2007 Intro Newsletter

Happy 2007 to you and yours!

This year's Thumbs Down Method newsletter has changed quite a bit from last year's. They're more frequent, so expect to receive 3 or 4 each month throughout the year. Each issue will include a recap of the recent Pro Tour events with my comments and opinions, golf related topics of interest, plus ball striking tips from ME. To be removed from the list please email me at info@thumbsdown.info

Many of you who receive this newsletter are customers of the Front Nine edition of Thumbs Down, the virtual golf lesson. I'm pleased to report that a lot of progress has been made in completing the re-construction of The Back Nine edition, which provides step by step ball striking drills in a graphical format that let's each picture tell thestory. The images were designed to easily understand, remember and replay in your mind, so you can give yourself a Virtual Golf Lesson anytime, anywhere. The Back Nine is positioned as a HOW TO guide and training aid you can practice with, then legally use on the course as you play.

A short Sneak Preview is now available (holes 10-13), which I'd like to personally share with you on request FREE. If you'd like to receive an electronic copy please email info@thumbsdown.info. For those of you in the US, I'd also like to introduce a new technology product, which I use to electronically deliver the book using the Internet and discuss will you one-on-one in real-time. Soon this technology will include a video component and made available to teaching pros for giving live lessons remotely.

Now, I NEED YOUR HELP. On February 1st I will be attending a Golf Channel audition for an upcoming show on new golf inventions. My presentation will describe how I developed (invented) the Thumbs Down method to cure my slice, by squaring the club at impact and how it improved my ball striking and ball flight to hit a draw.

If you've used the Thumbs Down method and have experienced positive results I would appreciate a few encouraging words as a testimonial (I won't name names), which will be included in my presentation. Please email info@thumbsdown.info with your comments and results. Thank you, Alan.

The Mercedes-Benz Championship
KAPALUA, Hawaii
Jan 4-7

The new era in golf began with many of us scratching our heads, wondering why Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson decided to skip the season-opening and Fed Ex Cup ribbon cutting tournament. I don't know about you but ever since The Western Open, one of golf's oldest and most respected venues changed it's name to The Cialis Western Open, golf lost some of it's shine. In an era when athletes are a far cry from the roll models of yesteryear, golf was in my eyes squeaky clean. Ever since the re-naming a few years ago I've noticed Tiger and Phil acting bigger than the game, playing whenever they wanted. As an example, what's up with Phil missing the World Series of Golf, which features the winners of all 4 majors. As winner of the 2006 Masters, Phil was the lefty that was supposed to play, not Mike Weir. I really don't care anymore who wins many of these tournaments, but players have always had an obligation to play in certain events and always did, until recent years when they make millions even if they don't win a tournament. It's a sign of the times in sports I guess.

Coming off his least productive season in five years, the old version of Vijay Singh showed up and delivered a strong statement that he's still around. Singh closed with a 3-under 70 for a two-shot victory over Adam Scott. This is Singh's 30th PGA TOUR win and with that he reached three milestones. He became the 17th player with 30 or more wins in PGA TOUR history. The title was also his 18th since turning 40. That broke the tour record for victories over 40, previously held by Sam Snead. Finally, the $1,100,000 winners check pushed Singh over the $50 million mark in career earnings on the PGA TOUR. He is just the second player to break that plateau, joining Tiger Woods, who has over $65 million in career earnings. Will MacKenzie was by far the crowd favorite all week. He contended for the lead until falling behind Adam Scott, who finished second. Trevor Immelman was alone in third at 9-under-par 283. Davis Love III, the 1993 winner, fired a five-under 68 to share fourth at minus-8. He was joined there by J.B. Holmes (72) and Mackenzie (72). Luke Donald took seventh place at 7-under-par 285 after his third straight 71. Former PGA champion David Toms closed with the best round of the day, a 6- under 67, to end in a tie for eighth at minus-6. He ended alongside K.J. Choi and J.J. Henry. Stuart Appleby, who won this event the last three years, shared 13th as he closed with three straight rounds under par.

Sony Open in Hawaii
HONOLULU
Hawaii
Jan 11-14

With ALL of the buzz, ALL of the talk and most of all, ALL the hype about Michele Wie's attempt to finally qualify on the PGA Tour , another Hawaiian fenom Tadd Fujikawa stole the spotlight. Never mind who won the tournament, these two teenagers received a large majority of the media's attention all week. Wie left very little doubt that this wasn't her week when she shot herself out of contention early. An opening round of 78 was followed by a 76 to miss the cut by 14 shots. In the past, the media would have interviewed her into submission, asking about her lack of success trying the make the cut vs the men and how much did her wrist injury affect her play. I for one am glad that we weren't subjected to that. Instead, Michelle virtually disappeared from the TV stage, replaced by Tadd Fujikawa as he played the Back Nine during his second round. At 5 foot 1 and just turning sixteen years old earlier in the week Fujikawa closed in on history right before my eyes. I began watching him on The Golf Channel starting on the 15th hole at 1 under par, with the cut line at even par. After a bogey, he ended the round with a dramatic eagle on the 18th hole for a 66, finishing at 4 under par. Fujikawa became the youngest player in 50 years to make the cut on the PGA TOUR. I for one think it's time for Michelle Wie to forget about competing against the men and focus her efforts on regularly playing the LPGA Tour and winning against her peers, women pros. Those girls can play! What do you think? Email me your comments at info@thumbsdown.info

Oh bye the way, Paul Goydos staged a rally with three birdies in the final four holes to win the tournament. It was his first victory in 11 years after passing third-round leader Charles Howell III, who looked like the eventual winner with a 2 stroke lead with three holes to play. Instead, it was a crushing defeat for Howell who hasn't won since 2002. He tied with Luke Donald for second, a stroke back. During his post tournament interview with Jerry Foltz of The Golf Channel Goydos answered the question about whether he thought he would win again on the PGA TOUR by saying in a very laid back tone "I like to win at least once every decade". Golf

Thumbs Down Golf Tip:
The Truth Be Told

AJ Bonar sold millions of videos called "AJ Reveals The Truth About Golf" on The Golf Channel over the past few years. In the October issue of Golf Magazine, Bonar was featured and established himself as a maverick teacher by accusing teaching pros of teaching incorrectly to their students. With too much focus and attention on swing planes, too many teaching pros and instructors overlook the importance of controlling the clubface using the hands, wrists and forearms. I agree with AJ and wrote this quote for the 11th holeon The Back Nine edition. "All great ball strikers use their hands and wrists for hidden power, whether they choose to admit it or not".