golfbuzz.net

Houston (Feb. 4, 2012) – The United States Golf Association today announced an expanded list of exemptions for international amateur players, beginning in 2012, for the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open championships. The USGA also announced exemption changes for the U.S. Senior Open and USGA amateur championships. The expanded list of exemptions was announced during the USGA’s Annual Meeting in Houston.

The winners of the British Amateur and Ladies British Open Amateur championships, as well as the winners of the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the top-ranked male and female on the World Amateur Golf Ranking will be fully exempt from qualifying for the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open championships, respectively. The winners must remain amateurs to retain the exemption.

Bryden Macpherson, of Australia, who plays collegiately at the University of Georgia, has earned a berth in the 2012 U.S. Open as the 2011 British Amateur champion. Macpherson defeated Michael Stewart, of Scotland, 3 and 2, in the championship final at Hillside Golf Club in Southport, England.  Read more... (1310 words, 1 image, estimated 5:14 mins reading time)

USGA Executive Mike Davis has stated that the USGA may be taking a “fresh look” at the belly putter and its relationship to the rules. The belly putter and long putter is using a technique called ‘anchoring’ whereby the club rests or is anchored in the chest or belly depending on the putter’s length. This has said to have helped a lot player’s who may have quit golf or been less successful.  The number of belly putter exponents has increased by a significant amount recently and more to the point – they have been winning or finishing high in golf events around the globe – and this has sparked a talk feast at least. The “putting through the legs”  or Crouquet style was outlawed about 40 years setting a precendent that “anti long putter” rule makers may use in their favour.

“All of a sudden … this has become a much bigger topic,” Davis stressed. “The USGA and R&A have been talking about this at length.

“We are looking at it from a perspective that … what we should look at for everything: What is good for the game, for all golfers, long term? I will tell you, the R&A was in Far Hills (N.J.) last week. We have an annual meeting where we talk about all kinds of issues about how we govern the game worldwide.  Read more... (342 words, estimated 1:22 mins reading time)

Do you want to hit longer drives? Of course you do!

The reason a lot of golfers to don’t long drives or drives as long as they should is because they don’t set up to the ball as correctly for a drive. Most amateurs will just set up to the ball as they would with their irons, ball in middle of the stance and weight evenly distributed or even favouring the left side for a right-handed golfer.

For a driver swing and stance :-

1. The weight for the right handed player should be 60% / 40% on the right or back leg.

2. The ball should also be moved forward in your stance, inside of the left foot or on the left heel.

3. A slightly wider stance to give you more stability and balance.

This set enables you get behind the ball at address. You can even tilt the shoulder a bit more if you prefer (right side lower than the left) and as long as you stay behind the ball at address and at impact you should hit the ball longer and straighter.

 Read more... (180 words, estimated 43 secs reading time)