Better Golf With Fitness

Old Timers Part 2

Heading into the final round of the Masters, the leaderboard is full of even more Old Timers than yesterday!

1- Angel Cabrera- 40
2- Kenny Perry- 49
3- Chad Campbell- 34
4- Jim Furyk- 38
5- Steve Stricker- 42
6- Shingo Katayama- 36
7- Todd Hamilton- 43
8- Rory Sabbatini- 33
9- Tim Clark- 33

Average age- 38.6

Out of the top 9, the three best scores posted yesterday were from Cabrera (69), Furyk (68) and Stricker (68).

That's pretty cool.  Think experience has anything to do with it?

Should a great afternoon of golf.

"Old Timers" at the Masters and Facebook

After 2 rounds at the Masters, the top 4 players are not any of the young guns and certainly not anyone who I would call advocates of fitness (although I am not sure about Todd Hamilton).

1- Chad Campbell- 35 years old, 6'1" and 205 (looks like more to me but can never really tell).  He looks like he might have played some football in the off-season.
2- Kenny Perry- "Mr. Fitness" comes in at 49!  Couch potatoes all over the world are getting ready for an afternoon of rooting their hero on from their favorite chairs.
3- Angel Cabrera- the Marlboro Man turns the big four-oh this year.
4- Todd Hamilton- at 6'1", 195, the 43 year old Hamilton, seems to be in pretty good shape.  I am rooting for him all the way, although I would love to see Stricker or Anthony Kim up there as well.

I though it was pretty cool (and ironic) that as stuffy as they are at Augusta, they are on Facebook and Twitter.  Check out their Facebook page here

Should be a great weekend.

Daly in Europe?

I like John Daly, I really do. 

I root for him just like so many golf fans out there that want to see him overcome his demons and get his Tour card back.

We all have people in our lives that have been screwing up for years and we keep giving 2nd (and 3rd and 4th) chances to, hoping that they will turn it around and get their act together.

But it's always frustrating when they run away from their problems, live in denial and never take responsibility for everything around them that is wrong.

Last week, Daly announced that he was weighing his options for next season, and that he might play on the European Tour. "I know in Europe there are still a million opportunities to play," Daly said. "It's a great tour. Guys on that tour have shown themselves and proved themselves to be great players."

Come on already.  The European Tour is great but why does he have to run over there to play?  Does he think that he won't run into the same problems that he has had on the PGA Tour?  Why is it that he doesn't understand that he needs to make lifestyle changes in order to be successful again?

He blamed some of his problems on a rib injury.  OK, that's fine, everyone gets hurt.  Being in better shape would not guarantee him an injury free existence, but if he was in better shape, he would definitely decrease his potential for injury.  He would also increase his ability to recover from an injury.

Why not dedicate the next few months to getting your life in order and realize your potential to be a successful golfer again?  Go to some remote location with a trainer, a nutritionist, a therapist, a mental coach and a swing coach and work your fat butt off. 

I heard Daly say in an interview that so many people try to talk to him and help him and offer their services to him.  There's a reason for that John: People care about you and they want to see you back on the Tour where you belong.  I know I do.

Tiger Wuss?

In response to Tiger's remark that, "I don't think anybody really watches hockey anymore," Mike Milbury, former NHL player, GM and now hockey analyst responded with:

"I'm gonna change the name now.  It's going to be 'Tiger Wuss.' Here's a guy who took about three months to get over simple arthroscopic surgery. You look at (Pittsburgh Penguins forward) Ryan Malone.  His face exploded with a slap shot...and he's back in ten minutes."

Hockey is my favorite sport (I guess I am one of the few who watch!) and I like Milbury, but you have to hand it to Tiger for playing through the pain this week.  I thought it was a pretty gutsy performance in one of the most exciting US Opens ever. I can't wait for tomorrow!

He didn't take a puck in the face, but according to Chris Welch (from the Palm Beach Post)

"Because Woods generates extraordinary clubhead speed through impact - 125 mph, compared to 100 for most touring pros - he will have a chronic issue with his left knee.

"He works from the ground up very well," Welch said. "He has exceptional lower-body speed, and that's going to create more sheer force at his feet that translates through his legs. He does an exceptional job of bracing at impact to release the stress of the club. But in order to stop that freight train, that creates a lot of stress on the lower extremities."

And how about Rocco Mediate?  He held steady all day and battled all day.  It was fun to watch him and it's going to be a great day tomorrow.

Can Sergio Gracia "Shake It Off?"

Judging from his comments after the round, it sounds like Sergio is very bitter about not winning the Open Championship on Sunday.  He has dealt with a lot of pressure as the "best player not to win a major," and I wonder how he will deal with this devastating loss moving forward.   Greg Norman and Phil Mickelson, among others, will tell you that it's pretty hard to bounce back from something like that.

Here is a quick story from Michael Anthony, Author of The Mental Keys to Improving Your Golf Game

The Power of Shaking It Off

When things don't go your way during a round of golf, do you dwell on the negative or do you shake it off and keep on going? You will always be better off staying positive than letting old man golf with his amazing bag of tricks frustrate you and get you down.

Here is a story that I recently ran across that vividly illustrates the power of shaking it off until things go your way.

It's about a wise old mule and the moral of this story can help you stay positive until you overcome your challenges.

Once upon a time, there was a farmer who had a dry well on his farm. It was about thirty feet deep and totally useless since it had been dry for many years. One day his mule, which was very old, accidentally fell down the well.

Hearing strange noises coming from his well, the farmer looked down and saw his mule crying out. At first the farmer didn't know what to do because there was no way that he could lift the mule out of the well. Since his mule was very old and the well was dry, the farmer decided to fill the well with dirt. He figured the mule was going to die soon anyway and the dry well was a hazard.

So the farmer got his shovel and started to throw dirt down the well. When the dirt started falling on the mule's back, the mule knew that he was in deep trouble. So the mule started to shake off the dirt and step on it with his feet. Shovel after shovel the dirt kept on coming. But, the mule kept shaking it off and stepping on it.

After a long time of continuing to shake off the dirt and stepping on it, the wise old mule found himself at the top of the well and walked away. What a powerful story to remember when old man golf is doing his best to bury you in your frustrations.

You always have a choice about your attitude and emotions. You can be negative or you can smile and keep on shaking it off until you rise to the top like the wise old mule.

 

Michael Anthony's Unique Mental Training Program, The Mental Keys to Improving Your Golf Game, Guarantees to Lower Your Score by Improving Your Mental Game.

 

Who is the Mystery Steroid User?

Gary Player is claiming he knows at least one player using performance-enhancing drugs.    "Whether it's HGH, whether it's Creatine or whether it's steroids, I know for a fact that some golfers are doing it," he said.   

   "I took an oath prior to him telling me -- I won't tell you where -- but he told me what he did, and I could see this massive change in him," Player said. "And somebody else told me something, that I also promised I wouldn't tell, that verified others had done it."

Last I checked, creatine was not on any banned substances list for pro sports or the NCAA but maybe I'm wrong.

Some of the top player reactions:

Nick Faldo:
   "He knows two [players]? I know zero. Never heard of anybody."

Tiger:
   "If anything, probably out here it would be testing positive for maybe being hung over a little bit.  But that's about it. I know some guys have taken Medrol packs for inflammation in their wrists, but other than that, I really don't see anybody doing anything, or have heard anybody doing anything."

   "I don't think there's even a remote chance that will happen," said Phil Mickelson of a golfer testing positive for steroids.

   Player said he felt 50 to 60 percent of athletes in the world are using performance-enhancing drugs. When asked for a number of golfers, he estimated 10.

   "I might be way out," Player said. "Definitely not going to be lower, but might be a hell of a lot more."

Who is the mystery golfer?  Could it be a South African or someone a little older, since they would be likely to confide in Player?

Maybe it will come out in Player's book.

Tales From Q School

I am reading "Tales From Q School, Inside Golf's Fifth Major" by John Feinstein (who also wrote "A Good Walk Spoiled").

I am only on page 75 but so far it is an incredible book.  I didn't realize how rough the whole process is.  There are over 1,000 players vying for thirty spots through three phases.  There is so much pressure on these guys because a bad round (or a bad shot!) means you are out for a whole year.

Former Masters champ (yes I said Masters) Larry Mize ended up at Q School in 2005 and his story makes up part of the book, as does Casey Martin's story.

The worst story so far is that of Jaxon Brigman, who in 1999, after five years on the Nike Tour, shot a 65 on the last day to make the number, only to be told that he signed his card and it was added wrong.  Although he shot a 65, the player keeping his score wrote down a 4 when Jaxon had gotten a 3. In the excitement of making the cut, Jaxon looked over the card quickly and signed it without adding the numbers, and went to celebrate with family and friends.

When the rules official told him, he fell to the ground and started crying.

Feinstein is really thorough, going over the history of the Q School and he does a great job telling the individual stories.   Although I am not finished, I highly recommend getting this book.

The Wedge Guy Launches a New Blog

The President of Eidolon Golf, Terry Koelher, has launched a new golf blog.  This is the first instance of a President of a golf club manufacturer launching his own blog.

Branded The Wedge Guy, he's now on post number 2 and it’s gives us a view of how a golf equipment company looks at the USGA’s potential rules change.

Pretty cool inside look at what someone in his position has to think about and deal with in the whole club making process.

Stop by and visit Terry, leave him a hello in the comments section or ask a question.  Should be some interesting reading.

Caddyshack Parody

Rich over at Eat Golf just posted the funniest cartoon parody of Caddyshack.  Check it out.

Strange Week in Golf

This has nothing to do with fitness, but what a strange week it has been in the golf world. 

First, how about Yusaku Miyazato getting 2 aces in the same round on Friday!! I heard on the Golf Channel that the odds of that being done are about 67,000,000 to 1.  "Drink much beer. Big party," he said with a wide smile.  He shot a 70 today, with a little bit of a hangover, I'm sure.

On Thursday, Will MacKenzie tied a PGA Tour record with three eagles in one round, including a 52-foot putt, and shot a 9-under 63 at the Reno-Tahoe Open.

On Friday, Tiger hit a ball onto the roof of the clubhouse, and it ended up in some kid's pocket.  Tiger ended up with a free drop and a bogey. 
From Fox Sports News:
"Tiger Woods was in the rough, 167 yards from the ninth hole. Josh Stuber was behind the clubhouse, unloading a stack of crunchy cream pies.
The world's No. 1 golfer and a member of Firestone's kitchen staff were unwittingly linked Friday at the Bridgestone Invitational when Woods hit a 9-iron that sailed over the green, bounced onto the roof and landed on the other side, leading to a a chaotic search and ending nearly an hour later with a small measure of normalcy."
Happens all the time.

Then Tiger goes out today and gets 4 bogeys in a row.  That hasn't happened to him since 1996.  I bet he shoots 65 on Sunday and wins another one.

It's also kind of strange for me to see Phil Mickelson tied for 50th with a pair of 74's on Thursday and Friday.  I think he needs a vacation.

What a strange week.