In this edition:

PGA Tour Results, Schedules, and News Tip: Make your range practice count this winter Recommended Product: Personalized Golf Balls Subscriber feedback Final PGA Tour Statistics

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Tour Results, Schedules, and News:

Fred Couples needed a playoff to beat Tiger Woods in the Skins Game at La Quinta, Califirnia. Couples is the "king" of Skins and walked away with $640,000, while Tiger with $310,000 made more than in his previous four Skins Games put together. Adam Scott banked $50,000 and Annika Sorenstam was shut out this year.

Earlier in the week at the Grand Slam of Golf where the four major winners shootout in Hawaii, Phil Mickelson shot a final round 13-under 59 to beat Vijay Singh, Retief Goosen and Todd Hamilton. Unfortunately this is not a regulation event, so the 59 is not official.

Many top PGA and European Tour players showed up in Korea for the Shinhan Championship. Aaron Oberholser who is a rising star on the PGA Tour took the victory over M.A. Jimenez. These were two of only four players in the field to break par through the four rounds.

The final stage of PGA Tour Q School starts next week at PGA West.

PGA Tour:

2004 PGA Grand Slam of Golf:

1. Mickelson, P. -17
2. Singh, V. -12
3. Goosen, R. -11
4. Hamilton, T. +1

2004 Shinhan Korea Golf Championship:

1. Oberholser, A. -4
2. Angel Jimenez, M. -2
2. Na, K. -2
4. Immelman, T. -1
5. Chopra, D. +1
5. Petrovic, T. +1
7. Bateman, B. +2
7. Gronberg, M. +2
7. Kuchar, M. +2
7. Waldorf, D. +2
11. Harrington, P. +3
11. Henry, J. +3
11. Mayfair, B. +3
11. Yang, Y. +3

European Tour:
2004 Volvo China Open click here for results

Champion's Tour:
No Event Scheduled click here for results

Nationwide Tour:
Season Complete click here for results

LPGA Tour:
Season Complete click here for results

For full field scores and stats on all the tours, go to PGA Tour.com.

This week:

PGA tour:

European Tour:

2004 Omega Hong Kong Open
Dec 2-5
Hong Kong Golf Club
New Territories, Hong Kong
Defending: Padraig Harrington
Purse: $804,000 ($127,000 to winner)


Champion's Tour:

No Event Scheduled

Nationwide Tour:

Season Complete

LPGA Tour:

No Event Scheduled

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Recommended Product:

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Tip of the week:

Simulating a round at the driving range

The truth is, hitting a lot of balls at the range can actually hurt your game on the course if you are practicing wrong technique and don't have goals. Especially if you live up north in the winter and don't play on the golf course for a few months.

The goal of range practice is to be able to hit the course and score well. Good practice on technique is helpful but I suggest simulating games on the range.

To do this you simply need a scorecard of a familiar course, or if you want, a scorecard with hole descriptions (yardage books are even better) for famous courses that you may not get to play all the time. After warming up like you would before playing a round, play the course on your scorecard. For your tee shots pick a target area that would be similar width to a fairway. Hit your tee shot and keep track of the distance so you know how many yards you have left. For your approach to the green, imagine the size of the green and be honest about whether you would have hit it or not. If you miss, practice your chip shots by choosing a target and trying to get your chip within five feet of the target.

To finish, give yourself a two putt unless you know you have hit it within three feet. You can keep track of penalties, and how many balls you had to hit from the rough and judge your game accordingly. At the end you can keep a score, or just keep track of fairways and greens hit.

This will not only help you concentrate better, but will help you focus on target and strategy. It also slows you down between shots so you don't get into smacking one ball after the other. Get a partner to do this with you and get some competitive pressure as well. Some of your friends will love this as an alternative to beating balls. When finished you can then immediately work on shots you had trouble with during your simulated game.

For more golf tips click here.

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Subscriber feedback :

Do you have relevant questions, comments, or opinions about golf that you would like to be heard? Have any suggestions to improve this ezine? Please email them to sean@lowerscoregolf.com

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2004 PGA Tour Final Statistics:

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Good Golfing,

SEAN HARDER

sean@lowerscoregolf.com