Big Play

WHO: StephenAmes

WHAT: Four-irontee shot to eight feet

WHERE: 204-yardpar-3 15th hole at Magnolia Golf Club

WHEN: Final roundof Children's Miracle Network Classic

WHY
To hit crisp iron shots, Tour players make sure the shaft is leaning forward atimpact so that the club face traps and compresses the ball against the turf.This, combined with better technology and fitness, has made modern prosamazingly long with their irons. Down the stretch, with several players bunchedatop the leader board, Ames hit several spectacular mid- and long irons,including the one at 15 that put him in the lead.

ERIC'S TIP

Hit and Hold forCrisper Iron Shots

To trap andcompress the ball, the hands and the grip must be ahead of the club face atimpact. To learn how that feels, take a five-iron and hit half shots whiletrying to stop the club immediately after impact. Hold that position and checkif your hands are even with your left thigh. The goal is to see how far forwardyou can lean the shaft at impact.

Eric Johnsonteaches at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club.

...AND ANOTHERTHING

"Tiger Woodshad his coach [Hank Haney] at Oakmont every day [during the U.S. Open]. Don'tbe afraid to learn. Go and get a lesson.?"

 

GOLF MAGAZINE TOP100
TEACHERS POLL

If you were atournament director, would you give John Daly a sponsor's exemption?

Yes.................. 66%

No................... 34%

"If I weretrying to hype sales, yes. If I were trying to give it to a deserving player,no."
--GARY WIREN TRUMP INTERNATIONAL

DalyWithdrawal

With his WD at therecent Ginn sur Mer Classic, John Daly (below) moved into the upper echelon ofthe Tour's alltime quitters

[The following descriptive text appears within a diagram]

SINCE 1970

Ken Green: 53
Doug Ford: 43
Bob Wayne: 38
Russ Cochran: 36
Dudley Hart: 32
Leonard Thompson: 32
George Burns: 31
John Daly: 30
Fulton Allem: 30

SINCE 1998

John Daly: 25
Dudley Hart: 25
Neal Lancaster: 19
Rocco Mediate: 18

LAST TWOYEARS

John Daly: 11
Paul Azinger: 6
Shigeki Maruyama: 6
Dudley Hart: 5
Neal Lancaster: 5
Pat Perez: 5

THREE CHARTS

PHOTO

COURTESY OF GOLF CHANNEL (AMES)

TWO PHOTOS

ERICK W. RASCO (BACKGROUND; JOHNSON, 2)

PHOTO

ERIC MILLER/REUTERS (DALY)

ILLUSTRATION