10 Tips for Playing Golf in the Summer Heat

The dog days of summer have arrived and, if you are as passionate about the sport as I am, you will be out on the golf course no matter how hot it gets!

Whether you are a beginner to the game or a die-hard amateur, you need to remember to bring the essentials with you so that the round doesn't become a harrowing experience.

Golf for Beginners has compiled are a few tips for playing golf in the summer heat. Review this checklist before your next round:

1. Hydrate! Freeze a bottle of water - it will usually last for the round.
2. Stash extra gloves for perspiration.
3. Sunscreen: How many times have you gotten beet red because you forgot to apply SPF?
Consumer Reports advises sun worshippers to apply sunscreen before bug spray, letting it absorb into the skin and then spray on a separate bug killer - try not to use a combination spray as you will need to reapply the sunscreen but not necessarily the bug spray.
4. Bug Spray: There is nothing worse than a swarming bunch of no-see-ums pinching at your skin as you are trying to make your 150-yard approach shot to the green. Look for a sunscreen that provides you with enough protection so that you are not constantly reapplying it.
5. Sunglasses: Blinding sunlight can have an impact on your eyes, causing blurriness - even if you take them off to look at the dimples on your golf ball, put them back on when walking or riding around in the golf cart.
6. Face towel - place a frozen, wet towel in a baggie and wipe down your face often. When the towel gets warm, refresh with ice at the turn.
7. Hat: Always bring along a hat with visor - the hat protects your skin and the visor protects your eyes.
8. Golf Clothing: Wear moisture-wicking materials which breathe and stay away from black and dark colors as they absorb heat (basic science - white and lighter colors reflect light and heat, dark colors absorb heat).
9. Find Shade: When you are waiting for your turn at the tee box, find a spot of shade to stand in - you will be amazed at how cool you are when approaching your shot.
10. Try for an early morning tee time. It's cooler during AM hours, so why not have an early morning cup of joe and enjoy the sunrise!

Have a golf tip you would like to add to our list of summer heat quenchers? List it in the comments section of this golf blog or tag us on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

How the PGA Merchandise Show Proved That #Golf is Alive and Well #PGAShow

From the hottest clubs to the latest in wearable golf technology and apparel, if you are in the golf business, you needed to attend this year's PGA Merchandise Show.

Over one thousand interactive exhibits, golf pros, instructors and course owners/management converged this week in Orlando, stuffing into The Orange County Convention Center including yours truly and, if this show ever proved one thing, it was that the sport is alive and growing, no matter what the naysayers assert!

According to Sports Business Journal (which I read in the Media Center), this centennial season brought out more than 42,000 industry attendees from 25+ countries and one thousand golf companies and brands ...there was nearly ten miles of show aisles! Boy were my feet tired after navigating through my first day at the Show!

Although I cannot be at the PGA Show the entire week, I understand that the stage was filled with well-known representatives of the sport; there was a meet-and-greet with Bubba Watson, a golf clinic with LPGA star Lexi Thompson and demonstration by the one and only Annika Sorenstam. I was fortunate to learn tips from masters of golf instruction, Hank Haney and David Leadbetter.

I'm sure I cannot do justice to the PGA Show with these photos but, if I only show our readers one thing, I hope it is to show the immense popularity of golf, a few of the hottest items that are in your local stores and a few that are sold online and making a dent in the internet.

Here is the interactive display booth for Mobitee with PIQ, the latest in golf wearable technology.

Fitness and Nutrient Products Like RedJoe are Proving that there is a market for hydration during a round of golf. Doesn't hurt to have Leadbetter using it either! 

From large brands with huge displays like Callaway and Titleist to smaller booths representing health and fitness, the PGA Show is "the place to discover the latest golf technology, equipment, apparel, and new products."

Voice your opinions on the latest golf products and technology on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and below in our golf blog comments section.

Rickie Fowler and Puma add Summer Sizzle to Golf Clothing

When you watch Rickie Fowler playing in a professional golf tournament, what is the first thing you see? Most likely, aside from Rickie's boyish charm, you immediately notice his bright golf clothing from Puma Golf!

Hailed by some as the next generation of golf, former motocross racer Rick Yutaka Fowler was the number-one ranked amateur player in the world for much of the 2007-2008 season.

In addition to having four top-ten finishes on the PGA Tour so far in 2013, Rickie is one of the ambassadors for Puma Golf, a name synonymous with high performance and versatile sports and golf clothing.

There are other great, up-and-coming Tour players who sport the Puma label like recent tour winner Jonas Blixt but, when you think of edgy and memorable golf clothing, the spotlight shines brightly upon Rickie Fowler.

PGA.com has described Rickie's Masters PUMA outfits as "cool and colorful"; Golf.com has called Fowler "Flashy" and Fox Sports says Rickie has "golf chops" but is also known for his colorful style:

With a complete range of PUMA golf clothing available at Function18.com, it is easy for the amateur golfer to dress like Fowler, "bold yet classically sporty."

The Golf Spectrum Fitted Belt is a perfect example of how accessories can make the outfit. 

Leather with the embossed Puma cat and finished with a solid, enamel filled and removable Puma cat buckle, you don't have to wear orange in order to get noticed (although this belt, of course, is also available in Oklahoma State orange!)

If you like a colorful and super lightweight golf shoe, Puma's new FAAS Lite Golf Shoe is comfortable and waterproof with an Ortholite sockliner which keeps air circulating around the foot. 

After eighteen holes, you will probably feel like going another round!

Golfers usually play better when they look good and feel the part. Comfortable and stylish golf clothing will not only help you look better on the course, it will give you an appearance of success. Get off to a good start on your round and make your presence felt with Puma.


Comment below on this blog, voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and friend us on Facebook.

Disclosure: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Photo Credits: Puma.com, Function18.com.

Michelle Wie says "Tomorrow is a Whole New Day" at U.S. Open

Here is the Michelle Wie transcript after an apparent first round golf meltdown at the U.S. Women's Open. At least Wie remains positive and when you are positive there is still hope!

Will Michelle Wie make the cut? Oakmont is not allowing for easy scoring and the current projected cut is +11!

MICHELLE WIE
Q. You found yourself 8 over after eight holes. Must be dejecting. What do you say to yourself? It's not easy to make birdies and make up that ground.

MICHELLE WIE: Oh, yeah, it's like I'm playing fantastic right now. It's a great day. But, I felt a little better. Hopefully tomorrow will be a lot better.

Q. What are the things you need to improve on tomorrow?
MICHELLE WIE: Everything. (Laughing.)

Q. That's a tall order.
MICHELLE WIE: Hopefully I can pull it off.

Q. What kind of positives can you take away from today?
MICHELLE WIE: Positives? You know, I'm trying to find 'em. You know, just had a couple of good shots out there. I say a couple. Not many. But hopefully tomorrow will be a whole new day and hopefully I'll play a lot better.

Q. It's a tough not to get frustrated?
MICHELLE WIE: I was trying not to today. It's kind of one of those days where nothing goes as planned. But, you know, I felt better coming in, so tomorrow hopefully start off on the right foot.
Try and make up for a couple birdies and try and have a good weekend.

Q. Was it more your game or more the golf course that was troublesome?
MICHELLE WIE: Oh, it was definitely my game. I didn't play well at all today.

Q. You missed a lot of fairways.
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, you can't really do that. Mostly I think it was just the putting that got me. You know, I felt like my irons were good. My wedges were good. I just need to put it in the fairways so I can hit those.

Q. (Indiscernible) After that, how do you settle yourself down?
MICHELLE WIE: There was nothing I could do. You know, I try my hardest and things didn't really work out. I just try to move forward.

Q. You played better on the back. Does that give you any hope for tomorrow, you know, a little bit of momentum going into tomorrow?
MICHELLE WIE: Tomorrow is a whole new day. I'm just going to go out there and try to shoot my best.



The U.S. Women's Open First Round Notes and Transcripts for the following golfers can be found here.  
Brittany Lang, -2
M.J. Hur, -1
Amy Yang, -1
Inbee Park, -1
Mhairi McKay, E
Sakura Yokomine, E
Cristie Kerr, +1
Paula Creamer, +1
Kristy McPherson, +1
Song-Hee Kim, +1
Eun-Hee Ji, +6

NOTABLE TEE TIMES:

---

Morning tee times

7:00 a.m.         (a) Kelli Shean*, (a) Jaye Marie Green, Esther Choe(# 1 tee)

7:33 a.m.         Natalie Gulbis, Inbee Park*, Pat Hurst (# 1 tee)

7:33 a.m.         Stacy Lewis, Amy Yang*, Alexis Thompson (# 10 tee)

7:44 a.m.         Juli Inkster, Jee Young Lee, Christina Kim (# 1 tee)

7:44 a.m.         Cristie Kerr, Yani Tseng, Anna Nordqvist (# 1 tee)

8:06 a.m.         M.J. Hur*, Helen Alfredsson, Katherine Hull (# 10 tee)

8:28 a.m.         Brittany Lang*, Momoko Ueda, Seon Hwa Lee (# 10 tee)

Afternoon tee times

12:30 p.m.       Mhairi McKay*, Brittany Altomare, Charlotte Majorkas (#1 tee)

1:03 p.m.         Ai Miyazato, Jiyai Shin, Michelle Wie (# 1 tee)

1:03 p.m.         Morgan Pressel, Maria Hjorth, Candie Kung (# 10 tee)

1:14 p.m.         Angela Stanford, Suzann Pettersen, Paula Creamer (# 1 tee)

1:14 p.m.         Brittany Lincicome, Sakura Yokomine*, Heekyung Seo (# 10 tee)

Interesting to see Ai Miyazato paired with Michelle Wie and that Wie already started Round 2 with a bogey!

MICHELLE WIE Live Scoring

Rnd 2  Rnd 1# 39 43 82  Status +12 +12 ROUND 2

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

Would trash talking tweets help Michelle Wie's performance? Also the cheapest putter may be right for you.

Click here to listen.

The public usually sees LPGA and PGA Tour golfers as an illustrious and highly regarded group, quotable and predictable in their demeanor. You rarely hear about an offensive or derogatory slur and, if you do, it is quietly handled by the powers-that-be (unless John Daly is involved and then it becomes fodder).

Michelle Wie, for example, is becoming one of the more quotable golfers on the LPGA Tour. She is highly visible to the media and her public image is full of aplomb. Her most recent stylized excerpt?

"You know, like I always say, dream high and stuff, set your goals up high, and I think it's definitely - I'm not saying it's an easy goal to achieve" ...Stanford?

That's all well and good but how would Michelle Wie, and the LPGA Tour in general, handle a dose of "trash talk" amongst each other? Does any of that occur on or off the course and would it make the LPGA more interesting?

Charles Barkley, during a recent media conference stated, "The best part of sports, number one is winning. The second best part is trash talking with your teammates. But they’re trash talking in every single sport. Let me tell you something, I played golf with Phil Mickelson, Tom Lehman, Billy Mayfair, Dudley Hart. I’ve played with a lot of pros. And if you don’t think there is some trash talking going on out there, you’re crazy."

Would you tune in to more LPGA events if microphones followed the ladies and if you could overhear their little digs at each other? Usually trash talk is all in good fun but highly effective. I think that it would increase ratings!

Carolyn Bivens said she would "love it" if some of the more outspoken Twitterers such as Christina Kim and Morgan Pressel would reach out right in the middle of a match. As Bivens related, "fans are 12-, 13-, 14-year-old girls and boys. They're not waiting for the golf broadcast on Saturday and Sunday."



"They want to know what's going on in the middle of the round," asserted Bivens, "we're going to get out of the collared shirts and khaki pants and make golf chic, hip, happening." The LPGA frontwoman also maintained that Kim and about 30 other LPGA pros will help to make LPGA golf more "relevant".

Pressel was waiting at the 14th teebox during a practice round yesterday, chatting it up with Michelle Wie, another tweeter who has links to several other LPGA golfers including Jeehae Lee and Paige Mackenzie (who mentioned that her 8-iron head just fell off as the grips were being changed!)

Imagine the number of fans who would follow the LPGA if Pressel and Wie went head-to-head during a match and bantered "tweety trash talk" to their fans!

"Hit 'em hard - they'll land somewhere," Pressel may click to MW's Twitter page.
"#1 BABY! you know... its hard 2 b humble," responds Wie, trying so hard to keep her tweets UNDER 140 characters.

Perhaps Carolyn Bivens should encourage this new media correspondence although the PGA Tour does not allow communications devices on the golf course. But, just as the LPGA now allows bloggers to cover events, it is only a matter of time before we see golfers clicking away to their opponents on their qwerty keyboards during an event typing, "You're away Michelle!"


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http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2009/05/30/2009-05-30_tweets_on_golf_course_are_for_the_birds.html

Do the Caddyshack and the hole-in-one and don't let your macho get in the way

Click here to listen.

With the excitement surrounding "the new and improved" John Daly's return to the PGA Tour and the buzz encircling 2008 Rolex Rookie of the Year Yani Tseng's win at the Corning Classic with an upcoming second major try at the McDonalds LPGA Championship, golfers are getting out onto the course in droves attempting to mimic the shots of the professionals.

More often than not, amateurs are stepping to the back tees and seeing more of the golf course than need be, and this usually refers to the men! Does this sound like you, Mr. Macho? Whereas women, in my opinion, are inclined to play a game of accuracy, men have a tendency to ignore course and slope ratings in favor of the thrill of "tipping it out" with a similar level of ability as from a more forward position.

But, is it such a terrible affair to try your luck from the tips, not worrying so much about which teebox suits your skill level or will it help improve your game in the long run?

If your tee shots are shorter than your opponents, you may not be able to "drive for show" and you may be forced to use longer clubs on your approach to the green. The inability to outdrive your competitor may actually creep into your mental game, psyching you out and forcing you to question your ability.

Commenters on the Golf Channel's discussion boards agree that ego plays a large part in the game of golf. Problems that ensue include overswinging as well making bad course management decisions.

As one analogy stated, "If you were a beginner or intermediate skier would you ski down a double black diamond run? Unlikely.

Most recently I have been placed into the position of playing from the "whites" or men's tees (in many cases) and found that the game changes enormously as you step back. After several attempts of struggling with my long game and mainly woods, I moved forward to the ladies tees and the result was definitive! I actually found myself more self-assured, with my entire game cooperating from tee to green.

I can't hit a golf ball 295 yards just short of the green like Michelle Wie does so my ego is put on hold by keeping home plate at the senior tees!

This week, Golf for Beginners focuses on fun and easy golf exercises to improve core strength and flexibility so that, when you do get out to the course, you will be the Tiger on the tee!


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Will PGA Tour booze throw Daly off the wagon? Also, Haney grip tip and Harmon says don't hold back

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PGA Tour title sponsor negotiations are in high gear as a number of agreements will expire in 2010. With a current bailout of six mainstays and a weakened economy looming, options are dwindling despite the aggressive efforts of Tim Finchem.

Crowne Plaza is the most recent sponsor to jump ship two years before its scheduled exit date and takes along with it seven million dollars in endorsement and media commitments. FBR and Ginn are two additional casualties leaving Tim Finchem to bemoan, "We've obviously had, and are having, some bumps in the road."

Temporary declines in attendance also hurt the tour and were to some degree caused by the 2008 absence of Tiger Woods but, since his return, that ship has righted itself.

There are also corporations eager to extend the life of their sponsorship deals as well as new deals on the horizon, forcing Commissioner Finchem to think outside the box when considering any and all offers.

New ideas to help soften a hard-hit Tour? Introduce hard liquor and casinos as sponsors, once thought of as the bane to a sophisticated American way of life.

In my opinion, allowing spirit sponsorships can add a whole new host of problems although the PGA Tour has been loosening up a bit knowing that estimates run as high as fifty million dollars for the Tour if they just change the rules to allow it. But if you amend the rules, accept any and all penalties because of it.

How would fans behave if spirit companies forced a plan on the PGA Tour to offer their liquor during tournaments? Nascar on grass!

But the PGA Tour will have to find a poster child other than John Daly to sell this idea to the public. Daly is svelte and says he's almost totally off the sauce. If hard liquor was title sponsor of events when Daly had committed his egregious activiites, would he still have received a six month suspension or just a slap on the wrists?

On this week's Golf for Beginners show we wonder what allowing hard liquor will do to the PGA Tour. And, if the PGA Tour relaxes its rules, would there be more questionable sponsors lining up in the conga line?



Life without Annika at this year's Sybase Classic is discussed.

Hank Haney also helps us easily fix a slice using the basics of G.A.S.P. and Butch Harmon's golf tip tells us how not to hold back.


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

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Get to know us on You Tube and MySpace and TWEET US on Twitter!

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

This podcast is supported by GolfCalifornia.com, 1-866-351-1688.

Photo Credit: © Fanhouse.com, Robert LaBerge, Getty Images, Businessweek.com

Tiger Woods makes TIME hero list. Maybe comic superhero next? Target golf: think small.

Click here to listen.

“It's difficult to think of you as a loser, but hey, you're a loser." sniggled David Feherty, as he interviewed Tiger Woods after a mediocre performance at Quail Hollow.

You can lose but that certainly doesn't make you a loser...

Of course the above was said jokingly as Woods could never never be a loser. Aside from his recent victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Tiger has a total of sixty-six career PGA Tour wins under his belt with some events (like the Buick Invitational) being won six times by Woods!

But did pre-surgery Tiger have better survival instincts?

Before the ailments, with a bum knee, Tiger limped to victory at the U.S. Open. The 2009 version, as mentioned on Backspin, has had issues "closing all year." Usually in the hunt with golfers sweating on the back nine, Tiger has been four-over on the last three holes of events he has played in this season. Maybe having kids has made Woods a bit soft?

But Tiger golf is in no way related to the rest of the field. Out of the five events he has played in 2009, Tiger came in top-twenty and better and is currently poised in tenth position in the FedEx Cup race with plenty of golf left to play.

Perhaps Johnny Miller said it best recently when he compared Tiger and Phil Mickelson (although any name can be switched-out in place of Lefty):

“Phil has as much horsepower in his car as Tiger. It’s just that the lug nuts aren’t tightened down as much."

It is because Tiger Woods is "a model for how athletes should conduct themselves" that Roger Federer wrote why Woods deserves to be listed as a hero and icon among Time's Top 100 movers and shakers (see below for link information). Respect for the history of the game, a class attitude and his philanthropic efforts also helped Tiger gain the admiration of the internet users who voted him onto the list.

Could superhero status be far behind? Will we one day see Tiger Woods in his very own comic book saving the world from trechery?

Others on the list that have shaped the world this year include President Obama and wife Michelle, Edward Kennedy and even Bernie Madoff! Yes, on this list we have the good, the bad and the ugly!

Golf for Beginners also offers up an easy, mental drill in order to play better target golf. We also discuss how to take the confusion out of shot-gun starts.


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

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This podcast is supported by San Diego Golf Central, 866-825-4094.

Time Top 100 Movers and Shakers, complete list: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,1894410,00.html

Roger Federer on Tiger Woods: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1894410_1894289_1894279,00.html

Photo Credit: © Tony's Cartoons and Caricatures

Tiger Woods and Obama go on tour. Sony shaken after dumping Wie, the Gyroscope for muscle-building and Play Golf America!

Click here to listen.

Soon after Tiger Woods sat in on a news conference to promote his third year as host of the AT&T National at Congressional Country Club, he shuttled off to the White House to take a tour hosted by President Barack Obama.

Light witticisms were bandied about at Congressional with Tiger answering questions about his knowledge of the Swedish language which all boiled down to sayings every man should know like, "clean the house" and "wash dishes": every man that is, except for the billion-dollar variety like Woods!

But what could the President want to know from Tiger Woods? Aside from the obvious golf tips, we wonder what information could have been exchanged during their meeting in the Oval Office. Here are some of our thoughts.

1. Advice on the best golf simulator for the White House basement.

2. Perhaps they were negotiating deals for design and construction of new, upper eschelon golf communitites in Cuba, Venezuela and Iran as gifts to his new "well-wishers".

3. A new golf course in North Korea to Kim Jung-Il as a signing bonus if he stops playing with rockets.

4. Advice on how to turn the economy around since Tiger is obviously the head of his successful business concern.

5. Perhaps an open invitation to fill one of Obama's vacant top treasury positions (an huge cut in pay for Tiger).

Tiger looked as comfortable in the Oval Office as he does out on the golf course.

Golf for Beginners also wonders why Michelle Wie's contract with Sony was not renewed. Was it due to an obvious flagging performance or did it have something to do with the $97 million shelled out to cover a messy malpractice lawsuit over the "vibration feedback" technology in its Dual Shock controllers?

We also discuss ten ways to get the most out of free lesson month, courtesy of PGA of America and Play Golf America and challenge the TourGrip Gyro Trainer to improve our golf swing. If it helps to condition astronauts in space, it should fly with us!

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

Get to know us on You Tube and MySpace and TWEET US on Twitter!

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

This podcast is supported by OrlandoGolf.com, 866-443-8566.

Photo Credit: © The White House Blog: Meeting Tiger Woods

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

Click here to listen.

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?

Tweet this blog… Your followers will thank you!

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

Get to know us on You Tube and MySpace and TWEET US on Twitter!

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

This podcast is supported by OrlandoGolf.com, 866-443-8566.

Sergio Garcia salivates for one Masters jacket while Woods and Mickelson look to add more green to their wardrobe. Play aerated greens/beat the block

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Will Tiger Woods have any identifiable adversaries at this years Masters Tournament? Gazing into the PGA Tour crystal ball and deciding which golfers could make a move against Woods lead one to believe that Tiger is on par to win his fifth green jacket at Augusta!

In all fairness, any one golfer could disrupt Tiger's equilibrium long enough to gain ground. In 2007 relative unknown Zach Johnson "just tried to maintain my focus, maintain my game plan" in order to effectively tame Tiger at the Masters.

Trevor Immelman emerged victorious in 2008, leaving Tiger in a second place finish at the Masters for the second year in a row. Immelman and Johnson each had a solo PGA Tour victory prior to their Masters victories.

At this year's Shell Houston Open "tune-up" to the Masters, it was interesting to see who was in top form, which player could use more work and if the winner lurked somewhere in the field.

Fred Couples ate a heaping serving of Humble Pie at the SHO as cheers followed him from his own collegiate turf. After the 72nd hole Fred muttered tiredly that he was "finished", running out of gas and coming in third once again this season.

Although Phil Mickelson has twice been a winner in 2009, this week he missed the cut by ten strokes, finishing fourth from last place! Does this portend disaster for Phil or will he think back to his two glorious wins at Augusta and use that memory to fuel his appetite?

Sergio Garcia could be found at the bottom of the leaderboard this week, right above the names of players who missed the cut. He has never won a major and hasn't made it to the weekend in the last two Masters events. Enough said.

What excuses can be made for Vijay Singh? He may have three previous SHO wins and have a green jacket in the closet from a 2000 Masters win but with his physical ailments, Vijay is an unknown. An M/C this week certainly didn't help his confidence and, as Singh recently stated about Augusta, "I think it's the toughest golf course day in and day out in the world that we play."

Padraig Harrington has a chance to win a third major tournament in a row and set up for a "Paddy-Slam". This could be a positive or negative, depending on how Padraig sees it.

He played solidly through three rounds at the SHO but erupted in the end. Tiger Woods voted for Padraig to win the Player of the Year award but, on the flip side, Harrington won his two majors without Tiger in the field. Harrington looks to "peak at the majors". I place him contention at the Masters because Padraig stated, "I'm totally focused on my mental game at the moment. I'm not trying to fix anything. I'm totally focused on getting my head in the right place."

Finally, what about Tiger Woods? To ask if he has a "shot" at victory this week would be like asking if a man could win the U.S. Open with a bum leg. After nearly a year's layoff, it took Woods only three events to shake off his 'vacation' and fire back with gusto. For obvious reasons he is the favorite and although Woods mentions that it "was nice to take that break", Sergio Garcia said it best. "You always compare to one guy, and it's kind of unfair for the rest because he's extraordinary."

This week we discuss the Masters Tournament, some of our picks and pans and "how-to's" on playing aerated greens and fixing the dreaded blocked shot.




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