The Golf Swing

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As a golf community we get so caught up in the "correct way" to swing that we lose sight of what is the correct way to hit. All that seems to matter to us is the look of the swing and golf's greatest champions are proof that looks have nothing to do with results. (Just like in life actually!) Function will always trump form and substance always wins out over style! Let's start to focus on what makes the golf ball go and get to work on that. There are many elements in the golf swing that are negotiable, like straightening the back leg, or lifting the left heel - just look at Sam Snead above. The key is being able to know which elements are non-negotiable, which are the key parts to the swing where the laws of physics must be obeyed. They all happen to occur in and around impact. Here are the most important ones: Get the weight onto the front foot (80+%) at impact. Keep the head over or just behind the ball at impact. This means that the weight shift onto the front foot must occur by driving/shifting the hips and mid-section towards the target. This move leads to what I call body curve. If the body is positioned correctly,

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The Facts About Putters

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60% of all the grass on putting greens today did not exist 30 years ago and as a result the mow height on greens is 50% lower than it was 20 years ago. Greens are much faster than they used to be.Faster green means shorter grass and shorter grass means there is no longer the need for 4 degrees of loft (the traditional loft) on putters. Most PGA Tour golfers have an effective loft of somewhere between 1 and 3 degrees. This means that when they add the loft on the putter face to the amount of loft they add during the stroke it comes out to somewhere between 1 and 3 degrees. Consequently very little flight time and early roll mean less bounce and skid - a good thing! Zach Johnson actually has -1 degree of loft on his putter face. Speaking of early roll - grooved face putters get the ball rolling 18-24% sooner than smooth faced putters. Not only that, they deter the ball from sliding up or across the face on poorly struck putts too. Sign me up for some of that help.

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The New Driver Terminology...MoI, CoR and CoG

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As players on the PGA Tour started using 20 year old Ping Eye2 Wedges I started thinking about how much (or little) technology has effected equipment in the last two decades. The facts are: Other than changes in the golfball, driver and the invention of hybrids very, very little has changed. Excluding the advent of perimeter weighting (which is very similar to toe/heel weighting) when it comes to irons there have been no groundbreaking upgrades. Wedges are the same and fairway woods are just like they used to be - in fact, the better ones look just like the really old ones. The driver has been the primary club in the bag for technological advancement. And with this progress has come an entirely new language. What does MoI mean? What is Cor? Whaaat....? Here is a brief primer, compliments of my friend Ian Hayes, on some new driver terminology:

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A Note to Tim Finchem and the PGA Tour....

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The PGA Tour has problems. And while I am no Albert Einstein I do have opinions. Here is a brief run down on what I believe the problems to be: What were the folks at the Northern Trust Open thinking? They went from $30 per ticket to get on the grounds during the event in 2009 to $50 in 2010! That might have something to do with the sparse crowds around the 18th green on Sunday. (Okay, it was Superbowl Sunday, but the gate for the whole week was significantly down.) Would you rather have two people paying $25 or one paying $50? The answer is clearly two, as they would have far greater spending power when it came to concessions and souvenirs. Not to mention that the event is now 'touching' twice the number of people and the buzz for the event is dramtaically increased. I thought golf needed to grow... There are certain long standing events on the PGA Tour that have not seen more than a mere smattering of top 50 golfers for over 10 years. Hagen, Nelson, Snead, Hogan, Palmer and Trevino all won the Texas Open at some point in their illustrious careers. During the last decade the event has seen winners like, Bart Bryant, Robert Gamez, Eric Axley and Tommy Armour III alongside the big names of Justin Leonard and Zach Johnson. I take nothing away from these golfers, but they would not be mentioned in the top 100 golfers of all time. Jack Nicklaus actually won the Disney event three years running! Can you imagine the greatest golfer in the world playing in Milwaukee three years in a row? The PGA Tour has created a major problem for events like the Texas Open (GMO, GHO, Heritage, Hope, Pebble etc.) by inflating the purses, points and value (in sponsors eyes) of the WGC events, the crock FedEx Cup and it's very own darling little event The (non-major)Players. These events have detracted so greatly from the 'regular' events that players, fans and sponsors now, unfortunately, regard them as (dare I say it) second class citizens.

Tiger Woods won more money in the few events he played in 2008 (prior to taking more than half the year off with a broken leg) than Jack Nicklaus won in his entire career! That's not to mention endorsement money. The purses have increased so dramatically that they are a major reason for the loss of sponsors for tour events around the country. It was only 21 years ago when Curtis Strange defeated Tom Kite in the Tour Championship to be the first player to earn over $1 million in a season. It only took 18 more years for a player to get to somewhere around the $10 milion mark! I have attended many PGA events and it does not take long to realize that the tour has more than their fair share of whiny, spoilt millionaire brats. Now appearing at a tour event near you: Mark Calcavecchia; Tommy Armour III; Steve Lowery; Scott McCarron; Billy Andrade; Jeff Maggert and Harrison Frazar! Wow! The advent of "fourth" tier tour events has allowed names like this to remain on tour for years and pick off just enough prize money to sustain a very pleasant existence. There is currently a huge crop of excellent young talent waiting for a chance to tee it up against the big boys, and unless they Monday qualify or get an invite from a sponsor they have one chance a year to get to the dance. There are currently too many "fat cats" hanging around the fringes of the tour for my liking. Here are my solutions:

Okay, so we've got the majors, the (non-major) Players and the Tour Championship, which should be a limited field, final event of the year affair in the upper echelon of events. I say get rid of all the other high-brow WGC and FedEx events, make the purses the same at every event ($750k to the winner) and let sponsors sign on for a three year term. The gate fee at every event is $25 (kids under 14 are free) - every day, every event other than the upper tier tourneys. Get people excited to watch the greats! Now, you make a rule whereby every player who has been on the tour for 3 consecutive years must play every regular event at least once. That way every sponsor gets a shot at hosting TW or Phil at least once. There is obviously an injury loop-hole clause along with this rule. If you finish in the top 90 money winners you get to keep your card! 30 from the Nationwide and 30 from the Q-School also get in. Monday qualifiers are increased to 8 spots, sponsors get 4 spots and any golfer who finishes in the top 20 from the previous regular event gets in too. The best will always get in no matter how the system is set up, but this gives the young set a glimmer of hope and keeps the golden oldies on their toes. The PGA Tour needs to stop trying to be something it is not - they simply cannot compete with Nascar or the NFL. Start treating all your events and sponsors fairly, open the doors so that as many people as possible can come out to see the best players in the world and stop babying millionaire golfers. Make them play for what they get - they'll be fine!

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Playing Golf in the Wind

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One of the biggest mistakes golfers make when playing in the wind is to make full swings. It almost seems as if they try to overpower the wind - that cannot happen! This is a perfect example: A golfer faces a 120 yard shot that is into the wind; they calculate the shot to be playing approximately 130 yards; they pull their 130 yard club and make a full swing; the ball comes down 25 yards short of the pin. The reason this happens is that the harder you strike the ball the more it spins and spin creates turbulence, which leads to lift, which leads to height, which leads to soemthing far less than the expected distance.

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Riviera: Design As it Should Be

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Riviera'a Timeless Tenth (Shackelford) Having had the opportunity to watch the majority of the NBC broadcast over the weekend I was very impressed with the diversity and interest that Riviera seemed to possess in just about each of her holes.  I have never had the good fortune to play or visit Riviera Country Club, but the images of the course on television forced me to make a mental note to get there at my first opportunity. And I certainly don't need Jack or Sly or Arnold to complete my experience - the course itself appears to be more than enough thank you!

Of the holes that caught my eye none was more exciting or interesting than the 315 yard 10th.  Designed in 1926 by George Thomas Jr. this could be my new favorite hole in golf. A well thought out hole that rewards just the right amount of bravery one day and just the right amount of caution the next - just be sure to get your days matched up.

From therivieracountryclub.com:

Arguably Riviera’s finest hole, the 10th ranks among the world’s great short par fours, its timeless strategic challenge having perplexed golfers for more than eight decades. The key is the putting surface, an angled, extremely narrow target with a dangerous right-to-left slope. Though reachable from the tee, only a perfect drive will hold this green – and a tee ball missed even slightly right will generally result in a bogey, or worse. The smart play is a fairway metal down the left side, but the temptation to go for the green remains eternally tantalizing…

Steve Stricker's Approach on Saturday (Shackelford)

As you study the picture above taken by Geoff Shackelford (who did a fantastic job covering the event in person) on Saturday you'll notice many of the subtle design features.  As Steve Stricker plays this approach into the green (which is the perfect position to play from!) keep in mind that the green slopes quite aggressively from right to left. This means that if you have a go and happen to miss right, you now have a shortish pitch from the rough to an extremely narrow green that runs away from you. No bargain even from close range.

Should you have a go and happen to hit the low, left quacker (we all know it!) then you're only faced with a 50-60 yard sand shot. No bargain either.

Jack Nicklaus on the 10th at Riviera:

I love option holes and this one has more than any short Par 4 I know.

Looking Back from Behind the Tenth Green (Shackelford)

My question is this: Where have all the golf courses like Riviera and holes like the 10th gone? Can it possibly be that difficult to build a golf course that incorporated a little thought and planning? Golfers are pleading for interest over torture.

Give me a golf course filled with interest and I'll play it over a long, torturous monster anyday. I'll start with the 10th at Riviera, then play the 9th at Harbourtown, then the 4th at Spyglass and follow that with the 6th at Ballybunion......

Golf should be fun and Riviera looked exactly that!

News and Notes from the PGA Show

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Here are a few interesting tidbits from the recent PGA Golf Trade Show: Loudmouth Golf has definitely gone way too far! Their line is turning into a veritable assault on anybody's unfortunate retinas. Blatantly obnoxious!

Would you be seen dead in these?Just in case you were wondering they even have a handy dandy matching jacket that goes with these.

As much as I don't like Hank Haney (oh come on, if I taught Tiger I'd be a 'legend' too!) I do like the latest putting aid he has been paid to paste his name onto (I even like the name they chose!):

The Putting Impact SystemThis system is available from Eyeline Golf (enter IMPACTBOOK for a discount). If you want your game to get better only go for the putting aid and not the autographed HH instructional book that the sell alongside it. To putt better the putter face must be square at impact - very true! TrackMan experts have found that the clubface plays a much bigger role in where the ball goes than the path and this becomes even more of a factor at lower clubhead velocity like in putting. This teaching aid works and I like the ball liner that is included in the package.

V1 Golf remains cutting edge as they continue to pull tricks out their technology laden sleeves. This year students will be able to not only view their lessons online (this is not new) but they will be able to upload those lessons to Facebook to share with their friends and even download the all new iPhone V1 Golf application at iTunes.

Another excellent putting aid from Eyeline Golf is the Putting Laser+. Use this training aid indoors to get a sense for how the face opens and closes in the stroke while the path should remain on a straight back and through.

The Putting Laser +During my time spent walking the floor I saw quite a few golf celebrities including David Leadbetter, the aforementioned Hank Haney, Gary Gilchrist, Dottie Pepper, Duffy Waldorf, Anna Nordquist, Paula Creamer, Nancy Lopez, Mike Shannon, Rick Smith, Mitchell Spearman and Jim McLean. It was almost like being at the Grammy's.... And lastly, if you are travelling to Orlando and plan on staying in the International Drive/Lake Buena Vista area I would highly recommend the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. Beautifully refurbished and a steal at the Priceline price of $85 a night! And if you love sushi don't miss Tiger's favorite sushi stopover in Amura.

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A Highlight from the 2010 PGA Show in Orlando

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I have just returned from the PGA Golf Show and came back with a very positive vibe. While it is always good to catch up with friends, old and new I feel that the game of golf is doing just fine even without Tiger. Here are a few notes on what I found to be the highlight of my trip:

Even though this is their second year at the show I found Swing Catalyst Studio to be the most exciting and positive piece of technology involving golf instruction. Last year I reported on the Swingia Balance Plate, but the Swing Catalyst takes the same idea to a new level.

The Swing Catalyst Force Plate seamlessly integrates with video analysis software and an optional launch monitor (TrackMan). The force plate is housed in a tee unit covered with artificial turf.

The Swing Catalyst Force Plate enables the teacher to view a student’s centre of gravity, stance and pressure distribution both live and recorded, in real time and in slow motion. Additional data on rotational force, tempo and rhythm are also available once the swing has been captured.

The best feature shows what percentage of a golfers' weight is on each foot. Many systems have this option, but none go so far as to indicate what part of the foot the weight is located on.

When integrated with a TrackMan system and 300 fps cameras, Swing Catalyst provides the optimal in instructional tools - an upper level viewing experience, all the numbers pertaining to the club and ball flight and now all the numbers pertaining to the body, force and weight positioning.

With integration this really is the Rolls Royce system available on the market today.

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Scotland's Links Sleepers

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It's not hard to find the best things in life - with a bag of money and a few of the right connections you can have it all. For me, the joy lies in finding hidden gems; things that are every bit as enjoyable as the best might be, but for one reason or another are not as mainstream or popular as the main attraction. A little secret or discovery that is all your own. These experiences very often are more memorable than experiencing, and paying handsomely for, the finest in life. Golf in Scotland can be the same way. We all know the Open rota courses of St. Andrews, Muirfield, Carnoustie, Troon and Turnberry; they are like Pebble Beach, Pine Valley and Winged Foot in the US; they are like Ruth's Chris, Del Frisco's or Shula's in steakhouse terms; or in wine terms like Caymus, Silver Oak or Far Niente. You don't need to be a golf, food or wine geek to know or experience these instituions, just connected or rich, or preferably both. The art is in being able to duplicate or upgrade the experience for way less money and with way more satisfaction.

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It's All About Impact eBook on Sale....25% Off!

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The eBook version of "It's All About Impact" is on sale through the end of February when you subscribe to www.andrewricegolf.com and then go to www.itsallaboutimpact.com  and enter the coupon code "IMPACT" at checkout. 

The eBook will be on sale for $11.95 - a savings of over 25%!

AAFinal Cover Shot

Here's how to get the sale price:

  1. Subscribe (for FREE!) at andrewricegolf.com (That's easy you're already there)
  2. Go to www.itsallaboutimpact.com and start the purchase process
  3. When you see the word COUPON on the checkout page, enter the word IMPACT in the space provided.
  4. And Voila! You're done.

You will receive the link to your eBook within 12 hours. (90% of the time waaay sooner!)

Thanks and I hope you are all enjoying your books. I know many of you who peruse this site have purchased a book or eBook - please let me know your thoughts and comments. (Whatever they might be....!) I value your input.

Staying Centered over the Ball

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This is one of the most integral elements of the golf swing - the upper body must stay centered over the ball. By doing so, you will increase your ability to get that weight on the front foot at impact and deliver a downward, compressing blow to the back of the ball.

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South Carolina Gator Attacks Man

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This is an event that actually occured in September of 2007 in Berkeley County near Myrtle Beach South Carolina, but has garnered increased attention recently due to the release of some fairly gruesome photographs taken at the scene.

Bill Hedden, 59 was snorkeling in a lake retrieving golf balls when he was attacked by the 12 foot 600 pound alligator.  He survived primarily due to the assistance of five nurses who were picnicking nearby. I will let the photographs speak for themselves:

The victim being tended to...

scgator1

scgator2

 

scgator5

 

scgator3

 

scgator4

There is no golf ball or mountain of golf balls that can possibly be worth this experience. Once a ball gets wet leave it there.

This will help you keep your ball out of the water.

An African Gem - Durban Country Club

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I have recently returned from a visit to South Africa where I had the opportunity to play the only course on the African continent rated in the Top 100 - Durban Country Club. And what a pleasure the old course is!

The course was constructed in 1922 and has hosted 16 South African Opens, with all of South Africa's greatest, from Locke to Player to Els, winning on her hallowed ground. The club will host the 100th South African Open, the second oldest championship in golf behind the British Open, in December this year.

During the round I came to learn that the course had not ever had it's greens replaced. In the courses almost 90 year history, the greens had never been redone! The greens, while being adequate, showed signs of being tired and the word is they will be resurfaced with a light redesign being done David McLay Kidd (An excellent choice I might add!) after the Centennial SA Open.

The 2nd at Durban Country ClubThis is an old school golf course that has everything I love. It places a premium on accuracy and ball striking - someting similar to Harbourtown Golf Links in the US. It is not long; there are birdies to be made; just don't make a mistake. All the holes are good here with my favorites being Nos. 1-5, 8, 12 and 17 & 18. Even the halfway house is exceptional, with some of the finest meat pies and curry gravy on the continent.

The 12th is a short par 3 that is called the Prince of Wales. It is so named because when the prince played the course he could not find the green and kept hitting from one side to the other eventually finishing with a 12! Looking at the picture, I think you can tell he was not the first or the last golfer to score in the double digits on the hole.

The Prince of Wales at Durban Country ClubThe 18th hole is unusual in that is an easily driveable par four of only 285 yards, but it had better be a straight 285 yards! Tony Johnstone came to this final tee box in the 1993 SA Open leading by 3 over Ernie Els. He convinced himself that he needed to hit driver and found the back of the green while Els hit two balls out of bounds and Johnstone won by seven! The type of finishing hole I would like to see more of.

The Final Swing....? Do all you can to play this African gem - a truly classic golf course that can easily be enjoyed by golfers of every caliber

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Distance: How to get more of it!

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There are three factors that go into making a quality golf shot; the distance the ball travels, the accuracy of the ball flight and the quality of the strike on the ball. Very often golfers are striking the ball well enough and hitting it straight enough, yet there is a definite lack of distance. In this case there is a need for speed. Jamie Sadlowski is the current World Long Drive Champion. He weighs in at 165 pounds and his longest drive in competition is 419 yards. He generates 140 mph of clubhead speed which equates to almost 200 mph of ball speed! I believe that hitting the golf ball further has very little to do with strength and everything to do with speed - and Jamie is certainly testament to that.

When running backs in the NFL train, they are often hooked up to wind resistance chutes behind them. They then run as hard as they can in an effort to overcome the wind resistance. This exercise gets them to run "stronger" but not necessarily faster. Sprinters on the other hand are hooked up to a device on the track that actually tows them down the track at a faster rate than they are accustomed to, thus getting their limbs to move faster than they are used to. This is the formula we need to apply to golfers who are in search of a few extra yards - and we all could do with that!

Try this drill consistently over the course of a month:

During each practice session count out 12 balls (and only 12

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What is Bounce?

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Think of the bounce on wedge as an insurance policy against digging the leading edge of the golf club into the ground. It is very important for any golfer to not only understand what the bounce is, but how to use it to their advantage. An excellent exercise to do every now and then is to hit a few pitch shots off of a lie board. This is a flat plexiglass board that most club fitters use in determining the correct lie angle a golfers irons should be set at. If you do not have access to a lie board, use a piece of plywood painted black. Just be sure to not hit any shots where the ball is too close to the edge of the board.

What you should see...If the markings on the sole of the club are as pictured above you are using the club correctly. Should they be closer to the leading edge you might be in danger of sticking the club into the ground on your next chip of pitch. The most important aspect of using the bounce correctly is addressing the ball correctly. Take a look:

The Set Up for a Chip or PitchIn the above image you will see the ball positioned in the center (watch out for too far back as it reduces the bounce at impact and makes it easier to do some gardening); the feet are fairly close together; and the hands and weight are just slightly in front of the ball, with emphasis on slightly.

As you go through the motion of striking that chip or pitch try to feel that the handle and the clubhead get back to impact at the same time - in other words don't allow the handle to get too far in front of the clubhead at impact as you are then exposing more of that sharp leading edge to the ground. And we all know what that can lead to.....

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The Shoulder Pivot

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One thing I have been seeing in my lessons recently has been a tendency for golfers to rotate their shoulders on a flat plane (like a merry-go-round!). This is, I believe, in an effort to extract as much turn as possible from the backswing. By doing this you create a situation where the arms are too wide (stretched), the upper body is 'pulled' off the ball by the turning of the shoulders (the lead shoulder runs into the side of the jaw) and due to the flat pivot action the right forearm is visible below the left when the left arm reaches parallel (for right-handers) - all elements that none of the top golfers employ in their swings. Here is an excellent drill that will provide you with the appropriate feel for a correct shoulder pivot:

The Set Up for the Shoulder Pivot DrillThis drill is designed to help convey the feel of getting your body into the correct position at the top of your swing. Assume your address as if you are preparing to hit a 7 iron. (It is best executed

with a ball in position.) Place an iron across the tops of your shoulders and cross your arms to support. Be sure to have the grip end off your lead shoulder and the clubhead flat against the opposite shoulder. During the pivot action of your swing, try to get the butt of the club to point at -- or slightly above -- the ball. Feel how the lead shoulder moves down as the shoulders wind into the backswing. This drill will also illustrate how the lower body needs to free up in order for the shoulders to pivot on a steeper plane. Sure, this drill is slightly overdone, yet it is rare for someone to get the shoulders to pivot on a plane that is too steep. As you do this drill try to feel how the shoulders are now tilting more like a ferris wheel than the flat, merry-go-round plane from before.

The "Top" of the Shoulder Pivot Drill There are so many benefits to having the shoulders pivot correctly. Here are a few nice side effects:

- If your swing tends to get too long, the steeper pivot actually creates more tension in the backswing and this will serve to tighten/shorten the backswing.

- Due to improved shoulder action, the upper body is now more inclined to stay centered, positioning you properly for a sound impact.

- If you have a difficult time taking the correct divot, a steeper shoulder turn will enable you to be in a position where you are now able to deliver a more descending blow to the back of the ball.

Try this simple standby drill - I beleive it will help you to make better contact more often. Ball first, divot second!

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Thanksgiving

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Turkey

Give this a read - it sure helped me understand what this day is really about.....

George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.

                                                                                                               George Washington

 May you all have a peaceful, safe and happy Thanksgiving

2009 in Review

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That's all she wrote! The 2009 "official" golf season is in the books and while there were glimmers of excitement, I felt like the year was not one to write home about. Here are a few thoughts: Tiger Woods eclipsed the $10 million mark again - Steve Stricker, his nearest challenger was more than $4 million behind!

Steve StrickerNo majors for Tiger. If he does not win at Augusta next year I predict Hank Haney will be looking for some new students. Biggest surprises in the top 20 on the money list: Kevin Na; Z. and D. Johnson; Y.E. Yang; Brian Gay; Lucas Glover. How about this list of golfers outside the top 125: Chris DiMarco; Carl Pettersson; Stuart Appleby; Rocco; Chez Reavie; Johnson Wagner; Trevor Immelman; Ken Duke and multiple other tour winners.

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Dear Seve....

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Seve

I miss you.  I miss the way you played golf the "incorrect" way, yet managed to make it so exciting and seem so right.  The game of golf is worse off without you and it does not appear that there is currently anybody to take your place.

 I remember crying when you three putted the 10th green in the playoff for the 1987 Masters against Mize and Norman.  I remember watching you do your now famous fist pump when you defeated Tom Watson in the Open Championship at St. Andrews in 1984.

I remember watching you when I was just a boy shoot 31 on the back nine at Gary Player CC all while hitting only one fairway.  I remember the sound of the one-iron you hit on the 18th hole that day and rushing out onto the tee box to collect your discarded tee.

Seve, I know you will always love the Open Championship because it allowed you to play golf your way.  You were given the opportunity to recover, to hit amazing shots from seemingly nowhere, and that's why you thrived there.  The only thing I would have enjoyed more than watching Tom Watson this year (2009), would have been rooting for you down the stretch at Turnberry.

I don't think you would enjoy playing the new Augusta National.  It requires the same rigid style of golf that is a requirement for success at the US Open and PGA.  In the quest for difficulty they have managed to remove a certain element of excitement - particularly from the back nine on Sunday.

seve

 The game of golf is just not the same without you.  It has become a little boring actually.  There is this new guy, Tiger Woods.  He too has taken much of the excitement out of the game, simply because he wins so often that it has become predictable and, well, boring.  You see, when you played, there was nothing predictable.  I never knew if you were going to find the hole you were playing never mind win the tournament, and that is what made you so exciting to follow.

You have done so much for golf throughout the world - one might even say you are the "Arnold Palmer" of Europe.  Your swashbuckling style and flair launched a thousand careers.  The game has seen multiple young Spanish stars rise from what you started.  Spain has even become a golf destination because of your passion and love for this great game.

1980 Augusta National

Seve, the game misses you. Golfers all over the world wish you well in your latest battle.  And we thank you for what you have done for our game. Gracias Senor.