Jason Dufner Finishes T3 at The JBWere Masters in Australia

GolfGym and Coach Joey D offer congratulations to Jason Dufner on his T3 finish at the 2009 JBWere Masters in Melbourne, Australia. Jason shot a 10-under 278 to secure his T3 position.

He is one of several Tour Players who have made a commitment to improving their games by working with Coach Joey D, an elite biomechanics, strength and conditioning coach on the PGA Tour and using GolfGym training products every day as part of their golf fitness programs.

“I couldn't be more proud of the run Jason has had this year,” said Coach Joey D. “He's a student of the game and his swing is so Sam Snead-esque right now, it's scary. The ability has always been there. He's now married that with a quiet confidence as well as a full on commitment to getting his body right. The fact that he's no longer chasing his Tour card, I believe we'll still see some amazing things out of him down the stretch this season.”

“Congratulations to Jason on an incredible week at the JBWere Masters,” said Ken Pierce, President of GolfGym. “He played consistently and finished only 4 shots back from the winner, Tiger Woods. He’s been playing great this whole year and I think we need to keep an eye out for him in the 2010 season.”

Easy To Do, Easy Not To Do

Almost every morning I go the local 24hour Fitness facility and walk about 3 miles on the treadmill, do a little weight training and some golf specific exercises with our PowerSwing Trainer. I know it’s better to walk outside in the fresh air watching the birds and embracing nature but, for me at 4am, it’s really dark and nature is still sleeping.

While I walk I utilize one of the greatest inventions of my lifetime…the IPOD. I used to lug around that old CD player or Walkman with audio tapes. Audio tapes…what’s that, some of the younger readers are asking. Anyway, I will sometimes listen to music, but mostly I listen to motivating or inspirational speakers to get myself pumped up for the day and more importantly to learn something new.

I just finished an audio book written by Jeff Olson called, The Slight Edge. Jeff Olson is a successful entrepreneur, expert in personal development and motivational speaker. His basic theory in the book is that the choices we make throughout the day, and we make thousands of them, are either working toward our goal or away from it.

He theorizes that the choices we make are Easy to Do and Easy Not to Do and that, over time, our actions accumulate either positively or negatively. An example is going to the gym every day, or at least 3 days a week. It is easy to do and it is also easy not to do. If you choose to go to the gym one day to start your workout program, will you walk out built like Tiger Woods that day? No. As a matter of fact, except for feeling pretty good, you probably won’t notice any difference at all that day. If you don’t go to the gym to begin your program will you turn into a couch potato that day? No. You probably won’t notice any difference on that day either. But, if you do go to the gym every other day and stick with your program for a month, the cumulative affect will be noticeable and you will definitely see results. If you never go back to the gym, you will see the opposite results. The same goes for healthy eating habits. You can choose to eat nutritious food on a regular basis or you can choose to have your own personal booth at Mickie D’s. You will either get healthier or start to put the stress test on the seams of your pants.

So, how does this relate to golf and fitness? Well, let’s take warming up at the course before you play for an example. How many of you reading this actually warm up your body before swinging your clubs? Raise your hands. I don’t see very many hands. But seriously, this is a perfect example of Easy to Do and Easy Not to Do. Warming up before every round will have a cumulative affect on your body and your mind, and it is easy to do. Adding in some golf specific exercises every other day or so will have a beneficial affect as well. Start with some exercises that you can stick with and are easy to do. Make a decision to walk instead of ride a cart every other round. Swing a weighted club on a regular basis. Strengthen your core muscles on a balance/fitness ball. Walk 3 miles on a treadmill at 4am when it’s dark outside while listening to your IPOD. This magazine is full of easy exercises that will jump start your program and routine. Heck, you can buy a one of our PowerSwing Trainers and carry it with you everywhere you go (shameless plug).

If you are reading this post, which you are, and you love playing golf, which you do, then make a promise to yourself that you will make decisions that have a cumulative, compounding, positive affect on your game and your life. Easy to Do and Easy Not to Do….it’s your choice.

This has been a public service announcement from the GolfGym Guy. Hey, that was easy to do!!!!!

Building Lower Body Stability

Lower body stability is critical if you want to develop a balanced and consistent golf swing. The pictures below show some easy exercises using our PowerStance Loop. If you don't have a loop, you can use any type of bands that add resistance. (please excuse the messy hair...it's 4:30 am in the gym and the makeup artist didn't show up)

This workout is simple, but will really "stimulate" those muscles that we don't regularly "stimulate". I usually put on some music with a good beat in order to keep a good cadence until my muscles burn....and they will. The great part is that the "burn" tells you that the exercises are really working.

Start with the PowerStance Loop around each ankle and get in a good strong golf posture with your knees slightly bent. Place your hands on your hips and step out to the right slightly wider than shoulder width. Take 20 steps to the right (or as many as you can in the space you have). Continue the exercise in the opposite direction in order to work both legs equally. Be sure to stay in balance as you move across the floor.

With the PowerStance Loop still around each ankle, get in a good strong golf posture.Place your hands out front as if you are holding a golf club. (in the picture I am squeezing one of our Squeasy Balls between my palms). Step out to the right and perform a half squat (down then up). Continue moving to the right and performing half squats. After 15 - 20 steps and squats to the right, repeat the same exercise in the opposite direction to work both legs equally.

In this exercise, open your arms and hands as far out to the side as possible. Move across the floor as in the previous exercises with your knees slightly bent. Alternate opening and closing your hands and fingers on each step. Try to stretch out your fingers as far as you can.

In this exercise, open your arms and hands as far out to the side as possible as in the previous exercise. With your knees slightly bent, shift your weight to your RIGHT leg and hold for the count of five (5). Shift your weight to the LEFT and hold for the count of five (5). Be sure to stay in a good golf posture with a slight bend at the waist.

In this exercise, open your hands and cross your arms in front of your body. With your knees slightly bent, shift your weight to your RIGHT leg and turn your torso as far to the RIGHT as possible (back swing position for right handed players). Hold for the count of five (5). Shift your weight to your LEFT leg and turn your torso to the LEFT (finished position for right handed players) hold for the count of five (5). Repeat this exercise 6 to 8 times in each direction. Think about stretching as far as you can to both sides. Be sure to stay in a good golf posture with a slight bend at the waist and visualize a ball in the address position.

We neglect the lower body in most workouts related to golf. Lower body stability is critical to a consistent golf swing. This simple tool can be a perfect compliment to your overall golf fitness routine.

Good Luck with this one!
Ken Pierce

Resistance to Change

For nearly two years we have been hearing the word “change” being used over and over as it related to political campaigns. Change is good if it means you are improving or changing your circumstances to have a better life, better marriage or even a better golf swing.

There are some people who resist change because it might be too scary or too challenging. Whatever the reason, change may be necessary in order to move to a better place or circumstance in life.

In my opinion, neither your body nor your golf swing will change without resistance, resistance training, that is. Simply stated, resistance training is that which causes your muscles to work harder than normal in order to, over time, get stronger to perform better.

Body builders realize the benefit of resistance training when they use barbells or free weights do develop a stronger, more muscular body.

Golfers need to develop more muscle strength if they want to ward off injury and perform better overall. Although, heavy duty weight training, like body builders is not the answer. Using lighter weights or best of all, resistance cords or bands, is the best way for golfers to get the benefit of the resistance along with the smooth consistent motion or action the bands promote.

PGA Tour Coach Joey D has been using resistance cords with his touring professionals for over 10 years. Just recently, he and GolfGym® created his Signature Series of PowerBandz that are designed for, and used in, the PGA Tour Vans. The great part is that they are portable and come with a DVD that includes the exact same exercises and techniques that he uses to train his players on the Tour.

Because rotation and club head speed go hand in hand, here are some specific exercises to help you train those muscles to perform at their best. Another benefit to using the bands is that you can maintain a good golf posture throughout the entire range of the exercises. Free weights or machines are not set up to allow you to stay in good golf posture while performing the exercises.The consistent resistance of the bands helps to achieve noticeable results.

This exercise can really help with the “slingshot” effect. Start your takeaway and feel the resistance as you go back. The bands want to pull you back into the slot. As they pull you, be aware of the negative resistance and the position of your hips as they rotate along with your hands to just past impact. As you get better with this, you can work with the resistance to “slingshot” your hands and hips through impact, thereby increasing club head speed.

This movement pattern opens up the chest area to help with flexibility while strengthening the chest, shoulders and back. Perform this movement to the left and right, it will help you to develop greater rotation and strength while maintaining a good golf posture.

Here, Joey D is performing another rotational exercise designed to help with the association of the hips and the torso. It is also great for strengthening the shoulders and back.

Finally, Joey D is working with the GolfGym® PowerSwing Trainer on the takeaway drill. This helps to ingrain the feeling of the one piece takeaway. This is a perfect warm up exercise just before stepping up to the first tee. Visit www.golfgym.com to learn more about Joey D and the GolfGym line of products.

So, if you are resistant to change….that may be a bad thing.

But, if you use resistance to change…. that is a good thing, a very good thing.

Strength, Flexibility and Balance – Developing a “Strong Swing”

Is there such a thing as a Strong Swing? I say yes, and here’s why. Think about it. If you strengthen the muscles in your legs you walk easier and for longer distances, and you would say you have strong legs. If you strengthen the muscles in your arms you pick up and carry things more easily, and you would say you have strong arms.

I think the same holds true for your golf swing. If you strengthen the exact muscles you use in the golf swing, odds are that your swing will become stronger, smoother and more consistent. Your swing should then be able to withstand the rigors of 18 holes with 70 – 100+ golf swings, some of which have to be dug out of the deep rough or sand.

The following exercise will help you develop a strong consistent golf swing while working on your balance, posture and flexibility. I am using the GolfGym® PowerSwing Trainer. It is a latex resistance tube based unit attached to a golf training grip.

Place the foam pad under your left foot (for right handed golfers). You can put it under your right foot, but for this exercise go with your left foot in order to feel more resistance on your back swing.

Get yourself in a really good set up position (golf posture) with the end of the grip pointing to an imaginary ball. Feel your weight over the inside center of your feet and in balance. This will create a very solid foundation.

Start to take the grip back to a full back swing position. You will feel the resistance. As you take it back to the top, try to use your big turning muscles, not just your arms. Concentrate on doing the exercise correctly and slowly. Feel yourself “loading” over your right foot. Hold that position for the count of 2. Take a quick peek at your arms hands and shoulder position and make corrections if need be.

Start your downswing slowly (with your hip turn), resisting the pull of the tubing, but allowing the tubing to pull you into the slot. That sounds contradictory, but you will feel what I mean when you do it. Keep that good wrist cock until you get to the impact position. The tubing actually helps to keep your hands in the correct position.

Continue through impact to a finished position somewhere between your belt and your shoulders. Hold that fully extended position for the count of 2. You will feel the muscles in your core, legs and arms firing to hold that position. Come back to the start position and do 8 - 10 repetitions. When 8 - 10 repetitions become easy, simply pick up the pace and do 15 - 20 repetitions without stopping to set up or holding at the top.

Key points to remember while doing this exercise:

1. Maintain a good foundation and posture in your stance(a mirror really helps).
   
2. Concentrate on turning around your spine. Not swaying side to side.
   
3. Turn as far as you can on the back swing. That will help with your flexibility.
   
4. Stay in balance as you swing. Think of your weight centered over the inside of your feet.

This exercise can be done every day, and is especially good to do about 10 minutes before you step up to the first tee when playing. When you use it to warm up before playing, swing as smoothly as possible and stay in a good golf posture. Be sure to pick up your driver and take 10 – 12 smooth swings to adjust to the weight. You are now ready to play the best round of your life....or at least this month.

You can visit www.golfgym.com to see more uses of the PowerSwing Trainer.

Good Luck and Good Golfing.

Ken Pierce
The GolfGym Guy

Flexibility, Strength & Balance –The Turn

As we age, we struggle with flexibility, strength and balance. If you have been active and exercise on a regular basis, you are most likely in fairly good golf shape. If you haven’t continued a regular exercise program, especially past 50 years of age, you are probably experiencing a loss of flexibility, strength and balance. This shows up as fewer yards on your drives and inconsistent shots which lead to lack of confidence. You can do something about it with some easy and fun exercises.

The following exercise involves the big muscles in your core, legs, hips, shoulders and buttocks. It will help with flexibility and make you more aware of your limitations, if any. We use the GolfGym Balance/Fitness Ball in order to isolate and identify the muscles you use when turning in the golf swing. We use the big ball because it will help all golfers, especially those golfers who have a tendency to swing with their arms and not with their core and hips. If you were to ask an arm swinger, he or she would probably say they feel as if they are turning the big muscles, when in reality, they are just swinging their arms and not turning their shoulders.

When you hug the ball, you are unable to turn without using your core and shoulders. This is a “feel” exercise, and once you do it you will see exactly what I mean. This exercise will challenge your balance and flexibility as well. The key is to hold the extended positions and to move slowly, and in balance.

Start by hugging the ball close to your chest with your arms wrapped completely around the ball.

Recommended equipment for this exercise:
The GolfGym Balance/Fitness Ball

Backswing Turn with Ball

While completely hugging the ball, turn as far as you can to your backswing side. Notice how my weight is “loaded” onto my right leg down through the inside of my right foot. My back is facing the target. It works best if you can perform this exercise in front of a mirror to monitor your turn. Now, hold that position for the count of five while taking in one deep breath and exhaling. When you exhale, try turning a little more. Hold that position for two more counts. Then start your downswing turning slowly. Be sure to turn slowly while learning the correct “feel”. Stay in balance.

Follow Through with Ball

As you swing through the impact position, keep turning to the full follow through position. Your weight should have shifted to your left leg and foot. Turn the big muscles in the hips and core to complete the swing. Avoid swaying into your left side. You want to turn around your spine. Hold the finished position for the count of five. In the picture you can see that my left foot has rotated slightly to the outside and off of a firm position. The ideal position of the left foot should be flat….or as close to flat as possible. This is one more thing you can “monitor” as you work through the exercise. Now, go back to your address position and repeat the exercise. Start with 2 or 3 complete turns. Build up to 12 to 15. Remember to breathe and relax during the exercise. If you are doing it correctly, you will feel more strength, flexibility and balance every time you do it.

Practice this everyday and you will experience increased core stability and begin feeling more solid in your swing.

This is the first of a series of four exercises we will bring you to to help develop Flexibility, Strength & Balance.

Ken Pierce
The GolfGym Guy

Las Vegas In My Rear View Mirror

I am in Scottsdale, Arizona for the Frys.com Open, but wanted to share some info about my trip to Las Vegas last week.

The prez of GolfGym, Ken Pierce along with Jeff Killian and Terry Boatwright from Ocean Motion Productions, and Mike Hansen from Hansen Fitness in Irvine, California shuffled over from Orange County to shoot some video clips and golf fitness tips with me.

Pictured above are Ken Pierce, my guy PGA Pro Chez Reavie, yours truly, Mike Hansen and Kent Biggerstaff who runs the PGA Tour trailer. Kent was with pro baseball for 35 years and now brings his golf fitness expertise to the PGA Tour Players.

At the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open I was working with Chez Reavie, Ryuji Imada and Tom Pernice, Jr.. Chez worked really hard and played well, but everybody was chalking really low numbers and he ended up missing the cut by one stroke. Ryuji and Tom made the cut and Tom put up great numbers to finish the tournament at T8.

Two weeks earlier I attended Tom's 50th birthday party. He went on to play in and win his debut tournament on the Champions Tour, The SAS Championship. Tom works very hard on his fitness and is a huge proponent of working on his balance. Tom gave us a testimonial that is posted on the golfgym website.

Today is the first day of the Frys.com Open and I need to get to the trailer because Charlie Wi and Chez Reavie will be headed back for their post game session with me.

I will check in later in the weekend.

Joey D.

Las Vegas - What Happens There...Is Posted Here

I took some time off during the past 2 weeks to get back home, take care of some things and get rejuvenated for the next two tournaments. I also took some time to work at my D1 Athletic Academy with some golfers on their fitness and some young LaCrosse players on rotation, flexibility and balance. I will post more about that over the next couple weeks.

I traveled to Las Vegas this week for the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. This PGA Tournament is being played at TPC Summerlin. I worked with three of my players on Tuesday and Wednesday getting them ready for the first day of competition on Thursday. Tom Pernice, Jr., who won his debut Champions Tour event a week ago is playing along with Ryuji Imada and Chez Reavie, both winners on the PGA Tour.

GolfGym's Ken Pierce and a video crew traveled to Las Vegas from Orange County, California to shoot some great new golf fitness tips and footage that will soon be showing up on our website www.golfgym.com. We arrived on Tuesday morning and the weather was really crummy. We were not expecting to be welcomed by high winds and very cool temperatures in the Nevada desert. Some mist was also on tap for Tuesday while the players prepared for the Thursday start. The weather got a little better on Wednesday, but the winds were still high. You will probably hear the winds howling in some of the video tips we shot there. It was unavoidable.

On Thurdsday, Tom Pernice, Jr. shot a near record 62 to give him the lead after 18 holes. The cut ended up being -4 and Chez Reavie missed by one stroke. Ryuji is playing well and is in the hunt.

We shot some testimonials from the players and they are posted on the website. I am very proud that the guys I work with gave of their time to help us promote the PowerSwing Trainer and PowerBandz. These tools are an essential part of my teaching and training. My guys are also highlighted in my new book coming out in January of next year, "Fix Your Body, Fix Your Swing".

I will be headed to Scottsdale, Arizona next week for the 2009 Frys.com Open to be played at Grayhawk Golf Club. I will post some news from there.

Remember, if you have a question about golf fitness, conditioning, biomechanics or anything else about my coaching on the PGA Tour, just click on this link Ask Joey D or go to golfgym.com and click on Ask Joey D.

Stay Flexible and Strong.
Joey D.

Turning Stone Cold and Wet - Warming Up is Critical

I am always telling my players and golfers in general that warming up is vitally important to your performance on the course and for your overall golf fitness....but I didn't mean having to warm up before every shot.

Turning Stone this week has been very cold and very wet. Many of the players are not in the top 125 on the money list and their Tour Cards are in jeopardy. That means they are having to play strictly for the money.

You take that pressure and add in the weather, having to wear rain gear, playing on soggy fairways and wet greens and it is a grind. Playing in these conditions is brutal enough. The pressure is compounded when the money becomes the driving force in how you must play. This is when preparedness and mental toughness is so important.

I am headed home on Saturday to attend to some personal matters, but am wishing that my guy Jason Gore have a good weekend and fatten his wallet a bit.

I will be heading to Las Vegas in a week for the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. A film crew is coming to shoot new video and photos for the website, the blog, and for Golf Fitness Magazine.

Be sure to visit the newly designed GolfGym website for some great video clips with exercises and warm up techniques.

I'll keep you posted.
Joey D.

Our PowerSwing Trainer Masters Edition Received 2nd Place Product Award At GOLF EUROPE 2009

We are proud to announce that our GolfGym PowerSwing Trainer – Masters Edition received second place in the training aids category from the GOLF EUROPE Product Award committee at GOLF EUROPE 2009 in Munich, Germany.

We were the only golf fitness product included as a top three finalist in the training aids category which helps validate the growing impact golf fitness is having on the game of golf. Tour professionals worldwide have been using the GolfGym PowerSwing Trainer daily as part of their golf fitness programs and we hope the recognition gained by this award will help more golfers realize the benefits of using our products to improve their games.

The GOLF EUROPE Product Awards are given for the most innovative products for the upcoming golf season and have become one of the established elements of the leading European trade show for golf. The best products are selected from the categories of clubs, apparel, footwear, and accessories, as well as caddies and training equipment. A high-caliber jury consisting of independent industry and retail experts as well as leading media representatives selects the winners from the entered products according to functional aspects, design, degree of innovation, and ease of use.

“The product awards offer the individual winners an opportunity to present themselves and their products to retail and to jump ahead of the competition,” explains Armin Wittmann, Exhibition Director GOLF EUROPE. “The selection was made by examining the functional aspect, design, degree of innovation, and ease of use of each product entry.”

WooHoo!!!
Joey D.

GolfGym Congratulates SAS Championship Winner, Tom Pernice Jr.

GolfGym and Coach Joey D congratulate Tom Pernice Jr. on his SAS Championship win in his Champions Tour debut. Pernice, a two-time winner on the PGA TOUR, works with Coach Joey Diovisalvi and uses GolfGym training products in the golf fitness trailers as part of his golf fitness program.

Tom has worked with Coach Joey D for several years and his hard work has paid off big in his debut on the Champions Tour. He came into this event with a lot of confidence and was able stroke his final putt with that same confidence. We’re hoping to see him continue to play well in upcoming events on both the PGA and Champions Tours.

Pernice became the 15th player to win in his Champions Tour debut, dropping a 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole Sunday for a one-stroke victory. He shot a final day 3-under 69 to finish at 13-under 203 on the Prestonwood Country Club course.

"I am thrilled to see Tom win this event. He’s been very consistent with his golf specific training both on the course and in the golf fitness trailer and it’s great to see him win during his debut on the Champions Tour. I attended his 50th birthday party just a couple weeks ago. What a great birthday present he got for himself”, said Coach Joey D when I spoke to him on Sunday evening.

Tom Pernice really works hard on his balance. He and one of his routines is highlighted in Joey D's upcoming book, Fix Your Body, Fix Your Swing.

Coach Joey D is headed to Verona, New York for this weeks Turning Stone Resort Championship.

Coach Joey D Heads To Atlanta To Work With Jason Dufner

Coach Joey D heads to Atlanta this week to work with Jason Dufner on his golf fitness as he competes in the Tour Championship. Jason finished the FedEx Cup playoffs in 10th place with 600 points. Although he can't mathematically win the FedEx Cup, he can add to his already successful season with another great finish.

He will also enlarge his bank account this week. Having already won over $2 million this season, Jason has moved himself into the elite group hovering at the top of the PGA Tour in 2009.

Jason has worked very hard on his conditioning all season....and it has paid off greatly. When your body is working well, your confidence goes up. That is true with professionals and amateurs. So, get going on your golf fitness and you will reap the rewards.

This is a good time to remind you that Coach Joey D's book, "Fix Your Body, Fix Your Swing" will be introduced at the upcoming PGA Show in Orlando, Florida in January. We met with Joey on Friday and he presented us with a preview copy of the book.

Vicki and I are so impressed with not only the content, but with the manner in which Joey and Steve Steinberg present the material. Joey speaks directly to you, and coaches you through the exercises, one on one. GolfGym will be offering excerpts from the book throughout the next two months on the website and in this blog.

We wish Jason all the best and will be watching this weekend.

Ken Pierce
GolfGym

Fit To Be Tried, TOUR Trailer Helps Shape Careers

The following is a reprint of an article published today on the PGATOUR.com website. It highlighted the PGA Tour Fitness Trailer and the Players that use it to help their careers.

We are very proud to tell you that in the article Mr. Wacker refers to some of the equipment that he used during the workout. The "physio ball" is our Balance Ball, the "resistance bands" are the Joey D PowerBandz, the "ankle resistance band" is our PowerStance Loop

From PGATOUR.com, by Brian Wacker, Site Producer:

When 59-year-old Tom Watson nearly won the British Open in July, some argued it wasn't necessarily good for the game. If some old fogey with his AARP card could nearly win one of the game's biggest tournaments, what did that say about golf as a sport? What it said, they maintained, was that golf wasn't a sport at all. It was a skill. A pastime. That it was right up there with bowling and ping pong.

Blame Ernie Els, or Fred Couples or even Watson. They make golf look about as athletic as pouring a glass of water. What most don't see is what goes into building those backswings, especially for a growing number of players on the PGA TOUR, whose time in the fitness trailer or gym equals their time on the driving range or practice green.

"What the fans don't understand is the specificity of the training, the stress that a golfer goes through," says Chris Noss, an expert in biomechanics and trainer to a number of players, including Sean O'Hair, Zach Johnson, Stewart Cink and Brian Gay, among others.

That stress usually begins and ends in a pair of 18-wheelers -- one for strength and conditioning, one for physical therapy -- at every TOUR stop from January through November. They're loaded with Cybex machines, treadmills, stationary bikes, free weights, physio balls and various other apparatuses. There are also at least two physical therapists, a chiropractor and strength & conditioning coach on hand at all times.

"Nine years ago, when I started, very few utilized the trailer every day," says Scott Riehl, Strength & Conditioning Coordinator, DePuy Mitek, PGA TOUR, and lord of the two trailers. "Now, 85 percent work out daily."

Though space is tight, you'll often find as many as 10-12 players in the trailer at a time during tournament week, all working out, stretching or receiving treatment for any number of nagging injuries.

Even those who don't use the TOUR's trailers will spend countless hours fine-tuning their bodies to the rigors of pounding thousands of golf balls. Call it the Tiger Woods effect. His workouts with Keith Kleven, although fairly secretive, are equal parts legendary.

"Players started saying, 'I have to work out to catch Tiger,'" said Noss. "Then when they didn't (catch him), we had a drop off. It's leveled out now."

"Tiger made my job a lot easier," continued Noss, who added that it's taken many of his 10-plus years on TOUR to gain the sort of trust and respect he and a handful of others have with the players. "But Tiger's always been an athlete -- if you're Secretariat's trainer, all you want to do is not screw him up."

That can be tougher than it sounds. Take Jason Dufner, who works with Joey Diovisalvi (known mostly as Joey D around TOUR circles). Having been befriended by Vijay Singh, Dufner recently spent time with Singh's trainer, Gabe Lopez.

Comparing Singh to Dufner in the gym is like comparing the Mona Lisa to a finger painting. No one works out harder than Singh, and Dufner found out the hard way. "[Dufner] was sore for weeks," Diovisalvi said. "It killed his confidence."

Fortunately for Dufner, that confidence returned and the fruits of his labor paid off in the form of a half-dozen top-10s, including a tie for third at the RBC Canadian Open and a tie for second at the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Anthony Kim had a similar experience with confidence -- or lack of it -- early in the season. Following a rash of injuries and poor practice habits, Kim, twice a winner in the previous year, admitted his confidence was now "in the toilet."

That prompted Kim to hire Darby Rich, whom he had worked with while at the University of Oklahoma. Rich was the strength and conditioning coach for the Sooners' men's basketball team and helped train Blake Griffin, who was picked No. 1 in the NBA Draft.

The wins haven't exactly piled up for Kim, but since hiring Rich, Kim does have four finishes in the top 16, including a pair of third places. He's also slimmer, eating better, practicing more and avoiding injury due to a previous lack of said practice.

"I was miserable. I wasn't having any fun," Kim said. "I just know that if I'm working on the right thing, it's going to pay off."

That right thing has paid off for others -- Pat Perez, John Rollins, Ryuji Imada and O'Hair, to name a few -- and it's fair to say that success comes from what goes on in practice sessions as much as training sessions, whether they're in the TOUR's two fitness trailers, or in a glitzy new gym like the one at Congressional Country Club, site of the AT&T National.

On a mid-week afternoon at the AT&T National, a number of players made their way into the gym at Congressional -- on weeks the TOUR travels to tournament sites with their own fitness facility, it usually employs just the physical therapy trailer.

Perez, Mike Weir, Jim Furyk, Imada and O'Hair all populated the place during one particular hour and while none of them looks like Lance Armstrong, never mind LeBron James, they twisted and contorted their bodies into all sorts of pretzel-like positions, mostly through resistance training that's intense enough to bring out the puke buckets on occasion.

Pushing them are a team of trainers, therapists and biomechanics experts that walk a very fine line of keeping a player fit or injury-free and trying not to screw up their golf swing.

"If [Jason Gore's coach] Mike Abbott wants his arm in one position ..." Diovisalvi says. "...well, sooner or later, you better marry us, or else you're going to have a lot of unhappy players."

Brian Gay has always been a hard worker, on and off the course, and he can credit his two wins this year to that. "We've had battles over training, but he sees why he has to do certain things," Noss said.

Ditto similar successes for Geoff Ogilvy, Paul Casey and Camilo Villegas. All are workout freaks, and all have had success, at least in part, because of it. Even Cink, who isn't in their league from a physical standpoint, wants to know that he's done everything possible to succeed and that includes his workouts.

Perhaps no one's career -- except Woods' -- sums up the golf-is-a-sport argument, however, better than Singh's. Sitting on an airplane in 2000, Singh told a member of his team, "I can be the best player in the world." Four years later, he was. No one north of 40 years old has won more than Singh, either. Is there any question why?


PGA TOUR workout: How to train like a pro

During the AT&T National, trainers and biomechanics experts Joey Diovisalvi and Chris Noss, who work with some of the best players on the PGA TOUR, put PGATOUR.COM's Brian Wacker through a typical workout for a TOUR player. He survived well enough to tell you about it below:

1. Start with a 5-minute warm-up on the stationary bike, pedaling between a moderate and fast rate, to get the blood pumping. This is easy enough and it gets the juices flowing.

2. Set the treadmill speed to 3.5 miles per hour and start walking ... then turn sideways, shuffling your feet side to side for 15 seconds. Then turn and face the other side and repeat. Do this for 2 minutes, switching every 15 seconds.

Having played basketball most of my life, this was a common drill, but not on, uh, moving ground. I'd suggest holding on at first since it challenges your balance.

3. Lay back on a physio ball with the ball positioned under the middle of your back and your legs at a 90-degree angle, holding a weight plate out in front of you opposite your chest. Rotate your midsection side to side, making sure not to let your hips sag or to lose your balance on the ball. Do this for 15 repetitions on each side.

After starting with a 25-pound weight that made me fall off the ball on the first rep, I switched to a 15-pound weight and still struggled, moving slowly from side to side. Joey D hops on to show me, thoroughly embarrassing my snail's pace.

4. Using a resistance band, set up in your normal golf stance, holding the band as if it were a club and making sure the band is taut. From there, it's a quick 1-2 motion, taking the band back just past your hips on the right (if youre right-handed), then back to start, then all the way back in a rapid-fire motion, making sure to keep your posture and your balance. Then switch sides. Do this for 15 repetitions per side.

I almost fall over the first time I return the band to the start position because there's a lot of resistance there and the momentum really challenges your balance ... not to mention the strength in your core. It will also help with the load and release of your swing.

5. Lay flat on a mat with a small physio ball postioned between your feet and your arms outstretched over your head. Squeezing the ball with the sides of your feet, raise your legs straight up, along with your arms, passing it from your feet to your hands and down. Do this for 15 repetitions.

This will make your abs burn and you'll also feel it in your hips -- both of which are crucial to flexibility in the golf swing.

6. Back to the stationary bike, ride at a medium resistance for 1 minute.

This feels like a break, but it still keeps your heart and lungs pumping. No pain, no gain, or pain and more pain in this case.

7. With an ankle resistance band taut around your ankles, get in an athletic stance, knees slightly bent and feet a little more than shoulder width apart. Shuffle to one side, much the way you did on the treadmill earlier, then shuffle back, making sure to keep the band as taut as possible as you do. You'll need an area about 20-30 feet long for this. Do three times in each direction.

This is the drill I'm used to from years of basketball, only it's tougher with the resistance band. You feel it not only in your legs, but your hips as well, which I'm quickly learning are not very flexible on me.

8. Back to the resistance band machine; get in an athletic stance with your knees slightly bent and your hands holding the band from your right. In another quick 1-2 explosion, rotate your mid-section to the left so your hands reach the middle of your chest, then back, then all the way through with your hands passing just beyond your left hip. Do 15 repetitions then switch sides.

This really works your core (again) and your back. Im starting to realize what crappy shape I'm in and that working out four times a week, playing golf and managing my fantasy baseball team doesn't exactly count as being in shape, at least compared to these guys.

9. Staying with the resistance machine, assume an athletic position holding one band in each hand out in front of you at chest height, making sure it's taught. In a simultaneous motion, leap up and outward, with your arms going out and over your head and your hips thrusting outward before returning to the start position. Do 15 repetitions.

I'll admit it, I almost fell flat on my face the first time I did this. The momentum is so great coming back down from the jump, it pulls you forward. You've been warned.

10. Next, do the same thing, only using a light dumbbell in each hand instead of a resistance band and without the jump. Do 15 repetitions.

At least I didn't nearly fall on my face this time.

From there, it's on to some plyometrics with Chris Noss. He has me jump over a box that's about 18 inches high; front to back at first, then side to side, for about 30 seconds each of three sets. Next, standing on the floor, I jump forward at a 45-degree angle, landing on my left foot and without letting my right one touch the ground once I land, then back, landing on my right leg. I proceed to do this at 45-degree angles to the left and right, frontwards and backwards for three sets and a total of 12 repetitions on each leg. Last, but certainly not least, holding a medicine ball between my hands in front of me, Noss has me jump up, kicking my heels to my butt and raising the medicine ball over my head simultaneously for about 30 seconds.

I'm exhausted, though there were no puke buckets like Noss and Diovisalvi predicted. Only near blood, a lot of sweat and tears of joy that the workout is over. As I'm walking back to the locker room, I see Jim Furyk on the treadmill, side-stepping -- and holding onto the rail, just like I did. Suddenly, I dont feel so bad. Then Diovisalvi brings me back to reality, saying, "You're lucky [Pat] Perez left, or he'd be laughing at you."


GolfGym thanks PGATOUR.com and by Brian Wacker for a great article.

Congratulations to Christina Kim and Her New Physique

The Solheim Cup was played a couple weeks ago and I was impressed with the crowds, the appreciation for well played golf, with Michele Wi and with all the ladies with their enthusiasm and patriotism.

I was especially impressed with Christina Kim and the new physique she is sporting. She must be on a new golf fitness program. Over the years, Christina has gone up and down with her weight, but it appears that she has really worked hard to slim down which has to help her confidence and playing in general.

Several years ago at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, I saw Christina after she had slimmed down considerably and she looked incredibly different. Then over the next few years, the pounds crept back on and she looked like the old Christina.

That's a real problem for a lot of us whether we talk about gaining or losing weight or working out to elevate our own golf fitness level. Consistency is key.

This is a shameless plug for the GolfGym products, but they sure make it easy to dip into your golf bag, pull out the PowerSwing Trainer and do some easy golf specific exercises before you tee off. It not only gets you warmed up nicely, but it helps develop extra strength and more defined movement patterns which will definitely help your swing.

Get yourself motivated to do just a little and add on as you go. Push yourself to do 2 or 3 extra reps when doing resistance exercises. Jog/run for 25 - 50 yards every 5 minutes during your walk in the morning. Take the stairs instead of the escalator. When you are bending down to pick something up from the floor or to tie your shoe, consciously stretch your hamstrings for a few seconds. These little things are easy to do and the benefits add up over time. You will notice improved golf fitness in yourself.

I just heard that Christina may be posing for pictures in a magazine article. That would certainly be a motivating factor. Whatever her motivation and whatever your motivation...keep it up and it will pay dividends.

Ken Pierce
GolfGym

The Principle Principle

It is said that the game of golf is a reflexion of the game of life. I received the following blog post through Motivational Memo and wanted to pass it along. This has nothing to do with Golf Fitness, but all to do with motivation.

There is an abiding principle that should form the foundation of our lives as we traverse the years upon planet earth.

And here it is: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

And here is my expansion and application of that powerful principle…

It’s about showing respect.

It’s about keeping your word.

It’s about pursuing excellence in all that you do.

It’s about taking the time to listen.

It’s about being a giver more than a receiver.

It’s about thinking the best of others.

It’s about encouraging others to become the best they can possibly become.

It’s about offering a timely and encouraging word.

It’s about saying sorry.

It’s about smiling first.

It’s about remembering a name.

It’s about lending a hand.

It’s about giving in secret.

It’s about letting others do the job of ‘blowing your trumpet’.

It’s about hugging.

It’s about being there.

It’s about spending quality time.

It’s about exhortation.

It’s about kindness.

It’s about the random love note.

It’s about the unexpected gift.

It’s about returning the vehicle with the fuel tank full.

It’s about going the extra mile.

It’s about paying someone else’s bill.

It’s about please and thank you.

It’s about forgiving.

It’s about lifting up in preference to pulling down.

It’s about overlooking faults.

It’s about saying nothing when withheld words represent wisdom.

It’s about speaking up when spoken words are necessitated.

It’s about correcting in private.

It’s about applauding in public.

It’s about holding the hand of another when words fail.

It’s about not trying to fix everybody.

It’s about being the student, even though you may be the teacher.

It’s about walking in humility.

It’s about living in serenity.

It’s about appreciating the simple.

It’s about gratitude.

It’s about living in a state of thankfulness.

So do as you would want to be done, and live a fulfilled life designed by following the principal principle.

It's a Wonderful Life
GolfGym

Best Finish Ever For Jason Dufner - T2 At The Deutsche Bank

Congratulations to Jason Dufner for his 2nd place finish at the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston on Labor Day, September 7th. Jason was tied for 1st place until Steve Stricker birdied the 18th to slide past Jason by one stroke and win the tournament.

This is Jason's best finish ever on the PGA Tour. He has earned over 2 million dollars this year and is currently in 9th place in the FedEx Cup standings. He made 17 cuts in 24 events with one 2nd place, one 3rd place, six times in the Top 10 and seven times in the Top 25.

Jason has been working hard on his golf fitness with Coach Joey D and it showed up in his excellent play throughout the tournament. He was also able to keep his cool down the stretch. I also liked his attitude in the interviews. He is getting closer and closer to winning his first PGA Tour event and he has the confidence to do just that soon.

I just got off the phone with Joey who is in Lemont, Illinios at Cog Hill. Unfortunately, he was on an airplane headed back to his home in Florida on Monday, so he wasn't able to see Jason's exciting back nine.

Three of Joey D's players will be focused on making the cut at the BMW Championship just outside of Chicago. Jason Dufner, Pat Perez and Charlie Wi can move on to the Tour Championship with some great play this week.

Good Luck to all the boys.

Ken Pierce
GolfGym

Pat Perez, Surfer Kelly Slater and Coach Joey D on the Golf Channel

PGA Tour Pro Pat Perez teamed up with world class surfer Kelly Slater this past Monday on the Golf Channel show "Playing Lessons from the Pros". Pat and Kelly partnered up in Pebble Beach earlier this year and the Golf Channel followed them throughout the day filming their every move.

Coach Joey D was with the group all day which began in the PGA Tour fitness trailer where Pat demonstrated his golf fitness routine. The clip below shows the dedication and commitment Pat has to his golf fitness level.

The explosive movement patterns he reveals are designed to add strength and speed to a very stable posture to produce the kind of shots that helped Pat win the Bob Hope this year.

In this clip Pat is using the three of our golf fitness products, the GolfGym Balance Ball, PowerBandz and Double Handled PowerBall along with kettle bells and the Cybex machine, all of which are standard equipment on the PGA Tour Fitness trailers.


This clip is great because as much as we hear about the golf fitness routines of the pros, most amateur golfers would be surprised at the level of intensity that the players achieve. This is an every day occurrence on the Tour.

The "Big, Wide-Open" movement patterns that Pat demonstrates help to build strength and speed, but also develop more flexibility as well. He has been working on these exercises for a long time and has developed his body to be able to keep this intensity consistently.

We encourage you to add these type of golf specific fitness exercises to your routine even if you are just starting a fitness program. Be sure to tone it down in the beginning to allow your body to get used to the movements and recover well. Again, Pat has been doing these consistently for over a year.

Start slowly and reap the rewards.

Ken Pierce
GolfGym

Congratulations to Y.E. Yang on His Impressive Victory at the PGA Championship

Congratulations to Y.E. Yang for his incredible victory in the PGA Championship.

Wow!!!! What a PGA Championship finish yesterday. Y.E. Yang was as cool as a very cool person (the cucumber thing is too obvious). It was very exciting to watch someone actually make Tiger nervous in the final round.

We at GolfGym are doubly excited because just about eight months ago, another coach on the PGA Tour, Dr. Craig Davies asked Joey D to get him a set of GolfGym PowerBandz for an up and coming Korean player named Y.E. Yang. Doctor Davies uses the PowerBandz and the PowerSwing Trainer with all his golfers. He even took several sets to Sweden last month to work with several players there.

Yesterday in an interview on PGA.com, Y.E. said that he was very happy with his conditioning. Now, we can't take full credit for him winning the PGA Championship, but we know that our PowerBandz may have played a small part.

Here is what Dr. Davies said about the GolfGym Bandz:
"Two pieces of equipment that I am excited to use in the updated PGA Tour fitness trailers are the PowerBandz and PowerSwingTrainer tubing products by GolfGym. My tour players won’t use another tubing product after experiencing the effectiveness and superiority of these modalities. PGA tour coach Joey D has more than a decade of experience working with the world's top golfers. He is now sharing his knowledge on effective golf training with the rest of us through these innovative products".

Once again, congratulations to Y.E. Yang on his very impressive play.

Ken Pierce
The GolfGym Guy

Rotation and Balance Exercises with Brenda Hilcoff at D1 Athletics

Our partner, Coach Joey D, is a very busy man all year round, but especially during the golf season.

Not only does he keep himself in incredible shape with two workouts a day, but he is on the road most of the year with the PGA Tour. In addition, he works with many other athletes in his newly opened D1 Athletics facility in Jupiter, Florida when he is not on the Tour.

A few weeks ago, he was working with a very talented and fit tennis player named Brenda Hilcoff. He incorporates the Balance Ball and the Club 38 in the following exercises preformed by Ms. Hilcoff. Rotation and balance are important whether in golf, baseball or tennis. The following two exercises are designed to help you create more rotation and balance in your golf swing.

In the first exercise Brenda is sitting in a very stable posture on the 55cm Balance Ball holding a GolfGym Club 38. Just sitting on the ball requires the use of stabilizing muscles in the core and legs. This is a great exercise even without the additional weight of the club. You could cross your arms in front of your chest and rotate to one side then the other, getting as much rotation as possible, while remaining in a very balanced and solid posture on the ball. This exercise will help with stability, balance, flexibility and rotation.

The weight of the club, with arms extended requires more balance and strengthens the shoulders and core. In this position, you can actually pull yourself around to increase rotation and flexibility.

A key point is to stay balanced and hold the upright posture. Rotate to each side 8 - 12 times. Notice that Brenda is facing forward. A tendency in this wide swing exercise is to let the head follow the arms around. In the golf swing you don't allow your head to rotate with your shoulders and arms....so keep this exercise consistent with your golf swing movement pattern.

One more benefit with this exercise is the separation of the upper and lower body it requires. If you rotated your lower body, you would fall off the ball. Get the feeling of the upper body rotating while stabilizing the lower body on the ball.

In this next exercise Brenda is performing a Squat and Reach . Her starting position is with her feet about shoulder width apart in a very balanced and strong posture, holding the weighted Club 38 with a wide grip at shoulder height or slightly below.

The weight of the club helps to stimulate the shoulders and core during this exercise.

Brenda then drops into a squat posture remembering to keep her back as straight as possible while reaching over her head with the club.

Key points to remember about the squat:
1. Be sure to go no deeper than a 90 degree bend in the knees.

2. Keep your back as straight as you possible can while reaching as far as you can over your head. DO NOT STRAIN.

Hold this position for the count of 5 and return to the starting position.

Remember to keep your feet flat on the floor with your weight distributed evenly throughout each foot.

When starting out with this exercise, the amount of repetitions should be determined by the feedback you get from your body. If you find yourself falling forward or backward, adjust your posture to accommodate for the movement.

This exercise will stimulate all of the muscles in your body, strengthen your legs, your glutes, shoulders and core, and help to develop better balance overall.

It will also get your heart pumping because you are incorporating your big muscles to accomplish this movement pattern.

At D1, Joey has a Dynamic Balance System that he uses to determine the balance points and shows how the weight is distributed during a particular exercise. The orange pad on which Brenda is standing is part of that system.

Make these two exercises a part of your overall Golf Fitness routine and you will reap great benefits. Better balance, posture and strength which will be the foundation for creating a more solid and consistent golf swing.

Until next time.

Ken Pierce
The GolfGym Guy

Joey D Interviewed by GolfDashBlog.com

I received an interview request from Doug Farrick over at GolfDashBlog.com. Doug and the guys over there were interested in chatting Biomechanics, so we finally set up an interview a few days back. Check it out and make sure to visit GolfDashBlog.com as those guys run a pretty solid blog. - Joey D.

GolfDashBlog: A lot of us know the name Joey Diovisalvi and have see you associated with the PGA Tour over the years. For those of who don't know you, can you bring them up to speed?

I'm a biomechanics coach on the PGA Tour and have been for over a decade now. I'm currently working week in and week out with seven Tour pros -- Pat Perez, Ryuji Imada, Jason Dufner, Charlie Wi, Chez Reavie, Jason Gore and Tom Pernice Jr. Before that I spent seven years working with Vijay Singh, including his run where he was the top-ranked player in the world. I've been featured on the CBS special "The Science Of Golf" and the ABC special "Practice Like a PGA Tour Pro". I just broke ground on my D1 Athletics facility in Jupiter (FL) and I have a book that will be released early 2010 by St. Martin's Press, "Fix Your Body, Fix Your Swing".

GolfDashBlog: Can you define Golf Biomechanics for us?

Simply put, biomechanics is the study of the living body as the forces of gravity effect the muscular skeletal system. Regarding how it applies to golf, the body moves through ranges of motion and the muscular skeletal system is effected by how you swing the club. Gravity obviously plays its part in this, as well. With the force that it takes to accelerate and decelerate the club and the hips... the way both the spine and hips move in rotation... the forces of gravity start to effect the muscular skeletal system... it's all about how those movements happen.

GolfDashBlog: Why are Biomechanics so important to golf?

If you have a mechanically sound body that rotates, goes through its ranges of motion and understands how to handle acceleration/deceleration - you then move the muscles, bones and the joints properly, having much more efficiency and effectiveness in the golf swing.

GolfDashBlog: How can the average player improve his/her game with biomechanics?

Great question. If you're an average player and you start to understand how the body works when it sets itself up and starts to move. When one part of your body is stable and another part begins to rotate or accelerate through rotation. The more you understand how to get the body to move in rotation - then starting and stopping, handling the effects of gravity, you then start to handle the effects of prehab or being able to strengthen something before it expects amazing amounts of demand and load.

GolfDashBlog: What types of exercises can increase our golf biomechanics?

I've posted some specific exercises on YouTube over the past few months. I suggest checking out the 90/90 drill, the lower back one-leg stretch and the squat & reach drill, for starters. These are all exercises you can do at home with some PowerBandz, a balance ball and a weighted club. Medicine ball rotation and band rotation are both instrumental in your workout.

GolfDashBlog: Are their any specific training aids that can help improve our biomechanics?

Without sounding like a pitchman, I'd have to say the GolfGym PowerSwing Trainer is a must. We use it on the PGA Tour with the guys in the trailer and I've had other guys like Zach Johnson and Luke Donald tell me that they needed some for the home gyms they were building in the off-season. If the PowerSwing Trainer is good enough for the guys on Tour, that should tell the everyday golfers outside the ropes how legitimate this piece of equipment is.

GolfDashBlog: Does each person have to be tested individually for their biomechanics level?

I did an interview with Stack Media today and was asked the same question. Absolutely. There's no way for anybody to ever understand the full use unless the get a biomechanical assessment on how their body rotates and how it moves through the golf swing in ranges of motion. Assessments determine where you are biomechanically.

GolfDashBlog: How can biomechanics help me hit the ball farther?

The key is understanding how the body moves in proper mechanical positions. How it rotates, loads/releases, accelerates/decelerates, etc. Once you do these things properly and allow the muscles and bones to move in a symbiotic relationship, they understand the process of the golf swing and how they're supposed to react with it.

GolfDashBlog: Where can I find more information and biomechanics and where I might take an assessment?

For starters, the D1 Athletics facility I recently opened in South Florida. Anyone interested in setting up and appointment, email me and we'll get you squared away. Dr. Greg Rose has done a great job with TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) certified assessors. Check out the TPI website as that will give you a point in the right direction, as well.

Thanks to GolfDashBlog.
Joey D.

Joey D is back in South Florida with thoughts on Ontario

The RBC Canadian Open is in the books, after five long tournament days. Congrats to Nathan Green. Taking down Retief Goosen in a playoff is never easy and kudos to both guys for doing what they did in those conditions. The weather in Ontario never let up and negotiating that course became a very difficult task as the week went on. It makes for some very inconsistent golf, which has some guys folding while others rise to the challenge.

All in all, my guys Jason Dufner and Pat Perez both put together solid weeks and reeled in very respectable finishes -- T3rd for Jason and T24th for Pat. Both guys were in contention, Pat leading early on and Jason hanging on to a lead over the weekend. Finding yourself a top the leaderboard at the end of the weekend; you have to be so mentally focused to actually close out and win the tournament.

I'm not downplaying the excitement that comes with a third place finish. I'm disappointed that Jason couldn't close it out, yet I'm again thrilled that he had another huge week out there. This has turned into a banner year for him and as I've said in past blogs, watching him play for love of the game instead of being motivated by the fear of losing his card - it's a welcomed site. His game is mature, he's in touch with his body and Jason is doing things this year that were unimaginable at this time last season. Jason will eventually get that first win. It comes with time and this is no time to get frustrated.

How many times did we see Mr. Perez coming close over the years, but not closing it out? It took Double P over seven years out here to secure that first victory and it took an incredible week, as well as the collapse of top man on the FedExCup leaderboard (Steve Stricker) to makes the dream a reality. The rest of the team missed the cut and unfortunately, that's part of the game. Everyone is giving it their all, but there have been some bumps in the road for everyone.

We're three-quarters through the 2009 season and there's a lot of golf left to be played. A good week could come for any of the boys at any given time. Stay tuned for The Playoffs and another mini west coast swing. I have some guys inside the top 125 who are safe and a few others who need to crank it up a notch if they're going to earn a spot.

I'm back in South Florida this week - not on the road, but not 'off' either as there's tons to do at D1 Athletics. I spent some time this morning working with a nephew who's a pro surfer and we're running through a slew of core-related exercises that are going to help him in his quest to be the next Kelly Slater. As I've mentioned in the past, D1 is ready for every type of athlete out there. This isn't just a golf facility. We have the tools and know-how to help different athletes.

The mission statement remains - using all GolfGym's equipment and tools, combined with my coaching, teaching and methodology - D1 is here for anyone who wants to get on board. From professional to amateurs, we'll get you dialed in. This is going to be a really busy and exciting off-season and it's already started as each off-week between now and season's end will be spent working with different types of athletes. More to come this week from South Florida and then off to Reno next week.

Joey D.

Joey D Checking Back From Ontario...

Friday afternoon at the 2009 Canadian Open and rain delays have been the name of the game, so let's blog while there's some down time. Once again we’re battling weather conditions out here on the PGA Tour. Momentum is lost, guys are frustrated and we’re headed for another Monday finish. Think about other professional sports and the delays they deal with at that level. NFL. Major League Baseball. It doesn’t even compare.

We’ve had guys sitting around up to a full day, killing time while trying to remain limber and focused. Tomorrow is Sunday and these guys haven’t even started the third round yet. Another day lost, no idea what tomorrow will bring and quite possibly another Monday finish on tap. Sixteen guys were cut, which wouldn’t have been the case if the weather cooperated, but again that’s the name of the game out here under these conditions. Regarding my guys, we’re doing all we can to keep them focused and physically ready to play. The rest is on them.

Jason Dufner is having another incredible week out here and is making a run, as is my horse Pat Perez. Jason had a shot at breaking the course record with his second round, but fell short. Eight birdies and an eagle had him ten-under with two to play, but a bogey on #17 cost him the course record. That being said, how can you ever question a solid second round 63? You can't. Especially when you're sitting on the two-day lead. I've told our readers for months now to keep an eye out for Jason Dufner and here we go again, the kid is on top.

I couldn't be more proud of the run he's had this year. He's a student of the game and his swing is so Sam Snead-esque right now, it's scary. The ability has always been there. He's now married that with a quiet confidence as well as a full on commitment to getting his body right. The fact that he's no longer chasing his Tour card, I believe we'll still see some amazing things out of him down the stretch this season.

Pat Perez is another guy who made the cut this week and he too is in contention with back-to-back rounds of 67. He's finally 100% recovered from his ankle injury and he's back to playing like a man on a mission. He remains committed to biomechanics and I can't say enough how hard this kid works on every aspect of his game. Besides the yeoman's effort we see daily in the trailer, he puts in the same work on the course and range with his swing coach Mike Abbott.

Mike and Pat are still working on his new swing and the difference is showing yet again this week. My other five guys missed the cut - Jason Gore, Tom Pernice Jr., Ryuji Imada, Charlie Wi and our defending champ Chez Reavie. All five guys gave it their all, but it just wasn't in the cards. The inconsistency didn't help their cause, but everyone was in the same boat this week, so you can't flat out blame it on the weather.

They'll go back to the drawing board, work out the kinks and they'll be ready to give it a run next time they tee it up. It's the name of the game out here. All in all, in the midst of another frustrating week out here... but that too is the name of the game. You deal with what comes your way. It's been double duty working with a full field and having guys coming in twice as much, but we're pressing on and we'll get it done.

Patience is a much-needed virtue out on the PGA Tour. Especially with weather delays and a lot of down time. You have to keep both body and mind sound and that's what we're working on with all the guys.

We'll dial this thing back in on Tuesday when I'm back home for a week getting D1 Athletics dialed in.

Joey D.

Joey D checks in from the Canadian Open

A rough start to Coach Joey D's week on Tuesday as I spent two hours on the runway in Newark. Inclement weather in the Tri-State area and a bit of foreshadowing regarding what we're in for this week, I'm afraid.

I arrived in Ontario later than expected and it had been raining here, as well. The course was playable, but conditions were changing - as we've seen countless time this season. That aside, the course is in good shape and Glen Abbey is a great track. We're expecting rain tomorrow and my gut feeling is that we lose another day and see a John Deere-like finish here in Ontario, either cut to 54 holes or a 36-hole final day.

It's always an interesting week after a major. Guys are on such a high the week before an event of that nature and quickly come back down to earth a week later. A lot of guys have withdrawn this week, opening the door for alternates to work their way into the field - so while the field might not be as strong, the fan support will definitely be there as this truly is Canada's open.

Our friends north of the border are definitely excited for this week, so hopefully our guys put on a great show for them. Ironically enough, I have a full field this week - Pat Perez, Jason Dufner, Charlie Wi, Jason Gore, Ryuji Imada, Tom Pernice Jr. and my new guy Chez Reavie, the defending champ of the Canadian Open. Chez really has been a great addition to the team. His work ethic is incredible and here's another guy absolutely committed to biomechanics and taking his game to that next level. One by one we're winning over the masses.

Guys are finally getting it, realizing that if you want to compete at this level, you need to get your body right once and for all. Chez knows he's lacking in certain areas and he knows that the only way he'll get more W's is to make a commitment of this magnitude. We're doing a lot of rotational stuff this week.. a lot of swing stuff... range of motion... engaging his core... it's all coming together. We'll go deeper into engaging your core through your swing plane in an upcoming blog. Tune back in.

'Hollywood' Perez is in the field this week, on board at this week's Canadian Open and staying with his long-time bud and Arizona neighbor Brian Savage. Savy spends his summers in his homeland and the former NHLer helped put together "Pat Perez Day" at a local junior golf event earlier this week. Check out the story on Pat's blog when you have the time.

Brian picked Pat up on his tour bus and the two superstars spent a few days with superstar Kid Rock en route to Ontario. This weekend, The Perez Show heads to Toronto so PP can catch up with his bud Pat Burrell as the Rays are in town to take on the Blue Jays, so Coach Joey D will venture out and take in the ball game with the boys this weekend. Look out for some iPhone pics in the coming days.

Charlie Wi is here and is ready to go. Jason Dufner missed the cut last week, but he's back on his game and expects good things this week. I haven't run into Ryuji yet, but should catch up with him later today. He didn't have the best showing at the British, but he made the cut, he's working out some things with his swing and is ready to get back out there.

Also, a hearty congrats to Jason Gore and Tom Pernice Jr. on their finish at the US Bank Championship in Milwaukee. JG reeled in a T7th finish and Tom finsihed T15th. A much-needed shot in the arm for those guys and hopefully they keep the momentum going this weekend. Tune back in later this week for more from Ontario.

Joey D.

59 Is The New 39

Congratulations to Tom Watson for his great performance this past week at the Open Championship. He came up one shot short of making history.

I'm going to be 60 years old next Sunday. My blood kept heating to a boil while watching the coverage and listening to the commentators. Terms like "GEEZER" and "CROTCHETY" were used regularly in regard to Mr. Watson and his "unbelievable" performance for a 59 year old man.

What the heck do these whipper snappers think a 59 year old guy should act like? One dolt even said his "hands were shaking". Geez, maybe he should have had a walker out there. I'll admit that the weather has taken a slight toll on his face and neck, but this guy is in great shape and can hit the ball straight when needed and knows how to shape the shots into the wind when needed.

He had the pressure of every 50+ year old golfer in the world wanting him to "show them all". He had the opportunity to tie a century old record held by legendary Harry Vardon. He was going to be the oldest winner of a Major, and some even talked about this being the greatest accomplishment in sports. Are you kidding me?

He had to be mentally drained. He had the Open in his grasp. All the other players parted like the Red Sea to allow him to walk right through and he locked up on the 5 foot putt for the win. I don't care how old you are, that has to turn you into a noodle. The world was watching and he was about to make history. How would you have reacted?

Stewart Cink was a high as a kite coming off a birdie on 18. Tom was so down that he couldn't pull off a straight shot with a cannon.

Is it obvious that I can't relate to all the stupid questions about being 59? I know one thing for sure........when these birds get closer to being 60, you will hear them say things like, "it's only a number".

Congratulations to Stewart Cink.

Well, I sure am glad I got that off my chest.

I need a nap.

Ken Pierce
GolfGym

D1 Athletics Becoming A Reality

Coach Joey D just sent these pictures from the new facility in Florida. We are so excited that he will be bringing his expertise and a lifelong committment to excellence in performance to the Jupiter, Florida area. Many of the top players in the world live nearby and will surley be visiting the facility regularly. Congratulations Coach!!!!

From Joey:

Wanted to bring everyone up to speed with D1 Athletics. A very productive week down here in South Florida. We'll be burning the midnight oil here until Monday. Come Tuesday, I'll head to the RBC Canadian Open.

Next week is as full of a week as I'll see all year. My standard six players are in the field - Pat Perez, Jason Dufner, Charlie Wi, Ryuji Imada, Jason Gore and Tom Pernice Jr. - as well as my new guy, Chez Reavie, defending champ of the RBC. Tune in next week for the latest from Ontario.

More next week.

Joey D

Warm Up With These Easy Leg Stretches

It's Saturday and many of you are out there enjoying the day and playing the game we all love. I am going to guess that most of you who read this blog actually do "warm up" or "stretch" before you step up to the first tee. If you don't take the time to warm up or stretch before teeing it up, YOU SHOULD!

You will be amazed at how much calmer you will be and how much easier you will swing your club when you do some concentrated, stretches about 10 minutes before your tee time or before you hit some practice balls on the range. I can't tell you how many times I've heard golfers say, "It usually takes me three or four holes to warm up". What a waste of three or four holes.

The first tee is generally the most nerve racking for those of us who can only get out on the weekend. Here are two short, but effective stretches that will definitely help release the tightness in your legs. Hold each posture for the count of ten to get the most benefit. Perform these stretches on both legs.

See how easy that was?

Keep it in the short grass.

Ken Pierce
GolfGym

Joey D talks British Open and D1 Athletics

Coach Joey D coming to you this week from Palm Beach. It's been a hectic week here in South Florida, getting D1 Athletics up and running. Back on the road next week for the Canadian Open, so I only have a few more days to go pedal to the metal at D1, ensuring we open on time.

Before I jump into what's going on with D1 and GolfGym, let's spend a few minutes talking about the opening round of the British Open - a links course at Turnberry and a very different style track than we're used to seeing. The story yesterday, your leader (for most of the day) 65-year old Tom Watson, who fired an opening round 65. Tom found himself four-over after five today, yet battled back with four birdies and was even after 18. After two rounds, Tom is five-under on the event and enters the weekend tied for the lead.

Most will chalk this up to another feel-good story, similar to the run Greg Norman made last year - but this is no accident. I've had my fair share of conversations with Tom over the years and this is a veteran who is very with the times regarding biomechanics as well as strength and conditioning. Tom is a highly motivated individual and knows how to apply biomechanics to his overall game.

As I've explained several times here, we have four trailers out on a weekly basis -- two physiotherapy trailers and two biomechanics labs (re: strength & conditioning) trailers. The PGA Tour has the same set up as the Champions Tour, so Tom is in there getting after it on a weekly basis. My good friend Kent Bickerstaff, a former MLB guy, told me first hand that Tom is an absolute superstar when it comes to that application on Tour.

All the best to Tom this weekend. He has his work cut out for him these new two days, but regardless of the result I hope people get the message loud and clear; if you focus on biomechanics and getting your body right, age remains nothing but a number.

Getting back to D1, besides the actual facility I want to share a little with you regarding our modus operandi. We're putting a lot of focus on junior golfer, as well as other sports. Any sport which uses biomechanical applications -- tennis, baseball, lacrosse, etc. Between this blog, and the soon-to-be-built CoachJoeyD.com website, we're going to start doing a better job in the recruitment process of local and national athletes, allowing them to train at D1 and get their bodies right.

GolfGym has done a great job helping me get this thing to the next level. My partner Ken Pierce has been a very innovative individual over the years and we're going to feature all our GolfGym products at D1. Ken shipped me a tennis swing trainer yesterday and the way we've set this up, it is possible for us to mimic every aspect of tennis swing just as the PowerSwing Trainer emulates the golf swing. This new tool allows us to understand and teach the rotational biomechanics of tennis.

A special thanks to both Ken and Vicki Pierce this week for not only supplying all the necessary tools, but continuing to expand into other sports. While the immediate focus is golf-related, you're going to see this product line grow with more sport-specific training aids over the next few months. Stay tuned.

The main focus of D1 is to be that be all/end all facility for all the professional golfers I've worked with for over a decade on the PGA Tour, as well as the MLB friends I've made - Nick Punto of the Minnesota Twins, Pat Burrell of the Tampa Bay Rays. The goal is to get all these guys in here during the off-season, focused on the principles of biomechanics.

Back to the grind on this end. I'll try to snap some iPhone pics this weekend before I head out to the Canadian Open on Tuesday. Pat Perez will be back in action and my new guy Chez Reavie is out to defend his title next week. Jason Dufner will be back continuing on with his impressive season.

Keep tuning in for all the latest.

Remember, if you "Fix Your Body" you will "Fix Your Swing".

Joey D.

Joey D recaps the John Deere Classic

Joey D checking in from Florida today. Back home for a week to get things dialed in at the soon-to-be-open D1 Athletics GolfGym facility. Ryuji Imada is my only guy playing in this week's British Open, so I'm not making the trek across the pond and will be back on the road next week for the RBC Canadian Open.

Last time I wrote, inclement weather was the name of the game in Silvis. Massive amounts of rain washed out Friday's round, guys were back in action Saturday and it was another 36-hole effort on Sunday before Steve Stricker brought it home with his final round 64. My horse Pat Perez led our pack this week, reeling in a T30th finish and keeping all four rounds in the high 60s. Jason Dufner reeled in a T39th finish. Charlie Wi had a second round 69, but an opening round 73 did him in. Similar story for Jason Gore, who had a stellar second round 66, but after an opening round 75 it was too much to overcome. Chez Reavie went 74-69 and missed the cut as well.

All my guys kept their attitudes in check this week and did their best to handle the delay and weather woes. Unfortunately when the rest of the field goes low, one bad round paired with a great round isn't going to get the job done. Especially when the field was cut to sixty due to the inclement weather and the fact so many guys needed to catch the charter overseas for this week's British Open.

Filling in for me in Milwaukee this week is my friend and associate Jeff Wagner. Coach Wagner and I have worked together these past six years and he's well educated in the science of biomechanics, strength & conditioning and is a vault of information. My guys are in good hands with Coach Wagner this week. Dufner, Gore and Tom Pernice Jr. are my only guys in the field this week. Perez is off this week, in need of a little active rest as he works through his ankle rehab. Charlie and Chez are off as well.

D1 Athletics will open its doors in a matter of days or weeks, depending on how quickly we can tie up some of these loose ends. Words can't express my excitement for this new chapter I'm embarking upon. "Fix Your Body, Fix Your Swing" will be in stores early 2010 and now we have the facility ready to work in tandem with all we're teaching in the book.

Biomechanics is growing and golfers worldwide have come to realize how important fitness is in regards to their overall game. As a coach, that in itself is a dream come true. The facility will feature all of our GolfGym products and other tools we use in the trailers daily on the PGA Tour.

Besides our efforts to get D1's doors open, I'm actually looking forward to playing the role of 'spectator' this week and watching from outside the ropes. There are some things I'm not able to see on a daily or weekly basis and it'll be nice to appreciate this week from a different vantage point. As we enter mid-July, we're getting pretty close to this season wrapping up... making this a good time for you readers to do your homework regarding the FedExCup, the standings and trying to gain a solid understanding for our semi-new Playoffs system on the PGA Tour.

We have four events in August, highlighted by the PGA Championship in a few weeks and then the fall finish -- The Barclays, the Deutsche Bank Championship, the BWM Championship and The TOUR Championship. Not all players are automatically qualified for every event and that can shake continuity before the fall stretch. Some guys appreciate the break, while other feel the extra time off can break momentum.

This is a very interesting time of the season as guys on the bubble need to step up their game to secure a spot in the Playoffs, while others simply need to make some moves to they can hang on to their cards. Some exciting golf yet to be played and a great stretch of events for the fans. Hopefully all of you are fired up to see how everything shakes out.

More to come from South Florida this week as I'll be knee-deep in getting the D1 Athletics GolfGym facility ready for its grand opening. Tune back in later this week and I'll post some photos of the progress.

Joey D.

Checking In From The John Deere Classic

Joey D checking in. It's been a hectic couple of weeks - the US Open, Travelers Championship and AT&T National - as well as treks back to South Florida to check on the progress of my soon-to-open D1 Athletics GolfGym facility. The blog got pushed to the back burner, but we're back full force this week in Silvis, IL for the John Deere Classic.

Got some unexpected down time today as the second round is yet to start, thanks to some inclement weather. You never know what you're going to get in the Midwest come summertime and today, we're seeing some rain and lightning. On the surface, it doesn't seem like much - but when a round gets postponed out here tensions rise, guys get frustrated and nobody knows what's going on. It's a tough thing to be up against as guys are wondering if they'll play at all today, if they're in for 36 holes tomorrow or if this will be a weather-shortened event, only going 54 holes.

With the Open Championship taking place next week, guys aren't going to be able to stick around for a Monday finish. We've blogged about weather issues in the past and the fact that guys get warmed up in the morning, sit around and wait for their tee time, while making an effort to stay warmed up by coming back in for another session with the weights, stretching, cardio, etc. Right now they officials are calling for a 3pm ET start, but we'll see.

TPC Deere Run started out in great shape earlier this week, but the rain will obviously change those conditions going into the weekend. The course will soften up, the numbers will go super-high and we'll definitely have a different track than the one the players saw on Thursday.

While we have some down time in Silvis, let's talk about next week's Open Championship. The John Deere folk have helped set up a custom 767, which I believe is owned by the Dallas Mavericks, and that chartered flight will take a bunch of guys across the pond next week. Until then, players are doing their best to sharpen their skills and tighten up their game. There are two trains of thought in regard to a major event; play and get ready or enjoy some active rest and let the body get healthy. Either is a good option, depending on the player. Some guys need to be out here and feed off that competitive atmosphere that you can't simulate anywhere but a Tour event. This week you're seeing some guys out at the John Deere that might not have played if there weren't a major next week. For the guys who aren't out here this week and are headed overseas next week, you can bet they're training at home both on and off the course, getting ready for one of the year's biggest events.

I'm looking forward to next week as Turnberry is arguably one of the most beautiful ocean links courses I've ever seen.

Back to the John Deere, I have a few guys out here this week. Pat Perez is back in action, playing his third straight event since missing six weeks with torn ligaments in his ankle. PP is working his tail off in the trailer and he's doing everything we need him to do to regain his strength. It's a slow process and there's still some soreness in the ankle, but he's one step closer every day and he fired a solid opening round 69 yesterday. The range of motion is coming back and I'm expecting some good things out of him as he mounts his comeback.

Jason Gore is back this week, though he's fighting a toe injury. Charlie Wi is out here, attitude as positive as ever, playing some confident golf. Jason Dufner is in the mix, in the midst of a very solid year and we also have a new pro in Joey D's stable, Chez Reavie. Chez has made the commitment to biomechanics and getting his body ready to compete at golf's highest level. I've worked with Chez a few weeks now and he's a welcomed addition to the family. His work ethic is top-notch and his ability to communicate from a player to a coach.

That's all I have for right now. Headed back to the trailer to get my guys ready to go and hoping the get this second round underway, already.

More to come. Stay tuned.

Joey D.

John Deere Pics from Joey's iPhone Cam

Joey D checking in. Here are some shots I took while walking around TPC Deere Run yesterday. You'll notice how well the grass is mowed here.

I'll post a blog tomorrow which will bring everyone up to speed on things here in Silvis, as well as the past few weeks. It's been quite hectic getting our new facility for D1 Athletics and GolfGym dialed in at home while on the road working the last few Tour events.

But, as Dan Marino says on the NutriSystem commercials...."We're back in the game".

Until tomorrow.
Joey D.

We Are Back...and Joey D is in Illinios

I am sorry for the delay in posting since July 1st. We had some technical difficulties with the blog site and was unable to post. But....we are back. I could try to blame it on the 4th of July, or a vacation, or the Michael Jackson Memorial, but it was just one of those things.

Joey D is in Illinois this week at the John Deere Classic. Vicki and I are both from Illinois and we know how the weather is in July...muggy and warm.

As I write this, play has been suspended due to inclement weather. There are lots of thunder storms in the Midwest at this time of the year. Joey is sending some pictures from the course which he shot yesterday with his iPhone Cam. Look for them shortly.

Ken Pierce
GolfGym

American Heros at Congressional

The AT&T Invitational is being played this week at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, MD. This tournament is hosted by Tiger Woods and is dedicated to the men and women who have sacrificed for us and our country through their service in the armed forces.

Today, Wednesday, is ProAm day and many of the hero's of our country have been invited to play with the PGA pros. Some of those hero's have lost limbs or have been seriously injured during their service to our great nation.

GolfGym has been working with Salute Military Golf Association headed by PGA Professional Jim Estes. We have supplied dozens of PowerSwing Trainers, Balance Balls and Weighted Training Clubs for the golfers involved with the organization.

GolfGym is proud to tell you that Staff Sergeant Ramon Padilla is playing with Tiger Woods today in the ProAm. He lost his left arm in combat. We are also proud and humbled to tell you that the Sergeant completes 100 swings with our GolfGym Club 38 every day with his right arm.

SMGA President Jim Estes (center) and combat wounded veterans at the
May 17th clinic - left to right:
Ramon Padilla, Jeff Hensley, Brian Wagner, and Dan Nivens

David Cook and Dan Nevins at the Hootie and the Blowfish Celebrity Pro-Am

Oprah Winfrey and SMGA Participant Ramon Padilla at
Walter Reed Army Medical Center

Here is an excerpt from the SMGA website.

What SMGA will do:
Begun as a therapeutic outlet for soldiers undergoing prolonged medical treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the SMGA will continue to strive to provide recreational therapy, through the game of golf, to combat-wounded American soldiers injured in Iraq or Afghanistan. While future SMGA programs may not be limited to a particular military conflict, our mission is to engage wounded soldiers in the game of golf as its inherent lessons of discipline, fortitude, and perseverance closely mirror those embodied in our nation’s military credos. The SMGA believes that every soldier matters and should be given the opportunity to learn and improve his or her golf knowledge and skill; the SMGA will provide a venue and mentoring to this end.

Golf World featured the SMGA's work with combat-wounded veterans in a recent cover story.

GolfWorld Cover(pdf file) / Golf World story (pdf file)

We wish you and your family a very Happy 4th of July Holiday.

God Bless these fine Americans.
Ken Pierce
GolfGym

And The Winner, I Mean Winners are....

Last month we offered a GolfGym PowerSwing Trainer to the person who could tell us the proper ruling for the head scratching situation in which PGA Professional Jason Dufner found himself. His errant shot at Quail Hollow ended up in a young fans lap. Play it as it lies???

We received many variations of the proper rulling and have concluded that we have TWO (2) winners who will each receive a GolfGym PowerSwing Trainer. They are:

Carol "Charlie" Buxton from Alexandria, VA. Her answer was the most detailed:
"Ref. Rule 19-1. a, Ball In Motion Deflected or Stopped. The ball after a stroke, not on the putting green, came to rest on an animate outside agency; the position as near as possible to the spot directly under the place of rest should be marked, the outside agency should move, and then the ball be dropped as close as possible to that spot, and not nearer the hole".

and

Bud Streeter from Wilmington, NC. His answer was the funniest:
"Ask the young lady to stand up very carefully, with the ball still in her lap, and walk as close as possible to the hole on the green and THEN drop it. Jason would need to meet her later to buy her a Coke.....this ruling is what my golf buddies would do!!!!"

Congratulations to both winners.
Look for another contest soon.

Stay flexible.
Joey D

Junior Golfers in the OC

This past week, GolfGym helped sponsor the Orange County High School Golf Tournament. Many of the top Junior players in the area coverged on the Oak Creek Golf Club in Irvine, California to demonstrate their talents to some college coaches and recruiters.

To qualify for the tournament, the student had to have consistently maintained a score of 80 or below during the season. Vicki and I were on hand with all of the products for the players to use to get warmed up and prepare for their round.

The girls winner was Ashley Greer from Marina High School and after a two hole playoff she beat Renae McVoy from El Toro. Both ladies had shot 77, from roughly 5800 yards.

The boys winner was Andrew Akers from Tesoro who beat out his teammate Dan Martin and Kyle Miranda from Esperanza. They all has shot 72, one over par from 6800 yards and needed two playoff holes to determine the winner.

GolfGym Congratulates the Winners.
Ken Pierce

More from Joey's iPhone Cam...

Made it to New York and the US Open is definitely in the air. You can feel it. Running rampant right now, but will chime back in tomorrow to bring everybody up to speed. - Joey D.

Joey D ready to talk Bethpage Black...

It's US Open week. Bethpage Black and back to an unbelievable course where I've seen some incredible golf over the years. I'm leaving West Palm at 7am and will be in New York by lunch time. This is an enormous week coming up and I'm excited.

This isn't a week about conditions, hospitality and the facilities. That works for other posts, but this week is just about as big as it gets. This is our country's "Open" and this is Bethpage Black; one of the more challenging tracks I've seen in my career.

The USGA is one of the governing bodies of golf and they're going to set this course up they way they see fit. No one cares how much the players balk or carry on about conditions being too hard; it is what it is. This event is about the challenge. They want to see a low number out here... and I don't mean "low" like Brian Gay going 18-under low to win last week. I'm talking even or one-over come Sunday evening.

This is the second major we're seeing this year, with the Masters already in the books -- Augusta National, arguably the most coveted event in all of golf. Everybody in the world knows what the green jacket means. From there, "the Open" -- which is debatable depending on which side of the pond you reside. Our brethren overseas take pride in their British Open, but as time rolls on, we're seeing our countrymen putting even more weight into the overall meaning of the US Open.

The average golf fan doesn't see what I see on a given week. Take your average event and intensify that ten times over and you start to get the feel of a major. Factor in the environment and energetic crowd you get in New York, combined with the sense of nationalism you get at your country's open and you have an incredible week in store.

From my perspective, I see the nervousness, anger and frustration. I also see the determination, focus and desire. These guys have been working their tails off for weeks and this is the week it all has to come together both physically and mentally -- and by mentally, I mean the analytical part of the brain. The part that will crush a weak-minded player, not strong enough to control his emotions. Can you handle the high of a birdie or eagle? Will a bogey or a double derail your entire round? The energy you feel come Thursday will be electric.

The sub plots are there, as well. Tiger Woods back to defend last year's title, as well as his 2002 US Open win at Bethpage. Phil Mickelson, motivated to not only rebound from his 2006 collapse, but dealing with all that accompanies a wife battling breast cancer. (Again, as a survivor I wish Amy and the Mickelsons all my best.)

Beyond that, I really expect to see a sense of patriotism this year from America's boys. Over the past few years you've seen a renewed sense of pride with the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup. Our guys are showing a bit more fire and seem to pin their ears back a little bit more when playing for country, these days.

Look at Chris DeMarco back in the 2005 Presidents Cup. He still calls that putt the shot of his career. Last year, America's first Ryder Cup victory since 1999.

This week, another meaningful event on US soil and as an American, you're hoping one of our guys rises to the challenge. That's not to take anything away from our foreign players out here. I'm very close with guys like Ian Poulter and Robert Allenby and I'd love to see either guy win. Same for my lone two guys in this week's field; Charlie Wi and Ryuji Imada. Both born overseas, but calling America home.

Week in and week out, nothing would make me happier than seeing one of my guys a top that leaderboard. I had it with Pat Perez a few months back and other guys have made a run. Come Tuesday afternoon, golf fitness will be first and foremost for Charlie, Ryuji and I in the trailers. All that said, keep an eye on out countrymen this week. Pay attention to the focus and intensity. Something you might not have seen at a lesser event or before it was mentioned in this blog.

Another obvious special quality is the influx of amateurs and type of player you don't see week in and week out. You get amateurs with exemptions at almost every tournament, but not like this. Guys who have never had the opportunity to play on this stage will find themselves in a major three days from now. It's just another thing that makes the US Open stand out from every other event and really captures the American spirit. These guys made the number on the day the USGA held a qualifier and now they're playing Bethpage Black. It makes for a great storyline every year.

Being a native New Yorker, I'll appreciate the x-factor the crowd will bring to the table this week. This is a diverse, passionate, in-your-face bunch that will descend on Bethpage. Our guys aren't going to see the Southern hospitality they experienced in Augusta, or even a few weeks back for the Texas events. New Yorkers will be in their face all week and that will either cause guys to rise to the occasion and feed off it, or they'll crumble.

A random tour event where you could hear a pin drop, this week you're going to hear "in the hole" yelled at the wrong time. Camera illegally snuck in will be clicking during a back swing. Not to say this can't happen anywhere, but with a more aggressive and boisterous crowd, guys have to be ready. This is a passionate crowd and I'm curious to see who feeds of of it and who falters.

That's enough to get you ready for Bethpage. More to report when I'm in New York tomorrow.



Joey D.