Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Golf Traders Newsletter Feb 29

G’day Golfers,

Hope you’ve had a good week. This is the 4th Golf Traders Newsletter, enjoy the read…..

Golf News

What a week in world golf. After his semi final win in the world matchplay, Rory McIlroy was looking like he’d become world golf’s new number 1, but Hunter Mahan had other ideas. Mahan defeated McIlroy in the championship final, 2 & 1 to claim his 4th PGA Tour victory and PGA Tour exempt status until the end of 2015.

21 year old John Huh, who up until last week was known as ‘John Who?’ broke through for his first PGA tour victory, winning the Mayakoba Golf Classic in a playoff against Australia’s Robert Allenby. It was only Huh’s 5th start on the PGA Tour, but he played like a tour veteran, shooting an 8 under par final round to enter the playoff.

The tour now heads to Florida for the Honda Classic, where South Africa’s Rory Sabbatini will defend his title. The event will have a very strong field, as every week now the tour inches closer to the US Masters.
~
I have a tip that can take five strokes off anyone's golf game: it's called an eraser. ~Arnold Palmer
~

This weeks Golf Tip:

This week’s tip is from John Stahlschmidt, who teaches at the Tour Academy located at the TPC of Scottsdale in Arizona. In his tip below, John talks a little bit about the belly and long putters, maybe they might work for you?



There's no doubt that Adam Scott's resurgence to top form with the chest putter and Keegan Bradley's PGA Championship victory with the belly putter have stirred up more chatter regarding whether or not long-length putters pose an unfair advantage. Should the PGA Tour outlaw these alternate putting styles or let them be? Are they fair or unfair to use?
Maybe the question really is, why do so many golfers opt for a belly or chest putter in the first place? Do they know something we don't in terms of the advantage a long putter has over a standard-length flatstick? Players who come to mind are Scott, Couples, Singh, Mediate and Els, all of whom have been late adopters of belly or long putters, each with varying degrees of success. And, by the way, not all players who have demonstrated success with long putters are new to using one. Keegan Bradley has been using the belly putter since his college days at St. John's. With that said, what gives? Why are belly and long putters more popular today than ever?

There are a few reasons why these longer putters work more efficiently than short putters, but the main reason so many players make the switch has little to do with mechanics of a long putter versus that of a regular putter. The reality is that most (not all) of the players on Tour who go to this style of putter do so because they have inherited some form of the yips. A perfect example of this is Bernhard Langer. It's well documented that Langer's affliction with this ailment occurred at a young age, and he wouldn't have had the career he has had without the use of the chest putter.

HOW DO THE YIPS WORK?

This problem afflicts many golfers, and some don't even know they have it. A putting yip is an uncontrollable, unconscious movement with one hand or both hands, usually occurring just before impact. It has to deal with neuro pathways in the mind, and the resulting effect is a putting stroke that produces uncontrollable results. In other words, having the yips is a lot like putting with a nervous mind. When you're nervous, you shake and tremble, making it difficult to make a smooth, accelerating stroke through the ball. With the yips, virtually the same thing happens, although sometimes it's extremely subtle, and the mind isn't aware of the body making small, nervous-like movements through the stroke. And when it comes to putting, even subtle variations in your putting stroke can make the difference between making and missing any given putt.

When a player goes to an alternative grip such as the claw or pencil grip or to a belly or chest putter, the pathway from the brain to the yip hand is re-created. It's literally a rewiring of the brain, and in almost every case, the yip goes away—sometimes forever and sometimes just for a few months. Regardless, the player is able to perform better on the greens, thus making more putts and shooting lower scores.

Now, aside from the yips, if you were to evaluate the sheer mechanics of a long or belly-length putter, you'd see that the belly and chest putter simplify the putting stroke. With both methods, the butt of the grip is anchored against your body, thus taking the hinging of the wrists and hands virtually out of play. Also, with no wrist or hand involvement in the stroke, the putter tends to bottom out at a similar point, as well. The result, in most cases, is more consistency and a stroke that, for some, is easy to repeat.

IS IT REALLY AN ADVANTAGE TO USE A BELLY OR A CHEST PUTTER?

For some golfers, absolutely! If you struggle with the yips or making a consistent stroke, then yes, a long-length putter may, in fact, help. But like any other club, a belly or chest putter isn't right for everyone. Some who have tried belly or chest putters have said distance and speed control are more difficult on short putts, while others have said that longer putters are more difficult to aim. In any case, putting is truly the most individual aspect of playing golf, and choosing the best putter for your game, no matter what length it is, should be your top priority. And as for an unfair advantage, hardly! Every player can use a belly or long putter if he or she wants. There's nothing unfair about that, and frankly, you can make a similar argument about golfers who use certain drivers, shafts, iron designs, wedges and so forth, all claiming that different characteristics of those clubs have performance benefits over another. The goal, in any case, is to get the ball in the hole in the fewest strokes, so use whatever club you think will get the job done.

If you feel like you might have the yips, the good news is it's treatable. You just have to identify which hand you have it in and then reformat your grip with that hand on the putter grip. And by the way, this doesn't always mean switching to a longer putter. Sometimes simple changes in grip positions and stance will help you refresh your putting technique.
What’s in the Bag:



Player: Lee Westwood
World Ranking: 2



DRIVER Ping G15 Driver / 11 Degrees / Aldila Voodoo NVG / X-Stiff

FAIRWAY METALS 3 Wood – Ping i15 Fairway / 15.5 Degrees / UST Proforce V2 76 gram / X-Flex. 5 Wood – Ping i15 Fairway / 15.5 Degrees / UST Proforce V2 76 gram / X-Flex. Rescue Club is the PING Rapture Hybrid 19 degree

IRONS PING i10 3 to PW

WEDGES PING Tour W Wedges 54 and 58 degree

PUTTER PING Redwood Anser

BALL Titleist Pro V1X

Here's some of this weeks top buys at Golf Traders:


Callaway Fusion FT Irons 4 - SW Uniflex Steel Left Hand
Only $400
Click here
.



Callaway Fusion Staff Golf Bag
Brand New
$250
Click here
.


Have a good week,

David Fearns


Golf Traders is a

Used Golf Clubs Specialist. We buy, swap and sell used golf clubs.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Golf Traders Newsletter Feb 22

G’day Golfers,

Hope your golf is going well.

This is the 3rd WEEKLY Golf Traders newsletter. We hope you continue to enjoy the weekly read.

Golf News

This week will see the worlds best players compete in the Accenture World Matchplay Championship. Here’s a look at some of the first round match ups:

Hot off his Northern Trust Open win, Bill Haas is up against the ludicrously talented Ryo Ishikawa. Despite his good form, Haas will need to be on his game to win.

Charles Schwartzel plays Gary Woodland, which for golf swing fans, is the match of the century. Both these guys have technically perfect actions. No doubt they’ll both hit a lot of greens, the question is whose going to hole the most putts?

Tiger Woods is up against Spains Gonzalo Fdez-Castano. The lesser known Spaniard is ranked number 48 in the world, and is a two time European Tour Winner. Today, Tiger responded to Gonzalo’s ‘beatable’ comment earlier this week, commenting with a wry smile that he feels the same way, saying Fdez-Castano is ‘beatable’too.

‘Golf Boys’ band members Bubba Watson & Ben Crane play each other, which could make for some great comedy, and Aussie Geoff Ogilvy meets the in form Keegan Bradley who’ll be looking to go one better than his play off loss last week. Nothing but Bradley’s best golf will be good enough as Ogilvy has performed exceptionally well in this event, having previously won twice and finished runner up on a 3rd occasion. Aussies Jason Day, Adam Scott & Aaron Baddeley are also in the field.



~
"You can make a lot of money in this game. Just ask my ex-wives. Both of them are so rich that neither of their husbands work."

Lee Trevino

~

This weeks Golf Tip:

For anyone interested in developing a better short game, you might like to try ‘The Chipping Ladder Drill’ designed by Aussie Coach Steve Bann. To play this game, find an open grass area about 10 to 15 metres long (note a chipping green is not needed for this game and it can easily be played in the backyard for example). Place 5 clubs along the ground, each about 1 metre apart to form a ladder on the ground, with the 1st club about 3 metres away from the place where you’ll chip from. Using 3 balls, the aim is to chip 3 balls in a row between the 1st and 2nd clubs (in the first gap in the ladder). When you have chipped the 3 balls successfully, repeat the process again but this time aim to land the balls in the 2nd ladder gap between the 2nd and 3rd clubs. If you do this successfully, you then proceed to the 3rd gap, and then finally the 4th gap. If however, you fail to land the 3 balls in the intended area, you are to move back down the ladder to the gap nearer to where you’re chipping from. The game is completed when you successfully land 3 balls in a row in the gap furthest from you. It’s likely that you’ll begin to feel a bit of pressure when you’re chipping the 3rd ball, and as Steve says ‘’this is good, because when you get used to handling a bit of pressure in practice you’ll find playing under pressure on the golf course that little bit easier. In addition, lots of golf courses don’t have good chipping areas, or you might live too far from the local golf course, so having a chipping game that doesn’t require a cut grass golf green is great news.

What’s in the Bag:



Player: Tiger Woods
World Ranking: 20

DRIVER Nike VR Tour 8.5
3 METAL Nike VR Pro LTD 3 Wood (15 degrees)
5 METAL Nike SQ II 5 Wood (19 degrees). Tiger will alternate between his 5 wood and 2 iron depending on the course and conditions.
IRONS Nike VR Pro Blades
WEDGES Nike 56 degree VR PRO SW
Nike 60 degree VR PRO LW
PUTTER Nike Method 001
BALL Nike One Tour D




At Golf Traders, here’s some of this weeks top buys:



Cleveland Ladies Bloom Golf set Package - Brand New
Only $799
Click here.



Scotty Cameron California Sea Mist Monterey Putter
Only $350
Click here.



Nike Forged Pro Combo Irons 3 – PW
Only $599
Click here.



Have a good week,

Dave Fearns
PGA Professional
Golf Traders Pty Ltd
Golf Traders.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Golf Traders Newsletter February 15, 2012

G'day Golfers,

Hope your golf is going well.

This is the 2nd WEEKLY Golf Traders newsletter. We received lots of positive feedback from last week’s edition. We hope you continue to enjoy the weekly read.

Golf News

2012 Head to Head……Mickelson 1; Woods 0.

What a win by Phil Mickelson at Pebble Beach. With Tiger in contention after 3 rounds, many were tipping him to break through for his 1st official PGA Tour win in 2 years. Instead, it was Mickelson who charged ahead to win against a very strong field. His flawless last round of 8 under par featured 6 birdies, 1 eagle and 0 bogies. His win moves him up to number 11 in the world, just outside the top 10. Interestingly, Mickelson has won more majors than all of the worlds top 10 players combined.

This week will see the PGA Tour move onto Riviera Country Club for the Northern Trust Open. Australia’s own Aaron Baddeley will be defending his title from last year, lets hope he plays well, and gives a back to back win a real shake. Riviera is unique on the PGA Tour as it has Kikuya fairways. There aren’t many American courses that have Kikuya fairways, but it is common in Australia. Watch out for the Aussie Pro’s this week!
~
"The first time I played the Masters, I was so nervous I drank a bottle of rum before I teed off. I shot the happiest 83 of my life."
Chi Chi Rodriguez
~

This weeks Golf Tip:

Always remember the importance of alignment! Correct technique is so important in golf, and effective technique starts with solid fundamentals. Alignment is key. Regardless of what you find works for you (for example, Trevino was famous for aiming 20 yards left of the target) it’s important that your alignment is consistent. It won’t matter how good your swing gets if you’re unable to aim accurately on the golf course. Sometimes our eyes can play tricks on us, making us feel square when we’re actually aiming right for example, so it’s important to check your alignment regularly. Try this drill:

→ Set up to a target in the distance, maybe a tree or a flagstick, and then place a spare club or alignment stick along your stance line. Walk back behind the ball and check your alignment. If you’re aiming correctly award yourself 1 point. If your alignment is offline, align the club or alignment stick correctly and the address the ball again. Complete the process again and again until you have 5 points. At first, this may take awhile, but after checking your alignment regularly, you’ll be finishing this drill in 2 minutes.


What’s in the Bag:


Player: Aaron Baddeley
World Ranking: 44

DRIVER ADAMS INSIGHT PROTO 9015D

3 METAL ADAMS INSIGHT, 14.5 DEGREES

4 METAL ADAMS INSIGHT, 18.5 DEGREES

IRONS ADAMS IDEA PROTOTYPE MB (MUSCLE BACK)
WEDGES CALLAWAY 55 AND 59 DEGREES

PUTTER TITLEIST SCOTTY CAMERON NEWPORT

BALL TITLEIST PROV1


At Golf Traders, here’s some of this weeks top buys:



Titleist Scotty Cameron Laguna Two Custom Black Orange 35
Only $299
Click here.



Ping iN Wack-E 34" Putter
Only $129
Click here.



Ping G20 8.5 Degree Driver w/ Head Cover
Only $349
Click here.



Callaway X-20 Irons 4-PW+GW+SW Left Hand
Only $389
Click here.



Taylor Made Burner Plus Irons 4-PW,GW Stiff Superfast Steel Brand New
Only $399
Click here.





Special Mention: I’ve just had a set of Titleist AP1, 710 irons, 4-PW + GW, stiff Nippon 105T steel shafts traded in today, they’re not on the website yet, but are on sale for $640. To inquire, send me an email at david@golftraders.com.au


Have a good week,

Dave Fearns
PGA Professional
Golf Traders Pty Ltd
www.golftraders.com.au

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Golf Traders Newsletter February 8, 2012

G'day Golfers,

Hope your golf is going well.

This is the 1st of what will be the WEEKLY Golf Traders newsletter. This newsletter will feature FREE golf tips from qualified golf professionals, the latest in world golf news, exclusive newsletter discounts on golf stock plus much much more…….

Golf Traders is my Used Golf Clubs business. What started out as an eBay side project has now become a standalone business and Australia’s Premier Used Golf Clubs supplier. The website www.golftraders.com.au is growing daily with more and more stock being added. I encourage you to visit the site, and please accept the included complimentary voucher for your next Golf Traders website purchase. I’m keen to let every golfer in Australia know about Golf Traders, so please feel free to forward this newsletter onto any of your golf mates.

Golf News: What a win by Kyle Stanley in the Phoenix Open! After blowing a 3 shot lead on the 72nd hole the week prior, Stanley silenced any finishing off demons by shooting a final round 65 to win by 1. Under the gun, Stanley was awesome. When interviewed following his bogey free Sunday round, Stanley interestingly commented that ‘Last week, I thought about winning the whole way round, but this week, I didn’t, I just tried to play some smart golf and give myself opportunities’. Aussie Rod Pampling tied for 15th, while Marc Leishman and Greg Chalmers both tied for 19th. The tour now heads to Pebble Beach for the famous AT & T Pro Am. One of the most entertaining weeks on tour, the Pebble Beach event features Entertainment Celebrities playing in the same group as the PGA Tour players….. There are numerous Aussie pro’s in the field, and all will be looking to repeat the winning effort by Brett Ogle in the 1993 event.

In other news, Jason Day is now Australia’s highest ranked golfer after finishing 2nd last week in Qatar. Adam Scott is at number 8, Geoff Ogilvy is 44th, Luke Donald has kept the #1 spot and Tiger is on the move at number 18.

~
"It took me seventeen years to get 3,000 hits in baseball. I did it in one afternoon on the golf course."
Hank Aaron
~

This weeks Golf Tip: As was shown by American Kyle Stanley this week, focussing on the process of playing smart, and executing solid golf shots can be a useful way to think during tournaments. Stanley mentioned how he kept thinking of winning the week before, which resulted in a final hole triple bogey and loss of his 3 shot lead. When he concentrated on the process of playing smart golf, he faired much better. Interestingly, Sports Psychologist Gio Valiente, in his book ‘Fearless Golf’, explains that golfers approach the game in one of two ways, they are ego driven playing for attention, trophies, and notoriety, or, they’re masterfully driven, focusing on the process of executing quality shots, and consistently strive to improve their skills and become better players, for the fulfilment of their own personal satisfaction. These masterful golfers often receive loads of prize money and fame etc as a result of their focus, but this is never their primary motivation. What is driving you to better golf?


What’s in the Bag:



Player: World Number 1, Luke Donald

Driver: Titleist 910 D2, 9.5 degrees, Fujikura 44 ½” X Flex

Fairway Metals: Tour Edge Exotics, Accra XC75 shaft.

Hybrids: Mizuno CLK- Flj Hi- Hybrid, 17 degrees, Aldila NV 85X shaft

Irons: Mizuno MP 62, True Temper S300 Dynamic Gold Shafts

Wedges: Mizuno MP-R, 54 & 60 degrees

Putter: Odyssey White Hot Tour XG 7H, 33”

Grips: Golf Pride New Decade Multi Compound (Blue)

Ball: Titleist ProV1x

Sponsors: Mizuno, Polo Ralph Lauren, Footjoy



Here’s some of this weeks Golf Traders top buys:



Taylor Made - Taylor Made R11 15.5 Degree
3 Wood Fujikura Blur 70 Regular
Only $199
Click here.



Wilson 8813 Blade Putter
Only $150
Click here.




Titleist Vokey Spin Milled
54 Degree CC Sand Wedge
Only $70
Click here.





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Golf Traders Discount Voucher:

Simply quote Reference: GTVoucher and receive $10 towards your next www.golftraders.com.au website purchase. Min purchase $50. Valid one per customer.

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Have a good week,

Dave Fearns
PGA Professional
Golf Traders Pty Ltd
www.golftraders.com.au