The Best Tip Tiger Ever Received + A Jaw-Dropping Missouri Course From The Goat Himself

TIPS & DRILLS
The Best Tip Tiger Woods Ever Got
Firing at flags is for suckers

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To Recap…

This one may be difficult for many amateur golfers to truly take to heart and incorporate into their rounds. When you look at a green, you fire at the flag, right? Nope. Tiger says he may only fire at 1 flag in all 18 holes in a typical round. Here’s why:

-FIRST: Every golfer has his/her own tendencies, likes and dislikes. Some may love an uphill right to left putt. Others may prefer a downhill putt or relatively flat, straight putt. By knowing your preferences and tendencies, you can at least attempt to put yourself in the best position to succeed.
-SECOND: Pin placements are generally designed to be strategic. Greenskeepers may put some flags in easier positions than others, but it’s incredibly rare that all 9+ pins are in the easiest placements on each hole. Some holes may need to be played more conservatively than others.
-LAST: Know what game you’re playing. If it’s a stroke play event, you’ll need to identify when you can really go for the birdie and when you need to play more conservatively or simply away from trouble. If it’s a match play event where 1 bad shot won’t ruin you, perhaps it’s more beneficial to try and get close to every pin. Your opponent should factor into your strategy, as well.

PRO TIP: Straight from Tiger’s mouth, once you’ve identified your target, be aggressive in firing at that exact landing area. A timid swing very rarely ends with a positive result.

COURSES
With Payne’s Valley, the Ozarks Are Pushing to Become the Next Bandon
The first public course designed by Tiger’s TGR Design firm

Payne’s Valley Golf Course
Hollister, MO

Warning: If you haven’t heard of Payne’s Valley in the Ozarks of Missouri, you may not want to read this. It could lead to you booking your trip immediately. The first public course created by Tiger through his TGR Design firm, it was designed to pay homage to one of his childhood heroes, Payne Stewart. The course is part of Big Cedar Lodge (owned by Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris), and there are 4 other courses on the property (2 full 18 hole courses and 2 short courses). You may not think of Branson, MO as a golf destination, but Morris has other ideas. With additional courses to come, Morris wants Big Cedar Lodge to sit alongside Pinehurst and Bandon as golf meccas worth the drive.

Tiger’s team really took advantage of the topography when they laid out the course. Visually, the course is stunning. Super wide fairways and greens that map to the contours of the land almost make it feel like a course you’d find in Scotland. But there’s also 450 feet of elevation change throughout the course and incredible rock formations on a number of holes, making each one feel like it deserves its own postcard. The most photogenic hole(s) are likely the 18th and 19th holes. The 18th sits next to a pond at the bottom of a 250 foot limestone outcropping. And the 19th bonus hole is the cherry on top of your round, a 136 yard island green that feels like you’re playing in a pre-historic stone stadium. The coolest part in our opinion is cart path surrounding these holes, as you’ll drive your cart in and out of caverns and under the signature waterfall.

Some will say Payne’s Valley is what’s wrong with golf, designed to be too touristy and focused on making big bucks. But there also aren’t many trips more memorable than the one to Big Cedar Lodge and Payne’s Valley.

Rates: $325 - $450 during peak season and rounds can only be booked 14 days in advance April - October

Check out this overview from @savepargolf

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STATISTICS
Stat of the Day: Average Apex Height by Club
presented by…

The Stat: According to Trackman’s PGA Tour statistics, the apex height difference between a driver and a pitching wedge is only 3 yards.

The Takeaway: Watching a pitching wedge shot fly off the club face into the air may seem totally different than a driver, but the main variances there have to do with launch angle, ball speed and spin rate. Naturally, however, it’s much easier (and much more valuable) to alter the trajectory of your pitching wedge than your driver. We’ve mentioned this before, but by practicing flighted wedge shots, it will put you in the top tier of players who can really score.

Even being able hit a pitching wedge with 2 different trajectories is an incredible tool for the average golfer.

TODAY’S TRIVIA
Answer to Win a TaylorMade Summer Commemorative Staff Bag 
(1 winner chosen on 7/31/24 across all July trivia entries, 1,000 respondents minimum)

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