After LPGA golfers signed a petition rallying for the resignation of Carolyn Bivens with a show of “no confidence", the Tour is now searching for a permanent replacement.

Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer, Natalie Gulbis and Morgan Pressel were among fifteen golfers concerned about issues facing the LPGA including a loss of seven events since 2007. The latest bailout of the Kapalua Classic was probably the nail in the coffin for Bivens. Morgan Pressel was the winner of the inaugural event and she happens to be the Tour Pro there as well.

What a blow for Carolyn Bivens, the first female commissioner in the LPGA’s 55-year history!

Early in her career with the Tour, Bivens can be credited with establishing guidelines for the protection of players’ rights and enhancing the image of the LPGA as young and vital. Remember how viewers USED to see the LPGA?

Retired Navy Rear Admiral Marsha Evans has been appointed as the interim commander of the LPGA. With experience serving as CEO with the Red Cross during Hurricane Katrina to her credit, the Admiral may go down with the sinking ship.

Evans resigned from her position with the disaster-relief group taking with her $780,000 in severence pay. Red Cross spokesman Charles Connor noted, “concerns about her management approach and coordination and communication with the board,” as reasons for her ousting.

Annika Sorenstam has been appointed as an advisor to the LPGA Board but it might be a better idea if she was elected as the new Commissioner. Sorenstam is popular with both player and venue, well-versed on how to run a business and promises “to ensure that the LPGA remains the pre-eminent women’s sports association in the world.”

This week on Golf for Beginners, we also discuss Phil Mickelson’s “forward press” drill from his new DVD set, “DVD Set “Phil Mickelson Secrets of the Short Game.”

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Tiger Woods has made it a habit to win two weeks before a major tournament this season. He won Palmer’s, Nicklaus’ and his own event in this fashion and, because of this, fans are waiting to see if this streak will cause him to falter during the third major of the year.

Is it possible that Tiger Woods could fall prey to the “middle of the pack” at the British Open?

Prior to the 2009 Masters, Angel Cabrera’s best finish this year was a tie for thirteenth at the Northern Trust Open. He was cut from the Arnold Palmer Invitational where Tiger Woods solidly annihilated the competition. Cabrera’s stats are also not that impressive: he currently ranks 187th in driving accuracy and only 140th in greens-in-regulation. It is only because of his major win that Cabrera now ranks twentieth in money leaders on the PGA Tour.

Golf afficionados can now say that they have heard of Lucas Glover but, prior to a strong 2009 season and a win at the U.S. Open, Glover had only two top tens in 2008. Taking more of an interest in his game has improved his stats dramatically and only now is the name Glover synonymous with a piece of history.

Anthony Kim learned a valuable lesson as to how to challenge the Tiger at the ATT but can he employ his method at the British Open? “I learned that if you have a birdie putt, you better make it,” Kim said. “Tiger obviously is a proven winner for a reason and he makes the putts when you have to do it.” Shining your belt buckle in Woods’ line of sight may also help, AK.

Still, this is a true “Open” in every sense of the word. “Any certified professional or amateur with a scratch handicap” can qualify for the event which means even the least obvious contestants have an opportunity to shine.

Woods is going to be difficult to beat at the British Open and has already amassed three Claret Jugs during his career. He will be hunting for both his 15th major win in Scotland as well as coming closer to matching Nicklaus’ record. Although Tiger has never played Turnberry, he is practicing to have his game “dialed in”, feeling confident “with my swing, short putting, everything, then start getting the feel for how to play over there.”

This week on the Golf for Beginners podcast, former top LPGA golfer Annika Sorenstam provides her keys to choosing the right golf club. We also offer a few new product reviews and update you to the effectiveness of our previous tests.

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Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@worldgolf.com.

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Tiger Woods was defeated at Bethpage Black not once but twice in one month! The first loss came at the 2009 U.S. Open where Woods’ putter let him down. Lucas Glover, a relative “apprentice” on the PGA Tour, defeated the top brass there and Tiger probably needed to convince himself that it was the man, not the course, that kicked his butt.

Seeking out a “rematch” of sorts, Woods took on SNL comedian Jimmy Fallon where it seemed certain that Tiger would triumph and gain bragging rights on the ‘Black’. But this match did not ‘officially’ take place on the golf course. Instead, it was through the new Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 that the number-one golfer in the world attempted to ‘raise’ the coveted trophy.

In a meeting arranged by EA Sports, Woods and Jimmy Fallon teed off in Times Square, Tiger wearing his Sunday red shirt, black pants ensemble and Fallon sporting typical publinks trademark of jeans and polo shirt.

Unfortunately the game was cut short. Woods did something that we, his truest of fans, would sadly never believe possible; he conceded after the third hole mentioning, “I just got killed at my own game.”

Tiger is now not the only famous Woods out on the golf course. Cheyenne Woods, the niece, was given an exemption at the Wegman’s and although she missed the cut, it was her first foray into the world of professional golf. Michelle Wie might have come in tied for tenth place, but all eyes will surely be following Cheyenne in the future to see if she has the eye of the Tiger.

A mere twelve strokes separated Woods and Wie this past weekend after the first two rounds of competition. Although Cheyenne did not mention Wie by name she did have this to say, “I’m going to use this tournament to see how I handle large galleries and how I stack up against the best women golfers in the world.”

‘Uncle Tiger’ and Cheyenne were both students of Earl Woods, with similarities that propelled Tiger into greatness. Watching and waiting with bated breath, the world wonders if Cheyenne will be the next superstar to shine the spotlight brightly onto the ladies tour.

As far as who is considered the “hotter golfer” in the areas of both athletics and looks, Fannation.com “Throwdown” fans are undecided but I’m sure, as soon as Cheyenne Woods starts making strides in golf, she will certainly be a force to be reckoned with in the LPGA.

Golf for Beginners show also interprets which training aids can be used during a round and how you can make a golfer replay his shot with the use of Rule 10-1.

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After watching the struggles of both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson (among the other great golfers) at the 109th US Open, it can be said that this was the year of the initiate, not the veteran. Lucas Glover, who had only won once in his career on the PGA Tour astounded and amazed the crowd with his steely gaze, focus and lack of emotion while both Woods and Mickelson fell short of the basic skills needed to get the job done.

One can almost compare Glover to the lovely Natalie Gulbis who has also had a single victory but who, along with Michelle Wie, failed to qualify for this year’s U.S. Women’s Open and may be watching from the sidelines. Will either be offering Twitter commentary? Not likely!

What separates golfers who qualify from those who don’t?

When John Daly missed qualifying for the U.S. Open, he remarked that his feet were tired and the greens over in Europe were much slower than those in the States adding, “talk about not even sniffing a putt!” Solid putting, therefore, is the single most important part of any player’s golf game.

Glover, who had missed the cut in three previous Opens acknowledged that his lead “can be attributed to putting and patience” and is currently “ranked seventh in putts made from between 15-20 feet.”

Now, considering why Michelle Wie, for example, did not qualify for the Women’s U.S. Open, she revealed that she was swinging really well but “just couldn’t get anything going, and some of the putts didn’t drop.”

Should the USGA bend the regulations to assist the LPGA (and NBC) retain a slipping fan base or are the rules the rules? Originally, the policies stated that the top thirty golfers would be admitted to the U.S. Women’s Open but now only the top ten automatically qualify. Well, the USGA says that it is for the good of the game…

You certainly wouldn’t need to bend the rules at the U.S. Open to accomodate Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson because of the excitement factor of the entire field but, for the U.S. Women’s Open, it could be the difference between increased ratings and hearing crickets chirping in the distance.

Would it have mattered if Gulbis and Wie played in the U.S. Women’s Open? Not likely as both missed the cut last year. Michelle’s quintuple bogey on the ninth hole at Interlachen said it all.

Golf for Beginners also discusses a weight shift drill which will allow you to stop that ‘reverse C’ and point your club more directly at the target.

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What do Tiger Woods, Padraig Harrington and Angel Cabrera all have in common? Aside from major victories in 2008, all three will be grouped together during the first two rounds of the 109th U.S. Open.

This was a smart pairing by tournament officials as each has a story to tell.

Tiger Woods is not only the defending champion (holding off Rocco Mediate and a bum knee) but also held on to victory (and a score of par) in 2002 at Bethpage with Phil Mickelson on his tail. With fourteen majors under his belt, a fresh win at the Memorial and a great family behind him “I couldn’t be happier than where I am right now”, Woods is ready to tackle Jack Nicklaus’ record.

“It’s five to pass him, four to tie him,” Woods said. “I’m healthy enough where I think I can give it a go.”

Harrington is one of the odds favorites this year (+2500 for a payout potential of US$2500 on every US$100 bet at SBG Global.) Paddy should be as he has won the past two British Open Championships as well as last year’s PGA Championship. Sure, Padraig may be a bit stale coming out of the gate (his best finish this year on the PGA Tour is a tie for 11th) for but make no mistake; when the chips are down, Harrington goes into champion mode.

Cabrera has made five cuts this year on the PGA Tour but his crowning achievement for 2009 has to be victory at the Masters. Going for an Angel-slam, Cabrera should think back to his 2007 US Open win (his first in the U.S.) where he bombed drives and putted with aplomb in spite of hitting only five fairways in the final round to beat Woods and Furyk.

Where does Phil Mickelson fit into the U.S. Open fervor? Paired with golfers equally qualified to get the job done (Goosen and Els) he has taken second place in the Open four times, with three of those battles taking place at Bethpage. Always a bridesmaid? This could be the year for FIGJAM’s vindication on the Black Course.

Will any of the golfers read the warning before stepping out onto the first tee? Will being a “highly skilled golfer” be enough this week to escape the treacherous conditions at Bethpage? Tiger Woods’ belief that the Black is “as big as they come” and a course where “you have to hit the ball well all week.” will certainly come in handy.

Tweeting from the golf course is not permitted however there should be plenty of fist pumps.

Golf for Beginners also discusses the odds of the only male contestant remaining on the Big Break and offers a golf drill from Rick Smith for those who fish better than they golf. We also wonder if Chris DiMarco can hold on to his lead at the $1 million Kodak Challenge?

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Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@worldgolf.com.

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Get to know us on You Tube, MySpace and TWEET US on Twitter!

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John Daly says that he is finally done with the “drama” in his life, has signed an endorsement deal with both an energy drink company and Loudmouth Clothes and is returning to the PGA Tour at the St. Jude Championship next week courtesy of a sponsor’s exemption. He will also attempt to qualify for the U.S. Open. Another major win? Daly maintains that his confidence, his fighting spirit and his “feel for the game” will direct him in a positive direction.

John has played solidly in Europe, honing his skills with the assistance of golf instructor Rick Smith and believes he is “ready to play” on the PGA Tour. After the BMW Championship, JD mentioned to the Associated Press, “I’m not going to be (half-trying) like I’ve done in the past. I know I may not play the tour if something good doesn’t happen. It’s making me work harder.”

John also enjoys connecting with his fans on a regular basis through social marketing websites, Facebook and Twitter, tweeting to keep them up-to-date on his life journey. In fact, that is precisely how I met Daly. His responsiveness is precisely why I decided to follow him on Twitter.

After communicating for some time, I asked JD if I could email him a few sentences longer than 140 characters. Well, the Lion responded and here is the result of our email contact.

What are you and Coach Rick Smith working on?
Daly: Finish the backswing and shorten my putting stroke.

It seems almost every one on Tour these days pairs a mental coach alongside of swing coaches. Do you have a mental game coach and, if so, what kind of thoughts are you instilling?
Daly: I use my golf coach Rick Smith and we try to set goals and positive re-inforcement.

What charges you up during a tournament?
Daly: Having a good round prior to a tournament start.

How do get rid of negative thoughts during a round?
Daly: Make a birdie.

Are you afraid of anything?
Daly: Snakes, gators and ex-wives.

Golfers always played in funky clothes. Now that you’re playing in Loudmouth Clothes, people are taking notice. Do you think its the clothes or that you are wearing them or both?
Daly: Both

Do you think it’s becoming a necessity for sports celebrities to connect with their fans or are you just interested in what your fans are thinking?
Daly: I have always been interested in my fans.

Does Twitter fascinate you and why?
Daly: I like that I can send messages direct to my fans and it comes from me.

Do you use other social networking sites?
Daly: Facebook and JohnDaly.com Follow John Daly on Twitter.

A 66 at the Italia Open, good results all around on the European Tour with the BMW PGA Championship just around the corner. Do you feel the European Tour is affording you a way to hone your game for when you are reinstated into the PGA Tour?
Daly: The European Tour guys are just as great as the US PGA Tour guys.

Have you had any conversations with the powers that be on the PGA Tour regarding with which event you will be reinstated?
Daly: Yes, June 1st.

Do you think your suspension was fair and, agree or not, do you think the suspension helped you as a person?
Daly: No, I don’t think it was fair at all, further mentioning to the AP, “I don’t really feel I deserved to be suspended, but I’m not going to dwell on it. I’m going to turn it into a positive. I’m getting my life back in order and I’m more organized.”

Does good golf mimic good life or is one of the qualities of being a successful pro the ability to overcome it (obstacles)?
Daly: Good Golf means a more confident life both personal and in my game.

Right now, if you could choose the Race to Dubai or FedEx Cup which one would you dedicate yourself to and why?
Daly: I would like to do both.

John Daly is currently focusing his efforts on the Race to Dubai where he has a shot at the $1.6 million dollar prize. Daly is ninety-fourth in the standings and only the top seventy competitors are eligible to compete in the season-ending Dubai World Championship. There is plenty of time left to make a move and, with Daly’s commitment to his future growing day-by-day, we might just see the Lion roaring in the winner’s circle!

Golf for Beginners show also includes a discussion about the new, environmentally friendly Bug Bam mosquito repellent.

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Photo Credit: © JohnDaly.com

The public usually sees LPGA and PGA Tour golfers as an illustrious and highly regarded group, quotable and predictable in their demeanor. You rarely hear about an offensive or derogatory slur and, if you do, it is quietly handled by the powers-that-be (unless John Daly is involved and then it becomes fodder).

Michelle Wie, for example, is becoming one of the more quotable golfers on the LPGA Tour. She is highly visible to the media and her public image is full of aplomb. Her most recent stylized excerpt?

“You know, like I always say, dream high and stuff, set your goals up high, and I think it’s definitely - I’m not saying it’s an easy goal to achieve” …Stanford?

That’s all well and good but how would Michelle Wie, and the LPGA Tour in general, handle a dose of “trash talk” amongst each other? Does any of that occur on or off the course and would it make the LPGA more interesting?

Charles Barkley, during a recent media conference stated, “The best part of sports, number one is winning. The second best part is trash talking with your teammates. But they’re trash talking in every single sport. Let me tell you something, I played golf with Phil Mickelson, Tom Lehman, Billy Mayfair, Dudley Hart. I’ve played with a lot of pros. And if you don’t think there is some trash talking going on out there, you’re crazy.”

Would you tune in to more LPGA events if microphones followed the ladies and if you could overhear their little digs at each other? Usually trash talk is all in good fun but highly effective. I think that it would increase ratings!

Carolyn Bivens said she would “love it” if some of the more outspoken Twitterers such as Christina Kim and Morgan Pressel would reach out right in the middle of a match. As Bivens related, “fans are 12-, 13-, 14-year-old girls and boys. They’re not waiting for the golf broadcast on Saturday and Sunday.”

“They want to know what’s going on in the middle of the round,” asserted Bivens, “we’re going to get out of the collared shirts and khaki pants and make golf chic, hip, happening.” The LPGA frontwoman also maintained that Kim and about 30 other LPGA pros will help to make LPGA golf more “relevant".

Pressel was waiting at the 14th teebox during a practice round yesterday, chatting it up with Michelle Wie, another tweeter who has links to several other LPGA golfers including Jeehae Lee and Paige Mackenzie (who mentioned that her 8-iron head just fell off as the grips were being changed!)

Imagine the number of fans who would follow the LPGA if Pressel and Wie went head-to-head during a match and bantered “tweety trash talk” to their fans!

“Hit ‘em hard - they’ll land somewhere,” Pressel may click to MW’s Twitter page.
“#1 BABY! you know… its hard 2 b humble,” responds Wie, trying so hard to keep her tweets UNDER 140 characters.

Perhaps Carolyn Bivens should encourage this new media correspondence although the PGA Tour does not allow communications devices on the golf course. But, just as the LPGA now allows bloggers to cover events, it is only a matter of time before we see golfers clicking away to their opponents on their qwerty keyboards during an event typing, “You’re away Michelle!”

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http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2009/05/30/2009-05-30_tweets_on_golf_course_are_for_the_birds.html

With the excitement surrounding “the new and improved” John Daly’s return to the PGA Tour and the buzz encircling 2008 Rolex Rookie of the Year Yani Tseng’s win at the Corning Classic with an upcoming second major try at the McDonalds LPGA Championship, golfers are getting out onto the course in droves attempting to mimic the shots of the professionals.

More often than not, amateurs are stepping to the back tees and seeing more of the golf course than need be, and this usually refers to the men! Does this sound like you, Mr. Macho? Whereas women, in my opinion, are inclined to play a game of accuracy, men have a tendency to ignore course and slope ratings in favor of the thrill of “tipping it out” with a similar level of ability as from a more forward position.

But, is it such a terrible affair to try your luck from the tips, not worrying so much about which teebox suits your skill level or will it help improve your game in the long run?

If your tee shots are shorter than your opponents, you may not be able to “drive for show” and you may be forced to use longer clubs on your approach to the green. The inability to outdrive your competitor may actually creep into your mental game, psyching you out and forcing you to question your ability.

Commenters on the Golf Channel’s discussion boards agree that ego plays a large part in the game of golf. Problems that ensue include overswinging as well making bad course management decisions.

As one analogy stated, “If you were a beginner or intermediate skier would you ski down a double black diamond run? Unlikely.

Most recently I have been placed into the position of playing from the “whites” or men’s tees (in many cases) and found that the game changes enormously as you step back. After several attempts of struggling with my long game and mainly woods, I moved forward to the ladies tees and the result was definitive! I actually found myself more self-assured, with my entire game cooperating from tee to green.

I can’t hit a golf ball 295 yards just short of the green like Michelle Wie does so my ego is put on hold by keeping home plate at the senior tees!

This week, Golf for Beginners focuses on fun and easy golf exercises to improve core strength and flexibility so that, when you do get out to the course, you will be the Tiger on the tee!

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Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@worldgolf.com.

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“Shiny Tech” courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)”

This podcast is supported by GolfCalifornia.com, 1-866-351-1688.

Another Sunday another myriad of mishaps, this time at the Sybase Classic. Just chalk it up to more experience for Michelle Wie. With the press and fans clamoring for a win, all MW can do at this point is to offer up hope that, one day, things will be different, that one day she will break through barriers and the world will rejoice.

“I’m trying my hardest out there. Most importantly, I’m having fun,” claimed Wie, knowing that she once again had to defend her fragile ego as computer keyboards eagerly clicked out another story similar to the last.

At Golf.com, waiting for Wie to “just do it”, writer Michael Walker Jr. was forced to wax creative, coming up with a comparison between Wie and pre-Masters winner Phil Mickelson. Where a correlation can be made between any two likely suspects, Walker mentions that both golfers are “massively talented, adored by fans while generating mixed feelings among fellow pros (and) capable of an amazing, tell-your-friends-about-it birdie or a what-was-she-thinking bogey on virtually every hole.”

Phil Politi added in the Star Ledger that both Wie and Mickelson “thrill and disappoint all at the same time.”

Flip-flop feelings of highs and lows, ups and downs, of coming close yet falling short is what makes fans observe both golfers in spite of what is to come. We will groan, we will probably shout at the television, “come on, even I could have dropped that putt” but we will watch hoping for a miracle shot and for the day that Michelle Wie wins an event. She will win, it is just a matter of time.

One difference between the two which separates us from Michelle but makes us feel for Mickelson is that Phil resembles “everyman", the guy that is just like us, the underdog struggling for a win, a regular Joe.

Perhaps fans feel a bit of distance from Michelle because of the way she attained fortune and sponsorships without ever having won an event. Her professional etiquette is also still lacking as it was noted that Wie still walks off of the green before the final putt of her competitors has been holed out. Mickelson proved himself early on at the Northern Trust Open, one of only four golfers ever to win as an amateur and always provides a professional demeanor. We’re still waiting for Michelle to lift a trophy and hope that she will gain propriety as well.

Eagerly watched by fans, disliked by fellow golfers, both players have helped their respective tours gain and retain an audience. LPGA players were angry that Wie preferred the PGA Tour to the LPGA and, according to GQ Magazine, Mickelson was considered one of the Ten Most Hated Athletes with fellow golfers nicknaming him “FIGJAM”.

Love them or hate them, if it were not for “flip-flops” there would only be fairways and greens with no struggle needed to achieve greatness. Michelle Wie is now earning valuable points towards joining the prestigious Solheim Cup team and Mickelson is working out the kinks for the upcoming Colonial. If they both succeed, we will applaud; fail and the tabloids, internet and fans will have something more to talk about!

This week’s Golf for Beginners offers advice from Phil Mickelson on the flop shot. The video below was chosen to show Lefty’s ingeniuty and the ability to think outside the box.

Also discussed is the importance of National Golf Day and what you can do to bring it about. Golfblogger.com helps us to identify poisonous plants so that we don’t have to add Calomine lotion to our shopping lists!

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Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@worldgolf.com.

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Get to know us on You Tube, MySpace and TWEET US on Twitter!

“Shiny Tech” courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)”

This podcast is supported by OrlandoGolf.com, 866-443-8566.

Photo Credit: © Kansas.com, Marco Garcia, File/AP Photo

PGA Tour title sponsor negotiations are in high gear as a number of agreements will expire in 2010. With a current bailout of six mainstays and a weakened economy looming, options are dwindling despite the aggressive efforts of Tim Finchem.

Crowne Plaza is the most recent sponsor to jump ship two years before its scheduled exit date and takes along with it seven million dollars in endorsement and media commitments. FBR and Ginn are two additional casualties leaving Tim Finchem to bemoan, “We’ve obviously had, and are having, some bumps in the road.”

Temporary declines in attendance also hurt the tour and were to some degree caused by the 2008 absence of Tiger Woods but, since his return, that ship has righted itself.

There are also corporations eager to extend the life of their sponsorship deals as well as new deals on the horizon, forcing Commissioner Finchem to think outside the box when considering any and all offers.

New ideas to help soften a hard-hit Tour? Introduce hard liquor and casinos as sponsors, once thought of as the bane to a sophisticated American way of life.

In my opinion, allowing spirit sponsorships can add a whole new host of problems although the PGA Tour has been loosening up a bit knowing that estimates run as high as fifty million dollars for the Tour if they just change the rules to allow it. But if you amend the rules, accept any and all penalties because of it.

How would fans behave if spirit companies forced a plan on the PGA Tour to offer their liquor during tournaments? Nascar on grass!

But the PGA Tour will have to find a poster child other than John Daly to sell this idea to the public. Daly is svelte and says he’s almost totally off the sauce. If hard liquor was title sponsor of events when Daly had committed his egregious activiites, would he still have received a six month suspension or just a slap on the wrists?

On this week’s Golf for Beginners show we wonder what allowing hard liquor will do to the PGA Tour. And, if the PGA Tour relaxes its rules, would there be more questionable sponsors lining up in the conga line?

Life without Annika at this year’s Sybase Classic is discussed.

Hank Haney also helps us easily fix a slice using the basics of G.A.S.P. and Butch Harmon’s golf tip tells us how not to hold back.

Tweet this blog… Your followers will thank you!

Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@worldgolf.com.Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.worldgolf.com/stacy_solomon or through iTunes.

Click Here to receive our archived podcasts and 100’s of easy golf tips free!

Get to know us on You Tube, MySpace and TWEET US on Twitter!

“Shiny Tech” courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)”

This podcast is supported by GolfCalifornia.com, 1-866-351-1688.

Photo Credit: © Fanhouse.com, Robert LaBerge, Getty Images, Businessweek.com

“It’s difficult to think of you as a loser, but hey, you’re a loser.” sniggled David Feherty, as he interviewed Tiger Woods after a mediocre performance at Quail Hollow.

You can lose but that certainly doesn’t make you a loser…

Of course the above was said jokingly as Woods could never never be a loser. Aside from his recent victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Tiger has a total of sixty-six career PGA Tour wins under his belt with some events (like the Buick Invitational) being won six times by Woods!

But did pre-surgery Tiger have better survival instincts?

Before the ailments, with a bum knee, Tiger limped to victory at the U.S. Open. The 2009 version, as mentioned on Backspin, has had issues “closing all year.” Usually in the hunt with golfers sweating on the back nine, Tiger has been four-over on the last three holes of events he has played in this season. Maybe having kids has made Woods a bit soft?

But Tiger golf is in no way related to the rest of the field. Out of the five events he has played in 2009, Tiger came in top-twenty and better and is currently poised in tenth position in the FedEx Cup race with plenty of golf left to play.

Perhaps Johnny Miller said it best recently when he compared Tiger and Phil Mickelson (although any name can be switched-out in place of Lefty):

“Phil has as much horsepower in his car as Tiger. It’s just that the lug nuts aren’t tightened down as much.”

It is because Tiger Woods is “a model for how athletes should conduct themselves” that Roger Federer wrote why Woods deserves to be listed as a hero and icon among Time’s Top 100 movers and shakers (see below for link information). Respect for the history of the game, a class attitude and his philanthropic efforts also helped Tiger gain the admiration of the internet users who voted him onto the list.

Could superhero status be far behind? Will we one day see Tiger Woods in his very own comic book saving the world from trechery?

Others on the list that have shaped the world this year include President Obama and wife Michelle, Edward Kennedy and even Bernie Madoff! Yes, on this list we have the good, the bad and the ugly!

Golf for Beginners also offers up an easy, mental drill in order to play better target golf. We also discuss how to take the confusion out of shot-gun starts.

Here is famed Bruins Coach John Wooden along with ethicist Michael Josephson discussing the ideals of sports and what defines a true winner.

Enjoy Pursuing Victory with Honor and visit Character Counts for more resources on improving the ethical quality of society!

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“Shiny Tech” courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)”

This podcast is supported by San Diego Golf Central, 866-825-4094.

Time Top 100 Movers and Shakers, complete list: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,1894410,00.html

Roger Federer on Tiger Woods: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1894410_1894289_1894279,00.html

Photo Credit: © Tony’s Cartoons and Caricatures

One translation? Annika slipped into second place in the money rankings just below Ochoa and could not seem to climb back into contention. Not to take anything away from a golfer who had seventy-two career wins but Sorenstam was busy building outside interests too; golf courses, clothing and perfume lines. And, most importantly, her clock was ticking! Tiring of the daily grind, Annika realized that it was time to make room for a new generation. She would graciously fade away and reinvent herself.

Even so, the door was left open in case screaming kids and diapers became too mundane for the former champion.

Meanwhile, Lorena Ochoa was quietly picking up momentum from 2004 until 2006 where she did everything from carding her first LPGA hole-in-one to receiving ADT official money list honors. In 2007 Ochoa grabbed hold of the Rolex Rankings from Sorenstam and never looked back.

Unfortunately for the LPGA, Ochoa is more interested in winning tournaments than becoming a social media prodigy. The Tour, on the other hand, needs more sponsors and fans and is more interested in survival these days.

The players and companies involved in the LPGA are also trying to become better known outside of the realm of their own Tour hoping to entice viewers. Natalie Gulbis, for example was a regular on the Celebrity Apprentice and Anna Rawson has become the new “Go Daddy girl". Even the Golf Channel has decided to use Michelle Wie as the recognizable “face” of the LPGA, and she hasn’t even won an event!

Has women’s golf suffered due to the loss of the “Tiger Woods” of the LPGA or is it the fault of a sluggish economy? Has “feminization” slowed the process?

When the heroine of the decade “retired” it placed the LPGA at a huge disadvantage. Add the economic woes of the country to the mix with fans cutting out extraneous spending and the LPGA could be at risk to go the way of arena football.

Remember the malaise that covered the PGA Tour when Tiger Woods was making his recovery? Ticket sales dropped and Tim Finchem put out a plea to professional golfers to play in a few more events and shmooze more so that fans and sponsors got more bang for their buck.

The Sybase Classic is making it easier to get people in the door, so much so that they are offering free tickets to almost any one with a pulse. For example, cell phone users text LPGA to SYBASE and receive two free tickets. If you have a Lincoln/Mercury, just show your keys and get tickets at the gate and, if you have a Shoprite card, you too get in for gratis! Get the fans inside Upper Montclair Country Club, illustriously designed by Tillinghast/Jones, and everyone wins!

This weekend a two-day summit welcoming one-hundred players and LPGA top-brass will convene at Kingsmill Resort to discuss the future of the Tour and the likelihood of its survival and growth.

If the LPGA ship does sink, there may be a lot of women vying for a spot on the PGA Tour.

Photo Credit: © Around Hawaii

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Soon after Tiger Woods sat in on a news conference to promote his third year as host of the AT&T National at Congressional Country Club, he shuttled off to the White House to take a tour hosted by President Barack Obama.

Light witticisms were bandied about at Congressional with Tiger answering questions about his knowledge of the Swedish language which all boiled down to sayings every man should know like, “clean the house” and “wash dishes": every man that is, except for the billion-dollar variety like Woods!

But what could the President want to know from Tiger Woods? Aside from the obvious golf tips, we wonder what information could have been exchanged during their meeting in the Oval Office. Here are some of our thoughts.

1. Advice on the best golf simulator for the White House basement.

2. Perhaps they were negotiating deals for design and construction of new, upper eschelon golf communities in Cuba, Venezuela and Iran as gifts to his new “well-wishers".

3. A new golf course in North Korea to Kim Jung-Il as a signing bonus if he stops playing with rockets.

4. Advice on how to turn the economy around since Tiger is obviously the head of his successful business concern.

5. Perhaps an open invitation to fill one of Obama’s vacant top treasury positions (an huge cut in pay for Tiger).

Tiger looked as comfortable in the Oval Office as he does out on the golf course.

Golf for Beginners also wonders why Michelle Wie’s contract with Sony was not renewed. Was it due to an obvious flagging performance or did it have something to do with the $97 million shelled out to cover a messy malpractice lawsuit over the “vibration feedback” technology in its Dual Shock controllers?

We also discuss ten ways to get the most out of free lesson month, courtesy of PGA of America and Play Golf America and challenge the TourGrip Gyro Trainer to improve our golf swing. If it helps to condition astronauts in space, it should fly with us!

Tweet this blog… Your followers will thank you!

Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@worldgolf.com.

Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.worldgolf.com/stacy_solomon or through iTunes. Click Here to receive our archived podcasts and 100’s of easy golf tips free!

Get to know us on You Tube, MySpace and TWEET US on Twitter!

“Shiny Tech” courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)”

This podcast is supported by OrlandoGolf.com, 866-443-8566.

Photo Credit: © The White House Blog: Meeting Tiger Woods

For the average golfer who dreams of one day getting a big break and playing on tour, consider the “fantasy tour” instead unless you come equipped with a low handicap, solid-looking swing and a glowing camera presence.

The golfers from season-one of the Big Break (2003) were chosen by open audition with the main prerequisities being “scratch” handicap and demonstrative proficiency with various types of shots. Personality, of course, also had to be “engaging” to the viewer as Jay Kossoff, Senior Producer of the Golf Channel, once said, “positively or negatively".

Eleven seasons later, the Big Break: Prince Edward Island premieres with a similar premise but, according to the Golf Channel Big Break forum, BB Moose states that now you have to be “very good, be yourself and be able to execute at an audition". Add to the mix a great look and the group of possible auditioners just got smaller. How many golfers really have that “Survivor” look?

Out of the thousands that apply, only two handfuls get the go-ahead. BB Moose’s advice to get a shot at the Big Break? “Apply and hope!”

From a former Marine who once played a match with Tiger Woods to competitive Irish dancer Brenda McLarnon who claims, “people will probably hate me, but that’s their problem,” (shades of Danielle Aimee?) the entertainment value is going to have to match the $100,000 prize that is being dangled in front of the contestants. Get ready for the “wow” factor and “do not try this at home” stunts beginning tonight (April 20th, 9pm EST) on the Golf Channel.

We also discuss yet another faux pas by Michelle Wie, this time on the KLPGA Tour where she decided to practice instead of play in the pro-am, because she couldn’t use her own caddy.

With Wiesy’s downward spiral in her quality of play and the nonchalant way she’s been treating her sponsors, e.g. KLPGA, Michelle may find herself auditioning for the next Big Break!

The fifty-yards between the sand and the green can be one of the most daunting shots in golf. We offer up our opinion on how to get the ball to the hole without using your wedge and review Shaft Skinz, a decorative and protective heat-shrink cover for your shafts.

Tweet this blog… Your followers will thank you!

Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@worldgolf.com.

Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.worldgolf.com/stacy_solomon or through iTunes.

Click Here to receive our archived podcasts and 100’s of easy golf tips free!

Get to know us on You Tube, MySpace and TWEET US on Twitter!

“Shiny Tech” courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)”

This podcast is supported by OrlandoGolf.com, 866-443-8566.

“You’ve got to focus through the ficus” and “concentrate on being great!”

Although these “Woods of Wisdom” are rhythmically repeated during the new Tiger Gatorade Focus commercial, it didn’t seem as if TW took the advice as he could barely control his “band-aid swing” for much of the Sunday Masters rally against Phil Mickelson.

Still, the finale averaged a 6.9 rating/12 share with CBS thanking it’s lucky stars that Phil and Tiger tied in the third round and that Masters officials were smart enough to realize that the pairing would exude fireworks.

Eight years later and the two top golfers in the world did not disappoint with Mickelson firing a record-tying front nine ‘30′ and Tiger playing “catch-up” until the end. Both players lost steam by the eighteenth, called it quits and hastily departed Augusta National before the green jacket was awarded.

The question is, what incentive did viewers have to stick around for the bittersweet climax?

Many were watching anxiously to see if 48-year-old Kenny Perry could redeem himself after his 1996 PGA Championship loss in his own home state of Kentucky which he believed took three years to overcome. Some fans waited to see if Angel Cabrera could muster up enough strength to win another major title after a virtual disappearing act after the 2007 U.S. Open. Finally, there were those who were wishing that Chad Campbell would persevere after his close call at the 2003 PGA Championship.

But Campbell was the first man out and, comparing his two second-place finishes smirked, “Neither of them (major memories) are very good. I’m probably a little more disappointed this time.”

Where tears welled in the eyes of Kenny Perry as he probably wondered how long it would take to shake off this defeat, Cabrera was excitedly trying on his new green jacket.

Since the Argentinian has his only two PGA Tour wins in the majors, could Cabrera’s next victory bring him even closer to an “Angel-Slam” or was this just the magic of Augusta?

Golf for Beginners also mentions the big South Korean welcome for Michelle Wie as she adds a little “Seoul” to the KLPGA charity event this week. The Ruletwentyone waterproof golf towel is evaluated and how can a golfer come back from a large deficit?

Also, what would you pay for your very own wax Tiger?

Tweet this blog… Your followers will thank you!

Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@worldgolf.com.

Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed: http://feeds.worldgolf.com/stacy_solomon or through iTunes. Click Here to receive our archived podcasts and 100’s of easy golf tips free!

Get to know us on You Tube, MySpace and TWEET US on Twitter!

“Shiny Tech” courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)”

This podcast is supported by ResortsGolfandSpa.com, 866-643-6078.