Michelob Ultra Open

I thought since the LPGA is at Kingsmill this week I would give you a little insight. I have been at Kingsmill for most of the week working with Leah Wigger. First of all the golf course is very wet and will play very long if the rain continues. The good news is maybe the greens will not be so firm. In the past the greens have been very difficult due to the firmness. The rough is very thick and high and they do not plan to mow the rough this week so it could be really fun by Sunday.

It was interesting listening to Lorena Ochoa on the range. Her caddy broke his ankle last week in a caddy soccer game and will be out for six weeks. She commented that she is lost without him. I also observed Lorena spend most of her practice session hitting at targets that her caddy set-up at 50, 60, and 70 yards. If the #1 player in the world focuses on these shots for most of her practice it goes to show you how important these shots are.

One of the main differences of attending a junior tournament versus a professional tournament is the number of golfers jockeying for position on the putting green. When I go to a junior tournament the line is usually at the driving range. The saying, “you drive for show, but putt for dough” is so true. Whoever makes the most putts at Kingsmill will win.

There were a lot of training aides on the putting green. The putting arc seemed to be the most popular; I also saw a lot of Eye Line mirrors on the green that players were putting off of to make sure their eyes were over the ball at address.

As far as equipment, Rife and Odyssey putters were the dominant putters. There are lots and lots of new shafts coming out for drivers and irons. It seems that the lightweight steel shafts are starting to get more consistent for irons and a lot of the players are starting to play with these shafts. Talking to the Mizuno tour rep he said that a lot of players go with the sensicore in these lightweight steel shafts to prevent vibration from the thinner walls of the steel which makes it lighter.

Michelle Wie was there with her mom and dad; she played a Tuesday practice round alone teeing off at 7:00 a.m. She is definitely all business on site. I often wonder with her age is she really happy giving up her childhood fun. She was not a normal teenager full of laughter while she was on site.

I encourage everyone to watch professional golf in person or on TV and learn from them. Watch how they manage the golf course and watch their creativity with shots. I think we can all learn a lot from their club selections around the green. Also, remember they practice these shots for hours.

The sad news of the week is this looks like the last year for the LPGA at Kingsmill. Anheuser- Busch was bought by the Belgium Company, InBev, and they do not seem interested in keeping sponsorship of the event. This is sad news for golf in Virginia.

Again, I welcome suggestions for articles. Please email me at kcomer@glenmorecountryclub.com if there is a particular golf shot you would like to learn more about.