Photo by @tcvice

Here is an interesting stat: four of the last 6 major winners on TOUR play with either a belly or broom handle putter (2011 PGA Championship: Keegan Bradley, 2012 Open Championship: Ernie Els, 2012 US Open: Webb Simpson, and 2013 Masters Champion: Adam Scott). In fact, to look even deeper into the statistics, Els beat out Scott in the 2012 Open Championship.

Nearly six months after proposing a change to the Rules of Golf, the Golf gods spoke on Tuesday and announced that anchoring the club in making a stroke will be banned effective Jan. 1, 2016.

The ruling certainly has not quieted the ongoing debate, leaving many asking, is this fair?

Here is how the rule reads:

New Rule 14-1b states that players who use a belly putter or long putter will no longer be able to hold the butt end of the club against their bodies to anchor the shaft while making a stroke, however, the clubs will still be allowed, so long as they are not used in this newly restricted manner. So, players like Keegan Bradley can still use their belly putter, so long as it does not touch their body.

The recent Aussie Masters winner weighed in:

“Now we’re making rules for the betterment of the game based on zero evidence? Incredible,” Scott said. “What did they think when they allowed it? You’re dealing with professional athletes who are competitive, who want to find better ways. … What do they think when they’ve got super talented golfers putting in thousands of hours of practice with a long putter, short putter, sand wedge, whatever? It was just a matter of time. They’re going to get good.”

Anyone following this story over the past few months knows how Tiger Woods feels about the anchor putter, “I hope they go with the ban,” Woods said Monday. “That’s something that I’ve said, that anchoring should not be a part of the game. It should be mandatory to have to swing all 14 clubs.” The four time winner on TOUR this year who seems to be an early favorite for the FedExCup, got the news he was hoping for today.

So for all you “belly putters” out there, like it or not, now you have two and half years to re-learn the traditional putter…

(Cover Photo Credit)

Fantasy Golf Predictions for the 2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational May 23 – 26, 2013

Preview:   Zach Johnson began his 2012 Ryder Cup season with his first of two wins here at Colonial Country Club.  Each of the past four Colonial champions have come from behind on the final day, including Johnson who overcame a one-shot deficit to beat Jason Dufner last year. Before that, the tournament saw a seven-year run during which the 54-hole leader always walked away with the trophy.  Already a winner this year, Matt Kuchar, has yet to miss a cut in six visits to Colonial, which includes a 9^th place finish in 2008.  Keep an eye on guys like Henrik Stenson and Kevin Streelman this week and don’t rule out the chances of Zach Johnson will being in mix again this year.

The Course:  Colonial Country Club is located in Fort Worth, TX and plays as a short par 70, measuring in at 7,204 yards.  This challenge-packed course was founded by Marvin Leonard and designed by Perry Maxwell and John Bredemus. The tight fairways and doglegs have been a consistent test for players dating back to when the course debuted in 1936. The U.S. Open was played here just five years later and the course also hosted the second edition of THE PLAYERS in 1975, as well as the 1991 U.S. Women’s Open.  Colonial is currently a member-owned club consisting of approximately 1,500 members.

Photo by Crowne Plaza Invitational Official Facebook Page

The Weather at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, TX (from weather.com):

• Round 1: Thursday (May 23) 87 degrees, 30% chance of rain, isolated T-storms.
• Round 2: Friday (May 24) 86 degrees, 10% chance of rain, AM Clouds/PM Sun.
• Round 3: Saturday (May 25) 89 degrees, 10% chance of rain, AM Clouds/PM Sun.
• Round 4: Sunday (May 26) 89 degrees, 0% chance of rain, mostly sunny.

2012 Results:  We all recall Zach Johnson’s two-stroke penalty last year when he moved his ball marker on the 18^th green out of Jason Dufner’s line and then forgot to replace it. Lucky enough for Zach, he had a big enough cushion to absorb the blow. It was CBS course reporter Peter Kostis who pointed out the error, which was relayed to Johnson before he signed his scorecard. Otherwise, Johnson could have been disqualified for signing off on a wrong score.  We hope Zach took Peter out for a nice steak dinner for that…

Notes:  After two wins and finishing sixth in last year’s FedExCup playoffs (and a Ryder Cup selection), Johnson has yet to return to winning form in 2013.  We didn’t pick Zach high on our picks to win this week because his tie for 19th at THE PLAYERS was his best finish since the season opener. Back in 1946 Ben Hogan became the first and only player to sweep both the Byron Nelson and Colonial titles in the same year and we don’t see Sang-Moon Bae breaking that record this year.

Top 5 Picks/Odds to Win The 2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational:

• Charl Schwartzel (Golficity Odds 13/1): Schwartzel is a first-timer at Colonial but we like the way he played last week after notching a solo third in his debut at the HP Byron Nelson Championship. Charl also led last week’s field in greens hit and ranked T2 in par-4 scoring.
• Henrik Stenson (Golficity Odds 18/1): After showing a solid T5 at THE PLAYERS, Stenson is back in action in the USA to take on a tough field. He currently leads the PGA TOUR in fairways hit and greens in regulation – both critically important stats for a course like Colonial.  Stenson currently ranks 42^nd in FedExCup points for 2013 and this will mark his fourth career start at Colonial.
• Rickie Fowler (Golficity Odds 22/1):  Rickie has been steadily improving at Colonial over the years, finishing with a T38 in 2010, a T16 in 2011 and a T5 last year. Keep in mind however that Rickie has not finished in the top 30 in his last four starts dating back to Augusta.  The colorful youngster has been struggling of late, failing to break par in five rounds and ranks 44th on TOUR in fairways hit, T62 in strokes gained-putting, 46th in adjusted scoring and 23rd in scrambling.  This makes him sort of a long shot, but Rickie is due for another win. He’s too good of a player and heck, he just filmed a commercial for Crowne Plaza Hotels…so we’re sure he’ll want to play well for his new sponsors.
•  Zach Johnson (Golficity Odds 22/1): Simply put, Zach knows this track pretty darn well. The two-time winner (2010, 2012) is 7-for-7 with no worse than a T9 (2009) in his last four visits.  Zach had 15 consecutive rounds under par at Colonial before last year’s closing 72. We didn’t rank him higher due to his struggling play this year on TOUR (tied for 19th two weeks ago at TPC Sawgrass).  Overall, Johnson seems to be a different golfer then he was in 2012, but he had to make the top-5 list to win this week due to his record here.
•  Matt Kuchar (Golficity Odds 35/1):  “Kuch” hasn’t missed a cut in six appearances at Colonial where he’s posted two top 20s. Matt tied for 33rd last week at the HP Byron Nelson Championship, but co-led the field in par-5 scoring average. So far Kuchar has one win on TOUR this year and has made sixteen consecutive cuts.

Sleeper Picks/Odds to Win:

•  Kevin Streelman (Golficity Odds 50/1):   Streelman is a first time winner this year (Tampa) and ranks third in FedExCup points behind Tiger and Snedeker. To date he’s 4-for-5 with a T3, T6 and co-runner-up with top 25 stats in fairways hit, greens in regulation and strokes gained-putting. Streelman has played here before and he tied for 10th at Colonial in 2011.
•  Martin Laird (Golficity Odds 50/1): Laird won in San Antonio last month has two T10s in two appearances at Colonial (2010, 2011), coming in at par or better in all eight rounds. In his last start this season, Martin shared fifth at TPC Sawgrass.

Last Week’s Fantasy Golf Predictions Results (The 2013 HP Byron Nelson Championship)

Top 5 Picks/Odds to Win

• Jason Day (Golficity Odds: 12/1):  T27
• Jimmy Walker (Golficity Odds: 15/1): T27
• Marc Leishman (Golficity Odds: 15/1): T12
• Jason Dufner (Golficity Odds: 22/1): T33
• D.A. Points (Golficity Odds: 30/1): T12

Sleeper Picks/Odds to Win:

• Matt Kuchar (Golficity Odds: 50/1): T33
• Ryan Palmer (Golficity Odds: 50/1): T33

Sign up for our Free Golficity Newsletter to receive our Fantasy Golf Predictions in your inbox each week.

(Cover Photo Credit)

Let’s examine the purpose of a wedge to help answer these questions:

First, to understand wedges you have to understand the concept of loft. A wedge is designed to lift a ball quickly from a short distance and each wedge is measured in degrees (angle of the clubface). Ideally, you should choose wedge lofts that will allow you to carry distances from your most common approach yardages. If you find yourself often within a 100 yard range on approach then the proper wedge loft would be one that would allow you to carry that distance using a full swing. Extrapolate that same logic out if you find yourself with more approach shots in the 90, 80, or even 70 yard range.

Here’s a list of wedge degree lofts:

• Pitching Wedge – 45 to 49°
• Approach/Gap Wedge – 50 to 53°
• Sand Wedge – 54 to 58°
• Lob Wedge – 58 to 65°

Another key component to choosing the correct wedge is bounce. While commonly overlooked, bounce is the angle of the club’s sole to the ground. A wedge with high a bounce angle will usually yield better results when hitting out of loose bunker sand or high grass.  Similarly, a lower bounce wedge is better employed on courses with tight lies and thin bunker sand.  So, if there is a common course you play and the terrain seems almost the same each time out, you should take that into consideration when selecting what bounce is most appropriate in your wedges.

Here is a list of wedge bounce descriptions:

• High Bounce – for tall grass, deep rough, and fluffy sand.
• Standard bounce – for normal to soft conditions or those who leave shallow divots.
• Low bounce – for tight lies, fairway shots, and tight, compacted sand.

Don’t forget to also consider wedge grooves in your search to find the perfect wedges for your golf bag. The grooves of a wedge will assist in putting spin on the ball.

Most golf iron sets come with a pitching wedge and occasionally even a gap wedge.  Adding a 55-58 degree loft wedge to your iron set is ideal for providing an another option for sand and short flop shots. Unless your name is Phil Mickelson, we advise leaving the 65 degree wedge at home.

Use the information provided here to select the right degree wedge to fit your game.  Holding the right wedge in your hands can instill confidence and help you reduce the number of strokes taken from 100 yards in.  Remember, everyone’s game is different, so it’s important to take your distances into account when shopping for wedges.  Once you have an idea of how far you hit each of your current clubs you can start filling in the gaps in your game with the proper wedges.

Now get out there and start improving your short game with the proper wedge selection strategy!

(Cover Photo Credit)

Fantasy Golf Predictions for the 2013 Byron Nelson Championship May 16-19, 2013

Its only been a few days since Tiger reemerged at the PLAYERS Championship, where he held back some notable players to cap off an exciting Mother’s Day finish at TPC Sawgrass.  The TOUR moves to Texas this week for the 22^nd Tournament of the year as the reigning champion Jason Dufner looks to reclaim his title.

Our recent picks: We correctly picked Tiger to win the PLAYERS and Horschel to take the Zurich.  That gives two out of the last three with a Solo 3^rd from Mickelson in between (Wells Fargo Championship).  Needless to say, we’re on a bit of a roll.

The Course: TPC Four Seasons Resort measures 7,166 yards and plays as a par 70. The course was originally designed by Jay Morrish in 1983, but received a recent facelift in 2007 by D.A. Weibring and Steve Wolfard. The new layout has large, rolling/undulating greens. The key to success on these greens is to play the slopes and try and work a line close to the pin for easy two-putt.  We’ve included a few solid putters included in our picks this week to account for these particular challenges.  For aesthetics keep an eye out for the 18th hole which features a unique “water cascade” that extends from the landing area to the green.

Photo by TPC Four Seasons

The Weather in Dallas, TX (from Weather.com):

• Round 1: Thursday (May 16) 83 degrees, 30% chance of rain, isolated T-Storms.
• Round 2: Friday (May 17) 88 degrees, 20% chance of rain, AM Clouds/PM Sun.
• Round 3: Saturday (May 18) 90 degrees, 10% chance of rain, partly cloudy.
• Round 4: Sunday (May 19) 88 degrees, 10% chance of rain, mostly sunny.

2012 Results: Only three weeks after grabbing his first PGA TOUR win; Jason Dufner notched his second with a 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole of regulation to card a 67 that left him one shot clear of Dicky Pride. The club waggling Dufner, fought off Pride, whose only PGA TOUR win came in 1994.  With a birdie at No. 17 and a 22-foot par save at No. 18, Pride could only hope for a playoff. Dufner, drilled his pressure-filled putt and raised his second trophy of the year which eventually earned him his first Ryder Cup nod.

2013 Notes: With a 4^th place finish in the FedExCup standings last year, Dufner has yet to find the same groove that he had in 2013. His best finish was 12th at Trump Doral and he continues to miss cuts this year.  The increasingly popular “Dufnering” photo from an elementary classroom visit is becoming a bit of an omen for his play as of late.

Don’t overlook the “no-namers” this week…Jimmy Walker and March Leishman are playing phenomenal golf.  The Vegas odds on these guys have been increasing over the last few weeks so keep an eye out on their scores this week.  Lastly, don’t beat up on Matt Kuchar just yet…we think he’ll bounce back with authority.

Top 5 Picks/Odds to Win:

• Jason Day (Golficity Odds: 12/1): Day has been quiet all year but made a little bit of noise at the WGC Match Play earlier this year. The 2010 HP Byron champ chased his breakthrough here with a solo fifth (2011) and a T9 (2012).  These numbers aren’t too bad…in fact, he seems to know this course very well. Day closed out a T19 at last week’s PLAYERS with a 4-under 68 and has quietly added fourteen consecutive cuts made and four top 10s this season.
• Jimmy Walker (Golficity Odds: 15/1): The way he’s been playing Jimmy is in prime position to win a tournament very soon, so watch out. He closed out a T15 at THE PLAYERS with a field-low 67. Beyond that, Walker has eight top 25s this season and ranks 33rd in greens hit with 17th in strokes gained-putting. With Billy Horschel’s missed cut last week, Walker now leads the TOUR with 22 consecutive cuts made.
• Marc Leishman (Golficity Odds: 15/1): With a T4 at the Masters, a T9 at Harbour Town and a T8 at TPC Sawgrass, it’s safe to say that Marc’s momentum is on the way up. If  nothing else, three straight T10s has to give you some recognition. Leishman plays well here with a T8 (2009), T12 (2010) and T3 (2012) in his career at TPC Four Seasons.
• Jason Dufner (Golficity Odds: 22/1): The defending champ also finished T8 here in 2011 but hasn’t had much spark this season.  Duf is still chasing his first top 10 on the PGA TOUR this year and fell apart last week at THE PLAYERS finishing T62 with a final-round 80. Defending champs often get charged up for repeats though and Dufner is overdue for a good showing so we’re putting him in our top 5 this week.
• D.A. Points (Golficity Odds: 30/1): D.A. has made six consecutive cuts dating back to his win in Houston. Points followed his win with a strong 2^nd place finish in New Orleans at the Zurich. In total, D.A. now has top 20s in three of his last four appearances at TPC Four Seasons, including a solo third in 2009 and a T7 in 2010.

Sleeper Picks/Odds to Win:

• Matt Kuchar (Golficity Odds: 50/1): Although struggling of late, we still feel that Kuchar will breakout this season.  He tied for 48th at TPC Sawgrass last week, falling well short of reclaiming his title; but he’s survived 14 straight cuts which is impressive given the strength of the field this year.  It’s also worth noting that four of his made cuts were top 10s. Kuchar is 5-for-5 at this event (cuts made), including a T6 (2011) and T15 (2012).
• Ryan Palmer (Golficity Odds: 50/1): Palmer comes off a T5 at THE PLAYERS during which he suffered the tragic loss of a long-time friend. The hometown boy lost in a playoff at TPC Four Seasons in 2011 and placed T9 last year after holding the 18-hole lead. He’s proven to stay hot over multiple starts so be on the lookout for Palmer to make a run this week.

Last Week’s Predictions Results (The 2013 PLAYERS Championship)

• Tiger Woods (Golficity Odds 6/1):  WINNER
• Justin Rose (Golficity Odds 12/1): MC
• Adam Scott (Golficity Odds 12/1):  T19
• Phil Mickelson (Golficity Odds 20/1): MC
• Rory McIlroy (Golficity Odds 29/1):  T8

Sleeper Picks/Odds to Win:

• Jim Furyk (Golficity Odds 45/1): MC
• Billy Horschel (Golficity Odds 50/1): MC

Sign up for our Free Golficity Newsletter to receive our Fantasy Golf Predictions in your inbox each week.

(Cover Photo Credit)

Photo by @pga_tour

When Tiger Woods put his tee shot in the water on the 14th and carded a double-bogey, it dropped him back into a tie for first and nearly lost him the tournament…or at least some thought.

Flirting with possible collapse, things became even scarier for Woods on the very next hole, with Tiger nearly felling out of the lead completely on the 15th until he saved par with a clutch 8-foot putt.  Tiger reemerged strongly on the next hole with another up-and-down from the bunker on the par-5 16th for birdie.

Tiger and his fans took a collective sigh of relief.

But Sergio wasn’t done just yet.  The recent Players champ who was playing in the final group behind Woods, two-putted the 16th to regain a share of the lead and then walked over to the 17th tee where his whole tournament ended with just two swings.

“That hole has been good to me for the most part,” Garcia said. “Today, it wasn’t. That’s the way it is. That’s the kind of hole it is. You’ve got to love it for what it is.”

Sergio put two balls in the water on the infamous 17th, ultimately carding a quad-bogey which quickly erased all the magic he performed on the first 70 holes of the tournament.

Tiger looked on in the clubhouse as David Lingmerth missed his long birdie try to force a playoff.  Woods hugged his caddie and came out to the course to hug his girl … and raise a trophy he hasn’t held since 2001.

This is Woods’ 12^th season winning at least 4 times, and it marks the fastest Woods has ever gotten to 4 wins in the course of a single season.  Tiger now has a comfortable 866-point lead in the FedExCup Standings, and we certainly don’t think he’ll be slowing down any time soon.

Golficity’s Pick to Win The Player’s Championship 2013: Tiger Woods

(Cover Photo Credit)

Fast-forward to the current day and things have really come full circle. Here’s a look at a few of the top championship golf courses in the area.

Grand Bear- This Jack Nicklaus Signature Course sits in the middle of the huge 810 square mile Desoto National Forest. Anticipation builds as you weave through the densely wooded six-mile entrance. The gently rolling tract naturally lends itself to exclusive holes that are free of any residential property. Jack made comfortable width in the fairways for your tee shots, and the collection of par 3’s are all unique and solid. If you’re a big hitter test your skills from the 7,200-yard Grizzly Bear tees where the course rating sits at a robust 75.5 with a rating of 143!

But all in all The Golden Bear made a fair, fun layout here. Be sure to finish your day in the authentic log cabin clubhouse for a libation (maybe even one with a Golden one) and one of their hearty sandwiches.

The Preserve- The first thing that you will notice at this facility is the attentive and knowledgeable staff. This place oozes class with a distinct southern charm. But let’s not fool ourselves, we are here to play golf. 1976 U.S. Open champion Jerry Pate carved out a real beauty here with two distinctive nines that is proud member of Audubon International. The opening nine holes is a peaceful romp thru majestic oak trees. The back nine is the preserve side where the wind will put more challenge in the shot making. It all adds up to one heck of golf experience. The combination of native grasses and sculpted bunkering provides a perfect picture of every hole. Top notch conditions with challenging greens (beware of the grain!) are par for this course. Golf Digest put their seal of approval when they named The Preserve as one of America’s Best New Courses in 2007.

The Par 3 16th at The Preserve Golf Club

Shell Landing- If you take a look at the aerial layout this Davis Love beauty you see that the holes form the shape of butterfly. But in describing this track I may need to coin a phrase from Muhammad Ali, “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.” The par 4 6th hole epitomizes that statement. At 412 yards from the tips with a driving area surrounded by bunkers, and a marsh on the left that runs the entire length of the hole. Make par or birdie here and you are going definitely feel a sense of pride. Masterfully threaded through a mix of tall pine trees, with open marshes and wetlands Shell Landing is a wonderful swing through the Mississippi Bayou.

Fallen Oak- Tom Fazio one of America’s favorite golf course designers took a gorgeous piece property and turned it into a spectacular golfing playground. Home to the Champions Tour Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic this can only be accessed when you are staying at the nearby Beau Rivage Hotel. Every hole presents a different challenge and a picture postcard. The undulating course puts a premium on the short game with conditions that rival the best that you can find anywhere.

Here’s what Paul Azinger had to say:

“In order to build a terrific golf course, it should be visually appealing and maybe even slightly intimidating, but yet at the same time, play extremely fair. And Fazio pulled it off at Fallen Oak.”

18th Hole at Fallen Oak Golf Club

Golfweek Magazine thinks highly of Fallen Oak as well ranking it number one in the state, and number two in the best casino courses in the nation.

What I noticed about all of these fine courses is that they were peaceful, away from soaring planes, and free from what I like to call “The Highway Hum.” Here you become more in tuned with your game amongst the tranquil bayou land of Mississippi.

There are certainly plenty of places you can stay, and play “gaming” when you are enjoying the Biloxi region. I can recommend a few places where you can hang your hat after fun-filled day on the links.

IP Casino Resort Spa – Totally redone from top to bottom this 32-story beauty stands tall above the scenic Back Bay of Biloxi. The rooms have a comfortably cool and hip theme with marble counters, large flat screen TV’s and Jacuzzi’s. A can’t miss dining experience is the Italian themed Costa Cucina Restaurant located on the main floor adjacent to the front desk, and also much of the gaming.

Beau Rivage

Beau Rivage – Modeled after the world famous Bellagio in Las Vegas this is one large all in one hotel. Overlooking the Gulf Mexico “The Bo” features a whopping 1,740 rooms, shopping, live entertainment, a spa, and numerous dining options. The Stalla Restaurant is a great choice featuring steaks, pasta, and brick oven pizzas.

Hard Rock – This may be the place to stay if you really want to get your groove on. Plenty of live entertainment options in this casino hotel that also has multiple dining options, and a spa. The Hard Rock is in the midst of building another tower of hotel rooms that will be open soon.

Half Shell Oyster House – This is the place to go for authentic area seafood at its best. Numerous fish items and the oysters are down right savory! And the Half Shell is just a short walk from both the Hard Rock and Beau Rivage.

And no trip to the south is complete until you visit a Waffle House. You can’t beat their breakfast complete with the many hash browns options, especially after a night on the town! It just so happened that on the day I was there that Champions Tour player, and 1992 US Open winner Tom Kite was feasting in the neighboring booth. Obviously fueling up for that weeks Mississippi Gulf Resort at Fallen Oak.

Back in the day you had to fly into New Orleans and then drive about a 1 1/2 hours to get to the Biloxi area. Now can land directly at the new and convenient Gulfport/Biloxi International Airport, which serves numerous airline carriers.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast may have had a rough ride in the past decade with Katrina and the BP oil spill, but now you can see that things are far better than they ever were. The hospitality, the gaming, the cuisine, and of course the golf in the “Gulf” reins supreme.

Check out VisitMississippi.com and Golfcoast.com for more.

About the author: 

Dave Lockhart has over 20 years in the golf media business. A well-versed writer and producer, he has created three different golf television shows that have won numerous golf TV awards, and runs a golf video production company, LinksVideo.net. Dave has also done videography around the world, been on-camera talent, and writes about the game he loves so much.

Equitable Stroke Control is part of the USGA Handicap System and is designed to limit the potential toll a scorecard disaster (the dreaded “blow-up holes“) would take on a golfer’s handicap index.

The Equitable Stroke Control system was designed to set a maximum score per-hole that a player can submit for handicap purposes. A classic example: You hit your tee shot on a par 4 into the woods and give up looking for it. After taking a drop you miss-hit your 3^rd shot and wind up in a water hazard. Frustration builds as one dreadful shot leads to another and you’re left with 11 total strokes on the hole.  So now the question becomes, can you enter that double digit disaster into your handicap index?  The answer depends on where your current handicap lies.  For example, let’s say you’re a 15 handicap – according to the chart below, you would submit a 7 on that hole for handicap purposes.

The reason for this limitation is that taking an 11 for the hole will put your handicap into a range where it doesn’t belong. The key thing to remember when handicapping your golf game is that the handicap index is not meant to reflect your average score, it’s meant to reflect your best potential.

To determine the max score you can take on a hole, you must first calculate your course handicap. There are a number of online handicap sites that will assist you in handicapping your game – keep in mind that you need a few rounds under your belt for the proper handicap to be determined.

If you’re in the process of establishing a handicap index you can use the USGA maximum handicaps (36.4 for men and 40.4 for women) when referencing the chart below. This will give you a temporary number that you can use until you’ve entered enough scores to established a proper handicap.

Keep in mind that if you do not plan on handicapping your game and just want to compete in stroke play against your golf buddies on the weekend, you don’t need to follow this procedure.  In fact, the score of 11 (above) is what you would use during a stroke or match play round.  The only time you cap your score is when you are entering the score into a USGA handicap system.  So when you shoot an 87 this weekend, don’t brag to your friends that you shot a 75 due to equitable stroke control.

Fantasy Golf Predictions for The Players Championship 2013, May 9th – 12th

The Course:  TPC Sawgrass (Stadium) measures 7,215 yards and plays as a par 72. The once 415 acres of wooded wetlands was originally purchased for just one dollar and went on to be beautifully designed by architect Pete Dye.  The course was created as a layout designed to challenge all parts of a player’s game – leading to countless episodes of frustration and demise through the years. An interesting note about this course is that no two consecutive holes on the Stadium Course play in the same direction.  Doglegs were created in both directions and the track exhibits holes on both ends of the relative distance spectrum (i.e. the short 481 yard par 4 14^th and the lengthy 237 yard par 3 8^th). The infamous (yet shortest) 17^th hole plays as a 137-yard par 3 over water to a green reachable only by narrow walkable path from behind the green, and usually serves to makes or break a player’s round…especially on Saturday or Sunday.

TPC Sawgrass Famous 17th Hole. Photo by TPC.com

The Weather at TPC Sawgrass (from weather.com):

• Round 1: Thursday (May 9) 83 degrees, 10% chance of rain, partly cloudy.
• Round 2: Friday (May 10) 84 degrees, 20% chance of rain, partly cloudy.
• Round 3: Saturday (May 11) 85 degrees, 10% chance of rain, partly cloudy.
• Round 4: Sunday  (May 12) 77 degrees, 30% chance of rain, scattered T-Storms.

2012 Results:  Last year, Matt Kuchar (who already has a win on TOUR this year) won on the biggest stage of his career.  He fought off Kevin Na to finish with a two-shot victory and it was easily the biggest of his win of his phenomenal career. Kuchar carded a 2-under-par 70, but had significant pressure from big time notables like Luke Donald, Martin Laird, Zach Johnson, Ben Curtis and Rickie Fowler. A three-putt bogey at No. 17 opened the door for Fowler, who birdied the 17th and struck his approach to 4.5 feet at No. 18. But the always colorful Fowler missed his birdie putt which allowed Kuchar to grab his fourth PGA TOUR victory with a two-putt closing par.  Kuchar went on to play in the 2012 Ryder Cup capping off an impressive 2012 season.

Notes:  Tiger Woods is back in action after his “almost” come from behind attempt at Augusta as he fought back after being assessed a 2 stroke penalty for an improper drop following a water hazard penalty.  Tiger has three wins in 2013, but has struggled to perform well at TPC Sawgrass with any sort of consistency. Woods has only one top-10 finish since his single PLAYERS victory in 2001, with an injury forcing him to withdraw twice in the past three editions.  But this is a new Tiger, a Tiger that is sniffing out majors, not regular tournaments.  Masters Champion Adam Scott will make his first appearance since giving Australia its first Green Jacket.  Scott won The Players back in 2004 and is certainly no stranger to TPC Sawgrass.  World No. 2 Rory McIlroy will be making his fourth visit to Sawgrass, where he’s still seeking to break par. McIlroy has missed the cut all three times, with a scoring average of 74.0.  Look out as well for Jim Furyk, a local resident who has missed only 2 of 16 cuts at TPC Sawgrass (13 consecutive made) and likes to show up to Majors.

Top 5 Picks/Odds to Win The 2013 PLAYERS Championship:

• Tiger Woods (Golficity Odds 6/1): Tiger has only one top 10 (solo eighth in 2009) since his victory here in 2001, but he’s already a three-time winner on TOUR this season. Like we said, Tiger is hunting majors nowadays, and just because we don’t see him on TV every week, doesn’t mean him and caddy Joe Lacava aren’t practicing like crazy to win these big events. Tiger leads the circuit in strokes gained-putting, adjusted scoring, par breakers, par-3 scoring (T1) and par-5 scoring. We’d say he’s having an old-school Tiger season so far.
• Justin Rose (Golficity Odds 12/1): Although he hasn’t played well here (one top-35 finish in nine appearances at TPC Sawgrass – T22, 2009) Rose has posted multiple top 25s in his last 15 starts worldwide.  Could this be the week J-Rose rises to major status?  Justin is currently second on TOUR in total driving, sixth in GIR, T7 in proximity, fifth in scrambling and T4 in bogey avoidance.
• Adam Scott (Golficity Odds 12/1): This will be Adam Scott’s first start since his Masters victory.  Scott won THE PLAYERS in 2004 and has added three top 15s since.  Scott hasn’t played enough rounds to qualify for official rankings, but if he did, he’d sit solidly in second in adjusted scoring and fourth in scrambling.  Don’t underestimate the confidence boost that Green Jacket provides either.  Adam has got to be amped up with Augusta in his back pocket.
• Phil Mickelson (Golficity Odds 20/1): Phil played lights-out last week after returning from his break following Augusta. He’s survived each of the last 11 cuts at TPC Sawgrass, a stretch that includes a PLAYERS victory in 2007 and six top 25s. Phil lead after 36 and 54 holes at Quail Hollow last week, but settled for solo third. He also led the field in strokes gained-putting. The always contending lefty already has one win this year in Scottsdale at the WM Open and appears to be playing pretty darn good right about now… 
• Rory McIlroy (Golficity Odds 29/1):  Given his performance over the last few weeks it’s more or less safe to say that Rory is getting his game back in tune after his early-year struggles dropped him out of the World No.1 spot.  McIlroy tied for 10th at Quail Hollow making it his third straight top 25. He led last week’s field in total driving and greens hit, but ranked T69 in strokes gained-putting – a stat that won’t help him this week. Rory is still climbing the learning curve at TPC Sawgrass where he’s 0-for-3 with no sub-par rounds.  But Rory is a competitor…and now with the drama of new clubs and losing world ranking No. 1 behind him, his focus looks to be back.  Tough choice with this one, but he’s worth a go this week – he’s won a couple of majors already!

Sleeper Picks/Odds to Win:

• Jim Furyk (Golficity Odds 45/1):  The local Florida resident has missed just two of his last 16 cuts at TPC Sawgrass and posted eight top 25s.  Furyk ranks fifth on TOUR in fairways hit and first in proximity to the hole.  With thirteen consecutive cuts made here, Furyk has two top 10s in his last five starts.  Jim almost won a recent major at the 2012 U.S. Open before falling short to Webb Simpson.

• Billy Horschel (Golficity Odds 50/1): We love watching this guy.  Horschel is the only first-timer at TPC Sawgrass in this feature, but he lives locally and ranks among the most in-form golfers in the world right now. Billy has put together three top 10s as a prelude to his breakthrough victory in New Orleans. Horschel hasn’t missed a cut in what feels like an eternity.  A long shot for sure, but worth a look – Vegas has him at an attractive 40/1.

Last Week’s Fantasy Golf Predictions Results (The 2013 Wells Fargo Championship)

Top 5 Picks/Odds to Win

• Rory McIlroy (Golficity Odds 6/1): T10
• Jimmy Walker (Golficity Odds 10/1): T22
• D.A. Points (Golficity Odds 16/1): T16
• Bill Haas (Golficity Odds 22/1): MC
• Rickie Fowler (Golficity Odds 25/1): MDF 

Sleeper Picks/Odds to Win:

• Webb Simpson (Golficity Odds 50/1):   T32
• Phil Mickelson (Golficity Odds 50/1):  3

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(Cover Photo Credit)

Almost all of the other ‘grips’ that one learns growing up playing various sports rely on a strong right or strong left hand.  Think baseball, tennis, hockey, lacrosse, ping pong.  They all use a ‘strong’ hand on the stick or racquet (with the exception of the two-handed tennis backhand).  Even in basketball, the shooter will use one hand to propel the ball and one hand to guide it.  And at first, this feels good.  It feels natural.

And it is natural.  You’re used to controlling objects with your strong hand: forks, pens, paintbrushes, swords, balls, paddles, etc.  And it’s only natural to bring this memory into the golf swing: your brain has been wired that way through trial and error.  And when you pick up the golf club, your brain says, ‘control it with your strong hand’.  Your muscles remember how the bat, stick or racquet felt when you swung it.  So, you grip it like that and swing it.

But therein lies the pitfall.  The golf grip is unlike any other.  It’s not natural.  It’s learned.  In golf there is no strong hand.  The hands work together, as equals.  Neither hand predominates.  They grip the club with equal strength and pressure.  They control the club face with equal strength and pressure.  And, they accelerate the swing with equal strength and pressure.  At no moment in the swing does one hand exert more effect on the club than the other.  The strong hand never takes over and guides or powers the club.  If one hand does take over, you’re dead.

Let’s learn it from this classic March 11th, 1957 edition of Sports Illustrated (click “show thumbnails” and go to the fourteenth page or eighth box of pages):

Read.  Practice.

 (If you’re having trouble viewing the document above please click here to visit the full page on SportsIllustrated.com)

About the author: 

Mailon Kent, author, is a former College Football All-American, Buffalo Bill, College Professor, and two time Emmy Award winning television director.  He currently resides in Montclair, NJ and plays most of his golf in Essex County, though recent travels have produced some interesting scorecards from Argentina, Spain, Italy, France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Hawaii and Alabama.  Mr. Kent’s current objective is to play Winged Foot, a not very likely occurrence.

(Photo Credit)

Quail Hollow Hole 7. Photo by @wellsfargogolf

A number of notables will be returning to the field after being absent since the Masters, as the tour returns to the site of Rickie Fowler’s first PGA TOUR victory for the 2013 Wells Fargo Championship. Phil, Rory, and Bubba will all be back in action to take on other hot handed stars like Jimmy Walker and D.A. Points at the illustrious Quail Hollow Golf Club.

Many changes have been made to the property since the last tournament here 2012. A complete rebuild of the green at the 12th hole has made putting a bit easier for this year. While the par 4 12th still reads 456 yards on the scorecard, the measurements of 10 other holes have been altered just a bit.

The greens at the par-4 eighth and par-5 10th holes required freshly laid sod to resolve issues related to the failure maintaining the grass properly in the off season.  This will all change in 2014 when all 18 greens will be replaced with Bermuda grass in advance of next year’s tournament. It’s a conversion that was originally scheduled for 2015 to prepare for the PGA Championship two years later.

The difficult close known as “The Green Mile” (holes 16, 17 and 18 which is a par 4-3-4 finish) should garner most of the attention this week. Although The Green Mile always presents players with a challenge, overall the par-72 track has played under par for two straight years with a scoring average of 71.84.

Of all the courses on the PGA TOUR Quail Hollow’s fairways are ranked among the hardest hit, which added to the track’s rank of third-lowest in driving accuracy for the third straight year in 2012.  With that said, players know that hitting the fairways will certainly be key to victory this week.

Temperatures will dip a bit in Charlotte this week with high temperatures topping out at 70 degrees.  There is a low chance of rain, while winds are forecasted to be moderate for all 4 days.

Be sure to check out our Fantasy Golf Predictions page for more on the 2013 Wells Fargo Championship, including our top 5 picks and player odds for this exciting event.

(Cover Photo Credit)