What a strange world we live in when Tiger Woods, the most magnetic golfer of our era, is reduced to an also ran?  I mean 18 shots back from Adam Scott... are you kidding me?  To make matters worse, Steve Williams, Tiger's old caddy was on the bag of the winner.  Looks like Steve knows how to pick a horse, from Greg Norman, Tiger and now Scott.  Adam Scott was supposed to be the next Tiger Woods back in 2004.  However, like the search for the next Michael Jordan, it is hard to put that kind of pressure on any mortal.  Who knows.. perhaps a new bagman with obviously some intangibales has made a difference for the now seasoned Scott who tallied his 8th win.  

Either way, this is Tiger's first tournament back and I am sure with his short game's potential, 2012 should be the year of the Tiger.  For his sake and the fans sake, I certainly hope that is the case because I do know one thing, golf is just more fun to watch when the Tiger's, Jack's, & Norman's of the world are in the mix.  Practice up Tiger, golf needs the player in you. 

It is mid-summer and the heat is on!  A question I don't see a lot but should is "How can I prepare to play golf better in the heat?"  They’re several things you can do to alleviate the pressure of hot weather.  I myself am fond of hot weather as I had my first hole-in-one in 104 degree weather. 

Personally, I think the heat is an advantage.  First, it is real easy to get limber.  Second, the golf ball flies further.  Finally, if you are in good condition, your opponents/ fellow competitors’ scores should falter if they have been neglecting their conditioning.  ***Playing golf in extreme heat is not for everyone, and you should certainly check with your doctor if you have any concerns/health conditions.  This is general advice for those who have already deemed the weather safe for themselves. 

Tip 1 - Hydrate early and often.  Drink water, water and more water.

Tip 2 - Throw some ice under your cap, whether in a Ziploc bag or just in there.  Either way it will feel great. 

Tip 3 - When possible, run your wrists under cold water and splash cold water on your neck. 

Tip 4 - Pick a light colored out fit with breathable technology.  White shirts are just cooler.  Think White Hat, White Shirt, Khaki pants (shorts if you can get away with them). 

Tip 5 - Have your caddy have a dry towel and a wet one.  If you are only carrying one towel... go 1/4 wet, 3/4 dry.  It doesn't make sense right?  The point is, with your sweaty paws, you'll want to dry your hands frequently. 

Tip 6 - Bring extra gloves in your bag... I like to keep a zip lock bag full of extra gloves, so as soon as I start to sweat thru one, I switch. 

Tip 7 - Lose the slick Winn grips and be sure to have a grip with some cord in it.  I prefer Golf Pride's New Decade line.  These are helpful for rain and sweat.  A little friction never hurt anyone, and will toughen up your hands.

Tip 8 - Stand in the shade as much as possible.  Sounds simple, but you'd be surprised how many times people just stand in the sun for no good reason.  

Tip 9 - Adjust your expectations.  Your opponents will most likely trip up down the stretch as the heat wears them down.... so be persistent and finish the round with long term expectations. 

Tip 10 - Rehydrate once in the clubhouse... probably a good idea to skip the adult beverages for a while and throw back a couple H2Os.   

Be safe and have fun in the heat!  Please wear white and make some birdies.

McIlroy and McDowell, back to back US Open champs both from Northern Ireland!  It must be a Mc Thing.  Personally, at this rate, I think perhaps I myself might try and qualify next year, and perhaps McDonalds will consider being my sponsor.  Well perhaps McDonalds should just become the US Open sponsor and I'll save myself the entry fee and bogies.  But seriously, Rory played a great game of golf right from the get go.  It was obvious that he had control of his golf ball at a different level than the rest of the field.  The last guy to pull off these runaway type feats was the Tiger.  Well at 22 years of age, losing the Masters in such a painful manner might have been just the seasoning this young man needed to harden his game into steel.  People are already making comparisons between McIlory and Tiger.  Personally I believe these conversations are premature.  Until McIlroy withstands the test of time, it is unfair to Tiger to even mention him in the same sentence.  For golf's sake and the sake of the Mc's everywhere, I hope we can someday have that conversation.

Fowler, Watson, Holmes and Crane's video is worth a look and a laugh!!

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Get your golf grips now before the season starts.  A tackier grip means a more relaxed grip.  The more relaxed the hands, what we call a live tension, leads to higher clubhead speed.  Higher clubhead speed means higher ball speed.  Higher ball speed = better distance. 

In short, get a fresh grip, get more distance and control!  Check out the new Golf Pride VDR grips, they are pretty sweet.