Inkster, Creamer insist practice makes perfect, Lorena Ochoa just wants to have fun. Buried lies and easy to avoid DQ Rules

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Although an announcer during the U.S. Women's Open mentioned Young Kim's swing thought of "fairways and greens", it's much easier to think it than it is to bring it to fruition. The simple practice of envisioning what you want to achieve is sometimes the key to a positive round.

Basically, if you think happy thoughts, chances are you won't throw your seven-iron in anger!

On the flip side, the average weekend duffer tends to clutter his mind with either what he has learned or needs to practice instead of a simple meditation geared to a positive outlook. The result tends to aggravate instead of calm.



With the golf season being in "full swing", Golf for Beginners looks at the thought processes of LPGA golfers during a major tournament. Don Huebscher asked several of the brightest stars on tour their thoughts in the heat of the moment and what helpful hints they can offer to weekend warriors after an encounter during the pro-ams.

Is regular practice more important to a solid round than a good mental game?

We also discuss gnarly grass which thoroughly surrounded my golf ball this week and how I managed to get out of it. With superintendents allowing longer rough on the Publinks, it's really important to learn how to get out quickly, take your "medicine" and get your ball back in play.

Finally, we mention a couple of simple DQ rules you might take for granted.


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

Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.worldgolf.com/stacy_solomon or through iTunes. Nextel/Sprint cell customers type http://www.mymbn.com/podcast/ in your browser and click on "sports casts". Our station number is 1955.

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Photo Credit: AP Photo by Lynne Sladky

No "gimmees" for Michelle Wie at 2008 U.S. Women's Open and how to tee it up for an iron

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Michelle Wie has spent countless hours preparing for the 2008 U.S. Women's Open with coach David Leadbetter in the hopes of reversing the downward spiral which has been her albatross since last year. Although Wie recently commented that she felt herself "re-emerging as a new player, a new person," she also reluctantly mentioned what has gone before, asserting, "I'm not ever going to think about before I broke my wrist. That was then and this is now."

Perhaps Wie has been going through a metamorphosis of sorts since her dismissal from the columns of many a golf writer who believed her to be washed up by her eighteenth birthday.

Her recent victory of sorts, a sixth place finish at the Ladies German Open as well as a genuine qualification into a major event instead the ritual "gimmees" offered to her by sponsors, has put Wie back on track. Now that appearance offers are no longer easily forthcoming (2008 Sony Open, 2008 Ginn Tribute hosted by Annika Sorenstam), Michelle seems to be developing a sense of humble graciousness, coming to the realization that it takes talent, not youth or the appearance of ability, in order to gain recognition in her chosen field.

"It's been a long time since I had to qualify for something, and it made me want it even more," a seemingly more grown-up Wie stated. "I think going through that qualifying humbled me a lot as a player, as a person. Sometimes, you have to go back to your roots to become a better player and a better person."



This week's Golf for Beginners podcast discusses Michelle Wie's potential to pick up where she left off, before the wrist injury. Can she let go of her past and focus on the future? We'll know more after the 2008 U.S. Women's Open!

We also offer golf tips on hitting an iron flush off the tee.

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

Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed:http://feeds.feedburner.com/golfforbeginners or through iTunes.

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

This podcast is supported by Grand Bahama Vacations, 1-800-422-7466.
Vharness Golf.

Photo Credit: Houston's Clear Thinkers

American Express/Play Golf America, Women's Golf Week, The Art of the Lay Up

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Whereas the internet may be all abuzz about Phil Mickelson's lucky break at the Colonial, this week's Golf for Beginners show focuses in on the amateur ladies of the sport.

Play Golf America, in conjunction with American Express, has had over 68,000 women attend its prior yearly outings, bringing together the art of the sport with all of the "extras" that may enhance the ladies experience. This June, participating golf facilities will try once again to peak interest in both golf and the encounters surrounding it.

My husband, Barry, believes that, aside from the golf instruction, men wouldn't be that interested in the many other activities planned for the month of June, such as the networking receptions, golf rules and etiquette seminars, club fitting and equipment demonstrations, golf apparel fashion shows and luncheons. (Okay, the fashion show might be a bit much for a guy to stomach!)

He believes that these additions lessen the competitive nature of the sport. Instead, teach them how to compete and then win! I think there's more to golf than that cut and dried notion. Allowing women to experience all the facets of golf may just increase the number of women who take up the sport and stick with it.

The faces behind this year's initiative are Nancy Lopez and Suzy Whaley. Lopez has among her accomplishments 48 LPGA wins (3 of them majors), Whaley was the first woman golfer in 58 years to qualify for a PGA Tour event (the 2003 Greater Hartford Open) paving the way for Annika Sorenstam and Michelle Wie's venture into men's professional events.

We also discuss the new American Express website dedicated to golf which offers a smattering of everything from video golf instruction to the ability to purchase tickets to 2009 events such as the U.S. Open at Bethpage.

Our golf tip focuses on the Art of the Layup and how placing your ego on hold is only the first step to accurately hitting greens in regulation.

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

Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed:http://feeds.feedburner.com/golfforbeginners or through iTunes.

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Click Here to receive our archived podcasts and 100's of easy golf tips free!
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"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

This podcast is supported by MyrtleBeachGolf.com, 866-409-2177.

Will Palmer lash out at Tiger Woods for dethroning him? Also, easy golf tips from Haney, Woods

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When Tiger Woods first tied, then surpassed, Arnold "the King" Palmer's PGA Tour win record, the press was quick to gobble it all up and regurgitate it incessantly. Buzz regarding when Woods will gain ground on Jack Nicklaus' record and finally achieve top-dog status by pushing past Sam Snead's long held eighty-two win feat are now mentioned in almost every golf fanatics conversation.

As Tiger and company head over to Bay Hill this week to try to conquer this tough course once again (Woods is seeking his fifth victory), another record is in fear of being trounced, but with much less fanfare.

Defending champion Vijay Singh will be looking to climb to the very top of another "most wins" column, that is, the all-time win list internationally. Currently tied with Harry Cooper (31), success at Bay Hill would secure Singh his own bragging rights.

But we all know how Singh is about bragging. When Vijay was told he beat Sam Snead's record, he snubbed it complaining, "there’s no trophies for doing it." Conquest for Singh this week would bring his "over-forty" streak to twenty possibly agitating him as the press recognizes this achievement in tandem with the more influential international one.

This week on our Golf for Beginners podcast we discuss Tiger's winning streak at Bay Hill and Palmer's needling Woods with an "earful" after his slip of position on the PGA Tour's all-time win list.

We also offer up a few easy-to-picture golf tips from both Hank Haney and Tiger Woods regarding proper pre-shot routine and hitting the ball straighter.


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

Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed:http://feeds.feedburner.com/golfforbeginners or through iTunes.

Subscribe to our newsletter!
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 Arizona Golf Packages and Florida Golf Travel.

Photo Credit:PE.com, Rediff.com

Podcast: Will Phil Mickelson be any competition for Tiger Woods in the FedEx Cup race, Sorenstam "flip-flops" on baby issue, a look at GolfSpan Mobile

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Vijay Singh began the golf season at the Mercedes-Benz Championship where he showed great form after the holiday layoff.

Second in the PGA Tour rotation was Phil Mickelson, who, although a bit rustier than Singh, provided viewers with more than just a glimpse of his spectacular drives and relaxed demeanor.

Finally, the time that golf fans have been waiting for is over: Tiger Woods is making his 2007 debut at the Buick Invitational. Taking the "gone skiing" notice from off of his front door, Woods readies himself for the long road ahead where he'll be challenging both Singh and Mickelson for not only top position on the money list but also for the lion's share of FedEx points.

Is a $10 million deferred bonus enough to make Tiger Woods get his head into the game or...

Could this tournament mark a change in interests for the reigning number-one golfer on the PGA Tour now that he has a child on the way? Will he be able to defend this week's title for the third time? I'm not so sure. Tiger Woods exclaimed on his website recently, "I just haven't been able to prepare. I usually spend one week working on my game before a tournament, and have been unable to do that this year."

Barry and I examine not only Mickelson and Woods' debut but also LPGA superstar Annika Sorenstam's retraction of a comment she made to a Swedish newspaper where she claimed she was ready to retire and have children.

Also on this week's broadcast, we take a look at GolfSpan Mobile, a new technology in which you can learn golf right from your own cell phone with the assistance of top PGA professionals such as Hank Haney, Jim McLean, Jane Blalock and more. Is this video technology too advanced for current wireless networks? We'll give you the pros and cons from our perspective.

Finally, we offer up a golf tip which is useful whether you're a beginner or even a professional golfer!

Continue sending your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.

Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/golfforbeginners or through iTunes. Nextel/Sprint cell customers type http://www.mymbn.com/podcast/ in your browser and click on "sports casts". Our station number is 1955.

You can also download our previous Golf for Beginners episodes by clicking here.