Category: Golf Pros (Page 5 of 9)

How to Qualify for the Master’s Tournament

golf clubs with blue sky

The Masters Golf Tournament is one of the largest and most significant of all golf tournaments. The tournament is set to take place during the first week of April each year and it also takes place in the same state annually, August, Georgia. The Masters tournament is considered quite the challenge to get into. If you are interested in qualifying for this particular golf tournament in the future, there are a few things that you should know about ahead of time.

Play like a Champ

Of course, one of the best ways to qualify for the tournament is to play golf like a champ. You would need to compete in amateur golfing events to prove yourself to others. If you are a winning amateur player, you may receive an invitation to compete at the Masters. Practice makes perfect so try practicing as much as you possibly can. If golf is something you are genuinely good at, you can make it to the tournament, and you just have to give it your all. Take every opportunity you can to work at reaching your golfing goals.

Make the World Ranking List

As a golf player, you can receive an invite to compete at the tournament if you are already doing exceptionally well throughout the current golf season. Golfers who are doing well throughout the season are actually placed on a special list, which shows that they are top choices for the tournament. If you are featured on the World Ranking list of golf players for the previous year, you can receive an invitation to compete in the Masters tournament without hesitation.

Focus on the Game

Being invited to the Masters tournament is something for anyone to be proud of, which is why many golf players yearn for the opportunity. However, one problem some golfers have is that they focus too much on trying to get to the tournament instead of on the game they are playing. When you are competing in other golf tournaments and events, focus on how you play the game and simply do your best.

Golf is a game that requires concentration. If you think less about being invited to the Masters and more about the game you are currently playing, your chances of winning will increase. And, if you are winning your competitions, you will likely receive an invite to the tournament, making it a win-win situation.

Win the Masters

If you have already been invited to the Masters tournament once before and have won, you do not have to worry about seeking an invitation. Anyone who has won the Masters tournament at any given point in time will be invited to the tournament for the rest of their lives.
Not just anyone can compete in the Masters golf tournament. There are plenty of people who are good at playing golf, but to be invited to this tournament, you truly have to be exceptional. It will take a lot of hard work, effort, and determination to finally reach such an opportunity. However, if this is a lifelong dream of yours, all of that hard work you put into being the best at golf will surely pay off in the long run when you finally receive that invitation to compete at one of the most exciting and popular golf tournaments.

Hysteria over Rory McIlroy controversy

We live in a world where every story, no matter how insignificant, can get a lot of coverage on television and of course on the Internet. Small stories can become big stories, and big stories become huge.

Then we have stuff like the Rory McIlroy controversy where he walked off the course and quit during the Honda Open. Yes, it’s an obvious topic for debate, and some people like the guys in the video above are trying to have some fun with the story.

But the overall reaction has been ridiculous. McIlroy has since come out and said he made a mistake by withdrawing, but the criticism seems to be way overboard as news outlets and sports commentators look for topics to discuss during this dead sports period.

Everyone seems to be downplaying the whole tooth ache thing, but anyone who has had a serious tooth ache realizes that it can be even more debilitating than a muscle injury. Perhaps Rory could have handled it better, but as usual the media blows things way out of proportion.

The interesting angle is that stupid stories like this actually impact how people view an athlete and his performance potential, and if you’re into online golf betting then you might have an interesting angle. With this silly story, fewer people might be willing to place their bets on Rory, and that could affect the odds in upcoming tournaments. There’s no guarantee of this naturally, but it’s definitely worth monitoring.

With The Masters around the corner and Tiger Woods playing well again, we’re due for an epic showdown between these two. It will be interesting to see the odds as they change leading up to this and other tournaments. It could be a very interesting golf season!

Improve Your Golf Game

Golf can be both the sweetest and most frustrating sport in the world. There is nothing better than the magic feeling of hitting a perfect golf shot. But there is nothing more maddening than shanking a ball off into the woods or the water. In order to keep your rounds as uplifting as possible, follow these tips to quickly improve your golf game.

Work with a Pro

The best way for golfers to make rapid improvements in their skill levels is to get the services of a professional instructor. It can be very tough to figure out on your own what you are doing wrong. On the other hand, most quality instructors can notice the basic flaws in your swing within a few minutes.

Once an instructor has identified the fundamental flaws in your swing, you can go about correcting them. The instructor will give you drills to work on that will fix the things that are wrong. Practice these drills until you can’t stand them anymore. When you put in the hard work to fix the flaws in your swing, it will shave many strokes off of your handicap.

Develop a Pre-Shot Routine

One of the biggest reasons that people shanks a ball is that they do not swing consistently. They swing perfectly on one shot, but then they make major mistakes on the very next one. The easiest way to fix this erratic behavior is to develop a pre-shot routine. It is a bit like a free-throw shooter’s routine in basketball. A pre-shot routine will remind you exactly what you need to do to swing correctly. It will also psychologically center you, calming you down and getting you into the zone.

Practice Every Day

The easiest way to quickly improve you golf game it to practice every day. It may not be possible to get out to the course every day, especially for those who live in the northern climes. However, it is possible for everyone to practice their putting every day. It is easy to practice your swing every day, too.

A great tool to practice you swing indoors is a weighted practice club. These practice clubs weigh more than a normal club, but they are smaller. This allows you to get a great workout for your swing muscles even when you are indoors.

Gain Some Confidence

Golf is a mental game. The ability to step up to the tee with confidence is crucial for success. One of the easiest ways to gain confidence is to look good on the course. When you look good, you feel confident. This confidence will lend itself to your golf game. If you are stuck in a rut, try buying some flashy new golf clothes at Pricegrabber.

Have Fun

Remember that golf is supposed to be fun. Try to remember this even when you have a bad round. As long as you are following these tips and consistently working on your game, success will come in time.

The US Open Top 3: What They Did After

It has now been several months since the 2012 US Open concluded, with Webb Simpson winning the event despite shooting an overall score of one over par. It would be fair to say that this particular major tournament asks players much more different questions than any other competition on the calendar and this means that some weird and wonderful scores are generally posted. Now is the time to look at the best betting offers for the rest of the season.

In the end, Simpson won the event by just one shot – with Graeme McDowell and Michael Thompson finishing in joint 2nd. Over five months on from this, we’ll no take a look at the top three players from the tournament and see if their season did kick on following their success.

Webb Simpson

Over the past few years many people have held high expectations for Simpson, who carved out a hugely successful career on the amateur circuit before turning professional in 2008. While he had never really come close to winning a major championship, he did have other successes to his name including several PGA Tour wins as well as the small matter of finishing 2nd on the money list for the tour.

Many thought that his slender chances in the US masters betting would provide him with the impetus to catapult him into even bigger success. However, it would be fair to say that his form has been dire since the tournament and while personal reasons were to blame for his absence in the British Open, his other results were poor to say the least. He was never in contention in the PGA Championship and missed the cut, while he blew a two stroke lead in the final round of the Greenbrier Classic. Bearing this in mind, it’s clear to see that while the US Open will have done wonders for Simpson’s CV, he still has a lot of work to do to become one of the world’s elite.

Graeme McDowell

It could be said that much less pressure was on the shoulders of Graeme McDowell as he went into the final round of the US Open, as this is one player who has already experienced a fantastic amount of success. He’d already won the US Open two years previously, while he has appeared in the top ten world rankings on numerous occasions.

This past success appears to have helped McDowell respond positively following his impressive finish. He was in contention for the British Open up until the final day and will have been very happy with his final finish of 5th. He also finished just outside the top ten in the PGA Championship and while other tournaments were not quite as friendly, his performance in major events was overall exceptionally good.

Michael Thompson

Thompson is a player who comes from the same era as Simpson, although it has to be said that the latter is much more accomplished both on the amateur scene and now the professional circuit. Many people were amazed to see Thompson battling in the top places for the US Open and judging by recent results, it’s no surprise to see that a lot are suggesting that his performance was a mere flash in the pan. He has gone on to miss five cuts out of nine tournaments, while his best finish was 10th in The McGladrey Classic.

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