Banks Lake Golf

Good golly these women can play! If you’ve not watched the showdown between Lorena Ochoa and Annika Sorenstam you may be missing what may be some of the best golf of this season so far.

From Golf Digest:

When asked for the umpteenth time if she thinks she can catch Ochoa in the Rolex Rankings Sorenstam just smiled and explained for the umpteenth that her focus is on playing great golf, not catching anyone. One of the key tenets of the Vision 54 philosophy she follows is to stay focused on the process (total commitment to each shot) and not on the result (beating anyone else).

“Hey, the swing is loose, enjoy it and take it from there,” she said when asked her mindset for the week. “I’m playing as well as I have ever played. That’s what matters. That’s why you play. That’s what I strive for. And when I am through playing I will direct that energy, focus and effort at the incredibly competitive world of business. I want to be one of the few women to build a brand in golf.”

On the course or off, Sorenstam is one great player. Way to go!

You just want to shake John Daly most of the time. Well, maybe even more dramatic action but - gosh darn it - when you can hit the ball forever shouldn’t you work the rest of you game a bit more and actually be a star? Better yet, can’t you even show up on time.

Yes John, the bad boy of golf, is at it again. Failing to show up in time for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Maybe if his coach Buster hadn’t quit the day before things would be better but given that he now thinks “Daly’s more interested in beer and Hooters’ girls than he is in golf” I don’t think a reunion is going to happen.

Get your golf game on this year with the right golf accessories. Hey and while you are at it take a gander at some of the cool Father’s Day golf gifts over at TheGolfCollection.com.

I recently saw this news article about Trump building a golf course in Scotland:

EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) - Scottish lawmakers on Wednesday backed government efforts to save Donald Trump’s proposed $2.1 billion golf resort that would be built on an unspoiled beach near Aberdeen.

he Scottish government took the unusual step of agreeing to review Trump’s application after a local council rejected it.

The project is now before the Scottish Parliament’s economy, energy and tourism committee and a final decision on the project is still likely months away.

“The committee felt the decision has given a worrying message to the rest of the world that Scotland is closed for business,” Tavish Scott, the head of the committee, said after the meeting.

Trump’s organization has said it is considering moving the billion-pound project to Northern Ireland after Aberdeenshire Council last week threw out plans for two championship golf courses and a five-star hotel on the northeast coast.

Environmental groups and local campaigners opposed the plans to build near sand dunes that are home to rare birds, skylarks and lapwings. The area is protected as an area of special scientific interest.

“The council is being bullied,” said Councilor Martin Ford who cast the deciding vote when the council became deadlocked over the proposal.

“There is an important principle at stake here,” Ford said. “It is certainly true that the council has been subject to hardball corporate American tactics.”

So I guess Trump wants to give old St Andrews Golf course a run for it’s money.  A battle of two iconic titans - the ceremony and dignified age of the Scottish course versus the Trump gold.  I cannot help but be reminded of the Saturday Night Live skit where Sean Connery’s impersonator says “It’s Scottish or it’s crap!”  I guess we’ll have to see what Trump really has in mind and no doubt there will be much more reported on this project if it gets rolling.

Any self respecting golfer does not yearn to see the first snowfall.  Once that happens who knows how long it might take for good golf playing weather to return.  That said we are moving into the ’season’ for christmas gift buying and goodness, my list is long this year.

More importantly I have a lot to be thankful for and have been reviewing all the good things that have happened to me and my family this past year.  This upcoming Thursday is Thanksgiving and here’s to all of you.

It’s official, the PGA Grand Slam will not have Tiger Woods to deal with!

Tiger is taking a very deserved long break to be with his family that was recently expanded with the birth of their first child.

Other news of the PGA tour includes:
FRY’S Electronics Open will be held at Grayhawk Golf Club (Raptor Course) in Scottsdale, Arizona.  In a nice turn of events, the PGA Tours Fall Series will bring renewed interest as Phil Mickelson will be playin for the first time since the Presidents Cup.

Mickelson currently ranked No. 2 is a  former Arizona State star.  Phil has three wins this season, but hasn’t played in a full-field event since the Tour Championship.  We’ll see how Phil plays!

I bet you were expecting me to write about how Tiger Woods took a pass on the FedEx cup. Nope! You know the golf season has lost its luster when all that is being written about is Tiger Woods taking a powder. I mean sure, FedEx now looks a bit silly when someone of Tiger’s caliber doesn’t show but that’s game over? There is no golf without him?

Maybe I’m a bit old fashioned but golf should be treasured for its challenges its upsets. The game that pits man against himself. Has it really turned into just the game the pits Tiger against the field? Gosh I hope not.

The US Open was played late last week and through the weekend.  It was tough.  It was brutal.  And most of the top ranked US golf professionals apparently were course challenged and did not do well.

Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk were the exception ands ended up tying for 2nd.  So up and coming? Angel Cabrera won with a +5 score.  Hardly a record setter but the Oakmont Country Club has a reputation of being one dasterdly course to play.

Angel apparently was all but overlooked in the final round with focus on the favorite Woods.  This may have worked to his advantage, possibly contributing to his relaxed yet focused play.  Prior to winning the Open, Mr. Cabrera was ranked 41.

When interviewed, neither Woods nor Furyk expressed any joy in 2nd place.  Well, there’s always next year!

Make An Impact With Your Swing

Every swing mechanic, position and alignment you’ve ever heard has the goal of helping you attain the correct alignments at impact. Obviously, impact alignments are the most important alignments in golf, even though impact lasts only a fraction of a second.

So, what are the proper impact alignments?

First, your head should be slightly behind the ball and on the same level as it was at address. Your spine angle and the shaft of the club also should have returned to the same plane angle as during your setup. Your hands should be very close to your right thigh. Your right arm should be straight, with your right elbow in line with the right hip. Your weight should be at least 75 percent on the left side, with your right heel off the ground. Your shoulders should be slightly open, and your hips should have rotated open, toward the target. Your left wrist should be flat, and your right wrist should be bent.

This is critical, as the left wrist cannot be flat unless the right wrist is bent. This simple alignment cures casting, over acceleration, loss of power and
the clubhead passing the hands prior to impact.

At impact, you also should be able to draw a straight line connecting your left shoulder, left arm, left wrist, the shaft of the club and the ball.

One last point concerning impact. It’s been said that if your clubhead is moving at 100 miles per hour, it will move less than an inch during this very brief period in your swing.

However, if you arrive at impact in the correct position, you can be sure to make that critical inch count.