Tags: Puerto Rico Open, Chitimacha Louisiana Open, PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour
It was a good weekend making the cut at the Puerto Rico Open, but a bad weekend cause it could have been SO much better. If I could have made some putts, my 69 on Friday was a 63 easily. I three-putted four times Sunday and that killed my round. As I've told you all before, I am hitting the ball great, just need to get it rolling.

I do consider myself an aggressive player. I do have to learn when to take the risks and when not to take them. Sometimes I press to make cuts or press to score and need to balance that with not making bogies. But I do not expect to hold back on going for it when the time is right.

I am currently playing in the Chitimacha Louisiana Open presented by Dynamic Industries on the Nationwide Tour. I had been an alternate for the PGA Tour event in New Orleans, but not enough people dropped out by Thursday morning for me to get in. That is my life on tour right now...wait and see...lots of waiting and seeing...

GolfLink Question of the Week! Charlie King from Troutman, N.C., asks:

I have been practicing my short game very extensively and 80 yards and in is money for me. But for some reason I am having a #@!$ of a time hitting my fairway woods and hybrid right now...was wondering if you could help with setup tips, the swing and ball position... Rock on player... Go Get The Money!!

Charlie, thanks for the support! It is kinda hard for me to give you some tips unless I know which way you are missing it. If you are hitting it right, you're either lined up right and hitting it that way or you are getting a head of the golf ball. Try to stay behind it. If you are hitting it left, try aiming farther right or you could be coming too far over the top. If you are topping it, you are out of position at impact. Try to keep your head over the ball and concentrate on the ball. If these do not work, consult the pro at your club and let him look you over...those guys are real good at giving simple drills to help your game. Keep hitting those wedges close and remember to have fun!

Two Gloves...

Tags: raise, bonus, Tiger Woods, David Lutterus, PGA Tour, jobs, Trainer, Teacher, Instructor, Lessons

I just got news that the company that I have worked for since 2004 isn't going to be giving me a raise this year, and unless I'm a member of the GST (Global Sales Team) I can forget about a Christmas bonus either (and that wouldn't come until December 2009 now anyway). It's just a sign of the times that we live in, and another new notch on my already tightening belt. Now if I could only match David Lutterus on tour. For thouse of you who don't know, David Lutterus has made $34,171 on Tour so far this year, which would put him on course for making $100,000 this year assuming he makes an average of 11,111.11 per month and doesn't compete in the Silly Season. See, I'm not greedy. I'm just asking to be good enough to make a decent income on Tour, and once you take out travel expenses and money for my caddy, 100K really isn't a lot, now is it? All that I'm asking is to average 70.94 per round, and make half of the cuts. Though my name suggests that I seek Tiger level fame and game, really, all I want is to not get kicked around by some big corporation that has had my loyalty for almost four years. Is that too much to ask?

Now all I need is an instructor who will take me to that level of play. If you can help an inexperienced, 24 year old golfer who has yet to break 100 to get to just a tad better than scratch, contact me. Payment will be received after I reach my desired skill level. Any takers?

Thank you for reading today's rant.

Tags: Tiger Woods, Grand Slam, PGA TOUR, Masters, US Open, Open Championship, British Open, PGA Championship, Augusta National, Torrey Pines, Royal Birkdale, Oakland Hills, Chinese Calendar, Perfect Storm

I don't know how many of you have been following the PGA TOUR so far this year, but Tiger Woods is on fire! He is putting like the Tiger that made me select my name, hitting the greens so close to the pin that it almost doesn't matter, and he is a lot more accurate with his drives so far this year. He has won every tournament that he has entered, and in only two official PGA TOUR events, he has nearly 1,000 more points toward the FedEx Cup than Phil Mickelson does in five events.

If Tiger is ever going to win the ever-elusive Grand Slam (all four majors in one calendar year), this is the year that it will happen. Tiger is on such a hot-streak right now that it will be very surprising if he doesn't win the Masters next month. The US Open is at Torrey Pines, which Tiger has won at seven times, so they might as well give him the trophy and the check right now. The Open Championship (British Open) is at Royal Birkdale, which Tiger has only played at once, but it is a set-up that he will do well in. Finally, the PGA Championship is at Oakland Hills, which is another Tiger Woods favorite.

Now, I'm not such a homer that I'm saying that Tiger Woods is a shooin for the Grand Slam, but if he is ever going to do it, the conditions are almost perfect this year for him to do so. You could say that the conditions are right for a perfect storm. And all I can say is I would love to see history made.

Tags: Mayakoba Golf Classic, Mexico, PGA Tour, Honda Classic
I am happy to be back in the States after making the cut and finishing T54 at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico. I was psyched to play all four days. I was not used to missing cuts in my past years playing golf, but it's a whole new world out here. I need to adjust a little more to the PGA Tour life and realize, it's just golf and I can play out here.

I was really hittin' the ball well the first day of the tournament when I posted a 66. But overall I was definitely not satisfied with my performance last week. I am a much better player than I have shown thus far in the 13 rounds I have played. Hitting the ball well, just not scoring at all...

Mexico is a beautiful place though...beautiful. I was afraid of the water—not of swimming in the water, drinking it. I am a pretty basic guy when it comes to food, so my options were limited. And the people looked at me funny when I asked for something...I guess it's my accent.

I was listed as an alternate for the Honda Classic and just found out that enough players have dropped out, so I'm in. I missed at the Monday qualifier...same type of round I've had all year...an eagle and 5 birdies and shot 1-under. But now that I'm in, I'm ready.

Thanks for your support.

Two Gloves...

Tags: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Northern Trust Open, PGA Tour, Q-School
Coming off the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am last week, I felt I hit the ball really well. I just had a few bad shots here and there and you can't do that, especially on the PGA Tour. I really enjoyed playing with Dan Marino, a legend and a great guy. But I have to say my most memorable part of the trip was making a hole-in-one on No. 7 during my Monday practice round at Pebble Beach...just awesome! I've had about seven or so before that, but that was by far the best. I am hitting the ball real well. I need to work on my putting and short game for sure...definitely my putting.

When I get a big number on a hole like I did last week, I just try to look past that experience and move on to the next hole or the next shot. You have to stay mentally tough. You have to remember what you are there to do, and that’s to win golf tournaments. If you go out to win and you just come up short, you make a top 10. If you go out to make a cut and you come up short, you’re headed home.

I missed the Monday qualifier for the Northern Trust...shot 69, needed 66. The Tour is a bit hard to explain. Basically I, along with the other guys from Nationwide Tour and Q-school, have a number according to where we finished on the Nationwide Tour or Q-school. We are behind the top 125 guys at events and a slew of others like Monday qualifiers or top 10s from the previous week. At every event the player needs to commit to the tournament the week before, so our group of guys needs to just wait and see who commits or drops out and we can step in.

It is definitely expensive on tour...flying, hotels, food and always on the road. You have to be patient, too, especially in my position. You need to be ready to roll the minute they tell you you’re on the tee, even if it’s 5 minutes before.

The Tour is a grind, but it is great and I wouldn't change it for anything.  I have been getting a lot of requests from people and that takes up some of my time, but I'll tell you right now, I love my fans and the fans of the game and I will always have time for them.

peace,

two gloves...

Tags: Pebble Beach Pro-Am, The Big Break, Hootie and the Blowfish, Steve Spurrier, PGA Tour

Hey, everybody, Tommy Gainey here. This is my first year on the PGA Tour and my first blog on GolfLink.com. Hopefully I’ll be able to use this blog to give you an idea of what things are like in my world.

In my first two events of the year, I played the Sony Open in Hawaii and the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in La Quinta, California. Overall I think I played well, except for two bad rounds.

Since then, it has actually been great having the time off. I really wanted to play at the Buick Invitational because of the great field and the fact they were playing at Torrey Pines, where the U.S. Open is going to be coming soon. But even though I didn’t make it off the alternate list, I got to play a few practice rounds there, so I’ll know what it’s like if I get in the Open. I worked a lot on my game with my caddie, Scott Feaster, and some friends and got into a good rhythm…even played TPC Sawgrass.

This week I’ll be playing in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. I haven’t played any of the courses in the event—Pebble Beach Golf Links, Poppy Hills or Spyglass—only seen them on TV, but they are legendary and I’m looking to go out and have a great week.

The event is a pro-am, so I’ll be playing alongside celebrities as well as other golfers. People have asked me if I felt like pro-am events were a distraction from the game, but I can tell you that after being on The Big Break, nothing feels like a distraction. I also play in an event every year with Hootie and the Blowfish. That tournament is a blast and they raise a lot of money for kids in my state, South Carolina. In fact, if I had to choose a celebrity I’d like to play with this week, I’d have to say Steve Spurrier, coach of my beloved Gamecocks!

Mostly though, I hope to play some great golf. I’ve spent my two weeks off working on consistency and focusing on my short approach shots and putting. I feel really good about my game and expect to have a good year. Thanks to all my fans for your support!