ACE'S TEXASGOLF24-7 UPDATE PGA Tour's new cut policy stirs controversy, but little action

PGA Tour's new cut policy stirs controversy, but little action

Published: January 15, 2008



HONOLULU (AP) — Democracy arrived the day after 18 players who made the cut at the Sony Open were sent home.

On the bulletin board in the Waialae Country Club locker room, next to a notice of a mandatory player meeting in two weeks at Torrey Pines in San Diego, someone posted a one-question survey written in pencil.

Do you agree with the U.S. PGA Tour's new cut policy?

The vote was unanimous - 6-0 against the new policy, with 63 abstaining.

That's the problem with independent contractors with a free lunch and millionaire's income. They preach about policies that supposedly are ruining their lives, but when it comes time to do something, they go to the range.

Or maybe they don't think anyone will listen.

``It's always back to the same thing,'' Stephen Ames said. ``Play better.''

Ames didn't sign the sheet last week, although he said he disagrees with the policy. He feels more strongly about how the tour reached this decision, which essentially amounted to about 20 players speaking for 250 without really talking to them at all.

The policy that has raised so many hackles?

Whenever the top 70 and ties includes more than 78 players, the nearest number to 70 make the cut. The others still get credit for making the cut, and they receive official, last-place money and FedEx Cup points. But they don't get to play.

Twelve times last year - and that's about average for the last decade - the top 70 and ties to make the cut led to a weekend field almost the size of some tournaments. That meant a two-tee start with three players to a group, 5 1/2-hour rounds, as many as three groups waiting on tees, and some players grumbling why it takes so long.

The highest number of players to make the cut last year was 89 at Disney in November, and perhaps it's no coincidence the policy board approved the new cut policy about a week later.

Among the 18 players it affected at the Sony Open was John Daly, who was playing on a sponsor's exemption and was outraged. It seems he met a family from Australia on Wednesday that had saved up money to come to Hawaii and watch him play, but they couldn't make it to the tournament until Saturday.

``I make the cut, and now they're not going to be able to watch me play,'' Daly told Golf Channel.

Even if you believe that story, anyone claiming to be a Daly fan knows better than to wait until Saturday to watch him play. Sometimes it's not safe to wait until Friday. Daly withdrew six times last year; Jack Nicklaus withdrew seven times in a career spanning four decades.

The outrage is that a guy with a history of quitting is the first to complain about not getting to play.

But forget Daly for a minute.

What happens when a guy who actually sells tickets is sent home under this rule?

``I'd like to see if, by chance, Mr. Woods happened to be in that mix, and he has to go home, how the sponsors would feel,'' Ames said. ``The No. 1 player, the star of the PGA Tour, and he has to go home?''

The six who signed their names against the policy were Jerry Kelly, Paul Azinger, Carl Pettersson, Jay Williamson, Daniel Chopra and Patrick Sheehan. If you notice that none is among the top 50 in the world, consider that Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk and Vijay Singh also were outspoken against it.

``I don't like the rule,'' Stricker said. ``It just seems like it doesn't benefit any of the players. It seems like our tour is about giving opportunity, and here's one they're taking away.''

And players were worried about the point structure in the FedEx Cup?

This is a far more meaningful - and divisive - issue.

ACE GOLF UPDATE STAY FIT OVER THE WINTER

By Chris Ownbey : Published for AG December 2007 Print | Email

Winterize Your Golf Game



How many times have you started a new golf season with high scores, short drives and aches and pains? Let’s be honest, it happens more times than you’d like.


If you are like most of us, you tend to spend the winters being sedentary. Do yourself a favor: As winter approaches and you find your golf season coming to an end, review these tips on how to winterize your golf game.


The golf swing is very athletic. You use every major muscle in the body in a specific sequence of motion to enable you to hit the ball solidly with power.


It’s a proven fact that muscles used in the golf swing that are not exercised and conditioned on a regular basis will not respond to the correct golfing techniques. Golf is athletic, and we are athletes. Name a sport that doesn’t have an off-season. All athletes work on their bodies during the off-season to reach their true potential.


Why wouldn’t you?


There are three main physical fitness components every golfer must have to play their best. To be a successful player you need strength, flexibility and balance. These are all equally important and should not be ignored in your golf-specific, off-season training program.


Strength: Core strength and rotary strength


It takes strength to maintain good golf posture and to rotate your upper body powerfully into the ball. A lower level of golf-specific strength will result in difficulty with posture and downswing power. For incredible rotary strength, try standing rotation twists.


Stand facing toward the weight machine


Grasp the handle with both hands. Now strengthen your arms and rotate your torso to the right. Imagining everything is connected, use your big muscles to pull to the backswing, then repeat to the front and rotate to the left.


Perform two sets of 10 reps


Flexibility


A flexible back and hamstrings are a must to achieve a full backswing with no muscular tension. Lack of flexibility creates tension in your golf swing, robbing you of clubhead speed and distance. For increased flexibility, try the lunge with instep touch reverse twist.


Stand tall with your feet together


Step out with your right foot as if to do a lunge


Place your left hand on the ground in line with your left knee


With your right hand on the side of your head, rotate and look behind you toward the ceiling


Take your right hand and elbow, reach down and touch the inside of your right foot


Repeat both sides


Perform two sets of 10 reps


Balance


Have you ever fallen out of balance during a swing? Of course you have; everyone has. So why do golfers ignore balance training for a better swing? Just as you can’t expect to fire a cannon from a canoe with any accuracy, you can’t expect to express the strength and power necessary for a long drive, mid-iron shot, shot from the rough or chip shot with any accuracy if your body is out of balance. You can’t teach balance, you can only train for it. For perfect balance, try doing standing lunges.


With your feet together, hold a golf club extended out in front of you


Step back with your right leg into a lunge


Twist your body to the inside so your left hand is reaching to your right knee


Extend and rotate your body, keeping your arms straight to the outside fully extended and hold


Push back up and repeat


Perform two sets of 10 reps to each side


Don’t let your clubs get dusty and forget about your game during the winter or off-season. It’s no fun to come off the course feeling spent when you should have energy to spare. You have between three or four months to greatly improve your strength, flexibility and balance. It would be the wisest thing you could do to winterize your game for next season.


Chris Ownbey is a Titleist Performance Institute certified Golf Specific Trainer for the Golden Bear Golf Center in Carrollton. For more information, visit www.chrisownbeygolf.com or call 214-457-9684

Adams Golf Expands Tour Staff

Is it possible that Plano-based Adams Golf might be thinking of itself as a challenger to the Big Boys (Titleist, TaylorMade, Callaway, Ping, Nike)? That's the first thought that entered my mind when I read the news that Adams has signed Rory Sabbatini and Aaron Baddeley to endorsement deals.

Adams has always had a strong presence on the Champions Tour, with Tom Watson, et.al. And Adams has signed LPGA stars in the past, including, currently, Brittany Lincicome. But Adams' presence on the PGA Tour has usually been limited to second-tier players.

But Sabbatini and Baddeley are big names. Both golfers are in the Top 20 in the world rankings.

ACE GOLF UPDATE And They're Off

The 2008 PGA Tour season has started in Hawaii. Tiger and Phil are off this week, but Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh, and Rory Sabbatini are in action today. Follow the first round of the Mercedes-Benz Championship here.