Found this video clip on the golf channel. This shot was made famous by the Honorable Tiger Woods himself 
This guy makes it look sooooo easy…
I think it’s more accurate to call it putting with a 3-wood because that’s what your actually doing. Check it out, I’m gonna head to the range today and see if I can duplicate the effort
- Dave
and that phrase came from a woman! Not just any woman, a woman who’s husband is an AVID golfer! Woohoo!! There’s hope for them yet.
Check out this article written Cynthia Haines over at HealthCentral.com
In this article she discusses, how golf can be a wonderful exercise routine if done properly. Ofcourse “done properly” entails walking all 18, carrying your bag and laying off the booze. Nothing we don’t already know, I just thought it was a boost to hear a woman admit it!
Seriously, she mentions some good pointers and facts that are worth a read.
Like I said last time, sorry I’ve been so aloof, just working on something big that’s consuming alot of my time.
See ya!
-Dave
One of my fellow golf bloggers from across the pond wrote a pretty good article on playing shots from the rough.
The Ultimate Rough Recovery Guide
I think it’s a relatively new blog, I found out about him via digg. I haven’t been reading for too long, but so far, he’s been writing some pretty good stuff.
Today’s my wedding anniversary! Wish me luck!
-Dave
The Orlando Magic Championship for Charity Golf Tournament takes place on Friday, September 19th with a shotgun start at 9am.
This years event is hosted by the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation and it takes place at the Ginn Reunion Resort on Arnold Palmer Legacy & Tom Watson Independent Course (which is also home to the Annika academy).
Looks like it’ll cost $625 per player with a minimum of two players at $1250. Pretty pricey but, hey, it’s for a good cause. There’s an expected turnout of about 200 people, included in those people are Magic players, coaches, TV and radio personalities and my personal favorite, Magic dancers! Either one of those courses would be a real treat to play, I’ve had my eye on the Tom Watson Independent course for a while. Of course, I tried trading my first born for a tee-time there and they declined, something about not enough perceived value…. If your in a very giving mood, click the link at the top of the post and sign up.. Oh, if you need an additional player, I SUPPOSE I could join you, you buy the round, I’ll buy the drinks!
-Dave
If you own a smart phone (Treo, Iphone, Instinct, Blackberry, Blueberry, Greenberry….), you should check this out.
It’s a cool tool Stracka has provided that lets you track your score while playing the round. You can track your strokes, putts, fairways in regulation and greens in regulation. It uploads the data to your profile on Stracka.com. See Below.
I recommend adding the course your going to play to your favorites before you get to the course. This will make it easier to select it when you access mobile scoring from your phone. If you don’t add it prior to the round, you’ve got to go to the site, find the course and add the course, before it can be selected from mobile scoring. You can do it either way, but it’s faster and easier to do it from a PC.
As you can see below, there’s also a leaderboard option you can access that will let you see how others who are playing the course that day are faring.
It’s worth getting a smart phone for
Leave your Comments!
-Dave
Interestingly enough, I found myself yet again at PGA.com…. I came across an article about golf etiquette and figured it’d be worth sharing.
Arrive:
* If caddies are available:
o Remember caddie programs are an excellent way for young people to earn some money and be exposed to a sport that they can enjoy and might help shape their character.o A good caddie can make the round more enjoyable by giving you hints that might lower your score.o A good caddie can provide information on yardage, club selection, reading the greens and the layout of the course.
* Warm Up:
o Try to arrive soon enough to give yourself time to warm up properly.
o Work your way though the bag, beginning with the short irons, moving onto the mid-and long irons and then the woods.
o It’s often a good idea to finish warming up by hitting a few soft wedge shots before heading for the practice green and hitting a few putts.
o Don’t hit hundreds of balls and leave your game on the practice tee.
* First Tee:
o Check the scorecard to learn any local rules.
o Local rules apply only to the specific course you are playing.
o If your playing companions suggest a match, it’s a good idea to make sure everyone is comfortable with the stakes.
o Make sure to place an identifying mark on your ball and inform the other players the type and number ball you are playing.
Avoid Slow play:
* When your group is not keeping up with the pace of play of the group in front of you:
o Walk at a reasonable speed between shots.
o Begin planning your next shot as you approach the ball by studying the strength and direction of the wind.
* When you reach your ball, check the lie, select your club, visualize your swing and shot, and then play your shot.
* From the time you select your club until you actually hit your shot, you should take no more than 30 to 45 seconds.
* If you aren’t ready to play when it is your turn, encourage one of your fellow players to play.
Maintaining the course:
* Replace your divots!!!!!!!
* Turf tends to explode on impact, making it difficult, if not impossible, to replace the divot. In this case, you have two options:
o You can use the toe of your shoe to kick in the turf around the edges of the divot.
o Many courses often put containers of a soil/seed mixture on their carts and tees. If this is the case, simply fill in the divot with the mixture.
* Bring a rake into the bunker with you — remembering that you should always enter the bunker from the low side at a point nearest to the ball.
o Whenever possible, avoid walking on the steep face of a bunker.
o After hitting your shot, rake the area you played from, as well as all your footprints and any others within reach.
o Rakes should be left either in or nearby the bunker.
* Important to repair any pitch marks or indentations caused by the ball hitting the green.
* Using a tee, knife, key or repair tool, repair the mark by working the edges towards the center, without lifting the center of the mark. Don’t tear the grass. Finish by smoothing the area with a club or your foot. Try to get the area smooth enough to putt over.
* Just remember that while the Rules of Golf allow you to repair pitch marks on your putting line, you cannot repair spike marks on your putting line until after you have putted.
On the green, remember:
* Don’t step on your fellow players putting lines — the imaginary line that connects the ball to the hole.
* If your ball is on a player’s line, volunteer to mark the ball.
* If you’re ball is not furthest from the cup:
o Mark your ball, either with a plastic marker or a small, thin, dark coin such as an old penny.
o After you have marked your ball, place your putter down at a 90-degree angle with the heel touching your marker.
o Move the marker from the heel to the toe of your putter. Reverse the procedure to return the ball to its original position.
* Do not stand where you might distract a fellow player and don’t move.
* Don’t make any noise when your fellow player is preparing to putt.
* If you don’t have a caddie and are asked to tend the flagstick, make sure you aren’t standing on anyone’s line.
* Hold the flagstick at arm’s length so the flag doesn’t flutter in the breeze, and make sure your shadow doesn’t fall across the hole or line. Loosen the bottom of the flagstick so it doesn’t stick when you try and remove it by pulling it straight up after the other player has putted. The flagstick should be removed right after the player has hit the ball.
* If you lay down the flagstick, lay it off the green to prevent doing any damage to the green.
* Generally, the player closest to the hole will tend the flagstick.
* After everyone has putted out, immediately walk to the next tee.
Miscellaneous:
* If you hit a tee shot into the woods and suspect that it might be either lost or out-of-bounds, the Rules of Golf allow you to play a second or provisional ball.
o You then have five minutes from the time you reach the spot where you suspect the ball landed to find the ball. If it is not found within that five-minute period, you must declare it lost and play your provisional ball with a one-stroke penalty
o If, however, you play the provisional ball and subsequently find your original ball in-bounds, you must pick up your provisional and continue to play the original ball, in-bounds.
o Out of bounds balls are assessed the penalty of “stroke and distance.”
o For a complete discussion of the Rules of Golf, visit the USGA’s web site.
* For safety’s sake, never hit when there’s a chance you might be able to reach the group ahead of you, and anytime you hit a shot that you think even has remote chance of hitting any other players, yell “fore” immediately, and make a point of apologizing to any players your ball lands near.
* Displays of frustration are one thing, but outbursts of temper are quite another. Yelling, screaming, throwing clubs or otherwise making a fool of yourself are unacceptable and, in some cases, dangerous to yourself and others.
* As a player, you also have a responsibility to learn and understand the Rules of Golf.
* Five of the most common Rules are those deal with Out of Bounds, Lost balls, Unplayable lies, cart paths and water hazards.
* Moving on, if your group stops for refreshments, either at the turn (the end of nine holes) or following the round, volunteer to pay for them, as well as offer to buy drinks for the caddies. (Hope my golf partners are reading this!)
* Whoever pays at the turn, however, should not be expected to pay for refreshments at the end of the round. (But not reading this!)
* Finally, at the end of the round, shake hands with your fellow players, congratulate the winners, console the losers, and thank them for their company. At the end of the day, the great pleasure of the game is the time you get to spend with your friends whether old friends or new friends you just made through the game.
Yes, crazy I know…
Johnny Miller, one of the old school greats, was quoted saying “Players these days, ain’t got no class, no style in their swing, all they got is long hits and good technology, none have the finesse of the old days!”
He was mentioned in an article where Mike Malaska asked him which club he would use if he was 100 yards away, to which he replied, I could use any of these 14 clubs. Mike said “I don’t think you understand the question,” to which he replied “I don’t think you understood my answer.” He then proceeded to hit every club 100 yards.
He went on to say that the minds of the most talented players are trained to think creatively. They consider themselves problem solvers, they see many different ways to hit a single shot.
Ok, ok.. so the quote above didn’t exactly come from his lips, I read the excerpt of his quote and added some flair. So sue me. What he actually said was that you don’t see creativity like that in todays power game, guys like Lee Trevino, Seve Ballesteros and Chi Chi Rodriguez could really work the ball.
Average golfers could lower their scores if they worked more on their shot making skills.
Next time you’re at the range, practice hitting the 100 yard mark with every club, it’ll be fun and you’ll quickly gain a sense for playing shots.
Dave
I’ve encountered this same article on more than one occasion and I read it every time I do. A lot of it is common sense, but there are some nuggets to be found. It’s written by a lady named Lisa Furlong and she gives tips on what to do if invited to play golf with the boss.
1. Invitation
You’ve just been invited to play a round with the boss, don’t panic, get into the right mindset and tell yourself your going to make the most of this great opportunity. Executives who play frequently say they pay close attention to the other golfer’s demeanor under pressure.
“You really don’t want to see someone swearing or throwing a club,” says MGIC Investment Corp. CEO Curt Culver, a 2-handicapper ranked third among Golf Digest’s best CEO golfers in 2006. “Just as bad would be someone who fails to take care of the course, who doesn’t repair ball marks or replace divots. That would make me want to replace that person in my company.” That’s a scary thought… Hey Dave, heard you got fired, what the heck happened?? Oh, nothing much, I forgot to replace my divot on the 13th..
2. Preparation
Hit the range a couple times (if you can) before you play to knock some of the rust off your swing. Take some time to check over your gear, ensure clubs, towel and rain gear are clean (not caked with a couple inches of dried mud. go through your golf bag and remove all the accumulated junk. Research the course your playing, ensure you know how to get to the course, being late is inexcusable. Get an idea of how formal the course is and on the day of the round, get out there early, scope out the course, hit some warm up shots so when the boss arrives you are ready to go. Definitely go with a collared shirt and if you wear shorts, ensure they are smart, tailored golf shorts. Shoes should be clean and brushed down, there’s no excuse for poor taste. This is not part of the article, but make sure you’ve got plenty of Tee’s and if it were me, I’d probably spend a little more than usual on golf balls, I imagine if you were to pull some Ti-techs out it might send out the wrong impression
3. Banter
Your mission of the day is to keep your foot out of your mouth. Prior to the round, read the newspaper cover to cover so your up to date on the news should the topic arise. Don’t talk for the sake of talking, don’t assume you and the boss man are now the best of friends. Unless the boss brings it up, try to avoid discussing work and business, stick to sports, family, etc.. Don’t have too many beers, the last thing you need is your boss seeing you in anyway other than your best.
4. The Game
Let the boss decide the stakes of the match. Don’t take a mulligan off the first tee unless it’s offered, stick to weekend golfer rules. If you lose a ball and don’t hit a provisional, the article says don’t go back and hit another, concede the hole. I don’t agree with that, I think you would drop a ball and take your strokes as you would on any other day. Conceding putts, within the leather is a good rule, but if the boss is shooting them back to you from further away, follow his lead. Do not let the boss win, play your best and win or lose with grace. The round isn’t so much “boss & subbordinate” as it is golfers who love a good round.
5. Follow up
Send the boss a letter (not an email) thanking him for the opportunity and making note of a particular aspect of the day you really enjoyed or appreciated. In today’s E-world, a letter will set you apart.
Just because you’ve had a round of golf together, don’t assume you’re now The Boss’ new best friend. “It’s most important to me that a subordinate doesn’t use golf to prove he or she is in with The Boss,” says Macadam. “This really turns me off more than anything.” If colleagues know about the round and ask about it, “treat it as if it were no big deal,” says Corrigan. “And don’t discuss The Boss’ performance if he or she had a bad round. If The Boss played well, say so. And please, spare your co-workers a hole-by-hole description of your own game.” When The Boss starts to talk about his or her game, however, listen up. Or at least pretend to.
How To Play Golf with the Boss
Enjoy!
Dave
Being that I now have a three year old and a six day old, this is a very relevant question for me. I’ve been doing some digging around and here’s the answer.
You should begin your kids golf tutelage only if they begin to show interest in the game. (read “don’t force your kid to play just because you want a fast track to early retirement!”)
There’s no “right” age to begin your kid golfing, it all depends on the child but the range typically is between four and seven years of age. (or if your kids a boy-geniuses like mine then six days old and three years of age)
Your kids potential will not be hindered if they don’t start as soon as some other kids have.
Some of the recommendations I found are:
Check out this video I found.
Hope this helps!
Dave
I’ve always been a hackmaster when it comes to hitting a 3-wood from the fairway. One story that I’ll never forget.Â
I was playing a round with my cousin/best friend on his home course in D.C. We were neck and neck the entire round and the games bragging rights were all riding on the outcome of the 18th. You know how exhilirating this is, every stroke could mean victory or defeat, it’s as if the fate of the world was riding on this hole.
Off the tee I outdrove him by 30 yards which left me about 220 yards away from the green. Dancing a little jig for joy I grabbed my Nickent Genex 3-wood (who the guy at the pro shop SWORE was just as good as a taylor made…jerk). The ball touched down on the fairway and rolled off to sit in the slight rough to the right of the fairway. I remember the grass was that real soft, long skinny grass.Â
He pulled out a long iron and struck a decent shot that landed about 50 yards short and to the right of the green. I took plenty of practice swings and they all felt good, took my stance (ball lined up with my lead foot heel), and swung my club. After making contact, I heard/felt the customary “top” sound of topping the ball (really sounds like top or tup if you stop and think about it). Flustered and infuriated, I finished the round 3 strokes behind him. Had to hand over the trophy (black nike visor that’s too tight for either of our heads and gives you a headache from wearing it) and buy the refreshments on the 19th hole while enduring ridicule and repeated assaults on my game.
After reading this article it helped to shed some light as to why my 3-wood off the tee and on an incline (yes, I know hitting a 3-wood from the side of a hill is not the smartest move, but it’s always worked for me and now I know why) were always soo pretty but my fairway shots were not.Â
The summary is this.Â
“Move the ball back in your stance when hitting from the fairway and don’t try to kill the ball.”
If this works for you, I accept all forms of payments as donations.
Here’s the link
Feel free to comment!
Dave
