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Padraig Harrington came out the victor this week at the British Open, the third major winner of the year with an injury to do so, hiding under the radar of many who thought he could not win back-to-back major tournaments. Harrington concentrated his efforts on course management and the short game to overtake an unlikely favorite of the over-fifty set, namely Greg Norman, whose "foot-on-the-pedal" mentality cost him yet another win.

It's a shame, though, that in 2007, Harrington thought so little of the Claret Jug he fought so hard to win he used it instead as a fill for swill! We hope that Harrington didn't do this again this year!



This week Golf for Beginners internet broadcast discusses the mental clarity and forethought it takes to make it to the final round and persevere under treacherous conditions. Chris Wood found little pressure in his "surreal" situation and easily made his way to the 18th hole with a forward focus. Others like Phil Mickelson, always the optimist, may have stated that he hit the ball well but it was evident he was clearly disappointed as he had spent the prior week at the Scottish Open finding similar results. Perhaps the pressure of having to take Tiger Woods' place on the leaderboard made him falter?

*****

Choosing your first driver without ever having hit one can be harrowing. We tell you what to look for in a driver and how to make the process easier!

*****


I had my first competitive round with the ladies of the EWGA at Doral Arrowwood this past week and my play was far from pretty! Find out how I intend to take the three steps from playing to competing and finally to winning!

*****


Finally, how many DQ's, withdrawals and mistakes will be had before Michelle Wie reads the Rules of Golf?

Wie stepped outside of the scoring area after round two and a volunteer had to call her back into the tent for the infraction of one of the basic rules of golf...that is, she didn't sign her scorecard! Michelle knew that she forgot but felt that this was yet another time she could get off the hook with a shrug and a "sorry" claiming, "I thought it would be okay. It was an honest mistake."




Her third round, which placed her squarely in contention for a Sunday showdown did not count. Perhaps Wie should have listened to our previous podcast where we discuss some of the most basic and overlooked regulations of the sport.

Wie was disqualified. Unfortunately, it cost the LPGA a Sunday of high ratings and Michelle Wie her possible first win on the Tour.

Michelle choked back tears looking for pity and said, "I don't know what happened to me."

Should this rule have been overturned just this once for the benefit of the sport?

Of course, once one of the Rules of Golf is slackened, it is only a matter of time before others follow suit. In our opinion, the Rules should be followed to the letter until a rule is changed for everyone. It isn't the first time something like this has occured and it surely won't be the last time.

It is unfortunate incident for Wie but I'll bet she will never make this mistake again. Penalties will surely occur from a lack of concentration...


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There are golf fans and then there are those who come out of the woodwork just to see Tiger Woods blast the ball. These "Tiger enthusiasts" would not think of missing an event with Woods in the field but what happens now that the world's number-one player is out for the season?

In relation to the British Open, sports agent Andrew “Chubby” Chandler claims that there will be, "zero economic impact" and that "he would have been the biggest show in town, but he would not have been the only show. Besides, most of the people there watching will be rooting for a British winner."

Ernie Els, who kissed the coveted Claret Jug in 2002, believes that the Open is bigger than any one golfer, including Tiger Woods. "Although we will miss him, the game of golf is there and the Open Championship will be played whether Tiger is there or not, and I think that's what we've got to realize."



Mickelson has smartly decided to focus his efforts not on the field but on Royal Birkdale. Learning how to take spin off, hit shots lower and play better in the wind has made Phil feel as if he is a solid contender at this year's Open Championship.

And what about cocky Anthony Kim, the strutting response to the next Tiger Woods?

Kim acknowledged, "I know if I give it everything I've got, I'll have a pretty good chance to contend."

Besides discussion of our picks and pans for this year's Open Championship, Barry and I discuss LaFresh travel golf packs wondering whether all golfers will find them useful on the course.

We also talk about Barry's introduction to GolfTEC and what he learned from his experience.

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Photo Credit: Tribune India, ClackamasReview.com

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"Fearless", "cocky" and "arrogant" were descriptive terms used by fellow golfer Fred Funk after Anthony Kim's decisive victory at the AT&T National hosted by Tiger Woods. Without Woods in the hunt the field is wide open with devotees waiting anxiously for a confident PGA Tour golfer to step up and take the reins.



In sashayed 23-year-old Anthony Kim who, with a bogey-free Sunday (the only final round like it since Chopra took the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship), stepped up to meet the demands of fans who were growing restless without a hero in their midst.

Anthony is no different than many golf afficionados who, for the past ten years, have been watching and learning from the number one golfer in the world, idolizing Woods as Tiger had done to Jack Nicklaus when he was just a kid.

It was only after meeting Woods face-to-face that Kim realized that he needed to step-up his game. And with a "thumbs-up" from Tiger after his victory with a profound, "the sky's the limit" pat on the back from PGA 'royalty (or as Kim calls Tiger, "the Michael Jordan of golf"), Kim knew what he had to do.

After Anthony realized that his "preparation and work ethic couldn't have gotten any worse", Kim decided to "kick it up a notch" and we are all watching the result of his diligence. After two wins and eleven top-twenty-five finishes this season, could we be looking at a man to threaten the solid base of Tiger Woods' throne? Can Kim maintain the effort necessary to keep himself at the top of the leaderboard?

His stats are adequate, but are his efforts enough to push him into the top spot for the FedEx Cup and shuffle the PGA Tour standings?


Golf for Beginners also tried the latest cleaning tool for both your golf balls and clubs. FizGOLF introduces Fiz which easily attaches to your bag and effectively scrubs both golf balls and clubs squeaky clean using a bubbly solution in a CO2 cartridge and its attached scrub brush. Fiz eliminates the need for too many items hanging on your bag and makes those grooves spotless!

I also talk about the sweet smell of victory out of the sand as Barry, always a competent instructor, changed my way of thinking in a greenside bunker.


Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.

Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.worldgolf.com/stacy_solomon or through iTunes. Nextel/Sprint cell customers type http://www.mymbn.com/podcast/ in your browser and click on "sports casts". Our station number is 1955.

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Although an announcer during the U.S. Women's Open mentioned Young Kim's swing thought of "fairways and greens", it's much easier to think it than it is to bring it to fruition. The simple practice of envisioning what you want to achieve is sometimes the key to a positive round.

Basically, if you think happy thoughts, chances are you won't throw your seven-iron in anger!

On the flip side, the average weekend duffer tends to clutter his mind with either what he has learned or needs to practice instead of a simple meditation geared to a positive outlook. The result tends to aggravate instead of calm.



With the golf season being in "full swing", Golf for Beginners looks at the thought processes of LPGA golfers during a major tournament. Don Huebscher asked several of the brightest stars on tour their thoughts in the heat of the moment and what helpful hints they can offer to weekend warriors after an encounter during the pro-ams.

Is regular practice more important to a solid round than a good mental game?

We also discuss gnarly grass which thoroughly surrounded my golf ball this week and how I managed to get out of it. With superintendents allowing longer rough on the Publinks, it's really important to learn how to get out quickly, take your "medicine" and get your ball back in play.

Finally, we mention a couple of simple DQ rules you might take for granted.


Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.

Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.worldgolf.com/stacy_solomon or through iTunes. Nextel/Sprint cell customers type http://www.mymbn.com/podcast/ in your browser and click on "sports casts". Our station number is 1955.

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Photo Credit: AP Photo by Lynne Sladky

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Michelle Wie has spent countless hours preparing for the 2008 U.S. Women's Open with coach David Leadbetter in the hopes of reversing the downward spiral which has been her albatross since last year. Although Wie recently commented that she felt herself "re-emerging as a new player, a new person," she also reluctantly mentioned what has gone before, asserting, "I'm not ever going to think about before I broke my wrist. That was then and this is now."

Perhaps Wie has been going through a metamorphosis of sorts since her dismissal from the columns of many a golf writer who believed her to be washed up by her eighteenth birthday.

Her recent victory of sorts, a sixth place finish at the Ladies German Open as well as a genuine qualification into a major event instead the ritual "gimmees" offered to her by sponsors, has put Wie back on track. Now that appearance offers are no longer easily forthcoming (2008 Sony Open, 2008 Ginn Tribute hosted by Annika Sorenstam), Michelle seems to be developing a sense of humble graciousness, coming to the realization that it takes talent, not youth or the appearance of ability, in order to gain recognition in her chosen field.

"It's been a long time since I had to qualify for something, and it made me want it even more," a seemingly more grown-up Wie stated. "I think going through that qualifying humbled me a lot as a player, as a person. Sometimes, you have to go back to your roots to become a better player and a better person."



This week's Golf for Beginners podcast discusses Michelle Wie's potential to pick up where she left off, before the wrist injury. Can she let go of her past and focus on the future? We'll know more after the 2008 U.S. Women's Open!

We also offer golf tips on hitting an iron flush off the tee.

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Photo Credit: Houston's Clear Thinkers

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Poor Tiger Woods! Yes, he has won his fourth U.S. Open but was it at the expense of his knee? Is winning a trophy more important that your health? The answer? Season-ending knee surgery!

Tiger's message to his adoring fans let on that his injury is more aggravated than he made it look this week.



"I think I need to shut it down for a little bit. I pushed it pretty hard this week and I just want to enjoy it. And we're going to reevaluate after this event and see what happens," claimed a tightlipped Woods who may have been grimacing from the inside but, with his elevated mental focus, it was anyone's guess as to what was really going on after twisting his knee on several occasions this past week.

That focus and determination to not allow any distractions was best related by Tiger's dad, Earl, during a Nike commercial that aired for Father's Day weekend in which dad related to both his son and the audience, "I promise you that you will never meet another person as mentally tough as you your entire life. And he hasn't, and he never will."

This week's Golf for Beginners podcast wonders how Tiger Woods can remain so steadfast in his determination to win a golf tournament while Phil Mickelson, who mentally and physically prepared for this event, fell apart. Other players such as Rocco Mediate and Lee Westwood didn't feel the pressure as much believing that they were "long shots" in the event.

This week's show also reviews the latest advances in golf-specific eyewear from Adidas. The new Adivista sunglasses for men and Adilibria Shield for women should be viewed as necessary golf equipment rather than just fashion-forward apparel, although the fact that Natalie Gulbis had input into the design of the women's glasses truly make them hotter than the average eyewear!



Both Adivista and Adilibria Shield are super-comfortable to wear and protect your eyes from the sun's damaging rays with UV protection, offering scratch and fog-resistant polycarbonate lenses. Listen to this week's show to hear why we recommend these new Adidas sunglasses and why you should try them too!

Finally, while testing my new Adilibria Shield sunglasses in the sand trap (where it did a fabulous job of protecting my eyes against particles of sand), alas, it couldn't help me to get out of the sand. I wonder if Adidas can help find a cure for my sand trap woes?


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Photo Credits: Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times, VisionMonday.com

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In March Callaway Golf, using Morgan Pressel and Ivanka Trump as their celebrity "faces", launched a GEMS golf club set designed specifically for women.

Unfortunately, I haven't seen Ivanka promoting Women's Golf Month with the same enthusiasm, even though she is an avid golfer who is listed on Golf for Women's Twenty-Five best female celebrities. The sport could certainly use an infusion of notables to increase interest in the game.

Perhaps next year Donald Trump will also lend a hand by utilizing his golf courses for the good of the game.

That being said, I had a great time this past Sunday at Knollwood Country Club. PGA representative Walter Janeczko gave a lesson on basics and more to a group of eager ladies who outnumbered his original estimate!

This week, our Golf for Beginners podcast discusses the inability of any female golfer to attain the coveted Grand Slam of Golf in a single year. Lorena Ochoa has a great chance of winning her third major in a row at this week's McDonald's LPGA Championship but with Annika Sorenstam back in form, this could be a battle worth watching! Annika is looking to make this her best year ever, now that she has announced her retirement!



Businesses from every area of the economy are using the rising price of gasoline as a way to utilize rebates and discounts to their advantage. Callaway Golf is no exception as they have joined forces with American Express to offer a $100 gas card when golfers purchase a new driver. Listen for the details on our show.

Also, do you ride a Harley Davidson, love golf and want to appear in a weekly television series? If you live in the New York tri-state area, a casting director wants to hear from you. Send us your information and we'll pass it along!

Finally, with the help of the Golf Learning Center, we focus on how to reduce spin and add distance off of the tee with the driver.


Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.


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Photo Credits:Stayfreemagazine.org

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Whereas the internet may be all abuzz about Phil Mickelson's lucky break at the Colonial, this week's Golf for Beginners show focuses in on the amateur ladies of the sport.

Play Golf America, in conjunction with American Express, has had over 68,000 women attend its prior yearly outings, bringing together the art of the sport with all of the "extras" that may enhance the ladies experience. This June, participating golf facilities will try once again to peak interest in both golf and the encounters surrounding it.

My husband, Barry, believes that, aside from the golf instruction, men wouldn't be that interested in the many other activities planned for the month of June, such as the networking receptions, golf rules and etiquette seminars, club fitting and equipment demonstrations, golf apparel fashion shows and luncheons. (Okay, the fashion show might be a bit much for a guy to stomach!)

He believes that these additions lessen the competitive nature of the sport. Instead, teach them how to compete and then win! I think there's more to golf than that cut and dried notion. Allowing women to experience all the facets of golf may just increase the number of women who take up the sport and stick with it.

The faces behind this year's initiative are Nancy Lopez and Suzy Whaley. Lopez has among her accomplishments 48 LPGA wins (3 of them majors), Whaley was the first woman golfer in 58 years to qualify for a PGA Tour event (the 2003 Greater Hartford Open) paving the way for Annika Sorenstam and Michelle Wie's venture into men's professional events.

We also discuss the new American Express website dedicated to golf which offers a smattering of everything from video golf instruction to the ability to purchase tickets to 2009 events such as the U.S. Open at Bethpage.

Our golf tip focuses on the Art of the Layup and how placing your ego on hold is only the first step to accurately hitting greens in regulation.



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In the battle of the "most fit" men in America, Tiger Woods has squashed opponent Barack Obama.

The Democratic contender may be a pretty good point guard and stay away from fatty foods (whenever possible) but it just doesn't compare to Woods' rigorous training regimen and remarkable ability to successfully recover from two knee surgeries. The PGA Tour's number one golfer will just not allow defeat; what are the chances though that Obama will come out on top in November?

Men's Fitness Magazine have chosen presidential hopeful Obama for it's list of top 25 of America's hale and heartiest men based on his competitive elan and basketball know-how when placing him in the list, but it is Tiger Woods who reigns supreme because of "his commitment to being the best and setting the bar, not just for other golfers, but for all athletes".




As Woods' dad, Earl, claimed about his prodigious son in 1996, "Tiger will do more than any other man in history to change the course of humanity. He'll have the power to impact nations. Not people. Nations. The world is just getting a taste of his power."

Will this statement also be true for Obama or will he just become a casualty of his surroundings?

Last week we questioned whether or not Annika Sorenstam was taking a last stab at glory or planning to blast past the number of wins of LPGA great Kathy Whitworth. The next day we received our answer as Annika Sorenstam held a news conference to confirm her retirement from professional golf.



This week's Golf for Beginners podcast gives our top reasons why Annika Sorenstam has decided to escape the rigors of the daily grind. I guess we could have added to the list her inabilty to get close to Lorena Ochoa at this week's shortened Sybase Classic but we stick to the tried and true, like her recent attempt at comedy on the David Letterman Show.

Finally, we offer up a great divot drill which will help to alleviate fat shots. Try it during your next practice session!


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Photo Credits:Men's Fitness/Kwaku Alston, Golf.se

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Annika Sorenstam has officially begun to chip away at Lorena Ochoa's top Rolex Ranking. A win at the season-opening SBS Open led a "Tiger-esque" charge that has remained strong through her latest victory at the Michelob Ultra Opening this past weekend.

Sorenstam is back in the "feared-zone" once again!

Challengers are falling by the wayside. Even Lorena Ochoa could not keep up on Saturday, pushing herself out of a chance for a Sunday duel with a disappointing 74. It was the first time Ochoa has been out of a visible top-ten spot on the leaderboard since 2007.

Did Sorenstam's charge give Ochoa the jitters?

With a wedding plan in the works and her increasing reliance in other golf interests, are we seeing Annika's final push for glory or the beginning of a new commitment towards "untouchable" status?

I also found Michelle Wie's name on the leaderboard. She was in her usual "cut" position, a spot which seems to be more comfortable a fit as times goes on. "I just feel really rusty" claimed Wie who needs to borrow more than an oil can from the Tin Man in order to elevate her game...maybe an infusion of Annika's blood?

Where Wie's game is stagnating, other LPGA rookies seem to be coming on strong. Na Yeon Choi is eyeing the Rolex Rookie of the Year Award loading up on points over her nearest competitor. Oh, I'm sorry...I thought Michelle Wie was in the race too but...that's right...she never went to Q-School and qualified like the rest of the Tour!

This week Golf for Beginners discusses the challenges that Michelle Wie faces and wonders whether or not her constant disappointments as a professional golfer have helped her grow as a person.

We also offer up a few easy golf tips. One simple visual we offer is where to focus your eyes when hitting the ball for best contact. Another is the role a golf companion has on your game. Is it better for you to play with better golfers or those who play more on your level?

Click here for more easy golf drills.

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Photo Credits:ZeeNews.com, DAN VIDETICH/SCANPIX
.

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"Spider-Man", "Trendsetter" and even "Rock-Star" are some the monikers which come to mind when branding 26-year-old Camilo Villegas. Magazines are targeting him, with People voting Villegas one of its hottest bachelors and Golf Digest naming him one of the most ripped golfers on tour.

His flexible signature maneuver on the green is memorable. And ladies are attracted to his retro look from international clothier J. Lindeberg, who has been hailed as the most influential fashion designer in Sweden, claiming to have "reinvented the wheel" when creating golf fashion.




Villegas seems a bit overwhelmed by the attention thrust upon him and prefers to talk about golf, not girls.

"If people like the way you play, the way you dress, the way you look, that’s all good. But the bottom line is my goal is to play good golf," Camilo stated in a Golfweek interview.

Take a tip from Natalie Gulbis, Camilo, and expand your horizons. Calendars and reality shows make plenty of money too and can turn Camilo Villegas the golfer into Camilo Villegas "business entrepreneur".

Camilo's ability to stay focused on his golf game is one reason why we have chosen a putting tip from the up-and-coming Columbian player. Another reason for our selection is that Villegas' positive putting stats on the PGA Tour don't lie.

Golf for Beginners also takes a look at the mental game, honing in on how to outthink and outplay the competition. This week's putting drill uses quarters as an incentive to make your view of the golf hole bigger and easier to hit. Click for more golf drills...


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This podcast is supported by Florida Golf and Travel, 800-514-5131.

Photo Credit:Radio Santa Fe.

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It may be quite presumptive of me to claim that Phil Mickelson's chances have vastly improved (as has the rest of the field at the upcoming Wachovia Championship) now that Tiger Woods has withdrawn due to arthroscopic knee surgery.

Woods is the defending champion and for him to be rehabilitating puts the players on the PGA Tour at ease. But seeing Phil's face smattered across the television screen as the big draw makes you really wonder if the Golf Channel and CBS Sports are going enough to create excitement. Perhaps the secret ingredient might be more face-time for Adam Scott, sudden-death victor at the Byron Nelson Classic!

There is no doubt, however, that because Lorena Ochoa took a siesta the roadblock was cleared to escalate Annika Sorenstam to victory at the Stanford International. Still, Annika required a sudden-death playoff with Paula Creamer in order to cinch the deal claiming, "It could have gone really any way. I'm just fortunate that this time it was my turn."

Our Golf for Beginners podcast this week contains a great number of easy golf tips and drills. One exercise comes from David Leadbetter who suggests a way to gain power in your golf swing through weight shift. Try this technique on the range and you will surely feel a difference on the golf course!

Another drill from Hank Haney offers the benefits of weighted clubs to help warm up, gain feel and build clubhead speed before a round.


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Photo Credit:Sportsnetwork.com, ESPN.com, Robin Sellick

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Yesterday the Pope pre-empted golf, proving that religion trumps sport, at least on network television. Whether or not you were interested in Sunday Sermon, broadcasters forced you to watch Pope Benedict XVI at Yankee Stadium, forcing the PGA Tour to stream live coverage on the internet.

For those without an internet connection, flipping the remote yesterday provided little in the way of diversity.

If Tiger Woods was heavily in the mix, would CBS-TV interpose both Pope Benedict and golf? Or, would Tiger be relegated to a spot in the sports section of Monday's newspaper?

I wonder who would have received the higher share?




We also discuss the two swings each golfer must bring to the course and how to integrate these two different movements into your weekly practice session. The pursuit of putting nirvana is also one of our topics. Incorporating these drills into your training plan should help lower your scores so you can confidently "putt for dough"!

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Photo Credit:Flickr.com

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The hype surrounding the possibility of two drivers in his bag didn't help Phil Mickelson's bid to win a third Masters Tournament. Both Els and Mickelson fumbled around to get "the perfect fit" this week, combining Callaway I-Mix heads and shafts depending on their particular "game plan". Mickelson claimed that the course length urged him to carry two drivers but my belief is that Callaway needed Phil to promote these clubs which seem to work more for a professional than the average "Joe".



It didn't work. Mickelson should have toyed with an extra wedge in his golf bag as he intended to on Tuesday and Els should have probably flown out to Las Vegas to visit with his newest instructor, Butch Harmon, directly after being cut on Friday.

Complaining of bad posture, a collapse at the top of his swing and too much hip and shoulder turn, Els should have realized before the Masters that it's not a change in golf equipment that was needed but rather a parting of the ways between he and David Leadbetter.

Moral of the story for all golfers; it's not the arrow, it's the Indian...

I guess the next question should be, "When will Callaway Golf debut a putter with adjustable head and shaft technology for conditions like "blade-drag" or help with overspin? Tiger Woods may be just the buyer for it!

As for this week's Golf for Beginners podcast, we discuss Mickelson's use of the Callaway I-Mix technology. Our show also contains a few easy tips from Phil Mickelson, one of which deals with how to hit your golf ball in different types of lie. Our other "Lefty" golf tip describes what setup to the ball determines its trajectory.

Finally, a hearty congratulations to the UNBEATABLE Lorena Ochoa who is now officially "one-up" on Tiger Woods this season!


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Lorena Ochoa's impressive victory at the Kraft Nabisco Championship have golf bloggers scurrying to find comparisons between her elevated game and that of the incomparable Tiger Woods. After all, both Woods and Ochoa won their respective last major event of 2007 and both are rolling through a green light towards achieving the exalted Grand Slam.

Even Lorena feels that 2008 might be the one where she tops Tiger, jokingly(?) stating just before her 26th birthday, "Maybe next year (2008) I improve (on) his year, but this year has been pretty similar, and I enjoy the that they talk about it. He won seven times - a major, too. Me, too. So we're the same."

Tiger Woods seeks his fifth Masters win and has racked up a total of thirteen major trophies since he turned professional over eleven years ago with a greeting of "hello world" to clicking cameras.

Tiger, in fact, has already achieved a Grand Slam, but has not yet won all four majors in a single year.

Statistics show Woods on a win streak from September 2007 all the way through his fifth place "blip" in March of this year, garnering up an amazing six wins and about four million dollars in official prize money through that period alone!

Ochoa is not far off of the mark finishing 2007 with a $1 million win at the ADT Championship. For 2008, she has already won three events out of four entered, same as Tiger, and has taken the first major of the year.

But, even so, Lorena Ochoa is going to have to work five times as hard as Tiger Woods for golf fans to believe that the two are on parallel ground, although Ochoa is the "best of the best" on the LPGA Tour for now. Remember the chatter about Annika Sorenstam when she was in her heyday?



Sorenstam seems to be resigned to passing the torch and is becoming more of a fossil of a bygone day. Annika has reconciled and is relieved with her second-place Rolex ranking. As Annika has mentioned, "I'm not the best player out here, but I've achieved a lot." There is no denying that!

But, could you imagine for one minute what Tiger Woods would do if their positions were reversed? Would he be tolerant of his slip in status or be more fired up than ever to regain the top spot?

This week on Golf for Beginners, we offer some interesting facts about the Masters Tournament. Did you know, for example, that Tiger Woods is the youngest golfer to ever win at Augusta? Can you name the oldest winner?



We also offer an easy golf tip from Jim McLean, perfect for driving range practice (I used it myself this weekend!) I am in agreement that this paintbrush technique might just be the least expensive and unlikely training aid!

Barry and I also talk about the best time to remove your golf glove to enhance feel around the golf course.


Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.

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"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

This podcast is supported by Myrtle Beach Golf and Florida Golf Travel.

Photo Credit:Tabascohoy.com, GolfMagazine.com

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After the sheer devastation Lorena Ochoa inflicted upon her LPGA cohorts as well as upon Superstition Mountain, it's unlikely that she will need much more of a tune-up for the upcoming Kraft Nabisco Championship. I'm betting along with the odds that Ochoa wins her first major trophy this week.

I'll even up the ante to say that Lorena Ochoa will sweep the majors this year, saddling alongside of Tiger Woods for an LPGA/PGA Tour tandem Grand Slam!

Michelle Wie's wrist forced her to pull out of the Safeway, opting instead for a May exemption at the Michelob Ultra Open.





Wasn't it better anyway that Wie stayed home? If Annika Sorenstam couldn't get within ten strokes of Ochoa, how well do you think Wie could have done?

Every year (and this one is no exception) I also feel it is my duty to alert all fans of the Kraft Nabisco event that the DinahShore Weekend 2008 will be taking place in Palm Springs as well. This weekend it's not just about women's golf! Catch Pat Benatar, the GoGos, Tila Tequila and others live for "the greatest women's week on earth!"





Babes in bikinis are yet another topic of discussion on this week's Golf for Beginners podcast as a new season of the Big Break airs on the Golf Channel. Will men be drawn to this show because of the sheer talent of the ladies vying for an exemption into an LPGA Tour event or for the more feminine attributes of its stars?

We also offer up a few easy, practical golf tips to help you through the course. A simple sand trap "trick" will get you positioned correctly over the ball every time. A pressure-proof tip is also featured.


Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.

Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed:http://feeds.feedburner.com/golfforbeginners or through iTunes.

Subscribe to our newsletter! Coming soon!
Click Here to receive our archived podcasts and 100's of easy golf tips free!

"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

This podcast is supported by San Diego Golf Central and Florida Golf Travel.

Photo Credit:Golf.com, Nobodyssweetheart.com

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PGA of America President Brian Whitcomb joins forces with Golf for Beginners this week to spread the word about an exciting tournament designed especially for us, the amateur golfer!

The McGladrey Team Championship is the opportunity for golfers with a verifiable USGA handicap to compete on a national level promoting teamwork and cameraderie as two of its goals.

Teams of three golfers each will first qualify locally through August. Then, a PGA Professional golfer will join the group for the Sectional Qualifiers which begin in September culminating in a National Championship to be played October 20-22 at the famed Pinehurst Resort in N.C.

Approximately fourteen thousand golfers signed up for the inaugural Championship and attendance is expected to double. Women, who only made up about 4.5% of last year's total entrants (650), are expected to easily top 15% of the total number of competitors!





Brian's personal take on the McGladrey Team Championship is that it "blends the competitive spirit and bridges the relationship between the PGA professional and their members and guests that they're playing with as well as the fraternal and social side of this great game."

The sponsors slogan, "With the right team, anything's possible" along with the PGA of America's ideology to increase the public's desire to "play more golf, and ensure accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere," are also dominant principles behind this successful recurring event.

Team McGladrey<