Indholdsfortegnelse for April 2017 i Golf Digest

Dan Jenkins, the Ancient Twitterer, will be presiding at his 67th Masters and fourth media center this April. When he showed up for his first, in 1951, the press was housed in a canvas tent with openings at each end and 40-watt light bulbs strung along tent poles above the typewriters. “We wore coats and ties and snap-brim hats and felt pretty lucky to be there,” he says. A Quonset hut replaced the tent in 1953, nestled beside the first fairway, and it was still there in 1978 when I arrived with my first press pass. Despite tight quarters and the rat-tat-tat of rainstorms, it seemed pretty grand to me: free barbecue and all the chocolate milk you could drink as long as you didn’t take any food out of…

‘A difference of 10 or 15 yards might mean everything.’ Augusta National is the quintessence of a second-shot golf course. Wide fairways prevent you from feeling like you’re in a straightjacket off the tee, but that doesn’t mean you can mindlessly whale away. The perceptive player recognizes that his ability to attack the flag with the approach is largely determined by the drive—much more than on an average course. A difference in position of just 10 or 15 yards in the fairway might mean everything. On a secondshot course, you use the tee shot to truly create your second. This type of design happens to be my favorite. To me, hitting driver is the most fun part of the game. A second-shot course encourages everyone to let it fly all…

Of all the shots my higher-handicap students try to hit, a fairway wood off the ground is among the ones they seem to struggle with the most. Part of the problem is that they swing these clubs like a driver. They try to hit up on the ball to launch it high and far. Instead, the club bottoms out too soon, and they top the shot low and short. The secret to hitting great fairway woods off the deck, especially from tight lies, is to treat them like long-iron shots. If you can pinch the ball off the turf with a slight downward blow, you’re going to pick up some distance and turn par 5s into scoring holes. Turn the page, and I’ll walk you through the correct technique. ‘A…

Bob Parsons, founder of Parsons Xtreme Golf, has compared his clubs to a Ferrari, and he prices them accordingly. The idea of golf clubs as luxury goods isn’t new, but it’s trending up: Average selling prices have risen sharply as sales have stayed flat. This reflects a search for new materials, processes and ideas to stretch what’s possible. But given that golf’s governing bodies want to ensure that skill, not technology, determines performance, are these clubs worth your investment? It might depend on whether you would rather drive a Ferrari than a Ford to your high school reunion. If so, here are five new highoctane entries for you to aspire to.…

Nearly every golf course has unique features needing special governance, also known as Local Rules. When traveling, keep an eye out for Local Rules posted on bulletin boards, scorecards or signs. They could save you a stroke or two, or— like these odd ones we collected here—make you smile. SHOT ON THE ROCKS • When shots miss the fairway and rough at Sky Mountain Golf Course in Hurricane, Utah, they often land on volcanic rock. A Local Rule allows golfers to carry and use a 15th club—a “rock club”—to avoid damaging their regular clubs. ON COURSE BUT OUT-OF-BOUNDS • If a ball flies to the right of the O.B. stakes on the fourth hole at Hanover Country Club in Abbottstown, Pa., even if it comes back into play when landing,…

DURING THE OFFSEASONXSXS I had to address some things to drive the ball better— poor footwork, swing inefficiencies, relying too much on my hands to square the face at impact. I went to work with my instructor Andrew Getson to shore things up. I fixed my swing plane, my footwork is better, and I’m using a new driver properly weighted for those changes. It’s taken some getting used to, but the results are encouraging. I feel great with the driver and look forward to seeing what I can do with it at the Masters and the other big tournaments coming up. Here, Andrew is going to go over some of the changes I’ve made and explain how they can help you get the most out of the longest club in…

The difference between a good round and a bad one is how well you avoid the three biggest shot-wasters in golf: (1) Penalty strokes when hitting longer clubs; (2) Needing two shortgame shots to get the ball on the green; (3) Three-putting. To avoid these mistakes, I’ll first get your chipping and pitching sorted out. When you’re in close, you’ve got to get the ball on the green—anywhere on the green—with your first attempt. That’s why you need basic, reliable low and high shots. I’ll teach you how to execute both. Next, you’ve got to keep your full-swing shots—especially tee balls—in play. You can do that with a simple drill to eliminate the dreaded slice when you get back on the course. Finally, putting is an area where almost anybody…

You’d like Istvan Banyai. Born in Budapest. Lived in Paris, L.A., Manhattan and now rural Connecticut. Engaging and inquisitive, he has done magazine illustrations, record covers, movie posters, animated films and books like Zoom, honored as one of the best children’s books of 1995 by The New York Times. ? Each year, Golf Digest invites someone who has never been to Augusta National to get what we call First Impressions for the next year’s Masters preview. Istvan not only had never been to Augusta National, he’d never been to a golf tournament, but he thre5 by The New York Times. ? Each year, Golf Digest invites someone who has never been to Augusta National to get what we call First Impressions for the next year’s Masters preview. Istvan not only…

BALL MARKER $9 • Simple. Economical. Hey, it’s better than a mouse pad (also $9). COFFEE MUG $40 • Say “Yes, Sir!” to the morning. GREEN CAP $50 • This is regulation caddie gear, along with those famous white jumpsuits. BERCKMANS RED CAP $80 • Berckmans Place is a VIP section, with its own VIP merchandise. MASTERS PIN FLAG $120 • This gets far more valuable when signed by winners (see top of next column). CUFF LINKS $130 • They change from year to year. Pictured here: 2015. 1934-STYLE HEADCOVER $130 • Why 1934? That was the year of the first tournament. PERFORMANCE GOLF SHIRT $220 • A Peter Millar shirt available only to members and Berckmans Place guests. 1996 MASTERS PLATE $500 • Members and players used to get…

To put it mildly, I had a pretty awesome start to 2017. Winning in back-to-back weeks in Hawaii, shooting a 59 in the first round of the Sony Open, you couldn’t ask for a happier new year. I’m playing well for a lot of reasons. First, it’s confidence. I don’t get riled as much when I bogey a hole. I know I can get the stroke back. Second, I’ve been working hard on my game, particularly from 150 yards and in. Now I’m really taking advantage of hitting my tee shots as far as I do. When I stand over a full short-iron shot, a pitch, a chip, even a longer putt, I feel like I’m either going to get it close or knock it in. It’s a great feeling…

It’s been at least ________ since my last shank. A couple of holes: 33% 6 months: 33% 3 weeks: 21% 2 years: 13% SOURCE: GOLF DIGEST READERS Hitting just one shank can put fear in your mind that another’s on its way, and that kills your confidence. They often happen because your hands are farther away from your body at impact than they were at address, causing the club to strike the ball off the hosel. Fear not the shanks. Use these steps to cure them. David Leadbetter operates 34 golf academies worldwide. 1.CHILL OUT Anxiety from shanking leads to a lot of tension in the forearms and hands. So before you swing again, be sure to lighten your grip pressure and relax your arms. If you don’t, you won’t…

My natural shot is a draw, and most good players know how to curve it right to left when they need to. But sometimes, bending the ball isn’t enough. There are times when the height of the shot is just as important as the draw itself. This is certainly true at a course such as Augusta National. Whether you need to take it up and around the trees on the famous par-5 13th, or you need to chase it up to a green from under some branches off a fairway, the trajectory is crucial to success. I’m going to make the “how to” adjustments simple: When you grip the club, do so in a stronger position than normal. That means turning both hands to the right a bit, but make…

EMILIANO GRILLO AGE 24 LIVES TAMPA, FLA. STORY Named 2016 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. Won rookie debut at 2015 Frys.com Open. A FAVORITE TRADITION When I locked up my Masters invite at The Barclays, it was such a relief. It’s a dream come true to say I’m headed to Augusta for a second straight year. I honestly think it’s a course that suits my game. I finished T-17 last year, and I’m really excited for 2017. YOUNG MONEY Seeing the success of guys like Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, who I’ve been competing against for years, certainly motivates all of us young guys. —WITH STEPHEN HENNESSEY On the biggest stage It meant so much to represent Argentina at the Olympics last year. For us young guys like Rickie…

Even the most technically sound swings cause stress on the spine, but golf doesn’t have to sentence you to future back pain. To avoid discomfort, says Golf Digest Fitness Advisor Ben Shear, “strengthen the muscles at the bottom of the spine, and improve flexibility in the mid and upper back.” All you need is a stability ball ($10), and you can put together a back workout with these five moves. —Ron KaspRisKe Mid-section muscles stabilize your body as you swing. BACK EXTENSION • Lie face down, folded over the ball with your hands behind your head, elbows flared. Rise up until your spine feels straight. Rotate your torso to the left and to the right as far as you can. Return to start and repeat (10 reps). The goal: Strengthen…

Q Is there a technique or drill to break the habit of looking up too soon? I have heard of a couple, but they seem very painful. Harry Gardner reynoldsburG, oHio A What, you don’t want to tie a rope to your crotch and inflict yourself with excruciating pain on every swing? Sounds like somebody’s lacking commitment. We kid. The truth is, you shouldn’t even be worrying about looking up, says Josh Zander, a Golf Digest Teaching Professional. “It’s a myth that somehow has perpetuated throughout golf.” People typically cry, “I looked up!” after a topped shot. The most common actual culprits: (a) Your swing angles are too shallow, or (b) your downswing is a shallow reaction to a swing that is too steep. “You want to figure out the…

EVERYBODY REMEMBERS HOW IT ENDED, but nobody can say exactly when it began. Some start the clock the week before the 1997 Masters, when, playing a practice round with Mark O’Meara, Tiger Woods shot 59 at Isleworth while neglecting to birdie two of the par 5s. On the plane ride to Augusta from Orlando, the friends got to talking: “Do you think it’s possible to win the Grand Slam?” 21-year-old Woods asked 40-year-old O’Meara, then 0 for 54 in major championships. Mark looked at Tiger and thought, You’re the first guy since Nicklaus even to ask the question, but didn’t say that out loud. “Unrealistic,” O’Meara replied after a long moment. “I think it’s possible,” Woods said. The tournament itself—72 holes as impactful as any ever played—commenced April 10 and…

On pitch shots, the No. 1 skill is controlling distance. If you work that back, the key to distance control is making predictable contact with the ball. Hitting it fat or thin—even a little—puts your distance all over the map. A common reason for poor contact in pitching is too much wrist hinge during the backswing (above, right). A big hinge leads to a steep downswing and, often, hitting behind the ball. Even when steep swingers hit it solid, they take deep divots—they’re always on the verge of fatting it. I prefer less wrist hinge going back (above, left) so you can brush the ground through impact. Steve Stricker is the best practitioner of this style: He keeps his wrists firm going back and turns his body in sync with…

I think most fans would be very surprised by the conversations that go on during tournaments. When my caddie and I are waiting on a tee box or standing in a fairway, it might look like we’re in deep debate over what club to hit and how, but nine times out of 10 we’re not talking about anything remotely related to golf. Everybody out here knows to speak just above a whisper so the gallery won’t hear. And obviously, if there’s a TV microphone in sight, we keep it clean. No sense getting fined for telling a story. I usually play six rounds a week. Most are over four hours, with the occasional pro-am fivesome that drags past six hours. If I was thinking about golf even half the time,…

P atrons of the 2017 Masters, beware: There might be a bit of tension at the border. By “border” we mean Augusta National’s southeast boundary, more or less opposite the 11th and 12th greens and the 13th tee, where the two golf courses straddling Rae’s Creek form a sort of golf paradise. On one side of the water— the side you know from TV—heroes battle on a sublime green field, and dignity prevails, and uniformed security guards make damn sure it does. There’s no yelling, unless someone makes an eagle or a really good birdie, and there’s no running, and no cellphones. No beer after 4 p.m. Sandwiches are famously cheap but so flabby you better keep both hands on your egg salad on white or it will double up…