One of These Golfers Will Win The Masters #golf

Which one of these golfers will win The Masters? Here is the leaderboard of 2016 Masters invitees as shown on the Masters.com website:

The list of players who have been selected above have qualified by March 21, 2016 (the field stands at 90), and can serve as a starting point for this golf blog's discussion as to favorites to win The Masters. For example, Tiger Woods is listed to play but, for the second year in a row, CBS Sports reports that Tiger Woods may not play in The Masters. Pairings and tee times will be available after the par-3 event on Wednesday.

Who is YOUR Favorite to win The 2016 Masters?

This is an invitation-only tournament so the golfers that have been selected are the cream of the crop and/or have won an event offering an exemption into this first of four major events of the year.

From the above list, here are the five players I suspect will be in contention on Sunday at The Masters:

Jordan Spieth - The top-ranked golfer in the world, already a Masters Champion in a wire-to-wire win and mentioned that this is his favorite tournament in the world. Also, Jordan set a Masters record last year for most birdies in a tournament (26).

Phil Mickelson - My favorite golfer... at 70 wins to date, made the cut in The Masters twenty-one times and has three green jackets in his closet. "The results will come if I continue to play the way I'm playing," Lefty recently stated.

Adam Scott - Not much for Match Play this year calling his recent halve "pathetic" but red-hot on the PGA Tour right now and, since golfers play in the moment, this is why I picked Scott as a possibility to win. Also, with Steve Williams confirmed as his Masters caddy, Scott has increased his winning potential, in my opinion.

Zach Johnson -Has a Claret Jug and a Green Jacket as his prized possessions. Very steady player.

Jason Day - Able to scramble and win against Graeme McDowell even after hurting his back during match play.

Okay, so I am not positively sure that any of my picks will win The Masters but, based on this season's performance as well as previous accomplishments, these players have a good shot at 2016 Masters glory.

Who are your picks? Let us know on this golf blog or on Twitter @Golf4beginners.

Which #Golf Club In Your Bag Inspires the Most Confidence?

How many times per round do you pull the driver out of your golf bag...hybrids...putter? Which golf club do you reach for when the going gets tough? Which golf club can you NOT live without?

Sure, there are some golf clubs are are more utilitarian than others, that you need to make it through each round. The driver, in most cases, gets you off of the tee and your putter serves its purpose at the end of every single hole which means you're ON the green (unless, of course, you chip-in or get lucky with a hole-in-one).

Some golf clubs, however, serve several purposes, for example, my husband reaches for his 8-iron on the tee of some par-3's, when he's aiming for the green off the fairway and, one of his favorite shots is chipping using his 8-iron just off the green. I would say Barry has a stronger affinity for his 8-iron than for other clubs in his bag.

My favorite go-to club is my Titleist Vokey Spin-Milled Sand Wedge. Sure I use it out of the sand but I also reach for it to chip around the greens, when I'm flopping over a bunker and when I have about fifty yards remaining and I need a bit more feel in my hands to let the club do the work (when I'm landing the ball safely on the green). Yes, I do believe I play more confidently with my wedge.

Tour players have favorite "go-to" golf clubs as well. Here's a tweet from European Tour player John Hahn (@_JohnHahn) showing off his 58 degree Titleist SM6...aka "the buzz saw". Sure I could have shown a photo of my Vokey but this one is definitely more ...gritty:

Be careful you don't run into the buzz saw 😉 new SM6's in play! Love the new design, much better distance control 👌🏼 pic.twitter.com/FBXqhweDHD

— John Hahn (@_JohnHahn) February 25, 2016

When you swing a club well and make repeatable contact, it inspires confidence and you find other uses for it. For example, you may not be consistent with your driver and may reach for your 5-wood instead; you may suffer a bit in distance but getting the ball onto the fairway gives the club a favorable spin. so to speak.

It takes hundreds of good golf shots to gain confidence, but only one bad one to lose it. 

    ~ Jack Nicklaus

Augusta Golf Instruction also adds that the reason you might have a favorite golf club could be the length of the club or the grip being "just right", which could mean that you have some clubs "with different lofts and lies which may perform very differently from the rest of the clubs in your bag." It might be time to get your golf clubs fitted by a professional. But, on the flip side, all of your clubs may well become your favorites!


Which golf club would you never part with...which club in your bag inspires the most confidence?
Tell us in the comments section below and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners!

How Will You Start YOUR #Golf Season?

The golf season is already in full swing down in the southern and western states (East and West Coast Swing) but for many golfers who are just dusting off their clubs, the hard and fast rules have not yet settled in.

Have no fear!

If you are not playing in competition and are out for a friendly round with a few of your mates, set the rules right from the beginning of the round.

Here are a few helpful golf tips to get you started:

- If the golf course is very muddy (and they usually are this time of year), make sure you emphasize the ever important, "Lift, Clean and Place" Rule. Although the PGA of America did not consider using this rule during the U.S. Open, it sure can help during a sloppy round on your home course!

- It might also be equally important to make known the embedded ball rule.

According to Golf Digest, it's not a good idea to use your new Titleist Pro V1's either as your swing is not yet in the groove and these pearly whites (or yellows) will probably find their way into someone else's bag. Better to stick with leftovers for now.

- Since you are not Tiger Woods and if you are not in competition and only out for a bit of fun, if your ball lands safely on the fairway but lands in a divot, MOVE YOUR BALL OUT OF THE DIVOT! Make sure you alert your playing partners beforehand but... why should you be penalized on the fairway because a previous golfer did not replace the turf?

- Read up on Etiquette and respecting another golfer's space and line. Be polite to your fellow players. Did you know that "nine out of ten greenskeepers believe that players should pass an etiquette test before playing golf?"

Read more: Should Golfers Have to Pass an Etiquette Test?
Do You Believe that Golf Is Becoming an Impolite Game?

- This is not the time of year to play the odds - instead of trying low percentage shots, get your golf ball safely to the green, putt in and move on to avoid the dreaded snowman making an appearance on your card.

- Is this your first round of the season? It's probably not a good idea to keep score. If you're out with another single, why not suggest another type of format like match play; it's fun to play, less stressful, each hole is it's own adventure and it's easy to score without having to mark a card!

- While PGA.com emphasizes the Rules of Golf for all level of play, some newbies, returnees, recreational golfers (or players who haven't hit the links all season), might be inclined to take advice from US Recreational Golf Association founder, David Felker, who believes that fun, friends and a beautiful course trump score when you are playing with like-minded mates. Enjoy the journey... and remember, "you do not have to be a great golfer to have fun."

How do YOU Kick Off your Golf Season? Comment below on this golf blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

Tips to Spruce Up Your Golf Swing for Spring

I admit it - I am a golf tip addict. I love receiving and reading tips in my emails or searching through Google in order to improve my game and then sharing knowledge with my readers.

The tips that work best are usually the fundamental ones and so I would like to share a few tidbits before the season warms up and golfers are too busy thinking about swinging the club than improving the basics.

Let's get right to the golf tips, shall we?

GASP Before Every Swing:
An oldie but goody which I received from one of my first instructors was the term G.A.S.P., an acronym for Grip, Aim, Stance and Posture. G.A.S.P. is what your pre-shot routine should be on every shot you take. Make sure your grip is not too tight, Aim the bottom edge of the club square with the target, align your club properly and stand tall to the ball but don't rise up.

Tempo, Tempo, Tempo!
There are so many different components to a golf swing and tempo is, by far, one of the most important parts to practice. Tempo is different for all golfers - for example, according to an article by Brian Hill, in Jack Nicklaus' prime his swing tempo was clocked at 1.96 seconds but Arnold Palmer's was a much speedier 1.36 seconds.

If you think you need to swing faster in order to get the golf ball farther down the fairway, think again. Both men were the best golfers in the world so what is important to remember about your tempo?

- Relax...tension is the killer of the best golf swing.
- Great video from Paul Wilson Golf in which he describes tempo, how the body tells your arms how fast to move and more:




You Got it on Now You Need to Get It IN:
Two Ideas for Putting - Getting Down the Correct Speed and Line, (also how fast the greens are and the direction of the sun, how the grass is bent, but let's stick to the basics). Sounds simple doesn't it? Should be for most golfers but, according to James Parker Golf, players think too much. "We don’t want to be thinking about things like taking the putter back and through a certain amount of inches." What we want to do is "roll the ball a certain speed on a certain line into the hole – that’s it."

Tom Watson's easy putting tip from his father? "Don't peek to see where the ball is going. It's a great way to make sure your head stays still and to develop a consistent stroke."

More Putting Tips In this Link.

Practice from Different Lies:
When you're out on the golf course, you don't always have the best lie - this is NOT a game of perfect conditions! Instead of practicing your short game or iron shots from the short stuff or from a flat surface, vary the lie from hardpan to waste areas, says Stan Utley. In this Golf Digest Tip of the Week, Utley teaches how to get out of bad lies with your dignity.


Golf tips to share with our readers? Feel free to post them below in the Comments section of our golf blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

Hope vs Guts for the Glory of #Golf - West or East Coast Swing?

Eleven of the top-20 golfers in the world will be swinging their clubs from west to east coast this week, kicking off the PGA Tour "Florida Swing" and advancing the season into high gear. How, if at all, does this cross-country expedition energize players and strengthen the fan base?

The West Coast Swing begins a fun and exciting journey into a new season with fans and media reviewing wins and shots from the previous season, buzzing about how top golfers like Jordan Spieth are going to come out of the gate and with the joviality and hi-jinks that are standard fare at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am.

Starting out the season playing golf in Hawaii, moving through Arizona and then back to California had the pros playing on some of the most breathtaking courses in the world, relaxed and ready after the holiday season.

"Optimistic", "hopeful", "nervous" - three sentiments communicated during an interview of Phil Mickelson at the start of the golf season on the west coast.

Onto the East Coast Swing this week and the "Bear Trap", the 15th, 16th and 17th holes of the Jack Nicklaus Champion course considered to be the toughest in golf...now the season is getting serious.

As Jack Nicklaus said of his lair, "That stretch is about precision,. That stretch is about guts."

After the Honda Classic this week, the next stop on the PGA Tour is equally grueling as the players visit Doral for the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship - visiting "The Blue Monster", a golf course in the middle of a swamp with wind and water and, perhaps, a drop-in from presidential hopeful Donald Trump and Tiger Woods? Fans should definitely be watching this tournament as prior year duels at eighteen between Woods and Mickelson at dusk took on a decidedly serious tone.

Onto Innisbrook, then Bay Hill (Arnold Palmer's gem) and finally The Shell Houston Open which all lead up to...The Masters at August National...enough said.

Basically, while the West Coast Swing kicked off the season like sipping on a breakfast blend while relaxing to a beautiful sunrise, the East Coast Swing is a completely different "animal" as mentioned by Geoff Shackelford in Golf Digest, complete with bears, a monster and snakes! It's positively terrifying and, as David Duval confirmed, "There’s no faking it around any of these golf courses running up to the Masters."


West Coast or East Coast Swing - which do you prefer? Voice your opinion at the end of this golf blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

photo: Pinterest

Here Is Your Chance to Putt On The World's Slickest Surface #golf

Have you ever yearned to travel to a unique golf destination and just love freezing cold weather? Here is your chance to add skis to the bottom of your golf cart! Grab your parka and partake in one of the most unusual three-day events you will ever attend.

Ice Golf in Siberia?!

From March 15 to March 20, 2016 in the heart of mysterious Siberia, the International Ice Golf Festival will be commemorating its twelfth anniversary and you are invited to train "on the surface of the deepest spot of Baikal" on the ice of the world's nethermost lake. The festival takes place along the bay of Maloye Morye and Olkhon Island.

Ever heard the expression "putting on glass"? Watch Rory McIlroy in this ESPN Sports Science Video and see what it's like as one of the world's top golfers glides his ball along a zero-friction surface - you will have your chance at this tournament, as well as an opportunity to feel what -25 degrees actually feels like on your skin - this is what is meant by an extreme golf experience!

This Tournament Gives New Meaning to Putting on Glass

At Lake Baikal, you will gain brand-new experiences as you take part in training sessions and an exciting golf tournament on an ice/snow golf course created by Mother Nature. One of the training sessions will actually take place on the surface of the deepest spot of Lake Baikal (1637 meters/5370 feet).

The grand finale of the festival is the Baikal Ice Golf Tournament with players contending for the Baikal Big Challenge Cup.

Contrary to what you may have heard, you will not only be speechless at the natural beauty of your surroundings but also pleasantly surprised to discover a developed city and tourist infrastructure in the heart of Siberia. One of the distinctive peculiarities of the festival is its rich cultural and ethnic program with shaman ceremonies and music master-classes.

The goal of Baikal Ice Golf 2016 is to provide golfers and travelers from around the world with an opportunity to broaden their golf experience, challenge themselves to play golf on the ice and snow surface of the fascinating Lake Baikal and to draw attention to unique recreational and sports opportunities available at places around the world that you may have never previously considered for holiday.

The doors of the festival are also open for golf beginners and for all those who dream of viewing far-away places like Siberia and legendary lake Baikal.

To learn more about the festival, or perhaps take part in a golf event that is more than just a little different, submit your application or contact the organizers: http:/ice.baikal-golf.ru/english.

What unique places have you traveled to in order to play golf? Let us know in the comments section of Golf for Beginners blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

photo: International Ice Golf Festival (see above for link)