So, were you blown away by the golf at the 91st PGA Championship at Hazeltine this weekend? With 8 hours of TV coverage on Saturday and again on Sunday, I was just riveted to the screen and amazed by both the spectacle and the windy golf conditions. The TV commentators also contributed to the windy feeling with all their hot air and false hopes for a certain golfer named Tiger Woods. Didn’t they just love Y.E. Yang’s quote about how the odds against him beating Tiger must be 70 to 1, based on Tiger having just won his 70th PGA Tour event last week while he had won his first earlier this year.

Although I’ve never played there personally, I vividly remember Tony Jacklin telling me, and our other two playing partners at Brookmans Park Golf Club, all about Hazeltine’s challenges, just a week or so after his US Open win back there 1970. The course certainly seems to have got even harder and so more picturesque since Dave Hill’s scathing comment back then that “all it really lacks is 80 acres of corn and a few cows.”

Anyway, there I was watching the golf and really looking forward to the cut and thrust of another battle between Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington over the weekend, with Padraig seemingly putting his demons from Firestone behind him and in the past. I was also hoping to see some heroics from the many contenders from Europe and to see a real return to form from the likes of Ernie Els and Vijay Singh. Given all the excitement, I almost forgot to watch out for all the golf psychology lessons that were blowing across the screen.

Now I’m sure that you watched most if not all of the weekend’s cut and thrust on TV or, if you’re really lucky, you were there in Minnesota to watch it for real. So I’m focussing here on the golf psychology of all that windy golf, windy golfers and, in my next article, all that windy putting from the likes of Lee Westwood, Vijay Singh, Ernie Els and many others.

Now I don’t want to take anything away from Y E Yang and his outstanding performance this week. It takes something really special to beat Tiger Woods from 2 shots behind on the final day in a major. It’s also worth noting that his final 2-under par 70 tied the low score of the day with just 2 other players. Having said all of that, what happened to Tiger?

Well I think I noticed the first real flaw that I’ve seen in Tiger’s amazingly strong mental game. It’s been staring me in the face for some time now, especially with his occasional bad results in the Open Championship. The problem is with the parts of golf he can’t control and, more importantly, predict. Here at Hazeltine, as so often at Open Championship venues, the players are faced with the uncertainty of a strong and swirling wind. The wind at the tee is blowing one way, the clouds are moving in another and the flag on the green is fluttering in yet another. Tiger can’t predict what will happen to his ball and, unlike his wonderful ball-striking, it’s out of his control. That’s what he doesn’t seem able to handle.

I was taken by the contrast between Tiger’s reaction to two particular shots during his last 9 holes on Sunday. Both were unlucky and neither resulted from a bad shot execution, but one really upset him and the other he accepted philosophically. The first shot was a flier hit with a six iron that flew way over the back of the green on one of the many long par 4s. You could tell that he was half expecting it as he quickly acknowledged what had happened and quietly and confidently played the next shot. His reaction suggested that he hadn’t accepted it as a bad shot, just an unlucky one.

The second one was his tee shot on the tough short 17th where he backed away several times as the wind swirled and changed direction. He looked panicked and more like a rabbit in the headlights than a tiger. Nevertheless, he used his golf psychology training and hit what looked, and probably felt, like a really good shot. The ball sailed over the flag and landed no more than a foot too long and nestled down in the rough. A foot shorter and it would probably have spun back towards the hole. Tiger almost collapsed and still didn’t appear his normal confident and resourceful self as he chipped out short from a difficult lie and missed the putt. It must be remembered that Tiger didn’t capitulate totally and Yang hit one of the best shots I’ve ever seen into the 18th green to close out his victory.

So what do I think was the real difference between those two shots of Tiger’s? Well, he seemed to accept the flier as just plain bad luck that could happen to anyone and he just got on with the short without hesitation – it was out of his control and he accepted it. However, he didn’t seem to accept the swirling wind in the same way and hesitated several times. For a golfer with such supreme ball control and the ball on a tee, he didn’t seem able to accept the possibility of plain bad luck. I recorded the final days play and watching it again I saw that same hesitation from Tiger on many of his shots, especially when he had a good lie.

So there’s a definite flaw in Tiger’s mental game when it comes to a variable or swirling wind. The bad news for everyone else is that once he recognises it, he has his own mental skills and the golf psychology skills of Jay Brunza to help him handle it.

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- Just over five months ago, EA released Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 for Nintendo Wii. At the time of review, we thought it was odd, as EA usually followed the classic “Our games are one year ahead of reality” pattern, and Tiger Woods 07 was actually releasing in 07. Fear not Wii patron, EA hasn’t fallen behind, because it’s still 2007, and we’ve got a new Tiger Woods sitting on shelves. What can five months of development time do for a franchise that was missing so much the first time around …

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About Author

Andrew Fogg, the Golf Hypnotist, is an enthusiastic golfer, hypnotherapist and NLP Master Practitioner. He is a practicing golf psychologist and author of a soon to be published book The Secrets of Hypnotic Golf and a series of golf hypnosis MP3 programmes.

Visit his website for information on how to get the most success, pleasure and enjoyment from the wonderful game of golf. More specifically, it is about how to improve your golf by working on the 90 percent of the game that is played in the 6 inches between your ears.

Sign up for the free Golf Hypnotist ezine at http://www.golf-hypnotist.com/ and get your free 25- minute Your Own Virtual Caddy golf hypnosis MP3 that goes with this article.

Technorati Tags: golf psychology, hazeltine, pga championship, Tiger Woods, yang

Are you looking for a way to halve your golf handicap immediately?

Then read on…

Did ya watch Tiger Woods during the U.S Open at Torrey Pines this year?

Tiger meticulously planned each golf shot – he is a pure golf warrior!

Tiger Woods is the best golfer on the planet mainly because he fully understands his strengths – and weaknesses. Yes, even Tiger has weaknesses.

You might think to play golf like Tiger Woods means to bomb every drive.

Or go for the miracle golf shot. This is hardly the case.

Read on…

When Tiger has the lead in the final round of a golf tournament he usually plays conservative; like hitting fairway wood off the tee – this usually takes the big number out of the equation. He lets his opponents beat themselves as they aggressively chase him.

Tiger’s knee hurt badly during all 4 rounds of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines this past weekend. A weakness in his game not to be denied or ignored. Because of his knee injury Tiger knew what he was capable of, and what he wasn’t capable of.

Tiger played within his limits!

Even with all of Tiger’s power he still lays up on par fives when he’s in the rough, especially when he has the lead in the final round. He didn’t go for the green in two and risk shooting himself out of the golf tournament.

Tiger Woods learned early in life under the tutelage of his father Earl on how to survey the golf course AND his opponents with uncanny precision. Tiger does this through the fine art of course management.

And mental toughness!

What is the fine art of course management you say? It all starts with knowing your limits.

Knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and knowing your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses – and of course know the golf course you are playing on – this is your battlefield!

Tiger Woods knows his limits and plays within them. Amatuer golfers usually try to hit the golf shot they can pull off maybe 1/10 times. This usually ends up costing them at least 10 strokes or more a round (depending on their level).

The truth is, trying to pull off a shot you can perform maybe 1/10 attempts is foolish. This may make for great drama. Remember Tin Cup? How bout Jean Van de Velde when he choked in the ’99 British Open? They both went for the miracle golf shot.

The truth is going for the miracle shot when everything is on the line may make for great T.V. drama; however this attitude will absolutely crush your golf scores!

Do you hit driver on a 300 yard par 4 even though you can only drive the ball 250? The 50 yard pitch shot is one of the hardest shots in golf…

Even for Tiger Woods!

Rather than reaching for the big stick, leave yourself 100 yards for your second shot. For most good golfers 100 yards is a full pitching wedge which they can hit in their sleep.

Play golf like Tiger Woods as he systematically wore down a game competitor in Rocco Mediate during the 18 hole playoff in this year’s U.S. Open. Think and plan ahead – know your strengths – and your weaknesses!

The fact of the matter is, if you plan on leaving the golf ball at your “sweet spot” distance from the hole, you will dramatically improve your chances of hitting more greens in regulation.

And more greens in regulation leads to more circles on your score card – which means more pars and birdies!

For some this sweet spot distance from the pin is 100 yards, some 120 yards, learn what your sweet spot distance is and practice that shot over and over at the range until you can hit that shot in your sleep.

Play golf like Tiger Woods sizing up his next major win!

Hit ‘em Long and Straight!

John Lynch

Watch the video related to tiger woods

As a response to a fan video from Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 08, Tiger Woods and EA SPORTS demonstrate that the “glitch” Levinator25 thought he found in the game, is not a glitch at all.

About Author

John Lynch is owner of No. 1 Golf Book Reviews and has published hundreds of golf articles. To read more golf articles like this and get instant access to FREE Golf Tips Reports, John recommends you visit:
No1GolfBookReviews

Technorati Tags: Golf Instruction, Golf Swing, Golf Tip, Golf Tips, Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods’ long road to recovery

It may certainly feel a long time ago that Tiger Woods last participated in a major championship; in fact the major winning golfer last lifted a golf club at a major tournament in June this year. After winning the US Open this year, Tiger decided to have surgery on his knee for a fourth time, with the prospect of not playing until next year (2009).

Woods originally tore his left knee ligament at last year’s Open Championship whilst going for a run – a decision that forced the pro to rest for 10 weeks at the end of last year’s season.

This year saw the return of Woods at the Masters in April, unfortunately the decision to play cost him a further two months off the course whilst undergoing keyhole surgery – a procedure renowned for its fast recovery times. The next opportunity to play came at the US Open.

Unfortunately, the road to recovery for Tiger has been slow – which has cost the pro in terms of his physical fitness. Tiger has been unable to maintain his muscle weight through rigorous training in the gym, only now has Woods managed to start using an exercise bike to rebuild his strength. The pro is also following a strict diet of raw and organic foods to provide rich nutrients to his body, with a goal to fastening his road to recovery.

In true sporting fashion, Tiger congratulated Padraig Harrington on his recent US PGA and Open Championship victories. The frustration to not compete and defend his two-time string of wins at the PGA must have been immeasurable.

The Sports HQ supplies factory direct golf equipment from leading manufacturers including Nike Golf at the lowest online prices.

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Tiger Woods and Roger Federer are both featured on ESPN SportsCenter as the best athletes in their respective sports, golf and tennis. Gillette also receives a nod as a tie between the two athletes, as both are Gillette Champions.

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The Sports HQ is part of Sports PLC – the UK’s leading manufacturer and supplier of factory direct golf equipment including golf clubs and complete package sets in men’s, ladies, junior and left-handed editions at the lowest online prices.

Technorati Tags: espn, Golf Clubs, Golf Equipment, Nike Golf, Tiger Woods

Usually, all of the attention paid by the media when a birth announcement is made is given to teen celebrities and people like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. While plenty of professional athletes and their wives have children each year, not all of them really make the news; simply put, that’s not the case for golfer Tiger Woods.

Within the first days of September, Tiger Woods made an announcement in the blog on his web site: he and his wife Elin Woods are expecting to have their second child over the course of the next months. According to the post that was made with the announcement, Tiger Woods’ second child will be born at some point during the late winter and the golfer is already starting to wonder whether his daughter, Sam, is going to be the big sister to a younger sister or a younger brother.

Of course, there’s no doubt whatsoever that, even though Tiger Woods and his wife will be having a second child, Sam will not hold a special place in the golfer’s heart. Ultimately, the 32 year old who has – in many ways – changed the face of golf will not only love his first child, but also, because of his knee injury and efforts to recover from surgery, he will be able to treasure the memories that he has made while he has been kept on the sidelines of the PGA. It is the time that Tiger Woods has spend with Sam and his wife Elin that lead him to look at the surgery as more than just a disappointing time period in his career and to see that, in some ways, the surgery and recovery period have been a blessing.

Still, it’s unlikely that Tiger Woods fans will have to worry that a second child would lead him away from the game of golf. Though he has not participated in a tournament since June of 2008 and the U.S. Open, Tiger has not let go of his love for the game of golf. In the meantime, while going through the work of recovering from a knee injury and the surgery that followed, Tiger Woods has been working to design two separate golf courses – one in the nation of Dubai and the other in the state of North Carolina.

In other words, while Tiger Woods may not feel that 2008 has been very successful for him in terms of time spent out on the golf course, it’s safe to assume that he is pleased with the way that things are going. Tiger Woods says that he enjoys spending time designing golf courses, has been working toward recovering from the surgery and that the time that he got to spend with his daughter assures him that being a parent is its own reward. And, of course, given the news of a second child, it would appear that the rewards of parenthood are among the top prizes that Tiger Woods has received over the course of his career.

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Tiger Woods can master his emotions. Dr. Gregg Steinberg, world-renowned sport psychologist, teaches you master your emotions like Tiger. You can reach him at 931-206-1328. See more information at www.mentalrules.com and www.drgreggsteinberg.com Become a fan on facebook at tinyurl.com

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Technorati Tags: golf, Golf Betting, Sports Betting, Sports News, Tiger Woods

For the second consecutive year the Island of Bermuda will host one of the most exclusive golf tournaments since it receives the winners of the sport’s four major tournaments: Masters, U.S. Open, PGA Championship and the British Open. The best golf players of the world will face each other in the PGA Grand Slam final, a 36 whole stroke play event with a 1.35 million price.

The tournament that began in 1979 has been hosted in New York, Minnesota, Florida, Illinois, California and finally Hawaii where it has stayed for the past 12 years before moving outside the US to Mid Ocean Club in the Island of Bermuda last year.

Since sports play an integral role in the country’s development, the Island of Bermuda’s golfers and its business community, mostly known for being a dream destination, are obviously motivated about the PGA Grand Slam of Golf’s to be hosted in their country in 2008. Nevertheless the selection is definitely not casual; the Mid Ocean Club in Bermudas has been ranked in the #45 position by Golf Digest for courses outside the United States and last year Grand Slam was more than successful.

The tournament is considered as one of the most important in golf and it is televised to a worldwide audience (100 countries) by TNT and Golf Channel, which means an economic shot for the host country. Actually, this year winner (Angel Cabrera) received $600,000 while second, third and fourth places got $300,000, $250,000, $200,000 respectively. However, the prize money did not counted towards the PGA Tour money list.

Getting a spot in the Grand Slam is not an easy task. The field is typically reserved to the year’s four major champions. Past winners include: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Ernie Els, Tom Lehman, Ben Crenshaw, Greg Norman, Nick Price and Ian Woosnam.

The famous Tiger Woods, seven times winner of the Grand Slam was absent of this year tournament due to the recent birth of his daughter. Even thought, the event attracted around 7,000 golf fans. Hopefully, we all will be able to see the golf star next year at Mid Ocean Club. However, Bermudas is now set as a world class golf destination, and the dream of growing through the sport seems to turn into reality for the Island.

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PGA TOUR player James Driscoll talks about his favorite movies, music, and beloved Boston Red Sox. … pga pgatour golf james driscoll athlete sports player

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About Author

Julie Smith is one of the most recognized copy writers on Sports Betting and currently writes for Instant Action Sports. Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.

Technorati Tags: golf, Grand Slam, Island Of Bermuda, pga, Tiger Woods

Are you looking for a way to halve your golf handicap immediately?

Then read on…

Did ya watch Tiger Woods during the U.S Open at Torrey Pines this year?

Tiger meticulously planned each golf shot – he is a pure golf warrior!

Tiger Woods is the best golfer on the planet mainly because he fully understands his strengths – and weaknesses. Yes, even Tiger has weaknesses.

You might think to play golf like Tiger Woods means to bomb every drive.

Or go for the miracle golf shot. This is hardly the case.

Read on…

When Tiger has the lead in the final round of a golf tournament he usually plays conservative; like hitting fairway wood off the tee – this usually takes the big number out of the equation. He lets his opponents beat themselves as they aggressively chase him.

Tiger’s knee hurt badly during all 4 rounds of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines this past weekend. A weakness in his game not to be denied or ignored. Because of his knee injury Tiger knew what he was capable of, and what he wasn’t capable of.

Tiger played within his limits!

Even with all of Tiger’s power he still lays up on par fives when he’s in the rough, especially when he has the lead in the final round. He didn’t go for the green in two and risk shooting himself out of the golf tournament.

Tiger Woods learned early in life under the tutelage of his father Earl on how to survey the golf course AND his opponents with uncanny precision. Tiger does this through the fine art of course management.

And mental toughness!

What is the fine art of course management you say? It all starts with knowing your limits.

Knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and knowing your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses – and of course know the golf course you are playing on – this is your battlefield!

Tiger Woods knows his limits and plays within them. Amatuer golfers usually try to hit the golf shot they can pull off maybe 1/10 times. This usually ends up costing them at least 10 strokes or more a round (depending on their level).

The truth is, trying to pull off a shot you can perform maybe 1/10 attempts is foolish. This may make for great drama. Remember Tin Cup? How bout Jean Van de Velde when he choked in the ’99 British Open? They both went for the miracle golf shot.

The truth is going for the miracle shot when everything is on the line may make for great T.V. drama; however this attitude will absolutely crush your golf scores!

Do you hit driver on a 300 yard par 4 even though you can only drive the ball 250? The 50 yard pitch shot is one of the hardest shots in golf…

Even for Tiger Woods!

Rather than reaching for the big stick, leave yourself 100 yards for your second shot. For most good golfers 100 yards is a full pitching wedge which they can hit in their sleep.

Play golf like Tiger Woods as he systematically wore down a game competitor in Rocco Mediate during the 18 hole playoff in this year’s U.S. Open. Think and plan ahead – know your strengths – and your weaknesses!

The fact of the matter is, if you plan on leaving the golf ball at your “sweet spot” distance from the hole, you will dramatically improve your chances of hitting more greens in regulation.

And more greens in regulation leads to more circles on your score card – which means more pars and birdies!

For some this sweet spot distance from the pin is 100 yards, some 120 yards, learn what your sweet spot distance is and practice that shot over and over at the range until you can hit that shot in your sleep.

Play golf like Tiger Woods sizing up his next major win!

Hit ‘em Long and Straight!

John Lynch

Watch the video related to tiger woods

As a response to a fan video from Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 08, Tiger Woods and EA SPORTS demonstrate that the “glitch” Levinator25 thought he found in the game, is not a glitch at all.

Help answer the question about tiger woods

About Author

John Lynch is owner of No. 1 Golf Book Reviews and has published hundreds of golf articles. To read more golf articles like this and get instant access to FREE Golf Tips Reports, John recommends you visit:
No1GolfBookReviews

Technorati Tags: Golf Instruction, Golf Swing, Golf Tip, Golf Tips, Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 is the latest offering from EA, which has been consistently delivering the goods when it comes to sports gaming franchises.

This series has paved the way for golf gaming standards. As an improvement from previous games, developers took the time out to make significant changes in terms of gameplay and spice up the golfing experience for old and new players alike.

In this improvement efforts, developers of Tiger Woods 09 considered two factors. For one, this game will hopefully take you a step closer to what real life golf is all about. Certain aspects and features of a real golf game are extracted then integrated to the game in the form of new attributes and features.

To those of you who do not possess hardcore golfing skills but are willing to learn more about the sport, Tiger Woods 2009 offers a venue to explore and enjoy the sport at the same time. Hence, this game is not just isolated to the skilled and pro golf gamers but is also suitable for all skill levels.

To give players more control over their performance on the game, some improvements were done on certain features like the dynamic attribute system, rewind and club-tuning feature. Tiger Woods 2009 emphasizes how the level of attributes are reflected into actual game performance. To put things into perspective, there are different aspects of your skill that are focused on in this game which includes power, accuracy, short game, and putting. Having concrete data to base your performance on, you can now assess which ones you need to adjust on if you want to improve your game.

There is also a new coach feature that is available in Tiger Woods 09 so you can get valuable feedback and gauge your skills. If Haney have managed to make a golfing champ out of Tiger Woods, then he might be the person to turn to for better golfing skills.

Improving on the previous game’s online feature, it is now possible to have up to 4 players take on a golfing game simultaneously. And for more choices, 5 additional courses will be available to play on thus expanding your golfing experience.

If you want a more dynamic game, then the improved features on this game will certainly provide the much needed boost. But unlike popular misconception, this golf game will offer lots of ways to gather your friends together and enjoy virtual golfing.

With Tiger Woods 09, its developers have certainly transported the excitement of an outdoor golf game straight into your living room set. Aside from that, this experience will be shared by loyal gamers to the series and those who will try their club-swinging skills for the first time.

Let’s face it though, all you really want to know is whether this game is so much better than last years version, that its worth buying ?

Find out in our huge review of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 which you can read by following the links below.

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I put together a collection with some of my favorite and most memorable moment of Tiges Woods’ earlier years. They are shown as follow: * Final putt to win the -97 Masters Tournament by 12 storkes * Chip-in at the -99 Memorial Tournamnent * Hole In one at the -97 Phoenix Open * Win at the -99 PGA Championship * Putting agains Bob Hope at the age of 2 * Final putt to win the -00 Mercedes Championship playoff * Hole out for eagle and win at the -00 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am * Win at the -00 The …

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Technorati Tags: golf, Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods 09, Tiger Woods Golf. Tiger Woods 2009, Tiger Woods Videogame

Imagine Tiger Woods’ instructor, Hank Haney, standing right in front of you, offering you advice on your golf game. That is exactly what happened to me at Chelsea Piers in New York in an event held in conjunction with The First Tee and FedEx.

I had the opportunity to stand within inches of one of the Top 100 instructors in the world, so what should I ask him? I thought most about my own game. Being a 14 handicap, I have alot of questions, ranging from help with basic fundamentals (for both myself and many of my listeners) right down to nitty-gritty questions about Tiger Woods.

Okay, so Mr. Haney didn’t help only me that day, his main focus was on the hundred or so kids that belong to the New York Metropolitan Chapter where he mentioned, “What could be better than to help the best player in the world and to help kids?”

The few minutes that I taped with Mr. Haney is literally a gold-mine of information which will definitely assist both the beginner and advanced amateur golfer. And yes, there is even some commentary on Tiger Woods, his philosophy and how he’s faring during his forced rest.

Thanks to Mr. Haney for helping me with my game. Barry even learned a few things from my interview! And why not? Even Tiger Woods has a coach to assist him with his game and he’s the greatest golfer on the planet.

Also, thanks to the First Tee Program and FedEx for the invite.

Check out the live interview here: http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/golf-for-beginners/2008/08/25/hank_haney_talks_tiger_woods_gives_easy_

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Help answer the question about tiger woods

Tiger Woods has not won a major in over a year – is it fair to say that his days as an elite golfer are done, and that other golfers will beat him in the majors from now on?

Why does Tiger massively suck all of a sudden? Why doesn't he just stop sucking?

About Author

Stacy Solomon (with husband Barry) produces a popular weekly golf podcast entitled, “Golf for Beginners, because we’re always learning”. Stacy also writes a weekly golf blog on Worldgolf.com.

Technorati Tags: golf, Golf Tips, Podcast, Sports, Tiger Woods