IN A MAJOR coup, Greg Norman has agreed to play in the next three Australian Open championships in Sydney.

Australia’s greatest ever golfer will head the field in the 2009 Australian Open to be played at the NSW Golf Club at La Perouse from December 3 to 6.

The 54 year old can expect to draw huge galleries to the event and the move will go some way to answering the signing of Tiger Woods for the Australian Masters in Melbourne. But both appearances will mean a big boost for the public profile for golf in Australia.

Norman, a five-time winner of the Australian Open Stonehaven Cup,  has a well known love affair with the spectacular NSW Golf Club links course.

The course was recently ranked as the number one in Australia and is the only non-British course in the World’s Top 10 golf courses outside the USA. (As ranked by US Golf Digest)

Norman has committed to play the next three Australian Open Championships held in Sydney with the 2010 Championship set down for the re-modelled layout at The Lakes.

“I look forward to returning to Sydney to play the AO this December,” Norman said.

“I’m particularly pleased that Golf Australia have selected the NSW Golf Club as the venue. Not only is the venue a favourite amongst the players it will provide an excellent backdrop for showcasing Sydney and NSW as an extraordinary golf destination.” he said.

Norman has also been announced as anambassador for Tourism NSW by the NSW Government

NSW Premier Nathan Rees said: “Greg has won more tournaments in Sydney than any other city in the world. No Australian sportsman is held in higher regard internationally and he will bring tens of thousands of spectators through the gates over the four days of the Championship.”

Norman and wife Chris Evert were in Sydney for the announcement following a few days in Melbourne giving support to victims of the Black Saturday bushfires.

By Trent Malcolm

HAVE you ever noticed how often golf coaches talk about the importance of good posture in a golf swing?

Good posture is also very important in reducing the likelihood of injury, particularly to your back and neck.

Unfortunately for many people, their general lifestyle and/or line of work lend themselves toward poor posture, with too many hours spent sitting down, either watching television, working on a computer or driving a car.

Whilst some postural deterioration is expected with age, there are a number of exercises and stretches that can help rectify poor posture, which will improve your body for golf (and life).

Increased curvature of your low and middle back and rounded shoulders are all common postures that may contribute negatively to your swing mechanics (and increase potential for injury) and if unaddressed, over time can become very difficult to improve.

1. Increased forward tilt of your pelvis

This increases the curve of your lower back placing added stress on your spine and surrounding tissues.  This added stress can create tightness and some restriction of pelvic movement, which is essential for good swing mechanics.

You can test this yourself by standing with your heels, buttocks, back and head against a wall.

Place your hand in the space between the wall and your lower back; you should be able to get your fingers and about half of your hand into the space. Any more than this and your pelvis is probably tilted too far forward.

[A side note…if you are carrying excess body fat around your stomach this will likely add to the stress on your lower back and compound the problem].

An effective strength exercise for this posture is shown in Figure 1.

Starting with your knees bent at 90 degrees and your thighs pointing skyward, pull your knees in toward your chest to lift your buttocks 5 to 10 cm off the ground (Figure 1). Pause for a second then slowly lower your legs back to the starting position.

Commonly, with this type of posture, golfers have tight hip flexors (muscles around the top of the thighs).  We need to stretch these out and Figure 2 demonstrates this effectively.  Use your buttocks to push your pelvis forward and try and straighten your trailing leg by pushing your heel back.  Maintain a tall upper body position and hold onto a chair for balance if you are a little shaky.  

Hold this stretch position for about 20 seconds.

2. Increased curvature of the middle back (kyphosis)

Increased rounding of the middle back places strain on the muscles and connective tissue around this area and can significantly limit your ability to rotate in the golf swing.

If you found it difficult to touch your head against the wall in the previous test, without lifting your chin up, there is a good chance you are too rounded through your thoracic spine.

Essentially we need to reverse this curve by stretching your spine in the opposite direction and increasing the strength of your back muscles surrounding this spinal segment.

To address this, lie on your stomach with your palms turned down.  Softly draw your stomach in and raise your chest off the mat, keeping your chin tucked in throughout the movement.

Roll your shoulders back and down at the end position (Figure 3).

Now lie on your stomach and slowly push off with your arms to bend your spine backwards.  Ensure your lower back muscles are relaxed, your chin is tucked in and your shoulders are down throughout the movement (Figure 4).

Caution: avoid over extending the lower back, as per Figure 4.

3.  Rounded shoulders

If you found it difficult to get your shoulders back against the wall in the previous test it is likely your shoulders are too rounded.

This goes hand in glove with increased curvature of the middle back (kyphosis), and is typified by tight chest and shoulder muscles and/or weak back muscles. 

Rounded shoulders can be linked to poor shoulder rotation and an arm-dominated swing. Figure 3 also demonstrates one way to increase the strength around your shoulder blades.

Stretching your chest and shoulders will also help. 

In the position shown in Figure 5, ensure your hand is well behind your body and feel as though you are rotating your shoulders away from your hand i.e. your left hand is in a doorway, and your shoulders are turning to the right to increase the stretch.

Despite your age and level of postural deterioration, a commitment to the stretches and exercises just outlined could be enough to improve your swing mechanics (and your health and well being).  This is the “THE POWER OF POSTURE!”

Trent Malcolm is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, specialising in golf-specific strength and conditioning.

Visit Active One Golf for more information on the importance of golf-specific exercise 

Before commencing any conditioning program it is recommended you consult a Medical or Allied Health Professional

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Are Your Fit For Golf? - By Trent Malcolm

THE Australian golf industry has taken its case to Canberra in a bid to put itself further before the political spotlight.

Industry representatives wanted to impress on Canberra the contribution golf makes to the nation, both economically and otherwise.

Federal Minister for Sport Kate Ellis and Richard Marles, Parliamentary Secretary for innovation and Industry, welcomed delegates from the Australian Golf Industry Council (AGIC) for a series of meetings with a range of MPs.

Kate Ellis got into the swing of things with a golf lesson on the lawns of Parliament House from PGA professional Jake Nagle, grandson of Australian great Kel.

“Golf is incredibly important to the Australian government,” Ms Ellis said.

“In terms of reaching government objectives, it is (the government’s) objective to have a healthy community. It is our objective to have a strong economy. It is our objective to have well supported and well operating large industries. It is our objective to boost tourism and to do a whole range of things that golf- out there as a silent achiever- is already doing. And today is about recognising that.”

Max Garske, CEO of the PGA of Australia added, “golf is an extremely diverse industry and we cut across so many portfolios including trade, international affairs and a whole range of areas so today is really about working out how we can further leverage our sport.”

Throughout today AGIC delegates met with a range of Ministers and their representatives covering a diversity of portfolios including Regional Development, Trade, Women, Tourism and the Environment.

At the forefront of priorities for the delegation is conveying the substantial value of the Australian Golf Industry that directly employs 23,000 Australians and contributes $2.7 billion to the national annual economy.

NOTHING could be finer for South Carolina’s Lucas Glover than his stunning victory in the 2009 US Open.

The unheralded 29 year old had only won one PGA Tour victory and took a week off the secondary Nationwide Tour in his successful attempt to qualify for the open.

Glover held on to finish at four under, leaving the trio of Phil Mickelson, David Duval and Ricky Barnes at two under.

Glover left it till the final round of the week to have his one and only three putt, but in the end he only needed to bogey the final hole to win after Barnes missed his birdie putt. Glover gratefully knocked it in for a par.

“It was a test of patience. It was tough,” Glover said later, cracking probably his first smile of the day. He wasn’t the only one doing it tough.

Barnes, who at one stage led the tournament with 12 under, posted a string of bogies during the final round but was still in with a rough chance on the final hole.

Crazy Phil Mickelson had a back nine charge, taking the joint lead with an eagle, but bogies on 16 and 17 saw him take the dubious honour of having the record for the most number of Open runner-up finishes. He now has five and leaves a distinctive list of golfing greats on four.

Mickelson was the clear crowd favourite and it looked for some time it would be a fairytale win, considering both his history at the tournament and his wife’s health issues.

Tiger Woods had his chances also, but the birdie putts just weren’t dropping for the great one.

In his first Open, Michael Sim was the best of the Australians and further added to his quickly growing reputation. He finished at four over tied for 18th. He needed to finish in the top 15 to guarantee a place next year, but the way his talent and composure has developed that shouldn’t be a problem.

Adam Scott failed to capitalise on his early success and finished on eight over, probably not too disappointing considering his indifferent form coming into the championship.

The only other Australian to make the cut, 2006 Champion Geoff Ogilvy, will be disappointed with his 12 over.

FORGET our previous story, regional Australians (and all those without ONE HD access) will once again be stiffed by Channel 10 and the Southern Cross regional network and they will not be getting full coverage of the Final Round of the 2009 US Open, which begins around 11pm Monday Sydney time tonight.

Channel 10 Network television and the Southern Cross Network will be broadcasting a portion of the final round from 12.10am Tuesday till 2.30 am.

Those able to get ONE HD or SD will get the broadcast from 11pm Monday till a forecast 5.15 am.

There must be some good reason why Network 10 needs to show (a probably out of date) David Letterman show. You never know with this show whether it’s a recent show or if George Bush will still be president.

At 12.10 am there will be golf – just enough of the final round to wet the appetite before, at 2.30am they switch over to the very necessary broadcast of a canned US religious show.

We suggested to Channel 10 that a lot of people might have sudden conversions at 2.30 when they realise the broadcast is being terminated.

Just switch over to ONE HD, they helpfully suggested.

The problem is, 5.7 million Australians can’t get it at all yet and not everyone has the digital equipment.

But then, why should Channel 10 give a shit about their loyal viewers.

(Update: In the end, the 10 network did broadcast the final till the last ball around 3.35am. If that was the original plan, why couldn’t they have had that information on hand for callers to the station. Maybe it just wasn’t the original plan. It certainly made the viewing even more compelling over the final four or five holes, thinking that at any moment the broadcast might end. Fortunately, we are now more aware of resources such as justin.tv, where you can get live sports and other events streamed live on the internet. Not alway the best solution, but with faster broadband becoming more available, people will no longer be at the whim of television networks who get the rights to important events and then only half-heartedly broadcast patches of them.)

Previous Story

REGIONAL Australians can rest easy with Channel 10 confirming it will broadcast the US Open Golf on its normal free to air service.

Golfers were understandably nervous that 10 would stick the Open on One HD, a service still unavailable to all those on the Southern Cross 10 network.

The SC10 “regional” network covers such out of the way places as Canberra (still apparently the national capital), Newcastle and Wollongong and all together there are a potential 5.7 million people in the viewing area waiting for the network to get its act together with the One Sports channel they continue to see touted.

A call to Channel 10 in Sydney confirmed the free to air broadcast on both Network 10 and One HD for the four days of the tournament beginning on June 19.

Those fortunate enough to have both the right digital equipment and be resident in metropolitan areas will be able to catch the action on HD.

Broadcast Times

The 2009 US OPEN to be televised LIVE on Network Ten and Ten’s ONE HD digital channel with more than 24 hours of live telecasts from Friday to Monday. The telecast will be shown on Friday and Saturday from 3am to 9am in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, 2:30am to 8:30am in Adelaide and 1am to 7am in Perth. Sunday’s coverage will air from 4am

to 10am in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, 3:30am to 9:30am in Adelaide and from 2am to 8am in Perth. The final round will be shown live Monday from 3:30am to 9:30am in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane,

3am to 9am in Adelaide and 1:30am to 7:30am in Perth.  Times are the same for both Ten and ONE HD.

EARLY tearaway leader Ricky Barnes had dropped a couple of strokes but Australia’s Michael Sim had faired little better as partial final rounds of the US Open were halted due to poor light.

Americans Barnes and Lucas Glover were at seven under after just one final round hole, with a resurgent Phil Mickelson looming behind at minus two.

Sim is paired with Tiger Woods (sitting on Even after seven holes) and both he and Adam Scott (9 holes completed) are at four over. Australian television coverage will recommence early Tuesday morning. Live Leaderboard below.

Day 2 & 3

ADAM SCOTT was sitting at two under par and was the surprise leading Australian midway through his US Open second round when the second day’s play was suspended as darkness fell.

Turning around recent poor form, Scott was in a tie for sixth place, four shots behind the leader, American Lucas Glover, who overtook Canada’s Mike Weir.

Scott was one of a number of competitors playing virtual back to back rounds after rain affected the first day. They had by far the best of conditions over others, including Tiger Woods, who will begin his second round overnight Australian time on four over.

MICHAEL SIM and 2006 champion Geoff Ogilvy were the leading Australians when heavy rain brought the first round of the 2009 US Open Golf to a premature end at Bethpage Black.

Half the field, including five Australians, had not teed off when play was halted and no one had made it past their 11th hole.

Sim and Ogilvy were one over par and two strokes behind the joint leaders after seven and five holes respectively.

Sim, continuing his great Nationwide Tour form, birdied his 5th hole and shared the lead but bogeyed his 6th and 7th holes (He started on the 10th. Ogilvy bogeyed the 12th.

Defending champion Tiger Woods was among the players to start his first round and had reached the seventh when the siren went to suspend play.

Woods was one-over-par - two behind four co-leaders, Johan Edfors, Andrew Parr, Ryan Spears and Jeff Brehaut - and headed for the clubhouse with a 10-foot putt for par on the green.

Robert Allenby (through seven) and Rod Pampling (four) sat at two over when officials decided at 2pm to abandon play.

The first round is due to resume at 7.30am local time on Friday.

With rain expected to continue into Friday - and Saturday promising a deluge equal to Thursday’s - Mike Davis, the USGA senior director of rules and competitions, said a Monday (Tuesday Australia) finish was looking a distinct possibility as the body would not contemplate deciding the champion in fewer than 72 holes.

“It’s only going to get worse but we will see what happens,” Englishman Paul Casey said of the weather forecast.

“You are certainly going to have to strike the ball very well but it’s going to be the guy who keeps his head this week.”

Preview

GEOFF OGILVY will lead a 12 strong Australasian contingent that includes four players making their debut when the 2009 US OPEN Championship begins at Bethpage State Park in New York Friday morning Australian time.

World number five Ogilvy, along with New Zealand’s Michael Campbell are former champions who will be vying for another shot at the title after winning the event in consecutive years. Campbell’s 2005 victory at Pinehurst over a stellar field, in particular holding out the challenge from Tiger Woods, will go down in the record books as one of the more remarkable wins in US Open history, while Ogilvy proved he had the mettle to outlast his then more fancied rivals Phil Mickelson and Colin Montgomerie to claim victory a year later, ending an 11 year drought for the Australians at the Majors.

The pair head to Bethpage State Park alongside four newcomers to the Major’s scene, including Australians James Nitties, Michael Sim and Matthew Jones as well as New Zealander Doug Batty. All four qualified for the event through sectional qualifying.

In contrast 38 year old Stuart Appleby, making his 13th appearance, is the most experienced of the Aussie group.

The 2009 US Open Championship will be the 109th edition, and will be the second U.S. Open played at Bethpage Black; the first was won by Tiger Woods in 2002.

The Australasian Field of 12 is: Steve Allan, Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Doug Batty (NZL), Michael Campbell (NZL), Matt Jones, James Nitties, Geoff Ogilvy, Rod Pampling, Adam Scott, Michael Sim and David Smail (NZL).

Last year Ogilvy finished the best of the Australasians on four-over par, five shots behind Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate in a tie for ninth. Woods eventually won the 18 hole playoff event.

Australian Television Broadcast Times

The US OPEN to be televised LIVE on Network Ten and Ten’s ONE HD digital channel with more than 24 hours of live telecasts from Friday to Monday. The telecast will be shown on Friday and Saturday from 3am to 9am in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, 2:30am to 8:30am in Adelaide and 1am to 7am in Perth. Sunday’s coverage will air from 4am to 10am in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, 3:30am to 9:30am in Adelaide and from 2am to 8am in Perth. The final round will be shown live Monday from 3:30am to 9:30am in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, 3am to 9am in Adelaide and 1:30am to 7:30am in Perth.  Times are the same for both Ten and ONE HD.

Photo: Fred Vuich.

This heavily bunkered green, large grandstands and lots of New York noise awaits US Open competitors on the par 3, 207 yard 17th at Bethpage Black.

US Open reports

THE Australian Golf Industry Council (AGIC) is requesting the help of golf clubs nationally for an innovative data research project that aims to help the industry ‘stay ahead of the game.’

The new national research project is reliant on the collection of monthly round data from clubs across Australia so that industry trends can be tracked and reported regularly for the benefit of the entire industry.

The research project will be delivered by Golf Australia in conjunction with Golf Link Partners, on behalf of the AGIC, with the AGIC Research Group overseeing the project.

With over 1200 clubs currently using Golf Link, individual competition round data is already available nationally, however other competition rounds (for example: Foursomes/Match Play etc) and noncompetition/ social rounds,) have never before been collected at such regular intervals. Utilising the Golf Link system these rounds will now also be calculated, with all courses, including those not using the Golf Link system, invited to be part of the project.

An AGIC statement on the research project reads:

“The AGIC is aware that many golf clubs across Australia already collect information regarding rounds played at the club and this is analysed at management and Board levels regularly.”

“We now wish to activate the collection and reporting of both competition and non-competition round data on an industry wide basis with reports generated and distributed quarterly to the entire industry.”

“This is a critically important project and is highly valued by all member organisations of the AGIC – but we need your support to make it a success.”

Golf Australia is currently building the data mechanism, (through Golf Link software,) so participating clubs can generate their own reports and benchmark against other clubs nationally, within a state/region or against other “like clubs” as a cluster. No individual club will be identified in the reports which will be available to participating clubs in an electronic format.

The AGIC will soon release further details on the project which is scheduled to commence in July 2009. Further details about the AGIC are available at www.agic.org.au

IT CERTAINLY took some doing, but Port Kembla’s Rod Hall has finally taken out the NSW Veteran Matchplay Championship.

Hall was beaten by a whisker on the 18th hole in last year’s final and today it took him till the 22nd hole to topple Canberra’s Joe Marumo.

There was never more than one stroke difference throughout the match and in a golf format that can be nerve wracking at the best of times, Hall called on some 50 years of golfing experience to retain his composure.

“It can be pretty nerve wracking but I guess you just call on all the things you have done in the past and trust your ability, that’s all. Just trust your swing and go from there,” a delighted Hall said later.

“You are always disappointed when you get beaten on the last but that’s the way it goes. You’ve got to take the good with the bad. This year it just happened to be my turn.”

The fourth and final round of the matchplay event, which included four men’s divisions and two ladies divisions, was played in near perfect sunny conditions at the Shellharbour Links course.

It was a far cry from the first two days of the tournament when sometimes gale force icy winds lashed competitors (see reports below).

“I’m pretty happy. Its always good to be a winner but when you consider what we have gone through all week it is more of a challenge to be still standing at the end of the week,” Hall said.

Hall took up golf as a 12 year old when the local milkman’s son in his home town of Windang suggested “we’ll go up the golf course with dad one afternoon.”

‘The pro up there (at Port Kembla where he has been a member for 49 years) got a few of us together, he used to give us lessons on a Friday afternoon, and it just developed from there,” Hall said of his golfing career.

He went on to have a plus one handicap in his late teens, be a junior and senior NSW state representative, win 13 club championships, the state Champion of Champions title, and a host of other wins.

The 62 year old will be itching to get back next year to defend his title.

‘It’s a good event, I enjoyed it last year. It’s very well organised. Dick (Farrant) does a great job of organising it.”

His final round opponent, Joe Marumo, from the Federal Golf Club, is also highly likely to be back.

Marumo has only recently qualified for the vets (aged 55 plus) and took a week off his job as a Canberra teacher to take part in the tournament.

He needed to win the 18th hole to keep the match alive. Taking Hall to another four sudden death holes should be more than enough to inspire his return.

Ladies Winner “Over the Moon”

QUEENSLANDER Lyn Morrison said she felt “over the moon” to take out the NSWVGA Matchplay Women’s Division One title.

It was a sterling effort from Lyn, from Coolangatta & Tweed Heads Golf Club, who was by far the lowest marker in the field and perhaps the one most feeling the earlier icy conditions.

“I was over the moon. It was quite a thrill. To give 15 shots away to win is a bit of a battle, but I really enjoyed it,” Lyn said.

Lyn beat Joan Hartmann from the Wakehurst Golf Club in Sydney 3/2.

“I was lucky, I got three up straight away and it was enough to hold her,” Lyn said.

“She had the opportunity to get back because I had to give away quite a lot of shots. She played really nicely.”

In the end, Lyn finished the 16th with the three hole advantage she had established early on.

Lyn took up golf some 30 years ago because she was “sick of (husband) Dave being away and I did it to join him”.

Having been involved in lots of other sports including tennis, indoor cricket and athletics, she took to it like a duck to water.

“I enjoyed it immediately,” she said. “I started on 36 and in 9 months I was on a 13 handicap and then the following year I got to 10 and I’ve been as low as four. But in my last 2 years I have gone out to 12. I used to average six or seven but the grandchildren have taken priority.’

Lyn said she loved the Illawarra area where the week long tournament was staged, but with her Queensland heritage she wasn’t that impressed with the icy conditions that had gripped the southern states.

“I really struggled with the cold weather, it just about killed me. I am just not used to it, I was freezing. I have split fingernails and split skin from the cold. It was cold for everyone I suppose but being Cairns born and bred I am just not used to it,” she said.

In the Women’s Division 2, Janina Aird from Branxton defeated Margaret Cole from Port Kembla 2 up.

Round 3

AFTER two days of freezing winds the third round of the NSW Veteran Matchplay Championship took place in comparatively balmy conditions at the Port Kembla Golf Club on Thursday.

Last year’s runner up and Port Kembla member Ron Hall continued his run for the 2009 championship title with a 2/1 win over Camden’s Joe Smuk.

Hall will face off against Canberra’s Joe Marumo (Federal), who convincingly beat Steve Mikosic from the Shoalhaven Heads club.

Much better conditions are forecast for the final round at Shellharbour Links on Friday.

The week long matchplay event, with a number of mens and ladies divisions, is not a knockout and all entrants will play a fellow competitor with the same win/loss ratio on the final day.

Round 1 & 2

ICY winds saw many competitors looking more like skiers than golfers but after two rounds of the NSW Veteran Matchplay Championships in the Illawarra spirits were still high.

Men and lady golfers from some 40 clubs and from as far afield as Cranbourne and Rich River, Victoria and Coolangatta Tweed, Queensland, were taking part in the week long event.

In the top Men’s scratch championship division last year’s runner up Ron Hall had recorded two wins and was still alive as the event moved into the third day at his home club Port Kembla.

Others unbeaten in the top division included Joe Smuk from Camden, Joe Marumo (Federal) and Steve Mikosic (Shoalhaven Heads).

This is the second year the event is being held in the Illawarra.

The first two rounds were played at Shellharbour Links and The Grange at Kembla Grange.

The fourth and final round will be at the much improved Shellharbour Links course and competitors are hoping that forecasts predicting a respite from the strong winds that have gripped much of the state are correct.

For full results see the NSWVGA website here

More final day photos to come.

[Show as slideshow]

THE Tiger Woods factor is proving to be a major drawcard for this year’s Australian Masters golf with ticket sales for the final day of the four-day event selling fast.

Victorian Sports Minister James Merlino said more than 70 per cent of the Sunday general admission tickets had been snapped up after four hours on sale, and prime grandstand seating on the 18th green had sold out.

The number of general admission tickets available has been capped at 20,000 a day to keep crowd conditions manageable for spectators and organisers.

Final day tickets are $49 with the lead up days $44. They went on sale at noon on Thrusday.

Mr Merlino said many golf fans were also keen to see the four days of the event and more than 70 per cent of season passes, priced at $169, had also been sold.

“Tiger Woods is the world’s best athlete and first-day ticket sales have proven that golf fans are very excited about seeing the World Number One in Melbourne,” Mr Merlino said.

“If today’s (first day) ticket sales are anything to go by, I’m confident we will see more than 70,000 spectators through the gates at this year’s Masters.

“Five of Australia’s top 10 golf courses are situated in Melbourne’s sandbelt and these courses are recognised as some of the finest in the world.

“What better a place to see the best in the game and home grown World Number Five Geoff Ogilvy on show than our iconic sandbelt.”

The Australian Masters will be held at Melbourne’s Kingston Heath Golf Club from 12-15 November.

Tickets are available through Ticketek on 132 849, at www.ticketek.com.au or by visiting any Ticketek outlet. Travel Packages are available through Event Travel Office and via the Australian Masters website or by calling 1300 300 756.  Australian Masters website.

Australian Masters Tickets Surge