How Team USA can Take Back the Ryder Cup in 2020

Although Team USA golf fans grasped onto some small level of hope during the Ryder Cup singles matches, Europe held off their opponents and reclaimed the chalice.

You win some, you lose some...but a thrashing should never have taken place.

"Our studs," said an anonymous someone in the U.S. team room, "didn’t play like studs this week."

The final Ryder Cup count was Team Europe with 17.5 points and Team USA at 10.5 points. Tiger Woods failed to thrill (but brought a large audience by just being on the team) and Mickelson, who is on-again, off-again about this being his final Ryder Cup appearance, was benched on Saturday and had a lackluster overall performance.

It is understandable why these two great golfers continually play in the Ryder Cup although it doesn't help Team USA secure a win. Mickelson, for example, according to RyderCup.com, "has the most losses than any player in U.S. history, though Tiger Woods is now only one behind after three straight defeats in France."

So, how can Team USA take back the Ryder Cup in 2020?

The first fix is fairly obvious; don't choose Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson as captains pick for Team USA. Of course, if the captain agrees, this means a large loss of overall viewership, from the USA to across the pond (although I believe that the two, working together, would make interesting Team Captain/Assistant Captain). If either of the golfers makes it onto the team due to their own merits, this option will not work.

The second fix involves rescheduling the FedEx Cup finale... the Tour Championship, as it is possible for those players to be very tired going into the following week and performing at their peak. Perhaps the Ryder Cup needs to be moved ahead on the schedule one extra week to allow the players flight time and a short rest period before this stressful event?

According to several online blogs, Tiger Woods, looked "tired" and "listless" during all of his Ryder Cup matches and that is being blamed on his tight Tour Championship schedule which bled into the following week's matches.

Finally, how do you think Jim Furyk did as the Team USA Ryder Cup captain?

In my opinion, he did not utilize Patrick Reed to his best advantage - Reed sat on the sidelines during foursomes matches...and this is where he shines, and where he has been unbeaten.

"For somebody as successful in the Ryder Cup as I am, I don’t think it’s smart to sit me twice," Reed said when interviewed by the New York Times.

What do you think can be done so Team USA has a chance at the 2020 Ryder Cup? Comments are welcome in this golf blog and tag us with your ideas on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

Tiger Woods' Tour Championship Game Plan Can Help You Win at Golf

There was always a mystique that surrounded Tiger Woods; whether he won or not in golf, throngs of fans have followed his progress (and decline) through a five-year winless streak on the PGA Tour. The influence Woods has had in over the past twenty years has changed the face of golf.

The outcome of the Tour Championship changed both our perception of the former number one player in the world as well as his own self-esteem as he smiled broadly during his round knowing he also had the slim possibility of a FedEx Cup victory.

Tiger Woods' Strategy for Tour Championship victory

Woods looked like the Tiger of old as he proceeded to implement his plan for victory and he could not hide his joy as he stepped out onto the 18th green, sunk a par putt, and accepted his reward for a job well done.

"The game plan was to shoot under par, and I birdied the first hole right out of the gate,'' Tiger Woods said after winning the Tour Championship. "I just had to suck it up and hit shots."

But there was more to Tiger Woods' plan than to shoot under par and "suck it up" on the course. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced amateur, creating a strategy before playing your round will benefit you by lowering your score.

Below are three golf tips which Tiger Woods implemented at the Tour Championship.

1. Leave your ball below the hole - an uphill putt is better than a downhill slide as you can give the ball a good, solid roll as opposed to tenderly judging your speed.

2. View putt from behind the hole. Tiger Woods looked at the green from several angles to determine the lie and angle of his putt.

3. Place your tee shot on the correct side of the fairway to give yourself the right approach onto the green. Take trouble out of play and visualize your next shot.

Tiger Woods went back to the basics to win after a five-year drought - if he can do it, so can you.

Although Justin Rose struggled to a FedEx Cup victory while Tiger Woods dominated at the Tour Championship, Golf for Beginners wishes hearty congratulations to both the current and former world number-one golfers in the world.

Why Play the 2018 South Beach International Amateur Golf Tournament - Guest Post

A few weeks ago, quite possibly the largest, and most fun, annual golf tournament in the United States was played; the Myrtle Beach World Golf Amateur Tournament #MBWorldAm.

There are many amateur golf tournaments for players to show their skills but, after the MB Am was played, a reader wrote in to tell us about the 2018 South Beach International Amateur Golf Tournament. 

Although we cannot bring all of these events to light, Golf for Beginners would like to share this guest post with our readers.

The South Beach International Amateur (SBIA) is held in Miami, Florida and is the world’s 5^th-ranked amateur golf tournament. 

Every December, more than two hundred of the best amateur golfers across the globe come to The Sunshine State to compete. The amateur golf competition takes place at the Miami Beach Golf Club and Normandy Shores Golf Club - is a great experience for amateur golfers and their families, thanks to a warm ocean, the finest beaches, and the world-class nightlife.

Who Can Compete in the SBIA? 

The SBIA is an open tournament. Registration opened July 1, 2018, and closes officially on December 7, 2018. 

The requirements to compete in this amateur golf tournament for non-exempt men age 14 thru 60 is as follows:

·       All Players who have at least a 1 handicap

·       The top 150 ranked worldwide Junior golfers

·       All 2018 US Open amateur Section qualifiers

·       All 2018 British Amateur Championship qualifiers

·       Players recommended by their prospective collegiate coach or their nation’s Association or Federation

·       All NAIA players and Division I, II, and III players

A full playing resume must accompany the application of any player who is not exempt. 

The tournament website is the source for full details (see above SBIA link).

About the South Beach Golf Courses

Golf course architect Arthur Hills increased the challenge and classic nature of both Miami Beach Golf Club and Normandy Shores Golf Club using modern, masterful design tactics. 

For the seven years since the inception of the amateur event, these golf courses have been the home of the SBIA Championships. The courses are recognized as stern tests for the world’s top golf amateurs. 

Miami Beach Golf Club is a par 71, for the tournament and Normandy Shores Golf Club is a par 70 (both at about 6,800 yards).

Prizes Awarded at the South Beach Amateur Golf Tournament

The following prizes will be awarded to the Champion of the SBIA:

·       The winner of the South Beach International Amateur will win the Champions Trophy, a Lifetime Champions Exemption, Merchandise, world amateur ranking points, and invitations/exemptions to most of the major amateur events in the world.

     SBIA Ranking and International Participation

The only amateur golf tournaments that rank higher than this amateur golf competition in Florida in only its seventh year are the NCAA Division I Championship, the Western Amateur, The Amateur, and the United States Amateur. Each of these four tournaments is historic and have an average of 120 years in existence. 

Almost half of the field in the 2017 SBIA was from outside its host country, representing 30 countries, placing it 2^nd in international participation.

Opportunities for amateur golfers abound, fortunately, but few can compare to playing on these Florida golf courses on Miami Beach used for the annual South Beach International Amateur Tournament!

A Golfer’s Ultimate Guide to Strength Training - Guest Post

Just as with any sport, your performance on the golf course can improve by building your strength. 

However, as a golfer, you must be careful to develop the strength of your bones as well as your muscles. For that reason, golfers should follow a full-body approach to strength training.

Playing golf involves control over the entire body. Each movement requires the contraction of some muscles combined with the relaxation of others and the deployment of others to give stability.

A natural full-body approach will give golfers more endurance, so reducing fatigue and lessening the risk of injury while building strength. Concentrating on just certain muscles could cause a muscle imbalance and actually deteriorate your game by interfering with the natural ability of your body to play good golf.

Most weightlifting programs just concentrate on building bulk; however, mass and strength are not directly related.

For a golfer, bulk is not an asset, and, in fact, it could interfere with the style and smoothness of your swing. One of the best exercises for building full-body strength is lifting a heavy weight from the ground, then to above your waist, shoulders and finally above the head. Get down to the gym and learn how to do this correctly under the guidance of a qualified weight trainer.


When done right, this lifting motion causes muscle contractions throughout the entire body, as well as providing gravitational stimulus to strengthen your bones. You don’t need to repeat the lift many times, but you should increase the weight gradually.


Repeating a movement until you feel fatigue can cause bone, joint, tendon, and ligament problems and increase the risk of injury. Fatigue can also cause bad posture and gait which a golfer definitely does not want.

So, aim to do a maximum of six repetitions with a weight to safely build muscle and bone strength without bulking and fatigue. 

You should use a bar with about 80-percent of your maximum one-time lift weight. Aim to do four sets, but do not over-stress your body. Allow your muscles time to recover- at least three minutes, between each set. Lift quickly, smoothly and correctly, always thinking about your technique and safety, and stop before significant fatigue develops.

While down at the gym, don’t bother with the high-tech machines you see there. These are designed to build muscle mass by concentrating on certain muscles groups at a time and have little use for a golfer unless you need to rehabilitate a particular area following an injury.


The treadmill, however, can be a useful way to get some aerobic exercise. Aim to raise your heart-rate, but not too dramatically. Increasing your aerobic activity will improve your stamina and help you to maintain a healthy weight. The treadmill is a good way to warm up before doing some weights. Then do two to four sets of deadlifts with the barbell and repeat five times. Follow this with the same number of squats. Round-off your workout with another short stint on the treadmill. 

READ: Golf Tips for Warming Up and Increasing Power If You Have an Injury

A kettlebell workout is a great exercise option for golfers who want to increase their strength and endurance. 

Kettlebells offer a serious full-body workout, especially the all-important shoulders and lower back muscles as well as the legs. It also increases grip strength. Kettlebells offer a convenient way to get some strength training with a safe, simple-to-use, and relatively inexpensive piece of equipment which you can use at home.

To increase the benefits of your strength training, eat a well-balanced diet, take daily walks, and get a good night’s sleep of between 7-8 hours every night. 

Johanna Cider is a New Zealand-based writer who is passionate about anything related to fitness and healthy living. She usually includes running and yoga in her daily workouts. See more of Johanna’s work here.

Image Source: Unsplash

3 Reasons Tiger Woods is on 2018 Ryder Cup Team USA

The final PGA Tour golfers are being selected for the 2018 Ryder Cup team;  Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Bryson DeChambeau have already made the cut. Do you agree with Jim Furyk's choices?

On this year's Ryder Cup Team U.S.A. are a few standouts who need no explanation as to why they were selected: Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson (both with three 2018 PGA Tour wins), Brooks Koepka (2 major wins), and young guns like Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth have proven themselves to be ready for the challenge.

LISTEN: Jim Furyk Interview about getting ready for Ryder Cup

So, why have Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods been added to the Ryder Cup roster?

Mickelson has had a pretty good year with a win at the WGC Mexico Championship and several top-10's; I think fans just require more from him in spite of his bouts with RA.

So honored to be a part of Team USA!
PHEELING PATRIOTIC
PHEELING PHIERCE! 🇺🇸🕺#RyderCup @RyderCupUSA pic.twitter.com/6NGa6ESXxU

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) September 4, 2018

Tiger Woods has also made a comeback that is worthy of a Ryder Cup pick. Again, golf aficionados remember the Woods of old and, should instead not make comparisons but review his current season before issuing negative comments.

1. Although Woods has no wins under his belt in 2018, he has several top-10's including placing second at the PGA Championship; this is still an accomplishment for any PGA Tour golfer but, because it is Tiger Woods we are discussing, our expectations are higher. In spite of many back surgeries, Woods is still in the 2018 tournament mix.

2. According to Jim Furyk, Tiger is a solid vice-captain who helps his teammates, which not only helps as far as strategy and boosts morale for the team.

3. The obvious reason, not stated by Furyk, is that both Woods and Mickelson will bring millions of viewers to the Ryder Cup. Woods has a huge impact on TV ratings. According to thebiglead.com, because Woods was playing:

"Quicken Loans National’s final round ratings was a 92 percent increase over last year and a 28 percent increase over 2016. Not only that, but the third round also saw a huge increase and was up 143 percent."

The 2018 Ryder Cup will surely prove to be an exciting team experience! The TV Schedule for the US is:

Do you agree with the 2018 Ryder Cup picks? Voice your opinion on Golf for Beginners blog and tag us on Twitter with your answer @Golf4Beginners.

Why You Need to Play in the Myrtle Beach World Golf Amateur Tournament #MBWorldAm

Let the good times roll...on the golf courses in Myrtle Beach!

For the 35th year, more than fifty golf courses (and hotels) in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (and North Carolina border) welcomed over three thousand golfers to the annual World Amateur Tournament this year. What was on the menu?

Fun, food and golf, of course!

The Myrtle Beach World Amateur Tournament is one of my favorites to cover every year. Although golf is the main attraction, some could argue that the "19th hole" is a separate event, as there are putting and short game contests with big money (up to $25,000!) on the line.

The food is an affair in itself, with some of the best restaurants on the Grand Strand putting out their best and most delicious snacks for all to enjoy.

From Greg Norman's Australian Grill and Antonios with their exceptional steak and seafood dishes to Big Mike's Soul Food (delectable ribs) and Sticky Fingers' fried catfish, I didn't know which station to head to first!!

Entertainment kept the Myrtle Beach Convention Center rocking each night, with top-shelf bands keeping the crowds dancing and one of the finest pocket billiard players in the country, Ewa Mataya Laurance, showing her finesse around the table. With 100,000 square feet to cover, the 19th hole is the place to be after a tournament day in the Myrtle Beach sun.

The focus is on the golf, as this is a Tournament, with the most beautiful courses at the beach glistening in the morning sky as players set out for a day of stroke play. From Aberdeen Country Club with its serene "Meadows", "Highlands" and "Woodlands" nines to Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, with its decidedly southern feel, golfers who play in the Myrtle Beach World Am get to play golf on the choicest courses!

Companies peddling their products lined up in booths at the Convention Center as in past years; from magnetized wrist bracelets to help you improve balance to an auction house which had signed footballs, golfers were trying, buying and talking sports, food and the current player rankings.

One very interesting display which I came across was of the history of the Myrtle Beach World Amateur Tournament, "World Am Through The Ages", which allowed golfers a look back at some of its finest moments...as well as the trophy being awarded to the winner.

In my opinion, the spirit of the game is what this tournament is all about - choose to attend to be a part of history and to have a great time, both on, and off, the golf course!

Have you played golf in the Myrtle Beach World Amateur Golf Tournament? Tell us about your experience in the comments section of this golf blog and tag us on Twitter @Golf4beginners!