It’s rare that I use this space to talk pro golf, but the recently completed FedEx Cup race put a burr under my saddle so I really feel the need to vent a little. I typically try and remain positive too, but I feel drawn to direct some negativity at the whole FedEx Cup playoff scheme. This year’s “playoff” marked the third since the FedEx Cup was introduced in 2007, with Tiger Woods winning in somewhat predictable fashion. Then, the following year, Vijay Singh took the Cup home while an injured Tiger Woods sat home recuperating. The joke of that year was that the outcome was pretty much decided before the last event and Singh basically just had to continue breathing to take home the cup. Over these first three playoffs, the Tour tweaked the format each year to try and make sure there was a little drama going into the last event. Well, this year the situation was a little better. Sunday at the Tour Championship was dramatic, and ultimately, the FedEx Cup was
Chipping: Simple Yet Tricky
Think about it: chipping is such a simple action. The only stroke that you can make that is more simple at its core is a putting stroke, and chipping can certainly be done in a nearly identical fashion to putting. At the same time, so many players have trouble chipping effectively. Put some players just off the green with a perfect lie in the short grass and the results will be somewhere between inconsistent and disastrous. It almost goes without saying at this point, but I have completely modeled my short game using the techniques outlined in Dave Pelz’s Short Game Bible. This certainly goes for chipping too. To summarize his chipping technique: Stand relatively tall, close to the ball, feet close together, turned about 20 degrees toward the target, with the ball positioned off the back ankle. Around 65% of your weight should be on the front foot. Grip down a bit with “dead hands”. Keep the wrists firm and quiet throughout the stroke, but not tense. Use a finesse swing with the upper
Book Review: Golf’s Sacred Journey
Golf’s Sacred Journey: Seven Days at the Links of Utopia, by Dr. David Cook, is a fictional tale set in a real location: Utopia, Texas. In the book, a chance meeting between a disheartened golf pro and an improbable mentor – a small-town rancher with uncommon insight – leads the pro to a crossroads in his life. After an on-course meltdown, the pro finds himself some 80 miles west of San Antonio in the town of Utopia where a 9-hole “goat track” surrounds an old cemetery. The pro meets up with Johnny, the local rancher who takes him through a seven-day journey on the Links of Utopia. This book is much, much more than simply a story. Beyond being an interesting tale, it is also a serious lesson in the mental game of golf. On top of that, it is also a deep spiritual journey. Dr. Cook is recognized as one of the country’s top sport and performance psychology consultants. He has served as mental coach to over 100 PGA Tour players, and has also
My Best Learning Experience Yet
I played in my club championship on Sunday. Without a doubt, it was my best learning experience with respect to playing golf (as opposed to just learning how to swing the club or to hit shots). Believe it or not, I’ve never played in a competitive tournament like that, and I’ve played a LOT of golf in my life. I’ve played in evening men’s leagues and scramble tournaments, but nothing where it was a true competition, 100% by the book, with everyone playing their best. I intended to play competitively last year as part of my journey, but regular readers will remember my lengthy knee injury which put a hold on that. Fortunately, this year, I was able to work much harder and only had one minor stretch where I had to play through pain and take some time off. So, I know you want me to cut to the chase and tell you how I did. OK, I didn’t play great. I shot a 91 for a net 76 (my handicap index is 13.9
20 Random Thoughts About Golf
Sometimes, a disjointed thought says more than a thousand words of orderly discourse. I thought I might test that theory. Here are twenty random thoughts about golf. Feel free to agree, beat me down, or add your own in the comments. I don’t care about the new groove regulations because I would still love the game if I had to hit featheries with persimmon woods across six holes of sheep pasture. If I owned a golf course, alcohol would be forbidden on the course, but would be allowed in the awesome 19th hole bar that would be on the premises. I cannot explain why, but I firmly believe in dress codes on golf courses. If there isn’t one, then fine, but if a course is going to have one, it should be enforced in a draconian manner, even if it means sacrificing revenue. As a fan, I prefer watching golf on TV. As a student of the game, there is absolutely no alternative to being there on the premises during a tournament. The length of
Loading ...
Connect
Here are some other ways we can connect