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M A G A Z I N E
ExCLusIVE INtErVIEW
hunter
Mahan
6
‘‘i Would Die For the
Chance to Do it again’’
Mahan on that ryder cup MoMent
hot new
fairway
woods
p. 94
breakthrouGh
How an
average joe
found His
swing —and
How you
can too p. 64
Plus: Mahan’s 5 Best Moves
GEt CENtrEd for PurE CoNtACt
LoAd uP WIth your rIGht hIP
PoWEr your ArMs INto IMPACt
LEAN toWArd thE tArGEt
fINIsh soft for ExtrA CoNtroL
publicAtion
Vol.14 No.1
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NZ $9.20 Inc. GST
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- Publication No. VGQ 8202
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Contents
M
January 2011 Volume 14, Issue 1
the starter
(Begins on p. 15)
Catching up with Matt Kuchar, What
Tour Pros Think, PGA Tour Confidential,
Golfer’s Life, Lifestyle, and The Pelz Files.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
87
p. 10
Letter From the Editor
p. 12
Your Views
p. 18
Teeing Off
p. 44
Rules Guy
p. 114 Sidespin—By David Feherty
COVER STORY
5 MOVES TO MAKE
YOUR SWING GREAT
A
G
A
Z
I
N
E
your game
Tips from Golf’s Best Teachers
p. 47
p. 48
p. 49
p. 50
p. 51
p. 52
p. 53
p. 54
Don’t let divots ruin your round
The 3-step instant slice killer
Putt with perfect pace
Wedge your putt when against the collar
How to check for an early release
How to nail your stance width
How to hit high, soft long irons
Add loft to hit better putts
best travel trips
Travellin’ Joe Passov anointed Phoenix/
Scottsdale as the No.1 golf destination—
and not just because he lives there. Let him
show you around! p. 106
by Hunter Mahan
Tiger’s Bagman
World No. 18, Hunter
Mahan, shows you the
positions that helped him
turn his swing from “good” to
“Tour ready”. p. 87
Tiger Woods’s caddie, Steve
Williams, speaks to GOLF
Magazine about his boss’s new
swing, the tumultuous year that
was 2010, and sticking by his
longtime friend. p. 81
Cool as Can Be
In the wake of his Ryder Cup
heartbreak, Hunter Mahan could
have chosen to lay low for a while.
He didn’t. Four days after losing
his pivotal singles match in Wales,
Mahan spoke to GOLF Magazine
about what went wrong on the
decisive hole and why he would
“die for a chance” to anchor the
US team again. p. 56
The Shop
We look at TaylorMade’s new
Burner 2.0 irons, five new drivers
built for speed—and distance,
and six new irons that cover the
gamut of playing abilities. p. 92
The World’s Longest Golf Course
Pack your sticks, sleeping bag and snake traps. Nullabor Links
isn’t just crazy long—it’s routed through a fearsome and forsaken
swatch of the outback. p. 70
p. 64
Old School vs New School
Which school of learning works best: lessons with a wizened
pro, or state-of-the-art clubfitting?
8 | GOLF MAGAZINE
Editor’s Letter
Presidential
debate
Damian Shutie, Editor
O
n the surface, 2010
seemed like the year golf
would soon forget.
So much focus on scandal and
a winless Tiger overshadowed the
genuine achievements of many
others: Phil’s stirring Masters win
in front of his cancer-stricken wife
(not to mention that shot); the
rise of young golfers on Tour including
Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Martin
Kaymer, Rickie Fowler and our own
Jason Day’s maiden Tour win at the Byron
Nelson; Lee Westwood’s promotion to
the world No.1 ranking; Stuart Appleby
shooting a 59 at the Greenbrier and
winning our version of the Masters
at Victoria Golf Club over a strong
international field; and Europe’s nail-biting
Ryder Cup win in Wales.
And while Europe’s Ryder Cup victory
could not have been further from us
geographically, the event was huge for golf
in this country. Sounds strange, I know. But
the success of the team-format tournament
at Celtic Manor showed us just what
Australian golf fans should expect when
the Presidents Cup comes to the illustrious
Royal Melbourne Golf Club in November.
If you needed proof that representing your
country meant much to those playing, look
at the Europeans’ jubilant faces when Hunter
Mahan conceded to Graeme McDowell on
the 17th hole to hand Europe the final crucial
point—and winning margin (14½-13 ½).
And you no doubt saw the genuine
disappointment throughout the Yankee
camp, including Mahan’s teary
press conference following. The
players love it. And they love
being part of a team.
This month we speak
exclusively with a candid Mahan
about his crushing loss to
McDowell back in October, and
ask if he had a choice, would he
anchor the US again: “There’s nothing like
being the 12th man in the Ryder Cup” and
“I’d die for the chance to do it again” was
his response.
Fast forward 11 months and our
own players will have the opportunity
to break US hearts again. But be wary,
the Americans have something to
prove at Royal and there won’t be any
compromising at the Composite.
As I write this—and ignoring the two
Captain’s picks—the International team
would consist of three Australians (Robert
Allenby, Adam Scott and Jason Day, with
Geoff Ogilvy on the fringe), four South
Africans and a Colombian. Team unity
would be strong if the international makeup
heading to Royal remained close to this mix.
The names on the International team
might not be as big as those of the
Europeans in the Ryder Cup, but the
passion should be—especially considering
Royal Melbourne was the site of the only
Internationals win at the Presidents Cup
back in 1998. Bring on 2011. Bring on the
Presidents Cup.
See you on the fairways.
Cover story, p. 87
Hunter Mahan’s swing went from solid to very, very good as soon as
he grooved the positions outlined in this month’s cover story. Copy
them to find the sweet spot more often and eliminate the worst
shots from your rounds.
10 | GOLF MAGAZINE
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Your Views
LEFT OUT OF THE WILL
letter of the month
LESS PHILLING
As a golf fan who really doesn’t care about a player’s personal
life or what he does outside of the ropes, I found your
choice of Phil Mickelson as the No.1 Golfer of the Year [GM
November] a curious one. Through the Deutsche Bank
Championship, his record of 18 starts, one win and one
second hardly seems worthy of such a title. There are a
number of golfers more deserving of this award. Based on
your choice, perhaps you should rename the award No. 1 Golf
Celebrity of the Year.
—Kevin Harpin, via email
PHIL-ANTHROPY
No.
1
ISSUE
The
KOSTIS RULES!
6/12/10 10:26:58 AM
THE STARTER THE TOUR
I want to thank Peter Kostis for finally PGA Tour
addressing some of the dumbest rules Confidential
of golf (“The Five Dumbest Rules in
Golf”, GM November). If someone
can explain why a ball that’s one foot
past a white out-of-bounds marker
(put there because they built houses
around the course) is somehow
worse than a ball hit into a lake, I’d
love to hear it. We use one simple
rule, which if adopted by golf would
eliminate half the rule book: For a
one-stroke penalty, a golfer can place his ball anywhere along the
flight path of his previous shot, as long as it is no closer to the hole
than where it landed or was last seen. This has worked for every
situation and has eliminated hazards, OB, lost balls, etc., making the
game easier, simpler, faster and more fair.
—Dave Nahmias, via email
Tour Talk
By Peter Kostis
GOLF Magazine Teacher
and CBS Sports Analyst
STATS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Kohjiro Kinno/SI
100 | GOLF MAGAZINE
6/12/10 10:20:04 AM
The Tour’s No. 1 Driver
New GOLF Magazine research proves that Hunter Mahan is the best
RA NKING THE BEST PLAYERS ON THE PGA Tour is
tricky business, especially when it comes to driving. When
we think of the best men with the big stick, bombers like Phil
Mickelson, Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson come to mind.
But in reality, we know there’s much more to being a great
driver of the golf ball.
The PGA Tour ranks players on “Total Driving,”
but that only adds a player’s rank in Driving Distance
to his rank in Driving Accuracy—not exactly
Moneyball, unless you consider Mathias Gronberg the
best driver on Tour.
To determine the Tour’s best driver, GOLF Magazine
Teacher T.J. Tomasi looked at distance off the tee and
fairways hit, but he also included stats like smash
factor, which measures the quality of impact.
“Accuracy is important in driving, but not as
nearly as important as distance, especially since we
haven’t noticed a huge difference with the new wedge grooves
out of the rough,” Tomasi said.
When we crunched the numbers to create the GOLF Magazine
Driving Score, some new names moved to the top. (Sorry, Mathias.)
PLAYER
NAME
ABOUT THIS AWARD
many looking on are visibly moved.
The No. 1 Golfer of the Year is a new, annual honour
Saturday in northern
that celebrates the player who, more than any other,
“It’s incredibly touching to know that
San Diego. Six days ago,
has shown excellence and sportsmanship on and
someone cares about these kids,” says
off the course. It’s voted on by a panel of editors and
Phil Mickelson shot 67
Susie Sovereign, the principal at Herbert writers from GOLF Magazine and Sports Illustrated.
in the fi nal round of the
Ibarra Elementary School, which had 78
PGA Championship. Th is students at this year’s Start Smart. “These ballsiest shots in Masters history the next
our neediest children. Some of them
day: a 6-iron off the pine straw, out of the
morning, he’s the cheerful are
have literally never had a pair of new shoes trees, over the creek and onto the 13th green
host of the sixth annual
in their life, only hand-me-downs. Now
for a birdie, propelling him to a third green
they can feel good about themselves. This jacket. Afterward Mickelson summed
Start Smart, a back-toprogram is successful on so many levels.”
up the play—and his entire career—by
school shopping spree
woofing, “A
for 1500 needy
great shot is
Ever since Amy’s cancer diagnosis, Phil
primary school
when you pull
aged kids hosted has been playing for something larger. As it off. A smart
shot is when you
by the Phil &
the
couple
shared
a
tearful
moment
at
don’t have the
Amy Mickelson
try it.”
Augusta, a nation cried along with them. gutsYettoeven
Foundation.
that
epic 6-iron is
The Mickelsons
not the moment
could just write a
Start Smart is one of the many ways
that lingers from his triumph. After tidying
cheque, but their intimate Mickelson
is touching lives away from the
up his bogeyless 67, Phil haltingly made
involvement turns Start
course. And he still inspires between the
his way to Amy, who was waiting behind
ropes, too. It’s for the passion with which
the 18th green. It was her first public
Smart into a celebration
appearance since being diagnosed with
of family values. On hand he plays and lives that GOLF Magazine
honours Mickelson as our No. 1 Golfer of
breast cancer 11 months earlier. Phil and
to help stock shelves and
the Year. In a Tour season with no dominant Amy’s embrace was almost cinematic in its
shepherd the kids are the
player, Phil created the sport’s most indelible sweetness and a poignant reminder of why
we care about sports. Ever since his bride’s
Mickelsons’ own children, memories, all of them coming during his
storybook Masters victory. His eagle, eagle, diagnosis, Mickelson has been playing
plus assorted parents,
damn-near-a-third-straight-eagle stretch
for something larger than himself, and as
friends and
on the back nine on Saturday would have
he and Amy shared that joyous, tearful
business associates.
defined his victory if not for one of the
moment at Augusta National, a world of
100-103_Golfer of the year award.indd 100
“Come on, Jack.
You’re a wealthy
guy—you could
have afforded
to go up one
pant size.”
Your all-access badge to the PGA TOUR
It’s been a year of triumph and trials for Lefty. He won his third Masters, but was
diagnosed with arthritis and saw his wife and mother battle cancer. Yet he still
signed thousands of autographs, gave to worthy causes, and entertained millions.
That’s why Golf Magazine proudly names Phil Mickelson our No. 1 Golfer of the Year.
It’s such a feel-good scene that
Will Says: “This is my No. 1 golf
moment—the ’86 Masters. It was
Jack’s finest moment. He made
a birdie putt on 17 to lock it up.
Notice the look in his eyes [in the
photo]. He just knew that putt was
going in. Unfortunately, this was
also the hardest photo to recreate.
I don’t know how Jack got his
body into that position. My back’s
killing me! How did he not rip his
hamstrings or throw his shoulder
out of its socket? And the pants?
[Ferrell pinches his spare tyre.]
Come on, Jack. You’re a wealthy
guy—you could have afforded to
go up one pant size.”
96 | GOLF MAGAZINE
PHIL MICKELSON
It’s 5.30am on a
YES, SIR!
AT 46, JACK NICKLAUS WINS
HIS SIXTH GREEN JACKET
079-099_People Portfolio.indd 96
� The No. 1 Golfer of the Year Award �
WORDS BY Alan Shipnuck
I just finished reading the November issue and enjoyed the
re-creations of famous golfing scenes by comedian Will
Ferrell. It’s hard to pick and choose but how can you leave
out Tiger’s double fist-clench
after draining the eight-foot putt
to force a playoff for the 2008
1st
US Open? Or Payne Stewart’s
knockout punch into the air
after holing a 15-footer on the
18th at Pinehurst to claim the
1999 US Open? I love Arnie,
but both of these moments top
his 1960 Open celebration for
sheer drama. In fact, both Woods’
and Stewart’s last hole heroics
outshine Jack and Phil, too. On
the plus side, I gotta admit, he nailed Jack’s winning birdie putt
on 17 to record a sixth Masters championship.
—Robert Peele, via email
DRIVING
DISTANCE
(YDS)
DRIVING
ACCURACY
DIST.
FROM
CENTRE
FAIRWAY
3
291
JOE DURANT
HUNTER MAHAN
TOTAL
DRIVING
RANK
GOLF
MAGAZINE
DRIVING
SCORE
67.85
23.8
5
286.2
72.07
24.6
RYAN MOORE
16
288.1
69.93
28
KENNY PERRY
4
289.1
67.57
27.5
124.09
BO VAN PELT
14
289.8
66.45
26.4
125.42
124.05
125.31
124.61
While it wasn’t as important as some other categories, the
stat that separated Mahan from the pack was “Distance From
Centre of Fairway,” which determines just how far offl ine
a player’s drives are when they don’t hit the fairway. When
Mahan misses, it’s not by much.
THEY
SAID IT
“Let’s be honest about this,
it’s not like he was flushing
it with Hank [Haney].”
—Tiger Woods’ new coach Sean Foley to FoxSports
THE FIVE DUMBEST
RULES IN GOLF
Who was to blame for Dustin Johnson grounding his club
in a bunker at the PGA Championship? Johnson? His
caddie? For me it was the inevitable result of the needlessly
complicated Rules of Golf. It’s time for the rules to be
updated and simplified. Here’s where we can start:
1. BUNKER VS WASTE AREAS
This is what created the whole PGA Championship debacle.
It adds a layer of needless complexity to the game’s already
complicated Rules. The solution: Get rid of waste areas and
call everything a bunker.
2. NO RELIEF FROM DIVOTS
If a sand-filled divot isn’t ground
under repair, then I don’t
know what those words mean.
Golfers get relief from unusual
conditions and those should
include divots.
“If a sandfilled divot
isn’t ground
under repair
then what
do those
3. OUT OF BOUNDS
You’re penalised less for whiffing
words mean?”
your tee shot than you are for
hitting it out of play. OB should
be played as a lateral hazard rather than stroke-and-distance.
The penalty is too severe. Many recreational golfers already
play OB areas as a lateral hazard to speed up play. That, and
the fact they are too embarrassed to walk back to the tee
while another group is waiting there!
4. DROPPING THE BALL
Possibly the dumbest Rule of all. If you’re already taking
a penalty, you should be allowed to place your ball on the
ground. When you drop it, you need to make sure it doesn’t
land closer to the hole or roll too far—or whatever! Plus, if
you drop two times and the ball still ends up closer to the
hole, you get to place the ball anyhow. Enough already. Just
place the ball and get out of there.
5. DISQUALIFICATION FOR PENALTY
ASSESSED AFTER ROUND
A player who commits a penalty that only becomes apparent
after he signed his scorecard is disqualified. Why? Not for
the two-stroke penalty. Instead, his score has changed so he’s
disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. Just give me
the penalty, but don’t DQ me under another rule. ■
GOLF MAGAZINE | 41
041_PGA tour confidential.indd 41
Peter Kostis’s “The Five Dumbest Rules In Golf” in your
November 2010 issue was spot on. His simple assessment of golf’s
draconian rules should be mailed to every blue-blood member
of the R&A and USGA, who should then be required to read it
under threat of a stroke-and-distance penalty. Bottom line is that
all five of Peter’s examples should go the way of the stymie.
—Paul Jacobs, via email
We want to hear all about it! Tell us which story this issue helped you find the hole faster, or just let us know
your views on all things golf. Email: [email protected] The best effort will win two dozen Callaway Tour golf balls.
12 | GOLF MAGAZINE
6/12/10 10:33:06 AM