How Flubs from PGA Tour Golfers Teach the Rest of Us

Although professional golfers are the best in the world to watch for quality shot-making, they are still human and hit their fair share of flubs, wayward drives, and shanks. How can we use their errors and recoveries to improve our golf game?

From Rickie Fowler blowing a one-shot lead at the Waste Management Phoenix Open to Ian Poulter's shank into the stands, pro golfers' blown opportunities remind you that they're human. Watch how a pro golfer maintains his/her composure under pressure and shakes off blunders to better your round.

Take, for instance, Rickie Fowler's current state of affairs - he is now establishing notoriety as a golfer who "can't always get it done on Sundays." Does he agonize over each shot? When interviewed after his fourth messy round, Fowler looked at the positives of his game.  I "was in a decent position with a few to play and just had a couple — really didn't make bad swings."

Of course, Rickie also mentioned his putting woes using one of the "best clubs in his bag" but that is par for the course ..."I know I'm a good putter, I putted well all week," confirmed Fowler.

Learn from these three famous Ben Hogan quotes; you can then understand the mind of a professional golfer and be a better player in the long run:

"This is a game of misses. The guy who misses the best is going to win."

"A good round of golf is if you can hit about three shots that turn out exactly as you planned them."

"The most important shot in golf is the next one."

Golf is not an easy sport - a positive attitude combined with determination, solid planning and practice will help you to not only improve but to elevate your game.

READ: 3 Steps to Achieving Your Golf Resolutions

Do you watch the pros and what do you learn from them? Leave your comments on our golf blog and be sure to follow us on Twitter @Golf4Beginners for more golf tips!

Do You Play #Golf to Win?

Scenario: You're behind by two strokes, nearing the end a very important golf tournament, and your ball is not sitting in the best position to go for the green. Your nearest competitor has not bogeyed all day long and appears to be in good shape. What is your next move?

Do you:

a) play it safe
b) play to win

This was the dilemma for Ian Poulter as he debated his next move while 21-year-old Si Woo Kim stood ready on the fairway to increase his lead on a par-5 at the 2017 Players Championship.

Poulter decided to play it safe, protecting 2nd place money and his world ranking. After the tournament and his decision had been made, Poulter received criticism from a Golf Channel commentator, calling the move "the worst shot of the day."

Was it though? 

Chamblee, the commentator in question, clarified his statement to include that it was, indeed, a "fine shot" and, although it "didn't cost himself any money, didn't cost him any world ranking points", Poulter "clearly did not play to win".

According to PGA.com, the hardest shot to hit under pressure is...the layup. "It won't get any votes for Shot of the Year" but it could make the difference in the shots that follow. A study in favor of opposing side, that is, playing aggressively in a tight squeeze, was published by Edmund M. Balsdon in the Journal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports. He argues that "pros should start playing more aggressive under pressure because tournament purses are heavily skewed in favor of the winner."

Of course, we don't play at that level but most of us do like to compete and beat our friends.

So, do you play safe and wait for your competitor to make an error (which happens a lot at our level of play) or go for the low percentage shot and, possibly, the win if you make a great shot?

I guess it depends on how well you are hitting the ball that day. Two thoughts to consider before making that decision during play:

- If you've been making most of your shots and your confidence is high, then go for it!

- If you have been scrambling all day, on the other hand, then you should play it safe.

Good luck out there!

Have you played it safe when your mind said, "Go for it?" Let us know your story below in the comments section of this Golf for Beginners blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

What to Wear If You Are Playing in The Masters #golf

With The Masters on the radar of sports and fashion enthusiasts worldwide, I received a note filled with "fashion picks" from Function 18, a UK-based golf apparel website which promises the same cutting edge look and performance as the professionals on Tour. That being said, here are Function 18's selection of who will be the most chic Masters golf apparel trendsetters.

  ***************

With excitement now building for April’s Masters Tournament, we are taking a look at some of the most stylish players taking part in this year’s event with golf fashion experts “Function 18”. We’ve weighed up their golf swings and statistics, but which of this year’s players will win in the Masters Style stakes?

Ryo Ishikawa
Watch out for Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa at this year’s event, known for his bold and stylish outfit choices whilst gracing the greens. Although his style may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it’s a breath of fresh air to see this young player experimenting with colours and prints - we’re big fans of his signature red and white ensemble.

Bubba Watson
We are keen followers of Bubba Watson's exciting and aggressive style of play! At this year's Masters, having signed a new clothing contract with Oakley, we will see him with a variety of new looks to suit his playing style. Function 18 stocks a wide range of Oakley clothing, including a range of items Bubba himself has been spotted in, including this great Oakley Fade Polo shirt from only £32.99.

 

Jason Day
The stylish young Australian is definitely a key player to watch in this year’s tournament; in fact, it will be pretty hard to miss Jason Day on the Augusta fairways. Contracted to wear the bold and bright Adidas Fashion Performance collection, we’re looking forward to seeing him wear some of the key pieces from the brand’s new spring/summer collection. 

Ian Poulter
Ian Poulter’s attitude to fashion is always fun and playful. He continues to wear his own IJP Design collection which focuses heavily on the tartan trousers, but his recent Puma shoe and belt deal has seen him showcase some of Puma’s bright, eye-catching products. Past style choices have seen him team bright yellow puma golf shoes with green check trousers; we certainly have to commend him on his confidence! Function 18 has a great range of Puma and IJP Design products are available if you want to try and re-create Ian Poulter’s interesting look. And, be sure to check out his limited edition Masters Putter Cover.

Tiger Woods
Never one to disappoint in the Majors, Woods' look is always clean-cut, fresh and modern. With young Rory McIlroy snapping at his heels, Tiger still remains a great style ambassador for Nike and his signature plain polo shirts and traditional neutral golf pants are an easy look for spectators to try themselves. Look out for red on the last day!

Rory McIlroy
Originally not one to stand out for his golf fashion, it will be interesting to see if McIlroy's new £120 million Nike sponsorship deal will give him a boost in the golfing style stakes. The Nike clubs don’t seem to be helping his game much but we have already seen him in some exciting brown/green colour combinations and we can’t wait to see more. (editor's note...with Rory McIlroy's game being compared to Tiger's at every tournament, now we can compare clothing too!)

The team at Function 18 is looking forward to the Big Masters Event in April and will be spotting the latest golf fashion trends to hit the greens in 2013. View all the latest spring/summer golf clothing for 2013 now online at function18.com.

About Function 18

Function 18 is a specialist golf apparel website offering affordable, niche garments that will set you apart from the rest, both on and off the golf course.

Function 18 has over 10 years of experience buying designer golf clothing for our UK wide network of golfers. We are able to bring to you a collection of both golf and high street brands and promise you the cutting edge look and performance that the fashion-conscious player demands.

Website: www.function18.co.uk     

Email: info@function18.com

Telephone: +44 (0) 1254 915664

Picture Credit: Function18.com has supplied the pictures for this golf blog.

Voice your opinion at Golf4Beginners on Twitter and friend on Facebook.

How Match Play Golf Gives Old Man Par a Stroke

Is the art of Match Play lost on golfers in the U.S. or do we simply prefer every stroke to count?

In a recent GolfWeek article, Brits such as Ian Poulter prefer "the oldest form of golf" to stroke play because it boils down to "just me against the other guy rather than the rest of the field." Bubba Watson, on the other hand, believes that "it should be everybody gets up there and tries to shoot a score."

Even Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, after their first round departure from the WGC Accenture Match Play Championships, decided to "settle the score" in a match play format although the two games ended all square.

Amateurs should probably take a tip from Poulter, McIlroy and other golfers from across the pond and rotate a game of match play into their weekly foursomes. Where it is probable, at the end of a four-day professional tournament, that stroke play will ulitmately lead to the "best" player and score, the game is not necessarily all about score for amateurs. As Henrik Stenson said about match-play format, "It's very clear what you need to do...You just have to play better than your opponent."

Here are a few reasons to opt for a game of match-play golf instead of stroke play the next time you are out with your golf buddies:

1. There is a different psychological approach to Match-Play: 

* Less stressful throughout the game (until the end if you're dormie, for example).

* Seeing your score on the card in stroke format may cause you to count strokes instead of focusing on your shot.

2. Easier to score without having a scorecard.

3. Head-to-head competition versus playing for par.

4. A playing opponent can legitimately concede your putt.

5. Focuses your attention to the adventure of a single hole when standing on the tee box. Each hole becomes its own mini-game.

6. You can make match play more fun by adding a wager per hole (skins game).


Try Match-Play the next time you go out with your friends and leave Old Man Par in the Clubhouse!


As a postscript, in my opinion it is a shame that as of this article, the Sybase Match Play Championship will no longer be an event on the LPGA Tour.


Voice Your Opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and friend on Facebook.

Would You Sport This Putter Cover on the Golf Course?

When golf fans deliberate about The Masters, it's usually with an eye on statistics but how many times is the term "fashion statement" used?

From Tiger Woods' golf clothes to Esquire's Best and Worst Dressed at The Masters list, style has become almost as important as the game. Yes, The Masters Green Jacket is safe from both remodel and extinction but designers have decided that, since the jacket remains green, maybe an azalea pattern is needed to go with it?

Rickie Fowler sports neon, Phil Mickelson looks groovy his now regular pinstripe attire, Tiger Woods' red shirts make a statement on Sunday and the ever vivacious Ian Poulter with his brightly striped plaid pants...is, well, always a fashion statement...with an exclamation point! Golf course fashion is becoming de rigueur and accessories from belts to shoes are now par for the course.

Poulter's company, IJP Designs, has decided that, in addition to his clothes looking ever so fashionable, so should the accessories, hence his newly created Azalea Jacket Limited Edition Putter Cover (see below). Blade and mallet styles will be available in limited supplies.

IJP Designs has created three additional putter covers to mark all four major tournaments. Wonder what we'll see for the U.S. Open?

What do you think? Is this putter cover something you would sport on the golf course?

Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and on Facebook.

Photo credit

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

Creative social media strategies to increase rounds on the golf course

Can the use of social media increase rounds of golf played? How can powerful yet seemingly "fun" apps like Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare help bring more people from talking about golf on their computers and smart phones to playing the game?

Golf is already considered a "social" sport for many, so it should come as no surprise that fans are using the internet to find great deals, to have fun with an interest to, well, be social! Large companies such as TaylorMade Golf and Golf Channel have social media gurus who create strategies for engagement and to build brand awareness. Believe it or not, you don't have to be a big brand in order to reap the benefits of social media but you do have to make the effort.

Even small scale communication with your current and future clients will yield positive results, you just have to create a basic strategy for your golf course growth and then decide how social media can best work for you.

Here are just a few ideas to get the golf ball rolling, so to speak, and to get more golfers onto your golf course! Share yours here!

If you don't have a blog, create one on your website now! Post at least once per week with descriptive pictures. Don't fill your space with too many words, two hundred fifty will do but do be sure to include information about what's happening on your golf course. Make sure that, if you don't have a subscriber list, create one now. If I would have known that there were special events at my local golf courses like wine and dines, women's get-togethers, local championships etc, I most certainly would have attended! Be creative! The Cadillac Championship held a social media "happy hour" ...sounds like a great idea!

Everyone loves a good deal. Offering incentives at your golf course like two-for-one golf on Facebook and Twitter and on sites like Groupon will get people onto the fairways. Also create print-out coupons on your website and feature on your blog so that golf fans will head over to your site to read your blog and download your offers.

Do you use Foursquare? Geocaching? Ever heard of them? If not, you should.
Foursquare, a GPS, social networking app, allows members to note their locations with a mobile phone and can find out where their friends are or have been. To be the "Mayor" of your golf course could yield special benefits like a free round of golf!

Geocaching is also GPS based but is an outdoor treasure-hunting game. Basically, a golf course can post "clues" to find "hidden treasure" somewhere within the course and, when someone finds the ""item, they get the treasure. It could range from a sleeve of Callaway golf balls to a Titleist Vokey Spin Milled Wedge. In the last thirty days, almost eight million new logs were submitted to further confirm that this might be an interesting concept to include in your social media strategy.

All of your great incentives and happenings should also be posted on Twitter and Facebook. Make sure to add "events" on Facebook. Where events can also be promoted on Twitter, it would be more fun to, perhaps, have a "retweeting" contest. Even if you aren't Ian Poulter who uses Twitter to gain followers with giveaways, you will surely get feedback.

In order to have social media work for your golf course, it is important to think "outside the box". These few ideas will get you kickstarted and, using a bit of creativity, your golf course could increase its bottom line, that is, more players on the fairways, in the pro shop and in the pubs!

Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and friend us on Facebook.

Ask me how I can help you promote your golf course or golf business: email golfforbeginners@aol.com

 photo credit: rockbottomgolf.com

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

Bradley, Poulter, Mahan to Attempt $300K Hole-In-One at WGC-HSBC Champions

During the WGC-HSBC Champions event in Shanghai this week, Keegan Bradley, Ian Poulter, and Hunter Mahan will be given the opportunity to ace the 17^th golf hole at Sheshan Int'l golf course. If they succeed, performance tech innovator Power Balance will donate $300K to a charity of their choice and one lucky fan will be awarded $30K! 

All three golfers have been at the top of their game recently. Ian Poulter took home the trophy at the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain in May, Hunter Mahan finished second at the Fedex Cup in September and Keegan Bradley won the PGA Championship in August more recently capturing the PGA Grand Slam of Golf on October 20.

 

“This is a fun, interactive way to give back to our golfing communities,” said Josh Rodarmel, co-founder of Power Balance. “Golfers have consistently given us great feedback about our products and continue to comprise an important segment of our business.”

If you believe that a hole-in-one will be an easy ace, even for great golfers like Mahan, Bradley and Poulter, think again. According to HSBCGolf.com, "Two holes, 16 and 17, play around and over the (rock) quarry, giving the golfer both an awe inspiring view while requiring great golf shots. These two holes will not only be the signature holes of Shanghai Sheshan Golf Club, but also of the whole
Shanghai region."

 

17th hole at Sheshan Golf Club

 

**********

 

Power Balance technology products are worn by a community of millions of everyday people and hundreds of professional athletes – from Drew Brees to Derrick Rose, Matt Kemp to all three golfers participating in this challenge.

 

The online sweepstakes began last week with promotional giveaways and more on the Power Balance website, Facebook and Twitter. 

 

Fans can enter the sweepstakes at http://www.powerbalance.com/holeinonechallenge. The winner will be chosen from online entries into the sweepstakes; no purchase is required to enter the contest. Florida and New York are not eligible for this sweepstakes. 

 

Join the conversation on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and friend us on Facebook!

 

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

Bubba Watson: America's newest golf and fan favorite?

An article in The Palm Beach Post, "He's Bubba Watson, he's American and he's becoming a big time player," made Tom Petty's song "Freefalling" come to mind:

"She's a good girl, loves her mama
Loves Jesus and America too..."

Gerry "Bubba" Watson is fast becoming both a USA and PGA Tour 'best hope' as a young number-one player most likely to grab the top spot in the Official World Golf Rankings.

Although it will take time to 'rule' the rankings and push past European Tour golfers, I was curious as to why Bubba is fast becoming a fan favorite.
 

Can it be his social media conversation that engages fans? Although Watson's tweets are less than memorable, he still currently lays claim to over 122,000 followers. Bubba also shares videos with the fans and answers questions ...but he's no Ian Poulter!

Bubba Watson Twitter profile? Christian, Husband, Pro Golfer who enjoys giving back to help others grow in life! Your welcome.

A link from Twitter to Facebook simply leads a user directly to the Bubba Watson Facebook page (over 18,000 strong) which shows affiliations with great American charities,
"The Ronald McDonald House Charities, The First Tee of Northwest Florida, University of Georgia, PGA Tour, The Birdies for the Brave and The Green Beret Foundation."

Bubba may not be the great communicator that helps drive Lee Westwood or Ian Poulter's fan base, so it may well be his golf game that draws the crowd.


Watson has become a solid Tour golfer. After his second victory of 2011 came last week at the Zurich Classic and his third overall on the PGA Tour, fans are starting to cheer Bubba.

Avid golf fan and Yahoo contributor Mark Paul gave a sense of the typical fan feelings about Bubba, "He is a popular golfer because of his style of play. But he is also becoming popular for his quality of play."

Brett Martel , writer with the Associated Press added, "The lanky lefty's unorthodox swing and awe-inspiring power were already a draw."

In my opinion, being a left-handed golfer with a huge "down the middle" drive certainly helps Watson stand out in a crowd. Combine these attributes with his Mickelson-esque family involvement and his determination to become a better man and Bubba has all the makings of a PGA Tour standout.

Bubba was considered a bit of a "hothead" earlier in his career, "My wife, my caddie and my trainer would say my attitude's in the right spot," Watson said. "This week, I won [by] not getting down on bad shots, just staying focused on what I'm supposed to be doing."

"All the bad boys are standing in the shadows...", Tom Petty, "Freefalling"

Perhaps it was the ability to manage his anger which turned around Bubba's golf game placing him in a position to win. "If I'm going to support kids and do charity work, that's not a good example to lead on a golf course," relayed Bubba. "So I still have backwards steps, but hopefully I take two forward when I take one back, and so far it's working." Sounds like Watson has finally stopped freefalling and is starting a forward motion which may make him unstoppable.

Voice your opinion on Golf4Beginners on Twitter

Read Golf for Beginners blogs here

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

Golf fans policing PGA Tour: Good or bad for the game?

Tim Finchem created a buzz in the golf media world with the admission that if fans want to call in a rules infraction, it is their right to do so. This will create thousands of call-ins by armchair golfers who think they see, or possibly do see, something.

 

For the most part, PGA Tour golfers know the rules but, Ian Poulter even reluctantly admitted, "I still dont know all the rules, there's too many."

Although there are Tour golfers who admit they don't know every rule, is "see something, say something" always the best idea?

Why encourage fans to police the PGA Tour?

With social media being an integral part of the world we live in, it is quite easy to reach the PGA Tour via Twitter or Facebook with a comment or an @ statement. Although seemingly harmless, not every fan with a Rules of Golf book should be an armchair referee.

 

"Cutting them (fans) off is not an option at this point"  said Finchem, and he has a point. With the PGA Tour grasping for audience, the Commissioner isn't turning away any viewers but, rather, welcoming them in as pseudo-refs.

 

Telephoning the Tour is an option but would create a glut of calls for every piece of dirt that a fan thought was moved illegally. Perhaps Finchem will set up a special hotline that he could man during each event?

 

One good thing that may come out of all of this is that fans may actually dust off their copies of the Rules of Golf. Golfers may finally READ and understand the rules!

Should the game of golf remain pure or should the new media be welcomed into the sport? Paddy Miller mentioned that the Commissioner has compromised the integrity of the game and is jeopardizing the tradition of golf itself.

Golf has always been a sport of honor in which golfers call an infractions on themselves...if they know that an infraction was created.

If a Tour player, however, didn't realize that he broke a rule, he could go on to win the event which would be unfair to the other golfers. With money and position at stake and knowing that technology now rules the airwaves, it is impossible to keep the tradition of the game completely status quo. Hopefully a resolution that is fair to all will be achieved.

Voice your opinion on Golf4Beginners on Twitter

 

Read Golf for Beginners blogs

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

Golf snitch tweets in DQ, should Poulter be offended?

"An armchair official tweeted in to get Camilo DQ. What is wrong with people have they got nothing better to do?" tweeted an angry Ian Poulter after a fan spotted a rules violation on TV by Villegas and decided to say something about it.

 

In this world where everyone is now connected through the internet and social media, Dave Andrews decided to tweet it. The question was not whether Villegas is guilty of the infraction but whether fans should come forward or leave policing and the outcome of the game to pro golfers?

 

"No one likes a snitch," continued Poulter. True but also no golfer wants to lose a big paycheck and FedEx points at the end of the day...and no golfer wants to win for the wrong reasons.

 

Poulter made a good case on Twitter for why fans should see something, say something, "I still dont know all the rules, theres too many. More to life than eating rule books." 

 

Yes it is difficult to remember all of the rules...there are so many (that is why golfers carry around the Rule Book) but, in this case, the ball did not come to rest as Villegas flicked dirt from its path, possibly affecting its line. Most amateur and even many beginner golfers understand to wait for a golf ball to come to rest before addressing it. The mind focuses on what it wants to and Camilo was probably thinking of his next shot. Villegas understood his infraction and graciously took his medicine learning this lesson in the process:

 

Rule 23-1: ''When a ball is in motion, a loose impediment that might influence the movement of the ball must not be removed.''

 

I wonder how many golfers realize that a hole is not complete until a golf ball drops to (and comes to rest at) the bottom of the cup?

 

Ian Poulter should perhaps also understand that without the avid golf fans who tune in to watch and learn about the sport from professionals (and have nothing to do?), events like the Hyundai Tournament of Champions which could not draw three out of four major winners, would probably never take place. No play day, no pay day for the golfers.

 

"Case closed, yes he should have been punished but it's a shame it wasn't before he signed his card," ended Poulter's tirade.

 

[[posterous-content:pid___0]]

Ian Poulter (credit)

 

Voice your opinions on Golf4Beginners on Twitter

 

Read more on Golf for Beginners

 

 

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous