LinksLifeGolf

by Jeff Skinner

“Hooks and Slices” will bring you our view on whats happening in the golf world.

While watching The Players Championship last week we got to see many shots of Kevin Na. He was in the hunt so NBC gave him a fair share of screen time. His playing partner was Masters Champ Angel Cabrera who played himself out of the contest early so we saw little of him. In fact the only time we saw him was when he was storming off in front of Na after Na was taking an eternity to play his shot. Michael Bamberger gives his slant on the Cabrera/Na pairing. Cabrera must have lost it on Saturday night when he realized he was paired with Na. Cabrera is one of the fastest players in the world. He looks, he swings, and he walks, very simple. Na is the polar opposite. He looks, looks, looks, looks, checks wind, looks, looks…you get the idea. That was a nightmare pairing for Cabrera and it showed. Slow play is a problem that goes unchecked on the PGA Tour. No one gets penalized for slow play. Ben Crane and Kevin Na are recognized as very slow players. Paddy Harrington might be the slowest of the elite players and Tiger has been known to throw up a few extra handfuls of grass or take two or three walks around the green. The LPGA has been proactive in its policing of slow play and you get penalized strokes and fined. If the PGA wanted to speed up play, and God knows they should, I have the solution. They should announce that they will be enforcing the slow play guidelines for any violation. Then at the next tournament Tiger plays, when he gets on the clock and he tosses grass one too many times…penalize him. Hit him with a stroke penalty and a fine (big deal, unless it’s a million) and see what happens. After the dust settles from the firestorm that Woods creates, play will move along nicely. Ben Crane and Kevin Na and the rest of the tour will be thinking, “If they can do it to Woods, we are in trouble.” Play away boys…..in four and a half hours please!

In spite of the rainy conditions there were plenty of red numbers at the LPGA’s Sybase Classic. There are six players at -5 or better and Helen Alfredsson leads at ten under. Brittany Lincicome continues to be hot and finished at eight under, one stroke ahead of Suzann Pettersen.

The leader board at the Valero Texas Open is a blast from the past.  Janzen, Duval and Paven are near the top.  Everybody’s favorite “everyman,” Paul Goydos is tied with Justin Leonard for the lead at seven under.

The John Daly Comeback continues.  Daly had five birdies and one bogey on his way to a 68  and is tied for 20th in the first round of The Irish Open.  Just stay out of the pubs Big John.

by Jeff Skinner

Helen Alfredsson navigated her way around The Upper Montclair Country Club Course with a personal best 62 today to take the lead at the first day of The Sybase Classic. She was playing as well as she ever has hitting the fairways and hardly ever missing a green. Paired with South Koreans, Hee Young Park and Jimin Kang, she showed the youngsters what a little experience can do for a player. Alfredsson is a former Solheim Cup Captain that has just come returned from a back injury. The South Koreans seemed to play a different game than Alfredsson. They are slow and methodical, taking their time on the green and in between shots. Alfredsson was striding out ahead of the group by twenty or thirty yards on each hole. She seemed to be saying,” Let’s get a move on here. I’m on a mission.”

She opened with a 30 on her front (back nine) and I caught up to her on her back nine at the third hole. She was driving the ball close to 300 yards and down the middle on each hole. At the par five fifth she reached in two with a fairway wood and two putted for birdie. On the sixth she actually played before Kang, with her permission, while Kang and her caddy discussed yardages. At the par 5 seventh she barely missed the green in two and stayed in the greenside bunker. Undeterred, she played her bunker shot to eight feet and made the birdie putt. On the next, the eighth a par three, she stuck her tee ball to eight feet and made the birdie. That brought her to ten under with one more to play. She said on the last tee box was the first time she thought of her score all day. She then proceeded to make her standard two putt par, but she could have gone lower.

While recalling her round she thought she missed two makeable birdies putts. Those putts and a three putt bogey on the par three fifteenth were all that kept her from the magical score of 59. Afterward she spoke of how she is finally recuperated from her back injury and can practice full time now. When she spun her ball into the hole on eleven for eagle and chipped in for birdie on thirteen she asked herself,” What’s going on here?” She felt comfortable all day and looked confident on each shot. “It’s typical that on a day like today you are staying in the moment,” she said. “I was only nervous on the last putt.” When told that Lorena was stunned that a 62 could be shot under these conditions today she responded good naturedly,” Ha, Ha, Ha…when you play like this you wonder, why don’t we do this all the time?” When asked how a former Solheim Cup Captain can compete on the tour, meaning at 43 you’ve usually seen your best golf, she said,” I have been able to work on my game now…I want to give it two more years.

She wore a hat and jacket with one of her sponsor’s logo,” Peak Performance.” When asked if today was a peak performance, she laughed and said,’ Yes, and my sponsor will be very happy.” Yes Helen, a 62 will get make you happy anytime.

The weather has changed greatly from yesterday at the LPGA Sybase Classic. Wednesday was a perfect sunny day with a slight breeze and was a wonderful day for golf. Today the ladies teed of in a slight drizzle and it will continue to rain on and off all day. That didn’t stop some players from going low early. Swede Helen Alfredsson started off as hot as one can get. At the tenth (her first) she parred then eagled the eleventh and followed that with three birdies to get it to five under. She has since bogeyed the fifteenth and birdied the sixteenth and seventeenth to lead In-Kyung by three strokes at six under. The featured grouping of Lorena, Paula and Cristie started with a couple of pars but Paula is the only one under par now, at one under. Lorena had one bogey and Cristie swapped a bogey and birdie after the first six holes. This grouping has the biggest following but one group ahead is Gulbis, Lincicome and Pressel who are following Michelle Wie’s group. The LPGA grouped a bunch of their stars together and made it easy to follow them. This will be great for tomorrow as they all will be playing in the afternoon when the tournament will be on ESPN2 at 130pm.

I watched a few groups come into the 12^th hole, which the members say is the toughest hole. A par four guarded by water and a long narrow green. Bogey was the average score and anyone that can par this hole will be picking up a stroke on the field.

Last week Cristie Kerr finished strong while the other contenders stumbled and Kerr won the Michelob Ultra Open for her twelfth career victory.  After her Pro-Am today she talked about the year she is having.  “This has been an exciting two weeks, with the win last week and playing this course.  This is one of my favorite tournaments on tour.  This is an old school course.”  She talked about the play of the Americans and said, “of course we want to play well going into The Solheim Cup.”  Kerr is second in points to Paula Creamer  on the points list.  When asked about being number one in the world Kerr stated,” I’ve dreamed about it. But where I am is an accumulation of all the things I’m doing well. I don’t put pressure on myself …I am more into the process.  I always wanted to get there at least one time in my career.”  Kerr has a home in the area and is a member at Liberty National.  She spends the LPGA off weeks during the summer there and says she loves the club and the area.  Again the subject of Michelle Wie was brought up and Kerr thinks it was “great she earned her way on the tour.  No doubt she’s an incredible talent and a huge draw.” 

When asked repeatedly if her goal was to beat Lorena and be number one she said,” I focus on my own game.  But, nothing is a given out here.  The tour is so deep you have to be at the top of your game every single day.”  She plans on playing a long time and said,” My best golf is ahead of me and I’m having more fun than ever.”  As every LPGA player has said this year all of them are concentrating on,” outside the ropes” meaning taking care of the sponsors and the fans.  “We are all pretty concerned (about the state of the tour) but we are committed, we have a compelling sport and we are a great value.”  She’s right.  The LPGA players go the extra distance to give the fans and the sponsors their money’s worth.

Links Life Golf’s LPGA Rookie favorite,  Stacy Lewis was working on her short game this afternoon.  That was one of her strengths in college and she knows that’s where this game is won.  She was sporting some cool shoes with the emblem of her beloved Arkansas Razorbacks on the side.

World number one Lorena Ochoa finished her Pro-Am around 12:30pm, hugged her amateur partners, posed for pictures, signed autographs for the fans, all with that great smile on her face and was in the press tent by 12:45. There are many different personalities on the tours and she is one of the nicest, pleasant and most humble players on any tour.

When asked if being number one mattered she emphatically said,” It’s very important. It matters a lot and is in my head all the time. My goal is to stay at the top and be consistent.” She said that she enjoys the hard work and will do what ever it takes to stay on top. When asked about Michelle Wie and all the attention she garners she said,” It is important to the tour that she plays well…and I wish her the best. It is good that she is full time.” Addressing the state of the tour and the economy Lorena stated,” It’s no good to panic. We all are having hard times, we are playing for less money. But it’s not about the money now, it’s about the tour.” Calling on the players she said, “We have to play more.” As far as being compared to Tiger all the time she downplays any of that. “I believe I can win, I want to win. I don’t listen to all the outside stuff. I don’t put too much pressure on myself.” Lorena got a big laugh from the press boys when she corrected a reporter that mistakenly said she had one win this year. “I won twice” she said in an attempted firm voice, but she can’t pull that off, she’s just too nice.

If you’re at an LPGA event you know one of the biggest draws is Natalie Gulbis. She draws a crowd that follows her everywhere. She knows hot to strut her stuff and is playing well with a tie for seventh last week. Natalie is one of the most popular ladies out here and was talking to fans during her practice session.

Every time I see a pro hit a golf ball I am amazed. The ball comes of the club with a crispness that we amateurs can never seem to find. I have seen the men and the women players many times and the game they play is so much different from ours. On the range you see them and their coaches working on the smallest of movements in their setup or swing and they watch their ball flight to see the result. All their shots look great to me, but to their trained, professional eye each shot tells them something different. It’s a gift, a skill that we can only dream about.

Suzann Pettersen

OK, so here I am live at the Sybase Classic at Upper Montclair Country Club in New Jersey.  Today is the second day of Pro-Ams here.  The LPGA is very “Fan Friendly” and they have two days of Pro-Ams.  There are trying to grow their fan base through a number of methods.  At the course today you can get in for free if you show your Shop Rite card, a sponsor or your car keys if you drive a Lincoln Mercury, another sponsor.  

All the big names in women’s golf are here.  Lorena is the three time defending champion, last weeks winner Cristie Kerr is here along with Paula, Morgan, Suzann and all the rest.  Lorena is looking to bounce back from a let down in rounds three and four of the Michelob Ultra Open.  Cristie Kerr, already considered the best American golfer is trying to move up and challenge Lorena for the top spot in the world.

by Jeff Skinner

There is a good interview with Phil Mickelson in Golf Digest this month. Bob Verdi asks some great questions. Phil is quite candid throughout the interview and Verdi covers a myriad of subjects. Phil actually has a dinosaur head and a 300 pound meteorite that were given to him by his wife Amy. He loves New York City and the fans and can’t wait for the Open at Bethpage. I was there the last time and watched as guys called out,” Are those “A” cups Phil?” That was before the new “trim and fit” Phil. On the subject of his relationship with Tiger, “We get along just fine…” He had some radical ideas to rework the PGA Tour that copies a revenue sharing program like the NFL uses. He thinks the Tour (read Tim Finchem) talks to Tiger and complains that the tour did not listen to Phil, Tiger and Ernie Els when they suggested a three tournament FedEx Cup playoff and not a four event finish. Phil actually confronted Finchem because he felt he was misrepresented by him to sponsors. Phil stops short of calling Steve Williams classless but is steadfast in his belief that his man Bones (Jim Mackay) is a class act and the best caddy out there. Phil even lays out his business plan to give every American access to a tax free retirement account and life insurance. Phil has a lot of irons in the fire and does not hold back on any subject. Check it out.

The recent incident involving David Feherty and his remarks about the military’s attitude toward the U.S. policy makers is another in a long history of missteps by golf commentators. You know the old saying,” Open mouth, insert foot.” Devil Ball Golf presents an accounting of some of the more famous cases of speaking before thinking. Some of the announcers made out better than others; Tilghman took a lot of grief, it ruined Ben Wright’s career and Gary McCord has made a career of being “banned from the Masters.” Let’s hope Feherty can survive. He’s as witty as they come and CBS should realize it. Check it out.

by Jeff Skinner

The golfing world had a very busy weekend; The Players, The Michelob Ultra Open, Tiger, Henrik, John Daly, and David Feherty. Yes, David Feherty the CBS on–air comedian and commentator. Feherty wrote an article in a Dallas magazine that was not well received, to say the least. Ron Sirak has a great piece in GolfWorld. Here is the quote that has Feherty in a major pickle:

“From my own experience visiting the troops in the Middle East, I can tell you this though,” Feherty wrote toward the end of his column. “Despite how the conflict has been portrayed by our glorious media, if you gave any U.S. soldier a gun with two bullets in it, and he found himself in an elevator with Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Osama bin Laden, there’s a good chance that Nancy Pelosi would get shot twice, and Harry Reid and bin Laden would be strangled to death.”

Feherty made a mistake. He could have made his point using less volatile words. He could have been a little more controlled and politically correct, but that’s not Feherty. He is out there on the edge, pushing the envelope. It’s too bad for Feherty, he seems like a good guy that has had some rough times and has worked through them. He has a great gig with CBS but he may have bit the hand that feeds him. It would be sad if CBS let him go, he is a funny and entertaining part of their programming. He also is one of the most active people in the golfing community for the support of our troops. He has been to Iraq and hospitals and military bases to visit thousands of soldiers. No one supports the troops more than Feherty. The danger here is that he will be remembered for this unfortunate incident and his years of work spent helping and entertaining the troops will be forgotten. Funny thing is Feherty has probably help lift the spirits of more military personnel than anyone in Washington ever has. It would be a shame if he never had that chance again.

***** The LPGA is a progressive organization. They have recognized the fact that the “New Media” is the way to go. They have started to issue press credentials to websites and bloggers. I was fortunate to get credentials to this week’s LPGA’s Sybase Classic. I’ll be there later this week to watch the ladies play and get some interesting stories.

Henrik Stenson had an extra club when he won The Players Championship on Sunday. No, don’t panic it wasn’t a golf club stashed in his bag, his caddie, Fanny Sunesson, is much too experienced for that to happen. He had that 15^th club all right, it’s that mental attitude that all real winners have. On the final round telecast it was mentioned that Stenson had started working with renowned sports psychologist Dr. Bob Rotella earlier this year. Rotella is a pioneer in the field of sports psychology and the top “mental game” consultant in all of golf. He has helped dozens of golfers like, Harrington, Immelman, O’Hair, Furyk and now Stenson. Dr. Bob doesn’t come cheap I’m sure, but we can all get the same tips, techniques and insight that Rotella gives to his clients. Rotella shares his advice and winning strategies in his many books. His first book, “Golf is Not a Game of Perfect” is a must for any serious golfer and if “Putting Out of Your Mind” doesn’t shave a half dozen putts from your score you’re hopeless. Rotella’s recent book,” Your 15^th Club”, is billed as the inner secret to great golf. The book jacket reads, “The 15^th club is the tool that golf stars like Tiger Woods use to block out negative thoughts, doubt, and fear. It is what allows champions to perform at their peak in both practice and during the game.”

In Rotella’s book, “The Golfer’s Mind”, he gives us “Doc Rotella’s Ten Commandments.” These are his fundamental points of good golf thinking. They are so basic and simple, but at the same time very profound.They are great rules for golf, and life as well. My son, a Rotella disciple himself, took Dr. Bob’s rules and printed them up and laminated them on a card about the size of a scorecard. I keep it with my scorecard while I’m playing and see it and refer to it on each hole. Some days it works better than others. It’s always there for me to refer to and try to get my head in the right place when I need it to be.

We respect all type of media at Links Life Golf, so here is a heads up on some excellent Dr. Bob tips. In the June issue of Golf Digest, Rotella has an article titled ”10 Rules on How to Win Your Major.” He offers some mental rules to the regular golfer that needs some help in his skins game or club championship or the weekend match. It’s good stuff, but it’s not on their website yet, only in the magazine. They’ll have it on the website shortly. Either way, invest some time in reading some Rotella. It’s a sure way to help your game.