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Sorenstam, Wie "jib-jab"
2007-06-07 17:43:00
Annika Sorenstam is not one of the many Michelle Wie fans crying, "Poor Michelle" after her withdrawal from the Ginn Tribute last week. In fact, Annika is a bit miffed (and rightfully so) after being snubbed by Wie. Etiquette is obviously ...
More About: General , Stam

Tiger Woods' golf tips for side-hill lies, stay one-up by beating the heat
2007-06-04 15:32:00
Click here to listen. This past week, Barry and I were guests at the Canyon Club, a private golf club located in Armonk, New York. The course was both well manicured and picturesque. My main problems stemmed from the side-hill lies. ...
More About: Tiger Woods , Golf , General , Tips , Heat

Michelle Wie hits bottom, Mickelson out of the Memorial
2007-05-31 18:58:00
Just when fans were eagerly awaiting a great weekend of golf featuring Mich elle Wie , Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, despair set in. Michelle Wie proved to be doing the "moonwalk" in her quest to compete admirably in any professional tournament, PGA or LPGA. Some would still say that Wie is the perfect (?) "ten" even after her blowup hole on the back nine at the Ginn Tribute hosted by Annika Sorenstam, never finishing but coming in dead last (+14) before finally succumbing to her dreaded fate. Wie didn't see it coming although she did predict in her pre-tournament interview, "I know I won't play my absolute, absolute best golf, but I'm still going to try my hardest." Almost concurrently, Phil Mickelson withdrew from the Memo rial Tournament, citing an injury to his left wrist. Come on Phil, I'm a lefty too and know that the left hand only hangs onto the golf club. But, with the U.S. Open coming up Mickelson can take no chances so, although I'm filled with disappointment that ...
More About: Hits

Palmer tells us why Tiger Woods beats Mickelson, a golf tip for kids and mo
2007-05-28 19:20:00
Click here to listen. Arnold Palmer believes that Tiger Woods is "every bit as aggressive as Phil (Mickelson)" in the June issue of Golf Digest Magazine. There is one difference, however, which gives Tiger the edge. Find out on this week's ...
More About: Kids , General

Wie feeling "warm and loved", Sorenstam goes unnoticed
2007-05-25 16:45:00
As Michelle Wie gears up for yet another circus performance at the Ginn Tribute next week (and has just confirmed her third John Deere Classic), Annika Sorenstam's sister, Charlotta, quietly took the lead in first-round action at the LPGA Corning ...
More About: General , Notice , Feeling , Feel , Stam

Tiger Woods' escape from deep rough, Zagat Golf Course Guide and Stan Utley
2007-05-14 21:57:00
Click here to listen. Tiger Woods may not have had a stellar performance at the Players Championship (his putting let him down once again), but at least he came away with a smile on his face on Sunday after redeeming himself ...
More About: Golf , General , Guide , Deep

Can Butch Harmon checkmate Tiger Woods using Phil Mickelson?
2007-05-10 22:28:00
Do you think Butch Harmon was bitter when given the "heave-ho" by Tiger Woods ? Current teaching professional Hank Haney claimed, "those other instructors never wanted to give us a chance. The result was never going to make them look better." Now ...
More About: General , Mate , Sing , Phil

PGA Tour discovers Turning Stone, a great New York weekend getaway plus put
2007-05-07 17:07:00
Click here to listen. "Turning Stone leaves no stone unturned!" That's Barry's quote, plain and simple, after we accompanied a group of writers to Turning Stone Lodge. Our mission? To let our listeners in on the buzz accompanying this multidimensional casino/resort. ...
More About: New York , General , Great , York , Tour

Sorenstam needs Wie for Ginn Tribute, Big Break's Cindy Miller gives slice
2007-04-27 03:09:00
Click here to listen. This week Golf for Beginners discusses the Ginn Tribute hosted by Annika Sorenstam. Although Michelle Wie has accepted a sponsor's exemption at the end of May, we wonder if Annika Sorenstam's back injury will prevent her from ...
More About: General , Give , Need , Indy , Miller

Mickelson hires Butch Harmon, 4-in-One Golf Club System review and tempo/ba
2007-04-23 15:10:00
Click here to listen. Butch Harmon, a top golf teaching professional and Phil Mickelson's new swing coach, helps us (and our listeners) with the short game this week. Although it is reported that Mickelson hired Harmon to help him with his ...
More About: System , Golf , General , Review , View

Justin Timberlake and Michelle Wie hoping for PGA Tour exemptions
2007-04-19 18:17:00
Justin Timberlake must have plenty of time on his hands. He has decided that songwriting should take a back seat to his dream of playing on the PGA Tour . Using the same philosophy as Alice Cooper (either drink all day or ...
More About: Justin Timberlake , Michelle Wie , General

Davis Love III needs more Suunto G6 practice, country club golf versus publ
2007-04-16 16:56:00
Click here to listen. Davis Love III is winless so far this year, but still has two top ten's to his credit. Still, could the former five-time winner of the Verizon Heritage use a bit more time on the driving range ...
More About: Country , Golf , Practice , Club

Former Masters Champion Tiger Woods gives driving lessons, stay warm with U
2007-04-09 15:20:00
Click here to listen. Tiger Wood s anticipated winning this year's Masters Tournament but didn't bring along his "A-Game", nor did he look relaxed and confident, thus leaving the door open for young Zach Johnson. In this week's episode we talk about ...
More About: Driving , With , War

Mickelson's Masters Disaster: Round One
2007-04-05 23:12:00
Can Phil Mickelson still win the Mast er s? I think a better question would be, "Will Mickelson make the weekend?" Lefty's card on Masters .org is very colorful showing four bogeys, one double and two birdies on the first nine holes. There were ...
More About: Disaster , Round

Will Mickelson assist Woods with Masters jacket? Clicgear push cart review
2007-04-02 15:18:00
Click here to listen. Face it, we all want to see a Tiger Wood s - Phil Mickelson duel at this year's Masters Tournament. Even Arnold Palmer declared, "It helps the game to have that kind of rivalry. The more we can ...
More About: Jacket , Review , With , View

Michelle Wie has a lot to learn about winning says Kathy Whitworth
2007-03-29 18:03:00
In a recent interview with ESPN.com, LPGA career-win leader Kathy Whitworth was given a chance to air her feelings about rising star Michelle Wie . Since she is no longer considered a "threat" at this year's Kraft Nabisco Championship, how many ...
More About: Earn , About , Elle , Hell

Podcast: Exercises for good "Golf Rx", Adeo GPS fitness trainer and grip ti
2007-03-26 15:36:00
Click here to listen. An article in this week's New York Post asks, "What do Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Davis Love III all have in common?" Aside from their highly accurate irons, the answer is the unfortunate decision to have ...
More About: Pod , Fitness , Golf , Exercise , Rainer

Michelle Wie's ranking tumbles, Tiger Woods' negative self talk, The Shoe T
2007-03-19 16:34:00
Click here to listen to this week's podcast. Michelle Wie has fallen to seventeenth position dropping beneath rival Morgan Pressel in the latest Rolex Rank ings. Although her cast has been removed, it is unknown if Wie's wrist will be in perfect ...
More About: Tiger Woods , Self , Talk

Tiger Woods and Elin demolish crib to keep relatives at bay
2007-03-13 16:31:00
Tiger Wood s is not only becoming a golf course designer but now has his hand in demolition. He and wife Elin have decided to bulldoze their existing Jupiter Island McMansion in favor of a smaller main house and two guest cottages. I have never been inside of a twenty-three thousand square foot home, but at ten times bigger than my "castle", I'm betting that it echos at night. Of course, if you're Tiger Woods, that "smaller" house translates into half the space of his current living area with two additional guest houses on the ten-plus acre waterfront compound. Perhaps it was Elin who first made the case for several smaller homes as opposed to their current spread. When the baby is born and Woods returns to his regular PGA Tour schedule, there will be two sets of in-laws pawing at the newborn. As Samuel Johnson once said, "No money is better spent than what is laid out for domestic satisfaction."
More About: Tiger Woods , Relatives , Keep , Demo

Golf club trade-in values, Tiger Woods putting tip, Velocity Wipes review
2007-03-12 14:30:00
Click here to listen to this week's podcast. Tiger Wood s may have blown that four-foot putt at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship but he is still one of the best short-game artists on the PGA Tour. We borrow a golf ...
More About: Golf , Review , Trade

Will Annika Sorenstam need to do a Mexican hat dance to take the eyes off L
2007-03-09 04:58:05
Let me get straight to the point. Annika Sorenstam picked the wrong event for her LPGA season debut. Let's face it, the MasterCard Classic honoring Alejo Peralto is a tournament custom-made for Lorena Ochoa. Her fan base is in Mexico and she already won the Corona Morelia last year, earning the respect and accolades of her country and its citizens. Golf is a sport that is rising in popularity in Mexico and Ochoa is at its forefront. Sorenstam has taken her season opener five times (three in a row) but now must face off against Ochoa who is poised to steamroll over Karrie Webb and take top honors in the Rolex Rankings. True, Lorena has had her rookie "blips", snowmen coming down the stretch to sidewind her just at the moment of glory. But this year I see a different side to Lorena, one filled with confidence that won't allow her to be put off by a miserable eight. Although the season-openers in Hawaii were merely "okay" for Lorena (one top-five and one not worth mentioning), th...
More About: Eyes , Dance , Mexican , Take , Hat

Woods and Mickelson: PGA Tour royalty? Divot-Rite training aid and stop chu
2007-03-05 16:56:06
Click here to listen to this week's podcast. Tiger Wood s and Phil Mickelson are two of the best known "celebrity" golfers on the PGA Tour , but are they becoming royalty? Is the PGA Tour controlling the action or are the powers-that-be allowing them too much leniency? This week's question on "How we see it" is: Do Tiger and Phil have a responsibility to both the fans and the PGA Tour to play in more events? After all, in most other sports, you don't get to choose when you play. Sometimes the simplest devices can be the most effective. Divot-Rite has created a golf training aid which is supposed to correct one of the most popular swing faults of the average golfer, namely hitting the ball "fat". This small, plastic swing trainer also develops proper alignment, stance and shot accuracy. Does Divot-Rite work? Listen to this week's review and find out! While using Divot-Rite, Barry and I thought it would be great to offer up a golf tip specifically about how to avoid hitting th...
More About: Training , Rain , Train

Podcast: Tiger Woods blows pre-putt routine, Club Glove Aficionado III Stan
2007-02-26 16:51:02
Click here to listen. A single uncharacteristic putt for Tiger Wood s has given Nick O'Hern the title of "The Man who broke Tiger Woods' win streak". David took down Goliath for the second time in match play! Yes, this was a day of mental errors for Woods, from a shot that landed in the drink right down to that four-foot putt on the nineteenth hole which, as Woods claimed, left a "totally" repairable ball mark. We at Golf for Beginners discuss the USGA Rules of Repair on the Putting Green as well as how you can avoid Tiger's costly mistake. Barry and I also review the Club Glove Aficionado III stand bag. It's extra-light (only 5.6 lbs. fully loaded) as well as amazingly strong. The Izzo dual-strap design coupled with a thick, large, lumbar support makes it comfortable and easy to carry. A super-nice feature of the Club Glove Aficionado III is that all pockets are easily removable for lighter practice rounds although don't be fooled by this golf bag! It's large enough t...
More About: Pod , Love , Podcast

Is Michelle Wie's presence haunting Creamer, Granada at LPGA Fields Open?
2007-02-25 16:51:02
Paula Creamer and Julieta Granada, although two of the hottest golfers currently on the LPGA Tour, played second fiddle to none other than Michelle Wie in the interview room at this week's Fields Open . Pam Warner insisted on slipping Michelle's name into her questioning, asking the two ladies, "This is Michelle Wie's home course, do you wish at all that you had a chance to play against her here?" To Paula Creamer, it doesn't matter who is in the field, as she stated, "Ultimately I just come out trying to play my game and play the course and beat that number". Young Granada, still laden with the enthusiasm of newness claimed excitedly, "Yeah, of course, I want to compete against the best and she always has a great game." But did it really matter? In second round action, Creamer starts tied for 52nd and Granada is hovering tied for 13th. Hardly the same game they both played last week at the SBS Open. Although this is Michelle's home course she is not playing this week. Her ...
More About: Nada , Elle , Presence

Ogilvy and Harrington underdogs to Tiger Woods when betting on WGC-Accentur
2007-02-21 22:48:02
The Victor Chandler Agency, most notable for its British Open bets, has given the edge to Tiger Wood s (1/5) over J.J. Henry for this first round qualifier of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and places Henry at 150/1 to win overall. Woods is the overall favorite which is a head-scratcher because of his early exit from last year's event. The ultimate winner of last year's tournament, Geoff Ogilvy, although relishing that role, still feels it's important not to antagonize the number-one golfer in the world because, "he won the first nine holes last year after Stephen (Ames) ruffled him up a bit." Ogilvy may very well have a point as Woods is looking to extend his win streak to eight and break Byron Nelson's record. When the Tiger has something to prove, he's usually unstoppable. But match-play has also taken down the top PGA Tour golfers early. Els and Mickelson made hasty departures last year and Vijay Singh didn't even make it past the first round. That being said,...
More About: Dogs , Cent , Ring

Women's golf clubs challenge men's, RedEye i330 laser putter review and a t
2007-02-21 10:47:02
Click here to listen. Our first battle of the sexes debate originated from an article featured in Golf for Women Magazine. Leave it to Stina Sternberg to cause more controversy ;-) as she claims in the February 2007 edition of Golf Digest Magazine, "Now your wife can start beating you". Do golf clubs really make the player or can a player hit any golf clubs and score? "Effortless power", a thought mentioned by PGA Tour golfer/instructor extraordinaire Bob Toski, is our golf tip of the week. Toski regularly maintained that golf is not a game of brute strength. "An ounce of touch is worth a ton of brawn", he claimed. Accuracy in putting brings confidence which translates into lower scores. With this thought in mind, Barry and I review the RedEye i330 Laser Putter. The on-board laser guidance system quickly and easily unscrews to allow use of this USGA-approved putter on the golf course. The Electronic Smart Target laser sensory system showed Barry that his alignment needs work. ...
More About: Clubs , Review

Podcast: X-Y Factor (part two), RedEye i330 laser putter review and a golf
2007-02-20 10:46:12
Click here to listen. Our first battle of the sexes debate originated from an article featured in Golf for Women Magazine. Leave it to Stina Sternberg to cause more controversy ;-) as she claims in the February 2007 edition of Golf Digest Magazine, "Now your wife can start beating you". Do golf clubs really make the player or can a player hit any golf clubs and score? "Effortless power", a thought mentioned by PGA Tour golfer/instructor extraordinaire Bob Toski, is our golf tip of the week. Toski regularly maintained that golf is not a game of brute strength. "An ounce of touch is worth a ton of brawn", he claimed. Accuracy in putting brings confidence which translates into lower scores. With this thought in mind, Barry and I review the RedEye i330 Laser Putter. The on-board laser guidance system quickly and easily unscrews to allow use of this USGA-approved putter on the golf course. The Electronic Smart Target laser sensory system showed Barry that his alignment needs work. ...
More About: Pod , Review , Podcast

LPGA SBS Open - Hawaii dreaming
2007-02-17 10:44:11
Ah, to be in Hawai i with the tradewinds blowing, the smell of the ocean and the ability to play in a professional golf tournament! This week, while the LPGA makes its official debut at the Turtle Bay Resort, I will be dreaming of a vacation in Oahu as I try to stop my teeth from chattering in sub-temperate New York. With only three days of play, the ladies begin to wonder if their games are up to snuff, what they need to work on in the coming weeks to improve their chances and if they can be this season's Player of the Year. Here are some questions that I have been pondering: Will Lorena Ochoa be in the same fine form as in 2006? Will Julieta Granada show she's a better "sophomore" than rookie? In her rookie season, Granada won $1 million in one match-play event...hard to beat on the LPGA Tour. Can people stop looking at Natalie Gulbis solely as a calendar girl this season? Perhaps if she finally wins a tournament. Will Paula Creamer return for her junior season fiery of ...
More About: Open , Dream , Dreaming

Sappy FedEx Cup commercial lacks machismo
2007-02-17 10:44:11
"Who will be the first to kiss her?" asks the PGA Tour about it's newly created FedEx Tiffany-designed Cup. Did Tim Finchem really "okay" this one or was he in cahoots with Carolyn Bivens to create something syrupy for the LPGA Tour? Perhaps they swapped commercials? Come on guys, toughen up. You're playing for $10 million dollars, not auditioning for one of Shakespeare's comedies. For example, "Drink to me only with thine eyes and I will pledge with mine", croons Dean Wilson. "Other men have seen angels, but I have seen thee, thou art enough", warbles Sean O'Hair. "I'd fly to the moon and back if she'd be my baby" shouts Aaron Baddeley, probably the best actor in the bunch. Where's the beef, guys? Valentine's Day is over!
More About: Commercial , Mac , Comm , Merc , Lack

Will a pre-teen grab Michelle Wie's spotlight?
2007-02-13 22:43:02
Before Michelle Wie , at the ripe old age of seventeen, even wins her first professional golf event, Golf Digest's March 2007 edition has her successor all picked out! Twelve-year-old Alexis Thompson has trounced girls that are Wie's age at the Doral-Publinx Junior Golf Classic, recently took third place at an amateur tournament for women of all ages and almost advanced to the sectional qualifying at the 2005 U.S. Women's Open (prior to this Morgan Pressel was the youngest qualfier at just twelve). Thompson can hit her drives 230 yards and has aspirations of playing golf on the LPGA Tour but, as we all know, much can happen by 2013, the year that Alexis graduates from high school. The boulevard of broken dreams is filled with wide-eyed enthusiasts hoping for their turn at success. Does the popular golf magazine believe that Michelle is already washed up? The title of the article, "The next Michelle Wie" sure makes me think so. With her wrist out of commission, the possibility ...
More About: Spot , Elle , Will , Light