Podcast: With Tiger Woods in absentia at Winged Foot, Phil Mickelson gains ground as U.S. Open favorite. Also, golf tips for better ball control

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Watching Phil Mickelson and Kenneth Ferrie in the final pairing at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot G.C. this week inspires Barry and I to address simple golf tips for better ball control.

As Tiger Woods sails into the sunset the remaining golfers struggle to keep the ball on the fairway.

Keep 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.

Phil Mickelson uses special driver at the U.S. Open

Phil Mickelson isn't fooling around this week at the >U.S. Open. He came to Winged Foot with a strategy. He had created a single driver "that was a bit shorter and had a little bit more stable head". Still a bit dissatisfied, Mickelson feels more comfortable with the "fade driver" that he "used at Augusta".

Not only has he removed a driver but his three-wood as well.

Lefty has also included another "wedge" because as Mickelson stated Tuesday in the USGA media center:

"...a new 64-degree wedge to help get it out of this rough with a lot less bounce and to help me hit higher, softer bunker shots. Because the bunkers are so deep here and there's so much undulation on the green, I want it coming in as soft as possible."

Mickelson's golf tips can help anyone's game. He really is a master out of bunkers and out of the short rough near the green. The average golfer can benefit from a solid golf game from within 100 yards.

Podcast: Take the Golf Digest challenge, golf tips on improving aim and posture and Barry dodges another email "bullet"

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Improve your game by taking the advice of the best golf professionals in the world! Hank Haney, Butch Harmon, Phil Mickelson and more give golf tips based upon your game. Sign up for free playing lessons at golfdigest.com/challenge.

One of our listeners voices a greivance against Barry for the harsh words he called one of his playing partners on last week's podcast.

We also offer up golf tips on aim and posture.

Keep 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.