Phil Mickelson Continues to Battle Illness!

Thursday morning Phil Mickelson woke up in a pool of his own vomit, and said it was a good omen! Why would he say such a thing? Because the last two times Mickelson woke up in his own vomit, he won that week's tournament.

While many of us simply don't go to the golf course when we are feeling under the weather, there is a lesson to be learned here. Why is it that many tour pros end up winning a tournament when they are not feeling well? For one thing, they simply go through the motions of envisioning fundamentals in their golf swing, and don't try to overpower the ball. What happens when you picture something happening in sports, and then let it happen? It happens the way we envision it if our power of positive thinking is strong enough.

Golf is played in the five inch wide spot between the ears. When properly played, golf is 90% mental, and 10% mental.

When I was 18 years old, I was playing in a Father Son Tournament with my Dad at the Lake Shastina Golf Resort at the foot of Mt. Shasta in northern California. At that time in my life I had never broken 70 on the Par-72 championship course, at 6,859 yards. I was one under par standing on the 18th tee, a par 5.

I drove it well off the tee, then hit my 5-wood on the right side of the green, sixty feet from the pin. After my Dad and the other father/son team chipped onto the green, I was away, and asked my Dad to tend the pin.

I announced that I was going to make the eagle putt to shoot under 70 for the first time in my life, and then reminded my Dad that he had to take out the pin after I stroked the putt.

"I know, I know," Dad said as he took the pin in his right hand.

I looked over my 60-footer for eagle, read a right to left break of ten feet, pictured the ball going in the hole, then stroked the putt. I walked toward the hole as I watched the ball follow the path that I had pictured in my mind. Ten feet right of the hole, then the ball rolling left toward the hole. As the ball approached the hole and was about five feet from going in, I noticed my Dad was so excited, he was standing there with his hand still on the pin, frozen!

"Dad, pull the pin!" I shouted. Just as the ball was about to hit the pin, where I would incur a two-stroke penalty, Dad got the pin out of the hole. Dad jumped up and down and yelled, "Pete eagled the final hole!"

I walked up to my Dad and told him that I knew the putt was in the hole before I stroked it. I could have made a $1,000 bet before stroking the putt that it was going in the hole; that's how positive I was about making the putt.

When I was in my teens, I had read all 82 volumes of The Destroyer paperback series. It was about a Newark, NJ police officer who was taught the secret of the ultimate martial art by a 90-pound North Korean by the name of Chiun. Remo Williams was the country's secret weapon against evil in the world, and only the President knew how to reach him and how to give him his orders to take out the bad guys. In his spare time, Remo would play golf, scoring eagles and birdies on every hole, because his training taught him to picture something happening, then make it happen.

I shot my first 69 that day, and I love telling that story of mind over matter. It reminds me of Star Wars, and The Force. Remember the phrase, "Use the Force, Luke."?

The next day I was playing Lake Shastina again, this time with a buddy. It was a windy day, and scoring was tougher than the day before. On the 18th green I had a two-foot putt for a par, and the ball was vibrating from the wind.

I knew I was going to miss it!

Phil Woke Up in a Pool of his Own Vomit?

Yesterday was a very strange day for me. I agreed to give one company an option to buy PROBE GOLF (www.probegolf.com) from me, I received an email from my publisher regarding my final option to make changes to my first novel, LOVE WAS NOT ENOUGH, before they went to print, and I heard Phil Michelson on the television tell the press that it was a good omen when he woke up in a pool of his own vomit that morning!

Where to start!

OK, I retired from making the world's best custom fit irons at PROBE GOLF in 1996. And we had sold 120,000 of the world's best putter (the world's only inverted-shafted putter), the PROBE 20/20, by 1996.

And after I had lost my best friend and soul mate five times in sixteen years while running PROBE GOLF, I decided to write a book about it, LOVE WAS NOT ENOUGH, for the therapeutic help which I desperately needed at the time?

But Phil waking up in a puddle of his own vomit? And that was a good omen to him?

In his own words, "I'm not feeling well, but when I woke up in a pool of my own vomit this morning, it was a good omen. The last two times that happened to me, I won both tournaments!"

Like I said, it was a strange day to say the least.

Let's concentrate on Phil. How many times yesterday during the first round of the Quail Hollow Championship did we see Phil hit a shot, then head for the forest to lean over a bush?

Tournament golf must be much harder than it was in my day. Both Phil and Tiger only hit four fairways each yesterday. Phil bogied the last two holes to shoot two under par, while Tiger shot two over par.

Let us all watch round two today, and hope the day is more conventional. At least for my purposes I hope the day is closer to normal.

My emotions are having enough of a problem recovering from foot surgery last week, with three pins in my right foot. An unemotional day watching regular golf will be a welcome change.

And who will shoot the lowest score for 72 holes this week, Phil or Tiger? Do you think one of them will win at Quail Hollow?

The Third and Final Swing Pose!

During the previous two days, I posted my first two weight-shifting golf lessons. 96% of all new golfers never learn how to properly shift their weight during the golf swing, and play all their lives with an improper golf swing as the result!

We have all seen tour pros pose at the end of their swings. After watching my first two weight shift lessons, the third and final lesson has to do with your pose at the end of your swing. Look at the photo.

All of my weight is on my left leg, right toe in the ground for balance, with no weight on the toe. My belly button is facing the target, as is my face. The left leg is straight, with all of my weight on the left leg. My left arm is bent at a right angle, and my left arm from the shoulder to the elbow is parallel to the ground, and the club is right behind the small of my neck, and parallel to the ground.

Memorize the following sentence: "If your pose looks just like the photo at the end of your swing, you have swung 99% correctly!" Otherwise, your pose will not look like this. You cannot reach this pose without swinging 99% correctly.

Whether you are a beginning golfer, or have been playing for years, and you want to be a good, consistent golfer the rest of your life, follow my three weight-shift lessons at this site. One of the major mistakes amateur golfers make is a reverse-weight-shift!

Do not take a shortcut and pick up a club too soon. Have your golfing buddy watch your swing, and let you know if and when your weight is incorrect. Do the same for your golfing buddy, and together you will both enjoy a consistent golf swing for the rest of your life!

Today is the first round of the Quail Hollow Championship. Watch the tournament on TV today if you have the time, and watch the pose after each swing that you watch. Ask yourself if the pose looks good and proper, and then look at the result of that shot. After a while you will be able to see a swing, and the pose at the finish, and then you will know how a shot ends up depending upon the pose at the end of the swing. WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF THE GOLF SWING! WELCOME TO GOLF HEAVEN! DO YOU NOW FEEL EMPOWERED?

You may NEVER watch a golf tournament the same way again! Imagine, you are sitting in your house watching a PGA event with your brother. A tour player hits his drive, and you comment to your brother as you walk to the kitchen that the drive is going left, into the rough; and that's where the next camera shot shows the ball going, left into the rough! Your brother exclaims, "How did you know that?"

You answer, "Because of his pose at the end of the swing."

Watch as many swings as you can, study the pose at the finish, and then compare that pose to the result of the shot. After a while you will become an expert, and will be able to match every pose to the correct result!

You are now on your way to having THE POWER, HAVING THE FORCE! (Remember Star Wars?)

Second of Three Weight-shift Lessons!

Yesterday's golf swing lesson covered the importance of your proper weight shift. Your "Muscle Memory" practice should precede any swinging of a club! Before you go to today's continuing lesson, practice once again what you did yesterday. Over 96% of all new golfers never shift their weight properly from the start, and never shift properly all of their golfing life! Their weight is more on their left foot when shifting right (Wrong!) during the backswing, and then leave their weight on their right foot (Wrong!) when shifting to the left as they hit the ball. They play golf WRONG all their life, and wonder why they can't play.

So, go through the first weight-shift (yesterday's) lesson before proceeding with today's lesson.

Now, in Step Two of that weight shift practice lesson you may pick up a 5-iron, and go through the weight shift motions all over again.

In the first picture, you are at address, with your weight evenly distributed on the inside of both feet.

On the back swing, picture 2, put 60% of your weight on the inside of the right foot, and 40% on the inside of the left foot. The club should be moving toward the small of your neck, so it is on plane.

In picture 3, your weight is moving to the left, and the club is on plane to finish at the small of your neck, just as in the backswing!

In picture 4, all of your weight is on the left foot, with your right toe in the ground just for balance, your belly button is at the target.

As in the first lesson, without a club in your hand, everything stresses the weight shift. If you have any weight remaining on your right foot after the swing, you are not shifting properly. Your weight shift is all-important!

Have your playing partner check your position at the finish. Your left leg is straight, with all of your weight on it, right toe in the ground helping you balance, belly button pointed at the target, chest at the target, left arm from shoulder to elbow horizontal, and parallel to the ground, as is the shaft of your club.

You cannot reach this correct finish position without doing 99% of the swing correctly!

Spring Is The Time to Brush Up on Golf Swing Basics

With Spring weather arriving, I'd like to remind all golfers to get back to basics with your golf swing, so you may jump ahead of the competition before the summer weather arrives.

Golf lessons do not have to be as complicated as many instructors make them sound. If you will practice my three simple "muscle memory" swing tips, I guarantee you will become a much better golfer, and you will enjoy the game more than ever.

What are my credentials for giving golf lessons? I have played golf for 48 years, have been as low as a "Plus 2" handicap, won our club's Men's Club Championship nine times in twelve years, shot as low as a 65 on a Par-72 championship course, and have taught the golf swing for over 22 years. Best of all, I can give you three basic golf lessons at no cost to you, and save you thousands of dollars in the process. Today's lesson is the first of those three basic lessons.

The secret to a good, consistent golf swing is "weight shift". Most new players want to swing a club immediately, and hit balls, so most instructors let them do just that. In my opinion, you should never pick up a club until you learn the proper weight shift.

MUSCLE MEMORY is the secret in Al Geiberger's training video, Psycho Cybernetics, remember?

LESSON ONE OF THREE:

Place a club across your back, held in place by your elbows. Memorize the three pictures at the top, as you go through each step yourself. Ask your playing partner if you are in the correct position for each of the five steps: (Pictures are for right-handers; left-handers are just the opposite)

(1) Weight equal on the inside of both feet, and starting to sit. (2) Shift right until 60% of weight is on the inside of the right foot, and 40% of weight is on the inside of left foot. (3) Shift and turn to the left until all weight is on the left foot, belly button facing the target, left leg straight, right toe down (FINISH POSITION).

Ask your playing partner if your weight is as depicted in each photo, especially in the finish position. If ANY of your weight is still on your right foot, practice this exercise until you have moved all of your weight to the left! DO NOT PICK UP A CLUB UNTIL THIS IS PERFECT!

Golf lessons do not have to be as complicated as many instructors make them sound. If you will practice my three simple "muscle memory" swing tips, I guarantee you will become a much better golfer, and you will enjoy the game more than ever.

Security Is Tight At Quail Hollow Championship!

Today marks the beginning of the Quail Hollow Championship golf tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina . Players took to the course today for the beginning of the pro-am tournament.

Security is tight at the tournament. Police officers and independent security personnel patrol the course, and stand at the front gate, checking bags and purses and using metal detecting wands on visitors.

The tournament must provide security for more than 150 players. Most of us golfers who will watch the tournament on TV, or even attend the tournament in person, seldom realize all the work that is involved with operating a professional golf tournament.

The Quail Hollow Championship, like any PGA Tour event, cannot operate without volunteers. The Quail Hollow Championship is one of the premier stops on the PGA Tour, placing a national and international spotlight on Charlotte, NC.

Probably the most exciting fact about the tournament this year is the presence of both Tiger Woods and Phil Michelson in the competition. Many TV golf commentators did not think that Tiger would compete again so soon after the Masters, especially when Tiger ducked the question when he was asked the final day of the Masters when he would compete again on tour. His comment? "I'm going to take some more time off...."

I believe another very popular player, Fred Couples, is also planning to play at Quail Hollow, instead of playing in this week's Champions' Tour event.

Overall, this tournament should make for good entertainment, but it will be hard to surpass last week's Zurich Classic winner's story in New Orleans. I was touched by the story of Jason Bohn winning the $1 million + first place prize, 18 years after he entered a charity Hole-In-One event as a freshman in college and won $50,000 per year for twenty years. He has two payments left to go. Now he is over $1 million richer, and has a two-year exemption on tour, and an invitation to next year's Masters.

His birdeying three of the last four holes yesterday was the finishing touch to a great story all week long.

A Troubled Sergio Garcia?

I was watching the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on TV today, and the commentators were talking about why Sergio Garcia went from the #2 golfer in the world to #29 in the last three years. They agreed it was his attitude.

Sergio no longer enjoys playing golf. His temper shows on almost every shot. He rarely smiles when playing in a tournament. One commentator mentioned that Sergio looks like he has troubles off the course, which will effect his play on the course.

I immediately wondered if Sergio had woman troubles. Then I was reminded of last July when I was watching Tiger's play in the Open Championship on Friday, the day he missed the cut. He was cussing more than usual, and throwing clubs. I jokingly told my brother that Tiger must be having woman troubles. Little did any of us know that by November his world of women troubles would come down around his ears.

Sergio isn't married, is he? But he could be having trouble with someone he is dating, right? I don't know who he has been dating lately, but it would not surprise me if he is having girl problems.

Does anyone know what his personal life is all about these days?

"We Need More People Like You in Sports, Brian Davis."

Last week Englishman Brian Davis called a penalty on himself on the first hole of his sudden death playoff with Jim Furyk, losing the playoff as a result. Davis is still trying to win his first PGA tournament in the United States.

Davis contemplated taking a drop out of the junk beside the green in the playoff, but decided his best chance of winning the tournament was if he could pull off the shot out of the sand and weeds beside the green.

"You're not playing for second, but playing to win," Davis said.

After five months without Tiger Woods, due to his time off to regroup from the story of his infidelities, golf needed Brian Davis worse than Davis needed to win his first tournament on the PGA Tour. Brian Davis is a golfer, and golfers don't cheat, at least not on the golf course.

The golf community understood. They patted Davis on the back, and two prominent players on the senior tour called and thanked him for restoring some sense of integrity to the game. But what shocked Davis more was the reaction from people who don't play golf. The e-mails and phone calls came in on Monday from around the country. Said Davis, "It was mostly people wanting to say that we need more people like you in sports."

To be honest, I don't know what the hullabaloo is all about. Maybe that's because I've played golf for over 50 years, and golf teaches honesty and integrity, so I always expect golfers to do the right thing. It has been my policy to never hire an employee without first playing 18 holes with him or her. And a PGA Tour player calling a penalty on himself is nothing new. I happens all the time on tour.

If you have the time, watch the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on TV this weekend. Davis is tied for the lead, and it would be a wonderful conclusion to a great story if he were to finally win his first PGA Tour event in six years the week after he called a penalty on himself.

Tiger and Phil in the Limelight Again

After Phil Michelson won The Masters this year, Tiger Woods, who finished fourth, complained about how poorly he had played in his first tournament since leaving the PGA Tour last November. When asked when he would play again, Tiger indicated he was going to take some more time off from the tour.

It was speculated that he might not play again until the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in June. But Tiger has evidently reported that he will play in next week's Quail Hollow Championship, where Phil Michelson is supposed to be playing as well.

The world's number one and number two will once again be favored to win at Quail Hollow. Which one has the better chance to win? I believe it will be the player who has the best attitude about himself at the time of the tournament, since we all know that golf is played in a five inch wide area, the space between the ears.

I commented right after The Masters that I witnessed quite a few spectators whose body language indicated they were not in Tiger's corner. Those viewers probably thought Tiger had returned to competition too early, and that he should have taken care of his marital problems first.

The crowds at Quail Hollow will be more spontaneous than the attendees at The Masters, and may show more animosity toward Tiger than did the usually subdued crowds at The Masters.

Remember how poorly Tiger played at last year's Open Championship, when he didn't even make the cut. I commented to my brother at the time that Tiger must have had some problems on his mind during that poor play, possibly women problems that preceded the public learning about all of his women later on in November.

If Tiger has his marriage on his mind in two weeks, Phil may have an edge in the competition between the two. I suggest we all watch Tiger closely, to see if his head is clear, or if he seems still troubled. I assure you it will make a difference in his performance.

What Separates Golf From Most Professional Sports?

At a time when many professional athletes find themselves in trouble with the law, PGA Tour players continue to show why golf is indeed a gentleman's game.

Brian Davis was on the first hole of his sudden death playoff with Jim Furyk yesterday when he called a penalty on himself, and lost the playoff due to the two-stroke penalty that was imposed on him as a result. Brian couldn’t deny what he saw and felt during his backswing and knew he was honor-bound to tell the world.

He had ticked a loose reed during his backswing Sunday on the first playoff hole, and then called the official over to tell the official what had happened during the playoff at the Verizon Heritage.

The two-stroke penalty gave Furyk the victory.

“It’s just awkward to see it happen at such a key moment in the golf tournament,” Furyk said. “Awkward for him to lose that way, and a little awkward for me to win.”

Professional golf has a long history of players calling penalties on themselves, usually costing them hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money for doing so.

Can you imagine a football game where a center raises his hand after a play and tells the officials he held the rushing linebacker on the previous play, and that his team's ten yard gain should be called back?

Never happen, right?

Over the last 40 years, I have always interviewed prospective new employees or potential business associates over 18 holes of golf. I can learn more about an individual during 18 holes of golf than I can over a conference table.

That is one reason I started Reciprocal Golf in 2003, to allow businessmen to entertain guests, clients, or other businessmen while playing private country clubs.

Have you used golf to help promote your business?

Will Tiger and Elin remain married?

The rumors surrounding Tiger Woods and his wife, Elin, seem to imply that their marriage is over. When Tiger returned to the PGA Tour last week and the Masters, the year's first major, Elin was not present.

Since last November, when reports of his infidelity became public knowledge, Tiger has been busy trying to show his wife that he has changed, and is seeking help. But in my opinion, many viewers at the Masters showed me body language that indicated they felt Tiger did not deserve to be there.

Many in the crowd seemed to indicate from their reactions to some of Tiger's shots that he should have taken care of his marriage before returning to competition.

So what does the future hold for Tiger's and Elin's marriage? It has been reported over the internet that Elin has been talking to her attorney about filing for divorce, and is just calculating when will be the best time to announce her decision to file.

Do you think she will file, or do you think they have a chance to stay together?

Tiger Woods's Return To The PGA Tour

Tiger Woods returned to competitive golf at the Masters last week in a carefully orchestrated plan to minimize media involvement.

The Masters only allowed 96 entrants, compared to the usual 156 players at regular tour events. And the size of the crowd is always limited at the Masters compared to most PGA tournaments, with weekly badges sold out many months in advance.

Although the press announced that Tiger was welcomed with open arms by the media and the viewers, that was not completely accurate. While most television viewers watched Tiger hit shot after shot, I was busy watching the crowd reaction to many of his shots. I was surprised how many viewers showed body language that did not indicate they favored Tiger's appearance back on tour since his infidelities became public knowledge last November.

When Tiger hit his second shot on one par-4 on Sunday, and his ball rolled sideways over 30 feet on the green into the hole for an eagle, I watched one man behind the ropes with his arms folded across his chest and shaking his head side to side. I could read his mind; he did not think Tiger deserved to score an eagle on the hole.

After Tiger finished fourth in the tournament, I felt his comments smelled of sour grapes. All he did was talk about how badly he played, instead of complimenting Phil Michelson for his win. When he was asked when he would play again on tour, he said he was still going to take time off from playing, as if he sensed that many viewers felt that he came back too soon, without taking care of his marriage first and foremost.

Did Tiger come back too soon, and will his marriage survive? Let me know what you think.

Jerry Rice To Try Professional Golf?

Have you heard that former football star Jerry Rice is planning to give the PGA Tour a try?

I'm sorry, but this is not the first time a former star from a sport outside of golf has thought he can play professional golf competitively. I remember when basketball star Michael Jordan thought he could compete in the United States Amateur Championship a few years ago.

Amateurs have to be a "2" handicap or better to enter the U.S. Amateur. Jordan signed up to play, and I don't believe he broke 80 at the first level of competition.

I would like to hear from anyone who thinks Jerry Rice has a snowball's chance in "H*$#" of making the cut in any Nationwide tournament.

Michelson Wins Third Masters!

Phil Michelson won his third Masters Sunday with some of the most amazing shots in Masters history!

The defining moment of his final round came on the 13th hole Sunday, when his tee shot ended up on the pine straw behind a tree to the right of the fairway. Lee Westwood, playing with Phil, was also in the pine straw and laid up with his second shot.

I thought Phil would lay up also after seeing the tree directly in front of his ball, but not "Phil the Thrill".

He lined up his iron to the left of the tree and hooked his ball around the tree, onto the very front of the green behind Ray's Creek, coming to rest three feet from the hole. It was the most miraculous shot I have ever witnessed at the Masters in the 40+ years I've watched the Masters.

Westwood made the tournament interesting when he birdied the 17th, puting pressure on Phil to make his six-foot par putt. If Phil missed it, he would have only had a one-shot lead going into the 18th. But he made his par, then birdied the 18th to win by three shots.

The 2010 Masters

The opening round at this year's Masters was exciting, to say the least. Tiger showed that his game is as good as it ever was, even though he took five months off from competitive golf. In fact, Tiger's 68 yesterday was three shots better than his best Masters start ever!

Tom Watson's round was as magical as his leading last year's Open Championship after three rounds, at the age of 59. Tom is now sixty year's old. Another pleasant surprise was Fred Couples' 66 to top the leaderboard after 18 holes, at the age of 50.

Today's round should balance out the field, since early players yesterday will play late today. As long as the weather today is similar to yesterday's, the course conditions should balance out for every player.

Once the weekend arrives, and players at the same score will play together, the course conditions will be fair for the entire field.

Tom Watson is not as long off the tee as he was when he was younger, so it will be interesting to see if he can hang in there against the younger, longer hitters as the tournament committee toughens up the course going into Saturday and again on Sunday.

Let's all watch the play today to see who makes the cut for the weekend.