Big Play

WHO
Tiger Woods

WHAT
Three-wood tee shot

WHERE
534-yard par-5 10th hole at Dove Mountain

WHEN
28th hole of Accenture Match Play Championship final

WHY
According to Tiger's coach, Hank Haney, Woods hates a pulled shot more than any other mishit, and clearly part of his great play of late can be attributed to a newfound ability to take the left side out of play. Off the tee he's done so by employing a steeper swing angle, which has led to a later release of the clubhead. Combined, that has given Woods improved accuracy—and fewer pulls or hooks—without a loss of power.

JIM'S TIP

A Later Whoosh Loses the Lefts

With a driver, take a practice swing and listen for the whoosh sound made by the clubhead. For most golfers, the whoosh occurs before impact (NO), which indicates an early release that can cause a block or a hook. To make the whoosh come after impact, pick a spot just ahead of the ball and swing so you hear the whoosh at that spot (YES). Doing so means you have released the club later.

Jim Murphy teaches at Sugar Creek Country Club in Sugar Land, Texas.

...AND ANOTHER THING

"Match play makes for great golf but terrible TV, especially when someone beats his opponent 8 and 7."

GOLF MAGAZINE TOP 100 TEACHERS POLL

Do you put Tiger Woods's win streak at four, five or six?

Four 5%
Five 10%
Six 85%

"The only reason to count any win streak in PGA Tour golf is for comparison with Byron Nelson's 11 straight wins in 1945."
—MIKE BENDER MIKE BENDER GOLF ACADEMY

PHOTO

COURTESY OF NBC (WOODS)

PHOTO

ERICK W. RASCO (BACKGROUND)

THREE PHOTOS

ERICK W. RASCO (MURPHY)

PHOTO

ROBERT BECK (SIGN)