By DOUG FERGUSONAP Golf Writer

ATLANTA (AP) – Matt Kuchar is the face of golf in Atlanta this week at the Tour Championship, just like he was 10 years ago.

There's one difference.

Actually, there's about 10 million differences.

Kuchar is the no. 1 seed in the FedEx Cup going into the final playoff event, which starts Thursday at East Lake. that gives him a slight edge in the race for the $10 million bonus, the biggest payoff in golf.

It's hard to believe that Kuchar, perhaps the most celebrated amateur golfer at Georgia Tech since Bobby Jones, wasn't even sure he wanted to turn pro when he graduated a decade ago.

He had won the U.S. Amateur. he lit up Augusta National with his engaging smile and a game good enough to be the low amateur at the Masters in 1998. then came the U.S. Open at Olympic Club, where he held his own against golf's best and tied for 14th.

Not long after that, a businessman tossed out the idea of staying an amateur.

“He said, 'Nobody has really done it since Bobby Jones. There's plenty of money to be made in the business world. It's not that you have to turn professional to make money,'” Kuchar said. “And he encouraged me to still stay competitive as an amateur. he said, 'the doors that will open for you will be amazing, and the better you do in golf – if you keep playing Masters tournaments, if you keep playing well in Amateurs – it's only going to open more doors.

“So it was a neat opportunity.”

Kuchar went to work for Liberty Associates, a boutique investment banking firm in south Florida, a job that entailed plenty of golf with prospective clients, a chance to see how business gets done as efficiently on manicured fairways as in boardrooms.

Chasing the amateur dream, however, soon turned into a sprint.

Kuchar played the Texas Open on a sponsor's exemption in the fall of 2000 and missed the cut by one shot. he was furious with himself and wanted to tee it up the next week to prove he was better than that.

“And it was then that I knew I needed to really go week in and week out to see how good I could be,” he said.

It took him time to find out. he won his first PGA Tour event two years later at the Honda Classic, immediately went into a tailspin and didn't emerge until hooking up with Chris O'Connell, a Texas-based coach who taught him a one-plane swing that was more about making a consistent swing than a perfect one.

The plan has worked to near perfection.

No one has more than his 11 top 10s on the PGA Tour this year. His consistent play, coupled with a victory at the Barclays, has put him atop the PGA Tour money list for the first time in his career, his first Ryder Cup team and no. 10 in the world ranking.

It's also his first appearance in the Tour Championship, a big goal for a Georgia Tech alum who used to play East Lake in college.

“It's definitely been a neat progression,” Kuchar said. “I think I was definitely well-celebrated as an amateur, and it's fun to take the steps forward. … to make those steps, it's a very rewarding feeling.”

The timing of the Tour Championship provides one coincidence – Kuchar, who always has felt at home in Atlanta, is in the process of moving across the state to St. Simons Island.

The memories will stay, particularly his amateur days.

“It seems like coming back from the Masters (in 1998) there was a lot more fanfare,” Kuchar said. “I remember classrooms standing up and applauding. I can remember teachers coming up and congratulating me. the Masters was kind of what seemed like the real significant event to folks from Georgia, folks from Georgia Tech.”

The U.S. Amateur was a big deal in a different way.

There are pictures of Jones returning to Atlanta with the U.S. Amateur trophy, arriving by train, greeted by a host of Atlanta's finest. a half-dozen people in those pictures were brought back together when Kuchar came home in 1997 with the same trophy, and they put together a mock photo to celebrate the occasion.

Kuchar was told later some in the group had tears in their eyes at the sight of the U.S. Amateur trophy belonging to a Georgia Tech kid.

“It was a very touching moment, and I kind of realized how big of a deal it was,” Kuchar said.

It's a big deal, now – a chance to be the FedEx Cup champion with a $10 million bonus, perhaps enough for him to be voted PGA Tour player of the year, with the Vardon Trophy on the line for the lowest scoring average.

Kuchar isn't alone in his pursuit of the big prize.

The top five in the standings – Kuchar, Dustin Johnson, Charley Hoffman, Steve Stricker and Paul Casey – determine their own fate. If they win the Tour Championship, they win the FedEx Cup. Everyone else from no. 6 to no. 30 needs help to win.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson is no. 10, having slipped in the standings with mediocre results in the playoffs. he still has a chance, and can get more than money. a victory would make him no. 1 in the world for the first time, and considering his Masters victory in April, make him the favorite for player of the year. for all he has done in his career, Mickelson has never won any top awards.

He has never had a better chance than now – on a course where he is defending champion, with Tiger Woods not around because the world's no. 1 player didn't qualify.

Copyright 2010 the Associated Press. all rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

WMC-TV 5 – Memphis, TNKuchar again the talk of Atlanta

Published: Thursday, September 09, 2010, 12:45 AM     Updated: Thursday, September 09, 2010, 1:00 AM

When “Hard Knocks” began, five episodes ago, Jets training camp opened in Cortland, N.Y., and coach Rex Ryan was looking for his star cornerback.

“Where are you?” Ryan said, knocking on Darrelle Revis’ empty dorm room. “Come home, Revis.”

It ended with Revis coming home.

Ryan took a big golf swing on the practice field and, after Revis was met by a “Hard Knocks” crew and director of player development Dave Szott at the Newark airport, received the slow clap, bows and calls of “Revis Christ” back at the Jets facility — as reported earlier in the week.

No cameras were present for the South Florida lunch meeting between Ryan, his player, owner Woody Johnson, and Revis’ mother and uncle last Saturday. but we did see Tannenbaum talk to Ryan about making the trip.

“You’ll get on a plane with Woody, and you’ll have a roast beef sandwich today,” Tannenbaum said.

Ryan was most concerned about having an All-Pro cornerback on Monday Night Football. so, he hopped in Tannenbaum’s Escalade and rode to Teterboro airport.

Sunday night, hours before the deal was done, Ryan had the tantrum he informed the media about. “I’m gonna coach this team, get them ready for Baltimore,” he barks into the phone at Revis’ agents. “It’s a (freaking) joke. three years left on a (freaking) contract. Watch Monday night; watch what (freaking) happens.”

A freaking joke, folks. not a blatant joke (confidential to Rex: missed opportunity there).

The deal, of course, was forged later that night, leading to a 1 a.m. media conference call with Tannenbaum.

Other classic moments in the negotiations? a *second* Roscoe Diner meeting, lasting five hours, 20 minutes! Holy Sopranos. GPS in Tannenbaum’s car on the way there: Guidance cannot be provided in this area. Proceed with caution.

We also see Ryan take secondary coach Dennis Thurman to Revis’ house to look for him. but on one condition: “You got your big boy pants on?” he asks Thurman. No one was home.

At one point, when the gap still seemed insurmountable, Tannenbaum told Johnson that Revis’ agents were convinced the Jets would either fold after Week 2 or trade him next year.

“If you think I’m stressed, I can assure you I’m not,” Johnson said. “We’re in new York. you can’t hustle us.”

Other things we learned:

++ Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer really wants a Super Bowl ring, not just for himself, but for his dad, who has never won one.

“I’d make him take it,” Schottenheimer tells Ryan.

“I’d make you get two,” Ryan says.

++ Cutting WR David Clowney came down to special teams. “Clowney doesn’t make a difference for us right now,” special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff says. Clowney tweeted that he has an early morning flight to Kansas City, though, so he seems headed for the Chiefs.

++ The Jets hope to bring RB Chauncey Washington back on the 53-man roster (he played well enough to deserve it). “I’d like to get you on this practice squad initially,” Ryan tells Washington over the phone. “If you’re patient enough, you can get back on the active roster here.”

++ The reason Mark Brunell returned for one series in the second half of the last preseason game was NOT because Kellen Clemens had a “finger stinger,” as Ryan said. It was because Clemens fumbled, and they were penalizing him. We were duped!

++ Danny Woodhead looked like he was going to make the roster before the final preseason game, but it had to have helped him. I mean, the defensive coordinator is calling him “Eagle Killer,” so… And after McKnight fumbles the football again, to the chagrin of his coaches, Ryan puts in the sure-handed Woodhead.

++ Filling a car with packing peanuts, universal NFL prank. The Giants O-linemen have done the same to their strength and conditioning coach. The Jets’ target is Mark Sanchez, for dropping a stinkbomb in the coaches’ office. That would be Sanchez, aka “our fruitcake,” as per Brunell.

That’s a wrap for this season of “Hard Knocks.” Your weekly F-bomb intake can now return to normal levels. Your Wednesday night entertainment will also drop.

Parting thought: does the Roscoe Diner wait staff get a cut of Revis’ $46 million deal? Or hey, a even a slice of his daily fines, amounting to nearly $600,000? perhaps they can find a landing spot that’s good for both sides.

‘Hard Knocks’ season finale: Darrelle Revis comes home

The Eighth Congressional District of California couldn’t be more different from the Eighth Congressional District of Ohio. one boasts Fisherman’s Wharf, the Transamerica Pyramid and the Golden Gate Bridge. the other features AK Steel, miles of corn and soybean fields, silos and dozens of quaint, Midwestern villages with names like Fletcher and North Star.

And depending on which party wins the midterm elections, it’s likely the next Speaker of the House will come from either California’s Eighth or Ohio’s Eighth.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) represent these divergent locales. they are two of the most-powerful officials in the country. but first and foremost, Pelosi and Boehner are U.S. Representatives. And before their respective parties can place the names of either into nomination for Speaker on the House floor next January, both first have business to take care of back home.

That’s where John Dennis and Justin Coussoule come in.

Dennis is the Republican nominee for Congress in Pelosi’s district. Coussoule is the Democratic nominee for the House in Boehner’s district.

In California’s Eighth, tourists cluster at the bottom of San Francisco’s most-fabled roadway, Lombard Street. they gawk at cars negotiating Lombard’s renowned series of switchbacks, imposed by the hill’s staggering 27 percent grade.

But tourists get a glimpse of something else when visiting Lombard Street. It’s a placard posted prominently in the window of a home at the base of the hill. It reads “Fire Pelosi.”

Signs like that are rare in San Francisco. but more prominent elsewhere.

Republicans are engineering a national strategy to relieve Pelosi of her duties as speaker if they can capture the House this fall. but the only person in the country who has the ability to singlehandedly pink slip Pelosi is John Dennis.

“Of course it’s a challenge,” conceded Dennis. “But hopefully we’ll creep up on her and she’ll realize it isn’t the cakewalk that it usually is.”

Dennis is under no illusions he can easily topple the Speaker, who won her 2008 re-election bid with 80 percent of the vote.

For Dennis, the route to defeating Pelosi is as steep as climbing to San Francisco’s Coit Tower on foot. Pelosi has never scored less than 63 percent of the vote. And that was in her first race in 1987. but that hasn’t diminished Dennis’s enthusiasm. Dennis presents himself as a libertarian who wants the U.S. to get out of Afghanistan. He’s critical of Pelosi for what he describes as a “flip-flop” on the Patriot Act.

“We’ve broken down the precincts. We know where the swing votes are,” says Dennis, who believes people in San Francisco are “a little afraid” to challenge Pelosi.

He’s raised well about $1.5 million and expects to bank around another $1 million before the election.

Still, it’s tough to unseat a sitting Speaker. former Rep. George Nethercutt (R-WA) did just that by defeating former Speaker Tom Foley (D-WA) in the 1994 Republican avalanche. Before Foley, voters last felled a speaker in the early 1860s.

Of course, the question for San Francisco voters is why would they trade in the most-powerful figure on Capitol Hill for a freshman backbencher? but Dennis says he wouldn’t be the average, neophyte Congressman.

“She’ll be marginalized as the former Speaker,” said Dennis. “Who has more political capital? her or the guy who pulled off the biggest upset in political history?”

To make his case, Dennis has concocted a series of creative TV ads which parody cinematic icons like the Wizard of Oz or James Bond flicks.

“People just glaze over with the typical, political ad,” Dennis said, noting that Pelosi is portrayed as a Hollywood villain in each commercial.

For instance, Dennis depicts Pelosi as the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz spoof. she flies above San Francisco in a plane. meantime, the Scarecrow says he wishes “there was a political party I could vote for with a brain.”

Finally, John Dennis enters, picks up a bucket labeled “Freedom” and tosses that on the Pelosi character, who promptly begins to melt.

The ad is making the rounds nationally. Jay Leno even showed it on the Tonight show.

But the video garnered lots of criticism. some decried it as “sexist.” Pelosi spokeswoman Jennifer Crider scoffed at Dennis’s take on the Land of Oz.

“How silly. Lions and tigers and bears! oh my!” smirked Crider.

Plus, Dennis says those who practice Wicca have called him out for casting witches in a poor light.

“This was nothing more than an attempt at humor,” Dennis said. “We were just trying to reach outside the box.”

What’s interesting is that Dennis lives just a few blocks from Pelosi in the San Francisco neighborhood of Pacific Heights. A few weeks ago, I asked the speaker if she knew her neighbor.

“No. but I know where all the Democrats live,” Pelosi responded.

Though their homes are less than a mile apart, kismet brought Dennis and Pelosi together this week, 3,000 miles away in Washington.

Dennis visited the capital for some media interviews. And Thursday night, Dennis swung by the Dubliner, a popular Capitol Hill watering hole, for a beer. That’s when the speaker came by the pub to attend an event for Young Democrats.

One of Dennis’s aides saw Pelosi and pointed her out to the GOP hopeful.

“He said ‘She’s the one in the blue.’ like I wouldn’t recognize her,” Dennis laughed.

Dennis says Pelosi walked up to him and said “I know you. You’re my guy. You’re not a Young Democrat, are you?”

Dennis and Pelosi posed for a picture which he’s now posted on his campaign website.

“It’s always a pleasant surprise for the Speaker to run into a constituent in Washington,” said Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly about the chance meeting.

In Southwestern, Ohio, Justin Coussoule hasn’t been as fortunate as John Dennis. He’s never met his Congressman, John Boehner.

“I live less than a mile from Boehner’s home,” said Coussoule, Boehner’s 2010 Democratic challenger. “If he was ever here, I’d see him in the grocery store. Maybe we’d run into each other on the golf course.”

Boehner is generally popular in southwestern Ohio. but like the “Fire Pelosi” sign at the base of Lombard Street, a left-leaning advocacy group recently purchased a huge billboard along I-75, minutes from Boehner’s house.

The sign touts the website BeatBoehner.com and shows the GOP leader, a scratch golfer, on the links.

First elected in 1990, Boehner usually defeats his Democratic opponent opponent two-to-one. the district is considered to be a safe Republican seat, even though there are 220,000 registered independents. Registered Democrats hold a 5,000 voter margin over registered Republicans.

Boehner hasn’t had a competitive race since his first contest 20 years ago.

“Historically, the Democratic challenger has been nothing more than a name on a ballot,” said Coussoule. he points out that the Democrats’ nominee in 2008, Nicholas von Stein raised a scant $13,000, ran a nominal campaign and still commanded 33 percent of the vote.

“I’m not delusional. but there is a path to get there” said Coussoule. “Could we get to 12 or 13 percent more (than von Stein commanded in 2008)?”

Coussoule asserts that voters are used to not seeing a viable alternative to Boehner.

“It comes down to choice and a lack of choice,” Coussoule said. “You vote for the devil you know.”

“What Justin is trying to do is destroy the myth of Boehner’s invulnerability,” said Coussoule backer Don Daiker.

Coussoule knows his challenge is not unlike the hurdle facing John Dennis. A graduate of West Point, Coussoule says he was taught to fight to win. He’s on track to raise several hundred thousand dollars in the race, the most any Democratic candidate has pocketed there in years. And Coussoule is also doing prepping radio and TV commercials, another rarity for Democrats in this district.

But don’t expect Coussoule’s advertisements to be as theatrical as Dennis’s anti-Pelosi messages.

“Our ads are generally positive,” Coussoule said. “I don’t think that hitting (Boehner) over the head with a two-by-four or throwing a bucket of freedom on him is the way to go. (Jay) Leno won’t be playing my ad.”

Coussoule is skeptical of the conventional wisdom that Republicans will win the House and anoint Boehner speaker.

“They have so oversold this narrative,” Coussoule said. “If they don’t take the House, I think he’s out of there.”

The thought is that if Republicans don’t win, they could seek new leadership show Boehner the door. Coussoule is careful not to look ahead. but he knows that this contest could be a building block. especially if a special election were to ever materialize.

The victories of Reps. Joseph Cao (R-LA) and Charles Djou (R-HI) are recent examples of unlikely candidates securing surprising wins under special circumstances. both won seats that hold substantial Democratic advantages.

As Coussoule campaigns, he finds himself explaining to people how to pronounce his name. His webpage features a prompt that reads “pronounced kuh-SOO-lee.”

What’s ironic is that a little-known politician running for Congress 20 years ago did the same thing. His press releases always featured an asterisk next to the candidate’s’ name, followed by a pronunciation key.

“Say BAY-nerr,” the key would instruct.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

John Dennis and Justin Coussoule share a common bond. Neither Pelosi nor Boehner will debate them.

During his chance encounter with the speaker at the pub, Dennis said Pelosi told him she wouldn’t be in the district much between now and November. Dennis’s website features a clock ticking off the time that’s elapsed since he asked Pelosi to debate.

On his site, Coussoule takes Boehner to task for not debating.

“He already thinks he doesn’t have to advocate for us. now he thinks he doesn’t even have to report to us, either,” Coussoule writes.

Boehner spokesman Don Seymour rejects that assertion.

“John Boehner is working hard to stop the tax hikes on small businesses, cut government spending and help create new jobs in Ohio and across the country,” Seymour says.

Pelosi and Boehner won’t debate. This prompted one Hill observer to offer this novel suggestion to Dennis and Coussoule.

“Maybe they should debate each other,” he said.

Pelosi and Boehner’s Opponents Back Home

Repetition is the key to a great golf swing. being able to repeat the swing over and over under a variety of conditions is essential to consistently shooting low rounds. top golf players practice all day everyday to groove their swings and while that is not possible for numerous amaeturs there are some short cuts that will help train you to swing the right way.

Golf Swing trainers come in all shapes or sizes. you have most likely seen the ads for a lot of them on late night TV or in the back of your magazines for golf. they all work off of the same principle, helping train your body to swing the club properly every time. most of them are big sticks or tubes that mimic a golf club and offer visual aides which will show if you have executed the swing properly. Some resemble a small barbell with a weight on the end that you practice with.

The vital thing is that you’re working to enhance your swing somewhere other than on the golf course. Practice is the key to getting better and if a golf swing trainer helps with your practice routine, all the better. Weighted clubs and hinged clubs are among the most widely sold swing trainers. the weighted club assists you with gaining strength and flexibility that can cause additional distance. the hinged clubs help you practice the release of your hands to square the club at impact; use of these will lead to better accuracy.

There are a myriad of other golf swing trainers that are available on the market today which could help your game but the best golf swing trainer of all is a PGA professional. A teaching professional could diagnose what you’re doing incorrectly and then make adjustments to reduce your score. A lot of experts will utilize plenty of training aids in the course of your lessons and some are so easy you could utilize them once you practice on your own. the other clubs in your bag can serve as a swing trainer. Laying one on the ground parallel to your target line can help you properly position your feet. Two clubs placed side by side on the green about three inches apart can be an excellent putting aide. Hitting balls through this channel can insure you’re putting stroke remains in line.

Some professionals will have you hit practice shots along side a wall to make sure that you are taking the club back to the inside instead of outside your target line. When you push the club out you’ll come into contact with the wall and notice that you’ve made a mistake. this same drill works with the use of a bench or even your golf bag.

To learn how to better your swing fast and easily Click Here. if you wish to find out much more about improving your swing so you can hit that great shot with consistency then you certainly need these expert Golf Swing Drills, which can certainly assist you.

Golf Swing Trainer

I have the tendency to not have the same swing plane and come across the ball. my hands start at the right position, but then on the down swing I extend my arms too far causing myself to come across the ball.

SWING SLOWER, MAKE SOLID CONTACT… KEEP YOUR LEFT ARM EXTENED THROUGH OUT YOUR SWING, QUIT TRYING TO KILL THE BALL… HAVE FUN AND RELAX…

how to fix that dreaded slice. Learning to swing your club on an inside-to-out path through impact, Hilts says, is a permanent fix.
http://www.pga.com/improve/tips

three drills you can do to help cure that frustrating slice.
http://www.pga.com/improve/tips/swing

here is a drill that i learned to fix a slice
stand in your normal posture but with your butt to the target and hit about 20 balls or so, this promotes more arm action since u cant move your body then switch to your normal swing and voila!
anytime your slice comes back simply do this drill again

Well I would recommend a short lesson from a professional instructor. Too many people just walk out and start playing without learning the correct basics. They then spend the rest of their lives trying to forget the bad habits they learned from the start. Better to learn the right way at the start and practice that than continuing to practice all the bad habits you have.

Basically a slice is caused by a couple of things. an open club face at impact and an outside to inside swing plane. but these can be caused by some many different things there is no way of knowing without watching your swing. it might be too heavy a club or too long a club for your height and wrist strength. your feet could be in a wrong position, a weak grip can also cause the hands not to come through at impact leaving the club face open. Easier to go take a $20-$30 lesson and get it fixed right than to try to cure in online.

Until then don't change anything. just allow for the slice.

I need help with my golf game, especially slicing.?

You probably haven’t seen it yet, but there’s a new product generating a ton of buzz among tour pros, top golf instructors, and college coaches.

I was so impressed when I stumbled upon it, I immediately called the company to learn more (and to see if I could arrange a discount for you).

They eventually agreed, but with one catch: they’ll only sell 50 to us at the special package price below.

To put this in perspective, the four-line blurb below recently appeared in the Denver Post and the company received 53 orders — at full price — in a matter of hours.I’ll tell you what the special offer is in a minute, but let me first explain what the heck this thing is and why it’s flying out of the company’s warehouse with little to no advertising.

The Theory behind ItCalled the Smart Stick, it’s a simple training aid based on the following, simple truth:most of us would dramatically improve our golf swings if we only knew what a good golf swing felt like in the first place.

We’ve all heard that, regardless of the unique way we get there, being “on plane” is the Holy Grail of the golf swing.

Ben Hogan, probably the best ball striker of all time, made this one of his, “five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf,” his now famous book with equally famous drawings illustrating the concept (one of which is at right).

Here’s the problem: seeing what “on plane” looks like and knowing what it feels like are two very different things.

When we try to copy only what we see, we can’t…at least not consistently.

The reason is that there’s something missing, and that’s feel.

It’s not enough to have a visual memory of what a good swing is.

You need muscle memory, too.

And that’s where the Smart Stick comes in.

Use this Smart Stick Link and Promo Code: GVIPurchased separately, the Smart Stick, Tracking Mat, Instructional DVD, and shipping would cost $300, but as a Golf Vacation Insider reader, you can get it all for just $229, a total savings of $71. Every Smart Stick is backed by a 30-day, money-back guarantee. Note: Your discount is applied just prior to checkout. everything ships free via UPS Ground so ignore “Shipping Method” section. Only 50 of these special packages available. get yours now.What Exactly is the Smart Stick?The Smart Stick is a slender rod with lasers shining out of each end.

Sounds simple, right?

Frankly, that’s one of the things I really like about the Smart Stick. There are no complex theories or steps to remember.

Just keep the lasers on the line and you’re on plane. It’s as simple as that.

The Smart Stick doesn’t require any video equipment, either. plus, it easily fits in your golf bag and it works equally well if you’re right- or left-handed.

And here’s the best part: you can use the Smart Stick anywhere — indoors, outdoors…even in bright sunlight.

Wait, Haven’t I seen this before?

To be perfectly honest, that was my reaction when I first saw the Smart Stick.

So, I did a little research to jog my memory.

Sure enough, golf-teacher-to-the-stars David Leadbetter previously promoted something called, “The Lazerguide,” which attached to and beamed a laser from the butt end of a club.

(An unrelated company made a similar product called the “Plane Sight Laser Trainer.”)

Not to be outdone, former Tiger teacher Butch Harmon got behind a product called the “Laser Trainer,” which employed lasers on both ends of the club.

Aside from the fact that you can’t even buy these products anymore (they were discontinued or out-of-stock everywhere I checked) the Smart Stick has a couple major advantages over these early gadgets:

Number one, the SmartStick’s laser is green, not red, which actually makes it easier to see and use outdoors…even on grass and in bright sunlight.

Number two, it has the advantage of the “Wrist Bar,” a short protrusion that teaches you (again, by feel) one of the other major pillars of the golf swing: the all-important “delayed release.”I don’t want to get too technical, but nearly every golf teacher on earth agrees that delaying the release (the un-cocking of your wrists on the downswing) is essential for crisp, powerful shots (see right).

After all, even the best, on-plane swing won’t do you much good if there’s no power behind it.

The Smart Stick helps you see and feel how to achieve both.

Use this Smart Stick Link and Promo Code: GVIPurchased separately, the Smart Stick, Tracking Mat, Instructional DVD, and shipping would cost $300, but as a Golf Vacation Insider reader, you can get it all for just $229, a total savings of $71. Every Smart Stick is backed by a 30-day, money-back guarantee. Note: Your discount is applied just prior to checkout. everything ships free via UPS Ground so ignore “Shipping Method” section.  Only 50 of these special packages available. get yours now.   Why it Has “Caught Fire” with Pros and Teachers — It Works.

In golf, credibility is key, and you don’t get much more credible than Martin Hall, the co-inventor of the Smart Stick.

Hall, who works out of Ibis Golf and Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., is a PGA Master Professional, a Golf Magazine Top-100 teacher, a Golf Digest Top-50 teacher, and the 2008 PGA Teacher of the Year.

In addition to helping amateurs, he has worked with a number of tour pros including LPGA standout Morgan Pressel.

Hall could have taken the easy route and simply become a “paid spokesperson” for the Smart Stick, but he is so passionate about its effectiveness, he decided to invest his own money to help bring it to market.

Of course, credibility and passion alone won’t get you very far.

No, in golf, the products that “catch fire” and become wildly successful do so because they flat out work.

And on a personal note, I can tell you the Smart Stick worked for me.

I started using it to address my chronic problems off the tee, and the results have been, frankly, game changing: my fairways hit jumped from about 35% to 65%.

Of course, I’m just one, mediocre golfer, so listen to the reaction from people whose livelihoods depend on their golf swing and/or their ability to teach it to others:

“I received my Smart Stick and quickly picked up something in my swing that immediately helped my game. It is easy to use for instructors of any caliber of player and is a must have to practice perfect.”-Tony Sessa, Golf Professional Augusta National Golf Club

“for the golfer that wants positive visual feedback this is the only training aid I use for the full swing.”- Craig Perks, PGA Tour Player & winner of The Players Championship

“this is a must have swing training aid that I recommend to each and everyone of my students, including my tour players.”- mark Blackburn, Golf Digest Top-20 Teacher Under 40 and instructor to PGA Tour players Robert Karrlson, Heath Slocum, and Boo Weekley

Other Smart Stick clients include these top-50 teachers…

• Chuck Cook
• Craig Shankland
• Stan Utley
• Claude Harmon
• Dr. Jim Suttie
• Mike Malaska

And Division I collegiate programs including…

• LSU
• University of Arkansas
• USC
• Columbia
• Penn
• Mississipi
• Texas
• UCLA
• PennState
• University of North Carolina

Clearly, word is spreading among the “players” out there.

And we both know what usually happens after that.

Frankly, I expect there to be a back-order problem once this hits the mainstream.

Use this Smart Stick Link and Promo Code: GVIPurchased separately, the Smart Stick, Tracking Mat, Instructional DVD, and shipping would cost $300, but as a Golf Vacation Insider reader, you can get it all for just $229, a total savings of $71. Every Smart Stick is backed by a 30-day, money-back guarantee. Note: Your discount is applied just prior to checkout. everything ships free via UPS Ground so ignore “Shipping Method” section.  Only 50 of these special packages available. get yours now. Today’s Special Offer for GVI Readers:The first 50 get Free Shipping and a $50 Laser Tracking Mat

If you’re a regular GVI reader, you know I’m very selective about the products I recommend.

You also know that when I like a product, I’m not shy about trying to negotiate a great deal for you.

Well, I’m happy to report that you can take advantage of what is, hands down, the best offer on a Smart Stick anywhere in the world.

This product isn’t even sold in traditional stores yet, and the mere two websites that carry it sell it for $229 plus shipping.

Today, however, as one of my readers, you can get a Smart Stick for $229 with free, UPS Ground shipping (to USA & CAN) and a free laser tracking mat, which normally sells for $50.

The tracking mat, which unrolls to a full 10 feet long, eliminates the need to use tape, string (or the seams in your hardwood floors) to create a straight line “channel” that you trace with the lasers.

It really frees you up to have fast practice sessions with the Smart Stick anywhere — your garage, office, den, back yard, the driving range, etc.

If purchased separately, the Smart Stick, Tracking Mat, and shipping charges would cost you just under $300, but today you can get it all for just $229, a savings of about $70.

That’s the good news.

The bad news is that the Smart Stick guys have limited us to 50 of these special packages.

Given that they sold more than this when the Denver Post blurb came out, I don’t think there will be enough for everyone who wants one, so jump on this if you’re interested.

Important Ordering Instructions to get Your Discount

Here’s how to get in on the special package of a Smart Stick, free Tracking Mat, and free UPS Ground shipping:

1. Visit SmartStickGolf.com, add a “Smart Stick & Tracking Mat Package” to your shopping cart, and click “checkout”

2. fill out Step 1 (email and billing address) and click “continue”

3. In step 2, enter discount code: GVI and click “apply”. Your discounts will show up here

4. Ignore the “Shipping Method” section. Your total cost is only $229.

Use this Smart Stick Link and Promo Code: GVIPurchased separately, the Smart Stick, Tracking Mat, Instructional DVD, and shipping would cost $300, but as a Golf Vacation Insider reader, you can get it all for just $229, a total savings of $71. Every Smart Stick is backed by a 30-day, money-back guarantee. Note: Your discount is applied just prior to checkout. everything ships free via UPS Ground so ignore “Shipping Method” section.Only 50 of these special packages available. get yours now.  Want to See Short Videos of how the Smart Stick Works?

The first video below is a brief segment that appeared on the Golf Channel. The second is Martin Hall demonstrating how the Smart Stick gets you on plane.

There are more segments on the Smart Stick website, but don’t spend too long watching videos. Again, there are only 50 of these special packages available to us, and my guess is, they’ll be gone by day’s end.

If you ultimately decide you want one, remember to select a “Smart Stick & Tracking Mat Package” and enter discount code: GVI to get free UPS Ground shipping (to USA & CAN) and your free tracking mat worth $50.

Discover What the Perfect Golf Swing *Feels* Like; New Training Aid About to Go Viral (product spotlight)

NEWPORT (AFP) – – American Ryder Cup debutant Rickie Fowler said on Wednesday that he considered himself a confident young man and not a cocky upstart.

The 21-year-old. who is the first US Tour rookie to play in the Ryder Cup after being chosen by captain Corey Pavin as one of his four wildcard picks, added that he might be young but his style of play was distinctly old school.

But he was insistent that he was not going to fall into the trap of predicting claiming big scalps in the biennial clash with Europe which gets underway here at Celtic Manor on Friday.

“I’d go on the confident side, rather than the cocky side,” said Fowler, who is the first 21-year-old to play on the US Ryder Cup team since Tiger Woods in 1997.

“I don’t like to talk about myself I guess because I don’t want to build myself up or anything like that.

“Being confident is I guess just staying humble, in a quiet way and collected.

“Cocky may be when you start to throw out predictions or I want to play this guy or feel like I could beat him, or I love my chances – I guess it’s a fine line in a way.”

Fowler, whose middle name of Yutaka comes from his maternal grandfather who was Japanese, said that he preferred fast-paced golf.

“I guess my playing style is very old school, but I’m very new school with the stuff that I usually wear,” said Fowler, referring to the colourful attire he dons on the Tour.

He habitually as a tribute to his Oklahoma State University days wears orange on the final round.

“I like to play fast. I don’t have, I guess, the perfect video swing. It’s just step up and go.”

Fowler, who says his first iconic memory of golf was aged nine watching Woods’ Masters win in 1997, said that he never had any doubt he wanted to make it as a golfer.

“I started playing golf when I was three and started playing tournaments when I was four-and-half,” said Fowler, who was due to go out in a foursome on Wednesday and play alongside Woods for the first time.

“I told my parents when I think I was seven that I wanted to play on the PGA Tour.

However, he has been taken aback by the rapidity with which he has made progress, his season yielding two runners-up finishes and a best major placing of joint 14th in the British Open.

“I didn’t expect to be straight out of college and be on the PGA Tour and Ryder Cup that year.

“I was planning on a bit of a longer process, but you know, it’s all worked out well.

“This is right where I want to be.”

Fowler likely got the nod ahead of the likes of 2009 US open winner Lucas Glover and 2008 Ryder Cup star Anthony Kim on the back of his outstanding Walker Cup record where in two clashes of the amateur version of the Ryder Cup he had a record of seven wins and one defeat.

However, while he admits that having played one of those matches in Ireland it gives him some idea of the clash in terms of the climate and atmosphere he added this was on another plane.

“I think it’s definitely going to be a help to me,” he said.

“It will have a little bit of influence on how I play this week. I played well in Ireland and it was I guess a similar stage.

“But this is it multiplied by 10, 20, 30.”

I’m confident not cocky, says rookie Fowler

Kuchar is the No. 1 seed in the FedEx Cup going into the final playoff event, which starts Thursday at East Lake. that gives him a slight edge in the race for the $10 million bonus, the biggest payoff in golf.

It’s hard to believe that Kuchar, perhaps the most celebrated amateur golfer at Georgia Tech since Bobby Jones, wasn’t even sure he wanted to turn pro when he graduated a decade ago.

he had won the U.S. Amateur. he lit up Augusta National with his engaging smile and a game good enough to be the low amateur at the Masters in 1998. Then came the U.S. Open at Olympic Club, where he held his own against golf’s best and tied for 14th.

Not long after that, a businessman tossed out the idea of staying an amateur.

“He said, ‘Nobody has really done it since Bobby Jones. There’s plenty of money to be made in the business world. It’s not that you have to turn professional to make money,”‘ Kuchar said. “And he encouraged me to still stay competitive as an amateur. he said, ‘The doors that will open for you will be amazing, and the better you do in golf – if you keep playing Masters tournaments, if you keep playing well in Amateurs – it’s only going to open more doors.

“So it was a neat opportunity.”

Kuchar went to work for Liberty Associates, a boutique investment banking firm in south Florida, a job that entailed plenty of golf with prospective clients, a chance to see how business gets done as efficiently on manicured fairways as in boardrooms.

Chasing the amateur dream, however, soon turned into a sprint.

Kuchar played the Texas Open on a sponsor’s exemption in the fall of 2000 and missed the cut by one shot. he was furious with himself and wanted to tee it up the next week to prove he was better than that.

“And it was then that I knew I needed to really go week in and week out to see how good I could be,” he said.

It took him time to find out. he won his first PGA Tour event two years later at the Honda Classic, immediately went into a tailspin and didn’t emerge until hooking up with Chris O’Connell, a Texas-based coach who taught him a one-plane swing that was more about making a consistent swing than a perfect one.

The plan has worked to near perfection.

No one has more than his 11 top 10s on the PGA Tour this year. His consistent play, coupled with a victory at The Barclays, has put him atop the PGA Tour money list for the first time in his career, his first Ryder Cup team and No. 10 in the world ranking.

It’s also his first appearance in the Tour Championship, a big goal for a Georgia Tech alum who used to play East Lake in college.

“It’s definitely been a neat progression,” Kuchar said. “I think I was definitely well-celebrated as an amateur, and it’s fun to take the steps forward. … to make those steps, it’s a very rewarding feeling.”

Els gets in on the first ballot: Like most golfers, Ernie Els always wonders if he could have achieved more in his career. he was reminded Wednesday he has done plenty with the announcement that he has been elected into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Els was the only player to receive enough votes from the PGA Tour, the first year his name was on the ballot. The most global player of his era, the big Easy has won 62 times around the world, including two U.S. Opens and a British Open.

“It makes you feel very good about what you’ve done,” Els said.

Els will be among five players who are inducted May 9 in St. Augustine, Fla., the Monday of The Players Championship next year.

Doug Ford and Jock Hutchison were elected through the Veteran’s Category, while former president George H.W. Bush was selected through the Lifetime Achievement category.

©2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. this material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.Blogs: NFL from the Sidelines | The Varsity Letters | The big Blog on Campus | Mat Matters | Wild about ThingsDatabase: High School, College, Steelers football results, 2000-10 Home

Kuchar home again, face of golf in Atlanta

– Associated Press Sports – www.observer-reporter.com

no rest for the weary BY BEN WOLFSON | SEPTEMBER 09, 2010 7:20 AM

Durham. Dallas. Scottsdale. Atlanta. Baton Rouge.

These all sound like vacation destinations, but for the Iowa men’s golf team they are weekends full of hard work.

No other team competes year-round as the golf team does. the season starts in September and lasts until may, though the majority of players spend their time competing in tournaments on their own during winter and summer breaks.

"We have a pretty good time when we travel," junior Barrett Kelpin said. "It’s golf all day, and then by the end of the day, we just want to eat and go to bed."

Despite having little downtime and traveling across the country to compete, the Hawkeyes still had the highest GPA of any Hawkeye sports team, head coach Mark Hankins said.

The golfers recently earned All-Academic recognition from the Golf Coaches Association of America for having a team GPA of 3.32.

To keep their bodies in shape to withstand the rigors of competing all year, the golfers run daily with Hankins and perform core workouts.

"I feel like we’re one of the better-conditioned teams," Kelpin said. "on the 36-hole days when you have to carry rain gear, an umbrella, food, and golf balls, the bag can get pretty heavy. so our conditioning helps us a lot."

During travel, the Hawkeyes will typically leave a day or two early and get some practice rounds in to prepare for the weekend competition.

Travel arrangements are made depending on the location of the tournament. If the Hawks are competing in the Midwest, they will ride in a customized bus. Otherwise, they will fly out of Cedar Rapids or Chicago.

When the team boards a plane to a tournament, there is always the added danger of every golfer’s no. 1 fear: Lost bags.

"We make it pretty well-known that when our baggage goes, the most important thing is our golf clubs," Hankins said. "We can always buy new clothes, but we can’t play without our clubs."

Sophomore Ryan Marks knows this well — his bags were lost on a trip to Michigan last season. "It just adds a little bit of stress to the situation," he said.

Fortunately for the Hawkeyes, the team will drive to the first three tournaments, and much of their flying won’t occur until later in the season.

While schools in the South are able to trek onto a course and swing the club almost any time, the situation is a bit different for the Hawkeyes. They are forced to find ways to deal with the cold and snow during the winter. the men train at facilities at Blue top Ridge Golf course in Riverside, and they also have access to the Bubble, which the football team also practices in.

Team members said they enjoy the shift to indoor golfing from November through February, when they don’t have scheduled tournaments. this allows them to focus on their academics more.

"We’re lucky we can go out to Blue top and practice there twice a week," senior James Reiss said. "It’s nice to have a little break and be able to work out harder."

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No rest for the weary – The Daily Iowan

I've recently developed a double cross in my swing plane…so its going left of target than curving back to center (if im lucky)…i want to hit a shot with more of a draw to it….but im having a huge problem with going outside in…any tips on promoting a more of inside out swing plane?

The best way to promote an inside out swing is by starting the downswing with a lateral weightshift to the left side. this allows the left arm to pull the club on a downward motion "into the slot". Maintain your wrist cock until the moment of impact and release the club into the back inside quadrant of the ball.

A good tip that I used when learning was to take a pencil and put it under your right underarm. If the pencil falls out you are not keeping the right elbow tucked into your body.

Bending over will lead to a steeper swing plane more than anything else.
One way to get a more in to out swing is to drop your right elbow in close to your rib-cage at the start of your down swing (have a look at how much Sergio's hands drop on the way down). by getting the hands in close (pulling the right elbow in), this forces you to swing from inside to out. make sure you extend your hands on the same plane until well past your front-side, otherwise you will still come across the line and slice or fade.

Will bending over more in golf lead to a more inside out swing plane?