My Predictions for todays WGC Matchplay

Match	Players	My pick
33	Steve Stricker vs. Louis Oosthuizen	Stricker
34	Y.E. Yang vs. Hunter Mahan	Yang
35	Matteo Manassero vs. Martin Laird	Laird
36	Ryo Ishikawa vs. Paul Lawrie	Ishikawa
37	Robert Rock vs. Mark Wilson	Wilson
38	Dustin Johnson vs. Francesco Molinari	Johnson
39	Jason Day vs. John Senden	Day
40	Charl Schwartzel vs. Sang-moon Bae	Schwartzel
41	Martin Kaymer vs. David Toms	Toms
42	Matt Kuchar vs. Bubba Watson	Kuchar
43	Lee Westwood vs. Robert Karlsson	Westwood
44	Nick Watney vs. Tiger Woods	Woods
45	Ernie Els vs. Peter Hanson	Els
46	Kyle Stanley vs. Brandt Snedeker	Stanley
47	Rory McIlroy vs. Anders Hansen	McIlroy
48	Miguel Angel Jimenez vs. Keegan Bradley	Bradley

Gripping the Golf Club

This is as important a lesson for seasoned golfers as it is for novices. The fundamental of golf is gripping the club properly. If you do not grip the club properly you will not progress. There are limitations in your golf game if you cannot have full control over your swing. You will not have full control if you do not have a good grip!

Try to get the most comfortable position of these three:

There is still a common problem within the average golfer's grip that causes inconsistent swing lines and off-center strikes. To reach your full potential you most also eradicate the wandering thumb! Note the right and wrong right hand thumb positions:

You need to get this 'V' shape in your right hand, where the thumb sits on the left side of the club grip and the 'V' of that right hand is aligned with the club itself. Copy the middle picture as best possible no matter what position you go for with your fingers above!

Putting Tips and Exercises, by Thomas Bjorn

The most used but usually least practiced part of your golf game is putting. If we took more of our time to putt and less trying to get an extra 50yards on our driver, we would become better golfers very quickly. Challenge yourself to put 50% or more practice time into your putting and the improve will appear automatically.

If you can reduce your round by one or two less putts your scoring will drop immediately. If you can drive further, you have no guarantee! So get out on the practice greens and drop shots on the course.

Here Bjorn gives us some very natural practice tips. These exercises will help straighten our natural putting game and give us a more instinctive putt when we play in competition.

How Important is Golf Fitness?

This is a major issue in the modern golf game. Much promoted by the infamous Tiger Woods, golf fitness is becoming a core part of the game. I'm not totally convinced though. Fitness needs to be at a certain level, and although you will definitely get more power from being stronger, you do not get more accurate.

Fitness is still something important for two reasons: 1. Your general good health, but also 2. It will allow you to play at the top of your game for longer. So fitness is a major issue in your game, especially for the future!

Advice for Beginners, by Bubba Watson

Golf is a competitive and intricate sport; for beginners, it can be a daunting prospect. Bubba gives some advice to those who are intimidated by the game and are just starting off.

This is a key for all golfers. Whether you are in the big tournament or just practicing, always make sure you are having fun!

Luke Donald: Bunker Shot Lesson

The sand is a place that some novice golfers can find difficult. The key is to get a method that works for you and get enough confidence in that method that you never doubt it. When you step into the bunker don't think negatively. Be confident in the practice you've put in and give it a full swing.

Two very basic principles run in this order:

1. Get it Out!

2. Get it Close!

Luke Donald shows how:

Rory McIlroy's Swing Analysed

It is important to analyse differnet swings in order to understand its different parts. Do not imitate another's swing, but take lessons from every good golfers swing. When you understand the different parts of the swing, then you can take helps from the best golfers and sculpt your own swing.

Rory and Tiger are mentioned in this video analysis: