Fancy Playing The K Club Smurfit Course This Thursday, 7th May with The SpinDoctor

If you would like to take part in our weekly Irish Examiner course review piece and fancy playing the K Club Smurfit course, Ireland's last host course of the European Open then send me a mail at examinerspindoc@eircom.net with your name, handicap and mobile number. Tee time is 10.40am this Thursday. The only thing you need to have in your pockets are tees and a pitchmark repairer!!

How Tiger Handles the Rubik Cube!

Under The Microscope:

Kenny Perry

Birthday: 10^th August 1960

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 15 stone 10 lbs

Birthplace: Elizabethtown, Kentucky

Turned Pro: 1980

Kenny Perry has won eight times on tour since 2003. Had he won at Augusta, Perry would have become the oldest champion at 48. He attributes his success that week to 20 hours spent on the putting green in the build up. “I wish I had discovered this method 20 years ago”, the ever gracious Perry said in the aftermath of the playoff defeat. Off the course Perry has been honoured for his contribution to social projects. He donates five percent of all his winnings to Lipscomb University in Nashville to provide scholarships for students. He also took out a loan to build Country Creek, a public course in his hometown of Franklin, Kentucky. In 1995, Perry bought 142 acres of land and borrowed more than $2.5 million to design and build the only public course in the town. He can often be found working behind the counter where visitors often ask him, "Do you know Kenny Perry?" He has shot 60 on the course twice himself.

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In The Bag

Driver TaylorMade R9 (9.5°) with Fujikura Motore shaft. Changed recently from the Tour Burner. “I've probably lost five to seven yards in distance," Perry said, "but it's given me a lot of confidence in its straightness. I think I can win a U.S. Open with this driver because I'm driving it so straight."
Fairway wood: TaylorMade Burner (14.5°) with Fujikura Rombax TP75 shafts
Irons: TaylorMade r7 (3-PW) FST KBS Tour shafts, X-flex. Used to use blades but now prefers cavity-backs with more offset.
Wedges TaylorMade Rac Z TP (56°, 64°) Cleveland CG 14 (60°)
Putter: Ping G2i Craz-E. No longer available in the shops. A member of Perry’s club, gave him this putter saying it could help is game. How right he was.
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x 2005 version
Misc Wears a blue bracelet in memory of Eric Baumgartner, who had cystic fibrosis. Perry got to know him through Make-A-Wish where they played together. He sadly died shortly after.

4 Lads In A Car: Killeen Castle

As I was watched the Bahrain Grand Prix last week, I marvelled at how they can just build a state of the art grand prix facility nowadays from scratch and have it instantly regarded as one of the best in the world. Little wonder then that the equivalent in the Irish golfing world has just arrived in the form of the new Killeen Castle complex in Dunsany, Co. Meath. I use the word “complex” because it’s not fair to describe it as just a course or as a resort, it’s so much more than that. Killeen Castle is probably best described as an Olympic Village for golfers. From the superb practise facilities to the showpiece Jack Nicklaus signature golf course and with the added bonus of the only Dave Pelz short game school outside the USA, to say it is “state of the art” wouldn’t even begin to cover it.

Colum Gleeson plays his second to the stunning 18^th.

Since I couldn’t possibly cover all the bases on one visit, my mission for the day was to tame the signature 18 hole ‘Bear’ that Jack himself designed. I was joined on the crusade by Alan Maher, a 12 h’cap out of West Waterford GC and former Cork minor hurler (sure weren’t they all!), by Colum Gleeson, a seven h’cap from Rathfarnham with an arc like Tiger on stilts and John Lydon, a three h’cap from Ballinrobe, who, on his day, can play to three! We were directed to the blue tees, not quite the distance of the Monster ‘black’ tees but at over 7200 yards for a par 72, quite a test. Or so we thought.

They say to lay a course out successfully, the crucial stage of design is when the diggers are actually pushing the Earth. That box is well and truly ticked at Killeen Castle, with trademark Nicklaus hole layouts, bunkering and greens in exactly the right positions. Jack gives you oceans of space off the tee but you need to make the most of it, because if you’re if not long with your drive, there hasn’t yet been a club invented to get you onto the green. Our hurler Alan, and IT guru Colum regularly pucked their drives 300 yards, but still found themselves with four irons and hybrids while shorter hitters Johnny and myself floundered around with 3-wood approach shots and relied on our short games to bale us out. And you know what? Time and again, they did! The hand cut greens are enormous and so true that a ten footer started on the right line will invariably oblige and drop in.

By tackling the 2011 Solheim Cup venue off the blue tees, we were, in truth, a little out of our depth to score well. At times it was like trying to slay a Bear armed only with a baguette. Of course, we chose our own fate but you should be comforted in the knowledge that like a ski slope there are easier ways to come down this particular mountain with a choice of shorter tee boxes available.

Killeen Castle will go straight into my top five parkland courses in the country. When you then add in the “entry to exit” personal service, the magnificent clubhouse, the food and the practise facilities, the whole package is simply unique in Ireland. When you take into account that the whole experience is available for €100, it defies logic. Resort boss Barry O’Connor is delighted with the take-up of 250 new members and is confident that another 150 will join in the next year or so. He should be, they will. Be sure to log on to www.killeencastle.com for further details on this remarkable course that Jack built and check out the blog www.golfspindoctor.blogspot.com for loads more pics and reaction.

Quotes

Alan Maher, 12 h’cap: “An awesome challenge in an incredible setting.”

Colum Gleeson, 7 h’cap: “The line of sight from the tee to the green, on every fairway, is broken by the placement of hills, trees and fairway bunkers and crafty jack uses all these impediments to add to the challenge. The setting is both serene and dramatic in places and definitely contributes to an absorbing round of golf.”

John Lydon, 3 h’cap: “This place is incredible. You won’t find 40 points winning a Sunday competition here. A 3 handicap off the blues in Killeen Castle is probably equivalent to a 1 handicap anywhere in the country.”

Who’s In Charge?

El Bosso Grando (Big Boss) Barry O’Connor

Note the phone, the journal and the pen. A sure sign that Barry means business. It’s a little trick he picked up in his time in Doonbeg. With over 250 members already in Killeen Castle, things are ticking over nicely. And his car doesn’t get flipped over on a daily basis by the wind anymore, which is a bonus.

Soundness Factor 10/10!

The Facilities and The Service

Presidential probably sums it up best. The lockers are spacious and sparkling. The sauna is cranked up and bathrobes etc are all laid on. You’ll find sun-block, deep heat and every kind of soothing balm imaginable at the sinks and the showers are probably the best I’ve ever seen. Four nozzles and all the pressure you wish your powerhose had!- You need to make sure all of your bits are out of the way before turning on!

You get saluted at the gate, your bag taken at the clubhouse and greeted with a warm smile throughout. I’ve only seen this kind of service once before, in Doonbeg. It adds immeasurably to the experience.

Any negatives? None that I can think of. Er, maybe get some lucozade and sparkling water to sell in the pro-shop!

Watch out for our review of the Dave Pelz short game at Killeen Castle school coming soon!

Bloggy Underfoot-

“The Players Championship

It’s The Players Championship this week and I can’t wait. The Players Championship for the pros is like grandparents visiting the grandkids; all the fun with none of the responsibility. Branded as the unofficial fifth major, The Players is played on Pete Dye’s Sawgrass masterpiece and is the tournament especially laid on for guys that haven’t the bottle to win real majors. It’s the one with the famous par three 17th hole that, from the blimp, looks like an eyeball diagram from secondary school biology. The scene is set perfectly and all the usual suspects seem to be in pretty decent form. Except for defending champion Sergio that is. All the putting progress he made last year with coach Stan Uttley seems to have disappeared and guess what, he’s back with the belly putter again! With an average of 30 putts per round at the moment, Garcia is languishing down at 174th in the putts per round stats on the US Tour. Thus you can pretty much predict what’s going to happen him this week. As soon as the defending champion arrives in the carpark, the US media will jump on his back and harrang him about his putting woes. Sergio will put on his angry Seve-face and all the toys will come flying out of the Spaniard’s cot. Again. Can Sergio’s happy memories of the Stadium Course get the ball in the hole this year? Methinks it would be nothing short of miraculous if he contends. And what about Tiger and his wonky driving? When you hear talk of changing his driver shaft three times on the practise ground, you just know his confidence with the big dog is low. He almost seemed human off the tee at Quail Hollow, but it’s only a matter of time until he figures out that his three wood arrow straight “stingers” actually still go further that most of the fields drives. Sawgrass hasn’t been the happiest of hunting grounds for the special one, who, since his victory in 2001, hasn’t featured in the top five since. As well as his dodgy driving, Tiger’s putting hasn’t been good of late, with a couple of uncharacteristic short range misses in pressure situations costing him last week. That’s the long and the short of Tiger’s tribulations but you know he wont be far away come Sunday.

The cameras will, of course, be trained on the famous 132 yard par three 17th. In reverence to this wonder of the golfing world we did a bit of poking around the annals to come up with a few facts that are guaranteed to make you look clever in the pub.

· Bob Tway’s 12 in the fourth round in 2005 is the worst ever score at the infamous par-3 17th.

· Not surprisingly, Tway has the worst cumulative career score at the 17th, standing at 32 over par. That’s eight shots worse than the second guy – Duffy Waldorf at 24 over par.

· Tom Lehman leads the list of players in the credit at the 17th, with a cumulative career total of 12 under.

· The best seat on the 17th belongs to veteran NBC cameraman John Boeddeker who spends eight hours a day suspended 120ft in the air, strapped into a bucket on top of a crane.

· Tradition allows the caddies to hit and hope at the 17th on a Wednesday. The prize for nearest to the pin is the contents of a jar that players fill with tips, which add up to over a thousand dollars. There is also an official watch presented by the Tour.

· As with all the greens, the 17th green has its own ventilation system that sucks moisture through the grass, allowing the greens to remain slick and fast.

· Spectator mounds, grandstands and hospitality boxes allow 25,000 to cram around the 17th hole.

· Mark Calcavecchia once described the 17th as follows: “It’s like a 3pm root canal appointment – you’re thinking about it all morning and don’t feel good about it.”

· Course designer Tom Doak is not a fan of the 17th either. It has been copied around the world and Doak has described it as ‘the germ that started the plague’.

· Jose Maria Olazabal and Jerry Kelly tie the longest putt ever holed on the 17th – at 51 ft and three inches.

· Vijay Singh once hit the 17th green playing left-handed in a practice round. Mike Weir matched him swinging right-handed.

· Only one player has birdied in the 17th in all four rounds – Paul Azinger who did it in 1987.

Dr. and The Medic: Use Your Hips

Problem

You have a very fast turn but don’t seem to be getting the power or accuracy that you desire.

Cure

Stay synchronized. You will lose both consistency and distance if your arms are out swinging your body or your hips are out of sync with your shoulder turn.

Therapy

On the practise ground, check to make sure you are not unwinding your hips too quickly during the swing. If this is the case, try flaring out your lead foot to help restrict your hips during the backswing. This will also help slow your hip movement during the forward swing.

I Want One Of Those:

The Tow Caddy

With the Summer coming those of you with golfing teenagers will doubtless be looking forward to getting them out of your hair by letting them spend the whole day mucking around the golf club. For kids cycling to the club, here’s a cool new invention. The TowCaddy attaches to your bike like a trailer then detaches at the golf course to become a pullcart. The brainchild of Howard Fullmer, the Towcaddy is so much safer than carrying a bag while cycling. More info on http://www.towcaddy.com/

Tailored Shorts

More Information on John Daly

Barcoded Trousers, whatever next!

If you thought a Bull running through a supermarket in Ballinrobe was traceability taken a step too far, then John Daly’s attire at the Open de Espana really takes the biscuit. Daly fronted up for the first round wearing high tech “barcode” trousers. Fans travelling to Baltray in a couple of weeks should bring their portable infrared barcode readers to access their hero’s complete biography!

Haney and Tiger Split “Speculation”

Tiger Woods was so angry with his Masters performance, he said he used a "Band-Aid" swing to get around Augusta National on the final day. That kicked off gigabyte of internet chatter that Hank Haney's days as Woods' swing coach were numbered. The stats say that with Haney, Tiger has found 57.82% of fairways, in comparison to 68.66% during his six years with Butch Harmon. On a possible split, Tiger said "That's complete speculation," "It has nothing to do with Hank.” Haney was not at the Quail Hollow Championship, but he did spend the previous weekend with Woods in Florida working on his game. The result last week? Trees, trees and more trees down the stretch as Tiger threw away another glorious chance at victory. Even David Feherty managed to call him a loser to his face three times in one sentence in a post round interview. We think Tiger might just have the “Wanted- New Coach Ad” written but not posted up. Just yet.

Bet Your Balls-

The Players Championship

Phil Mickelson 9/1

You need to be a slick putter to perform on the slickest of greens at Sawgrass. Mickelson is just simmering nicely in the build up to this week. The 2007 champion has had his issues with the driver of late but a fantastic final round 67 at Quail Hollow, renowned as one of the toughest driving courses in the US, surely fired a warning shot over the bows of the field. Expect Lefty to be ramming home those four footers with the blade again this week.

Stephen Ames 60/1

They say its horses for courses and they don’t come much more horse like than Stephen Ames. The greatest human being ever to come out of Trinidad and Tobago has made The Players Championship his pet project over the years. Second in 2002 behind Craig Perks in the one of the most memorable stagings of the tournament, Ames went on to steamroller the field in 2006, winning on that occasion by six shots. A top five finish last year too so you’d be crazy not to back this equine wonder.

Kenny Perry 33/1

Kenny comes back this week with the pain of his Masters defeat still fresh in his mind. He’s not the kind of guy to wallow in self-pity however and The Players Championship represents the next big chance for the Kentucky man. Putting will be the key this week and they don’t come much better right now than Perry who tied for third in 2004. A little bit of mental baggage has to be overcome in round one though, Perry’s last round on the Stadium course was a nine over 81. But don’t let that put you off, he was only 47 then and lacking a little experience.

Camillo Villegas 50/1

Camillo knows what it’s like to perform on the big stage having won last years Tour Championship in some style. Not a pick based on form but I saw something in his Quail Hollow performance last week which leads to believe he’s not far away from his best. Can he make the giant leap from last weeks mid table mediocrity to the winners rostrum at Sawgrass? Well he is the Spider Man!

Lucas Glover 60/1

No form to speak of Sawgrass, but that may not be of any consequence as this years Lucas Glover is a completely different model to previous versions. A solid tied second place at Quail Hollow last week, due in no small way to a fantastic short game performance. Glover lead the field in putting and the stats also proved him to be the best scrambler. A long driver and a top ten birdie average on the tour, Glover may feature again if he can keep this good form going.

Italian Open

Francesco Molinari 14/1

Stephen Dodd 50/1

Soren Hansen 18/1

US Swine Flu Alert- Never Let Boo Weekley Look After Your Kids!

The Tiger Woods Jesus Shot!

The SpinDoctor’s “Close Encounter of a Munster Kind” with Ian Poulter

Height: 6-1
Weight: 189
Birthdate: January 10, 1976
Birthplace: Hitchin, England
Turned Pro: 1995

What's In The Bag
Driver: Cobra S9-1 F Speed (9.5°) with Fujikura 6X07, X flex shafts
3 Wood: Cobra Speed Pro Prototype (15°) with Grafalloy Prolite 35X shaft
5 Wood: Titleist 906F (18°) with Grafalloy Prolite 35X shaft
Hybrid: Titleist 909H (19°) with Aldila NV Hybrid 85 X shaft
4-7 Iron: Cobra Pro CB with Dynamic Gold X100 shafts
8-PW: Cobra Pro MB (8-pw) with Dynamic Gold X100 shafts
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design (54° with 12° bounce and 60° with 5° bounce)
Putter: Odyssey DFX 5500

We've managed to get an interview with Ian Poulter. Instead of asking him deep and meaningful questions about golf, we decide the best thing to do is to get the Poultergeist to take part in the Irish Examiner sixty-second Larry Gogan inspired quiz. Ready? Start the clock….

Doc: Dinner with wine or pizza and beer?
Poults: Ahhhh…(5 seconds go by) Champagne.

We have to stop the clock to clearly explain the rules of this quiz to Poults and just how serious it is to the Irish nation. We explain that it took us at least a half an hour to prepare the questions the night before in less than ideal media working conditions (i.e. in the boozer). Larry Gogan would never put up with this kind of messing.

Start the clock….again….

Doc: Daniel Craig or Sean Connery?
Poults: Daniel Craig
Doc: Slacks and shirt or jeans and tee-shirts?
Poults: Slacks and shirts. (Oooh posh!)
Doc: Blondes or brunettes?
Poults: Blondes
Doc: Loads of make-up or just enough to bring out natural beauty?
Poults: Just enough to bring out natural beauty.
Doc: And what about in women?
(Ian realizes we’ve tricked him)…My wife is gorgeous!
Doc: Pat Jennings in 1976 or Pat Jennings in 1978?
(Another tricky little question to test Poults supposed love of Arsenal. Jennings played with Spurs in 1976 and Arsenal in 1978)
Poults: Pat Jennings 1978 Yesss!!! (Damn, he got it right. The Poultergeist knows his Arsenal.)
Doc: The Open or The Masters?
Poults: The Open
Doc: Ryder Cup Captain or a senior major?
Poults: (Long silence……the fashion Guru is stumped. We feel sorry for him and volunteer the answer “Ryder Cup Captain, because you’re going to win an ordinary Major”. Now that’s what you call kissin’ ass!)
Doc: Only Fools and Horses or Fawlty Towers?
Poults: Ah, ooh, both. They’re both great.
Doc: Bergkamp or Henry?
Poults: Bergkamp
Doc: The Beatles or The Stones?
Poults: The Beatles
Doc: Lost or 24?
Poults: 24
Doc: A good gig or a movie?
Poults: A movie
Doc: European Tour or PGA Tour?
Poults: Ah, I can’t answer that. Both
Doc: Tea and scones with Nelson Mandela or Barrack Obama?
Poults: Nelson Mandela.
Doc: England World Cup soccer win or an Arsenal treble?
Poults: Arsenal treble
Doc: Win from the front or come from behind?
Poults: Win from the front.
Doc: Ricky Hatton or Joe Calzaghe?
Poults: Ricky Hatton (though by his expression it’s a close one)
Doc: Georgie Best or Diego Maradonna?
Poults: Georgie Best no question. I don’t like that hand-ball (stuff that Diego specialized in).
Doc: Knight Rider or MacGyver?
Poults: Knight Rider
Doc: Ricky Gervais or Billy Connolly?
Poults: Ricky Gervais
Doc: Shawshank Redemption (deep and meaningful) or Something About Mary (hilarious but shallow)?
Poults: Shawshank Redemption
Doc: Ewen Murray or Peter Alliss?
Poults: Peter Alliss.

Doc: Stop the clock. Ian Poulter, you have successfully completed the Irish Examiner sixty-second Larry Gogan inspired quiz but instead of a gawdy old plaque we’ve brought you a Munster jersey (with thanks to Jimmy Staunton in Elverys). Now be a sport and put it on and lets pack it down like Horan and Hayes!

With thanks to Ian Poulter, Katie Tiarks and Mick Walsh for all their help.

4 Lads In A Classic Car

I’ve had to take a break from playing for the past couple of weeks due to an uncooperative third vertebrae. However, whilst on my back, I’ve been doing some research into the best value golf around and I think I have uncovered two doozies.

The Amendoeira Golf Classic: Ballinrobe Golf Club, May 1st -9th
Maybe I’m getting old but weren’t classic prizes supposed to be four deep fat fryers or some dodgy art? But no, they don’t bother with such tokens as those in Ballinrobe Golf Club where they’ve teamed up with Oceanico Development to lay on the “euromillions” equivalent of classic prizes. The course that Padraig Harrington called “The finest championship golf course in the West of Ireland” are sending the winning mens and ladies teams on golfing trips of a lifetime to the Amendoeira Oceanico resort in Portugal with five star accommodation included. The victorious teams will warm up on the O’Connor and Faldo Oceanico layouts before capping off their week away by taking on the famous Vilamoura Victoria course, home of the Portuguese masters. At €140 per team entry and only €20 re-entry, Ballinrobe have extended the duration of the event to nine days due to the enormous demand. All proceeds go the club development fund and further details can be got online at http://www.ballinrobegolfclub.com/ or by phoning 094-9541118.

The Ryder Cup Experience: K Club, March to September
Imagine the opportunity to play competitive golf for the ultimate reward - to stay at the K Club and relive the Ryder Cup Experience.
The K Club have dreamt up a fantastic event whereby players firstly compete in tournament conditions on the Smurfit Course with the winners qualifying for the final round on the The Palmer Course as per set up from last day of Ryder Cup in a competition. The Qualifying round costs only €75 PP (including K Club snack) and will take place on the Smurfit Course from March to September & the monthly winner’s final will take place on the Palmer course - 25th & 26th September 2009. Full details are on http://www.kclub.com/

Bloggy Underfoot- Slow Play
There’s a “weed” like problem appearing on golf courses up and down the country. When clubs try to dig it out, they can never seem to grab it by its root and so it spreads. This “weed” is slow play. Top courses with great layouts, glassy greens and luxurious facilities that depend on revenue from green fees and societies are starting to lose money hand over fist because they are “getting a name” for dawdling play. The clamour for early tee time booking on a Sunday at most clubs is now akin to getting tickets for Munster versus Leinster at Croke Park, because a dawn start means a three and a half hour round as opposed to a five hour water-boarding torture. So what’s causing the 90 minute delay as the day wears on? Here’s my tuppence worth.

The Traffic Jam Theory: Many people believe one of the main causes of slow play are obstinate players. They are very often of the same genetic code as the guys who hold everyone up on the road, driving in third gear with two wheels over the median line and even then attempt to “resist arrest” when you dare tray to overtake. Many of this demographic will have taken up golf relatively recently, and through no fault of their own, have not received a grounding in the basic rules and etiquette of the game. They subsequently revert to type and treat the golf course like a road. “What we have we hold”, is their philosophy, meaning no one is getting through, lost ball or no lost ball. They’re frequently the same people that leave those pothole size plugmarks on the green, oblivious to the other course users.

The Sabbatini Theory: Remember what caused Rory Sabbatini to throw his toys out of the PGA tour cot a couple of years back? Playing partner Ben Crane’s seemingly endless pre-shot routine, which eventually caused Sabbatini to blow his top and sparked the whole “Keep up” furore with his wife even getting involved. How this filters down to club golf is that players see the pro’s on TV going through their pre-shot checklist and try to emulate them. Worse still, this philosophy is being taught to very young players, leading them to believe that “slow is good”. What they don’t see on TV is that touring pros though deliberate when making a shot, move extremely quickly between shots and start their routine while their partners are playing. The rule on tour is that a player has 50 seconds to play if first to hit while subsequent players in a group get forty. A set hole completion time allocation is assigned on the caddy’s yardage book. Two strikes and the tour referees hit you with a one shot penalty and a £2000 fine. Those of you lucky enough to be going to Baltray in a couple of weeks will be amazed by the pace of play. Contrast that to the ambling down the fairway of the slowest club golfers, who leave their bags the wrong side of every green and insist on marking the card whilst standing beside the flag after the completion of every whole.

The Course Ranger: Often called “Rectum Rangers” because theirs is the dirtiest of jobs. They flit between the first tee and the eighth green desperately trying to keep the conveyor belt moving. Did you ever notice a new ranger starts out very eager, but after a few weeks of being called “insert expletive”, ends up a despised figure on a hiding to nothing, like a politician on the doorstep before and election. Most just give up trying and become like ex-boxers; no fight left in them and are just downright charming. The best ranger I ever encountered was in Enniscrone, a retired guard, with zero interest in the game, who moved the players around the course with all the military precision of a war strategist. He would stand tall atop the dunes like a major general surveying the troops and his mere presence in your eye line made you break into a march.

So where are to go from here? Why not try my solution? If slow play is to be eliminated from our courses, apart from effective rangers, we need all golfers to undergo a basic “induction training” programme if you will. This can be in the form of a small meeting in a clubhouse or even better from tee to green on the course with an experienced member. Topics to cover should be structured well and might include topics such as speed of play, when to let groups through, respect for the course, where to leave your bag around the green and how to pick up your ball if you have played more than seven shots on any hole. Even experienced but slow players could be cajoled into attending by asking them to “help out” on the evening. Now call an EGM and hurry up!


Dr. and The Medic:
Problem
You want to hit it longer off the tee.

Cure
Work on gaining a balanced finished with your belt buckle pointing towards the target.

Therapy
Practice hitting your driver at 75% of your normal swing speed. Work on making a smooth tempo at first. Then focus on making a good arm extension at impact and well after it. As you coil to the top of your backswing, make sure your body weight is shifting onto your trailing leg. Remember to keep your smooth tempo with arm extension as you move through the ball with your body weight shifting onto your forward leg. Finally, focus on finishing your swing with your belt buckle pointing towards the target. Once all of these steps feel natural in your swing, increase the swing speed whilst making sure you always have a nice tempo and balanced finish.

I Want One Of Those: Robo Cup
RoboCup, is a new ball return robot that won ‘Best New Product’ at the annual PGA Merchandise Show. From an idea inspired by a mouse trap spring, the RoboCup is a cool plastic disk that sits into any golf hole. When your putt drops in it shoots the ball right back to you up to 14 feet, depending on green speed. A set of batteries last for 15,000 putt returns. Inventor Keith Foley came up with the idea after watching the Fore Inventors Only show on The Golf Channel. Check it out on http://www.finetunegolf.com/. Freddy Funk said of the RoboCup, "I love the RoboCup... it's an old man's dream!" I was thinking more along the lines of Caroline Morahan myself!


Tailored Shorts

Hole In One History
Former University of Georgia all-American Brendan Todd created history on the Nationwide Tour last week carding two hole-in-ones on the same hole on consecutive days. At the Athens Regional Foundation Classic in Georgia, Todd hit a seven iron into the cup on the par three 17th on Thursday, then repeated the feat with an eight iron on Friday.

Ochoa Wins But LPGA Tour Slumps
World number one Lorena Ochoa shot a 5-under par 68 on Sunday to edge out Norway's Suzann Pettersen by one stroke in a dramatic final round of Corona Championship in Mexico. Ochoa birdied the 15th and 16th holes to finish one ahead of Pettersen on 25-under. Ochoa’s played without regular caddie Dave Booker, who got hurt playing a soccer match on Saturday and had to call on her childhood coach Rafael Alarcon to caddie for her. However dramatic Ochoa’s win, the decline in popularity of the LPGA tour of late has been startling. The retiring of Annika Sorenstam, falling attendances, poor TV figures and the withdrawal of long time sponsors have plunged the ladies tour into crisis.

Lehman and Langer Together?
There are three givens in life, time, tide and a Champions Tour debutant winning on his first time out! This time it was Tom Lehman’s turn, who, on his first start, emerged victorious in a two man team event alongside Bernhard Langer. Lehman made a par putt on the second playoff hole to defeat Craig Stadler and Jeff Sluman and land the pair The Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf title. In winning Lehman became the 13th Champions Tour debutant to win.


Bet Your Balls- odds from paddypower
Open de España
PGA Golf de Catalunya
Girona, Spain
30 Apr 2009 - 03 May 2009

Ignacio 40/1
There is a very strong Spanish contingent playing at their home open week including Sergio Garcia and Miguel Angel Jimenez. It looks like form boy Ganzalo Castano is going to take a weel earned rest this week so we’re plumping for long odds chance Ignacio Garrido. Struggled for form for the past couple of seasons but our formbook shows a lifecycle similar to the Mayfly. Second behind absent defending champion Peter Lawrie last year.

Peter Lawrie 40/1
Though not to be seen on the official entry list, word has it that the Castleknock touring pro will defend his title this week. Sent out a warning shot in the final round of the Ballintines with a blistering 66 in tough conditions to climb from 38th spot to finish joint eighth. Last years event was staged in Seville but as the thousands of Irish holidaying golfers who have played at PGA de Catalunya there will attest to, this track is right up Lawrie’s street with equally difficult greens. Stands a decent chance if jet lag doesn’t intervene.

Søren Hansen 20/1
It’s that time of the year again folks. We have to tip-toe into the cave and gently wake Soren from hibernation. Hansen hasn’t teed it up on the European Tour since missing the cut at The Masters and so makes a welcome return this week. The 2008 Ryder Cup star finished third in last years staging in Seville.



Quail Hollow Championship
Monday Apr 27 – Sunday May 3, 2009
Quail Hollow Club · Charlotte, N.C.

Rory Sabbatini 33/1
Known as the angry man of the tour but he hasn’t been to my club on a Sunday morning. Tore through the field last week climbing from eighth to finish second behind deserving winner Jerry Kelly. With top tens also to note from the Northern Trust and FBR events, this could be the breakthrough week for the South African. Tied for third in this event in 2007, he brought good from into the event that year also.

Jim Furyk 22/1
Jim has some major points to prove this week. Took home the spoils at the then entitled Wachovia Championship in 2006 having also tied for second the previous year. His best result in 2009 was a third at the CA Championships but also had a decent run at Augusta where we pointed to renewed confidence on the putting green. A regular top tenner here, does he deserve your tenner?

David Toms 40/1
Does he have the heart for it again this week? Nice to see the re-emergence of Toms this year. Tied fifth again last week at the Zurich, his third top five finish of the year. We’re going with form rather than performances on this course for Toms this week but the Quail Hollow Club has been kind in the past to good putters such as Ben Curtis and Steve Stricker

Fancy Playing Killeen Castle Next Wednesday (29th April) With The SpinDoctor?

If you're free on Wednesday 29th April, you're welcome to join me on the Irish Examiner Four Lads (and Ladies) review to play the magnificent new Killeen Castle course in Co. Meath. Killeen Castle is a magnificent new Nicklaus design course and will be the venue for the 2011 Solheim Cup. Killeen Castle will be the focus of an upcoming Spindoctor article. I need two readers so just e-mail me at examinerspindoc@eircom.net with your contact details and I will pick the players in the fairest way humanly possible! Tee off will be in the morning (will confirm time later). Good Luck and get practising!

Under The Microscope: Darren Clarke

Birthday: 14/08/1968
Height: 6ft 2 1/2in
Weight: 14st
Birthplace: Dungannon, Northern Ireland
Turned Pro: 1990

Darren co-owns a private jet with best friend Lee Westwood, but they only use it when both are playing in the same event. A long haul round trip would set the pair back £60,000 so they mainly use it for European Tour events. The pilot has arguably the best job in the world on a six figure retainer, even though the downturn in the economy means he has to now do charters a couple of times a month!

In The Bag

Driver: Taylormade R9 with Aldila Voodoo XPP8. New in the bag but already a trusted weapon. The adjustable R9 head is not so much designed for distance as for accuracy.


Fairway wood: R9 fairway 13º with Aldila Voodoo DCC shafts. Clarke sometimes interchanges this with a 15º version


Irons: 2-PW Taylormade Burner Tour Preferred, x flex shafts and Lamkin grips. Brand new in Darren’s bag, he is still working on setting the lofts and lies to suit his game. The 2 iron gets switched for a 5-wood when the course dictates.

Wedges: Bob Vokey customized 54º (14º bounce) and 58º (14º bounce) wedges.


Putter:
Scotty Cameron customized Studio Select Newport 2. Fitted with dark anti-glare shaft and embossed with the green shamrock and initials “DC”.
Misc:
Utility Bag: Darren’s ball bag used be a crocodile’s ball bag!

Ball: Taylormade Tour Black with shamrock logo.

4 Lads In A Car: Seapoint
This weeks four lads offering was a celebrity version, hosted by Seapoint Links in Termonfeckin near Drogheda, Co. Louth. The event organized by my favourite golf channel, Setanta Golf, involved a fourball with their touring pro and living legend Darren Clarke.

Of course my presence there was purely fortuitous. Regular Examiner front-man Charlie Mulqueen had a bit of a bad back and I got promoted from lowly boot scrubber just for the day. The fact that I normally keep my third, fourth and fifth vertebrae in a jar of oil by my bed between Sundays was never going to stop me missing this opportunity. No sooner had I parked the car in front of the impressive clubhouse but I spotted the Clarke-mobile; a tiny black Porsche with the number plate “DC60”, in reverence to his stunning 60 at the K Club a few years back. It reminded me of the advertising slogan they never used- “Porsche. Too small to get laid in, but you’ll get laid the minute you jump out”!

After some getting to know you banter with DC and the other guys we boarded Seapoint’s first tee. We were joined by Liam Kelly of the Indo, who is that good, he’s the only writer in Ireland to be sponsored by Cleveland, and Shay Keenan of the Irish Times who fine tunes his links touch at The Island with the pilots. Faced with a par four slight dog leg first hole, I gave the drive my Mayo Minor Sunday best and nailed it (albeit slightly right). Darren took out his new R9 and lashed at it like a Taliban teacher; sending it easily over 300 yards. To give you an idea of how far pro’s hit the ball, compare our second shots; I had a full blooded wedge to ten feet while Darren had a little drop and stop lob wedge from some 50 yards closer which finished a foot from the hole!

That’s not to say that Clarke had it all his own way at Seapoint. At just over 7,100 yards it may not be in the monster category on paper, but when wind is added into the mix, it certainly makes some holes play longer than their billing. The 18 holes play out like a crossword. Though there are a number of generous par fours and fives that can be relatively simply solved, but there are also a couple of cryptic par threes that have the potential to leave you stumped. The first is the ninth, a 200 plus yarder with silage flanking both sides of the green. A five iron for DC, hybrids and woods for the rest of us, but no-one made par despite our best efforts at Mickelson flop shots. I imagine not many do. Next is the 17th, a real examination set for the members by course designers Des Smyth and Declan Brannigan. It’s as if they are testing you to see if you are actually fit to win the competition. If you do happen to make par or better on 17, the par five 18th provides a fun finish where a good drive and second shot wont be far from the green and a birdie opportunity.

As he tapped in for yet another birdie, Clarke told me he has spent a fair share of his time off tour in the home-gym getting ready for the next tour assault. A niggling shoulder muscle tear, the kind scrumhalves get, did curtail the exercise but is now all but healed. Home of course also meant quality time with sons Tyrone and Conor which mean everything to Darren. Even though he’s only 10, Tyrone starts boarding school in the next few weeks and Darren is already plotting to get on the right side of the Principal for visiting privileges!

As we completed the round, Darren spoke of his plans for next couple of weeks. Next week he returns to the Tour in Asia where he has won in the past. He spent a few days last week in Portrush getting some links practise in before his upcoming appearance at the Irish Open and the round at Seapoint provided the ideal sparring round needed in the build up.

Seapoint sits back to back with Baltray and while the latter may have more fame, both are excellent in a Bobby and Jack Charlton way. If you’re heading to the Irish Open in a couple of weeks and fancy getting in a round in the vicinity, €60 will get you out in Seapoint on a weekday. Check out the website www.seapointgolfclub.com for booking info. How did we all do? To keep the crossword analogy going Darren completed it with relative ease while the rest of us made a creditable attempts but had the inevitable few blanks!

Bloggy Underfoot- The Major Post Mortem

What a week Augusta was! Now that pockets of all the green jackets have been stuffed with moth-balls and stuck in the closet for another year, it’s time for the post-mortem. I’ve laid the Masters on the gurney, taken out its brain and dissected its vital organs to learn the lessons for the next three majors.

1. No Substitute for Experience

Though it may not be as evident in the next three majors, the Masters proved yet again, that no matter how skilled a player is, there is simply no substitute for experience. Those of us watching the 18th on TV on Friday night first watched Tiger and then Stewart Cink play away from the flag (up the hill) from the bunker on the right. There was a collective tightening of grips on pints when Rory McIlroy then aimed straight for the pin from the same bunker just a couple of minutes later. And we all know what happened next. All told, though Rory learned Augusta’s tricks the hard way, he proved he has the game to give this Major a right rattle next time.

2. Age Means Less…..Shots
Okay, most of us thought that Greg Norman’s second place finish at The Open last year could be explained away by the fact that the Aussie, though over 50, is a super-fit, superhuman, super golfer. The fact is that The Shark’s success was not just a flash in the pan. Advances in club and ball technology have become the Viagra that can keep older players up for longer, the leaderboard that is. Take the success of past winners Larry Mize and Sandy Lyle as proof of that. Throw in Kenny Perry and Angel Cabrera with a combined age of 87 and there can be no doubt that old is the new young. What next? A Perry at Turnberry or a Haas at Sawgrass!

3. The Tiger and Phil Show
The big two sure did put on a Sunday show. A new knee for Tiger and a new driver for Phil meant that both were within spitting distance of the leaders albeit briefly. Then something strange happened. Phil mis-clubs on the 12th and finds the water, then Tiger does his Woody Woodpecker impression on a tree on the last. When was the last time you saw either of these guys do something like that? Phil discusses every iron shot for seemingly ages with caddy Bones, and Tiger is the best 18th hole player that ever lived. Could it be that both took their eyes off the real prize and got embroiled in a bit of Sunday matchplay for the “World’s Best Player” title? Or was it something more serious, you know the thing that sounds like “critters” but starts with “j”. Anyway, irrespective of sparkly new drivers or brand new knees, both limped home.

4. No More Stuck in the Muds at Augusta
The days of Hootie and his blowfish are now long gone. New boss Billy Payne has dragged the Masters kicking and screaming into the 21st century. The course is more accessible to all with “birdie chances aplenty on the back nine” making a welcome return. Add to that a brilliant new tournament website and excellent TV coverage and the jackets are greener than ever in HD. And okay its sad to see the end of greats like Gary Player and bellies like Fuzzy Zoeller, but good for them to realise the public would rather remember them in their prime than watch them struggle to perform in a the era after their own.

With the Masters autopsy complete and the event neatly sutured back together, the theatre is being readied for the US Open at Bethpage on June 15th. There, no doubt even further drama will unfold as the old guard go “back to black”.

Dr. and The Medic: Low Running Chips

Problem
While hitting a chip and run you cant control the height of your chip.

Cure
The key to this swing is to hit it more like a putting stroke or almost sweeping motion to help keep it low.

Therapy
You need to avoid hitting down on the ball with too steep of a swing. Set up with your trailing shoulder just a little lower than normal. Swing with just your trailing arm as you practice the shot to get the correct feel. Let your forward hand to hold the upper portion of your trailing arm as a practise drill. This will also help you keep the ball rolling low.


I Want One Of Those- V-Towel


Are you one of those golfers will spend a grand on irons and never bothers to clean them preferring instead to leave them sitting in your bag caked in mud? You then blame everything from your balls to your bad back whilst all the while remaining oblivious to the fact your irons have the equivalent of a mud-pack on their faces.
Forget searching deep in your bag for one of those tiny groove scrubbers, what you need is a V-Towel. Voted best new product at the 2008 PGA show in Orlando, the V-Towel is the all in one answer to on-course club cleaning. And best of all, it’s Irish!
The V-Towel has a looped, full detachable, mircofiber towel coupled with a nifty 270 degree cleaning bristle arc to keep golf clubs in optimum condition. You can attach and remove the V-towel in nanoseconds with their unique drop-and-lock system.
Brought to you by Vicarious Golf you can find the V-Towel in all good golf shops or online from http://www.vvvisions.com/.


Tailored Shorts
Olazabal To Be Inducted
Two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal is to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame for 2009. The news seems to have spurred Olazabal onto good things on the course with a good showing at Augusta then an excellent top ten finish at the Verizon Heritage. Olazabal, now 43, comes into The Hall Of Fame with 23 international wins and six PGA Tour victories including two Masters wins in ’94 and’99. He is also one of the most successful Ryder Cup players ever with an 18-8-5 record. The Spaniards career of late has been blighted by rheumatism so it’s fantastic to see him back playing at his best.


Murray Mint
Veteran comedy actor and golf fan Bill Murray was up usual crazy antics while competing at the Pro-Am before the Champions Tour event at TPC Southwind. The star of Ghostbusters and Caddyshack pulled his tee shot on the ninth and hit a woman sitting in her garden. She was subsequently taken to hospital but later released. The PGA tour officials gave Murray some of his own comedy medicine by wearing hard hats on the first tee the following day. Before Murray teed off they made the following statement, “The PGA tour has issued a special gallery advisory today! At approximately 285 yards and further ‘Duck’!”

Monty Snaps
Poor old Colin Montgomerie got a taste of what it feels like to be Britney Spears in the first of the Volvo China Open in Beijing. First an over eager fan made the fatal error of snapping his camera as Monty was mid swing and received the dreaded scowl followed by ejection from the premises for his troubles. Later after Monty drove into a hazard, he let loose on a camerman repeating again and again, “Don’t film me”. The European Tour are said to be considering covering all Monty’s shots in future on radio only!

Sergio’s Masters Misery
It cant be easy to keep to keep your cool after walking off the 18th green in Augusta only to be confronted by TV reporters seeking to chat about your misery. And so it turned out for Sergio Garcia, who came into the tournament with his head not “in a beautiful place”. After a 74 on Sunday, Garcia told a Golf Channel reporter “I don’t like it, to tell you the truth,” he said. “I don’t think it’s fair, and it’s just too tricky. Even when it’s dry, you still get mud balls in the middle of the fairway. It’s just too much of a guessing game.” And yes, the US media jumped onto it immediately. Garcia and his management company IMG had to move quickly to douse the flames with the following apology, “Following my final round at the Masters, I made comments in an interview that I regret and want to apologize for. Out of frustration, I blamed the golf course instead of putting the blame where it belongs, on myself. I didn’t get it done this week. Augusta National is one of the most iconic golf courses in the game and playing in the Masters each year is an honour. I apologize to the members of Augusta National and the fans who rightfully treasure this golf course.” Let’s hope Sergio can get back to his “iconic” best for the upcoming Players Championship.


Bet Your Balls-

Ballantine's Championship
Pinx GC
Jeju Island, South Korea


23 Apr 2009 - 26 Apr 2009

Graeme McDowell 16/1
Produced one of the shots of his career to win the inaugural Ballantine’s Champions in a thrilling sudden-death play-off in March 2008. Having seen Jeev Milkha Singh hit in to four feet on the third playoff hole, McDowell produced a stunning seven iron from 179 yards which finished within a foot of the hole. Finished a creditable tied 17th at the Masters on four under and will be keen to climb from 35th in the race to Dubai.

Paul McGinley 40/1
Nice to see Paul back on form last week in China. A poor third round saw him fall back the leaderboard but he finished with a superb 68 and tie for eighth. Though McDowell and Singh stole the show at last years Ballintines, McGinley actually finished third. He said afterwards “My memory of last year is that Graeme and Jeev ran away with the tournament. They turned it into a two-man shootout and everyone else was playing a different tournament, which I managed to win”! Another good week should be in store for the amicable Dub.

Mark Brown 66/1
Even though the field this week includes the likes of Els, Westwood, Stenson, Monty and Clarke, I’m pitching for the relatively unknown Kiwi Mark Brown to feature again this week. Finished two shots off the pace in China last week; very creditable given a second round 77. In March 2008 Brown captured the Johnnie Walker Classic in New Delhi one week after winning his maiden Asian Tour title when he claimed the SAIL Open. Lets hope his 2009 streak continues in Korea.

Zurich Classic of New Orleans
Monday Apr 20 – Sunday Apr 26, 2009
TPC Louisiana · Avondale, La.

Nick Watney 16/1
Nick Watney is having a super season. Now up to 35th in the official world rankings and fourth in the Fed-Ex points race. Watney has finished in the top-25 in eight of the nine events he has played this year, which includes a win at the Buick and a second to Phil Mickelson at the WGC CA Championship. Watney edged out Ken Duke here in 2007 to claim his first tour victory and should be fresh after a weeks rest.


Todd Hamilton 66/1
He may have only made four cuts in the 11 events he has played this season, but 2005 Claret Jug winner Todd Hamilton is a man in form this weather. He attributes his recent good showing which includes a top-20 at the Masters and a tied fourth last week, to a “five year cycle” in which he claims to have a run of form.


Tim Wilkinson 40/1
Another Kiwi Tim Wilkinson should be a decent each way look in New Orleans. The 2008 Q-school graduate cemented his card in this event last year with a third place finish behind Andres Romero and Peter Lonard. Wilkinson is also showing a bit of form going into the event with a tied sixth place finish last week at Hilton Head.