Do you have to be great to get the Big Break? The big snub from the Big Wiesy, the 50-yard sand shot, Shaft Skinz review

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For the average golfer who dreams of one day getting a big break and playing on tour, consider the "fantasy tour" instead unless you come equipped with a low handicap, solid-looking swing and a glowing camera presence.

The golfers from season-one of the Big Break (2003) were chosen by open audition with the main prerequisities being "scratch" handicap and demonstrative proficiency with various types of shots. Personality, of course, also had to be "engaging" to the viewer as Jay Kossoff, Senior Producer of the Golf Channel, once said, "positively or negatively".

Eleven seasons later, the Big Break: Prince Edward Island premieres with a similar premise but, according to the Golf Channel Big Break forum, BB Moose states that now you have to be "very good, be yourself and be able to execute at an audition". Add to the mix a great look and the group of possible auditioners just got smaller. How many golfers really have that "Survivor" look?

Out of the thousands that apply, only two handfuls get the go-ahead. BB Moose's advice to get a shot at the Big Break? "Apply and hope!"

From a former Marine who once played a match with Tiger Woods to competitive Irish dancer Brenda McLarnon who claims, "people will probably hate me, but that’s their problem," (shades of Danielle Aimee?) the entertainment value is going to have to match the $100,000 prize that is being dangled in front of the contestants. Get ready for the "wow" factor and "do not try this at home" stunts beginning tonight (April 20th, 9pm EST) on the Golf Channel.

We also discuss yet another faux pas by Michelle Wie, this time on the KLPGA Tour where she decided to practice instead of play in the pro-am, because she couldn't use her own caddy.

With Wiesy's downward spiral in her quality of play and the nonchalant way she's been treating her sponsors, e.g. KLPGA, Michelle may find herself auditioning for the next Big Break!

The fifty-yards between the sand and the green can be one of the most daunting shots in golf. We offer up our opinion on how to get the ball to the hole without using your wedge and review Shaft Skinz, a decorative and protective heat-shrink cover for your shafts.

Can Blair O'Neal help capture your interest on Big Break XI: Prince Edward Island?

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"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

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Lorena Ochoa ready for Kraft Nabisco, Michelle Wie broken again, bikinis get a Big Break, easy out from the sand and how to pressure-proof your game

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After the sheer devastation Lorena Ochoa inflicted upon her LPGA cohorts as well as upon Superstition Mountain, it's unlikely that she will need much more of a tune-up for the upcoming Kraft Nabisco Championship. I'm betting along with the odds that Ochoa wins her first major trophy this week.

I'll even up the ante to say that Lorena Ochoa will sweep the majors this year, saddling alongside of Tiger Woods for an LPGA/PGA Tour tandem Grand Slam!

Michelle Wie's wrist forced her to pull out of the Safeway, opting instead for a May exemption at the Michelob Ultra Open.





Wasn't it better anyway that Wie stayed home? If Annika Sorenstam couldn't get within ten strokes of Ochoa, how well do you think Wie could have done?

Every year (and this one is no exception) I also feel it is my duty to alert all fans of the Kraft Nabisco event that the DinahShore Weekend 2008 will be taking place in Palm Springs as well. This weekend it's not just about women's golf! Catch Pat Benatar, the GoGos, Tila Tequila and others live for "the greatest women's week on earth!"





Babes in bikinis are yet another topic of discussion on this week's Golf for Beginners podcast as a new season of the Big Break airs on the Golf Channel. Will men be drawn to this show because of the sheer talent of the ladies vying for an exemption into an LPGA Tour event or for the more feminine attributes of its stars?

We also offer up a few easy, practical golf tips to help you through the course. A simple sand trap "trick" will get you positioned correctly over the ball every time. A pressure-proof tip is also featured.


Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.

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Click Here to receive our archived podcasts and 100's of easy golf tips free!

"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

This podcast is supported by San Diego Golf Central and Florida Golf Travel.

Photo Credit:Golf.com, Nobodyssweetheart.com

Sorenstam needs Wie for Ginn Tribute, Big Break's Cindy Miller gives slice advice and Q-Link review

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This week, Golf for Beginners discusses the Ginn Tribute hosted by Annika Sorenstam. Although Michelle Wie has accepted a sponsor's exemption at the end of May, we wonder if Annika Sorenstam's back injury" will prevent her from playing in her own event. Will Michelle Wie's wrist be mended one-hundred percent in time to compete? And, could Sorenstam be depending on Michelle Wie's fame to contribute heavily to the gate? This might be a good time for Annika to shift focus onto her many other projects, allowing the younger ladies to take the reign's over at the LPGA.

Lorena Ochoa and Julieta Granada tied for second place at the Corona Championship (held this past weekend) and continually gain ground in the rankings, honing their skills, waiting patiently for Michelle to emerge from her self-inflicted cocoon. Can Michelle Wie finally prove herself to the many people who believe her to be just a "flash in the pan"? The latest Rolex Rankings place Wie in the twentieth position but she's going to have quite a struggle as she pushes past these women who have been playing regularly on the LPGA Tour.

We also review the Q-Link bracelet. I have been wearing the Q-Link for over a month now, hoping that the claims of both heightened energy and increased focus would work for me. Lorena Ochoa and Charles Howell III are just two of the many tour players who are confident that this technology has assisted them in times of stress and distraction.

Ochoa stated, "Since I started using my Q-Link, I have won three times and I feel calmer in tough situations. It really makes a difference under pressure."

Are these just endorsements or does this bracelet really work? Listen to this week's broadcast and I'll give you my findings.

One of this week's golf tips comes from Cindy Miller. Miller was a contestant on both Big Break III:Ladies Only and again, albeit briefly, on the Reunion show. Her simple tip will help those of you who slice. Try this one at the practice range!

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