LPGA Video: Paula Creamer vs. Natalie Gulbis

I've noticed that I haven't really featured any LPGA videos on thesdgolfer. I came across this interesting video on youtube comparing Paula Creamer and Natalie Gulbis. Check it out

Back to Business...

A lot of has been happening in the golf world since my last blog post... I'm still trying to catch up. So the Fed Ex Cup has come and gone and several tournaments as well. Just recently, Mickelson is at it again after a huge win at HSBC Champions in China. So what does this mean for Phil?

Here are some comments

Cameron Morfit, senior writer, Golf Magazine: It's interesting the way Phil and Tiger's long, multi-faceted relationship is trending. Tiger used to own Phil like Hideki Matsui owns Pedro. Not anymore. At this moment in time, Phil is clearly the best player in the world. The question is, can he sustain it into 2010 and someday overtake Tiger in the ranking? The way Phil is putting, anything is possible. He seems reborn.

Alan Shipnuck, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: Phil's best golf has always been good enough to scare Tiger. The big difference is that Tiger plays at a high level every time he tees it up, while Phil usually only shows up for three or four weeks a year. I'll believe Phil is the best player in the world when he can sustain this level of play for a full season. (And pick off a couple more majors.)

So hopefully in 2010 we'll see a very competitive Mickelson.

Golfer's million-dollar shot

I came across this really cool article on Yahoo about this amateur golfer shot. On Tuesday, Jason Hargett participated in one of those "hole-in-one for big bucks" contests as part of the Mark Eaton Celebrity Classic in Utah.

It's unbelievable! Check it out!

Anothony Kim Provides Insight on Hitting Drives Straigher

I found an interesting article by Anthony on how to hit your driver straighter than ever.

1. CHOKE UP
Make the longest club in your bag shorter for more control

The most obvious quirk in my technique is that I choke way up on the grip — about two full inches. And I choke up with every club in the bag. I started doing this out of necessity: I have a short torso and long arms, and if I took a "normal" grip I'd be too far away from the ball. Over the years, however, I noticed that the choke gave me more control — especially with the driver — and I've never looked back.

My response: I've had good luck choking up on my driver. Although I hear people losing distance but I have better control. Control is way better than distance in my opinion. I totally agree with Anothony's tip.

2 . SHORTER IS BETTER
Since the choke automatically makes the club shorter, I sacrifice some distance. But it's less than you think — 10 yards at the most (and I still average 300 yards off the tee). So I have to hit 7-iron into the green instead of an 8-iron. Big deal. I'd take a longer iron from the fairway than a shorter one from the rough any day. You saw the benefits of this strategy during the Ryder Cup. The guys who consistently hit fairways and greens were the ones who won points for their side. When you're accurate, your opponent feels it.

3. PRESSURE COOKER
One more thing on my choke grip: it holds up well under pressure. That extra bit of control works great when the stakes begin to rise, like when you're in the final pairing on Sunday. Anyone can hit great shots on the range. The key to winning is hitting them when the pressure peaks, and the choke is a good way to make sure you don't fold underneath it.

4. NORMAL GRIP
Gripping at the end of the handle works, but today's clubs are long enough that you don't have to.

5. THROTTLE BACK
A shorter backswing will keep you on the short grass

Whenever I'm playing in a pro-am, I'm amazed at the length of most amateurs' swings — it's like they've spent three months at the John Daly School of Driving. Over-swinging is a death move for me. I can get away with swinging the club to parallel and beyond from time to time, but on Tour, time to time means a string of missed cuts.

6. POWER SECRET
I'm more comfortable making a three-quarter backswing, with my hands stopping at shoulder height and my club way short of parallel. I knew from an early age that I wouldn't be able to generate power with my arms alone on account of my size, so I don't swing them back as far. Instead, I focus on turning my upper body as much as possible and keeping my legs stable, like I'm holding my hips back. So even though my arm swing is short, I've built up resistance between my upper and lower body, and that's where my swing power comes from.

MY BIG MISS
I'm very flexible, which is good because it allows me to turn my upper body without turning my hips to create energy. But it also makes it easy for me to overturn. When you see me on the course in this position, I'm not playing my best.

THREE-QUARTERS
I could make a bigger backswing, but it wouldn't give me any extra power. What's important is that I create coil.

SQUAT DOWN
Here's how you can rip it out there with a choked grip and a short backswing

When you swing down from the top using only your arms, it's easy to get off plane. The secret to swinging on plane and with power is in your legs. I start my downswing with my lower body, which pulls my arms into action.

SIT AND SPIN
After sitting down, I turn as fast as I can through impact, using the ground as leverage and getting my weight over my left foot. It's a burst of energy at the bottom of my swing, which is why when I lift weights I only do "explosion" exercises, not high-repetition sets. You only need to be fast through impact.

AT THE TOP: I'm coiled and in control. Then, to start my downswing... literally push into the ground. Notice the "squat" look to my lower body as I start down. This connects me to the ground so I can use it for extra leverage and power.

HIP ACTION
I hold my hips back on my backswing, but turn them loose on my downswing. BALANCE POINT My left foot stays in contact with the turf. It's the center-point of my swing through impact.

BALANCE POINT
My left foot stays in control with the turf. It's the centerpoint of my swing through impact.

This Weekend... It's the LPGA vs the Chargers

The LPGA is coming into town this week for the Samsung World Championship at Torrey Pines... This is somewhat an issue since our San Diego Chargers are playing a home game. By sheer bad luck of the draw, the Chargers' schedule was determined after the Samsung's date was set, and the football team's home opener fell on the same day as the golf tournament's final round. The last two hours of the golf are to be played between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., during the heart of the game. If the Chargers were to be blacked out, it stands to reason that more people would show up for the golf and watch it on NBC, which is handling a women's tournament for only the third time this year.

So if the Charger game gets black out, NBC can increase those ratings with women's golf :D

TaylorMade Officially Releases the Raylor Rescue Club

Taylormade is set to make the Raylor, available in lofts of 19° and 21°.

According to Tom Olsavsky, TaylorMade's senior director "The new Raylor hits the ball higher, longer and straighter from tall grass," said of metalwood creation, in a release. "It's the ultimate weapon for getting out of the rough."

The Raylor is designed with a slightly sharp, slightly pointed leading edge that TaylorMade says allows golfers to slide the face through the grass and onto the back of the ball more effectively

The Raylor, which will retail for about $230, will come standard with a Fujikura RE*AX 65-gram shaft that's one inch longer than standard to create added clubhead speed.

Tiger wins Bridgestone Invitational

The victory was the 16th in 30 WGC events for the world's No. 1 player, including six times in the CA Championship, three times at the Accenture Match Play and a record seven times at Firestone Country Club in the Bridgestone and its forerunner, the NEC Invitational.

He has won the last four times he's played at Firestone, winning three in a row before sitting out a year ago while he was recuperating from knee surgery. He also won three in a row from 1999-2001.