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Anyone tired of Rev. Al Sharpton?  In the ever increasing politically correct America you can say just about zero about anyone, even in jest.  Kelly made a comment about Tiger that meant absolutely nothing and Rev. Al decided to take it out of context.  Very typical of someone trying to get press as they say.  She ended up paying for it (two weeks in the penalty box) and hopefully that will serve as a good enough punishment.  Glad I am not in TV!

We are just 3 months away from league season on the suncoast.  Stay tuned for info on leagues at courses in your area.  If you are a league manager please send me your info so I can post for everyone to see, thanks.

Callaway has been working for 8 years on making off center hits with your driver as long as those perfectly hit.  They believe they have found a way to do so with the new Hyper X driver.  The difference with this new driver is the back side of the club face has a milled in X design which allows the outer edges of the face to have the same springlike effect.  The result is more consistent trajectories across the entire face of the club.  Pricing comes in at $300 and the only drawback looks to be not having a large selection of high lofted clubs for slower swingers.

Daniel Chopra opened up the 2008 PGA tour schedule with a win at the Mercedes Championship.  It just happens to be on my favorite course…Kapalua Plantation.  The views while playing this particular course are unbelievable.  What makes the course tough and what you can’t really see from the TV is how much the terrain changes on most of the holes.  Especially the first hole where there is a deep valley right in the middle of the fairway and if you don’t place your drive correctly you end up having to hit up 100 feet or so to the green.  I have only played there once but I can’t wait to play it again.

Tiger Woods won his own tournament again by 7 strokes.  He pulled away from Jim Furyk on the back nine.  All winnings were given to his foundation for charity.  Annika Sorenstam gets first win in 2007.  She won on a European tour event against an easier field but she was happy none the less.  Callaway wins a patent suit over Titleist and its Pro V1.  They plan to have Titleist make adjustments to its golf balls immediately along with handing over cash for damages.

Research and study yield golf balls that are designed to make your driver more forgiving.

By Rob Sauerhaft
Managing Editor (Equipment), GOLF Magazine
Published: December 11, 2007

TaylorMade engineers used the firm’s proprietary swing-analysis system to measure 85,000 swings from golfers like you. Their research shows that players, regardless of handicap level, hit 70-plus percent of drives on or above the center of the face. Yet shots struck high on the face produce 1,200 rpm less spin than center hits. Those struck in the middle of the club, toward the toe or heel, have 500 rpm less spin than center hits. The spin reduction adds up to shorter drives because the ball won’t stay in the air quite as long.

Schecter Lee

TaylorMade LDP

Armed with this data, the firm’s ball gurus built new products (TP Red, TP Black, Burner TP and Burner) with LDP (low drag performance) dimples. Each dimple is designed with its own depth and edge angle, to reduce overall drag (the force that pushes against a ball as it travels through the air) without increasing lift (so it won’t balloon). Bottom line: TaylorMade says its balls stay airborne longer on mis-hits, to the tune of six to 18 more yards, than competitors’ balls.

The most efficient, effective putting stroke is one in which the putter swings like a pendulum, back and forth, smoothly and rhythmically. But the stroke doesn’t come naturally. You must train your body to produce a perfect pendulum-like motion. Once trained, you must practice regularly to maintain your stroke’s fluidity and rhythm.Here are 6 keys to making a smooth, pendulum-like putting stroke:

1. Keep your grip pressure light
2. Maintain a steady head
3. Keep the front shoulder down
4. Strike on the upstroke
5. Keep the wrists firm
6. Accelerate through the stroke
Keeping your grip pressure light and maintaining a steady head throughout the putt are two “musts” in putting. A light grip provides more feel when putting, and feel is a big part of putting. A steady head—with your eyes directly over the ball—keeps the putter square to the target line. Moving your head throws your putt off line.

The takeaway is a one-piece action. Move the arms, shoulders, and putter away from the ball together, with the hands remaining passive. If you think “front shoulder down,” you’ll produce the correct motion. Make a smooth, rhythmic stroke and accelerate the putter through the ball. If your ball position is correct, the pendulum action enables you to strike the ball on the upswing.

In addition, keep the wrists firm through impact and follow-through—one of the most important moves in putting. Try imagining them encased in plastic casts. Accelerate the putter-head through the stroke, even on short putts, and make sure your follow-through is as long as the takeaway.

A useful putting drill that builds fluidity into your swing is to start by taking a normal practice stroke, using a smooth, rhythmic motion. Then address the ball, close your eyes, and repeat the motion—letting the ball get in the way of the stroke. This drill helps make the real stroke more like a practice stroke, and improves putting accuracy.

From Howtobreak80 newsletter

The SUMO2 5900 features a square-shaped head, a deeper face, a convex crown, and redefined body shape to increase ball speed and accuracy. With the MOI at the maximum allowed of 5900, the SUMO2 5900 offers greater forgiveness on off-center hits with a tighter shot dispersion. This result is the straightest, longest and most accurate driver Nike Golf has ever made.

Featuring Nike’s Powerbow weighting, the weight in the SUMO2 5900 is repositioned to the farthest corners of the Nike PowerBow design, optimizing head stability and delivering ultimate accuracy. The SUMO2 5900 has a multi-thickness face, which maximizes faster ball speeds from every point on the face.

The SUMO 5000 is a more traditionally round-shaped driver with a deep-face profile. This gives golfers the freedom to shape the ball or hit it long and straight. The PowerBow design strategically positions weight in the club head to optimize the center of gravity location.

The SQ SUMO2 5900 and the SQ SUMO 5000 are both 460cc, feature SasQuatch/Diamana shafts, and are available in 8.5-, 9.5-, 10.5-, 11.5-, 13- and 16-degree lofts. The SQ SUMO 5000 also is available in a 13-degree offset. The SQ SUMO2 5900 will carry a suggested retail price of $499.99. The SQ SUMO 5000 will carry a suggested retail price of $360.00.

By Glenn Deck
GOLF Magazine Top 100 Teacher
Published: May 01, 2007

The Problem: You miss putts that break hard from right-to-left or left-toright because you focus on the hole rather than the

The Solution: Follow this three-step process on every putt.

1.         After judging the amount of break you need to play, focus on the point where the ball will stop moving away from the hole and start rolling toward it - the

2.         Stand behind the ball and look down the line you’ve selected - not the line from the ball to the hole - to confirm your aim.  Then make a few practice strokes while remaining behind the ball.  As you practice your stroke, focus on the speed, not mechanics. 

3.         A smart way to ensure that you aim your putter correctly on all putts (breaking or straight) is to align the logo on the ball (or a line drawn through it) with your aiming point.  As you step into address, set your putterface square to the logo or line on the ball.

The low runner is a low risk shot. You need plenty of green for this shot and a tight lie. You also need the least loft of any of the three shots. Play the ball back in your stance, keep your front shoulder lower than the back shoulder, and lean the shaft forward.

The mid-trickler is a moderate risk shot. You need a moderate amount of green for this shot and a rather grassy lie. Play the ball in the middle of your stance, keep your shoulders level, and lean the shaft forward slightly. You want to take advantage of the true loft of the club.

The high softie is a high-risk shot. You need the least amount of green for this shot and a rough-like lie. Play the ball forward in your stance, keep the back shoulder higher than the front shoulder, and maintain a vertical shaft, adding loft to your club.

 From Howtobreak80 Newsletter