AUGUSTA, Ga -- "You gotta dance with who ya brung," was one of three-time Masters champion Sam Snead's favorite lines. He wasn't very found of last minute adjustments to his game, so he preferred to play whatever shot his fluid swing was producing that week -- or even that day.

But at Augusta National on Monday, there were many of the best players in the world working hard on their games and swings on perhaps the prettiest practice area in the world. But, what exactly are they doing out there? And, do most of them agree with Snead's philosophy?

Having been on both sides of the ropes at a major championship, I can tell you that the players are out grinding away earlier in the week than they typically do on tour for many reasons.

One, the magnitude of the title and all that comes with it demands a preparation equal to the task of major championship pressure and course set-up.

Next, it gives the player -- or player/teacher team -- the time to make a slightly larger adjustment and get comfortable with it before the gun goes off on Thursday. Also, the course setup is usually quite different than a regular tour event and extra time on the course is almost always in order.

Augusta National's practice tee was less crowded than a regular event on Monday, and the caliber of player is obviously as elevated as the atmosphere. I saw swing coaches with their cameras; teachers and their players using the "house" TrackMan (personal radar devices are not allowed at The National); and swing tweaks being worked into tournament-ready form.

Driving the ball well is a prerequisite at Augusta in the post-Tiger proofing era. The unique driving "fairways" on the practice area -- one curving left to right and one bent right to left -- give the players a chance to really work on moving the ball to a realistic target. And they utilize it a lot.

Every player at this level has a pre-tournament routine, and the more experienced ones have a major tournament routine. Most include getting to the course early, working on either the last thing they put in with their teacher away from Augusta, or putting the polish on it in real time with their instructors by their side.

They'll get plenty of short-game work in, getting used to how the greens hold, check and run out, and how the green speed, grain and slope is to putt on this week. Everyone inside and outside the ropes knows what is at stake, a place in the history books not being the least of it. So they are out in force on a Monday, getting ready to have a chance at the glory on Sunday afternoon.

Brian Manzella is a Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher.

(Above: Tiger Woods talks with coach Sean Foley on the practice range. Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs will be online today at 3 p.m. Eastern to answer swing questions and analyze swing videos. If you have a question for Brady, leave it in our CoverItLive chat below.

Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs will be online today at noon Eastern to answer swing questions and analyze swing videos. If you have a question for Brady, leave it in our CoverItLive chat below.

Shortly after Rickie Fowler's first professional victory in Korea, we polled the Golf Magazine Top 100 Teachers in America to get their take on where Fowler's future is headed.

Will 2012 be Rickie Fowler’s breakout year on the PGA Tour? 

63.6% Yes
36.4% No

“Rickie Fowler is about to explode! Far too much talent to stay contained. He got a taste in Korea and this will jump start great things to come.” – Tom Patri 

“It takes even the best players a year or two to become familiar with the golf courses and the travel but he's ready now.” – TJ Tomasi 

"No, he will get his first win in '12 and move his career forward with further improvement but no huge breakout" - Brian Mogg

“One win is nice but it's going to take more than that to make it a break out year in 2012.” – Jane Frost 

“I believe that Rickie Fowler has the juice to take his game to the next level. In order for him to have a breakout year, though, he needs to drive the ball better. Last year he finished 157th in driving accuracy hitting only 56% of the fairways and only 64% of the greens in regulation, making scoring difficult. It is hard to hit greens from the trees and rough. He has the talent to be a dominant player, a future star on the tour. When he gets his ball striking under control, look for him to win majors.” - Mike Adams

“The win by Rickie in Korea might make one think he is ready to ‘breakout’ but I believe he's still a year away. Love to see him do it as the fans like him, but his missed cut at the McLadrey indicates a bit more time might be necessary.” - Gary Wiren 

“My money is on Tom Lewis who won after 3 events on the European Tour.” - Don Hurter

“Tough to break out much from what Rickie has already done. Might be most popular player on tour. Will he win? Most definitely. The kid is great!” – Jim McLean

Last week I thought a healthy and rested Tiger Woods might do something special at the Frys.com Open at CordeValle. In the end, Tiger probably gets a C+ or B- for his T30 finish, nothing that will get his fans or his doubters too encouraged. He was a little erratic, which is not surprising considering he hadn't played a competitive round since August.

Every time Tiger doesn't play well he blames his putting, but a look at the stats tells another story. His putting was fine -- he was in ninth in putting average -- but the rest of his game was pretty blah. Twenty-second in driving distance isn't great against that field. He didn't hit a ton of greens (43rd in greens in regulation), and outside of his putting his short game was iffy at best (50th in scrambling from the rough; 62nd in sand-save percentage).

I'm sure the most important thing for Tiger was that he felt healthy, but it's amazing how much we've lowered our expectations. Think about it for a minute. Tiger Woods just finished 30th in a Fall Series event, and we think that's pretty good. Even he appears pleased about it. Two years ago, that would have been unthinkable. Tiger used to look at second place like a set of steak knives, and now he's happy with playing a little better every day. He's just not the same guy he used to be, which is why he can't keep playing the schedule he used to play.

We can argue all day about swing theory and Sean Foley vs. Hank Haney vs. Butch Harmon, but no one could seriously say that Tiger doesn't need to play more. Tiger talks about his need for "reps," but except for the Frys.com Open he's not inclined to add any more tournaments to his schedule. It's inexplicable. If you need the reps, then play. He's in desperate need of tournament experience, but he still wants to keep the boutique schedule he maintained when he was on top of the game. Play Disney. Play every event you can. The truth is that Tiger needs his competitive edge back, and he's not going to find it at his private club or his backyard practice course.

I teach a lot of junior golfers, and they all go through a process. First, they shoot in the 80s, then the 70s, then they start breaking par, and then I'll get a call, "I'm in the lead, Brady." We all know what happens next: they fall on their face and shoot 78. Everybody does, because it takes time to learn how to play under pressure and how to win. I'm not sure Tiger remembers how to do that anymore. He needs to build himself back. He needs to feel what it's like to get in contention, to sleep with the lead and to play under pressure on Sunday. He's acting like he can just show up at Augusta in April and do all those things again, but he won't be able to unless he's replicated all those experiences in competition. Just imagine what the buzz will be like around Tiger the next time he's leading a major. He needs to get reacquainted with that feeling, but he's not playing enough to be sharp enough to win major championships right now.

One thing that was made very clear last week is how important Tiger is to our game. I work at a public course in Southern California, and we're hurting. We used to have two- or three-hour delays, and now hardly anybody is here hitting balls. Our rounds are down 40 percent. I know it's mostly due to the economy, but when Tiger is playing you can feel the increase in interest. It's palpable. I mean, someone throws a hot dog at him and it's bigger news than Keegan Bradley winning the PGA Championship. Tiger gets people excited about golf, and that's why almost everybody in the game is pulling for his comeback. In many cases our livelihoods depend on it.

Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs is director of instruction at Woodley Lakes Golf Club in Van Nuys, Calif.

This story originally appeared in the Golf Magazine Front9 App. To download the weekly app, visit the Apple iTunes store.

(Photo: Robert Galbraith/Reuters)

Tip #1: On the course, keep business talk to a minimum. The main focus of business golf is to get to know people better, build relationships. It’s not really to do business on the golf course. The best time to do business is after the round, in the bar. Go get a few drinks, light snacks, and you can talk business there.

When you do discuss business on the course, don’t do it on the first hole. And once you start talking shop, keep the business conversation to short little snippets because you don’t want to delay the game. Make small points and continue conversation at the next tee or on the green. This technique gives people a chance to think about what you’ve said.

Tip #2: Keep up the pace. Nobody likes a slow player, so keep your pre-shot routine between 15 and 25 seconds and try to take only one practice swing per shot. If your ball goes in the bushes, don’t take the whole five minutes allowed to search for it. Just throw one out and keep playing. If it’s the client’s ball, go ahead and look for it longer.

Tip #3: Don’t get angry. People are going to miss shots; it's how you handle the misses that matters. It will reflect poorly on you if you’re getting angry or screaming profanities.

Tip #4: Don’t cheat. If you cheat on the course, you probably cheat in business.

Tip #5: Putt for dough. Finally, if you’re playing in a scramble tournament and you’re not a very good golfer, you can still contribute to the team’s success by making a few clutch putts. So practice your putting before the tournament begins and maybe you'll make a few when it counts.

You may also want to take a lesson before a business outing, and at least make sure you know the basic rules and etiquette so you don’t accidentally offend anyone. If you can get the ball down the fairway and keep up with the people you’re playing with, you are going to be more confident and successful.

Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Keith Lyford is director of instruction at the Golf Academy at Old Greenwood in Truckee, Calif. You can read more about Keith at lyfordgolf.net

Dear Top 100 Teacher,
I have been invited to play in a foursome with a client of mine who is a great golfer (and one of my biggest accounts!) I am not a golfer — a fact that I disclosed — but my presence has been requested anyway. How can I prepare for this outing in two weeks?
Jim T., via email

Dear Jim,

Golf is a unique sport in that players of varying skills can play the same course while enjoying each other's company. So you should embrace this as an opportunity to spend a few hours with one of your best clients in a casual setting. He or she invited you, so feel good about your relationship with your client — and don’t sweat your mis-hits. All great players have played with beginners before, so it’s unlikely that you can do anything on the course that your client hasn't seen before.

If you’re looking for a quick fix, find an experienced teacher in your area who can provide a couple of hours of instruction. Explain to the instructor that you just need a few basic concepts that you can remember on the day — and that you’re not trying to learn the game in two weeks! If you have time, invest in a playing lesson. This will help you to understand basic etiquette, where to stand, order of play, etc. Most players really don't care if your technique is rough around the edges as long as you don't walk on their putting lines, stand in their sight lines on the tee or talk during their swings.

Also, be sure to keep up with the pace of play. "Miss it quick" is what you will hear from many good players, meaning don't over analyze your shot. And when you’re really struggling, cut your losses and pick up. You are going to hit bad shots, it's the nature of the game. 

Have fun, enjoy the good shots you hit during the round and forget the bad ones!

Good luck,
Jon

Top 100 Teacher Jon Tattersall teaches at Golf Performance Partners in Atlanta, Ga.

Dear Top 100 Teacher,
I’m an experienced player with a 7 handicap, but when I initiate my downswing I lift my head and I come out of my spine angle. As a result I cast the club, releasing it before impact and hit a short, straight ball that balloons. How can I retain my spine angle and keep my head level or even have it move toward the ball so I can hit a nice low ball?
Walter H. New York, NY

Dear Walter,

NOT a single player EVER raises their head! They do however change their spine angle (that is, their posture), which moves their head.

Raising up in your downswing is caused by throwing your wrists from the top to the ball – we teachers call it casting, which is fine in trout fishing, bad news in golf. Casting also can be caused by weak lower back and lower abdominal muscles.

Here are a couple of drills to help you stop raising up out of your spine angle:

Drill No. 1: Grab your left wrist with your right hand while facing a wall. Now take your address position and place your forehead against the wall. Make a slow motion backswing and downswing, allowing your head to come off the wall at finish.  If you are moving around and changing your spine angle you will soon wear a sore spot in your forehead! This drill will eliminate any side-to-side or up-and-down movement of your head in your swing.

Drill No. 2:  Face away from the wall and take your address position like you did above. Now back up until your rear end touches the wall. Make swings while keeping your butt against the wall. If you’re outdoors, you can actually hit balls doing this drill. You will need a plastic chair or golf club that you can place against your rear — you should feel like you are sitting down on it slightly. As you come into finish you can allow your butt to come off the chair or golf club.

Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Chuck Evans is director of instruction at Emerald Bay Golf Club in Destin. Fla.

E-mail askgolf@golf.com to cure what's hurting your scores with advice from the very best teachers in the game. Please include your name and hometown. Do you have a video of your faulty swing? Upload the video from your digital camera to a service like YouTube and send us the link. We'll send it off to a Top 100 Teacher for help ASAP.

Dear Top 100 Teacher,
I am a 5'11" male and I have always used a 35-inch putter shaft. Is this appropriate for me or should I be looking for a putter 34-inch or 33-inch putter? Your help would be appreciated.
Rod M., Davenport, Fla.

Dear Rod,

At my school we have done more than 1,000 putter fittings over the past four years. Our research has found that players at 5'11 would fit somewhere between 33 1/2 to 34." The variable would be arm length. If you arms are a little long, lean toward the 33 1/2.

The correct length putter allows for a player to tilt properly forward at the hips, allowing your eyes to come to rest over the inside edge of the ball, with his weight over balls of your feet and -- this is important -- your elbows rotated slightly inward and connected to the front of your ribcage.

Don't forget that the length of your putter affects the swing weight of the putter, that is, the feel of the weight as the putter head swings back and forth. The swing weight of the putter has a great influence on a player's feel, tempo and distance control. My recommendation for the gram weight of a putter that is between 33.5 and 34 inches would be 350 grams.

If you would like more information on fitting putters, check out my web site www.coutourgolf.com

Good luck,
Todd

Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Todd Sones is director of instruction at the Whitedeer Run Golf Club in Vernon Hills, IL. You can read more about Todd Sones at www.toddsones.com

Dear Top 100 Teacher,
I am a low-handicap player with decent distance off the tee and with my irons. The one thing I am lacking is accuracy with my clubs. I do play a natural 5-7 yard draw, but lately, my draw is turning into a 15-20 yard hook with the driver and a push with the irons. I know the push and block are related, and I don't want to give up my draw. Can you help? Here is a video of my swing when I played a few rounds in Scottsdale, Ariz. The shot on was on a par 4 that set up well for my hook.
Neal G., via email

Dear Neal,

I took a look at the video you sent and it does appear that you are getting the club under the correct swing plane. Too far under plane can cause pushes, pulls, fades, and draws, so unfortunately you now have a number of shots in your bag. (Ha-ha! That's Top 100 Teacher humor.)

When your plane angle (the path your clubhead travels toward impact) is too shallow or too far from the inside, your ball location becomes even more critical. If the ball is too far forward you'll hook it; if it's too far back you'll hit a push. Flatter plane angles require more clubface rotation through the ball -- think Sergio -- while more vertical plane angles require less clubface rotation, like Chris DiMarco's up-and-down swing.

Ultimately it is the "job" of your left hand to control the clubface. Think of an ordinary door opening and closing: this is the motion you want your left hand to do. Turn your hand to the right in the backswing and roll it to the left from impact until the ball is gone. If you roll too early, you'll have a hook and/or a pull hook. Not enough roll and you have a push or a fade.

You should work on getting the club down on a little steeper plane and experiment with ball location until you find the spot that gives you straight-away flight.  Remember, there is NO one ball position, it's different for EVERY player AND for EVERY club!

You should also make sure that the leading edge of the clubface is at a right angle to the target line when it is in line with your left shoulder. Again, if it is on the closed side of that alignment then it will draw or pull and if the clubface is open to that alignment, you'll hit a fade or push.

Try what I've just given you and if you need more help, we're here!

Regards,
Chuck

Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Chuck Evans is director of instruction at Emerald Bay Golf Club in Destin. Fla.