Golfing Good Against Dementia and Alzheimer

Depending on your age, here is one reason to get yourself or your older golfing relatives out to the golf links:

Lisa M. Krieger reports that playing golf or even hitting balls at the driving range is good against dementia and Alzheimer at Golfing reawakens some of dementia's muscle memories

Tiger Woods Makes Cut at CordeValle Frys.com Open and Shows Improvement

Jeff Rude writes at GolfWeek.com that Tiger shows glimpses of his old self, via The Huffington Post at Tiger Woods At Frys.com Open: Round 2 Improvements Help Woods Make Cut

He broke the course record in training at CordeValle  by shooting a 62, so there is no doubt that Woods has his golf game back, but  it is the mental part -- playing in competition again and getting his old golf self back in front of the galleries, not all of whom are as partial to him as they once were -- that still needs improvement, and that will take a while.

Essentially, Tiger needs a win to get back on track, but he won't win until he gets back on track mentally. That is always the double-edged sword. When Tiger starts having fun out on the golf course again in spite of occasional boos and signs of ill will, then he will win. After all, golfing is not about galleries, it is about golf.

CordeValle: Luxury Golf Getaway and Spa in Calilfornia

We looked at this golf spa in California as the upcoming site of the Frys.com Open, at which Tiger Woods plans to play.

We definitely like this place.

See:

CordeValle, A Rosewood Resort | Wine Country Hotels where they write:

"SAN MARTIN, CALIFORNIA - Located in the foothills of Northern California's Santa Cruz Mountains, CordeValle is a secluded luxury resort in an extraordinary setting south of San Jose and north of the Monterey Peninsula. Infused with country club charm and superb amenities including tennis, a luxury spa, Clos La Chance winery and vineyard, and a 7,169-yard championship golf course by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., the 45-room resort is a sanctuary in perfect harmony with its natural surroundings."

Take a look at their website.

Tiger Woods at Frys.com Open October 6-9 2011 at CordeValle, California

Ryan Ballengee reports at NBC Sports ProGolfTalk that Tiger Woods to play in Frys.com Open at CordeValle in California October 6-9, 2011.

Nicklaus on Golf Tiger Woods 2016 Olympics Golfing and the State of the Economy

Kelly Olsen of the Associated Press has a superb golfing article titled Nicklaus: Tiger can still win 18 or more majors which covers not only the future of Tiger Woods -- Jack has remained a fan -- but also discusses the building of a course for the 2016 Olympics (we suggest each hole be designed by a different golfer or golfing duo -- that would give the golf course added flair!) and the deleterious effect of the bad economy on golf and golfers.

Hip Rotation Initiates Downswing: Pro Golfers Swing Differently than Amateurs: Stanford School of Medicine Study Shows Biomechanical Differences

Jessica Rose, PhD, and a team of researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have obtained valuable new insights on the golf swing. As John Sanford writes:

"For the first time, several key rotational-biomechanic elements of the golf stroke in its entirety, from backswing to follow-through, were analyzed, and then the data were used to generate benchmark curves, said Jessica Rose, PhD, associate professor of orthopaedic surgery and senior author of the study."

The medical object of the study was of course to study golf-induced injuries by studying swing fundamentals. It was found that pros do in fact swing differently than amateurs:

"Researchers analyzed several biomechanical elements of subjects’ golf swings, including S-factor (tilt of the shoulders), O-factor (tilt of the hips) and X-factor — the relative rotation of the hips to the shoulders, measured in degrees — which is considered key to power generation. Previous research has shown that pro golfers who hit the ball far generally have a larger peak X-factor than their peers, but this study is more extensive in that it considers X-factor in relation to other rotational biomechanics of the golf swing over the full duration of the motion."

Of immense use to all golfers, pro or amateur, and immensely valuable to teaching professionals, the study found for the first time scientifically that it is hip rotation that initiates the downswing:

"Conrad Ray, the Knowles Family Director of Men’s Golf at Stanford University and a co-author of the study, said the findings give scientific backing to the elements of golf-swing form that professionals have long understood are vital for generating power. The study also helps to clarify some unresolved questions about golf-swing biomechanics, Ray said. “One question that always comes from students is, ‘What starts the downswing?’” he said. “People have had different answers. Some would say the hands, or others would say the shoulders or the lower body. But the study confirms that rotation of the hips initiates the downswing. So that, to me, is an interesting finding.”"

Caddy Steve Williams Leaves Tiger Woods and Caddies Adam Scott to U.S. Open Title

It's the Caddy, Daddy! Forget all that expensive golf equipment and all those expensive golf lessons. Invest your money in the right caddy.

Caddy Williams leaves Tiger Woods and caddies Adam Scott to U.S. Open Title