Is the Golf Equipment Industry an Honest One?

Before you read my blog today, which I deliberately delayed for two days (as you will understand after reading today's blog) please see my previous blog on Saturday about my attempts to contact Phil Mickelson about his trying my PROBE 20/20 putter. Then please read the COMMENTS from Saturday's blog. My question to you: "Do you believe the 25 million golfers in this country are ready to learn the truth about the golf equipment industry?"...........................................

I started playing golf when I was twelve years old. My Dad taught me the game to teach me honesty, integrity, perseverance, courtesy, and the other good qualities most of us cherish in a person.

Growing up, my heroes were Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tom Watson. In my capacity as founder and President of Probe Golf, I have had the privilege of meeting all four of these great golfers. I detail some of these experiences in my new novel, LOVE WAS NOT ENOUGH (www.lovewasnotenough.com).

I was glad to help Mr. Palmer improve his putting in 1992 by showing him how my PROBE 20/20 center-shafted and inverted-shafted putter could control the break in short breaking putts, and eliminate the guesswork as to how his ball would break.

Tom Watson tried my putter and then confessed to me that the problem "was with the archer, not the bow".

Jack Nicklaus commented on how far my Probe driver carried the ball in the air in the dry air at Desert Mountain north of Scottsdale, AZ.

And Gary Player agreed to be the host in my PROBE 20/20 infomercial, wherein we sold 82,000 putters on TV in 1993. I spent three days with Mr. Player in 1993 while filming our infomercial at his Alaqua C.C. in Orlando, and learned what a true gentlemen he is.

I have always been proud that I was a golfer, and a good one. In 1986 I started researching what makes a set of irons great, and from that knowledge made myself my first set of PROBE irons. Although I had played golf for 22 years, I had never made a hole-in-one, until 1986. I made two in two months after playing my own irons, holing a 5-iron at 195 yards, and a 2-iron at 222 yards.

I have always bragged to friends that the game of golf taught us great life lessons, until Saturday, May 29, 2010. Saturday I learned that the game of golf, at least as far as equipment manufacturers in their contracts with tour stars are concerned, is tainted by dishonesty and corruption!

Last Friday and Saturday, I indicated I was going to try to help one of my favorite tour stars, Phil Mickelson, with his putting, especially on short, breaking putts. Phil has had problems with them. As Arnie knows, my PROBE 20/20 puts intentional side spin on breaking putts to reduce the break in a putt, and make them easier to make.

I thought I could help Phil make those putts, and help him pass Tiger Woods as the best player in the world! A great goal, right?

WRONG!

Saturday, after my blog, I was contacted by email by a Mr. Glenn Cohen, an attorney from Jacksonville, Florida, claiming to be Phil's attorney and agent. In no uncertain terms Mr. Cohen warned me never to try to get close to Phil Mickelson, period. He warned me that I would never be given the opportunity to talk to Phil, about his putter, about using my putter, nor about any subject at all! He warned me not to even try to get Phil Mickelson's attention, at all, period!

Additionally, in his email he told me, "you have no chance period in having a relationship with my client (Mickelson) - leave us alone and refrain from contacting people who have no intention of doing business with you - I hope I have made myself clear." Glenn Cohen.

I was shocked!

Could the equivalent of the Mafia be present within the golf equipment industry? Before Saturday I never would have believed it. Today, I am sure of it.

Four days ago I was Phil Mickelson's biggest fan. Today I am no longer his fan.

I have learned over the decades that you can usually judge someone by the company they keep. Yesterday I did some investigating of my own, and then instructed my attorney to continue with a more detailed investigation of Mr. Cohen.

I leaned that Phil Mickelson's agent is a personal injury lawyer, what some people would consider an ambulance chaser, the "bottom feeders" among lawyers.

The name of his law firm is Barnes and Cohen, located at 2747 Art Museum Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32207. (www.barnesandcohen.com)

Interestingly, Mr. Cohen identified himself in his email to me as "G COHEN", but used the email:
"bbcohen@bellsouth,net". When most legitimate businesses use a "name"@(their own website), such as gcohen@barnesandcohen.com, Mr. Cohen does not do so. Again, very interesting.

Secondly, when I researched their website at www.networksolutions.com, and emailed the owner of the website, the email came back as "not a valid email". Network Solutions also showed that the website, www.barnesandcohen.com, was started in October of 2007, LESS THAN THREE YEARS AGO, yet they claim they have been in business since 1974! Emails, and the internet have been around much longer than three years, since the early 1990's!

Thirdly, there is another company behind Barnes and Cohen, Injury Lawyers, and it is BBC JUSTICE , which is located in Drums, PA, at a P.O. Box! If you have any business experience within the United States, you know that Florida is a favorite state for "dishonest" businessmen in the northeastern states to do business, because Florida allows anyone living there to hide all of their assets in their home, where no one can get their hands on their assets if you win a lawsuit (judgment) against them. Most states limit how much you can protect your assets in your home, such as the $185,000 limit in California. A dishonest person may hide millions in his own home in Florida, and no one can touch it.

Further investigation of Mr. Cohen on Saturday disclosed his involvement in actions (lawsuits) against organizations such as the PGA of America on behalf of PGA tour stars. Mickelson and many other tour stars are managed by Gaylord Sports Management! And who is the attorney that represents Gaylord Sports Management? That's right, Glenn Cohen!

How would an attorney like Glenn Cohen become Phil Mickelson's attorney? Does Phil Mickelson know what kind of person his attorney is, and what he is (or may be) capable of doing?

I have heard mixed opinions of Mickelson by golf fans, both good and bad. In the past I have chosen not to believe the bad. Now I am not so sure.

QUESTIONS:

Are you a Phil Mickelson fan? If so, 1) would you like to see Phil putt better by using a putter that will allow him to make more putts and win more majors and more prize money, or 2) do you not care if he plays a less productive putter because he is paid a lot of money to play it?

Do you believe the golf equipment industry is an honest one?

Do you believe that Callaway's management team is willing to test its equipment against any other company's equipment, and let its signed tour stars like Mickelson play the competition's equipment if that equipment proves to be superior?

Assuming I could get close enough to Mickelson so he could try my putter, I'm willing to bet I could talk him into using it on tour, and that he would then become the world's Number One player.

The question is, would Callaway allow him to even give my putter a try? Do you believe they would?

Do you?

Do you really?

Do you believe Callaway's management team is aware of Mr. Cohen's threatening tactics?

Do you think Callaway's management condones his tactics?

Do you think the world's golfers deserve to know what the golf equipment industry is really all about?

Do you believe most PGA Tour golfers really use the equipment they think is the best equipment for them?

Or, do you believe any tour player will play any equipment if they are paid enough money?

A letter to Arnold Palmer

Yesterday I wrote about trying to get Phil Mickelson's attention so he could make twice as many five-foot putts or shorter and move into the world's Number One spot. Today I want you to read a letter I just mailed to Arnold Palmer at his home on a similar subject:


Arnie,

I hope you and your family are all healthy and doing well.

Do you remember in September of 1992 at the GTE Western Classic in Seattle, WA when I showed you how to use my PROBE 20/20 inverted-shafted putter to take the break out of short breaking putts? You used it that week and finished seventh, your best finish of the year! You used it the next Monday and Tuesday when you teamed up with Peter Jacobson in the Fred Meyer in Portland.

Could I ask a favor of you? I'd like to convince Phil Mickelson to let me make a PROBE 20/20 putter for him, and teach him how to use the toe and heel marks to control the break. I think I can make a much better putter out of Phil if he would try my putter.

We sold over 120,000 PROBES until I retired from making them in 1996, but I'm getting the itch to reintroduce a new model, the PROBE 2010.

Arnie, what I like about the game of golf is that it teaches us honesty, integrity, patience, perseverance, courtesy, and other fine qualities. Unfortunately, I have found the golf equipment industry anything but honest.

I tried to find out on the internet how to contact Phil, and offer to make him a PROBE putter. I sent such a message to one website, and three hours later a T.R. Reinman replied. He did not identify himself, so I have no idea if "T.R." is Phil's agent, attorney, boyfriend, or what! He said in his email to me, "Peter, Thanks for your interest in helping Phil. I'll tell him about your offer tomorrow but I can tell you he's happy with Dave Stockton and will be working with him in the run-up to the Open."

I replied, and asked "T.R." if he knew what length putter Phil preferred, so I could make a demo for Phil. But then the truth came out. T.R. replied to my question about putter length with this, "Pete, Again, thanks, but Phil's working with Stockton and has a contract with Callaway. The Probe will not fit in his bag." T.R.

Fans of Phil Mickelson, what does that mean, "The Probe will not fit in his bag?"

To me, that means that Phil can't play anything but Callaway. Is that what it means to you? Obviously it does not mean that the Probe is too big to physically "fit" in Phil's bag, right?

In this day of competitive golf, every player has to have his head clear of other problems to play well. Tiger can't play well right now because his head is on his soon-to-be-ex wife, and his mistresses, what the fans think of him, and........!

Phil has had to suffer through Amy's breast cancer. He has struggled with is putting, and has seen Dave Stockton for how many months now, with little improvement?

I think I can spend one hour with Phil and make him the best putter from inside five feet on tour by showing him how my Probe 20/20 putter can "take out the break" on short breaking putts.

So I tried to offer to do just that for Phil, and what does "T.R." Reinman do? He just sent me an email threatening me if I do not retract what I said about Phil having to play Callaway in his bag! That's just great, T.R. Give Phil one more thing to worry about, his agent, or attorney, or whatever you are! Now his fans may think Phil's own agent is interfering with his ability to make a tricky, breaking, four-footer!

A NOTE TO PHIL MICKELSON FANS: CONTACT GAYLORD SPORTS MANAGEMENT, ATTENTION: T.R. REINMAN (treinman@gaylordssports.com) and ask him if he'd like to see Phil putt better and become Number One in the world, or ask him if his commission from Phil's contract with Callaway means more to him.

Arnie, when I was a tour rep in the 1990's, the players under contract usually had to play the set of irons, but the more important clubs such as the wedges, the driver, and the putter could be anything the player wanted to play.

What has happened to honesty in advertising golf equipment, Arnie? You played my PROBE 20/20 putter, and had all three weights we made, but then signed with Callaway and you had to change to a Callaway putter.

Chi Chi won four tournaments in three months in 1991 after adding 30 yards to his drives with my PROBE driver, and was the leading money-winner in June, 1991, on the Senior Tour. Then his agent, Eddie Elias, faxed me and demanded that I pay Chi Chi $150,000 to play the driver for the rest of the year. I refused, so he switched to Callaway's Big Bertha, lost 30 yards in distance, and dropped to eleventh on the money list!

Larry Laoretti won the 1992 Senior United States Open Championship using a PROBE driver I had just made for him the week before. He also played the PROBE 20/20 putter. Then another manufacturer paid him a lot of money to switch drivers, and he never won another tournament!

Do you know T.R. Reinman? I wonder what T.R. stands for. Is he hiding something by using T.R. instead of a first name? I can't find anything about him online. Does anyone know for sure if the blade Phil uses is a Callaway?

Maybe I'm just too naive to be in the golf equipment business, because honesty does not seem to be the norm. I'm now in the golf services business, making it easier for golfers to play private country clubs when they travel than ever before.

I'd love to hear your comments on this subject, Arnie. And if you have any influence with Phil Mickelson, and can get him to try my PROBE 20/20 putter, that would be great for Phil, and it would be great for the game of golf. This weekend would be perfect for him to try it out. After all, he missed the cut with his present putter!

Personally, I'd like to see Phil take over the Number One player in the world position, and keep it. After all, how many private jets does he need? But being the Number One golfer in the world?.....Priceless!

Phil Mickelson Fans! Want Phil to putt better?

Do you believe PGA Tour stars play the best equipment they can play? Or do you believe they play what their agents tell them to play, because their agents and the player are paid a lot of money to play a certain manufacturer's equipment?

The latter is true, unfortunately. When I was making PROBE golf equipment, I convinced hundreds of tour stars that my PROBE drivers, irons, or putter were better than what they were playing, but then they would ask, "What will you pay me to play it?"

Are PGA Tour players just prostitutes for the major golf equipment manufacturers? Unfortunately, yes, they are!

For example, are you a Phil Mickelson fan? If Phil could make twice as many putts inside five feet, is there any question he would be the world's Number One player? How many times have we watched Phil stroke a slippery five footer? Then he lips it out and it goes five feet past the hole, right? I remember watching him five putt from four feet once. Remember that?

I retired from making PROBE golf equipment in 1996. I had some PROBE 20/20 putters in inventory (storage) for another six or seven years, so I sold them all over the internet the next few years to former PROBE putter customers who had owned a PROBE 20/20, and wanted to find another one.

Last night I had an image in my mind of Phil passing Tiger by a bunch of points by becoming a much better putter by using my PROBE 20/20. Phil moved so far ahead of Tiger in points that Tiger would never catch up, and play the rest of his life as the Number two or three player in the world!

I got so excited about the possibility that I got online and typed in "how to contact Phil Mickelson" at a search engine. I was taken to a website, so I sent Phil a message about his putting. Three hours later I received an email from Phil's agent/friend, T.R. Reinman.

"T.R." thanked me for the message, and "promised" he would ask Phil if he'd give the PROBE 20/20 putter a try. I felt encouraged, so I replied back to "T.R.", asking if he could tell me what length putter Phil preferred, so I could make up a demo for Phil.

Then the honesty finally came out. T.R. replied that Phil is signed with Callaway, so he can only play Callaway clubs in his bag.

I love the game of golf because it teaches us honesty and integrity. Why then is the golf equipment industry so dishonest? Why do they lie to us when they tell us their driver, or their putter, is the best product around, and then we find out that money is the reason people play their equipment? Would you play a Callaway putter if Callaway paid you $5 million a year to play it? Of course you would!

Does anyone know who this "T.R." Reinman is, really? I researched him online, and I can't even find out what the T.R. stands for. What is he hiding?

Phil, who is T.R.? Your best friend? Your agent? What percentage of your annual Callaway income does he get?

Phil, if you want to be the Number One player in the world, email me at contact@reciprocalgolf.com. My golf service company, Reciprocal Golf, owns PROBE Golf, and I will make you a better putter, by far.

But I won't pay you to play it. You will play it because it will give you much more than just more money. After all, how many private jets do you need? But being the Number One player in the world! - Priceless!

Laughter is the best policy!

One of the things I like about the game of golf is the chance to meet and befriend new acquaintances. There is nothing like a good joke to relax a stranger, and telling a joke on the golf course is usually a good way to start 18 holes of golf. Here is one of my favorites:

Sam and Becky are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.

Sam says to Becky, "Becky, I was wondering...have you ever cheated on me?"
Becky replies, "Oh, Sam, why would you ask such a question now? You don't want to ask that question."

"Yes, Becky, I really want to know. Please..."

"Well, all right. Yes, 3 times..."

"Three? Well, when were they?" he asked.

"Well, Sam, Remember when your were 35 years old and you really wanted to start your own business and no bank would give you a loan? Remember, then one day the bank president himself came over to the house and signed the loan papers, no questions asked?"

"Oh, Becky, you did that for me! I respect you even more than ever, to do such a thing for me. So, when was number 2?"

"Well, Sam, remember when you had that last heart attack and you were needing that very tricky operation, and no surgeon would touch you? Then remember how Dr. DeBakey came all the way up here, to do the surgery himself, and then you were in good shape again?"

"I can't believe it! Becky, you should do such a thing for me, to save my life. I couldn't have a more wonderful wife. To do such a thing, you must really love me, Darling. I couldn't be more moved. So, all right then, when was number 3?"

"Well, Sam, remember a few years ago, when you really wanted to be president of the golf club and you were 17 votes short...?"


HEARD ANY GOOD ONES LATELY?

Have you played private country clubs?

I received a great email from one of my members at Reciprocal Golf the other day after he had played a round at a private country club that we had arranged for him. Garrett Garland has to be the best golfer among our members. A few months ago I had set him up to play a private club where he played with three of the club's members.

The three members played from the white tees, and Garrett played from the blues, and played the ball down. Garrett shot a 63 and beat the course record of 64 by one stroke! The members took him into the clubhouse after the round and had a party for him, acknowledging that he was the new course record-holder. Garrett is 65 years old.

Here is his email he sent to me after he played the TPC Course at Piper Glen last week:

Pete, I played the TPC Course at Piper Glen today that you set up for me. They used to host a Senior Tour event there until Quail Hollow got a PGA Tour event and then they canceled it. Arnold Palmer ran it.

I came down alone as my buddy had to work. It is expensive but very nice and in terrific condition. The pro even gave me two bags of Tour Only Pro V's to hit at the range.

I talked to the head pro for about five minutes, thanking him for letting me play his course. I talked to the assistant pro for about fifteen minutes and the starter for another ten minutes. I then hit balls and chatted with the members on the range.

I got paired up with the President and Senior Vice President of Fluor, one of the largest builders in the world; both great guys and the VP was a 3-handicap. The President doesn't play all that much and he was pretty erratic early on. I gave him a tip on the 6th hole and he started hitting it much better. We played the tips and I shot a few under, 68 or 69. We had a lot of laughs.

After the round we went in for a beer and talked for about half an hour. They asked if I would play with them again, and of course I said, Yes. I know we both harp on this but let your members know to be especially nice to everyone they meet at a course where they are a guest. They will not remember what you shot but they will remember what you were like as a person. It always pays off.

Take care Pete.

Garrett

It is golfers like Garrett Garland that prompted me to start Reciprocal Golf in February of 2003. Even members of private country clubs have trouble getting onto other private golf courses because their head pros are too busy to set it up for them. And many non-members of a private club wish they could play many private golf courses when they travel, rather than spend a small fortune to join one club and only play that one club!

I enjoy receiving emails like Garrett's above from our members. They remind me why I do what I do.

Feeling Sick? Go win a golf tournament!

Why do so many PGA Tour players win a tournament when they feel like they want to die?

It's not an accident that players who are feeling under the weather end up playing well, and often win. When the body is hurting, the player just tries to swing within himself, not overdoing it. If he has a shot that temps him to carry a lake and get home in two, his body tells him not to try it, just swing easy, lay up, and play safe.

Often that decision leads to a safe birdie, rather than a bogie due to a risky shot going awry.

I've teed it up myself with friends when I'd rather be home in bed, and played (scored) well.

Look at Phil Mickelson. How many times has he, in his own words, "awakened in a pool of my own vomit?" Then he went on to win.

This weekend, Australian Jason Day started the Byron Nelson Championship feeling terrible. He had seen several doctors to try to find out what was ailing him. He thought he had the flu, or possibly food poisoning. He almost withdrew from the tournament before it began.

Instead, he just played one shot at a time, and kept his swing within himself.

How do you play when you're not feeling very well?

The next time you tee it up, even if you feel well, try an experiment. Pretend you don't feel very well, and hit each shot as if you are just trying to conserve energy. Don't try to swing too hard

You just might play your best round ever!

RULES OF GOLF

I'm traveling today, with little time for a blog, but thought I'd put up these Rules Of Golf I found online years ago:

* Golfers who claim they don't cheat, also lie.

* If you're afraid a full shot might reach the green while the foursome ahead is still putting out, you have two options: you may immediately shank a lay-up or you may wait until the green is clear and top a ball halfway there.

* The less skilled a player, the more likely he is to share his ideas about the golf swing.

* The inevitable result of any golf lesson is the instant elimination of the one critical unconscious motion that allowed you to compensate for all your errors.

* If it ain't broke, try changing your grip.

* It's not a gimme if you're still away.

* Everyone replaces his divot after a perfect approach shot.

* A golf match is a test of your skill against your opponent's luck.

It's surprisingly easy to hole a 50-foot putt when you lie 10.

* Counting on your opponent to inform you when he breaks a rule is like expecting him to make fun of his own haircut.

HEARD ANY GOOD ONES LATELY?

What is your favorite thing about the game of golf?

I have played golf since I was twelve years old. I told a story the other day here at my blog about the lesson I learned when I was sixteen years old, watching Arnold Palmer play in the San Diego Open in 1964. It was the lesson about temper having no place on the golf course.

I have discussed how golf has helped me in business for forty years, meeting and befriending people who remained my friends and quite often, business partners and investors for life.

In what other game can you take the time to sit in a golf cart, or under a tree or on a bench if you are walking and waiting for the group ahead of you, and talk to your partner or your competitor?

And one of my favorite things I like to discuss at those times is telling jokes, and very often golf jokes.

Here is one of my favorites:

Four married guys went golfing together one Saturday morning. While playing the fourth hole this conversation took place:

1st guy: "You have no idea what I had to go through to be able to come out and play golf today with you three. I had to promise my wife that I will paint every room in the house next weekend."

2nd guy: "That's nothing. I had to promise my wife I will build a new deck around the pool next weekend."

3rd guy: "Man, you both have it easy! I had to promise my wife I will remodel the kitchen next weekend for her.

They continued playing the hole when they realized the fourth guy had not said a word. So they asked him, "You haven't said anything about what you had to do to be able to come golfing with us this weekend. What's the deal?"

4th guy: "I just set my alarm for 5:30 A.M. last night, and when it went off, I shut the alarm off, gave my wife a nudge while I moved close up against her behind, and asked, 'golf course or intercourse?'

Then she said, "Wear a sweater".

Favorite Quotes!

We all have our own favorite quotes. One of my favorites appeared at the end of the movie, TEARS OF THE SUN, with Bruce Willis:

"The only thing necessary for Evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing!"
Sir Edmond Burke

When I was sixteen years old, my younger brother and I went to the San Diego Open that was played in northern San Diego County in 1964. I'm not sure which course was used that year for the tournament, but Arnold Palmer was in his prime that year.

I'll never forget watching Arnie top his tee shot about 75 yards through the rough off the ninth tee. It was a par-5, so he obviously was not going to get home in two shots, maybe even three. Right after topping the tee shot, everyone in the crowd went quiet, probably astonished at what Arnie had done, and expecting some kind of outburst from Arnie.

Then we heard Arnie's voice, "That's going to make it hard to birdie the hole!"

Everyone laughed, as did I. I'll never forget that moment, and have remembered all my life that there is no place for a temper on the golf course.

That week a writer for Sports Illustrated was at the San Diego Open, and was doing a special on Junior Golf. My brother and I got together with about 25 other junior golfers and surrounded Mr. Palmer in a photo shoot for the cover of Sports Illustrated that afternoon.

Inside the issue was a quote by Arnold Palmer that I have had framed in my house for over 45 years. It goes like this:

"GOOD GOLF IS A STATE OF MIND!"
"Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated. A child can play it well and a grown man can never master it. Any single round of it is full of unexpected triumphs and seemingly perfect shots that end in disaster. It is almost a science, yet it is a puzzle without an answer. It is gratifying and tantalizing, precise and unpredictable. It requires complete concentration and total relaxation. It satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening. And it is without doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented." ......................... Arnold Palmer 1964

Little did I know that twenty-eight years later, I would be showing Arnold Palmer at a Senior PGA Tour event how my patented PROBE 20/20 inverted-shafted putter was superior to any other golf putter on the market. That day in September, 1992, I convinced Mr. Palmer of that fact, and he went on to play his best tournament of 1992. He played my PROBE putter for a full year on tour until he was paid a lot of money to switch to playing Callaway clubs.

Do you have a favorite quote? Why is it your favorite? What were the circumstances surrounding the first time you ever heard it or read it?

How to Buy a set of Golf Clubs - Part Two

Two days ago we at PROBE GOLF had "Tom" fill out a Custom-Fitting questionnaire so we could fit him to a set of custom fit irons, to improve his shot making. After receiving the information about what he was currently playing, the Nike Slingshot 4D irons, I also asked him how far he hits his 5-iron in the air at sea level.

He said he hit it 180 yards in the air.

Here is my analysis of his current equipment: His irons are too short. At 6'2", he needs an added 3/4 of an inch in length. The shafts in his set are too flexible, and his grips are too small. His strength has to be matched to a stiffer flex so he does not overpower his irons, leading to inconsistent direction. His grip must be larger, so he has "comfortable control" of them, without having to grip his clubs too hard to keep them under control. Adding the 3/4 of an inch to the length will also eliminate his occasionally topping he ball.

The flex point in his irons as too low, causing more flex near the club head, and a ball flight that is too high. That leads to loss of control, especially in the wind. By using shafts with a higher flex point, his consistency will improve dramatically.

We'll make Tom his new set for about $300, less than half what he paid for his Nikes off the shelf, and within three months his handicap should drop to 12 or better, ten shots better than his current 22-handicap!

Do you want to lower your handicap? Answer these questions for me:

1. Name, Age, Height, Weight, your Glove size.

2. Right handed or Left handed? Handicap?

3. Current irons: Brand name, shaft name, flex (look at the iron label), Grip size.

4. What is your current flight pattern (slice, hook, high, low, typical miss hits)?

5. What would you like to change about your flight pattern?

Just Email your information to contact@reciprocalgolf.com. We will deliver your information to our PROBE GOLF office and give you our opinion about what you need to improve your handicap.

Do you have an opinion about your own experiences with custom filling?

Is it just me, or does the PGA Tour seem to be getting more and more boring these days? I have to admit that I don't watch every professional golf tournament like I used to.

Tiger has his mental distractions, and we don't know when we will see him play again. Phil picks and chooses his events, mostly majors, and Steve Stricker is out with injuries.

I didn't even watch half an hour's worth of professional golf this past week. Sunday night I couldn't even search the internet quickly to find out who won the Valero Texas Open! Do I have to wait for the next major, the United States Open in June, to see some name players again?

I guess Adam Scott won the Texas Open Sunday, shooting a combined 11-under 133 in a 36-hole finale Sunday to beat Fredrik Jacobson by a stroke.

Ernie Els, Aaron Baddeley and Jimmy Walker tied for third at 12 under.

Jimmy Walker? Isn't he a comedian?

Tim Petrovic and someone named Garth Mulroy were 11 under.

I guess I'll have to spend more time watching the Champions Tour from now on! At least I should recognize most of their names.

HOW TO BUY A SET OF GOLF CLUBS

About a week ago I discussed what we used to make at PROBE GOLF in the way of custom fit irons to improve the iron shots of any and all individual customers. Since that blog my associates and I have discussed reopening Probe Golf's custom-fit iron program. We approved reopening that portion of the company on Friday night, May 14, 2010.

We also approved manufacturing the new PROBE 20/10 inverted-shafted putter, similar to but superior to our previous PROBE 20/20. I believe, and have been told by thousands of our customers, that the PROBE 20/20 is the best performing golf putter ever made!

My blog yesterday discussed what the 20/20 could do for golfers that no other putter in the world can match.

Today I'd like to discuss what makes up a great performing custom-fit iron set. Please read my previous blog about why the choice of a specific steel shaft in your irons can make all the difference in your ability to score low.

At PROBE GOLF, the first thing we did when a customer wanted a buy a better performing set of irons was to have the customer fill out our Custom Fitting Questionnaire.

Let's say that you are our customer, and you fill out our questionnaire. This is your information:

1. Your name is "TOM", and you are 6'2" tall, and weigh 220 pounds, and are right-handed.

2. You are playing a standard set of Nike Golf Slingshot 4D irons, 5 iron through PW, Regular.

3. Your comments state you are hitting your shots very high when you make good contact, and erratically to the left and to the right of target, and every once in a while you top your shots.

4. You play to a 22 - handicap.

5. Under GOALS, you indicate you want to hit your irons more consistently straight, and lower than you hit your Nikes.

After reading what I wrote last week about custom-fitting irons, you tell me what we should make for "Tom".

Please make your suggestions in "Comments". I will reply to your suggestions in my next blog.

What is the best putter in the world?

About a week ago I wrote about the fact that one of my readers needed to buy a set of golf clubs for himself, and he had asked me what to buy. I was flattered because it had been over ten years since I had retired from making custom fit iron sets at PROBE GOLF.

The next day I received quite a few emails from former PROBE customers asking if and when we would make custom iron sets again. I also received emails from former customers who owned one or more PROBE 20/20 putters. They said they thought the PROBE 20/20 putter was the best putter they had ever owned, and wanted another one if we had any.

Officially we discontinued making golf equipment in 1996, and sold our last PROBE putter in 2006 when we ran out of the custom milled brass putter heads in our storage unit. I was busy providing our Reciprocal Golf services of getting golfers onto private country clubs starting in 2003, and didn't want to go back to operating a manufacturing facility with employees, inventory, assembly, shipping, etc., so we discontinued making golf equipment.

Now, due to popular demand, we will start making and selling the new PROBE 20/10 this year.

What makes a great performing putter? If you could describe the perfect putter, what benefits would you include? Here is what I would want in my putter:

1) A built-in pendulum stroke. I used to add lead tape to every putter I ever bought when I was young, because a light putter is too easy to turn off line. So I wanted a HEAVY PUTTER.

2) CONTROL of the ball, making it roll where I wanted it to roll, instead of guessing what the slope and grain in the green would do to the ball. Sound impossible?

Not at all! When I invented the PROBE 20/20 in September of 1992, the first opportunity for me to demonstrate how it worked to a name player was at the Senior Tour event in Seattle. The first tour pro?... Arnold Palmer.

Arnie tried the 20/20 on the putting green about half an hour before his practice round on Thursday. The inverted shaft gave Arnie the feeling that he could not turn the putter off line when he stroked a ball, due to the heavier head compared to the shaft and grip.

After I demonstrated for Arnie how to play the ball off the line at the toe or the heel depending upon how much he wanted to put side spin on the ball to decrease the amount of break in each putt, he was astounded and pleased at the same time. Our patented inverted shaft and center-shafted head design made it all possible.

He headed for the first tee, then birdied the first three holes. The rest is history. Arnie played his best tournament of 1992 that week with his PROBE putter, and then teamed up with Peter Jacobson in Portland the following Monday and Tuesday at Pete's Fred Meyer best-ball event.

Jim Kelley at ESPN mentioned Arnie and his PROBE inverted-shafted putter 19 times during their telecast over the two days. By Friday that week my office had received calls from 48 of the 50 states asking "is this the company that makes Arnold Palmer's new putter!"

Think about it. A putter that is head balanced so it guarantees a perfect pendulum stroke that cannot be moved off line by any nervousness in your hands! NO MORE YIPS!

And he ability to make short breaking putts do what you want them to do, instead of guessing what they will do!

Conclusion? We must make once again the best performing putter in the world, but BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL PROBE PUTTER!

The only negative comment we ever received from our 120,000 + original PROBE 20/20 customers was this:

"I wish the direction lines were a little longer, so I could better line up putts. The putter head is narrow."

Voila! I designed the PROBE 20/10 a little wider, but not quite as tall, so the direction lines are easier to see, while keeping the weight the same. And of course the putter will be center-shafted and with the inverted shaft, so the same benefits remain.

PROBE GOLF ( www.probegolf.com ) will be gearing up to manufacture the PROBE 20/10 (just like eye sight, 20/10 vision is better than 20/20 vision) as soon as I find an entrepreneur who'd like to purchase a controlling interest in PROBE GOLF and take the responsibility of running the manufacturing end of the business. I'm too close to retirement, and only want to be responsible for design of the product, and consult in marketing.

Anyone out there interested in a bright future in the golf equipment industry?

A NEW ERA ON THE PGA TOUR!

Today marks the beginning of a new era on the PGA Tour. With Tiger Woods surprising everyone last week by withdrawing from the Players Championship, including the "insiders" on tour, the golf media and tournament commentators, the tour takes on a new aura this week at the Valero Texas Open. Tiger Who?

The world now knows the extent of Tiger's problems, mostly mental, surrounding his failure to play well since his five month sabbatical from the Tour. I have been saying for weeks that Tiger's mental attitude sucks due to his marriage problems and his worries about what the world's opinion is of him. Now that no one seems to know what is in his mind, everyone connected with the Tour is confused, and wondering what will happen next.

The Valero Texas Open starts today on a new course designed by Greg Norman. I haven't had a chance to look at the field yet for this week's tournament, but I'm sure Phil Mickelson won't be playing. Phil will take some time off and train for the U.S.Open at Pebble Beach in June. He may play once before the Open.

I don't know, nor do I care, if Lee Westwood is playing this week. When I was young, and just learning the game, I learned never to watch anyone swing because I would immediately mimic the swing that I watched. That usually applies to amateurs with obviously poor swings. If I watched them swing, I would copy their swing myself. That's how strong of an influence the mind has on the body in golf, and that is why my favorite training aid is Al Geiberger's Sybervision training DVD.

Lee Westwood's swing is one of the swings on tour that I can't stand watching. When I first noticed how jerky his shoulders seemed to be at impact, I couldn't put my finger on the problem. I remember hearing Johnny Miller talking during last year's Open Championship how he liked Westwood's swing. But there was something there that bothered me. Then I noticed it.

Westwood has the same quirk in his neck and head on the downswing that Lorena Ochoa has had for years, or for her entire career for that matter. My neck hurts just watching either of them swing. No wonder Ochoa is retiring in her twenties; she'd spend the rest of her life in traction if she continued playing another year or two.

Don't believe me? Just watch her swing, then try to hit a ball yourself.

Who knows, maybe Tiger watched Westwood swing too much last week, and developed his own sore neck as a result!

You Can Believe Johnny Miller!

In 1991, when I created the new PROBE GOLF driver head with a tighter curvature on its face, I looked around for someone who could help me convince PGA Tour players to try it. The first Tour player I gave a PROBE driver to was Johnny Miller at the AT&T at Pebble Beach.

Johnny hit it at the driving range, and he was sold on its performance. Our ten inches of radius on the bulge and ten inches of radius on the roll imparted an additional 30 yards of carry to every drive. Johnny recognized it immediately, and the PROBE driver was in his bag. Then he told me, "Pete, hand your driver to any tour player who is warming up on the range, and ask him if he'd like to try a new driver that will give him an added 30 yards of carry and 2.5 seconds longer in the air than the driver he is playing now. They will hit it, and they will put it in their bag, unless some contract to play another driver won't let them switch."

I followed Johny's advice, and we had a lot of tour players playing The PROBE on tour in no time. But he was right about tour players using equipment for the money they are paid, and not for the performance!

In February of 1991, my tour rep. called me in our office in Yreka, CA and told me that Chi Chi had just broken his favorite driver that he had used for years. Tom gave me Chi Chi's specs, and we built him a PROBE driver overnight. Chi Chi used a Callaway driver that Friday, the first day of the tournament that week, and he shot 78, and was in last place. Tom received Chi Chi's PROBE on Saturday morning, and took it to Chi Chi on the practice tee. Chich hit it five times, turned to Tom and said, "It's in my bag!

Chi Chi shot 66-66 on Saturday and Sunday, and almost went from last to first that week. I decided to have my shop manager make Chi Chi a matching 3-wood and 5-wood, then drove to the next tournament in Ojai, CA. I arrived on Thursday, and looked for Chi Chi. When I saw him, he looked like death warmed over! I introduced myself to Chich, when I learned he was suffering from the flu. If the Ojai tournament had not been rained out on Friday, Chi Chi would have had to withdraw, but he got over the flu and was able to play on Saturday. He shot 66-66 and beat Gary Player the last two holes Sunday for the win!

Chi Chi told me his PROBE driver out drove Gary off the 17th tee by 60 yards. Gary hit 3-iron to the green, 60 feet from the pin, then three-putted. Chi Chi hit 9-iron close, and the tournament was over.

The next three months Chi Chi won four times, and was leading money winner, UNTIL he received an offer from Callaway to play their Big Bertha "for a lot of money". His attorney, Eddie Elias, faxed my office and told me he wanted $125,000 for Chi Chi to stay with his PROBE, or Chi Chi was switching to Big Bertha. I faxed Eddie back and told him, "Good luck to Chi Chi and his Big Bertha."

Chi Chi switched, and did not win again that year. He dropped from first to eleventh on the money list. My friends, that is not unusual on tour. I am proud to say that PROBE GOLF made the best performing golf equipment in the world at that time. That is why I am excited about returning PROBE to making custom fit golf equipment once again. There is nothing out there that can compete with us, because true custom fitting is vastly superior to mass produced equipment.

Because of Johnny Miller's help in introducing our golf equipment to the tour players, I sent Johnny a dozen PROBE driver heads every month for over a year, so he and his sons could experiment with various shafts, but only on a PROBE head. I remember the day I was playing Lake Shastina Country Club and my cell phone rang. It was Johnny calling, telling me that the PROBE stayed in the air about five seconds longer in Denver! He was playing a corporate outing at the Mile High city that day.

This last weekend Johnny made the comment that Tiger Woods needs to change swing instructors, take the driver out of his bag, and take some time off to "get his head on straight." If Johnny says it, listen and follow that advice, Tiger.

THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

On Sunday afternoon, right after The Players ended, I asked the question at this blog about Tiger's withdrawal from the tournament Sunday on the 7th hole. Did readers think he was really hurt?

Here are the results: Tiger is in trouble with his fans. They all agree his head is all messed up. He has no confidence, and may never get it back again. And, HE MAY NEVER WIN ANOTHER MAJOR! Did Tiger have an injury too severe to continue playing? NO!

Regarding my predictions starting the week:

I predicted Tiger would play poorly; he did, then withdrew.

I predicted Phil Mickelson would become the world's No. 1 player; he did not, but he's closer than he was.

I predicted on Friday when Lee Westwood took the lead that he would not win; he did not win.

Coming down the stretch on Sunday afternoon:

Westwood - Failed to close the deal; the story of his life. He would have finished more than four shots back if he hadn't made two long putts for par on the back nine, one of them from off the world! I've never liked Westwood's swing. The way he jerks his neck and head to the right when starting his downswing isn't as bad as Lorena Ochoa's on the LPGA, but it is close. No wonder Ochoa is retiring. My neck couldn't take that abuse past the age of 30!

Allenby finished second, again, for his hundredth time! - Nothing new. Never up, never in! "Who was it that said that 98% of all putts that come up short don't go in?" If his eagle putt on 16 had reached the hole, and his birdie putt had reached the hole on 17, he would have made both of those putts, and he would have won!

Did Tim Clark come up short on any makeable putts on Sunday? When you are thinking of winning, you don't leave putts inside 20 feet short. When you don't think about winning, you lag those putts, as Allenby did, back to back.

I've seen Allenby's yacht. If all you care about on the PGA Tour is making enough money to make the payment on your yacht, you lag putts! If you're a winner, you reach the hole with those putts.

Congratulations to Tim Clark! He is a big man at 5'7".

Tiger Injured?

OK. I would like your opinion.

1) Who thinks Tiger Woods could have finished his final round at The Players Sunday if he really wanted to finish, instead of withdrawing after six or seven holes? Did he take the attitude, "I'm not contending, so why take a chance on hurting myself.?

2) Who thinks he quit because his neck really was hurting, and he physically could not finish?

One or two?

To set the stage for those who did not watch the finish to The Players Championship on Sunday:

A. Lee Westwood led going into the final round, and I predicted that he would not finish as the winner. He did not win.

B. The odds makers gave Tiger a 7/1 chance of winning the day before the tournament started; I gave Tiger a 25/1 chance of winning, since Wednesday. He dropped out on Sunday, did not finish, and (obviously) did not win.

Tiger quit playing on the front nine on Sunday, had not played well all week, and withdrew.

Before I say any more, I would like to hear your opinion. Please reply with #1 or #2, then add your comments if you like.

We'll continue this discussion tomorrow.

The Sunday Final Round at The Players

I'm going to continue going against the grain and say that Lee Westwood, although he is leading the Players Championship, will not win on Sunday afternoon. I have yet to see the look in his eyes that tells me he knows he is going to win. By the same token, Tiger's attitude this week is the worst I have ever seen in his professional career. It seems that every question he is asked, he replies with one excuse or another excuse as to why he is not preforming.

Phil Mickelson, on the other hand, can win, even though he is starting Sunday's final round from five shots back, and he has ten players in front of him. Mental attitude is everything in professional golf. In fact, I can't remember the last time I heard so many comments by the tour commentators about the mental attitude of those in contention.

Look at Rory McIlroy at Quail Hollow last week. He ran away with the tournament on Saturday and Sunday, setting a new course record by two shots on Sunday. Then he celebrated his 21st birthday Tuesday night, then missed the cut this week. Too much partying Tuesday night? I don't think Rory even drinks, does he?

The ultimate winner on Sunday will be the player who makes the most putts, and as the greens dry out from the wind, putting will be difficult. The player who puts his approach shots below the hole consistently, and then putts uphill will be the winner.

The winner at The Players has never hit his tee shot in the lake at 17, so watch to see if the wind is gusting on 17 on Sunday afternoon.

Same problems for Tiger at The Players!

Tiger Woods had the same problems at The Players on Friday that he had on Thursday, hitting it everywhere and scrambling to save pars! He finished -3 to par after the second round, which at least should make the cut as compared to last week.

Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson teed off late on Friday. He also finished -3 after Friday's round. But unlike Tiger's current mental state, Phil has what it will take to come from nine shots back to win on Sunday, just like Rory McIlroy did last week at the Quail Hollow Championship. McIlroy celebrated his 21st birthday last Tuesday, after winning last week, only to miss the cut Friday at The Players.

What has changed from last week to this week? Mental attitude. Professional golf, just like amateur golf every Saturday morning, is all about attitude, not talent.

Lee Westwood was in the lead after Friday's round. I'm sorry, but Westwood doesn't have what it takes between the ears to win a major US tournament. He will remain close to the lead through Saturday, then on Sunday, but he will blow the lead on Sunday afternoon.

When I give a golf lesson to my students, I stress basic weight shift, and mental attitude. With those two thoughts, any amateur can play great!

ALLENBY AND HOLMES LEAD AT THE PLAYERS

The first round of The Players Championship was interesting Thursday. I have predicted that Phil Mickelson will move into the World's Number One position this week, and that Tiger Woods will not play well. They both shot 70 yesterday, two under par.

Tiger said he was happy with his 70, because he hit it crooked, but scrambled great. Johnny Miller watched Tiger practice before the tournament , and then said Tiger needs a new swing coach, and needs to take some time off!"

Phil was not happy with his 70, because "I wasted too many shots out there today. I hit six iron on two par-5's for my second shot, and only made pars."

But it is a long time until Sunday afternoon.

Both No. 1 and No. 2 are only four shots behind the leaders. In fact, if they cut to the top 60 players and ties after Thursday's first round, which is what the PGA Tour will do on Friday afternoon, Tiger and Phil would just barely make the cut right on the number!

And no one has pulled ahead of the field. All 60 players in the top 60 are only four shots apart. Which means it is anyone's tournament at this point in time.

According to the weatherman, the weather will be the same the first three days, with mild winds blowing in the same direction. Sunday the wind is supposed to turn in the opposite direction. That might make things interesting if it happens, but since when has any weatherman correctly predicted the weather three days in advance?

Calm weather at The Players makes for a dull tee shot at 17, the island green. Perhaps that is good, because a single last second gust of wind on 17 can make or break a round, or can make or break the winner! I think I watched about two hours of golf on Thursday, and I only saw two tee shots go into the lake on 17.

That is compared to two years ago when Sergio Garcia won, including his one and only tee shot in his sudden death playoff with Paul Goydos, which started on 17. A gust of wind caught Goydos' tee shot at 17, and the playoff was over before it began! I wish the Tour would start any sudden death playoff on either 18 or 16 at The Players, so a single gust of wind doesn't determine the champion.

Most tour events start on the 18th for any sudden death playoff, and they should do so at The Players as well.

It will be interesting to see if anyone pulls away from the field in today's (Friday's) round.

TIGER FAVORED AT THE PLAYERS? WHY?

I was watching the Golf Channel yesterday (Wednesday) morning, and the tournament commentators were discussing the upcoming Players Championship that starts today. They were talking about the tournament entrants, their recent poll of viewers, and who the viewers favored to win. They chose Tiger Woods to win, with odds of 7/1. WHY?

Phil Mickelson is ranked second right now at the Players, with odds of his winning at 8/1. In my opinion, Phil should be favored to win, and not just slightly over Tiger.

If Mickelson wins this week’s tournament, which starts on Thursday, and Woods finishes outside the top five, Mickelson will become the No. 1 golfer in the world rankings, ending a five year reign for Woods.

The odds are a little closer this week than usual, but Woods is still favored to win the tournament this week. I do not understand why that is.

Woods has been given 7/1 odds to win. Other short odds to win are Mickelson (8/1), Jim Furyk (20/1), Ernie Els (22/1), and Rory McIlroy (22/1), who won last week's Quail Hollow Championship by finishing with a 62, and recording a new course record by two strokes!

Woods won this event in 2001 and finished eighth a year ago, but he finished outside the top 20 the previous two times he competed in the tournament. Woods is coming off one of the worst outings he has had as a pro, as he missed the cut in the Quail Hollow Championship.

If it was up to me, I'd give Woods odds of winning this week closer to 25/1. Like I mentioned a few days ago, I don't think Woods is over his problems with the crowds yet. I think he is still worried about his image at this time, and wants to please the crowds after what he did to his wife, Elin, more than he thinks about winning.

Late yesterday the Golf channel commentators were still talking about Tiger's chances this week. After beating around the bush all day, Nick Faldo finally answered the question about Tiger's chances of winning the Players.

"Tiger is going to have problems this week."

I agree.

WHERE TO BUY THE BEST GOLF CLUBS!

Dennis Grahovic in Germany sent me a message two days ago stating he needs to buy himself a set of golf clubs, and asked me where he should go. I am flattered, because it has been at least ten years since I quit making custom golf club sets at PROBE GOLF, www.probegolf.com.

At the time we started making the best performing golf clubs in the world at PROBE GOLF, in 1986, virtually no other golf company in the world made true custom fit, and custom performing golf equipment!

Read that sentence again, because it is the absolute truth. The closest other golf company that advertised custom fitting was PING. Remember their custom lie, custom length, custom grip promotion? Would it shock you to know that PING used the same shaft for all customers, and it was a shaft that fit no one?

In golf, the harder you swing, the stiffer the shaft has to be, and the higher the Flex Point has to be. PING did not wish to inventory a dozen different shaft types, so they compromised by using their PING ZING shaft, with a low flex point. A low flex point leads to a high, less controlled shot. By tipping (cutting more off the thin end of the shaft) the shaft more, they made a stiff shafted club for hard swingers, but with a high, less-controlled shot due to the low flex point. Easier swingers, and women, need the low flex point, but not a stiff shaft, because they can't swing it hard enough!

At PROBE GOLF, we stocked over eight different steel shafts for iron sets, and the same for woods. To prove my point, here are two examples of why PROBE irons were the best performing irons in the world, "for each individual golfer's needs":

1) When I started PROBE GOLF, I was a six handicap golfer. I had played for twenty-two years, and had never had a hole-in-one. When I made myself the first PROBE iron set, with the shaft best suited to my swing, I made a hole-in-one within one month, holing a five iron on the 195-yard hole # eight at the Lake Shastina Golf Resort near Mt. Shasta, CA.

I made my second hole-in-one a month later, holing my PROBE 2-iron on #11 from 222 yards. Not exactly short par-3's.

My handicap dropped within four months to a "plus 2", two strokes better than "0". I won the Men's Club Championship nine times in twelve years, and shot as low as 65 on the par-72 Championship course.

2) In 1987 I won the Lake Shastina Amateur Championship, with 200 of northern California's top amateurs competing, by shooting 70-70, four under par. The three men who finished right behind me were playing PING Eye 2 irons. Tom, who finished second, three shots behind me, told me that hole #16 that day made all the difference. I had hit my PROBE 2-iron into the wind 209 yards to one foot from the hole for birdie. Tom had hit his PING 1-iron twice as high as my 2-iron into the front bunker (due to his low flex point shafts) and made bogey! Tom asked me over a beer in the clubhouse that afternoon to make him a set of PROBE irons. I did so, using a high flex point shaft in his set, and Tom came back the next year to win the same tournament by SIX SHOTS!

Choosing the right shaft for each customer's needs is the key to turning a so-so golfer into a great golfer! In the last ten years I have had a personal friend of mine, Joe Roland, who knows the secrets of proper fitting each customer to the proper shaft, make all custom-fit golf sets for people who come to me for a better choice of golf equipment.

Therefore, to answer Dennis Grahovic's question, for him to buy the best performing golf clubs (for his swing) he should fill out my PROBE GOLF Custom Fitting Questionnaire, and then I will confer with my friend, Joe Roland, who will build the set for Dennis. And, Dennis' cost will be about 60% of what he would spend with Nike, Taylor Made, PING, Titleist, Cobra, or any of the other name brands!

I have decided to "restart" PROBE GOLF once again, to introduce our new PROBE 20/10 inverted-shafted putter, which will outperform our PROBE 20/20 putter we introduced to the golfing world through our Gary Player infomercial in 1993, and sold over 120,000 putters at $120 each.

(Pictured above - Larry Laoretti, winner of the 1992 Senior United States Open Championship, using his PROBE Driver and PROBE 20/20 inverted-shafted putter.)

It will be fun to once again make the best performing golf equipment in the world, and the best performing putter ever designed.

Phil to Pass Tiger as No. One!

Last November, before the world learned about Tiger Woods' extra dozen or so women, I predicted that Phil Mickelson would pass Tiger in 2010 as the world's No. One golfer. With Tiger missing the cut at Quail Hollow last Friday, and Phil's second-place finish, Phil is now close to passing Tiger.

This week's Players' Championship at Ponte Vedra Beach may just do the trick. Neither Tiger nor Phil are hitting a lot of fairways off the tee these days. But Phil has the better short game of the two, recovering from bad tee shots better than Tiger.

And as I pointed out last week, Tiger has to overcome his temper, and his concern about what the crowd thinks of him, and his temper, before he will win again.

I'll make the same comment about tempers on tour as I made last week. The PGA Tour has occasionally fined players money for cursing, or for throwing clubs, but that has never had any effect on such behavior. What is $5,000 to a multimillionaire? But tell a player he just incurred a one-stroke penalty for slamming his driver into the ground and watch his reaction!

I have played golf for 48 years, and have taught golf to kids since they were three years old. I tell them there is no room for temper on the golf course. When I consider doing business with someone new, the first thing I do is play 18 holes with them. I'll learn more about their honesty, integrity, or ability to handle adversity (temper) in thirty minutes than I'd learn in five days over a conference table.

I once entertained a golfer from Cincinnati who wanted to be my PROBE GOLF distributor in Ohio, on the Lake Shastina Golf Resort near Mt. Shasta, CA. On the seventh hole he missed a two-foot putt for par, and he threw his putter that clipped my right ear, and flew another fifty feet into the nearby water hazard! One inch closer and he might have killed me.

I told him to fly back to Ohio, that there was no room at PROBE GOLF for him.

For Tiger to get back in the graces of most attendees at this week's Players Championship. Tiger will have to concentrate on his behavior. If his behavior is on his mind, concentrating on each shot will not be on his mind. And that is all it will take for him to finish far behind the ultimate winner.

Congatulations Phil Mickelson, the Number One golfer in the world.

Tomorrow I am going to show you how to buy the best performing golf equipment you can acquire to best support your own, individual golf swing, and at about 50% off what you would pay anywhere else. I hope you catch the conversation.

Why Can't Everyone Play Golf?

Last night I was getting ready to sleep for the eighth night in a row on my living room couch, because it was easier to sleep there with my right foot elevated after foot surgery, and having three pins running through my foot!

Forty-four years ago I had broken the joint on my big toe playing football barefoot, and had never found a convenient time for the repairing surgery, and the five weeks of recovery that would be necessary after such surgery.

As I settled down on the couch with my Vicodin, water, and laptop next to me, I turned on the TV and was pleased to see that The Legend of Bagger Vance was just starting. As I watched, I was reminded of how great the game of golf really is (as if I needed a reminder).

Think of all the problems in the world, with hunger, economic troubles, etc. Then remind yourself how golf teaches all of us tolerance, honesty, integrity, patience, understanding, and other virtues.

Then imagine if there were 300 million golfers in the United States, instead of only 25 million. What a better country we would have. What if the billions of people in the world all played golf? Wouldn't this be a much better world?

Imagine a Catholic, a Muslim, and Protestant, and a Jew teeing it up for a friendly $10 Nassau, and an Agnostic is keeping the official scores for the foursome!

What a world it would be.

Tiger's Mental Attitude Responsible for Missing the Cut?

Tiger Woods missed his first PGA Tour cut in what, five years? He missed the cut at the Open Championship in England last July, and I already commented that I think it was his "female problems" that were responsible. I told my brother at the time that something was bothering Tiger. It was just four months before the rest of the world learned about Tiger's dozen or so extra women!

This week at Quail Hollow I think Tiger was thinking too much about how to win back the crowd by not throwing clubs or cussing too much, and not thinking enough about picturing each shot in his mind before swinging.

After he had missed the cut, the commentators were mentioning the fact that Tiger had "behaved himself" this week despite missing the cut, cussing very little and not throwing a single club. I have a feeling that his concern about his behavior and what the crowd thought/thinks of him is what was foremost on his mind, instead of concentrating on his swing.

I saw Tiger hit several poor shots on Thursday and Friday this week, and his facial expression looked like he was steaming on he inside as he smiled outwardly.

Tiger has two things he must overcome before he will appear in the winner's circle again. First and foremost is controlling his temper. I don't care how many women are on his mind, there is no room on the golf course for a temper tantrum. It is childish, and it will not allow any golfer to relax and hit a smooth shot. I would like to see the Tour impose penalty strokes to any tour player who cusses or throws or slams down a club during play.

I remember watching last Summer's Big Break on the Golf channel. I wish Pat Perez's brother had not won, because his childish behavior of slamming and throwing clubs is not something we need to see on television. It is a poor example for our children.

The second thing Tiger has to accomplish is concentration. You can't play good golf when you are worried about outside influences, such as the crowd. When he conquers the first, temper, he won't have to worry about the second, what the crowd thinks of him.

Tiger won't win again until he learns to laugh off a bad shot, and concentrate on the next shot, and not about what the guy outside the ropes is thinking.

Do you agree?