The Who, What, When Quiz
Thanks to all who entered our quiz last week. For those who don’t know, the good folks at Setanta have given us a free one year subscription to Setanta Sports (including Setanta Golf) to give away to a lucky SpinDoctor reader. We need three more winners over the next three weeks to go into a draw for the big prize. To win, just e mail examinerspindoc@eircom.net with the answers to the following questions:
Q1. Who won the Open de Espana in 2008? clue in pic
Q2. What Dublin golf links was recently ranked No.1 in the Golf Digest top-100? clue in pic
Q3. When did Tiger Woods last win a major?
Congrats to last weeks winner Brian Kiely, Cloghroe, Cork who goes into the final draw!
Whats In The Bag: Peter Lawrie
Date of birth: 22/
03/1974
Residence: Dublin
Attachment: Castleknock GC
Height and weight: 6ft 11st
Interests: Snooker, football, cinema
Turned Pro: 1997 (plus 2)
University College Dublin graduate Peter Lawrie is the quiet man of Irish golf. Learned his trade on the European Challenge Tour from where his finally broke onto the main tour at the end of 2002. Hard work, steely determination and a cashmere putter insert has seen Peter retain his full playing status ever since. Claimed his maiden European Tour victory at the Open de España in 2008, defeating home favourite Ignacio Garrido in a play-off. Attached to Castleknock Golf Club in Dublin.
Bloggy Underfoot: Simon Cowell On Golf
Believe it or not there are a few things about golf that annoy me. I have kept them to myself up to now, but after watching an episode of “Britain’s Got Talent” I turned into Simon Cowell for an hour and started to let fly. Heres my irksome top of the pops.
Shorts: Look here lads, shorts are not for golf. The only people that should be seen in shorts on the golf course are Michelle Wie, Natalie Gulbis and co. There’s just something sinister about men in cream tailored shorts with spindly legs like an Ostrich’s neck! If you want to show your nobbily knees and varicose veins, why not try Junior B football.
Tartan Raingear: Go straight to your rain jacket and check it for a tartan patch. In the same way that every Ford Sierra in the eighties had to have a huge spoiler, every item of rain apparel back then had to have a tartan patch. If you are still sporting tartan on your Sunderland jacket, why not make give it a new lease of life as a nice bed for the dog.
Yellow Golf Balls: He drives a BMW, his driver costs €300, his irons another €1000 and he takes out a yellow molitor and expects to play well. Easier to find in the rough he says! Yellow is the cowards colour, we say. If you are ever playing a match and your opponent takes out a yellow ball, rejoice- you have every reason to be confident, because he clearly has none!
Black Golf Gloves: Talk of black gloves, brings to mind images of OJ Simpson struggling to put his hand in and Michael Jackson struggling to keep his hand off. Black gloves are just not golf. Titleist golf gloves are the best in the business, and hey, they don’t come in black. They just wouldn’t lower themselves to that level.
Rubber Tee Organizers: Long tees, short tees, coloured tees, neatly assorted in a dainty rubber wedge around a wet sponge with a marker stuck in the side, just in case. Just like bullets in a magazine. Makes me feel like shooting! They were meant to be cheap golf related Christmas presents, never meant for actual use.
Wooden Golf Clubs: Okay I know there was a time when all there was, was wooden clubs, that’s how “woods” got their name. But surely in this day and age, there is no place for a persimmon three wood with a red insert held in by four screws. I suppose it’s a bit like Federer showing up to play Wimbledon with a wooden racket, it just wouldn’t work.
Ball Retrievers: Says so much about you. You are pretty sure your ball is going into the water. You are looking forward primarily to retrieving someone else’s ball from the water. It’s a bonus when it’s a ball belonging to the guy in the group in front and he can see you. That moment when you pull it out and read the brand must be so exhilarating for you! I bet you hold the group behind up by trying to get that elusive Ultra in the middle of the pond. The definition of an absolute cheapskate!
Dr. and The Medic: Pause
Problem
You have a really quick turn and inconsistent contact with the ball.
Cure
You need to keep the transition at the top of your swing nice and smooth. Do not forget that you are supposed to have a slight pause at the top of your backswing. Even if your arms are slightly faster than your body, this transition period will allow your body to catch up and swing in sync during the downswing.
Therapy
Watch your swing and check if you have a natural pause at the top. If your arms are swinging the club back too quickly, you will not be able to make a full backswing because it will make it too difficult for your body to catch up. So by the time you are swinging your arms down, your body is still trying to catch up. Take a slower backswing; a swing that is 75% power will give you a similar distance and it will give you far more accuracy. Notice a pause at the top before you unwind your body and arms together into the forward swing.
I Want One Of Those: Cobra S9-1 Driver
This is the S9-1 Driver from Cobra as seen in the hands of Camillo Villegas and J.B. Holmes. Why have one sweet spot when you can have nine! Cobra designed the face shape with a 1:1 length-to-width ratio, allowing for a more efficient transfer of energy from the clubface to the ball. This refined Hotter 9 Points technology maximizes COR for higher ball speeds and more consistent ball flight across the entire clubface. As long a driver as you can buy and much cheaper since the newer L5V came out. Around the €200 mark in Golfstyle, Galway.
Bet Your Balls-
The Celtic Manor Wales Open
The Celtic Manor Resort
Newport, Wales
04 Jun 2009 - 07 Jun 2009
Soren Kjeldsen 16/1
It has been a fantastic year already for gritty Dane Kjeldsen with a victory in Andalucia and a tidy third in Wentworth. Ended the 2008 season in the best possible fashion with victory in the 21st and final Volvo Masters, his second European Tour title. Has some form at the Manor also with a joint second finish in 2007. Watch out for Soren’s unique putting grip.
Stephen Dodd 26/1
Dodd made us a few quid on the each-way bet with a tied fifth finish again last week. Finished with a superb 68 to sail through the field on the tough London Club layout. Has now won ten times more money in the last two weeks than he won in the entire 2008 season. Top ten finishes in Celtic Manor in 2004 and 2006.
Simon Khan 100/1
Khan finished in the top 20 last week for the first time in ages. Seems to have turned a horrible run of form around with a superb joint first finish at the recent Open Championship qualifying at Walton Heath. I predict a continuance of his form this week. Remember 2004 when he came back from four shots behind with seven holes to play to defeat Paul Casey at the second hole of a sudden-death play-off in this event.
The Memorial Tournament
Muirfield Village Golf Club · Dublin, Ohio
Zach Johnson 25/1
Zach is well and truly back to his best this year and currently stands atop the FedEx points race. Has already won twice this year, the Sony and Texas Opens but the real key is Johnson’s consistency; he has finished in the top 25 in seven of his 13 events including another 10th place at the Colonial. Has a nice bit of course from too with a tied second in 2006. Watch for the Zach attack to continue into major season.
Kenny Perry 25/1
Okay we tipped Kenny last week and it didn’t quite happen for him. But we’re not going to do a Tevez on him and drop him after one poor showing. After all this week is Kenny’s favourite week of the year. He is the unquestionable boss of Muirfield Village with an unmatched record. Perry defends his title this week, he also won in 2003 and was tied third in 2007. Many golf pundits believe that since his second at The Masters, Kenny is gearing himself up for a final tilt at one of the majors. This would be perfect final warm up.
Rocco Mediate 100/1
With the US Open around the corner let’s spare a thought for last years playoff loser Rocco Mediate. I think another Rocco major run may not be likely so I’m banking he will stand up and be counted this week instead. Tied sixth in last years staging. Interestingly Tiger is in the field also this week. Will they be paired together and will the barber’s son make the cut?
Tailored Shorts
McNulty Slam Dunks Funk
Part time paddy Mark McNulty won the Principal Charity Classic on the Champions Tour by sinking a 30 foot putt in a thrilling playoff. His birdie putt win came at the end of the fourth playoff hole to eliminate a game Fred Funk. Second round leader Nick Price also made the playoff but was eliminated when both McNulty and Funk birdied the second extra hole. McNulty’s win is his seventh on the Seniors Tour.
Shark Bites Garcia
If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of a breakup, you will know just how tough it is. Poor old Sergio got the flick from Morgan Leigh Norman and it ruined more than his game. No more long walks on sandy beaches, no more canoodling in the bunkers and whispering sweet nothings in each other ears. Yes, Sergio is going to miss Greg terribly.
Tiger Back For Jack
Tiger is back at the Memorial this week and the two big questions are who will his coach be and has he figured out how to drive it straight? This is major month! Tiger is a three-time winner of the Memorial but has skipped the tournament two of the last three years because of family matters and knee surgery. Woods has not tasted victory in what is Jack Nicklaus’ tournament since winning his third in a row in 2001.
Mickelson Update
An update from Phil Mickelson about his wife Amy's breast cancer diagnosis was posted on his website. “We have a wonderful team of doctors helping us and it is believed that we caught this early,” it read. “We are anxiously waiting for a number of test results that will help guide us in the best possible direction." In a show of support the PGA tour and associated bodies staged a "Pink Out" on the Saturday of the Colonial, urging all players and supporters to wear pink.