the hands closer to the body, there is a lot less to go wrong and it's a lot easier to get a consistent feeling. With the tighter hand position, I feel the angle of the back swing makes you less able to wrap the club around your body and produce a hook (which was my common area of failure). I genuinely feel like a half-decent golfer now.

The main reason I'm sharing this is that there may be someone out there who, like me, believe that they are only missing one fundamental aspect of consistent ball striking. Two months ago, a Pro told me that if someone told him I was a 3-handicapper after seeing my swing, he wouldn't doubt it, so I knew I wasn't far away from having a good swing. I really believe that the answer to a lot of 19-24 handicappers problems is the position of the hands.

I suspect this is obvious to a lot of people but, sometimes, the obvious still needs stating. If this helps only one person, I'll be delighted.

USE ENOUGH CLUB

2011-04-25T15:48:00.000+01:00

Use enough club to not only get on the green, but to get to the pin on every shot possible. Not just on approach irons, but you should try to pitch, chip, and lag putt long enough to reach the hole as often as possible, with the idea being to never leave it short. Why not get it closer as soon as possible?

LATE AFTERNOON COURTESY

2011-04-20T15:47:00.000+01:00

If you are ever playing during the late afternoon, and it's getting closer to dark by the minute, and you know there are groups playing behind you, would it be too much to consider the notion of PLAYING FASTER! Don't be so totally absorbed in YOUR OWN SCENARIO to disregard other living, breathing, thinking human beings who ALSO want to get their rounds in before dark and go home and get dinner BEFORE THE STORES ALL CLOSE. When you have a chance to, be considerate of your fellow golfers, cause, someday, YOU will be the one behind "those jerks taking forever."

HOW HIGH TO TEE

2011-04-16T15:30:00.002+01:00

The answer is, you should tee it to YOUR perfect height every time. Why ever do it any differently that YOUR optimum height to hit a great shot. Experiment. Where will YOUR usual swing smack the belly of the ball on the sweet spot most consistently? Tee it there. (Usually 3/4" to 1" off the gound with the driver, but your results may vary.)

The 7th at St Andrews.

2011-04-06T15:28:00.006+01:00

Just finishing reading the Scott Gummer/David Kidd book on the building of the Castle course at St Andrews.

It is an enlightening and funny book that gives outsiders a facinating insight to the trials and tribulations of building a new course.

Having read the book I now want to play the course.
Any lucky readers played it?

WATCH TERRAIN AS YOU APPROACH

2011-04-03T15:26:00.000+01:00

After you've struck your approach shot and are walking or driving up to the green, stop talking with your partner and start observing what's between you and the hole for your next shot. Say you're gonna have a long chip or pitch shot. Is the course sloping to the left or to the right? Uphill or downhill? How much green do you have to work with? All this info should allow you to make a good choice for your next shot before you even get there to line it up.

BUMP AND RUN

2011-03-27T15:24:00.001+01:00

When a tight pin near the fringe or rough around the green makes a floppy wedge shot a risk to either get caught in the rough, or land and release too far, sometimes the best shot to play is a bump and run. Choke down on the apprapriate 6, 7, or 8 iron, chip it crisply into the "bump" of the fringe or rough, which should kill enough of the momentum to slow it down, but be enough momentum to "run" it the rest of the way to die at the hole. You have to practice it, but you'll probably need it at least twice every round.

GOLFING KARMA

2011-03-23T15:23:00.000Z

The next time you hit a drive down the middle of the fairway and end up in a divot, or, the next time you hit a shot onto the green and are left behind an unrepaired ball mark, think about where you are in terms of golfing karma. Some golfers do NOT bother to fix their ballmarks or replace their divots. If you are one of them, then you deserve every bad lie and break you get. If you are a "good" golfer, and still get "unlucky," then, every chance you get, remind every golfer you play with, to FIX THEIR DAMAGE ON THE COURSE. Bad course conditions are the sum total of all who neglect their courses. And remember that, some day, good karma will reward those who deserve it.

VISUALIZE YOUR SHOTS

2011-03-17T15:22:00.000Z

Try to visualize everything about your shot BEFORE you even approach the ball. Think about your stance, your posture, your rhythm, good contact thoughts, good follow through - and even visualize the ball landing at your target. Then, once you've got a good, positive image, step up to the ball and try to achieve your result by doing in reality what you just envisioned.

Swing A Baseball Bat

2011-03-12T15:18:00.000Z

Ever want to strengthen the muscles that help you hit a golf ball farther? Get a 34 oz. or so baseball bat and take 50 or so swings a day. Loosen up and stretch first so you don't hurt anything. Then, swing that bat through the hitting zone with all the Sammy Sosa-like power you can muster. This is an excellent exercise for strengthening your wrists and forearms and will make the club seem light in your hands. CAUTION -- this is for healthy-backed people. Do not try this or anything that might cause you injury if you are prone to back pain.

GETTING THAT RHYTHM

2011-03-07T15:17:00.000Z

Next time before you golf, try playing your favorite soft, soothing music as THE LAST THING YOU HEAR before going out on the course. Ideally, the right kind of music, be it classical, jazz, or even something more contemporary, can provide you with both bodily relaxation and a melodic mantra that might help soothe your mind and help promote a good tempo and rhythm during your swing. Play something that will almost guarantee that you will have THAT SONG stuck in your head all day. You'll be amazed at how the right kind of music will help your golf game.

PUTT ALONG WALLS

2011-03-03T15:10:00.001Z

If you have a carpeted hallway that stretches along a solid wall, use that as a practice putting area. Place the ball as close to the wall as possible, (about 2 to 3 inches) and try to hit some straight putts that travel parallel to the wall. If your stroke causes pushes or pulls, the wall will tell you where you're going wrong. Practice hitting your putts straight and parallel to the wall and watch how easy it is to transfer that out onto real greens on real golf courses.

PLAY LIKE NO TOMORROW

2011-02-28T15:09:00.001Z

Ever wondered what it would be like playing a round of golf KNOWING it would be your last round ever - KNOWING that each shot struck would be the last shot you'd ever play? You would treasure each shot, savoring the experience, seeing and feeling things through a whole new sensory perspective. It would be very special, wouldn't it? Well, EVERY round can be that special if you choose to experience it with the right attitude.

TURN SLICES INTO FADES

2011-02-24T15:09:00.001Z

Do you know the difference between a bad ball striker and a good ball striker? A bad golfer slices uncontrollably, while a good golfer fades it with control. Bad slices can turn into okay fades with adjustments to alignment, grip, swing path, and clubface position as it relates to target line. Get a lesson from a pro and tell him or her to show you how to turn that 30 yard slice into a controlled five yard fade. It's a very easy adjustment if you'll just listen and follow instruction.

Don't Steal Golf Balls

2011-02-18T15:07:00.000Z

If you're on a golf course, and come upon a ball that you know is not yours, do NOT pick it up unless you KNOW FOR AN ABSOLUTE FACT that it's NOT someone else's ball that's in play. If you're on the fairway on one hole, and there's golfers coming up the fairway of the adjacent hole, it's PROBABLY THEIR BALL! And if you DO accidentally pick up someone else's ball and they later ask you if you picked up THEIR ball, apologize and give them their ball back. Accidents do happen. But don't lie and deny it. There's NO room for that in golf. When in doubt, leave the ball there.

Your Feet

2011-02-14T15:06:00.000Z

Your feet are the only thing touching the ground during a golf swing. How they stay in contact with the ground is the key to your balance, to power, to consistency, to just about everything. Your feet supports your weight transfer during both backswing and downswing. They support your entire body throughout the "hitting the ball" process. They keep you on balance. If certain tendencies to try to clobber the ball overwhelms the fundamental relationship your feet have to the ground to support your body during the swing, you are doomed to failure. Don't swing any harder that what your feet can support.

IF THE GLOVE DOESN'T FIT

2011-02-09T15:04:00.006Z

If you play with a golf glove on your lead hand like most people, DON'T allow it to be an adverse factor. Gloves get old, wear out, and start to get so worn out or moist on humid days, they hinder your ability to grip the club. Each shot is important, and should have such a good grip on the club you don't have to think about it. If the glove doesn't fit, you must... get a new one.

Get up and down

2011-02-04T15:02:00.001Z

PITCHING AT TARGETS

2011-01-30T15:01:00.003Z

Many golfers are selecting the wrong targets when they hit pitch shots. They either think "get it over the trap" (and anywhere on the green), or they simply lob it all the way to the pin on the fly, which often then sends it too long and sometimes even off the back of the green. Try selecting a target area that allows for the ball landing AND ROLLING so you can END UP next to the pin. Think THAT AREA, sometimes ten to thirty feet SHORT of the pin as where you want the pitch to land. You'll make adjustments as to how much roll you'll get on uphill, downhill, sidehill, soft, moist or firm greens, but narrowing your focus to "landing the pitch to the optimum area that will get you close" will help your golf score.

Freedom From Back Pain?

2011-01-25T15:00:00.001Z

This is only anecdotal and SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS MEDICAL ADVICE, because only a doctor does that. But I have found a great assist in my lifelong battle with a bad back. By utilizing one of those hanging upside-down, anti-gravity inversion rack devices, my back has gotten much, much better. The device, which lets you shift yourself from upright to upside down, allows your body weight to pull you down, while your ankles hold you up, which creates a natural traction effect on the area that needs it. It has pulled some of the pressure off of my bulging disk such that a round of golf can be played now that is relatively pain free. Again, ASK YOUR DOCTOR OR CHIROPRACTOR about "hanging upside down." Tell them you've heard of one person who said it helped.

Each Shot Is A Challenge

2011-01-19T14:59:00.001Z

Every shot you take is a challenge in and of itself. Sure, a one foot gimme putt isn't MUCH of a challenge, but most everything else IS. Will the drive be long enough, or in the fairway? How much will the wind affect the next shot? Do I go for the safe part of the green, or attack the pin? Or lay up short of the bunkers? How much will the ball run once it hits the ground, so do I chip it, or pitch it? How will the slope effect the roll? How firm to putt it uphill? Or how easy to hit it downhill? EVERY SHOT has it's own, unique challenge. Once you are done with one, CONCENTRATE on the next.

Eighty-nine

2011-01-16T14:58:00.000Z

Not a score. An age. After having just played a round of golf with an 89-year-old women, I can say it's probably possible to play this game longer than any other sport. It certainly puts a lot of things into perspective about your own game, seeing someone who's out there, just happy to be playing. Golf reduced to it's basics -- Hit it, find it, hit it again, etc. The longest distance she could hit it? About 89 yards. And yet she got on in two, took two putts for a bogey four on a tough, heavily trapped 171 yd. par three. Some things transcend your own round of golf.

Putt Out Two-Footers

2011-01-11T14:57:00.002Z

As we have seen by the many misses on the pro golf tour, a two-foot putt is NOT a gimmie, even for pros. Even though it's "inside the leather," two feet is a distance that CAN BE MISSED. Why do people give themselves putts that they capable of missing two or three out of every ten tries? To some people, a two footer with some break is a difficult, knee knocking test of golf. I can see, for the sake of speedier golf, a policy of "gimmies" for putts INSIDE of one foot in non-tournament situations, but I think two feet and out is definitely too far to be given. Bottom line - ANYTHING that's far enough to miss should be putted out.

A Bunker Mentality

2011-01-06T14:54:00.003Z

If you are really bad out of sand traps, the kind of person who shoots huge numbers on holes (because you can't get out) when they're in them, then think about this possibility. Try chipping out sideways, or backwards (where there are no lips) to get out of the trap on the first try. If you aim it correctly, and execute it half way decently, you shouldn't have to contend with that bunker anymore, with only a chip or pitch to the green remaining. A good chip and a putt will get you the same result as if you hit a pretty good bunker shot and two putted. Play away from weaknesses and toward your strengths.

Discovering the secret of your swing

2011-01-02T16:27:00.005Z

I went to the range last night and managed to get a bay with a mirror for once. Just loosening up and realised that at the top of my back-swing the club-head was aiming about 15 degrees left of the target line. Possibly explains why I have been blocking so many shots left all summer.

So I adjusted my swing accordingly which as a consequence led to my right shoulder staying closer to my body and then proceeded to hit glorious shot after glorious shot.

Now Im under no illusions that this will translate onto the golf course in any way, we have all been there before. But it sure feels good at the time.

But my question is has anyone ever had this kind of eureka moment which has actually been exactly that and led to a massive improvement in their game, or maybe just led them to understanding their swing better?

Personally I think the main reason I was hitting it so well is because I'm off to Scotland on a four day golf trip tomorrow and felt totally loose and relaxed. Which would lead to my second question, how can you take your range head (and what I feel I've learned) to the course, I'm not great at doing that - always way too tense for the first few holes.

Is golf an expensive game?

2010-12-29T16:33:00.004Z

How much have you spent over the last twelve months on our glorious game?

It's been an unusual year for me as I got back into it properly and bought a whole set of clubs so I have spent approx £600 on clubs, currently paying £65 pm on membership and will probably spend £60pm on drinks and a bite after the game. then of course there are days playing in societies and the like at other courses.

Golf balls? I'm guessing in the region of £200 for the year.

Total estimate for the last twelve months - £2,500. Ouch!

Chipping out of thick rough

2010-12-22T16:12:00.003Z

Q. My issue is I am struggling with short chips especially out of thick rough; any tips would be much appreciated.

A. First thing is to realise that there is almost no chance of getting this to grip. So don't try.

Depending on how thick and tangly the rough is there are a few shots to try. Picking the club up steeply like Gael says is a good option.

But try this. Hit the ball fat. What will happen is that the ball will pop up more softly than if you try to hit it clean and run on landing.

Will take lots of practice but it allows you to take some of the power off the shot whilst still hitting it hard enough to get through the grass. And often the problem with these shots is being too delicate to get through the thick rough and as a result the ball stays in there.

Keeping warm in winter

2010-12-17T16:24:00.002Z

Now we're into the cold weather of winter,. what little tips do you guys have for keeping warm?

My personal favourite is a flask of tomato soup spiced up with a bit of chilli powder.

Hip flasks are another obvious one, what do you have in yours? I'm partial to a little nip of port.

PUTTING THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE

2010-12-09T14:50:00.002Z

Hopefully, the events of Sept. 11, 2001 have put the importance of golf into the proper perspective. Yeah, you may miss a chip or putt that costs you that chance of breaking 70, 80, 90, or even a 100, but the reality is that, in the great scheme of things, your score is not as important as you once thought it was. YOU are alive and able to play. Other people can never play again. When things get tough, appreciate the fact that you're able to be out there golfing. Enjoy life's good times and rise up to its challenges. You should still care a lot. Still try to do your best. But the fact is -- life is real, golf is JUST a game.

Think down to make it go up

2010-12-05T14:47:00.001Z

To pitch the ball up and over a menacing sand trap 20 or so yards away, you need to understand the concept of swinging DOWN on the ball. To do this, use a wedge on the driving range. Swing down on the shot with soft hands, catching the ball first on a descending blow. If you're not catching some turf AFTER YOU'VE HIT THE BALL, preferably creating some form of divot, then you are probably not swinging down on it enough. Keep your head DOWN until you have watched yourself swing THROUGH the ball, finishing with at least as much follow through as backswing. This will get the ball up and over any obstacle. The rest is gaining touch through practice.

Rest your hands at the practice range

2010-12-01T14:44:00.000Z

All too often at the driving range, you hit so many shots in such a short time that you end up hitting it lousy due to excessive grip pressure. Take a few seconds in between shots, shake some of the tension out, and have a routine that keeps a death grip from sabotaging your practice sessions. Each practice shot should have a reason for being struck, should have its own value in the scheme of things, and should be hit with the proper grip pressure.

Don't Play Fool's Golf

2010-11-27T14:42:00.001Z

The golfer that hits shots that flirt with unnecessary course obstacles like water hazards, OB stakes, groves of trees, WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE TO, is a fool. It is the golfer that rues woefully at the 19th hole bar that "they would have shot a good score" but for that quadruple bogey on the 9th hole (where they flirted with disater and lost) that CHOSE to go with driver on a lay-up hole. Or CHOSE to go at a pin right next to a water hazard and plunked two into the drink. Bad scores come from bad decisions just as much as from bad play. Don't make foolish decisions, and you'll have a lot less "what could have beens."

THINK DISTANCE ON LAG PUTTS

2010-11-23T13:32:00.001Z

For a 40 foot putt that you'll want to get down in two, you need to execute a putting stroke that will make the ball go somewhere between 38 and 42 feet. The key to two-putting is where you leave the first putt, so you have to figure the break, aim, set-up, and while striking the ball, think about DISTANCE, DISTANCE, DISTANCE. The closer you get, the better that second putt looks.

Charity golf day let downs

2010-11-17T22:04:00.002Z

Was first out in a charity event in Dartmouth a few years back. Normal format - teams of 4 two scores to count. After 9 holes the wind got up and it started to lash with rain , we played on as the greens were still playable only to discover when we finished that everyone else had walked in.

As we showered and changed we laughed about the wimps that had walked off the course and talked proudly of our 82 points achieved in such conditions. After the meal we sat back ready for our moment of glory when it was announced that all those that walked in would be awarded level par ( 4 points) for every hole they failed to complete. As it turned out we missed out on third place on count back so didn't even get a prize. If we had left the course after 9 holes we would have won by 3 points.

Have any of you played in an event run by non golfers with no concept of the rules?

Golfers you hate or dislike

2010-11-14T16:08:00.001Z

1. Stewart Cink - This annoying 'bald' man cannot be forgiven for denying Tom Watson Or Lee Westwood a Major Championship. He must be the most dislikeable man in golf.

2. Jim Furyk - Another annoying 'bald' man, Jim is surely one of the most annoying golfers of all time, the 5 steps back before he putts out routine is ridiculous. Who can stand Jim Furyk?

3. Dustin Johnson, yeah do he can hit the ball miles, but he must be one of the most boring men in golf, lets hope he cannot win the USPGA.

4. Monty. A moody and unfaithful man, who blames everything except himself for his failings; a trait which i despise. Has underachieved for years by not winning a major.

5. Sergio Garcia. Over-rated golfer with a temper, whose popularity is based solely on one major performance (his duel with Tiger) and his Ryder cup performances. Tinkers way too much with his swing, shows he does not have the mentality to win big.

BLUE TEES

2010-11-07T13:26:00.002Z

No, this isn't about playing the back tees versus the middle tees. It's a superstitious piece of advice I once got from a since-departed golfing buddy - "Never use a blue tee on a water hole." He bet me I'd put it in the water using a blue tee. I did. Then he bet me I'd clear the water using a white tee. I did. I lost two bets, but learned one lesson. Don't use a blue tee on a water hole.

WHEN TO LAY UP

2010-11-03T13:25:00.001Z

If you're smart, you'll lay up whenever distance isn't critical, and your normal drive puts you at risk of hitting into a hazard or getting into trouble. Strategically, you should lay up when the reward does not justify the risk. and you should lay up and use whatever club it takes to get you to your "favorite" distance.

"CLUB - FOOT" CONNECTION

2010-10-30T13:21:00.003+01:00

Soccer style kickers in football sometimes have the same trouble with hooking field goal attempts as golfers do with hooking tee shots. And it's the same principle. A hook is caused by having some degree of a closed club face at impact relative to the target line (the same way a kicker's foot is closed at impact relative to the goal posts). A golfer can change their grip and or alignment and or swing path to ever so slightly lessen the degree to which their clubface is closed at impact. Erratic kickers either make similar adjustments, or get sent packing. Think about making such adjustments.

Practice out of divots

2010-10-27T13:19:00.000+01:00

When practicing at a driving range that has real grass and turf, you should practice a few iron shots out of your divots. Why? Because there are divots on courses. Golf is a game with many imperfect lies on the course, and you might need a confidence boost to know you can pull off a shot from a bad lie. Also, hitting iron shots out of divots requires a downward blow, not an upward scoop. It's good practice to work on the fundamental of hitting down on irons. Finally, you will have more confidence on good lie shots, because, you will have already proven you can hit from bad ones. It always happens. Big match. Key hole. You hit a perfect drive, yet end up in a divot. Now, instead of panicking, you'll do well. You'll have practiced it.

Grip easy in traps

2010-10-23T13:15:00.001+01:00

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when hitting from a sand trap is to grip the club too tight and lose your control over where you want to strike the sand to get the ball out. Watch a professional golfer in a trap. Often times, you’ll see a very smooth, graceful swing approximately one to two inches behind the ball and a smooth follow through – not a violent smash at it. In order to be in control of that swing, you can't grip the club so tight you lose that finesse. It’s not a power shot. Grip the sand wedge as easily and as smoothly as you would on a twenty or so yard pitch shot. Take it easy. Grip it easy. Smoothness. Control. Successful shot.

Make your own breaks

2010-10-20T13:14:00.000+01:00

A lot of golfers complain that they never get any breaks. That it's always the other guy that gets the breaks. Well, to get breaks to go your way, you've got to be in the right place, at the right time. And to be in that right place, you've got to be smart enough and bold enough to hit your shots there. For a miracle shot to go in, you've got to take enough club for it to have a chance to go in. If it's a left-to-right fifty foot putt, make sure you start it to the left and hit it at least fifty feet. Same with chips and pitches. Use enough club to get you far enough to have a chance for a break to happen. Be smart enough to determine where the right place is, take enough club, be bold enough to hit it there and “make your own breaks.”

A putting tip

2010-10-17T13:01:00.006+01:00

Here's a mindset to think about next time you're putting. Make sure the hole gets in the way of the line through which you are putting. In other words, always make sure the line you choose is a railroad track-like path that includes going through the center of the cup. Visualize the line. Then, when striking the ball, it needs to be assertive – a shot that has a definite intention of traveling along a specific line. Don't putt defensively at the ball; putt through the ball. And if your line is right, the hole will ‘get in the way’ of your ball.

Is Rory McIlroy overrated?

2010-10-14T15:31:00.000+01:00

There is no doubt that Rory McIlroy will be a very good player for years to come, but I have to say there seems to be a lot of hype around this young player. My question is "has he done enough to justify this hype since 2007"?.... sure his career is littered with top 10 finishes and 2 wins but when you compare his record to a genuine sensation like Martin Kaymer and his 8 wins including 1 major the hype begins to look over blown.

I remember when Rory first came out on tour and Chubby would say things like: next world number one is Rory McIlroy or Rory will dominate the game for years to come. He may well dominate the game for years to come but at the moment he looks more Sergio Garcia than Tiger Woods and to put that level of expectation on a player so young is unfair in the extreme, particularly from quarters that are supposed to protect the young man.

It could be said that last weekends Alfred Dunhill Links Tournament was the perfect example of what it takes to be world number one... you had several different approaches and I think they each tell a story.

1) Lee Westwood - apparently chasing down the No.1 spot contended all week until his calf was clearly failing however it was his attitude that impressed me. He was just out there getting it done. He knew that in any field he had a chance that weekend to go out and be world number 1. Despite a no doubt deserved celebration following a fantastic performance in the Ryder Cup.

2) Martin Kaymer - Never going into a tournament thinking anything other than win... taking to the course 3 days after the Ryder Cup and winning with ease. Pure class. Astonishing performance and a clear indication of his undoubted mental strength to go with the immense talent.

3) Tiger Woods - Work in progress swing, lots of work to do at home on the range and despite the closing europeans on his No.1 position, like a fine michelin starred chef, he wont send his talent out until it is ready or unless he feels he can win. Heads home to do some work.

4) Rory McIlroy - happy to tell the watching sky viewers that he has enjoyed the celebrations, was unable to get up for a practice round following the deserved celebrations and finished outside the top 50. That is the attitude of a young man not the future world No.1.

My point being that at the moment Rory is a huge bag of potential, he is young and enjoying the trappings of a multi millionaire, he has endless comparisons to Tiger Woods and carries a weight of expectation around with him. This is my problem, unfortunately sky commentators seem prepared to blow this tiger comparison up as much as possible "he is better than tiger woods was at the same age" is a familiar chime.... he is not... not close.... at the same age Tiger had won everything there was to win in the amateur game several times over, won 2 times from 8 starts including 5 consecutive top 5 finishes in his rookie year as a 20 year old, and to top it off within one year of turning pro and at the age of 21 he had won the Masters at a canter before going on to win a further 4 times. Going to a tournament after the Ryder Cup and several heavy nights celebrating would never enter Tigers mind, he simply would not be there unless he could prepare properly and compete for the win. that is what sets a great champion apart from a champion.

Tiger Woods is and was unique, Rory cannot now emulate his record in terms of chronology but he can and will set his own records, but there are currently better young players plying their trade in the professional ranks. Don't get me wrong he is fantastic a real genuine major winner elect with a swing that is seriously good looking.

I for one hope that the hype surrounding him will be fulfilled but is it justified or fair?

FIND YOUR BEST APPROACH DISTANCE

2010-10-14T12:59:00.001+01:00

Everyone should find a distance into the green - something between about 50 and 120 yards - and get great at that distance. If your ideal distance is, say, a 90 yard pitching wedge, get so good from 90 yards out that you know you can put it on every time. Then, every time you have to lay up, play it to your ideal distance - and your score will drop.

Keep your tempo during winter

2010-10-13T15:20:00.000+01:00

During the winter months, when you cannot play or practice very often, you can still do some exercises to maintain good timing and swing tempo. This exercise is called a tempo-check. All that you have to do is count to seven while you are swinging. Begin counting, at a comfortable pace, at the start of your swing. By the time you reach the finish of your swing, you should have reached ‘seven’ in your counting. Repeat this exercise and you will have improved swing tempo when you return to the golf course.

Martink Kaymer is Something Special

2010-10-10T21:06:00.000+01:00

After watching Martin Kaymer now win three consecutive tournaments (4 including the Ryder Cup), I begin to wonder just how long it will be before he gets to the top of the rankings. He played unbelievably well again today and just makes things look so easy. He also has the great mental strength to cope under pressure hence the nickname ' ice man ' . The commentary team today also believe that he will win many, many majors and will stay at world number 1 for a very long time.

I just wanted to create this post to see what all you huge golf fans think of Martin and what he will achieve and his potential. Because many people today seem to be talking of Westwood and only him. Perhaps rightly so as he deserves to be no1, but Martin Kaymer for me is a very special player. One that others are going to have a very hard time stopping.

THAT LAST PRACTICE SHOT

2010-10-10T12:59:00.000+01:00

One of the biggest mistakes a golfer can make is to end a practice session with a bad "last shot," and not do anything about it. A bad tee shot, or missed four foot putt as your last practice shot leaves you with negativity and doubt during your round, when you need all the positive thoughts you can. Use a favorite club if necessary, but take the time to do whatever it takes to have a good, successful "last shot," even if it means making a one foot putt to make sure you leave on some kind of positive note.

Will Faldo's innovation be carried on?

2010-10-07T16:02:00.000+01:00

It was interesting to see among the many celebrations after a wonderful Ryder cup triumph that many people, players, pundits and fans alike, could not resist having a pop at Faldo and his captaincy at Valhalla. Whatever the rights and wrongs of this criticism, it was disappointing that Monty could not acknowledge the one innovation Faldo made (I am fairly sure no one has done it before,) and which served Monty in two ways.

The innovation I am talking of was to invite a promising newcomer who had not quite made the team to "observe" the procedeedings and gain experience for the next one. This helped Monty in that the recipient of Faldo's invitation, Martin Kaymer, who was much better prepared for this year's competition (he has acknowledged this) and it also paved the way for him to invite Rhys Davies to Celtic Manor. It was sad that amongst the criticsm of Faldo Monty could not praise a good idea, which he had borrowed.

Moving on to Chicago I can see very few rookies in the European team, with the possible exception of Rhys. If you look at the World Rankings you will see that the top sixteen Europeans have all played in the Ryder Cup, so competition next time round will be even more fierce, especially if people like Garcia, Wilson and
Stenson rediscover their form.

My prediction therefore for the Faldo invitation (as I hope it will now be named) is definitely Matteo Manassero. I doubt whether he will be ready for his debut in two years, (although you never know), and to take him as an observer would be a perfect preparation for Gleneagles and future appearances in the States.

Got any nominations?

TAKE YOUR MEDICINE

2010-10-07T12:53:00.000+01:00

When you get IN trouble, get OUT of trouble, as soon as, and as efficiently as possible. High scores on holes don't come from being on fairways and greens. They come from being in lakes, traps, trees, and rough. Don't try for high risk miracles and ruin your whole round. Take your medicine, get back into play and turn that potential disease of a high score into a mere hiccup of a bogey.

What Next for Colin Montgomerie?

2010-10-05T12:49:00.001+01:00

Colin Montgomerie has made a good decision by standing down as European Ryder Cup captain. Drama like this year comes infrequently and he knows how much grief he would have got for his selections if his team had gained just 1/2 a point less - the margins between genius and clod were narrow and, as he has said, outside his hands once play started (there is a case for saying that a Captain really proves his mettle in a close contest, others say that it was only close because of some of his errors - in truth we don't know). Whatever the truth, Monty in the States in 2012 as a media focus who can't escape by playing might have been an accident waiting to happen. The US team have shown that they 'get' the Ryder Cup and they will be a tougher proposition over there on and off the course, I'm sure.

Maybe he will be able to eke out another year of decent play on tour with all that palava behind him - he was pretty good as recently as 2006 and he should be a whole lot calmer now. Barring an absoulte miracle it's pretty clear that he had his last two chances at a Major in 2005-2006 and he's reconciled to going without now - after the ups and downs of his (successful but lopsided) career it must be a nice feeling that he's got nothing more to prove in Golf. You kind of feel that the whole of the last 10 or so years of his career, when it began to look as though he would most likely not get that elusive Major, was building up to this moment.

It will be interesting to see if he goes and plays on the Seniors Tour (only 3 years away) where he might well pick up a few Seniors Majors - I'd like that.

I still find him a slightly ridiculous (if entertaining) figure, but it's only fair to reflect that he's done extremely well this cup, he's worked very hard - it's clear that from his side the arrangements have been excellent and made the players feel relaxed and happy and part of a team who want to go out and play for each other (and him). It's impressive that his players speak so highly of him - although a win tends to rose-tint most things.

What next for Montgomerie then - he may have a bit of a repair job to do with his 2nd Marriage after whatever it was that caused him to get a 'super injunction', but away from that he lives for golf and I hope that we see him involved publicly in some capacity (as opposed to less visibly on the corporate circuit and with golf design). Maybe as a commentator in time - he's far from unintelligent, he's articulate, he thinks about what's going on and and he expresses himself forcefully and clearly without collapsing in to cliche-speak. Now that he is properly away from the arena of needing to prove himself on or off the course, he may be able to be more relaxed without any axe to grind or grudge to avoid.

Even those who are not big fans of him like myself need to acknowledge his achievements in the game and that the Golfing world would be a more dreary place without him being visible in some capacity or other.

When Golf Leads By Example

2010-10-05T10:43:00.002+01:00

I was there yesterday watching the closing day of this great competition called the Ryder Cup and have to say that for sheer sportsmanship and dramatic entertainment it takes some beating.

Well done Europe and well done Monty the captain. Well played the USA who fought like demons to ratain the Cup. But special thanks to all those that make this one of the most special competitions in the sporting calendar.

Brilliant special stuff and truly one of the greatest sporting spectacles in the world.

Hats off to Stewart Cink

2010-10-05T10:41:00.000+01:00

For those that haven't seen the US Ryder Cup team interview, take a look at a true gentleman.... Stewart Cink.

BBC

US Ryder Cup teams are often accused of not having the team spirit and cameraderie that is all too apparent in nearly every European team. However, I was surprised that none of Hunter Mahan's fellow team mates spoke up during his interview when he was so obviously distraught after losing his match.

The fact that Cink spoke up afterwards, in defence of Mahan, shows the measure of the man. Despite being an ardent European fan, I have the utmost respect for Cink as a golfer, and now even more so as a man. It is such displays of integrity that makes golf stand out from all other sports played professionally, and serves to re-inforce my love of both playing and watching the game.

Stewart Cink, I salute you.

Soft Grip on Putts

2010-10-03T12:52:00.001+01:00

If you're not gripping your putts softly, you'll never have any feel. Watch a pro sometimes and you'll see a putting grip that is held as softly as possible. That's firm enough to control the stroke, but hands on the club should feel soft, soft soft. By gripping it softly, you allow yourself to actually stroke through the ball firmly, thus allowing it to stay on a good line for the first few feet, and have enough touch on it to be dying at approximately the right spot at or around the hole. Think "Grip softly and putt firmly through the ball" and you'll find your distance control improving.

Fix Your Ball Marks

2010-09-30T12:51:00.000+01:00

More and more I'm seeing these pock marks on greens from ball-marks that weren't fixed. And I'm hearing people bitching and complaining that the greens weren't very good. That's because you, you and you, who didn't bother to repair your ball marks, caused it! Fix the damage YOUR BALL caused to that green!! And while you're there, fix one more. If everyone got in that habit, we'd have better greens.

STEEP, DOWNHILL LAG PUTTING STRATEGY

2010-09-29T12:24:00.000+01:00

When you have a steep downhill lag putt that looks like it will roll off the back of the green, think about leaving the putt about three feet short of the hole, as the natural tendency is to hit it long. Not five to ten feet short, but three feet short, as you want it to be tap in distance in case it DOES stop short. But if it's a STEEP lag, it should trickle at least those last three feet and die right about the hole.

Reasons why I'm leaning towards U.S.A

2010-09-28T18:32:00.002+01:00

With the start of the Ryder Cup fast approaching, my confidence is not as high as it once was.

Forget the argument over picking Harrington over Casey. As Monty says, Harrington is a 3 time major champion and this can be judged at the end of the weekend.

My main concerns are as follows:

firstly, i do not see any leaders within the European team.

People say this is the strongest ever team but i do not agree. There are no leaders on the course such as Faldo, Garcia, Seve, Langer and Monty himself.

The two most experienced players are Harrington and Westwood, one of which is focussed on getting his own game in some sort of order, the other is just returning fromn injury.

Then there are the Molinari brothers. I am a huge fan of theres, however when was the last time two rookies were paired together and won? There is a massive difference in pressure to the ryder cup to the world pairs which they won and it will be interesting to see how they cope.

Should they lose there opening pairs match convincingly then i believe this will give Monty a massive headache. Does he split them up or give the brothers a second chance?

Then there is Tiger Woods. Tiger has had more than enough time to get his game back in order and he will be determined to prove that Pavin was right to give him a wildcard.

This will be closer than what some people think.

HIT SHORT PUTTS FIRMLY

2010-09-28T18:30:00.000+01:00

The cardinal sin of all golf is to leave an easy 5 to 6 putt short of the hole. That 2 inch tap in now counts the same as your 250 yard drive. Do yourself a favor and practice, practice, practice a short putting stroke that will consistently be firm enough to ALWAYS reach the cup.

PUTTING FOR QUARTERS

2010-09-27T12:23:00.002+01:00

Sometime before a round, on the practice green try putting against a friend for money, say a quarter a hole. Nothing during a round will be as difficult as the crucible of having already faced pressure putts against your playing patner. Making a tough five-footer? Having to lay a long putt from distance? If you've already practiced it - you can have the feeling of "been there, done that."

Laura Davies Does It Again

2010-09-20T10:00:00.000+01:00

Laura Davies wins Open de España Femenino

One of Britain’s all-time greatest golfers Laura Davies shot a final round of level par 71 to win the Open de España Femenino and claim her 76th career title at Flamingos Golf in Benahavís on the Costa del Sol.

This is Laura's fourth title this season on the LET (Ladies European Tour) winning in Austria, Germany and New Zealand. With todays win it also means that Laura Davies moves from 3rd to 1st in the LET’s 2010 Henderson Money List. Davies has finished 1st on the Henderson Money List on seven occasions (1985, 1986, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2004 and 2006) and going for an eighth.

Davies is also positioned 1st in the standing for the European Solheim Cup team. Davies is the only player to have played in every Solheim Cup match from 1990 to 2009.

In 2004 Davies was the first woman to compete in the men's European Tour, entering the ANZ Championship in Sydney, Australia. She failed to make the cut, finishing second to last.

Laura Davies is arguably the greatest English female golfer of all time and one of the best in the world. Now age 46 Davies is playing some of the best golf of her career and shows no sign of stopping.

The Ryder Cup Should Have Category A Status

2010-09-20T09:56:00.000+01:00

The Ryder Cup trophy

I cannot understand why the Ryder Cup is not afforded 'Category A' status in the ITC Code on Sports and Other Listed Events.

The Ryder Cup currently has only 'Category B' status, which means it can be shown by a pay TV channel, provided that highlights are available on free-to-air channels.

Surely, it should rank alongside the FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games, the FA Cup Final, the Grand National, etc and live coverage on terrestrial TV be mandatory.

Project X 6.0 Flighted Shaft

2010-09-17T19:18:00.000+01:00

The rifle 6.0 shafts are comparable in flex to somewhere between s300 and x100 on the Dynamic gold scale. When compared to a 5.5 (which is generally rated as around s300ish) it's obviously a firmer shaft.

The difference in flighted and non-flighted is purely the launch angle that they generate through the set. The shorter irons give a lower launch for accuracy/flight control and the longer irons a much higher launch for distance in the air.

They suit a powerful/aggressive swing rather than a smooth one at the rating that they have and are a fairly heavy shaft.

In terms of hitting down/sweeping... I would say that a hitter would get more from these than a sweeper.

Personally I don't like the Project X. I think it feels very harsh at impact compared to the standard rifle I use.

On top of that a lot of people think they 'feel' stiffer than a regular rifle. But that's very personal.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

2010-09-17T13:56:00.000+01:00

Things that I remember in my golfing lifetime.....

1.62" balls

The first metal drivers

Seve's fist pumping on the 18th at St Andrews

Torrance with his arms aloft after holing the winning putt in the Ryder Cup at the Belfry in 1985

Diamond pattern Pringle jumpers

Leather gloves that lasted about 3 weeks.

Par 4's over 400 yards were considered long!

Waterproofs that weren't!!

Wound golf balls that made a lovely 'click' when you hit them

Wound leather grips that needed washing often

2 woods (brassies)

Tiny headed wooden drivers with plastic face inserts

Brown Rubber Spiked Dunlop Golf shoes with kilties on them

Sets of clubs with pro's names on them (Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player)

Dunlop Warwick Golf Balls in red wrappers for 4/6 (22 and half pence)

Annual Subs of £3

Have you got any more to add?

Donald ‘saviour of classics’ Trump

2010-09-17T12:40:00.000+01:00

Donald Trump posing with golf club

As much as I dislike all aspects of Donald Trump's project in Aberdeenshire his desire to hold an open championship does pose an interesting question.

For me it is centred around how much I value pro golf and how important pandering to pro golf is over maintaining the game for the everyday player. My first reaction to his desire to hold the open at his new Aberdeenshire course was ‘the man's a fruit loop, the open should never leave the classic venues’.

My second thought was why should a second rate course get the honour of holding the open above classics like St Georges and TOC. However if you think about it, the current pro game is so far removed from the roots of golf, is this really an issue?

I am not sure if this idea holds but I am starting to think that the future of the open should be at venues like Trump's, Castle Stuart or Dundonald. Changing the 17th at TOC certainly strengthens the argument for me. I have a fear that in the coming years as the ball gets more an more out of control the classic courses on the open rota may be altered to the detriment of 99% of the people who play them, i.e. the average golfer, for the benefit of the pro’s coming to town every 10 years.

I see using these new courses as a preservation technique to make sure the work’s of Harry Colt, Old Tom, JH Taylor, Hawtree, Fowler and Mackenzie remain intact for generations to come. This of course ignores the fact that future generations may not benefit from some of the rarest dunesland in the world. But hey, what’s more important golf or the environment?

If pro golf needs a goofy course like winged foot to have a tight finish topped with more than a smidgen of farce I propose Trump's dunes as the perfect golfing super bowl venue.

PGA Tour: Taking A Week Off

2010-09-16T20:55:00.003+01:00

Tiger Woods: driven to drink

The Tour, not me.

The PGA Tour concedes this weekend's television viewing to Football, NFL and College varieties, and we have to wait until next weekend for the Tour Championship at Atlanta's East Lake GC.
And then, when the Atlanta dust has settled and $10M has been won, not to mention the $295K minimum bounty that goes to each of the 30 combatants, we'll be back for the final five events of the season, the Fall Series and lots to play for.

Although next week's field are secure with their "playing privileges" for 2011, there are a number of well known golfers striving to reach the magic top 125 on the money list. Assuming this year's threshold to be about $800K, the following are among those who still have money to make:
Duval, Imada, Curtis, Baddeley, Sutherland, Baird, Austin, Stenson and Stroud are currently inside the top 125.
And these are on the outside looking in:
McCarron, Byrd, Weir, RS Johnson, Quinney, Quigley, Goggin, MacKenzie, DiMarco, Pampling, Jeev Milkha Singh, Owen and Chopra. Oh, and Daly of course.

The first Fall Series event, the same weekend as the Ryder Cup, is the Viking Classic in Mississippi, to be followed intermittently by stops in Georgia, Las Vegas (Martin Laird's title defence), California and Orlando.
But some of these players have been sharpening their games on the Nationwide Tour, Daly and Chopra, MacKenzie and Mallinger, Stroud, Goggin and Quinney, while others are using the Nationwide as a rehab stop prior to returning to Tour business. Rich Beem for one. And Carl Paulson for another.

You don't remember Paulson? Only six years ago he was a Tour regular, the 54-hole leader of The Players. But back injuries have kept him off Tour for more than five years now. He has a Major Medical Exemption for 2010 which will doubtless be carried over to 2011, but it's become a different game in his absence and we'll watch his progress with interest and best wishes.

Some other thoughts on recent events:

*Those disparaging the validity of a World Ranking system based on 2 years' results that still has Tiger Woods at #1 will have been interested to see Vera Zvonareva climb from 8 to 4 on the one-year WTA Rankings following her defeat in the US Open Tennis final. Meanwhile, winner Kim Clijsters slipped from 3 to 5.

*Paul Casey's case for inclusion in Montgomerie's Ryder Cup Team has earned a lot of ink. Given that support of the European Tour was clearly a factor in the Team "picks", it is worth noting the number of 2010 "European Tour" qualifying events played by some golfers:
Casey and McIlroy: 12
Donald and Poulter: 11
Harrington: 9
Rose: 6

*There will be continuing arguments about qualifying for the European Team, but there is surely a case for remembering that some European Tour golfers who have seldom played in the States have played pivotal roles in earlier European wins.
Mike Cowan was caddying for Fred Couples when Christy O'Connor Jnr laced his 2-iron 200 yards to the Belfry's 18th in 1989: "One of the most phenomenal shots in the history of the game," said Fluff, whose man Fred flared a 9-iron wide of the green.
Rafferty, James and Canizares were among others to win that day, and the recent list of successful Euro-only players is well known.

Is it possible that the esprit de corps, so famously a part of European victories of the past, is less a force when the contestants are playing against those they play with week in, week out on Tour? The Presidents Cup effect??
Regardless, it will be interesting to measure the relative successes of the Molinaris, Fisher and Hanson in Wales.

Past year's Nationwide Tour events have featured European golfers enjoying success, Richard Johnson leading money-winner just three years ago, the same year Martin Laird "graduated". Gronberg and Bjornstadt earned Tour cards on the back of Nationwide success last year, but few Europeans have competed this year, Jonas Blixt and Gary Christian the only full-timers and neither close to their card at present.

But you know that the stars of tomorrow's PGA Tour will mostly come from the Nationwide, and Chris Kirk, Kevin Chappell and Jamie Lovemark are certain to be Tour regulars next year, likely all making quite a splash.
As is Tommy Two Gloves Gainey, third in money won and who would bet against him following in the footsteps of Boo Weekley a few years ago? Both earned their cards perhaps before they were ready, went back to the Nationwide to consolidate their earlier success and, in Boo's case the rest is history. Gainey's coming to a tournament near you. Or at least me.

Dream partners? Nightmare opponent?

2010-09-16T15:49:00.000+01:00

Of this year's Ryder Cup teams (including all the potential candidates for US wildcards);

a) Who would you most like to partner in foursomes and fourballs?

b) Who would you least like to be playing against?

I think Luke Donald is an ideal foursomes partner and Rory McIlroy for fourballs.

I'd hate to be up against Steve Stricker - he's super consistent, but yet even if you beat him it somehow doesn't quite have the kudos of beating Woods, Mickelson or Furyk.

Camilo Villegas - A future major champion?

2010-09-14T16:17:00.000+01:00

Watched the USPGA with interest last week and the man I followed most closely was Camilo Villegas as he is my favourite golfer and I had a few euros on him... This guy played really good golf all week and only for a few silly mistakes would have won this tournament! He really rallied on day 4 and had he to par 9 and 10 of his final round he would have found himself in a playoff... Ifs and buts I know but still it was a really good performance from him!

Anyway what I am wanting to know is do you think Camilo will win a major? I think next year he will definately challenge in at least one of the majors and I will be very surprised if he does not win a major in the next couple of years...
Thoughts?

Chipping With Your 3-Wood

2010-09-14T16:09:00.001+01:00

A 3-wood is an option for chipping.

It's played the same as the bladed wedge but has the advantage of being a club with a wide sole so it skids better through the rough.

Lastly, a shot that Michael Campbell showed me is to get the ball way outside your right foot.

Keeping the left shoulder low, make a short chop-swing at the ball with your most lofted club.

The ball will skid out and then actually check on its way to the hole.

A great shot from a tall collar, but it needs practice.