Congrats Graeme!

Well played Graeme! You played like you actually wanted to win while everybody else around you couldn't wait to get their hands off the trophy.

My thoughts:

• Pebble Beach is great place, but I believe the course needs work. When 7 out of 84! of the best golfers in the world hit the 17th green (on Sunday) in fairly benign weather conditions there is a problem. When the shortish par 5 14th hole plays as the most difficult hole on any day there is a problem. No major changes required - it just needs to be made a little more playable. That being said I thought the course was beautifully set up for the week.
• Tiger's stock is down once again after a week of better ball striking. Could somebody please teach him how to give a post round interview? Let's start with congratulating the champion....! Much better swing though.
• Hank Haney (who was at Mission Hills in China during Open week) - if Tiger's numbers were so much better with you than any other coach, then I would expect hordes of Tour golfers to be waiting on your doorstep now that you can teach golfers other than just His Highness.  How is that going for you? (BTW - don't bother emailing me on this one)
• Ernie Els let another one slip from his grasp. Of the 17 full swings he made on the back nine, 8 were in the poor category and that's not to mention a handful of makeable putts sliding by the edge.  I really thought he would pull it out.
• Phil was just plain flat!
• Dustin Johnson will be doing some soul searching today. He is a tough kid who has the ability to let things slide of his back and I firmly believe he will come back stronger than ever. To those who might blame his swing for the breakdown on Sunday, please be quiet - Graeme McDowell has almost the exact same left wrist in his swing and that held up just fine. It's all about impact!
• Gregory Havret played the best out of all contenders on the back nine. He actually had a real shot at the trophy on the last two holes. Great looking swing and I found myself wondering why he doesn't do well more often. Strange game we play! Did anybody think Steve Martin in Pink Panther during his post round interview?
• I loved the way Graeme McDowell chatted with the camera coming up the eighteenth hole. He showed confidence and personality. Not that any Irishman has been short on personality! He seemed friendly and likeable.
• Out of the last eight events on the PGA Tour there has been one US winner! Can you believe it - 7 out of 8 have been foreign. It is such a global game and in my opinion that only makes it more interesting.

Graeme McDowell's Equipment

Happy Father's Day - I hope you have been as blessed as I have with my dad, Bill Rice. What a truly great man. I owe everything in my life to you Willy - thanks.

Pebble Beach - US Open '10

Here are a few stunning shots of Pebble Beach to whet your appetite for this weeks action......

My pick for the week is Retief Goosen and my sleeper is Ricky Barnes! Enjoy the golf.

Hilton Head Golf

 Every summer the tiny island of Hilton Head in South Carolina hosts over 1 million visitors who invariably come to spend a week enjoying the beach, relaxing, fishing and a round or two of great golf. If you plan to play some Hilton Head golf this summer, or any time of the year for that matter, here is a quick run down of the top courses:

Resort/Public:

• Harbourtown Golf Links - If you have saved your golf dedicated dollars and want to treat yourself there is nothing better on the island than this gem. Don't forget to take your camera and collect a sample of the reeds that led to Brian Davis' demise
• Palmetto Dunes - this resort features three courses and is known for quality conditioning and good value. The courses are designed by Robert Trent Jones, George Fazio and Arthur Hills.

There are also numerous solid courses open to visitors just off the island in Bluffton. I would recommend Crescent Point (designed by Palmer), which has perhaps the most visually stunning (and difficult) hole in the area - the 215 yard par three 9th hole (pictured below). I would also recommend the Gary Player designed Hilton Head National for its interesting holes and consistent conditioning.

If you know the right people or have an inside connection then you might be able to gain access to one of the many stellar private tracks in the area. Here is my line up of the top five:

Private:

• Chechessee Creek (Coore/Crenshaw)
• May River Golf Club (Nicklaus)
• Berkeley Hall - North (Fazio)
• Colleton River - Nicklaus (Nicklaus)
• Long Cove (Dye)

 Click for Hilton Head tee times

Rickie Fowler's Okie State Orange

Yesterday Gary McCord called Rickie Fowler (dressed in his Sunday best "Okie State Orange" as he calls it)

A traffic cone with hair!

Absolutely hilarious. That must be a top ten statement for McCord and certainly one of the best of the year!

Here is Rickie practicing at Berkeley Hall in April 2011:

To strike it like Rickie check THIS out.

Impact Drill

Here is another great drill to help any golfer gain a better perspective of what impact should feel like.

• Drape a towel (large or small) around the hosel of any iron.
• With the clubhead resting on the ground as pictured above drag the towel along the ground toward the target.

This drill can be done with or without a towel (pictured below) and will give you the sense of leading with the handle into the impact zone.

Notice the flex and pressure in the shaft as I am pressing down while dragging the handle into the hit.  Give it a try - I did, and I think it can help you too.

Thanks to my fellow instructor Mark Costaregni at Atlantic Golf Club for turning me onto this drill and Joe Connery for his camera expertise.

View the HD video of this drill HERE

Using the Long Putter

Over the last decade the long putter has become accepted as a viable option for golfers that have woes on the greens.  I used the long putter for the 6 or 7 year period that I played professionally and it essentially enabled me to have a career in golf. I liked it for the fact that it stopped me from twitching through impact, but also because there were two distinct methods that I could use with the broomstick.

The first option is known as the piston method and is the one I tended to prefer:

• Form a circle around the grip cap with your thumb and index finger with the left hand (if you are a righty).
• Do not wrap your other fingers on the left hand around the grip as you want the shaft to be able to pivot from a fixed axis.
• Hold the club in the right hand in one of the methods illustrated below.
• Keeping the shoulders out of the stroke - stroke the putt by "pistoning" the right arms back and forth.

With this stroke the only part of the body moving should be the right arm. Berhard Langer has used this method very effectively over the years.

The second method is a stroke based on connection and using everything as a unit. Here the shoulders and arms all work together to get the ball rolling.

• Place your left thumb on top of the grip cap and wrap all the fingers comfortably around the shaft.
• Once the putter is anchored in your sternum pivot the shoulders back and through.
• Make sure the arms are linked to your side or at least stay in place relative to the shoulders during the stroke to ensure a "one piece" motion.

The following pictures are various versions of how to hold the club in your bottom hand. Whichever one feels best to you should be the one to get the job done.

Additonal articles and sites for using the long putter:

thelongputter.com

How To Use Long Putters by Jack Moorehouse

Putter Length - Comparing Conventional, Belly and Long Putters

How to Use the Long Putters | Golf Digest

Atlantic Golf Club

This summer I have the privilege of teaching at Atlantic Golf Club in Bridgehampton, NY.  I will be here for June through mid September before returning to Berkeley Hall.  I am very excited to be working for Rick Hartmann and with fellow instructor Mark Costaregni.  Should you be interested in getting together for a lesson in NY please contact me at andrew(at)andrewricegolf.com or via my mobile at (843)247-4688. All my contact information remains the same as before.

I apologize for the slow down in posting the last two weeks, but please check back for course photos and reviews of National Golf Links, Maidstone, Sebonack, Shinnecock Hills, East Hampton, Friar's Head and of course Atlantic. In the upcoming weeks I will also be posting numerous new instructional articles and several new YouTube videos. 

The Modern Tour Golfer

Lee Westwood

John Huggan makes an excellent case for the modern touring golfer being satisfied with second place and a hefty check versus winning trophies and titles. And he uses Lee Westwood as an example!

 He had this from Peter McEvoy, two time British Amateur Champion:

We live in a golfing world that does not breed winners. Part of that is the money, which is the root of all golfing evil. If we created a different competition, one where the pros put their own money in and it was winner-take-all, a very different animal would evolve. He'd be a golfer who took chances and went for his shots. And he wouldn't be a guy who was happy to churn out yet another eighth place finish and collect a nice cheque. The whole thing is self-perpetuating and has created a system where a high level of mediocrity is over-rewarded

He also had this from Ben Crenshaw on the role of coaching; a man who grew up under the laissez-faire tutelage of famed instructor, the late Harvey Penick:

Sometimes I question the teaching of the game. I hate to use the word 'stylised', but it seems that way to me, everything in the same box. I don't see some players able to adjust on the course. You have to be able to do that on the course, especially when you are not playing well. It's no good waiting until you can go back to the range for the answers. They are relying too much on the guys standing behind them.

 

May I just say that I could not agree more with everything Mr. Huggan presents in his profound article. There is too much money, too much instruction and too much coddling on the major professional golf tours.  Touring golfers are becoming "Fat Cats" that can pick and choose where they would like to cash their next $200,000 check.  Tim Clark has never won on the PGA Tour, yet has earned almost $15 million! They travel in style with their own entourage from caddie to masseuse and everybody in between. Aaron Oberholser once stated that the last thing a professional needs is a "guru" - true words! They all know how to play golf and beyond another pair of educated eyes, they need to get to the business of playing winning golf.

I'm afraid to say it but all the money has made them soft.

 

 

Spectacular Portugal!

If you are like me then the only thing that turns your attention to Portugal is it's most famous product - Port! And I really do enjoy a glass of aged vintage port, but I enjoy a sun drenched day on a stunning golf course a lot more. Portugal is very often overlooked as a golf destination but there is so much that it has to offer over just about every other golf destination in Europe.

The two primary golf destinations in Portugal are the Algarve in the south and the Lisbon coast in the central part of the country.

Definitely one of  Europe's best destinations when it comes to planning the ultimate golf vacation, the Algarve is home to over 30 golf courses and offers an extensive array of accommodation, ranging from vacation homes to golf resorts and hotels.

Long known as a beach destination, it was the legendary Sir Henry Cotton who started golf in the Algarve in 1966 when he transformed a rice field into a beautiful course - the first of three at the Penina Golf Resort. While in the Algarve be sure to visit Portimao and Vilamoura, which is regarded as the crown jewel of the region. Temperatures are mild here and peak season is actually during the winter months.

The Lisbon coast appears to be the emerging star of Portuguese golf! The Atlantic shoreline provides a breathtaking backdrop at the stunning resorts of Quinta Da Marinha and Praia D'el Rey.

Portugal seems to be more popular than it has ever been and why not? With the food, wine, weather and now golf that it has to offer who would not want to visit.

If you are looking for a European golf vacation in the sun, you simply must play

GOLF in PORTUGAL

Heritage Notebook

Observations from another fantastic Heritage tournament:

• Can golf course designers please be forced into watching the Harbour Town broadcast? You don't need to build 8,000 yard behemoth golf courses to make the game a challenge.  Just about every hole at Harbour Town is memorable and above all else, interesting. No wonder the players love this golf course!
• The toughest hole on Sunday was the par three 14th hole. It played to a stroke average of 3.472 and a paltry 20 out of 72 players managed to find the green!
• The back nine on Sunday was brutal - it played to a stroke average of 36.847.  Almost 2 strokes over par!
• Every hole on the back nine at Harbour Town played over par on Sunday, including the par-5 15th hole (5.028).
• Only one player out of the top 10 finishers played the final nine in under par - Kris Blanks shot a 1 under 34.
• All six past champions of the Verizon Heritage competing this week made the cut: Boo Weekley (T12), Stewart Cink (T15), Aaron Baddeley (T22), Brian Gay (T32), Glen Day (T53) and Davis Love III (71).
• Ricky Barnes followed up a T10 at last week's Masters Tournament with a T5 on Sunday, making him the only player to post top-10 finishes in both events.
• Hats off to Brian Davis for his honorable call in the playoff. Davis called a two-stroke penalty on himself on the only playoff hole after touching a loose impediment during his backswing (Rule 13-4).
• John Vander Borght explains what went wrong during the playoff and why it was, and should have been, a penalty.
• Jim Furyk is now 3-7 in playoffs, while Brian Davis falls to 0-1.
• The victory is the 15th of Furyk's career and comes in his 419th PGA Tour start.
• Ricky Fowler looked like a hunter in the Wisconsin woods on Sunday. Dressed completely in orange, he called the color "Okie State orange". I thought they might simply be trying to track him from outer space!
• Player stats:

Driving Accuracy - N. O'Hern 91.07% (field 68.05%)

Driving Distance - G. DeLaet 295.6 yds (field 272.9 yds)

GIR - B. Weekley 75% (field 56.77%)

Total Putts - B. Molder 24.75 (field 27.39)

• Bogey-free rounds :

R1 -- T. Immelman, B. Molder, N. O'Hern and S. Appleby R2 -- B. Molder, B. Baird, C. Villegas, S. Levin, S. Ames, P. Casey, B. Adams R3 -- J. Furyk, B. Davis, S. Ames, B. Baird, L. Donald, B. Weekley, T. Gillis, O. Uresti, C. Tidland R4 -- None

• Srixon hit the jackpot at Harbour Town with two players that use their equipment dueling it out in a playoff.  Here are a few interesting notes  on the two golfers and their respective bags from Adam Barr at PGATour.com
• See what the local newspaper, the Island Packet had to say.

Jim Furyk on being presented with his new red tartan jacket:

I'd like to say I make it look good, but I know that's not the case.            

I so hope that this special community and event can find a way to procure a sponsor.

Free "It's All About Impact" Golf Seminar

On Monday, April 19th I will be offering a free Golf Seminar to anybody who has purchased or purchases "It's All About Impact" - my recent golf instruction book.  The seminar will take place at the Learning Center at Berkeley Hall in Bluffton, SC from 10AM-12PM.

For the cost of a book you get a two hour seminar included? That is correct!

Topics that will be covered include:

• The 84 degree secret and why it matters
• The correct shoulder pivot
• Fundamentals for the Impact Driven golf swing
• Impact Position basics
• Take home exercises and drills for long game and short game

As an added incentive to attend, and of course purchase the book, all attendees who purchase additional books will receive a voucher for a $75 golf lesson (one hour) with Andrew Rice - that is 50% off the regular rate of $150!

In order to purchase your copy to ensure your place in this insightful golf seminar please go to www.itsallaboutimpact.com and make your purchase today. If you have already purchased the book and plan on attending please let me know by emailing me at andrew@andrewricegolf.com.

Please be sure to bring your copy of "It's All About Impact" to the seminar so I can personalize it for you. I hope to see you all next Monday and "GET YOUR PLAID ON" this week!

Masters 2010: Thrilling Lefty Wins Green Jacket

Eighteen of the last nineteen years the winner has come from the final group out on Sunday at the Masters; Tiger has never won a major championship when coming from behind on a Sunday; Phil has three majors while Westwood only has a handful of close calls; we should have seen it all along - this was Phil's event to win or lose and when he grabbed the event event by the scruff of the neck on the 13th hole Sunday with an emphatic six iron from the trees, he showed he had clearly opted for a courageous and thrilling victory!

While watching the broadcast I could not help but think back to the "old" days when players had legitimate shots at making eagles and birdies on the inward nine that always made for the most exciting finish in golf. The difference this year was that players seemed to have that ability on the front nine as well. I eventually lost track of all the eagles being made in my giddy stupor over how much fun this golf tournament was to watch. From the freak pine stamen event on the second green, to Tiger's hole out on the 7th, to the most fun sand shot I have ever seen (Westwood, also at the 7th) the front nine gets my vote as the most thrilling nine holes of any major championship in recent memory.

If only the powers that be at Augusta National could comprehend how much the golf community enjoyed seeing Couples, Watson and Langer have a chance; how much we enjoyed watching the youthful passion of Anthony Kim shoot 31 on the back  to be in with a chance; and most of all some of the memorable shots that were played from the most improbable places on the golf course. This course set up, coupled with the near perfect conditions, made for a Masters of old - one where the roars replaced the groans and red replaced black on the large manually operated scoreboards. Please keep this balance between difficulty and achievability because it was so much better than what the last few years have held. Who cares what the winning score is? A week from now no one will remember. You got it right this year (with a little help from Mother Nature!).

Here are a few interesting points I noticed:

• KJ and Tiger played together all four days and matched each other on the scorecard every day. I wonder when the last time that happened was?
• The Phil Mickelson "pine stamen" incident on the 2nd green was the freakiest thing I have ever seen on a putting green - watch the footage here. Bobby Jones always spoke about destiny; what did this mean? Absolutely nothing in the end.
• Jason Dufner birdied the last three holes (16, 17 and 18) on Friday to make the cut at +3!
• When Anthony Kim gets hot lookout! I doubt if there are many players, Tiger included, who can match him shot for shot.
• Sergio Garcia scored 154 (+10) on the weekend in perfect conditions. Whaat? How can a golfer with such talent underachieve so well? It must be due to the fact he is playing against more than just the other golfers in the field each week.... Bad, bad attitude.
• It was good to see Adam Scott and Trevor Immelman hang in over the weekend and both finish in the top twenty.
• Y.E. Yang is a tough customer and never even got a glimpse or a mention - even after a solid 70 and another top ten finish in a major.
• Matteo Manassero is a name that we will be hearing for a very long time time. Not only did he post an excellent final score, but he did exceptionally well in most of the stat categories. He hit the second most fairways for the week!
• I find myself completely unable to root for Tiger Woods.

Stats for the top five finishers: (out of 49 players who made the cut)

Driving Distance

Mickelson 2nd / Westwood 6th / Kim 38th / Choi 42nd / Woods 19th

GIR

Mickelson 5th / Westwood 1st / Kim 10th / Choi 4th / Woods 17th

FIR

Mickelson 45th / Westwood 43rd / Kim 46th / Choi 24th / Woods 38th

Total Putts

Mickelson 13th / Westwood 36th / Kim 6th / Choi 5th / Woods 3rd

Quote of the Day goes to Phil Mickelson when asked about the difference between a great shot and a smart shot:

A great shot is one that you pull off and a smart shot is the one you hit when you don't have the guts try it!

Complete Final Leaderboard

Putt Like Phil by Dave Stockton Sr. (Phil's new putting coach)

What's in Lee Westwood's bag

This Masters Week was Hard to Beat by John Steinbreder

Masters Thoughts: Thursday

Here are a few impressions from the opening round at Augusta National on Thursday:

• The day was all about Tiger and judging by the golf he played - rightly so! While he received multiple fortuitous bounces (8, 9, 10, 11) he left his fair share of 8 footers out there. On Thursday he was a modern day Seve Ballesteros playing at full steam. Good to watch for sure.
• That being said, Tiger still has a long way to go in improving his reaction to less than stellar shots. I saw and heard multiple GD's and what looked like an f-bomb.
• Shingo - what happened to the hat?
• Charl Schwartzel is the real deal! He played a fantastic opener and I look for him to still be around come Sunday. He gets my vote as the best swing in golf at the moment.
• Aaah Freddy - that swing is perhaps even smoother and freer than it has ever looked. And I love the "golf sneakers", with no socks none the less, to go along with no glove. He looked and swung like a friend had pulled him off the couch for a quick evening 5 holes at their local track! Did you know that Fred is -77 for 12 rounds on the Champions Tour this year....! Yesterday was the lowest round he has ever had at Augusta National.

• Each time I checked the leaderboard a different Champions Tour golfer was leading - first Langer, then Watson and finally Freddy Couples. What a great day for golf!
• I can see the emergency meeting Thursday night with the superintendent: How do we get rid of these silly pine stamens? Why is there pine pollen floating on the ponds? And why are the scores so low? I'm sure every stamen you saw yesterday is already off property, but can you picture Augusta with no pine trees next year?
• What happened to Ernie and Angel on the back nine yesterday? Els played a fine round, but spoiled it with an ugly double at the closer for 71 and Cabrera had it to -3 before dropping four shots in the final four holes for 73.
• I love what Jack and Arnie did to start the tournament. Call me sentimental, I just think it adds so much to the event and it's tradition. Gary Player where are you?
• KJ Choi is swinging and putting beautifully and I look for him to be around on Sunday. Playing with Tiger seemed to spur him on.
• Does Matt Kuchar have the flattest back swing you have ever seen?
• If you have not used the scoreboard at Masters.com I would highly recommend it. It includes video highlights for multiple shots from each player - take a look!
• It was good to see Trevor Immelman and Adam Scott have nice openers. Two young stars who have been missing for awhile.
• In the battle of the long bombers Dustin Johnson (305.50 yds) currently holds a 1 yard advantage over playing partner Alvaro Quiros (304.50 yds)
• Lookout for Phil.....lookout!

GIR Stats

FIR Stats

Putting Stats

Driving Distance Stats

Masters Week 2010 Edition

The week that every golfer anticipates from all the way back in November is finally here - Masters Week 2010! I would like this to be a one-stop shop for all things pertaining to Augusta National and the Masters and as a result I have tracked any and all pertinent information down and linked it to the site. Enjoy!

• Tournament Tee Times  All the best to KJ Choi and Matt Kuchar who drew the short stick - and Tiger!
• Masters.com  The Official Site - for the latest news and some great photography
• Live online coverage - here
• Official Course Tour
• Golf.com Masters Coverage
• Golf.com has some excellent and unusual aerial shots of the course

• Read some interesting first accounts of Tiger's Press Conference on Monday

• Golf Digest Masters Coverage
• The Golf Channel's Coverage
• TV Times and Schedule
• Updated Masters Odds  England finally seems to have a solid chance again in Poulter, Casey, Donald, Rose and Westwood.

• Augusta National just over 7 weeks ago! You have never seen the course looking like this....
• The course is closed during the summer. Here is what it looks like in the winter.....

This week also happens to mark the one year anniversary of andrewricegolf.com! In our first year we have had almost 40,000 visitors and continue to grow. Thanks so much for your support and readership and I can promise another year of even better and more insightful content.

BTW - my picks for this week are Phil and the Goose! Yours?

Enjoy the tournament.

Ballybunion at Its Finest

Here is a photoblog from my recent visit to Old Course at Ballybunion GC - one of my top 5 courses of all time!

[nggallery id=10]

News and Notes

• Could there be many things better in life than getting up early on a beautiful day to play 18 or 36 holes with close friends on a really fun golf course?
• The weather is getting better here in South Carolina and we are catching glimpses of Spring being just around the corner. I get the sense that most golfers have a case of "cabin fever" due to the taxing winter we have all experienced and are desperate to get out and play a little golf. Nothing turns my mind more to golf than warmth and sunshine after a long, cold winter.
• Jim Furyk and Ernie Els have won on the PGA Tour the last two weeks - is it really 2010? Its starting to feel a bit like old times. Even Vijay and KJ Choi have been playing better lately!

• As I'm sure you all know Tiger Woods is playing at Augusta. Tiger has surprised us all in many ways throughout his career, but this move truly puzzles me. I had always been under the impression that the man in the red shirt was about winning major championships, yet coming back at the Masters, instead of getting an additional prior event under his belt, tells me this is more about image and self preservation than major championship victories. What chance does he have of winning - really? By not playing at Bay Hill and starting at Augusta National he has said to me that he would rather preserve what is left of his "aura" (with substantial help from the good people in the green jackets!) than give himself another opportunity to get one notch closer to Jack.

• An interesting note from the Tavistock Cup - Elin was present without Tiger at the lavish party thrown for participants and sponsors at Isleworth last night. Tiger was practicing at Augusta yesterday so read whatever you want into that.
• My picks for Augusta currently are Phil and the Goose. Lefty has been very quiet lately but that frequently has no bearing on his play in the majors and the Goose has been resurgent with his new belly putter. The course suits his big power game and I really think he might do something there this year.
• If anybody out there would like a golf lesson to "dust the rust" from their frigid golf games please give me a call at  (843)247-4688 if you are within reach of South Carolina or if not, shoot me a video via www.v1golfacademy.com where I am listed as a V1 instructor. The cost for video lessons via V1 is $40 and turnaround time is 48 hours. I would appreciate the opportunity to help make 2010 a great year for golf.
• A recent quote from a golfer who purchased "It's All About Impact"

"I have now read through your book, It's All About Impact, twice. It is very well-done with good, understandable explanations, and the photos illustrate well and definitely define "a picture is worth a thousand words"! I had actually played Monday and just focusing on the 84 degrees and impact made a noticeable difference with balance and actual ball contact. I still have a way to go to get the correct divot but it sure seemed to simplify thoughts. I actually started hitting with more distance without trying due to the more solid contact. Every day is a different day but this sure helps consistency. Thanks!!" DB

I hope "It's All About Impact" can do the same for you and your golf this year!

Please feel free to contact me with any golf queries, questions or ideas you may have. And thanks very much for reading!

Is Rod Stewart related to Ian Poulter?

They both love fashion, big hair and are world renowned over-achievers. Doesn't one remind you of the other?