Tips from the Pro: Practice with Purpose

With the new year quickly approaching thousands of us will make resolutions, hoping that 2010 will be the best golf year of our lives. We'll buy new clubs, a new wardrobe, and even promise ourselves to start a workout program that would make Joe Weider himself proud. Fact is all will be for not if a solid practice routine isn't part of the makeover.

The key is to practice with purpose, with a plan, with a goal in mind. Do more then pummel drive after drive, or use your favourite club because you know you hit it well. Here are some suggestions that I use that will help not only practice sessions improve but also help to lower scores.

- Go with 1 goal in mind. If its to work on rhythm, work on rhythm, not rhythm then grip, then swing plane, then posture, and so on. Soon you'll forget why you were there in the first place.

- Start each practice session by stretching out a little. Loose relaxed muscles work better then stiff tight ones.

- Spend just as much time chipping and putting as working on your long game. And for the love of the game get into a bunker and learn to hit the green side bunker shot. Remember more then 70% of all shots are played from 125 and in.

- Work through the bag, hitting a few balls with each club. The idea is to not get in a groove hitting only one club. Imitate on course situations.

- Practice shots from a variety of lies. This includes rough, sand filled divots, with the ball above and below your feet. Don't give yourself a prefect lie every time, mix it up.

- Spend some time learning to hit a variety of shots. The fade, the draw, a high towering shot, a low stinger, these are all shots you will need in the bag at some point or another.

- Work on the quality of the practice session, not the quantity of the balls hit. My best sessions always happen when I cut it short before fatigue sets in.

- Play H-O-R-S-E or closest to the pin with a buddy. It really helps to get the competitive juices going, and forces you to hit a shot when you have to.

- Have fun. When you start cursing under your breath, and become to frustrated to focus call it a day. Trust me if you continue more harm then good will come out of it.

Hope these simple practice tips help. If you have some of your own that work let me know.

Cheers

Best shots of 2009 on the PGA Tour

Here's a collection of the 5 best shots hit on the PGA Tour during 2009. Enjoy.

The video is courtesy of PGATour.com

Cheers,

Tiger Woods named Athlete of the Decade

It's nice to finally post some news about Tiger other then his recent sex scandal. The Associated Press awarded Tiger the honors of "Athlete of the Decade" by looking at what he's achieved on the course in ten years and not whats happened in his personal life over the last three weeks.

It's hard to deny that what Tiger has done over the last decade with his clubs is truly a Herculean feat. He has won 64 times, hoisted 12 major titles, won 56 PGA Tour events, and has won in every continent golf is played.

Tiger received 56 of a possible 142 votes that have been cast by AP member editors starting last month. Lance Armstrong, who won the Tour de France six times, finished second with 33 votes. Other notables include Roger Federer with 25 votes, Micheal Phelps with 13 votes, and Tom Brady with 6 votes.

Few people have changed their profession like Tiger Woods. He draws record crowds, spikes TV ratings, and has influenced prize money to nearly quadruple since he joined the PGA Tour, not to mention be the first athlete in history to hit the billion dollar mark in earnings.

Cheers,

Top Stories of 2009

I found a great article by Randell Mell, a golf writer, that highlighted the top 10 golf stories of 2009 and what we learned from them. (I've added some personal thoughts about each story) Here is the list starting at #10. If you have any comments about the list, or have a golf related story that you think should make the list let us know.

#10 - Golf named an Olympic sport beginning 2016:
About time. Golf has now entered the global stage.

#9 - The economy's effect on golf:
This shows that even golf isn't recession proof. From courses closing at an alarming rate, to sponsors pulling out of PGA and LPGA events. Want more proof, The LPGA Tour will only feature 24 events next year, down from 34 this year.

#8 - Carolyn Bivens ousted as LPGA commissioner:
Carolyn was run out of town by a player revolt. This goes to show who really runs the tours...the players.

#7 - Phil Mickelson's wife (Amy) and mother (Mary) diagnosed with breast cancer:
Breast Cancer is nearly an epidemic and it doesn't discriminate.

#6 - Lucas Glover beating Mickelson to win US Open:
Phil was without a doubt the sentimental favourite here, playing the way he did after learning just weeks before that wife Amy had breast cancer. I guess Glover isn't the sentimental type.

#5 - Michelle Wie winning first LPGA title:
Her potential and promise were finally realized. I hope you have strong back Michelle, because the LPGA's future is on your shoulders.

#4 - Tiger returns after surgery to win seven times:
There were doubts how he would return after an 8 month layoff. In true Tiger fashion he quickly quieted the naysayers and made me realize he has to be at least 1/3 bionic.

#3 - Y.E. Yang comes from behind to beat Tiger and win the PGA:
This showed everyone that Tiger is at least part mortal. With a lead going into the final round, his name was already engraved on the Wanamaker, until Y.E. had plans of his own. The trophy now reads: Tiger Yang.

#2 - Tom Watson nearly winning the Open:
This showed a new generation that Watson was every bit as good as history says. I would beg to argue that he's a whole lot better.

#1 - The Tiger Woods Scandal:
Enough said.

Tiger sails away from golf

Well late last night Tiger Woods announced that he was taking "an indefinite break from professional golf", and apologized again for his infidelity. It seems that Woods' return will hinge greatly on his wife Elin.

Will he be back for the Master's in April, or the Open in July? Time will only tell where Tiger's legacy goes from here. For now, it's on his private yacht away from the media and all the allegations as he tries desperately to save his family.

Cheers,

Gatorade drops Tiger

I'm sure we all figured it was coming, but the question was who and when. Well my friends we have the answers.

Gatorade announced today that they will no longer be sponsoring Tiger Woods. They claim the decision was made months ago and has nothing to do with the recent "mistress fiasco" surrounding Woods. The company stated: " We decided several months ago to discontinue "Gatorade Tiger Focus" along with some other products to make room for our planned series of innovative products in 2010."

Whether you believe the statement or not, the question now becomes how many more sponsors will follow Gatorade's lead. We all know these things have a tendency to avalanche, someone just has to throw the first snowball down the hill. If you need proof, after mistress Rachel Uchitel was the first to come forward, 7 or 8 others have now come tumbling down the slope. Ouch.

Cheers,

Tips from the Pro: Work on finish to shape shots

When I'm teaching or playing a round with members at the club I work at, I'm often asked how to shape shots. First let's understand the three basic shot shapes. These include: straight, left-to-right (fade), or right-to-left (draw).

I found the easiest way to shape a shot is simply adjusting your finish position. To hit a draw, rehearse releasing the club fully (right forearm rotating over the left) through impact to a complete finish, with the club "wrapped" around your neck. To hit a fade practice holding off the release for a split second through impact, with your finish being "held off" with the club standing tall. (see picture above)

The secret is to visualize the shot you want to hit, then practice the swing while concentrating on the finish. Soon you'll be knighted as a shotmaker, and from there PGA super stardom.

Just remember who gave you the tip to make it all happen.

Cheers,

Tiger admits "transgressions"

So today we realize that Tiger Woods isn't a squeaky clean super golfing cyborg. He's human, and like all humans, makes mistakes. It's just his mistakes big or small are magnified for the world to pick apart and debate. It's unfortunate but that my friends is the nature of the beast, and the price paid for being the highest paid, most recognizable sport figure ever.

With that, Tiger made a statement on his site today admitting to "transgressions" after a highly publicized article in US Weekly about a 31-month affair Tiger had with Jamiee Grubbs, a Los Angeles cocktail waitress.

“I have let my family down, and I regret those transgressions with all my heart,” Woods said in his statement. “I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves. I am not without faults, and I am far short of perfect.”

Woods was also fined $164 and four points after being charged by the Florida State Patrol for careless driving.

The TW saga continues...If and when there's more to report, I will. Until then I'll get back to posting tips and other non-Tiger related golf 411.

Cheers,