If you’ve been watching pro golf for the last 10 years, you’ve been watching two of the greatest golf matches of the last 50 years and perhaps the next 50. Confused? Let me explain.

How many times have you heard ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could watch Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods go head to head in their respective primes’. Nice, but not possible. However, we have something even better, we have been watching Jack and Tiger match their careers for 10 years. It’s been exciting and is probably still a draw.

I predicted earlier in the year that Tiger would be back if he was physically OK. His win a couple of weeks ago in California demonstrated that. It’s also important that he won in typical Tiger fashion, making clutch shots down the stretch, birdieing the last two holes to beat Zach Johnson. Next year, if he stays healthy, he’ll win one major, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins two. That would put him only a couple of majors away from tying Jack. Welcome to the 4th quarter of the greatest golf duel in history.

A quick recap. Tiger has 14 majors compared to Jack’s 18. Jack got number 15 in 1978 at age 38 when he won the British Open by a two shot margin over Ben Crenshaw, Raymond Floyd, Tom Kite and Simon Owen. Jack’s previous major was in 1975. Tiger won his last major, the US Open, in 2008. He’ll be 36 in 2012. It’s been 3 years since he won a major, just like Jack at about the same age. Looks to me like this career match is about dead even, particularly if Tiger wins in 2012. If he gets at least one Major next year we will be in for one heck of a finish in this great rivalry.

If Tiger does beat or tie Jack, then we’re seeing the beginnings of the next great golf match; Tiger vs. whoever is going to beat his record. If Tiger wins, say 19 majors, it may seem impossible that anyone will ever beat that. But don’t count on it. What’s the old saying, ‘Records are made to be broken’. Stay tuned, we’re just hitting the back 9 on Sunday in the greatest rivalry ever and witnessing the beginning of the next one!

Related posts:

1. Tiger Versus Jack
2. Golf Swings: Tiger vs. Tom
3. Firestone Pick – Not Tiger

First, let me congratulate Keegan Bradley on a very impressive win. I want to make sure that anyone reading the rest of this blog doesn’t think I’m demeaning Keegan in any way, shape or form. Playing the Atlanta Athletic Club course as he did, and considering who he beat and how he beat them speaks volumes about what a terrific golf talent he is.

This last week’s PGA has proven to me that I don’t understand much about the modern game of golf. First, I don’t understand the pro game and world rankings. The top 3 ranked golfers have never won a Major. This isn’t an indictment of the golfers. It’s more about the state of the game.

It’s impossible to predict anymore who will win the next major. They come from everywhere. I believe I read where the last 13 majors have been won by first-timers. If Tiger doesn’t return to form does this mean the trend will continue for 5 or 10 years? The guys who are supposed to be the favorites in these events weren’t ever in the running this time around.

Maybe this year’s PGA was different. Could it be that the course was so long and tricked up that it threw all predictability out the window. If you want your course to host the next US Open or PGA Championship does it mean that you have to change it to the point where it’s unplayable by your membership.

Who can regularly play a par 3 that’s 265 yards and protected by water? What is that? Are there some evil forces at work trying to take over the game. Do such holes really test the pros or are they so extreme that they bring an inordinate amount of luck into the contest. I don’t get it!

We are now living in the connected age. I understand that more and more people are even moving away from TV to get content on their handhelds and iPads. I tried to watch and/or listen to the PGA Championship via their ‘Live’ coverage. It didn’t work! Should it have? Based on trying the same thing with the British Open I would say yes, definitely!

The British seem to have figured out how to stream video to their website as well as making live audio available. I was without TV during the British Open, but I felt I really could enjoy the game on my computer and iPad. Not so with an American event, hosted by the nation that thinks it invented the internet.

As a footnote, the commercials showed up quite nicely – thank you very much. I don’t understand why the PGA is so far behind in technology. You’d better figure out how to broadcast events other than on TV or you are going to lose viewers.

I don’t get the long putters. I can see that they work great for at least some players, just look at Adam Scott and Bradley Keegan. Are they magic or just a trend. Will we see Adam and Bradley back to ‘regular’ putters by next year’s Masters.

Should these putters ever have been allowed in the first place? I my mind the answer is no, but then again I’m not a club manufacturer looking for continuous equipment upgrades. How does an average Joe or Jane take such a thing on a plane? Do you have to get a new golf travel bag?

Lastly, I don’t really get why golf is so, so ….fickle? Every time I play I’m amazed that I can hit a great shot followed by a terrible shot. How can you hit beautiful drives for 3 holes and then not find the fairway for the next 5? Putting is even more mysterious.

How do you go from lagging puts to within a foot to leaving them 6 feet long or short over the course of a couple of holes? How does Darren Clarke, an exceptional golfer, go from winning the British Open to missing the cut badly at the PGA.

How does Louis Oosthuizen play such incredible golf at last year’s British Open and then all but disappear? How can Padraig Harrington win 3 majors and then not really compete in any tournaments since? I really don’t get it! If you’ve figured it out please let me know!

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Congrats to Darren Clarke! It’s been a long time coming, but perhaps that makes his win even sweeter.

For those who were really paying attention, the game of golf taught us a lot about itself during this year’s British Open. Golf is not an easy game. There’s a big gulf between the very good and the great. The old courses can hold up quite nicely to the best in the world. Losing doesn’t mean choking. Putting is still the most important part of the game. Golf is one part physical and two parts mental.

Let me elaborate; Darren Clarke is a very, very, very good tour golfer. He’s been a stalwart of the European Tour and Ryder Cup play for 20 years. He just won his first major at 42. Darren is the perfect example of the mysterious, elusive and rewarding nature of the game.  No one knows if he’ll win another, but I doubt it. It took him 20 years to win his first, not because he’s not great, because it’s not that easy.

Remember, most of the tour pros never win a Major. That’s most as in the vast majority. Makes you really appreciate the guys like Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros and Gary Player who won many. It makes guys like Jack and Tiger seem otherworldly!

I’m getting tired of announcers who are too quick to label a player as a “choker” when they hit a bad shot and don’t win. Every golfer in every tournament hits bad shots. It that wasn’t true then 59′s would be nothing special. Dustin Johnson did not win on Sunday, but he didn’t choke either. He ran out of patience. Darren was playing and putting well and there weren’t many holes left.

He knew he was running out of time to make a move, so he tried to pass on the second to last turn and hit the wall. Maybe he should have waited until the last turn. We’ll never know, but it wasn’t a choke. Did he hit a bad shot under pressure? Yes, but so has every other golfer. Maybe next time he’ll be inclined to wait a little longer and use his gas pedal very carefully. The guy who was the master at that has the record for the most number of Majors. Dustin is still learning and as long as you’re in the learning phase you will get better!

Interesting how a traditional links course over a hundred years old stood up to the best in the world. At times, it didn’t look like the old girl even broke a sweat. She had some help from the weather, but even without that she looked tougher than Congressional. Part of the secret is that British Isle links courses have nary a flat spot.

As Padraig Harrington said during a practice round, a good golf shot can end up in a bad place. For those who have studied the game, that’s always been part of it. There’s always a bit of luck involved, both bad and good just like in life. A true champion usually has to handle adversity along the way. It also didn’t hurt that there were only two par 5′s at Royal St. George’s.

You know the old adage – you can play well and score poorly and play poorly and score well. In many cases the difference between the two is putting. A purring putter can make up for a lot of mishits, while a balky putter can leave you scratching your head when you’re striking the ball nearly perfectly. Darren Clarke was strong tee to green all week, but it’s his putting that gave him the jug, particularly on Sunday.

Without that, Phil might have won, who, by the way, did himself in when he missed the short putt early into his Sunday back nine. One missed short putt can do more to erode your confidence and affect your entire play than a great drive does to lift it.

Dustin Johnson was suffering from an infection for most of the tournament. Sinus I believe. But he still played very well. I can’t help but think that your mental state is more important than your physical. Darren Clarke has been working with a couple of sport psychologists recently. Could that have been the edge he needed to get his first major?

From what I’ve seen in golf, your physical state stays pretty much the same during a round. Maybe you get a little tired if you’re out of shape but that’s about it. However, the mental can and does change on a dime. Hit a bad shot and you may not lose the bad mood for a few holes. Get distracted by a playing partner and then it seems everything they do the rest of the round is distracting.

Miss a short putt and get down on yourself and often the ensuing foul mood costs you another couple of strokes. And don’t forget the role that mental concentration plays. I think that I can honestly say that I’ve never played a round where I didn’t make at least one mental mistake. Unfortunately that too often reads ‘many’ mental mistakes.

Who knows, by 2050 maybe golf teachers will be psychologists first and foremost with much less focus on ‘swing theory’. Golf is such a wonderful game, always challenging and always enlightening for those so inclined!

Related posts:

1. Predictions Based On British Open Interviews
2. British Open TV Schedule
3. Tiger’s Plight and British Open Prediction

First, thanks to Troy for commenting on my last blog. It’s great to get some opinions about golf and in particular this Open. You’re right Troy, no one can know what this Open will signify. I’m only guessing, but if I’m right…

We’ve seen 2 days so far, so who might win this. Interestingly it’s a tight field. There’s a bundle of quality players within 5 strokes of the leaders. With the course firming up and the wind blowing, 5 strokes doesn’t mean much.

I’d love to see Darren Clarke win. He’s done a lot for golf and he’s been through a lot, but that doesn’t mean anything to the golfing gods. He’s scored well but way too inconsistent. Usually that catches up to you somewhere during 4 rounds.

Then there’s Lucas Glover, a guy who hasn’t been in the action much since winning the U.S. Open a few years ago. He seems steady. Could he be coming out of his post Open funk? Is he going to show us he’s a serious contender to being a dominant golfer?

Lurking close by are some interesting characters. First there’s Chad Campbell who’s really been missing in action since his big win. Nice guy, has he found something to rejuvenate his game?

Martin Kaymer is also a stroke back, maybe he’s the really World Number One. Or maybe not.

Thomas Bjorn is a Danish version of Davis Love III. He’s 40 and is still a long shot, but don’t count him out.

Angel Jimenez, now there’s a guy I’d love to see win. He plays the game as only a Spaniard can, buy sucking every last bit of life out of it. He’s craftily good. Maybe he doesn’t lead the tour in any statistics but this guy can put it together from time to time. Out of the top 6 he’s my favorite. He’s also the guy I’d most like to have supper with – eat, drink and be merry while you can!

After that the field is filled with old and young, decorated and not. Even Phil and the young English amateur are within striking distance. Tomorrow should sort things out a bit if the wind blows and we see some rain. Who’s got thick enough skin to be patient and not panic?

Related posts:

1. Tiger’s Plight and British Open Prediction
2. British Open Lessons
3. Thursday At The Open

Are we in fact on a precipice or? Is this one of those points we’ll look back upon and think, ‘yeah, that’s when things started to change’. In case you haven’t been keeping up to date; the days of Arnold, Jack, Raymond, Tiger, Phil and rest like them are gone.

Waiting years to join a country club – gone. Having to know how to hit a fade or draw – yeah that’s gone too. Or maybe not! Maybe the times are about to change. Maybe the pendulum has reached the end of an arc and is now, momentarily suspended, getting ready to head back the other way.

Perhaps Golf isn’t about leaving the wife, smoking cigars, drinking too much and riding around in a cart mindless even of what type of grass is on the greens. Could this sport, game, past-time or even ‘good walk spoiled’ really be about something else? Something that Francis Ouimet, Bobby Jones, Old Tom Morris and Alister McKenzie knew about?

If there’s someplace that deserves to be the turning point, what better place than the Open. In many ways an Open embodies much of what Golf represents – a level playing field to test physical and mental alignment. I didn’t say strength. That would be over simplifying something that’s much more complex and nuanced than any single characteristic could evoke.

For big change to happen, the King has to go. Without Tiger, Golf has lost it’s bigger than life rudder, a rudder that dwarfed much of the boat and rigging. Tiger’s 2-3 years competitive absence from the game has left the sport ready for something new. The game now is a great broiling mixture of old and new swing theories, equipment, course design, rules, celebrities and financial strength. Unlike other popular professional sports, Golf requires, for the most part, an audience that actually plays the game. It’s unique in that way.

Too many governing bodies have been asleep for a couple of decades or maybe just paralyzed about what decisions to make. The public media has lost the storyline of golf that made it appealing to the common man and woman for hundreds of years. Tour players, like pro sports figures in most every media promoted sport, make too much – not compared to their peers but to the average, middle class golfer.

So why might this Open signal a turning point? It’s got a links course that’s as much about strategy and decision making as executing shots. (If that kind of thinking gets you excited then you’ve got to watch THIS VIDEO – the Open Championship Part One under Features – on the Open website. Padraig Harrington explains to anyone who’s listening what Golf is about over the course of playing the 18th hole at Royal St. George’s.)

There’s an amateur tied for the lead after Day 1. There are 15 very good golfers in the hunt, none of whom is dominant and a few that could control the World Rankings for a few years. It’s got a course that isn’t flat, with fairway mounds that funnel well struck balls into bad places. It’s got a public that still gets what the sport is about. And it might just have some weather, weather that should be a part of any true test of the game.

Watch closely. You might just be able to recall this date in 15 years and remember fondly that ‘you were there when it began to unfold.

Troy, if you’re listening, why don’t you write in your thoughts. Anything catch your attention in this Open?

No related posts.

Royal St. George's Golf Course

It’s clear to anyone who’s paying attention that Tiger is one hurting dude physically. As I wrote before the Masters, it started to become clear this year that Tiger’s playing problems had nothing to do with his indiscretions and everything to do with his beat up body. Tiger is the first of the new era of ‘power’ torque players and he’s the first to pay the price that it takes on your body. Golf isn’t a contact sport, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get hurt playing the game.

We’ll all have to wait and see if Tiger’s body can heal enough that he can return to competition. It’s not clear at this point. Tiger never opens up about his personal situation, life or feelings so we’re not going to get the real story from him. We’ll just have to wait and see. Given his time away from the game this year already, I don’t expect him to be win anything in 2011 even if he does come back.

It’s going to take a full off season of getting ready and a decent early season schedule for him to return to form. The next major he has a real shot at will be the 2012 Masters. In the meantime his fall down the rankings will continue. Will we ever know just how much that hurts his ego? Guys that he could beat 9 out of 10 times are passing him left and right with every tournament played.

Besides having one of the best players to ever pick up clubs sidelined we’re missing the opportunity to see how the new young guns stack up to Tiger in his prime. If Tiger was in full form of 3 years ago, would Rory still have run away with the U.S. Open? We’ll never know just like we don’t know how Tiger and Jack in their respective primes would have fared against each other. I guess that’s what keeps the sport pundits in business.

Without Tiger, what does one make of the British Open this year? I think we can rule out the old guys this year, none are showing the form needed to win an Open. What can you conclude other than it’s up for grabs – maybe someone from the top 5 world rankings, another unknown or anyone in between. A couple of guys are hot as of late, but past Opens have proven that doesn’t mean much unless you are a hall of famer.

Royal St. George’s is a classic links venue, with nary a flat spot, lots of pot bunkers and rough that looks like a hay field. But the real factor in any links course is always the weather. If it’s benign the long hitters will fly over most of the trouble and have an advantage. If the wind blows then it’s anyone’s open to win. Bottom line, don’t expect to see an American hoist the Claret Jug this year.

Related posts:

1. British Open TV Schedule
2. Weather And British Open Courses
3. Woods and Oosthuizen-The two Biggest Surprises of the British Open

As we all know by now Rory is off to a rip-roaring start at the US Open. He is simply playing flawless golf. We’ll see where he lands on Sunday and whether or not he can shake those recent Sunday Master’s demons behind for good.

When I have caught segments of the Open so far this week I have heard a lot of comments on the beauty of Rory McIlroy’s golf swing. And it truly is a thing of beauty. He has everything – speed, power, total synchronization, touch – it’s all there. But as most of us fall into the amateur status, what things can we learn from watching the Rory McIlroy swing in the next few days?

For one, as a holistic view of his swing, he has exceptional rhythm. You don’t see anything herky-jerky in that swing do you? It goes back smooth and comes through just as smoothly, like a knife through butter. How can we bring a little of this “Rory-Rythm” to our own swing? I would recommend a drill I don’t often do enough, that is, to swing with your eyes closed and just go back and through, back and through. Then after 4-5 blinded shots put a ball down and try to hit it with your eyes closed.

I don’t care if you miss it, hit it 10 feet or more. Just get the feel in your body of a total golf swing. Try to feel your own innate rhythm. Try to feel the build-up of power from backswing to follow through. We tend to get so “ball-bound” that we end up trying to hit a frog with a stick – not a pretty picture.

Keep in mind, this may feel a bit less-powerful because your not exerting as much shoulder or arm power which, paradoxically, feels stronger. But if you swing “smoother” you will begin to feel that effortlessness or freedom in your swing and you’ll be surprised how you can access your own inner “Rory-ness” (and hit the ball a lot farther)

Also, if you watch Rory’s swing closely he really get a lot of golf power in the transition from backswing to forward swing by using a type of squat. Almost like the famous Sam Snead squat and as Sam says in the video, by squatting slightly he could throw “a bit more heat into it.” Rory, and other big hitters, really do this well by using the ground as leverage. Almost like they are screwing a corkscrew down into the ground on their forward transition giving them an extra spring-effect, burst of power as they whip into the ball. It’s a real compression into the ground.

Nick Bradley (whom we have spoke about a number of times before here at GolfDashblog) has an exercise to in his excellent (and highly recommended) The 7 Laws of the Golf Swingto really “awaken” your legs this way. The gist of it is really to practice with your knees really bent at address then explode up into the ball on your forward swing. Man, do that ten times and you’ll really feel your legs on fire.

Another thing I notice about Rory is that he has a wonderful follow-through and always in balance. This is bit harder to nail down but it’s the result of a lot of good things happening before. It’s something to really pay attention to in your swing. Do you complete your swing? Are you in balance?

One of the drills I have heard Rory uses is the 2 feet together drill. This is really a great drill (also often used by Jack Nicklaus) that promotes balance and rhythm into your swing. 2 things Rory doesn’t have to worry about (currently anyway)

As I move toward 50 I really can appreciate the rhythm and power and flexibility in the Rory McIlroy swing. It’s just a thing of beauty to watch. In some ways it’s the gift of youth. We can only imagine the where this gift will take Rory. However, we CAN take and integrate elements of Rory’s swing and use them to better our enjoyment of the game. The rest it’s up to you.

Related posts:

1. Improve Your Golf Swing Tempo
2. Improve Your Golf Swing Transition
3. What we can learn from David Duval

If it was excitement you wanted on Sunday, then it was excitement you got! No matter who you were rooting for, Sunday at the Masters was spectacular. David Feherty’s comment around 4 pm summed it up – ‘every continent but the Arctic and Antarctic is represented on the leader board’ – and it wasn’t hyperbole.

Tiger is back. Sure he’s not winning, but watching the back nine on Friday and the front nine on Sunday, he’s ingraining the new swing. His putting hurt him, but I suspect that’s only a bit more practice from being where he wants it. There’s no question he’ll win again. He’ll do it this year. The only question is when.

The boys from South Africa can play, can’t they? First Trevor Immelman, then Louis Oosthuizen and now Charl Schwartzel. The question is why do they disappear after spectacular performances. Most first time winners get blown out of the water after winning a major, too many distractions I guess. But in recent years the South Africans in particular seem to go into hybernation after winning a major. I suspect it has something to do with wanting to be at home. South Africa is a tough commute. The European Tour has become a hard full-time slog because tournaments are played all over the world. The only solution is to move to here and play this tour, something they haven’t been willing to do. I believe Trevor now has a place in Florida and perhaps that will improve his record. Bottom line, they turn out some great golfers.

It was nice to see Adam Scott make a great showing. He’s a  classic case of the ‘next superstar’ to fall from grace. Now it appears he’s back on track and may become a familiar face at the top of  the leaderboard. He was clutch down the stretch even if he didn’t win. This will do wonders for his confidence.

For the rest of the players there are more questions than answers. That seems to be the state of things in professional golf and doesn’t look to change for awhile. I’m not sure how many great players there are, but there are a lot of very good players. Looking forward to the next major, the U.S. Open, who’s going to win? I have no idea, but I’d venture there are at least 15 to 20 guys who might win that wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. That’s going to make it hard for any single person to dominate Majors in the coming years. Too many good athletes now see golf as a viable alternative to baseball, soccer, basketball and maybe even badminton. To that they can add high speed cameras that show every nuance of the golf swing. How can they not be good?

Last word; ‘Charl I hope you play more tournaments in the U.S so we can find out just how good you might be’!

Related posts:

1. Day 3 at the 2011 Masters
2. The Masters In HDTV
3. Day 2 Begins at the Masters

Some excellent action yesterday at the Masters! Rory is roaring ahead, Jason Day had an amazing 64 yesterday, Freddy is well positioned and Tiger is right back in the thick of it after shooting a stellar 66. You can see the scoreboard leaders.

This is really shaping up to be an exciting Masters! There just seems to be so many different players who could win. Even players just a bit farther down on the board, like: Westwood, Yang, Fowler, Oglivy, Furyk or Donald.

What’s nice this year is the mix of the old guard and the new. It’ll be fun today to watch Ricky Fowler play with Fred Couples. We’re talking 30 years difference in age! I mean what are they going to talk about? Seeing that they’re both single, probably the cute women in the gallery!

Tiger’s playing with KJ Choi which I think will be good for Tiger. KJ is a straight hitter and very steady, something that I think will be good psychologically for Tiger. Personally, I think it would be nice for Tiger to win. Like him or not, he’s done a tremendous amount for the game and maybe it’s time for him to win. He’s done his “time” – let’s get the focus back on his golf.

Rory is really appearing steady to me. In a number of interviews he has communicated how much he’s prepared for this event and it is certainly showing. He looks comfortable and unflappable at this point. But Saturday and Sunday can bring tension to the surface in a hurry – especially with Tiger in the mix.

Phil seems a bit out of it. He’s been playing shaky the 1st 2 days and unless he goes low today we can pretty much count him out.

Here are the Masters pairings for today.

PS: A little off topic but I am really impressed with the Masters website this year. Usually full of hiccups, it seems to be running as smoothly as the Augusta greens. The photography is just beautiful on pages like: The course (see holes and landmarks)

Related posts:

1. Day 2 Begins at the Masters
2. 2011 Masters Aftermath
3. Players Championship Update After Day 1

Interesting start after the first round of the Masters. Many of the older guys – make that Mickelson, Woods and possibly Westwood – are very much in it. A couple of rising stars – McIllroy and Quiros – have raced off to a quick lead. The world’s number 1 – Martin Kaymer – may not make the cut.

So what’s ahead and who will win? Phil said an interesting thing on Wednesday: ‘You know you’re going to have a bad day striking the ball at least once during 4 days. In that round your short game is going to bail you out or kill you.’ This will be Rory’s challenge. When he’s on, he’s a phenom. But everyone has to mentally hang tough when the swing isn’t 100 percent. If he learns to do that, he could become one of the best ever. He’s not going to have 3 more days at Augusta like yesterday. His bad day Saturday last year at St. Andrews kept him from winning his first major.

Alvaro Quiros is typical of many of the young rising stars in that he hits the ball a mile. I don’t think he’s got enough tough competition under his belt to survive the stress at Augusta this year, particularly because of the pressure on the Spanish players to do something great for Seve.

Phil is a tweak away from winning another green jacket. He’s in the right mood to pull it off and that’s key for him. He’s not really under any pressure, unlike Tiger, and he can go at the next 3 rounds like an engaging chess match. He’s still the favorite in my book.

Tiger, well who really knows. I dont’ think he does himself. He’s waiting for it to come together and it may. I feel that he’s still pressing. If he can learn to take some of the pressure off himself and play for the love and enjoyment of the game, then a new ‘old’ Tiger might emerge. But Tiger is a very proud man and still doesn’t appear to find much in the game besides winning. He’s still tense in press conferences. He doesn’t easily laugh at himself. Phil is just the opposite and he’s winning.

My dark horse pick after day 1 is Matt Kuchar. He’s been up as an amateur and then down for quite awhile as a pro before turning it around. He’s dealt with adversity and survived nicely. He’s perfected his swing, won big last year and is off to a good start this year. He’s comfortable in his own skin and has no undo pressure on him at Augusta. Plus he looks to be enjoying himself. He also has the short game and putting skills that Augusta demands. He just may be heading for Butler Cabin on Sunday afternoon.

Related posts:

1. Day 3 at the 2011 Masters
2. 2011 Masters Aftermath
3. Masters TV Coverage Is Broken!