Big Play

WHO: Geoff Ogilvy

WHAT: 227-yard four-iron to six feet to set up a birdie

WHERE: 526-yard par-5 11th hole at La Costa

WHEN: 29th hole of the Accenture Match Play final

WHY
Ogilvy plays with effortless power as opposed to powerless effort, and watching him calmly pure long-iron shots during the Match Play, including Sunday's gem at 11, I was reminded of long, loose swingers Fred Couples and Payne Stewart. The source of Ogilvy's fluidity is the relaxed on-course demeanor he has adopted after years of being hard on himself. "I was hopeless," says Ogilvy, "but now I pat myself on the back. It sounds silly, but it works."

MARK'S TIP

For a Fluid Hit, Don't Break the Chip

Dick Coop, the mental coach who's worked with many Tour players, taught me a terrific drill to hone your rhythm and control your emotions: hit iron shots with a potato chip between your teeth. The idea, quite simply, is to hit the ball without breaking the chip. This will help to overcome the power- and accuracy-sapping mistake of tensing up during the swing.

Mark Wood, a Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher, works at Hamilton Farm Golf Club in Gladstone, N.J.

... AND ANOTHER THING
"To put back a premium on accuracy, the USGA is considering requiring shallower iron grooves so players can't get as much spin out of the rough."