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The good kind of spin - backspin - comes from hitting the ball cleanly, then making a divot after impact.
Ernie Els -
Swinging harder with a longer club almost always leads to bad shots.
Ernie Els
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Throughout my career, I've been sponsored by several different equipment companies - Lynx, Titleist, Callaway.
Ernie Els -
It is just a crazy life as a sportsman. My daughter, Sam, wants to go into tennis, and I tell her, 'No, you don't want to go into professional sport.'
Ernie Els -
For the most part, when you play a full shot from the primary rough at your course, you're gauging how close to a standard shot you can hit based on your lie in the grass.
Ernie Els -
Michelle is 14. Give her a couple of years to get stronger. I mean, she can play on this tour. If she keeps working, keeps doing the right things, there's no reason why she shouldn't be out here.
Ernie Els -
In 2002, the 2000 Engelbrecht Els wine was released in South Africa and received high ratings.
Ernie Els -
For all the fun, don't forget: I always knew when to put my golf balls down and practice.
Ernie Els
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You have to know how to read your lie and take a calculated risk when you hit out of the rough.
Ernie Els -
There have been so many majors that got away, starting at Riviera in '95, taking a three-shot lead into the final round of the PGA and not winning.
Ernie Els -
Mondays are a good day to make statements, not Friday.
Ernie Els -
Make a conscious effort to loosen your hands and let your arms feel soft when you're at address. Take the club back a bit shorter, and feel as if you're cracking a whip on the way down - not tensing up to smash something hard.
Ernie Els -
For a 7-iron, you never want the ball to be closer to your left heel than just slightly ahead of the mid-point of your stance. That's especially true if you're a tall player, like me.
Ernie Els -
I think most amateurs dread playing a 180-plus-yard par 3 even more than a hard par 4. Part of it is psychological: You think you should be getting a breather, distance-wise, and instead, you get hit with a long iron or hybrid shot over trouble.
Ernie Els
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Check the card before you play. If you have a couple of long par 3s, put an extra hybrid in your bag. You'll be glad you did.
Ernie Els -
I almost never hit a shot all out, and I make a conscious effort to swing my long clubs just as I do my wedges. Keep this in mind when hitting your fairway woods.
Ernie Els -
I prefer old-world wines like Lafite Rothschild and Margaux.
Ernie Els -
Your longest drives will come when you feel you're swinging at 75 percent.
Ernie Els -
I use a 1994 South African 5 rand coin to mark my ball. It reminds me of my '94 U.S. Open win at Oakmont.
Ernie Els -
From a good lie in the middle of a fairway bunker, I'll make the same swing as I do from an average fairway lie. I'll dig my feet in slightly and keep my lower body stable so I won't slip, but I don't change my club selection or setup. It's only when the ball is sitting down in the sand that I'll make some modifications.
Ernie Els
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Ball position is everything in iron play. If you aren't careful about it, you can create some major problems in your game just by getting an inch or two off.
Ernie Els -
Grip pressure - not mechanical flaws - is the biggest factor when you're nervous. You unconsciously grip it tighter, which keeps you from making a smooth swing with a natural release. Keep your grip pressure light, and you'll be surprised how much your mechanics stabilize.
Ernie Els -
Some players like to change clubs around the green to hit high or low shots. I play all of my short-game shots with my 54-degree sand wedge and change my ball position to hit it higher or lower. I think it's easier to learn one club than four.
Ernie Els -
When I'm swinging the club at my best, it's because I'm not thinking about mechanics at all. I feel like my body is loose. My arms are soft in front of me when I'm setting up, and my chest and shoulders feel as if they can move and turn easily.
Ernie Els