Seasoned golfers like to say that “you drive for show, but you putt for dough.” It’s impossible to overstate the importance of the short game, and no two people share the same precise technique. Some golfers study their putts meticulously, judging the slope of the green from every angle. Others spend more time estimating a putt’s speed by concentrating on the grain of the grass and other physical factors.
The most effective putting strokes are relatively uniform – they feature a short backswing and confident follow-through. On the other hand, putter designs can range from traditional mallets to bizarre new creations. The long putter, which is gripped like a broom and stands as tall as a player’s shoulders, became a popular piece of golf equipment when pros such as Vijay Singh employed it on the greens.
Golf Talk: British Open - Cink prevails over Watson in 4 hole playoff
When I heard that Tom Watson was in the lead when he finished his first found of the British Open after shooting a round of 5 under par, I thought, that can’t last. Well, I was right, because Miguel Angel Jimerez finished his first round at 6 under par. But, after a poor start to his second round, Watson finished strong to shoot a second round of even par to remain a 5 under par for the golf tournament and tied for the lead with Steve Marino.
Once again, in the third round Watson fell back early only to finish strong to post a third round score of one over par 71 which gave him a 1 stroke lead going into the final round of the years third major championship. You still felt like there was no way he was going to be able to hold on. Don’t get me wrong, I am one of Watson’s biggest fans, but I just didn’t see how he could hold on and possibly have a chance to win on Sunday. After all, he is almost 60 years old. When Tom was playing the final hole of the golf tournament, not only did he have a chance to win, he was leading by one stroke. If he could manage one more par he would get his name on the Claret Jug for the sixth time, tying Harry Vardon for the most British Open wins in history. In the fairway, he had to decide between hitting an 8-iron or a 9-iron. He chose the 8-iron, and looking back he probably wishes he had chosen the 9-iron. His 8-iron shot went over the green and he wasn’t able to get the ball up and down for a par, leaving him tied with Stewart Cink at 2 under par and headed to a 4 hole playoff.
In the playoff, it seemed like Tom kind of ran out of gas. He just wasn’t as sharp as he had been all week. Maybe it was the disappointment of missing a putt that would have given him the victory, or maybe it was the strain of competing in a major championship for 4 days. It’s hard to tell, but the one thing I am sure about is that Tom Watson gave us all something to talk about this week. How could a man who is almost 60 years old compete in any golf tournament, let alone a major, with men half his age? It all comes down to him believing he could win.
I believe that Tom honestly thought he could win the Open again, because length off the tee is not as important on links courses. It is much more important to know how to play links style golf, and with 5 British Open Championships under his belt, Tom Watson definitely knows how to do that. I heard Tom say he would like to play one move British Open and then leave it to the young guys. I know he will eventually have to step aside, but as long as he is competing, I would like to see him keep playing.
Next year the Open is being contested at St. Andrews, the home of golf. Maybe he can thrill us one more time and win his sixth Claret Jug in 2010. Wouldn’t that be something?
By midsummer, little league games across the country are in full swing. Venture anywhere near a ballpark and you’re likely to hear the crack of a bat and smell the tempting fragrances wafting through the air from the concession stand. Kids and parents alike enjoy carefree afternoons in the warm sun, relishing America’s pastime all summer long.
Most little league programs outfit kids with all the proper safety gear – batting helmets, catchers’ masks and the like. No little leaguer would ever be asked to step into the batter’s box without a helmet. The same rule should apply while practicing at home, where kids are often more lax with their personal safety and accidents can happen. By instilling your children with practical safety advice at a young age, you guarantee that they carry that knowledge with them to the ball diamond.
After a long, brutal, rain soaked week, Lucas Glover was the man who out-lasted the field on his way to a final round 3-over par 73 to capture the 2009 U.S. Open Golf Championship. Glover finishd the golf tournament at 4 under par, 2 strokes ahead of Phil Mickelson, Ricky Barnes, and David Duval. Ricky Barnes began the final round with a 1 stroke lead over Glover, but that lead disappeared when he made a bogey on the first hole of the final round. You have to give Barnes credit, though, because in the final round he bogied 5 holes to shoot a 5 over par 40 on the front nine, but he never quit trying. On the final hole he came within inches of making a birdie that would have forced Glover to make his 4 foot putt for the victory.
One of the biggest surprises for most people was the performance of David Duval. Duval has been saying for quite a while that he is playing great, but his scores have not reflected that. This week his scores reflected how great he played. You have to wonder what would have happened if his tee shot on the par 3 3rd hole had not buried under the lip of the greenside bunker, which led to a triple bogey. You can talk about “what ifs” all day, but just remember, every player in the golf tournament has a story about a bad break that cost them strokes. It’s all part of playing in the U.S. Open Golf Championship.
Although Glover struggled in the final round, he was able to maintain his patience, realizing that everyone else was going to struggle also. You very seldom see someone play the final round of the U.S. Open without struggling somewhat. It’s usually the person who can handle their misfortunes the best that walks away with the trophy, and that’s what happened this year. Glover was able to maintain his concentration and when he did get into trouble, he was able to minimize the damage and go on to the next hole. That is the sign of a true champion. I look for this victory to boost Glover’s confidence to the point where he will be in contention to win golf tournaments on a much more regular basis.
Brian Gay has only won 3 golf tournaments in his career, but in 2009, when he wins a tournament, he wins it big. In April Gay won the Verizon Heritage by a whopping 10 strokes, lapping the field finishing at 20 under par. His latest victory came at the St. Jude Classic, where he posted a final score of 18 under par, 5 strokes ahead of David Toms and Bryce Molder who finished at 13 under par.
With his victory in the St. Jude Classic, Gay earned a spot in the U.S. Open to be played June 18-20 at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York. Bethpage Black is a long golf course, and some of the holes demand a carry of 250 yards or more just to reach the fairway. Gay is not the longest hitter on tour, so I look for Bethpage Black to give him a lot of trouble.
In 2002 when the U.S. Open was held at Bethpage, the crowd treated Phil Mickelson as though he was one of their own. I look for him to get an even bigger reception this time. Although the New York crowds are always appreciative of good golf shots, they seem to be a little move vocal when it’s Phil hitting those good shots.
The U.S. Open is the golf tournament I look forward to the most all year, since it is our National Championship, and of course I always root for an American to win. This years tournament should be very interesting, as the Majors always seem to be.
If you want to shoot your best golf game, you’re going to have to use the right equipment. But in order to find the best equipment, it’s a good idea to be as familiar with that equipment as possible before you invest in any club. Every golf club has a basic form and format that any golfer should be aware of. First and foremost is the shaft. This is the tapered long metal tube, and it should be selected according to stability, strength, weight, and length. As with any good piece of equipment, it must fit your body type and be entirely comfortable.
Another important aspect of golf clubs is the grip. Where the player holds the club, the grip should offer non-stick properties without feeling cumbersome or intrusive. Every club also has a hosel, which is where the club head attaches to the shaft. This is pivotal to the balance and power of the club. While many people forget about this essential part of the club, it can greatly affect the feel and trajectory of your swings. And, of course, every club must have a club head. The shape and type of club head largely determines what kind of club you’re using, whether it’s a putter, chipper, iron, or wood.
Tiger Woods began the final round of The Memorial Golf Tournament at 5 under par and 4 strokes behind tournament co-leaders Mark Wilson and Matt Betterncourt, who stood at 9 under par. The one thing Tiger has shown us over the years is that he can come from behind to win golf tournaments, but could he make up 4 shots on the difficult Muirfield Village Golf Course? He answered that question quickly, making birdies on 4 of his first 7 holes, reaching 9 under par and putting himself in a great position to win a record fourth Memorial Golf Tournament. A bogey on No. 8 dropped him to 8 under par, but then, 3 holes later, Tiger pulled off one of his patented chip ins on No. 11 for an eagle which moved him to 10 under par. He birdied No. 15, stumbled slightly making a bogey on No. 16, then regained his composure to birdie No. 17 before hitting his approach shot on No. 18 to within one foot of the hole for a tap in birdie. In his final round, Tiger had 7 birdies, one eagle, and 2 bogies for a round of 7 under par 65, giving him a total for the golf tournament of 12 under par.
Jim Furyk played a steady final round with 5 birdies and 2 bogies for a round of 3 under par 69 and a total for the golf tournament of 11 under par. Furyk was trailing by 2 strokes, but was able to close the gap to 1 stroke with a birdie on No. 18. Neither of the two co-leaders could break par in the final round, with Mark Wilson shooting a 1 over par 73 and Matt Bettencourt shooting a 3 over par 75.
The one statistic that shows Tiger is playing about as well as he ever has, and that he appears ready to defend his U.S. Open crown in 2 weeks, is his driving accuracy. He hit every fairway in the final round of The Memorial, and driving accuracy is one of the most important aspects of your game if you want to have a chance of winning a U.S. Open. I look for Tiger to be one of the few, and the first since Curtis Strange in 1989, to win back to back U.S. Open titles.
Golf is essentially made up of two major categories. There is the long game and the short game. Both aspects present unique challenges and difficulties that people can spend years trying to perfectly understand and hone. With the long game, you’re going to want to focus on the perfect tee shot. What you’re trying to achieve with this swing is both distance and accuracy. To that end, you want to be able to control where the ball goes, whether that’s straight down the fairway or bent around the woods.
With the short game, it’s all about touch and accuracy. You’ll use a variety of clubs in your short game from the chipper to the putter. You are rarely going for power with these types of shots, so it’s more about learning how to shoot to a specific distance. It’s also important to learn how to read the green itself. Often, these skills take a combination of personal practice and outside assistance. That outside assistance can come in the form of golf instruction DVDs or a personal tutor. Either way, outside instruction can truly speed along the progress of your game.
For the first two rounds of the 2009 Crown Plaza Invitational at Colonial Steve Stricker was on cruise control, posting back to back 63’s for a 36 hole tournament record of 14 under par. But as hard as it is to follow up a great round of golf with another great round, it is even more difficult to follow up 2 great rounds with a third. Beginning the 3rd round of the golf tournament with a 1 stroke lead over Tim Clark and a 7 stroke lead over Steve Marino, Stricker found the scoring to be a little more difficult than it was on the first 2 days. He was only able to shoot a 1 under par 69, while Clark took a 2 stroke lead with a 4 under par 66. Marino came from out of nowhere to get in contention with an 8 under par 62 to move into a tie for second with Stricker.
In the final round, after a lot of shuffling back and forth, it came down to Stricker chipping in on No. 17 for a birdie and Clark hitting his tee shot into the trees on No. 18 and eventually making a bogey to force a 3-way playoff. Marino played the most consistent golf of the three, making pars on his last 12 holes on his way to a 2 under par 68, allowing him to be a part of the playoff with Stricker and Clark.
After Marino and Stricker both failed to make their birdie putts on the first playoff hole, it was Clark’s tournament to win with a 7 foot birdie putt of his own. When he pulled the putt, missing it left, all three players went to the second playoff hole. On the second playoff hole, Marino hit his tee shot in the trees left of the fairway and more or less took himself out of contention. Stricker hit his approach to approximately 3 feet putting the pressure on Clark. Clark took dead aim at the flagstick, but unfortunately he was too accurate. His golf ball hit the flagstick and spun back leaving him a putt of about 20 feet. When Clark wasn’t able to make the 20 footer, all Stricker needed to do was make his 3 footer for the birdie and the win, which he did.
Although he struggled at times during the final round, Stricker was able to hold things together well enough to give himself a chance for a victory. He pulled of the shots when he really needed to, but even Steve will tell you, he was fortunate that Clark struggled at the end of regulation or he wouldn’t have had a chance to even be in a playoff. But, the bottom line is, Stricker did made it into the playoff and he made the most of the opportunity.
At the HP Byron Nelson golf tournament last week Rory Sabbatini stood in the 16th fairway with a 3 stroke lead, but when he watched Brian Davis make a 26 foot eagle putt on the green in front of him, he saw that lead all but evaporate. After making a birdie on the 15th hole and taking a 3 stroke lead, it looked like Sabbatini would be able to cruise to victory, but Davis wasn’t having any of that. He wasn’t going to give him the golf tournament, he was going to make him work for the victory, and work he did. Not only did Sabbatini make a birdie on the par 5 16th, he also made birdie on the par 3 17th to build his lead back to 3 strokes heading to the 18th tee. When Sabbatini’s par putt slid past the cup on the final hole, it made little difference, because he was left with a tap in for a bogey and the win.
Sabbatini shot a final round 6 under par 64 to finish with a tournament record 19 under par. Davis also shot a final round 6 under par to finish in second place at 17 under par. It was fun to watch two great players matching each other, shot for shot. The only thing that would have been better was if they had been playing together.
With this win Sabbatini is only the 14th player in PGA Tour history to win both the HP Byron Nelson and The Colonial golf tournaments in their careers. His last tournament win was in 2007 and, oddly enough, that victory was at The Colonial, which will be played next week in Fort Worth, Texas.