Showing posts with label Darren Clarke. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Darren Clarke. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Golf Tips from Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke, at the 2011 Grand Slam of Golf

Rory McIlroy, in a six-minute PGA golf video interview during the Grand Slam of Golf this week, slipped fans a few tips about how he managed to win the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional, "you need a consistent shot-shift; you need to know what to do with the ball."


Rory's shot-shaping draws were only one way in which this year's current "number three" golfer in the Official World Golf Rankings stayed in the mix. Balance and stability throughout the golf swing; standing wider on drives and in a more athletic position, is a key swing thought which Rory McIlroy uses along with the swing key of keeping his extension "nice and wide" through the swing. (Check out Rory's "puppy golf club cover" too!)

McIlroy, Darren Clarke, Charl Schwartzel and Keegan Bradley, the four major winners of the 2011 golf season, were on hand for a demonstration during this year's Grand Slam of Golf. Here are a few of the golf tips the three other winners had to offer.

Golf swing thoughts from The Open Championship winner, Darren Clarke, included the importance of controlling trajectory in windy conditions and a long-iron golf tip for amateurs: hit down on the ball with good body turn; no scooping!

Chipping has to do with rhythm, said Charl Schwartzel, so slow down during your shot and think about tempo and weight distribution.

2011 PGA Champion Keegan Bradley relied on putting to win and says that he places the top of the grip squarely in his navel and locks it in so it's in the same place every time, then forgets about swing mechanics and makes the putt!

The final round of the Grand Slam of Golf from Southhampton, Bermuda, is being televised on TNT and concludes on Wednesday October 19th. Check your local listings.

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photo credit: AP






Sunday, July 17, 2011

Ten of the Best Open Championship Golf Performances

Do you think Darren Clarke or perhaps Phil Mickelson's golf performance at Royal St. George's should be added to this list of the top ten Open Championship appearances? Does a golfer have to win in order to be listed or do collapses count too? The public loves to see a meltdown.

Darren Clarke


According to BestOnlineColleges.com, Jack Nicklaus' performance at St. Andrews in 1970 and Tom Watson with "one of the finest displays of golf in a major championship" at the 1970 Open Championship rank among the top golf on this list. Watson also displayed a third round this week worthy of a second look. At sixty-one years-old, the five-time British Open Champion "vaulted ten spots up the leaderboard" but I think it was his hole-in-one that gave fans a Champions Tour golfer to cheer for this week!


Seve Ballesteros has two spots in these top rankings with John Daly and, naturally, Tiger Woods making the cut. Woods was added to the list because of his performance at St. Andrews "winning the Open by eight strokes over Ernie Els and Thomas Bjorn."


Here is a list of the top-five: check out the rest of the best on their website, complete with great golf videos and see if you agree and who you would add or remove:


1.  Old Tom Morris, Prestwick, 1862

2.  Ben Hogan, Carnoustie, 1953

3.  Jack Nicklaus, St. Andrews, 1970

4.  Tom Watson, Turnberry, 1977

5.  Seve Ballesteros, Royal Litham & St. Annes, 1979


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