Joey D: Half-Week Off In Palm Beach

Joey D checking in from Palm Beach. I get half the week off before heading to the Masters a few days early, so I wanted to take the time today to chat a little bit about Bay Hill.

First up I want to talk about Jason Gore. Before Bay Hill, the last time most folks saw J on TV he was doubled over at Torrey Pines in some serious pain. This week he was your day one leader at -5 and he wrapped up the week T8th after receiving a sponsors exemption from Mr. Arnold Palmer himself.

The back pain you saw in San Diego was the result of a golf swing in transition. It takes time for the muscles to understand the signal the nerves are sending. I know most folks think since these guys are pros, change should come easy. It doesn't. Whether you're a pro or amateur, when you're set in your ways with your movement pattern, it's difficult to break.

It took many hours on the range with his coach Mike Abbott and time in the fitness trailer for Gore to complete that transition.

After his struggles at Torrey, J missed the cut at Pebble, finished 74th in LA and had to withdraw in Cancun when the rib head gave him problems, he turned it around. After almost two weeks of active rest, getting biomechanically sound working on the rage, a T44th confidence-builder in Puerto Rico, which led to T8th at Bay Hill.

Going into last week, we knew that Jason's body was still going through change. In an effort to bring him along at a comfortable pace, we introduced a lot of light band work and focused on movement patterns.

Through the use of PowerBandz we took the neuroreceptor and got it to fire again, sending a signal to the muscle and creating movement patterns that kept him on plane and kept his club where Mr. A wanted him in the top of his backswing.

Light to Medium-resistance PowerBandz allowed us to cement Jason's movement patterns inside the fitness trailer, which allowed him to do the same on the range and during the tournament. 

JG is definitely on track and he's a guy to keep an eye on as the year goes on. People have a short memory these days, but we're talking about a Tour winner here. Keeping your card is a challenge enough, but knowing how to win and having done so is everything out here. 

Also in the field last week, Ryuji Imada, who showed unbelievable poise this past week and put himself in some great positions all week long. Again, not the longest guy on Tour, but a smart player who dialed in his short game and fixed his putting this past week. 

A few unfortunate bogeys cost him on Sunday with that stacked leaderboard. T3rd became T17th by the end of the day, but it was another solid outing. 

In the trailer we had Ryuji focusing on band work as well, in an effort to open up his rotator cuff, move to the top of the backswing and using some of the similar principles we used for Gore, even though their body types couldn't be more different.

Ryuji sharpened his skills this last week and is that much more ready for the Masters. He's headed to Augusta early this week to get some extra practice in and to get his mind right for next week. 

Speaking of which, this blog is another two-parter as I want to delve into some things a bit further, most notably the T4th finish of my horse Pat Perez and the difference between 'competitive fire' and being labeled a 'hot head'.

What you saw in those final few groups on Sunday were some of the best in the world fighting to win a golf tournament. Whether it was Perez flinging his ball into the water on 18 or Tiger Woods slamming a club in disgust, it all comes from a passionate place and has everything to do with wanting to win at the highest level. More on that next time.

Check back in Tuesday or Wednesday as I'll wrap up this week's blog before Augusta. - Joey D. 

Bay Hill : Perez T4th, Gore T8th & Imada T17th

A hearty congrats to Joey D's guys this week after a great run at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.

Pat Perez fired a -1 round of 69 on Sunday and was in contention down the stretch before settling with a T4th finish. Perez moved back up to seventh in FedExCup points and will take this coming week off before heading to Augusta for The Masters.

After a blazing start on Thursday, Jason Gore rebounded from a Saturday round of 74 with a 71 on Sunday, earning him a T8th finish.

Ryuji Imada fired a second round 66 on Friday and back to back rounds of 73 on the weekend for a T18th finish. Jason Dufner was also in this week's field but missed the cut by one stroke.

Check back in tomorrow from a new entry from Joey D where he'll break down the Arnold Palmer Invitational and will talk about this coming week at the Shell Houston Open.

Some pics from Orlando...

My guy (and co-writer of my upcoming book) Steve Steinberg was in this week and had the digital camera going, so he sent the following pics for us to post in the blog. 

Here I am with Double P in a the Bentley belonging to his host this week, Ian Poulter. PP comandeered the Englishman's vehicle for a few days and I'm not sure Mr. Poulter will ever see it again.

Stevie also got of me stretching out the big boy, first day leader Jason Gore on Thursday before the round.



For the gearheads and car enthusiasts out there, check out this video of Ian's car collection and him tearing up a racetrack last year. Something tell me he might not even notice if PP doesn't return the Bentley at week's end. 

Joey D with more from Bay Hill...

Joey D checking back with Part II of this week's blog. Let's dive right in.

My horse Pat Perez is back in the field this week. Headed to Bay Hill where he'll see Mr. Arnold Palmer for the first time since winning the Bob Hope Classic, which the legend is now associated with.

I was glad to see PP take last week off after Doral. As his biomechanics coach he knows I'm a big fan of "active rest" after the schedule he's kept the first part of this year. Pat spent the past week at home doing a lot of cycling on the stationary bike, stretching and getting mentally prepared for the next week.

It's an approach and mindset that works for Tiger Woods; get your work done at home and get your head right for the upcoming event so that you're ready to play. That's what we want to see out of Pat this week. Big event, a ton of world rankings points on the line and a chance to keep moving up.

Strong, aggressive and confident - that's how Pat comes back from an off week and that's what we're looking forward to here in Orlando. That doesn't mean cocky or arrogant. That has guys picking themselves a part. There's a difference. Confidence plays a very important role in golf at this level. Pat has done a great job with the mental aspect of his game.

Another aspect of PP's game which I'm yet to discuss here is his caddy Michael Hartford and it's time I do so.

Mr. Hartford is an amazing golfer in his own right and he understands what it means to keep his player calm, cool and controlled in potentially tense and heated situation. 'H' is the "ying" to Pat's "yang" and he's one of the most important an aspects of Pat's overall success.

He's no different than a Bones, Jimmy McKay, Stevie Williams or any of the other big time caddies out here on the Tour. Those guys are there every shot and every step of the way. They're an integral piece of the puzzle and Mike is one of the best of the best.

We're looking for a nice run at Bay Hill, another off week and then off to Augusta for The Masters and his first major of 2009.

Another one of my guys I'm yet to talk about this week is Ryuji Imada, who was playing for the hometown crowd last week in Tampa. He struggled last week with his putting, which led to the T46th finish.

Ryuji was hitting a lot of fairways and greens, so stats-wise he's playing well, just not scoring well. He's not super happy with the finish and result, but he knows what he has to focus on this week in Orlando and in two weeks at The Masters. Better to work out those kinks at an event like the Transitions Championship than in a major.

Pat and Ryuji are my only two guys headed to Augusta this year and I think both of them are ready to go. Biomechanically regarding their swing as well as well as mentally. Both guys have been working tirelessly and I'm proud of both of them.

Last but not least this week, a hearty congrats for Retief Goosen regarding his first win in a few years. Retief is another guy that puts fitness on a pedestal and really focuses on his cardiovascular, some light training and understands the physical side of golf. He's in as good of shape as he's ever been and I wouldn't be surprised to see him get another win this year.

For me it's great to see another top guy who realizes that strength, flexibility and conditioning are crucial if you're going to be successful at this level. The physical side of this game feeds into the mental and vice versa. Put it all together and you're going to win some golf tournaments, which he proved last week.

On that note, back to the trailer. Time to get my guys ready. More to come next week.


Joey D.

Joey D checks in from Bay Hill...

Joey D here. Just did a week in Tampa for the Transitions Championship and want to start this week's blog with a heartfelt congrats for my guy Charlie Wi, who reeled in a T4th place finish and held the lead for a while on Sunday before Retief Goosen took home the trophy.

Charlie is a 'stack and tilt' guy, which can be a challenging style of ball-striking as you think you're in one place balance-wise and you're really not. When working together last week, Charlie and I really spent a lot of time addressing balance, which turned out to be a good thing. When you find out where your balance is in your golf swing, you're creating good awareness over the ball and through the ball, which is important.

Charlie was also battling the flu this week, which brings up the premise of over-training or over-preparing, either on the range or in the biomechanics / strength & conditioning trailer.

We discussed it and Charlie made the right decision to focus on active rest. We didn't work every single day, which is a point I want to make to all the readers. Rest and recovery can be as important as the training itself and that combined with the Amino Acids, fluids and making sure he was Hypertonic and avoiding dehydration. It all played into Charlie's ability to endure 72 holes.

I know Charlie was disappointed that he didn't pull out the win, but he said to be verbatim, "Coach, I know I'm really close." He's aware of what it takes to win and he lost by two shots -- which can be everything in a PGA event -- but Charlie knows he's right there and was in contention again for the second time in a month, which will really help his confidence moving forward.

A side note, if there's a message to take from this week's blog; pay attention to what you're body is telling you. When you're under the weather, don't push so hard. Make it a point to rest and get yourself back to a place where you're comfortable.

Jason Dufner was in the field last week and pulled out a T17th finish, effectively playing his way into a Bay Hill invite. Duff is coming off a rough 2008 (finished 172nd in FedExCup standings), but he kept battling back, headed back to Q-school and worked his way back onto the Tour.

Dufner isn't one of these guys you're going to see the Golf Channel profiling week in and week out, but he'll sneak up on you. Pay attention to this guy. As we've seen these past few weeks, he's consistent (a top 10 and top 20 finish) and he's ready to make a run this week in Orlando.

From a biomechanics standpoint, not everybody is going to be a machine like a Pat Perez or a Vijay Singh. Preparation and training is very diverse for every player, due to body style, how hard they can get after it and how quickly they recover.

Dufner is a different body type from the aforementioned guys. Anatomically he is very tight. His muscles don't have the ability to go beyond where he is and he retains a lot of lactic acid, which accounts for the soreness.

Duff has to put in a lot of time working on his flexibility. He's much shorter from origin and insertion to the proximal and distal points. Duff will often say he feels tight, so he has to spend a lot of time focusing on rotational movements, stretching and what he refers to as "spring training".

Spring training is a term that works for baseball, but on the PGA Tour there really is no warm up. It's virtually a year round tour so Dufner realizes he needs to ease into it. Ball work, light work with the PowerBandz to mimic the golf swing in multiple planes of movement, which keep him open. By not overdoing it early in the week, he's ready for Thursday. 

One last hot topic to touch on today is the phenomenon that is Ryo Ishikawa and the huge impact he's had on the golf media after two PGA Tour events. Ryo has two wins overseas, for which I congratulate him. 

The media has latched on to Ryo, calling him "the Tiger Woods of Japan", which is something sports writers love to do -- always predicting the next big thing.

As a coach, I prefer to look at results and don't focus on what the media says. The two overseas wins are impressive, but when measuring the Japanese Tour with the PGA Tour, there's no comparison. The PGA Tour has the strongest competition week in and week out. How else do you explain a decorated player like Retief Goosen going four years between wins?

For all the hype, Ryo missed the cut at the Northern Trust (73-71) and this past week at the Transitions Championship, fired a 75-76 over the weekend, finishing +9. Again, further proof how hard it is to take care of business on the PGA Tour and what a tremendous job our guys are doing out here every day.

Hopefully the media can focus on more up and coming PGA guys like an under the radar Jason Dufner, instead of always trying to drum up hype for the 'next big thing'. Ryo will come into his own in time, but for now let's focus on the guys who are getting it done. 

I'll check back in later this week to talk a little bit more about Bay Hill, Double P's return after a week off, the upcoming Masters and what I expect out of my guys this week.


Joey D. 

Welcome to the new GolfGymBlog...

Welcome to the new GolfGymBlog, revamped for PGA biomechanics coach Joey Diovisalvi.

Joey D will drop by each week to talk about life on the PGA Tour and the pros he works with on a weekly basis -- Pat Perez, Charlie Wi, Ryuji Imada, Jason Gore, Tom Pernice Jr. and Jason Dufner.

Joey also spent seven years working exclusively with Vijay Singh and even spent time touring with Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, keeping them biomechanically sound. In time we'll dig into the vault and and re-tell some of those vintage stories.

The GolfGymBlog will feature commentary from Joey D, golf fitness-related tips and other golf fitness related articles, all in an effort to help you the reader improve your game. We'll also preview excerpts of Joey's upcoming fitness book, due early 2010.

Thanks for stopping by and please add us to your favorites and tell your friends about GolfGym.com.

Joey D checking in to talk Miami from Tampa...

Joey D here, just rolled into Tampa after a great week down in Miami. Only have a few guys this week, though it should be a great event up here at the Transitions Championship.

First thing I wanted to again address this week is dehydration, which we discussed last week and then saw first hand after the third round when eventual winner Phil Mickelson found himself in a bad place after another hot, humid and deceiving South Florida afternoon.

For those who missed it, Lefty took a quick trip to the hospital to replenish his fluids intravenously. Not really a shock as guys spent the first part of this year playing west coast golf and forget to take into account the level of humidity in the southeast. People assume they're hydrated, but it's all about assimilation and keeping cells hydrated; not just quenching your thirst. 

I didn't see first hand what happened with Phil, but knowing how to deal with dehydration I'd assume he and his trainer Sean Cochran got together and worked towards recovery. Rest up, replenish with adequate liquids, get the necessary nutrients in his body -- amino acids, proteins, etc. to get him back at a cellular level. 

He and his team obviously did things well because Phil came back sharp on Sunday and played a great round of golf, en route to winning his second tourney in the past month.

Again, another reminder for all you out there to hydrate properly before heading to the course and to remember to replenish as you play this spring and summer. Sip water the entire round - not just when you're feeling thirsty. 

On a lighter note, a special thanks to Henrik Stenson for providing some comedy relief this past week, stripping down to his skivvies for a shot in an effort to not get any mud on his clothes.

I don't think anybody should be looking forward to that type of action at the Masters in a few weeks as it's a different format up there and I don't think they'd find the humor in it that the rest of us do.

Either way, nice to see Henrik stripping down in the South Florida sun to work on his tan while saving par on the third hole. 

Regarding my guys, both Pat Perez and Ryuji Imada both had solid weeks. PP finished T35th and had a great 70-foot putt on the 72nd hole and 'Ryuj' finished T40th. 

Doral is one of those course that looks like it's straight out there in front of you, but it's a long course and the way it's set up when that wind is blowing it becomes very challenging. It's one of those courses where you really need to have your yardages right and need to plan your misses accordingly. Players and caddies really have to know the lay of the land at Doral, which was the case for Pat and Ryuji this past week.

With the Masters a few weeks away, it was great to see both guys working so hard on the course and in the trailer. With the first major around the corner, you're looking for things to challenge you so you know where you have to sharpen your skills before Augusta.

PP had Mr. A (swing coach Mike Abbott) out there with him this week while Ryuji took on the challenge of playing a longer course as a smaller guy. He's not the longest player on Tour, but he's very sharp and accurate. It was a good week to focus on his fundamentals and in the trailer we made sure to focus on his posture and spine angle. With Pat, it was just another hardcore week where he gave me his all in the trailer. He's tireless when it comes to working on his biomechanics and he's focused as he's only playing one more event (Bay Hill) before Augusta.

Looking forward to Tampa this week. We have Charlie Wi in the field, as well as Jason Dufner - both coming off solid performances in Palm Beach two weeks ago. Tom Pernice Jr. is also back after a week off and Ryuji is excited as Tampa is his hometown and that means family, friends and bigger galleries out there supporting him. 

PP is taking the week off, which I like. His strategy is to play a little less leading up to the Masters, so that he's rested and the best play is to practice back home in Scottsdale. I love the way his golf swing looks right now and I think after playing for almost two months straight out the gate, some rest will help him focus for Orlando and Augusta.

Jason Gore is coming off a good week in Puerto Rico, but isn't in the field this week. I know that J is working to get his game to where he wants it. He's a phenomenally talented player and even though he's not in many events right now, we're staying in touch and we're getting him back to where he wants to be biomechanics-wise.

As for this week's venue, Copperhead is a great course and will provide some challenges for the guys this week. The players like it and they're expecting a strong field this week, which also gets guys fired up. More good weather is in store, too.

The 'first quarter' of the year is behind us, which is interesting as a biomechanics coach. Guys know where they're at in the rankings and know what they need to do, but they also have a feel for where they're at fitness-wise and where they're trying to go. Where are their bodies in their golf swing? Are they comfortable or do we need to work to get them right? All the early season kinks have been worked out. We're in the thick of it right now.

Mondays are generally 'off' days for Joey D, so I'm going to get off this computer and head outside for a bit. Need to catch a run, a workout and need to get mentally ready for another week on Tour. I'll check back soon.

Joey D.

Flexible Fitness: Helping golfers get in shape for golf season

Flexible Fitness: Helping golfers get in shape for golf season
By Nicole Tomasino

When the phrase "spring training" is heard, thoughts of the Red Sox, Florida and baseball come to mind. Spring training is about preparing the body for the athletic challenges it will meet in the new sport season.

This pre-season conditioning helps to recondition the body for the stresses of the sport and is essential in preventing injuries during the regular season. A smart professional athlete wouldn't think of skipping this pre-season regimen, so why should you?

It is not often that an amateur golfer would think to pre-condition his body prior to golf season, but he or she should take a lesson from the pros in this instance. If they think it is necessary to gear up physically for the season, it is probably more important that the average golfer does the same.

Picture this: A golfer sits all day at his job, has a history of a couple of sprains or muscle pulls, maybe a "bad back," and the closest he has been to exercise all winter is shoveling snow. His body already aches just thinking of the previous scenario. If this typical weekend golfer doesn't take steps to prepare his body for the game, he could very well end up with an injury during the season that could significantly impact his ability to play the game.

Golf may seem easy on the body, but the golf swing is actually a plyometric action, meaning it is an explosive movement. It generates high forces quickly and requires a large amount of power from the core trunk muscles to be effective. In the swing, the core acts like a coiled spring, storing energy as the golfer winds into the backswing and releasing this energy and power through the downswing. This coil effect is actually what powers the drive, not the arms or shoulders. Now think of your core: Are your abdominals, lower back and hip muscles as strong as they could and should be, or is there room for improvement? A good way to increase your club head speed and drive power is to target these muscles with a sport-specific strength training program. This can be done fairly easily with basics such as squats, practicing half and full swings with medicine balls, and basic core strengtheners such as pilates.

Another way to help improve your swing is to make sure your body is as flexible as possible. Most people tend to be tight in the pectoral region, often resulting in a slouched, forward shoulder posture. Many people also have tightness in the neck and shoulder region, all of which can limit your backswing and cause compensations to occur at other body parts such as the lower back or hips.

Limited range of motion in the upper or lower back can also alter your swing plane and cause you to rely more on your arms, reducing the power and accuracy of your drive. Hip flexibility is also very important because the hips play a large role in the coil effect and initiating the down swing. If the hip range of motion is limited this too reduces your drive power.

Basic stretches for the chest, shoulders, hips, back and lower extremities can make a big difference in your swing capabilities and help to reduce your faults. Who doesn't want that?

Golf season is almost upon us, and now is the time to prepare your body to have a safe, enjoyable and successful year. Take the time to work on your body's limitations to reduce the effect they have on your game and to prevent injury in the future.

Free golf clinic

Spaulding Framingham will be hosting its' seventh annual free Golf Clinic on Wednesday, March 25 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Discussions will include golf strategies, exercises and proper mechanics. Golf-specific conditioning classes will follow beginning on Tuesday March 31. Please call 508-532-4262 for further information.

Nicole Tomasino, DPT, received her doctor of Physical Therapy from the MGH Institute of Health Professions, and is a staff physical therapist at the Spaulding Framingham Outpatient Center. She has a special interest in treating sports injuries.

"Tiger bullish over fitness"

Some recent ink we discovered online regarding Tiger Woods and fitness. Check it out!


"Tiger bullish over fitness"
World number one delighted to get first outing under his belt

The world number one tees it up in the second World Golf Championship event of the season, the CA Championship at Doral, having made his comeback following extensive knee surgery in the first two weeks ago.

Woods managed only one victory at the WGC-Accenture Match Play event in Arizona - that over Australian Brendan Jones - but insists the event proved a real success for him given how it went from a fitness perspective.

The American has reported no adverse reaction from his reconstructed left knee and claims he is feeling much fresher than he expected to.

"Everything was better than I thought," Woods said. "It was a big shot of confidence for me to get out there and play again and feel physically sound.

"To walk out there and play and then compete and get a feel for that competitive environment was everything I could possibly have imagined.

"I thought I would be a little more sore than I was. Recovery from day-to-day has been great.

"It couldn't have been more positive, except for obviously getting beaten in the second round. But from a physical standpoint, it was better than I thought it would be."

Woods now faces a more demanding physical test this week as the 80-man no-cut event in Miami will ensure he plays 72 holes.

However, the 33-year-old believes the tournament will provide a good gauge of just what stage his fitness and game are at.

"I've only played in the Match Play event," Woods continued. "Physically, I feel good but getting into a stroke-play event and where you're not playing an opponent and you're playing the golf course again; I'll have a better idea when the tournament is done.

"Stroke-play is more of a marathon. You're trying to set yourself up for the last round, and in match-play, it is the last round, each and every round you play.

"That's what makes it as much fun as it is, the unpredictability of it all. It's the rush of going out on the first tee in match-play, knowing that you had better have it.

"In stroke-play, you can actually have a bad day and still win a golf tournament. In match-play, you just don't know if you can get away with having a bad day and still win your match."

Woods will certainly he to Doral with positive memories aplenty having never finished outside the top ten in six events - and emerged victorious in three of his last four outings there.

"Certain golf courses just fit your eye," he explained.

"I've had some success in certain places. You know, one being Torrey Pines, here, Firestone, Augusta I've won multiple times; Bay Hill.

"Certain golf courses just fit your eye. This golf course, ever since I played here in '98 for the first time, it just fit my eye. Even after the re-design, it still fit my eye.

"Sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes re-designs may throw it off. For instance, Torrey Pines didn't when they re-designed that golf course. I still felt the set lines were great. But this golf course has just always fit my eye."

Joey D: In Miami and checking in from Doral

Coach Joey D checking in from Miami this week. Congrats again to my guys Jason Dufner and Charlie Wi last week, who both wrapped up the Honda Classic with matching T9th finishes.

Glad to be back in Miami. Weather is great, my guys are doing all I'm asking of them and headed to the Heat/Celtics game tonight with coach Chris Noss and Stewart Cink. A little Eastern Conference showdown. Should be fun.

A couple of big storylines this week. Tiger Woods is returning for his first event since getting ousted in the second round of match play a few weeks back and a lot of folks will be tuning in to see if Geoff Ogilvly can continue his dominance at the World Golf Championship events. After winning in Marana a few week back, Ogilvy is going for his fourth WGC win this week.

Last week we posted an article about Geoff attributing his recent win to his fitness regime and I was glad to hear him say that. Geoff has the exact same demeanor on the course as he does off the course, which is pretty rare, and I'm happy to see everything coming together for him as it has.

I've gotten to know him over the years and he's finally at a point in his career where he's strong both physically, mentally and emotionally and he's combining those traits en route to becoming a very dominating force in golf.

Genetically Geoff is a true athlete. He cycles, swims and trains with multiple functions of movement. Cardiovascular, strength & conditioning, too. He works hard with his coach Stevie Adams and everything they're doing translates to a really good golf swing.

Geoff has the ability to put all of that together and bring it out to the course every week. I'm expecting good things from him at Doral.

Moving on to Tiger, it's the second event back since the knee surgery. I still stand by what I said a few week ago regarding coming back to the Tour and re-establishing his game. If he wasn't ready, he wouldn't be out here. He'll take it week by week and he'll do all the necessary things he needs to complete the healing and recovery process. He knows how his golf swing impacts his body and he's going to work with that and get it right.

Mentally, you still scratch your head regarding what he does and how he does it. Tiger truly is one of the strongest mental athletes we've ever seen in sports.

Vijay Singh is also battling his way back from knee surgery this week. I bumped into him the other day and he's been working hard. He says the knee is feeling great and that he's ready to go. He's got a new trainer out on tour with him and I wish both those guys the best of luck.

Vijay is obviously still a dominant force in golf and he continues to show that age is just a number, not a limitation, which is a point I'd like to drive home with any golfers reading this blog. If you work on the physical side of your game, focus on biomechanics, stretch and incorporate a cardiovascular workout into your regime, you are going to help the longevity of your game for years to come. I can't stress enough how important all that should be for all of you.

We have a great overall field this week. Another World Golf event with the best players in the world ready to tee it up on Thursday.

My horse Pat Perez is back after a week off and he's well-rested and is ready to go. I worked with him earlier this morning and his body is moving nicely after some time off. We'll get after it again this afternoon for a second session. He's hitting it really well and his swing coach Mike Abbott is also here this week, working with Pat and taking care of that aspect of his game. It really helps when the swing coaches are around as it allows me to help tweak and fine tune the guys before the event is underway.

Pat's confidence is pretty high going into this week. He moved from 61st to 58th in the World Golf rankings and is fired up to be back out here after a week off.

Ryuji Imada is in the field this week, too. He's working hard, showing great promise and is doing everything I ask of him. For a smaller man, Ryuji has an amazing golf swing. It's textbook and his biomechanics are flawless. We had to work a few things out with his driver, but things are coming together nicely and he'll be ready to roll by Thursday.

Lastly, the weather. Definitely going to be sunny and hot in South Florida this week and that's something to touch on for all golfers. Weather was a factor on the west coast with all the wind, rain and bone-chilling temperatures.

A few weeks back we talked about making sure to layer, staying warm and keeping the blood flowing with cardio workouts before hitting the course. When playing in the sweltering heat and humidity in Miami, the focus needs to be staying hydrated. Doral is a long course and guys need to make sure they're prepared to endure these conditions. I've told my guys that if they're not hitting the Port-A-John every three holes, they're not properly hydrated.

Water. Trail Mix. Bananas for potassium. All golfers need to have that stuff in their bag in these types of conditions.

Back to business on this end. More to come next week. Tune in for the World Golf Championship at Doral, starting tomorrow and I'll blog again next week from Tampa.


Joey D.

Charlie Wi and Jason Dufner, T9th at Honda

A note of congrats to my guys Charlie Wi and Jason Dufner, who both shot 277 this week and finished T9th at the Honda Classic down here in Palm Beach Gardens.

I mentioned last week that I had a small field and both Charlie and Jason worked their tails off this past week, both in the trailer and on the course.

Headed down to Miami for this week's World Golf Championship at Doral. I'll blog later about what to expect this week with a much bigger field.



Joey D

Geoff Ogilvy chalks win up to fitness regimen

Some recent ink from the Melbourne Herald Sun about Aussie Geoff Ogilvy and how he attributes his recent success to better overall fitness:


"Ogilvy Attributes Golf Championship Win To Superb Fitness"
AAP Melbourne Herald Sun

Geoff Ogilvy believes his superb fitness contributed to his victory at the gruelling Accenture Match Play Championship.

Ogilvy trains more like a triathlete than a golfer on his weeks off, running, swimming and biking in an effort to improve his oxygen carrying capacity.

And his regimen paid off at sprawling Dove Mountain, where he had had to walk some 20 kilometres both Saturday and Sunday on his road to victory.

"I'm fitter than I've ever been at the moment and it definitely helps," he said after beating Paul Casey 4 and 3 in a 33-hole marathon.

"I'll be happy not to get up at 5am tomorrow for the third day in a row, because I feel sleepy tired, but physically I'm still fine.

"That's why I tried so hard to get fit, so I would feel good on the 32nd hole."

Trainer Steve Adams believes Ogilvy's physical fitness helps mentally.

"It probably contributes more to mental clarity, on weeks like this especially," said Adams.

"They've got to back up two days in a row for 36 holes with only a 30-minute break.

"It's not the whole answer or recipe, just another piece of the puzzle. I think it gives him confidence."

Joey D: In Palm Beach & ready for the Honda

Joey D here, writing from Palm Beach Gardens this week. Great to be working the Tour this week while also having the benefit of working from home.

We're getting ready for the Honda Classic this week and we're looking forward to some good, warm weather. No more of the cold, wind and rain we experienced out on the west coast this past month. I know the players are looking forward to the consistency that comes with the warmer weather.

The kickoff of the Florida swing is big as you have a lot of guys trying to sharpen their skills with Doral next week and the Masters a few weeks out. The first major of the year is right around the corner, so guys are going to get really serious over these next few tournaments.

From a biomechanics standpoint, we really have to get guys dialed in over the next month. We'll talk to their swing coaches and we'll really hone in on what they're trying to accomplish as far as where they need to be in their body position.

For those who don't know, biomechanics coaches work very close with swing coaches. A swing coach will tell us they want a guy's arms in this position, the club in this position, this is where we want them to be at impact, spine angle, hips... all that.

I'm working with two different types of players right now -- the guys who are in the Masters and are fine tuning, as well as the guys that are right on the bubble and need to make some moves up the rankings to ensure a spot in the first major. Those are two completely different situations and need to be managed accordingly.

We really have some great golf ahead of us these next few weeks. The Florida swing is always great because of the weather, the diversity and the types of fields that we have. You'll see a lot more guys in the upcoming events. The World Golf Championship in Miami and Mr. Palmer's event at Bay Hill, which always brings out some of the best players in the game and makes for an exciting time for the players, us coaches and you spectators.

Back to the Honda, this is a good tune-up week for me and opportunity to get reacclimated to the east coast. I don't have a full field regarding my guys. Pat Perez is taking off his first week of the year after playing seven straight, getting his first win and ousting Padraig Harrington in the opening round of match play last week. Jason Gore isn't in the field as it's tough for west coast guys to get a sponsor's invite for an east coast event. Jason Dufner got in as a Monday qualifier, so he's now in the field.

Charlie Wi and Tom Pernice Jr. are the other guys I have going this week. Both are talented guys, both are playing good golf right now and both in need of a few good weeks so they can earn a spot in the Masters. Since I have a light week this week, I'll really be able to focus on those guys and give them the extra time they need.

For the casual observer, next week will be an interesting week with Tiger Woods back in the mix after losing in the second round of match play. Since then you can be he's sharpening his skills. That was just a warm up and you have to think his number one focus right now is Augusta. Still, the excitement and energy is back with him playing again. His absence was good for golf, as it had us focusing on and noticing other players, but it's obviously better with him.

Tune in to this week's Honda Classic and I'll be back in a few days with more to report.


Joey D.