Golf for Beginners Podcast 11-13-05

We are really happy with our latest Golf for Beginners Audio Show, Episode 4, 11-13-05

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This week's commentary is about how Tiger Woods was soundly defeated by European Tour player David Howell at the HSBC Tournament. Christina Kim, winner of the this week's LPGA Mitchell Tournament of Champions, is congratulated and we help solve a problem for one of our listeners in our email section. He questions whether it is better to learn about irons or woods first and we help him to understand the best way to practice his game.

Send us an email and you could be featured on our next podcast!

And, thanks to all who listen!

Tiger gets Trounced

The opening of the 2006 European Tour season wasn't the kind of beginning that Tiger Woods expected.

Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai was supposed to be Tiger Woods' first win in China. Instead the number-one golfer on the PGA Tour suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of relative unknown David Howell. Although during the HSBC Champions Tournament Tiger Woods remained in contention he could not polish off Howell nor intimidate him.

Of a very large total purse of $5 million dollars, Howell received in excess of $800,000 while Tiger took a second place check of around $550,000...still not bad for a weekend's worth of golf.

Usually, when the Tiger is breathing down the backs of his competitors they often fold. Instead, David Howell turned the tables on Woods, marching out in front of Tiger after each of them hit their respective shots. And birdies were flying, although not from Woods but from Howell. Howell managed to birdie four of the first seven holes but had his blips on the eighth and ninth.

Tiger on the other hand had more trouble than expected and could only achieve two birdies on the front nine but wound up giving one back. In my opinion, Tiger's putting was letting him down this weekend. The greens were undulating and Tiger was also missing those easy putts, the ones from within five feet. Missing putts is the surest way not to score. Just look at Vijay Singh. He wasn't reading the line well and had trouble sinking the short ones too.

Howell took advantage of Tiger's troubles by pushing forward in spite of the fact that Tiger still could rally and decisively claimed two additional birdies on the back nine which would eventually lead to his exciting victory.

Even though it was a late round of golf I managed to stay awake because of the thrilling victory claimed by Howell.

Photo Credit: © Getty Images.

Where Do You Put Your Ball Marker?

What kind of ball marker do you use?

I personally like my gold Sackegeweya dollar but I will also use one of those new, shiny quarters floating around. There are so many people who swear by a coin which they found on the floor that eventually won them a tournament or an heirloom which was special to someone they once knew. Some people don't even know what markers they use to hold the spot for their golf ball. They take whatever they find out of their golf bag, right down to the tee they used at address.

While watching the HSBC Championship in Shanghai, China last night I heard that Colin Montogmery places his ball marker in his back pocket when he is done marking his golf ball. That got me to thinking that I, too, place my ball marker conveniently in my back left pocket.

I do this for convenience. My glove is on my right hand (I'm a left-handed golfer) so it's easier for me to reach into my back pocket to grab my marker.

Some people put their ball marker in their front pocket. I personally don't like doing that as the pants I'm wearing usually have this slightly tighter, uncomfortable band across the top of the pocket which rubs against my hand. Sometimes my ball marker drops back out of my hand and back into my pocket.

My husband regularly places his marker in his front pocket.

So where do you place your ball marker when you're done using it? Bet you never thought about it before!

Photo Credit: © Unknown.

our first podcast

Golf for Beginners Podcast 11-06-05

Check out our latest Golf for Beginners podcast from November 6th. We talk about the terrific Annika Sorenstam and give some great golf tips!

Email us with your questions and comments at golfforbeginners@aol.com.

Golf for Beginners Podcast 10-30-05

Check out our second golf for beginners podcast from October 30th. Our audio syndication this week talks about consistency and staying even-tempered.

Golf for Beginners Podcast 10-25-05

Venturing into the unknown both Barry and I hope to deliver a podcast with a punch.

Although podcasting isn't as difficult as I thought there are still alot of small pieces that fit into the puzzle. I have become not only a writer but also a producer. Even though my creative juices are flowing I also have to write certain codes that make the program run.

But I'm on the right track. We just published our first podcast in iTunes. That means that not only did the html and xml validate but I figured out how to use Garageband!

Here's a direct link to our first Golf for Beginners podcast

Sometimes I get writer's block. Barry says that's how I know I'm a writer. I say I get a block when there are too many irons in the fire and I can't just concentrate on one item at a time. But that's the world we live in. Everything has to be done today...and with a sense of urgency.

Our weekly golf podcast is only one iron fueling an ever-growing fire. I started writing golf-for-beginners just under a year ago and it's growing in leaps and bounds. I write twice weekly for the Sand Trap which, although my editor says it shoudn't take longer than forty-five minutes to write an LPGA article, I find I finish in just about two hours. There just aren't enough hours in a day!

Looking on the bright side I get to do something which makes me happy. Writing allows me to express myself. And, if you know me, I like to talk...alot! So this new golf podcast should be exciting as it matures.

I hope to make the format of our new podcast a bit different from the visuals of this website. Barry and I like to play golf whenever possible so I hope to sprinkle tips that I found interesting during my round in my audio like "What did I think was my best shot of the day and why?" or figure out where and when my golf game took a nosedive. Either way it's going to be broadcast live, editing out the occasional "er" or "um" that happens in any live event.

Since the PGA, European, LPGA and Champions tours all interest me I think we'll also say what's on our minds about the professional side of golf. It's always fun to comment about the up-and-coming stars on tour as well as the ones who have been around since I started watching as a kid (you can never say too much about legends Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer).

There will be other surprises as our audio broadcast grows so I hope you'll go along with us for the ride of our lives. It should be a blast!