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So much for an exciting Masters on Sunday, gone are the birdies and eagles, gone are the back 9 charges.  Now it seems only the strong survive as the course ate just about everyones lunch including the winner Trevor Immelman.  To win shooting +3 on Sunday at Augusta is pretty sad to watch, I like the old Augusta.

In doing some internet searches I came across the “Sarasota Men’s Golf League.”  They play at University Golf and Country Club and Stoneybrook South courses on Tuesday and Thursday nights.  If you are interested go to http://srqgolf.com/, they have all the details and contact info to join.  If you (the readers) hear of golf leagues I do not have listed in my blogroll please submit them and I will add them to this site!

Arnold Palmer led the field today as the honorary starter at the Masters 2008.  Earlier this year Tiger said that the Grand Slam was within reason while a handful of other pros said he is as beatable as ever.  Highlights so far on day one include Ian Poulter hitting a hole in one on 16 and a bunch of guys tied at the top of the leaderboard early at 2 under.  Stay tuned for updates.

Using a weak grip is among the most common causes of a slice. Usually, it’s the right hand that’s the culprit for right-handers (the left hand for left-handers). In a weak grip, the right hand is rotated too much toward the target. This limits any chance of a proper hand rotation, making it difficult to rotate the clubface closed at impact. If you correct the grip, you’ll correct the slice.Here are 5 steps to check your grip:

1. Assume a normal address position
2. Take the club with your left hand
3. Leave your right hand in place
4. Open your right hand
5. Put the club’s butt in your palm

First, you need to determine if you have a weak grip. Take your normal address position. Remain still and lift the club up with your left hand. But don’t alter the position of your right hand. Now open your right hand. Place the butt end of the club in the center of your palm.

If the club points down or toward you, your right hand is in a weak position. To correct this flaw, adjust your right hand until the club’s shaft points straight toward the target. That’s the position you want your hand in when you grip the club.

And don’t forget about grip pressure. While it doesn’t cause you to slice, it still affects how you hit the ball. Not enough pressure and you lose control of the club. Too much pressure and you retard clubhead speed. Hold the club as lightly as possible but just tight enough to control the club.

If you’re among the many golfers who slice, take the grip test. If it shows you have a weak grip, adjust your hands. And don’t strangle the club. Hold it just tight enough to control it. These adjustments will help you hit longer straighter shots.

It’s time to get the rust off of those clubs of yours and come on out and join the FOB annual golf league.  We will be playing at Rolling Green Golf Course again on Monday evenings starting  April 7th at 4:30 PM.  This will be the starting tee time for us, so some of you can show up after this if you can’t make it that early.  Marc Pattison and Chris Ewing will be assisting me this year so that this can be our best church golf league to date!

Please get the word out to your friends and others that you know might be interested in playing.  The format will be the same as in the past in terms of Quota Points for handicaps.  But, with a committed and bigger league, we can have a lot of fun with this by mixing it up by having team play from time to time. 

The league fee to join is $25 one time, plus the weekly 9-hole green fees with cart for $12.  Range balls are not included.  In the past, they didn’t mind if we played more that than 9 holes, and I don’t see that changing.  So, for the money, you really can’t beat it!  The fees cover weekly prizes and a season ending tournament.

Please reply back to me indicating that you did receive this (so that I know), and let me know if you are going to join us, and if you have any questions or concerns.  Please feel free to call me on my cell. 

Thanks!  Looking forward to seeing you out there on the 7th….

In HIS Grip,

Kenny Dotson

By Tom Stickney
GOLF Magazine Top 100 Teacher
Published: April 01, 2007

The Problem

You’re sailing through a round, when all of the sudden — whoa! You slice a tee shot that lands one fairway over, and you repeat the shot on the next tee.

What you typically do

You become bogged down with too many swing thoughts—Is it my backswing? My downswing? You should know from experience that this kind of overthinking never works, and usually just makes matters worse.

What you should do

Save swing fixes for the practice range and concentrate on this emergency cure:

As you swing through impact, make a conscious effort to square up your clubface. If you’re wearing a watch on your left wrist, try to allow an imaginary person standing behind you to see what time it is immediately following impact. It’s a good trigger to remind you to rotate your forearms through the hitting area to p revent leaving the clubface open. Aim 10 yards right of your intended target in case the ball hooks a little.

After your round, forget this quick fix and try to determine the real cause of your slice. Most likely it’s an outside-in downswing path. That requires more than a Band-Aid. But the watch trick works and can definitely help you turn a bad driving day into a decent scoring day.

3 PGA tournaments in a row.  Can this guy be stopped?  Bart Bryant just laughed as he heard the roar on 18 as Tiger knocked down a 25 foot birdie putt to win the Arnold Palmer. 

F.O.B. is playing Rolling Green again this year.   Looks as if it will be 14ish dollars and begin the first week of April.  If you are interested please submit a comment with your contact info and I will have Kenny D. the league proveyer to contact you about the specifics!

When a PGA pro hits an approach shot, it usually holds the green. However, when a recreational golfer hits an approach shot, it doesn’t always hold the green. In fact, the shot often runs off the green onto a sideslope This leaves him or her with a tricky little pitch shot, especially if the lie is above the player’s feet.Keep these five keys in mind when hitting form a slide slope:

1. Choose the right club
2. Keep weight on toes
3. Don’t extend your arms
4. Grip down on club
5. Swing a little harder
The key to this shot is deciding where to aim. The ball usually falls in the direction of the slope on short shots, just like with long shots. With the ball above your feet, the more loft you use, the more the ball will go left. Experience will tell you which club to use and how far left the ball will go with that loft.

Keep your weight more on your toes to stay in balance. Don’t extend your arms, since you need the break in your wrists to play the shot. Grip down on the club and swing a little harder to compensate for the shorter swing arc. If you have some rough in front of you on the shot, try using a sand wedge and making ball first contact.

Find a green with a sideslope and practice hitting different clubs from different lies. This will give you an opportunity to find out which club you’re most comfortable with when hitting this shot. Keep a close eye on how far left each shot goes, then make adjustments accordingly. The goal is to get the ball close enough for a short makeable putt, which will cut strokes off your score.

 From How to Break 80 Newsletter

Phil Mickelson stayed steady while Jeff Quinney faded down the stretch to win at the famed Riviera club in L.A.  Keeping with his yearly tradition of winning early in the season he played solid rounds all under par to win the tournament.