Dave Pelz: “Studying the game”

One green, three shots: Practice a varitey of different chips to improve your short-game versatility. Leonard Kamsler

The green on the 497-yard, par-5 16th hole at the TPC of Sawgrass in Florida would be a great place to hang out and practice your chipping. The setting is beautiful, but more importantly, the green’s design and location — water on two sides, rough, mounds and sand elsewhere — provide the opportunity to try many varieties of chips.

Learning the three shots I’m highlighting will help improve your chipping versatility. You’ve seen Tour pros skillfully play these shots in tournaments, including at the annual Players Championship at Sawgrass. With a little practice, you can play these shots too.

During his run to the Players title in 2002, Craig Perks holed a chip from on top of the heavy fringe, standing just inches from the water. Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve been fortunate to see Phil Mickelson’s rise to greatness from up close. Phil and I worked together extensively early last year and in the weeks before each of the year’s majors. I can help you understand what he changed in 2004, so you can take your own game to the next level this year.

Photo by Fred Vuich

First, a stat that sums up Phil’s 2004 season. Everyone knows he won The Masters, but did you know that Phil beat World No. 1 Vijay Singh by a combined 34 strokes in last year’s five biggest events (the four majors plus the Players Championship–see “The Phil Factor”)?

The Phil Factor

Here is how the top four players performed in 2004’s biggest events: Read the rest of this entry »