No "gimmees" for Michelle Wie at 2008 U.S. Women's Open and how to tee it up for an iron

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Michelle Wie has spent countless hours preparing for the 2008 U.S. Women's Open with coach David Leadbetter in the hopes of reversing the downward spiral which has been her albatross since last year. Although Wie recently commented that she felt herself "re-emerging as a new player, a new person," she also reluctantly mentioned what has gone before, asserting, "I'm not ever going to think about before I broke my wrist. That was then and this is now."

Perhaps Wie has been going through a metamorphosis of sorts since her dismissal from the columns of many a golf writer who believed her to be washed up by her eighteenth birthday.

Her recent victory of sorts, a sixth place finish at the Ladies German Open as well as a genuine qualification into a major event instead the ritual "gimmees" offered to her by sponsors, has put Wie back on track. Now that appearance offers are no longer easily forthcoming (2008 Sony Open, 2008 Ginn Tribute hosted by Annika Sorenstam), Michelle seems to be developing a sense of humble graciousness, coming to the realization that it takes talent, not youth or the appearance of ability, in order to gain recognition in her chosen field.

"It's been a long time since I had to qualify for something, and it made me want it even more," a seemingly more grown-up Wie stated. "I think going through that qualifying humbled me a lot as a player, as a person. Sometimes, you have to go back to your roots to become a better player and a better person."



This week's Golf for Beginners podcast discusses Michelle Wie's potential to pick up where she left off, before the wrist injury. Can she let go of her past and focus on the future? We'll know more after the 2008 U.S. Women's Open!

We also offer golf tips on hitting an iron flush off the tee.

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Photo Credit: Houston's Clear Thinkers

U.S. Open Pressure-Tiger Woods persevered, Phil Mickelson collapsed and Rocco Mediate had fun with it. Adidas, "golf equipment for your eyes" and Stac

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Poor Tiger Woods! Yes, he has won his fourth U.S. Open but was it at the expense of his knee? Is winning a trophy more important that your health? The answer? Season-ending knee surgery!

Tiger's message to his adoring fans let on that his injury is more aggravated than he made it look this week.




"I think I need to shut it down for a little bit. I pushed it pretty hard this week and I just want to enjoy it. And we're going to reevaluate after this event and see what happens," claimed a tightlipped Woods who may have been grimacing from the inside but, with his elevated mental focus, it was anyone's guess as to what was really going on after twisting his knee on several occasions this past week.

That focus and determination to not allow any distractions was best related by Tiger's dad, Earl, during a Nike commercial that aired for Father's Day weekend in which dad related to both his son and the audience, "I promise you that you will never meet another person as mentally tough as you your entire life. And he hasn't, and he never will."

This week's Golf for Beginners podcast wonders how Tiger Woods can remain so steadfast in his determination to win a golf tournament while Phil Mickelson, who mentally and physically prepared for this event, fell apart. Other players such as Rocco Mediate and Lee Westwood didn't feel the pressure as much believing that they were "long shots" in the event.

This week's show also reviews the latest advances in golf-specific eyewear from Adidas. The new Adivista sunglasses for men and Adilibria Shield for women should be viewed as necessary golf equipment rather than just fashion-forward apparel, although the fact that Natalie Gulbis had input into the design of the women's glasses truly make them hotter than the average eyewear!




Both Adivista and Adilibria Shield are super-comfortable to wear and protect your eyes from the sun's damaging rays with UV protection, offering scratch and fog-resistant polycarbonate lenses. Listen to this week's show to hear why we recommend these new Adidas sunglasses and why you should try them too!

Finally, while testing my new Adilibria Shield sunglasses in the sand trap (where it did a fabulous job of protecting my eyes against particles of sand), alas, it couldn't help me to get out of the sand. I wonder if Adidas can help find a cure for my sand trap woes?


Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.

Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed:http://feeds.feedburner.com/golfforbeginners or through iTunes.

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"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

This podcast is supported by MyrtleBeachGolf.com, 866-409-2177.


Photo Credits: Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times, VisionMonday.com

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Ochoa and Sorenstam entertain at McDonald's, drive a Callaway get free gas, reduce spin off the tee and casting for golfers/Harley Davidson riders

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In March Callaway Golf, using Morgan Pressel and Ivanka Trump as their celebrity "faces", launched a GEMS golf club set designed specifically for women.

Unfortunately, I haven't seen Ivanka promoting Women's Golf Month with the same enthusiasm, even though she is an avid golfer who is listed on Golf for Women's Twenty-Five best female celebrities. The sport could certainly use an infusion of notables to increase interest in the game.

Perhaps next year Donald Trump will also lend a hand by utilizing his golf courses for the good of the game.

That being said, I had a great time this past Sunday at Knollwood Country Club. PGA representative Walter Janeczko gave a lesson on basics and more to a group of eager ladies who outnumbered his original estimate!

This week, our Golf for Beginners podcast discusses the inability of any female golfer to attain the coveted Grand Slam of Golf in a single year. Lorena Ochoa has a great chance of winning her third major in a row at this week's McDonald's LPGA Championship but with Annika Sorenstam back in form, this could be a battle worth watching! Annika is looking to make this her best year ever, now that she has announced her retirement!

Find out what AOL Food Critic thinks about McDonald's Grilled Chicken Sandwich!

Businesses from every area of the economy are using the rising price of gasoline as a way to utilize rebates and discounts to their advantage. Callaway Golf is no exception as they have joined forces with American Express to offer a $100 gas card when golfers purchase a new driver. Listen for the details on our show.

Also, do you ride a Harley Davidson, love golf and want to appear in a weekly television series? If you live in the New York tri-state area, a casting director wants to hear from you. Send us your information and we'll pass it along!

Finally, with the help of the Golf Learning Center, we focus on how to reduce spin and add distance off of the tee with the driver.


Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.


Subscribe to our weekly podcast through this RSS feed:http://feeds.feedburner.com/golfforbeginners or through iTunes.

Subscribe to our newsletter! Coming soon...
Click Here to receive our archived podcasts and 100's of easy golf tips free!
Check us out on MySpace!

"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

This podcast is supported by Grand Bahama Vacations, 1-800-422-7466.

Photo Credits:Stayfreemagazine.org