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4C SPORTS/tEJe Cljarlottc $ogt Thursday, November 9, 2006 IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR GAME A new kind of grip On a monthly basis, I field questions about the claw putting grip, which, while unique in the amateur ranks, is no longer such an oddity on the PGA and Nationwide tours. Originally developed by touring pro Skip Kendall, the “claw” has saved quite a few ca reers in a game where 30 or more putts are a one-way ticket to the broadcaster's booth. Some of the redeemed are Tom Kite, Kevin Sutherland, Mark O'Meara, Mark Calcavecchia and, of course, Chris DiMarco, who used it in his epic battle with Tiger Woods in the ‘05 Masters. There are several variations, but the follow ing is the “normal” version of this unusual grip: 1. First, hold the handle of your putter with your target hand only using a standard grip. 2. Then let your trail arm hang naturally by your side with the fingers pointing toward the ground. Stretch your thumb down so that the webbed area between the thumb and the forefin ger is taut and each finger extended. 3. Next slide the trail hand toward the putter until the webbing gently touches the handle of the putter just below your top hand grip. Retain some bend in your trail elbow with the fingers in your trail hand extended. The “claw” keeps your trail hand and arm out of the stroke, and for older players like Calcavecchia and Kite, it can cure the “twitch es.” The other great advantage of the claw is that since the force that moves the putter head is the shoulders, the putter head is allowed to swing very level to the ground both back and through. This promotes a solid strike in the middle of the putter face with a much more consistent roll. South African Chari Schwartzel uses the claw, a putting grip that’s designed to keep the right hand from overwhelming the left and shutting the face, a common cause of missed putts. He’s placed two tees to form a gate that his putter must pass through, and now all he has to do is grove his stroke by hitting putt after putt. With a square face and proper path assured, the hole will fill up in a hurry, so Schwartzet’s caddie is strategically located to help with the “drainage” problem. Golfi£ Insider PGA Tour shortens season, adds playoff Players excited about ’0,7 playofif By STAN AWTREY Cox News Service Atlanta W hen the PGA Tour debuts its FedEx Cup series in seven weeks, it will be the most eventful change in pro fessional golf since the imple mentation of the aE-exempt tour in 1983. It’s so important that the PGA Tour has a second-by-second countdown on its Web site. The new plan will compress the regular season into 33 weeks, im plement a much-discussed four- week playoff system and pay the winner of the FedEx Cup champi onship an unheard of sum of $10 million. But win it work? “Our hope and our belief is that the fans will connect to this competition,” PGA Tour commis sioner Tim Finchem said during last weekend’s Tour Championship. The players, with few excep tions, are standing behind Finchem, who borrowed the post season playoff concept from an individual sport like NASCAR rather than a team sports league like the NFL. They’E play the reg ular season for playoff seeding, then use the playoffs to earn a spot in the Tour Championship. “We’re going to learn as we go, but the potential is phenomenal,” Ryder Cup member Zach Johnson said. “The Tour’s done a great job making great decisions and using our input on it, too. It means a lot of positive things.” The 2007 schedule, which be gins with the Mercedes Championship in January, offers a definitive end to the tour’s sea son. Since the finale will come in September rather than in the middle of football season, the RICH ADDICKS / Cox News Service Adam Scott, who finished at 11 under oar, celebrates his victory Sunday in the PGA Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. game’s best players — Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson — should stEl be in golf mode. “I think with these drawn-out seasons, you lose people some times, and that’s why I think shortening the season, even if it’s just by one month, is going to help a lot of things,” AT&T Pebble Beach winner Arron Oberholser said. “You’re going to get more of the top players play ing more often, in my opinion.” But it remains to be seen whether Woods and Mickelson, the two guys who move the rat ings needle, will play all three weeks of the playoff series that leads to the Tour Championship. Doing so will mean an intense four-week stretch, something most top-level players aren’t used to attempting. Once ^e pros factor in the WGC Bridgestone and the PGA Championship in early August, they corQd end up playing six or seven consecutive events. Finchem admitted this week he has no guarantees about player participation. “I think everyone in world golf will be surprised if Tiger and PhE play six or seven [straight weeks],” U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy said. “Vijay [Singh] will play six or seven. Most guys will. You’ve got to make the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow big enough that people want to do it, and the pot is a pretty big pot.” A $10 million pot is substantial, but is it enough to ensure the presence of Woods, who will be paid $4 million in appearance money to play this week in China? The other question is whether the playoff fields should be trimmed through the process, rather than produce a 144-player field for each of the three weeks. Veteran Tom Pernice Jr. said it’s not a playoff unless players are eliminated, and that there’s still time to make the changes. “They need that cut from a week-to-week basis,” Pernice said. “If we’re going to do things and do it right, then we need to worry about the best players, and the best players would like the fields cut. That’s just me talking to some of the top players. I don’t think our staff and [Finchem] need to worry about playing op portunities for guys who are 140th on the points system.” The PGA Tour said that changes won’t come in 2007 but acknowledged alterations likely wUl be made before 2008. “I’m not going to say it’s with out imperfections,” said Stewart Cink, a three-time competitor in the Ryder Cup. “AU that stuff will come out next year as we go. It’E need to be tweaked a little bit to improve, and I’m sure that’s going to happen; it’s a 100 percent likelihood that’s going to happen. The way it’s designed now, it’ll be exciting; players will talk about it. players will care about it.” Azinger: Change is good for Ryder Cup By CRAIG DOLCH Cox News Service West Palm Beach, Fla. Even before Paul Azinger for mally was announced as the 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup captain Monday he made some decisions that could have a lasting effect on the competition. At Azinger’s urging, the PGA of America essentially is blowing up its points sys tem to deter mine the Ryder Cup team, re- placir^ its top- 10-flnishes sys tem with cash as the only way to earn a spot on the team. Moreover, the number of cap tain’s picks has been doubled from two to four, and the length of time to earn points has been cut in half — wifii the exception of the majors — as the Americans try to end a three-match losing streak, their longest in the 79-year history of the competition. “1 think this is the best way,” Azinger said after he was an nounced as the captain during a news conference at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville. Ky, the site of the 2008 matches. “Money has always been the barometer. I played the PGA fbur this year on an exemption given to me because I’m in the top 50 aU- fime money winners. I had to fin ish in the top 125 on the money list so I could play next year. If I play the Senior Tour, I’m going to AZINGER be eligible because of where I am on the all-time money list. We are always rewarded based on our earnings, and I just think it is the best way” The PGA decided to get away from its system to award points solely for top-10 finishes when it became apparent that because of the influx of foreign players on the PGA Tour, the Americans weren’t finishing in the top 10 often enough to make it relevant. Only 58 percent of the available points were awarded for the most recent Ryder Cup at The K Club, and most of those went to Tiger Woods, PhE Mickelson and Jim Furyk. The PGA now wEl rely essen- tiaUy on the PGA Tour’s money list—one pomt wEl be awarded for every $1,000 earned at the four majors m 2007 and Tour events m 2008, with double points for the 2008 majors. Opposite-field events that always attract weaker fields wEl be worth only a half-point for every $1,000 in 2008. Players who earned top-10 fin ishes from the PGA Championship through last week’s Tour Championship stEl wEI receive those points because the PGA didn’t feel it should change the rules in the middle of the process. But those points only wEl count one-fourth of the over- aE value. “We felt it was very important to award those points because those players had been playing as suming they were getting ^ose points,” said Roger Warren, the PGA’s outgoing president. “The increase to four captain’s picks reflects the changing face of tour nament golf in America with more international players play ing here and more Americans playing around the world.” The PGA knows it has to do something after watching the U.S. lose the past two Ryder Cups by the most lopsided scores ever. With the American losing aE five sessions at The K Club, European captain Ian Woosnam said the U.S. had to make changes to its system to keep the matches inter esting. “I have to admit there were tunes at The K Club when I felt a little sorry for my U.S. counter part, Tom Lehman, when I saw aE that European blue on the score- board,” Woosnam told European writers last week. “Tom did everythmg he possibly could, but the way his team was chosen for him didn’t make it a level playing field. In America, only the top 10 (in every event) get Ryder Cup points and you get more points winning a smaE event than being top five in a mqjor. Now that’s ridiculous.” Although Azinger said he pushed hard for aE of these changes, he pointed out those alone won’t change the U.S. for tunes in the Ryder Cup. After aE, there’s not many systems that woiEd have made the Americans winners in the recent Ryder Cup. “I believe in the very end, the responsibEity is gomg to have to faE on the players,” said Azmger, a four-time Ryder Cupper and the 1993 PGA champion. “Just so you know. I’m going to be their cap tain, not their coach.” SCHEDULE All Times EST PGA EUROPEAN TOUR HSBC Champions • Site: Shanghai, Chma. • Schedule: Thursday-Sunday • Course: Shan^ai Sheshan International (jolf Club (7,165 yards, par 72). • Purse: $5 mElion. Winner’s share: $833,300. • TV: The Golf Channel (Wednesday, 11 p.m.-3 a.m.; Thursday-Saturday 9 a.m.-noon, 11 p.m.-3 a.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-noon). LPGA TOUR LPGA Tournament of Champions • Site: MobEe, Ala. • Schedule: Thursday-Sunday • Course: Robert Trent Jones Golf TraE, Ma^olia Grove complex, Crossings Course (6,253 yards, par 72). • Purse: $1 mElion. Winner’s share: $150,000. • TV: The (iolf Channel (Thursday 5-7:30 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 4:30-6 a.m., 5- 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 4:30-6 a.m., 6- 8:30 p.m.; Monday. 34 a.m.). PGA TOUR CHALLENGE SEASON Merrill Lynch Shootout • Site: Naples, Fla. • Schedule: Friday-Sunday • Course: Ritz-Carlton (5olf Resort, Tiburon Golf Club (7,288 yards, par 72). • Purse: $2.75 mElion. Winners’ shares: $337,500 each. • TV: USA (Friday, 4-6 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday 1-3:30 p.m.; Sunday 4-6 p.m.). NATIONWIDE TOUR Nationwide Tour Championship • Site: Richmomd, Texas. • Schedule: Thursday-Sunday • Course: The Houstonian ^lf and Country Club (7,100 yards, par 72). • Purse: $750,000. Winner’s share: $135,0(X). • TV: The Golf Channel (Thursday 2:30-5 p.m., 9-10:30 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 2:30-5 p.m., 9-11 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30-5 p.m., 10 p.m.-midni^t). LEADERS WORLD RANKINGS 1. Tiger Woods . 21.19' 2. Jim Furyk 9.15 3. Phil Mickelson 8.36 4. Adam Scott 7.73 5. Vijay Singh' 6.43 6. Relief Goosen 6.40 7. Luke Donald 5-99 8. Ernie Els 5.90 9. Sergio Garcia . 5.76 10. Geoff Ogilvy 5.54 11. P. Harrington 5.11 12. H. Stenson 4.70 13.T. Immelman 4.65 14. David Howell 4.59 15. Paul Casey 4.27 MONEY LEADERS PGATOUR Player 1. Tiger Woods 2. Jim Furyk 3. Adam Scott 4. Vijay Singh 5. Geoff Ogilvy 6. Phil Mickelson $4,256,505 7. T. Immelman $3,^,189 8. Stuart Appleby $3,470,457 9. Luke Donald 10. B. Wetterich Money $9,941,563 $7,213,316 $4,978.858 I $4,602,416 $4,354,969 $3,177,408 : $3,023,185 THE GOLF DOCTOR Reading greens: Research shows that most goffers don't read enough break into them putts, and this affects the putt’s speed and direction. This is due to the inabEity of the golfer to gauge the effect of the slope. The best way to evaluate the severity of a slope is to position yourself behuid the hole. If it’s uphEl, study the line from behind your baU looking back up the hEl. If it’s a down- hiE putt, walk to the other side of the hole and look up the hiE to your baE. And to read the green’s more subtle side- hEl contours, take a walk around the hole and pick out the low side of your putt. Position yourself about halfway between your baU and the hole so you can look “up” the slope for the proper perspective. The best'way to stop puEing and pushing your putts is to forget about the hole and focus on the break point. Tb determine the LPGATOUR Player Money 1. Lorena Ochoa $2,342,872 2. A. Sorenstam $1,906,126 3. Karrie Webb $1,889.613 4. Gristle Kerr $1,539,501 5. Mi Hyun Kim $1,308,6l6Vl CHAMPIONS TOUR Player Money 1. Jay Haas $2,420,227,., 2. Loren Roberts $2,365,395 3. Brad Bryant $1,6^,41/ j 4. Tom Kite $1,643,348 5. Gil Morgan $1.^5.050 l break, pick a spot on the curve or arc of the putt where the putt wEl start the major por tion of its break to the hole. Once this spot is selected, it takes the place of the hole as your target. Then, hav ing lined up your putter face with that spot, forget about direction (it’s taken care of at address) and focus on producmg the correct speed that wEl send the baE roEing along the arc and breaking to the hole at just the right point. Once you determine the break point, ap proach the baE, set your putter face behind it m the du^ction you want the baE to start and align your body perpendicular to the putter face. To practice break-point putting, mark your break point with an object like a coin and practice roEing your ball over it. — TJ. Tomasi ASKTHE PRO Q: I am a 66-year-old with 80 mph club- head speed. I use a 460cc 10-degree driver. 1 hit about 200 to 220 yards and am in the fairway 90 percent of the time. I would like to know what to do to mcrease my club- head speed. —Joc/cF. Spring Hill. Fla. A: Generating power involves a number of elements, one of which is the abEity to move the clubhead quickly and another is solidness of contact. The good news is there’s a drUl that wiE teach you to swing the club quickly so that at impact the club is back in front of your body, a position that squares the clubface to the baE, ensur ing solid contact. Here’s the driE: Turn your driver upside down and hold it by its neck using your normal grip. Take your goff stance, then stand straight up so you are vertical to the ground. Extend your arms chest high and slowly swing the club by rotating your chest. Let your forearms rotate via the mo mentum of the swing. GraduaEy increase the speed of rotation untU you are making fuE-speed swings that produce a whooshing sound at the bot tom of the swing arc, m the impact area; the higher the pitch, the faster the spe^. If you aEow it to happen, you’E hear the whoosh just where it shoiEd be — in the midline of your body as your arms return to their midchest address position without any manipulation. This way the whoosh is not only the sound of speed, it’s also the sound of solid contact. If your arm muscles are weak and your grip too tight, you’E have a low-grade whoosh. As your strength grows, your whoosh wEl rise to a high-grade whistle. Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate for Cox Nev»s Service. (800) 255-6734. 'For release the week of November 6, 2006.
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Nov. 9, 2006, edition 1
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