French fireworks

France is the place where all big trophies are heading this year and I have a good gut feeling that they might also take home the British open.
Garcia should and will be the man if they have to get it. Garcia is at is top of his game this year with many top ten finishes & a players championship title to his credit.

Garcia’s moral was at an all time low after his 18th hole meltdown at the carnoustie last year, where he put the title from his lap and handed it to Padraid Harrington on the 72nd hole. But the win at the players had done him a world of good and his confidence has blossomed.
No doubt he is an exceptional talent, he has the game to compete with the best and be the best but he just needs to win one big major that will nozzle hi carrier.

Remembering 1998[and the wind]

Mark O’Meara defeated Brian watts,17-19 in a four hole playoff in the last British open played at royal Birkdale. Heavy wind during the third round contributed to a scoring average of 77.49 that Saturday, when no sub par rounds were shot –the first time that had happened at the major since the third round of the 1986 open at Turnberry. Of the 81 players to survived the cut, 23 shot in the 8o’s, including Phil Michelson, who shot an 85 that included a second nine of 45 and a finish of 6-5-6-7.Tiger woods who had 77 recalled hitting “3- and 4-irons from 160 yards”.
Results that year from Birkdale, which played at 7,018 yards, par 70.

TOP FINISHERS:
Mark o’mera:72-68-72-68:280
Brian watts: 68-69-73-70:280
Tiger woods: 65-73-77-70:281
Jim furyk: 70-70-72-70:282
Jasper pernevik: 68-72-72-70:282

MISSED THE CUT:
Colin Montgomery (73-74)
Padraid Harrington (73-76)
John Daly (73-78)

Daly needed a bogey at the par-4 18th hole on Friday to make the cut but took five swings to escape a fairway bunker and made a 10.
Source from golf digest

LATEST FROM THE OPEN

Drug testing at Open Championship delayed until 2009

Players competing at Royal Birkdale in July will not be subject to drug testing as originally planned due to a delay in implementing the testing program at various Open Championship international qualifying sites.

R&A announces changes to entry criteria for 2008 Open

The runners-up at the British Amateur and U.S. Amateur championships will have a little easier road to Royal Birkdale, thanks to a series of amendments to the entry criteria for the 2008 Open Championship announced recently by the R&A. The Championship Committee also also intends to lower to 60 the age limit exemption for past Open champions.




Due to a new age limit for the Open Championship, five-time winner Tom Watson has two more years of exemptions left.

Cink Beats the Field, Not Himself

As the sky faded to a menacing gray, Stewart Cink was the lone splash of color at the 13th hole. His stunningly yellow shirt, better suited to the glorious sunshine that bathed the Travelers Championship until Sunday morning, stood out in the darkened afternoon when his game did not.
But with the smell of rain clinging to the course, Cink nailed a 6-foot birdie putt on No. 13 and went into a weather delay still leading the field by a shot. Another birdie on No. 15 over an hour later proved to be enough for him to secure the $1.08 million first prize Sunday at T.P.C. River Highlands, the same course where he won his first PGA Tour event 11 years ago.

The victory, his first on the tour since 2004, also moved him into third place in the FedEx Cup regular-season rankings behind Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.

Cink finished with an 18-under-par 262, edging Tommy Armour III and the defending champion, Hunter Mahan, by one shot. But Cink’s final-round 67 on the par-70 course was more the product of consistency than inspiration. His four birdies in the round came only when he seemed prodded into action by the chasing pack.

“We had to endure a rain delay and guys were firing left and right,” Cink said. “And I just stayed a step ahead, just enough. I think that makes it even more sweet.”
Cink had carried a two-shot lead from Saturday, but his career record when leading after 54 holes was hardly a confidence boost — he was 1 for 9 before Sunday. And as he took on the 444-yard, par-4 18th hole, needing only a par to seal the result, that record nearly caught up to him.

“You’ve got the way Tiger goes here — any time he’s sniffing the lead he seems to just will it through,” Cink said. “Then you’ve got the way I was, where it seems like any time there’s a chance to lose you lose.”

He hit a towering 366-yard drive straight into the crowd on the hill to the right of the fairway. But he was only 93 yards from the pin, and it took a delicate iron shot to the fringe of the green to remedy the wayward drive. Ultimately, he said, it was a pearl of wisdom from his wife, Lisa, that made the difference.

“She said sometimes you have to be willing to run naked across the green,” he said. “And that sounds crazy, but guys like Tiger and Phil, they let it all out. They don’t think about the next one. They don’t think about the consequences. They just go for it.”

Tournament organizers had rescheduled the final round of play on Sunday in anticipation of the heavy downpour, sending the field off in threesomes on the first and 10th holes starting at 7:30 a.m. The leaders did not tee off until 9:30, but perhaps the earlier start was to blame for Cink’s sluggish play.

While the field sneaked up on him, Cink bogeyed the fourth hole before recovering with a birdie on No. 6. Mahan, Armour and Cink’s friend Heath Slocum took another jab at him by posting birdies on the ninth to tie at 15 under. By the time Cink had matched them, 11 players skulked within four shots of the lead.

None, however, could mount a charge on a back nine that had been so vulnerable through the weekend — D. J. Trahan, for instance, carded a 30 there on Saturday.

“I didn’t feel like I played those holes badly,” Mahan said, “I just didn’t quite make them, didn’t quite read them the way I needed to.”

Neither did Cink, but he read them just well enough.

Toughest putt in golf




Going uphill then downhill is like having two putts, so make it just that


PICK A POINT: Read the downhill part first, and pick a target spot just over the crest of the hill.
A putt that goes up and then down is the most difficult putt there is. The key is good speed. You should get an overall sense of the putt by walking to the hole just off the line, feeling the roll of the ball with your feet. Do this briskly, without affecting the pace of play.
Try separating the putt into two parts: a slow uphill putt followed by a fast downhill putt. Pick a point just over the top of the hill, and make sure you get the ball to that spot or just past it. But don't overdo it. You have to hit this putt harder, but I see a lot of people knock it way past. You want a speed that would roll the ball about 15 inches by the hole.
Decide on the downhill part first. Then consider any grain or wind on the uphill portion. Remember, if the putt breaks, it will break more on a fast green and less on a slow green.
A good way to develop a feel for speed is to find two holes on a practice green, one that runs uphill for 30 feet or so and another that runs downhill. Putt each of them a half dozen times, and note the roll.

 THOUGHTS FROM TOM WATSON
I want the average golfer on my pro-am team to help on the par-3 holes. He or she probably gets a stroke on those holes and should make more pars on them just because they're shorter. But you have to aim for the safe part of the green, which isn't necessarily the fat part. Aim for the area where there's the least amount of trouble -- even if it's the fringe or fairway near the green.

Tiger Woods wins US Open





Tiger Woods, in agony and in danger it seemed of having to pull out of the US Open last Friday, completed a victory at Torrey Pines.

On the very day he reached 500 weeks as world number one, Woods took his total of majors to 14 - just four short of Jack Nicklaus's record - after a marathon duel with fellow American Rocco Mediate.

After staying alive with a 15-foot putt on Sunday, Woods again birdied the last to stop 45-year-old qualifier Mediate becoming the championship's oldest winner and Mediate then bogeyed the 19th to hand Woods the title.

They were both round in level par 71s, Mediate having come from three down after 10 to lead by one on the final tee.

In his first event since surgery on his left knee straight after the Masters in April, Woods made it a remarkable five straight victories at the San Diego venue and took his on-course career earnings through the 100 million US dollars mark.

If not the greatest victory of all the 87 he has now had as a professional, it was certainly the most unlikely when he started with a double bogey and appeared miles short of full fitness.

His play-off record now, though, is a stunning 16-3 - and, of course, he has maintained his record of winning every single major he has led after 54 holes. All 14 of them.........

“IT’s PLAYOFF MAN”

The world’s best against a qualifier.



Who could have imagined that for a Monday at Torrey Pines?

Perhaps during an early-week practice round at the 2008 U.S. Open. Certainly not a day after the scheduled 72-hole finish, and certainly not between these two contestants.
As Rocco Mediate anxiously watched from the scoring area late Sunday afternoon, pacing at times, Tiger Woods pulled off the dramatic as only the world No. 1 can accomplish. He hadn’t holed a long, clutch putt for 17 holes, but when he needed to make a 12-footer for birdie, one that would decide if the U.S. Open was headed for 18 extra holes, Woods found the bottom of the 4¼-inch diameter circle to send the thousands gathered at the 18th hole into a frenzy.

Overtime at the Open. The 18-hole playoff will commence at 9 a.m. PDT and be televised in its entirety by ESPN (9-11) and NBC (11 a.m. to finish) as well as streamed on usopen.com.





Compare These stats:
TIGER WOODS
Birthdate:
December 30, 1975
Birthplace:
Cypress, Calif.
Age:
32
Height:
6-1
Weight:
185
Home:
Windermere, Fla.
College:
Stanford
Turned Professional:
1996
U.S. OPEN 2008 SCORESPOSITION: T1 STATUS: -1 HOLE: F
ROUND: 1 2 3 4 TOTAL
SCORES: 72 68 70 73 283

U.S. OPEN HISTORY
First U.S. Open:1995 (Shinnecock Hills)
U.S. Open Plays:13
Best Round:R1-65 (2000 Pebble Beach)
Best Finish:1 (2000 Pebble Beach, 2002 Bethpage)
Money:$3,638,257
Exemption Codes:1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 17



ROCCO MEDIATE:
Birthdate:
December 17, 1962
Birthplace:
Greensburg, Pa.
Age:
45
Height:
6-1
Weight:
190
Home:
Naples, Fla.
College:
Florida Southern
Turned Professional:
1985
U.S. OPEN 2008 SCORESPOSITION: T1 STATUS: -1 HOLE: F
ROUND: 1 2 3 4 TOTAL
SCORES: 69 71 72 71 283

U.S. OPEN HISTORY
First U.S. Open:1984 (Winged Foot)
U.S. Open Plays:12
Best Round:R3-67 (2001 Southern Hills); R1-67 (2005 Pinehurst)
Best Finish:4 (2001 Southern Hills)
Money:$516,242

Unaffected By The Marquee Mayhem



San Diego – “Where’d everybody go?” said the marshal stationed at the first tee Thursday at a 8:17 a.m. “They were just here a minute ago.”

It wasn’t as if you had some slouches on the tee box. There was Steve Flesch, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour; Rich Beem, the surprise winner of the 2002 PGA championship; and Lee Janzen, an 18-year veteran of the tour who won his second United States Open 10 years ago. That’s as many Open championships as any one individual in the field, including World No. 1 Tiger Woods.

No matter. That vacuum sound you couldn’t help but notice on the first hole of the first round of the 108th U.S. Open wasn’t Tiger Woods’ pulled tee shot deep into the left rough that lead to a double bogey. It was the hordes of fans scampering after everyone’s dream grouping of Woods, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott, leaving anyone playing in their wake feeling a little like chopped liver.

Not that Beem, Flesch or Janzen would cop to any feelings of neglect. “Why wouldn’t [fans] take off after Tiger and Phil,” said Beem after a 3-over 74. “They’re the top players in the world, and I’m not.”

Still, with many thousands thronging the first tee long before Mickelson-Scott-Woods showed for their 8:06 a.m. starting time, you had to figure it wasn’t going to be easy playing either in the group immediately proceeding or following the game’s superstars. For 18 holes, the world’s top-three ranked players created the kind of crazed buzz one really only experiences late in the final round of a close-fought major, and even then the excitement is typically distributed over two or three pairings until it gets down to very last hole or two.

On Thursday, the mania was concentrated to one group and sustained over a full five hours. And the throng only grew as the round progressed. The fact that nobody in the group was playing spectacularly (Mickelson finished at even par, Woods one over, and Scott two over for the round), hardly mattered to the fans.

However, the hullabaloo may have mattered more to those coming up on their heels than they were willing to let on.

“It was fine,” Beem insisted, dismissing any suggestion that the commotion may have thrown his group off their games. “Everybody is going forward, nobody is going back, so it was no big deal at all.”

And yet, collectively, his group finished the day 14 strokes over par, which is a big deal.

The group playing ahead of the big party faired better, especially after Mark Calcavecchia dropped out with a sore knee on the ninth hole. Oliver Wilson threw away a couple of shots on the final hole to finish one over par, while Joe Ogilvie scrambled back from 3-over start to finish at even-par 71.

“I heard walking down the 18th fairway that there are more people on the golf course today than there were even at Bethpage [host of the 2002 Open], and Bethpage set all the records,” Ogilvie said afterward. “And they weren’t all right behind me like you’d think. They were also a hole ahead of me and the hole that I was on, waiting for Tiger and Phil and Adam. But with so many people, there wasn’t a lot of movement, so it wasn’t the nightmare we thought it would be.”

The only possible problem, as Ogilvie saw it, was that at times, figuring the roar of the crowd was inevitable, he had no choice but to take a moment and become a spectator. “You certainly didn’t want to hit when those guys were hitting,” he said. “But that was OK. These guys are the top three players in the world. It’s fun to step back and watch what they do.”

Woods returns to action


Tiger Woods has played a practice round at Torrey Pines ahead of next week's US Open, according to press reports.

The world number one, who underwent knee surgery following The Masters in April, played 17 holes on Wednesday before picking up his ball about 100 yards from the 18th green after seeing that a group of people had begun to gather.

Woods began his round at 8am local time and played for three hours 15 minutes under tight security. No media or spectators were allowed on the South Course at the time Woods was playing.

Woods won his sixth Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines in January, but despite that success he wanted to check out the layout for the second major of the season.

The first round of the US Open gets under way on June 12.

                    OFFICIAL SITEOF THE US OPEN

Perry wins the Memorial

DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) -- Kenny Perry's sole purpose on the PGA TOUR this year is to go home to Kentucky for the Ryder Cup.
He took a big step Sunday by winning on a course that feels like home. Perry is so desperate to make the team that he won't even bother qualifying for the U.S. Open. He does not like Torrey Pines, and figures he should devote his energy to tournaments where he has a better chance of earning points, such as Memphis next week and Hartford the week after the U.S. Open.
It felt like he won a U.S. Open at Muirfield Village -- not so much because of its slick greens and 6-inch rough, but the way par became such a prized possession for so many players.
Third-round leader Mathew Goggin stumbled to a 74, and tied for second with former Masters champion Mike Weir, Justin Rose and Jerry Kelly, all of whom closed with a 71. All of them had their chances until dropping shots somewhere along the back nine.
Perry took the lead with a birdie on the ninth hole and never gave it up, saving par from the back bunker on the par-3 12th and with a perfect flop shot from the rough above the 14th green.
Goggin's three-shot margin was gone in three holes, and his lead vanished in four, courtesy of two bogeys as everyone else was moving forward. The only consolation was a birdie at No. 18 and a tie for second, matching his best PGA TOUR result.
"It took me three, four holes to calm down," Goggin said. "And that was the difference."
Four players had a share of the lead on the front nine, all of them poised to take charge.
Rose was the first to 8 under when he holed a bunker shot for eagle on No. 7, but he retreated with a bogey from the bunker on the next hole and fell apart early on the back nine, not all by his own doing. Still in range of the lead, Rose watched an approach just left of the flag on No. 13 hit a sprinkler in the fringe and carom into the gallery, leading to bogey.

Goggin stays in control at Memorial


DUBLIN, Ohio (AP)—Mathew Goggin tried to keep his balance on the bank of a creek, looking for a way out of trouble at the Memorial. He quickly abandoned those thoughts, chipped out to the 14th fairway and took a bogey.
Muirfield Village was no place for heroics Saturday, not in such difficult conditions, not with a guy looking for his first PGA Tour victory.
It was that type of patience that carried Goggin to a 1-under 71 in the rain-delayed third round, giving him a three-shot lead and the highest score by a 54-hole leader at the Memorial in nearly two decades.
Goggin could have played toward the green, but the ball would have been parallel to his chest.
“Unless I was Phil Mickelson, I wasn’t going to try that,” he said.
He picked up a birdie on the next hole, hung on with pars and wound up at 8-under 208, three shots clear of former Masters champion Mike Weir and four others going into the final round.
Final day is going to be one hell of a fight will all good players up there on the main leader board.

IT’S THE MEMORIAL


This week the pga tours pit-stop is at the memorial tournament which is being hosted by non other that the great Jack nikalaus at the murifield village.This week there will no tigerwoods who has not sufficiently recovered from artroscopic surgery on his left knee .Phil& Sergio are the two hot players to look for this week.last years champion k.j. choi is also quietly confident of defending his title.

The golf course was designed by jack himself making a masterpiece. The golf course is in good shape and all the players are eager too play good solid golf before the US open.
So every one enjoy the memorial tournament and happy golfing.

Don't hang back



Transfer your weight on uphill par 3s

Even good players have trouble on uphill par 3s. I remember a great comment JohnnyMiller made about the 11th hole at Shinnecock Hills during a U.S. Open. He said on an uphill par 3 like the 11th, people tend to miss to the right because they hang back on their right sides in an effort to hit the ball higher. I'll never forget what he said.
By hanging back on the right foot in an attempt to add loft to the shot, you swing up on the ball too much. The left shoulder thrusts too high in the hitting area, and the clubface stays open. The result is a miss to the right.
The solution is to keep the shoulders more level at impact by making sure you transfer your weight to your left side on the downswing the same way you would on a normal shot. The clubface will square up for better contact and accuracy. Your weight should go mainly to your right heel at the top of the swing and to your left heel at impact.
THOUGHTS FROM TOM WATSON
Nutrition plays an important part in performing your best. You want to have enough energy to get through a round without fatigue or dehydration. My snacks of choice on the course are trail mix and an orange. I also like to keep hydrated in warm weather with a sports drink, diluted with water so it sustains my energy without giving me highs and lows.

<Annika To Retire:


Do you believe it? , Yes you should. After her victory at Michelob Ultra Open at the Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, VA, the Swede who transformed herself into the one-word superstar "Annika" told Golf World she was retiring from competitive golf at the end of this year. This was her72nd win on lpga tour-mind boggling isnt’it.

The news was not completely surprising. There always had been an unspoken understanding implied in Sorenstam's commitment to perfection that she would walk away from the game on top. In that way, she is more like Bobby Jones, who retired from competition at 28 in 1930 after winning the Grand Slam, then co-founded Augusta National GC and started the Masters. Sorenstam finished off a seven-stroke victory on the River Course at Kingsmill and broke the tournament record by five strokes with a final-round 66 in which she hit every fairway and putted or chipped for birdie on every hole. It was, as she said, like "old times" -- relentlessly methodical golf that wore down and ultimately overwhelmed her opponents. "The time is right," Sorenstam said about leaving the competitive stage. "I have seven more months and there is a lot of golf left to play, and I look forward to that. But it takes a lot of effort to be at the top, and there is a part of me that doesn't have that desire anymore. It is just the daily grind. I'm not a person who can be out here just to be out here. Today almost makes it even better. I proved today I am back, and I am leaving on my terms."
A year ago Sorenstam had to skip the Michelob because of a ruptured disk in her neck. While she was injured, Lorena Ochoa passed her to become the No. 1 player in the Rolex Rankings. And while Ochoa, with 19 wins since 2006, is the best in the world right now. Paired with Ochoa for the first three days, Sorenstam gave a lesson of her legendary consistency. She went 53 holes before making a bogey, and while Ochoa hung with her for two days -- the duo combined to make 23 birdies and an eagle over the opening 36 holes -- she cracked 44 holes into the Swede's demoralizing run of consistency, missing a five-foot par putt on No. 8 in the third round that triggered a tumble of four bogeys in five holes. " Sorenstam birdied five of the first eight holes on the back nine, all after approach shots inside 10 feet. Her 19-under 265 was seven strokes clear of Jang, Kim, Karen Stupples and Allison Fouch. Ochoa finished T-12 at 277 after a closing 70.

If one word can describe Sorenstam it is balance. Both physically and emotionally she is always in control on the golf course. Her swing has the rhythmic repetition of a metronome, classified by Hall of Fame player and TV analyst Judy Rankin as one of the three most reliable in the history, along with Ben Hogan and Wright. At her best, in an astonishing display from 2001 through 2005 when she won 43 of 104 LPGA events and finished in the top three 67 times, Sorenstam's most memorable shots were her poor ones because there were so few.
Dan Jenkins, the Golf Digest writer who has witnessed virtually every significant event in golf for nearly 60 years, has said Annika's opening tee shot at Colonial -- a 257-yard 4-wood off the 10th tee -- might have had more pressure on it than any single shot in the game's history. It was perhaps the most important shot in the history of women's golf and her superb execution in an opening-round 71, combined with the classy way she handled the attention, earned women's golf new fans and enhanced respect. "Colonial was my mission," Sorenstam said Sunday as she looked back over her career. "It was my path, my journey and I felt like people accepted that, 'Hey she's an athleteand she wants to get better' I've always let my clubs do the talking. And I felt like people accepted me for that."

'The drive' at Colonial in 03'

"Golf has taught me a lot about life, about making decisions," Sorenstam said. "I want to help the game, use the game and be part of the game. I'm going to be very active but not competing. My sponsors are sticking by me and are very supportive. There are a lot of things I can do with my knowledge and my excitement and energy -- [for example] golf in the Olympics, who knows what I can do there?"
Sorenstam rose to leave, moving toward the waiting Mike McGee, whom she will marry in January, then paused. "It's been worth every second," she said.
"From the outside you see the glamorous part, but you beat your body up week after week and I just think I am at a good part in my life, and I'm stepping away from competition on my terms. This is exactly what I want.

Tiger hopes to play at Memorial and US Open



ST LOUIS: World number one Tiger Woods said on Monday that his recovery from left knee surgery is going well and that he hopes to play in the Memorial tournament in two weeks as well as the US Open.

Speaking from his Florida home to reporters gathered here at the site of a US PGA Tour playoff event in September, Woods said he has not progressed beyond chipping and putting but plans to do so soon. “The rehab is going well. I’ve been training hard,” Woods said. “I’m getting sick and tired of riding the bike, though. That gets old fast. “I’m chipping and putting. I’m not doing anything beyond that. Hopefully I’ll start hitting balls, start progressing soon and work my way up the bag.” Woods’ target is due to return to the tour by May 29, the opening round of the Memorial event hosted by Jack Nicklaus at Dublin, Ohio, and be ready for the second major tournament of the year, the US Open on June 12-15 at Torrey Pines. “Everything in my life is doing great,” Woods said. “I’m just trying to get the leg organised enough to where I can play and hopefully I can play before. If not, if I can’t play before, then hopefully at the Open.” Woods has won 13 major titles, five shy of matching boyhood idol Nicklaus for the all-time career record. He has won six times as a pro at Torrey Pines, including an eight-stroke triumph in his 2008 debut this campaign to start a run of four victories in a row to begin the season. Woods, who has undergone three operations on the knee, has made swing shifts over the years to try and ease stress upon his legs. “That’s one of the reasons why I’ve made changes in my swing over the years, to alleviate the stress I put on my legs,” Woods said. “It has gotten better and hopefully it will continue to get better.” After Spain’s Sergio Garcia won the Players Championship on Sunday, he joked that he was glad Woods did not play. “I think he was just poking fun,” Woods said. Woods expects a more difficult layout than PGA events at Torrey Pines when he sees the San Diego course next month. “I’m sure (the fairways) are probably narrower. The rough will certainly be deeper and the greens will be dried out and baked out that time of year,” Woods said.

“I’m really looking forward to it, looking forward to getting back there and playing. I haven’t played in those conditions, dry and fast, since probably the Junior World days. “But it was nowhere near as difficult as it will be during the US Open.”

Activate Your Legs
Make two adjustments at address, and you'll hit it flush
In the setup: kick in your right knee to create torque, and flare your left foot for a quick turn through.

Amateurs make two mistakes at address that keep them from hitting the ball solidly. They set their left foot straight, or perpendicular to the target line, and they stand with straight knees.
You should kee the left foot toed out about 30 degrees so that you can turn your hips through the ball quickly. The right knee should be flexed and kicked in slightly toward the ball -- this helps to keep your posture during the swing. Some top players push the right knee a bit toward the target as a forward press, which is another way to do it. Gary Player has been a notable example for years.
If the left foot is turned out, and the right knee stays kicked in and flexed, you'll be able to create torque with your shoulder turn going back. Then you can shift your weight to your left foot coming down. The club will accelerate freely through impact.

THOUGHTS FROM TOM WATSON
Putting feel can be learned. Hit uphill putts on the practice green, then try the same length putts coming back downhill, making the same stroke and seeing how far past the hole the balls go. Do it from different distances, then reverse the sequence, putting downhill first. Focus on making solid strokes and repeating them from each position. See if you dont improve at judging speed and distance.

BOMB AND GOUGE:(PART ii)

How Power took over:


Bomb and gouge- the term popularized by instructor Chuck Cook-starts with monster drives, which in large part can be tracked to new technology. Average driver size on the tour is approaching the maximum 460 cubic centimeter head, and most players use a modern lightweight shaft. Pure hits rocket of the face, but off-center strikes lose only a fraction of the distance lost with the previous generation of drivers. But that’s only part of the distance explosion. The tour’s new power players are optimizing their driver ball flight by using computer launch monitors that measure take-off factors but the entire flight as well as the bounce angle

Another major factor is modern ball. Tour players today hit multilayered, urethane-cover balls that spin less of the tee than would ball of decade ago. With the right impact conditions, players launch the ball high but with a lower spin rate, which lengthens but also straitens the flight. We have seen tiger take on the relatively short par 4’s by bombing the driver of the tee with so mach height and also being able to stop it as soon as it pitches on the green. That’s what Bomb and gouge is all about. But still bombers miss more fairways than shorter hitters, but that’s where sharp clubface grooves come in. Today’s box shaped grooves are cut so sharp they can scuff the cover of even the harder modern ball. The result is players can gouge the ball out of the thick rough lies and still spin it enough to stop it on the green.


As hot as the power game is, it’s hardly new. Top players have often had a distance advantage, but they’ve usually used it cautiously. Jack nicklaus was the bomber of his generation ,but he played a decidedly conservative game .Nicklaus was famous for plodding his way around with 3-woods and 1-iron off the tee until he needed a big drive .then he’d hammer one 50 yards by his playing partners.

Finding the feel
Control on fast greens starts with a lighter grip



Don't squeeze: If your grip tightens during the stroke, you won't release the putter.

I love fast greens. As far as I'm concerned, they can't be fast enough, even when they're extremely sloped. That's when feel and imagination come into play the most.
Light, consistent grip pressure is one of the keys to negotiating lightning-fast greens. A lot of amateurs either grip the putter too tightly from the start or increase grip pressure during the stroke. Either way, they have trouble controlling pace, which is just as important as line. Ratchet down your grip pressure depending on the speed of the greens.
Grip pressure on an average tour green might be 5 on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being the lightest and 10 the tightest. Gripping it light allows you to release the putterhead, a critical factor on super-fast greens.

Wedge Control Tip

When using a wedge from any distance and to ensure the best accuracy , use this bit of advice ,which will also help you with driver and iron shots.


On the start of the back swing, the best swing thought is that you want to keep your back turned away from the target, then allow the back to follow through at impact. To double-check this tip, make a few dry runs, stopping right at impact. At this point, your shoulder line should be pointing to your target. These movements allow your arms to follow along your shoulder line at impact. Your shot will always be on the same track as the target line, simply because your arms will always follow your shoulders.

Make some soft swings with this swing thought and you’ll be amazed at how much closer you are to the target.

BOMB AND GOUGE:(PART 1)


There’s a new way to play golf my dear friends and it’s all about power these days. Today’s tour bombers are not only crushing drives, they’re establishing a new style of play: Bomb & Gouge. The thinking goes, bomb drivers as far as you can and, if need be, gouge the ball out of the rough and onto the green. Golf’s long held ideal- fairway and greens- is giving way to this aggressive new style. Even from the rough, these power hitters say they can take advantage of shorter approach shots and create more birdie opportunities.


“I like hitting drivers as much as possible because it gives me the advantage of being 50 yards past other guys. If I hit 3 wood, I’m back where everybody else is.” Says J B Holmes. That simple logic sums up the strategies of many long hitting tour players today. Hotter, more forgiving drivers and straighter balls allow big hitters to fire away without much risk. The best evidence that bomb and Gouge is for real is the success of Bubba Watson, J B Holmes & Camilo Villegas, who together with the all-round ability of Tiger woods have created a serious stir on tour.

How the New Bombers Do It:
The stats suggest that Bomb and gouge can be an effective strategy on tour, but why now? . Advances in club and ball technology are playing a part, but some players see it as an inevitable shift in the game. “You’re going to have advances in technology, but also advances in human body. Guys are bigger, stronger, faster with added technology, hence they are going to hit the ball farther” woods was quoted as saying.

Turn on your chips
Release to the target to hit short shots solid


Extend your arms and turn your head to see where the ball lands.
Believe it or not, it's actually possible to be a little too focused when you hit a chip.
A lot of players get so fixated on the ball and on making clean contact that they don't let the arms extend and the body rotate through impact.
If your arms collapse and your body stops turning, the bottom of your swing is going to be behind the ball. That's how fat and bladed chip shots happen. Feel that extension and body rotation through the shot, and turn your head and eyes to where you want the ball to land. That will help move the bottom of your swing forward, where it needs to be.
The club you choose for a chip depends on what kind of shot you have to hit. I like the idea of maximum ground time and minimum air time. For a close shot from just off the putting surface, use a pitching wedge. For a 30-yard shot with lots of green to work with, try a 7- or 8-iron.

And The Green Jacket Goes To….TREVOR IMMELMAN

Trevor Immelman found his way out of trouble almost everytime it found him and fired a final round 75 for an eight-under par 280 total to win the 72nd Masters. Tiger finished three back in second with Snedeker and Cink T3.
Four months after he had a tumor removed from his back, Immelman handled the wind and pressure of Augusta National far better than anyone chasing him Sunday to win the Masters, the first South African in a green jacket in 30 years.
Immelman held it together around Amen Corner and stretched his lead to as many as six shots on the back nine, taking the life out of a Masters that began with so much hype.
A two-putt par on the final hole gave him a 3-over 75, matching the highest final round by a Masters champion. Even so, it was good enough for a three-shot victory over Tiger Woods, whose hopes for a calendar Grand Slam ended with a thud.
Woods never got within five shots of the lead when he was on the course, twice missed birdie putts inside 8 feet and had to settle for a 72 and his second consecutive runner-up finish in the Masters.
"I learned my lesson there with the press," said Woods, who started the talk about a Grand Slam by stating three months ago that winning all four majors in the same year was "easily within reason."
The only slam possibilities now belong to Immelman, a 28-year-old with a polished swing, who finally realized his potential in the wicked wind of Augusta and a final round that yielded only four rounds under par.
Immelman, who finished at 8-under 280, started the week by playing a practice round with his boyhood idol, Gary Player, who won his third Masters in 1978 and set a record by playing for the 51st time.
Player told Immelman he was good enough to win the green jacket, and he left him a voicemail Saturday night that Immelman played on his speaker phone for his family to hear. The message: "I know you're going to win."
"He's been on me all week, telling me to believe in myself," Immelman said. "He also told me to keep my head still on putts. It's really a special moment, and I'm glad I pulled it through for him."
Immelman's wife, Carminita, and their 1-year-old son were waiting for him behind the green. Jacob took hold of the 18th flag, fussing when he couldn't go into the scoring shack to be with his father.
Jeev Milkha Singh finished creditable tied 25th.
POS PLAYER TODAY 1 2 3 4 TOTAL
1 T. Immelman +3 -8 68 68 69 75 280
2 T. Woods EVEN -5 72 71 68 72 283
T3 S. Cink EVEN -4 72 69 71 72 284
T3 B. Snedeker +5 -4 69 68 70 77 284
T5 P. Mickelson EVEN -2 71 68 75 72 286
T5 P. HarringtonEVEN -2 74 71 69 72 286
T5 S. Flesch +6 -2 72 67 69 78 286
T8 M. Jimenez -4 -1 77 70 72 68 287
T8 R. Karlsson +1 -1 70 73 71 73 287
T8 A. Romero +1 -1 72 72 70 73 287
T11 N. Watney -1 EVEN 75 70 72 71 288
T11 L. Westwood +1 EVEN 69 73 73 73 288
T11 P. Casey +7 EVEN 71 69 69 79 288
T14 S. Appleby -1 +1 76 70 72 71 289
T14 V. Singh +2 +1 72 71 72 74 289
T14 S. O'Hair +3 +1 72 71 71 75 289
T17 H. Stenson EVEN +2 74 72 72 72 290
T17 M. Weir +2 +2 73 68 75 74 290
T17 R. Goosen +4 +2 71 71 72 76 290
T20 B. Watson +1 +3 74 71 73 73 291
T20 J. Leonard +1 +3 72 74 72 73 291
T20 B. Bateman +2 +3 69 76 72 74 291
T20 Z. Johnson +5 +3 70 76 68 77 291
T20 B. Weekley +5 +3 72 74 68 77 291
T25 R. Sterne +2 +4 73 72 73 74 292
T25 A. Cabrera +2 +4 73 72 73 74 292
T25 S. Ames +3 +4 70 70 77 75 292
T25 J. Singh +3 +4 71 74 72 75 292
T25 J. Holmes +4 +4 73 70 73 76 292
T25 A. Scott +4 +4 75 71 70 76 292
T25 A. Oberholser+5 +4 71 70 74 77 292
T25 I. Poulter +6 +4 70 69 75 78 292
T33 H. Slocum -3 +5 71 76 77 69 293
T33 N. Dougherty+4 +5 74 69 74 76 293
T33 J. Furyk +5 +5 70 73 73 77 293
T36 T. Hamilton +1 +7 74 73 75 73 295
T36 J. Rose +4 +7 68 78 73 76 295
T36 J. Wagner +3 +7 72 74 74 75 295
T39 G. Ogilvy +2 +8 75 71 76 74 296
T39 N. Fasth +3 +8 75 70 76 75 296
41 K. Choi +1 +10 72 75 78 73 298
T42 D. Toms +8 +11 73 74 72 80 299
T42 R. Allenby +9 +11 72 74 72 81 299
44 I. Woosnam +6 +12 75 71 76 78 300
45 S. Lyle +5 +14 72 75 78 77 302

Distance And Accuracy Drill For Driving Improvement

To improve your distance and extension through the ball, giving you better accuracy, try this simple trick used by many tour players to enhance their move through the hitting area.
During practice, tee the ball up 2 to 3 inches in front of your left foot. Now assume your normal address position as if the ball were still in the typical position, leaving the gap between the ball and squared up clubface. Taking your normal swing, extend yourself to the ball and maintain your move towards the target, keeping the club on the hitting plane long enough to hit the ball in this forward position. It will probably take a few swings to make a good contact with the ball.
As you begin making better contact, continue to increase the ball placement in front of your foot by moving the ball out farther in 1-inch increments. as you will see, this drill will force you to fully extend your arms and hands through the shot ,and you will be surprised that you can actually hit it pretty well from this position .The drill forces you to load the shot against your left side, producing a better release through impact .

You will now know the maximum extension you can personally achieve. when you put the ball back to your normal position, remember to continue the newly achieved extension you have just honed.Of course, be sure that the driver you are using is matched as closely as possible with the proper shaft flex for your swing speed and load characteristics.

THE MASTERS MASALA
The 2008 masters marks the 50th anniversary of Arnold palmer’s first of four victories at Augusta national, 50 years since amen corner got its name and Gary player will compete in a record breaking 51st masters. The golden bear (jack nicklaus) will take part in the annual par-3 event, which will be televised for the first time, on ESPN from 3-5 p.m. EDT.Tiger will be my favourite this week to win his 5th green jacket. Below is the list of players eligible to play at augusta this week and also to challenge tiger woods . Let us all enjoy the masters this week and happy golfing.

Current Field to Date:
Robert Allenby (Australia)(14,16,18), Stephen Ames (Canada)(5,17,18),Stuart Appleby (Australia)(10,17,18)
Woody Austin (13,14,15,16,17,18), Aaron Baddeley (Australia)(14,16,17,18), # Brian Bateman (15), Jonathan Byrd (15,16), Angel Cabrera (Argentina)(2,17,18),Mark Calcavecchia (14,16,17,18), Michael Campbell (New Zealand)(2),Paul Casey (England)(10,17,18),K. J. Choi (Korea)(14,15,16,17,18),# Daniel Chopra (15),Stewart Cink (14,16,17,18),Tim Clark (South Africa)(10,14,16,17,18),Fred Couples (1),Ben Crenshaw (1),Ben Curtis (3),Luke Donald (England)(10,14,17,18),# Nick Dougherty (England)(11,17),Ernie Els (South Africa) (12,13,14,15,16,17,18),Niclas Fasth (Sweden)(11,17,18),Steve Flesch (14),Raymond Floyd (1),Jim Furyk (2,10,11,14,15,16,17,18),Sergio Garcia (Spain)(12,14,16,17,18),Retief Goosen (South Africa)(2,10,17,18),# Richard Green (Australia)(12,17),Todd Hamilton (3),# Anders Hansen (Denmark)(17),# Soren Hansen (Denmark)(17,18),Padraig Harrington (Ireland)(3,10,14,16,17,18),# J. B. Holmes (15),Charles Howell III (14,16,17,18),Trevor Immelman (South Africa)(17,18),Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain)(17,18),Zach Johnson (1,14,15,16,17,18),Robert Karlsson (Sweden)(17,18),Shingo Katayama (Japan)(17),# Martin Kaymer (Germany)(18),Jerry Kelly (10,11),* Trip Kuehne (9),Bernhard Langer (Germany)(1),Justin Leonard (18),Peter Lonard (Australia)(18),Steve Lowery (15),Sandy Lyle (Scotland)(1),Hunter Mahan (14,15,16,17,18),# Prayad Marksaeng (Thailand),Shaun Micheel (4),Phil Mickelson (1,4,5,14,15,16,17,18),Larry Mize (1)Arron Oberholser (13,17,18),Geoff Ogilvy (Australia)(2,14,16,15,17,18)Sean O'Hair (15,18),Nick O'Hern (Australia)(17,18),Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain)(1),Mark O'Meara (1),Gary Player (South Africa)(1),Ian Poulter (England)(10,17,18),
John Rollins (14,16),# Andres Romero (Argentina)(12,15,17,18),Justin Rose (England)(10,14,16,17,18),Rory Sabbatini (South Africa)(10,14,15,16,17,18),Adam Scott (Australia)(14,16,17,18),# John Senden (Australia)(13,18),Jeev Milkha Singh (India),Vijay Singh (Fiji)(1,4,10,14,16,17,18),# Heath Slocum (14,16),Brandt Snedeker (14,15,16,17,18),Craig Stadler (1),Henrik Stenson (Sweden)(17,18),# Richard Sterne (South Africa)(17,18),Steve Stricker (14,15,16,17,18),Toru Taniguchi (Japan)(17,18),Vaughn Taylor (10),#* Michael Thompson (6-B),David Toms (10,11,17),D.J. Trahan (15),Scott Verplank (11,14,15,16,17,18),Camilo Villegas (Colombia)(16),# Nick Watney (15),# Bubba Watson (11),Tom Watson (1),#* Drew Weaver (7),# Boo Weekley (14,15,16,17,18),Mike Weir (Canada)(1,17,18),# Liang Wen-Chong (China),Lee Westwood
(England)(17,18),Brett Wetterich (14,16,17),Tiger Woods (1,3,4,10,11,14,15,16,17,18),
Ian Woosnam (Wales)(1),Fuzzy Zoeller (1)
#Denotes first Masters, * Denotes Amateur

Past champions not playing: Tommy Aaron, Severiano Ballesteros, Jack Burke Jr., Billy Casper, Charles Coody,
Nick Faldo, Doug Ford, Bob Goalby, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer
Eligibility For Qualifying :
Number after each name indicates the basis of qualification. The Masters Committee, at its discretion, also invites international players not otherwise qualified.
1. Masters Tournament Champions (Lifetime)
2. US Open Champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)
3. British Open Champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)
4. PGA Champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)
5. Winners of The Players Championship (2006 and 2007)
6. Current US Amateur Champion (6-A) (Honorary, non-competing after 1 year) and the runner-up (6-B) to the current US Amateur Champion
7. Current British Amateur Champion (Honorary, non-competing after 1 year)
8. Current US Amateur Public Links Champion
9. Current US Mid-Amateur Champion
10. The first 16 players, including ties, in the 2007 Masters Tournament
11. The first 8 players, including ties, in the 2007 US Open Championship
12. The first 4 players, including ties, in the 2007 British Open Championship
13. The first 4 players, including ties, in the 2007 PGA Championship
14. The 30 leaders on the Final Official PGA Tour Money List for 2007
15. Winners of PGA Tour events that award a full-point allocation for the season-ending Tour Championship, from previous Masters to current Masters
16. Those qualifying for the season-ending 2007 Tour Championship
17. The 50 leaders on the Final Official World Golf Ranking for 2007
18. The 50 leaders on the Official World Golf Ranking published during the week prior to the 2008 Masters Tournament.

APRIL’S AUGUSTA
Location: Augusta, Georgia, U.S.A
Established: 1933
Tournament hosted: Masters Tournament
Website: Augusta.com
Designed by: Alister MacKenzie
Par: 72
Length: 7445 yards
Course Record: 63 - Nick Price (1986), Greg Norman (1996)

Augusta National Golf Club,located in the American city of Augusta, Georgia, is one of the most famous and exclusive golf clubs in the world. Founded by Bobby Jones on the site of a former tree nursery, the club opened for play in January 1933. Since 1934 it has been host of the annual Masters Tounament ,one of the four major championships in professional golf. The course is well known for its botanic beauty as well. Because the Masters is held the first weekend following the first full week in April, the flowers of the trees and shrubs bordering the course are in full bloom during the tournament. Each hole on the course is named after the tree or shrub with which it has become associated.
"The Big Oak Tree":
"The big oak tree" is on the golf course side of the clubhouse and is approximately 145–150 years old. The tree was planted in the 1850s.

Amen Corner:
The 11th, 12th, and 13th holes at Augusta were termed "Amen Corner" by author Herbert Warren Wind in a 1958 Sports Illustrated article. Searching for a name for the location where critical action had taken place that year, he borrowed the name from an old jazz recording "Shouting at Amen Corner" by a band under the direction of Milton Mezzrow
In 1958 Arnold Palmer outlasted Ken Venturi for the Green Jacket with heroic escapes at Amen Corner. Amen Corner also played host to prior Masters moments like ByronNelson 's birdie-eagle at 12 and 13 in 1937, and Sam Snead's water save at 12 in 1949 that sparked him to victory.
Eisenhower Tree:
This is a lobololly located on the 17th hole, approximately 210 yards (192 m) from the Master's tee. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, an Augusta National member, hit the tree so many times that, at a 1956 club meeting, he proposed that it be cut down. Not wanting to offend the President, the club's chairman, Clifford Roberts, immediately adjourned the meeting rather than reject the request outright
Ike's Pond:
During a visit to Augusta National, then General Eisenhower returned from a walk through the woods on the eastern part of the grounds, and informed Clifford Roberts that he had found a perfect place to build a dam if the Club would like a fish pond. Ike's Pond was built and named, and the dam is located just where Eisenhower said it should be.
Rae's Creek:
Rae's Creek cuts across the southeastern corner of the Augusta National property. It flows along the back of the 11th green, in front of the 12th green, and ahead of the 13th tee. This is the lowest point in elevation of the course. The Hogan and Nelson Bridges cross the creek after the 12th and 13th tee boxes, respectively. The creek was named after former property owner John Rae, who died in 1789.
Crow's Nest:
Available for amateurs wishing to be housed there during the Masters Tournament, the Crow's Nest provides living space for up to five individuals. Rising from the approximately 30 by 40 foot room is the clubhouse's 11 foot square cupola. The cupola features windows on all sides and can be reached only by ladder. The Crow's Nest consists of one room with partitions and dividers that create three cubicles with one bed each, and one cubicle with two beds. There is also a full bathroom with an additional sink. The sitting area has a game table, sofa and chairs, telephone and television. Placed throughout the Crow's Nest are books on golf, and lining the walls are photos and sketches depicting past Masters and other golf scenes. To get to the Crow's Nest, golfers must climb a narrow set of steps. When coming down, they must be careful to not turn left and enter the Champions Locker Room. This is a walk most amateur golfers dream of taking.
Hogan Bridge:
A bridge over Rae's Creek that connects the fairway of hole 12 to its green . It is constructed of stone and covered with artificial turf. The bridge was dedicated to Ben Hogan in 1958 to commemorate his 72-hole score of 274 strokes five years earlier, the course record at the time
Magnolia Lane:
The main driveway leading from Washington Road to the course's clubhouse. The lane is flanked on either side by 61 magnolia trees, each grown from seeds planted by the Berckman family in the 1850s. Magnolia Lane is 330 yards (300 m) long and was paved in 1947.
Sarazen Bridge:
A bridge over the pond on hole 15 that separates the fairway from the green. Made of stone, it was named for Gene Sarazen for a memorable double eagle in the 1935 Masters Tournament that propelled him to victory.
The Green Jacket:
Every member of Augusta National receives a green sports cote with the club's logo on the left breast. The idea of the Green Jacket came from club co-founder Clifford Roberts, who wanted patrons visiting during the tournament to be able to readily identify members.The winner of each year's Masters Tournament is able to play in every following Masters Tournament until their death, and receives a Green Jacket as well. The jacket is presented by the winner of the tournament from the previous year.
The Green Jacket is worn only on club grounds. A tournament winner may wear his jacket off-grounds for the year following his win, but after that it hangs at the club
The caddies:
Augusta National remains one of the few golf clubs with a staff of caddies ready to assist members, guests and professionals. In the previous PGA Master's Tournaments, staff caddies were assigned to professional players. Not until Jack Nicklaus insisted on having his personal caddy complete competition play alongside him was the protocol changed. Although Augusta's caddy staff continue to wear trademark white jumpsuits year-round, the garb is not a PGA mandate. And though the club remains without female members, female caddies are permitted. Nick Faldo, past Masters champion, used Fanny Sunesson as his regular caddy throughout the 1990s, including Augusta. During the pre-tournament Masters events in 2007, Golf Channel's Kelly Tilghman was selected by Arnold Palmer to caddy alongside him. The LPGA has yet to accept invitation to hold competition play at Augusta National Golf Course.
External links
· The Masters
· Augusta.com

The People’s Masters
My dear friends, Only ten days left for this years masters, when the years first and the most respected tournament will get under way on the tenth of April. So let us relive those moments where we the people enjoy at the maximum at the August National Golf club in Augusta Georgia.
Washington Road, which leads to Augusta national, is the busiest in Augusta. Georgia, though rarely do you see hordes of pedestrians and tented shops on both sides of the thoroughfare, as you do during the masters. The entire town comes alive for that one week in April. Nature plays its part too. Frosty winter gives way to flowery spring as colorful buds blossom across the three neighboring countries of Columbia, Richmond and Aiken, just in time for the masters.
Many of the houses, townhouses, apartments, hotels and dormitories in and around Augusta are rented out during tournament week. Preparation’s get under way sometime in February, and includes yard work, trimming of trees and shrubberies, and planting of new flowerbeds. It is believed that more than 5000 houses are rented out, some for as high as $50,000!
The season also heralds the lengthening of daylight hours and with the sun setting after 7.30 pm, you can spot golf enthusiasts with a can of beer or sipping their favorite wine in many restaurants and café’s – mast always full- along Washington Road. A popular haunt is Hooters; located down the road from Augusta National .It offers plenty of sights and good seafood.
All available spaces-lawns, yards, backyards-around the golf club are converted into parking lots. Near the venue, the average parking fee is about $20 a day. Compare this to a price of a ticket for a practice rounds-only $31 per day ($36 for the Wednesday)! Traffic snarls are common during the week. You can spot a variety of limousines, and close to a thousand private planes and jets parked at the two local airports.
Two distinguishing fashion statements of master’s week are the cigars and the hats. While the men puff away, women make their statement with colorful headwear.
And as the sun dips below the horizon right behind amen corner, spectators walk out with shopping bags in hand. When you visit Augusta, you don’t leave without a Masters souvenir. It is said the average shopper spends about $200, and nearly $20 million worth of merchandise gets sold! This is roughly the same amount of money that is spent on the tournament. Masters week brings in nearly $150 million to the local economy.

In a circular route extending six miles, you can see people holding up placards saying,’we need tickets, please!’ Though the badge (the tickets for the four days) cost $175, it is sold for several times that in the open market. On the last day, used tickets are worth $100 or more even at 7.30 pm in the evening!
Indeed, what football is to Brazil, golf is to Augusta. It is after all, the people that make the entire week memorable. It is they who transform Augusta, an otherwise quiet mid-sized town, into a globally renowned golf paradise. It is The People’s Masters.

“I LOVE THESE CONDITIONS. I JUST LOVE THESE CONDITIONS. YOU CAN MAKE ME PLAY AS MUCH GOLF IN THESE CONDITIONS.” JEEV MILKHA SINGH (INDIA), reveling in the Augusta chill.

This years masters starts from 10th to 13th of April. Lets enjoy it.

OFFICIAL SITE OF MASTERS

World popularity
In 2005 Golf Digest calculated that there were nearly 32,000 golf courses in the world, approximately half of them in the United States.The countries with most golf courses in relation to population, starting with the best endowed were: Scotland, New Zealand, Australia, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Canada, Wales, United States, Sweden, and England (countries with fewer than 500,000 people were excluded). Apart from Sweden, all of these countries have English as the majority language, but the number of courses in new territories is increasing rapidly. For example the first golf course in the People's Republic of China opened in the mid-1980s, but by 2005 there were 200 courses in that country.
The professional sport was initially dominated by Scottish then English golfers, but since World War I, America has produced the greatest quantity of leading professionals. Other Commonwealth countries such as Australia and South Africa are also traditional powers in the sport. Since around the 1970s, Japan, Scandinavian and other Western European countries have produced leading players on a regular basis. The number of countries with high-class professionals continues to increase steadily, especially in East Asia. South Korea is notably strong in women's golf.
The last decade or so has seen a marked increase in specialised golf vacations or holidays worldwide. This demand for travel which is centered around golf has led to the development of luxury resorts which cater to golfers and feature integrated golf courses.

GOLF THE GAME OF LIFE

Golf is a sport in which individual players or teams of players strike a ballinto a hole using several types of clubs. Golf is one of the few ball games that does not use a fixed, standardised playing field or area; defined in the Rules of Golf as "playing a ball with a club from the teeing ground into the hole by a stroke or successive strokes in accordance with the Rules."
The first game of golf for which records survive was played at bruntsfield links, in Edinburgh , Scotland, in A.D. 1456, recorded in the archivesof the Edinburgh Burgess Golfing Society, now The Royal Burgess Golfing Society.

Etymology
The word golf was first mentioned in writing in 1457 on a Scottish statute on forbidden games as gouf, possibly derived from the Scots word goulf (variously spelled) meaning "to strike or cuff". This word may, in turn, be derived from the Dutch word kolf, meaning "bat," or "club," and the Dutch sport of the same name. But there is an even earlier reference to the game of golf and it is believed to have happened in 1452 when King James II banned the game because it kept his subjects from their archery practice. It is often claimed that the word originated as an acronym for "gentlemen only, ladies forbidden", but this is an urban legend.