Monday, July 30, 2007

Wie flops again: new excuses needed for British Open, links golf tips and correct grip pressure

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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 struggling to compete aptly although finally making a cut after a year's worth of trials and tribulations. Two injuries with two separate and distinct outcomes. One golfer became a winner due to her injury, the other becomes more frustrated over time.

This week Golf for Beginners discusses Michelle Wie's uneasy level of comfort. How can she play well for two days with an injured wrist and then falter during the final two days? We don't believe her problems are totally related to her injury anymore but rather becoming a psychological issue, the battle to win rather than just compete.

Next stop for the LPGA (and Michelle Wie) is St. Andrews G.C. for the Ricoh Women's British Open. The Old Course is considered by some to be the "home of golf" and a links-style course, completely different than the parklike grounds of the Evian Masters Golf Club in France. This challenge will certainly prove the mettle of all the women on tour.

As Tiger Woods has stated before, "To win at St. Andrews is the ultimate."

We also give you a golf tip on how to keep your grip comfortable on the club during a trying round of golf. Grip is probably the one aspect of "G.A.S.P" that can save, or ruin, a round of golf!

Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/golfforbeginners or through iTunes. Nextel/Sprint cell customers type http://www.mymbn.com/podcast/ in your browser and click on "sports casts". Our station number is 1955.

"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

This podcast is supported by Scotland Golf Tours and Florida Golf Travel.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Lucky charms for Padraig Harrington at British Open, find your tempo and sand trap to a tight pin

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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 for third place.

Colin Montgomerie's wish for a European British Open winner came true, but it wasn't him! Careful what you wish for...

Even professional golfers who practice and play daily cannot seem to calm their nerves during these pressure-cooker situations and they are confident of their trajectory and ball flight! What about the average golfer who rarely gets to the range, has time only to stretch and take a few swings before teeing up? What should he/she expect?

Barry and I discuss how old habits die hard, especially when a golfer has no time to practice and said "no" to lessons from a qualified golf instructor from the time he first picked up the sticks.

We also give a great vision of tempo with the help of the 2006 PGA Teacher of the Year Bill Forrest who claims that tempo is a part of your personality so you shouldn't fight it!

Finally, we offer up a greenside bunker tip we read in Golf Magazine. How do you efficiently get out of the sand and close to the pin when the flag is tight to the bunker?


Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/golfforbeginners or through iTunes. Nextel/Sprint cell customers type http://www.mymbn.com/podcast/ in your browser and click on "sports casts". Our station number is 1955.

"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

This podcast is supported by Pioneer Golf and Florida Golf Travel.

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Monday, July 16, 2007

Mickelson implodes despite Harmon's instruction, Leadbetter helps create wedge spin and dealing with overly chatty golfers

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Butch Harmon has really helped Phil Mickelson achieve a better golf game. 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 you a an easy golf tip on the driver from number-one teacher Butch Harmon. Harmon's golf tips have helped Mickelson and they can help you too!

Number-two ranked golf instructor, David Leadbetter, helps us with another important part of the golf game, namely wedge play. We found a simple tip from Leadbetter which can help you put spin on the ball when you need it.

Did you know, Mickelson's average clubhead speed for pitch shots is 87 miles per hour?

Finally we offer possible solutions to an overly chatty golfer who joins your group without ruining your own concentration!


Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/golfforbeginners or through iTunes. Nextel/Sprint cell customers type http://www.mymbn.com/podcast/ in your browser and click on "sports casts". Our station number is 1955.

"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

This podcast is supported by Pioneer Golf and Florida Golf Travel.

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Monday, July 09, 2007

Think like a professional golfer, 14 putters in your bag and tips for escaping the rough

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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 clubs in your bag, each with varying amounts of loft. We'll help you decide which iron (or wood) is better for situations you may encounter. Try being creative!

Finally, do you think like a professional golfer or are you stuck with an amateur outlook? Dr. Richard Coop's advice will have you thinking about your target and not sweating over that little white ball in front of you.


Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/golfforbeginners or through iTunes. Nextel/Sprint cell customers type http://www.mymbn.com/podcast/ in your browser and click on "sports casts". Our station number is 1955.

"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

This podcast is supported by Pioneer Golf and Florida Golf Travel.

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Monday, July 02, 2007

Golf swing tips to regain flexibility, improve balance and posture with a foam roller and does the helicopter training aid f

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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 be able to stretch like a rubber band but sometimes you don't even realize that you are not as bendable as in the past!

We also review the Helicopter training aid from sdfgolf.com. The plastic yellow and red blades of the Helicopter serve as an extension of the golf club. The claim is that, with the help of the Helicopter and enclosed DVD (and lots of practice), you will see both the position of your body and the clubface through the golf swing and gain muscle memory. We'll let you know if this device flies with us!

When I'm working out at the gym, I usually plan a schedule strong on core improvement and balance exercises. One of my favorite training aids is the foam roller, which Golf for Women Magazine maintains is great for posture as well. We discuss uses for this simple piece of foam maintaining that the best training devices don't have to cost a fortune and are sometimes in plain sight!


Click here to see Stacy's golf swing video.


Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/golfforbeginners or through iTunes. Nextel/Sprint cell customers type http://www.mymbn.com/podcast/ in your browser and click on "sports casts". Our station number is 1955.

"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

This podcast is supported by Pioneer Golf and Florida Golf Travel.

My Podcast Alley feed!