What Will It Take to Win The Masters? #golf

Poor performances in previous golf events, nagging physical ailments and a fear that Augusta's bite will be ferocious are just a few of the elements in play before The Masters plays out next week. So, we ask our readers...what will it take to win The 2015 Masters Tournament...mental supremacy...physical toughness?

After a recent practice round, Tiger Woods is still undecided about whether or not he will attend The Masters; the internet is abuzz...should he? Nagging doubts, MC's and loss of touch are enough to make the back hurt even more!

While Tiger Woods is unsure of his game and physical condition, contenders like Jason Day are now using positive self-talk to gear up for the first major of the year.

Brimming with confidence, Day mentioned that his failures have made him stronger. Although there is, and will always be, pressure, the Aussie is learning how to handle it, focusing on diet, short game and an improved positive outlook.

Rory McIlroy, a 2015 Masters favorite, is looking forward to an elusive career grand-slam win next week, in spite of the albatross of a 2011 loss at the event...we'll not go into details here as golf fans must surely remember that horrifying collapse.

The good news for McIlroy is that, despite throwing a golf club into the water at Doral and negative self talk about his putting woes, he has mental pictures of fantastic finishes at the two final 2014 major events. Calling upon mental images of success will be needed next week although McIlroy will also need putting mastery in order to succeed - the physical act of rolling putts into the cup on Augusta greens is just as important.

"They're the toughest we face all year," McIlroy mentioned to Golf.com. "I don't know if it's intimidation; it's just you gotta think about them more. It does play on your mind more than other courses."

At the beginning of this golf blog we asked, "What will it take to win the Masters Tournament" and now we want to hear your answers.

Golf Digest places the green jacket on the golfer who can accurately bomb a great drive while finessing a putt into the cup. a man who remains in great physical shape while having a positive mental outlook....reads like a description of defending champion Bubba Watson?

Who is your pick to win The Masters and why? Voice your opinion on this Golf for Beginners blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners with hashtag #MastersWinner!

photo: Masters.com, linkslifegolf.com

What Are The Best Golf Course Greens In 2013? Reader's Choice!

Although your choice of golf course can be as subjective as your choice of club, there are certain greens that top most people’s lists of the very finest in the world. Golf for Beginners, in association with Golfplan Insurance, takes a look at five courses everyone wanted to play in 2013 and who considers them to be the best of the best.

 St. Andrews. Fife, Scotland
 Why voted No. 1?

One of the very oldest courses in the world, The Old Course at St. Andrews has been pivotal to the development of the modern game, including the standardization of the 18-hole course.

The twenty-eight Open Championships that have been held at St. Andrews to date make it the most featured course of the competition currently playing host to the event every five years.

Known the world over for its iconic large double greens, this superb layout features seven greens that are shared by two holes. Most famously of all lies the Swilcan Bridge, which spans the 1st and 18th holes – everyone who has ever played the final hole has walked over this 700-year-old landmark. The Old Course features 112 bunkers, each individually named and with their own unique part to play in the course’s history. A true landmark of beauty and tradition on the golfing circuit.


Royal Birkdale. Southport, Merseyside
Why voted No. 1? 

Host of The British Open Championship no fewer than nine times (most recently in 2008) and most recently this year's choice for The Senior Open, Royal Birkdale is one of the finest courses the UK has to offer.

It’s richness of great golf holes provides an incredibly fair and enjoyable challenge for golfers of all abilities. The 12th, a 183-yard par-3, is as natural a hole as you are likely to come across in Britain. From a raised tee, you must avoid four deep bunkers before resting on a narrow green nestled at the foot of several sand dunes.

The longest hole on the golf course is found at the 15th, a par five that features more bunkers than any other hole on the course. The level of challenge the Royal Birkdale faces can heavily depend on the weather, with a windy climate providing many a torrid time on the enormous 18th - a heavily bunkered, 476 yard par four. A truly stimulating and challenging course.


Ailsa Course. Turnberry, Ayrshire 
Why voted No. 1? 

Probably most famously known for Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus’ famous ‘Duel in the Sun’ at the 1977 Open Championship, the Ailsa Course at Turnberry is one of golf’s genuinely iconic courses.

 Featuring a magnificent lighthouse which looks out over the sea, the green runs along the Firth of Clyde. The par-70, 7,217 course is one of golf’s legendary venues. The opening three holes provide a stiff opening challenge, particularly if the weather is against you.

The following seven holes provide a remarkable backdrop of coastal scenery alongside some very demanding play. Breathtaking scenery, a challenging, traditional course and an awe-inspiring history make the Ailsa Course one of the most popular golfing destinations in the world.


Augusta National, Georgia
Why voted No. 1?

Host of the annual Masters Tournament since 1934, Augusta National is undoubtedly one of the most well-recognized and revered courses in the United States. Home of golf’s elite, Augusta is considered the masterpiece of the legendary Bobby Jones. Every hole on the course is named after a tree or plant that grows on the hole, including Magnolia, Pink Dogwood, Flowering Crab Apple and Azalea.

Perhaps most famous are the 11th, 12th and 13th holes which have become known as ‘Amen Corner’ for their infamous levels of difficulty. White Dogwood, the 11th hole, is a 505-yard par-4 that has instilled fear into most that have played it since the tee was moved back 15 yards several years ago. Traditional, challenging, sometimes controversial and always magnificent; The Augusta Course is a true jewel in the crown of golfing circuits.


 Pine Valley. Clementon, New Jersey
 Why voted No. 1?

Pine Valley Golf Club is frequently lauded for it’s consistent level of challenge and conditioning on each hole, requiring thoughtful placement of the ball from tee to green.

Amongst its many accolades, Pine Valley has arguably the finest collection of par-threes and par-fives in the world, long priding itself as one of the toughest challenges in all of golf. In possession of a sense of mystery within golfing circles due to its private nature and difficulty to find, it nonetheless remains one of the most well-respected courses in the world.


If you are planning a trip to either St. Andrews, Augsuta National or to any other golf course abroad, Golfplan’s comprehensive insurance coverage can include overseas equipment hire if yours goes missing whilst in transit overseas.


Do you agree with our blog? Which are your favorite golf course greens? Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and Like on Facebook.


photo credits: oldcoursehotel.co.uk, RoyalBirkdale.com. tomperna.files.wordpress.com, sports.espn.go.com

The Caddie Who Won The Masters-more golf suspense at Augusta

After watching the dramatic finish of The Masters, I couldn't help but feel a longing for more visions of Augusta National Golf Course. The azaleas in bloom, the walk through Amen Corner, the history that surrounds this golf mecca has me wishing the first major of the season was just beginning and not at an end.

For book lovers who also wish to prolong the magic of The Masters golf tournament, John Coyne has written "The Caddie Who Won the Masters" a suspenseful novel about a middle-aged amateur’s seemingly impossible quest to win the prestigious Masters at Augusta National Golf Club.

Although this very brief synopsis cannot do the book justice, it may entice you add this to your summer reading list.


A college English professor from Southern Illinois reawakens a dormant golf game that had earned him a scholarship to Wake Forest University and, more recently, a ticket to Augusta, Georgia. With suitcase in hand and golf clubs on his shoulder, the aging muni-course player finds himself walking down famed Magnolia Lane toward every accomplished golfer’s dream—a coveted spot alongside the world’s best players in the Masters field.

Seven-time bestselling author and creator of the highly acclaimed caddie novel series that includes The Caddie Who Knew Ben Hogan, The Caddie Who Played With Hickory, and the newly released The Caddie Who Won The Masters, former caddie and caddie master John Coyne has authored more than twenty-five books of fiction and nonfiction. The New York author also maintains a single-digit handicap and tries not to lose distance off the tee!

John Derr, award-winning golf journalist and CBS-TV announcer who covered 62 Masters Tournaments, said about John Coyne, “I am impressed with Coyne’s ability to so clearly depict the nuances that make Augusta National such a different shrine. His description of situations—the unique, the weird and the nearly unbelievable—mirrors many I have seen over the years. Some rarely seen.”

Roland Merullo, Author of Golfing with God stated, “John Coyne knows golf and golf history, and he understands the intricate workings of the human heart. Anyone who loves golf — and  many readers who don't know a five-iron from a free-throw — will appreciate his skill and be happily drawn into this fine story.”

In his most recent blog, "Our first "Homebred U.S. Open Golf Champ, Johnny McDermott", John Coyne mentions that he collects stories about great players from the past; stories from when golf was more of a game, less of a television show. The same is true with "The Caddie Who Won the Masters" as Coyne's style uniquely blends his deep knowledge of golf and Masters tradition with his affinity for the supernatural to spin a riveting tale.

The Caddie Who Won the Masters is available at Amazon.com and downloadable on your Kindle.

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Tiger Woods Masters preview on Late Night Show?

A noticeably matured yet whiskerless Tiger Woods allowed himself to be the butt of Jimmy Fallon's jokes last night on 'Late Night' in order to push the latest EA Sports Game, "Tiger Woods PGA 12: The Masters" to a somewhat accepting audience.


Fallon used golf terms with double entendres such as "shaft" and "foursome" to force the seemingly stiff Woods into a smile. Tiger's tired eyes said much to his fans even though he appeared to remain a good sport all the while.


"And we laughed at your pain," needled Fallon. "I mean, not even making jokes. It kind of wrote itself."


It was the following segment, a demonstration of "PGA Tour 12: The Masters" on Wii, that was the real purpose of Woods' appearance. Tiger was there for the money shot, to be a walking billboard for EA Sports and to sell 'Late Night' viewers on the new game, not to talk about his personal life golf instuctor catfights or how his own golf game is coming round (although Woods was truly proud of his recently remodeled Jupiter estate, complete with four golf holes and four different types of sand in the bunkers.)


Amy Poehler, who looked as if this was the first time she ever picked up a golf club, was there to loosen up Woods (which she did when she swung the Wii controller) and to add further comic relief to Fallon's innocuous barbs.


The three played the 12th hole at Augusta National: Golden Bell. The shortest hole on the course and one of the three holes included in Amen Corner, Golden Bell is a deceptive par-3, 155 yard hole in which accuracy is key as winds and a narrow green complicate the shot.

Both Amy and Jimmy were feeding off of each other, trying to take Tiger out of his game while waiting for the big money shot to occur, perhaps for birdie or par? They hoped to see Woods loosen up and boogie down a bit but Tiger remained as stolid as if he were in real competition, game face on, not taking any prisoners.


After what seemed to be a hundred shots from Poehler who was desperately trying to get over Rae's Creek and with Fallon using his putter like a baseball bat, Woods finally got his chance to claim victory.


Standing over a three-foot putt, Tiger Woods confidently holed out...for a bogey.


Preview of things to come?


Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) related his feelings on Twitter:

First win of the year, unfortunately it was against @jimmyfallon.



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Bizarre Headlines from Tiger Woods to John Daly Cheapen Masters Ambience

Each year during Masters week, the game of golf has been reflected upon in its purest form. Golfers of days gone by were revered, statistics and quotes of incredible shots were remembered and everyone was deciding on the "right" way to make a pimento cheese sandwich.

Do a Google search this week for "Masters" and a more bizarre and less "Southern" feeling emerges.

John Daly has set up his RV directly across the street from the Augusta National parking lot conducting his own business by selling and signing memorabilia to fans. Daly was not invited to Augusta National as a guest but decided to show up anyway, hoping to make more money in sales than from an appearance fee.

There is more Tiger Woods chat than you can shake a stick at since he is the big draw this week and the reason for an 82-person security detail. Partnering with Woods will be K.J. Choi and Matt Kuchar. The big scoop, however, is that former(?) mistress Joslyn James will be headlining her own act in nearby Atlanta.

James is making a special appearance at the Pink Pony strip club during Masters week. The Pink Pony is playing up the Tiger Woods/Joslyn James scenario by offering directions from Augusta National to (another good ole boys) Club and the tag line, "The former porn star will be dancing on the bars while Tiger is hitting pars!"

Two greats of the game are also making their appearance in the news, Fred Couples and Raymond Floyd. Couples thinks he still has a chance to win and Floyd realizes that it's the end of the line and is calling it quits after 45 Masters Tournaments. Couples should consider sticking with the Champions Tour because even though he has won three times this year and placed second, no fifty-year old golfer has ever won The Masters.

This year at Augusta National will certainly NOT be your father's Masters!