Friday, October 09, 2015

Why Follow The Web.com and Challenge Tour? #golf #infographic

Golf fans excitedly watched this season as Jordan Spieth decisively climbed the PGA Tour ranks to become number-one atop the world rankings and, although fans think this is a wow factor, there are other tours and players who are out there grinding it out but rarely receive much attention.

Have you ever followed the Web.com or Challenge Tour?

Recently, fifty players on the Web.com Tour graduated to the PGA Tour and became card-carrying members with a chance of, one-day, winning events, getting more recognition and, perhaps, a few big-name sponsors. Some golfers' names are recognizable and others are just getting their start but one thing is for sure...dreams are alive on every Tour!

web.com tour-pga tour

Meet the fifty Web.com winners who earned a spot on the PGA Tour.

The Challenge Tour is the European Tour's answer to the Web.com Tour and has produced such recognizable names as Martin Kaymer and Louis Oosthuizen.




The Challenge Tour is now featuring a "Road to Oman" Challenge ranking system - if you are a golf fan, you will know that a recent winner is a first from Italy, Matteo Delpodio.

Although fans can't possibly watch every tournament, it's interesting to follow along with lesser known tours like the Web.com or Challenge Tour.

Keeping an eye on the rankings makes you feel closer to the struggles of golfers as they attempt to rise through the ranks and into the spotlight. The "feel" of each of these Tours is quite different and offer a look into venues and countries that inspire the average golfer to improve while understanding that, in golf, we're always learning!


Do you follow the Challenge or Web.com Tour? Let us know on Twitter @Golf4Beginners or on our golf blog.





See entire infographic at GolfOnline.co.uk
Web.com photo - pgatour,com

Friday, October 02, 2015

Jordan Spieth Breaking Records Won't Topple Tiger Woods Legacy #golf

"Tiger Woods changed the Game, Spieth plays it."

Golf fans desperately searching for the next Tiger Woods, here he is - Jordan Spieth! Or is he...?

While one of the greatest golfers to have ever played the game is now ruminating that the 'sun is setting on his career', the other, Spieth, is eagerly contemplating his future.

At twenty-two years old, Spieth is not only a multi-millionaire, but he's also already a record breaker, earning more than Tiger Woods in one season. Jordan has now regained the title of number-one golfer in the world, he's won two majors in one season (The Masters and the U.S. Open) and almost clinched the remaining major tournaments. He is also the youngest golfer to win five events in one season.

Jordan Spieth holding FedEx Cup and Tour Championship Trophies

But, is Jordan Spieth ever going to topple the legacy of the former World's Number One?

There are so many Tiger Woods devotees on social media that, after reading through some of the comments on the "Golf Nothing More" group to which I post, I have to say that it will take a major shift in mindset as much as very hard work from the young Spieth to change the hearts and minds of fans.

The question on the group page was, "Is Spieth a Better Golfer at Twenty-Two than Tiger Woods?"

Comments included:
David White, "Tiger never missed any cuts." which speaks to Woods' incredible golf ability at such a young age.
Steve Wesson, "Tiger changed the game - Spieth plays it. I love them both but I would take a young Woods over Spieth."

Tiger Woods did change golf and introduced the game to a whole new era of people that wouldn't know a hybrid from a wood. He got kids involved in the game just by being so far above the rest that people tuned in just to see him perform...and he was GOOD...the BEST that had played in a very long time.

I would have to agree that, at twenty-two, Tiger Woods still had the upper hand versus the young Spieth but, at the rate of growth of the current World's Number One Golfer, does Spieth have a chance to, one day, have his name on the lips of golf fans as the one who surpassed Tiger Woods' records?

Looking forward to a new year, the next question might be, "How is Jordan Spieth going to top his award-winning season in 2016?"

Spieth would have to win, at the very least, the other two majors that he closed in on this past year - The British Open and the PGA Championship - in order to have the elusive Grand Slam in his back pocket. He would have to win several larger tournaments that include a top-name field and do it easily, as Tiger Woods usually did in pressure-cooker situations.

We cannot predict the future nor can we write Tiger Woods out of the history books yet, but, as Jim Nantz mentioned during coverage of the Masters, "Win or lose, you just got a good look at a young man who’s going to be a big part of the future of this sport".

Jordan Spieth_Hero_World Challenge trophy
Isn't that Tiger Woods' trophy?

Join in the conversation on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and comment on this Golf for Beginners blog.


photo: TheBigLead.comThe Onion

Friday, September 25, 2015

Sportsmanship and The Rules of #Golf

Should there be a compromise between playing by The Rules of Golf and having good sportsmanship?

Controversy was recently stirred at The Solheim Cup by Team Europe's Suzann Pettersen after angrily demanding that Alison Lee be penalized after turning her back and not conceding a two to three-foot putt. Lee picked up the putt after assuming it had been given by Pettersen...but it had not and we all know never to assume.

Suzann Pettersen 2015 Solheim Cup


The Rules of Golf in match play (loosely) state that, unless the putt is conceded, the ball is in play. Team USA lost the match and there were bad feelings all around where there should have been cameraderie and pats on the back on both sides regardless of the Team.

“I hope in time the U.S. team will forgive me and know that I have learned a valuable lesson,” Pettersen said.

What was that valuable lesson?

Pettersen said she was "trying my hardest for my team and put the single match and the point that could be earned ahead of sportsmanship and the game of golf itself!"

Dust-ups like this have a familiar ring to them, for example, in Scotland at the 2000 Solheim Cup, Annika Sorenstam, "charged the Americans with bad sportsmanship in an 'ugly' incident" after being told to replay a shot which she chipped in because she played out-of-turn. USGA states, "While there is no penalty for playing out of turn in match play, the opponent can immediately recall any stroke which is played out of turn and require it to be played at the proper time."

Ah, The Rules of Golf within competitive golf reared its ugly head...perhaps Golf is becoming an Impolite Game?

When playing in your weekly foursome, it's usually polite (and good etiquette) to play "ready golf" and there are concessions made without the fanfare of a "you can take that" or a nod in order to keep the course moving along but what about when there are a trophy and/or a paycheck on the line - does courtesy and sportsmanship take a back seat?

Should there be golf rules for "the rest of us?"

The following video is a joking look from Tripp and Tyler at what would happen if the average golfer would concede to a different set of rules...ENJOY and I understand if you laugh out loud.




Perhaps the heat of the moment brings out the worst in people, or, maybe assuming that the competitor is your friend during a match and will automatically make that "gimme putt" is where the problem lies.

As Pettersen aptly stated, "I am so sorry for not thinking about the bigger picture in the heat of the battle and competition."

Do you think there should be a new rule in the etiquette section allowing two-foot gimmes in competitive match-play golf?

Follow Golf4Beginners on Twitter and leave comments below on our Golf for Beginners blog.


photo: DailyRecord.uk


Thursday, September 17, 2015

How do the Pros Stay Fit for #Golf?

It was once thought that professional golf was more of a game, not a sport, so there was no obligation in staying physically fit.

Today, both fans and the media agree that golf requires a level of "physical exertion and coordination" and that the athletes who participate are gifted with agility, stamina, and/or strength to attain the highest levels of accomplishment.

That being said, Golf Digest recently featured a gallery of LPGA golfer fitness photos as well as ways in which the ladies stay in shape and ready to perform on the course.

From Bosu and kettle balls to weights, this is not the LPGA of old - these golfers are serious about their workouts!

Fifth-ranking LPGA golfer, Lexi Thompson, believes in using Bosu Balls because these exercises, "help build the strength so you can swing within yourself. A lot of amateurs over-swing because they're not strong enough to stay in control."

Both Cheyenne Woods and Michelle Wie are proponents of flexibility and endurance being two key performance enhancers for men or women. Wie even goes so far as to train for twenty minutes with an elastic band around her legs. Coach David Leadbetter believes that the more resistance between upper and lower body, the longer she'll hit the ball.

Coach David Leadbetter maintains that Wie is trying to build up resistance between her lower and upper body. The more separation — or torque — between lower and upper body, the longer she’ll hit the ball.


Dave Phillips and Dr. Greg Rose of the Titleist Performance Institute both agree that women should build their lower body. "If a woman can get a really strong lower body, she can develop speed just as quick as a man."

Bernhard Langer says that fruits and vegetables keep him in prime condition, that eating the right snacks on course is essential to keeping the blood sugar elevated and that the one thing he does every day is stretch his body.

Gary Player, at seventy-nine years old, is probably one of the earliest proponents of exercise and has ten rules for a fit body. "The secret is commitment. It cannot be a fad. Even if your exercise program is small, you must make it a part of your life.


What exercises do you do just for golf? Let us know on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and on our Golf for Beginners blog.

Read our previous golf blog: 5 Golf Tips for Practicing Without and Instructor


video: article.wn.com
photo: StayFitCentral.com

Friday, September 04, 2015

Golf Club Demos, Food and John Daly at Myrtle Beach 19th Hole

Each year thousands of golfers descend upon the golf capital of the world for a chance at being named best in their flight - I am happily amazed at the growth of the Myrtle Beach Amateur Handicap Championship.

The tournament which started in 1982 with 682 participants has increased five-fold and is played on such well-known and beautiful golf courses as Caledonia Golf and Fish Club and the Barefoot Courses. Although there is a serious competitive spirit surrounding the Tournament, the focus is on FUN.

Myrtle Beach has around one-hundred golf courses, soft-sand beaches and, from last count, about 1700 restaurants so it's easy to understand why the Amateur Handicap Tournament is so popular year-after year. 

Is it the golf or the fun that brings the players back to the Beach? If you said both, you're RIGHT!




The World's Largest 19th Hole is a golfer's dream with celebrities, music and even a pro golfer in the midst. Taylor Hicks, American Idol winner, entertained, John Daly was mixing it up with his fans and stirring up the cocktails with his new vodka/tea drink (yes, it's another specialty of his) and there were putting and chipping contests, simulators and a line of PGA Tour Superstore booths filled with the latest golf equipment for hitting and testing by the participants.

My neighbor has been talking about the latest Wilson D200 driver and, lo and behold, there was a left-handed club waiting for me to test! My current driver is a Callaway X2 Hot so I went armed to the hitting booth ready to compare the two - here are my findings.

I could feel the "Reactive Face Technology" with every hit - there was definite forgiveness from the club as my shots seemed pretty straight from the get-go. I found the D200 to be very light but, for me, the head seemed to lag a bit (could have been the shaft). Overall a pretty good golf club to test against others when you go to PGA Tour Superstore to get fitted for your next driver. I also tried (and loved) the Ping G30 hybrid; high, straight, sweet-spot shots from the get-go, 

Barry got a hold of several irons too - he found the Titleist AP1 to have the best ball action off of the club face.

Booths each night were filled with a variety of tasty treats from southern barbecue and crab meat wontons to Shocktop and other refreshments. The lines, although a bit long, were quick moving and very chatty with golfers from Tennessee to Wisconsin talking about their day on the links.

I know that the Myrtle Beach World Am is all about the golf but...Thursday was the last night to attend the festivities and I'm getting hungry just thinking about my experience!





Have you attended the Myrtle Beach World Am Handicap Championship? Which was your favorite golf course...or was it the 19th hole that took center stage? Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and on our Golf for Beginners blog.


Thanks to Chris King - Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday



Thursday, August 27, 2015

Experience The Rules of #Golf in an Entirely New Way

Digital Rules of GolfThe world of golf is gaining technological steam, from the latest on-glove wearables and virtual putting greens to interactive videos designed to allow instructors to help students without ever having to see them in person. 

Now, the internet is helping players, both beginners and those who need a touch up on the rules of golf, to gain an education the fun and easy way.

I was sent a note last week from a representative of the USGA discussing a new interactive education tool designed to teach The Rules of Golf in a "new" way, by encouraging social sharing and active participation.

"The Rules of Golf Experience”, is said to be free for everyone (does not require a USGA membership) and is the first of its kind in the wealth of information it provides (a thousand pages of curriculum organized by fifteen subjects, seventy-three lessons and almost two hundred topics).

Everything from what to do when your ball rests on the cart path to the difference between yellow and red marker water hazards, are covered in the Rules. 

The digital experiences are designed to be fun, interactive, rewarding and challenging thus increasing a student's retention and engagement rate, with an average of twenty-minute session lengths). 


The email also stated that there are guest appearances by top golfers including Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Justin Rose, Dustin Johnson and Paula Creamer, although I have not yet found any celebrity golf faces.

Interactive Rules of Golf - USGA

Sign up via Facebook or email and, once you do, you get a "scorecard" which allows you to explore new subjects. I think you should start where I did, with the topic, "The Principles Behind the Rules of Golf", by Richard S. Tufts (and I earned four "tees"!)

Guidelines to Begin Your Golf Experience:

  1. Great Principle #1: You play the course as you find it.
  2. Great Principle #2: Put your ball in play at the start of the hole, play only your own ball and do not touch it until you lift it from the hole.
Hmmm, seems simple enough but I think I've seen more than a few amateurs make these mistakes on the golf course...

Or, why not watch a video on what to do when your golf ball is unplayable?

Brush up on your golf etiquette and knowledge of the game without leaving the comfort of your home and, for times when you are out on the course, keep your handy rules book with you (as I do).

Do you think you'll use this new interactive experience? Let us know on our Golf for Beginners blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.