VOLUME 1, NUMBER 144

Web Street Golf Daily Pulse

VOLUME 1, NUMBER 144

Monday July 26, 2010

ANY IDEA WHO SAID THIS? “Last year my game left me. And you know, you start questioning yourself if you're good enough to play.”

ON THIS DAY: In 1987, Robert Wrenn shot 26-under to win the Buick Open for his only career title. At the time, 26-under was the lowest score ever for a first-time winner.

THE NATURE OF THE BEAST: Of all the challenges facing the U.S. sporting goods industry in 2010, one would hardly think labor shortages in China would top the list but whether it comes to making golf clubs, toning shoes or hiking boots, the topic is dominating earnings calls and boardroom discussions across America. READ MORE>>>

FOR PETE’S SAKE: South African, Louis Oosthuizen by virtue of his Open Championship victory has made a big name for himself. While his game impressed everyone at St. Andrews, many are still getting to know more about the man some call Shrek.

While the memories of the Open Championship revolve around its victor, someone else had quite a remarkable performance. Pete Cowen’s name may not be as well known as Louis Oosthuizen, but the two are linked together. Cowen, a PGA Master Professional is becoming a hot commodity. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed players at Open Championship had one thing in common and it wasn’t their clubs, nor their sponsors, but rather their coach. You guessed it, Pete Cowen. He works with Oosthuizen, Lee Westwood and Henrik Stenson and 2010 is turning into a year to remember for him.

Starting the year as Europe’s top coach (with more winners on the European Tour than anyone else) it seems that, 2010 couldn’t get much better after a second place for Lee Westwood at the Masters, and a US Open win for Graeme McDowell at Pebble Beach. It is not clear whether this is the first time that anyone has coached the top three players at a Major, but in any event it is a notable achievement and serves only to cement Cowen’s position as the top golf coach in Europe. His golf coaching philosophy is called ‘The Pyramid of Learning’. It starts by building ‘solid foundations’ (aim, stance, posture, grip, and body position) and then provides a progressive journey through the entire golf swing covering ‘dynamic movement’ (balance, body action, arm swing, hand action, path and plane) through to ‘controlling power’ (hand/eye coordination, speed and pressure, angle of attack) and  ‘attitude’. This coaching philosophy has worked for European Tour winners, Ryder Cup stars and now back-to-back Major champions.

To celebrate this historic series of victories, Dizzy Heights, the official distributor of Pete Cowen DVDs has announced that they are now available in NTSC format for distribution in the USA. A discount has been made available to readers of the Daily Pulse who buy both DVDs or for orders over £25. Simply use the coupon code TMACGOLF upon check out.

To acquaint you with some of Cowen’s drills that he teaches in his DVD, The Pyramid of Learning, click on the images below. The Spiral Staircase Drill is said to be used daily by many of his top players including Henrik Stenson, along with the Axe Drill.

GOOD THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES: aboutGolf has introduced the aboutGolf PGA TOUR Compact SimSurround Simulator. Ideal for residences and indoor golf centers (15-foot footprint), the new, compact model makes the immersive experience more widely available. "The new Compact SimSurround offers all the wow factor of the original SimSurround in a smaller package," says Chuck Faust, aboutGolf's President and Chief Operating Officer. "We're the only company offering this type of innovative system, which features all the technology golfers have come to expect from aboutGolf while engaging the golfer at a new level." READ MORE>>>

AN EYE TO THE FUTURE: Mission Hills Group is launching an instructional partnership with Greg Norman. The program is a non-profit initiative aimed at cultivating a wider pool of Chinese golf talent with the goal of producing China's first Olympic golfers in time to compete in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, when the sport returns to the Games' roster. More than 40 participants from 11 to 15 years of age have been selected based on trials and references from China's provincial golf associations. Each participant is only allowed to join the program once -- an approach intended to help encourage a wider reach and effect on China's golf population.

"For golf to attain its full potential in China, promising juniors must be identified and molded at an early age. The program is free to participants and designed to grow a deeper pool of golf talent in the country," said Norman, who this October will act as a Tournament Ambassador at the inaugural Mission Hills Star Trophy at Mission Hills Haikou (October 28-31).

The inaugural session of the Greg Norman Mission Hills Junior Development Program will take place July 27 to August 1 at Mission Hills Shenzhen.

ITS A YOUNG PERSON’S GAME: It was a year that many anticipated Tiger Woods would make some inroads in the record books. With majors at Pebble Beach and St. Andrews, he was expected to be nipping on the heels of Jack Nicklaus. Instead, one of his records became a casualty.

Jim Liu, of Smithtown, N.Y., became the youngest champion in the history of the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship with his 4-and-2 victory over Justin Thomas, of Goshen, Ky., in Saturday’s final match held at Egypt Valley Country Club. The 14-year-old Liu, who was born on Aug. 9, 1995, broke by more than seven months the previous championship record held by Tiger Woods, who was 15 years, 6 months and 28 days old when he won the 1991 championship.

EVERYBODY LOVES A WINNER: Carl Pettersson’s victory at the RBC Canadian Open marks the fourth PGA Tour victory of his career. He secured the victory with the help of a driver switch, about a month and a half ago he said, to a Nike VR Tour with 11.5 degrees of loft. He used Nike’s VR Split Cavity (5-PW); Nike Pro Combo 4-iron, a VR 49, 55-degree; VR V-Rev 60-degree wedges along with the company’s Nike ONE Tour golf ball.

Titleist came out on top in Scotland with its golf ball as Bernhard Langer (Pro V1,) closed with a 1-over 72 at Carnoustie, holding off a final round charge by runner-up Corey Pavin (Pro V1), who shot a 1-under 70. At the Senior Open Championship 107 players used a Titleist ball, more than six times the nearest competitor with 16, it said.

With a dramatic birdie putt on the 72nd hole of the Evian Masters, Jiyai Shin (Pro V1) won her seventh career LPGA Tournament.  Her 5- under round of 67 on Sunday capped a 14-under par effort for the week.

Sweden's Richard S. Johnson (Pro V1x, Scotty Cameron T10 Select Newport 2 putter) sank a 30-foot birdie putt on the final green to win the Nordea Scandinavian Masters by one shot. Johnson used a TaylorMade Burner SuperFast driver with 10.5 degrees of loft. He also carried Tour Burner Fairway woods (14.5 and 17.5 degrees) along with Tour Preferred irons (4-PW).

D.J. Brigman (Pro V1x) closed with a 7-under 64 to come from behind and win the Children's Hospital Invitational at The Ohio State University Scarlet Course. Brigman finished at 10-under 274 for a one-shot victory.

THE WORD IS GETTING OUT: Its a new world whether we like it or not. Once upon a time, golf companies launched products in advance of the upcoming playing season. That isn’t the case anymore. With the advent and subsequent popularity of social media, Phoenix-AZ based Ping has let the world into its annual sales meetings. The company has tweeted to its followers some new products that likely will be formerly announced in the days to come. Among what is to come are putters and Anser Forged irons, S56 irons the Open Champ used (and he made an appearance as well) and a women’s line of clubs as well. There is also a new K line of products coming. Expect more details on availability, etc., to come from the company shortly.

WEB GEMS:

COLLATERAL DAMAGE: "The new wedges had the same markings (letters and logos) as the old wedges. I think the tour disqualified her for the markings, not the grooves." READ MORE>>>

AND THEN THERE WERE THREE: Less than one point now separates the world's top three golfers - Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood. The trio will all next be in action at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron after which any of the three could emerge as number one depending on their respective results. READ MORE>>>

FACE TIME: Corey Pavin is expected to speak with Tiger Woods at the PGA Championship about whether he would accept a wild card selection for the Ryder Cup. "He's the number one player in the world and he's going to make Team USA better if he's on it." READ MORE>>>

WINNERS ONLY: Bahrain will host a European Tour event for the first time in January as the Middle East swing is increased to four weeks. READ MORE>>>

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ANSWER: 2010 RBC Canadian Open Champion Carl Pettersson

THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IS BELIEVED TO BE RELIABLE, BUT IT IS NOT GUARANTEED. THE OPINION EXPRESSED IS THAT OF TERRY MCANDREW AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A SOLICITATION TO BUY OR SELL SECURITIES IN ANY OF THE COMPANIES DISCUSSED WITHIN THIS NEWSLETTER. CONTENTS OF THIS NEWSLETTER MAY NOT BE REPRINTED OR REBROADCAST WITHOUT THE EXPRESSED WRITTEN CONSENT OF TMAC GOLF