Click here to listen. This week on our Golf for Beginners podcast, we discuss why the recipient of the 2008 Bob Jones award was selected. George H.W. Bush, Sr. not only embodies the spirit of the game but his ancestors have long been intertwined with the USGA, offering the former President of the U.S.A. the ability to follow in the footsteps of his patriarchs. Earl Woods would have been another great choice for the Bob Jones Award. The First Tee National Academy hosted it’s inaugural project at K-State, home of Woods’ National Youth Golf Academy. We remind our listeners of the importance ...

Click here to listen. Although boxers like Oscar de la Hoya and Sugar Ray Leonard fight in front of thousands, using the squared circle as a stage to proudly display their ability, they seem to lose their edge and become wrought with anxiety when walking up to the first tee. Instead they become the “amateurs", stepping into an arena in which they are uncertain of their skills. In fact, De La Hoya was once quoted as saying, “I’d rather be fighting in front of 100,000 people than teeing off in front of ten.” Who would have ever thought that the average amateur ...

Click here to listen. Tiger Woods looked a bit like Phil Mickelson (and family) after his win at the Target World Challenge with grandma holding up baby Sam to receive a wet one while Elin proudly looked on. Perfect Kodak moment! Now it’s time for a six-week respite. Perhaps a holiday aboard the yacht, then Christmas with the relatives? Or, maybe a powow with the lesser known side of the family? Cheyenne Woods signed a National Letter of Intent to play golf at Wake Forest University so a bit of catching up couldn’t hurt, especially since Tiger and Cheyenne both share a common ...

Click here to listen. Tiger Woods is probably just as interested as the rest of the world in knowing whether or not his daughter will take to golf as early as he did. Although I think it’s too soon to bring a five-month old baby to the driving range, obviously Tiger believes that placing Sam in this environment will nurture her taste for the sport, and maybe it will. As Woods said, “She kind of shakes every time I hit a shot, like, she gets excited. This could be good.” Yes, this could be good on several fronts. For one thing, it ...

Click here to listen. Frank Lickliter may be making Q-School look easy this week, but, taking a look at his 2007 stats, you would never think that this same man was cut from ten PGA Tour events and DQ’d twice! Even if he becomes the medalist this year, how well do you think he’s going to perform in 2008? On the flip side, many of the guys struggling out there this week may work even harder to keep their card once this pressure-cooker is finished. Breathing easy will accompany that final 18th hole putt for some and, for others, many a ...

Click here to listen. The world’s most affluent zip code has been getting a workout as of late. Tiger Woods is flattening existing edifices on his estate, replacing the original mansion and assorted other buildings, with updated but “quite modest” appointments. Approved plans include a 10,000 square foot dream house, a guard house, small golf course, pool and other amenities necessary to the enjoyment of the world’s richest PGA Tour golfer and family. Famous neighbor Celine Dion won’t be angry with the constant commotion as she began building her new digs earlier this year. Not to be outdone by Tiger Woods, Greg Norman ...

Click here to listen. While PGA Tour leader Tiger Woods and LPGA’s number-one golfer Lorena Ochoa maintain a strict workout and practice regimen in order to achieve their highest goals, John Daly’s offbeat approach of how to “Golf My Own Damn Way” relies on unconventional wisdom. He claims he prepared for his Open win by downing ten chocolate-filled croissants. He also loves M&M’s and ate twenty packets in a single round. Daly says that your belly is the key to a solid golf swing. Could you imagine Tiger Woods utilizing this advice? Daly’s book is like the Antichrist to Woods’ book, “How I ...

Click here to listen. Phil Mickelson earned the title of “Champion of Champions” at the HSBC in China, narrowly defeating two Englishmen in a sudden death showdown. Tiger Woods wasn’t in attendance and so Mickelson could also be considered the “Best of the Rest Champion". Lefty’s play was less-than solid but still good enough to defeat Lee Westwood who made as many cuts as there were events during the PGA Tour season, currently ranked 177th on the money list. Oh, and then there was Ross Fisher whose only experience on the PGA Tour this year was at the Open Championship where he ...

Click here to listen. Michelle Wie’s golf career has been in a downward spiral for the past year. She has run the gamut from physical to emotional trauma. Her “people” have been jumping ship, most recently Greg Nared, her second manager of the year. As you know, everyone loves a winner, and Michelle Wie hasn’t won. Wie has gone from media darling with cameras frantically clicking and both PGA and LPGA Tours throwing exemptions at her to being shunned by the Casio World Open, an event on the Japanese Tour which has, in the past, always welcomed her with open arms. Spokesman ...

Click here to listen. The rumor mill, once it gains momentum, just doesn’t seem to let up. The discussion of the possible split between Tiger Woods and Hank Haney appears to have been initially fueled by that ever-effusive announcer, Johnny Miller, during the FedEx Cup playoffs. Miller insinuated that the newly enhanced swing of Tiger Woods was a blend of both Harmon’s and Haney’s instruction. But aren’t all of us products of our environment? It would be ludicrous to believe otherwise and so, in my opinion, Johnny Miller made an astute judgment. Techniques taught to Woods by Butch Harmon over nine years ...

Click here to listen. Tiger Woods has endorsed many products in his illustrious career, from American Express cards to the Nike Sasquatch driver. Woods’ likeness appears in his own video game with EA Sports. He drives a Buick in advertisements for General Motors and wears his Tag Heuer watch proudly in print media. It’s about time Tiger Woods added an energy drink to his stable of goods, isn’t it? Who better than Gatorade, a driving force in the burgeoning athletic beverage industry, to help make it a golf course staple! But will this new “birdie-in-a-bottle” (as Barry calls it), scheduled to make it’s ...

Click here to listen. Although Nike is still standing behind Michelle Wie even after her horrendous showing at the Samsung World Championship, her agent, Greg Nared, has parted company with both Wie and the William Morris Agency. It is understood that an agent who quits is quite common, but, in my opinion, Nared should be given a raise for hanging around Camp Wie for as long as he did (one year, so far her worst!). He consulted with Wie on the sixteenth hole of the Ginn Tribute where Wie was dangerously close to an all-time high score of 88 and I’m sure ...

In most parts of the world, Michelle Wie is now considered an adult. In South Korea, however, Michelle will legally be considered an adolescent until she turns nineteen. Maybe that explains some recent instances of her irresponsible, childlike behavior. 1. She left Annika Sorenstam’s tournament, the Ginn Tribute, early and without any explanation to the host. As of the Samsung Tournament, Wie still feels as if she did nothing wrong and has never physically conferred with Sorenstam. Here are Wie’s thoughts, “I still don’t feel like I did something wrong but if I felt if Annika, or anyone felt like I disrespected ...

Click here to listen. Michelle Wie has finally slipped below the top-fifty golfers on the official Rolex Rankings. Obviously, Samsung World Championship officials have not had the opportunity to view the latest rankings because, if they had done their homework, I’m sure they might have discussed an alternate approach to the teenager who was given this special exemption. Does Michelle Wie deserve an accolade designed for an elite field consisting of the defending champ, the LET money leader, the four major championship winners and the balance of the top-twenty on the money list? But, then again, put yourself in her position. Would you give ...

Click here to listen. Tiger Woods scrambled to keep pace in his Presidents Cup singles match against Mike Weir, that is a given. Not many can make a comeback as Woods did on Sunday, rebounding from a three-hole deficit halfway through the match but Tiger confirmed one thing and that is, it can be done. Although Woods conceded the final hole handing the win to Weir, he got his round back on track. As Weir acknowledged, “He didn’t have his best day and I had my best day. That’s the way you’re going to beat the best player.” Granted we are not in ...

Phil Mickelson has been getting some bad press as of late. A rumor has turned up on the internet that he fathered a child by an exotic dancer. The “Family Guy” episode which featured wife, Amy, was none too flattering and now Mike Weir and the Presidents Cup International Team have been playing their own mental games with Phil. Assistant International Team Captain, Ian Baker Finch, claimed that Mike Weir had “Phil’s number". Weir added, “I’ve had some great success against Phil". While Mickelson bounced back with a “Did he beat me?", he also rebounded with, “they have to keep riding ...

Click here to listen. Now that Presidents Cup fever has replaced FedEx Cup mayhem, it will be interesting to see how Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson perform as comrades uniting for a common goal. Although Team U.S.A. has only five golfers ranked in the top-twenty of the PGA Tour’s Official Golf Rankings, the combination of Woods, Mickelson, Stricker and Furyk will most certainly dominate at this year’s event. With the addition of Scott Verplank and Stewart Cink, who always appear to keep cool under pressure, the “Internationals” will have a tough time holding on, in my opinion, even with Ernie Els ...

Click here to listen. Tiger Woods took home a bevy of accolades yesterday, the culmination of a yearlong effort to embrace the virgin FedEx Cup and confirm his status as Player of the Year. In addition to a $1.25 million purse from his win at the Tour Championship, Tiger also hoisted a beautiful crystal trophy (which will have to be either repaired or replaced as a part of it was damaged at the ceremony). But, the moment which placed the gleam in Tiger’s eyes and a wide, Cheshire-cat grin on his face was when he caressed the still “never-been-kissed” FedEx Cup. The ...

Click here to listen. This weekend the news on the PGA Tour wasn’t necessarily that Tiger Woods won his fourth BMW Championship, his sixtieth event or even that he is close to overcoming Arnold Palmer’s record but, rather, that he has all but locked up his bid for the FedEx Cup. For all of his grumbling in the past few weeks where Woods wanted to see the $10 million purse stacked up in cash at the first tee of the Tour Championship because as Tiger claimed, “I may not be around to collect it", there were no complaints yesterday as it ...

Click here to listen. While watching the Deutsche Bank Championship final round, I had an unsettling feeling that Phil Mickelson was going allow his lead to slip away as soon as Tiger Woods began his ascent. Isn’t that his modus operandi when placed in a pressure-cooker situation? Tiger’s pawprints were never felt as his putter let him down and Mickelson remained in control going head-to-head with “the great one” despite his double bogey “miscalculation” at the twelfth hole. With Phil now leading in the FedEx Cup standings, could he snatch the ten million dollar purse from Woods, considered to be the favorite ...

Click here to listen. As Lorena Ochoa’s star rises and her mental game grows stronger, Michele Wie’s game continues to decline. The problem is that Michelle does not notice that she is on this slippery slope. She actually believes that her game is better than it really is! For example, when Wie missed the cut this week at the Safeway Classic, she actually thought that she was playing well and didn’t really understand how her score didn’t reflect her ability. As Michelle queried, “I felt like I didn’t shoot this bad. But, like I say, the score didn’t show how ...

Click here to listen. Tiger Woods claims that he is physically and mentally drained after winning both the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and the PGA Championship. The world’s number one golfer announced on his website that his body is “spent” and needs time to recuperate. With good intentions, Woods stated recently that his plan was to show for all four FedEx Cup playoff events but, with little notice, withdrew just prior to the first playoff. I personally don’t think it’s fair to either the PGA Tour, the sponsors of the event who announced (with regularity) that Tiger is coming to Westchester CC and certainly ...

Phil Mickelson is desperately seeking a “title” to add to a season saved (as quoted by him) only by his win at the Players Championship. Perhaps the distinction of “Champion of Champions” will fuel his desire to come out on top? That is the name given to the winner of the HSBC Champions event which Lefty has included in his post-season schedule. But can you consider yourself a “champion of champions” without Tiger Woods in the field? This “invitation-only” tournament would also be a boon to Mickelson as it is Asia’s richest national open, the field is strong and it offers international ...

Click here to listen. Even though Phil Mickelson resumed a practice regimen for the PGA Championship, it still wasn’t enough to beat (or even compete against) Tiger Woods, who won his thirteenth career major after a sweltering weekend at Southern Hills. Did practice make a difference for Mickelson or should he have taken the “John Daly approach", going in cold after a diet of casino play and cold beer? Both Mickelson and Daly finished with a +6 after four rounds of play and both appeared to be in good spirits afterwards with Phil claiming, “I don’t want to be hard on myself ...

Click here to listen. Never trash talk against Tiger Woods! And don’t ever believe that Woods forgets what he hears, as Rory Sabbatini found out the hard way during yesterday’s final round at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. As Tiger stated he “let his clubs do the talking” and easily defeated the rest of the field as Sabbatini ate his words that Woods was “as beatable as ever". Annika Sorenstam did not let her tiger out of the tank at the Ricoh Women’s British Open even with the assistance of Woods’ yardage book in her back pocket. Instead, Lorena Ochoa made easy work of ...

Michelle Wie is most likely not complaining after finishing even par after round one of the Women’s British Open along with a bevy of top contenders such as Paula Creamer and Natalie Gulbis (Annika Sorenstam is at -1). But is she holding true to her pre-tournament dialogue in which she stated, “I’ve seen … Tiger play here. He made the golf course seem like a real easy golf course. My goal is to play like him this week.” Is Michelle Wie making St. Andrews look easy? She holed out from ten feet at the fourth and then made it to the ...

Click here to listen. A lower back injury two months ago forced Natalie Gulbis to reassess her golf swing. She had to take a month off and change her posture to compensate for the strain. Michelle Wie’s wrist accident has forced her into a rehabilitative state which has, unfortunately, cost her more than a few cuts at inopportune times. This trauma has also changed the public’s perception of the girl once considered to be the LPGA’s answer to Tiger Woods. Natalie Gulbis stepped up and was ressurrected at the Evian Masters this weekend, becoming a first-time Rolex winner. Michelle Wie is still ...

Click here to listen. Padraig Harrington, victor at the British Open, won the battle of the nerves yesterday against Sergio Garcia. Neither showed that they were impervious to the dreaded “choke", with Harrington losing two strokes at the final hole and Garcia missing putts on Sunday that had been easier to sink during the first three rounds of competition. Andres Romero was most affected by the pressure and, at the seventeenth hole, threw away the lead choosing the wrong club from a difficult lie. The mental errors continued at the eighteenth with a weak chip shot to the green and Romero settled ...

Click here to listen. Butch Harmon has really helped Phil Mickelson achieve a better golf game over the past few months. Because of his tutelage, Mickelson has rallied to victory and earned several top-ten’s on the PGA Tour. Even Lefty’s driving accuracy has improved. Well, up until the Scottish Open. Was it the driver that let Phil down once again or was it the mental pressure of playing head-to-head against little known European Tour pro golfer Havret, the Frenchman who had nothing to lose and everything to gain? This week we discuss Golf Digest Magazine’s ranking of the top fifty instructors and give ...

Colin Montgomerie doesn’t necessarily feel that tougher golf course conditions at major tournaments pose a threat to European Tour golfers. Instead, Montgomerie believes that Tiger Woods is to blame and that Woods’ talent usually translates into winning at least two majors per season. That leaves only two majors for both the PGA Tour and European Tour players to fight over. Colin wants to know why Ryder Cup members, with their stellar team/individual victories, cannot tranform their performance outside of their comfort zone. “It seems unbelievable,” Mongomerie stated, “that one of our team can’t come through and win on his own - ...

Click here to listen. The rough can be very rough! That’s not just a play on words either! Just ask professional golfers at a tournament like the U.S. Open and they will probably just shake their heads while remembering a shot that buried deep into the thick stuff and the feeble attempts made at dislodging that ball in a single stroke. This week Golf for Beginners gives tips for saving strokes from the rough with the help of a 2003 Golf Magazine and golf instructor Mike Lopuszynski. We also discuss using different golf clubs in lieu of your putter. Remember, you have fourteen ...

Click here to listen. I’m told, as we get older we lose some of our flexibility. It’s usually because a golfer denies the inevitable, making excuses for a sore back, aching legs or inability to make a good shoulder turn. Barry’s meniscus surgery served as his excuse as to why he hasn’t been as limber for several months. I found (and we discuss) a few golf tips in the latest Golf for Women magazine which helps the amateur player take a solid swing and overcome the stiffness and lack of elasticity due to age or lack of exercise. Not that you have to ...

I communicated via email recently with Morgan Pressel. I had a few questions about her regimen leading up to this week’s U.S. Women’s Open. The amateur golfer can learn much from Pressel’s determination and “eye on the prize” attitude. I wondered how her enthusiasm after winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship would translate into this third major event of the season. Here is our correspondence. Stacy: What do you do to prepare for a golf tournament, both physically and mentally? Morgan: Practice practice practice. there is no substitute for quality practice. I like to make sure I know the golf courses that we play ...

Click here to listen. Lorena Ochoa will be heading into the 2007 U.S. Women’s Open exuding confidence after her sudden-death victory at the Wegman’s LPGA this past weekend. She has also successfuly knocked Annika Sorenstam off of her perch as the number-one golfer in the Rolex Rankings. Congratulations Lorena! Michelle Wie will also be in attendance at the Open (since this Golf for Beginners broadcast was produced) but we believe, with less self-assurance than in previous years. Wie has decided to skip the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic due to the length of the course so it is uncertain how she ...

While Michelle Wie might appear to be making a sound decision by skipping the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic in a few weeks, she still intends to play golf at the U.S. Women’s Open. If Wie’s injured wrist is still in a sling, why would she be compelled to play in a tournament which comes sooner rather than later? Michelle complained that Deere Run (7,080 yards) was long, “and I just don’t have the length to play there right now” but, in reality, it is only about 460 yards longer than Pine Needles (6,616 yards). Michelle’s swing is her swing. She ...

Click here to listen. Butch Harmon and Hank Haney’s heavyweight contenders for the first ever FedEx Cup failed to produce results at this year’s U.S. Open and hoist the coveted trophy. Woods came so close yet could not seize any opportunities and Mickelson was eaten up and spit out alive, never even witnessing the fast, tricky greens of weekend competition. Some Phil fans might be disappointed over Lefty’s whining commentary after 2nd round action but, in retrospect, there were plenty of golfers at Oakmont this weekend who were tossing their sticks around in disgust. Abyssmal etiquette abounded! As for Tiger Woods, the U.S. ...

Nick Dougherty is exuding confidence after his exemplary two-under-par first round at the 2007 U.S. Open at Oakmont. “I expected to play well this week. I expected to think about my round or think about my game and have the right attitude to it, which I’ve achieved today and hopefully will do for the rest of the week,” stated a cheerful Dougherty after “complaining” that even though he scored well, “I didn’t actually play that well tee-to-green, but obviously I was hitting it in the right places when I missed.” Dougherty teed off in the morning after a rainstorm so the greens ...

Click here to listen. U.S. Open week is one of the most highly anticipated times of the year for both professional golfers and fans alike. Where the Masters is like a “spring fever” wake-up call to all golfers, this second major of the season has the PGA Tour pros in fine form, ready to take on all competitors as well as a golf course which proves to be a real “tester". Geoff Ogilvy related a bit of his concern for both the greens and longer holes at Oakmont in a recent pre-tournament interview. Last year’s winner talked in particular about both the ...

Annika Sorenstam is not one of the many Michelle Wie fans crying, “Poor Michelle” after her withdrawal from the Ginn Tribute last week. In fact, Annika is a bit miffed (and rightfully so) after being snubbed by Wie. Etiquette is obviously not one of Michelle’s strong points after leaving without so much as a “goodbye” to the hostess of the event. After hearing that Michelle had reinjured her wrist, Sorenstam then spotted Wie a mere two days later practicing at Bulle Rock. “It’s a little funny that you pull out with an injury and then you start grinding. My doctor told me ...

Click here to listen. This past week, Barry and I were guests at the Canyon Club, a private golf club located in Armonk, New York. The course was both well manicured and picturesque. My main problems stemmed from the side-hill lies. Barry took issue with the undulations on the green. Tiger Woods, being one of the most creative golfers on the PGA Tour, helps us alleviate problems with the ball being both above and below your feet on this week’s Golf for Beginners broadcast. Although we utilized a cart during our round (you had to be a billy goat if you wanted ...

Just when fans were eagerly awaiting a great weekend of golf featuring Michelle Wie, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, despair set in. Michelle Wie proved to be doing the “moonwalk” in her quest to compete admirably in any professional tournament, PGA or LPGA. Some would still say that Wie is the perfect (?) “ten” even after her blowup hole on the back nine at the Ginn Tribute hosted by Annika Sorenstam, never finishing but coming in dead last (+14) before finally succumbing to her dreaded fate. Wie didn’t see it coming although she did predict in her pre-tournament interview, “I know I ...

Click here to listen. Arnold Palmer believes that Tiger Woods is “every bit as aggressive as Phil (Mickelson)” in the June issue of Golf Digest Magazine. There is one difference, however, which gives Tiger the edge. Find out on this week’s episode of Golf for Beginners. In the same interview, Palmer gives us a simple putting tip which Barry questions in certain circumstances. When should you give yourself the option of playing it safe and when should you make sure you drain the golf ball in one shot? We also discuss the proper form for hitting out from under a tree, commonly known ...

As Michelle Wie gears up for yet another circus performance at the Ginn Tribute next week (and has just confirmed her third John Deere Classic), Annika Sorenstam’s sister, Charlotta, quietly took the lead in first-round action at the LPGA Corning Classic. While Michelle talked to reporters of warm, fuzzy feelings for the people of the Quad Cities, Charlotta played one of the best rounds of her career, a 64, also tying (with Lorena Ochoa) the record for the best round of the season to date. Did anyone but her competition notice? Perhaps Charlotta needed to pick up the slack for an injured ...

Click here to listen. Will Michelle Wie accept an invitation to the Samsung World Championship in October, “Dancing with the Stars” of the LPGA’s finest? Let’s see how Wie fares at the inaugural Ginn Tribute next week! The PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic is awaiting a response from Wie, B.J. Wie that is, to confirm her status in yet another PGA Tour event. In the interim, swing coach David Leadbetter is probably wishing that he hadn’t mentioned Wie’s possibility to “commit herself” to the women’s tour. She has the right stuff and everyone, including Golf for Beginners, wish that she would take the ...

Click here to listen. Tiger Woods may not have had a stellar performance at the Players Championship (his putting let him down once again), but at least he came away with a smile on his face on Sunday after redeeming himself with a five-under-par 67. Although Tiger might have difficulty putting, rest assured that Woods is one of the best putters around. He is also terrific out of deep rough. We give you a Tiger tip to assist you when the rough is as deep as it was at Winged Foot during the 2006 U.S. Open. Also on Golf for Beginners, Barry and ...

Do you think Butch Harmon was bitter when given the “heave-ho” by Tiger Woods? Current teaching professional Hank Haney claimed, “those other instructors never wanted to give us a chance. The result was never going to make them look better.” Now that Harmon has picked up Phil Mickelson as a student, could he be grooming Lefty for a win at this year’s Players Championship? It’s always been known as the PGA Tour’s “fifth major” and the players consider this event one of the most important of the season, hence the name. If Haney is correct, then Harmon’s interest lies in using Mickelson ...

Click here to listen. “Turning Stone leaves no stone unturned!” That’s Barry’s quote, plain and simple, after we accompanied a group of writers to Turning Stone Lodge. Our mission? To let our listeners in on the buzz accompanying this multidimensional casino/resort. The PGA Tour has chosen Atunyote golf course at Turning Stone for the start of its 2007 fall series. Tiger Woods is currently undecided as to if he will attend but the field should be strong buoyed on by an attractive purse. From beginning to end our weekend at the Lodge at Turning Stone offered us the opportunity to relax, unwind ...

Click here to listen. This week Golf for Beginners discusses the Ginn Tribute hosted by Annika Sorenstam. Although Michelle Wie has accepted a sponsor’s exemption at the end of May, we wonder if Annika Sorenstam’s back injury will prevent her from playing in her own event. Will Michelle Wie’s wrist be mended one-hundred percent in time to compete? And, could Sorenstam be depending on Michelle Wie’s fame to contribute heavily to the gate? This might be a good time for Annika to shift focus onto her many other projects, allowing the younger ladies to take the reins over at the LPGA. Lorena ...

Click here to listen. Butch Harmon, a top golf teaching professional and Phil Mickelson’s new swing coach, helps us (and our listeners) with the short game this week. Although it is reported that Mickelson hired Harmon to help him with his erratic driver after an unimpressive Masters, I’m betting that Lefty will also receive help with his wedges. We have discussed pre-season exercise routines to get you stretched and ready for the spring season. We have talked about the mental game and how slowing down your breathing and allowing your heart to guide your head can lower your scores. This week, in ...

Justin Timberlake must have plenty of time on his hands. He has decided that songwriting should take a back seat to his dream of playing on the PGA Tour. Using the same philosophy as Alice Cooper (either drink all day or play golf), the former N’Sync performer wants to establish his dream before the age of thirty. Timberlake hired a golf coach and belongs to a private country club hoping that practicing daily will lower his six handicap to par, “to make it into a pro event - just for a tournament or two.” Will it be as easy for him to ...

Click here to listen. Davis Love III is winless so far this year, but still has two top ten’s to his credit. Still, could the former five-time winner of the Verizon Heritage use a bit more time on the driving range with his Suunto G6 “Wristop Launch Monitor"? Love, a spokesman for the Suunto G6, claims this training aid, “quantifies the feeling of a good swing.” Our review of the Suunto G6 confirms Davis’ statement although being “tech saavy” helps as it is confusing in both it’s initial setup and while reading the manual. Suunto G6 functionality improves as it’s used: press it’s ...

Click here to listen. Tiger Woods anticipated winning this year’s Masters Tournament but didn’t bring along his “A-Game", nor did he look relaxed and confident, thus leaving the door open for young Zach Johnson. In this week’s episode we talk about Tiger’s astonishing ability to drive the ball, his terrific swing as shown in this month’s Golf Digest Magazine and his uncanny determination to always be in the hunt on Sunday. At the same time Barry and I received the Clicgear push cart, we also got Ultimittens, a great gift for the cold weather golfer. Innovative and inexpensive, these Ultimittens provide much ...

Can Phil Mickelson still win the Masters? I think a better question would be, “Will Mickelson make the weekend?” Lefty’s card on Masters.org is very colorful showing four bogeys, one double and two birdies on the first nine holes. There were a couple of pars afterwards but his performance at Amen Corner spoke volumes. Shoulders hunched over and repeatedly shaking his head, Mickelson looked as if he had just walked off the 18th green of Winged Foot on Sunday after that memorable U.S. Open blow-up. Imagine landing on the green in two at “Azalea” poised for an eagle then three-putting and walking away ...

Click here to listen. Face it, we all want to see a Tiger Woods - Phil Mickelson duel at this year’s Masters Tournament. Even Arnold Palmer declared, “It helps the game to have that kind of rivalry. The more we can talk about Phil and his golf and the challenge to Tiger the better.” Barry and I give you our predictions and discuss how the amateur golfer can learn from the “masters” at this year’s major. We also review the exceptional Clicgear three-wheel push cart, winner of Best New Product at the 2007 PGA Merchandise Show. Ultra-compact with great features, the Clicgear Push Cart ...

In a recent interview with ESPN.com, LPGA career-win leader Kathy Whitworth was given a chance to air her feelings about rising star Michelle Wie. Since she is no longer considered a “threat” at this year’s Kraft Nabisco Championship, how many people will follow the LPGA or be interested in it’s superstars (past or present) if Wie’s name is not mentioned? Speaking candidly about Michelle Wie’s constant interest in playing men’s tournaments, Ms. Whitworth said, “I don’t think in the long run it’s going to be good for her. I feel like at some point, for her sake, she needs to place herself ...

Click here to listen. An article in this week’s New York Post asks, “What do Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Davis Love III all have in common?” Aside from their highly accurate irons, the answer is the unfortunate decision to have missed an event due to lower back pain. Yes, I am a sufferer of occasional aches and pains (along with about fifty percent of my fellow amateurs) but I try to exercise and stretch regularly. But what about those recreational golfers who head right from the office to the golf course? Vijay Vad, PGA Tour physician and author of the book, “Golf ...

Tiger Woods golfer extraordinaire, promotional spokesperson and, one day perhaps, political candidate! A presidential bid by Tiger Woods certainly isn’t out of the question as he half-heartedly gave the nod in an exclusive interview with Today Show host Melissa Stark. “I probably will have to become more political down the road when my playing days are done, because I’m going to have to have the support of others to grow my foundation,” claimed Tiger citing his Learning Center as the crux of the reason. Is no-nonsense Woods giving us the whole story? When recently questioned about his political aspirations at a National Press Club ...

Click here to listen to this week’s podcast. Michelle Wie has fallen to seventeenth position dropping beneath rival Morgan Pressel in the latest Rolex Rankings. Although her cast has been removed, it is unknown if Wie’s wrist will be in perfect working condition for the Kraft Nabisco, the first LPGA major of 2007. Should Wie play anyway or would a bad showing do more damage than good, in more ways than one? Even Tiger Woods gets frustrated from time-to-time, as evidenced after the third round of this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. Lamenting to reporters about his “pathetic” game, Tiger also felt his putting ...

Tiger Woods is not only becoming a golf course designer but now has his hand in demolition. He and wife Elin have decided to bulldoze their existing Jupiter Island McMansion in favor of a smaller main house and two guest cottages. I have never been inside of a twenty-three thousand square foot home, but at ten times bigger than my “castle", I’m betting that it echos at night. Of course, if you’re Tiger Woods, that “smaller” house translates into half the space of his current living area with two additional guest houses on the ten-plus acre waterfront compound. Perhaps it was Elin who ...

Click here to listen to this week’s podcast. Tiger Woods may have blown that four-foot putt at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship but he is still one of the best short-game artists on the PGA Tour. We borrow a golf tip from Tiger which is simple enough for the amateur golfer to learn and practice. Spring is in the air and the snow is beginning to thaw off the fairways. Barry and I have been unable to play and driving range practice is limited so we have been practicing in-house, he with his new RedEye i330 laser putter (which he says ...

Let me get straight to the point. Annika Sorenstam picked the wrong event for her LPGA season debut. Let’s face it, the MasterCard Classic honoring Alejo Peralto is a tournament custom-made for Lorena Ochoa. Her fan base is in Mexico and she already won the Corona Morelia last year, earning the respect and accolades of her country and its citizens. Golf is a sport that is rising in popularity in Mexico and Ochoa is at its forefront. Sorenstam has taken her season opener five times (three in a row) but now must face off against Ochoa who is poised to steamroll ...

Click here to listen to this week’s podcast. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are two of the best known “celebrity” golfers on the PGA Tour, but are they becoming royalty? Is the PGA Tour controlling the action or are the powers-that-be allowing them too much leniency? This week’s question on “How we see it” is: Do Tiger and Phil have a responsibility to both the fans and the PGA Tour to play in more events? After all, in most other sports, you don’t get to choose when you play. Sometimes the simplest devices can be the most effective. Divot-Rite has created a golf training aid ...

Click here to listen. A single uncharacteristic putt for Tiger Woods has given Nick O’Hern the title of “The Man who broke Tiger Woods’ win streak". David took down Goliath for the second time in match play! Yes, this was a day of mental errors for Woods, from a shot that landed in the drink right down to that four-foot putt on the nineteenth hole which, as Woods claimed, left a “totally” repairable ball mark. We at Golf for Beginners discuss the USGA Rules of Repair on the Putting Green as well as how you can avoid Tiger’s costly mistake. Barry ...

Paula Creamer and Julieta Granada, although two of the hottest golfers currently on the LPGA Tour, played second fiddle to none other than Michelle Wie in the interview room at this week’s Fields Open. Pam Warner insisted on slipping Michelle’s name into her questioning, asking the two ladies, “This is Michelle Wie’s home course, do you wish at all that you had a chance to play against her here?” To Paula Creamer, it doesn’t matter who is in the field, as she stated, “Ultimately I just come out trying to play my game and play the course and beat that number". Young ...

The Victor Chandler Agency, most notable for its British Open bets, has given the edge to Tiger Woods (1/5) over J.J. Henry for this first round qualifier of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and places Henry at 150/1 to win overall. Woods is the overall favorite which is a head-scratcher because of his early exit from last year’s event. The ultimate winner of last year’s tournament, Geoff Ogilvy, although relishing that role, still feels it’s important not to antagonize the number-one golfer in the world because, “he won the first nine holes last year after Stephen (Ames) ruffled him up a ...

Click here to listen. Our first battle of the sexes debate originated from an article featured in Golf for Women Magazine. Leave it to Stina Sternberg to cause more controversy ;-) as she claims in the February 2007 edition of Golf Digest Magazine, “Now your wife can start beating you". Do golf clubs really make the player or can a player hit any golf clubs and score? “Effortless power", a thought mentioned by PGA Tour golfer/instructor extraordinaire Bob Toski, is our golf tip of the week. Toski regularly maintained that golf is not a game of brute strength. “An ounce of touch ...

“Who will be the first to kiss her?” asks the PGA Tour about it’s newly created FedEx Tiffany-designed Cup. Did Tim Finchem really “okay” this one or was he in cahoots with Carolyn Bivens to create something syrupy for the LPGA Tour? Perhaps they swapped commercials? Come on guys, toughen up. You’re playing for $10 million dollars, not auditioning for one of Shakespeare’s comedies. For example, “Drink to me only with thine eyes and I will pledge with mine", croons Dean Wilson. “Other men have seen angels, but I have seen thee, thou art enough", warbles Sean O’Hair. “I’d fly to the moon and ...

Ah, to be in Hawaii with the tradewinds blowing, the smell of the ocean and the ability to play in a professional golf tournament! This week, while the LPGA makes its official debut at the Turtle Bay Resort, I will be dreaming of a vacation in Oahu as I try to stop my teeth from chattering in sub-temperate New York. With only three days of play, the ladies begin to wonder if their games are up to snuff, what they need to work on in the coming weeks to improve their chances and if they can be this season’s Player of ...

Before Michelle Wie, at the ripe old age of seventeen, even wins her first professional golf event, Golf Digest’s March 2007 edition has her successor all picked out! Twelve-year-old Alexis Thompson has trounced girls that are Wie’s age at the Doral-Publinx Junior Golf Classic, recently took third place at an amateur tournament for women of all ages and almost advanced to the sectional qualifying at the 2005 U.S. Women’s Open (prior to this Morgan Pressel was the youngest qualfier at just twelve). Thompson can hit her drives 230 yards and has aspirations of playing golf on the LPGA Tour but, as we ...

Click here to listen. The AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am is much like the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. They’re both like “silly season” events, heavy on celebrities and good will, but top golf professionals are in attendance getting the rust off their games instead of being on the slopes awaiting a new year of challenges on the PGA Tour. Giving the AT&T Celebrity Pro-Am it’s due, Barry and I discuss handicaps of some of the notables this week; who really takes it seriously and who plays there for the laughs and scenery of Pebble Beach. Take, for example, the celebs who could ...

Astronauts, beauty queens and politicians as role models have been diminishing from public view faster than Tiger Woods’ 125 m.p.h.swing speed. Everywhere you look nowadays there are fallen angels apologizing for not upholding their end of the bargain; that is to ensure that our children as well as ourselves have someone to look up to. Astronauts always gave the image of being squeaky-clean bastions of society. Lisa Nowak proved that the daily tribulations of stress are far more powerful than undergoing the rigorous challenges of training for space travel. With the help of Donald Trump who, according to Rosie O’Donnell, is no ...

I enjoy searching the internet for interesting golf stories. Sometimes I check out the local newspapers online to see what staff writers are coming up with and other times I check the blogger rolls. I just happened to be googling the name “LPGA” and came up with this news article. I’m sure that we are all aware that the LPGA will be testing for performance-enhancing drugs as well as changing the format to a three-hole playoff at this year’s U.S. Women’s Open. No, I had no problem with that part of the commentary. I take offense at the line, “…because clearly, Lorena Ochoa ...

Click here to listen. Barry’s constant lecturing during driving range practice prompts this week’s discussion on solid ball contact. He’s right because hearing the “click” each time you strike the ball is the surest way of achieving proper distance control. With the help of Golf Magazine we relate a great golf tip that should have you hitting your irons center-cut so when spring arrives, you’re ball flight will be consistent and true. Also, while cleaning out our golf bags, Barry and I chat about one way of acquiring proper aim while putting. Our wedding anniversary falls yearly on Groundhog Day (it’s our ...

Finally Michelle Wie receives an invitation to a tournament in which she might not only make the cut but also win! Why hasn’t Wie hurriedly accepted the tournament’s sponsor invitation into the first major of 2007? Is “The Big Wiesy” getting too big for her britches? Now that she’s a consummate professional making cuts left and right on the PGA Tour, she wouldn’t be thumbing her nose at the LPGA Tour, now would she? Naturally, the Kraft Nabisco Championship could use Wie for a ratings boost but Michelle can also use this LPGA major to finally come out of her slump ...

Click here to listen. There’s much to offer our listeners in this week’s episode of Golf for Beginners, from discussion involving the ever-astonishing Tiger Woods right down to knee-surgery, which is becoming more routine. Barry can now say that he has something in common with Tiger Woods, namely a repaired left knee. We explain how arthroscopic surgery (Barry had a partial “Meniscectomy"), although becoming more mainstream, is not as easy to recover from as doctors may claim. We also review the G-Clip 4-in-1 mini golf tool, an innovative product from Fine Tune golf. It’s versatility on the course should make golfers more ...

Unlike most golfers on the PGA Tour who rely on a bit of assistance from the “golf gods", it appears that achieving perfection is all that’s left for Tiger Woods. Coach Hank Haney has confirmed that Woods has made strides since last July when he finished second at the Cialis Western Open. That date also marked the last time Tiger lost in a tournament. Yes, even the great Tiger Woods needed improvement last season. His driver was a bit erratic, and he brought his “B” and “C” games to many tournaments, although that was usually enough to win. However, if Tiger brought ...

Playing an event on the Champions Tour comes with a built-in stigma, that is, the realization that the men playing golf are no longer youngsters and can no longer compete with guys like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Although the acceptance age is a spry fifty, don’t think that for one minute Vijay Singh is anticipating his move to the once named “Seniors Tour". You may occasionally flip to The Golf Channel where you can watch some of the great golfers who have made the transformation from PGA Tour player to Champions Tour golfer. Hale Irwin and Tom Watson have been quite ...

Click here to listen. Vijay Singh began the golf season at the Mercedes-Benz Championship where he showed great form after the holiday layoff. Second in the PGA Tour rotation was Phil Mickelson, who, although a bit rustier than Singh, provided viewers with more than just a glimpse of his spectacular drives and relaxed demeanor. Finally, the time that golf fans have been waiting for is over: Tiger Woods is making his 2007 debut at the Buick Invitational. Taking the “gone skiing” notice from off of his front door, Woods readies himself for the long road ahead where he’ll be challenging both Singh ...

Well, maybe not. However, with his recent announcement of a baby in the works, Tiger Woods might have given Annika Sorenstam some food for thought. Sorenstam has just announced that she is considering giving up her career in golf to raise a family. In fact, Annika claims (to my surprise) that she’s bored, basically “tired of golf". Sorenstam says she hasn’t unpacked her golf bag since the Lexus Cup in December and doesn’t plan to start training for the new season until it’s start in February. Sorenstam may not even return this golf season. She may give her notice as quickly as her ...

With Annika Sorenstam turning over the defending Swedish team to Carin Koch and Helen Alfredsson and only a few recognizable names on the leaderboard of this week’s Women’s World Cup of Golf, it seems very “American” of me to predict an easy victory for the team of Juli Inkster and Pat Hurst. With many of the golf writers in cyberspace making predictions, why shouldn’t I? The two stalwarts have a combined thirty-six wins on the LPGA Tour and a terrific 2006 season behind them. Inkster came away with twelve top-tens and Hurst almost grabbed the U.S. Women’s Open trophy but Annika ...

Click here to listen. While it’s unlikely in the foreseeable future that Michelle Wie will make a cut in a PGA Tour event, we do not necessarily agree with Tim McDonald either. Barry and I talk about how Wie went awry, from her wrong choice of clubs right down to allowing the tournament pressure to get the best of her. In stark contrast, 16-year-old Tadd Fujikawa showed fans that having fun has its advantages as he became the second youngest golfer in PGA Tour history to make the cut. While Tadd is probably relishing this new “factoid", Vijay Singh is cringing at ...

Michelle Wie won an event against PGA Tour professionals this week at Waialae Country Club. She and her partner, amateur Alex Ching, took this year’s skills event in a playoff at the inaugural King Auto Group Pro-Junior Skills Challenge. Both Wie and Ching made it to the playoffs but it was Ching who sealed the deal by placing his golf ball closest to the pin. Dean Wilson, Jerry Kelly and Davis Love III were among three professionals wondering if Michelle Wie can pull off a similar miracle at this week’s Sony Open. My guess is probably not as Michelle Wie sported ...

An unimpressed Vijay Singh appeared nonchalant after passing Sam Snead’s record of wins accrued after hitting the big 4-0. “To pass (Snead’s) record after 40 really doesn’t mean much,” Singh bellowed while focusing on his own win after the Mercedes-Benz Championship. “There’s no trophies for doing it. It’s not even a record, it’s just numbers.” What type of numbers, in Vijay’s opinion, constitute a “record"? Singh appeared more interested in tooting his own horn than in paying homage to one of golf’s true legends. “Coming from Fiji, it’s not easy to do what I’ve done in my career. It’s a miracle winning one ...

Click here to listen. This week on Golf for Beginners, Barry borrows a quote from the great Sam Snead to describe why my first ever possible even-par round (over five holes) turned into a mediocre event. No, it has nothing to do with Snead’s effortless swing but it does have something to do with the mental game. Snead said that the golf game is 70 percent mental but at the 2003 U.S. Open, when Padraig Harrington was asked about that statement he quickly commented, “I’m not going to argue with Sam, but I’d say it’s 90 percent mental.” It appears as if ...

Appleby the outspoken. Shades of Greg Norman! Recently, Stuart Appleby was quibbling about Michelle Wie, complaining that she should wait before entering the PGA Tour, now he’s moved on to a bigger target, namely Tiger Woods! “So happy you couldn’t make it again this year” is probably what Stuart Appleby has been thinking to himself about Mickelson and Woods for the past three Mercedes-Benz Championships. Not that there isn’t viable competition at this first, very “suntanned” FedEx Cup golffest of 2007 but without the two heavyweights in the field, the golfers are certainly more relaxed. Instead, Appleby’s sentiments were a bit more courteous, ...

Michelle Wie, now considered the richest female in golf, will make her 2007 PGA Tour debut in a few weeks. With twenty million dollars made from both appearance and advertising fees, Wie’s LPGA Tour winnings seemed paltry in comparison (only about $700,000). Although Michelle has not yet been victorious on the ladies tour, she can be satisfied to know that she claimed the (lucky) thirteenth position in the latest Rolex rankings. How is it that the richest female in golf has not even won an LPGA tournament? It’s become the game of marketing instead of the game of golf. The two ...

Click here to listen. What sets professional golfers like Tiger Woods apart from amateurs like us? Okay, so our swing speed hasn’t been measured at 125 m.p.h. but it’s not all in the physical aspects of our golf game. Amateurs sometimes fall into a comfort zone, expecting no more than what they know they can achieve as opposed to setting goals which can improve skills and change habits ingrained through improper practice. Where the mental game is extremely important to a golfer’s success, don’t forget the physical aspect of the game either! It’s easy to sit around and watch the New ...