What's Up With Steve Sticker?

I've been watching Steve Stricker a little closer this year. He used to be lost in obscurity, washed up, done for, etc and now he is knocking pins down and jamming putts right in the heart!

I guess he was plagued with injuries and illness at some points in his career and now seems to be riding the wave of success quite nicely. The tears in his eyes after this week's victory should be evidence that he knows how lucky he is to be feeling the atonement from previous years woes.

So what's up with the new level of play? As an instructor I am always viewing different player's swings through the microscope. I don't recall too well what Steve Stricker's swing was like prior to his new level of play but let me say a couple of things about his present movement.
First of all, it's simple. There's so much to be said about simplicity in golf. When you use the club the way Steve does in his swing, it's hard to go wrong. When I say 'simple' I mean he maintains a very long arc during the backswing and sets the club with minimal wrist action. In this sense he lets the natural loft of the club do the work for him. Not too many people want to do this because there is such a tendency to swing down on a steep plane and swing left of the target, but when you know how to follow through properly it actually is a much more accurate swing than those with more wrist action. This simplicity gives Steve great control of the iron game. You may have noticed that his wedge game is pretty sharp at the moment and this limited wrist action is why. He is employing the appropriate muscles to make the club move and he is able to make the club move as fast or as slow as he desires. Consistency comes from his simple action and control comes from the ability to power the club with the whole body. Put control and consistency in the same player and you've got the recipe for a winner.
I'm looking forward to next week when the Tour visits Cog Hill and one of my favorite cities, Chicago. Can Steve Stricker hold off a hungry Tiger?

Happy Feet

I stepped into a pair of these shoes today (Adidas FitRx) and could not stop praising them. These shoes, while they appear more like a running shoe than a dressy golf shoe, are supremely comfortable. Every step I took my feet felt more and more comfortable. I think I bugged my playing partners when I would interrupt our conversations to say "by the way, did I mention how much I love these shoes?!"
By the end of the round I felt as if I had just finished getting a foot massage and I actually contemplated keeping them on for the drive home!
I'm happy to say that this shoe has met all of my expectations for a performance golf shoe as well as offering me a sporty look to compliment short pants on the golf course. I highly recommend this shoe and look forward to the next round where I'll be trying out the Tour 360 3.0 shoe; a shoe that felt very similar if not better (if that is even possible) than the FitRx!!!

The Big Winner at the U.S. Open

Lucas Glover may have hoisted the trophy, but in my mind the biggest winner this past weekend was David Duval.
There were so many rumors about his fall from the world's #1 spot several years ago and now he jumps up (seemingly from nowhere) about 750 spots in the world rankings with his performance in last weekend's US Open.
It will be interesting to see how he does this time around. What will he do differently and how has he matured as a person with such a see-saw experience in his career. It will be interesting to see what life on the tour will be like with David Duval in the hunt every weekend (not just that other fist pumping guy with a bad knee and a swoosh on his shirt)
Let's not too quickly forget...David Duval shot 59 at one time!!!

My prediction...David Duval is BACK in the game and look for at least a few top tens to finish the season off....Ryder CUP? I'm not so sure.

Reaching For New Levels of Performance

It's been a rainy season so far here in Maryland; however, there have been several opportunities to get out and enjoy the game of golf in between the raindrops. As the season progresses we find ourselves faced with the current state of our game and striving to make improvements where necessary.
Making improvements to your game can be done in many forms. For instance you can get a lesson on chipping to improve your chipping practice. Or you can get a full swing tune up to give you some ideas for practicing the swing motion. But how do you get practice using that piece of equipment that rests between your ears?
The answer is simple: Use the Mental Game Series audios.
I'm introducing the Mental Game Series for golfers. These unique audio programs will guide you to better Focus and Concentration, allow you to reach for Peak Performance, and help you to arrive at a mental state of No Limitations.
There are no side effects (except a deeply relaxed and comfortable feeling) and practice only takes 15 minutes a day!

You can reach me to order your CD or MP3 download today. Just email me at J-Bohlmann@pga.com

The "Game" in Perspective

I've had the opportunity over the last few weeks to help the Wounded Warriors project at the Olney Golf Park in Olney, MD. PGA Pro Jim Estes heads up the project and several area professionals offer their expertise to those veterans who chose to participate in the weekly lessons.
As I watch the men and women (most of them amputees with various degrees of mobility) participating in the game of golf, it amazes me how easy it is to take certain liberties for granted. An example: the freedom to walk from place to place without the use of prosthetic support of any kind is something I don't think about. Yet some of these men and women have to deal with the loss of a limb (or limbs), disfigurement and limited mobility every minute of the day some of them for the rest of their lives. I might get a sore muscle or wake up a little tight after a workout, but with a little stretching I'm able to smooth the kinks out and I don't think much more of it.
So watching these veterans pick up a club in an effort to live their 'altered' lives with some enjoyment gives me a different perspective on what I believe to be limitations in my own life. We should all appreciate the freedoms we have; not only in the body, but also in our nation which are brought forth and brought to light by the lives of the soldiers of our armed forces. If you get the chance, thank a Vet today!!

The Masters - Moving Day

We are well into the 3rd round at Augusta National and the leader board is jammed with high profile players and some not so high profile journeymen. Todd Hamilton? Who's that? Isn't he a figure skater? Oh, yeah he only won "The" Open.

Could it be true that Tiger Woods is moving down the leaderboard on moving day at Augusta?

I'm not making any predictions here, but a green jacket would look pretty good on Geoff Ogilvy.

Other thoughts:
If Aaron Baddeley could get his Stack and Hook swing working under pressure we might even see him reach a top ten this week.

Tiger's Return

The inevitable return of the world's top player is set for this week. Once again all of the news will talk in perspective to Tiger. I wonder how long it will be before he posts the first victory. My guess is that, like last time he came out from recovery, it will probably be the first event.

So my prediction for this week:
Look for Tiger to come out clawing his way to the top of the brackets this week.
If Phil gets himself under control, he has a great opportunity see a top finish as well.

Either way the rivalry which seems to drive these two is going to bring viewers to the TV in hordes this week.

33 Under?

After seeing Pat Perez raise the scoring bar (and subsequently the trophy) at the Bob Hope. I wonder how long it will be before another 59 is unveiled on the tour.

Season Opener - Who's On Top in 2009

The golf season kicked off in fine fashion this week in Hawaii. The coast to coast leader in the clubhouse is none other than Geoff Ogilvy of Australia. Geoff has one of my favorite swings on tour. If you watch closely, he's got a tiny pause in the motion at the top in which he sets up his turn for the downswing. It's not too different from The Big Easy, Ernie Els who, by the way is gearing up to have a great season. In my opinion the pause is both good and bad because it can cause transition problems and is probably the main reason for inconsistency, but when it's good, either one could run the board like Ogilvy did this week.
A few notables this week in Anthony Kim and Davis Love III. I like the way Anthony Kim swings his club with a short backswing and powerful turn through the ball. This is a very very consistent move, but when Trip has his stuff together, he's one of the best to watch in action.
I know it's pretty early for predictions, but who do you think is going to come away with the cash on the west coast swing?