Does Michelle Wie version 2.0 still have glitches and is Tiger Woods too tired for golf?

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With LPGA Tour card in hand, Michelle Wie is presenting the upgraded version of herself to fans this week at the SBS Open. You might even consider her "M.W. version 2.0", but don't expect any new surprises as she still remains the same golfer but in a shiny new package.

Although her parents have allowed her a bit of wiggle room by allowing Wie to live on campus they still maintain ultimate control, living close by and even following her around in a cart three times a week during practice sessions. She alleges that she's "to the point where I don't care what other people think of me, if they think I'm weird or something" which obviously means she is still concerned about the opinions of others. The now nineteen-year-old Wie is also probably fearing what may happen to her endorsements if she should not succeed on the LPGA Tour. Yes, Michelle Wie has demons that she needs to exorcise in order to successfully play in the zone and make a name for herself among her peers.

In other words, the computer desktop may have a new theme but bugs in the operating system need to be fixed before she can successfully release this new edition.



On a more positive note, Wie will get a kickstart in Hawaii in an event which, as a fifteen-year-old amateur, nailed her a tie for second place. Michelle has finally secured her Tour card, validating her ability to play by the rules and, for at least the start of the season, she is the darling of the LPGA, offering Golf Channel shows like Grey Goose 19th Hole plenty of fodder with Carolyn Bivens agreeing to sit in as a featured guest this week.

One question to consider over the upcoming season is, will MW's "play-whenever-you-want" ideology prove successful or detrimental to the new star of the LPGA Tour?

Golf for Beginners also wonders if Tiger's stamina during practice will improve with the addition of newborn Charlie Axel or will the world's number-one golfer fall prey to late-night feedings?

Congrats to the Woods family!

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Mickelson feels good about his ridiculous score. The trick to hitting a mud ball and celebrity quotes.

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Mickelson's debut at the FBR Open was more of a fizzle than a roar. Phil not only missed the cut but appeared to be in self-denial as well.

"It doesn't feel as far off as the score indicates," Mickelson said. "I know the score is ridiculous. But it doesn't feel bad."

One interpretation of the above statement may be that, although Phil struck the ball well, it did not go where it was intended, which caused him to search through the cacti on more than one occasion. But Mickelson must have been concentrating his thoughts more on the Arizona Cardinals point spread more than to believe that he wasn't at all rusty, hitting only eight of twenty-eight fairways and flying several greens with his usually faithful lob wedge. At least Phil made it to the finish line at last year's FBR Open before finally succumbing to J.B. Holmes, who came back from the brink of defeat to trounce Mickelson. Come to think of it, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes made an extraordinary last-ditch effort to clinch the Super Bowl title from Arizona. Hmmm…icing on the cake?



The younger guns are making it more difficult for guys like Mickelson to get an easy ride, showing laser-like driving accuracy and length off the tee but there is still room for the forty-and-over age group. In other words, there is still light at the end of the tunnel, Phil, even as you approach middle age.

Vijay Singh, for example, climbed to the number-one position on the PGA Tour at forty-one years of age. Another notable, Colin Mongomerie, has recently been tapped to lead Team Europe after his inability to make the cut in the 2008 Ryder Cup. Perhaps instead of playing in the Champions Tour later in their careers, former professional golfing notables will be taking the desk at the Golf Channel, as captains of the Presidents/Ryder Cup or as hosts of their own charity events.

With Tiger Woods still out of commission and without a comeback date in mind, time is still on Mickelson's side but spending a few extra hours on the practice green and better decision-making where the driver is concerned could only help get his game in gear sooner rather than later.

Golf for Beginners also talks about the interesting way the mud ball flies and we pick out a few interesting celebrity quotes.

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Photo Credit: © In Golf We Trust

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No excuses for Mickelson to miss Bob Hope Classic. Also drive into the wind and quotes to live by.

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This year is considered "fifty years of Hope" and over two million dollars were distributed in 2008 to charities through the Classic event, but even so, the top fifteen PGA Tour golfers are MIA, most with no reason as to why this tournament is not worthy of their support.

Once distinguished as golf's best celebrity pro-am event with comedians ranging from Jackie Gleason to Jack Lemmon picking up the sticks for charity, the "Hope" seems to have lost a bit of its glamour and dimension. Utilizing Arnold Palmer as celebrity host (perhaps because he won the inaugural event) and, for the most part, only being able to conjure up a few old-time has-beens with some notables like Dan Quayle, Kurt Russell and Sterling Sharpe, I wonder when Tim Finchem will stand up for events of such illustriousness and not leave it up to freedom of choice? Can the PGA Tour impose a ruling to force more top-name golfers into faltering events?

Arnold Palmer recently mentioned, "I used to spread my tournament appearances so that I never missed a tournament more than two years in a row," but that was back in the day when guys were living paycheck-to-paycheck, not in this era where the top-100 golfers earn over $1 million per year. Also, events like the Bob Hope Classic were special and players would scramble to get a place in the field seeking publicity and possibly the status of being a winner or even having a top-ten finish.

To try and keep golfers interested in the "Hope", the tournament has even added the private Nicklaus venue, because guys like Phil Mickelson and Pat Perez voiced disapproval over the Classic course, but that has only lassoed in a few guys like Tim Clarke. Big names like Mickelson have not budged.

I just wonder if beloved Bob Hope mainstays such as the Classic and even the USO Tour will eventually become relics with a lack of consideration for the consequences?

Should fans even care whether or not another tournament bites the dust or are there simply too many events glutting the PGA Tour season? Unfortunately, for every event that fails, no matter how insignificant they may be to those who choose not to attend, the only ones that will suffer are those who depend on the charities receiving the funds.

This week Golf for Beginners wonders why Phil Mickelson has chosen the FBR Open as his season opener (we already know why Vijay Singh and Tiger Woods are not playing at this time). We also tell you how to pierce the wind utilizing your driver and offer a few quotes from golf's greats.





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

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Wie's void filled by Tadd Fujikawa, relax your swing without drugs or alcohol and how you can play the best courses in the world

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Although Zach Johnson created excitement at the Sony Open winning by a stroke against Toms and Scott, it was fan favorite Tadd Fujikawa whom the cameras followed with the same fervor as when Michelle Wie played here.

And why not? Both Hawaiian teenagers have caused quite a stir with solid length off the tee, hustling to create opportunities to keep them in the game. Wie's claim to fame to date has been her numerous exemptions with slim success into men's events while Fujikawa has earned his way in, with congratulations flowing from guys like 2007 Masters winner Johnson who consider Tadd, "borderline phenom."

Michelle Wie, once considered a "phenom", has finally taken the necessary steps to ingratiate herself with the LPGA Tour, hoping to reinvent herself and get the fans behind her once more. It is nice to see her name listed in the roster. There were huge crowds following Tadd this weekend, hoping to see the short, stout-framed teen make the cut and put pressure on the leaders.

With the season-opening LPGA event in Turtle Bay and Michelle faring well out of the gate, Wie could easily make this combo a one-two Hawaiian punch!



Kidzworld.com thinks these two would make a great couple. "Perhaps he'll hit a growth spurt and she won't wear heels?"



Aside from a blatant man/woman distinction, Golfchannel.com jokingly calls this a "game of inches" noting that Fujikawa almost shot his height this weekend, 62, which would be easier for Wie to do on any given day considering par is a very likely score.

This week we discuss the Fujikawa/Wie phenomenon as well as offer an easy drill from Jim Flick which could help to relax you before a round of golf.

We also talk about the 3-Trak technology behind About Golf high-tech indoor simulators and the PGA Tour's agreement to partner with this innovative leader. With Immersive Play Technology, the PGA Tour hopes that the average golfer will soon be able to actually feel as if they are on golf courses once only available to professional golfers or amateurs with plenty of bucks to spend. But I ask, while in this simulator, can you flip grass into the air to determine the wind direction?

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

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This podcast is supported by Arizona Golf Packages, 1-866-444-0992.



Photo Credit: © Kidzworld.com

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Vijay Singh follows in Tiger Woods' footsteps. Sorenstam returns and how to practice the aloha shot at home

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With the feature golf story of 2008 being knee surgery for Tiger Woods, it seems almost ironic that, just after winning the Chevron World Challenge, Vijay Singh would be in a similar predicament. Singh claims that he was hurt during the event but obviously didn't know the extent of his injury.

Waiting for Tiger to arrive at the podium, Vijay cajoled, "Tiger, take your time. Don't come back too early. In fact, take a year off." Isn't Singh aware of the saying, "be careful what you wish for?"

It is said that Singh is looking at a recovery time of about five weeks which puts a comeback a bit closer to the Masters Tournament than should be attempted. I know that it took much longer for my husband, who underwent similar surgery, to be 100% so I doubt that Vijay, even with his ménage of sports trainers, will be in tip-top form.

Following in Tiger Woods' footsteps, in this case, is not necessarily a good thing for Singh as the past several years of developments have kept Singh on Tiger's tail. In 2003 it was Vijay who took the money spot on the PGA Tour away from Woods by almost a million dollars (of course Singh played a third more tournaments than Tiger in order to accomplish this feat.) In 2004 Singh dethroned Woods at the top of the World Rankings, if only for the single year when Tiger battled back.

More recently Tiger won the inaugural FedEx Cup, Singh rallied to take the second cup, both accomplishing their respective goals in similar gung-ho fashion.

Also, did you know that Vijay Singh's name means "Victorious Lion"? Quite a coincidence to Tiger Woods' moniker!. However, in the battle of tiger versus lion, it is theorized that the tiger would be victorious under most conditions.

This week we not only discuss the departure of Vijay Singh but the return of both Tiger Woods and Annika Sorenstam-McGee. Wait a minute, didn't the LPGA superstar recently retire?

Also, in honor of the return of the PGA Tour to Hawaii, we offer a drill to help with the "aloha shot".





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

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

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Photo Credit: © indrajit.wordpress.com

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Tiger Woods' billion-dollar record, Daly's down-under, winter golf drills

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Fear not Bill Gates! Tiger Woods will not topple the richest man in the world off of his pedestal! Tiger would require about $57 billion in order to achieve this goal but he is certainly on his way! It has been reported that Woods, even with a bum knee and attending only six golf tournaments this year has made (both on and off the course) an estimated $117 million, bringing his total earnings to just under $900 million.

If Tiger plays equally as well in 2009 as he did last season and picks up another sponsor to offset the $50 million loss of his General Motors contract, there is the possibility that Woods could crack the $1 billion mark by the end of the year.

Even if Woods barely grazed the billion dollar ceiling, it is improbable that he would join Gates on the Forbes 400 as "the price of admission … is $1.3 billion for the second year in a row." Heads up, George Steinbrenner, the Tiger is on your tail!

Prediction as to how Tiger Woods will climb the ranks of the world's richest humans? His "mini-tour" will become the place where the top golfers play for high purses, turning the PGA Tour into a shell of its former self.

While Tiger is busy building golf courses and instituting himself as the harbinger of a new age in sports, John Daly is complaining that this is the "lowest point" in his life. At one point, Daly had enough money to gamble away some $50 million but now the US PGA Tour has suspended John, forcing him onto the European Tour to play in their events.

Daly, who has dived to an unimpressive 736 position in the world rankings, should be grateful for this new opportunity to "reinvent himself". Unfortunately, I think the European Tour would be more appreciative if John would continue his antics across the pond. The Australian Tour offers him a pittance, equivalent to about $50,000 of flights and accommodations (and probably all of the beer that he wants) and, in exchange, receives about $3 million in publicity that they certainly would not have had otherwise!

This week, Golf for Beginners talks about Tiger Woods' ranking both on and off the course as well as John Daly's opportunity for a change of pace. We also offer a few golf drills to practice during the cold of winter.





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!

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

This podcast is supported by Arizona Golf Packages, 1-866-444-0992.


Photo Credit: © Smh.com/AP, stopmikelupica.com

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