Author: Erik J. Barzeski

Satterfield Surprise

Kirk Satterfield of Manhasset, N.Y., became the second member of the Deepdale Golf Club staff to win the TaylorMade-adidas Golf PGA Assistant Professional Championship on Sunday. Satterfield roared from eight shots back to defeat V.J. Trolio by a shot.

Kirk SatterfieldKirk Satterfield of Manhasset, N.Y., fired a 6-under-par 66 in Sunday’s final round to capture the TaylorMade-adidas Golf PGA Assistant Professional Championship at PGA Golf Club. Satterfield entered the round eight strokes back in a tie for seventh at 4-under 212 before leapfrogging the competition, winning by one stroke over V.J. Trolio of West Point, Mississippi. V.J., it seems, could not play like Vijay.

“I knew that I needed to play well and I felt that if I put some pressure on the field early, then I had a chance to make a move,” said Satterfield, assistant pro at Deepdale Golf Club in Manhasset, NY. “I am happy with my round, especially since I played a bogey-free final round.”

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PGA Tour Puts on Pressure

Ernie Els – no longer a member of the PGA Tour? It could happen if Finchem and his cronies don’t back off a little.

Ernie ElsIncoming European Tour front man George O’Grady has described the pressure being put on Ernie Els to play more events in the US as “extraordinary.” Els was clearly angered two weeks ago when he told reporters that the PGA Tour had sent him a letter demanding more appearances if he wished to retain his PGA Tour membership.

“It seems like quite an extraordinary pressure to put on a player of his level who plays usually 17 or 18 tournaments in the United States anyway,” said O’Grady. “He’s always prepared to listen if we need him to play somewhere, but he’s a very hard man to tell to do something. You do ask him, usually politely, and sometimes he says yes.”

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Park Wins CJ Nine Bridges Classic

Grace Park banishes the memory of her Samsung collapse by winning the CJ Nine Bridges Classic in convincing fashion.

Grace Park TeeingSouth Korean native Grace Park shot a 7-under par 65 on Sunday to win the CJ Nine Bridges Classic by five strokes. Coming off a final-round collapse two weeks ago, Park closed this one in style, saying “I can’t describe my happiness with words.”

Park, who described her play as “really good today,” and her eight birdies in the final round helped her to repel the likes of Annika Sorenstam, who beat her two weeks ago at the Samsung. Sorenstam carded a 67 to finish in a tie for second with fellow Swede Carin Koch at 200. Defending champion Ahn Shi-hyun shared fourth place with Lorena Ochoa and Jeong Jang, six strokes off the pace.

This tournament was conducted at Jeju Island, South Korea. Stops on next year’s LPGA Tour include Mexico, Canada, and South Korea as well.

Trick or Treat

Apply a little pressure to your practice by setting up a mini punishment/reward system.

Apply a little pressure during your practice. For example, if you’re practicing five-foot putts, the following might be an example:

Make < 40%: clean out the garage
Make 40 – 60%: good job
Make > 60%: treat yourself to a nice big steak and a beer

The net time, maybe you bump the percentages to 45/65. Find the point at which rewards are truly rewarding – and difficult to achieve. As with the regular game of golf, you are your own referee. Be honest or your game won’t improve as it should.

Eyes Over the Ball

Are your eyes over the ball when you putt? Try this quick drill to find out.

Where are your eyes when you putt? Commonly, putting problems start when a golfer’s eyes move too far inside the ball. To find out where your eyes are, take a normal putting stance. Hold a ball between your eyes and then drop it. If you’re properly aligned over the ball, the dropped ball should strike the ball you would putt. If the balls miss each other, adjust your stance until your eyes are over the ball.

Step Drill

Take a step towards a proper weight shift with this drill.

Many people suffer from a reverse pivot or a poor weight shift. There’s one simple drill that will help you “get through” the ball with your weight on your left side.

This drill is borrowed from baseball. Start with your feet together and then swing the club to the top. As you start your downswing, step toward the target with your front foot just as you would to hit a baseball.

Starting with your feet together will ensure that you get your weight onto your front side as you swing through the ball. This drill is also very good to get the feel of the swing starting at the bottom and stop those golfers that cast their hands to start a golf swing. Try this drill without a ball first or until you have mastered the stepping motion with good balance.

Seve Accused of Assault

Seve Ballesteros has been accused of assault by a European Tour official, but details are nonexistent.

Seve BallesterosThe European Tour is investigating Seve Ballesteros, accused of assaulting a Spanish golfer off the golf course during an amateur tournament last month. Ballesteros was a spectator at the over-35 event in Pedrena, Ballesteros’ home town. Jose Maria Zamora, a tournament director on the European Tour and amateur player, is the reported victim.

Zamora penalized Ballesteros for slow play at last year’s Italian Open. Ballesteros refused to adjust his card and was later fined by the tour. The European Tour has said that they’re investigating but is declining to comment. No other details are available, and we imagine that suing someone in Spain is just as easy as it is in the United States, so what constitutes “assault” can be left to the imagination of the readers. Was it a prod with a forefinger on the shoulder to accentuate a point, or was it an attack?

We will simply go with “innocent until proven guilty.” Especially given the fact that it is the European Tour doing the investigating and not the local police.

Overcome Caveman Golf

Golf is a game of risk vs. reward. Being realistic about the risks – and the reward – is the key to playing smart golf.

Golf Digest recently published a “Guide to Caveman Golf” for those people incapable – or unwilling – to overcome their “smash it and then go look for it” tendencies. If you are able to overcome your tendencies, you may score better as a result. We don’t advocate hitting nothing but your 3W off the tee, but do try to ask yourself a few questions:

  • If you hit a 3W from this tee, do you still have a 7I or less into the green?
  • If you hit to the fat part of the green instead of going at the flag just over that water hazard, can you lag and tap in for par?
  • Do you need to make this putt, or would lagging one up there be sufficient?
  • What’s more important: being closer to the pin or hitting the highest lofted club you might be able to get to the hole?
  • If you go at this par five in two and miss the green, will you be in better or the same shape as you’d be if you safely lay up?
  • Would you rather play your next shot from the trees again or from the fairway?

I think you get the point. Golf is a game of risk vs. reward. Being realistic about the risks – and the reward – is the key to playing smart golf.

2004 Funai Classic

Ryan Palmer is a Titleist man, and he used these clubs to win the 2004 Funai Classic in his rookie year.

Ryan PalmerRyan Palmer used this gear to win the 2004 Funai Classic:

Driver Titleist Titanium 983 E 8.5°
3 Wood Sonartec SS03 14°
5 Wood Sonartec TRC 18°
Irons (3-PW) Titleist Forged 690 CB
Wedges (PW, AW, SW) Titleist Vokey Design 46°, 53°, 57°
Putter Odyssey Rossie II
Ball Titleist Pro V1x

Yes folks, Palmer is also Titleist kinda guy.

Photo Credit: © PGA Tour.com.