Everywhere you look some association is busily handing out awards. Male athlete of the year has been bestowed upon Tiger Woods by both the GWAA and by the Associated Press, Lorena Ochoa was given the women’s honor by the same organization and the Sports Illustrated models even gave Michelle Wie the nod by pronouncing her one of the top “hotties” of 2006. Are there any more accolades to be doled out before the start of the 2007 golf season? The LPGA Tour has decided to pay homage to their own, in the same vein as the ESPY’s which gave Annika Sorenstam her ...

Click here to listen. Michelle Wie’s recent acceptance to Stanford gave us pause this week to reflect upon a golf lesson offered up by Ernie Els during the 2005 Sony Open. Perhaps if Michelle Wie practices with more determination this year, all of her PGA Tour dreams might come true…including entrance into the Masters or even a spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team? Our next subject on this holiday edition of Golf for Beginners answers a listener’s email about bounce. When is it best to use a sand wedge and when should a golfer opt for a more bladed club? Can a ...

Did Tiger Woods text-message Annika Sorenstam to gloat after winning his eighth GWAA player of the year award? Probably not because he must be too busy preening over being deemed Biography Channel’s “Biography of the Year". Catch the Tiger Woods documentary December 21st. Check your local listings. Did Lorena Ochoa inwardly chuckle after snatching that same award from Annika Sorenstam’s grasp? The Golf Writers Association of America believed Ochoa to be more worthy of receiving this year’s accolade than Sorenstam and rightfully so. The Mexican sensation finished off the 2006 season with six wins on the LPGA Tour versus half that ...

Click here to listen. Annika Sorenstam is one busy entrepreneur, from her successful association with Ginn Resorts right down to giving advice to golfers in both Golf Digest and Golf for Women magazines. Barry and I discuss Sorenstam’s one-handed drill that is sure to provide both the golf beginner as well as the intermediate player with better ball contact as well as help generate more clubhead speed. We continue with golf tips for winterizing your golf equipment. How do you determine which clubs should remain in your bag and which should be traded out for something more reliable? Perhaps swapping a three-iron ...

I now have the eyes of the tiger…Tiger Woods that is! It’s now about two weeks since lasik surgery has been successfully performed on my peepers and I must admit, it feels as if it happened a lifetime ago. Even with the new technology of intralase bladeless lasik versus the original Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, I still chose the original procedure. The price was much more reasonable and I figured that the surgeon (and the VISX machine) would have already had plenty of experience carving that microkeratome into my baby browns. Barry got the opportunity to watch as the operation was televised. The ...

Click here to listen. Here is a conundrum for our listeners and readers. What functions as both raingear and a golf training aid? Why an umbrella, of course! And not just any umbrella, no! The rain reflector we’re discussing in this week’s podcast, Umbrella Plus, has also been hailed by The Teaching Network, a panel of PGA teaching professionals who only accept products which “show true value in the players learning process". We not only concur with the findings of these golf instructors but we also laud the Umbrella Plus’ versatility and ease-of-use. Listen to the details of our findings on this ...

Click here to listen. Not all husbands and wives are meant to share the game of golf. Tiger Woods and his wife Elin, for example, enjoy other activities together as she is an expert downhill skier. As Tiger stated, “Being married to a Swede, you have to ski, no choice.” This week a listener asks about the probability of getting his wife to learn golf. This question started a “friendly” confrontation and an all-out battle of the sexes debate quickly ensued! After a brief reminiscence as to how Barry helped get me interested in the sport, I thought about something that he reiterates ...

Imitation is considered the sincerest form of flattery. I guess Vijay Singh must consider Tiger Woods PGA Tour ‘07 fair game as he has created not only the initial Vijay Singh Pro Golf Game but now an updated version more simply entitled, “Pro Golf 2007″. Vijay has taken his game in a slightly different direction, preferring not to compete with Woods head-to-head but laying up instead on the mobile frontier. I wonder if dropping Singh’s name out of the title will inhibit or spur on this golf game’s growth? Tiger Woods has recently announced his venture into golf course development. No sooner has ...

Click here to listen. With the assistance of his father, Tiger Woods learned early on how to focus not just on the shot at hand but also on that little golf ball directly in front of him. We discuss clarity of mind which helps all golfers including Tiger Woods) free themselves from all other distractions to concentrate on the task of hitting that ball squarely off the tee. We also answer an email from a reader who hasn’t played golf in a while and finds himself hitting off the toe of the clubface. What is he doing wrong and how can he ...

You’ve got to give Michelle Wie credit as she tees it up against the men for the final time this year at the Casio World Open. She just keeps on ticking with no sign of stopping. As a determined Wie stated, “Get used to it". And so we shall as Michelle Wie completes the “watch” tour. There was the Omega where she finished at the bottom of the leaderboard and now the Casio where last year’s memory was of a sobbing teenager who had just thrown her chances away after bogeying the final two holes of the tournament. Will she become ...

Click here to listen. This podcast is a biggie, filled with lots of golf tips for the driving range. Our listeners have spoken, letting us know that they take their ipods (and our weekly tips) with them when they practice so we have created this session with them in mind. One email battles over whether or not an instructor can do more harm than good. Can a golf swing suffer from the wrong teaching method? We use a bit of advice from Butch Harmon who feels that a golfer should not try and change a less-than-perfect looking swing but work within his ...

The ladies of the LPGA finally get the opportunity to earn in one event as much as their PGA Tour counterparts. A million-dollar first place purse is being dangled in front of the contestants at the ADT Championship to see which golfer comes out of the gate strongest, fastest and with the tenacity of a pit-bull. Donald Trump has once again plotted and planned to make sure that his Trump International Golf Club was the host for this year’s event. Trump has actively been pursuing the LPGA and attending planning board meetings in the hopes of securing several events for his ...

Click here to listen. Tiger Woods claimed during an interview at the HSBC Champions event that he now feels “refreshed, recharged and ready” to play golf again after his recent bout with exhaustion. We take a tip from Tiger Woods and pass it along to our listeners. Click here for Tiger Woods’ tips on mental toughness! Cold weather? No problem! Barry and I aren’t about to let a little dip in the temperature stop us from playing golf in the great outdoors! We discuss the changes you might find on the golf course during this season and how to deal with lost ...

While Lorena Ochoa struggles to grab player of the year honors on the LPGA tour, Annika Sorenstam has decided she likes the PGA “silly season” better, foregoing the Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions for a matchup against the men. Sorenstam and Fred Couples, known as the “king” of the post-season, have paired up for this week’s Merrill Lynch Shootout. Normally this wouldn’t catch my attention but it appears as if Annika is diversifying, stretching her legs after a terrific golf season and, perhaps, wondering if she can attract the same kind of media attention as PGA tour wannabee, uber-teen Michelle Wie. This ...

I don’t blame Commissioner Tim Finchem for being upset that Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are AWOL from this week’s Tour Championship. He is the head of the organization in which both men have risen to the top of their respective games. He is also the pinnacle of the food chain when it comes to “heads rolling” if the PGA Tour doesn’t receive enough viewership. Without golf’s two biggest stars, how many people are really watching? When I heard that both Woods and Mickelson were kicking back instead of heading out to work, it ticked me off. I don’t get the ...

As you all know, your efforts to triumph over Annika Sorenstam are similar to efforts made by your male counterparts on the PGA tour when competing against Tiger Woods. Here are some tips on how to defeat Annika Sorenstam. 1. All must agree that those playing with Sorenstam must be willing to bend the rules of etiquette. This means they must come supplied with weaponry other than their sticks. 2. One of those in the grouping must make believe that they have a very bad cold. They must also be willing to sneeze and cough loudly in Annika’s backswing. 3. One of ...

Both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have opted out of the Tour Championship. Tiger says that he needs to recharge his batteries and Phil is still trying to forget his U.S. Open “flop". Now that Barry and I have a year’s worth of Golf for Beginners podcasts in the hopper, we have also decided to take a short respite. This occurence doesn’t necessarily mean that we aren’t going to provide our listeners with quality golf tips and our usual banter. We have compiled a few of our “vintage” podcasts, filled with Tiger tips, Michelle Wie frenzy and ample instruction to keep you ...

Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, even Michelle Wie, have been hot topics this season on the PGA tour but which story has gained the most sympathy, support and readership? Could Phil Mickelson’s second Masters triumph be the early gossip leader, where everyone proclaimed “Lefty” as a person likely to complete the elusive Grand Slam? Then, with the untimely demise of Earl Woods, all golf afficionados tuned in to see how Tiger handled himself under the pressure of the calamity. Missing the cut at the U.S. Open, Tiger Woods proved that he was human. We felt for him, hoping that he would return ...

Click here to listen. You would think that Tiger Woods already has every shot in his bag but he, too, is always learning. This week’s golf tip focuses on all-important chip shot. At the end of a round of golf there can only be one winner, whether it be a professional or amateur tournament. Even on the publinks, when betting a two-dollar Nassau with your friends, it really hurts when you are the person handing out the dough. Do you follow basic golf etiquette? How good of a loser are you? Finally, we reveal an all-important occasion for Golf for Beginners. Continue sending your golf ...

If you come to New York toting your sticks, you won’t be able to play a round of golf on the course that will host this weekend’s skins game featuring Donald Trump. It’s really a park that is being gussied up to bring attention to Governors Island, originally a coastal fortification for the City. That being said, “The Donald” will be teaming up with Tom Watson with the hopes of defeating Annika Sorenstam and Natalie Gulbis even though he will be the only amateur on the course. Trump sports a five or six handicap (depending upon what internet source you read) and ...

At first I was considering letting the whole Michelle Wie debacle come to a close after her floundering performance at the Samsung. Why rub salt on the wounds and what more could be said about the 17-year old who is said to be one of the LPGA’s great hopes and the future of professional women’s golf? I wished to see Wie near the top of the leaderboard. I wanted to see her contend with Sorenstam and Ochoa. I expected to be dazzled by her extraordinary talent, cheering her on to victory. Instead I watched as Lorena Ochoa proved herself to be ...

Click here to listen. Strengthen your focus and concentration with this game-within-a-game tactic! Pia Nilsson (Annika Sorenstam’s mental coach) and Lynn Marriott’s (Golf Digest Top-50 instructor) golf tips will keep you “in the moment"! Both are co-founders of “Vision 54″, a tutelage that all golfers are capable of shooting a birdie on every hole! Phil Mickelson has a tendency to get into trouble (remember his U.S. Open collapse?) He also has many shots in his bag to get him back onto the fairway. We discuss the punch-out with help from Golf Digest teaching professional Rick Smith who, I believe, has seen ...

Michele Wie would like nothing more than to be the golfer who dethrones Annika Sorenstam at the Samsung World Championship. Considered by some to be the LPGA’s “fifth major", this would be a crowning achievement for the young Hawaiian girl who has tried but failed all season to triumph on both LPGA and PGA tours. Fifth major? Laura Davies makes that assertion on the Samsung website adding, “Just to get in means you’ve had a great year". The Michelob Ultra Open has also been declared a fifth major by some players for it’s high purse but seriously, how many can ...

Click here to listen. How you swing the golf club can really make a difference! A lesson from his golf professional taught Barry which plane which works best for irons, woods and driver. Fred Astaire was not only a terrific dancer but also a low handicap golfer. We share his secret. And, we couldn’t help ourselves when we heard Phyllis Diller’s wisecrack about her golf experience, so here it is! Continue sending your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com. Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.worldgolf.com/stacy_solomon or through iTunes. Nextel/Sprint cell customers type http://www.mymbn.com/podcast/ in your browser and click on “sports casts". ...

Annika Sorenstam had little interest in entering this week’s Corona Morelia Championship. She already proved convincingly that she can crush the LPGA’s ADT money leader Lorena Ochoa and she’s too busy preparing for her guest appearance on NBC television’s “The Tonight Show". Just two weeks ago, Sorenstam put on a golf “clinic", a friendly skins game, in which she thrashed Lorena Ochoa eleven skins to seven, causing the Mexican sensation to quickly ask for a rematch. Annika agreed. Why not? She’s already up one match! Now that Ochoa has had time to “ponder” her loss to Sorenstam, she has to take on ...

This is S. Scott Rosenberg’s recent remarks about golf’s beloved Tiger Woods. He further goes on to tell us that Woods should be the one man that America should love to hate. Could it be that Rosenberg is just a tad bit jealous knowing that he will never achieve the popularity nor the charitable greatness shown by the number-one golfer in the world? Although he is considered golf’s first “billion-dollar man“, Woods also gives millions to charities (Tigerjam and the Target World Challange in which Woods donates his winnings every year) and helps the youth of America through the Tiger Woods ...

Click here to listen. I found myself searching for a reason why my self-assurance increased this past week after crushing opponents during a round of golf. The “dean of mental coaching", Dr. Bob Rotella, seemed to offer up the closest ideas as to my improved cerebral performance. What would make Tiger Woods retire from golf? We relate this quote plus one in stark contrast from Vijay Singh. “The Rules of Golf plainly spoken” helps the golfer whose ball finds an unplayable lie. Continue sending your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com. Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.worldgolf.com/stacy_solomon or through iTunes. Nextel/Sprint ...

Breaking up is not hard to do anymore, especially when it comes to professional golfers giving the “heave-ho” to their caddies. Just as in the marriage front which claims more than a fifty percent divorce rate, these numbers are spilling into the arena of both the PGA and LPGA tours. Some break-ups go well citing irreconcilable differences and others are not so friendly. Michelle Wie didn’t release former caddie Greg Johnston face-to-face. Instead, an “endorsement” was issued via spokesperson. He should have continued to carry the bag for Juli Inkster. Similar results for Lance Bennett, looper for Lorena Ochoa. What’s interesting in this ...

After reading Bill Wolfrum’s article alerting me that my favorite lefty golfer, Phil Mickelson, was all washed up for the remainder of the season, I was crushed. Mickelson semed to be his happiest during the 2004 Grand Slam where he shot an unbelieveably easy 59. Even after losing the 2005 Grand Slam of Golf to Tiger Woods, Mickelson remarked, “it was kind of a fun, friendly round of golf. There wasn’t much of a competition going on out there, so we just enjoyed the day". Come on Phil, to be in Poipu in November is like being in heaven! But ...

The final round of the Longs Drugs Challenge was a nail-biter. Annika Sorenstam pulled off her best Tiger Woods impression giving Karrie Webb a run for her money. As Karrie said in her post-round interview, “I let everybody back in when I doubled seven…I knew that probably would feed Annika’s aggression.” Webb took home the trophy and the honors but the real shocker came while watching Morgan Pressel play in her first professional “final grouping” alongside the veteran females. Pressel not only gained her best bogey-free career round finish as a professional golfer but, most notably, showed the world “live” on the ...

Click here to listen. Molly Baney is not only a celebrated golf instructor at the popular St. Andrews Golf & CC in Illinois but she is also a Golf for Women Magazine Top 50 teacher. We discuss her top five golf tips. Learn the recommendation that Payne Stewart offered up to celebrity real estate mogul Donald Trump at a charity event. Trump provides many more tidbits from professional golfers to top CEO’s in his absorbing book, “The Best Golf Advice I Ever Received". “The Rules of Golf plainly spoken” discusses the penalty for too many golf clubs in your bag and what happens ...

Expressing an opinion is one of the great things we have going for citizens in the U.S.A. So why is everyone berating Johnny Miller over his press conference comments? Miller’s statement that pairings of Woods/Furyk and Mickelson/DiMarco at this year’s Ryder Cup is necessary because of previous successes is a good idea. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are long drivers and can “go for it” while golfers Furyk and DiMarco are strategists who can take a safer route if necessary. Just look at Phil Mickelson’s theory of “risk/reward” and you will see a perfect example of why he is paired with ...

Ryder Cup frenzy has already begun. From Kiel Christianson’s opinion that the Europeans will once again take the honors to Chris Baldwin’s opposing view, the excitement is building and with good reason. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will be teammates and that’s always good ratings. Watching Colin Montgomerie’s frustration should also be tantalizing: he’s usually great at wearing his heart on his sleeve. Sergio Garcia’s colorful couture should also keep viewers intrigued. What about the golf? That’s always top-notch! All Annika Sorenstam and the rest of the ladies on the LPGA tour have to do is patiently wait until Sunday when ...

Click here to listen. Sometimes it’s tough playing golf in the rain but if you carry the right essentials, you’ll beat the elements and have fun doing it! Also, why did Barry leave his Titleist Vokey spin-milled lob wedge in the bag? Barry also plays a weekly game on a golf course with an elevated green. Learn how to easily conquer this odd shot from the tee box. Putting tips are featured in our section, “The Rules of Golf made simple". Continue sending your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com. Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.worldgolf.com/stacy_solomon or through iTunes. Nextel/Sprint ...

Tiger Woods’ hasty exit from the HSBC Matchplay Championship was blamed on his putter. I think his problems were more about the speed of his putts rather than the line. His untimely defeat looked almost as bad as Michelle Wie’s last place finish at the Omega. Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Jim Furyk were also in the same boat. Paul Casey was worried if anyone would watch the event after his win over Goosen. “I think we lose some TV ratings", he said. Michelle Wie didn’t need a crystal ball to know that she would be ousted after yet another dismal showing at ...

Earlier in the season, Ty Votaw insisted on creating a five-year plan for the LPGA. All professional female golfers were required to attend a meeting in order for Votaw to discuss his “five points of celebrity” to create maximum revenues for a floundering tour. Those key points were, “performance, appearance, passion, relevance and approachability". At that time, Playboy.com held a “sexiest woman on the LPGA” poll asking it’s readers which professional female golfer would they want to see grace the pages of their popular skin magazine. Carin Koch won the title but gracefully declined the offer. Ty Votaw sent pictures of several “clad” ...

Click here to listen. The Golf Channel now shows golf movies! Barry and I recently sat down to watch “A Gentleman’s Game” with Gary Sinise and came away with a great golf tip that can help you improve your stability and balance. Barry reviews “Golfdust”, a new training aid which is becoming the rage among golf instructors. In our “Rules of Golf made simple” a listener asks if he made the correct decision when his golf ball landed on a yardage marker. Continue sending your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com. Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.worldgolf.com/stacy_solomon or through iTunes. ...

“I didn’t even know which sport I was playing out there” stated Michelle Wie after missing yet another cut. No wonder Wie m/c’d. You can’t hit a golf ball with a tennis racket! With a 78 and 79 Wie showed she doesn’t belong on the men’s tour. She even added another distinction to her resume. This is the first men’s tournament in which Wie finished in last place. Another attempt and yet another m/c. That makes nine out of ten times that Michelle Wie has tried, and failed. The professional golfers on the Nationwide Tour should be getting really annoyed right about ...

Ah, the dreams of a teenager. Currently the youngest Omega ambassador in a group which includes golfers Sergio Garcia and Ernie Els as well as supermodel Cindy Crawford and actress Nicole Kidman, the ambitions of Michelle Wie are spreading to dreams of scoring 54’s and joining the U.S. Ryder Cup team one day. “Hopefully I will be able to do it one day, that would be awesome. I think it is totally possible” stated a passionate Wiesy regarding her Ryder Cup aspirations at her pre-round interview for this week’s Omega European Master’s tournament. Another attempt for Wie to qualify in a ...

I’m a little confused. Was that the Deutsche Bank or the State Farm tournament on T.V.? If I didn’t know which golf tournament I was watching I could have easily superimposed Tiger Woods’ face on Annika Sorenstam’s body. In similar come-from-behind fashion, Annika rallied from five back to win by two strokes and Tiger, who seemed to mimic Sorenstam’s performance, took the lead away from poor Vijay Singh, who really thought he had it in the bag this time. Now we all know that it’s a no-no to go one-on-one against the great T.W., don’t we? I would rather be in ...

Click here to listen. It’s no secret that Barry enjoys a friendly side bet on the golf course. Imagine his delight when I found this golf tip from Butch Harmon! In the “Rules of Golf made easy” we discuss the flagstick. To remove or not to remove! We’ll give you the lowdown. Continue sending your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com. Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.worldgolf.com/stacy_solomon or through iTunes. Nextel/Sprint cell customers type http://www.mymbn.com/podcast/ in your browser and click on “sports casts". Our station number is 1955.

While most people will be celebrating the “unofficial” end of summer this weekend, the top golfers on the LPGA tour will all be gunning for Pat Hurst as she defends her State Farm Classic title. Cristie Kerr, who won this event in 2004 but narrowly succumbed to veteran Hurst in 2005, will be out “headhunting” for her. Annika Sorenstam, who required an 18-hole playoff at the U.S. Women’s Open in order to defeat Hurst has entered the final field, her first event at the Rail Golf Course since 2001. Perhaps Sorenstam is back here not only because of a commitment to play ...

Click here to listen. Even though Tiger Woods played his C+ game this weekend at the Bridgestone, he persevered. Yawn. Another week, another victory…that makes four in a row, doesn’t it? Despite a playoff with rival Stewart Cink (2004 winner) Woods’ strong mental game allowed him to stay focused with his “eye on the prize". We are simply amazed by Tiger Woods’ ability and discuss his golf tips on “how to master the mind” straight from his book, “Tiger Woods: How I Play Golf”. In my opinion, Bobby Jones comes in a close second. Remember, Jones still remains the only person ever ...

Time has a way of slipping by during the summer season, especially if you’re not winning on the tour. There can only be one winner per event and the problem with that statement is that there are approximately 75 remaining “losers” each week. Although both Natalie Gulbis and Morgan Pressel have been touted early on as two ladies to watch, their performances have been short of perfection. Come on guys, who remembers the person who came in second…especially on the LPGA tour? Both are great golfers (I can’t beat them…yet) but they have not set themselves up to win, just to ...

If Carolyn Bivens can’t do it, at least Donald Trump is attempting to make the LPGA more visible to golf afficionados. Using his almighty “pull” where he has impacted communities, Trump is now asking Briarcliff Manor (my hometown) to change an ordinance in effect when he was allowed to take over the old Briar Hall golf course. Granted a special permit in 2000 to rebuild the failing course, Trump had promised our community that he would not host professional golf tournaments on the site of Trump National Golf Club although he does conduct charitable functions there . The town agreed, so now ...

Click here to listen. While watching Tiger Woods attack the pins during this week’s PGA Championship, I noticed his constant tempo throughout his round. His swing is a combination of fluidity and compactness. Although Tiger generates terrific clubhead speed, he rarely gets ahead of himself or swings out of his boots. His tempo is rhythmic; he’s like a machine. Although there are some golfers that are quicker in their tempo, such as Nick Price or Lee Trevino, and others who are slow and methodical, such as Ben Hogan, one thing is certain…their swing speeds remain even, as Annika Sorenstam helps us ...

Click here to listen. Ipod-ready quick golf tips to help improve your game. No ipod? Consider downloading them to your cell phone! Take this week’s greenside and fairway bunker tips with you to the practice range or give a listen before your round. Continue sending your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com. Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.worldgolf.com/stacy_solomon or through iTunes. Nextel/Sprint cell customers type http://www.mymbn.com/podcast/ in your browser and click on “sports casts". Our station number is 1955.

Cristie Kerr whomped Angela Stanford once again, this time at the Canadian Women’s Open, an LPGA tournament I missed because I cant find the RSN Network on my list of more than 300 digital cablevision stations. Angela Stanford suffered a moment of deja-vu this weekend and the stunned “deer-in-headlights” look on her face after her long-shot defeat would have been worth millions. At the Franklin American Mortgage Championship earlier this season, Stanford held a four-stroke lead heading into the final round only to be trounced by Cristie Kerr. A worse thrashing occurred this past weekend by Kerr as she awakened from an eight-stroke ...

Click here to listen. During our recent round, Barry noticed that I get frustrated easily and hold on to anxiety much longer than I should. He believes this subliminal mindset is stopping me from realizing my potential. We discuss ways that I could “get out of my own way” and start having more fun. A listener discusses one of our previous podcasts and asks for further clarification on how to fade the ball. Barry and I have noticed that, for the beginner (and for most golfers), the rules of golf can be very wordy. We attempt to simplify them in our new section ...

You’ll have to blink twice to see Natalie Gulbis in a Mastercard commercial that appeared during sweeps week this spring and throughout the golf season. In the ad, a young woman decides that she needs help with her golf game after playing a round with a few guys who are rolling their eyes at her, one of them gazing down at his watch. Isn’t that the way it usually is though, ladies? No matter how well we play, men will always prefer playing golf with other men. This young woman gives herself a complete makeover from the etching on her golf ...

What if Tiger Woods took up a sport other than golf as a child? Where would he stack up against other great athletes of today? This is the premise of an article I read on PGATour.com which pits Woods’ recent milestone of fifty tour wins and career achievements up against other greats in the world of sports. Although the story compares Woods’ record to that of Roger Clemens, Reggie Jackson, Charles Barkley and Wayne Gretzky, there is no consideration for the possibility that if Tiger decided to chuck it all in right now and become a hoop star, would he be ...

Click here to listen. Ben Hogan has been acknowledged as the greatest ball-striker ever by Jack Nicklaus but didn’t know anything about Hogan’s secret which he revealed to Life Magazine in 1955. Barry and I compare his complicated yet instructional knowledge to the simplicity of John Jacobs’ more easily comprehensible lessons for beginners. Where else to get the best golf tips than from the top instructor on the planet? Golf Digest (and Golf for Beginners) taps Butch Harmon’s knowledge about chipping techniques around the green. Finally, we react to a recent blog by John Hawkins, senior writer of Golf World, who claims ...

Dedicating only 1.5 hours of network coverage per day on the weekend to a major, the Women’s British Open, proves that ABC-TV doesn’t find women’s golf a valuable enough commodity. Network biggies must also be losing interest in Michelle Wie’s “hype". She hasn’t won a tournament yet and people are starting to get tired of waiting for her to claim her first trophy as a professional golfer. I think that it will take a genuine new female “superstar” to stimulate long lasting interest in the LPGA, and in women’s golf in general. A long driver with a great short game who has ...

Michelle Wie is not only gaining confidence in her golf clubs but she is also improving her interview skills. I was impressed by her answers at this week’s press conference regarding her expectations of herself. Also, her restraint when asked about her opinions of others who might speak out-of-turn about her skills, or lack thereof, was very becoming for a girl her age, where cattiness sets the high-school standard. A mature Michelle stated, “it’s not because people expect me to win that I get frustrated. It’s just because I expect myself to win. You know, getting second, getting third every week, ...

Click here to listen. Barry and I were going through an old Golf Magazine from 2001 (yes, we’re really golf fanatics) and came across golf tips from some of the greatest golfers and instructors in the world. Dr. Gary Wiren, Davis Love Jr. and Judy Rankin are among this week’s selections. Perseverance pays off. H. Ross Perot once stated, “Most people give up just when they’re about to achieve success. They quit on the one-yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game one foot from a winning touchdown.” We discuss how, with persistence and with the right mental attitude, ...

With eight top-five finishes in her last ten LPGA events, one would think that the 2006 Evian Masters could be the event in which Michelle Wie will shine. Our American hopeful is just a single stroke off of the lead and will pair up with Aussie Karrie Webb and British bulldog Laura Davies in the final round tomorrow. However, Webb’s statistics are even better. Out of thirty events where Karrie entered the final round with at least a share of the lead, she has won nineteen times. She has also been victorious twice already this season whereas Wie is still struggling ...

While the French fry over American Floyd Landis’ Tour de France victory, a small group of Americans head off to the Evian Masters with the hopes of keeping the trophy that Paula Creamer won last year in their possession. From the looks of it, this could be construed as a mini-Solheim Cup battle. This is, indeed, a very small group. Only about one-third of the golfers heading over to Evian-les-Bains are from the U.S.A.. Americans don’t have a good history at this event either. Prior to Paula Creamer claiming the silver cup in 2005, the only American who was victorious ...

Click here to listen. Tiger Woods successfully defended his British Open title and Geoff Ogilvy grabbed the U.S. Open. What’s next? Will Phil Mickelson aptly safeguard his PGA Championship or will there be traces of gambling Phil, who is now holding the title of “worst collapse in sports history“? This week we discuss the course management strategies which Tiger Woods used to claim the coveted claret jug. Barry and I pull a letter from a fellow New Yorker out of our email bag. His complaint? Googling online under “best clubs” and “beginners” has not found our listener any wisdom, “just a bunch of ...

Why does the LPGA insist on creating controversy for both it’s players and sponsors? Last year, the LPGA was blasted by some of it’s golfers for it’s season-ending ADT Championship $1 million prize which could easily distort the golfers on the money list. This year one of it’s tournament hosts is ready to sue over being shoved out of the way by a new event. Jay Coffin at Golfweek states that legal action is being sought by officials of the Shoprite LPGA Classic because a date that was originally promised to host their tournament has been given to Ginn Sports Entertainment, ...

Where betting is off limits for golf profesionals (for their own sport) in the United States, it is welcomed in Europe. About twenty percent of the players in Britain make a sidebet through a caddy or friend. The Victor Chandler Agency has even been the sponsor for the British Masters in the past and is among many agencies and betting parlors set up both on the internet and nearby to accept bets from both golfers and gamblers. I wonder if Phil Mickelson, a known high-stakes gambler, will place a bet on himself this weekend? After his implosion at the U.S. Open ...

Click here to listen. Most of us know about the great problem-solver “Dear Abby“, but how about “Dear Stacy & Barry?” A battle of the sexes, husband and wife debate heats up the airwaves this week. One of our listeners asks several questions from course and slope ratings to the difference between a short and long game handicap. We answer with the help of the Metropolitan Golf Association and also give a few tips on keeping your short game up-to-par. Golf Digest teaching professional Randy Smith discloses the four words that should never be uttered on a golf course! Continue sending your golf questions ...

You’ve got to give Michelle Wie credit. With six bogeys on her scorecard for round one, the Big Wiesy is still in the game. Even Steve Lowery knew when to quit. One stroke away from the bottom of the leaderboard (6-over-77) but Michelle maintains plenty of optimism, stating after her sad showing, “I didn’t make the cut shooting 1-under on the first (day of the 2005 John Deere), so maybe shooting 6-over might do it” Her driving distance was commendable (273.2) but errant but with birdies early on in her round it appeared as if Wie was going to make a ...

On the heels of her new Michelle Wie book it is quite understandable that Jennifer Mario is interested in promoting the opinion that Miss Wie will make her first PGA cut this week at the John Deere Classic. For arguments sake I have chosen to take the opposing side. Attempting for the fifth time to make a cut on the PGA tour is 16-year-old Michelle Wie. On four previous occasions, she has MC’d, always coming close but not yet able to close the deal. When the chips were down recently at both the U.S. Women’s Open and at the HSBC World Match ...

It’s time for a bit of shameless self-promotion. Our Golf for Beginners podcast was recognized today by the Journal News in a newspaper article entitled, “High Tech: Internet unleashes a showcase of creativity”. In response to a growing interest in this new media, we were selected as one of three up-and-coming podcasters in the New York area. We’re not your typical golf show. Instead of weekly servings of PGA and LPGA tour news, we enjoy filling our podcast with real life adventures on the golf course and tips associated with our experiences. We try to allow our readers and listeners to live our ...

Click here to listen. During my round at Saxon Woods I found myself in a predicament that I am unaccustomed to; that is, my ball made it’s way into a fairway bunker. Whereas I am familiar with a greenside bunker shot, I normally don’t get much opportunity to practice this shot. Annika Sorenstam, a playing editor for Golf Digest magazine and 2006 U.S. Women’s Open champion, assists us this week in our endeavors to play better golf. We also discuss proper club selection using tips from U.S. Senior Open runner-up Tom Watson and why Ernie Els is really considered to ...

“Truth, justice…and all that stuff.” Perry White, “Superman Returns” “The Ladies Professional Golf Assn. (note that there is not a single reference to “American” in the title) is meant to be a tour devoted to the best female golfers – period. The tour doesn’t belong to just the U.S. It is a tour of the world, and as such the members come from all corners of the earth.” George White, “Only Fix, U.S. Must try harder” Whatever happened to “the American way"? Are Americans becoming more and more afraid to step-up and acknowledge all of the things we have accomplished ...

Click here to listen. Barry and I play much more golf now that summer is upon us (most of the time it’s happy golf). We like to walk and, in doing so, find plenty of golf balls along the way, from Titleist to Callaway. We received an email asking our advice on golf balls and if it really matters which brand we use. Listen for the lowdown. Simple short game tips are also featured so that one day you may grind it out as well as Annika Sorenstam and Michelle Wie did this weekend…even if you’re a novice! An 18-hole playoff between ...

Pairings have been announced for the first round of the 61st U.S. Women’s Open and, in my opinion, some of these combinations are very interesting indeed. For example, Birdie Kim is being paired with Morgan Pressel. That normally wouldn’t be newsworthy except for the fact that Kim birdied the final hole of last year’s Open stealing victory from Pressel’s grasp. Will this affect Morgan in any way? She is very temperamental and the possibilities are endless as to her reaction. Morgan stated last year after her defeat while choking back tears, “I can’t believe this is happening to me". But time has a ...

Click here to listen. Barry and I discuss how Phil Mickelson’s recent lapse of judgment at the U.S. Open can help me combat my own course management shortcomings. With summer in our sites and most people playing more than one sport, we answer a letter from our email bag about the baseball swing versus the golf swing. Also, stop swaying and become more consistent! Continue sending your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com. Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.worldgolf.com/stacy_solomon or through iTunes. Nextel/Sprint cell customers type http://www.mymbn.com/podcast/ in your browser and click on “sports casts". Our station number is 1955.

“Living from hotel to hotel. Eating, sleeping, and breathing the game of golf. I love it!” It’s only her first official year on the Duramed Futures Tour but since junior high school it’s all Megan Heckeroth has been dreaming about. A natural athlete, Megan had her choice of sports from gymnastics to track but, as many beginners soon learn, once you catch the golf “bug” you can never shake it. I have that very same affliction and so part two of my conversation with Megan continues with her practice regimen. I don’t have much time to practice so I need to make ...

Phil Mickelson’s plans to play in the Cialis Western Open are now in cold storage as Lefty is sleeping off his recent U.S. Open breakdown this past week at Winged Foot. It’s a sure sign of despondency but Phil confirms that he always spends a few days in bed after a championship tournament. I’m not sure that would be the case, however, if Lefty was victorious on Sunday. I think it would have been hard for Phil to settle down. If he was sleeping he surely wasn’t watching CBS’ “The Late Show With David Letterman” as Geoff Ogilvy read the night’s “top ...

Click here to listen. Watching Phil Mickelson and Kenneth Ferrie in the final pairing at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot G.C. this week inspires Barry and I to address simple golf tips for better ball control. As Tiger Woods sails into the sunset the remaining golfers struggle to keep the ball on the fairway. Keep sending your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com. Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.worldgolf.com/stacy_solomon or through iTunes. Nextel/Sprint cell customers type http://www.mymbn.com/podcast/ in your browser and click on “sports casts". Our station number is 1955.

With Colin Mongomerie close to winning his first major tournament after a rough Friday, Phil Mickelson is going for his own history. Although Mickelson has already conquered the Masters twice and the PGA Championship he has yet to claim his first U.S. Open trophy. Lefty came in with a close second in 2004 but Retief Goosen’s putter sealed the deal for the South African. After Tiger Woods’ missed cut, I bet some of the pros are feeling relieved but “mercy applause” from the fans for the number-one golfer in the world? The cheers for Tiger in spite of his less-than-stellar performance ...

I thought the USGA would act differently than the LPGA regarding press credentials this week at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot but they proved me wrong. After sending Golf for Beginners literally dozens of emails regarding U.S. Open information (going so far as to send us the necessary background check paperwork) Director of Media Relations Craig Smith told us to head over to “will-call” and pick up our press credentials. After signing for the package, we noticed that there were two media “guest” passes enclosed. Where were our credentials? We headed over to the media tent, spoke to a lady who verified ...

Click here to listen. Improve your game by taking the advice of the best golf professionals in the world! Hank Haney, Butch Harmon, Phil Mickelson and more give golf tips based upon your game. Sign up for free playing lessons at golfdigest.com/challenge. One of our listeners voices a greivance against Barry for the harsh words he called one of his playing partners on last week’s podcast. We also offer up golf tips on aim and posture. Keep sending your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com. Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.worldgolf.com/stacy_solomon or through iTunes. Nextel/Sprint cell customers type http://www.mymbn.com/podcast/ in your ...

Megan Heckeroth is a girl after my own heart. Her hot, red Mustang convertible carts around her bag of Cleveland golf clubs. I have a 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible but can’t fit my huge Burton bag (filled with Titleist clubs) into the trunk because the subwoofer takes up most of my space. She says that although she’s a bit “chicken” (I doubt that Megs) she’s gotten the car up to about 120 mph once, but only for a second ;-)…okay Megan…me too, but only for a sec..wink, wink!. Both of us share similar taste in music on our ipods from Green ...

She never tires, she’s only sixteen. This week’s sectional qualifier for Michelle Wie was just a tune-up for her battle against Annika Sorenstam at this week’s McDonald’s LPGA Championship. Who will be under more scrutiny, Wie or Sorenstam? Will Annika have to whistle to get the media’s attention? “Hey, I’m over here!” Even though Wie did not succeed in the purest sense of the word (no ticket to Winged Foot) she still did a terrific job; hats off to her! In contrast, Sorenstam has hoisted this particular trophy three times in a row, last year defeating the sixteen-year-old Hawaiian by a mere ...

Click here to listen. This is the week that we’ve all been waiting for. Will Michelle Wie qualify for the U.S. Open at Winged Foot and play golf alongside the top PGA players in the world? We also consider Sorenstam versus Wie for a Celebrity “Ratings” Deathmatch. Why hasn’t Annika stepped up and attempted to qualify for the U.S. Open? ESPN will update Wie’s progress every half-hour and The Golf Channel will have a special on Michelle on Monday evening. I guess they understand who gets the big ratings! Attention all women! This is OUR week! Go to Play Golf America, find out which ...

June 5th is the day of truth for Michelle Wie. Either she will qualify for the U.S. Open at Winged Foot and go down in history as the lone 16-year-old female to ever play in both men’s and women’s majors or she will simply fly to Rhode Island at the end of June and compete under sponsor’s exemption at the third LPGA major of 2006. Whichever way the chips fall Michelle Wie is making history with every step she takes. She certainly didn’t pick a “gimme” for her choice of sectional qualifying spots. Canoe Brook CC in New Jersey (being just ...

Click here to listen. This week’s podcast is personal! Both Barry and I got a bit agitated over several less-than-nice people who played with us (and we’re being kind) so we try to help our listeners by answering the question, “What do you do if you’re stuck playing with a grump?” Playing golf behind slow moving people can change a nice four-hour round into a five-and-a-half hour nightmare. We dole out some golf tips on how to both speed up slow play and how not to be angered when you’re the person playing behind the turtles up ahead. And a bit of golf ...

A word to Annika Sorenstam’s management team. STOP putting her in commercials with aging film and rock stars! And please try and make her look her best when she’s in front of the camera. Her recent Wheat Thins commercial portrays Sorenstam as anything but pretty. I even think she appeared “boyish". Heck, even a dried-up old prune like George Hamilton (affectionately speaking, of course)showed a bit of character in relation to Annika who was covered head-to-toe in golf attire. Annika should have at least removed her cap and let those shiny blond locks appear. I’ll bet that if Natalie ...

You may know him as a featured columnist for Golf Magazine or as an on-course reporter for CBS Sports but in Connell Barrett’s shocking article you will see David Feherty as you never have before. Barrett’s essay on Feherty allows readers a glimpse into the depths of the Irish man’s soul from his boozing days on the PGA Tour through his struggles to combat clinical depression. I must admit that I was literally rolling on the floor laughing even though Feherty was admitting his earnest bout with alcoholism. That’s just what David does - he keeps you in stitches in spite of ...

Click here to listen. Last week we gave some tips on the mental game. This week (as promised) we offer a cerebral tip that everyone can use. Common courtesy and decorum are not taught in most schools but if they were Barry and I probably would not have to discuss the basics of golf etiquette. This is not for beginners only…everyone should listen and wonder if they are guilty of these faux pas. Our golf podcast has grown so much in popularity that the Mobile Broadcast Network on Nextel/Sprint has contracted us to join its list of downloadable programs. We’re now happy to ...

Barry and I recently sent in applications for media credentials for the Sybase Classic. Since we write a golf blog for one of the oldest golf addresses on the internet as well as create a golf podcast with thousands of weekly downloads we figured that we would be interviewing Annika Sorenstam, Paula Creamer as well as many of the other LPGA golfers in the final field and bringing it to our audience this week. After faxing in the necessary paperwork we received a press release from Michelle Berish, marketing and communications manager for Octagon confirming that Annika Sorenstam would be present ...

Click here to listen. Perhaps the most important facet of the golf game that separates the amateur from PGA tour professionals is the pros’ ability to perform under all kinds of stress. Learning how to deal with the mental aspect of the game (and I don’t mean through hypnosis folks) will not only save strokes on the course but can effectively enhance all aspects of your life. Barry and I are not professional instructors but some of the golf tips we bring you this week comes from one of the most qualified experts in his field, Dr. Rick Jensen. Dr. Jensen is ...

Although Michelle Wie is not playing golf in the Michelob Ultra Open, her name is still mentioned to all of the ladies during the pre-tournament interviews. The essence of the question was would the ladies ever consider entering the men’s arena like Michelle Wie has successfully done? Could it be that Dana Gross-Rhode is secretly wishing that she was interviewing Wie instead of the likes of Morgan Pressel and Paula Creamer or is her agenda more sinister, attempting to provoke the ladies yet again by throwing them six-foot Wiesy curveballs? The ladies remained gracious in their responses with both Pressel and ...

With Mother’s Day coinciding with what is commonly referred to as the LPGA’s fifth major, most viewers will have a rough time catching all of the action on ESPN2. My mom takes center stage on Sunday and the day prior just happens to be my sister’s birthday so my golf viewing will be limited to glimpses here and there or skimming through mounds of VCR tape. But lo and behold, the “powers that be” must have read my mind because live supplemental coverage is now being offered at the Michelob Ultra Open website! From the exclusive pro-am party to interviews with the ...

Click here to listen. In my interview last week with PGA Professional Martin Nolletti, Martin stressed the fundamentals. This week Martin discusses the biggest problems for women golfers and gives “casual” golfers a few tips on how to stay even. With many listeners commenting about Barry’s supposed lack of tee box etiquette, Barry battles back. We also respond to a question about how to use impact tape. And, you either love her or you don’t but Michelle Wie is making an impact in the men’s arena. Although Wie Sung-mi (her Korean name) fell twelve strokes shy of victory at the rain-shortened SK Telecom ...

In my opinion, this week’s Franklin American Mortgage Championship is comparable to the PGA’s Chrysler Classic of Tucson. Most of the big names that even casual viewers look for are not in attendance. In this case that means no Annika Sorenstam, no Michelle Wie nor Morgan Pressel. I’m not saying that the event is second rate but it does allow lesser known LPGA stars to shine without the pressure of the top players there. Stacy Prammanasudh (pronounced PRAH-manna-sood) is one such golfer. Most people wouldn’t even know how to spell or even pronounce her name but Stacy P. has been gaining ...

Click here to listen. Our golf podcast moves along at a brisk pace this week and is chock full of instruction mostly provided to you by PGA Professional Martin Nolletti. I had the opportunity to sit down with my coach from Fairview Golf Center and his simple tips are perfect for both the beginner as well as the advanced player. Listen to part one this week. You can click here for part two of the interview. Golf cart oddities and an unbelievable “save” on the fairway are brought to you in our own inimitable way. Over 8,000 entries were accepted by the USGA ...

LPGA followers now know one thing about Annika Sorenstam that we may not have known previously, that is she’s human! Whew, what a relief! I was beginning to think she was an alien like Tiger Woods but now I’m certain that she is susceptible to bumps in the road like most professional golfers. I think it’s important for great players like Annika to have a bad day if only for one reason. It brings them back into reality. Not one of these golfers is safe from defeat, not even from players who don’t seem to offer a threat, like Sung Ah ...

Click here to listen. Barry and I will, unfortunately, not get to hear the legendary Sting perform at this year’s TigerJam IX. I’m really disappointed because not only will the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas ROCK on April 29th but it is for a really good cause. Every year since Tiger Woods created TigerJam, he has drawn the hottest talent from around the globe so expect to be treated to a star-studded list of celebrities from film, television and sports. Tiger Woods donates the proceeds from his event to the Tiger Woods Learning Center as well as local Las Vegas ...

I can probably think of 20 questions to ask Morgan Pressel right off the top of my head without once mentioning the name “Michelle Wie". So why did reporter Dana Gross-Rhode, during a pre-tournament interview for this week’s Florida’s Natural Charity Championship hosted by Nancy Lopez, inject the following? “On the Men’s Tour there has seemed to be over the last few years a growing sort of trend if Tiger doesn’t play in a tournament, the tournament is not an upper echelon event…is there a sense in your eyes that in the media sort of spotlight if Michelle (Wie) is not ...

Click here to listen. Both Annika Sorenstam and Michelle Wie certainly are impressive LPGA golfers but watch out for the hottest female golfer on tour, now the number-one golfer on the ADT Money list dethroning Juli Inkster, namely Lorena Ochoa! Not only did the 24-year old fresh-faced Mexican superstar take second place in an exciting playoff at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, she has now won this week at the Takefuji Classic! I’m betting that she wins at least one major tournament this season. Besides Ochoa’s great victory she takes home a check for $165,000 as well as now being eligible for ...

Lorena Ochoa is finally gaining confidence playing in LPGA tournaments, and it’s about time! The 24-year-old Guadalajaran has come on strong in the LPGA Takefuji Classic held this weekend at Las Vegas Country Club. First-round action proved that Ochoa had no fear of the eighty players who made the cut in the 54-hole tournament. Two eagles and six birdies in her opening round of 63 complemented an almost bogey-free round. But does she have what it takes to be a “finisher"? The cycle of second place anonymity seems to be hanging over Ochoa like a dense fog. Two ties for second ...

Jesus, Moses, and an old man are playing golf. Moses tees up and hits his ball into the water trap. Nonplussed he goes over to the lake, parts the water with his club and hits the ball onto the green. Jesus tees up next and also manages to land in the water trap where the ball curiously floats. So he walks down to the lake, across the water, and hits his ball out onto the green. Last to tee up is the old man whose ball also heads straight for the water. As the ball hits the surface of the water a ...

It seems like ages ago since I wrote an article about Phil Mickelson for The Sand Trap but all my comments remain vaild and contemporary. All except that Phil now lays claim to two additional major championships! I guess hard work still pays off! People like Tim McDonald who consider the Masters “boring” were probably not watching the entire tournament. Blink a few times and you can miss some great golf. Of course there are going to be golfers that fall by the wayside but that is where the excitement enters and “snoozing” subsides. And I do not agree that “nobody did ...

Click here to listen. From bobcats to alligators, animals on the golf course can wreak havoc with a golfer’s game. But what happens when they attack? Two men recently found out and Barry and I report about it in our own inimitable way. We also talk about the other ways in which people enjoy golf, from an extreme viewpoint, that is! Our “golf tips” section focuses on both putting and building confidence. It’s also time to sign up for your handicap if you have not already done so. Thanks for all of your comments. We appreciate them! Continue to send all golf chat to ...

After much statistical analysis and calculating the odds of 75 PGA Tour players, sports betting site Pinnacle Sports lays 3/1 odds that Tiger Woods will win this year’s Masters Tournament. It’s no surprise to most as Woods has already claimed several victories this season as well as four green jackets which hang in his own personal locker at Augusta National. The same site also considers Phil Mickelson to be a good bet after trouncing the golfers at last week’s BellSouth Classic. He got 13/2 odds but more than focusing on winning, Phil was looking forward to the Wednesday par-3 tournament in ...

By Stacy Solomon With all of the blogger hoopla surrounding Michelle Wie and her third place finish at the Kraft Nabisco, I haven’t really noticed any discussion regarding the miraculous eagle at the 18th on Sunday by the youngest World Golf Hall of Famer Karrie Webb. That birdie during sudden-death was also pretty intense. So here I am giving props to Karrie Webb. With a bogey-free Sunday, Karrie climbed from a seven-stroke deficit claiming that changes over time in her swing and confidence in her putting helped her hoist the Dinah Shore Trophy. If Wie would have eagled to go two strokes ahead ...

Click here to listen. After our windy and rainy stay in Myrtle Beach it sure is great to have warmth and fair weather in the air. In honor of spring Barry and I discuss solid practice routines on the driving range. The Barry and Stacy “mini tour” gets started with a win by Stacy (who played a round of “happy golf” this weekend). We also talk about our favorite picks for the Masters. Being a true lefty, you can probably guess my choice to win this year at Augusta. A hint? He’s the guy who tore up the course at the BellSouth ...

It’s time once again for the first major of the LPGA season to take place at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage. But the big news in Palm Springs this weekend is not if Annika Sorenstam will hoist another Dinah Shore Trophy and jump into Champion’s lake for a fourth time. And the news is not even whether or not Michelle Wie, Morgan Pressel and Paula Creamer will be attempting to win their first major in spite of the fact that in the LPGA’s history, only three rookies have made their first Tour win a major. And it’s not even ...

Click here to listen. Trick-shot artist Tony Musto, a.k.a. Deuce Mulligan, shares his golf teaching methods on our latest Golf for Beginners Podcast. The gauntlet is thrown down at John Daly’s knees. Will he respond? The LPGA moves into PGA of America territory. Will the men move over? We review an inexpensive balance training aid. And we pull a “love” letter out of our email bag. Barry eats crow after our initial discussion about finding love on the golf course. Please direct your questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com. You can also subscribe to our weekly podcast through iTunes.

From the recent dealings between Michelle Wie and Omega, Sony and Nike to the latest sponsorship of Morgan Pressel by Polo Ralph Lauren, apparel and accessories have become a hot commodity among the younger set of LPGA golfers leaving some veterans out in the cold. Prematurely poised for their ages and adored by teenagers who are said to spend dollars as easily for earrings as ringtones, these youngsters are going to transform women’s golf into a multimillion dollar industry. The age difference doesn’t seem to play as big a part when sponsors endorse golfers on the PGA Tour. For example, Tom ...

Click here to listen. On our latest Golf for Beginners Podcast we talk with sports hypnotist/mind coach Pete Solana at the Lower Hudson Valley/Journal News PGA Golf Show. His great mental game tips will help you whether or not you believe in the power of hypnosis. The “impact bag” is our training aid selection of the week. We relate the importance of the “moment of impact” and how to use the bag properly for best results. With the tours now in “full swing", Barry and I touch on Tiger Woods and the PGA Tour as well as Annika Sorenstam, the number-one golfer of ...

The Safeway International sponsored by Coca-Cola is always an important tournament for the ladies on tour. A few events have been played and comfort zones are being established. The girls are starting to sling the hash about their dreams of surpassing the number one golfer on tour and are busily trying to amass points for the ADT Championship finals and the $1 million prize that goes along with it. This week heralds an event that is essentially a tune-up for next week’s first major of the season, the Kraft Nabisco Tournament. Sorenstam’s victory last year had many people conjecturing the possibility ...

A new radio spot being released in conjunction with the Kraft Nabisco Championship next month features aging rock star Alice Cooper doing a “one-upmanship” with Annika Sorenstam. Why are they comparing someone who is past his prime to a current superstar? If the LPGA were trying to make themselves more current why did they pick an over the hill glam star as a comparison? I mean, when was the last time Cooper came out with a new song? He’s not only living in the past off his early successes he’s now more interested in playing celebrity golf than creating new music! Okay, so ...

My title sounds easy enough to accomplish, but I assure you it is one of the hardest lessons that I’ve set out to achieve this season. Two simple words, “play” and “happy” were taught to me as soon as I could enter a sandbox but it appears that I have forgotten the true meaning behind them. Allow me to explain. Winds were whipping, rain fell heavily and it was bone-chilling cold last week in Myrtle Beach. Temperatures rarely rose above 50 degrees. With the lack of sunlight and clothing that I brought for spring-like conditions my focus dwindled with every passing hole ...

Okay, so it was not only FREEZING, it was windy and rainy too! But the elements couldn’t stop us from playing golf in Myrtle Beach! Download our latest Golf for Beginners Myrtle Beach Podcast and listen to our adventures first-hand from our comfortable ride on Spirit Airlines’ upgraded service to our not-so-comfortable golf experiences at Meadowlands Golf Club in Calabash, NC (just a hop, skip and a jump from Myrtle Beach), the infamous Tidewater Golf Club and finally, Myrtlewood Palmetto Golf Course. (Not to mention my husband’s chauvinistic comments!) But it’s not all about golf in Myrtle Beach. Experience the ambiance from ...

In this week’s Golf for Beginners Podcast Seventeen Barry and I talk about Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson’s 2005 showdown at Doral’s Blue Monster and the possibilities of another exciting finish this year at the Ford Championship. A dramatic ending usually occurs here at the 18th hole. Also, learn a little more about Tiger Woods this week. What’s his favorite movie? How does he like to spend his time? How does his wife, Elin, fit into his plans? In honor of this weekend’s 78th Academy Awards we discuss how the LPGA has moved into the mainstream by inclusion into this year’s celebrity ...

In honor of this week’s high profile Ford Championship at Doral, all other tours call it quits for the week. Tiger Woods versus Phil Mickelson again? Wouldn’t THAT be a good ratings boost for NBC! Especially since the recent Olympics were a ratings flop for the station. We can only hope that NBC doesn’t cut away in the middle of the event as other channels have done (ahem, CBS), usually for issues that could have waited until the nightly news! With all of the major players coming out for this battle with the Blue Monster, expect a weekend of dueling sticks and ...

Golf for Beginners Podcast 02-26-06 takes listeners deep inside the Battle of the Sexes debate. The latest Golf for Women Magazine recently surveyed men and women to hear their thoughts on this ongoing debate but Barry and I put our own spin on this “Adam versus Eve” battle. As more women learn the sport it doesn’t appear as if this conflict will ever be solved but it sure is fun talking about it! In our Tour Talk section we discuss the elimination of the top golfers from the Accenture Match-Play Championship this past weekend. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were ...

The best of the best on the LPGA Tour aim for both the second win of the season as well as amassing more points to gain exemption into the final hurrah of 2006, the ADT Championship. Michelle Wie will use her first of eight exemptions this week on her home turf in Hawaii. The 16-year-old will most certainly be the youngest and most popular golfer in the field with a close second belonging to her nemesis Morgan Pressel. Pressel soundly defeated Wie several years ago in match play format at the AJGA Championships and recently has been outspoken about Wie’s easy entrance ...

Golf for Beginners Podcast number fifteen looks at both the serious and silly sides of golf. Before we begin, please make sure that you tune in to our podcast next week as there is something happening to both Barry and I as well as Golf for Beginners that is going to change our future and we want our listeners to celebrate along with us! Now, on to the podcast! There is plenty of news this week beginning with the first LPGA event of the year, the SBS Open which took place in at the Turtle Bay Resort in Hawaii. This is the ...

Golf for beginners wants to see Morgan Pressel and Michelle Wie duke it out! Thegolfblog.com quoted Pressel as saying, “I don’t think she (Wie) needs an exemption. I’ve been through qualifying. Everybody who doesn’t make it on the money list, other amateurs, other professionals that aren’t members of the tour, they all have to go through qualifying, too. I don’t see why she shouldn’t, or why she should be afraid, or expect an exemption.” This week’s “Blogger Weekly” had a field day with this one, quoting bloggers who agree wholeheartedly with Pressel. Of course Wieblog.com fought back claiming, “Teenage girls can ...

It’s time for all of my readers and listeners to see the golf swing behind the blog. It’s early in the season and this is my first time at a driving range but I think it’s worthy of a visual. All I can say is thank goodness for my impact bag. Isn’t it amazing how much stuff we golfers collect around the house which we hardly use? The impact bag has long been one of my favorite training aids but has been sitting around lately gathering dust. I personally think that my golf swing looks pretty good! If you have a video camera ...

Golf for beginners 02-05-06 episode thirteen asks the question, “Should golf be an Olympic sport?”“http://english.people.com.cn/200411/26/eng20041126_165320.html” title="People’s Daily Online">People’s Daily Online, a Chinese online periodical in English quotes Secretary General of the China Golf Association, Cui Zhiqiang as saying that the decision, “made sense as the game was becoming increasingly popular in China with about 200 courses and 200 more under construction.” Golf has been on the Olympic program twice, in 1900 and 1904. There were two golf events in 1900 - one for men and one for the ladies. GolfToday.uk added, “They gave away gold medals for synchronized diving, beach volleyball, fencing ...

While Barry plays golf our Amoco station rejuvenates. Today is our anniversary. Fourteen years of marriage to the same guy. Has it really been that long? It’s also a holiday…Groundhog Day. I don’t remember the last time Punxsutawney Phil did NOT see his shadow so prepare for six more weeks of winter! In honor of this special day I’m making sure Barry plays a round of golf with his regular foursome. I personally haven’t had much luck getting out to play this winter sigh. It seems as if every time I feel the need to get out the weather fails to cooperate. When I hear ...

Golf for beginners 01-29-06 episode twelve continues with our hole-in-one series as we discuss golfblogger.com’s recent 140 yard, par-3 drop-in. No one was there to see it, he was not keeping score and it happened in the off-season. Does it count? We also like to watch the Golf Channel’s latest series of shows. The Daly Show is one of our favorites due to Big John’s lovable and zany attitude about the world and his position in it. Big Break V: Hawaii has some pretty big shoes to fill. Big Break III was loaded with catfights and memorable moments thanks to Danielle ...

Hello golfers. My husband Barry went through a big selection process in order to find the driver of his dreams so I asked him how he finally selected the TaylorMade R5 Driver and if he would share it with our audience. It was harrowing, what with the huge selection of drivers, offsets, shafts and all the salespeople that are intent upon selling you golf clubs TODAY! We hope this might help those of you who are a little intimidated by going shopping a few times and picking the brains of the sales staff at your local store but I promise, when ...

Golf for Beginners Episode Eleven discusses everything from Barry’s win against his playing partners to exercises that you can do during the week to be prepared for a Saturday round of golf. Golf Blogger’s Weekly discusses ABC Television’s decision to pull out of hosting weekend golf. We also talk about the antics of Nick Faldo and Donald Trump’s new golf course at Rancho Palo Verdes. This public course has it all from 25-foot waterfalls that have become a signature on his courses to hefty greens fees ranging from $145 to $300! Barry has a hard time swallowing that one! Email has ...

My new Titleist 905T Driver plays a starring role in my Burton golf bag. Okay, I love all of my Titleist golf clubs! In addition to my new set of Titleist 904F Fairway woods (you know, the woods I vowed never to part with) I also received a brand new Pro Titanium Titleist 905T driver. Ernie Els used to own it but he is now trying the Pro Titanium 905R 460cc prototype driver but with the same loft (9.5) as mine. At least his shaft is the same design as mine…the Titleist Speeder by Fujikura. But just look at that picture ...

In Golf for beginners 01-15-06 episode ten we blog about Shigeki Maruyama’s expensive habits and love of clothes, Greg Norman’s empire which tops $160 million and relate one of our listener’s hole-in-one stories. Have you ever gotten a hole-in-one? If so, please either post it here and tell us the details or send it to our email address golfforbeginners@aol.com. We will put your name and great story on the internet for all of our listeners to hear! Our new segment is entitled “Blogger Weekly". With every new podcast we will scour the internet to search the blogs for the latest talk ...

Feeling a bit rusty after the off-season? I hope these tips will help you through the early part of the season. How many times have you watched a golf tournament to find a pro under the trees after a wayward tee shot? The trouble golfers have with this particular low trajectory shot is that they try too much to hit the golf ball into the air when they should focus their attention on getting the shot safely out of danger. Remember these few suggestions when attempting this shot and you will get back into the fairway and save strokes too! 1. Choose the ...

In Golf for beginners 01-08-06 episode nine we blog about the best way to practice at the driving range, talk a little about Lucas Glovers’ hole-in-one at the 2006 Mercedes Championships and ask a couple of poll questions from our listeners. For example, please respond to the following for our next GFB podcast: Have you ever gotten a hole-in-one? If so, please either post it here and tell us the details or send it to our golfforbeginners@aol.com email address. We will put your name and club on the internet for all of our listeners to hear! Our second poll question is: What is ...

“My new Titleist 904F Fairway Woods are tee-rific!” Their official name is the Pro Trajectory Titleist 904F Fairway Woods. I got mine with the YS-6 graphite shafts which are stock shafts. You can also select the Dynamic Gold S300 and the Titleist Speeder Fairway which are also stock or the several other custom shafts but the Y-6 is nice because of it’s balance of stiffness with just the right amount of “give". I seem to always hit them directly on their sweet spot. It’s almost like getting an unfair advantage when using these golf clubs on the course. I visited Titleist’s ...