tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-150528242024-03-13T00:28:01.018-04:00GolfDashJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.comBlogger213125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-25215987375658569752008-09-08T09:30:00.002-04:002008-09-08T09:33:44.131-04:00NEW and Improved GolfDash Blog!!!Please see the NEW and Improved GolfDash Blog at:http://golfdashblog.comWe are still ironing out some kinks but we hope you will enjoy thesame great GolfDash content and the NEW updated look.Doug FarrickJohn Diekmanndoughttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976370513521252646noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-10839774176999325442008-08-25T21:03:00.007-04:002008-08-25T21:50:53.417-04:00Learning Golf's Lessons Over and OverI don't think I'm alone on this. I marvel, every time I play, that I continue to have to learn golf's same basic lessons time and time again. Here's just one example.I started this season working on everything in my game; from full swing to putting and all the stuff in between. One by one they all progressed and I began shooting some pretty good scores. Of course there were ups and downs, but theJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-51040812914080532872008-08-13T08:40:00.004-04:002008-08-13T09:01:58.212-04:00Sergio Garcia Comes Of AgeIs it just me, or has Sergio Garcia matured as a player through the course of the last 12 months? He lost last year at the British Open in a typical Sergio emotional 'it's not fair' attitude. Then a new Sergio, a 'get it done no matter what happens' emerges at the Players Championship. Sergio was certainly emotional there, but not to the point that it kept him moving past bad luck and bad shots. Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-58407836604017624642008-08-13T08:12:00.005-04:002008-08-13T08:40:21.482-04:00US Ryder Cup ChancesAnything can happen, but what's most likely to happen? Let's look at the facts the best we can. The Europeans certainly are the favorites having won five out of the last six competitions. Maybe they haven't always had the best players on paper, but they have the winning formula in mindset and team play. They will be the most confident because of their dominant play over more than 20 years even Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-53897485611952711702008-08-08T08:31:00.005-04:002008-08-12T13:51:07.467-04:00Triggs Memorial Golf Course Is A Gem In Rhode IslandWhat's a public course, designed by Donald Ross in 1930, once hosted the US Open and costs less than $40 dollars to play 18 holes mid-week? That would be Triggs Memorial Golf Course in Providence, RI. I hesitated to write this blog for one reason - I plan to play there a lot and I don't want more people showing up at this public gem.I hadn't played this course for more than 30 years and had Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-83038948862308348902008-08-08T08:12:00.006-04:002008-08-08T08:31:22.004-04:00Get A Hybrid For A Better Game - Fast!Don't just get one hybrid, go buy yourself a bunch. The sooner you do this the better your scoring will be. I've written about this before. I've got one in my bag and it's been great. But now I've seen the light that I only suspected was there before - these things make you better and it's not just for your 2 iron. Go ahead and replace the 3 and 4. Once you do that you'll probably go even Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-80333522708186742852008-08-08T07:33:00.002-04:002008-08-08T08:05:51.679-04:00Eyeline Golf's Metronome Pro ReviewI hope the kind people at Eyeline Golf forgive me for being late with my review of their new Metronome Pro tempo trainer. We are in the midst of redesigning the GolfDash website and I've been up to my neck in it. I did get the product out of the box and it does exactly what it says. You set the overall tempo by adjusting the 'beats per minute' setting. This way you get a faster or slower pace. Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-83167857341723301432008-07-20T08:41:00.009-04:002008-08-08T07:33:00.554-04:00Norman Crashes British Open Party!I've got a golf joke for you. Have you heard the one about the Australian, Korean and Irishman? You see there was this 53-year-old Australian playing golf with a Korean who hasn't been at form all year and an Irishman who hurt his wrist last week............Am I dreaming? Is Greg Norman leading the British Open after 3 rounds? Is this the 53-year-old Greg Norman who plays more tennis these days Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-55220110654562433772008-07-19T09:28:00.006-04:002008-07-22T18:44:54.396-04:00Who Can Adjust Their Game To The Wind At BirkdaleAs it has happened numerous times in the past, wind is a dominant factor in this year's British Open. When Arnold won at Birkdale in '61, they almost called the tournament after two rounds because of the weather. They won't call the tournament this year, but the wind is blowing harder today than yesterday and may blow even more tomorrow. For every 15 mph of wind the course plays differently. The Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-42319166269705103652008-07-18T20:06:00.009-04:002008-07-22T19:01:31.902-04:00Rotate Your Forearm For Better Impact And Straighter ShotsMany things can go out of tune or alignment in your golf swing, that's why everybody is working on something. And it's not just amateurs, it's the pros as well. Actually the pros manage, cajole, tweak, and recover their swings almost constantly as they have careers and employment riding on their performance.If you're like the vast majority of golfers, you search your memory banks after a couple Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-83846477326294852672008-07-18T12:59:00.004-04:002008-07-18T13:15:50.750-04:00Open Si, Masters No!Is it just me, or does the British Open at Royal Birkdale make the Masters look like a drab, unexciting forced march. I'm sure the wild weather and Tigers absence have added to the drama, but even so, there's something special about the course - and about UK links courses in general. Each hole can play so differently from player to player and threesome to threesome, while at Augusta everyone is Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-26321066007209142382008-07-18T10:54:00.008-04:002008-07-22T18:46:42.189-04:00Royal Birkdale Taking Center StageFasten your seat belts, this could really turn out to be a show worth watching. Of course no one knows how this one is going to turn out, but so far it's been one very interesting show. First, the weather has leveled the playing field for some and promises to continue to stir the mix with even more rain and wind predicted for Saturday and Sunday. Some players hate the conditions, some endure and Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-31793432648479848792008-07-16T14:25:00.003-04:002008-07-16T14:39:45.587-04:00Winds Gonna Blow For The OpenWe could be in for something different for this years British Open at Royal Birkdale which begins tomorrow. The weather forecast calls for light rain and winds from 10-20 mph for the next couple of days. In recent years, Open weather has been uncharacteristically sunny and mild. If you've been to a UK links course, then you know how much wind and rain can change them. Royal Birkdale under sunny Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-16314754150807045242008-07-15T14:33:00.005-04:002008-07-22T18:50:48.852-04:00Perry, American As They ComeI feel compelled once again to step-up and defend Kenny Perry as he continues to get bashed by some of the media. He's not only a great guy and terrific golfer, he embodies an important part of the American Ideal - do your own thing regardless of what others say about you. As of late, it seems every writer is a critic of anyone who doesn't follow lock-step with the herd. I like to think of Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-67136401930086060502008-07-15T14:16:00.003-04:002008-07-15T17:15:50.335-04:00Tiger's Absence Brings Fresh Breeze To British OpenThis year's British Open has a feel to it that it hasn't had for a long time. It's the attitude of the pros themselves. They're more upbeat and more confident in their chances of winning because of the absence of Tiger Woods. If you are a top golfer and want to make a name for yourself, they know that the next 9 months might be the best opportunity of their careers. Tiger has been so dominant Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-87341449913359516162008-07-13T14:33:00.006-04:002008-07-15T17:44:57.295-04:00Training Tempo With Eyeline Golf's Metronome ProRegardless of what you know about golf technique, most golfers can see the difference between good and bad swings. Even non-golfers can see that a good swing is smooth and a bad swing isn't. Whether a pro has a fast rhythm like Nick Price or a slow one like Ernie Els, their swings are usually smooth. It appears that all their muscles are working together instead of fighting each other. The Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-29314742135830310392008-07-09T14:05:00.005-04:002008-07-13T14:33:02.876-04:00On Becoming A Better PutterBeing a better putter, that's every player's goal who really understands the game. After all, the flat stick is the one we use the most during every round played. The problem with putting is that there are more styles, stances and systems than for any other part of golf. Just look at the range of putters available. It seems like every week another company comes out with the latest space age Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-1721073784567307012008-07-06T22:31:00.004-04:002008-07-13T14:32:48.377-04:00Is Anthony Kim For Real?With two wins this season, Anthony Kim could sure make you begin to believe he's the real thing. After disappearing for a few weeks after his first victory he's back in the winner's circle this weekend at Tiger's tournament in the nation's capital. And he didn't fall into this one. He played a very convincing final round at 5 under for a come from behind win. But is this a temporary hot streak, Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-64287462522983272952008-07-02T09:44:00.005-04:002008-07-13T14:32:28.419-04:00Media Onslaught for Ryder Cup CaptainsIt's July 2 and already it has started in the sports section of the local newspaper. What's that you ask? It's reporters trying to make something out of nothing as regards the Ryder Cup because they feel there isn't a whole lot to say about golf given that Tiger is out. Nick Faldo played in Rhode Island last week at a charity tournament. A local sportswriter asked him what he thought about the Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-38512083869554138502008-06-29T13:35:00.003-04:002008-07-02T20:08:40.063-04:00There Are None To Replace TigerThe comment I've heard most often from golf fans in the last week is 'I can't get excited about watching pro golf without Tiger'. I admit I'm feeling the same way. There's no interest without Tiger Woods. Why is that?I believe the biggest thing separating Tiger from the rest of the field is not his play. It's his desire to win. He has had an objective for most of his life to be the best golfer Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-18160708914788720512008-06-28T08:59:00.005-04:002008-07-02T20:06:44.258-04:00Tiger Wood's ACL RepairTiger Woods had his ACL repaired this past Tuesday in Park City, Utah. It is now known that he originally tore it in 2007 while jogging after the British Open. So what's in store for him and how long will it take?I had my own ACL repaired in 1994 and have some experience with skiers ACL surgeries when I was involved in ski area risk management. ACL repair is common for skiers and that's why some Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-10708306942552134972008-06-26T14:03:00.006-04:002008-07-02T20:05:53.767-04:00What George Carlin Would Say About GolfMost of you know that the famous comedian George Carlin just passed away. My wife and I were watching one of his old specials last night and I got to thinking what Mr. Carlin - The Great Observer of Life - would say about golf. Here goes..Why are so many people fascinated with the game of golf? It's a miserable game and most golfers will tell you as much after they've played their first hole. I Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-1100389534880742922008-06-24T10:04:00.005-04:002008-06-24T17:14:48.246-04:00Golf Is Hard On Your BodyThere probably isn't anyone out there who has played golf for more than a year who doesn't agree that golf is physically tough. It's not bone jarring tough like the NFL, it just slowly takes its toll swing after swing, day after day. Maybe this is just one more reason that the sport can't seem to increase rounds played year over year.Is there something inherent in the swing itself that makes it Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-53804770588715891512008-06-23T20:53:00.003-04:002008-06-24T17:19:22.165-04:00Stewart Cink Takes A Step UpStewart Cink finally proved he can hold on to a lead and close the deal by winning the Travelers Championship in Hartford this past week. Considering how he's played in the past, he's had a great year even if he stumbled in a few tournaments early on in the season. He's been around the top in most every event he's played in '08. What really seemed different to me was his attitude at the TravelersJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14950836413454631157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15052824.post-70572242250337933622008-06-21T09:33:00.004-04:002008-06-24T10:23:26.909-04:00The "Other" Toski (and a FREE golf lesson)Tom Toski is the brother of famed golf instructor Bobby Toski who has worked with countless pros throughout the years.I mention this because I just had a lesson with the "other" Toski (Tommy)He is an amazing individual. 80+ years young and looking fit as a fiddle. He gives lessons at a local golf facility here in Western Massachusetts (Hadley)When I first called he was booked solid for 2 weeks doughttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15976370513521252646noreply@blogger.com1