Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2016 i Golf Magazine

GOLF Films Presents: All Square By the summer of 1996, the sports world was well aware of a rising young star named Tiger Woods, but he had yet to etch an indelible memory on the game. That changed at Pumpkin Ridge GC, near Portland, Ore., as the 20-year-old Stanford junior chased his third straight U.S. Amateur title. With Nike CEO Phil Knight roaming the gallery, this would be Woods's final act as an amateur—and would give the game its first of many Tiger Moments. In the title match, Woods battled little-known University of Florida golfer Steve Scott. With his girlfriend serving as his caddie, Scott took a 5-up lead before finally falling in 38 thrilling holes. It was arguably the most dramatic match in U.S. Amateur history. And now, you…

It's hard to believe you're 34 and in your 11th season on the PGA Tour. Are you calling me old? [Laughs] Are you still enjoying yourself? Every year you see younger and younger guys, and it gets more and more competitive, but I enjoy every second of it. You won two FedEx Cup playoff events in 2008, and won again in 2010. Then you went winless for four years. What happened? I felt like I had to be out there just putting in the hours. It was frustrating. And then that's when you realize that you've got to enjoy the process. A few years later, I won the Wyndham [Championship in 2014]. Was it injury or swing related—or something else? It was just part of a normal process. No one…

Hey, Rules Guy: Call me Hercules. A recent tee shot I hit split the ball in two! One half went 30 yards to the left, the other 30 yards to the right. It was a new ball that I'd only used for a few holes. I declared a mulligan and teed up again. What's the official ruling? —HANK BRUNE, VIA E-MAIL Given the halving of your ball, Rules Guy will endeavor to reply with wisdom worthy of Solomon. You made the right call. According to Rule 5-3, if a ball breaks into pieces as a result of the stroke, the stroke is cancelled and the golfer plays again, without penalty, from the original spot. A ball that's unfit for play (visibly cut, cracked or "out-of-round") may be substituted mid-hole. But…

[This article contains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine or PDF.] Follow Joe Passov on Twitter @JoePassov CUP O' JOE TIGER TALK I asked Tiger Woods to name the course he's never played but has always wanted to. "Pine Valley," he said. I told him that in the "50s, Arnold Palmer had won enough cash in a Pine Valley money match to pay for Winnie's engagement ring, and that Jack Nicklaus played there on his honeymoon, while Barbara waited in the car. "Times have changed," Woods said with a smile. SWITCH CRAFT Woods, who won the 2007 Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta, might not recognize the course these days. The Tour has reversed the nines for 2016. Instead of closing with a long, drama-free par 3, the…

You're drinking a root beer today. I'm not an alcohol drinker. Instead of the real beer, I just go with root beer. It's working for you. In March, you won your first Tour event, the Puerto Rico Open, in a playoff. It was awesome. It was a great way to cap my first win on the PGA Tour. There were a lot of things going through my head. But I thought I did a great job keeping my emotions in check throughout the final 18. When the pressure's on, how do you control your emotions? Staying in the moment is not worrying about the outcome but just focusing on the process on the next shot. And [in Puerto Rico] I did a great job of not thinking too far ahead.…

High school golfer Alex Rubino, 15, from Charlotte, N.C., lowered his handicap from 3.8 to 1.4 in just three months. His secret? "I simply started making more putts, and all it took was a single drill." He had help. Top 100 Teacher Dana Rader (Dana Rader Golf School–Golf Channel Academy, Charlotte, N.C.) found a way to smooth out Alex's stroke, and it only cost the teenager 25 cents. "Ms. Rader had me place a quarter on the back of my putterhead. The goal was to make sure the coin stayed in place well into my follow-through. If the quarter fell off the putter, it meant I was coming through the ball too fast and not at a balanced pace." Slashing your index for two bits? It's the cheapest—and best—lesson money…

This month, the PGA Tour will crown its FedEx Cup champion at venerable East Lake C.C. in Atlanta, home to the Tour Championship. To claim the Cup—and the $10 million bonus that comes with it—the winner will have to tame the 235-yard par-3 18th, a beastly hole that yielded just 11 birdies last year. Your home course likely has at least one 200-plus-yard round-wrecker. Here's how to walk away with par on the most punishing par 3s. 1 AIM AWAY FROM THE PIN LEAVE YOURSELF AN EASY SECOND SHOT If you mis-hit your tee shot on a long par 3, make sure you miss on the opposite side of the green from where the pin is located. Getting up and down from a shortsided lie in the bunker or the…

I LIKE TO THINK that our list of the Top 100 Courses You Can Play matters to the public golfer. You can't get onto Augusta or Pine Valley, but every track in our rankings is accessible. That's the way it should be. Golf is meant for everybody. So whether you're looking to spend just $35 for nine holes (the lowest rate at the Links course at Lawsonia, in Wisconsin) or a lot more for a once-in-a-lifetime fantasy round (Pebble maxes out at $565), all 100 tracks have one thing in common: Everyone is invited. I've been lucky enough to make some wonderful memories at Pebble—which reclaims the top spot this year—and at other great courses. Pebble's 18th fairway offers the best walk in the game, with the Pacific to your…

IT INCREASINGLY appears that we'll look back at 2012 as the last time we got to watch Tiger Woods compete at the Ryder Cup. This is worth reflecting on because, enigmatic to the end, the conclusion of Woods's singles match versus Francesco Molinari was a small moment that revealed so much about Tiger, the European side and the very nature of the Ryder Cup. On that fateful Sunday, Woods was sent out in the 12th and final singles match, an eminently second-guessable move by U.S. Captain Davis Love III; there was a strong chance the Ryder Cup would be decided in the preceding 11 matches, and Tiger's result would be rendered meaningless. But as the U.S. frittered away its 10-6 lead, the last match began to look momentous. "There was…

AS I WRITE THIS, IT'S been a month since Dustin Johnson's U.S. Open win was nearly overshadowed by the USGA's rules debacle at Oakmont, and I'm still shaking my head about it. The decision to penalize Johnson for supposedly making his ball move on the fifth green was just plain wrong—as was making him wait until after the round to apply the penalty. Golf is supposed to be a gentleman's game, the only game in which competitors police themselves. Yet at Oakmont, we saw that even when you do the right thing—as Dustin did by discussing the incident with a rules official the moment the potential infraction occurred—the USGA sees you as guilty until proven innocent. That doesn't sit well with me. (I'm just glad D.J. won comfortably, so that…

LEFT RIGHT WINDOW TO THE SOLE Push off your right foot at impact. It's one of four ways to use foot pressure to add yards. GO BOOM ON THE BOX Learn the new power footwork in four easy steps PRESSURE POINTS Big hitters shift their weight to their right on the backswing, then reverse that shift coming down. You already know that, but do you know what causes that shift—or if you're doing it correctly? Thanks to new, groundbreaking research using BodiTrak Sport's ground-reaction force sensors (the blue mats in the photos at right), we've learned that a good weight shift results from actively and correctly "pressuring" the ground with your feet. And get this: The moves often oppose each other in high-powered swings. For example, as your weight (measured…

1 ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES Notice the position of the clubhead—the toe has rotated well past the heel. Releasing the club like this through impact gives you maximum power and speed, in addition to a little draw spin. Be like Brooke—roll your right forearm and wrist over their left-side counterparts through the hitting zone and beyond. 2 SEE THE BALL Brooke's eyes help her hit approach shots that never leave the flag. After visualizing the shape she wants in her pre-shot routine, she locks onto the ball as she settles into her stance. Then, as seen here, she stays focused on the ball well after impact, rotating her head in sync with her swing so her eyes can "chase" the ball down the fairway. This subtle move makes it easy…

This season, I've been battling it out for driving distance supremacy with J.B. Holmes and Dustin Johnson. That's good company for a Tour sophomore like me. Busting drives is my specialty, to the tune of 311 yards per poke. It helps to be 6' 4" and a good athlete, but my 124 mph of clubhead speed comes largely from executing basics anyone can do, including taking a balanced setup, sequencing my downswing, and fully releasing the club. Follow my keys, and those frustratingly short drives will be in your rear view. You'll grab precious yards, no matter your size or strength. It's time to get fast, not furious! WHAT HE'S WEARING Finau dresses athletically to train athletically Nike Hyperwarm Golf Tights ($80) Nike MM Fly Swing Knit Golf Polo ($85)…

These days, golfers are clamoring for balls that offer a softer sensation at impact. In the case of the 10th-generation Soft Feel, you can expect a more refined feel than its predecessor without sacrificing any length or responsiveness around the greens. This two-piece ball is engineered with a larger, softer core (60 compression, down from 72), plus an ionomer cover that's 11 percent thinner and 5 percent softer. As in all Srixon models, the "gradient" core—softest in the center, hardest on the outer edges—contributes to a soft feel and low spin on full shots. As you might have guessed, a ball with a softer core and cover feels softer on shots throughout the bag. But the company's robot testing reveals similar distance (and spin) off the tee as the previous…

Blinging out your golf cart used to mean commissioning a personalized paint job or installing a stereo in the dash. Not anymore. Today's bespoke carts, complete with aerodynamic wings, iPad holsters and sticker prices approaching six figures, are unabashed showpieces that have attracted A-list owners. Here are a few of the coolest, and costliest, carts on the course. Pennwick Brooklyn PRICE: $16,500 Pennwick, one of the world's largest golf-cart customizers, counts celebrities like Will Smith and Adam Sandler among its clients. The Brooklyn, which bears a close resemblance to a Bentley, brings luxury to the course. It comes with headlights and taillights, turn signals, side mirrors and a 48-volt charging system. Among the available add-ons are a chrome tilt steering column and an Alpine stereo. Pennwick F5 PRICE: $20,500 Pennwick's…

After the flood: Raging waters ravaged The Greenbrier's Old White TPC course. AT HALF-PAST FIVE on a Monday night, the golf course was empty. But above it, along the second and third holes and hard by Howard's Creek, was a repulsive sight: dozens of vultures, with their vast wingspans and ugly beaks, swooping through the steamy air, in search of easy pickings. Sam Snead used to fish that creek, which winds through the town of White Sulphur Springs, The Greenbrier resort and its Old White TPC course. Snead, as a kid, caught fish with his bare hands. The buzzards, working late on Independence Day, were collecting decaying flesh, from fish for sure, and likely from household pets. They were among the victims of a flash flood that claimed the lives…

DRIVER 1) TaylorMade M2, 10.5°, Fujikura Pro 53 shaft, X-flex, 299 yards; $400 IRONS 2) TaylorMade RocketBladez Tour (3); TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC Forged (4-PW). All with Project X 6.5 steel shafts; price N/A 3-iron: 245 yards 4-iron: 225 yards 5-iron: 205 yards 6-iron: 195 yards 7-iron: 180 yards 8-iron: 165 yards 9-iron: 155 yards PW: 140 yards WEDGES 3) TaylorMade Tour Preferred EF, 50° (Tour Grind), 130 yards; 56° (ATV Grind), 115 yards; 60° (ATV Grind), 100 yards. All with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts; $160 each FAIRWAY WOOD 4) TaylorMade M2, 17°, UST Mamiya Elements Chrome 75 shaft, X-flex, 270 yards; $250 PUTTER 5) TaylorMade Ghost Tour Corza 72; price N/A BALL Titleist Pro V1x; $48/dozen "The spin rates with the M2 driver are really…

IN MID JUNE, after years of close calls, Dustin Johnson won his first major: the U.S. Open, at Oakmont. Then, after a week of R & R, he closed out the Bridgestone Invitational for back-to-back victories. In both events, he ranked No. 1 in Strokes Gained driving. It made me wonder how typical or unusual this is: winning on the strength of driving. There are, of course, many different ways to win a golf tournament, but a clear pattern emerged when I analyzed a large sample of results on the PGA Tour since 2013. The typical winner is a better-than-Tour-average player whose primary strength is great approach play. For the season, golfers who've won on Tour play 1.1 strokes better per round than the field, with 42 percent of that…

The ball can bury, but it can't hide—if you know how to chop it out (photo, below). YOU'VE REACHED the point where you can consistently blast the ball out of a greenside bunker and onto the putting surface, often close enough for a tap-in. But to do so, the lie must be perfect. If the ball is even slightly buried, you're looking at bogey, or worse. Why the performance disparity? For starters, buried lies are tough, even for a scratch player. Plus, the technique for dislodging a submerged ball is the opposite of the way you approach normal greenside bunker shots. It's a depth issue. During a standard bunker swing, the clubhead never digs deeper than three-quarters of an inch below the surface of the hazard. It's this semi-shallow arc…

Everyday players waste too many strokes by missing three- to five-footers—short putts that you know you should make. Why? Blame bad alignment and a lack of focus, from the start of your pre-putt routine onward. But don't sweat it—you can fix the problem in 30 seconds using a standard yardstick. Just follow the three "rules of the roll" at right. You'll get the feedback you need to get the ball on line, while building a rock-solid pre-putt routine using the untapped power of visualization. When you can roll it the length of a yardstick without your ball falling off track, your stroke measures up to the very best. [The following text appears within a chart. Please see hardcopy or PDF for actual chart.] 10 secs 1 SQUARE UP THE STICK…

1. Increase speed. Hold a towel at both ends, pulling it taut at address. Rotate back normally and stretch the towel all the way to the top. Congrats—you now have Tour-level backswing width. 2. Improve contact. Lay the towel flat on the turf six inches behind the ball. Make three-quarter swings with a 7-iron. Your goal? Miss the towel, but hit the ball. This steeper approach leads to purer iron impact. 3. Add yards. Roll the towel into a loglike shape and set it 10 inches in front of the ball on your target line. With driver, swing through the ball, then up and over the towel. It'll teach you to tilt your upper body to the right, just like the big bombers do.…

If your love of the game is as deep as your financial portfolio, here are the best places in the U.S. to swap out your wingtips for some Softspikes. Yes, we've factored in the essential retirement criteria, such as security, proximity to quality healthcare and affordability. And we considered some trendy picks. (We see you, Asheville, North Carolina!) But when you get down to it, serious golfers entering retirement seek havens that meet four core musts: superior courses, climate that allows for year-round play (or close to it), stimulating culture and grade-A dining. Behold, the five destinations that best deliver on your retirement dream. Pebble Beach, Calif. You'll need Fabergé-quality eggs lining your nest if you're going to afford Pebble Beach (median home price: $1.4 million) or its well-to-do neighbor,…

FOR MORE INSTRUCTION THAT FITS YOUR GAME, GO TO GOLF.COM LOW HANDICAPPER You play well but want to shave those last few strokes off your handicap. THE ONE-HAND SECRET FOR SOFT BUNKER SHOTS To hit a pillowy-soft greenside bunker shot, you don't need to swing harder to generate more spin. In fact, it's just the opposite: You want to swing a bit slower to make the ball come out "dead," as though you had tossed a horseshoe onto the green. Set up as you normally would (i.e., weight slightly left, ball forward in stance, clubface a bit open) and make your usual bunker swing. But as the clubhead makes contact with the sand, let go of the club with your right hand. This one-handed technique will kill the ball's speed,…