The Open Championship Preview & Golf Tips
The Open Championship
Defending Champion: Padraig Harrington TV Coverage:
Click here to watch Video Golf Tips from the Leaders This tournament determines the “Champion Golfer of the Year”. It is the Open. Think of the amazing history behind this event. Think of the golf courses. Think of the players. I have to tell you…this is the tournament of the year for me. How can it not be? It is the oldest championship in the world and it is still played as the game was designed. It takes creativity, shot making, and an ability to play with the elements. 
It is played on the some of the oldest layouts; the Old Course at St. Andrews, Carnoustie, Prestwick, Royal Troon. It is played on some of the most famous golf holes; the Road Hole, the Postage Stamp, and Spectacles. It is played in some of the wildest conditions, where the wind blows, the fescue is long, and the bunkers are deep. In order to play and compete in an Open Championship you need to be able to play all the shots. If the wind blows you have to be able to play the ball with a low flight and let it run. Around the greens, bump and runs are a critical shot to success in the Open. Todd Hamilton was an unlikely winner by hitting a bump and run with his hybrid to victory. There is another very key element to winning the Open. Keep the ball out of the rough, gorse, and bunkers. Wayward shots into these will only cause you to lose shots. There are some years where the rough and fescue and not an issue. If the summer has been hot and dry then the longer grass is light and wispy. If it has been a wet summer then the rough can be very penal. 
Bunkers…they are different than on the PGA Tour. They are flat bottom with sod walls. There are times where you simply have no shot to get out of the trap. Obviously that will cost a shot. There is no secret that Tiger Wood’s has talent. He also knows the importance of avoiding bunkers at the Open. He won two Claret Jugs, without going into a bunker. That means he has played 154 holes of Open Championship golf without going into a bunker. That is amazing! Worthy Champions The first Open Championship was played in Prestwick, Scotland in 1860. It was won by Willie Park. He was the first one to win the Challenge Belt. A pact was then made to allow the winner of three Open Championships in a row to keep the Challenge Belt permanently. Tom Morris Sr. took home the next two titles in 1861 and 1862. Willie Park then won in 1863 to prevent Morris SR. from keeping the belt. 
It was in 1868 that Tom Morris JR. won his first Open Championship. He was then able to complete what his father fell just short of, by winning the Challenge Belt outright. He took the title in 1869 and 1870. Other than the two world wars, 1871 was the only other time the Championship was not played. The reason was because Morris JR had won the belt and no replacement trophy was available. There are so many great stories that go along with this championship. The Open was played at Prestwick for the first 12 championships. The first time it moved it went to the home of golf, St Andrews. This began what is now known as the Open Rota. Back then it was originally Prestwick, St. Andrews, and Musselburgh. It is amazing that St. Andrews is still apart of the current Open Rota, along with, Carnoustie, Royal Birkdale, Royal Troon, Royal Liverpool, Royal St. Georges, Royal Lytham and St. Anne’s, and Muirfield. 
The winner of the Open Championship makes history. When Ernie Els won at Muirfield back in 2003, he did so walking on the same course that Harry Vardon won his first Claret Jug back in 1896! Players to watch this week:
Royal Birkdale For North Americans the Open Championship courses do not look like much. They are certainly not the green, luscious looking courses. They look rough. They can look beat up. But, Mother Nature is the head greens keeper and what she says…goes. 
The caddie has a tough job at an Open Championship, because not only does he need to know the yardages of the holes, and the breaks on the green, but the wind and the mounds. He must know how to play each hole in the each different wind direction. He also must mark where the mounds are as a wrong bounce off a mound could spell disaster. I could describe a few of the holes…but I truly could not do it justice. I recommend taking a fresh set of eyes and soaking in the scenes from the television coverage. I hope you enjoy the 2008 Open Championships. Please remember to check back here for my Tour Tips of the leaders before the start of the third round. Return to the Home page from the Open Championship Copyright 2006-2012 Free-Golf-Lessons.com
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PGA Tour Winner Quick Lesson
Congratulations to Steve Stricker on his victory at the 2012 Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
I believe the commentators said he has won 9 times in his 40s. That is amazing!I also agree with Sir Nick and Johnny Miller that his swing will be copied in the future. Technology has reduced the need for hand action in the golf swing to generate power. Watch the old videos of Bobby Jones to see how much action he created compared to that of Steve Stricker.
A great objective for any player is to eliminate any unnecessary movement. Stricker does a great job of that. His hands stay very quiet on the backswing. His wrists hardly hinge at the top of his backswing. You can see from the above video that his backswing is all shoulder turn.
His downswing starts from the hips and he simply turns everything through the golf ball at the same time. His hands and wrists release naturally without any effort. This is a great way to have a consistent rhythm through the golf ball on every shot. This swing delivers enough power to win on Tour.
European Tour Winner Quick Lesson
Congratulations to Louis Oosthuizen and his victory at the 2012 Africa Open.
Louis burst onto the scene with his dominating performance at the Open Championship. Many have predicted multiple wins for this player. His victory this past weekend is likely one of many to come.
In the video above pay really close attention to when the video ends. Take a look at his left foot. Notice how all his weight his on his left heel. This is a great sign that he has cleared his hips properly.
One of the key reasons for starting the downswing with your lower body is to clear your hips out of the way to create more room for your arms to swing through impact. It is a great indicator as to how well you cleared your hips, when almost all your weight is on your heel.
If your weight is leaning on you toes or even the middle of your foot then you have not rotated and cleared your hips enough through your downswing and past impact. You really want to feel the pressure of your weight on your heel like Oosthuizen.
Make sure you start your downswing with your lower body. At the top of your backswing; either pull your left knee or your left hip (right handed player) towards the target. Also make sure your hips keep rotating through impact and into your finish position with your weight on the heel.