Written by Golf World on Tuesday 29 March 2016
AUGUSTA WEAPONS: Great putting, distance control with irons John Fields remembers the first time he saw Jordan Spieth play. “He was 13, had shot a 62 a few months before, and was making a lot of noise in Texas junior golf,” says the head coach of the men’s golf team at the University of Texas (UT). “I was immediately impressed with...
Written by Golf World on Tuesday 29 March 2016
AUGUSTA WEAPONS: Length off the tee, towering iron shots You could probably count the golfers whose games were better-suited to Augusta National than that of Rory McIlroy on the fingers of one hand… well, one and a bit. The first name would of course be Jack Nicklaus, whose length off the tee, high faded irons, exceptional putting, meticulous preparation, and shrewd...
Written by Golf World on Tuesday 29 March 2016
AUGUSTA WEAPONS: All-round game, dogged tenacity and belief When, in early 2008, a 20-year-old Jason Day first mentioned that he wanted to take the world number one spot from Tiger Woods, the golf world gave a little chuckle. It stopped short of actually laughing out loud, however, because it knew this Aussie kid could definitely play a bit. The son of an...
Written by Staff Writer, Today's Golfer on Monday 4 April 2016
When you’re one of the world’s best golfers, a hotel room becomes a putting green. A picnic table transforms into the perfect target for pitching. A mirror in the bedroom becomes a swing plane aid… “If you don’t love the work you have to put in to become the best, then you may want to consider a different line of work...
Written by Rob McGarr on Friday 1 April 2016
Yes, we know it’s 1 April, but this is no April Fools’. But, if you’re breaking down in tears as your dreams of spending four days glued to the action from Augusta National disappear in a blur of azaleas and pine straw, don’t panic. It’s the Australian Masters that has been cancelled. The event has been on the calendar since 1979, but will...
Written by Rob McGarr on Thursday 31 March 2016
Jordan Spieth had us ridiculously excited after winning the first two majors of 2015. We went into The Open at St Andrews knowing that Spieth, who was yet to turn 21, was already halfway to a proper Grand Slam. The ‘Tiger Slam’ of 2000-2001 which saw him hold all four major titles at once was hugely impressive, of course, but Big...
Written by Rob McGarr on Monday 28 March 2016
Jason Day’s WGC-Dell Match Play victory saw him become the number one player in the world. The 28-year-old Australian will be hoping he can stay there for longer than the one week he managed last time he was in that position, and it would take a brave man to bet against him. Day overcame a bad back and arguably the best...
Written by Rob McGarr on Sunday 27 March 2016
There isn’t much that Russell Knox won’t try in his hunt for success. Only a month ago we discovered that the 30-year-old had turned to Google in the hunt for a putting tip that would change his game. He found one, and it worked, helping him secure his first European Tour title at the WGC-HSBC Champions. << Check out the internet tip...
Written by Rob McGarr on Wednesday 23 March 2016
Ever since Paul the Octopus (RIP) proved surprisingly successful at predicting football results, other animals have been stepping up to the plate. A clairvoyant manatee named Buffett correctly predicted the Superbowl winner six years on the trot, a small-clawed otter had some success during Euro 2012, a Brazilian sea turtle backed his home nation to do well in the 2014 World...
Written by Rob McGarr on Thursday 24 March 2016
A couple of years ago, a survey of 25 PGA Tour players revealed that 18 of them don’t think about anything at all during their golf swing. But can that really be true? You’re playing on the world’s biggest stage, with millions watching and huge amounts of money on the line, and we’re meant to believe that your mind isn’t racing with...
Written by Rob McGarr on Sunday 20 March 2016
@PGATOUR What’s the point In educating kids about the importance of shouting FORE!! (Jason Day’s tee shot on 18) Ridiculous & dangerous — Nick Huby (@PCGAJUNIORTOUR) March 20, 2016 Jason Day won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, making an excellent up-and-down from the bunker on the final hole to snatch a one-shot victory over Kevin Chappell after a final round filled with twists...
Written by Rob McGarr on Tuesday 22 March 2016
Last week, we brought you the news that both Jordan Spieth and Ian Poulter were having a bit of a hard time on social media. Spieth wasn’t happy that a tweet from the PGA Tour’s official account made it sound like he might feign injury to withdraw from the Valspar Championship, and his mood wasn’t improved when someone on Instagram...
Written by Rob McGarr on Tuesday 22 March 2016
Whenever we see a trickshot genius in action, we always wonder why they aren’t competing on tour rather than entertaining people on a corporate golf day. If you can hit a 350-yard high draw off the deck with a driver, what’s stopping you winning PGA or European Tour events? Admittedly, being able to hit a flop shot with an umbrella...
Written by Rob McGarr on Friday 19 February 2016
Vaughn Taylor hit a final-round 65 to win the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, securing his first PGA Tour victory for 11 years. A lot has changed since 39-year-old Vaughn Taylor’s last win, which came at the Reno-Tahoe Open in August 2005. The last time Vaughn Taylor won a PGA Tour event… Jordan Spieth was 11 years old And he’d only just turned 11.
Written by Rob McGarr on Friday 18 March 2016
We all know what it’s like to reach the turn after a good nine holes. “Just keep it going,” we tell ourselves. “Nothing silly on the back nine and this will be a great round.” Inevitably, the wheels fall off and we’re left struggling to make the buffer zone. So imagine what it would be like to play the first nine...
Written by Rob McGarr on Thursday 17 March 2016
By any normal person’s standards, Jordan Spieth hasn’t had a bad start at all to 2016. In seven starts, he has one victory, one second place, and a further top-five finish. By the standards of a man who won the first two majors of last year and picked up seven titles, earning over $23 million in prize money, however, he’s...
Written by Rob McGarr on Thursday 17 March 2016
The PGA of America has decided to permanently cancel the Grand Slam of Golf. The four-man, 36-hole event had been played annually since 1979 and typically brings together the four major champions from the previous calendar year. There was no Grand Slam of Golf in 2015. The PGA decided to pull the event due to be played at Trump National after Donald...
Written by Rob McGarr on Wednesday 16 March 2016
Last week, after a disappointing 76 in the opening round of the Valspar Championship, Jordan Spieth checked social media to find the PGA Tour insinuating that he might feign injury and withdraw from the tournament and a ‘fan’ describing him as “garbage” and that, putting aside, every aspect of his game is average. Spieth understandably took umbrage and reacted to both...
Written by Rob McGarr on Wednesday 16 March 2016
Who do you think is the best putter in the world? Jordan Spieth? Brandt Snedeker? Aaron Baddeley? Jason Day? Not even close. The above names are all fantastic with the flat blade, but they’re not a patch on Steve Stricker. It pays to be careful when looking at golf statistics, as they can easily be misinterpreted. Some people would assume that the simplest...
Written by Rob McGarr on Tuesday 15 March 2016
When you go for a golf lesson, the pro will normally ask you what you’re hoping to achieve. Almost everybody says, “more consistency”. It makes sense. There isn’t a golfer out there who hasn’t hit at least one shot they were happy with. It’s what keeps you coming back for more. If you could hit every drive like that one on the...