Showing posts with label golf tournament. Show all posts
Showing posts with label golf tournament. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

How a Caddie Can Help You During a Golf Tournament

"Caddies don't win championships, golfers do." What are your thoughts on this statement?

If you were to review the commentary made by C.T. Pan after the Wyndham Championship, basically that caddies should "show up, keep up and shut up", you would be missing out on an opportunity to learn a great deal about the game of golf. Pan was joking, of course, but, having his wife (an inexperienced caddie) on the bag was probably not the best idea when it came to winning or losing the tournament.
There are mixed thoughts on the roles that caddies should play in the game of golf. Bobby Jones, one of my favorite golfers, was not a proponent of caddies being a major part of his round, saying, "If I needed advice from my caddie, he'd be hitting the shots and I'd be carrying the bag."

Video producer Dan Jenkins was quoted with a similar sentiment about caddies, "If a caddie can help you, you don't know how to play golf."

Lawrence Donegan, a Guardian newspaper golf correspondent, admits that some caddies are good, "and some are bad." Good caddies are like psychologists during a tournament, helping with mood, club selection and reading the greens.

Caddies must have some worth to a golfer (aside from carrying clubs) as some make as much as ten percent of a player's purse!

Caddies are a breed of their own. If you shoot 66, they say, "Man, we shot 66!" But go out and shoot 77, and they say "Hell, he shot 77!"  ...Lee Trevino

From counseling on the mental game to advising which golf club is best to use in different situations, a caddie who knows your game can go a long way during eighteen holes of a tournament.

James Y. Bartlett, author of the book, "Think Like a Caddie, Play Like a Pro", believes that caddies "serve as a valuable team member to help them make better decisions and achieve the lowest possible score."

If you are offered a caddie during your company event or during an amateur tournament, here are three things to ask before accepting his or her looping ability:

- How often do you play this golf course? If you have never played the course, your caddie will know where the doglegs, and trouble lies!

- How well can you read greens? You may not see where the break is, but, if your caddie regularly plays the course, he/she will know!

- If I give you an idea as to how far I hit my 7-iron (for example...and no fibs on distance as the caddie needs to know the true distance), can you help with proper club selection?

You should know your distances better than a caddie who meets you for the first time but if you are unsure, ask for advice.

When I was invited to play Pebble Beach with the Navy Seals at the Legends Invitational Tournament, I was given a caddie who played the course often and gave me invaluable advice. On the 8th hole at PB, my caddie told me to hit my second shot (over a deep water divide) to the left of where the rest of the group was aiming (because they wanted to make the shot onto the green). I landed safely on the fairway and wound up with a bogey on this very difficult hole while my group's golf balls landed in the ravine.

Final thoughts: Caddies don't judge you - they've seen it all, from bad swings to stressful fits of rage, so asking for advice might be just what you need to improve your round during a golf tournament!

Have you ever employed a caddie? How did he/she help your round? Comments welcome below on this golf blog and tag us with your answers on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Could Tiger Woods Have Done Anything Better to Win the Golf PGA Championship?

During the final round of the PGA Championship, golf fans could not help but watch Tiger Woods and conjecture that his old form has returned; his putting was terrific and his confidence was high...he was even smiling!

There were a few mistakes which Woods made, however, which we all could learn from to make Tiger, and the rest of us, better golfers.

Many of my golf blogs emphasize the overall importance of putting in scoring low - well, Tiger Woods had that part of his game under control, rolling one-putts on Sunday from both near and far.

What Tiger could have done better to edge out a win was to keep his ball in the short grass. Woods made his Sunday round much more difficult than it had to be - whether he pitched out from under trees, or navigated to every bunker with his ball, Tiger had the shot needed to get that ball out of trouble and back into play but he missed a few opportunities to get onto the green and close to the pin.

What the amateur golfer needs to remember is that we are NOT Tiger Woods - we cannot get our golf balls out of deep rough and onto the putting surface with the same strength and finesse as the former number one golfer in the world  - we are lucky if we can get our ball out from behind a tree and back into play! What can we do? We can play smarter golf, picking our targets using the right club for the job.

Although I am writing about his Sunday round, Tiger Woods could have putt better earlier in the tournament; he didn't convert his short putts on Saturday, which ultimately cost him the PGA Championship.

ESPN stated, "Woods had six putts of 20 feet or shorter for birdie on the back nine (Saturday) and made none. That includes a 4-foot miss after missing a 20-footer for eagle on No. 17. It was a massively squandered opportunity, one that could easily have seen him grouped with Koepka in the final pairing."

For Tiger Woods (and for the rest of us), the lesson learned is to make every shot count; a four-foot putt on Saturday is as important as an approach shot onto the green on Sunday.

One final thought which comes from the above golf tip comes from Brooks Koepka, winner of the 2018 PGA Championship. "To duel it out with him, I don't think I ever dreamed of that situation today." If Tiger would have made it into the final group with Koepka and played his game, would Koepka have maintained a mentally strong attitude and won? Tiger Woods' mental game seems to be as strong as in the past so these two golfers would make an interesting pairing, don't you agree?

Follow Golf4Beginners on Twitter and feel free to add your thoughts into the comments section of this golf blog.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Jordan Spieth BobbleHead Giveaway from AT&T Pro-Am and #Golf for Beginners #ATTPROAM #ATTBlogger

What makes Pebble Beach such a magical course for golf fans? Is it our fascination with the splendor of the golf course, with the history and excitement of the upcoming AT&T Pro-Am, or do recollections of emotional responses from players and celebrities have us enamored with the West Coast gem?

February 8-14, 2016 are the official dates of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (so you don't miss it!) and with it comes all of the revelry fans have come to expect from this engaging "event", from the celebrity hi-jinks of Bill Murray and Larry the Cable Guy to the calm coolness of the current number-one golfer in the world, Jordan Spieth.

Last year, Brandt Snedeker broke the tournament scoring record by three shots (72-hole total of 22-under 265) and this year he is back to defend, and maybe even eclipse, his record but not without a fight from proven winner Phil Mickelson (who has four AT&T Pro-Am wins in his bag) and young guns like Jordan Spieth, Danny Lee and J.B. Holmes. Watch the action this week and take in the scenery - this is one of the best tournaments of the year!

The Jordan Spieth Bobblehead Doll Giveaway!

First, you've got to see this hilarious Jordan Spieth Bobblehead video conceived by AT&T - yes, it's okay to laugh out loud...I did.

After he starred in this video, Jordan Spieth bobblehead paid me a visit and actually helped me polish off this blog so thanks Jordan, although, as you can see by the above video, he kept taking my mind off the post! 

We also got to hang out for a while at my house where Jordan helped me with my guitar chords. Great song choice, don't you agree? 

Our time together ended with a quick round of golf with the foursome below. Yes, it was a day to remember!

Jordan Spieth bobblehead told me he is waiting to make memories happen for the winner and go to his forever home. 

Here's how this exclusive, Spieth bobblehead can be yours:

Jordan Spieth Bobblehead TWITTER Giveaway:

  • Follow @Golf4Beginners and @ATTProAm on Twitter
  • Tweet, in a few words, why Jordan Spieth is one of your favorite golfers with the hashtag #SpiethBobbleHead
  • Giveaway ends on Sunday February 14, 2016.
  • I will choose one response at random from all received on Monday, February 15, 2016.

It's THAT Simple!

The first 8,000 fans at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Golf Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 13 will receive their very own Jordan Spieth bobblehead doll - this is the ONLY way to score a Spieth bobblehead, unless, of course, you enter, and win, our giveaway. According to an article on Golf.com, these Jordan Spieth bobblehead dolls are becoming a hot commodity so be sure to Enter The Jordan Spieth Bobblehead Giveaway.

A few interesting notes about AT&T; this is their 31st year as the title sponsor of the event (AT&T is the second-longest continuous title sponsor on the PGA Tour) and it is the second year in which AT&T is sponsoring Jordan Spieth, from golf bag to caddie towel TO...BOBBLEHEAD!

Learn more about AT&T's affiliation with Jordan Spieth (and other cool sponsorships like Infiniti Red Bull Racing for example), visit ATT.com/Sponsorship. Read about local charities supported and how AT&T is connecting customers and fans to their passions for golf and technology: visit ATTPBGolf.com.

Check out AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Broadcast Schedule:
PGA TOUR LIVE11:00a-6:00p  
GOLF6:30-9:30p  GOLF9:30p-12:30a  GOLF3:00-6:00p  
PGA TOUR RADIO12:00-6:00p
Saturday and Sunday: GOLF -- 1-2:30 p.m., CBS -- 3-6 p.m. ET







This post is in partnership with AT&T. All opinions are my own.



Are You Planning to Watch the #ATTPROAM? Let Us Know Who Your Favorite Golfer is this week on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and @ATTProAm

Thursday, February 19, 2015

@ATTProAm and Pebble Beach Cultivate Camaraderie, Generosity and Robot Technology #ATTBlogger #ATTProAm

This past week at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, there were several stories in place other than professionals and teams playing for the win: one story was about a foursome's journey to uncover what really goes on behind-the-scenes at one of the most exciting golf events on the PGA Tour.

Probably the most memorable part of the journey was interacting with celebrities and professional golfers up-close-and-personal, something that most people dream of including this blogger (one day I will meet Phil Mickelson!)

Blushing teenager Katie Horsford received her wish to meet her hero Jordan Spieth. "The AT&T National Pro-Am is special because it brings together pros and amateurs and celebrities and people like us who are fans."



Dan McLaughlin hopes to play here one day as a professional and "Getting a glimpse of what the players are doing to prepare for this tournament is huge for me."

Celebrities are customary at the AT&T National Pro-Am but charitable giving is an avenue in which this tournament shines its brightest, having raised over $120 million dollars during its thirty-year tenure. The Foursome visited one of these charities, the Veterans Transition Center of Monterey County, which supports homeless veterans and their families.

"Before I came here, I had no idea a golf tournament could have this type of impact on a community," said Tiffany Fitzgerald of Black Girls Golf. "It's pretty inspiring."

Foursome member Tim Lang, a Marine who lost his leg during an explosion, felt a personal connection, "It's just a great example of veterans helping veterans, leaving no one behind."

From being led on a personal tour of Pebble Beach by the course historian to tackling the latest technology at the Golf Academy, the Foursome, and those interacting via social media, received a perspective that very few get to watch. Each member of the group received four lessons with different instructors...and a robot!

"What surprised me most today is where technology has taken golf," mentioned Katie who, as part of the Foursome, was given a very special lesson with a robot "instructor" at the Pebble Beach Golf Academy and Practice Facility. "There's a robot that can make you swing like a specific golfer."

"I was kind of afraid of the robot, said Tiffany Fitzgerald, "because you have to let everything go - you have to let it control you." Although it may sound frightening, when Tiffany was asked to hit a golf ball afterwards with her eyes closed in a simulator, the results were outstanding (check out her swing in the video below!)

Foursome member, Tim, made the most of the tech within the practice facility, "The robot's pretty strong - you can't fight it," continuing with "golfers really love technology because it gives them the edge over their competitors."   ... hashtag awesome, Tim!

The experience shared by the foursome is now in the history books but, thanks to the internet, can be remembered with the click of a mouse. A parting confession from Tiffany recounts, "I came to Pebble Beach to share my experience with others and help get other people excited about golf and I think I did that." You sure did, Tiff and we thank you for giving fans an insider's look at this awesome tournament!


Walk inside-the-ropes with this video of the Foursome at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am:



This post is in partnership with AT&T. All opinions are my own. Voice your opinion on this blog or on @Golf4Beginners.

Friday, January 20, 2012

#Golf Tournament puts Social Media to Good Use

The March of Dimes will be the beneficiary of social media good will. The Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament in association with the PGA Tour will be donating $10 for every like they receive on Facebook.

All you have to do is click on the link below, "LIKE"  the golf tournament and Farmers Insurance will help give preemies a chance at life. You don't have to reach into your pocket, just reach into your heart. Another great cause helped through social media.

As of today, 7,124 people have clicked the "Like" button.

Read the note I received below and make sure to donate with a simple click of your mouse!!
www.facebook.com/farmersinsuranceopen

Be a fan. Support babies!

Farmers-insurance-open-golf-tournament1

Stacy,

Exciting golf and a rare social media charity partnership will greatly benefit
premature babies - with the public's help only!  We'd appreciate your support in spreading the word on this....

Make your "like" count for something today. Farmers Insurance and the PGA TOUR are kicking off the upcoming Farmers Insurance Open with a generous pledge that will give babies born prematurely a fighting chance at life.

For every "like" on Facebook of the Farmers Insurance Open until January 29th Farmers will donate $10 - up to $50,000! - to the March of Dimes.

Already hundreds of thousands have been raised.  With a simple click of a button, you can help a wonderful cause at www.facebook.com/farmersinsuranceopen.

The 2012 Farmers Insurance Open is taking place at Torrey Pines in San Diego from January 23-29.


Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and friend on Facebook



Monday, February 22, 2010

Kodak Challenge Visits Wild Hole at TPC Scottsdale

For the second consecutive year the Kodak Challenge, a first-of-its-kind competition for PGA TOUR players and fans, visits the wild par-3, 162-yard 16th hole of TPC Scottsdale at the Waste Management Phoenix Open on February 25-28 in Scottsdale, AZ. The Waste Management Phoenix Open is the 6th of 30 tournaments to participate in the $1 million Kodak Challenge competition.

The Kodak Challenge was created to celebrate the beautiful holes and memorable moments in golf. Golfers 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. An Advisory Board of leading golf experts selected the par-3 16th at TPC Scottsdale as one of 30 holes that make up the Kodak Challenge.

Scottsdale resident, Kevin Streelman claimed the first Kodak Challenge title and the winner-take-all $1 million prize at the PGA TOUR’s final event of the 2009 season, the Children’s Miracle Network Classic in Lake Buena Vista, FL.

Matt Kuchar, Brenden Pappas and Tim Clark are currently in a three-way tie for first at 4-under-par on the Kodak Challenge. Kuchar and 2009 Kodak Challenge champ, Streelman are in the field this week at TPC Scottsdale.


Kodak Fan Photo Zone
The Kodak Fan Photo Zone, located at the south end of the driving range, between the #10 and #16 greens, allows fans to have their picture taken at Hole #16 – a live shot during tournament play when cameras are not typically allowed. Fans can pick up a free copy of their photo at the Kodak Fan Photo Zone throughout the entire tournament. While visiting the Kodak Fan Photo Zone, fans can also learn about Kodak’s latest products and how they can even be used for their golf game.


About Kodak Challenge hole #16 at TPC Scottsdale
The par-3, 162-yard 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale is among the most celebrated holes on the PGA TOUR. The enthusiasm of the fans in seating that surrounds the entire hole gives this short par-3 a "stadium" atmosphere and creates one of the most exciting settings in professional sports.

"We’re thrilled to have the Kodak Challenge visit #16 at TPC Scottsdale, one of the most unique and exciting holes in golf.  Hole #16 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open is the perfect example of what the Kodak Challenge is all about for players and fans," commented Steve Powell, Director of Development for the Kodak Challenge.

Kodak and PGA TOUR Release 2010 Kodak Challenge Schedule
The 2010 Kodak Challenge schedule includes 21 of the original 30 holes, with two tournaments joining the Kodak Challenge: No. 15 at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, NC, site of the Quail Hollow Championship; and No. 14 at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, OH, home of the Memorial Tournament presented by Morgan Stanley.

Kodak's marketing partnership with the TOUR includes the designation as Official Imaging Provider of the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour, including cameras, printers and scanners. For more on the Kodak Challenge visit pgatour.com/kodakchallenge

Fans can also follow the Kodak Challenge at facebook.com/kodakchallenge, twitter.com/kodakchallenge, and 1000words.kodak.com/kodakchallenge.

About Kodak
As the world’s foremost imaging innovator, Kodak helps consumers, businesses, and creative professionals unleash the power of pictures and printing to enrich their lives.

To learn more, visit http://www.kodak.com and follow our blogs and more at http://www.kodak.com/go/followus.

More than 75 million people worldwide manage, share and create photo gifts online at KODAK Gallery – join today at www.kodakgallery.com.

About the PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers. Its primary purpose is to expand the PGA TOUR domestically and internationally so as to substantially increase player financial benefits while maintaining our commitment to growth in charity and integrity to the game.

In 2010, the three Tours are competing in 102 events for more than $350 million in prize money. Tournaments will be held in 10 countries outside the U.S. and in 35 states. In addition to providing competitive opportunities for its membership, TOUR events also generate significant funds for local charities. In fact, the three Tours have surpassed the $1 billion mark in overall charitable contributions.  The PGA TOUR’s web site address is www.pgatour.com and the company is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.


Golf Channel coverage starts Thursday at 4PM EST.  You can also follow the action at www.pgatour.com/kodakchallenge.0