Tiger returns tomorrow with a first round match against Brendan Jones at the Accenture Match Play Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Dove Mountain, Arizona. The 33-year-old Aussie said he was "overjoyed" when he heard he'd play Woods.
Click here to watch an interview with Jones and see clips of his swing.
During our research we scoured youtube looking for videos of Jones' swing, but all we could find was this...
...and something tells us it's not the same Brendan Jones. If it was a drum off, the 15-year-old Brendan Jones would take Tiger 9 & 8.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Phil Mickelson Holds On To Win The Northern Trust Open
It wasn't a pretty final round, but Lefty got it done because he straightened out his driver and got his putter rolling when he needed it the most.
Phil Mickelson backwards shot
I know, I know. We've all seen it before.
But this video features his best explanation on how he does it.
But this video features his best explanation on how he does it.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Friday Afternoon Golf Tips from the Northern Trust Open
In our final batch of tips from this year's Northern Trust Open we take a look at one of the most mechanically sound players on Tour, a leftie who likes to dress loud and the Tour's most unorthodox swing.
First up, the mechanically sound 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman. There aren't many moving parts in his swing. It's compact, athletic and he finishes in balance.
Behind those elevee slacks (below) is the 2006 Valero Texas Open champ, Eric Axley.
We confess, it's not an angle used in golf magazines or websites to show proper positions, but there's still something to learn. Take a look at his right leg. See how "firm" it is on his follow-through and that it's basically in the same position in his backswing? If you sway off the ball, do what Axley's does. Keep your forward leg "solid" through impact and you'll impart proper rotation and prevent swaying.
And now for what golf.com's Alan Shipnuck calls one of "the most unorthodox swings in pro golf." We'll go one step further and say it's THE MOST UNORTHODOX SWING IN PRO GOLF. And to emphasize we'll put it in caps and bold it too.
As Shipnuck notes Singh's club is "laid off at the top...
... and [his] downswing [has] a pronounced outside-in swipe."
Yikes.
Look how little (if any) hip rotation there is. It's a total arm swing. Not surprisingly Singh doesn't hit the ball very far.
We're struggling to pull a lesson from these shots, so we'll just say sometimes no matter how fundamentally "bad" your swing is, with lots of practice and crazy good hand/eye coordination you can make it as a Tour pro.
Any thoughts on Singh's swing? Let us know.
First up, the mechanically sound 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman. There aren't many moving parts in his swing. It's compact, athletic and he finishes in balance.
Behind those elevee slacks (below) is the 2006 Valero Texas Open champ, Eric Axley.We confess, it's not an angle used in golf magazines or websites to show proper positions, but there's still something to learn. Take a look at his right leg. See how "firm" it is on his follow-through and that it's basically in the same position in his backswing? If you sway off the ball, do what Axley's does. Keep your forward leg "solid" through impact and you'll impart proper rotation and prevent swaying.
And now for what golf.com's Alan Shipnuck calls one of "the most unorthodox swings in pro golf." We'll go one step further and say it's THE MOST UNORTHODOX SWING IN PRO GOLF. And to emphasize we'll put it in caps and bold it too.
As Shipnuck notes Singh's club is "laid off at the top...
... and [his] downswing [has] a pronounced outside-in swipe."
Yikes.
Look how little (if any) hip rotation there is. It's a total arm swing. Not surprisingly Singh doesn't hit the ball very far.
We're struggling to pull a lesson from these shots, so we'll just say sometimes no matter how fundamentally "bad" your swing is, with lots of practice and crazy good hand/eye coordination you can make it as a Tour pro.
Any thoughts on Singh's swing? Let us know.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
He's Baaaack
Tiger returns next week.
Do you think the PGA Tour needs him? This video might answer that question.
Do you think the PGA Tour needs him? This video might answer that question.
More Golf Tips from the Northern Trust Open (with Vijay Singh)
As promised, here are some more tips from Riviera Country Club's driving range.
Today we're devoting this space to the World's Number Four golfer, Vijay Singh.
Before we begin let's talk about what people know about Vijay:
His bag looked like a Cleveland Demo Day. The HiBore XL was in there, the Monster, the Launcher. Singh won with the XL last year, but it looked as though he wasn't sure which driver would make it in his bag this week.
Vijay's swing is old school. It's long and fluid, which suits his 6' 2" frame. This helps him swing like water and extend:
Check out the following two photos:
The key lesson here is how Singh's follow-through mirrors his downswing (you'll also see his follow-through match his backswing when it's halfway back). His wrists are hinged in the first photo and a millisecond from doing that in the second photo.
Note how in the second photo his right arm is starting to rotate over his left? His right hand is, as Harvey Penick would say, "shaking hands with the target." If you have trouble squaring the clubface, you need to shake hands with the target.
Above we see Singh not only taking perfect divots on Riviera's driving range, but also in a perfect position halfway back. How do we know it's perfect? His clubshaft is bisecting his bicept. Now, run to a mirror and do this so you can set your club on plane.
Singh tees off today at 12:12pm PST.
More tips from the range tomorrow.
Today we're devoting this space to the World's Number Four golfer, Vijay Singh.
Before we begin let's talk about what people know about Vijay:
- He practices all the time.
- He loves to give tips to his fellow pros.
- He seriously guards against hitting the ball to the left.
His bag looked like a Cleveland Demo Day. The HiBore XL was in there, the Monster, the Launcher. Singh won with the XL last year, but it looked as though he wasn't sure which driver would make it in his bag this week.
Vijay's swing is old school. It's long and fluid, which suits his 6' 2" frame. This helps him swing like water and extend:
Check out the following two photos:
The key lesson here is how Singh's follow-through mirrors his downswing (you'll also see his follow-through match his backswing when it's halfway back). His wrists are hinged in the first photo and a millisecond from doing that in the second photo.Note how in the second photo his right arm is starting to rotate over his left? His right hand is, as Harvey Penick would say, "shaking hands with the target." If you have trouble squaring the clubface, you need to shake hands with the target.
Above we see Singh not only taking perfect divots on Riviera's driving range, but also in a perfect position halfway back. How do we know it's perfect? His clubshaft is bisecting his bicept. Now, run to a mirror and do this so you can set your club on plane. Singh tees off today at 12:12pm PST.
More tips from the range tomorrow.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Natalie Gulbis...You're Fired?
Looks like Natalie Gulbis will be battling wits (or something like that) on the next season on Celebrity Apprentice.
Before commenting, I think I'm just going to let this video set in. Yeah. That's a good idea.
Before commenting, I think I'm just going to let this video set in. Yeah. That's a good idea.
Golf Tips at the Northern Trust Open
What can you learn from a PGA Tour player's golf swing? A lot.
The Golf Tips staff was at the Northern Trust Open yesterday scouring Riviera Country Club's two driving ranges for great tips. We found them.
Here's 3-time winner Kirk Triplett just after impact. Note how his weight has shifted into his left side? His hips have cleared out of the way and his right heel is slightly off the ground. Many amateurs don't do this (they do what's called a "reverse pivot" where their weight falls back onto their right side and, as a result, swing mostly with their arms and slice across the ball).
Another good example of someone who clears their hips is Lucas Glover, although the more flexible 29 year old can keep his right foot planted at impact. Don't try this if you work a desk job.
Here's a down the line shot of Triplett. Take a look at how his club's shaft matches his right arm. Again, a lot of amateurs fail to stay "on plane" like Kirk. His extension here shows that he's kept the club going around his body on the follow-through. Try this at home in a mirror to ensure you're rotating the club properly.
Take a look at Stephen Ames, post-impact. Note how his hips have cleared out of the way and the club remains in front of his chest as he turns. Some people may look at this swing and say "see, you've got to keep your head down," we don't believe that's the best advice to pass onto golfers. All too often "keeping your head down" leads to poor weight shift. In fact better players like Annika Sorenstam and David Duval actually rotate their head toward the target as they approach impact. The key is to keep rotating to the left.
2002 PGA Champ Rich Beem isn't too proud to use a training aid on the range. Here he's trying to keep his legs together so he remains stable and doesn't move off the ball during his swing. Does anybody know the name of this training aid? We don't. Help!
Look for more snaps from Riv's range tomorrow.
The Golf Tips staff was at the Northern Trust Open yesterday scouring Riviera Country Club's two driving ranges for great tips. We found them.
Here's 3-time winner Kirk Triplett just after impact. Note how his weight has shifted into his left side? His hips have cleared out of the way and his right heel is slightly off the ground. Many amateurs don't do this (they do what's called a "reverse pivot" where their weight falls back onto their right side and, as a result, swing mostly with their arms and slice across the ball).
Another good example of someone who clears their hips is Lucas Glover, although the more flexible 29 year old can keep his right foot planted at impact. Don't try this if you work a desk job.
Here's a down the line shot of Triplett. Take a look at how his club's shaft matches his right arm. Again, a lot of amateurs fail to stay "on plane" like Kirk. His extension here shows that he's kept the club going around his body on the follow-through. Try this at home in a mirror to ensure you're rotating the club properly.
Take a look at Stephen Ames, post-impact. Note how his hips have cleared out of the way and the club remains in front of his chest as he turns. Some people may look at this swing and say "see, you've got to keep your head down," we don't believe that's the best advice to pass onto golfers. All too often "keeping your head down" leads to poor weight shift. In fact better players like Annika Sorenstam and David Duval actually rotate their head toward the target as they approach impact. The key is to keep rotating to the left.
2002 PGA Champ Rich Beem isn't too proud to use a training aid on the range. Here he's trying to keep his legs together so he remains stable and doesn't move off the ball during his swing. Does anybody know the name of this training aid? We don't. Help!
Look for more snaps from Riv's range tomorrow.
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