Golf Tips & Quips

I have been having a reoccurring nightmare for the past couple of weeks. I'm on the 18th green standing over a putt from about 35 feet for par at the U.S. Open. I have a one shot lead. Make the putt and I win. Two putt and I go to a playoff. Three putt and I go home with my head hung low.

I take my stroke and immediately I know I have left it short. I choked. Now I have a testy left to righter down hill just to make it into the playoff. My hands are shaking as I stand over the putt. I back off. I stand over the putt again, make the stroke, and disaster. Miss on the low side. The "dream" is over.

Nothing kills a round faster than having too many three putts on the scorecard. I shot my best score the other day an 83, but still had four three putts. If I had two putted each of those holes I would have posted a 79.

When I get outside of 20 feet, I have trouble judging the pace of my putts, especially if there is any kind of break to it. And forget about it if the green looks anything like the one below. Teaching pros always say that pace is the most important aspects of putting. When you have good pace, you always give yourself a chance to make the putt.

I always catch The Golf Fix with Michael Breed on Monday nights and tonight he gave us five tips to reading greens. I'll be sure to pay attention more when I am on the green and to the landscape surrounding it.

Michael Breed's 5 Hints To Reading Greens

1.Find The Clubhouse

The ball will roll away from the clubhouse. The clubhouse is usually situated on the highest part of the course. This is for scenic effect. When your in the clubhouse, it's always nice to look out over the course. The other reason is so that when it rains, the water drains away from the clubhouse.

2.Know Where The Bunkers Are Located Around The Greens

Bunkers usually have a lip on them and the ball tends to roll away from these points on the green.

3.Take Notice Of The Water Surrounding The Green

The terrain on a green tends to slope down towards the water. When it rains the water has to go somewhere and it naturally goes to where the rest of the water is. This is a great hint because we know that where there is water, the break will tend to be that way.

4.Walk Around The Green/Weight Distribution

Take a stroll around the green. Feel the lay of the land beneath your feet. If you are tilted in one direction then that's a hint to which way a putt will break.

5.Take Notice Of Your Playing Partner's Putt

Everyone loves when you are just inside of your buddies ball, on the same line. Mark your ball and then take out your note book. Take notice of the pace and the break of their putt. This will be a good indicator of what your putt will do.

My goal is to break 80 by the end of 2010 and if I am to do that, I can't have any three putts. Hopefully, after practicing these tips, I will be free of my nightmare and be able to start dreaming about making lots of birdies. Have a good one and always hit your target.



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I played at Miami International Links/Melreese Country Club yesterday. I have been wanting to play there for a while. The course is located right next to Miami International Airport and depending on the flight pattern you can see the course as you land.

They have recently renovated and have done an excellent job with the facilities and the course was in great shape. It was windy so it made for a tough day. We teed off from the blue tees which measures 6613 yards, but it played longer because of the conditions.

The foursome was made up of myself, Hurchell, Marc, and Kevin. The highlight of the round came on our approach shots into the par 4 13th green. I left my second shot just short of the green and grabbed my wedge and putter and left Marc with the cart while he and the others hit there shots.

As I got to my ball Kevin shouts over to me, "Hey Dex. See if that's my ball in front of that alligator." Alligator! I thought he was joking, but as I got closer to where he was pointing, there, sitting on the bank, was an alligator.

Kevin's ball had ended up within ten feet of the alligator. We had an encounter with an Iguana we called Iggy during another round but this was on another level. Kevin contemplated his next move and decided to take the shot.

As Kevin inched over to his ball, Hurchell captured the moment on his iPhone. I don't think Kevin could concentrate on his shot. If you notice in the video he takes a look at the alligator a couple of times, swings, and then takes off after the shot. I guess he really did not want to take a penalty stroke.

I can't wait to play this course again. I didn't play my best and now that I know the course I think I can score better. I'm going to practice my putting a lot this week. I'm still missing too many short-ish putts. If I can eliminate the three putts, my scores will continue to improve.

Have a good one and always hit your target.

93
Posted: 4/2/2010 •
(international links of miami)	Tees: Blue, Par: 71

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international links of miami Front Nine Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Out Par 4 3 4 5 3 4 5 3 4 35 6 6 6 6 4 6 5 3 5 47 FIR: # Putts: 1 2 3 2 2 1 2 1 2 16 Back Nine Hole 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 In Par 4 5 3 4 4 3 4 5 4 36 6 6 5 5 5 3 5 6 5 46 FIR: # Putts: 2 2 3 2 2 2 1 2 2 18

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Pars: 3 Bogeys: 9 Doubles: 5 Other: 1

Par 3 Avg: 4.2 Par 4 Avg: 5.4 Par 5 Avg: 5.8

FIR: 9 / 13 GIR: 2 / 18 Putts: 34 Putts per GIR: 2.0

Scrambling: 1 / 16 Bounce Backs: 2 / 14

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I played at Orangebrook Golf & Country Club yesterday. My buddy flew back into town and after I picked him up, we went straight to the golf course. The previous day I had jokingly told him that he should have brought a golf outfit since I had his clubs in the car. He promptly sent me a text that read, "book the tee time."

I'm glad we decided to go because I posted my lowest score to date. An 83. I was so excited. My previous best was an 86 which I posted a couple days prior. I have been practicing a lot and I feel that I am swinging the club a lot better.

I have to give credit to Michael Breed of The Golf Fix for this round. On Monday he demonstrated a hanger drill that helps the golfer to get into a proper swing plane position.

I practiced this drill over and over. While I was watching television, I had my hanger and club and I was swinging away. I think I am more of a feel player so I like to ingrain a feeling into my swing and then let muscle memory take over from there.

This is my scorecard. I couldn't believe that I birdied the first hole which was a par five. It set the tone for the rest of the day. My ball striking was definitely the best it has ever been. I could have gone lower if not for my four three putts. Take those away and that's a 79.

I'm going to continue to do the hanger drill described by Breed in the following video. I feel that it is a great drill to go back to if I start to miss hit it badly again. Try this drill if you are having problems making solid contact. I think it will help you as it has helped me. Have a good one and always hit your target.

83
Posted: 3/31/2010 •
Orangebrook Golf & Country Club (West)	Tees: Blue, Par: 71

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West Front Nine Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Out Par 5 4 3 4 4 4 3 5 4 36 4 4 5 5 5 5 3 6 4 41 FIR: # Putts: 1 1 3 2 2 2 2 3 2 18 Back Nine Hole 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 In Par 3 4 5 4 3 4 3 4 5 35 4 5 5 5 4 5 3 5 6 42 FIR: # Putts: 2 2 2 3 1 3 2 2 2 19

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There was a bit of controversy between Michelle Wie and the rules officials during the final round of the Kia Classic at La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California. Wie was forced to take a two shot penalty because she grounded her club in the hazard area after hitting her shot. Wie did not agree but in the end the ruling was final.

This is how the ruling reads.

Rule 13-4 of the Rules of Golf:

Ball in Hazard; Prohibited Actions
Except as provided in the Rules, before making a stroke at a ball that is in a hazard (whether a bunker or a water hazard) or that, having been lifted from a hazard, may be dropped or placed in the hazard, the player must not:

a. Test the condition of the hazard or any similar hazard;

b. Touch the ground in the hazard or water in the water hazard with his hand or a club; or

c. Touch or move a loose impediment lying in or touching the hazard.

It is important to know the rules of golf especially if you plan to play in any tournaments. Honesty and integrity are a big part of golf and knowing the rules ensures that you will live up to these standards.

So what does Fred Flintstone have to do with all of this? In the following episode of The Flintstones, The Golf Champion, Fred is playing in the lodge golf tournament and finds himself in a water hazard. He finds a way to get it up and down for par to win the tournament(with a little help from a big friend). I don't think I would have the nerve to pull off that shot. And what would be the ruling on this one?

Have a good one and always hit your target.





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Natalie Gulbis and Paula Creamer prove that your swing doesn't have to be pretty to be effective. Please...Don't try this at home. I don't think your neck or your back can take it:-D Have a good one and always hit your target.



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Arnold Palmer will be making a special guest appearance on The Golf Fix with Michael Breed tonight. Palmer is one of the greatest golfers ever to step onto a golf course. He captured many titles on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour in a career that began in 1955.

Palmer did a lot for the commercialization of the sport around the world. He was the face of many products and seemed to be in every advertisement on radio and television. Palmer was one of the first if not the first athlete to hire an agent to handle his business affairs. He and his agent pioneered the trend of celebrities lending their image and skills for advertising.

He was a member of "The Big Three" along with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. These three popularized the game by playing exhibitions around the world. They cared about the game and did everything they could to promote it around the globe.

I never really got a chance to see Palmer play as I didn't start playing or paying attention to golf until three years ago. I have watched footage of Shell's Wonderful World Of Golf on The Golf Channel (which he helped to get on the air) and would have loved to see him play in his prime.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational will be held this weekend at his Bayhill Club in Orlando. The field is stacked with some of the top players in the world so it should be a great tournament. Be sure to tune in for tonight's broadcast. This episode has a special start time of 6:30 PM est. so don't be late. If you miss it, of course, you can always catch the replay at 1:00 AM est. but I can't stay up that late. I have an early tee time. Have a good one and always hit your target.



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Annika Sorenstam will be making a special guest appearance on the Golf Fix tonight with Michael Breed. Sorenstam is one of the greatest player ever to play on the LPGA tour. Before her departure from competitive golf at the end of the 2008 season, she won 90 international tournaments as a professional, making her the female golf player with the most wins to her name.

She went on to win 72 official LPGA tournaments including ten majors and 18 other tournaments internationally. She leads the LPGA's career money list earning more than $22 million which is $8 million ahead of her closest competitor.

She was also awarded the Player of the Year award eight times, and won the Vare Trophy six times. A trophy given to the LPGA player with the lowest seasonal scoring average. She is the only female golfer to have shot a 59 in competition.

Sorenstam always challenged herself and made history at the Bank of America Colonial tournament in 2003 as the first woman to play in a men's PGA Tour event since 1945. She was criticized for trying to play with the men, but it did a lot for the LPGA tour. Up and coming women golfers took notice and she inspired a whole new generation of female golfers.

I'm looking forward to tonight's broadcast. Breed will be discussing chipping and pitching. Annika will have to keep up with Breed's uptempo style, but I'm sure she will deliver as she always did on the golf course.

Maybe you too will be able to shoot a 59 after watching. Well, at least we can all dream. Have a good one and always hit your target.



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I'm a fan of Loudmouth Golf. In fact I was wearing Loudmouth pants before John Daly made them (in)famous. Udorn Duangdecha of Thailand, however, has taken it to a whole new level.

I don't know what Duangdecha was thinking when he woke up for the second round of the Maybank Malaysian Open at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, but he definitely should have thought twice.

I'm all for expressing yourself through your clothes and accessories. I'm a big fan of Ian Poulter as he is known for the flare that he brings to the course. Much is talked about the belt buckles adorned by Anthony Kim. Golfers have always had a unique sense of style when it comes to clothing. It's part of the game.

Golfers have been ridiculed for their attire for years. And I'm sure this will add fuel to he fire. But that's why I love golf. As varied as the swings of the many golfers who play the game, so should they be varied in their sense of style. Some swings are a beauty to watch. While others make you cringe. Some outfits are elegant and stately and then there is Udorn Duangdecha.

Have a good one and always hit your target.

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Today I worked on hitting from a downhill lie. It is one of the tougher shots in golf in you don't understand the mechanics of the swing. Watching the following video definitely help me.

I had always had a tough time with this particular shot. I would often hit behind the ball creating huge divots and not producing any distance. It just feels awkward when you stand over the shot.

During my last round of golf I had a shot to hit the green in regulation from about 85 yards out. Usually not too difficult a shot but I had a downhill lie and had to carry water. Water is intimidating enough, but the lie of my ball added extra anxiety.

I had know idea how to hit this shot and I of course put it in the drink. No green in regulation for me. Now I'm hoping to make par with a good up and down after a drop. Too much pressure for a 17 handicapper.

After practicing this shot today, I feel more confident that if I am in this situation again, I will have better results. These are the shots I need to make if I am ever to attain a single digit handicap.

Hope this video helps you as it has for me. Have a good one and always hit your target.



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Tonight's episode of the Golf Fix features Brad Faxon of the PGA Tour. I'm excited about this episode because Faxon and Michael Breed will be talking about putting. This is the part of my game that needs the most work and I am looking forward to getting some good tips from one of the most consistent putters of all time.

I'm also excited because Brad Faxon is from Rhode Island. Although I was born on the island of Trinidad, I grew up in Rhode Island. I have fond memories of the Biggest Little State In The Union. One of those memories was playing baseball during the summer vacation.

I played baseball from the age of six until I left for college playing my final to summers for Post 10 an American Legion team. One day we got a visit from Brad Faxon who was friends with our coach and few of the families on the team. At the time I had know interest in golf and I had no idea who he was.

What I remember about Faxon on that day was even though I didn't know who he was, I knew he was somebody. He carried himself very well and he seemed like someone who was calm but in control of his situation. I guess that is why he is such a good putter.

To be a good putter one has to be calm under pressure situations. No situation in golf is more tense than standing over a four foot putt to save par. I start thinking about all kinds of things instead of staying focused on just making a good stroke.

Hopefully I can pick up some useful tips from tonights broadcast. I need it. I recorded five three putts on the front nine of my last round. None on the second half but without those three putts I would have recorded my best round.

Make sure to tune in for the special putting episode tonight at 7:00 PM EST. on The Golf Channel. I'm going to try to get my email question on the show. Maybe Brad Faxon will remember me. Hey, you never know. Have a good one and always hit your target.





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