Tips to Boost Your Golf Game Through Massage

Do you ache after a round of golf, popping an Advil or Aleve and wonder how your back or shoulders could hurt so much after engaging in such a low-impact sport? Perhaps you need to consider a short massage and stretch BEFORE you get out on the golf course!

According to GolfDigest.com, PGA Tour players such as Luke Donald and Rickie Fowler consider pre-game massage a "necessity" in order "utilize the body's full range of motion." 

Stress can also derail players as muscles will tighten at the mere thought of hitting a poor shot.

Golf for Beginners has put together a few golf tips in order to loosen up those muscles and de-stress before, and during, a round:

• Pre-Game Stretch: Even if you arrive late to the golf course and only have only five minutes to spare, your body will thank you if you take the time to loosen your muscles...warm-up!

• Golf Ball Roll: My friend and fellow blogger, Patricia Hannigan aka The Golf Girl, offered a simple yet effective suggestion for easing hand muscles by rolling a golf ball over the palms of your hands. Not only will applying gentle pressure to the palm of your hand relieve tightness but Hannigan suggests that it may also alleivate sinus problems (one of my recurring ailments).

• Golf club hand massage: Michelle Merhib, licensed massage therapist and founder of Elements Therapeutic Massage, mentioned in her blog that golf clubs can be used for more than just for hitting the ball. Try using the rubber end of a golf club for a quick hand massage. Apply pressure to the base of the thumb and your palm; make circles with your hand in that area and move the rubber end around to hit all the pressure points.

• Massage your Mind! Golf State of Mind guru, David MacKenzie, described a few ways in which Phil Mickelson stayed mentally fit during The Open. 

1. Play without fear...confidence is key!
2. Stay in the Present.
3. Don't dwell on past shots...relax and enjoy!

• Don't forget to cool-down after a round of golf with a stretch and a rub to limit cramping. Reader's Digest even suggests that aside from speeding up muscle recover, a quick massage after a workout "may help encourage waste removal".

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photo credits: GolfTekkers.com,  The Golf Girl

Is money still a motivator for Tiger Woods, Mickelson at PGA Championship?

Since I could not attend (via telephone) a recent press conference held by Golf Channel with Brandel Chamblee and Frank Nobilo (aka @FrankNobiloGC), I received the transcript in which the analysts spoke about Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson’s dwindling chances to win the 2012 PGA Championship.  Woods has certainly bounced back strong this season from debilitating problems on the home front but his mindset may not be ready for the majors. And what about Phil Mickelson’s chances…Is his crippling illness forcing him out of the game?

 

 

With regards to Tiger Woods’ likelihood to win the PGA Championship, Chamblee spoke about the unpredictability of the Ocean course and Tiger’s past weakness opening the doors to a lot of different players. Frank Nobilo noted that “he's at least been able to contend” and that the Ocean Course, “gives him a little bit of leeway and it's a big golf course.”

 

As for Mickelson, analyst Frank Nobilo pointed to Phil’s arthritic condition forcing a slowdown and having Lefty take life at a more leisurely pace with his family. With regards to Mickelson’s level of play, Frank noted, “there's been more time away from the game this year than ever before.  And you know, physically, he just doesn't look 100 percent. Obviously his game is not sharp.”

 

Chamblee also made mention of Mickelson having to adjust his golf game in light of his slowed swing speed (down from 120 to 116 mph over the past couple of years.) The average golfer’s swing speed, as noted by Livestrong.com, states that Tour professionals average a swing speed of 105-110mph, LPGA Tour golfers “are measured at between 90 and 100 mph” and that, “the average female golfer swings between 60 and 70 mph.” Mickelson still has a healthy swing speed and, as long as his tempo remains fluid, I think he can manage his game.

 

The Golf Channel moderator then asked,

“How long do you think that he (Phil Mickelson) can stay motivated into his 40s, given what he's accomplished, and what's left to accomplish?

 

Brandel Chamblee said that Mickelson is motivated to win a career Grand Slam and still has a chance to win the U.S. Open.

 

Finally, does winning a major championship to these two veteran golfers, and to the rest of the field, have the same meaning as it once did?

 

Chamblee bluntly answered, no, not from a monetary standpoint but yes from a historical one.

 

Historically, for example, “when Shawn Micheel walks by, the first thing you think about is the 7-iron he hit to the final green winning the PGA Championship.”

 

Monetarily it may not mean that much to the higher ranked players, “Anywhere on the Money List, you're making deep seven figure incomes,” said Chamblee pointing out that Luke Donald earned twenty-five million dollars in the past two years without ever winning a major.”

 

Frank Nobilo disagreed, “that's what Tiger Woods is chasing right now.  And guys realize that it is their meal ticket.  People look at Adam Scott not winning, it's cost him about $20 million.”

 

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photo credit: sportributor.com

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Will Tiger Woods golf season debut be a hit or a “Miss”?

Tiger Woods has been the target of a golf media thashing for two years and frankly I would prefer to concentrate this golf blog on his debut "form" and career objectives rather than on his latest “unprofessional” slamming by Hank Haney. 

Was Haney justified in releasing a Tiger Woods “tell-all” book, “The Big Miss”, just prior to Woods’ first appearance? Sixty-six percent of fans who were asked said “No”. 

That being said, the 2012 golf season is taking on momentum and Woods will be making his debut this week in Abu Dhabi at the HSBC Golf Championship. The stage for a Woods return was unofficially set in December when Tiger walked away with his first win in two years at the Chevron World Challenge.

Tiger Woods believes, however, that it was in Australia where he gained his greatest confidence, "Australia was big. I hit so many good shots, especially when the wind was howling at thirty mph, with gusts at more than that," and confidence is key to forging ahead. 

Woods also claims that he is the fittest he has been at the start of a golf season in a "long, long time" and is excited to be competing alongside of up-and-coming players (and first round playing partners) Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald. Does Tiger Woods feels it necessary to test himself against the "new generation" to see if/that he can "rise again, like a phoenix from the ashes of his former self?

Ultimately, Woods is focused primarily on winning the majors and using the remainder of the events he will play in as “tune-ups’. Tiger confirmed, “Ultimately, I want to have my game peak four times a year." 

At least he's dancing...  one of his New Year resolutions?

Get to know Tiger Woods a little better on Friday; he’ll be answering questions on his Twitter feed @TigerWoods... should cause Twitter to burst at the seams.  

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I would like to share with you the press release I received along with the above Getty Image:

   

TIGER MOVES TO HSBC’S ABU DHABI BEAT

Golfing Giants Get Traditional With Emirati Ayala Dance

Abu Dhabi, UAE. Tuesday 24^th January, 2012: He’s been in Abu Dhabi for less than 24 hours, but Tiger Woods - one of the headline attractions at this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, which starts tomorrow (Thursday 26 January) – wowed onlookers at Abu Dhabi Golf Club today as he shook off the trans-Atlantic cobwebs and ‘moved’ to the UAE capital’s distinctive traditional beat.

Abu Dhabi debutant, Woods, an eye-catching contender in what is the strongest field ever assembled at a Middle East tournament, was joined by world numbers two and three, Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy, for an impromptu celebration of traditional Emirati ayala (celebration) dancing on his first National Course appearance.

 “That was pretty special,” said Woods, a 14-time Major winner. “It’s my first time in Abu Dhabi and although as golfers we are used to travelling all over the world, we don’t usually get welcomes like that. It’s always fantastic to experience new cultures and traditions and I really got into the ayala beat; I’m not sure the canes would be too good on the putting greens this week though.”

The ayala dance celebration officially ushered in the seventh annual Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, which will see triple and defending champion, Martin Kaymer, lock horns with Woods, Westwood and McIlroy, as well as world number one, Luke Donald, in the hunt for the Falcon trophy. Reigning Major champions, Charl Schwartzel (US Masters) and Darren Clarke (The Open), Australian hot-shot, Jason Day, Korea’s top ranked player, KJ Choi, Spain’s Sergio Garcia and Ireland’s Padraig Harrington are also in the star studded line-up.

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Baby Comes First As Luke Donald Ducks WGC-HSBC Shanghai Sortie

World number one golfer Luke Donald has reluctantly cancelled his trip to next week’s WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai to be with his wife for the birth of their second child. Tim Maitland reports.

The Englishman, who is trying to become the first player in history to win the money lists on both sides of the Atlantic, had been hoping that the daughter they are expecting would conveniently arrive this week.

 Donald, who had his bags packed and was ready to go, finally conceded on Friday that family had to take precedence over the US$7 million event in China and his quest to get into the record books.

“It’s important for my wife and it’s important for me to make sure that I’m around to support her. It’s no coincidence that the birth of our first daughter inspired me to some really great golf. Family does put a lot of things into perspective; my job is very important but the family out-trumps everything,” said the 33-year-old Englishman in a phone interview from his home in the Chicago suburbs.

Professionally, Donald has every reason to want to be in Shanghai for the WGC-HSBC Champions. With five weeks left on the European Tour schedule he leads the Race to Dubai by over 1.3 million Euros from Rory McIlroy. He also has previous form at the Sheshan International Golf Club. He finished third, albeit by ten and nine shots, behind Italy’s Francesco Molinari and fellow Englishman Lee Westwood whose ‘Duel on the Bund’ head-to-head battle earned comparisons with the legendary ‘Duel in the Sun’ Open Championship in 1977.

“It speaks volumes for the tournament. I got to witness it as the third man in that group. I was a few shots back – I didn’t have my best golf – but it was nice to see the quality of the golf down the stretch from both players; it was a fitting end to a great event,” Donald said, despite admitting to being what the English would call a ‘gooseberry’.

“I actually was feeling a bit ‘third wheel’. To finish third was actually a pretty good accomplishment. I was struggling with my game big time and I was using every bit of energy and strength just to give myself a chance to get into that final group. I didn’t have control of the golf ball. I was a little bit frustrated with my own game but it was still nice to see how it should have been done!” he explained.

“It’s a world-class golf course – a long course – and it’s produced some great winners. That’s the biggest bonus about the tournament: the winners have been world-class players. Francesco last year, how well he played down the stretch fending off Lee Westwood… that’s always a mark of a good tournament when it produces good winners,” he said, referring to a roll of honour that includes Phil Mickelson twice, Sergio Garcia and Asia’s first male Major champion ‘YE’ Yang Yong-Eun.

Donald added that the recent controversy over the last-minute decision to delay mailing out the ballots for the PGA Tour Player of the Year voting had nothing to do with his choice to stay by his wife’s side. Donald won the Children’s Miracle Network Classic at Disneyworld to claim the PGA Tour’s money list, but described holding off posting the voting slips to the players until after Shanghai, because a WGC win for a PGA Tour player might impact the outcome, as ‘sketchy’.

“I have no problem with them including the HSBC Champions, they should! It was just the timing of it. The thing that disappointed me is that the schedule has been the same all year. I feel bad for the Asian golf fans that they didn’t see that. It’s something that should have been known at the beginning of the year, not the day after Disney.  The goalposts moved. It’s like running a marathon for 26 miles, crossing the finish line and then they say ‘actually we’re going to make it 27 miles’. It’s just the timing of it. It’s an important event; to have a WGC outside the US and such a big event in Asia. I’ve supported it the last few years when I’ve been eligible. I would be there if it wasn’t for the baby,” he said, adding that headlines describing him as ‘angered’ or ‘upset’ were wide of the mark.

Editor's note: Mid-November is the due date as stated in Luke Donald's official diary. Baby comes first! Best of luck to the  family.

Happy with par at Zurich Kodak Challenge Hole #17?

Although there have been a few aces in the history of the 215-yard 17th golf hole at TPC Louisiana, many golfers at the Zurich Classic consider this Kodak Challenge hole to be a very long and difficult par-3.

Darron Stiles may have used a 7-iron to ace the 17th hole in 2005 with Daniel Chopra needing a 5-iron to do the same in the final round of the 2007 New Orleans Zurich Classic but the vision of water and newly reshaped green may be problematic for the players.

Tournament Director Rommy Fonseca conveyed about TPC Louisiana's Hole #17, "This is a unique hole that has proved very challenging for the players. It has also provided some great play over the years."

RotoExperts.com assessed that the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina caused the redesign of the 17th...

"...giving Dye the opportunity to move some bunkers around, redesign the green and generally make it hell for everyone who dares to gaze upon it from the tee box. Last year, the hole was ferocious, ceding just 38 birdies against 85 bogeys. The 17th claimed another 26 double-bogeys or worse. With a scoring average of 3.23, par will be considered a victory."

Photo Credit: WamGolf.com

WamGolf.com affirmed the 17th golf hole as a favorite, detailing the way an average golfer might play it (from about 70 yards forward):

"This was clearly a different hole from the TOUR Tees than our tees. From our tee box there was almost no forced carry over the water which runs down the left side of this hole. If you miss the green left, you're wet. A tee shot right and you're left with a chip shot to a green running away from you. It's a long green and a back left pin placement makes this hole more challenging. I was fortunate enough to hit the green in one and then three putt."


Luke Donald, looking for a way to win the Zurich Classic this weekend and take the number-one spot in the OWGR from Lee Westwood had a different version of the hole, saying a birdie at 17 during the opening round helped him to get back on track.

“I was playing great, 2 under, just not holing the putts when I had the chances," mentioned Donald. "It will make dinner feel a lot better with those birdies on 17 and 18. I played really solid today. I only missed a couple of greens. It was as good a display of iron play as I’ve done all year.”




Watch as Brad Faxon drops in a 27-foot putt for birdie on TPC Louisiana at the par-3 17th Kodak Challenge hole...opening round of the 2011 Zurich Classic of New Orleans:





Will the wind wreak havoc this week at the Kodak Challenge Hole #17 or will one of the PGA Tour players ace the hole creating a Kodak moment?



About the Kodak Challenge

The Kodak Challenge highlights many of golf's most exciting and picturesque holes in 2011 as players take on "the greatest scorecard in golf."

Created to celebrate the beautiful holes and memorable moments in golf, the Kodak Challenge is a first-of-its-kind competition on the PGA TOUR. Players must play at least 18 of 30 Kodak Challenge holes throughout the season to qualify. The golfer with the best Kodak Challenge score relative to par at the end of the season will win the Kodak Challenge trophy and $1 million dollars.


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View more great Kodak Challenge holes on Golf for Beginners

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Should a golfer be number-one without a major?

Type "World Golf Rankings" into Google and you will be exposed to less-than-positive perspectives ranging from "unimpressive" to "who cares?"  How important are the World Golf Rankings and to whom?

John Feinstein, a contributor to GolfChannel.com writes, "in a pure golf sense, the world rankings are used to determine who gets into major championships, who gets into lucrative World Golf Championship events and, in the case of the WGC match play event, the rankings determine the seeding of the 64 players."

“Ranking Points”, according to the Official World Golf Ranking website, "are awarded according to the players’ finishing positions and are generally related to the strength of the field. The four Major Championships are rated separately to reflect the higher quality of the events."

Points span a two-year "rolling" period so Tiger Woods' with his big point spread was able to remain in the top spot during most of the 2010 season despite not winning an event all year!  Cause for concern?

Now that Woods has finally "released his stranglehold" from the top spot of the OWGR, a shuffling of golfers has allowed the rankings to truly become more global. However, as soon as one player wins, another takes his place. Is this constant shift good for the game and the fans?

Lee Westwood, tagged as the latest 'golfer never to win a major', regained his number one status on the OWGR last week with a win at the Indonesian Masters. An appearance fee of $500,000 tempted him there but the only player with a top-50 ranking at the event certainly made it easier to climb the rankings with a good showing. Although Westwood's victory was worth twenty world ranking points, Luke Donald had to win in order to become the world number-one.

The points awarded at the Indonesian Masters was the same amount as a third-place finish at The Heritage, the PGA Tour's stop last week.

Is too much emphasis being placed on points? Should points or the fans determine who should be number-one golfer in the world?

With the shuffling of the OWGR three times since the end of 2010, golf writers and fans are now waking up to the fact that this rating system needs to be scrutinized and adapted for a global environment: perhaps a voting system to take into account appearance fees, two-year accruable points and other basic "common sense" issues.

Whereas Feinstein believes that "golf experts" should have a say, should a voice also be given to the avid golf fan, the publinks golfer, and golfers new to the sport and to whom the sport is trying to entice to grow the game? The number-one golfer in the world used to be recognizable: not knowing the names on top of the World Golf Rankings could hurt viewership with no real hero to talk about or cheer onward.

Perhaps a golfer should not even be considered for the number one spot unless he has at least one major in his professional career?

The top five players in the World Golf Rankings this week are: Westwood, Kaymer, Donald, Mickelson and McDowell.

Mark Paul, a fan who added his thoughts to Yahoo Sports, received the top spot in Google Golf News for the term "World Golf Rankings" this week. He questioned, "how impressed should golf fans be by these rankings?"

"Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, and Luke Donald," Paul stated, "are all within percentage points of each other. However, it is easily the least impressive top three in the history of the rankings."

Ron Furlong in his Bleacher Report column asked "Who Cares?" calling the World Golf Rankings title "make-believe."

"In the end, the rankings mean very little to nothing. In fact, the rankings often don't even depict who the best player in the world is."

So, in fact, with so much buzz circulating about the rankings in the world of golf, it should be determined that they are a big deal. If you could pick the number-one golfer in the world, who would you choose? Do you agree with the current rankings?



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Did PGA Tour Championship or Fed Ex Cup mean more to Jim Furyk?

A dejected Luke Donald concluded that the double bogey on the 15th hole on Saturday was why he lost out on a $10 million Fed Ex Cup prize to Jim Furyk. Furyk, on the other hand, was busy trying to lift both the PGA Tour Championship and Fed Ex Cup trophies, while trying to decide which meant more to him.

Pointing to the Fed Ex Cup Furyk said,

"They both mean a lot, to be honest with you, but this one is a season. ... I focused all week on trying to win this one (pointing to THE TOUR Championship trophy) and hoped this one (the FedExCup) could come true."

Perhaps Furyk now has another trophy in his sights, namely the Jack Nicklaus Trophy as the PGA Tour's Player of the Year.

Jim Furyk is now moving on to the 2010 Ryder Cup and, if 2008 Ryder Cup action is any indication of how he'll perform, I suspect Team USA will be taking home the trophy once again!

Here is last year's picture of Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods with their respective Tour Championship and Fed Ex Cup trophies. Doesn't this take you back to a time before all of the Tiger Woods drama?