golf swing tips

club head accidentally hit the ball

2004-05-21T12:30:00.000-07:00

golf swing tips

Q: I was doing a practice stroke on the tee box of a certain hole and the club head accidentally hit the ball, moving it about 10 feet. My playing partner said that wasa penalty. I thought there was no penalty since I hadn'tteed off yet. Who's right? -- John E., Manila, Philippines

A: You are right. There is no penalty.

|Here are the two pertinent definitions:

1. Stroke: A "stroke" is the forward movement of the clubmade with the intention of fairly striking at and movingthe ball.

2. Ball in Play: A ball is "in play" as soon as a playerhas made a stroke on the teeing ground. So since you didnot make a stroke (you had no intention) and since theball was not in play (the ball was on the teeing groundand you had not yet made a stroke), you incur no penalty.Simply start over. The situation would be different ifthe ball was in play (for example, on a second shot). Inthat case you would incur a penalty for moving a ball inplay, and it would have to be replaced.

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Jack Nicklaus' sons, Jack II, Gary, Michael and Steve, were-n't all that successful playing golf as a business (althoughGary got his PGA Tour card and nearly won the 2000 BellSouthClassic, losing a sudden death playoff to Phil Mickelson),but they fit right in with Jack Sr.'s other business --Nicklaus Design. The four boys (as well as Nicklaus' son-in-law Bill O'Leary) are all design associates for Jack's com-pany, which maps out golf courses all over the planet. Theyare all darn good at it, too. In fact, last year both Garyand Steve designed courses that were named among the top 10new private courses in the United States. Every golf fan hasheard of Nicklaus' playing prowess (18 professional majors),but he has also operated a hugely successful design businesssince 1966, with 262 courses open for play around the world.

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The USGA has been running golf tournaments for more than 100years, but in 2003 it crowned both the youngest and oldestwinners ever for its adult championships. In June, 13-year-old Michelle Wie of Honolulu captured the U.S. Women'sAmateur Public Links, 1 up over Virada Nirapathpongporn atOcean Hammock Golf Club in Palm Cost, Fla., to become theyoungest player ever to win an adult USGA event. And at theage of 69, Canadian Marlene Streit became the oldest whenshe won the Senior Women's Amateur Championship at BartonCreek Resort and Club in Austin, Texas, in September. Wiealso recorded a ninth place finish at an LPGA major champ-ionship, the Dinah Shore. But just how good the currentcrop of junior girls is was evidenced at the 2003 U.S.Girls' Junior Championship where, in spite of her accom-plishments against the adults, Wie did not even make itto the semi-finals against her fellow teenagers. Streitjoined Jack Nicklaus as the only other person to win USGAchampionships in at least four different decades. This isremarkable when you consider that none of her victoriesoccurred in the 1960s and '70s. Her first USGA champion-ship came at the age of 22 in the 1956 Women's Amateur.She won again in the '80s, '90s and 2000s.

golf swing tips

Putting Away golf swing tips

2004-05-08T22:08:00.000-07:00

golf swing tips Putting Away

One of the trickiest lies in golf occurs when your ball comes to rest against the fringe of the green, leaving you a short but quick downhill putt. The trouble here is behind your ball. The thing that makes this shot such a challenge is judging how much the ball is going to roll. Anytime the grass gets between your ball and your club face, it's tough to judge how hard to hit it.

Normally, from this position you'd either putt or chip, but in this case neither of those is a viable option because you can't get the clubface cleanly on the ball. The best way to play this shot is to give the ball a gentle tap with the toe of your putter. Turn your putter so the toe faces the hole. Put all your weight on your left side and leave it there as you tap.

You don't need any body action for this shot, so keep everything as still as possible except for your wrists. In fact, your hands hardly move from their address position because you break your wrists only slightly, just enough to move the putter head away from the ball 8 inches or so.

Then all you have to do is uncock your wrists, focusing on making contact with the top half of the ball. In effect, you're topping the ball. This type of stroke puts maximum overspin on the ball so it gets more than the normal roll, which is just what you want for accuracy -- maximum roll with minimum movement.

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Nicklaus still has one more goal to shoot for:
His age

Jack Nicklaus has won 18 professional major championships, 73 PGA Tour titles and was easily named the Golfer of the 20th century. But there's one thing the Golden Bear has yet to do in his brilliant career.

Shoot his age in a tournament.

Don't think it's something Nicklaus, 64, brushes off as just another accomplishment. He was grinding away in January when he shot rounds of 68, 66 and 67 in the MasterCard Championship in Hawaii.

"This year my goal is every I time I tee it up to shoot 64 or better," said Nicklaus, who pointed out he would have shot a 64 if all the putts counted in last month's Senior Skins Game.

"I'm thinking about doing it every day. I thought about it starting last year in Hawaii when I turned 63. Every time I teed it up, I felt like I should shoot 63. Last year I was choking like a dog every time I had a chance. I don't know how you're choking when you're shooting 63, but it feels like it.''

Another area Hall of Famer, Gary Player, 68, has shot his age three times on the Champions Tour, most recently when he shot a 68 in the third round at MasterCard. He once held the senior record for being the lowest to shoot his age (64) at the 2000 BellSouth Classic at Opryland, but Walter Morgan eclipsed that mark in 2002 when the 61-year-old shot a 60 at the Canadian Senior Open.

"It's not a great big deal, but it's a nice feeling to know that you've played well for a long time and you've exercised and tried to watch your diet and stay in shape," said Player, who's always been one of the fittest golfers. "For some people, it's a very common thing. One of my dreams this year is to score my age in all three rounds of a tournament."

The one good thing about this task is it actually can get easier the older you become. As the late Sam Snead put it, "Once you get over 70, you're supposed to do it, aren't you?"

Snead holds the unofficial record as being the youngest player to shoot his age on the PGA Tour when at 67 he shot a three-under 67 in the second round of the Quad Cities Open in 1979. Snead felt so good about it, he bettered his age in the final round with a 66.

The PGA Tour didn't start keeping age-shooting records until 1986, but a spokesman said he believes only two other players have shot their age on their circuit: Jerry Barber, who did it many times in the early 1980s, and Arnold Palmer, who matched his age with a 72 in 2002 at the Bob Hope.

About a half-dozen players do it every season on the Champions Tour, including Palm Beach Gardens resident Bob Charles. But nobody will likely match Barber's longevity. In 1993, when he was 77, he shot his age or better 31 times in 41 rounds. Since '86, the tour says Barber shot his age or bettered it 237 times before he died in 1994.

"I don't think Jerry ever thought about shooting his age," Al Geiberger said. "He just expected to."

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Quote

"Getting through the first round is the hardest thing.
We've seen great players get knocked out in the first
round." — Nick Price on the Accenture Match Play format

golf swing tips

Golf - how to get started?

2004-05-05T21:46:00.000-07:00

Golf - how to get started? by Frank Peter

Golf anybody?
By Frank J. Peter, editor at LearnAboutGolf.com
Golf is a great game: sometimes rewarding, often frustrating but highly addictive. Getting started in it is actually not so difficult, and hopefully this article can help you avoid some of the common pitfalls.
The very first steps.
The biggest mistake by people wanting to start in golf is to rush out and buy a brand new set of shiny and expensive golf clubs. While they are nice to look at you should keep in mind that today’s golf equipment comes in great varieties to cater for different golfing types and abilities. Since you're just starting out you do not know which set fits you best. Just imagine the envious looks you get at the driving range when you come with your $2000 set, and the subsequent laughter when you try and just 'hack away' - not worth the embarrassment! Once you spend a few hundred or even thousand $$ on a set that doesn't suit your style you're stuck with it or you have to sell it to somebody else at a loss.
If you feel you want your own clubs get a half set. This generally comprises five irons and perhaps two woods and a putter. Usually the irons are the odd numbers 3,5,7,9 and wedge. These clubs are more than enough to get you started.
A better alternatively: most Driving Ranges will have clubs for hire, so you can try out a few different ones. You can also borrow one or two clubs from a friend. The shortest iron (nine iron) or a wedge are the best clubs to start, practicing with it will give you the feeling of hitting the ball in the air and should be fairly straight forward.
Where to get golf clubs?
Most Pro shops and driving ranges sell second hand clubs. They will also be able to offer you advice and let you try some clubs out. Alternatively, nearly all driving ranges will have clubs for hire if you want to have a go without committing to a set until you get the hang of it. Or ask other people at the driving range, you will soon find out that many have another set of clubs at home because they made the exact same mistakes I mentioned above. Make sure you try before you buy, if they fit (and only if they fit!) you can often get them for a steal. Make use of these opportunities, and also take a look at our website ‘LearnAboutGolf.com’ as to how to choose a club. I again stress that you need to have a basic understanding on which club suits you reasonably well before you buy. DO NOT buy expensive brands at this stage.
"I want to play, I want to play!"
As hard as it will be to contain yourself, don't even contemplate going anywhere near a golf course. Golf is technically quite demanding, and without at least some basic training you'll end up with a lot of frustration. You've seen the top players on TV loosing their cool in frustration, imagine how you will feel if not even a single shot goes where you want it to. Besides, the other people having to wait for you will also not be happy.
As a beginner at the great game of golf, start off at a driving range, take at least four or five lessons, learn the fundamentals, progress to a 9 hole course and eventually venture out into the great unknown of an 18 hole golf course. Believe me, it will be a lot more fun for you and those around you if you follow this path.
Where to get lessons?
You will meet plenty of people at the range who will teach you the 'innermost secrets' of golf. Fact is that most of them have started playing not long before you. So the answer to the above question is: go to a Professional. As you have seen on TV, even the world’s top players have a coach. Tiger Woods, probably the best golfer the world, still takes lessons. Certified Golf Professionals are the only people qualified to teach you how to play the game. Lessons from a Pro will cost you money but will be the best investment you'll ever make. Taking the advise from the 'know-it-all' people at the range will likely screw-up your game at the very early stage, and it will take a long time to correct the faults later.
The two places to get golf lessons are at driving ranges and golf clubs. You don't have to be a member of a club to get a lesson from the Pro. You bring in money, so they will be glad to help. The usual cost is about $25-40 per 45 min, but you will get reductions for a block booking. If you are a bit on the budget see if they do group bookings, those are also cheaper than individual lessons.
What else to do?
Books and videos can be invaluable in learning the basics. To build a sound golf swing you will need the three fundamentals: Grip, Stance and Posture. There are some very good books and videos on the market that will help you to establish the three fundamentals. And watch the Pro's on the TV, or better still video them and play back in slow motion, you'll learn a lot this way. Don't get blinded by too much science, you're still a beginner. Stick to Grip, Stance and Posture and you'll be on your way. Take a look at the golf tips and golf lessons on our website ‘LearnAboutGolf.com’ for some advice as well.
Summary
1.Don't waste your money on expensive clubs until you have reached a basic level of competency.
2.Don't go near a Golf Course, again until you have reached a basic level.
3.Get lessons from a qualified professional.
4.Learn the three fundamentals
5.Watch the Pro's.
6.Practice.
7.Learn the rules of golf and the basic golf etiquette .
I hope that this article has been of some help to avoid costly mistakes many people made, including myself. Follow the above basics and you are on your way to all the fun (and frustration) golf can offer. Enjoy!

About the Author

Frank Peter is the webmaster of learnaboutgolf.com where he offers valuable tips for beginners and intermediates in Golf. To find more advice, lessons and resources to help you succeed in your game, visit: http://www.learnaboutgolf.com
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=10544

golf swing tips

Are You Addicted to Golf - golf swing tips

2004-05-05T21:40:00.000-07:00

Are You Adicted to Golf by Dr. Richard Myers

Are You Addicted to Golf

There are millions of people addicted to golf. Why? Golf can be played on a beautiful course with as many people as you like, and in very pleasant weather. Golf if very gentle on your body, and is truly the sport of a lifetime.

Golf has many physical benefits and is a very efficient way to stay in shape, and has many physical benefits. With golf, you will get the most out of a round if you walk the course; this will also burn a number of calories and improve your cardiovascular health.

Carrying your clubs will strengthen your upper body and actually hitting the ball improves your hand to eye coordination.

Golf can be played by yourself or with as many friends as you like. You can also chat and visit between each hole while you are waiting on others to finish their holes. Or if you enjoy playing by yourself, you can enjoy the great outdoors, at your own pace.

Professional golfers make the game look easy. Their swing seems as fluid and effortless as running water, and they look as thought they are on a leisurely stroll as they pound drives more than 300 yards and hit high soft iron shots. The truth is they young professionals are strong and fit enough to make a complicated athletic move look simple.

Few amateurs can devote that amount of time, energy, and money to their golf games, but that shouldn’t stop them from making positive changes in their games by improving their strength and conditioning. Golf is a game of balance, discipline, and touch. Enhancing and improving those specific shills, requires a balanced regimen with four important components: strength, flexibility, endurance, and diet.

There are many books and videos one this subject and I would suggest that all golfers invest in a good golf fitness program.

Good Golfing.

Dr. Richard Myers

richard@thinkandreachpar.com
www.thinkandreachpar.com

About the Author

An avid golfer, we maintain a golf training website with golf tips, weekly golf training, golf related articles, and a weekly newsletter. We try to cover everything from the tee to the green and health related articles as well.

Thanks http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=10575

golf swing tips

golf swing tips | How To Build Your Golf Swing

2004-05-05T21:35:00.000-07:00

The Golfing Machine by chuck evans

HOW TO BUILD YOUR GOLF SWING

This process is multi fold

Learn what YOUR neutral grip is
The CORRECT ball position for every club
The CORRECT swing shape
How far back YOU can take the club
How to play within YOUR style
You will have many options to choose from and we'll show you how to find the ones that will work for you. Once you have all of your "components" you won't need to experiment any longer!

WHERE TO START - GRIP AND POSTURE

While this may be obvious to some you would be surprised by the number of people that work on their swing without starting with their grip. There is a neutral grip for any golfer! That grip is where YOUR arm hangs down from the shoulder socket and the angle of YOUR target side hand. It makes no difference whether you use an overlapping, interlocking, and ten-finger (baseball) grip. What IS critical is the angle the club lies in your hand.

To find YOUR neutral grip, first take your address position, but without a club, and let both arms hang downward from the shoulder sockets with NO TENSION. Most golfers will find that their target side arm hangs somewhere between the middle of the target side thigh to the inside of the thigh (depending on the width of stance and/or the width of the chest). As you look down at your target side hand pay attention to the angle it hangs. Some of you will see two knuckles of the hand, some will see three, and some may even see four. It doesn't matter how many you see! Whatever the number, this is YOUR bodies way of telling you its natural tendency and that is the neutral angle for YOUR grip! When you place your target side hand on the club it should be at the same angle you just saw.

The club then runs diagonally from between the first and second joint of the index finger to the base of the pinkie finger. Close the fingers and then close the hand with the heel pad on top of the shaft with the thumb to the backside of the shaft. This supplies pressure from the heel pad downward and the last three fingers exert pressure upward. Then take the lifeline of the trailing hand, located between the thumb and heel pads, and place it on the thumb of the target side hand. The lifeline against the thumb exerts the pressure here; the right forefinger should be separated, in a "triggering position", but with no pressure. It is important to understand that the forefinger and target side thumb both be on the same side and angle of the shaft for the best support. The trailing thumb should be on the target side of the shaft. You never want the thumbs to exert any pressure. Finally, in order for the hands to work together, they must be parallel to each other.

POSTURE

Regardless of the player's level of golf anyone can get into a posture that looks as good as any Tour Player, it takes no athletic ability to get into a proper posture! For full swing shots, other than a Driver, the inside of the heels should be as wide as the outside of the hips (for a Driver the inside of the heels as wide as the outside of the shoulders). Push the hips sockets back and up so that the pelvis is at an angle, not horizontal to the ground. As you push the hips back, and up, this will lower the chest and place the weight toward the back of the arch of the foot. Simply unlock your knees, you'll feel a little pressure above the kneecaps, and let the arms hang limply downward from the shoulder socket. There should be NO TENSION in the arms or shoulders. Some players like to tilt their upper bodies slightly away from target as the final set-up adjustment and just because your trailing hand is lower than the target side hand this is acceptable, just don't overdue it. Now you have YOUR grip and posture.

BALL POSITION

Ball position is the most misunderstood portion of the entire set-up. There have been many opinions about ball position. Some say one position for every shot, others say move it around depending on the club. All of the guesswork is taken out however if the golfer would set the club at address as the manufacturer designed it. All clubs, except for the Driver, are designed so that the grip end of the club is ahead of the clubhead if soled properly, this means the shaft leans forward, not vertical or backwards! If you address the ball, with say a 5 iron, and the shaft is vertical then even before you swing you've added loft and turned it into a seven iron! That same 5 iron is designed to have approximately 8 degrees of forward lean at address. The best players in the world, using that same 5 iron, have upwards of 15 degrees at Impact! This turns it into a 3 iron! Having said that you have the option of setting up to the ball with the shaft vertical as long as you can get into the proper Impact position…the shaft leans forward at Impact!

The player also has the "option" of starting with the shaft, and hands, at a mid-body position. We also need to cover where the ball is located in relation to the player's upper body, not the feet. The width of the stance changes during the course of a round but the width of the upper body does not. In addition, the target side shoulder socket is the low point of the arc and the fulcrum of the target side arm swing. Therefore the ball with a wedge will be in the center of the chest, in line with the sternum, for full swing shots, the 5 iron under the target side of the chest, and the Driver at the low point, which is the shoulder socket. This could vary depending on whether the player has exceptionally wide shoulders, but for the most part these locations will be fine for irons but the target side shoulder socket IS the LOW POINT and the Driver MUST be played at this location for straight shots! Back of this location produces a fade, with no manipulation, and forward of this location produces a draw, with no manipulation. You may see some players playing the ball back, or forward, of the target side shoulder socket but these players must either change the shoulder location at Impact, by leaning backward with the upper body, or must manipulate the clubface to hit a straight shot.

AIM and ALIGNMENT

As you take your grip you must be sure the leading edge of the clubface square. The leading edge is the edge closest to the ball. Always set the clubface first, perpendicular to the target line, then set your feet, knees, hips, eyes, and shoulders parallel to the target line.

THESE LINES ARE PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER! NEVER AIM YOUR BODY AT THE TARGET! What is the object of golf? To get the ball in the hole with the fewest strokes as possible! To aid in alignment it is imperative that you utilize a procedure called an "Intermediate Target". The intermediate target is something between the ball and the target. It could be a piece of discolored grass, an edge of a divot, a broken tee, etc. It should be within your peripheral vision, so that you don't have to lift your head.

MOVING THE CLUB

Because we play golf on an Inclined Plane this dictates that the club MUST move on an arc. That means the club head is only on the base on the Plane Line approximately 2 inches during the swing! It also means that the club always moves in 3 dimensions. The Backstroke dimension is backward, upward, and inward all simultaneously and On Plane. The keyword for Backstroke is "BACK". The hands and arms control the backward and upward movement of the club. Therefore, if you did not make a shoulder turn the clubhead WOULD NOT move inside the baseline. The shoulder turn moves the club inward, NOT back and up. So if the player just turned their shoulders, without any hand or arm movement, then the club would be inside but not back and up. These two movements MUST work together to achieve the proper sequence. The trailing forearm moves the club on Plane by "tracing" the Plane. The bending, and folding of the trailing elbow also raises and lowers the club and cocks and uncocks the target side wrist. Never raise the arms and club by lifting from the shoulders sockets!

The Downstroke dimension is downward, outward, and forward. Once the player has reached full extension (follow-through) then the club moves again upward, inward, and backward. This completes the 3 dimensional swing.

LENGTH OF ARC

What does this term mean? Simply put, length of arc means how far back YOU can take the club. Some players may be able to take their hands high above their heads in the backswing while others can only get their hands to shoulder height, or less. It doesn't matter! However far you can take the club and still maintain structure is the end of YOUR swing! You can increase your length of arc by increasing your range of motion. (see your local physical therapist for exercises to increase your range of motion).

LET'S GET STARTED

Before every shot you play there must be a sequential order of events. First of course we have to find our golf ball. Once the ball is located we then must examine the type of lie we have, the distance to the target, the shot shape desired, the wind conditions (if any), how we're feeling that particular day, whether to play aggressively or conservatively or somewhere in between (this depends on our style), and finally choosing the correct club for the type of shot. We can't call this a "pre-shot routine" because there is nothing routine about a golf shot! There are always factors to be decided and these factors constantly change. So we would encourage you to use the phrase "PRE-SHOT". Pre-shot may or may not include a dress rehearsal of the swing, a practice swing. During the practice swing you're getting a feel for the mechanics involved in hitting the shot and visualizing the ball flight.

ADDRESS AND SET-UP

Once we have gone through our pre-shot we now start the initial mechanical and mental programming procedures. Approach the ball from behind and follow this order for success. Verify these six Impact Alignments.

Clubface to Target Line
Grip to Clubface
Hands to Ball
the Plane Angle
Pressure Points
Position of the Trailing Forearm
Balance, Grip, and Plane Line MUST be verified before EVERY shot!

Now we're ready to start the backstroke.

BACKSTROKE

Once address is completed we can start the backstroke. As discussed earlier, this involves two separate movements. These movements are controlled from the waist up. The lower body should be moved by the upper body if the player is flexible enough, if not, then allow it to move freely in both directions.

The hands and arms … the vertical plane
The shoulders … the horizontal or inclined plane
At this point we would like to remind you that Address and Impact are NOT THE SAME! The only thing that has not changed is the ball position.

You may use any backstroke procedure you choose and there are basically three to choose from.

A one piece takeaway…Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods
A two piece takeaway…Ernie Els, David Duval, Karrie Webb, Anika Sorenstam
A three piece takeaway…Raymond Floyd, Nancy Lopez
Choose anyone you wish that feels comfortable and natural. What initiates the backstroke? Ask ten different instructors and you will get ten different answers. Some player's feel it starts with turning the shoulders, some feel it may be the hips, and still others think and feel it's the hands. We believe it is a combination of the hands, trailing forearm, AND shoulder turn that start the backstroke. Earlier we talked about the role of the hands, arms, and shoulders during the backstroke. They absolutely must work together and synchronous if the club is to stay on plane!

As the club starts back the clubhead must point at the base of the plane line until the clubshaft reaches parallel to the plane line and horizontal to the ground. As the club starts upward then the butt of the club must point at an extension of the base of the plane until it reaches the top of the swing. If you can't get the clubshaft to parallel, then the butt of the club Must point to the base of the plane line. If you are one of the few that can get the shaft to parallel, then it should be parallel to the base of the plane line.

The hip sequence (how the hips move) for full swing shots is always the same. They Turn, Slide, Turn. A great majority of players think the hips slide in the backstroke (shifting weight). While this certainly is an option it eliminates creating any rotating force of the body. A better procedure would be the one described above and is the option that the majority of the world's best players use.

About the Author

One of 17 Teaching Professionals worldwide to hold the designation of "Doctorate Golf Stroke Engineering".

Director of Instructor Training & Education for The Golfing Machine

Thanks to http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=9903

golf swing tips

GOLF is AIKI by Mark Anthony

2004-04-21T11:41:00.000-07:00

http://www.jumpusa.com/taoofgolf2.htm

I do tai chi. It is powerful. I won't bore you with what I know. This guy mark caught my eye. He is selling a book about golf. I have not bought it. I like the pictures on this webpage about golf swing and his training for newbies.

"We all have the potential to hit the ball on target. We just need to train the body to move in the proper mechanics, without muscular tension and strain. Grunting will not produce more power in a golf swing. In fact, any chiropractor will tell you that muscular tension destroys the body's natural alignment. Since muscular tension inhibits the natural alignment of the spine, it therefore directly effects the golf swing. Precise alignment at the point of impact is essential to hitting the ball straight. "

http://www.jumpusa.com/taoofgolf2.htm

golf swing tips

Arnold Palmer

2004-04-21T11:26:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to:
ASK THE GOLF EXPERT
By Jim McCabe
NBCSports.com contributor
Updated: 10:50 p.m. ET April 09, 2004

Q: For those of us who never saw him play competitively, why is Arnold Palmer so revered? Why did he do so well at the Masters?

A: Chris, how much time do you have? Truly, we could spend a long weekend discussing the reasons why Palmer is such an icon. But keep in mind that his appeal spreads from the generation that saw him play in his prime, to the generation that only watched him turn for the twilight of his career, to a generation that knows of his legend only from stories passed down from parents and grandparents. That ability to connect with people of all ages is what defines the Palmer legend and it is hard to put into words.

Surely, Palmer is beloved because he was such a fierce competitor on the golf course, one who refused to back down from a challenge, no matter the odds. That's how he won the 1960 U.S. Open, and oh, how we love that spirit in our athletes; but it's also that fire that lost him the 1966 U.S. Open and several other big tournaments, and, oh, how we admire the way he accepted defeat with class and humility.

It is essential to understand about Palmer that for all his success -- and he won more than 60 tournaments, seven of them majors, and he's the one who revived the British Open and invented the Grand Slam -- what made him so universally embraced is that he was one of the first big-name athletes who showed us that it was OK to fail, so long as you maintained dignity and gave it your greatest effort.

Palmer, who played his 50th and final Masters this year, has said on many occasions that his life has been shaped not as much by the wins, but by the defeats that tested his character. Like Jack Nicklaus, it can be said of Palmer that he not only was a terrific winner, but a great loser and who among us doesn't need to understand better how to handle the situations that don't go our way?

Beyond all that, Palmer touched people because he wanted to.

"The first time I played with him, he told me it was important 'To look 'em in the eye,' " said Brad Faxon, now in his 21st year on Tour. "I thought he meant the other players, but he meant the people in the gallery."

That is why Palmer caught on and has remained a rage for more than 40 years -- because he reached out to them and you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't have an autograph by the man simply known as "The King."

His style of play was effective at Augusta National; he hit the ball hard, often low, and frequently with a right-to-left shape that worked well at the par-5s. He was a bold, aggressive player, at a course that is one of the ultimate risk-and-reward venues, and in his prime no one made more long putts that mattered.

Q: In his new book Ken Venturi is accusing Arnold Palmer of a rules violation at the '58 Masters. What are your thoughts?
-- Alan Rae from Vancouver, British Columbia
A: Quite honestly, it's sad.

We are talking about something that happened 46 years ago and three of the gentlemen who have been dragged into it -- rules official Arthur Lacey and Masters architects Clifford Roberts and Bobby Jones -- have been dead for years.

What is Venturi's motivation? It's smacks of a bitter man who has carried around the heartache of three squandered chances (1956, 1958, 1960) to win a tournament he was passionate about. He claims that Palmer was credited with a 3 at the par-3 12th and not a 5 "because he didn't know the rules," yet Venturi knows the golden rule in golf -- that once the rules officials enter the discussion, other players are excused from participation. The rules official's decision is final. End of story.

Palmer was deemed to have been entitled to playing a second ball because his ball was embedded and a local rule was acceptable.

He played within the rules of golf; it is Venturi who has played outside the rules of good taste.

golf swing tips

Woods Finishes Training at Fort Bragg - golf swing tips news

2004-04-21T11:16:00.000-07:00

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - For years, Tiger Woods heard his Green Beret father talk about life in the military and felt the stir of curiosity.

After spending four days at this sprawling Army post, the golf great now knows some of what Earl Woods experienced as a soldier 40 years ago.

Woods trained with various Army units, fired weapons, awoke early for 4-mile runs and twice jumped from a plane.

By Friday, he was back on familiar ground, hosting a junior golf clinic and providing one-on-one instruction for eight young golfers. He seemed completely at ease, smiling often as he tutored the youngsters and talked about his crash course in the military.

"My father shared a lot of his military experiences with me as I was growing up," Woods said. "For me it was neat to look back on history. It's not that I didn't understand what my dad did, but to physically see what he did just shed a whole new light on it."

That his training was a watered-down version of what his father went through during two tours of duty at Fort Bragg in the Vietnam era hardly mattered to Woods. He said the experience alone reinforced many of the lessons his father taught him.

Earl Woods first trained at Fort Bragg in 1963 following a tour in Vietnam. The elder Woods also was assigned to a Special Forces unit here before leaving for another tour in 1970.

On Monday, after finishing 22nd at the Masters, Tiger Woods flew by private jet to Pope Air Force Base, which is next to Fort Bragg. Woods was issued a uniform, received briefings on the installation and attended several social functions on the post, Bragg spokesman Lt. Col. Bill Buckner said.

By Tuesday morning, Woods was in uniform for three days of training. The schedule began with physical fitness training at 6:30 a.m. each day.

On Thursday, he completed two tandem jumps with the Golden Knights, the Army parachute team based here. Woods was attached to an instructor for the jumps from 13,500 feet.

Reporters were barred from covering the training sessions after Woods said he wanted the experience to be a private one.

Members of the Golden Knights presented Woods with a plaque Friday adorned with a photo of the jump. In it, Woods is wearing a yellow jumpsuit and goggles with his arms outstretched. He's smiling broadly.

"I was so excited. I couldn't wait to go," Woods said. "I'm one of those people who love to ride roller-coasters, so to me it's like the ultimate roller-coaster.

"It's an experience I'll never forget. You're going 120 miles per hour, but it still feels like you're floating."

Also on Thursday, Woods participated in a 4-mile run with members of the 18th Airborne Corps. Woods and 400 members of the unit finished the cadence-call run in just over 31 minutes, four minutes better than the standard time.

Woods saw many similarities between military training and the preparation he does to compete on the PGA Tour.

"The only difference (in the run) was yelling at the top of my lungs and singing along with the guys," Woods said. "I'm used to running alone with my MP3 player."

"Throughout the week, I think everyone was impressed with his physical abilities," Buckner said. "He's a good soldier."

Woods' competition on the golf course will be disappointed to learn that Woods may have picked up something that will help him on the putting green during firearms training. Earl Woods said his son discovered while trying to aim the guns that he is left-eye dominant.

"He's found that out for the first time in his life — here," Earl Woods said. "It's applicable to golf because you use your dominant eye to determine the break on a putt. And he could never do that. Now he has that capability."

After conducting the youth clinic Friday, Tiger Woods gave a skills exhibition for about 4,300 soldiers, students and invited guests, some of whom won tickets in a lottery.

He arrived in a Humvee, sitting at the helm of a machine gun, to cheers from the audience.

Bragg is one of the nation's largest Army posts, with nearly 47,000 soldiers. Thousands are currently deployed to places like Afghanistan (news - web sites) and Iraq (news - web sites).

"I'm just trying to hit the ball into a little bitty cup that's 400 yards away," Woods said. "These people here are putting their lives on the line. That to me is the ultimate dedication. They're doing it for our country to keep all of us safe."