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How to Practice Golf Etiquette

mysurbuy — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 10:33:18 +0200

Golf has almost always been known as a "gentleman's game." Golfers of all skill levels can keep the gentlemanly ways of golf intact when they practice proper golf etiquette while on the green. Following a few simple rules of etiquette can make golf much more enjoyable for your round and everyone else playing on the golf course.

My dear friends, we are to talk about how to practise golf etiquettes. Here are some instructions below. You would never know how they would benefit you unless you follow them.

1. Start to practice good golf etiquette on the first tee box by allowing higher-handicap players to hit the ball first. You can also toss a tee on the ground to determine who goes first. On subsequent holes, the player with the lowest score on the previous hole tees off first.

2. Stand perfectly still and keep quiet from the time each golfer addresses the ball until the ball is in the air. Sudden movement and loud noises will disrupt a golfer's swing.

3. Allow the person farthest from the green to hit first for approach shots to the green. Make sure the golfer has plenty of room to hit, without fear of a bad shot striking another player.

4. Look for and repair divots (small indentations) on the green once your ball has made it to the green. Fix a divot by placing the divot-repair tool outside the hole and pulling some of the grass toward the middle of the divot. Flatten the repaired divot with your putter head to make it level with the surrounding grass.

5. Mark the position of your ball with a small, round ball marker and pick it up, so it is not in the way of other players. You can use a coin or get a plastic ball marker.

6. Pay attention to the line other players' putts will follow to the cup. Don't walk between another player's ball and the cup. If your ball is close to the same line as another player's, use your putter head to measure the distance and temporarily move the ball mark to the side.

7. Return the flag to the hole once everyone has made his putts.

How to Do a Pre-Shot

mysurbuy — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:18:06 +0200

5 Methods to do a Pre-Shot

With a pre-shot routine, you can set yourself up for better scores. Any pre-shot routine will do, as along as it is consistent shot to shot.

Take Dead Aim

To take dead aim means that every swing should have a specific purpose and every shot needs to have a specific, pinpoint spot where you want the ball to land. Being extraordinarily precise in your target is the first step to hitting the ball close.
Stand a few paces behind the ball and sight along the line to where you want the ball to land. Do not select a general area; select a spot no bigger than a basketball hoop. The more specific the spot---the better your shot.

Visualize the Ball Flight

While still behind the ball, picture in your mind's eye how you want the ball to soar. Do you see it going high and landing soft? Or do you visualize an ever so slight fade around the dogleg? Even as a high handicapper who merely hopes for good contact, visualizing your shot is fundamental to getting better. Put the shot in your mind and your body will have a better chance at following.

Practice Swing

Whether it is a full swing or a condensed version, it is important to do it with consistency. Again a consistent, repeatable routine sets up a consistent and repeatable swing. At this point you should have no more than one swing thought. Even whisper it out loud to yourself. Now is the time to ingrain the thought, not while you are standing over the ball.

Address the Ball

Many amateurs simply walk to the ball, stand over it too long and hack away. While there are many ways to address the ball and align yourself, it is not important what you do or how you do it but that you do the same routine every time. Golf is a game of consistency and repetition. Standardizing your routine at address, that is, doing the same thing every time, sets the stage for a swing that can run on autopilot.

The Waggle

Waggling, or moving the club to and fro prior to beginning the swing, is an under-appreciated art. A good swing is free, silky and flowing. Standing tin man still at address for any longer than a moment stiffens the mind and the body and is not conducive to producing a smooth swing.

Give the club a waggle, clear your head and swing away.

How to Cure a Hook

mysurbuy — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:38:26 +0200

My dear friends, if you've been battling a hook for a while you understand how frustrating they can be. Everyone else is, more than likely, slicing the ball, and you are playing from the opposite side of the fairway.

But... the hook really is pretty easy to cure. Try this sequence of corrections, and most likely the hook will be fixed in no time. Your goal in correcting a hook is to swing from outside to in.

1) Weaken your Grip - You could be playing with a grip that is too strong. You'll want to simply rotate both hands around the grip and towards the target. This will make it much harder for the clubface to naturally close through the impact zone. Don't over do it, and like everything else, testing is crucial. Make sure to test this, before moving on, unless you are positive that you already play with a weak grip.

2) Move the ball forward in your stance - It is common of players that slice the ball to play the ball forward in their stance. So copy them. If you hook, the result should be a relatively straight ball. (Side Note: Whether you hook or slice, your first goal should be to learn to do the opposite.) Moving the ball forward in your stance should get some things back on track.

3) Aim to the left (to the right if left handed) of the target - Start out with an open stance to the target. This will put that clockwise rotation on the ball that you are looking for. Just open your stance a little bit, and swing along the line of your shoulders.

4) Make sure that you are finishing with your weight on your forward foot - This is the single best solution for the hook. If you hook the ball, chances are that you finish with some of your weight still on your back foot. This causes you to come around the ball with a closed clubface. This is the number one cause of the deadly snap-hook. Finish with all of your weight forward, and you'll never experience it.

My dear friends, we just hope these golf tips can do you a favor. And always love in life, love in golf!

Improve My Golf Swing

mysurbuy — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:37:28 +0200

My dear friends, today we are going to share witn you something on how to improve your golf swing. Your golf swing is the single most important aspect in your skill at the game of golf. Without a good golf swing, you will be at a serious disadvantage on the course. Learn how to improve your golf swing in these easy steps.

Step 1

Grip your club right. You would be surprised at how much of a difference a correct grip will make on improving your golf swing. My favorite grip is to have my pinkie and index fingers to interlock. You can also place your pinkie on top of your index finger or hold the club like you would a baseball bat. Try each of these grips and pick the one that is the most comfortable to you.

Step 2

Stay balanced during your swing. If your body is off balance during your back swing or swinging forward, then you are probably slicing the ball badly.

Step 3

Keep your right arm close to your side during your back swing and forward swing. If you are having major problems with slicing the ball then definitely try this method. Keeping your arm tucked in will help you stay on top of the ball and not have an open face club when you strike the golf ball.

Step 4

Complete your follow through. The follow through is one of the most important aspects of a good golf swing. You can compare it to a pitcher's follow through when he throws a baseball. Do you ever see a pitcher suddenly stop his arm after he releases the ball? No, and either should you.

Step 5

Practice, Practice, Practice! Practice really does make perfect. No one has ever picked up a golf club and had a perfect swing (Well, maybe Tiger Woods!). Spend some time at the driving range and improve your golf swing.

Woods and Watson,best and oldest

mysurbuy — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 10:36:16 +0200

World number one Tiger Woods missed the cut in the Open for the first time in his career as Tom Watson continued to roll back the years at Turnberry.

Woods shot a 74 to finish on five over, 10 shots adrift of 59-year-old Watson, who claimed a share of the halfway lead with fellow American Steve Marino.

Mark Calcavecchia lies one shot behind the joint leaders, with England's Ross Fisher in a group on three under.

Ben Curtis, the 2003 Open winner, and Colin Montgomerie also missed the cut.

But defending champion Padraig Harrington still has a chance of making it a hat-trick of Open titles.

The Irishman carded a four-over-par 74 in difficult, windy conditions for a three-over aggregate of 143, eight strokes off the lead.

The spirits are on my side - Watson

"I wasn't thinking about making the cut," he said. "I was thinking I'm eight shots behind. That's not insurmountable on the weekend on a links golf course, especially like this."

It is only the sixth time that Woods has failed to make the halfway mark in his professional career and only the second time in a major.

The 33-year-old missed out at the 2006 US Open following the death of his father.

Woods, the pre-tournament favourite, dropped seven shots in six holes either side of the turn, including double-bogeys at 10 and 13.

"No doubt I'm frustrated, it just didn't happen for me," he said. "I played three holes very poorly.

"Up until the 7th I was doing fine, I was where I needed to be, but bogey, bogey, double bogey got me going the wrong way.

"Until 8 I felt I was in there for the tournament. I thought if I could finish under par I might finish the day in the top 10. But I didn't, I went the other way.

"I birdied two of the last four and I think that's not going to be enough. You can't make mistakes and expect to not only make the cut but also try and win a championship."

Tiger frustrated at poor performance

Woods, who shot 71 on day one, made crucial birdies at 16 and 17 and got up and down from off the green to save par at 18, but it was not enough to keep him in the tournament.

After a sunny and benign opening day, the players had to contend with windy and wet weather on day two - with only seven managing to shoot under par.

Watson went into the second round just one shot behind overnight leader Miguel Angel Jimenez but a horrid front nine seemed to end the prospect of a fairytale challenge.

After a birdie at the 1st, the five-time Open champion then went on a run of five bogeys in six holes as the conditions wreaked havoc.

But Watson, who won the second of his five Open titles in the famous 'Duel in the Sun' championship at Turnberry in 1977, stopped the rot with birdies at 9 and 11.

The best was yet to come, however, as superb 60ft putts at the 16th and the 18th gave him a share of the lead.

"I'm still emotional after that," admitted Watson, who won the last of his eight majors in 1983. "It's as if the spirits are on my side and I wouldn't be here if I didn't think I'd win it.

"The front nine is the toughest part of the golf course but I told myself that if I played smart coming home I would make some birdies.

"On the front nine the only thing I was trying to do was play one shot at a time and trying to get the birdie that would stem the tide. I did that at 9."

Marino, playing in his maiden Open, was a late call-up to the championship field and only played his first round of links golf this week.

But he defied the inclement conditions to post a stunning 68, the second lowest score of the day, which included four birdies and an eagle.

The 29-year-old produced some of the shots of the round as well, chipping in with a sand wedge from 116 yards at the 3rd and holing from the bunker at the par-three 6th.

"I've really enjoyed myself here, I'm having a blast," said Marino. "I love the challenge that this course presents. You have to stay patient and stay positive.

"I'm looking forward to playing golf here the next few days."

Watson birdies the 18th (UK users only)

Calcavecchia, 49, who won the Open at Troon in 1989, carded four birdies in his 69 and admitted he was happy just to make the cut.

"I'm usually choking so bad coming down the last few holes on Friday because I want to play the weekend," said the American.

Fisher, who finished fifth at this year's US Open, leads the British challenge thanks to a 68 that included a run of three birdies in the closing four holes.

But the 28-year-old reiterated his intention to quit the tournament if his expectant wife Jo started to go into labour.

"I'd love to be here for all four days but obviously my wife comes first," said Fisher. "If she were to go into labour later on this evening or tomorrow I've got no choice.

"I want to be there. It's going to be a great experience and one that I don't want to miss."

With Fisher are two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen (70), 2000 Masters winner Vijay Singh (70) and Japan's Kenichi Kuboya (72).

Jimenez is also on three under after bouncing back from a poor front nine for a second-round 73.

England's Lee Westwood and the big-hitting American JB Holmes are in the group on two under after both carded rounds of 70.

World number five Sergio Garcia, who has a fine record in the Open over recent years, carded a 69 to join the likes of Jim Furyk and Argentine Masters champion Angel Cabrera on one under.

Ireland's Padraig Harrington, who is chasing a hat-trick of Open titles, is on three over after a 74 but insisted that eight shots "was not insurmountable on a links golf course".

Northern Ireland star Rory McIlroy (74) is on the same total, one stroke ahead of world number three Paul Casey (76) - who made the cut by a shot.

Montgomerie was just the other side of the cut line to cap a traumatic week in which he was caught up in a public spat with Sandy Lyle.

Curtis had been one off the lead after round one but collapsed spectacularly on the second day, carding eight bogeys and two doubles on the way to a 10-over-par 80.

Another player to go home early was the hotly-tipped Ian Poulter, who added a 79 to his opening 75.

"I could have had a set of spades in my bag this week and I still wouldn't have found the middle of the greens," he said.

Basical Golf Rules

mysurbuy — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:05:38 +0200

The aim of golf is simple: hit a small ball into a hole with the fewest possible shots, 18 times.

Unlike other sports, a golfer's real enemy is never his or her opponent but him/herself and more importantly, his or her surroundings.

That is one reason why the game has managed to keep a sense of sportsmanship at its heart - because even at the highest level golfers are united in their battle against the course as much as each other.

If you're new to the sport, either as a player or spectator, our guide to the basics will provide an insight into what it's all about.

THE COURSE

A standard golf course is made up of 18 holes.

That is just about the only thing all golf courses have in common.

The first shot on each hole is played from a teeing area (known as a tee) with the ball usually being placed on a plastic or wooden peg (also known as a tee).

The rest of the hole consists of a mixture of long grass called rough or a closely-mown stretch of grass known as the fairway which leads to the green, where the hole is.

As well as rough, there may be other hazards to contend with such as bunkers and streams.

A flagstick sits in the hole to show the target - usually with yellow flags on the first nine holes and red on the second nine.

Most courses are around 6,000 yards long and take between three and four hours to play 18 holes, which involves walking about five miles.

SCORING

In basic terms your score on a golf course is made up of the number of shots you take, plus any penalties you may incur.

So if you take 90 shots to go around a course and your friend takes 92, you are the winner. Scoring centres around the "par" for the course.

This is the number of shots that it takes a top golfer to go around, usually between 70 and 72.

And each hole has a par according to its length and difficulty. A par-three hole lets you have three shots.

Let's say you score 92 on a par 72 course. Your score will be 20 over par.

Similarly if you score five on a par-four hole, you will be one over par for the hole.

In addition golf allows you to play against better players by giving you extra shots, almost like a head start.

This is called handicapping.

RULES

There are many rules that apply to golf but unlike many other sports, unless it is a tournament, there is no need for a referee or umpire.

Players must know the rules themselves, be honest about the number of shots they take and play the ball as it lies.

Moving or interfering with the ball is a big no-no, although there are some exceptions.

If you lose your ball or hit it in a lake then you will have to add strokes to your score before you can play on.

But generally common sense prevails.

ETIQUETTE

The great American golfer Bobby Jones said: "In golf, the customs and etiquette and decorum are as important as the rules of play."

The host of dos and don'ts can seem petty, especially at the more elitist clubs.

But this code of conduct has allowed golf to retain its sporting values despite becoming a multi-million pound global industry.

At its heart are two principles - respect for the course and respect for fellow golfers.

Examples include not talking during a player's swing, not walking on the line of their putt on the green, raking bunkers, repairing pitch marks and replacing divots.

Tiger looks for fourth British Open titl...

mysurbuy — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 05:11:47 +0200

TURNBERRY, Scotland -- A year ago at this time, the thought of playing in the British Open never crossed Tiger Woods' mind.

"My day consisted of trying to get from the bed to the couch and then from there back to the bed," Woods said Tuesday. "That was my day. I was going through some of the worst pain at the time."

Three weeks earlier, Woods underwent major reconstructive surgery on his left leg. He was also recovering from two stress fractures. So missing a chance to win a fourth Claret Jug wasn't a big deal; getting healthy was.

"Not as frustrating as I thought it would be," he said of skipping Royal Birkdale. "After the procedure last year I couldn't do much of anything. So just a struggle day-to-day."

The 33-year-old Woods is back and playing great golf again. He recently won his third event of the year, the AT&T National at Congressional Country Club, and is a heavy favorite this week at Turnberry Golf Club, where the Open returns for just the fourth time.

Woods had never seen Turnberry until last Sunday, when he played his first practice round. He knew the previous three winners here - Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman and Nick Price - were all great ball-strikers, and now has a good feel for what the links course will demand.

"You really do have to hit your ball well, here," he said, after playing a morning practice round with Mark O'Meara and Mark Calcavecchia. "And you have to drive the ball well. You have to hit your irons well. You just can't fake it around this golf course. You just have to hit good shots."

In the past, low scores have been shot at Turnberry, located near the Firth of Clyde on the Irish Sea, including a 63 by Norman in 1986 and three 64s in 1994. But the course has been toughened, bunkers added, and while the fairways are spacious, the rough is punishing.

"The course is fantastic," said Woods. "It's in great shape. The rough is up a little bit. We haven't had the big winds yet. We'll see how the weather holds."

It poured Tuesday afternoon and more rain is expected the first two rounds, when Woods will be paired with Lee Westwood of England and 17-year-old teenage sensation Ryo Ishikawa of Japan. They tee off at 9:09 a.m. local time on Thursday and 2:20 p.m. on Friday.

Needless to say, the trio will attract dozens of media and photographers. What does Woods expect?

"Very quiet," he cracked. "I don't think you guys will be out there, will you? It will be interesting. There will be a lot of people inside the ropes."

The pairing is curious, if only because Ishikawa is so young and competing in his first Open Championship. Granted, he has three victories on the Japan Golf Tour, but he missed the cut at the Masters this year.

"It is what it is," said Woods. "I've been there before. Ryo hasn't. He certainly has had to deal with a lot at a very young age and he's handled it well. So there's no reason why he can't play well the first two days and into the weekend. And hopefully I can do the same."

Given his physical state last year, Woods has already exceeded his expectations this year. He has posted eight-straight Top 10 finishes on the PGA Tour, and was in contention at the Masters and U.S. Open, tying for sixth in both.

"It's been a tremendous success," he said. "I remember looking at the year and just trying to get back in playing; hopefully I can play, and hopefully I can play at a high level. And to sit here and say I was going to have three wins halfway through the year, if anyone would have looked at my situation, they would have said I probably might be reaching a little bit."

Woods is renting a house, has a chef and is leaving the driving to caddie Steve Williams.

"He's used to this side of the road," said Woods.

Woods has always been a fan of links golf. His favorite course in the world is the Old Course at St. Andrews. "Absolutely," he said. "I fell in love with it right away. I played Carnoustie and St. Andrews, my first two right out of the gate. It doesn't get much better than that."

Why?

"I just fell in love with being able to use the ground as a friend, as an ally," said Woods. "We don't get that in the States; everything is up in the air.

"But here it's different. You hit a shot from 150 yards, you have so many options of how you could play it."

That will be case again this week at Turnberry.

"You have to be committed to either putting the ball short of the bunkers or carrying them or skirting it past them," Woods said. "You have to make sure you really know what you're doing out there, especially with the cross winds in some of these fairways where they're slanted. It certainly presents challenges."

Woods is just glad to be back.

"Anytime you have a chance to lift the Claret Jug, it's special," he said. "I wouldn't say it's extra special, but it's been special for me three times, and hopefully I can do it again."

Perfect A Golf Swing, How?

mysurbuy — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:12:09 +0200

My dear friends, have you ever wonder how a professional swings their golf club? Let's explore the anatomy of a perfect golf swing.

A lot of people envy the likes of Tiger Woods because of his world championship winning golf swing. To the enthusiastic golfer, the delight of watching these pros in action and seeing the way they swing the club to strike the ball is a joy like no other. To a true enthusiast of the sport the flawlessness of the swing is the Holy Grail of golf. The golf swing is the essential skill that separates the beginner from the expert and the golfer from the poser.

Because of the attractiveness of golf in almost all of the countries of the world,
many people have come up with instructional guides, books and CDs that could help improve the golfer's swing. Some of them are effective with some people and some of them are not. The reason behind this difference in the output is the human anatomy. There are no two people that are exactly alike in the same way no two golf swings are alike. Because of the body structure of some people, there are techniques that really don't work for them.

For example a stocky golfer would have a hard time matching the flexibility and
dexterity of a slender golfer and in return the slender golfer will have a grueling time matching the power of the swing of the stocky golfer. Because of the stoutness of golfer A, he is able to use his wide shoulders in smashing the golf club far, but because of the nimbleness and flexibility of golfer B he is able to reach past behind his back to give his club a wider range of motion for the swing creating a top velocity impact on the ball.

The effect of the distance of the two golfer's swing maybe the same but the technique is distinct with each golfer. This difference in technique is because of the variation of the body type.

Another way to look at your golf swing is with the aid of mathematics and a slight bit of physics. When you look at it this way you will be able to realize the impact of the numbers on your game. A study shows that generally professional golf players reach a club head speed of 100 miles per hour at the very bottom of their swing right before they hit the ball. Tiger Woods can swing up to 125 miles per hour that means he can hit 25 mph faster that other pros.

He achieves this by reaching farther back on his set up that most golfers. Physicist have already studied golf in relation to the angular motion and the torque force that changes the angle of the club when it hits the ball. Velocity is also an important factor in your golf swing. Almost all club heads weigh the same and for agolfer to hit the ball farther they need to attain maximum club velocity or they must have higher club head speed at the bottom of their swing. One of the most common misconceptions that a golfer has is snapping the wrist right before impact is like pressing the nitro button in the straightaway lane. When golfers do this they are in fact slowing down the velocity of the clubhead making the golf swing lighter. This is a terrible habit that should be avoided. This more often than not happens when a golfer is standing too close to the ball throughout the golf swing.

Read Greens To Improve Your Putting

mysurbuy — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:48:01 +0200

Being able to read greens correctly is a very important part of improving your game. There are many different factors that you need to consider before putting the ball. So here are a couple of steps you need to do to help you read the greens correctly.

The best way to deal with sloping greens and breaking putts is to treat every putt as if it is perfectly straight. Now you might be wondering what on earth we are talking about, but it is actually quite simple and this is how it works:

Step 1: Firstly you have to identify how much a particular putt is going to break. Let’s say that that this putt is going to break two feet or 60 centimetres from the right. The hole itself now ceases to be your target. You now have a new target that is 2 feet or 60 centimetres to the right of the actual hole. So imagine that the hole has moved two feet to the right and putt the ball as if it is a straight putt.

Step 2: When going through your practice routine, aim the putter face and align your body as if you were putting the ball two feet to the right of the hole. You should focus on the imaginary hole two feet to the right of the actual hole.

Step 3: Now hit your putt straight to the imaginary hole two feet to the right of the actual hole and let the slope of the green take care of the rest.

The main reason for using this approach to putting on a sloped green is that you are more likely to make a pure solid putting stroke when putting the ball straight than when you are trying to guide the ball on a breaking putt. I hope this helps you to improve your putting.

Kaymer sets blistering pace in Paris

mysurbuy — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:58:00 +0200

Blistering heat and a blistered foot served only to bring out the best in young German star Martin Kaymer at Le Golf National.

The 24 year old began the Open de France ALSTOM with a course record-equalling 62.

So bad was Kaymer's right foot that as well as being seen by a doctor he had a hole cut in his golf shoe to allow him to play Wednesday's pro-am.

With the help of his three partners he won that by four with an amazing 16 under par best-ball of 55, but to be only seven worse than that on his own underlined what a massive talent he is.

"I've been missing a lot of short putts, but everything came together - and I hope it continues," he said after taking a three stroke lead over England's 2006 winner John Bickerton, Thai Thongchai Jaidee, Australian Scott Strange, Swede Peter Hanson and Argentina's Rafa Echenique - the man who was second to Nick Dougherty in Munich last week after a closing albatross.

"The foot's still hurting, but I will survive," added Kaymer. "Yesterday when I was practising it was unbelievable pain, but now I don't worry about it."

Kaymer's round actually began with a bogey, but after five birdies in the next nine holes he chipped in for eagle at the long third and finished with three more birdies for an inward 30.

Bickerton, 40 later this year, said: "I've not been playing well, but these things happen in golf and you have to try and kick on and improve.

"I've changed a few things in my set-up. I was getting very crouched and very lazy and hadn’t even noticed myself, so it was important to address those issues.

“The fairways are tight here but if you do get the ball in the right places then you can get the ball close to the hole and the greens are quite receptive. You have to hole to the putts though and it was nice to have a good day out there for a change.”

Dougherty followed up his win with a 66 and Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie, without a top ten finish since he was runner-up in this event last year, returned a 69.

Miguel Angel Jiménez, whose 500th European Tour event began with a hook into the water, hit back for a 67 and fellow Spaniard Pablo Larrazábal, the defending champion, matched that with five birdies in the last six holes - after a triple bogey eight on the ninth.

“This is a golf course that you need to take special care around,” warned Jiménez. “The course is in great condition so I think that I played well and that four under par is good for the day. I started with a bogey and dropped another one on the fourth, but it was a good round and I played well, very solid and made some putts.

“Golf is my life and has given me everything. To play 500 tournaments is a great achievement and makes me proud.”

Davis and Robinson set the pace in Switz...

mysurbuy — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:45:45 +0200

The English pair of Stuart Davis and Simon Robinson set the pace after the first round of the Credit Suisse Challenge after matching opening rounds of 67, six under par, at Wylihof GC, Switzerland.

On a blistering hot day in Luterbach, Davis picked up three birdies on each nine to set the early clubhouse target, later matched by Robinson.

For Davis, the Credit Suisse Challenge is his first Challenge Tour event of the year having graduated to the main Tour last year. But his category has only entitled him to a limited number of European Tour starts and, having not got into the Open de France ALSTOM, Davis opted to compete in Switzerland. So far, the decision is paying off.

“I’ve played okay this season, just haven’t had the opportunities,” said Davis, whose best performance has been tied 15th in the Open de España. “I have only played nine out of 27 events on The European Tour and it is soul destroying, so I decided to play here just to keep playing. These next two weeks are good tournament practice for some of The European Tour events coming up after The Open. But it’s strange going back to pulling your own trolley as you get used to being spoilt on the main Tour.”

Robinson has been struggling on the Challenge Tour having made only one cut this year, but a friend at his local club helped him recall a tip which brought him success in his amateur days by just focusing on six holes at a time.

“I was focused on six hole stretches and just tried to play each six in two under par,” he explained. “I played the first six un two under, missed a short putt on the 11th so only managed one under for the next six but then did the last six in three under so it worked well. It’s been quite a while since I played that well.”

Two 30 foot putts on the par three fifth and 16th holes provided the highlights of Robinson’s round, while his experience at the University of Houston helped him deal with the heat.

Portugal’s Tiago Cruz had no problems adjusting to the soaring temperatures as he posted a five under par 68 to lie just one off the lead. He missed only three greens and his consistency helped him to six birdies and just the one dropped shot. Cruz has spent the last fortnight at home in Lisbon working with his coach, Colin Smith, and looks to have found some form.

“It’s good motivation for the rest of the week so I just need to try and stay focused,” he commented.

Also on five under par 68 were Welshman Tim Dykes, who finished strongly with three birdies in his last five holes, and England’s Lee S James. An afternoon thunderstorm caused a delay of one and a half hours.

Golf Rules

mysurbuy — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:08:24 +0200

If you play golf strictly by the USGA Rules of Golf you won't learn as fast as you can. My dear friends, try these unofficial Rules for Beginners and you'll learn to play golf faster. Golf is your game, make up your own rules if you want to!Just change them and learn faster! So let's just try to make them our own!

Here are some instructions:

Step 1

To learn any game, ESPECIALLY golf, you need to first suspend the official rules of the game and learn some of the moves. Golf is the ultimate 'pop-up board game' in which you are the playing piece. In the beginning if you accept these steps, or unofficial rules, they will help you learn to play golf faster.

Step 2

#1: When you first learn to play and go on the golf course, you get more than one swing at the ball without counting if you miss.

Step 3

#2: You get to 'fluff' the ball up on top of a tuft of grass anywhere you want to on the course. If the ball is sitting very low in the grass and low to the ground it is very hard to get airborne. You can try it, but go ahead and fluff it up if you want to.

Step 4

#3: If you swing and miss, or hit a 'bad' shot, you have to laugh. At least a little... It's called 'Hit and 'Giggle'.

Step 5

#4: Hit another ball from any place you want to. That should make you happy! Besides, if you don't try to correct whatever happened immediately, you may not learn the correction.

Step 6

#5: At any place you like on the golf course you get to THROW the ball. Do you count it as a stroke? That's up to you!

Step 7

#6: After hitting the ball 8 times you get to place it on the green and start putting. Or, place it on the green any time you like and start putting. It's your game!

Step 8

#7: You get to make up any rule you like to play with your friends. You can do it for the whole round, or for just one hole. You made up rules when you played games as a kid, right?

Step 9

#8: Keep score as much or as little as you want to. The true measure of your success in golf is in how much you enjoy it, not what score you shot. Ask others how they played the game, not what score did you shoot.

Step 10

#9: Smile and laugh, and you won't get frustrated.

Step 11

#10: Here's the only tough rule -- you must not delay the play of others in your group or in groups behind you. You can either pick up your ball and move ahead, move to the green, or go to the next hole and begin again. This is the key rule in golf etiquette.

Step 12

Understand that you are learning to play a game that you can play your entire life. Play golf for yourself first, and for others second. Remember that it is a game, that friendly competition is fun but not necessary, and make it YOUR game.

Always love in golf, love in life!

Select the Perfect Set of Golf Clubs

mysurbuy — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:59:09 +0200

My dear friends, we know that nobody wants to be a loser and evrybody wants to be a winner. However, great things always begins little. So if we want to be winners of golf we'd better start from selecting our set of golf clubs.

Whether you are a beginning golfer or a seasoned pro, the right golf clubs can help your golf game. Whether you are looking at golf clubs from Titleist, Callaway, TaylorMade, Ping or discount golf clubs, my dear friends this article is for you.

Here are some instructions:

1 First ask people you know what types of golf clubs they use and what brands they suggest. You could also try calling up a golf pro at a public course or a golf pro at a private course or a golf pro at a country club.

2 Next take a look at the golf clubs that other golfers use when you are on the golf course. See what other golfers have in the back of their golf carts.

3 Read reviews of golf clubs, reviews of golf club bags, review of drivers, review of putters, review of irons, review of wedges. Golf reviews may be found in golf magazines, golf websites, or even golf infomercials on tv!

4 Some sporting goods stores and golf courses may have golf demo days where you can go to a course and try to hit a few golf balls with various brands of golf clubs.

Tips & Warnings

Price may be a big obstacle, especially when you are a beginner. You may want to spend a lot of money on expensive golf clubs to be like Tiger Woods but you may have to settle with discount golf clubs or cheap golf clubs.

Golf is the best and worst game of all time, enjoy!

PS: My dear friends, the golf clubs on our website: http://www.mysurbuy.com/ are 100% satisfaction guarantee, have a try!

Shin wins Wegmans LPGA by seven strokes

mysurbuy — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:13:24 +0200

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) -- South Korea's Jiyai Shin picked up her fifth title in 11 months with a seven-stroke victory at the Wegmans LPGA on Sunday.

The 21-year-old star from Seoul shot a 1-under 71 to finish in a downpour at 17-under 271. Kristy McPherson and Yani Tseng each shot a 66, the day's best score, to surge into a second-place tie at 10 under. One behind were Japan's Mika Miyazato (71) and rookies Haeji Kang (71) of South Korea and Stacy Lewis (74), the former NCAA champion from Arkansas.

First-round leader Sandra Gal (74) of Germany bogeyed the last hole to drop into a four-way tie for seventh place at 8 under with Cristie Kerr(69), Meaghan Francella (70) and Sun Young Yoo (73).

"I have a lot of tournaments" left to play this year and "maybe I try more wins," Shin said. "Still, my goal is rookie of the year."

Shin dedicated her victory again to her mother, who was killed in an auto accident in 2004. "I have my mother's picture in my course book," she said.

Shin carried a four-stroke lead into the final round at the tricky Locust Hill course. She never looked in danger of being caught, even when she picked up two straight bogeys near the close as heavy rain produced a flurry of errors. She earned $300,000, vaulting her to the top of the money list above Kerr, In-Kyung Kim and Lorena Ochoa with $1 million.

The $2 million tournament drew 18 of the season's top 20 money winners. Ochoa, the world's top-ranked player, and Suzann Pettersen, the runner-up here last June, were among the absentees.

A multiple winner on the Korean tour, Shin became the first non-LPGA member to win three events when she reeled in the Women's British Open last August. She followed with late-season wins in the Mizuno Classic and ADT Championship and, in March, captured the HSBC Women's Champions in Singapore for her first victory as a tour member.

Shin rolled in an 8-foot birdie putt on No. 1, saved par from 20 feet on No. 6 but picked up her first of three bogeys on the next hole when her 7-foot putt curled left at the cup. She made amends from the same distance for a birdie on the par-5 No. 8.

Morgan Pressel closed the gap to four strokes with an 8-foot birdie putt before the turn, but Shin's lead swelled to six when she birdied No. 10.

Shin birdied from 9 feet on No. 17 to seal the biggest margin of victory here since Patty Sheehan beat Nancy Lopez by nine strokes in 1992.

Lewis, who tied for third at the U.S. Women's Open last summer, reached 13 under at No. 13 but slumped with four bogeys on the last six holes.

Tiger Woods' niece, Cheyenne Woods, made her professional golf debut but missed the cut by four strokes. Play was delayed for three hours on Thursday and nearly five hours Friday. After a sunny interlude Saturday, rain fell steadily over the last three hours of play.

Strength Training For Golf

mysurbuy — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 05:40:08 +0200

Everyone wants to hit the ball further, everyone wants to play the game free of pain, do you? - following a golf strength training program should be high on your agenda...

Every level of player wants to add 30-50 yards to their drives. Every golfer wants to start and finish each 18 holes without the all-too-common aches and twinges.

Yet few - very few - golfers consider it important to condition themselves physically. And if they do consider it, it's a passing thought never to be acted on.

Perhaps the old myth still persists - that all forms strength training results in bulky, tight muscles with limited range of movement. Not true. It takes a very specific type of weight training (plus diet) to bulk up - something we'll steer well clear of.

Or maybe it's because physical make-up never relates to a person's handicap. Golf is played by such a wide range of people... from 8 years old to 80, overweight, thin, tall, short, fit and unfit... and they all compete on a level playing field.

Yet with the right conditioning program everyone of those players would improve their game.

If you're new to the game, following a golf strength training program will give you a solid and well-balanced base on which to build the fundamentals of a good swing.

If you're a seasoned low-handicapper, strength conditioning can certainly give you a significant competitive edge and lower your handicap still further.

If youth is still on your side - start a golf strength training program now and you can build a healthy, balanced body that stays free of chronic back pain, frozen shoulders and golfers elbow.

And for the more senior players - it's never too late to redress the physical imbalances that have occurred through years of playing (and too many indulgences at the 19th hole!).

In this article we'll cover some of the basics of a good golf strength training program. Then at the end we'll move on to a sample golf weight training regimen that has helped many golfers improve their game.

(1)Golf Strength Training Improves Shot Distance

From back swing to finish position a golf swing takes between 1 and 2 seconds. In that time a golfer's body generates some exceptional forces - potential energy that must be stored then released as efficiently as possible - and then you have to actually make contact with the ball!

The key to lengthening your shots is to increase the amount of force you can generate which in return, increases club head speed...

A study in 2004 of 45 golfers aged 18 to 80, showed that club head speed in recreational players correlated closely with handicap - the lower the handicap, the greater the club head speed found in a player's swing.

Two more recent studies (2004) measured whether an 8-week conditioning program could improve swing forces and club head speeds in golfers on all ages and abilities. The results showed that just 2 days per week of simple strength, power and flexibility exercises significantly increased club head speed and shot distance.

And these studies are by no means unique. What is clear is that physical conditioning (and in particular a golf strength training program) will increase your distance with every club... more so than spending hours on the practise tee trying to swing faster and harder.

(2)Golf Strength Training Reduces the Risk and Severity of Injury

As a rule of thumb most injuries that occur in golf tend to be over-use injuries of the soft tissues. Even fair-weather players repeat the same movement pattern thousands of times each year - on the course, at the driving range and of course the back yard.

And any similar explosive movement repeated over and over will train and condition some muscles whilst others are neglected...

At the most obvious level, the golf swing is performed in the same direction every time. Unequal forces are placed on one side of the body compared to other. That's why pros spend time swinging in the opposite direction - it's not just to prepare for those tricky shots when the ball lies flush against a tree!

And there are more subtle changes in posture and muscular balance that can occur over time...

Muscles in the lower back might become overly strong compared to the abdominals for example. Larger muscle groups might develop at the expense of smaller, stabilizing muscles, which puts them under a disproportional amount of strain.

It only takes a few weak muscles to cause postural changes over time, that weaken them further and so on in a downward spiral, until the result is chronic pain and over-use injury.

While a golf strength training routine is by no means a cure-all, it is perhaps the best solution for tackling the underlying cause. And if you take some time off each year and focus on restoring an optimal balance, there's no reason why you can't play pain-free golf right into your later years.

Notes: If you are currently suffering from muscular pain or discomfort, strength training is NOT recommended. Conditioning is the long-term solution but in an acute or exasperated phase of an injury it can do more harm than good. You should seek the advice of a medical professional or qualified Physical Therapist before undertaking any form of exercise program - injured or not.

(3)The Foundations of a Golf Strength Training Program

You don't have to follow a time-consuming, highly regimented routine to benefit from strength training. But there are some important guidelines that set a golf strength program aside from simply lifting weights at the gym...

Split Your Routine into Phases
Because most golfers are new to strength training, it's important they follow a period of functional training. This serves 2 purposes - firstly it prepares muscles, ligaments, tendons and connective tissue for more demanding exercise and secondly, it helps to target neglected, stabilizing muscles.

This initial phase of a golf strength training program emphasizes core stability exercises and uses light weights and high repetitions. The ideal time to perform this 6-8 week phase would be during the off-season - those months were there are no club competitions and you can have a break from the game.

The next logical phase is to develop peak strength and power so that it coincides with the start of the competitive season. The intensity of exercises increases and more golf-specific movements are incorporated. In this phase we also have to...

Make Strength Training Golf Specific
The end goal of a golf strength training program is to develop golf-specific power (to increase the speed of that club head). Increased strength does not necessarily translate into more power and faster club head speed. As a side note, don't confuse club head speed with swing speed. Trying to swing faster is not necessarily the answer to increasing length. Ernie Els has a classically slow-looking swing. He still generates enormous club head speed and distance. There are biomechanical reasons why swinging slower can actually increase club head speed at impact.

To take the idea of specificity a step further, does a bench press or biceps curl closely match the mechanics of the golf swing?

No - what are more beneficial are exercises that include the whole body (in an upright position) and incorporate the core region. And will exercises that cause rotation at the hips and core be more useful than those that don't. Absolutely!

Of course there is a caveat -- in the early phase of the program, when a functional strength base is being developed, less golf-specific exercises are useful and help to counterbalance the repetitive nature of golf.

Incorporate Specialist Exercises for Hard to Target Muscle Groups
According several studies the most commonly occurring injuries in amateur golfers after back pain is golfer's or tennis elbow (caused by over-use and inflammation of the wrist flexors and extensors), wrist injuries and shoulder injuries (over-use and inflammation, or even partial tears of the rotator cuff muscles).

Perhaps the best way to prevent these injuries is to strengthen the forearm and rotator cuff muscles. By adding in a few choice exercises to specifically strengthen these areas, they become more resistant to over-use, tearing and inflammation.

Of course if you already have an injury or pain you should consult your physician who will advise you on the best course of treatment.

Don't Neglect Flexibility
While the subject of stretching for golf is covered in another article it deserves mention here. A muscle can only contract as forcefully as its opposing muscle can relax. Stretching promotes relaxation in the muscles. Of course there are other important reason to stretch relating to injury prevention and improved swing mechanics.