This past week as the Masters ushered in the official beginning of the major golf season and spring in my part of the world, all eyes were on Tiger Woods. As I’m starting to put the finishing touches on this article it’s 1:20 PM on Sunday April 11th, forty minutes before the final round TV coverage begins. Even though Lee Westwood leads by a shot over Phil Mickelson, who lit up the course on Saturday with two straight eagles and under a foot from a third, the talk and all eyes are on Tiger who’s in a tie for third. Since I finished this article after the conclusion of the tournament, now it’s appropriate to say, all eyes are on Phil Mickelson. Congratulations! You deserve to be this year’s champion.
As a follow-up to my last article “Copy a Pro”, I’ve provided these three one minute swing sequences to highlight what the best player in the game actually does. They feature what I believe is the portion you (and me) as recreational players need to copy. In the first one you’ll probably watch in awe as I did how perfect everything is. I highly suggest you just appreciate the first ¾ of Tiger’s swing and don’t feel discouraged if you can’t copy it. Instead, focus in on the portion of his downswing when his hands reach around waist height (the impact zone) and continue towards the ball into impact. Watch as the wrists begin to unhinge, then see how the hands rotate onto the ball at impact, then continue rotating beyond impact into his follow-through. Pay close attention during the first foot after he makes contact with the ball how his energy moves on a line toward the target. This is the portion of the swing where all the best players look almost identical. It’s the most important split second of the golf swing; the portion of a pro’s swing we need to copy and execute like they do. As we know, prior to the impact zone every player does it differently. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C80TQtE203Y&feature=related
On the second video you won’t clearly see Tiger’s hand movement. As you watch the ball compressing in super slow motion, pay attention to the club’s position and how it squares. Also, see how the toe returns to its original starting position, then turns slightly past square as it continues toward the target. This microscopic view shows the club getting into the ideal hitting position. It reveals where to focus as the top priority in order to hit longer, more accurate shots, more often. Fortunately, thanks to Thumbs Down The Power Move, mastering this is easier than you ever imagined.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3tazW9h7do&feature=related
The third video from behind reveals the next elements to copy in a pro’s swing they all do the same, for increased distance and improved alignment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp1BvVQbUTQ&feature=related. The first obvious one is how they all accelerate and hit down on the ball. Next, look at his setup position and especially his hands. See how the arms drop straight down on a line with the front of his shoes and how close to his body his hands are and stay during the entire swing. This puts you closer to the ball than most recreational players are used to, which helps in two ways:
1. Increases power, by keeping the arms and upper body connected as one piece
2. Improves alignment, by swinging along your body line
As Tiger takes the club back see how the left shoulder comes straight back to his chin. Pause the video there and draw a line straight down to the ground. Watch during the downswing into impact how the right shoulder returns to that line and continues toward his chin again as he follows through to the target. This is the simple secret for improved alignment and more accurate shots that I learned after watching dozens of these slow motion sequences on TV from behind. At regular speed it looks like the best players bring the club straight back, then straight forward, never leaving the target line. The beauty is that the shoulders and lower body turns as recommended, but everything stays on the line to the target.
One afternoon in 2004 in my backyard I tried this while hitting balls into a practice net. In the process of striking the ball online to my target as perfectly as I can, I created a training aid that I’ve used ever since. What makes it unique from other training aids is that it’s virtual, which means you can practice with it, then bring to the course and use as you play, legally under the rules of golf. It provides a virtual swing guide and it’s included in the back nine section of my book, as part of the Pro edition. I’ll be happy to explain it in detail and teach this to you as part of a virtual lesson that comes with the Pro edition of Thumbs Down, Golf Instruction Made Simple. To order visit www.golfinstructionmadesimple.com/Products/Products.htm
In sharp contrast I’ve included this video swing sequence from an expert, which describes in detail Tiger’s alignment problem http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1OJElUMOrw. It explains how he often looks perplexed when his drives go off into the right rough. Technically, it measures a 267% increase in his front spine angle between address and impact, which opens his clubface, pushing the ball to the right. It shows how this problem can be avoided simply by changing the downswing sequence and maintaining a constant spine angle. Oddly enough as I watched his exit interview with Peter Kostis, Tiger sounded equally angry about all the pulled shots left during his final round at the Masters.
Once again my thanks to the creator of this video for its quality and detailed information. Tips like this only re-enforce my simple messages for recreational golfers like you and me, that a pretty swing don’t mean a thing and that if the club isn’t square, the ball can go anywhere. My direct comment is, “GIVE ME A BREAK”. It’s one thing for us observers to think of Tiger Woods as a machine, but this video literally compares him to a machine, which he’s not. Personally, I believe what we saw during the weekend at the Masters was the rust that developed in Tiger’s game after five months of layoff. Let’s not forget that Augusta National is one of the most difficult golf courses in the world. Although I expect his public image to take another beating because of his newest Nike commercial, there’s no doubt that his golf game is still golden.
After watching the video and watching Tiger struggle at the Masters I wonder if the spine angle recommendation that would fix his pulls is the same that fixes the pushes. Either way, it’s anything but Simplicity at Last. In my opinion this is way too technical and would cause a high percentage of negative results if applied by most recreational golfers. What do you think? I’d welcome your feedback.
Lastly, although I glanced over the importance of hitting down on the ball, it’s a vital part of the golf swing you need to master. The expert on this subject is Clive Scarff and his Hit Down Dammit products, which include DVD's, videos and eBook with simple drills and lessons. All are focused on the importance of hitting down on the golf ball, a fundamental "must do" for better ball striking, practiced by all great players. To learn more and receive a discount if you order visit http://www.string-thing.com/thumbs_down.htm
April 13, 2010
March 13, 2010
Tiger's Tale
If you’re a golf and/or sports fan the odds are high that you either watched, read or heard about the 13 ½ minute press statement given by Tiger Woods on Friday February 19. In probably the most anticipated, highest rated TV news coverage since the OJ Simpson verdict some fifteen years ago, Tiger finally appeared in front of a worldwide TV audience.
Did he wait too long to come forward? Did he reveal enough detail? Rather than ask all the other million “did he” questions I’m coming out of my own self induced silence to tell my story and give my own 2 cents on what I saw and some of what I think. For starters, I believe Tiger put himself in a no win situation, at least from an announcement perspective. Also, from an article I read in January, Tiger lied about what didn’t happen on Thanksgiving night, when he said his wife Elin didn’t hit him.
Before I watched the speech, I had already pre-named the title of this article ‘Lip Service”, because I expected it to be nothing but a bunch of doubletalk he needed to say to pacify everyone. Tiger stood nervously in front of his mother and a worldwide audience hungry to learn the details of his infidelity and when he would return to the world of competitive golf on the PGA Tour. What they got was neither.
Instead, he delivered an emotional and carefully selected collection of words that told us things we never heard from him before. He revealed that for 45 days from the end of December to early February, he was in inpatient therapy receiving guidance for the issues he now faces. With lots of conviction, Tiger appeared to be sincerely sorry as he apologized to his family, friends, fans, and business partners about his irresponsible and selfish behavior.
He pointed out that his real apology to his wife Elin will not come in the form of words; it will come from his behavior over time. As Tiger looked directly into the camera he told the media that although the couple has a lot to discuss, what we say to each other will remain between the two of them. He explained that he has a lot to atone for and there is one issue he really wanted to discuss. Then he made an error, that might end up becoming his eventual public downfall when he delivered this statement; “some people have speculated that Elin somehow hurt or attacked me on Thanksgiving night. It angers me that people would fabricate a story like that. Elin never hit me that night or any other night. There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage, ever.”
I want to be clear when I say that I really don’t care about Tiger’s personal life and that what happened between him and his wife has nothing to do with the enjoyment I get from watching him play golf. But, his comment completely contradicts an article that appeared on January 6, 2010 by Pat Burns the former NHL coach and Florida police officer. After Tiger crashed his SUV into a tree in late-November, Burns reached out to his local police buddies to get the inside scoop on what really went down that night. According to Burns, Tiger was knocked in the face with a golf club by his wife and was left with a deep cut on his cheek. Apparently, he went to watch television ... then suddenly, bang! A nine-iron in the face!
As he left the house running without shoes, Elin followed him with the club. After he drove off in his Escalade she broke two or three windows. That's why he hit the tree. She took him by ambulance to a hospital in Orlando where she called his agent, who suggested that they meet. Once there, the doctors said he needed plastic surgery to repair broken teeth, but only one institution could do it, in Phoenix Arizona. They flew to Phoenix for emergency dental and plastic surgery, making him unavailable to local police after the news broke. This explains Tiger’s absence when the police wanted to meet him the following days.
During his speech, Tiger became very self-critical, revealing how he stopped living by the core values that he was taught to believe in. He knew his actions were wrong, but convinced himself that normal rules didn't apply to him. He never thought about who he was hurting, instead thought only about himself. He ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by and thought he could get away with whatever he wanted to. Tiger went on to say that he had worked hard his entire life and was entitled to enjoy all the temptations around me. As the rock band Queen wrote in their song “We are the Champions”, thanks to fame and fortune and everything that goes with it, he didn't have to go far to find his temptation.
Tiger admitted he was wrong. He was foolish and that he doesn't get to play by different rules. “The same boundaries that apply to everyone apply to me. I brought this shame on myself. I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife's family, my friends, my foundation, and kids all around the world who admired me. After a lot of time to think about what I've done, it’s time to make amends and start living a life of integrity.” He made it a point to explain how he drifted away from Buddhism, which teaches how to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. He lost track of what he was taught, then went on to say how hard it was to admit that he needed help, but realized he did.
Tiger repeated that the issues between he and his wife were their business. He appeared upset that the media made up things that never happened; like that he used performance-enhancing drugs. Also, he didn’t appreciate things written about his family and how his children were followed to school. Unfortunately, this is the price and everything that goes with fame, that celebrities often have to pay. Nick Faldo, commented on the Golf Channel during the Accenture Match Play how the British tabloids treated him similarly after his divorce many years ago.
Finally, the question about when Tiger would return to the PGA Tour was explained with this comment; “I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don't know when that day will be. I don't rule out that it will be this year. When I do return, I need to make my behavior more respectful of the game.”
Now that it’s several weeks later, we’ve learned that Tiger has returned home from more time in therapy and has started working out and hitting balls. The speculation is that he’ll return in time to play in The Masters, in his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major titles. My guess all along was that he’d play at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill tournament, so he’d have a few tournaments to prepare for The Masters. Since there’s been no official announcements, it’s only a guess.
60 Second Golf Tip:
Hitting down on the ball is probably the most important ball striking fundamental and probably the most misunderstood, especially with the driver. In his March 3 Hit Down Dammit newsletter, Clive Scarff a teaching professional from BC Canada (where they recently held the Olympics) gives a simple explanation with pictures to one of his subscribers.
Here’s the question from his Letter of the Week, that I often hear from my customers. “ I am now hitting down well with my irons, but struggling with the driver. I think I am having trouble with the bigger transition a driver requires - can you help?” Here’s the beginning of the answer. “I get a lot of letters about troubles with the driver, and in my experience especially on the teaching tee, it is because people treat the driver as a different animal. Even though they struggle with the driver, most golfers insist on treating the driver differently, and when success is not found they don't think to mimic their iron swing, they look for an even more different remedy for their driver.”
For me, hitting down on the ball always came naturally. Although it’s a more controversial subject with the driver, I found that accelerating into the drive with my Thumbs rotating Down at the ball on a descending angle, returns the best results. It’s also why I’m good with my fairway woods. For beginners, hitting up seems to make more sense, but it’s not the correct way to hit a golf ball. Simply put; for better ball striking, combing the Thumbs Down rotation with hitting down on the ball squares the club and produces more powerful, more accurate and controlled shots, more often.
If you want to improve your ball striking and improve your game, I highly encourage you to sign up for Clive Scarff’s “Hit Down Dammit” newsletter and purchase his DVD series. You can do both and receive a $10 discount at http://www.string-thing.com/thumbs_down.htm. For another great game improvement value, the Pro edition of Thumbs Down, Golf Instruction Made Simple costs less than a dozen premium golf balls. “Teach Yourself” the same ball striking POWER MOVE used by all the best players in the world at http://www.golfinstructionmadesimple.com/Products/Products.htm. It includes 2 videos, drills, do’s and don’ts, plus a one-on-one virtual lesson with me. The Pro Plus System includes the Impact Bag, with 3 hours of personal instruction. I look forward to working with you.
Did he wait too long to come forward? Did he reveal enough detail? Rather than ask all the other million “did he” questions I’m coming out of my own self induced silence to tell my story and give my own 2 cents on what I saw and some of what I think. For starters, I believe Tiger put himself in a no win situation, at least from an announcement perspective. Also, from an article I read in January, Tiger lied about what didn’t happen on Thanksgiving night, when he said his wife Elin didn’t hit him.
Before I watched the speech, I had already pre-named the title of this article ‘Lip Service”, because I expected it to be nothing but a bunch of doubletalk he needed to say to pacify everyone. Tiger stood nervously in front of his mother and a worldwide audience hungry to learn the details of his infidelity and when he would return to the world of competitive golf on the PGA Tour. What they got was neither.
Instead, he delivered an emotional and carefully selected collection of words that told us things we never heard from him before. He revealed that for 45 days from the end of December to early February, he was in inpatient therapy receiving guidance for the issues he now faces. With lots of conviction, Tiger appeared to be sincerely sorry as he apologized to his family, friends, fans, and business partners about his irresponsible and selfish behavior.
He pointed out that his real apology to his wife Elin will not come in the form of words; it will come from his behavior over time. As Tiger looked directly into the camera he told the media that although the couple has a lot to discuss, what we say to each other will remain between the two of them. He explained that he has a lot to atone for and there is one issue he really wanted to discuss. Then he made an error, that might end up becoming his eventual public downfall when he delivered this statement; “some people have speculated that Elin somehow hurt or attacked me on Thanksgiving night. It angers me that people would fabricate a story like that. Elin never hit me that night or any other night. There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage, ever.”
I want to be clear when I say that I really don’t care about Tiger’s personal life and that what happened between him and his wife has nothing to do with the enjoyment I get from watching him play golf. But, his comment completely contradicts an article that appeared on January 6, 2010 by Pat Burns the former NHL coach and Florida police officer. After Tiger crashed his SUV into a tree in late-November, Burns reached out to his local police buddies to get the inside scoop on what really went down that night. According to Burns, Tiger was knocked in the face with a golf club by his wife and was left with a deep cut on his cheek. Apparently, he went to watch television ... then suddenly, bang! A nine-iron in the face!
As he left the house running without shoes, Elin followed him with the club. After he drove off in his Escalade she broke two or three windows. That's why he hit the tree. She took him by ambulance to a hospital in Orlando where she called his agent, who suggested that they meet. Once there, the doctors said he needed plastic surgery to repair broken teeth, but only one institution could do it, in Phoenix Arizona. They flew to Phoenix for emergency dental and plastic surgery, making him unavailable to local police after the news broke. This explains Tiger’s absence when the police wanted to meet him the following days.
During his speech, Tiger became very self-critical, revealing how he stopped living by the core values that he was taught to believe in. He knew his actions were wrong, but convinced himself that normal rules didn't apply to him. He never thought about who he was hurting, instead thought only about himself. He ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by and thought he could get away with whatever he wanted to. Tiger went on to say that he had worked hard his entire life and was entitled to enjoy all the temptations around me. As the rock band Queen wrote in their song “We are the Champions”, thanks to fame and fortune and everything that goes with it, he didn't have to go far to find his temptation.
Tiger admitted he was wrong. He was foolish and that he doesn't get to play by different rules. “The same boundaries that apply to everyone apply to me. I brought this shame on myself. I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife's family, my friends, my foundation, and kids all around the world who admired me. After a lot of time to think about what I've done, it’s time to make amends and start living a life of integrity.” He made it a point to explain how he drifted away from Buddhism, which teaches how to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. He lost track of what he was taught, then went on to say how hard it was to admit that he needed help, but realized he did.
Tiger repeated that the issues between he and his wife were their business. He appeared upset that the media made up things that never happened; like that he used performance-enhancing drugs. Also, he didn’t appreciate things written about his family and how his children were followed to school. Unfortunately, this is the price and everything that goes with fame, that celebrities often have to pay. Nick Faldo, commented on the Golf Channel during the Accenture Match Play how the British tabloids treated him similarly after his divorce many years ago.
Finally, the question about when Tiger would return to the PGA Tour was explained with this comment; “I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don't know when that day will be. I don't rule out that it will be this year. When I do return, I need to make my behavior more respectful of the game.”
Now that it’s several weeks later, we’ve learned that Tiger has returned home from more time in therapy and has started working out and hitting balls. The speculation is that he’ll return in time to play in The Masters, in his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major titles. My guess all along was that he’d play at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill tournament, so he’d have a few tournaments to prepare for The Masters. Since there’s been no official announcements, it’s only a guess.
60 Second Golf Tip:
Hitting down on the ball is probably the most important ball striking fundamental and probably the most misunderstood, especially with the driver. In his March 3 Hit Down Dammit newsletter, Clive Scarff a teaching professional from BC Canada (where they recently held the Olympics) gives a simple explanation with pictures to one of his subscribers.
Here’s the question from his Letter of the Week, that I often hear from my customers. “ I am now hitting down well with my irons, but struggling with the driver. I think I am having trouble with the bigger transition a driver requires - can you help?” Here’s the beginning of the answer. “I get a lot of letters about troubles with the driver, and in my experience especially on the teaching tee, it is because people treat the driver as a different animal. Even though they struggle with the driver, most golfers insist on treating the driver differently, and when success is not found they don't think to mimic their iron swing, they look for an even more different remedy for their driver.”
For me, hitting down on the ball always came naturally. Although it’s a more controversial subject with the driver, I found that accelerating into the drive with my Thumbs rotating Down at the ball on a descending angle, returns the best results. It’s also why I’m good with my fairway woods. For beginners, hitting up seems to make more sense, but it’s not the correct way to hit a golf ball. Simply put; for better ball striking, combing the Thumbs Down rotation with hitting down on the ball squares the club and produces more powerful, more accurate and controlled shots, more often.
If you want to improve your ball striking and improve your game, I highly encourage you to sign up for Clive Scarff’s “Hit Down Dammit” newsletter and purchase his DVD series. You can do both and receive a $10 discount at http://www.string-thing.com/thumbs_down.htm. For another great game improvement value, the Pro edition of Thumbs Down, Golf Instruction Made Simple costs less than a dozen premium golf balls. “Teach Yourself” the same ball striking POWER MOVE used by all the best players in the world at http://www.golfinstructionmadesimple.com/Products/Products.htm. It includes 2 videos, drills, do’s and don’ts, plus a one-on-one virtual lesson with me. The Pro Plus System includes the Impact Bag, with 3 hours of personal instruction. I look forward to working with you.
September 29, 2009
The Rules of Golf
Most golfers would like to know the rules better …or so you’d think. Do you think you know the rules of golf and do you think you play by the rules? I believe most golfers want to have a better understanding of the rules, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they want to play by them.
Why? I can tell you first hand that although most golfers wouldn’t call themselves cheaters, too many players cheat to satisfy their own interpretation of the rules and produce the numbers they expect to see on their scorecards. After playing the majority of 2009 on public courses for the first time in 24 years and seeing many different golfers, I’m shocked to see the liberties in the rules so many golfers take. For that matter, the previous statement also applies to people I’ve played with for many years.
On TV we see all the situations where the rules help tour players shoot lower scores, like when balls hit the gallery or grandstands instead of going out of bounds or into trouble areas. Remember when Tiger Woods hit a tee shot onto the roof of the clubhouse and received a free drop, then made par? Or who could ever forget when the fans moved a boulder that was blocking his shot in the desert? After watching these events the announcers point out how the rules were meant to help players, not penalize them.
Golf is a unique game where during the course of every day play, rules are enforced and self-policed by the individual player and not referees like in other sports. That’s both the good and bad news. I’m all for taking advantage of the rules, but when taking advantage means consistently posting lower scores than a player deserves, I don’t know what else to call it except cheating.
A few of the most common and obvious examples of what I often see are these:
· More often than not golfers don’t finish a hole by putting out, but count the last putt as good, even if it’s several feet from the hole. Of course I realize that missing a tap-in of a few inches is uncommon, but if there ever was a game where you can’t assume anything, it’s golf.
· Playing preferred lies is a subject that can easily be debated. When I first started playing, the rule of thumb was that you could move the ball onto a good lie in the fairway, but leave it alone in the rough. This is referred to as winter rules. On tour when conditions are wet, the pros may play lift, clean and place. The key point in all cases where the rules allow the ball to be moved is this; IT SHOULD NEVER END UP CLOSER TO THE HOLE. I find it amusing when I see golfers trying to gain the advantage of inches or fractions of an inch.
· Other areas where golfers often take liberties and don’t play properly are: lost balls, hitting out of bounds, unplayable lies and hitting into water hazards. Where do you play the next shot from and how many strokes is the penalty? You’d be surprised to see how many different interpretations golfers play by, without giving it a second thought.
Regardless of whether you play by the rules or not, I still believe that most golfers want to know the rules better. If you’ve ever read the rules of golf book you’ve probably been frustrated because it wasn’t very user friendly. I know I have. Well that’s all changed thanks to Barry Rhodes and his book, '999 Questions on the Rules of Golf'. It’s filled with real-life situations, with answers conveniently located immediately beneath each question that directly reference the applicable Rule of Golf, or decision on the rules.
Bobby Jones once said there’s golf and there’s tournament golf; and the two are not very much alike. Simply put, if you’re a serious tournament golfer, '999 Questions on the Rules of Golf' is a must read. The book pays attention to the many rules that differentiate stroke play, match play and stableford events. It’s one thing to want to play by the rules and another to need to play by them. This assures you don’t suffer costly penalties or a disqualification that could have easily been avoided during tournament play.
Barry Rhodes makes it easy to learn and remember the rules, by repeating many common questions, answers and explanations to the myriad of situations on the golf course that golfers may encounter. Regardless of whether you play in tournaments or recreationally, '999 Questions on the Rules of Golf' creates a user-friendly environment for golfers of all levels of skill and experience. The questions are tiered into three knowledge levels:
· There are 333 simple questions that every golfer should be familiar with
· There are 333 more difficult questions relevant to both casual golfers and Golf Club Members
· There are 333 advanced questions for those seeking to expand their knowledge of the Rules
For variety, the questions are subdivided into three formats; true or false, open answer and multiple choice. A detailed index provides an easy way for readers to reference specific situations as they arise. There are multiple questions on every one of the 126 sub-sections to the 34 Rules of Golf.
I give '999 Questions on the Rules of Golf' my highest recommendation. After reading the book I found it much easier to navigate through and now have a better understanding the rules of golf book. Priced at $19.99 (US), '999 Questions on the Rules of Golf' can be purchased on all the popular online bookstores. With the holiday season coming, it makes an ideal gift that any golfer would enjoy having. For a value packed gift idea that can’t be beat include a copy of ‘Thumbs Downâ, Golf Instruction Made Simple’, priced at $12.95 and available at all the popular online bookstores. Here are links to Amazon http://golftwitt.com/jjww, Borders http://golftwitt.com/7v2, Barnes and Noble http://golftwitt.com/7thm.
Why? I can tell you first hand that although most golfers wouldn’t call themselves cheaters, too many players cheat to satisfy their own interpretation of the rules and produce the numbers they expect to see on their scorecards. After playing the majority of 2009 on public courses for the first time in 24 years and seeing many different golfers, I’m shocked to see the liberties in the rules so many golfers take. For that matter, the previous statement also applies to people I’ve played with for many years.
On TV we see all the situations where the rules help tour players shoot lower scores, like when balls hit the gallery or grandstands instead of going out of bounds or into trouble areas. Remember when Tiger Woods hit a tee shot onto the roof of the clubhouse and received a free drop, then made par? Or who could ever forget when the fans moved a boulder that was blocking his shot in the desert? After watching these events the announcers point out how the rules were meant to help players, not penalize them.
Golf is a unique game where during the course of every day play, rules are enforced and self-policed by the individual player and not referees like in other sports. That’s both the good and bad news. I’m all for taking advantage of the rules, but when taking advantage means consistently posting lower scores than a player deserves, I don’t know what else to call it except cheating.
A few of the most common and obvious examples of what I often see are these:
· More often than not golfers don’t finish a hole by putting out, but count the last putt as good, even if it’s several feet from the hole. Of course I realize that missing a tap-in of a few inches is uncommon, but if there ever was a game where you can’t assume anything, it’s golf.
· Playing preferred lies is a subject that can easily be debated. When I first started playing, the rule of thumb was that you could move the ball onto a good lie in the fairway, but leave it alone in the rough. This is referred to as winter rules. On tour when conditions are wet, the pros may play lift, clean and place. The key point in all cases where the rules allow the ball to be moved is this; IT SHOULD NEVER END UP CLOSER TO THE HOLE. I find it amusing when I see golfers trying to gain the advantage of inches or fractions of an inch.
· Other areas where golfers often take liberties and don’t play properly are: lost balls, hitting out of bounds, unplayable lies and hitting into water hazards. Where do you play the next shot from and how many strokes is the penalty? You’d be surprised to see how many different interpretations golfers play by, without giving it a second thought.
Regardless of whether you play by the rules or not, I still believe that most golfers want to know the rules better. If you’ve ever read the rules of golf book you’ve probably been frustrated because it wasn’t very user friendly. I know I have. Well that’s all changed thanks to Barry Rhodes and his book, '999 Questions on the Rules of Golf'. It’s filled with real-life situations, with answers conveniently located immediately beneath each question that directly reference the applicable Rule of Golf, or decision on the rules.
Bobby Jones once said there’s golf and there’s tournament golf; and the two are not very much alike. Simply put, if you’re a serious tournament golfer, '999 Questions on the Rules of Golf' is a must read. The book pays attention to the many rules that differentiate stroke play, match play and stableford events. It’s one thing to want to play by the rules and another to need to play by them. This assures you don’t suffer costly penalties or a disqualification that could have easily been avoided during tournament play.
Barry Rhodes makes it easy to learn and remember the rules, by repeating many common questions, answers and explanations to the myriad of situations on the golf course that golfers may encounter. Regardless of whether you play in tournaments or recreationally, '999 Questions on the Rules of Golf' creates a user-friendly environment for golfers of all levels of skill and experience. The questions are tiered into three knowledge levels:
· There are 333 simple questions that every golfer should be familiar with
· There are 333 more difficult questions relevant to both casual golfers and Golf Club Members
· There are 333 advanced questions for those seeking to expand their knowledge of the Rules
For variety, the questions are subdivided into three formats; true or false, open answer and multiple choice. A detailed index provides an easy way for readers to reference specific situations as they arise. There are multiple questions on every one of the 126 sub-sections to the 34 Rules of Golf.
I give '999 Questions on the Rules of Golf' my highest recommendation. After reading the book I found it much easier to navigate through and now have a better understanding the rules of golf book. Priced at $19.99 (US), '999 Questions on the Rules of Golf' can be purchased on all the popular online bookstores. With the holiday season coming, it makes an ideal gift that any golfer would enjoy having. For a value packed gift idea that can’t be beat include a copy of ‘Thumbs Downâ, Golf Instruction Made Simple’, priced at $12.95 and available at all the popular online bookstores. Here are links to Amazon http://golftwitt.com/jjww, Borders http://golftwitt.com/7v2, Barnes and Noble http://golftwitt.com/7thm.
December 11, 2008
Wie’s good for the game
Whether you love, like or hate Michele Wie, it doesn’t really matter. Why? Because the plane truth is Wie’s good for lady’s golf and it’s good that Wie’s made it to the LPGA show. Even though we’ve known Wie for so long, it’s time to realize this reality; Wie’s good for the game of golf period.
If you read my previous articles Wie Bad http://www.thumbsdownmethod.com/2007/10/16/wie-bad/
or What is Wie Doing
http://www.thumbsdownmethod.com/2008/08/01/what-is-wie-doing/
you’d think maybe I was anti-Wie or the head of the he-man Wie haters club, but I’m not. I’m just one of many that quickly got tired of watching her on the PGA Tour trying to make the cut against the men. The novelty wore off quickly after almost qualifying at her first two tries. It was time a long time ago that Wie’s better off winning against the ladies than just qualifying against the men, because so far Wie’s done neither.
In an age where professional athletes are treated like rock stars, it’s more important than ever that they be good role models too. Since her early teen years over six years ago when she almost won the Woman’s US Open, we’ve seen a lot of Wie. The real Wie has proven so far that she enjoys the limelight and celebrity that comes with being a “Tigerlike” phenom. To Wie’s credit, even during the last few years while struggling with her game, nagging injuries and negative PR, she’s handled it well. Wie’s proven to be a solid citizen with her head on straight, well beyond her teen years. As the father of two teens I know first hand.
Her role model status looks better every day, especially when you read the news stories about athlete arrests for gun possession and drugs or players who refuse to play for their teams. Athletes should be grateful playing a game for a living and making a King’s ransom along the way.
Wie’s a super talent that was meant to play the game of golf, just like Tiger Woods. She looked to be on the fast track when she qualified for her first LPGA Tour event at age 12. Wie played in the final group of a major at 13, shot 68 on the PGA Tour at the Sony Open a year later, had a share of the 54-hole lead at the U.S. Women’s Open at 15 and shared the lead on the back nine of three straight majors by the age of sixteen. Equally amazing was her downfall into adulthood.
At the ripe old age of 19 as a student at Stamford Wie’s dealing with all the uncertainty that comes with being an adult growing up. A wrist injury that severely hurt her golf game, didn’t help, but somehow we all knew there would be a happy ending coming soon. Finally, after all the years of playing by invitation or sponsor’s exemptions, Wie earned her LPGA Tour Card. Fortunately for her, winning isn’t the only thing when it comes to Q-school. Since just finishing in the top 20 makes you a winner, the media temporarily lowered their standards and didn’t criticize her for not winning as the medallist, or lowest overall score.
Finally, it’s time to see what Wie has. As Annika Sorenstam departs, waiting for Wie on tour are seasoned pros under the age of 25 like Lorena Ochoia, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel and others who are already proven winners. Wie’ll need to play like she did in her early teen years to win against today’s LPGA players. My gut tells me Wie’s on her way and she’ll do just fine! What do you think? Email your comments to ajm.me@thumbsdownmethod.com
If you read my previous articles Wie Bad http://www.thumbsdownmethod.com/2007/10/16/wie-bad/
or What is Wie Doing
http://www.thumbsdownmethod.com/2008/08/01/what-is-wie-doing/
you’d think maybe I was anti-Wie or the head of the he-man Wie haters club, but I’m not. I’m just one of many that quickly got tired of watching her on the PGA Tour trying to make the cut against the men. The novelty wore off quickly after almost qualifying at her first two tries. It was time a long time ago that Wie’s better off winning against the ladies than just qualifying against the men, because so far Wie’s done neither.
In an age where professional athletes are treated like rock stars, it’s more important than ever that they be good role models too. Since her early teen years over six years ago when she almost won the Woman’s US Open, we’ve seen a lot of Wie. The real Wie has proven so far that she enjoys the limelight and celebrity that comes with being a “Tigerlike” phenom. To Wie’s credit, even during the last few years while struggling with her game, nagging injuries and negative PR, she’s handled it well. Wie’s proven to be a solid citizen with her head on straight, well beyond her teen years. As the father of two teens I know first hand.
Her role model status looks better every day, especially when you read the news stories about athlete arrests for gun possession and drugs or players who refuse to play for their teams. Athletes should be grateful playing a game for a living and making a King’s ransom along the way.
Wie’s a super talent that was meant to play the game of golf, just like Tiger Woods. She looked to be on the fast track when she qualified for her first LPGA Tour event at age 12. Wie played in the final group of a major at 13, shot 68 on the PGA Tour at the Sony Open a year later, had a share of the 54-hole lead at the U.S. Women’s Open at 15 and shared the lead on the back nine of three straight majors by the age of sixteen. Equally amazing was her downfall into adulthood.
At the ripe old age of 19 as a student at Stamford Wie’s dealing with all the uncertainty that comes with being an adult growing up. A wrist injury that severely hurt her golf game, didn’t help, but somehow we all knew there would be a happy ending coming soon. Finally, after all the years of playing by invitation or sponsor’s exemptions, Wie earned her LPGA Tour Card. Fortunately for her, winning isn’t the only thing when it comes to Q-school. Since just finishing in the top 20 makes you a winner, the media temporarily lowered their standards and didn’t criticize her for not winning as the medallist, or lowest overall score.
Finally, it’s time to see what Wie has. As Annika Sorenstam departs, waiting for Wie on tour are seasoned pros under the age of 25 like Lorena Ochoia, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel and others who are already proven winners. Wie’ll need to play like she did in her early teen years to win against today’s LPGA players. My gut tells me Wie’s on her way and she’ll do just fine! What do you think? Email your comments to ajm.me@thumbsdownmethod.com
September 16, 2008
GOLF IS DEAD without Tiger
Do you remember the initial reactions after Tiger announced he'll miss the rest of the 2008 golf season?
On Tuesday June 19th, the day after the Monday US Open playoff battle between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate, I called a senior producer at Golf Channel I've known for a few years. He was noticeably worried about Tiger's condition because without him their ratings could fall off the charts. In the world of TV, ratings are everything. After the announcement that reconstructive surgery was required, the media immediately reported that all the drama has left the game of golf with Tiger on the sidelines. At that stage of the season, Tiger as player of the year was already a foregone conclusion, with two more majors and the FedEx cup still to be played.
The word circulating around the world of golf news going into the British Open was that golf is dead without Tiger and no one cares about the this major tournament in the middle of July. Just in case you fell into the trap and didn't follow any of the action, you missed enough drama to fill a typical season, and it ain't even over yet.
Here's a recap of the drama you missed, times three:
Playing out exactly according to the historic script, The British Open was played in cold and nasty weather with 30-50 mph winds throughout the tournament. A surprise name familiar to all also surfaced, as Greg Norman went back in time and challenged at the top. I'm sure the early morning ratings skyrocketed, as myself and millions of fans viewed, sentimentally pulling for the great white shark. The early predictions counted out Padraig Harrington the defending champion, due to an injured wrist that almost prevented him from playing. In the same fashion as Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, Harrington hung in there, letting the field drop out of contention, before taking charge on the back nine of the final round to win.
Suddenly there was a back-to-back British Open champion and a European to boot, both rarities. Immediately the media counted out any chance of Harrington winning the PGA because Kenny Perry was the favorite and Phil Mickelson is always expected to win if Tiger isn't there. Besides, Tiger is the only player in many a year to win this often, so we're not used to picking the same guy to win too often. Ironically, Perry had to withdraw due to an eye problem.
In what started out as a ho-hum major tournament played on a monster of a course, the PGA at Oakland Hills in Michigan played out as a significant event in the history of golf.With a rainout on the Saturday third round, the players were forced to play 36-holes on Sunday. The leader board changed throughout the day and going into the final round Sergio Garcia, Ben Curtis and Padraig Harrington rose to the top and were tied after 16 holes. Once again Harrington took over with a birdie on 17 and a scrambling par on 18 to win back-to-back majors and three of the last six. Tiger who?
So much for the regular season, bring on the playoffs. For the second year golf has a second season. Like most other sports, golf has it's version of the playoffs and it's Super Bowl equivalent called the FedEx Cup, a $10 million prize to the winner. Also like other sports, the regular season standings only got you in or out of the playoff season, which consists of four events. Now you'd better perform or your season could end quickly.
The opening tournament, the Barclays was played at Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, New
Jersey. After three days of many players jockeying for position at the top, tour rookie Kevin Streelman was the leader going into the final round. On the back nine, where most tournaments really begin, the cream rose to the top as Vijay Singh and Sergio Garcia battled with surprise co-leader Kevin Sutherland, forcing a 3-way playoff.
Garcia thought he had won it after he drained a 30-foot uphill birdie putt on the 18th hole, but Singh spoiled the celebration with a 25-foot gem of his own to extend the playoff between those two players. When Garcia found the trees off the tee on the par five 17th hole Singh took over, by bombing a perfect drive, then easily reaching in two and making a 2-putt birdie. The win vaulted Vijay into the FedEx Cup playoff lead.
Personally, I like watching good golf and think it's very entertaining. Because the tournament was in New Jersey I attended round one and watched good golf up close and personal. The difference was that unlike other tournaments where I moved all around following different players, I followed one group primarily this time and one player in particular. What I noticed earlier in the season was how naturally he performed Thumbs Up on the back swing and Thumbs Down at impact.
60 second golf tip:
What I've noticed as the main difference between amateurs and pros is how naturally pros load up the wrists on the back swing and strike down on the ball with active hands through the impact zone. Because it happens so fast, it takes the Biz Hub super slow motion cameras as shown on the telecasts, to actually see what their hands are doing as they make contact and continue into their follow-throughs. To get a better idea of what I call My Secret, checkout this page: http://www.golfinstructionmadesimple.com/MySecret/MySecret.htm
On Tuesday June 19th, the day after the Monday US Open playoff battle between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate, I called a senior producer at Golf Channel I've known for a few years. He was noticeably worried about Tiger's condition because without him their ratings could fall off the charts. In the world of TV, ratings are everything. After the announcement that reconstructive surgery was required, the media immediately reported that all the drama has left the game of golf with Tiger on the sidelines. At that stage of the season, Tiger as player of the year was already a foregone conclusion, with two more majors and the FedEx cup still to be played.
The word circulating around the world of golf news going into the British Open was that golf is dead without Tiger and no one cares about the this major tournament in the middle of July. Just in case you fell into the trap and didn't follow any of the action, you missed enough drama to fill a typical season, and it ain't even over yet.
Here's a recap of the drama you missed, times three:
Playing out exactly according to the historic script, The British Open was played in cold and nasty weather with 30-50 mph winds throughout the tournament. A surprise name familiar to all also surfaced, as Greg Norman went back in time and challenged at the top. I'm sure the early morning ratings skyrocketed, as myself and millions of fans viewed, sentimentally pulling for the great white shark. The early predictions counted out Padraig Harrington the defending champion, due to an injured wrist that almost prevented him from playing. In the same fashion as Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, Harrington hung in there, letting the field drop out of contention, before taking charge on the back nine of the final round to win.
Suddenly there was a back-to-back British Open champion and a European to boot, both rarities. Immediately the media counted out any chance of Harrington winning the PGA because Kenny Perry was the favorite and Phil Mickelson is always expected to win if Tiger isn't there. Besides, Tiger is the only player in many a year to win this often, so we're not used to picking the same guy to win too often. Ironically, Perry had to withdraw due to an eye problem.
In what started out as a ho-hum major tournament played on a monster of a course, the PGA at Oakland Hills in Michigan played out as a significant event in the history of golf.With a rainout on the Saturday third round, the players were forced to play 36-holes on Sunday. The leader board changed throughout the day and going into the final round Sergio Garcia, Ben Curtis and Padraig Harrington rose to the top and were tied after 16 holes. Once again Harrington took over with a birdie on 17 and a scrambling par on 18 to win back-to-back majors and three of the last six. Tiger who?
So much for the regular season, bring on the playoffs. For the second year golf has a second season. Like most other sports, golf has it's version of the playoffs and it's Super Bowl equivalent called the FedEx Cup, a $10 million prize to the winner. Also like other sports, the regular season standings only got you in or out of the playoff season, which consists of four events. Now you'd better perform or your season could end quickly.
The opening tournament, the Barclays was played at Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, New
Jersey. After three days of many players jockeying for position at the top, tour rookie Kevin Streelman was the leader going into the final round. On the back nine, where most tournaments really begin, the cream rose to the top as Vijay Singh and Sergio Garcia battled with surprise co-leader Kevin Sutherland, forcing a 3-way playoff.
Garcia thought he had won it after he drained a 30-foot uphill birdie putt on the 18th hole, but Singh spoiled the celebration with a 25-foot gem of his own to extend the playoff between those two players. When Garcia found the trees off the tee on the par five 17th hole Singh took over, by bombing a perfect drive, then easily reaching in two and making a 2-putt birdie. The win vaulted Vijay into the FedEx Cup playoff lead.
Personally, I like watching good golf and think it's very entertaining. Because the tournament was in New Jersey I attended round one and watched good golf up close and personal. The difference was that unlike other tournaments where I moved all around following different players, I followed one group primarily this time and one player in particular. What I noticed earlier in the season was how naturally he performed Thumbs Up on the back swing and Thumbs Down at impact.
60 second golf tip:
What I've noticed as the main difference between amateurs and pros is how naturally pros load up the wrists on the back swing and strike down on the ball with active hands through the impact zone. Because it happens so fast, it takes the Biz Hub super slow motion cameras as shown on the telecasts, to actually see what their hands are doing as they make contact and continue into their follow-throughs. To get a better idea of what I call My Secret, checkout this page: http://www.golfinstructionmadesimple.com/MySecret/MySecret.htm
July 07, 2008
If the putts don't go in, you don't win
Shaking in their boots. NOT!
Just listen to the announcers at any pro tournament and you will hear them talk about how much pressure the contenders are feeling (except Tiger of course). They'll typically describe in detail the pounding of their hearts and the feeling of veins bulging out of their heads.
For any pros that may be reading this story, I realize I might be way out of bounds for my viewpoint. After all, I'm not a pro and will never live in a pro's shoes, so I'll never REALLY know how much pressure or how nervous pro golfers get while they're in contention for a win. What I do know is how I've reacted during club golf tournaments for the past twenty-five years, including this past weekend. Again, I realize it's not the same as playing for big prize money, but it's not as different as you may think.
To me, there's a big difference between pressure and nerves. What I've experienced is that I'm constantly putting pressure on myself to perform to the best of my ability. In golf it means always hitting good shots and making the make able putts. The ironic side is that the bigger the situation, the less nervous I actually feel. Pressure is a completely different story. All too often it's the pressure I put on myself that leads to poor shot-making and bad decisions, not nerves. Nervousness is a feeling that happens before the opening tee shot and usually lasts until the first putt drops. After that, it's over.
Do you remember Annika Sorenstam's opening tee shot at the 2003 Colonial, when she played in the men's event? After months of anticipation you could tell she was extremely nervous on the first tee. After she saw her first tee shot land in the fairway I'll bet the nerves disappeared, but the pressure was constant. The pressure to make birdies lasted until her final putt in round two, when she officially missed the cut. A few more putts made and she would have gone where no woman ever has.
Throughout my college football and tournament golf experiences, the more competitive the battle, the more intense my concentration level. Instead of nerves, a feeling of calmness and increased focus takes over, which explains why I've performed my best in some of the most pressure packed situations. Having said that, all too often it works in reverse. All it takes is one or two mistakes early for the pressure demons to re-appear, causing more mistakes in a hurry.
I can only believe it's a similar feeling for professional athletes while they are competing. At the recent Buick Classic, Woody Austin said he choked when he didn't make two closing pars to win. In my eyes he simply put too much pressure on himself to get the job done, including ramming his birdie putt on eighteen (to win) fifteen feet past the hole. Woodie suffered the dreaded birdie to bogey three-putt syndrome and lost by one shot. Although the announcers would have you believe otherwise, it wasn't because he was nervous.
We all put pressure on ourselves. Just look at the recently completed Women's US Open, where Paula Creamer shot a front nine 41 in the final round. The day before I watched her miss several make able birdie putts on the back nine, which would have given her the lead. For some reason the hole seems to shrink when you need to make the putts the most. In golf, scoring is all about making the putts. She missed them all and I believe it's because she wanted to win so badly, putting too much pressure on herself. In tournament golf, when the putts don't go in, you don't win.
When I was in the computer business the word FUD meant that a competitor was building up the Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt in the market. A good comparison is a political campaign, when candidates of opposite parties campaign by creating Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt in the voter's mind about their fellow candidate.
FUD is also a good description of the feeling a golfer has on the greens, when make able putts won't go in. Failure on the greens is contagious and all too often I'll putt defensively, in fear that if I run it past the hole more than a couple of feet, I'll miss the come backer. As crazy as it sounds I've had some of my worst putting days when I hit the best shots onto the green. Missing make able birdie putts is frustrating enough, but when birdies turn into three-putt bogeys, you just want to kick something and cry. (I highly suggest crying because the last time I had a major tantrum was about ten years ago during a member-guest tournament. On the first hole of the second day I three putted, then went to kick my golf bag and instead hit the metal post on the pull cart head-on with my big toe. I thought I broke my toe and limped around the final seventeen holes in pain). We've all seen Woody Austin's approach to letting out steam by smacking his head with his putter until it's bent out of shape. Let's not forget, it's just a game!
When David Feherty or Gary McCord talk about veins bulging from a player's necks, I just don't believe that's what pros are feeling. Professional athletes are conditioned to compete. Although I'll never have a first hand experience, I believe the playing field in the heat of the battle is where they feel most comfortable, not nervous. To best prove my point, did you see the Wimbledon final? You don't hit shots like Roger Federer and Raphael Nadal hit in the fifth set and throughout the tie-breakers when your nervous.
60 second Golf Tip
I hope you appreciate how difficult it is to find a 60 second golf tip these days and how rare it is to actually understand and relate to it when you practice.
When I was having ball striking problems in the early 1990's I naturally read what the experts in the top golf magazines suggested, expecting to practice their tips and turn my game around. What happened was just the opposite, mainly because I couldn't understand how to apply the pages of technical jargon and mechanics they described. I found that keeping it simple is what they all preached, but rarely practiced.
To show how the old is forever new, I just finished reading a two page article about golf's newest swing sensation called the stack and tilt, and how it's being used by more and more tour players every day. It's funny because conceptually what they're describing is simple and makes sense to me. In fact, it's a component of my swing I recently needed to re-discover, again.On paper it's a different story. I'm sorry, but I can't relate to pages that tell me to release my hips so that the butt muscles push them upward and toward the target. When they tell me to feel as if I'm jumping up as the club comes down, it doesn't help me hit more fairways and greens.
The skinny of what I read in the article is this, "keeping your weight on your front foot is the simplest way to control where the club hits the ground, which is the first fundamental of hitting the ball. Golfers who shift to the right (for righties) on the backswing have to make precisely the same shift back to the left by impact. That complicated maneuver is the biggest source of frustration in the game today". My swing-thoughts to myself consist of only a few words, so this is how I translate that statement: Keep weight centered, then shift onto the left side into impact. I'm at my best when the brain is quite, my swing is rhythmic and full of feel.
For me, the more time I spend on thoughts about my swing the worse my ball striking and accuracy gets. When I hinge my wrists as I take the club back and delay my thinking until my hands reach waist height on the downswing, then fire them down on the ball, everything just happens as it should. Translation: Thumbs Up on the backswing, then Thumbs Down at impact. What could be simpler?
To discover Simplicity at Last, go to www.golfinstructionmadesimple.com and checkout the Pro Shop. Be sure to notice the Summer Special of three hours of virtual coaching included with the Pro Edition. Cure your slice and teach yourself to be a better ball striker in minutes by adding Thumbs Down, the missing ingredient. Vist my blog for past articles and other products and topics of interest at www.thumbsdownmethod.com. My media center was recently updated to include an article in the Philadelphia Golfer (thank you Nate Oxman!) about me and my appearance on the Golf Channel's Fore Inventors Only.
Enjoy the Open Championship from Royal Birkdale!
Just listen to the announcers at any pro tournament and you will hear them talk about how much pressure the contenders are feeling (except Tiger of course). They'll typically describe in detail the pounding of their hearts and the feeling of veins bulging out of their heads.
For any pros that may be reading this story, I realize I might be way out of bounds for my viewpoint. After all, I'm not a pro and will never live in a pro's shoes, so I'll never REALLY know how much pressure or how nervous pro golfers get while they're in contention for a win. What I do know is how I've reacted during club golf tournaments for the past twenty-five years, including this past weekend. Again, I realize it's not the same as playing for big prize money, but it's not as different as you may think.
To me, there's a big difference between pressure and nerves. What I've experienced is that I'm constantly putting pressure on myself to perform to the best of my ability. In golf it means always hitting good shots and making the make able putts. The ironic side is that the bigger the situation, the less nervous I actually feel. Pressure is a completely different story. All too often it's the pressure I put on myself that leads to poor shot-making and bad decisions, not nerves. Nervousness is a feeling that happens before the opening tee shot and usually lasts until the first putt drops. After that, it's over.
Do you remember Annika Sorenstam's opening tee shot at the 2003 Colonial, when she played in the men's event? After months of anticipation you could tell she was extremely nervous on the first tee. After she saw her first tee shot land in the fairway I'll bet the nerves disappeared, but the pressure was constant. The pressure to make birdies lasted until her final putt in round two, when she officially missed the cut. A few more putts made and she would have gone where no woman ever has.
Throughout my college football and tournament golf experiences, the more competitive the battle, the more intense my concentration level. Instead of nerves, a feeling of calmness and increased focus takes over, which explains why I've performed my best in some of the most pressure packed situations. Having said that, all too often it works in reverse. All it takes is one or two mistakes early for the pressure demons to re-appear, causing more mistakes in a hurry.
I can only believe it's a similar feeling for professional athletes while they are competing. At the recent Buick Classic, Woody Austin said he choked when he didn't make two closing pars to win. In my eyes he simply put too much pressure on himself to get the job done, including ramming his birdie putt on eighteen (to win) fifteen feet past the hole. Woodie suffered the dreaded birdie to bogey three-putt syndrome and lost by one shot. Although the announcers would have you believe otherwise, it wasn't because he was nervous.
We all put pressure on ourselves. Just look at the recently completed Women's US Open, where Paula Creamer shot a front nine 41 in the final round. The day before I watched her miss several make able birdie putts on the back nine, which would have given her the lead. For some reason the hole seems to shrink when you need to make the putts the most. In golf, scoring is all about making the putts. She missed them all and I believe it's because she wanted to win so badly, putting too much pressure on herself. In tournament golf, when the putts don't go in, you don't win.
When I was in the computer business the word FUD meant that a competitor was building up the Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt in the market. A good comparison is a political campaign, when candidates of opposite parties campaign by creating Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt in the voter's mind about their fellow candidate.
FUD is also a good description of the feeling a golfer has on the greens, when make able putts won't go in. Failure on the greens is contagious and all too often I'll putt defensively, in fear that if I run it past the hole more than a couple of feet, I'll miss the come backer. As crazy as it sounds I've had some of my worst putting days when I hit the best shots onto the green. Missing make able birdie putts is frustrating enough, but when birdies turn into three-putt bogeys, you just want to kick something and cry. (I highly suggest crying because the last time I had a major tantrum was about ten years ago during a member-guest tournament. On the first hole of the second day I three putted, then went to kick my golf bag and instead hit the metal post on the pull cart head-on with my big toe. I thought I broke my toe and limped around the final seventeen holes in pain). We've all seen Woody Austin's approach to letting out steam by smacking his head with his putter until it's bent out of shape. Let's not forget, it's just a game!
When David Feherty or Gary McCord talk about veins bulging from a player's necks, I just don't believe that's what pros are feeling. Professional athletes are conditioned to compete. Although I'll never have a first hand experience, I believe the playing field in the heat of the battle is where they feel most comfortable, not nervous. To best prove my point, did you see the Wimbledon final? You don't hit shots like Roger Federer and Raphael Nadal hit in the fifth set and throughout the tie-breakers when your nervous.
60 second Golf Tip
I hope you appreciate how difficult it is to find a 60 second golf tip these days and how rare it is to actually understand and relate to it when you practice.
When I was having ball striking problems in the early 1990's I naturally read what the experts in the top golf magazines suggested, expecting to practice their tips and turn my game around. What happened was just the opposite, mainly because I couldn't understand how to apply the pages of technical jargon and mechanics they described. I found that keeping it simple is what they all preached, but rarely practiced.
To show how the old is forever new, I just finished reading a two page article about golf's newest swing sensation called the stack and tilt, and how it's being used by more and more tour players every day. It's funny because conceptually what they're describing is simple and makes sense to me. In fact, it's a component of my swing I recently needed to re-discover, again.On paper it's a different story. I'm sorry, but I can't relate to pages that tell me to release my hips so that the butt muscles push them upward and toward the target. When they tell me to feel as if I'm jumping up as the club comes down, it doesn't help me hit more fairways and greens.
The skinny of what I read in the article is this, "keeping your weight on your front foot is the simplest way to control where the club hits the ground, which is the first fundamental of hitting the ball. Golfers who shift to the right (for righties) on the backswing have to make precisely the same shift back to the left by impact. That complicated maneuver is the biggest source of frustration in the game today". My swing-thoughts to myself consist of only a few words, so this is how I translate that statement: Keep weight centered, then shift onto the left side into impact. I'm at my best when the brain is quite, my swing is rhythmic and full of feel.
For me, the more time I spend on thoughts about my swing the worse my ball striking and accuracy gets. When I hinge my wrists as I take the club back and delay my thinking until my hands reach waist height on the downswing, then fire them down on the ball, everything just happens as it should. Translation: Thumbs Up on the backswing, then Thumbs Down at impact. What could be simpler?
To discover Simplicity at Last, go to www.golfinstructionmadesimple.com and checkout the Pro Shop. Be sure to notice the Summer Special of three hours of virtual coaching included with the Pro Edition. Cure your slice and teach yourself to be a better ball striker in minutes by adding Thumbs Down, the missing ingredient. Vist my blog for past articles and other products and topics of interest at www.thumbsdownmethod.com. My media center was recently updated to include an article in the Philadelphia Golfer (thank you Nate Oxman!) about me and my appearance on the Golf Channel's Fore Inventors Only.
Enjoy the Open Championship from Royal Birkdale!
June 24, 2008
Dead Center - Tiger Woods' historic victory at the 2008 US Open
Anyone who says golf on TV is boring, doesn't watch it or wasn't watching this year's US Open, or both. As I'm finishing this story, the Monday playoff between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate is already over a week old. All too often major sporting events with this much hype and anticipation, end with disappointing outcomes. Just like most of the major golf tournaments in my recent memory this one was filled with drama, as I was glued to my seat until the final putt.
If that wasn't enough, how about the startling news revealed after the tournament about Tiger's injuries and "out for the season" status? Hey, I'll bet that professional golf writers around the world have already written millions of words about the announcement, the planned surgery and details about the trickle down of effect of this stunning set of circumstances, that rocked the world of golf. As I'm not a professional writer I wrote this through the eyes of an amateur, with my own spin on what I saw. Here's a few of the many words I read that showed up in my email inbox the following day, that I thought summed up the 2008 US Open rather nicely. Regardless of who you were rooting for, you have to appreciate the history that we're experiencing: "Words no longer do justice to Tiger Woods. First, his winning of the U.S. Open in his first tournament since knee surgery - and without having walked 18 holes of golf in two months since that surgery - was impressive enough. But then to learn that he actually had a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee, plus two stress fractures in the left leg?"
The 2008 US Open will be remembered for it's high drama, uncertainty and doubt until the last putt was struck, as Tiger Woods finally prevailed. That statement is actually true for both regulation play and the playoff. As a golfer, this tournament spoke volumes about how exciting and dramatic major golf tournaments are. In the game of golf, just being able to hang in there and not crumble when shots are not going as planned is difficult enough. The ability to grind, re-group and post a score that's still better than most, is a skill only a few in the game have ever had. Add to that the circumstances around Tiger's injuries and this one will be remembered as TRULY SPECIAL in golf history. There's no doubt it will go down as one of the greatest performances by any athlete in any sport.
As a viewer I felt similar drama watching this year's Players, the Masters, last year's British and US Opens, plus most of the majors in recent memory. To me, "golf is great theatre" is more than just a slogan, it's a great description. The majors during the last few years have lived up to the hype, but there's just more interest when Tiger's in the hunt. He's proven time and time again that anything can happen when he's in a position to win and don't ever believe it's over, till it's over.
There's no secret I love watching championship golf on TV. For me, when the coverage starts late in the afternoon lasting through prime-time, it's an added bonus. As if it were scripted by NBC on Father's Day night, the final pair came to the 71st hole with both players (Woods and Westwood) tied for second place and the leader (Mediate) up ahead on the 72nd hole, with the tournament still up for grabs. I can't recall a major tournament where the last three players to finish all had a chance to win like this. At 8:52 PM EST, Tiger had the stage all to himself. On this occasion, he needed the entire hole to birdie the 18th. As we know by now, he rolled in a 12-footer to tie Rocco, forcing an 18 hole Monday playoff. I watched it all unfold. As usual, it did not disappoint.
How did Tiger even get to that final putt to tie? Let's rewind back to Friday. On his first nine holes he was slopping it up at 3-over par. Fortunately, a few over par still keeps you within reach at the US Open. He managed to hang in there with the help of an eagle on #13, sandwiched in-between four bogies, playing what's described as military golf, hitting it left, right, left, right... all over the course. On many shots it was clearly visible that Tiger's knee was hurting, BADLY.
On his back nine (which was actually the front nine of the course because they played the back nine first) it didn't start off any better, as Tiger's drive on hole #1 ended up next to a tree and just off the cart path. Because he was standing on the cart path he was entitled to a free drop, but because the ball could easily have ended up behind the tree, he decided to play it from where it lied. There was just enough room between the ball and cart path to hit it cleanly. The announcers poured it on thick, pointing out that Tiger wears metal spikes and the worry was that his leg would slip, injuring himself worse. In typical fashion, he not only hit it clean, he flushed it right onto the green and made the birdie putt. This was the spark that turned on the light switch, as he made three more threes and added another birdie for a score of thirty. As expected he found a way to enter moving day Saturday on page one of the leader board.
During the third round Rocco Mediate was clearly the best player in the field. He entered his back nine with a three shot lead and six shots over Tiger, who struggled with a two over-par 37 on his front nine. On the back nine it was complete role reversal, with Rocco faltering at two over-par and Tiger turning on the switch again, shooting a 3-under par 33.
After his second shot on #13 almost flew into the hole on a fly, it ended up over 60 feet away. If you're looking for a turning point, this would be a good place to start, as Tiger made the eagle putt. It was a tough down-hiller with a big break left, that was motoring until it landed DEAD CENTER in the cup. On the par three 17th , he missed the green with his tee shot, then chipped his second shot high into the air from an uphill lie on the side of the bunker. It landed a few inches from the hole on a fly, then hopped up and hit the pin DEAD CENTER, and dropped straight down into the hole for a birdie. Even Tiger had to laugh as his shot looked like it was going at least a few feet past before the hole swallowed it. This put him one shot behind Lee Westwood, the leader at that time. He then reached the par 5 18th hole in two. His eagle putt was a sharp breaking left to right slider from the top of a ridge, so it was going to be fast. DEAD CENTER is the only way to describe how the ball entered the hole. Now Tiger had a one stroke lead entering the final round and we all know his record when leading after three rounds in a major. Here's a hint (he's 13 & 0).
Remember the original Wizard of Oz movie, where the first part was in black and white and the rest of the movie was in color? In comparison, the black and white portion of this year's US Open was Mediate's first 54 holes. The color came on starting when Tiger went double-bogey, bogey on Sunday's first two holes and Westwood also began to slide. Rocco was now in the lead and only Bob May in the 2000 PGA has challenged Tiger like this in the final round of a major.
Up until now, the US Open was a story about Tiger Woods, his struggle and his determination, playing on one leg. Early on Sunday, the storyline was becoming more of a fairy tale about a journeyman pro golfer named Rocco, who everyone loved, but who hadn't won a pro tournament in six years. In fact the last and only time he was this close in a major was in the 2006 Masters. Entering the 15th hole on Saturday, Rocco found himself right in the thick of it, then he slipped and injured is back. If you remember him yukking it up in the TV booth in early 2007, this is why. He spent all last year rehabbing and this year needed to play his way into the US Open as one of the low qualifiers, before getting this opportunity. Like a heavyweight boxer with a shot at the title (just like in Rocky) Rocco knew this was probably his last chance to beat the best, and he gave it everything he had. Unfortunately, he was up against possibly the greatest the game of golf has ever seen.
Will Tiger Woods break Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors and every other major record on the books? Will he go down as the best there ever was? OR will injuries prevent him from reaching these goals? What do you think? I welcome your comments. Please feel free to reply via email and I'll post them on my blog or go to the blog directly at www.thumbsdownmethod.com and post your comments.
Trivia Question
What is the size of the golf hole? (Hint: it's smaller than a breadbox)
60 second golf tip
Here's an excerpt from page 57 of my soon to be published book, Thumbs Down - Golf Instruction Made Simple, by Morgan James Publishing. It stresses the importance of not only thinking "delayed hit", but also implies the need for delayed thinking. "Remember: you can't hit the ball during the first 3/4 of your swing, so don't try to. Instead: keep your swing under control as you reach the slot, then accelerate into the impact zone on the downswing." Translation: Keep the swing slow and rhythmic and wait until the second part of the down swing, then accelerate down and kill the ball at impact.
This past weekend I played in a two-day club tournament. The 7th hole is a par 3, 180 yards, where I usually hit my 6-iron. During the first round the tees were up a few yards with a slight wind at our backs and the ground very firm in front of the green. Since the pin was up front I decided to hit a hard 7-iron. Usually when I try to reach for a little extra I start with a strong back swing, followed by a lot of acceleration from the top, followed by a miss-hit, most of the time.
What I remembered on this shot was to delay the acceleration until my hands reached waist height on the downswing (the first 3/4 of my swing), then I fired Thumbs Down at the ball. I've found that the longer I can delay my thinking, before accelerating down on the ball, the more consistent a ball striker I am. I struck it as well as I could and bounced it up onto the green. I had a terrible putting weekend so of course I missed the birdie (a defensive down-hiller), but at least I didn't blow it past and three-putt the hole.
Summer Special
For the summer I'm offering the Pro Plus edition ($197 and includes 3 hours of one-on-one virtual coaching) for the same price as the Pro edition $47 (plus $4 S&H). Also, if you purchase the Front Nine eBook ($9.97) I'll give you 100% trade-in towards the purchase of the Pro Edition. Order yours today or as a gift at www.golfinstructionmadesimple.com/Products/ProEdition.htm and Tell-A-Friend.
If that wasn't enough, how about the startling news revealed after the tournament about Tiger's injuries and "out for the season" status? Hey, I'll bet that professional golf writers around the world have already written millions of words about the announcement, the planned surgery and details about the trickle down of effect of this stunning set of circumstances, that rocked the world of golf. As I'm not a professional writer I wrote this through the eyes of an amateur, with my own spin on what I saw. Here's a few of the many words I read that showed up in my email inbox the following day, that I thought summed up the 2008 US Open rather nicely. Regardless of who you were rooting for, you have to appreciate the history that we're experiencing: "Words no longer do justice to Tiger Woods. First, his winning of the U.S. Open in his first tournament since knee surgery - and without having walked 18 holes of golf in two months since that surgery - was impressive enough. But then to learn that he actually had a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee, plus two stress fractures in the left leg?"
The 2008 US Open will be remembered for it's high drama, uncertainty and doubt until the last putt was struck, as Tiger Woods finally prevailed. That statement is actually true for both regulation play and the playoff. As a golfer, this tournament spoke volumes about how exciting and dramatic major golf tournaments are. In the game of golf, just being able to hang in there and not crumble when shots are not going as planned is difficult enough. The ability to grind, re-group and post a score that's still better than most, is a skill only a few in the game have ever had. Add to that the circumstances around Tiger's injuries and this one will be remembered as TRULY SPECIAL in golf history. There's no doubt it will go down as one of the greatest performances by any athlete in any sport.
As a viewer I felt similar drama watching this year's Players, the Masters, last year's British and US Opens, plus most of the majors in recent memory. To me, "golf is great theatre" is more than just a slogan, it's a great description. The majors during the last few years have lived up to the hype, but there's just more interest when Tiger's in the hunt. He's proven time and time again that anything can happen when he's in a position to win and don't ever believe it's over, till it's over.
There's no secret I love watching championship golf on TV. For me, when the coverage starts late in the afternoon lasting through prime-time, it's an added bonus. As if it were scripted by NBC on Father's Day night, the final pair came to the 71st hole with both players (Woods and Westwood) tied for second place and the leader (Mediate) up ahead on the 72nd hole, with the tournament still up for grabs. I can't recall a major tournament where the last three players to finish all had a chance to win like this. At 8:52 PM EST, Tiger had the stage all to himself. On this occasion, he needed the entire hole to birdie the 18th. As we know by now, he rolled in a 12-footer to tie Rocco, forcing an 18 hole Monday playoff. I watched it all unfold. As usual, it did not disappoint.
How did Tiger even get to that final putt to tie? Let's rewind back to Friday. On his first nine holes he was slopping it up at 3-over par. Fortunately, a few over par still keeps you within reach at the US Open. He managed to hang in there with the help of an eagle on #13, sandwiched in-between four bogies, playing what's described as military golf, hitting it left, right, left, right... all over the course. On many shots it was clearly visible that Tiger's knee was hurting, BADLY.
On his back nine (which was actually the front nine of the course because they played the back nine first) it didn't start off any better, as Tiger's drive on hole #1 ended up next to a tree and just off the cart path. Because he was standing on the cart path he was entitled to a free drop, but because the ball could easily have ended up behind the tree, he decided to play it from where it lied. There was just enough room between the ball and cart path to hit it cleanly. The announcers poured it on thick, pointing out that Tiger wears metal spikes and the worry was that his leg would slip, injuring himself worse. In typical fashion, he not only hit it clean, he flushed it right onto the green and made the birdie putt. This was the spark that turned on the light switch, as he made three more threes and added another birdie for a score of thirty. As expected he found a way to enter moving day Saturday on page one of the leader board.
During the third round Rocco Mediate was clearly the best player in the field. He entered his back nine with a three shot lead and six shots over Tiger, who struggled with a two over-par 37 on his front nine. On the back nine it was complete role reversal, with Rocco faltering at two over-par and Tiger turning on the switch again, shooting a 3-under par 33.
After his second shot on #13 almost flew into the hole on a fly, it ended up over 60 feet away. If you're looking for a turning point, this would be a good place to start, as Tiger made the eagle putt. It was a tough down-hiller with a big break left, that was motoring until it landed DEAD CENTER in the cup. On the par three 17th , he missed the green with his tee shot, then chipped his second shot high into the air from an uphill lie on the side of the bunker. It landed a few inches from the hole on a fly, then hopped up and hit the pin DEAD CENTER, and dropped straight down into the hole for a birdie. Even Tiger had to laugh as his shot looked like it was going at least a few feet past before the hole swallowed it. This put him one shot behind Lee Westwood, the leader at that time. He then reached the par 5 18th hole in two. His eagle putt was a sharp breaking left to right slider from the top of a ridge, so it was going to be fast. DEAD CENTER is the only way to describe how the ball entered the hole. Now Tiger had a one stroke lead entering the final round and we all know his record when leading after three rounds in a major. Here's a hint (he's 13 & 0).
Remember the original Wizard of Oz movie, where the first part was in black and white and the rest of the movie was in color? In comparison, the black and white portion of this year's US Open was Mediate's first 54 holes. The color came on starting when Tiger went double-bogey, bogey on Sunday's first two holes and Westwood also began to slide. Rocco was now in the lead and only Bob May in the 2000 PGA has challenged Tiger like this in the final round of a major.
Up until now, the US Open was a story about Tiger Woods, his struggle and his determination, playing on one leg. Early on Sunday, the storyline was becoming more of a fairy tale about a journeyman pro golfer named Rocco, who everyone loved, but who hadn't won a pro tournament in six years. In fact the last and only time he was this close in a major was in the 2006 Masters. Entering the 15th hole on Saturday, Rocco found himself right in the thick of it, then he slipped and injured is back. If you remember him yukking it up in the TV booth in early 2007, this is why. He spent all last year rehabbing and this year needed to play his way into the US Open as one of the low qualifiers, before getting this opportunity. Like a heavyweight boxer with a shot at the title (just like in Rocky) Rocco knew this was probably his last chance to beat the best, and he gave it everything he had. Unfortunately, he was up against possibly the greatest the game of golf has ever seen.
Will Tiger Woods break Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors and every other major record on the books? Will he go down as the best there ever was? OR will injuries prevent him from reaching these goals? What do you think? I welcome your comments. Please feel free to reply via email and I'll post them on my blog or go to the blog directly at www.thumbsdownmethod.com and post your comments.
Trivia Question
What is the size of the golf hole? (Hint: it's smaller than a breadbox)
60 second golf tip
Here's an excerpt from page 57 of my soon to be published book, Thumbs Down - Golf Instruction Made Simple, by Morgan James Publishing. It stresses the importance of not only thinking "delayed hit", but also implies the need for delayed thinking. "Remember: you can't hit the ball during the first 3/4 of your swing, so don't try to. Instead: keep your swing under control as you reach the slot, then accelerate into the impact zone on the downswing." Translation: Keep the swing slow and rhythmic and wait until the second part of the down swing, then accelerate down and kill the ball at impact.
This past weekend I played in a two-day club tournament. The 7th hole is a par 3, 180 yards, where I usually hit my 6-iron. During the first round the tees were up a few yards with a slight wind at our backs and the ground very firm in front of the green. Since the pin was up front I decided to hit a hard 7-iron. Usually when I try to reach for a little extra I start with a strong back swing, followed by a lot of acceleration from the top, followed by a miss-hit, most of the time.
What I remembered on this shot was to delay the acceleration until my hands reached waist height on the downswing (the first 3/4 of my swing), then I fired Thumbs Down at the ball. I've found that the longer I can delay my thinking, before accelerating down on the ball, the more consistent a ball striker I am. I struck it as well as I could and bounced it up onto the green. I had a terrible putting weekend so of course I missed the birdie (a defensive down-hiller), but at least I didn't blow it past and three-putt the hole.
Summer Special
For the summer I'm offering the Pro Plus edition ($197 and includes 3 hours of one-on-one virtual coaching) for the same price as the Pro edition $47 (plus $4 S&H). Also, if you purchase the Front Nine eBook ($9.97) I'll give you 100% trade-in towards the purchase of the Pro Edition. Order yours today or as a gift at www.golfinstructionmadesimple.com/Products/ProEdition.htm and Tell-A-Friend.
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