A MAJOR study by the US Golf Association may soon be able to tell us why Tiger Woods can hit 350 yard drives. More importantly, by working with experts in sports medicine, they hope to establish whether power hitters, such as the newly crowned Masters champion, are over stressing their body.
The project, called "Motion Analysis System," has already been in progress for three and a half years. And according to Steve Nesbit, a professor of mechanical engineering who is advising the USGA, nothing like it has ever been undertaken before.
The golfer's body is an area where very little attention has been paid," he said. "All of the previous research into biomechanics has been visual. For the first time, we can look inside the golfer to see where the power comes from why golfers sometimes injure themselves and what constitutes a good swing."
A total of 25 tournament professionals, including Nick Price, have already taken part and the USGA can't wait to get their hands on Woods. "If it turns out that he gets his power from his shoulders, you'll have every golfer in the world doing push ups," said Nesbit.
Effectively, the USGA are trying to determine the most efficient way to swing, while discovering which motions put the most stresses and strains on the body. They also hope to find out what golfers can do to reduce and prevent injuries.
"We can measure the torque on each part of the body," said Frank Thomas, the USGA's chief equipment guru and technical director. "Using that information, we're working with sports medical people to see if we are overstressing the body. Do we need to change the technique of the swing? Do we need to exercise certain parts of the body? We want to find out how to minimise energy losses to get maximum club energy."
When completed, the project's findings will be available through magazine articles, videos and possibly a book. There may also be seminars for orthopaedic surgeons, doctors, coaches, trainers and physical therapists. "I like to think that we'll start to publish some work within the next year," added Thomas. "We will publish data as it emerges, but the entire project could take another five years.
By which stage Woods will probably have won another 10 majors and instead of injuries, medical people will be attempting to prevent mass suicides among his rivals.
THEY'RE currently counting the cash at Augusta National after yet another memorable Masters tournament. And it will take a bit of counting, given an estimated revenue of $23 million. The actual City of Augusta can look to a return in excess of $100 million from this annual golfing bonanza.
Based on last year's figures, ticket revenue will account for about $6 million - $16 per person for Monday and Tuesday; $21 for Wednesday and $100 for a four day tournament badge. And it is anybody's guess what the "scalpers" pocketed, given that I was offered $3,000 for my press badge.
Then there is the television revenue, totalling $7 million, of which $2.5 million comes from the CBS Network; $1 million from USA Network and $3.5 million from foreign broadcasters, including RTE and the BBC. But the biggest chunk of revenue comes from merchandising.
During the Masters it was mind boggling to see endless queues of patrons seeking mementoes of the occasion, from a standard shirt at around $50 to the expensive variety ranging upwards of $130. This is clearly a huge, growth area, given that revenues have increased 500 per cent, from $2 million in 1992, to an estimated $10 million this year.
The other side of the coin - is that Augusta National doesn't receive any money for parking or corporate hospitality, while food and drink prices are kept at little more than break even prices. Meanwhile, course maintenance and security cost around $10 million.
So, once you're in, the Masters is splendid value. Getting in, however, is another matter entirely.
It was a day when the good shots were bad and the bad were horrible. All the putts I thought I had made, I hadn't and I just didn't string anything together."
Tiger Woods, back when he was human and shot 79 in the Australian Open last November.
PAUL McGINLEY, who resumed European Tour activities in this week's Cannes Open, is set to become the next Irish member of the so called "Millionaire's Club." Indeed he needs little more than half his tournament earnings of last season to pass the magical figure before the end of the year.
There are currently seven Irish members (11.86 per cent) of this exclusive club, which numbers 59 and is headed by Bernhard Langer on £5,399,718. They are: 10 Ronan Rafferty £2,580,791; 27 David Feherty £1,662 287 32 Eamonn Darcy £1,444,561; 33 Des Smyth £1,437,719; 35 Darren Clarke £1,399,150; 38 Philip Walton £1,361,499; 55 Christy O'Connor Jnr £1,047,501.
McGinley is currently 67th in the career money list with earnings of £861,275 which means he needs another £138,725 to emulate his compatriots. Meanwhile, the Irish player to pass £1 million in the shortest time was Clarke, who did it in only five years, from turning professional in the autumn of 1990, until autumn 1995.
OVER a meal in Augusta last Sunday night, I chatted with Lee Elder who, unwittingly, had become the other man of the moment - as the first black to have played in the Masters. And on hearing from whence I came, he informed me he would be in Ireland to compete in the British Senior Open at Royal Portrush on July 24th to 27th and in the Shell Wentworth Senior Masters a week later.
Elder, 62, was about $70 poorer as a consequence of a traffic citation incurred in a hectic dash to Augusta National on Sunday to see Tiger Woods before the final round. But the money didn't seem to matter, which was hardly surprising, given his career tournament earnings of $2.5 million.
Though he never attended college, Elder was inducted into the NCAA Hall of Fame for his contributions to black and college golf in the US. And he plays host each year to the Lee Elder Invitational tournament in aid of underprivileged children.
I found him to be a gentle, charming man. "How is Christy - I mean Christy Senior?" he enquired. "I'm looking forward to meeting him at Port rush. We met in several events, including the 1969 Lancome Tournament in Paris when we were paired together."
What were his memories of Himself? "I remember him as one of the greatest players I've ever seen," came the reply. And, typically, he seemed genuinely pleased to hear that O'Connor was still swinging the club as sweetly as ever.
Finally, I wondered how Tiger Woods would be accepted by the white community, including his fellow professionals. Elder smiled. "When you're as good as Tiger, you don't have any problem making friends," he said.
GIVEN the sort of money that Murphy's spent in luring Greg Norman to the 1995 Irish Open at Mount Juliet, there were probably a few raised eyebrows at his entry for next week's Spanish Open at La Moraleja, Madrid. But it boiled down to a simple quid pro quo.
Since the event is being organised by Roddy Carr for the Seve Ballesteros company, Amen Corner, Norman did a deal. He agreed to play in Madrid if Ballesteros undertook to compete in next season's Australian Holden Classic which, oddly enough, is headed by Norman.
Teaser: More than 3,000 decisions - tricky, humorous and obtuse - are handled each year by the Rules of Golf Committee of the Royal and Ancient. One of the more interesting queries they dealt with recently concerned a golfer in Africa who changed the path of his downswing to kill a snake which had slithered out beside his ball. Did that blow count as a stroke? It was decided that the golfer's intention to strike the ball ceased at the moment he spotted the snake and that the stroke should be discounted.
So, to this week's conundrum. Is a rut made by a tractor considered a hole made by a greenkeeper and thus ground under repair? If not, should the committee declare such a rut to be ground under repair?
Answer: Such a rut is not a hole made by a greenkeeper. The committee would be justified in declaring a deep rut to be ground under repair, but not a shallow indentation made by greenkeeping equipment.
