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26

Sep
Wed

What you can learn from watching Ryder Cuppers on the greens

By Kevin Hinton Editor's Note: Kevin Hinton is the Director of Instruction at Piping Rock Club in Locust Valley, N.Y. and one of Golf Digest's Best Young Teachers. Here, he tells you how you...

26

Sep
Wed

Huggan: Recent Ryder Cups have been competitive, but lacking an "edge"

By John Huggan Much is always made -- quite rightly -- of the fact that, prior to 1979 and the addition of continental Europeans to the previously pathetic Great Britain & Ireland squads, the Ryder Cup was little more than a biennial "garden party." Every member of both sides was just so terribly nice and polite. With one or two notable exceptions in 1957 and 1969, the golf passed off without any sort of major incident or controversy. And, of course, the team from the big ol' US of A went home the winners. In other words, the whole thing was generally as dull as dishwater, to the point where it eventually became unwatchable. And unplayable -- as a presumably half-asleep Jack Nicklaus was quick to point out in the wake of yet another comfortable U.S. victory at Royal Lytham in 1977. He was right, of course. Hardly anyone cared about the eventual outcome. There was no rivalry to speak of, no spark with which to ignite something above the ordinary. The Ryder Cup may have been only a two-horse race, but one of the participants was a donkey. Well, guess what, at least in terms of the seemingly endless nonsense we've been treated to so far this week -- the best three days in golf are immediately preceded by the worst four -- the Ryder Cup is reverting to its pre-1979 decorum. If yesterday at Medinah is anything to go by, the little bit of "edge" that has made the matches so fascinating to watch is in real danger of disappearing. Which is ominous. Amidst a cloud of political correctness and saccharine-sweet niceness, they could easily lose a great deal of their appeal. Related: John Huggan and Ron Sirak's Ryder Cup predictions Take this tribute to Seve Ballesteros thing. I yield to no man in my admiration for the way in which the legendary Spaniard played the game. And it is right and proper that he be fondly remembered at the first Ryder Cup after his untimely death last year. But dear oh dear, the level of schmaltz is already all but overpowering. We've got Seve on golf bags and Seve on yardage books, when all we really need is Seve on our minds. Photo by Getty Images"We respect them and they respect us," said American skipper Davis Love yesterday. "And come Friday morning to Sunday evening we are going to have a lot of fun competing. And then, as Jose (Maria Olazabal) said, then it goes right back to being friends." Related: How the teams stack up in the areas that really matter Now, I can't blame Davis for coming out with such obvious frothiness and inanity. In his position, he probably feels he has to play safe when it comes to the pre-match verbal jousting. But my goodness it is tedious, especially when what is really required is a healthy dose of disrespect and skepticism directed straight at the opposition. Don't get me wrong, though. This is not a call for anarchy or anything like it. I was as appalled as anyone -- as a Scot, probably more so -- by what went on at Kiawah Island in 1991 and at Brookline eight years later. On both occasions, the level of animosity between the two teams and their supporters reached unacceptably vitriolic and near violent proportions. So I'm not saying we need to see players stampeding across greens when opponents are waiting to putt, or spectators yelling vile and disgusting epithets at individuals whose only crime is wearing the wrong color shirt. Those sorts of things go beyond the pale. Related: Move over Tiger, Rory's got Sergio Golf at its best is a civilized sport and nothing should be done to change that fact. But come on guys, let's see and hear some action. Let's stop being so damned nice about anything and everything. Let's ban the word "respect" until Sunday evening. And let's get some good-natured and pointed banter going. It doesn't have to be mean-spirited or evil. But let's at least have someone -- anyone -- tweaking a member of the other side. It would be great to hear an American having, say, a public giggle at Rory McIlroy's eccentric hairstyle. Or have a European take aim at Jason Dufner's "disgusting" chewing tobacco habit. Anything to get the competitive juices flowing and create just the right level of inter-personal tension on the first tee Friday morning. The Ryder Cup deserves nothing less. Follow @johnhuggan !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");

26

Sep
Wed

1981 U.S. Ryder Cup team beats 2012 squad

By Mike StachuraMonday night Golf Channel aired one of its Top 10 specials, highlighting the best teams in golf history. The top choice was the 1981 U.S. Ryder Cup team, which blew out the European team...

26

Sep
Wed

Jim McLean: Are you a thrower or a dragger?

Video: Keep your hands and forearms quiet in the bunker with this easy drill from top-ranked teacher Jim McLean.

26

Sep
Wed

Five Ways To Improve The Ryder Cup

Engaging spectacle that it is, the Ryder Cup might benefit from some fresh ideas -- and here are five for starters.

25

Sep
Tue

Cleveland/Srixon CEO Hopkins steps down

By E Michael JohnsonSaying, "Now I'm at a point in my life where I want to do some things and explore some ideas that I've always wanted to pursue,"  Greg Hopkins, after 16 years with the...

25

Sep
Tue

Trending: Move over Tiger, Rory's got Sergio

By Alex Myers Uh-oh, Tiger. Try not to get too jealous, but it looks like your latest "bromance" is two-timing behind your back -- and with one of your non-cuddle buddies to boot. With the Ryder Cup still three days away, Tuesday's biggest news story from Medinah revolved around a picture of Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia getting awfully chummy during a practice round. The only thing missing from the image was the two sharing some milk and cookies. See for yourself: Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty ImagesIn recent weeks, the blossoming (very) friendly rivalry between Woods and McIlroy has become one of golf's big storylines. Of course, this isn't to suggest that that relationship won't still exist, in particular, after this week that pits Americans versus Europeans. But the timing of Rory holding hands with someone else not named Caroline Wozniacki -- especially someone with whom Woods has had a somewhat strained relationship -- seems too funny to not mention. Related: Rory is Tiger's latest on-course "bromance" Apparently, you agree. Here's a link to Golf World's Facebook page, which asked readers to provide captions for the image of the cozy couple and has already received plenty of responses. There could actually be some potential real news here too. Might this be an indication that McIlroy will team up this week with Garcia, a noted Ryder Cup pest? Anything is possible, though McIlroy looked pretty comfortable being paired with fellow countryman Graeme McDowell during his first Ryder Cup two years ago at Celtic Manor. Related: How the teams stack up where it really matters As for Woods, it seems Captain Davis Love III will pair him with Steve Stricker due to the duo's recent success, most notably at the 2009 Presidents Cup. But of course, everyone is clamoring for him to square off with golf's new No. 1 in singles come Sunday. Not that Woods would need any added motivation to win that marquee match-up, but this picture may have just provided it. . . Follow @AlexMyers3

25

Sep
Tue

The story behind The Sergio Tree at Medinah

By Stephen Hennessey The sentimental significance attached to the most famous moments in golf history are forever linked to the courses where those moments took place. Just mentioning the 17th hole at Pebble Beach or the 18th at Merion instantly conjures the memory of Tom Watson's legendary chip-in in 1982, and the 1-iron by Ben Hogan in 1950. Medinah Country Club's right up there. The red oak tree that stood 10 feet to the right of the 16th fairway, known to golf fans as the Sergio Tree, was made famous for the shot Sergio Garcia hit around it during the final round of the 1999 PGA Championship. Images of a young Garcia sprinting up the fairway, then leaping into the air to see the 6-iron approach land on the green will always be linked to the site of this year's Ryder Cup. Hunting for his first major at 23 and chasing down Tiger, Garcia miraculously hit the green to keep his quest alive. Though he lost to Tiger by one, and that first major has still eluded him, Sergio's mark was made. Sergio's now playing some of his best golf in awhile--he followed a win in August at the Wyndham Championship with a T-3, making a run at Nick Watney at the Barclays. The Spaniard will make his return to the Ryder Cup this week, making his sixth appearance for Europe as a feared foursomes competitor, having only given up a half point in nine matches. Now he returns to the site of one of his best major chances, which also hosted the 2006 PGA. (Garcia finished T-3 here in '06.) Related: History is rich at Medinah But as of late 2009, the massive red oak that marked one of his career-defining shots no longer guards the fairway. The Sergio Tree became too hallowed out over the years, forcing the club to remove the oak as part of a $3 million-course renovation. It wasn't an easy decision, but it simply became a safety hazard. "We did everything we did humanly possible to try to maintain the tree," said Mike Scully, Medinah's director of golf. The removal ceremony was small and brief--Scully watched along with Director of Golf Operations Curtis Tyrrell as the historic tree came down.     

25

Sep
Tue

Cobra debuts AMP Cell metal woods

By E Michael JohnsonCobra's new line of AMP Cell metalwoods will be noticeable for its array of colorful choices (Silver, Directoire Blue, Barbados Red and Vibrant Orange) but that shouldn't overshadow the technology housed inside...

25

Sep
Tue

Tenuous golf connection: Gonzaga basketball, trick shots, and Kyle Stanley?

By Alex Myers Kyle Stanley is known as one of the longest hitters on the PGA Tour. Apparently, the guy has plenty of range on a basketball court as well. Stanley makes a brief appearance in a new trick-shot video made by four players on Gonzaga's men's basketball team: Kyle Pangos, Kyle Dranginis, Drew Barham and Rem Bakamus. The foursome goes through an impressive display of shooting making shots from everywhere -- from sitting down in the stands to banking balls in from the rafters. They also set an unofficial record for having the most Kyles ever on a basketball court at the same time when the 24-year-old PGA Tour pro gets in the mix. Related: Golf Digest's profile and video on Stanley At the 3:30 mark, Stanley is introduced as a "special guest." A quick bio flashes across the screen listing his accomplishments and calling him "#1 Zag Supporter" and "Trick Shot Specialist." He then bounces in a shot from high above the court in the bleachers. Check it out: Stanley, a winner on the PGA Tour this year in Phoenix, lists his residence as Gig Harbor, Washington, where he also grew up. Despite the five-hour drive from there to Spokane, the site of Gonzaga, and the fact that he attended Clemson University, Stanley is a rabid fan of the school's famed basketball program. Turns out, he's also a ringer at H-O-R-S-E. Fellow PGA Tour pros, you've been warned. . . Follow @AlexMyers3 !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");