WGC Accenture Match Play - European dominance

source; http://averagegolfer1.blogspot.com/2011/02/2011-wgc-accenture-match-play.html



The WGC Accenture Match Play is under way this week and it feels like a European Tour event.  Of course, 2012 is a Ryder Cup year so you have to take note of the European dominance this week at the WGC.  Since both the WGC and Cup are Match Play Style events one has to begin drawing comparisons.  If the Europeans continue to play well and perhaps go on to win this week questions will arise about their dominance in this format.

I did not get a chance to watch many of the matches on days one or two.  However, I flipped on the tube yesterday afternoon and saw what appeared to me as a European Ryder Cup roster.  Familiar European Tour players names filled the brackets such as; Westwood, McIlroy, Jimenez, Hansen, Lawrie, Laird and Kaymer.  In fact, seven players in total out of the sixteen remaining in the field were European.  Let’s not forget that Luke Donald won the event last year.  He is regular on the European Tour Ryder Cup roster.  Likewise, in 2010 Ian Poulter, another regular European Ryder Cup player won the event.

So, why are the Europeans so dominant in this event? By all appearances they are superior in most match play format tournaments?  What is it in their background, preparation or style of play that better suites their games?  Do they want the win more?  Do they play more aggressive?  Are they more consistent?  Are they better putters? Do they play more match play events on their tour than the PGA does?

I have my own theory as to why the Europeans are better at Match Play and it comes down to short game.  If you have ever played in Match Play style events you quickly realize that players who can scramble have a distinct advantage.  Match play is not really about distance or power.  It is about the ability to get the ball in the hole at the right moment.  Unlike stroke play the total number of strokes is not as critical.  You are playing against a single opponent not the entire field.  I believe in this area the Europeans overall are just better equipped to play that format.

I am not saying that the Americans do not have great short games or short game players.  They clearly do, however, we play a different style of game in the US than in Europe.  The guys on the PGA Tour play under perfect conditions each week and an ariel game.   European players play under less than perfect conditions both on course and due to the weather.  Also, they are forced to learn to play along the ground and learn to play a variety of short game shots.  One could argue why that matters if the WGC and Cup are being played in the US?  Because you either have the shots or you don’t.  Plus you must be comfortable and confident you can pull them off under pressure.

Why do you think the Europeans are so dominant in Match Play Events?

2012 Golf Goals

source; museumarts.com

Each year I set goals for all aspects of my life; financial, personal, spiritual and of course, golf.  This process begins in December of the previous year as I assess the goals of that year and start to outline what I wish to accomplish the following year.

 As I began my career out of college I took a class on goal setting.  In that class they taught us not only how to set goals but why we should set them.  Statistics show that people who set goals are much more likely to achieve them.  Research has shown that you not only need to set goals but you must also write them down.  By writing down your goals it provides you the opportunity to view them periodically.  This will keep you focused on the goals you have set.  This step also acts as constant reminder that the goal exists and your behavior needs to reflect that goal.   Last year I began the year with seven golf goals and only achieved four of them.  Not bad considering they were all fairly difficult to achieve in the first place.  Since I am not one to dwell on the negative here are the goals I did achieve.

2011 Golf Goals Achieved

·         Repeated as Club Champion

·         Improved Lag Putting

·         Reduced risk in shot making, playing smarter

·         Improved Greenside Bunker Play

As I reflect on the previous year’s goals I always ask myself, why did I achieve or not achieve each of the goals?  This past year it was clearly practice and focus.  I guess I could probably say that every year but last year that was the case.  I spent an inordinate amount of time practicing these areas in an effort to see marked improvement.

 I thought I would share my 2012 goals with everyone and we will have to check back next year to see how I fared.  Of course, some goals are more easily measured than others.  For example, qualifying for a tournament is very easy to measure.  Whereas, improving bunker play is not so simple.   The less quantifiable goals are more based upon your own judgment.  You need to ask yourself if you truly achieved the goal or not.  This is where being honest with yourself is key.  It does not pay to tell yourself you achieved a goal when in fact, you did not.  One last thing I have learned over the years is to have attainable goals.  They need to stretch you but they also need to be reachable.  Otherwise, you will lose interest early on in the process and probably shy away from goal setting in the future.

My 2012 Golf Goals

·         Defend the Club Championship

·         Improve my chipping around the greens

·         Improve longer bunker play

·         Improve pitching from 65-95 yards

·         Buy a new putter

One last Goal I wanted to achieve last year was related to my Blog.  I had hoped to exceed five thousand page views by the end of 2011 and we exceed that goal significantly.  Let’s see if we cannot reach the twenty thousand page view mark by the end of this year.

What are your golf goals for 2012 and how do you track them?



Preparing for the Golf Season

It is that time of the year again, spring is just around the corner and that means it is time to prepare for the upcoming golf season.  This year I was nominated to research and organize the spring golf trip in March.  The past few years all I had to do was buy a plane ticket and show up.  This year I was the “chosen one”, what were they thinking?  During the process I had the opportunity to play several key  roles including; travel agent, administrative assistant and research analyst.  I am sure after a few months away from the game I will also get a chance to play a Psychologist either on or after the trip.  I am not really a doctor I just play one on the golf trip.  I want to thank the other guys as they did help out as no one in their right mind would trust me to make ALL of the arrangements.

I usually go through a pretty consistent ritual in the winter in anticipation to the season.  The major objectives are replacing grips, replacing spikes (which by the way Soft Spikes do not last very long), what a racket.  I also get the clubs out and clean the faces and grooves to get rid of last years mud and bad play.  In past years I have begun to work out more, although, this off season I have done a good job keeping up with that.  I really should stretch more than I do especially now that I am over the big four zero.  At least I am not over the big five zero like some people I know, HEHE.  In the past I used to have to get all of my golf clothes out of storage.  Not this year however, thanks to a new closet organizer the golf clothes hang in there all year round.  Given the number of golf shirts I own that used to be a chore.  I Especially hated all the ironing, thank goodness for the invention of wrinkle free shirts.  The last big chore will be to replace a few of my grips.  I know my driver and three wood need new grips at a minimum and probably some of my short irons as well.  I do not enjoy changing grips but good grips are crucial to playing good golf, especially in the east where the humidity is higher.

In previous off seasons I have built myself a few new golf clubs but not this year.  I bought two new Titleist Sand Wedges last summer which I love.  Since my trusty driver is still doing the trick I do not need to replace it yet.  My next big purchase is a “Scotty”.  Yep, I am going to break down and get a new putter after fifteen years.  Although my putter did allow me to successfully defend my club championship last year I believe it is time to hang it up. 

So, come back to see my future posts with course reviews from this year’s spring trip. 

What do you do to prepare for the golf season?

Image Source Page: http://www.dailyhaha.com/_pics/stretching.htm

Tiger Woods wins Chevron

                                                Allan Henry/ USPresswire

A year ago I wrote a post called “Will Tiger Win Chevron” and he almost did.  If it were not for the phenomenal putting of Graham McDowell, Tiger would have won the Chevron World Challenge in 2010.  However, it was not his time; his game was not yet ready to win.  In March of this year I wrote another post called “When will Tiger Woods Win again”?  Well that was answered today as he beat out Zach Johnson to win the 2011 Chevron World Challenge.

I know we do not need stop the presses and announce to the world that Tiger is back.  However, I think the golf world has got to stop and take notice.  Even though this was not a full field event there were plenty of good players in the mix to validate this win.  The real test will come next season when he has to face the top players in the world on the grandest stage of all, major championship golf.  I would be willing to bet he will walk onto the practice ground in 2012 with a little more swagger.  I also bet the other players will take more notice as well.

The difference in Tigers game at this event in my opinion from 2010 to 2011 was three things.  First, he has control of his golf ball again.  At Chevron today he was hitting golf shots that he was visualizing.  He was controlling his ball flight, trajectory and distance.  Second, he drove the ball pretty well and kept it in play.  Thanks to the return of the “Stinger”, a shot Tiger made famous in his career.  The Stinger gives him the ability to hit fairways in a controlled manner, with very little risk.  One could argue that he stopped hitting the Stinger over the past few years because of his left knee.  Anyone that has ever tried to hit a knockdown shot with a long iron knows the tremendous pressure that you put on your leading leg.  In Tigers case since he plays right handed his left leg is the leading leg.  Now that his knee is healed from the surgery the Stinger shot is back and he can practice it.  The final difference in his performance is his putting.  He is making putts again when they matter.  He is making putts to save par, to get up and down and to win.  That is what he did today when he birdied the final two holes when it mattered and he won.

Although I have never really rooted for Tiger Woods I do enjoy watching him play.  As a golf fan he is fun to watch because he as the ability to do things on the golf course that very few ever will.  He has the ability at times it seems to will the golf ball into the hole.  That is special, rare and fun to watch.  So, if nothing else this win will make the start of the 2012 season pretty exciting and will make watching golf fun again.  After all, who can make the game as fun and exciting as Tiger Woods?  The answer is no one and for that reason alone the win today at Chevron was a great “W” as Tiger would say.



Seeing the Line



Source; lockedinputting.com

I had a rare experience on the golf course last weekend which leads me to this post “Seeing the Line”.  I somehow managed to shoot a record low five under par 31 on the back nine of Saturdays round.  I have only ever made five birdies in a round a few times but never in a nine hole stretch.  This comes after I managed to shoot a less than impressive forty two on the front nine.  Given the weather conditions around here this time of the year I was not all that disappointed with the score on the front.  The fairways and greens are soft and wet, we had a consistent breeze and the greens are bumpy from fall aeration.  However, given it is late November we are just happy to be playing.

After the round one of my fellow players asked me what the difference was on the back nine.  At the time I stated that I had more looks at birdie on the back than I did on the front.  On the front nine I could not get the ball on the green in regulation, so very few birdie putts.  Consequently, this lead to a bunch of bogeys as I was unable to get up and down for par.  I was striking the ball great but my chipping was horrendous.  So, like a lot of amateurs I squandered shot after shot with poor chipping.

However, after having some time to reflect on the round I came to the realization that the difference on the back nine was that I saw the line.  This usually happens to me a few times each season but it is pretty rare.  Allow me to explain what I mean by seeing the line.  When I line up a putt I have a standard routine like most people.  I get directly behind the ball and do the best to read the break, usually plumb bob the line and get an understanding and feel for the speed.  When I get over the ball, I line up my putt for the ball to travel on the intended line I have selected and attempt to roll the ball on that line.  On most days I make some putts and miss some others.  However, once in a while I see the line and nothing else.  I get the sensation while reading the putt that I cannot miss.  When I get over the putt, my focus narrows, everything else around me seems to silence and I get the feeling that the putt is going in.  I focus solely on holing the putt and not missing.  I do not concern myself with hitting it too hard, too easy or that I have misread the putt.  I trust my feel, touch and read, then release the putter head.

That is what happened to me on Saturday’s round on the back nine.  I wish I knew how to harness the feeling or call upon it at will.  I guess the lesson I can take from this weekend is that I should try and apply that focus, routine, concentration and confidence every time I stand over a putt.  Perhaps that will be one of my primary putting goals for next year.

What do you do in your putting routine to see the line? 

Tiger vs. Stevie Part 2

Source; AP

In my previous post I talked about the Tiger versus Stevie breakup from Tigers perspective.  This time I thought I would try and understand the motives and actions of Stevie Williams from his perspective.  The primary difference from Stevie’s perspective is that he did not initiate the breakup, he was on the receiving end.  Like most long term relationships that suddenly end the person on the receiving end is usually angry and bitter.  That was certainly true in this case.  Stevie’s actions and comments on the 18^th green at Firestone after his win with Adam Scott was indicative of that.  As a reminder here are Stevie’s comments after the Scott win.

"I have been caddying for more than 30 years now. I have won 145 times and that is the best win of my life," Williams said afterwards. "A lot has been said this week and it is great to back it up. I back myself as a frontrunner as a caddie and I have won again."

It is pretty obvious to anyone that follows golf that the comments were made in anger.  After all he won many major titles while on the bag of Tiger Woods along with a lot of World Golf Championship events.  These are no small achievements.

Although I must say I cannot blame him for his anger and disgust.  He stood by Tiger through Tiger’s most difficult times not only professionally but personally.  Stevie was asked repeatedly about his knowledge of Tigers affairs and he stated time and again that he had no knowledge.  Not to mention Tiger and Stevie were close friends by all accounts which had to add to the hurt.

In the end however, I think Stevie needs to let this go and accept Tigers decision.  After all, Williams made a lot of money over the years due to Woods’ success on the golf course.  I think it would be easy to say he made in excess of $10 million from that relationship.  Not a bad deal for carrying a set of golf clubs around the world’s most beautiful courses while witnessing some of the best golf every played. 

So, if I am Stevie Williams I move on to a new chapter in my life.  Let bygones be bygones and find success with a new player.  He seems to have done that with Adam Scott.  He had a great run with one of the greatest payers of all time and reaped the rewards from his work.  Lastly, Stevie needs to avoid the camera, spotlight and interview requests.  Leave that up to your player and do not fall into the trap that media is leading you into.  He should know by now that there are cameras and microphones everywhere.  Especially in any golf related events.

In the end,  I do not know if Tiger was right or wrong in his decision to let Williams go.  Nor, do I necessarily blame Williams for his anger and disgust.  What I do know is that the world of golf needs to see Tiger Woods playing great golf again and Stevie needs to go back to being a great caddy for Adam Scott.  Hopefully this handshake solidifies the end to this working relationship and begins the mending process of two of golf’s great characters.



Tiger vs. Stevie

Source; Getty Images

Wow, what a soap opera the Tiger vs. Stevie show has become.  How is it possible that a partnership that worked so well for so many years could end up like this?  No one really knows what Tigers Woods’ motive was in the first place to replace Stevie.  Some have suggested that Stevie knew a little more than he let on about Tiger’s personal affairs.  Others suggest that Tiger wanted a fresh start and canned everyone including his Management Company, Swing Coach and Caddie.  Only Tiger knows his real motives.  Stevie on the other hand made a lot of cash from carrying Tiger’s bag over the years.   We do not know exactly what Tiger paid him; however, the standard pay for caddies on the PGA Tour is 7% for the week and 10% should the player win that week.   Even if Stevie was paid under the standard rate, he still made some big bucks during his years with Tiger.  So, why the break up and why all the controversy ever since?

I thought I would try and understand it from the perspective of both Tiger and Stevie.  Let’s start with Tiger since he is the one who initiated the break up.  I have decided to make this a two post series.  In this post I will focus on the Tiger Woods perspective.  Check back soon for my perspective on Stevie.

If I am Tiger Woods, one of the greatest players of all time, why do I fire my caddy?  Why do I get rid of a very close confidante and friend like Stevie Williams?  Not only did Stevie stick with Tiger through the entire “Tiger Slam,” but he was also a great caddy.  Do I fire him as a first step to clean the slate and start anew professionally?  Do I fire him because I want to distance myself from all the memories associated with a previous life?  Does he know some things about my past that I do not want disclosed?  Is it possible that there was a pre-nup between caddy and player?   Seriously, could it be possible that Tiger’s contract with Stevie prevents Stevie from disclosing anything he knows about Tiger’s personal affairs?  After all, how much could Tiger hide from a guy like Stevie?  They shared a lot of time together on the road, in planes, hotels, etc. 

Ok, enough of the conspiracy theory.  Perhaps it was as simple as Tiger saying enough is enough, I am cleaning house and starting over.   I am replacing everyone around me that is related to golf and my professional life.  I want no more reminders of the past and want to begin phase two of my life, Tiger Woods 2.0.

Only Tiger and Stevie know what truly happened and perhaps it will never come out to the public.  It may well be that Tiger’s lawyers have Stevie so tied to a contract that we will never know.  Only time will tell.

I hope this drama has come to an end so that we can get back to golf, but I fear we will hear more in the years to come from these two.