March 10 -- The PODS Company needs to reconsider withdrawing their title sponsorship of this past week's PGA tournament, as well as change their acronym to "Pressure On Demand Situations." What an incredible tournament and what a lesson in patience and perserverance by eventual champion Sean O'Hair! The lethal combination of a uniquely challenging golf course with extreme daily weather conditions/changes made for entertaining golf as well as a lesson on how to survive some of the most difficult playing conditions you could face.

Sean O'Hair was able to win this week by thinking his way around the tough conditions as well as hitting solid golf shots. (WireImage.com)

Having played Innisbrook Resort's Copperhead Course several times myself, I can attest that what you heard about the course from the commentators is absolutely true, what a unique and beautiful Florida golf course! Larry Packard could not have chosen a better site to create one of the country's hidden gems. Rolling terrain, tree-lined fairways, various land features, as well superb conditioning makes for a challenging round on Copperhead in great weather conditions.

The best players in the world struggled with not so typical weather conditions this week. When you look at the final leaderboard, the "Craftsman" persevered. Those players are the ones who prepared each day for the elements they would encounter; the ones who have the ability to keep the elements in perspective. They are also the ones who performed consistent and steady golf each day, and had enough creativity to weather the storm. Sean O'Hair's career thus far has been a model of weathering the storm. It's only fitting he emerged victorious this week.

And thus, this week's PODS Championship passes on three unique lessons the average golfer can employ on a daily basis, which will result as improved scores in difficult conditions.

DISTANCE CONTROL - Countless shots came up short of the intended targets, all weekend long. This was due in part to the wind (see below) as well as miscalculating elevation changes, resulting in poor club selection. One of the more entertaining results we did see from this trend was a disproportionate amount of chip and pitch-ins through out the week as well as a few bunker shots holed. However, those shots are not a consistent way to win a golf tournament or your weekend Nassau.

If in doubt of a yardage, always choose a less lofted golf club. This is also true when faced with an approach shot of any type to an elevated green. The extra club allows for less tension in your swing, resulting in more energy transferred to the ball (more distance that is controlled). Uphill shots require that you automatically put an extra club in your hand. The more severe the elevation change, the more club you should place in your hand.

CREATIVITY/SHOT-MAKING - Watching the professionals create shots that cheated the conditions was like watching Picasso paint a masterpiece. These days we place so much importance on "ball striking" that the art of "shot-making" has gone lost. If all you have in your game arsenal is the ability to hit the ball hard, you will fail to capture your full potential. If you look at the final leaderboard, you will see that the top ten to fifteen players have a unique combination of ball striking and shot making skills. They can hit a low fade on demand. They can hit high draws when necessary. They can hit low running shots that avoid the obstacles. Can you perform these shots, on demand?

During any practice session, on or off the golf course, it is well worth your time to take no less than 10 minutes to learn to be a shot maker. Practice shots you face on a regular basis, hitting out of the trees, elevation changes, curving the ball in each direction. It is also worth your time to practice on occasions during extreme weather conditions. Doing so will help you understand variation changes in your set-ups, swings, and decision-making processes under such conditions. This type of practice can certainly lead to pleasant surprises for you when called upon to execute a shot during a round.

WEATHER - Why bother worrying about something you have no control over? I find it fascinating when players of any skill level blame the weather on their poor play, or issue verbal assaults at the weather gods as their shots travel in unintended directions. As proven during each of the tournament's four rounds, weather conditions do affect every facet of the game, including putting. When playing in severe and changing weather conditions consider the following:

1) Be a Boy Scout; BE PREPARED! Before embarking on your golf adventure, insure you have extra gloves, rain gear, and a couple extra towels with you.

2) Wind conditions are at best inconsistent. Wind does not blow at a constant speed. It does not blow in the exact same direction all day. Based on course architecture and topographic features, the wind can be deceiving, as depicted by Meteorologist Johnny Miller's description of low-pressure systems within fairways during Saturday's play. Use the tops of the trees to show you wind direction anywhere on the course. By observing the treetops, you can also crudely gage the wind speed. This information is critical in the decision making process prior to hitting any shot.

3) When putting in heavy wind conditions, take a little extra time in surveying the green topography as well as wind direction and speed. While aiming your putt, allow the wind conditions to potentially influence the path of the putt, within limits. Also, widen your putting stance slightly. This wider base will help you from losing balance as your putter is in motion.

4) Learn to play lower flying shots. The prototypical way of doing this is placing the ball a bit farther back in your stance and finishing your swing with a slightly lower follow-through. Jack Nicklaus is famous for the line, "When it is breezy, I swing easy." This is especially true with tee shots. Swinging harder will deliver the club on a steeper swing path producing extreme backspin on the ball that in turn, makes the ball balloon into the windy conditions. Easier swings result in straighter shots that cheat the wind with less backspin.

5) Play more shots using less lofted clubs. As discussed before, more club means less effort and better results.

The old adage of "If you can't beat them, join them," applies to golf as well. You can not beat or change the course (you can choose to play and easier course, but why bother); you can not control the weather (you can choose to stay out of the weather and watch a rerun of Iron Chefs instead). If you plan to improve your golf game, eventually, you have to begin your quest by playing and practicing within the extremes, using your creativity, and understanding how you can maximize your potential within those conditions to improve your scores.

The best scores this week were atypical of most PGA Tour events. It wasn't a birdie-fest, it was a test of survival. And that's what golf is sometimes. If you prepare yourself correctly, you will be the one standing alone at the end as well. Good luck.

John Hughes is the Executive Vice President and National Director of Instruction for Advantage Golf Schools. A PGA Master Professional, John oversees the daily operation of Advantage Golf School's 21 different high-end resort/private golf facility locations across the country, as well as the school's 50+ PGA and LPGA Instructors. His client list over the past 15 years includes a vast cross section of the world's corporate elite, entertainment celebrities, distinguished government officials, as well as male and female touring professionals, covering all skill levels of golfers. You can reach John by phone at 877-239-6609 or by e-mail, john@advantagegolfschool.com.