Preview of '08 US PGA Tour

I think there were some clues to how the '08 PGA Tour in the US might play out based on what happened at the Target Championship last week. For starters, Tiger may be as good as we've ever seen him. He says he's finally put his father's death into perspective and I believe him. He's also got to be feeling that things are in good shape in his world. Tiger is content in his family life, his coach, his caddy and his game. He said as much in an interview he gave during the tournament. A happy relaxed golfer is a tough opponent. Look at what Jack Nicklaus did under similar circumstances, he had his best year on tour. Bottom line, Tiger could exceed his own standards of excellence this year. When he plays in '08 the rest of the field may have to be content playing for second place.

Jim Furyk is back from the wrist problem that effected him two years ago. His game is probably as good as it's going to get. He'll get hotter or colder from time to time, but, bottomline, he's going to have a lot of top 10 finishes that will keep him way up on the money list. His workman's attitude makes him consistently good, he just doesn't have the physical abilities to allow him to dominate the game. He'll do well at the Ryder Cup, but we still won't see him smile much.

The player that is really coming in to his own is Zack Johnson. With every passing week he proves more and more that he isn't just a flash in the pan. He played extremely well after winning the Masters, where most newbies and even some seasoned pros have let downs. He's a solid, if unconventional ball striker, putts and plays the short game well and has shown he has the nerves to be steady down the stretch. He could be the younger US player that really excels for whom we've beeen waiting for quite a long time. He seems to have a level of maturity about himself that many younger golfers don't. I look for him to have a great year in '08.

Then there's everybody else. There's very little to go on to say how some of the other top world players will fare next year. We'll just have to wait for the early tournaments to see who's ready to make a move. I like the fact that Lee Westwood has gotten himself into better physical shape. He's a consistently good player that many thought would contend for the majors. Perhaps his new physique shows a renewed commitment to take his game to the next level. Unfortunately it seems that VJ Singh, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen are all still off their games a bit. Will any one of them be able to find the old magic? All three are in need of a real boost. Sure they'll compete, but it doesn't look like any will make a charge for the top spot.

The biggest question is, as always, Phil. It's very hard to know where he's at. He's shown he can be the guy to beat and, then again, he can disappear to who knows where. Will his desire to beat Tiger push him to raise his game? Or will his desire to be with his family keep him playing in so few events that he'll never be really sharp on a consistent basis. Maybe Butch Harmon can help him with his mental demons more than his swing. Is that where Phil really needs to focus? As there's little word from the Mickelson camp, we'll just have to wait and see.

Besides Zach, I don't see much from the young golfers. Sure they'll win here or there, but like last year they'll disappear shortly thereafter. I can't help but think that it's too easy to make a million on the tour these days and that it keeps most young golfers just happy with making the cut and occasionally getting a top 10.

Why You Shouldn't Buy A New Driver

If you want to be a better golfer, don't spend your money on a new driver! I'll make one exception to that. If you haven't bought a new big stick in the last 10 years, you'll benefit from the new larger heads and more perimeter weighting. Other than that, you can do much better by purchasing a new putter. Let me explain why.

First, answer this question honestly - Why do you want a new driver? Because you want to hit the ball further. That's the honest to god truth. A new driver isn't going to make you hit the ball straighter or correct your slice or duck hook. Only a new swing can do that. So what's wrong with wanting to hit it further? It's the ultimate curse any amateur can put on their game.

Trying to hit it further means swinging harder to us amateurs and that's the biggest problem we have. If we slowed down our swings and worked on a nice smooth tempo, we'd see our games improve beyond our wildest dreams. If you don't believe me, maybe you will believe Jack Nicklaus who says the full swing for every club should be the same. In fact he suggests alternating shots on the practice range between your pitching wedge and driver to condition yourself. If you buy that new driver, you're not going to be able to stop yourself from constantly trying to get another 10 yards out of it. It doesn't even matter how far you hit it, your always going to want it to go further and in the process completely destroy your swing.

A better ideas is to put your dough towards a new putter. If you're a terrific putter and love the club you have, then don't buy anything, but I'll bet that's less than 5% of the amateurs out there. There are some terrific new putters on the market, clubs where technology and new design can really help. One of the most interesting new putters I've seen is from MacGregor. Who would have thought that? They're using something they call Face-Off Technology. I don't know how it works, but I can tell you what it does. It feels like you've hit the ball in the center of the sweet spot no matter where on the face you make contact. You really have to feel it to believe it. I suggest going to the local golf shop and trying it out. As soon as my piggy bank gets full I'm going to run down and buy one in time for next season. I'm also going to take an oath for next year that says I'll practice my pitching,chipping and putting longer than I practice the full swing. If I can do that and forget about adding distance, I should be able to lower my handicap by at least 5 strokes.

Good golfing! PS, if anybody knows of a good practice putting surface that is cheap and can be rolled out on a hardwood floor for indoor practice, please drop me a line. Thanks!

Manage Your Left Arm For Better Contact

I said I wasn't going to give people advice on how to hit the ball, BUT.... I love the game and when I find something that works for me I can't resist passing it on.

My latest and greatest tip has to do with the left arm. For me the change has worked wonders and proven to be effective the last 3 times out so I'm confident it's a real fix. I was practising a few weeks ago and not making consistently crisp contact. I was also pushing a lot of shots. As is my habit at these times, I try to put my consciousness in my body and let it find where the problem is.

What I discovered was that my left elbow was bending a small amount just prior to contact. This was probably from an overly aggressive swing and desire to 'beat the snot out of the ball', something I have to constantly fight against. My fix was to keep the left elbow straight at the end of the downswing and to make sure I pulled the outside of it (where the sharp protrusion is when you bend it) in towards my body. Low and behold! I now had something to hit against, AND the club face was squaring up beautifully.

Try this little drill. Even without a club I think you'll see why this move has to happen or your shots are going to be erratic. Make a downswing in slow motion, you don't even need a club. Bend your elbow slightly just before contact and watch were the club face squares up - past the point of ball contact. That explains your (and my) weak push. Now try the same slowmo downswing keeping the elbow straight before contact and pulling it in towards your body. Does the clubface square up perfectly? How can it not! Try this move on your chip shots and you'll notice a dramatic improvement in how crisply you hit the ball.

I hope this tip works as well for you as it did for me.

Getting the Most Club for the Money

It ain't cheap to own the latest and greatest golf equipment, but there's no doubt that technology has improved balls and clubs in the last 15 years. Anyone who doesn't know that by now has been golfing in a cave. The big question for all golfers is how to buy what will actually help, avoid what won't, and stretch your money as far as possible. Based on my own experience, I've got a few tips that may help.

Forget the $40+ a dozen golf balls. Yeah, they're nice, but for anyone with a double digit handicap they aren't going to make a noticeable difference. There are actually some good 3 piece balls for less than $26. Check out the e5 and e6 from Bridgestone for starters. They're soft, they fly long, and they spin well for the short shots. Most major golf ball suppliers have there own version.

If you have to get the latest equipment, try to wait for the sales - which happen more frequently than you may think. Lots of clubs get marked down this time of year in an attempt to move inventory for the new '08 models. Let's face it, if it was the new 'hot' technology for '07 or '06, it will be just fine for you. Before you buy, go online and check the price of your equipment at the major Internet retailers. If you don't know who they are, go to www.golfdash.com and look under equipment/ishop. It won't take you more than 10 minutes to find the street price. Your local golf shop will match it if they plan on staying in business. You can also go to the GolfDash website and find out street prices for many items under the Daily Specials tab.

My final piece of advise is for anyone looking at Callaway equipment. I just bought my wife a used Ladies Big Bertha 460 driver and saved one hundred bucks - honest. If I showed you the club, it would be impossible to tell it wasn't new. They test every club they sell and guarantee it will perform as new. If you don't mind a few cosmetic scratches, you can even save more.

Good luck shopping.

Bandon Dunes - Great Golf Destination

I have been fortunate enough in the last 4 years to play at Bandon Dunes twice, once at the Bandon Dunes track and once at Pacific Dunes. If you love links golf, then this is the place to go in the US. I can't say enough about the quality of the courses there and how much it feels like Scotland.

The property sits on the dunes, high up over the beach below - a very typical Scottish landscape. There are currently 3 top level golf courses at the resort; Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes and Bandon Trails. Though I have never played Bandon Trails, I've seen many of the holes and it looks like it's right up there with the other two. If you can only play one course and you want the toughest one, then Pacific Dunes is for you.

If you're looking for a place to play golf and also party, then this isn't your destination. This is hard core golf at a fair price. The full price in peak season is a bit stiff, but it's greatly reduced from November to April. If you're worried about the weather, then you're not a real Scottish links golfer. You may encounter a bit of wind and rain, but this is golf as it's typically played in Scotland. (I once inquired of a Scotsman who planned a week's golfing trip in Scotland for myself and a friend about what would happen if we got rained out of a round. His response, 'I don't know, I've never known it to happen' - meaning they don't stop playing for a 'wee bit of rain'.)

You can also knock down the price of a round by staying at the hotel. It's not a bad idea to consider as there aren't many alternatives in the area. A bit of advice, don't get the room my wife and I had that is over the downstairs bar, you'll be up until the last golfer's go to bed. The food at the resort is not to die for, but it's reasonable fair.

If you go, plan in advance as the course can be booked out at certain times. Be prepared to walk, I don't think they even have carts. For those of you not used to hoofing it, there are caddies available. There are also pull carts readily available. It's an easy course to walk, as most links courses are because they are relatively flat. Though I haven't played the 'Trails' course, it looks a bit more up and down than the two 'Dunes' courses.

If you can possibly swing a trip to Bandon - do it! I'm not being compensated in any way by the people who own the resort to promote it. In fact, they don't even know I'm writing this. If you get a chance to play any or all of these courses, please let me know how you fared.

A Fix For Too Much Pro Distance

The PGA tour gets longer and longer. Everyone has been talking about it for at least 5 years. There have been many suggestions on how to deal with it, but the powers that be have not budged. Meanwhile top notch courses are forced to continuously add yards if they want to host the top events. Seems like an expensive way to fix a problem that results primarily from one club - the driver.

Take away the 340+ yard drives and the pro tour could continue as it has without all the expensive course modifications. The classic layouts in the game could be preserved as they are and not gimicked up as some say they've done at Augusta. Some have proposed limiting the distance of the pro ball, but this has some serious drawbacks that have been discussed at length. Why not just take the driver out of the pros' hands. I don't propose that they do it on all courses, just select ones. It would be just fine to leave some tournaments where the pros can bust the long ones. It would also work out well for the club manufacturers. They could still promote who's using their big sticks. With pros hitting their 3 woods like they did drivers about 10 years ago, we could roll back the clock with very little pain.

Who said the game can't be protected by limiting distance and still keep everyone pretty happy. And it doesn't have to be implemented all at once. Do a pilot at a couple of events next season at courses particularly vulnerable to monster drives and see how it works out.

Jack and One Basic Swing