The Best Par 3 In the World

 TPC Sawgrass: 17th Hole, 132 yards

There are so many iconic par 3's but if there is one that stands out above any other it the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass. It is known by golfers as THE island green, and the fact that it was established only 33 years ago makes it even more amazing. It is the only hole in golf that is the signature or face of a major course. The hole claims more balls to the water than any other hole in the history of golf, and that alone is enough to terrorize even the professionals. Every year at the Players Championship, the best golfers in the world travel to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida for one of the biggest tournaments in the world. Personally, it is my favorite hole in the world and would be my number one choice for 1 hole to play before I die. It's beauty can be overshadowed by its intimidation...

Major Championship Locations in 2014

The 2014 major championship locations this year are impressive as they are every year. Aside from the Masters which is located at Augusta every year, here are the locations for the other three majors in the upcoming year:

U.S Open: Pinehurst Golf Club
Date: June 12-15                             
72 Hole stroke play; Field will be cut to low 60 scores and ties following the completion of 36 holes. An 18-Hole playoff will take place on June 16 for the U.S. Open if two or more players are tied after 72 holes. Justin Rose will look to defend his U.S Open title.

 British Open: Royal Liverpool
 Date: July 17-20
The second oldest links golf course in England is the host for the 2014 Open Championship. It is the 12th time Royal Liverpool has hosted the world's oldest major, last in 2006 when Tiger Woods captured his 2nd Open Championship in as many years. Phil Mickelson, last year's champion will likely be one of the favorites again this year.

PGA Championship: Valhalla Golf Club
Date: August 7-10
The PGA Championship returns to Valhalla for the first time since 2000 when Tiger Woods was victorious. This private course was constructed by the great Jack Nicklaus and is one of the top course in the United States. The 7,540 yard par 72 course is located in Louisville, Kentucky. Jason Dufner is the defending champion after he captured his first major this past August.

Routine

Every golfer has somewhat of a routine before they address the ball. The game is so mentally oriented that if you change your routine or swing in even a slight way it will completely alter the result. Most amateurs are so anxious to hit the ball that they skip their routine sometimes and end up struggling especially in their putting game. Great golfers such as Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and more have all stressed the importance of a routine on the putting green. It's not exactly the complicated nature of a routine that is important but the "idea" or consistency of the routine. Personally, my putting routine is simple but it works for me and keeps my mind under control when I address the ball. I take 5 steps back and examine the break of the putt, I address the ball and take 3 practice putting strokes, then I glance at the hole once then back at the ball and then I'm ready to putt. Some golfers have much more extravagant routines and some have even simpler routines than my own but as long as it is executed the same way every time, your mental game will improve dramatically.

I Figured it would be beneficial for you guys to see some routine tips from the pros. Below is a video featuring Tiger Woods, Paul Casey, and Anthony Kim and all share some great tips about the routine and it's importance for your consistency.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J_0OE0btbw

Top 5 PGA Golfers Under 25

This is my hypothetical ranking of the top 5 Golfers in the world under the age of 25. These guys are the future of the sport, some haven't earned their first win on tour yet, while others have even won majors.

5. Ryo Ishikawa, Japan, Age: 22
Ishikawa had only one top 10 in 2013 at the Byron Nelson Championship, but he has demonstrated his talent for a few years now on tour and proved that he can play with anyone. He has started off the 2014 season phenomenally with a 2nd place finish at the Shriner's Hospital for Children Open, and is 8th on the money list in this very young season. This kid has as much talent as anyone on this list but needs to focus on being consistent throughout a full season of work.

4. Bud Cauley, U.S.A, Age: 23
In his first full year on tour in 2012, he posted consecutive top 10's at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Shell Houston Open as part of 4 total top 10's for the year. After making $1.7 million in his rookie year, things slowed down a bit in 2013 but he still managed a 14th place finish at the Crowne Plaza Invitational with a stack field that he was going up against.

3. Jordan Spieth, U.S.A, Age: 20
Jordan Spieth bursted onto the scene in 2013 with a tremendous year, including 4 top 3 finishes and 9 top 10's total. Perhaps the most impressive 2013 resume of any of the members on this list, Spieth has as much potential as anyone. The youngster recorded his first win at the John Deer Classic and has been playing lights out golf over the past year. In just over 1 year he has totaled over $4 million in earnings already, not bad for a 20 year old

2. Rickie Fowler, U.S.A, Age: 24
Rickie Fowler turned pro in 2009 with an incredible amount of hype. After a dominant college career at Oklahoma State, Fowler firmly embraced the reputation as the best U.S Amateur. It took him a couple of years to get his first win at the Wells Fargo Championship in 2012 but since he arrived on tour he has put himself in contention in numerous tournaments, including majors. It is just a matter of time before this young stud starts winning tournaments left and right. Expect Fowler and the next youngster to battle it out over the next couple decades.

1. Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland, Age: 24
McIlroy is a familiar face to our rankings lists as he cracked the top 5 for best golfers in the world right now. There's not much more that you need to know about Rory other than that he was number 1 in the world for the majority of the last 2 years and has already captured two Major Championships in his young career. He is far and away the most talented golfer on this list, but his consistency is his Achilles heel as he can look like a rookie  one day and the best player in the world the next. Overall, his future looks as bright as any 24 year old in the history of the game.

The Grip

Your golf grip can completely alter the way that you hit the ball and the ball flight that results from it. A poor grip could be the lone reason that a golfer is slicing or hooking the ball; the swing isn't always the problem. Below you can see the grip of 4 PGA professionals, two of whom are major champions.

As you can see, everyone's grip can vary slightly from one another but the basic fundamental interlocking grip is used by just about every professional. For a righty, the left hand should be underneath the right hand with the thumb pointed directly downward. You should be able to see the first 2 knuckles of you left hand when you place the right hand on top. If your left hand is turned too far to the right with more knuckles visible then you have a slice grip and your ball will typically fade from left to right after contact. If your left hand is turned too far to the left with no knuckles visible then you have a hook grip and the ball will typically hook from right to left. The ideal grip is right in between, so that the ball will carry as straight as possible. The interlocking grip consists of the left pointer finger interlocking inside the right pinky finger. This makes it so that the golf swing can be executed more smoothly and more comfortably, and can be seen in the image below. So many amateurs, including myself overlooked the importance of the grip thinking that the problem was somewhere else. Instead of wasting time and money to try and solve you slice or hook, take a look at your grip and analyze it to see if there are deficiencies because the problem could be a quick fix away from being solved.

2 Most Beautiful Courses in the World

                                                        Pine Valley Golf Club, NJ

I'm sure most people did not know that there was a top tier golf course in the world located in New Jersey, but when it comes to shear beauty, Pine Valley is second to none. It is relatively unknown on the global stage because it has never hosted a major tournament simply because there is not enough room for spectators to watch. It was ranked the #1 course in the World in 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2012; a very impressive accomplishment for a course in the Northeast      United States. It is not as warm as some of the famous California and Florida Courses such as Pebble Beach and TPC Sawgrass which are definitely top 5 courses in the world. This par 70, 7,057 yard course has one of the best grounds keeping staffs in the world. They maintain a beautiful course that isn't publicized nearly as much as the next course, Augusta National.

                                              Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia

The Famous Augusta National Golf Club is known for one tournament and one only: The Masters. The incredible scenery, especially at Amen Corner (holes 11,12, and 13) is truly breathtaking. Every year in April, the first major of the year comes to Augusta and the players experience one of the most difficult but beautiful courses in the world. Founded by Bobby Jones, the original golf legend, the course is only 80 years old. It has obtained a rich history and numerous iconic landmarks such as the Eisenhower Tree, Ike's Pond, and Rae's Creek which can be seen in the first image to the left. These two courses have been trading the top ranking for years that it is difficult to place one above the other. However, when it comes to reputation and pure history of beauty, Augusta cannot be topped.

Below is a video showing a flyover of Augusta
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GdSCVN2lyg

The Belly Putter/ Long Putter Debate

There have been numerous rumors about the PGA Tour implementing a ban on the long putter or "belly putter" because of the possibility of there being an unfair advantage for golfers who use it. The PGA Tour commissioner, Tim Finchem, said that he is against the proposed ban because there is simply not enough evidence to conclude that it offers an advantage.

I may not be able to prove that there is an advantage to using these putters but the sucess rate of the recent users cannot be simply ignored. PGA pros Adam Scott, Keegan Bradley, Ernie Els, Webb Simpson all switched to long putters and each have won a major in the past 2 years ( the first career major for three of them). Without a doubt, putting is 90% mental, but having a long putter that is anchored to your body allows the golfers to get the ball on a steady line every time, which conventional putters cannot offer. That alone is enough to ban these putters especially because it effects the most important aspect of the sport.

Driving Range Tips

The driving range is a cheap and great way to work on your swing without having the added pressure of an actual course. Most amateurs crave using the driver at the driving range because, well, who doesn't like hitting the long ball? The fact is that on average, pros only use their driver about 4-5 times per 18 holes. That statistic becomes bloated for amateurs because they simply cannot hit it as far, however, there are other clubs in the bag which are relied on much more frequently.

 1. Start off you driving range practice session with a wedge. Wedges are the easiest clubs to hit in your bag, and have the most loft. I usually start off with my sand wedge (56 degree) then on to my pitching wedge. It's a great way to get your confidence up by getting good contact on about 10-15 balls.

2. By this point you are pretty warmed up and can start swinging closer to 100%. I usually move on to an 8 iron because it is my most frequently used club. For most amateurs, the second shot on most par 4's are in the range of 140-160 yards, with there generally being 10 par 4's per 18 holes.  So an 8 or 7 iron can account for 10-13 strokes per round.

3. After hitting about 15 more balls, I move into the mid-long irons (3-6 irons) and hit about 10 for each club. This gives you practice for each of the hardest clubs to hit in your bag; if you can master your long irons it will make every other aspect of the hole significantly easier.

4. After hitting about 60-70 balls you start to get tired so I usually take a 5 minute break. If you try to keep going your swing becomes lazy and slower and that can only develop bad habits in your swing. After the break, I usually hit about 15 balls with my 3 hybrid. Not everyone has hybrid clubs in their bag but it is one of the most useful clubs out there and is an easy way to get distance on your second shot on par 5's, which is always an issue for amateurs.

5. If you have any balls left over, hit some bombs with your driver, we all love doing it.

Top 5 PGA Golfers Right Now

5. Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland, Age: 24
- Rory had a bit of a down year in 2013, but still managed 5 top 10's in 16 events including a 2nd place finish at the Valero Texas Open. It would have been a tough task to follow up his phenomenal 2012 performance when he compiled 4 wins, including a PGA Championship victory. He still proves to be elite because of his stong performances in majors and that's why he comes in at number 5. Expect a bounce back year from Rory in 2014 now that he is healthy and playing better of late.

   
  4. Justin Rose, England, Age: 33

 - Justin Rose had his best year as a pro in 2013 by grabbing his first  major of his 15 year career at the U.S Open. Rose has always been a great talent, and a well known name on the PGA Tour but hasn't really had that career defining victory until this year. He compiled 7 top 10's in 17 events which puts him at number 4 in my rankings. He should continue to be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come as he enters his prime.

                                      
 3. Adam Scott, Austrailia, Age: 32

- Adam Scott has gone from an under the radar "young guy" to The Masters Champion and the consensus #3 player in the world in just a few years. Ever Since Steve Williams (Tiger's former caddie) took over the bag for Scott, he has developed into a star. He finished top 5 in 3 out of the 4 majors in 2013, including another win in August at the Barclays. He has proven to be the most consistent golfer in the world and continues to creep up the rankings.

2. Phil Mickelson, U.S.A, Age: 43

- Phil continues to get the job done year in and year out, even at age 43. He racked up his 5th major championship at The Open back in July after a 2nd place finish at the U.S Open a month earlier (his SIXTH runner up finish at the U.S Open without a victory)... that's a record. His 6 top 3 finishes in 2013 put his earnings at a little over 5 million for the year. Perhaps the craftiest short game player in the history of golf maintains his well known reputation as the 2nd best player in the world.

1. Tiger Woods, U.S.A, Age: 37

- Even after all he's been through, and the fact that his major-less streak continues into its 6th year, Tiger is still the best golfer on the planet. He has shown signs of his old self over the past couple years and has come very close in numerous majors. His big win of the year came at the Players Championship, arguably the 5th biggest event of the year. He still led the Tour with 5 wins this year and now that he is fully healthy and mentally in check, 2014 could be the official return of the real Tiger Woods

The Perfect Swing

If there is any one person that you should try and model your golf swing after it is Tiger Woods. There are flaws in every amateur's swing and by analyzing the swing of the best golfer ever, and doing your best to mimic what he does, improvement will be seen. This video of Tiger's swing in slow motion is the perfect model.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc9Wb9JKpTE

Step 1: Addressing the ball. When you address the ball you should make sure that the ball is in the appropriate position relative to your feet. Ideally, the ball should be positioned a few inches behind your front foot. The further forward the ball is positioned, the higher the ball flight; and the further back, the lower the ball flight. Both your left and right arm should be straight, sort of as an extension of the club up to your shoulders. This can be seen in the video at 0:01

Step 2: As the club is brought back, the left arm stays perfectly straight while the head virtually has no movement whatsoever, which is vital in maintaining consistent solid contact with every swing. This can be seen at 0:22

Step 3: The shaft of the club is parallel to the ground at the top of the swing, while the left arm is still straight and there has been no movement to the head. This can be seen at 0:30

Step 4: The shifting of body weight from the back leg to the front leg is executed while keeping the hips parallel to the ball. This can be seen in the downswing at 0:36

Step 5: Contact is made with the head in the same position it has been the entire time and with the left arm perfectly straight. 0:40

Step 6: The head and eyes stay down well through contact, which is very important. Most amateurs pick their head and body up through impact to try and help lift the ball into the air. In fact, keeping your head and body down through contact allows the loft of the club to do the job for you. This can be seen from 0:41-0:44

Step 7: The follow through is executed to perfection with both arms maintaining straightness and the club finishes high. The front leg up to the shoulders is a perfectly straight line, this can be seen up to the end of the video.

 Be sure to keep these little cues in mind the next time you hit the course, I'm sure it will take some strokes off your score!