World Am Golf

Watch Our Handicap Webinar Online

2010-07-21T10:05:04Z

if you missed our handiap webinar, have no fear. The webinar has been posted, in its entiriety, online. When you get a chance, listen to the webinar and if you have any questions after the fact, please email them to wahc@golfholiday.com. Enjoy.

Watch Webinar

Got a Handicap Question? Watch Our Live Webinar

2010-07-07T11:32:21Z

In our last email we asked whether a hypothetical player was potentially a sandbagger and the response was tremendous, though it made clear we have work to do in helping players better understand the USGA’s handicap system.

With that in mind, we’ve arranged for a live Webinar where we will explain, among other things, why net score relative to par isn’t the way players should be evaluated in a handicap event. We will also take questions from World Am players.

Please use the registration form to the right and join us for a free, live handicap Webinar on Thursday, July 15 at 4 p.m. ET

If you have a question you want answered or are uncertain about an aspect of the system, let us know, and we'll do our very best to answer them.

Submit your question by email

Submit Your Handicap Questions

2010-07-07T10:34:52Z

In an effort to help players better understand the USGA's handicap system - which governs all handicap golf events - we are running a live webinar on Thursday, July 15 at 4 p.m.

If you have a question you want answered or are uncertain about an aspect of the system, let us know! Email us any questions you may have and we'll do our very best to answer them.

Submit your question by email

How To Feel Better Tomorrow!!

2010-07-07T09:48:16Z

A great way to alleviate post-round or post-practice soreness and stiffness is to complete a series of full body stretches. Post-round stretching can also improve your overall mobility.

Titleist fitness instructor Marty Weil shows you his top five post-round stretches, and teaches you how to ready your body for tomorrow.

Post-Round Stretching Tips

2010-07-01T18:36:56Z

A great way to alleviate post-round soreness and stiffness is to complete a series of full body stretches, especially for your lower-back.

Lower-back tightness and stiffness is very common for golfers, and anyone who spends too much time in a static seated position-- at a desk, in a car, on a plane or on the couch. Those who do may be stiff and tight every morning, even if you don’t play golf.

The most common ailment in golf is lower-back discomfort. It shouldn’t be a surprise when you think about the rotational forces placed on your lower-back during the golf swing -- especially if you DON’T warm-up properly. An estimated 80 percent of golfers have or will experience lower-back discomfort or pain. A great way to avoid lower-back discomfort is to perform The 5-Minute Pregame Warm-Up before every round or practice session and stretch after you play or practice.
]]> The 5-Minute Pregame Warm-Up booklet is proven to be highly effective for golfers of all ages and playing abilities. It includes three key components; The Pregame Warm-Up, On the Course Nutritional Tips and Post-Round Stretching. The ultimate goal is to help you play your very best without injury. The booklet includes eleven great, full-body post-round stretches. My three favorite post-round lower-back stretches are detailed below:

Quick Tip: Never stretch cold -- always elevate your body temperature before stretching. For example, you wouldn’t attempt to touch your toes just after getting out of bed in the morning, right? So, if you have been sitting, get up a move around before you attempt these stretches. A great time to stretch is after your post-round hot shower.

Knee Swings
On the floor, lay on your back with your knees bent, feet flat, knees together and arms out at shoulder height with your palms down. Slowly and gently swing your knees from side to side -- feel the stretch in your lower-back.

Hip Drops
On the floor, lay on your back with your knees bent, feet flat positioned slightly wider than hips and arms at shoulder height with your palms down. Slowly and gently drop or swing your knees from side to side -- feel the stretch in your lower back and hips. Repeat on the other side.

Lying-Hip Stretch
On the floor, lay on your back with your knees bent, arms out at shoulder height with your palms down. Straighten your left leg and gently pull your right knee toward the ground with your left hand until you feel mild tension. Hold for 30 seconds, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth -- feel the stretch in your glute and lower back. Repeat on the other side.

I encourage you to experiment with these lower-back post-round stretches. My clients use them daily, on and off the golf course, with great results. For more information about The 5-Minute Pregame Warm-Up please visit http://www.5minutewarmup.com/promoMBGolfVaca0410.htm. World Am newsletter subscribers receive FREE shipping.

About the author: Marty Weil is the creator of The 5-Minute Pregame Warm-Up. Marty is a Titleist (TPI) Certified Golf Fitness Instructor, Certified Personal Trainer and near scratch golfer.

Player Profile: Jason Corum

2010-07-01T18:04:04Z

Name: Jason Corum

Hometown: Cleveland, Tenn.

Years Played in World Am: 6

Handicap: 14.5

Why do you play in the World Am?
The World Am is just a fun event. Where else can you compete with a few thousand friends in a game you love?

What is your most memorable story?
Ones I can tell on here?! I guess it would be the tropical storm a few years ago. I drove a 360-yard par 4 down wind and came up short on a 120-yard par three into the wind with a 4 iron. It was the toughest conditions I’ve ever played in.

What is your favorite part of the 19th Hole?
Getting together with the guys you’ve played with during the week and laughing at some of the shots you’ve seen.

What advice would you give a new player?
Just be ready to have some fun. If you don’t shoot a great round it’s not a big deal. I guarantee you will have fun one way or another.

Do you still get nervous before the tournament starts?
I get nervous on the first tee. The year I made the finals the announcer called out my name and there were around a hundred people standing around the tee, and I thought I was going to have a panic attack.

What do you most look forward to each year as the tournament approaches?
Getting to see the guys again. I have met people from all around the world and it’s fun to see them again.

Do you do anything special to prepare for the event?
Nope. I’ve not been able to play a lot of golf the last few years. Last year the swing on the first tee in the World Am was the first swing I had taken in four weeks. I didn’t even warm up that morning. I didn’t think it would help to much at that point. I thought it was going to work when I was one over after the first nine. The 14 I took on the last hole did me in though.

Why do you return to the event?
I wouldn’t miss it anymore. Just a great week away and a chance to hang out with the guys.

Tell us about the pre-World Am tournaments you run.
I run the Grande Dunes skins game on Saturday, August 28 and the Caledonia skins game on Sunday the 29th. They are two of the best courses at the beach. We always have over 100 World Am players get together and play a skins game before the World Am. It’s a great warm up and a chance to win a little skins money. Anyone interested can e-mail me at corumjason@yahoo.com and I’ll send you some info.

Why do people enjoy the Sunday events?
The skins games are a little more laid back than the World Am. You are really just going for birdies and hoping no one else makes one on your hole. There are a lot of laughs and good times back in the clubhouse and out on the course. There are probably a few more adult beverages consumed during these rounds than in World Am competition as well.

Is This Guy Sandbagging?

2010-06-24T15:51:43Z

poll by twiigs.com

When players file into the World’s Largest 19th Hole and look at score sheets, one of the primary factors in determining whether the handicap system is “working” is how far over or under par the flight leader is. It’s the natural response, given that we are conditioned to evaluate a score based on its relationship to par. But it’s also a mistake in handicap tournaments.

]]> In the above example, Player A likely wasn’t sandbagging. Player A’s scores were based on him playing a course with a rating of 66.6 and a slope of 113 all four days. Player A recorded net scores of 68, 68, 68, 65 for a cumulative total of 269. The easy thing to do is look at Player A’s 19 under par total and automatically assume he was sandbagging.

Based on the course rating and slope, Player A’s true differential in accumulating the 269 was 12.7. He only played to his handicap when he shot the 65 due to the relative ease of the course.

We will have much more on this aspect of understanding your handicap in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

Update: I'm amazed at the response to the question! I'm glad to see everyone engaged.

Couple things. This is a hypothetical situation. The example golfer likely isn't going to play four courses with a rating of 66 and a slope of 113. The question was designed to get your perception of how you approach evaluating handicaps as compared to how the USGA evaluates them. 2) If a player recorded those scores on a course that easy, their handicap differential would've exceeded their handicap index on three of four days. 3) We recognize this situation with these slopes and ratings aren't likely to occur. What we were attempting to do is determine how many of you evaluate a handicap based on a player's score as it relates to par, as opposed to using the tools the USGA handicap system does.

World Am Entries Surge

2010-06-24T15:41:04Z

What happens when you combine a new sponsor with world-wide name recognition, a great course lineup, and a slowly improving economy? A surge in interest in the Golf.com World Amateur Handicap Championship. The tournament is still two months away, but entries and interest in amateur golf’s coolest event are on the upswing.

Nearly 2,600 players have registered for the tournament to date, a 13 percent increase over the same time last year.

“We are pleased with the entry numbers but certainly not surprised,” said Dave Macpherson, the World Am’s tournament director. “The addition of Sports Illustrated Golf Group as our title sponsor has been a breath of fresh air for new and old players alike, and the economy, while far from ideal, is getting better.”

In addition to a SIGG joining the World Am team, the tournament enjoyed spectacular weather in 2009 and a couple significant format changes were very well received. The decision to make tournament check-in a two day process and giving players the option of checking in at different PGA Tour Superstore locations was a huge hit. Players were able to register with no wait time, and the two-day check in at the Superstore locations will return in 2010.

On the course, tournament officials opted to cut flight sizes in half to approximately 48 players and groups played as threesomes to speed the pace of play. Again, the reaction to both changes was overwhelmingly positive.

The reduction in flight size doubled the number of people who qualified to play in the World Championship Playoff, and the move to threesomes improved speed of play without infringing on the event’s camaraderie.

“The changes we made last year were very well received, and we will carry them over to this year,” Macpherson said. “We are constantly evaluating and tweaking things to provide the best tournament experience possible for players, and we will continue to improve.”

Parent-Child Championship Returns To Celebrate Family Bonds

2010-06-24T15:34:07Z

For many players, golf is a game that has its roots in family, having been passed down from generation to generation. Amid the competition and revelry that people flock to the Golf.com World Amateur Handicap Championship to enjoy, the game’s familial bonds will again be celebrated in Mark & Cory Lemke Parent-Child Championship.

The Parent-Child Championship, a 72-hole net stroke play event, is open to any combination of parent and child that participates in the World Am.

Originally named after Cory Lemke, the youngest flight winner in World Am history at the age of 15, who died in a 2006 motorcycle accident, the Parent-Child has again been touched by tragedy. Mark Lemke, Cory’s father, and a long time World Am participant, lost his fight with brain cancer on Feb. 6, 2010.

Upon Mark’s passing, World Am tournament officials added his name to the tournament’s title, honoring both father and son.

“It meant everything in the world having (the Parent-Child Championship) named after Cory,” said Brad Lemke, Mark’s uncle and Cory’s nephew. “Now that Mark is gone, I’m glad his name has been added.”

Brad and his son, Chad, will be making the trek to Myrtle Beach for this year’s tournament to man the Parent-Child Championship booth and keep alive the memory of Mark and Cory.

“I hope people get to enjoy the competition, playing with their son or daughter, and have a good time doing it,” Brad said. “Mark loved playing golf with Cory. When my brother passed, I promised I would keep it going.”

To register for the Mark & Cory Lemke Parent-Child Championship, click here.

Poll Question: Do You Use A Handheld GPS During Play

2010-06-23T14:35:17Z

poll by twiigs.com

Player Profile: Maggie Collins

2010-06-18T18:08:30Z

Player Name: Maggie Collins

Hometown: Greensboro, N.C.

Years Played: 6

Why do you play in the World Am?
I like the length of the event, I like meeting different people, and you pick up right where you left off (with friends from the tournament). I really look forward to seeing people I haven’t seen in a year and catching up about what is going on in their lives – new grandchildren, retirements. All I expect to do is have a good time. Everything else is a bonus.

What is your most memorable story?
My second year at the tournament, (Paula Morton) won a condo. We were behind the stage rooting for her. I really enjoyed seeing Annika (Sorenstam), and I wouldn’t have seen her otherwise. One year I modeled clothes when I was selected as a person that needed a makeover! That was a lot of fun.

What is your favorite part of the 19th Hole?
You get to see people you recognize on the course after they’ve cleaned up nice! I like to play the closest to the pin contest, and I usually win a gift certificate. I really like the entertainment. The drinks aren’t a big deal (to me) but the food is good.

What advice would you give a new player?
Enjoy the competition but don’t take it so seriously that you miss the point, which is meeting new people and enjoying the whole experience. It’s really rewarding to be at the event and if you win it’s a bonus.

Do you still get nervous?
Yes, I do on the first hole. I don’t want to humiliate myself! I just want to hit the ball off the tee.

You played in last year’s event while undergoing chemo therapy, how is your health heading into this year’s tournament?
My health is good, and I’m coming back to play. My hair is back but I didn’t care about that. Cancer isn’t a death sentence, it’s a life sentence. I took a Caribbean cruise in January with my best friend, and it’s a joy to play.

What did it mean to you to play in last year’s event?
It was everything. (Cancer) was bad but the tournament was a reminder of why I went through treatment , so I could be with friends and play (and enjoy life). I figured I could throw up in the woods as well as I could at home.

Player Profile: Joe Henneberry

2010-06-07T14:36:16Z

Player Name: Joe Henneberry

Hometown: Chilliwack British Columbia Canada

Years played: 1

Why do you play in the World Am?
My friend has played many years and talked highly about the event so I joined him last year.

What is your most memorable story?
The first round played and the magnitude of the event.

What is your favorite part of the 19th Hole?
The meeting of people and the demos.

What advice would you give a new player?
Play in the event and see what you are missing.

Do you still get nervous before the tournament starts?
No. I do not normally get nervous at tournaments.

What do you most look forward to each year as the tournament approaches?
The enjoyment of going to Myrtle Beach and participating.

Do you do anything special to prepare for the event?
No.

Why do you return to the event?
The enjoyment of playing with so many other golfers who I would not have met otherwise.

What Do Players Think of the World Am?

2010-05-28T20:00:59Z

Curious about what to expect at the World Am? We don’t blame you. Any tournament that attracts more than 3,000 people from across the globe to compete for a single prize is difficult to imagine. The best way to get a feel for any event is by talking to its participants, so without further ado, hear what World Am players had to say about the tournament.

World Am Player Enjoys Trip To Players Championship

2010-05-26T14:12:24Z

Michael Dodd was at the World’s Largest 19th Hole on the final night of the 2009 World Amateur, enjoying the end of the tournament as he always does. What Dodd missed in all the excitement was the announcement that he had won a trip to the 2010 Players Championship.

When Golf.com World Am officials sent the Wilmington, N.C., native documentation about winning the random drawing he was as surprised as anyone.

“I had no idea where it came from,” Dodd said of receiving notification of the trip. “Then I started putting two and two together (and realized it came from the World Am).”

The result was a dream week at The Players and TPC – Sawgrass for the self described golf nut. Dodd and his wife flew into Jacksonville the weekend before the tournament started – the World Am covered everything but meals – to soak up the entire experience. There was little the couple didn’t do.

]]> They traversed the grounds at Sawgrass with their camera in hand Monday through Wednesday, snapping pictures and watching the game’s best up-close during practice rounds. They wisely went into the pro shop and asked how best to get around the course and where the best vantage points to view the tournament were.

The Dodds even picked up an odd job at the event. They helped a vendor put batteries in portable radios in exchange for a little cash and a pair of radios, allowing the duo to listen to XM radio’s broadcast of the event.

“That’s a (heckuva) a party down there, let me tell you,” Dodd said. “Overall experience, I’d rate it, if you are a golf freak like me, an 8 or 9. The only reason it’s not a 10 is that the weather didn’t cooperate.”

The weather Dodd experienced was ideal in many ways, but there wasn’t much wind, taking some of the edge off the famed island green 17th hole. Only 42 balls got wet on the 17th, a number that was too low for Dodd’s liking.

Dodd, who will be playing in his 8th World Am this year, enjoyed watching the greatest players in the world from the front row. At various times he walked with Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk, Kenny Perry and Phil Mickelson and came away more than a little impressed.

“Just being there in person to see what is really going on (was a highlight),” he said. “People don’t have a good concept for how far or how accurate (the pros) hit it.”

South African Tim Clark secured his first PGA Tour win at the Players, but early in the weekend most of the buzz surrounded Woods’ withdraw from the tournament with a neck injury, and Dodd was on the scene. Some questioned the severity of Woods’ injury, which ended his tournament on the seventh hole, but Dodd isn’t joining the chorus of doubters.

He was following Woods at the time and there is no doubt in his mind that the world’s number one golfer was suffering from an ailment of some sort.

“The last three strokes (Woods) stuck’em in the ground,” Dodd said. “It just wasn’t his normal swing. I was probably 15 feet away when he told Stevie Williams, his caddy, ‘I’ve had enough.’ I heard him say he had a neck problem and he needed a cart.”

Throw in a Tim McGraw concert Wednesday night on the 18th hole at Sawgrass as part of a Military Appreciation event and a visit to the World Golf Hall of Fame, and Dodd enjoyed a trip he won’t soon forget.

“It was a true golfer’s holiday,” he said.

This year one lucky World Am player will win a trip to a 2011 major. Will it be you?

Player Profile: Paul Ciancanelli

2010-05-14T01:37:54Z

Hometown: DeMotte, Indiana

Years played: 26

Why do you play in the World Am? I had never played tournament golf before, so I figured this was a good one to try. After that first year I was hooked. Met great people and had great fun. Now, it's become a yearly tradition. I can't break my streak and my motivation is that one year I just might win.

What is your most memorable story? The third year of the tournament I met three people that I have become great friends with, Gordon Knight, Marshall Taylor and Billy Graham. Gordon was in my foursome. On our first hole I hit my ball into the water next to the green. Half of the ball was showing and I decided to play it out. Wearing all white, I took a swing. Water and mud got all over me! The ball landed in a clump of mud, right next to the hole! Gordon, yelled, he's a player! (We were given "player" buttons to wear!).

What is your favorite part of the 19th Hole? Over the years the 19th hole changed a lot. There were tons of vendors from vacations to recliners! Meeting up with friends and telling our war stories of the day on the course! Testing the clubs from all the manufacturers is always fun!

]]> What advice would you give a new player? We are all the same, we are not pros, we're here to have fun and enjoy ourselves! So relax and try to play the game you play at home!
Do you still get nervous before the tournament starts? Yes, very nervous till I hit that first shot! Then I'm better!

What do you most look forward to each year as the tournament approaches? I start thinking of the next tournament right after the last one ends. Seeing the friends I've made that return as I do! And seeing what is new again for us! I'm looking forward this year to the new sponsorship and changes they'll make!

Do you do anything special to prepare for the event? About two months before the tournament I try to hit balls and more balls to practice on what I don't do well! That means everything but putting! That's my best part of my game!