Is the Tiger Woods, Mickelson Battle for TV #Golf Supremacy Finally Over?

With Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson debuting their PGA Tour golf games at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, fans are anxiously awaiting the Battle of the Tried-and-True Superheroes ...or are they?

Online conversations are conflicting about where the most TV action will come from this week- Golf Channel's Facebook page has a proud Tiger Woods accepting his 2013 Player of the Year Award along with Jordan Spieth (Rookie of the Year) with Woods contemplating a new entrant onto the battlefield, "It's going to be fun for a number of years battling it out," Woods was quoted as saying at the ceremony.

With Spieth and Woods teeing off with Jimmy Walker on Thursday, this pairing could most certainly turn into a future Sunday moment...although both Woods and Spieth have their work cut out for them with a pair of even scores on day one.

Expert picks mainly have Tiger Woods as the golfer providing the most action and as the winner this weekend but Woods and Mickelson, "the two biggest stars of their generation" as Fox News aptly states, may not be the only attractions worthy of prime TV time....could Stewart Cink be the man to watch?

Two long hitters, Bubba Watson and Phil Mickelson, will certainly give viewers the action they seek as they tee-off along side of Aussie Jason Day. You can always expect a few fireworks from both left-handed golfers - Mickelson nearly chipped in from the parking lot to make birdie at eighteen while Watson had some chip action of his own on hole number two at Torrey Pines' North Course.


You never know when a new battle will brew or the excitement will kick up a notch - Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are both great golfers but new rivalries can happen in a heartbeat to create an infusion of excitement into the sport.

Without picking Woods and Mickelson, which golfer do you think will provide the most drama at Torrey Pines this year?

Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and Like on Facebook.

Shoot Under Par By Looking Above Par #golf

Men love to play golf for a number of reasons, but every guy is similar in a few ways. Every man wants to have nice golf clubs, a nice golf bag and attractive, stylish golf clothing for the course.

There are cases when guys wear golf clothing every day because it is casual yet very elegant. Choosing the right kind of golf clothing for men is essential to the personal wardrobe of many men and their look on the course at tee time.

Guys who enjoy wearing golf clothing are not bound to a particular wardrobe. Payne Stewart wore knee-high socks as an homage to the history of the sport. Tiger Woods wears red every Sunday and Adam Scott looks good no matter what he wears. Depending on the guy's sensibilities, there is a line of clothing that will fit perfectly in his closet.

Every man enjoys picking out smart-looking golf shirts. In fact, there are many men who wear golf shirts for work with dress slacks. The sleekest of polo shirts are made from pima cotton with a sheen that makes them look akin to dress shirts. Other polo shirts are a little bit more casual but they still look nice enough for work.

The guy who hits the course in his favorite golf clothing enjoys playing the game more because he feels good in his clothes. Also, the man who doesn't necessarily accessorize in his every day wardrobe has no choice but to accessorize his golf wardrobe.

When a man is choosing his golf wardrobe, he can have a nice golf hat, visor or cap that looks just like what his favorite golfer wears. From the traditional golf cap of Payne Stewart to the Aussie hat of Greg Norman and the visor of Phil Mickelson, every guy can dress like his favorite golfer.

When choosing appropriate golf clothes, men can get all of the clothes that will work for them on the job, on the course and allow them to look good on the course. Golf clothing for gentlemen is a style choice that will stand the test of time.


Voice your opinion on our Golf for Beginners blog, on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and Like 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.

How to Survive and Conquer Golf in the Rain

A seemingly beautiful golf event turns from sunshine to soaking rain in a matter of minutes...but, is your round ruined? 

Most players do not have the luxury of rescheduling eighteen holes to another day, so you carry on, pulling out of your bag your waterproof gloves and one of your stylish waterproof golf jackets from Galvin Green.


Can playing in the rain also be a fun experience? Of course it can, with a few golf tips under your belt! 

Here are a few tips from some of the best known "mudders" and instructors:

1. Five-time Briitish Open winner Tom Watson knows about playing in adverse conditions. His top weatherproof swing tip? Aside from always carrying a lightweight rainsuit, Watson says, "from a wet turn, swing your irons on a shallower (flatter) plane so you pick the ball off the grass without taking a divot. If you hit even slightly behind the ball, the club will dig too much into the wet ground. When the conditions are wet, a thin shot is better than a fat shot. Plus, a thin shot will probably still stop on the green if it's wet."

2. Don't overswing like Phil Mickelson says Doug Wade, head golf professional at Miami Valley Golf Club. Thinking back to a classic pull from Mickelson at Quail Hollow which resulted in a loss, Wade says to stay in control, shorten your golf swing and swing easy.

3. The Shark, aka Greg Norman, says to "keep yourself and your equipment as dry as possible." 

"If there's one part of your body to keep dry it's your hands. Once you lose your grip, you lose everything, so keep your hands in your pockets except to play. Also, be sure to keep the top of your golf bag covered so that rain doesn't drip down the shafts and get your grips wet."

I will add to this tip that you should make sure you keep a hat in your golf bag and, as Tiger Woods sometimes does, turn the flap upward to allow water to pour away from your face.


4. Golf Channel Swing Instruction says you will need more carry from the tee. I would add that you should consider taking an extra golf club during most of your distance shots as the ball will not travel as far nor will it roll on soft, wet ground.

Be sure to check out the range of Nike golf clothing from Function18 before hitting the links!

Voice your opinion on this golf blog, on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and LIKE on Facebook.

photo credits: function18.com, windsorgolf.co.th, shark.com


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.

Easy Golf Tips to Inspire Confidence on the Putting Green

Whether you wish to lose weight, get a new job or correct a golf swing, almost everyone starts the New Year with at least one "improvement" resolution.

Golfers usually pull out training aids searching for swing improvement but, in this players opinion, it is equally as important to work on putting skills.

As short game guru Dave Pelz says, "More than 40 percent of all golf shots are putts, and over half of those are short ones."

In his new book, The Grumpy Old Golfer's Putting Tips, E.P. Murphy dispenses "subtleties of the game within the game" that he has learned in his forty-plus years on the golf course.

At Golf for Beginners we are always learning...and sharing...so we would like to begin the New Year with game improvement tips for all players.

Here are a few golf putting tips, sent in by E.P. Murphy, aka the Grumpy Old Golfer, to help inspire all players before the start of the new season:

Tip #4 –  The only golf club in the bag specifically made to hit the ball into the cup is the putter – master it first, master it best!

Tip #22 – Touch is one thing very good putters have in common. Touch is the core ingredient for long term success.

Tip #30 – Putt to stroke it, not to sink it.

Tip #34 – Aim makes you a contender – pace makes you a finalist.

Tip #58 – Another drill on the practice green is to aim for no hole, but just putt to the fringe of the green so that you concentrate intently and completely on pace and not on a hole.

Tip #70 – On elevated greens it is better to observe the putt path below the level of the green than from above.

Tip #94 – Make cleaning off your putter face part of your setup routine.

Tip #128 – Speed is more important than break on long putts.  The distance, short or long, is more often greater than the distance right or left of the hole.

Tip #201 – The three mind-set qualities of the putting stroke:  No Doubt – No Effort – No Thought

Tip #264 – One way to weaken the firmness of a downhill putt is to strike the ball closer to the toe of the putter.



Thanks to the Grumpy Old Golfer for his usable putting tips.

The Grumpy Old Golfer and his plain talking tips will help you take your putting skills to another level.  These golf tips come from notebooks he carried on the course and from conversations and other experiences over the past 40 years. There are 300 practical tips to help guide you in your quest to grasp the game within the game - the art of putting. 

Do you have tips to add to this list? Feel free to leave them here on our blog, on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and LIKE our Facebook page.

Swing Thoughts for the #Golf Course from Tiger Woods, DJ and Garcia

Every golfer, when standing at the first tee, has something on his or her mind while setting up for that first shot; keep your head down, stare at a spot on the golf ball, hit the middle of their fairway. On every shot thereafter, thoughts about the ensuing round set the stage for either a positive or negative experience.

Which golf swing thoughts are useful and which should you immediately discard?

Imagery creates reality on the golf course, so, if you have negative thoughts, chances are they will translate into negative actions. The Wedge Guy, among others in the business, note that golfers should only think of a single, positive swing thought at each meeting with the golf ball instead of creating "a running dialog through their head about all the things they are trying to remember to do . . . or not do." 

That being said, Golf for Beginners has compiled several swing thoughts and golf tips used by top professional golfers to try on the golf course.

1. Sergio Garcia - TEMPO OVER SPEED - "When you make practice swings on the tee, think 'tempo' first. Notice that I never make them at full speed. I'll make a nice, controlled move back and through. I'm not practicing for power, I'm practicing for balance."

2. TIGER WOODS - VISUALIZE YOUR SHOT - Picture the golf ball going into the cup...yes, it's that simple. Some of the greatest athletes in the world (Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretsky and Woods) use creative visualization to gain control over the 90 percent mental-10 percent physical...that is, "using one’s imagination to visualize specific behaviors or events occurring in one’s life."

3. FOCUS ON STRIKING THE GOLF BALL - "In a survey of twenty-four PGA Tour players, eighteen said they didn’t think about anything at all during their swing. Those that did have a swing thought said it was to focus on a spot a few inches in front of the ball, to encourage swinging through, instead of hitting at the ball OR focusing on hitting the inside of the ball. NONE of them said they had ANY technical thoughts about their swing."

4. Dustin Johnson - CREATE A GOOD STANCE AND SET-UP- While DJ says he doesn't think of golf swing thoughts during a professional round, out on the driving range he works on creating good posture for his drive - pushing his hips back with a good bend at the knees.

5. ADAM SCOTT - One swing thought at a time!

What are YOUR Golf swing thoughts?

Let us know here on our Golf for Beginners blog, on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and on our Facebook page.

Enter the #KyoceraConquer Sweepstakes and Conquer your Everyday Moment!

Kyocera’s new waterproof, shock-proof Hydro XTRM smartphone is built to stand up to life’s toughest challenges. It’s designed to “Conquer Your Everyday” and Kyocera wants to help readers of Golf for Beginners conquer YOUR everyday with $2,500 and free Hydro XTRM phones. 

READERS - click to enter the Kyocera “Conquer Your Everyday” Sweepstakes for a chance to win $2,500 and free phones.  

But they are not stopping there - enter the Kyocera “Conquer Your Everyday” Photo Sweepstakes to win two tickets to UFC 169 and more chances to win the new Kyocera Hydro XTRM 4G LTE smartphone.

With three ways to enter the photo sweepstakes– it’s simple and easy! Just snap a picture of you conquering an everyday moment (like your daily commute, golf routine, workout or job) and enter the photo sweepstakes one of three ways:

1. On Facebook by clicking HERE (http://woobox.com/4h3swd).
2. On Twitter by following Kyocera handle @KyoceraMobile and tweeting a photo with hashtag  #kyoceraconquer.
3. Or on Instagram by following Kyocera @Kyoceramobile and uploading a photo with the hashtag #KyoceraConquer.

Two winners will be chosen each week at random to receive the Kyocera Hydro XTRM 4G LTE smartphone. Grand prize winners will be chosen at random at the end of the photo sweepstakes and receive two tickets to UFC 169 plus $500 toward travel and expenses or $2,500! The “Conquer Your Everyday” Sweepstakes begins on Dec. 16, 2013, and ends on Jan. 20, 2013. The Photo Sweepstakes begins on Dec. 16, 2013, and ends on Jan. 13, 2013.