Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods Allies

Mickelson usually does not get into tour politics but when he heard of Woods notion he rapidly jumped to support him. He feels the importance of the tour to be within the Nations capital as well as for it to as well be tied to Woods, and this tour does both. Moreover, he is conscious of the fact that most of the surplus income that comes from supporting tours is driven by Woods. Mickelson also asks for golfers not to be narrow minded regarding the matter.





Woods has come up with a new AT&T National tournament and the field size is becoming an issue for discussion amongst golfers. The PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem is considering in accepting the Wood’s idea as an invitational and Woods favors a smaller field.





Other players feel the tour should not be made exclusive due to the shortened season and not many are happy about a reduced field. Taking into consideration other tournaments and the schedule, most will probably have to give into the acceptance of the tour, but for it to be done with a reduced field whether or not some find it offensive. The PAC has programmed a conference call for March 28th to talk about the field size.





Another concern is that the new AT&T National would replace the International that was scheduled to take place in Colorado with a 144-man field.





The enormous boost in prize money is due to Woods popularity and his foundation will run the tournament and will use the charity money to build a new Tiger Woods Learning Center within the Washington area.

Mike Weir Proves Tiger Woods is Human and How to Save your Own Round From Going Downhill

Tiger Woods scrambled to keep pace in his Presidents Cup singles match against Mike Weir, that is a given. Not many can make a comeback as Woods did on Sunday, rebounding from a 3-hole deficit halfway through the match but Tiger confirmed one thing and that is, it can be done.





Although Woods conceded the final hole handing the win to Weir, he got his round back on track. Weir acknowledged, "He didn't have his best day and I had my best day. That's the way you're going to beat the best player."





Granted we are not in the same league as either Tiger or Mike Weir so what can the amateur golfer do when floundering during a round? Golf for Beginners gives advice on how to avoid a meltdown in this week's podcast.





As for the "guffaws" made earlier in the week by the International Team about Phil Mickelson, they were silenced as Lefty easily proved his mettle in his singles match against Vijay Singh. Phil was looking to return the joke by wearing longer metal spikes. "I honestly couldn't find any in the locker room," Mickelson claimed. "I thought it would be funny."





This week's episode also offers ideas on how to play your best golf even when there is no time to practice before your round. A David Leadbetter recommendation for controlling distance is also featured.





Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.

After Surgery Tiger Woods Faces the Public Opinion

The Golf number one player Tiger Woods had to recently face a reconstructive knee surgery which he had postpone due to the US Open tournament. After the procedure Woods gave a public speech during which he mentioned he will be required the use of crutches for no less than three weeks. Woods was not certain regarding the time he will be out of the golf course as it could be from six to twelve months; it really depends on how fast he recovers.

"I really don't know," mentioned Woods during the conference call to promote his AT&T Tournament which takes place near Washington, D.C. and that he usually hosts but this time will not be able to attend. "We'll have to see how this thing heals and everyone heals at a different rate. Some six months, some at nine and some at 12. To be honest with you, no one really knows until we start the rehab process and see how this thing goes."

Last June 16th Tiger Woods won the US Open in Torrey Pines, San Diego but he had already planned to get this surgery months in advanced as it was a necessary procedure in order for him to continue his golf career. Woods’ ACL injury came after last year’s British Open; one day when he was jogging but despite the injury he was able to put off the surgery until the end of the year; Woods really struggled with the decision and even played well most part of the 2008 season; but all of a sudden the knee began to get worse.  Woods was then taken to the hospital a couple of days after his finishing second place in the Golf Master event.

"That was to get me through the rest of the '08 season," he said. "And then have it [reconstructive surgery] done after the '08 season. [But] I developed stress fractures and decided to bag it for the rest of the year."

While on rehab, Woods began to show problems with some stress fractures; therefore he was not able to attend the Memorial event. Basically he couldn’t practice for more than nine holes without dealing with the pain and that is why he decided to play the US Open and make that event his last one of the season.

The US Open was without a doubt a remarkable tournament for Woods; we can even say it was the best we have seemed of his previous 14 victories. Some days before the tournament Woods could barely walk and this prevented him from practicing daily but despite the tight situation he was able to move forward and get through such an important competition.

Woods did mention that he has been dealing with this problem for more than 12 years and he feels relieve that finally he will feel healthier without any kind of pain. Woods regrets the fact he will miss the British Open and the PGA Championship but he is certain to be part of these event next year when he is fully recovered. 

Golf - Tiger Woods To Play at the Australian Masters

Tiger Woods announced that he is going to participate in the Australian Masters that is going to be held at the Kingston Heath in the Melbourne area in November. This will be the first appearance of the golfer Down Under since 1998 and the fourth time that he participates on a tournament in Australia; the last time was in the 1998 Presidents Cup.

The first visit of Woods was during the Australian Open in 1996 on the Australian Course in Sydney, where he finished tied for fifth behind the winner of that time, Greg Norman. His next tournament was the Australian Masters in 1997 at Hungtingdale in Melbourne where he finished seven shots behind the winner in that moment, Peter Lonard.

His participation, according to the Victoria State premier John Brumby, has already been confirmed. Brumby also explained that the visit of the top ranked golfer will give a lot of benefits to the state of Victoria, including $12.54 million in economic earnings, covering the $2 million fee that Woods is charging just for the appearance in the tournament.

"We expect thousands of visitors from interstate and overseas will come to Melbourne to see the world's greatest golfer on one of Melbourne's world-class golf course," the premier said in the statement. "The event will boost tourism, create jobs for Victorians and beam Melbourne to millions of people through a worldwide television audience."

The Australian golfer Stuart Appleby, who regularly plays against Woods in the PGA Tour, explained that this is something important for the people that haven't seen him in person and that will be able to do it now. He also stated that not many people will understand why he is earning $2 million for just showing up, but they have take into account all the benefits he will bring with him, mostly economic. He added that Woods has been in Asia and Europe a couple of times and that is good to have him in Australia too.

The director of the Australasian Tour Tournament, Andrew Langford-Jones, has also backed up the investment of bringing Tiger Woods for the tournament because is worth it. He explained that a lot of people depend on the golf industry for their jobs and incomes. He also said that the accommodations for the crowds that are going to be assisting to the Kingston Heath would be stretch, since they are estimating between 70.000 and 100.000 people going to the tournament.

Tiger Woods has recently come back to the golf courts, after he spent eight months resting and recovering from the knee surgery he had back in 2008 after winning the US Open. Woods finished ninth at the World Golf Championship event in Miami four days ago and lost in the second round of the Accenture World Match Play in Arizona two weeks earlier, those were the first events in which he has taken part this year. Tiger seems to feel fine after this well deserved and needed rest and we hope the best for him in the future.

Why Tiger Woods has a Perfect Golf Swing

This last weekend, we once again had the pleasure of watching Tiger Woods playing in a Major Golf Tournament, the 2009 Masters. He injured his knee prior to the 2008 US Open, and the last we saw of him was winning that tournament in a lot of pain.

He may not have won this years Masters tournament but his swing truly is exceptional and it is alwyas worth taking a look at some video and snapshots of his swing to do some video analysis. So why does Tiger Woods have a perfect golf swing? The answer is TIMING.

Tiger shows an almost perfect example of a concept we discussed in our last post with Andy Murray's serve. Tiger creates club head speed by perfectly sequencing and timing the movement of his knees, hips, shoulders, wrists and club. In golf this is known as the kinematic sequence. The kinematic sequence in a golf swing is a little different to that of a Tennis serve, but in the end the idea for both is to create club head speed or racquet head speed by storing and then transferring energy from hips to shoulders to club or racquet, with perfect timing.

Lets have a look at Tiger Woods' swing in slow motion from some YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHcP6X7dEUo . We have seen this video before, but it is a really good one. In this video we have a side on view of Tiger's swing (side on to the direction he will hit) and we can see the club throughout the swing. This makes it a great video to analyze. The video was also filmed with a high speed camera with a high shutter speed, which is why we can see the club so clearly in each frame even through ball impact.

OK lets analyse this swing by looking at the way Tiger stores and transfers energy to the ball through the golf club. If you stop the video at 0:33 seconds, you will see that Tiger is now at the top of his back swing. During his back swing he turned his hips and his shoulders away from the direction in which he will be hitting in order to store up energy for his swing.

Play the video from here and we will see how his hips start to move earlier and quicker than his upper body and that his shoulders are left behind. Tiger is starting his kinematic sequence by unwinding his back swing. The timing is important and he leads with his hips in order to create more separation between his hips and shoulders and therefore create more energy to be transferred.

His shoulders then follow and at ball strike we see that Tiger's hips are now facing the target while his shoulders are almost facing directly at the camera. This perfect timing has allowed him to transfer all the energy from his back swing, first to his hips and then from his hips to his shoulders.

Here are two images of Tiger at the top of his back swing and at ball strike, created with some free video analysis software and images of Tiger's swing.

Although these are 2 different swings, we can see how Tiger creates separation between his hips and shoulders in the image on the left and how his hips are turned toward the target at ball strike in the image on the right. The shoulders have rotated quickly as they follow in sequence from the hips, in fact they have caught up with the hips as energy was transferred from hips to shoulders and the hip rotation has slowed while the shoulder rotation has sped up. The angle between the hips and shoulders at ball strike is now much less than at the start of the down swing and we can see this in the images above.

Of course the golf swing does not end with the shoulders and there are still numerous places where the timing can be off and the golfer can lose club head speed. In the video above we can look at time 00:41 seconds and we can see that Tiger's wrists are still cocked. As we play forward from this point we will see the wrists release, transferring the energy from the shoulders and arms to the wrists and on to the club and club head at ball strike.

This last sequence happens very quickly and the golfers timing has to be perfect. Tiger Wood's is the master of this timing and we look forward to seeing more video of his swing now that he is back from injury Follow us at The Video Analysis of Sports (see link in bio), to see more video analysis of Tiger, golf and other sports.

Cheyenne, a Splinter Off Tiger Woods' Family Tree. Seniors Give Us a Lesson in Scoring Low and Stop Topping the Ball

Tiger Woods looked a bit like Phil Mickelson (and family) after his win at the Target World Challenge with grandma holding up baby Sam to receive a wet one while Elin proudly looked on. Perfect Kodak moment!





Now it's time for a six-week respite. Perhaps a holiday aboard the yacht, then Christmas with the relatives?





Or, maybe a powow with the lesser known side of the family? Cheyenne Woods signed a National Letter of Intent to play golf at Wake Forest University so a bit of catching up couldn't hurt, especially since Tiger and Cheyenne both share a common bond. Earl Woods Sr. gave his granddaughter her first set of golf clubs and, as Tiger remarked, "she started in the garage where I started. I'll never forget that day."





Besides the apparent similar features, Cheyenne, daughter of Earl Woods Jr., is becoming an accomplished golfer. But she lacks Tiger's humble nature, commenting in an interview earlier in the year that she doesn't just want to be known as "somebody's relative" making sure to mention that "other people tell me that I play a little bit better under pressure and that my composure on the course is Tiger-like." Perhaps there is a bit of sibling rivalry between Earl Jr. and Tiger? Still, they're not your typical family.





This week Golf for Beginners podcast discusses Cheyenne Woods, the Earl Woods legacy and the probability of defeating Michelle Wie in competitve golf.





We also have a bevy of golf tips including a discussion on how seniors can beat younger players on the course and easy ways to stop topping the ball.





P.S. Crybaby Rory Sabbatini may have escaped with $170,000 of last place payout under Tiger Woods' radar but I'm sure the only thing that bothered Woods about this issue was that the Foundation could have used the money. I'll bet that Sabbatini won't be asked to come back next year. (Hmmm, did Sabbatini pull a Michelle Wie or was he gracious enough to thank the host before he disappeared?)





Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@worldgolf.com.





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Tiger Woods Americas Greatest Golfer

Eldrick “Tiger�? Woods was born December 30, 1975. Currently the world’s #1 American professional golfer is ranked among the most successful golfers of all time.  He is also the highest paid athlete estimated worth $122 million in winnings and endorsements. It is also believed that he will be the first American athlete to surpass the $1 billion dollar earning estimate.

Tiger Woods began to play golf at the age of two. A “natural�? for the game of golf, he went on to win the Junior World Championships six times- an unprecedented accomplishment for such a young boy.

In 1996 he became a professional golfer and signed with Nike Inc. – an endorsement worth $40 million and with Titleist Inc. worth $20 million.  Woods was named Sports Illustrated 1996 Sportsman of the Year and PGA Rookie of the Year. Woods went on to win his first tournament The Masters in April, becoming the youngest Masters winner of African-American and Asian-American descent. Woods went on to win three PGA Tour events that same year.

The following season Woods continued dominating throughout all of the tournaments. Wood’s six professional major championships and three U.S amateur championship titles totaled nine major championships through age 25. He achieved No. 1 on the Official World Golf Ranking for the most rapid progression to that position ever recorded.

Throughout his career, Wood’s has established several charitable and youth projects which include; The Tiger Woods Foundation, In The City Golf Clinics and Festivals,  The Tiger Woods Learning Center, The Tiger World Challenge and Tiger Woods Foundation National Junior Golf Team.  In 2001 Wood’s wrote a-best selling golf instruction book “How I Play Golf�? and has written a golf instruction column for Golf Digest Magazine since 1997.

Tiger Woods major championships include 11 amateur wins, 65 PGA Tour wins, 7 European Tour wins and 17 other professional wins.  Woods career wins include;  The Masters in 1997, 2001, 2002,  PGA Championships in 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007, US Open in 2000, 2002, 2008, The Open Championship in 2000, 2005, 2006.

Mickelson Answers Putting Question, Tiger Woods Tenaciously Scrambles. Also, Laura Davies Doubts Michelle Wie's Mental State. Odyssey Xg Putters

It’s easy to see why professional golfers become distracted when Tiger Woods is somewhere in the pack. If he’s only a few strokes back, chances are his resolve will carry him to victory. That is precisely what happened this weekend at the Dubai Desert Classic.





On the flip side, no one seems to be afraid of Phil Mickelson.





J.B. Holmes’ memories of a 2006 victory at the FBR Open was all he needed to maintain his purpose for this year’s event. And, the claim to fame that he beat Mickelson was also a good incentive.





Phil’s putter let him down once again claiming that a misread putt and a few that “slid by the edge�? contributed to a playoff. Although Butch Harmon has been working with Mickelson on his 150-yard approach shots, Lefty found that his golf ball wasn’t as close to the hole as was Na’s. That must have also frustrated him.





This week on our Golf for Beginners podcast we discuss Mickelson’s views from the putter. Is it better to keep your eyes over, or behind, the ball?





We also talk about how the amateur golfer can use Tiger Woods’ scrambling ability and tenacity to improve your own game.





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Michelle Wie takes center stage once again as she receives an exemption to the Fields Open. Has her physical injury healed? Has her mental game improved? All questions will be answered in two weeks.





Laura Davies believes that psychological damage that Michelle Wie endured from playing golf in men’s tournaments will take a year to heal. She also thinks that her own game is ready for the next level, affirming that this is her year to dominate the LPGA Tour..and that includes toppling Lorena Ochoa! At least Davies understands what it takes to win, but, at forty-four years old and with a plethora of new stars on the horizon as well as Annika Sorenstam back in form, the LET star is going to have her hands full.





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The Odyssey two-ball putter has become a mainstay on the PGA Tour. From professional golfers to amateurs, all gain assistance from the golfball-sized white discs on top of the clubface which help align a ball to its target.





Where the design was initially unusual, the technology which offered exceptional resiliency and performance also became the backbone of Odyssey’s line-up of putters. And, with the introduction of the elasticore multi layer insert technology, the advancements are noticeable.





With the introduction of the Divine Line of putters designed specifically for women, I wondered if I would notice a difference between the new White Hot XG and the Divine, or if one should rely on a putter’s performance predominantly based upon the length of its shaft?





This question, and more, are answered in this week's golf podcast.





Click here to listen.

Hank Haney Talks Tiger Woods

Imagine Tiger Woods’ instructor, Hank Haney, standing right in front of you, offering you advice on your golf game. That is exactly what happened to me at Chelsea Piers in New York in an event held in conjunction with The First Tee and FedEx.

I had the opportunity to stand within inches of one of the Top 100 instructors in the world, so what should I ask him? I thought most about my own game. Being a 14 handicap, I have alot of questions, ranging from help with basic fundamentals (for both myself and many of my listeners) right down to nitty-gritty questions about Tiger Woods.

Okay, so Mr. Haney didn’t help only me that day, his main focus was on the hundred or so kids that belong to the New York Metropolitan Chapter where he mentioned, “What could be better than to help the best player in the world and to help kids?�?

The few minutes that I taped with Mr. Haney is literally a gold-mine of information which will definitely assist both the beginner and advanced amateur golfer. And yes, there is even some commentary on Tiger Woods, his philosophy and how he’s faring during his forced rest.

Thanks to Mr. Haney for helping me with my game. Barry even learned a few things from my interview! And why not? Even Tiger Woods has a coach to assist him with his game and he’s the greatest golfer on the planet.

Also, thanks to the First Tee Program and FedEx for the invite.

Check out the live interview here: http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/golf-for-beginners/2008/08/25/hank_haney_talks_tiger_woods_gives_easy_

A Lesson From Tiger Woods

With a title like that you would naturally expect this lesson to be about golf, and you'd be partially right. It is and it isn't. It's about golf, but it's not about swing thoughts or how to error-proof your putting. Instead, this Lesson from Tiger Woods is about Welcoming Your Butterflies.

When Tiger was about to return to competitive golf after nearly eight months absence following knee surgery, he talked about the layoff. Said Tiger: "I miss that rush of playing and competing, I really do. Getting on that first tee and feeling it. This is what I do for a living and this is what I've wanted to do my entire life. And not being able to do it at the highest level was frustrating at times."

It was about then that someone in the press corps had the temerity to ask the greatest golfer of his generation whether he just might be a bit nervous. "The day that I'm not nervous is the day I quit. To me, nerves are great. That means you care. I care about what I do and I take great pride in what I do. So, of course I'll be nervous. That's the greatest thing about it is to feel that; to feel that rush."

It is Tiger's ability to channel his nervousness, combined with his skill and work ethic that has made him a World Class athlete, the winner of 14 major tournaments and a seemingly endless string of professional victories. And, what Tiger understands about the role of nervousness in golf also applies to media interviews and important presentations. As communication consultant Tom Antion puts it, "Fear is your friend. It makes your reflexes sharper. It heightens your energy, adds a sparkle to your eye, and color to your cheeks. When you are nervous about speaking you are more conscious of your posture and breathing. With all those good side effects you will actually look healthier and more physically attractive."

Sounds good, right. But just how do you tame your butterflies and get them flying in formation? As a long-time golfer (read duffer) myself, I'd experienced that first-tee nervousness that's always made worse because the foursome behind you seems to be analyzing ever hiccup in my swing. But I've also noticed what most golfers do as they're preparing for that first swing. Most of us put our driver behind our necks and rotate back and forth. In the process, we're simulating the turn that is the basis for every good golf swing, but the turn does another important thing: It deals with the tension that we tend to store up across our shoulders and down or spinal column.

Whether or not you have a golf club handy, you should do the same thing before speaking or being interviewed by a reporter. In the process, you'll release much of the tension you've stored up. The other thing you should do in preparation for your speech or interview is to breathe deeply. A combination of deep breathing and the golfer's turn can lesson the negatives of nervousness and make way for the positives.

Then, use your imagination. Think about someone whose opinion you respect coming up to you after your speech or interview and saying, "You did a really good job." It sounds a little touchy-feely, but by thinking positively, you make less room for thoughts of failure. In essence, you'll be following the advice of another legendary golfer. Jack Nicklaus, who owns the record for wins in a major (18) that Tiger hopes to eclipse, equates his phenomenal record of achievement with his ability to visualize success. So, embrace your nervousness and visualize success.

A lesson from Tiger Woods, and Jack Nicklaus.

Tiger Woods' Long Road to Recovery

Tiger Woods' long road to recovery

It may certainly feel a long time ago that Tiger Woods last participated in a major championship; in fact the major winning golfer last lifted a golf club at a major tournament in June this year. After winning the US Open this year, Tiger decided to have surgery on his knee for a fourth time, with the prospect of not playing until next year (2009).

Woods originally tore his left knee ligament at last year’s Open Championship whilst going for a run – a decision that forced the pro to rest for 10 weeks at the end of last year’s season.

This year saw the return of Woods at the Masters in April, unfortunately the decision to play cost him a further two months off the course whilst undergoing keyhole surgery – a procedure renowned for its fast recovery times. The next opportunity to play came at the US Open.

Unfortunately, the road to recovery for Tiger has been slow – which has cost the pro in terms of his physical fitness. Tiger has been unable to maintain his muscle weight through rigorous training in the gym, only now has Woods managed to start using an exercise bike to rebuild his strength. The pro is also following a strict diet of raw and organic foods to provide rich nutrients to his body, with a goal to fastening his road to recovery.

In true sporting fashion, Tiger congratulated Padraig Harrington on his recent US PGA and Open Championship victories. The frustration to not compete and defend his two-time string of wins at the PGA must have been immeasurable.

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Tiger Woods Golf Swing - Simple Exercise Tiger Woods Practise

Every golfer wants to emulate Tiger Woods golf swing and it is possible with the right information. One way that Tiger Woods golf swing gives him power and length off the tee and in the fairway with his irons, is that he uses a full back swing that maximizes golf swing power. By working on some of the Tiger Woods golf swing concepts, you may quickly shave strokes off your game and get an overall more efficient golf swing.





First, you need to work on your flexibility. Here is a simple exercise that Tiger Woods and other golf professionals use to get a more flexible back swing:





1. Extend your left arm straight out to the right, if you are a left-handed golfer, or extend out your left arm if you are a right handed player





2. Place the hand you have just extended on top of a golf club that is sitting perpendicular to the ground. Join your other hand on top of the club also.





3. Bend your upper body down, which will put pressure on the club. You should feel a stretch in your shoulder.





4. Stay in this position for about ten to fifteen seconds.





5. Repeat the steps with the opposite side for a follow-through stretch.





Make sure you do this simple exercise right before you tee off or start your round of golf. You can also do it right before any shot to get more distance and power.





Here are some more great concepts that Tiger Woods golf swing executes:





You need to fully rotate your hips during your golf swing. In your final position after your follow-through, you will want your hips pointing directly out towards the direction you want the golf ball to fly. Tiger Woods golf swing has a strong center of gravity. Never sway back and forth during your golf swing and keep your legs steady. Also, keep your body directly over the ball.





Do not try to gain more speed by moving your arms, shoulders, or wrists. Your body should work in coordination. Your golf swing speed is only increased by quickly turning your torso, or middle of the body.

Tiger Woods and Wife Expecting Second Child

Usually, all of the attention paid by the media when a birth announcement is made is given to teen celebrities and people like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. While plenty of professional athletes and their wives have children each year, not all of them really make the news; simply put, that's not the case for golfer Tiger Woods.



Within the first days of September, Tiger Woods made an announcement in the blog on his web site: he and his wife Elin Woods are expecting to have their second child over the course of the next months. According to the post that was made with the announcement, Tiger Woods' second child will be born at some point during the late winter and the golfer is already starting to wonder whether his daughter, Sam, is going to be the big sister to a younger sister or a younger brother.



Of course, there's no doubt whatsoever that, even though Tiger Woods and his wife will be having a second child, Sam will not hold a special place in the golfer's heart. Ultimately, the 32 year old who has - in many ways - changed the face of golf will not only love his first child, but also, because of his knee injury and efforts to recover from surgery, he will be able to treasure the memories that he has made while he has been kept on the sidelines of the PGA. It is the time that Tiger Woods has spend with Sam and his wife Elin that lead him to look at the surgery as more than just a disappointing time period in his career and to see that, in some ways, the surgery and recovery period have been a blessing.



Still, it's unlikely that Tiger Woods fans will have to worry that a second child would lead him away from the game of golf. Though he has not participated in a tournament since June of 2008 and the U.S. Open, Tiger has not let go of his love for the game of golf. In the meantime, while going through the work of recovering from a knee injury and the surgery that followed, Tiger Woods has been working to design two separate golf courses - one in the nation of Dubai and the other in the state of North Carolina.



In other words, while Tiger Woods may not feel that 2008 has been very successful for him in terms of time spent out on the golf course, it's safe to assume that he is pleased with the way that things are going. Tiger Woods says that he enjoys spending time designing golf courses, has been working toward recovering from the surgery and that the time that he got to spend with his daughter assures him that being a parent is its own reward. And, of course, given the news of a second child, it would appear that the rewards of parenthood are among the top prizes that Tiger Woods has received over the course of his career.

Tiger Woods Pga Tour 2008 Review

Tiger Woods seems to have the perfect lifestyle. A drop dead gorgeous Swedish supermodel wife, an enormous mansion, fame, money, on Forbes list of celebrities, an adorable daughter, close friends with Charles Barkley, thirteen major championships under his belt, and his very own video game. Tiger Woods 2008 is the next iteration in the fairly long series of Tiger Woods video games. If you are an avid fan of the Tiger Wood games, you will feel very much at home with the latest installment. Electronic Arts have been notorious for making arcade Tiger Woods golf video games to appeal to the casual gamers, but his year seems different. Unrealistic scores (like 50 under par) are virtually impossible to achieve this time around. The gameplay is similar to the previous games in that it keeps the player immersed in the golf course. One new feature is a revamped putting system which allows you to anticipate the line of trajectory that your golf ball will travel on the green. Even though it is not as useful as Tiger Vision, (which was introduced in Tiger Woods 2005) it still helps to line up the putt. There is a limit to how many times you can utilize this feature, so players should not expect to abuse other players with their putting. Your skill level and difficulty will determine how many times you can use the putt preview. Another element of the game that might turn a few players off is the golf swing mechanic. The analog sticks are no longer used to hit the golf ball; however, the buttons are used. This alteration may have been because of the lack of challenge with hitting the golf ball with the analog stick. The new way to make contact with the ball is to press the button three times (ala Madden kicking field goals). Once to start your swing, twice to start your downswing, and a third time for accuracy. If it seems too intricate, it really is fairly intuitive. Madden fans can easily make a smooth transition with this gameplay mechanic. Photo face is yet another new feature of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008. It gives gamers the opportunity to generate their own face and put it in the game. This feature appears to be exclusive to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Electronics Arts has not corroborated a Photo face feature for the Nintendo Wii. Sorry Nintendo Wii owners. It sucks to be you; if you bought a Nintendo Wii, you do not have much of a live to begin with. The create a golfer aspect is back, and it has the usual things you would expect. You can create a golfer as skeleton-like as Nicole Richie, or as putrid as Rosie O'Donnell. It is all up to the gamer. All of the mini-games remain intact in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008. The visuals in the game are brilliant. Everything from the beautiful golf courses to Tiger Woods’ millions dollar smile will appease anyone. Shot Confidence is another original aspect of the game. In a nutshell, playing well gives you confidence. Playing poorly lowers your confidence. Many will be dissatisfied with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008, but other will be elated. Overall, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008 is a solid improvement over Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007.





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Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 Review

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 is the latest offering from EA, which has been consistently delivering the goods when it comes to sports gaming franchises.



This series has paved the way for golf gaming standards. As an improvement from previous games, developers took the time out to make significant changes in terms of gameplay and spice up the golfing experience for old and new players alike.



In this improvement efforts, developers of Tiger Woods 09 considered two factors. For one, this game will hopefully take you a step closer to what real life golf is all about. Certain aspects and features of a real golf game are extracted then integrated to the game in the form of new attributes and features.



To those of you who do not possess hardcore golfing skills but are willing to learn more about the sport, Tiger Woods 2009 offers a venue to explore and enjoy the sport at the same time. Hence, this game is not just isolated to the skilled and pro golf gamers but is also suitable for all skill levels.



To give players more control over their performance on the game, some improvements were done on certain features like the dynamic attribute system, rewind and club-tuning feature. Tiger Woods 2009 emphasizes how the level of attributes are reflected into actual game performance. To put things into perspective, there are different aspects of your skill that are focused on in this game which includes power, accuracy, short game, and putting. Having concrete data to base your performance on, you can now assess which ones you need to adjust on if you want to improve your game.



There is also a new coach feature that is available in Tiger Woods 09 so you can get valuable feedback and gauge your skills. If Haney have managed to make a golfing champ out of Tiger Woods, then he might be the person to turn to for better golfing skills.



Improving on the previous game's online feature, it is now possible to have up to 4 players take on a golfing game simultaneously. And for more choices, 5 additional courses will be available to play on thus expanding your golfing experience.



If you want a more dynamic game, then the improved features on this game will certainly provide the much needed boost. But unlike popular misconception, this golf game will offer lots of ways to gather your friends together and enjoy virtual golfing.



With Tiger Woods 09, its developers have certainly transported the excitement of an outdoor golf game straight into your living room set. Aside from that, this experience will be shared by loyal gamers to the series and those who will try their club-swinging skills for the first time.



Let's face it though, all you really want to know is whether this game is so much better than last years version, that its worth buying ?



Find out in our huge review of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 which you can read by following the links below.

How to Play Golf Like Tiger Woods?

By John Lynch

Do you wanna shave 10 strokes off your golf scores immediately?

Then read on...

Did ya watch Tiger Woods during the U.S Open at Torrey Pines this year?

Did ya see how he meticulously planned each golf shot...he is a pure golf warrior!

Tiger Woods is the best golfer on the planet mainly because he fully understands his strengths...and weaknesses...yes, even Tiger has weaknesses.

You might think to play golf like Tiger Woods means to bomb every drive...

Or go for the miracle golf shot. This is hardly the case....

Read on...

When Tiger has the lead in the final round of a golf tournament he usually plays conservative; like hitting fairway wood off the tee...this takes the big number out of the equation...he lets his opponents beat themselves as they aggressively chase him.

Tiger’s knee hurt badly during all 4 rounds of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines this past weekend. A weakness in his game not to be denied or ignored.  Because of his knee injury Tiger knew what he was capable of, and what he wasn’t capable of…

Tiger played within his limits!

When Tiger was in the rough on a par 5, he laid up. He didn’t go for the green in two and risk shooting himself out of the golf tournament.

Tiger Woods learned early in life under the tutelage of his father Earl on how to survey the golf course AND his opponents with uncanny precision. Tiger does this through the fine art of course management…

And mental toughness!

What is the fine art of course management you say? It all starts with knowing your limits. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and knowing your opponent's strengths and weaknesses...and of course know the golf course you are playing on...this is your battlefield!

Tiger Woods knows his limits and plays within them. So many high handicap golfers try for the "miracle shot" when they are in trouble...This usually ends up costing them at least 10 strokes or more a round (depending on their level).

Think about it, attempting to hit the miracle golf shot you can execute correctly one in ten times is a recipe for disaster...this makes for great drama...remember Tin Cup? How bout Jean Van de Velde when he choked in the '99 British Open? They both went for the miracle golf shot.

The truth is going for the miracle shot when everything is on the line may make for great T.V. drama; however this attitude will absolutely crush your golf scores!

Do you hit driver on a 300 yard par 4 even though you can only drive the ball 250? The 50 yard pitch shot is one of the hardest shots in golf...

Even for Tiger Woods!

Rather than reaching for the big stick, leave yourself 100 yards for your second shot. For most good golfers 100 yards is a full pitching wedge which they can hit in their sleep.

Play golf like Tiger Woods as he systematically wore down a game competitor in Rocco Mediate during the 18 hole playoff in this year’s U.S. Open ...think and plan ahead...know your strengths...and your weaknesses!

The fact of the matter is, if you plan on leaving the golf ball at your "sweet spot" distance from the hole, you will dramatically improve your chances of hitting more greens in regulation…

And more greens in regulation leads to more circles on your score card…which means more pars and birdies!

For some this sweet spot distance from the pin is 100 yards, some 120 yards, learn what your sweet spot distance is and practice that shot over and over at the range until you can hit that shot in your sleep.

Play golf like Tiger Woods sizing up his next major win!

Hit 'em Long and Straight!

John Lynch