Tiger Woods And His Incredible Putting Stats

54 of 54: From inside 5 feet. (100%)

63 of 66: From inside 10 feet (95.5%)

Statistically, when compared to the rest of the field from this range, Tiger had a 6.6 stroke advantage from within 10 feet of the hole.

This is outrageous. Incredible. Amazing. Compared to his play at Doral, where he clearly had a better ballstriking performance yet putted lousy (by his standards), his ballstriking wasn't great at Bay Hill and his putting was superb. It's almost as if his game totally flip-flopped, only this time he won.

Once again the stats prove that no matter how well you strike the ball, if you're making putts your scores will drop. It's that simple.

So get out there and practice your putting. Tiger does it all the time... Oh, and let's see you drop a Rubik's cube... What can't he do?

Crunch Time at GT

It's officially the busiest time of the year for Golf Tips, that's why so few posts have gone up recently. We just sent our May issue to the printers last Friday and our 2009 Annual Equipment Buyer's Guide hits newsstands April 14th. We're currently working on our Faults and Fixes June issue, which will feature instruction stories from Tom Stickney and Jeff Ritter among others.

To tide you over, here's a video of Ritter's tremendous one-plane swing. Take this image with you to the golf course this weekend (if it's warm enough).

Best Swing on Tour?

Did anybody else hear Johnny Miller comment on Stuart Appleby's swing this past Saturday? Miller said Appleby must have the best swing on Tour. Really? Better than Luke Donald, Trevor Immelman and Tiger?

Tell us who has the best swing on Tour.

Retief Goosen Wins.

I'll bet he wins a major. Just a hunch.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

NCAA BASKETBALL BRACKETS

I know the NCAA Basketball tourney has already started (I'm 20 for 24 so far in my bracket. Beat that...) but it's Friday and well, I digress.

Our friends over at PGATOUR.com also are fans of March bracketology, going as far as rounding up the brackets from a big handful of PGA Tour players. And of all of them, not one picked the same Championship winner as I did (Go Sooners!). Hmm, either these guys spend way too much time on the golf course to know what they're talking about, or I know nothing about NCAA hoops.

I'm going to go with the latter. I don't know a whole lot. To check out your favorite PGA Tour players brackets, click on the word "OKLAHOMA." Hee hee...

Los Cabos Deal

The Sheraton Hacienda del Mar Resort & Spa, Los Cabos just announced a pretty decent golf package.

For $279 per room/per night you can stay in one of their deluxe rooms, enjoy buffet breakfasts, welcome drinks, a 10% discount on either Cabo del Sol's Desert (Tom Weiskopf, architect) or Ocean (Jack Nicklaus, architect) courses and gain free access to the gym and sauna.

For more information click here.

Two Golf Courses Re-Open for Business!

Over the past couple weeks a number of golf courses have shuttered their doors including Osprey Meadows which was named "America's Best New Course" in 2006 by Golf Digest. The tough Robert Trent Jones, Jr. course was part of the now-closed Tamarack Resort in Idaho. I played it a couple years ago and wrote about it in our May, 2008 issue. It was an apologetically difficult track and two hours from Boise, so it's not too surprising to hear that it didn't survive the economic downturn. Still, it's never fun to learn that a course that just opened is closing.

But the news for golf courses isn't all bad.

On Saturday Pine Lakes Country Club in Myrtle Beach re-opened after a $15 million renovation (look for a feature article in the May issue of Golf Tips).

And there's also word that the former Silver Course at Doral Golf Resort and Spa will reopen in May as The Jim McLean Signature Course at Doral. What changed? Widened fairways, enhanced water visuals and about 550 more yards.

Henrik Stenson in his Skivvies!!!

Henrik Stenson really likes his clothes. I mean seriously, he doesn't want to get them dirty. Ever.

So what's a guy to do when he has a semi-playable lie in the mud? How about STRIP DOWN TO HIS UNDERWEAR during round one of the CA Championship?

Here I was, thinking I've seen it all. Wait, I mean I've seen too much. Whatever. By the way, he shot 3-under. He stripped down to HIS UNDERWEAR. Must be some sort of Euro thing...

Beware "Cheap" Masters Tickets

Over the past few days I've received emails touting "once in a lifetime prices" to this year's Masters Tournament.

While the current economic malaise has certainly created a number of excellent bargains for golfers, I'm not sure 10-20% discounts over last year's prices qualify as "once in a lifetime." First of all, the stock market's down 50% and today it was reported that household net worth fell 18% in 2008, so anything that's discounted below 18% really isn't a discount at all.

StubHub sent an email that listed last year's prices and this year's current average prices. Let's consider the $3,377 "Competition Package." Last year the same package rang up for $3,930. While that may be $553 less than last year it's only a 14% discount, which, with household net worth down 18% (not to mention increased unemployment and less money overall being made this year) is actually an increase over last year's prices.

Enough Charles Barkley, Already

I know, I contributed to the publicity machine that is Charles Barkley a few weeks ago right here on this blog, but enough is enough with Barkley and his horrible swing popping up during every 2.5 minute commercial break on the Golf Channel. I mean Golf Channel (no "the"). I don't want to get in trouble.

He's everywhere, including locked up for DUI in Arizona. (Is he out yet? I don't even know/care.) I do know he's one of the best basketball players ever, with more than 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists. He also spit on a guy. I don't dispute that. In fact, I'd rather see some of that instead of that atrocious (and suspiciously so) and also overexposed golf swing.

Maybe I'm fueling the fire, even with this post. But rest assured, you won't be seeing any "Cha Baahklaay" in our magazine. No, Sir. (Pun intended.)

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Sergio Garcia Could Be Number One?

This baffles us too. I mean, he's good and everything and hopefully once he cracks his "best player to never win a major" hurdle, he'll probably win more often. But Sergio as #1? Tiger Woods as #2? How in the world could this happen?

Click HERE for the story.

Click HERE for the Official World Rankings.

Follow Us On Twitter

What's Twitter? Well, according to the Twitter people (do they call themselves Twits?) it "change(s) the way you think about staying in touch with friends and family."

And since you're reading this, we consider you to be a part of the Golf Tips family.

By signing up with Twitter, or by following Golf Tips' Twitter feed, you'll know what we're up to at all hours of the day. (Okay, we won't be updating it that much, but you get the picture.)

To visit our twitter feed click here:

Major Deal at St. Andrews

Got your attention with that post title, eh?

The five-star Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa just announced a very sweet "Suite Golf" package that offers guaranteed tee times on the Old Course.

Why did we bold that last line? Because as Old Course Hotel Managing Director, Debbie Taylor puts it, "St. Andrews Links Trust traditionally runs a daily ballot for the highly-coveted tee times on the Old Course." This deal, however, guarantees tee times.

The three-night Suite Package includes stay in one of the hotel's 35 luxury suites overlooking the Old Course's famous Road Hole, one round on the Old Course, one on The Duke's Course and a round on either the New or Jubilee Course. It also includes dinner two nights in the Road Hole Grill and a 50-minute luxury spa treatment in the hotel's Kohler Waters Spa. The package rings up for £1,770 ($2,445) per person and is based on double occupancy.

For more information email reservations@oldcoursehotel.co.uk and mention booking reference HOMGLF or click here.

Our YouTube Channel

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Play at Kingsmill and Save

Great golf deals abound these days, which should come as no surprise.

At Kingsmill Resort & Spa in Williamsburg, VA, they're offering a $99 per person/per night deal when you stay Sunday-Wednesday.

That's a $30 discount and includes lodging, daily breakfast, one tee time per night of accommodations on any one of their three courses, cart fee, unlimited play on the Par 3 Bray Links course and a discounted round if you hit the links on the same day.

Now through March 22nd.

For more information click here or call (800) 832-5665.

Rory McIlroy-The Next Big Thing?

According to Geoff Ogilvy, Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy isn't just ridiculously talented, but could find himself near the top of the World Golf Rankings in a year's time. Ernie Els goes one step further and thinks McIlroy could be the next #1 and Trevor Immelman thinks the 19-year-old could find himself slipping on a green jacket this April.

Today, over at pgatour.com, they're covering his every move at the Honda Classic, which marks his first stroke play start on U.S. soil. McIlroy is quickly becoming a big media draw:

So far, the 19-year-old wide-eyed, bushy-haired teen hasn't disappointed. He won in Dubai, reached the quarterfinals last week and is 2 under through his first three holes today.

We don't care too much for hole by hole score keeping in the first round of a tournament. The Honda is, like most PGA Tour events, played over 72 holes and while it's nice to know that McIlroy is playing well, being 2 under through 3 doesn't mean anything come Sunday afternoon.

What we do like, however, is McIlroy's swing, which was captured by Donal Hughes of the Irish Examiner here:



The video shows McIlroy's swing from three different angles in three different speeds and I've watched it three times and still can't find a flaw. Can you?

With one European Tour win under his belt, a more technically sound swing than Tiger's was at his age and a top 20 World Golf Ranking, McIlroy's future success seems inevitable. But how far he'll go depends on his determination, mental fortitude and whether he'll continue to have the cut-throat competitiveness necessary to not only dethrone the greatest golfer ever, but a growing list of up and coming talent.

Time will tell.

In the meantime it's great to see how Woods' success has inspired a new generation of young golfers from around the globe (McIlroy, Anthony Kim, Danny Lee) who not only have technically sound golf swings, but promise to keep golf fans excited long past Tiger's prime.

Trick Shot Artistry

If you can get through the first 45 seconds and the horrendous music, there are some incredible trick shots going on here. My favorite is the tennis serve.

An Open Letter To The USGA.

Dear USGA,

The economic crisis has hit the golf industry harder than a Bubba Watson drive on a reachable dogleg par-4.

It's no mystery why the game is in a slump. The economic crisis has put a considerable strain on people's checkbooks, even among the middle-to-upper class earners who make up the bulk of the golfing public. Rounds are down. Equipment sales are down. Country club memberships are way down.

You know all of this. In fact, we often turn to you, the USGA, for information pertaining to such figures. But now it's time that we as a collective body of golfers, golf clubs, golf courses, clubmakers and so on, come together and call upon the USGA for assistance, not answers.

As golf's self-professed "governing body" here in the US, it's time for the USGA to step up to do what's needed to help ignite a new sense of fervor for the golf industry. It's time the USGA stops acting as a policeman for golf, but instead as a motivator for new innovations, new ideas and most importantly, as an organization to help foster new ways for the golf industry to sustain itself. We, the golfing public, aren't asking the USGA for a bailout. In fact, we aren't asking for anything. We don't think it's up to the USGA to solve the crisis that the golf industry is in.

Instead, we're asking you, the USGA to get out of the way and enable the golf industry to rebuild itself.

What the golf industry needs right now is analogous to what the country needs. We need our economic freedom back. We need new benchmarks. We need new objectives. We need a new window of opportunity. To summarize, we need a relaxation of the standards as they apply to the rules of club design. Yes, I dared to say it. .830 COR, 460CC, etc.--it's not enough. Let's hike the limits on COR to .900, clubhead volume to 480CC, and stop worrying so much about how far golf balls fly, spin or whatever.

If you really want to reinvigorate the golf club industry, free up the rules on design so equipment manufacturers have more room to innovate. Let club designers have more freedom in their designs. Let them help people hit the ball farther and straighter than ever. Let them make golf balls that make the game easier for everyone. It's my opinion that much of the recent innovations in golf club designs don't do a whole lot to enhance performance. Why? Simply put, equipment innovations have plateaued thanks to the limits you've imposed. We're running out of room to get better. Which, when added to an already difficult economic market to sell golf clubs, makes matters even worse.

Now, before you, and other purists/naysayers begin to debate whether looser club design rules will have a detrimental effect on the golf industry, maybe it's time you get your heads out of the sand and get real. Trust me, 18-handicappers won't become 4-handicappers overnight. But they might become 16-handicappers, which is enough incentive for them to go out and buy that new driver and head to the course and play. Tour pros might shoot lower scores, but since when is that a bad thing? I, for one, find it exciting to watch those guys bomb huge drives and mow down golf courses. I want to see more 59's just like baseball wanted to see more home runs during the Great Depression. The whole idea that the game of golf is already too easy, and any loosening of the rules will hurt golf is just plain ridiculous. It's a power ploy, and we're catching on. Besides, with the current economic situation affecting so many golf club companies, can we really argue against anything that might kick start the golf economy once again?

Instead of imposing new rules, the USGA ought to loosen them. Let people fix spike marks. Let them use rangefinders. Increase the limit to 15 clubs. Do something to get the ball rolling.

The USGA has a powerful position in golf. They've put businesses in business and out of business. Their rules have been adopted across major professional tours, not just here in the US, but around the world (along with the R&A). We've entrusted their "Decisions" as though they know what's good for the game. We've paid our collective "taxes" more or less to fund them, and unless some changes are enacted to rebuild the golf industry, maybe we ought to re-evaluate the spheres of influence the USGA has. For instance, the PGA Tour doesn't have to adhere to the USGA. They can make their own rules. Who's to say they can't? The same goes for the rest of us. I'm not advising a mutiny on the governance of the USGA, but the possibilities for such an overthrow are growing. We just can't wait anymore.

So, USGA, do us all a favor and lead us down the right path. Free up some room for us to grow. You don't have to open the floodgates completely, instead open it just enough so we all have some more water to drink (so to speak.) Let the groove debate go away. Put ratings on equipment not restrictions. Let us decide what's conforming and what's not.

I think I've made my point. As for the rest of us, consider this an opportunity to contact the USGA yourself and encourage your colleagues to do the same thing. The golf industry will rebound at some point, but it's up to you to make it happen. Not the USGA.

Watch Ernie and Luke to Master Rhythm

Last Friday, I played nine holes after work. It was the first time I've played since mid-December, so I expected to play like, well, crap.

But I didn't.

To my surprise I played very well. Strike that. Absurdly well. In fact it was one of the best ballstriking days I've ever had.

This shouldn't be the case after a long layoff. If anything, rhythm should be the hardest thing to get back.

So, why was I swinging as easy as, well, The Big Easy? Because I spent most of Friday afternoon watching the Ernie Els-Luke Donald match at the Accenture. They have two of the smoothest swings on Tour. The more I watched, the more I picked up both men's rhythm.

Simple as that.

Most of us are visual learners. We remember what we see more than what we read or hear. And watching those two hit the ball in balance, with great rhythm carried over when I played. The game never seemed easier.

With that in mind here are two real time swings from Els and Donald. Watch them, absorb their swings, picture yourself being them the next time you play.

Let us know if it works for you.

Geoff Ogilvy's Golf Swing

Here's the swing of your 2009 Accenture Match Play Champion, Geoff Ogilvy:



Our quick, Monday morning analysis focuses on how the Aussie's physique dictates a more upright swing plane.

The PGA Tour media guide lists Ogilvy at 6'2" 180 pounds. He's lanky and tall, like Jim Furyk and Vijay Singh, two other golfers who, because of their height, stand closer to the ball and swing the club on a more upright plane.

Since golf clubs tend to have a standard length and lie, it's easy to imagine how different Ogilvy's posture and stance are, versus, say the 5'4" Ian Woosnam (who stands farther from the ball and swings on a flatter plane).

The takeaway? Fit your swing to players who have similar physiques.