Inspiring Golf

TaylorMade R9 TP Irons 4-9PAS

2010-03-16T23:15:00.000-07:00

TaylorMade R9 TP Irons 4-9PAS at http://www.discountsgolfclubs.com/

The TaylorMade R9 TP Irons 4-9PAS has serious performance technology in a classic player’s shape and size. The High MOI and Inverted Cone clubface technology in every iron mean superior distance while the Velocity-Control Chamber (VCC) in the 2-5 irons offer increased consistency, ball speed and power. The vibration-controlling cavity badge provides a satisfying feel and sound and the Tour-beveled sole reduces resistance to react “thinner” with the turf. The grooves conform to new USGA and R&A rules and the KBS Tour Series steel shafts are engineered to promote increased stability and energy transfer.
At the beginning of the new year 2010, you may be considering to replace your old fashion golf clubs with the brand new golf clubs. The discountsgolfclubs.com is the best place for your replacement.
In the spring of 2010, discountsgolfclubs.com has extended the offer for our old and new customers with the biggest discounts.
During March 1st and May 1st, registered users of discountsgolfclubs.com can enjoy 5% off each order. And more, our registered members with
purchase over $1000 will be upgraded to our VIP Customers, and enjoy the discount of 10%. Free shipping included.
Registration is totally free. Hurry up, and you can not miss it! Discount golf equipment will be delivered to your door as soon as possible.
If you need more support, please contact our Customer Service Team.
At discountsgolfclubs.com, Customer Service is 24 hours available.
The more at http://www.discountsgolfclubs.com/

Mizuno MP 57 lron Set Review

2009-12-22T00:47:00.000-08:00

Mizuno MP 57 lrons 3-9P with steel shaft at Discount Golf Clubs

The New MP-57™ irons are a crowning achievement in the evolution of MIZUNO's award-winning Grain Flow Forging® and Cut MuscleTM technologies. The Product Development team undertook the task of making the MP-57's the first MP iron with a Full Cavity, resulting in a significantly larger sweet area than any other iron in the history of the MP line. Along with increased forgiveness, the MP-57's produce a slightly higher ball flight in the long irons, and a mid trajectory in the scoring irons. They also deliver the solid feel and shot making ability that the MP iron player craves. Most importantly, the MP-57's achieve all these playing aspects, yet in a classic head profile that appeals to better players.

The ideal combination of solid feel and workability, with unbelievable forgiveness, make the MP-57s the most playable MP irons ever.

Features
• First ever Full Cavity MP iron for increased forgiveness with a reinforcing muscle pad for enhanced feel.
• Innovative Cut Muscle™ design provides ideal COG location, perfect trajectory, enhanced solid feel, and complete ball control.
• Exclusive Grain Flow Forged®, 1025E Pure Select mild carbon steel provides the ultimate soft, solid, consistent feel.
• Durable Double nickel chrome plated finish.
• Modified U-grooves produce the ideal spin rate, for maximum playability in all conditions.
• Rolled leading edge, cambered mid-sole, and rolled trailing edge deliver consistent striking ability from all types of lies.

Notes: Our golf clubs are directly from original manufacturers, and we operate a warranty system on all our products for 3 years!We will replace you a new club if there is a quality problem during the warranty period, and you only need to pay the shipping cost!

Besides these items, we also have golf clubs from Hong Kong at very competitive prices. We have various brands, like: Callaway,Taylormade,Ping,Nike,Titleist....The sets consist of driver, fairway wood, irons,putter,carry bag,travelling bag.They are all in good conditions. If you are interested in any item, please e-mail us or leave us a message on our website. We are to reply immediately.

Harvest Your Christmas Surprise at Discount Golf Clubs between 1th Dec. 2009 and 10th Jan. 2010

Simply register on our site, you can receive a $10 coupon as a Christmas gift immediately. And we offer another $10 coupon for your first purchase, $20 for the second, $30 for the third and so on. One coupon for one order. And more, all the registered members whose purchase over $1000 will be upgraded to the VIP Customers, and get the extra discount of 10% including free shipping. Time is limited, hurry up, and you can not miss it.

The more at www.discountsgolfclubs.com/activity.php
For details about our products or deals, please contact our experts who will be more than happy to help you out!

Tiger Woods’ Rumoured Mistresses

2009-12-15T22:35:00.000-08:00

Less than two weeks after Tiger Woods' Thanksgiving weekend car crash outside his home, 10 women have been alleged to have had affairs with the married golf legend.

1.) Rachel Uchitel. The club hostess was the first of the women to be linked to Woods after the National Enquirer reported that she traveled to Australia to be with Woods during a golf tournament there. So far, she has denied the affair.

2.) Jamie Grubbs. The 24-year-old reality show contestant and cocktail waitress claims she carried on a 31-month-long affair with Woods until his crash last month. She offered a Woods voicemail to prove it.

3.) Kalika Moquin. The 27-year-old club manager from Las Vegas is reported to have had a brief sexual relationship with Woods. She would neither confirm nor deny the report.

4.) Cori Rist. The 31-year-old swimsuit model reportedly met Woods at a Manhattan club last year before they began a sexual relationship that led to Woods flying her out to various secret locations for hook-ups, and her introducing the golfer to her 7-year-old son.

5.) Jamie Jungers. The 26-year-old, who sold her story to a British newspaper, is a former employee of Trashy Girls Lingerie. She said she met Woods in Las Vegas.

6.) Mindy Lawton. The 33-year-old pancake house waitress from Orlando claims she was dumped by Woods in 2007. According to the Post, it was her affair with Woods that was caught on camera by the National Enquirer, when he was snapped dropping her off at her trailer park. The threatening news later led to a Woods Men’s Fitness cover in exchange for the magazine’s silence about the alleged affair, the New York Post reports.

7.) Holly Sampson. The 36-year-old from Los Angeles is a former porn star, who has starred in such films as “OMG, Stop Tickling Me” and “Flying Solo 2.” According to the Sun, she has neither confirmed nor denied her affair with Woods.

8.) Unidentified Alleged Mistress No. 8. A former cocktail waitress from Orlando, Fla. does want to reveal her identity yet, according to her attorney Michael O’Quinn. But this she has said: at the time the affair allegedly began, she was 20 years old and met Woods at the Roxy in Orlando, where she was a VIP server.

9.) Unidentified Alleged Mistress No. 9 is reported to be a “sexy” British TV presenter who was single at the time, but is now married.

10.) Unidentified Alleged Mistress No. 10. is reported in a UK paper to be a “sex-addicted cougar.”

Woods, 33, has apologized to his family, fans and colleagues for his “transgressions.”

Below is Tiger Woods’ wife, Elin Nordegrene.

Formerly virtually unknown, swimsuit model/nanny Elin Nordegren's celebrity status went through the roof after news of her relationship with golfing superstar Tiger Woods was made public in 2002. The sexy Swede's hushed marriage to Woods made headlines in October 2004. Although Elin has kept the two children she has with Tiger relatively out of the spotlight and has kept a low profile herself, save for her appearances at golf tournaments, Elin Nordegren made headlines again in late November of 2009 after Tiger Woods had a suspicious car crash leaving the home the couple share in Florida. Isn’t she the most beautiful one among Tiger Woods’ women?

Best Christmas Deals TaylorMade R9 Max driver

2009-12-15T18:25:00.000-08:00

TaylorMade R9 Max driver on Discount Golf Clubs

The R9 Max Type E driver is a Japan only product designed for increased distance, it features an overall lighter weight, low deeper center of gravity design and a 45.75" length.

The combo of these assets create a club that is easier to hit and produce a faster swing speed with more carry and distance. Of course this driver still features the same FCT setup that the R9 is so famous for, This is simply a package for golfers who have less ego and want more pop to their driver.
Let's face it for those of us who have tried the current Taylormade R9 on the market it just isn't the longest and compared to the previous Taylormade driver models in some cases has been noted to be shorter. We all know the best thing about the R9 is how adjustable it is and in many cases by adjusting to your specs creates more distance but for the golfer who has his/her swing in tune the carry is a bit lacking to some.
Harvest Your Christmas Surprise at http://www.discountsgolfclubs.com/between 1th Dec. 2009 and 10th Jan. 2010

Simply register on our site, you can receive a $10 coupon as a Christmas gift immediately. And we offer another $10 coupon for your first purchase, $20 for the second, $30 for the third and so on. One coupon for one order. And more, all the registered members whose purchase over $1000 will be upgraded to the VIP Customers, and get the extra discount of 10% including free shipping. Time is limited, hurry up, and you can not miss it.

The more at www.discountsgolfclubs.com/activity.php
For details about our products or deals, please contact our experts who will be more than happy to help you out!

Example:

If you plan to purchase the Mizuno MP-68 Irons which is only $339.99 in our store, you can get the clubs with much less than $339.99 during our promotional time. Once you register on our website, you can get 5% off your any order and a $10 coupon. That’s to say, when you pay for the Mizuno MP68 Irons, the final price of the Mizuno MP68 irons you pay will be $339.99*95%-10=$312.99. You can get the Mizuno MP68 Irons for only $312.99 and more, you can receive another $10 coupon after your first successful purchase on our website. If you purchase on our website for the second time, you can get a $20 coupon after the successful transaction, and $30 for the third, $40 for the fourth and so on. And I have to emphasize that each order even you use coupons. Each order can only accept one coupon. In addition, if your purchase is over 1000USD, you will be upgraded to our vip Customers and enjoy more discount as to have 10% off your each purchase. Plus, we offer free shipping worldwide for our products. And the promotion activity lasts from 1th Dec. 2009 to 10th Jan. 2010. The time is limited, hurry to get your savings, you can not miss it.

Ping Rapture V2 fairway wood

2009-11-25T00:57:00.000-08:00

The Ping Rapture V2 fairway wood is the result of Ping’s focus on multi-metal technology in which the key properties of various materials are combined to optimize performance. The Rapture V2 3 fairway wood features a tungsten sole plate that constitutes 34% of the head’s mass to position the centre of gravity for a higher launch angle and lower spin, which coupled with more loft (16 degrees) ensures the ball goes further with a more boring ball flight. The head of the Ping Rapture V2 has also been designed with a larger, shallow head profile to deliver added forgiveness and optimise performance in all conditions. The head is plasma-welded and the machined face is of variable thickness to maximise distance. The Ping Rapture V2 3 fairway also features the distinctive Double-Rapture alignment aid on the crown.

The Ping Rapture V2 fairway wood has also undergone a makeover with the internal weight pads in the sole replaced with a tungsten sole plate that constitutes a third of the head’s mass. This again allows Ping to position the centre of gravity for a higher launch angle and lower spin. The head design has been made larger and shallower and you really notice this at address. The large head of the Rapture V2 fairway gives you lots of confidence and forgiveness and although the lofts are slightly higher than normal, distance and trajectory are not affected. This is because modern golf balls spin less and we found these a joy to hit and certainly the best fairway woods Ping have made to date. Our personal favourite is the 17and a half degree four wood that comes with a 3-wood length shaft as standard for that little bit of extra power.

Ping Rapture V2 Fairway Wood with free shipping for sale at Discount Golf Clubs.

Callaway Big Bertha Diablo Irons and series

2009-11-25T00:34:00.000-08:00

Callaway Big Bertha Diablo Irons, the newly released Callaway golf clubs have catched numerous golf lovers’ eyes. They are fantastic. You won’t go wrong with these super cool, forgiving irons. If you are looking for awe inspiring power with the renowned forgiveness of the Callaway Big Bertha then the Callaway Big Bertha Diablo irons will definitely go the distance. Crafted for players who are interested in a more traditional looking driver that offers outstanding performance, Diablo irons are made with a 1020 carbon steel body and use a high-strength Carpenter Steel face. This winning combination promises you excellent distance and accuracy along with much greater control when compared to traditional irons.

Premium forged irons featuring contemporary styling and design elements for the elite player.

The new premium forged irons from Callaway Golf that offer the finest quality, craftsmanship and feel for the most discriminating golfers. Designed for players seeking a traditionally styled club with enhanced playability and performance, these irons feature a soft 1020 carbon steel body, a high-strength Carpenter Steel face. This combination provides outstanding distance with increased accuracy and distance control over typical forged irons with unparalleled levels of feel.

455 CARPENTER STEEL FACE

This lighter and stronger steel provides increased ball speed off the clubface for more distance while also allowing weight to be moved to the perimeter and lower into the sole for better accuracy and trajectory control than typical forged clubs.

FORGED 1020 CARBON STEEL BODY

Provides unmatched feel and performance, giving elite-level golfers incredibly soft, responsive feedback at impact.

TOUR-INSPIRED STYLING

With a thin topline, narrow sole, shorter blade length and minimal offset, these irons deliver the aesthetics, feel and shot-shaping ability elite players demand.

The Callaway Big Bertha Diablo is definitely one of the best irons that has come out of Callaway to date and will help add yards and accuracy to any golfers game.

Following on from the gorgeous Callaway Big Bertha Diablo Driver are the stunning Callaway Big Bertha Diablo Irons. These forged Irons are the hottest thing to hit the shops this year and their smouldering looks and top class flexibility on the course create a feeling like no other.

For more about Callaway Big Bertha Diablo Irons and other callaway golf clubs, please visit Golf Sale online.

Mizuno MP 58 Irons

2009-10-22T01:49:00.000-07:00

The Mizuno MP 58 Irons have a much thinner sole and top line than the older MP-57 model aimed at enhancing forgiveness for the player by keeping the centre of gravity close to the clubface whilst the beveled sole and flattened mid sole improve ball contact at impact. The head size of the Mizuino MP 68 Iron is also a little bit smaller than the MP-57 but the half cavity design actually delivers a 10% increase in MOI. These developments mean that the MP-58 Ti Muscle offers the shape and control you would expect from a tour iron while offering much more forgiveness

When we got the Mizuno MP 68 irons on the range, we immediately noticed that the MP-58s have a much thinner sole and topline than the old MP-57 model and Mizuno say this modification has enhanced forgiveness by keeping the centre of gravity close to the clubface. The new design of the MP-58 Ti Muscle performed very well, although if we had to be picky, the feel was not quite as good with the multi-material head as with a 100% forged steel head. The mid to short irons were lovely to hit, especially the wedge. Visually the head of the longer seemed a little shorter relative to the mid irons and if this is a concern for you then you can easily replace the long irons with the MP Fli-Hi or the MX300 long irons instead. Overall though this is a great iron for those who want a good players irons with a bit more forgiveness than a blade.

I purchased the 58's a couple days ago after hitting them, along with the Mizuno mp68's, in the Online golf store " Discount Golf Clubs " for an hour each on two separate days. I was hitting the 68's as well as the 58's. (Mostly 6 iron.) And the 68's felt GREAT! But, I knew that out on the course when I'm not hitting off a forgiving mat on a flat lie and not hitting ball after ball the results would be much different. So I went with the 58's.

Played with them yesterday very unsure what to expect as I have only been able to play a couple of times this Summer. But they worked great! The feel may not be that of a full on blade but that is the compromise you make for a bit more forgiveness. I also have a PW, 9i and 8i in the 67 model and may work those back into the set next Spring when I am playing more regularly.

I know some golfers felt the longer clubs were not as forgiving but I fell in love with the 4i. (I don't use a 3i much as I have a hybrid for that length.) And, yes, they look great. I was a Titleist player for many years and still use Titleist woods and putter. But I switched to Mizuno 2-3 years ago when I bought the 57s and I really like the Mizuno feel. Now if I could just find wedges that have the Mizuno feel but that are a bit closer in weight to the Vokey's.

The MP-58s are a step up in forgiveness and a bit longer, which is exactly what I was looking for. It plays like a blade with the forgiveness traits of a cavity back. I also liked the thin top line of the club. The lofts are 1 degree stronger compared to the 67's but I did not notice a real difference in ball flight, just a little longer. They do have a little bit of a dull feeling compared to the 67s and 68s, but not much. If you like blades/muscle backs, I would highly recommend you give these clubs a chance. The Mizuno MP-68 Irons were also a step up from the 67s. Guess its all comes down to your preference. Good Luck.

Golf putting can be challenge?

2009-10-13T02:01:00.000-07:00

Most top golfers are annoyed by the bad putting such as Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia. It is important to putt well. Here are some tips for you to make use of your time on the practice putting green.

Here's how to do it:1. Use the practice green to guage speed and work on distance control. Distance control (sometimes called speed control) should be the focus when practicing putting.

2. Hit your putts at a ball marker, not at a hole, to start with. Don't immediately try to make putts - simply roll the ball toward a ball marker you've put down about six feet away. Think about the stroke and centering the ball on the putter face.

3. Set down distance markers and alternate putting to different distances. Set ball markers, clubs or some other markers at 10-foot intervals, out to 30 feet. Alternate hitting balls to the different distances.

4. Hit from one side of the green to the other to practice long putts. Making a 70-footer is something we're very unlikely to do, it doesn't make sense to aim at the cup. You'll only be disappointed when the ball doesn't go in.

5. Practice making putts, not missing them. Putt from no more than six feet out, and preferably around four feet out. Even the pros make only about half their 6-footers. If you're practicing 15-footers, you're only hurting your confidence.

6. Putt on a flat part of the practice green. On a practice green, you want to practing making putts. That means putting from a short distance - and on a flat part of the green. Short, flat putts are the ones you have to make to get better.

7. Always end your practice session by making short putts. Don't walk off the green on a miss. Force yourselve to make five or six putts in a row to end the session - even if you have to putt from 6 inches to do it.

Some golf tips:1) Visualize to stay positive. Confidence plays a huge role in putting. As you stand over putts on the practice green, visualize a trough leading from your putter to the cup and imagine hearing the sound of the ball dropping into the cup.

2) Put down a chalk line to practice keeping your putter on-line. You can find a chalk line in a hardware store - it's that string carpenters snap to a surface to leave a chalk imprint.

3) Practice keeping your putter on line and hitting the sweet spot in your living room. Use an alignment tool (a ruler, for instance) and putting aids you can buy to affix to your putter's head that will help with centering the stroke.

What You Need: Putter, Putting green, Putting aids.

Monty Chastises Poulter for not Trying Harder

2009-09-25T02:13:00.000-07:00

PARIS -- European Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie has singled out Ian Poulter for criticism over his absence from this week's Vivendi Trophy.

Six players from Britain-Ireland and two from Continental Europe are not at St. Nom la Breteche for what used to be called the Seve Trophy in honour of Spanish star Seve Ballesteros.

Paul Casey and Martin Kaymer are injured and Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald are playing in the PGA Tour's Tour Championship in Atlanta, but Poulter joined Lee Westwood, Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia in turning down their places on teams led by Paul McGinley and Thomas Bjorn.

"I just feel that when you are selected for your country, more of an effort might well have been made," said Montgomerie, who is in attendance to watch potential members of his side for Celtic Manor next October.

"Ian Poulter, not having qualified for the Tour Championship and having been picked for the last Ryder Cup team (Westwood, Rose and Garcia all qualified), I felt that a little more effort might have been made to come here.

"I spoke to Miguel Angel Jimenez. He's never missed one of these and never would miss one," he added. "Good for him and I'm the same and Paul McGinley the same and Thomas.

"I haven't spoken to Ian at all. Please don't make any big issue of this," Montgomerie said. "I would like to focus on the players that are here and not the players that aren't. It does give an opportunity for those who wouldn't otherwise have played to impress not just the captains and their teammates, but me also.

"You could have over half the (Ryder Cup) team playing here quite easily and it will be interesting to see who performs within a team environment."

McGinley said: "I've always been a great team player and whenever I've got picked for a team I play. Others guys see it another way. I might not agree with it, but I respect that they have a different opinion.

"Lee is the only one who rang me and explained why he wasn't going to play," he explained. "As I say, I didn't agree with him and I don't agree with him, but I respect that he's his own man and he can make his own decisions."

Westwood said he wanted a week off to rest and recharge his batteries for the final few events in the "Race to Dubai" money list. He lies fourth behind Kaymer, Casey and Rory McIlroy.

Haas wins second Greater Hickory Classic

2009-09-22T02:01:00.000-07:00

CONOVER, N.C. -- Jay Haas overcame a slow start to shoot a 7-under 65 on Sunday, winning his second Greater Hickory Classic by two shots over Russ Cochran and Andy Bean.

Haas, who also won the Champions Tour event in 2005, set a tournament-record of 18-under 198 at Rock Barn Golf and Spa's Robert Trent Jones course. His three-day total broke the mark set by R.W. Eaks in 2007 by one shot.

It also made the 13-time winner on the 50-and-over tour the second repeat winner in the tournament's seven-year history. Eaks won back-to-back titles in 2007 and '08.

Cochran and Bean also shot 65 on Sunday, with Hal Sutton (65) and second-round co-leader Nick Price (68) tied for fourth at 15 under.

Haas, who had a 10-under 62 on Friday and was tied with Price at 11 under after Saturday's round, didn't make his first birdie Sunday until the fifth hole. He assumed command with birdies on five of the last six holes, including four straight between Nos. 13-16.

More golf news at http://www.clubgolfsale.com

TaylorMade R9 Irons and R9 Series 2009

2009-09-18T23:32:00.000-07:00

TaylorMade has officially launched a number of new products including the new 2009 TaylorMade R9 irons, R9 driver, R9 fairway, R9 hybrid and new Burner iron.
Let's get an overview about the these TaylorMade golf clubs.

2009 TaylorMade R9 Irons

The R9 features a dual head design made for both performance and control. the 3-5 irons feature a high repulsion face with hollow cavity structure for increased distance. The 6-Wedge feature a more compact undercut pocket cavity with a focus on feel, control and accuracy. The R9 features variable face thickness. Starting with 2.0mm thick face in the long irons to 2.3mm in the mid irons and 2.5mm in the short irons for enhanced feel. TaylorMade R9 Irons
Taylormade utilizes its inverted cone technology to expand the sweet area reducing overall loss on off center hits. The multifunctional sole is versatile and made to excel in any lie. The new R9 has traditional lofts with a 27.5* 5 iron and is considered between mid and compact size with less offset. The new grooves are USGA/R&A Conforming.
The R9 is available with either Nippon NS Pro 950GH or Dynamic Gold as standard shaft. Japanese spec lightweight Motore 60 graphite is also available as an upcharge.

TaylorMade R9 and R9 TP Drivers

-movable weight technology (3 ports)
- both clubs feature FCT technology - a small sleeve that allows the golfer to change face angle, loft and lie. The player loosens the FCT bolt, removes the head, moves the sleeve to the correct position and then puts the head back on.
- classic head shape with ultra thin wall technology
- both standard and TP heads are the same... only difference is the shaft
TaylorMade R9 and R9 TP Fairway Woods
- both feature FCT technology allowing the club to be configured in 8 different ways
- center of gravity is 50% lower than the R7 fairway

TaylorMade R9 and R9 TP Rescue Hybrids

- only the Rescue TP has FCT technology

- slightly smaller profile than other TaylorMade hybrids

TaylorMade Burner 09 Irons

- long irons, mid irons and short irons all designed differently to help achieve longer distance from club to club.
- long irons feature high MOI, thicker soles and top line
- mid irons feature slightly thinner sole and top line and thin face (although not as thin as longer irons)
- short irons feature more thin and compact profile.
- TaylorMade hopes to cater to the masses with this iron

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/taylormade-r9-irons-and-r9-series-2009-1247267.html

Mizuno MP-68 Irons

2009-09-16T02:05:00.000-07:00

Mizuno MP-68 Irons

N.S.PRO-950R steel shaft & Dynamic Gold ture temper steel shaft & Royal Precision Rifle Project X shaft available

The new MP-68 Blade moves away from the cut muscle design that the MP-67 had and resembles the MP-37 with the muscle back developing from the toe area. The muscle back lines and edges however are smoother on the MP-68 than the MP-37 and some in Japan have said it reminds them of the classic MP-14 with its curved muscle back and sharp toe. Mizuno has also followed suit with its 2009 design guidlines by placing the running bird logo on the sole and the model MP-68 with new MP logo in the toe corner. The 0verall head and face is very compact and coupled with the thick muscle provide the purest feel of any Mizuno grain flow forged blade.

For the last several years pre release Mizuno head only sets have popped up far before the official release date. They look perfect to the untrained eye but when put on the scale the head weights are off and the hosel size often appears to be over or undersized. This has been the unfortunate case for many of Mizuno's MP models in recent years but its a consistent pattern. Right now there are sets on ebay and in certain forums of possible fakes. Im sure if you contact Mizuno they will say these are not Mizuno authorized products. This confuses us because we have been under the impression for many years that Mizuno Irons were made in the Chuo factory in Japan yet the origin of these imposters are Taiwan & Hong Kong.

Golf Tips for Caddy

2009-09-16T02:00:00.000-07:00

Caddies do more than just carry a bag of clubs for a golfer. Caddies offer playing tips, yardages and course knowledge that help a golfer play at a higher level. Caddies must know their home course like the back of their hand. Here are a few tips that will make you the best caddy in the clubhouse.

Know the Rules

To be a good golf caddy, you must know the rules of the game. You can find the PGA rule book online or in golf pro shops. Buy or download a copy for reference and keep it with you at all times. When a situation arises on the course, you will be able to cite the rule book and make a ruling. Make sure you know common rulings such as that number of penalty strokes when a ball goes out of bounds or in a water hazard and how to play/drop a ball that lands on a cart path or in natural hazards (gopher holes, sprinklers, against a tree).

Know the Course

Once you know the rules of the game, you need to get to know your course. Most golf courses allow caddies time to walk or play the course. It is recommended playing the course at least once to get to know how it plays and then playing again to pace out and map the holes. Bring a small notebook and write down distances to hazards (sand traps, water, out of bounds) and to the front, middle and rear of the green. Every course should have markers in the fairway at 200 yards, 150 yards and 100 yards from the green. By pacing out each hole and using the the fairway markers, you will be able to map the course accurately. Then, play each hole again, taking note of the layout and possible strategies. For example, if the hole is a 300-yard dog-leg right with water on the left and bunkers dead ahead 220 yards from the tee box, the ideal ball placement would be along the middle/right side of the fairway, far enough down to sight the green, but short enough to avoid the bunkers. Do this for each hole to learn the nuances of the course.

Know the Golfer

Learn the strengths and weaknesses of your golfer. Each golfer plays the course differently, so you will need to adjust how your caddy depending on the player. Some players can drive the ball well, but have a weak short game. Others might have have trouble driving the ball, but play well with their irons. As a caddy, you want to offer tips that play to a golfer's strengths and minimize their weaknesses.

Golf Putter DIY

2009-09-15T01:31:00.000-07:00

One example of an online supplier of golf club components is www.discountsgolfclubs.com, What you will need:
Shaft
Tool to cut shaft (see below)
File, sandpaper
Head
Solvent
Grip tape
Grip

A. - Shafts are usually available in only one length and need to be trimmed to fit specific clubheads. If tip trimming is necessary, find the trim location with a ruler, tape measure or a golf club rule. Mark the spot on the shaft with a felt-tip pen. For graphite shafts, you need to first wrap the shaft with two to three layers of masking tape then mark the location.

To trim a metal shaft, use a tubing cutter or shaft cutter, using steady, constant pressure throughout rotation until the tip is cut all the way through. For graphite shafts, use an abrasive cutoff wheel or hacksaw. Special shaft-cutting blades are made to fit a hacksaw. The masking tape is to keep the shaft from splintering when cutting.

B. - The shaft needs to have a rough surface to adhere properly. Steel shafts have to be abraded to provide this rough surface. Use a rough file or rasp, or 100 grit sandpaper. On graphite shafts, strip the polyurethane coating with a surface conditioning belt. To maintain the shaft manufacturer's warranty, remove only the paint and finish. Be careful not to damage the graphite fibers as this will weaken the material. Rough only that part of the shaft that will be covered by the hosel. If the fit is too tight, do not sand a shaft to fit in the head. In this case, you would need to ream or bore the hosel.

C. - Use a two-part epoxy to coat the inside of the hosel and the surface of the roughened shaft. Insert the shaft into the hosel and rotate it slightly to make sure all epoxy is covering both surfaces. A helpful hint is to turn the club upside down and firmly tap the end of the shaft several times on a piece of hard wood. This ensures that the shaft is inserted all the way into the hosel.

D. - After the epoxy has fully cured, measure the club for final length. After determining correct length, wrap masking tape around the shaft and mark the cutting point at the butt end. Trim the butt end as described in step "A" above.

Installing the grip

E. - Using a solvent such as denatured alcohol, clean the butt end of the shaft the distance that will be covered by the grip plus a couple of inches. Wrap the shaft in a spiral fashion with double-sided grip tape. Wrap to a point a couple of inches longer than the grip will cover and leave a small gap between wraps.

F. - Pour enough grip solvent into the grip so that as you shake it around it coats all surfaces (remember to hold your finger over the vent hole). Then pour the remaining solvent over the double-sided tape. With the tape still wet, slide the grip all the way up until it stops. You will have a few minutes to adjust the alignment of the grip before the solvent sets.

Check more at http://www.discountsgolfclubs.com

SOURCE: http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/make-your-own-golf-putter-1220557.html

How to Search for Left Handed Golf Clubs

2009-09-15T01:29:00.000-07:00

Since the majority of golfers tend to be right handed, it is sometimes a little more difficult to find left handed clubs. However, it is still possible to find great lefty clubs.

Although the market is noticeably smaller, it is still not very difficult to find quality left handed golf clubs for men and women. Due to the greater demand for right handed golf clubs, most stores will not carry the exact same amount of right handed sets as left handed. However, most manufacturers do in fact make the exact same sets, for both right handed and left handed players.

The Internet is a great resource.

If you're a lefty and having a hard time finding the perfect set of clubs, then check out the World Wide Web. There is a surplus of venues online that will have a great selection of left handed clubs for men and women. Many golfers don’t realize just how big of a market the Internet is. No matter what type of golf accessory you are looking for, including golf clubs, you are sure to be able to find it online.

Are left handed golf clubs more expensive?

Although there may be some cases where a left handed set would be a bit pricier, that is generally not the case. Many people who use their right hand to write, actually play golf left handed, so you should not have a hard time finding a decently priced set of left handed women's golf clubs.

There is a pretty good chance that you will be able to find what you are looking for in the sports stores or golf stores.

You can always ask the sales staff for assistance as well so that they can guide you to the best possible set of left handed clubs for your needs. But if you can't find what you are looking for, there is a vast resource of lefty women's clubs available online.

Ping G15 and i15 Series

2009-09-08T02:05:00.000-07:00

AUG. 3, 2009 - Ping Golf staged its largest product launch ever with the introduction of two lines of clubs, called the G15 and the i15, each of which includes drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and irons. On the following pages you'll find photos of each new model from the two lines, plus a little info about each. Keep in mind that the Ping G15 series is aimed at golfers seeking maximum forgiveness and high-launch attributes; the i15 series is aimed at golfers who want more workability.

All clubs in the G15 and i15 series debut at retail in mid-August, 2009. More general details about the series are available on the final page of this product tour.

The Ping G15 driver comes in four standard lofts (9 degrees, 10.5, 12 and 13.5), plus three lofts in a draw version (9, 10.5 and 12). Stock shafts are the Ping-designed TFC149D and the Aldila Serrano.

The Ping G15 driver is longer front-to-back, with an ultra-thin crown. An external sole weight helps lower the center of gravity and engineer higher launch properties.

The Ping i15 driver is fade-biased (designed with an open face angle) with a traditional pear-shaped clubhead. Internal weighting properties are designed to reduce spin, and the hosel is slightly set back from the clubhead to promote better control and tour-preferred trajectories. The i15 driver is sometimes referred to as the "Black Beauty" because of its dark, titanium carbon finish.

The Ping i15 driver is available in lofts of 8, 9.5 and 11 degrees. The stock shafts are the Ping-designed TFC700D and the UST AXIVcore Tour Red 69. The MSRP is $405.

The Ping G15 fairway woods have an elongated face (toe to heel) and a low profile in their stainless steel heads, with an external weight pad in the sole to help target a higher trajectory and increased forgiveness.

Four lofts are available in the standard model: 3-wood (15.5 degrees), 4-wood (17), 5-wood (18.5) and 7-wood (21.5). A draw model is also available in lofts of 15.5, 17 and 18.5 degrees.

The stock shafts are the Ping-designed TFC149F and the Aldila Serrano.

The Ping i15 fairway woods feature low-profile stainless steel clubheads, slightly elongated from heel to toe, and designed for better players seeking workability from a variety of playing conditions. Internal weighting is engineered to decrease spin and produce a lower, more penetrating ball flight.

Available models are the 3-wood (14 degrees loft), 3+ (15.5) and 5-wood (18.5). Stock shafts are the Ping-designed TFC700F and the UST Mamiya AXIVcore Tour Red 79.

Four lofts are available in the standard model: 3-wood (15.5 degrees), 4-wood (17), 5-wood (18.5) and 7-wood (21.5). A draw model is also available in lofts of 15.5, 17 and 18.5 degrees.

The stock shafts are the Ping-designed TFC149F and the Aldila Serrano.

The Ping G15 hybrids are, the company says, its most forgiving and longest hybrid to date. A large, internal weight pad in the toe bumps up the clubs' perimeter weighting.

The clubheads are stainless steel with an iron-style face, and the hosel design is engineered to move the center of gravity closer to the face.

The Ping G15 hybrids are available in five lofts: 17 degrees, 20, 23, 27 and 31. The stock shafts are the Ping-designed AWT steel shaft, the Ping-designed TFC149H graphite shaft, and the Aldila Serrano graphite.

Better players might prefers hybrids of a traditional shape and size, and that's what the Ping i15 hybrids are. The are designed to offer a high MOI but with a tour-preferred more boring trajectory.

Lofts are 17, 20 and 23 degrees. Stock shafts are the Ping-designed AWT steel, the Ping-designed TFC700H graphite, and the UST Mamiya AXIVcore Tour Red 85 Hybrid graphite. The

The Ping G15 irons come in 3-9, plus pitching wedge, U-wedge (gap wedge), sand wedge and lob wedge. The are available in steel shafts (stock: Ping AWT) and graphite shafts ((TFC 149i).

These are the high-MOI, high-launch game improvement irons in the arsenal of Ping's new club series. Stainless steel clubheads incorporate "custom tuning ports" (CTP) in the cavity backs, increasing the perimeter weighting. A thinner clubface allows more weight to be moved to the toe, helping with mis-hits, and the Ping G15 irons also boast wider soles.

These irons have stronger lofts than more traditionally designed Ping iron sets, but the company says the low and deep center of gravity keeps the launch angle high.

A progressive set aimed at better players who desire workability, the Ping i15 irons have long irons with larger, more forgiving clubheads, transitioning through the mid-irons into the short irons with smaller clubheads for greater control on approach shots.

The mid-irons in the set also include a tungsten weight insert in the toe, increasing forgiveness in the middle of the set.

The Ping i15 irons are available in 3-9 plus pitching wedge. Stock shafts are the Ping-designed AWT steel and the TFC 149i graphite.

As a reminder, the new G15 series clubs by Ping are targeted at golfers who prioritize game-improvement features such as high MOI and high-launch engineering; the i15 series clubs are targeted at golfers who like to work the ball and favor a lower, tour-preferred mid-trajectory.

All the clubs featured on this and previous pages come with Ping's color-codes to help with fitting, 12 color codes total designating lie angles. Multiple custom shafts are available, and the Ping grips come in six sizes.

For more information on the G15 and i15 series from Ping, visit http://www.clubgolfsale.com/

TaylorMade 09 Burner driver

2009-09-03T02:15:00.000-07:00

The Taylor Made Burner driver is aptly named. It has the style and technology to burn up the fairway with long, powerful, and accurate drives, and comes from a company that takes a back seat to no one in its ability to come up with innovative ways to get the ball flying.

This club features Taylor Made’s Dual Crown Technology. A smaller crown sits on top of a larger one, which pushes the center of gravity to the lower portion of the club sole, leading to high launches, low spin, and greater distance.

The designers also made the club lighter at every opportunity, with the shaft and grips light enough to whip the club through the ball at increased swing speeds.

Three elements in the TaylorMade Burner Driver combine to help you send those tee shots long and straight down the middle. First, next-generation Dual Crown technology lowers the CG (center of gravity) location, creating high launch and low spin. Then, TaylorMade's Inverted cone technology delivers a super-stable, high MOI (moment of inertia) clubhead design for increased forgiveness on off-center hits, sending them longer and straighter. Finally, a SuperFast shaft enables explosive swing speed for even more blazing distance.

This unique driver unites legendary Burner speed with next generation Dual Crown technology that lowers the center of gravity of the club to generate low spin and high launch. TaylorMade's Inverted cone technology delivers a super-stable, high MOI (moment of inertia) clubhead design for increased forgiveness on off-center hits, sending them longer and straighter. Finally, a Fujikura SuperFast shaft enables explosive swing speed for even more blazing distance.

Casey Near to Return from Rib Injury

2009-09-02T01:58:00.000-07:00

NORTON, Mass. -- Given the choices from an NFL injury report, Paul Casey listed himself as probable for the Deutsche Bank Championship this week as the world's No. 3 player tries to cope with a rib injury.

Casey, a three-time winner this year, has not played since withdrawing from the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational a month ago. A week later, he withdrew 30 minutes before he was to tee off in the PGA Championship.

"The doctor is wanting me to err on the side of caution," Casey said Tuesday at the TPC Boston.

He at least knows the extent of his injury. Casey flew home to Arizona from the PGA Championship to have an MRI, which he said revealed a torn oblique near the 10th rib and a strained intercostal.

He had a cortisone shot to alleviate the pain, which concerns him.

"I don't feel anything," he said, running his hands over his rib cage. "But then you run the risk of tearing something and not knowing it."

Even with the majors over, Casey has plenty at stake on two tours.

The Englishman was No. 18 to start the FedEx Cup playoffs on the PGA Tour, and already slipped to No. 27 while sitting out The Barclays last week. Even if he can't play the Deutsche Bank Championship, he likely would make it to the third round at the BMW Championship in Chicago.

Casey also is No. 2 in the Race to Dubai on the European Tour behind Martin Kaymer, who recently injured his foot in a motor cart accident and will be out for six weeks.

Casey said he has hit no more than 20 or 30 balls over the last three weeks, and would limit his practice over the next few days until deciding whether to play.

"I'll be taking it very easy," he said.

TaylorMade r7 Limited driver

2009-09-02T01:55:00.000-07:00

The TaylorMade r7 Limited driver is a moveable weight driver that is an upgrade to TaylorMade's previous r7 SuperQuad drivers. It features Movable Weight technology with three ports that allows the player to customize the driver for optimization of the trajectory, shot shape, and distance and gives the driver 35 yards of left to right adjustability. It has a lightweight Arrow 2 grip and a Matrix OZIK XCON 5.5 graphite shaft that is designed specifically for high-MOI drivers to reduce twisting on off-centre hits. The r7 Limited is designed with a fast and powerful head shape which gives it a deeper and lower CG location and utilizes Inverted Cone technology which incorporates a shallow cone on the inner side of the club face. This technology allows the club face to deliver higher ball speed, makes it forgiving, and promotes more distance for off-centre hits.
The r7 Limited driver also incorporates slightly more complicated technologies such as a new, modern club shape to deliver a head that is faster-looking than any r7 driver head before it and the exceptionally large address footprint provides it with a substantial and confidence inspiring appearance at address. SCIENCE ALERT...The head is longer from front to back than the r7 SuperQuad head allowing for a deep centre of gravity to deliver a high and long ball flight and the r7 Limited also has an extremely high MOI measurement, which coupled with Taylor Made's Inverted Cone clubface technology ensures higher ball speed on off-centre hits. The Taylor Made r7 Limited driver is set to use moveable weight technology to really boost performance and simplify configuration for you golfers who like having the ability to adjust their equipment to both promote and improve the quality of your shots.

article source:http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/taylormade-r7-limited-driver-1187180.html

TaylorMade Tour Burner Driver

2009-09-01T02:18:00.000-07:00

The TaylorMade Tour Burner Driver is a 450cc, SuperFast driver built for exceptionally fast swing speeds. It features a smaller and lighter dual-crown (by 12%) that distributes more mass around the weighted power-base, helping to increase both carry and distance. Plus, its lower & precision-placed CG provides a higher launch angle with lower spin. Compared to the adjustable r7-family of clubs, the Tour Burner is considered better for “bombing it”, versus “those who prefer to tinker.” Note also the TaylorMade Tour Burner Driver’s Inverted Cone Technology, which dramatically expands the part of the clubface responsible for high FOR—this aids in consistently longer drives on off-center hits.

Features:
» Dual crown and weighted power-base promote increased carry and distance
» Modern head shape promotes lower, deeper and precision-placed CG for higher launch angle and lower spin
» SuperFast Technology promotes increased swing speed, faster ball speed and added distance
» Inverted Cone Technology dramatically expands the portion of the clubface that delivers high COR for consistently longer drives on off-center hits
» SuperFast 60-gram shaft is exceptionally lightweight and stable to promote greater distance and accuracy

This club got me excited on every swing. It looks beautiful but not too flashy which is a really good balance. This club was the second best in terms of distance, only 3-5 yards shorter than the Cobra Speed-F. For me it was the most consistent by far and it has a wonderful feel off the clubface. A very forgiving club that also allows a slight amount of shot-making.

It promotes natural draw as face is slightly closed. Suggest that high handicappers go for the 10.5 degree which promotes higher but straighter ball flight (great for slicers). Also, be sure to match your swing speed to the shaft flex. Only if you swing over 95 would I consider the stiff flex.

Golf Daily

2009-08-28T02:25:00.000-07:00

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) -- Seven days ago, Sergio Garcia wasn't even sure if he would be eligible to play in The Barclays for the start of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedEx Cup.
Suddenly, he has a splendid view from the top.
Garcia took another important step toward recovering from a troublesome season Thursday with a 6-under 65 at Liberty National for a share of the lead with Paul Goydos and Steve Marino.
"We are getting back into it," Garcia said. "Last week was nice. It was good to see ourselves ... getting that feeling of being out there trying to win a tournament and getting the juices flowing a little bit. We're just looking forward to hopefully finishing the year well here, keep this good momentum going."
At a different venue -- Liberty National -- Garcia stayed the course. He is a two-time winner of this tournament, both times at tree-lined Westchester. On a track with intimidating views inside the ropes and gorgeous vistas of Manhattan, he wound up in a familiar spot.
In some respects, so did Tiger Woods.
The Barclays is the only tournament Woods has played at least three times without ever finishing in the top 10. He shot a 70.
Most players would have taken such a score when they first saw Liberty National. The course played significantly shorter, however, with five tees moved forward, and it showed in the scoring.
Nearly half the field was at par or better, and some two dozen players shot in the 60s.
Goydos ran off five birdies in a six-hole stretch starting with the 16th hole, which he attributed to great putting, solid wedge play, and the TOUR rules staff for being gentle with hole locations and some forward tees.
"In theory, you have 125 of the best players on the PGA TOUR here this week, someone is going to shoot a low round every day," Goydos said. "Today was my chance."
Marino seized on his opportunity, too, getting to 7 under until a bogey on his last hole.
They were one shot ahead of a group that included Charley Hoffman, who stumbled in by missing a 4-foot birdie putt on No. 8 and having to save bogey with an 8-foot putt on his final hole.
Y.E. Yang, in his first tournament since taking down Woods in the final round to win the PGA Championship, had a 71.
Woods looked solid in his return to The Barclays for the first time in six years, until he lost some control toward the end. Poor tee shots took away easy birdie chances on a pair of par 5s late in his round, and another one led to his lone bogey at No. 8.
Woods declined interview requests, telling TOUR officials he was going to the chipping area.
"You've got to make hay on the par 5s here," Woods said in a brief interview with Sirius-XM Radio. "You don't get too many opportunities around this place, and I only made one birdie on the par 5s."
He probably would have taken a 70 after his first time around Liberty National, a course that has received scant praise from the players this week. The best anyone has said about the course designed by Tom Kite and Bob Cupp is that it is hard.
"It's a long, hard golf course with difficult greens," Goydos said. "I don't think Tom Kite was thinking, 'Let's see how easy I can make this course.' I don't think that was his mindset.'"
Still, it helped that the hole locations were accessible, and the course wasn't as long as its 7,419 yards. The biggest difference was the 18th, where Woods turned to the right, stopped when he couldn't find the tee markers, then marched 50 yards forward.
"Someone around here is smart," Zach Johnson said under his breath.
Phil Mickelson, a member at Liberty National, made four bogeys in a five-hole stretch around the turn, the meatiest part of the course. He bounced back for a 70.
The biggest rally, however, belonged to the 29-year-old Garcia.
He opened his year with a couple of top 10s in Abu Dhabi and Qatar on the European Tour. The rest of the season has been a letdown, consumed by poor play and the breakup with Morgan Norman, the daughter of Greg Norman.
Garcia tied for 10th at the U.S. Open, his only top 10 for a seven-month stretch until he tied for fourth last week in Greensboro, N.C., a tournament he only played to make sure he got into the Playoffs.
He showed quickly that might be more than just a good week. Garcia ran off four birdies on the back nine (he started at No. 10), twice making birdie putts in the 15-foot range. His best shot came on the third hole, a 9-iron from 138 yards into a breeze that was the proper distance on a hole where it can be tough to get it close.
Then came the cheers, with consecutive wedges that danced around the cup and set up tap-in birdies.
"It's obviously very nice, after last week and playing well and being up there all week in contention, to open this tournament with a good, solid round," Garcia said. "Don't be deceived by the scores. It's not an easy course. That's important. And hopefully, we can go out there tomorrow and play another solid round."

Source: PGA.com

TaylorMade Burner XD irons

2009-08-28T02:19:00.000-07:00

After several rounds and a session at the range, I believe these clubs are an appropriate choice for golfers who simply want to enjoy the game and don't want to put in too much practice time. Simply stated, the TaylorMade Burner XD irons provide decent results and exceptional distance with reasonable swings.

Distance is staggering due to the strong lofts and titanium face. Expect to drop one maybe two clubs for the same distance. I went to a 9 iron from an 8 iron for 150 yards. Accuracy is very good even when your swing is off. I have improved from 75% to 85% which has caused me to drop 3 to 4 strokes per round. Looks are excellent but did not buy these for that reason.

The thing I like the most about these clubs is that once you get use to them you know what they are going to do and they are relatrively straight. Since I am a low 80's shooter that gives me better control of my game. A very controlled swing with these clubs will give a ball flight that is amazing to watch. Sometimes it actually feels like I know what I am doing!

The Burner emphasis on distance will probably play well with a certain segment of the golfing public, but others will find the delofting of the irons to be counterproductive to their games. Most golfers choosing to play these clubs would be best served by skipping the three-iron and starting the set with the four- or five-iron, which have the same lofts as most three- and four-irons. As it is, the Burner XDs are probably would work best for someone with a swing speed of 70-90, so the SuperFast technology could help the increase that speed.

All in all, the Burner XDs do what they are supposed to do. They launch the ball on a mid to high trajectory, and they are pretty long as irons go. But really the best thing about the Burner irons is that you can make less than stellar contact all day long, and it won't hurt you too badly. If these had a more solid feel to them, they'd probably sell a ton of them.

TaylorMade Buner Plus Irons

2009-08-25T02:16:00.000-07:00

The TaylorMade Buner Plus Irons' wide, beveled, multi-functional sole design combines the low, deep CG (center of gravity) of a wide sole and the playability of a thin sole for an unbeatable combo of power and feel. Perimeter weighting creates high MOI (moment of inertia) for unsurpassed forgiveness and a large clubface with Inverted Cone Technology produces Burner ball speed and distance. Superfast technology uses light shafts and grips to promote a faster swing speed and more yardage.

Legendary Burner Power Plus Maximum TaylorMade Forgiveness

» SuperFast technology includes light and long shafts and light grips to promote increased swing speed and distance

» Large clubface with Inverted Cone Technology for increased COR over a larger portion of the clubface

» Advanced perimeter weighting for extremely high MOI and forgiveness

» Wide and beveled multi-functional sole for low, deep CG and enhanced playability

» Vibration management cavity badge for a satisfying sound and solid feel

The TaylorMade Burner Plus Iron is the club for the 10+ handicapper who wants to enjoy fast-and-long qualities in iron play. The Burner Plus iron has one of TaylorMade’s highest Moment of Inertia measurements making them super-forgiving and easy to hit. The Burner Plus clubhead is thin, fast and large making it easy to launch the ball high and long. The use of Inverted Cone technology creates a faster ball speed and more distance on off centre hits and the use of SuperFast technology to develop a light and slightly longer shaft promotes faster speeds to help deliver greater distance. The Burner Plus Iron has a large club face to build confidence and extra degree of offset discourages fades and promotes a draw to deliver enhanced distance. The wide sole delivers consistent results even with inconsistent downswings. The TaylorMade Burner Plus Iron has been designed to deliver forgiveness, speed and distance on every shot.

Ping Rapture V2 Driver

2009-08-21T02:21:00.000-07:00

Ping Rapture V2 Driver

The mass properties of tungsten and titanium are optimized in the Rapture® V2 Driver to create a high launching, lower spinning driver that delivers the performance expected from a multi-metal design. The visible, dense tungsten weight pads in the back of the lightweight titanium head expand the perimeter weighting and position the center-of-gravity low and away from the face.

The 460cc head is slightly elongatedby extending the face height and aggressively sloping the crown. The thin face is precisely machined and plasma-welded to deliver higher ball speeds for greater distance.

External tungsten weights
Discretionary weight savings from the crown and face structure is allocated in the form of two tungsten weight pads positioned in the back of the driver near the heel and toe to optimize the CG location for lower spin and high launch

Thin crown design
Finite element analysis (FEA) revealed low stress areas in the crown which freed mass to be positioned lower in the club head to increase the moment-of-inertia and optimize the center of gravity (CG) location.

Patented variable thickness face
The thin, variable thickness face is precision machined to produce high ball speeds for added distance and forgiveness across the entire club face.

Tapered crown design
An aggressively tapered crown allows for a taller face and helps push the center of gravity (CG) lower and farther back to reduce spin. The tungsten weight pads are positioned low and near the heel and toe to ensure proper head rotation.

Confidence-inspiring head profile
The taller face and tapered crown design produce a slightly elongated 460cc head with a high moment-of-inertia (MOI). The double-Rapture graphic on the crown aids in alignment.

Ping G15 Driver

2009-08-20T02:28:00.000-07:00

Ping G15 Driver

This has got to be Ping's most "solid" entry into the driver market in some time. I don't use the word solid lightly either. Everything about this driver seems to fit that word. The technology is solid. The distance is solid. The feel at impact is solid. When one considers the price--it is also a solid value. Driver's of this feel and quality usually hit the market with a rock solid value. I was very fortunate in the sense that I got to try these this weekend with both shafts, just previous to this Monday's release to the general public. This driver truly caps off the series that began a while back with the G2 Drver. The G 15 Driver takes everything that Ping has developed in this line, and taken it to it's highest level. Perhaps Ping will issue a G 20 in a few years, but I tend to think that this particular model is the top end of that series, and that it will require an entirely new design as this driver represents everything that the "G" Lineage has to offer.

This is definitely Ping's best effort in some time. I love the Rapture, but it doesn't quite have the feel of this one. The G 10 was a very good driver, but the TFC Shaft on that model didn't have the kick and feel of this driver. In a word--"Solid." What a great driver this thing is. I think dollar for dollar, Ping has finally come up with the first true challenger to the TaylorMade line since the old TiSi Tech. The standard version comes in 9, 10.5. 12. and 13.5* Models. You can get more variations on the I-15 and G 15 Draw Models. Just know, that if you are currently in the market for an $299 off the rack driver--this one deserves a very serious look.

Yang won PGA Championship 2009

2009-08-19T02:06:00.000-07:00

Yang winning the PGA Championship is far better for golf internationally than Woods losing a major is bad for golf. More fans, more young people playing the game. Doesn't diminish Tiger's legacy -- he's still the best player on the planet.

Two days ago people were stifling a huge collective yawn and wondering, to quote General Zar from Superman II, if there was anyone on the planet that could challenge Elrick the Great. Yesterday we were ragging on Elling for suggesting competition makes if interesting.

It just feels better today. Good that someone came out beat Tiger -- that there was competiiton and that, especially given Tiger's utter lack of sportmanship on the last two holes and post-game, there are other players to root for.

Here's all the typical whiners saying TIGER choked and this and that. That's why they play the 4-round tournament, everyone just automatically thinks Tiger is just going to breeze right through and win no problem. That's why the game is played, records to be broken, streaks to be ended, and plain old just excitement watching these BEST golfers from around the world. You can say Tiger is the #1 ranked golfer in the world. But he just got beat by another guy who just straight up out played him. Tiger didn't make the shots when it really counted. Great tourney to watch though that's for sure.

And Yang deserves the result. Playing with Tiger can never be called easy. Having that many spectators, cameras, hecklers. Having the lead for the last few holes, knowing that he has to play well on out to close the deal is HUGE pressure, and he handled it supremely well, stuck that approach on 18, BEFORE Tiger took his approach shot that went in the spinach. Yang could've played to the middle of the green, he didn't have to take that dangerous line, over a huge tree, with very little green on the left of the pin. That was one INCREDIBLE shot under pressure shows how much fortitude Yang has.

All in all, todays result is the best thing for golf!

TaylorMade Tour Preferred Irons

2009-08-15T02:04:00.000-07:00

TaylorMade Tour Preferred Irons
A Masterful Blend of Modern Technology and Classic Design

» Classic blade shape incorporates a thin topline and shorter blade-length from heel to toe for a clean, compact look at address

» Shallow, undercut cavity redistributes weight to the heel and toe pads for increased stability and more solid feel at impact

» Tour-configured sole optimizes turf interaction for maximum playability

» Inverted Cone clubface technology expands the clubs sweetspot for consistent distance on off-center hits

» Vibration-management cavity badge finely tunes sound and feedback for a satisfying sound and solid feel.

The TaylorMade Tour Preferred are a set ofTour Inspired irons designed using modern technology, with a classic design and is intended for serious golfers. The classic blade shape has a thin topline and shorter blade-length giving a clean, compact look at address. A shallow, undercut vibration-management cavity redistributes weight to the heel and toe pads giving more stability and a solid feel upon impact, as well as a satisfying sound when a ball is struck. The tour-configured sole optimizes turf interaction for maximum playability, while the Inverted Cone clubface expands the sweet spot for more consisted distance on off-center hits. These clubs have an average level swing speed and provide a low to mid height launch.

TaylorMade Tour Preferred irons are obviously designed for better players than I, the TaylorMade Tour Preferred has a thin topline and short blade length for a more traditional players’ look. The sole also caters to the low handicapper with a “tour-configured” sole that emphasizes workability from all types of lies.

But the clubs also inforporate features that have become a standard with modern TaylorMade clubs. There’s an undercut cavity that moves the club weight around for increased stabiity, and TaylorMade’s inverted cone technology, which creates a larger sweet spot across the face.

The inverted cone is one technology that I really believe in. I think it absolutely works on my Taylormade irons, fairway metals and driver.

Tiger leads PGA Championship

2009-08-14T01:50:00.000-07:00

Tiger leads PGA Championship! Tiger finishes reound one without any Bogeys and with FIVE Birdies to post a field leading 67! Harrington, playing with Tiger, finishes with one blemish at the #1 hole (tenth hole of thier round) also with FIVE Birdies lurks but one stroke back! The late Tee Time starter in the field include some big names who will have contend with Woods atop the leaderboard throughout thier round unless someone can string a lot of Birdies together early.

"Something I've always believe in is just keep yourself around," Woods said. "You don't have to be eight ahead after the first round. Just got to keep plodding along. Major championships are set up so they're difficult. They beat you into making mistakes. And the whole idea is not to make many mistakes."

A few tees were moved forward to account for the wind. Even so, Hazeltine played 7,660 yards from the tee to the hole, and Woods made some of his best birdies with long clubs. He opened his scoring with a 3-iron to 20 feet at No. 12, and picked up three birdies on the par 5s, including a 3-wood to a back bunker of the 651-yard 15th, with a breeze at his back.

He took the outright lead on the par-5 seventh with a 349-yard tee shot, followed by a 6-iron to 30 feet.

"He's human," Allenby said. "And the golf course is in front of all of us. And obviously, he's the best in the world, so we expect him to win, because he's the best. He should. But you know what? It's three more days to go. And a lot can happen."

Woods knows better than most that the tournament is far from over. He was atop the leaderboard at consecutive majors in 1998 after the opening round and watched someone else hoist the trophy.

Still, it was a powerful start.

"There's a lot of guys out here that can hang with him when they're playing their best," Rory McIlroy said after a 71. "But the thing is, Tiger plays his best most of the time. And even when he doesn't play his best, he usually wins."

There is more excitement to a Tourney that is hotly contested than a match that has only a question of a course record in contention. Padraig and Tiger both opened with 5 Birdies. Woods leads by being Bogey free while Harrington suffered but one blemish in the round. I hope to see them fighting tooth & nail like this through Sunday!

I have never seen a Tournament where the final pairing from the previous week, starts the next one paired and remains paired all four days due to thier scoring. That would be unique perhaps.

PGA Championship 2009 Prediction

2009-08-12T02:00:00.000-07:00

The Final Major of the year is here already. Tiger has not won a major this year, although he has won his last 2 Tournaments.
Also can Phil make another memorable run and possibly get that Wanamaker Trophy for Amy? Also there has been no majors in the over par numbers this year, will Hazeltine produce low numbers as well? Thoughts?
The PGA championship starts on Thursday.

In a perfect world Tiger comes in with no pressure. He can't do worse then a MC so anything better is an improvement. However, this is not a perfect world. Tiger needs to not put so much pressure on himself to perform at every major. I do sense a kind of calmness about him the past two weeks. Not getting to high or to low. He has been pretty much a stone face. Now on to my predictions. I have a certain feeling that Mr. Woods will come out and shoot 66-64 range on Thursday to take all the suspense out early. Now that might not happen and it probably won't. Tiger isn't a big first round guy anyways. Stewart Cink is a good bet as well. He is good but can he put four rounds together again? Hunter Mahain is a good bet as well. He, like Tiger, was really good in the first two majors of the year but messed up the British. Lucas Glover will contend sometime on Saturday but will fall apart.

Cabrera's the one to watch, he's driving it long and straight and there's no backup in the guy. Mahan's just a darn good golfer and well we all know Tiger can never be ignored in any major championship. I just like the way Jiminez plays the game, not even sure I spelled his name right!! He's sure due to win one over here. Rollins is another solid player all comes down to putting which is true for all of'em. I always enjoy watching Phil do his thing but on this course those gambles may do him in again. Goosen's another one who has been playing well but not closing the deal is why I didn't pick him in my lineup. Then of course we have, V.J., Padraig and quite a few with a shot at winning.. And at last, if I can only pick one, it si Sergio Garcia

Here are my Power Rankings:
1. Sergio Garcia
2. Angel Cabrera
3. Phil Mickelson
4. Steve Stricker
5. Retief Goosen
6. Hunter Mahan
7. Kenny Perry
8. Oliver Wilson
9. Tiger Woods
10. Miguel Angel Jimenez

Nike SasQuatch Sumo2 5900 Driver

2009-08-12T01:47:00.000-07:00

Nike SasQuatch Sumo2 5900 Driver

With the SQ SUMO 2 5900, Nike engineers have pushed MOI, volume and impact efficiency to the USGA limits, all in one club. The result is the straightest, longest, most accurate driver Nike has ever made.

Key Features:

SQ SUMO 2 5900 Geometry: Nike pushed the shape in all directions to improve performance. The SQ SUMO 2 5900 has a deeper face, a convex crown, and redefined body shaping to increase ball speed and accuracy.

Nike PowerBow Weighting: Weight is repositioned to the farthest corners of the Nike PowerBow design, optimizing head stability and delivering ultimate accuracy.

Multi Thickness Face: Nike delivered the geometry for stability, the shafts for control and speed, and now they’ve optimized the entire face to maximize faster ball speeds from every point on the face.

DIAMANA YELLOW BOARD SHAFT BY MITSUBISHI (STOCK)
Tour quality, these shafts are weighted specifically to maximize the performance by flex. Three levels of weighting (55g W,A; 65g R,S; 73g X) match the flexes to give players optimum distance and accuracy.
Available in Regular, Stiff, Senior & Womens flexes.

UST V2
Proforce V2 is designed for players seeking a flatter, more penetrating ball flight. The firm tip section produces a medium launch condition and increased ball speed. The Proforce V2 uses the most superior materials and design to produce a very stable, consistent golf shaft. The super low-torque provides maximum control for today’s larger club heads.

Aldila VS
The new Aldila VS Proto Series feature Aldila's exclusive Next-Generation Micro Laminate Technology. Unparalleled performance and feel. The straightest, longest shaft Aldila has ever offered - with feel other shafts can't well, touch. Designed for those who seek a low to mid launch angle.

TaylorMade Tour Preferred Irons

2009-08-11T00:35:00.000-07:00

TaylorMade Tour Preferred Irons
Features:
Stock Shaft - True Temper Dynamic Gold
Inverted Cone Technology expands the sweetspot of your iron to maximize distance on your mis-hits
Vibration-management cavity benefits you by giving you a solid sound and great feel
The TaylorMade Tour Preferred Irons, where modern technology meets classic design

At first, I thought the Tour Preferred irons were forged. Point No. 1 for TaylorMade. They have created a finish that at once is classic and seen in many forged clubs, as well as being durable and able to last a long time.

The second tip that this is not your grandfather's irons is the pronounced use of the "inverted cone" on the back cavity on the clubhead. The inverted cone is a staple of TaylorMade's recent line of drivers. They introduced it recently into their irons with the Burner and Burner Plus series irons. But it really stands out with the Tour Preferred.

"TP" has been a TaylorMade designation for clubs that are more suited for lower handicap players. But while it is clear to me that the TaylorMade Tour Preferred irons are aimed at better players, a mid-handicapper can also play this club with its forgiveness. The topline is a bit thinner and the offset is less than with some other irons in the TaylorMade lineup. However, the secret ingredient is more weight in the heel and toe of the head and a "tour configured" sole which reduces turf drag. An undercut cavity shifts weight to the perimeter for forgiveness.

Performance is where the story gets interesting. I think the Tour Preferreds are a sweet change to some of the recent Taylor Made irons. Well-struck, center hits are rewarded with a buttery soft feel, very similar to a forged iron. Off-center hits don't lose much and the feel is not punishing at all. The irons are easy to work left and right, and for both lofted shots and knockdowns.

I'll say that while I have not been a real fan of the Dynamic Gold shafts that come stock with the Tour Preferreds, they took on a wholly different feel with the Tour Preferred irons because of the clever vibration-dampening medallion in the cavity. The designers at TaylorMade get extra points by incorporating the vibration-dampening feature into the back of the clubhead in a pleasing yet dynamic-looking manner. Looks, feel, performance - all the ingredients for success.

All in all, check out the Tour Preferred irons from TaylorMade. It's likely they can take your game to a whole new place.

The Greenbrier Classic set for 2010 TOUR schedule

2009-08-07T02:29:00.001-07:00

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- The PGA TOUR and The Greenbrier jointly announced Wednesday that they have entered a six-year agreement, through 2015, whereby the historic West Virginia resort will sponsor and host The Greenbrier Classic as part of the FedExCup, beginning the week of July 26-Aug. 1, 2010.
The new tournament will be held on The Old White Course, The Greenbrier's original of four golf courses, dating back to 1914. The Greenbrier will form a separate non-profit charitable organization to serve as the tournament operator.
The announcement was made at The Greenbrier during an afternoon press conference that included resort owner James Justice, West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin, World Golf Hall of Fame member and Greenbrier Golf Professional Emeritus Tom Watson and, by videoconference, PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem.
"We are absolutely delighted that The Greenbrier, recognized as one of the truly great resorts and golf destinations in the world, will become part of the PGA TOUR in 2010 with The Greenbrier Classic," Finchem said from Akron, Ohio, where he is attending this week's World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. "From our ongoing discussions with Jim Justice, I can tell you how totally committed he is to creating an exceptional tournament that is befitting of such an historic resort."
A West Virginian who was born and raised near The Greenbrier, Justice said he has had his sights on bringing a PGA TOUR tournament to The Greenbrier from the time he purchased the resort and The Greenbrier Sporting Club, a private equity, residential community, in early May.
"Players and fans alike will be stepping into the American story and experiencing a true national treasure," said Justice. "The genuine warmth of West Virginia will resonate among all that join us."
The Greenbrier has had considerable involvement with professional golf over the years. The Greenbrier Course, built in 1924 and renovated by Jack Nicklaus in 1977, played host to the 1979 Ryder Cup Matches as well as the 1994 Solheim Cup Matches. It also played host to a Champions Tour tournament from 1985-87. World Golf Hall of Fame member Sam Snead, the winningest player in PGA TOUR history with 82 victories, served as Golf Professional Emeritus from 1994 until his death in 2002. And Watson became The Greenbrier's second Golf Professional Emeritus in 2005. The Golf Club also features a large collection of Snead and Watson memorabilia.
"West Virginia has an incredibly rich golf heritage and The Greenbrier is a legendary golf destination, so it makes all the sense in the world for the PGA TOUR to choose this resort and our state for this prestigious tournament event," said Gov. Manchin. "I believe the excitement of the TOUR and the national exposure will bring even more people to our state to discover our great golf and hospitality."
Measuring nearly 7,000 yards and playing to par 70, The Old White Course originally was designed by Charles Blair MacDonald and most recently underwent an extensive renovation by Lester George to return it to its original design, reopening in 2006. In preparation for the tournament, minimal course modifications are expected to add a couple of tees and the practice facility will be enhanced.
"The Old White Course will make a tremendous tournament course in a traditional sense and The Greenbrier will provide a great experience for both the players and the fans," Watson said.

PGA.COM

Callaway X-20 Tour Irons

2009-08-07T01:57:00.000-07:00

Callaway X-20 Tour Irons
If you have followed the evolution of the Callaway family of clubs, the X20's may the most technologically advanced irons that you can actually afford, a superb specimen that has some seriously popular genes in the blood, as the x14, x16 and x18 lineage can be seen and heard all over the X20's body. The more exotic members of the Cally iron family, such as the FT's or the Fusions have just too many add-ons, and too big a price tag!

The cavity back is deep and noticeable. The perimeter weigh distribution allows for some serious reposition of the CG back in the club, increasing the effective hitting area noticeably. My MX23' could only dream of such a big sweet spot! Now, you must also consider that there is a seriously big effort to provide more MOI, achieved via "extreme notch weighting" Callaway has made so popular. Made of 1020 stainless steel, they sure feel strong and muscular, but devoid of the wonderfully soft, buttery feel of high-end forgings. Tolerable? Absolutely. The X 20's do not stand out as harsh feeling sticks. I think they may be the sweetest feeling Cally's since the X forged!

Now, lets move on to the sole: do this sticks ever dig in? It is amazing the way they can work their way around rough and tight lies with ease. I was able to hit quite a few approaches from the rough that went up all the way into the green, and I think the weight and sole combination is a major cause of the improvement in this department: I usually miss short with my usual gear.

This stick recently won a gold medal in the latest Club Test of a major golf magazine, and considering the competition they faced...I find it quite amazing that such a beefy, thick stick could beat several player favorites.

PING G15 Irons

2009-08-05T02:17:00.000-07:00

The long awaited PING G15 Irons have come out and golfers all around the world are breathless about the new set of clubs. PING has been one of the top golf club brands for the past fifty years. Due to their constant efforts to innovate the way golf clubs are made, professional golfers and casual golfers both love purchasing and using their clubs.

This set of irons was designed with medium to high handicap golfers in mind. If you want to hit your golf balls high into the air and make them fly straight towards your desired target, this is the set of irons for you. Those who have been privileged with the opportunity to test the clubs all attest to its excellent performance. But, what makes all this possible for the G15 Irons?

First of all, the Ping G15 iron face is thinner than previous iron models allowing for substantial weight to be added to the toe of the club – this weight redistribution produces a higher MOI which is obviously the name of the game when it comes to forgiveness on off-centre hits.

The face of each iron is thinner than ever before making the club seven grams lighter. Meanwhile, the center of gravity of the irons has been moved closer to the club’s head. This concentration of weight at the bottom of the clubs has resulted in increased moment of inertia, higher shot trajectory, and less ball spin..

The sole of the G15 is slightly wider in design which also helps to pull the CG lower and deeper which helps the golfer to get the ball in the air.

Another innovation is how the custom tuning port was moved further away from the face of the club’s head. Now, you can execute more stable shots with better distance control. This makes each golf shot you make more accurate and less likely to veer left or right, unless you really meant for these to do so.

A redesigned full cavity graphics badge at the club’s face makes your golf swing more comfortable. It gives your swing a better and more solid sound as well. If you have tried using the bestselling PING G10 Irons in the past then you will be glad to know that the G15 performs and looks much better than its predecessor.

Ping G10 Irons

2009-08-04T02:33:00.000-07:00

The Ping G10 irons perform as good as they look! The awesome finish was first used last year on the companies' Rapture irons. Now it’s been chosen as the perfect image-maker for the Ping G10’s. We reckon this is a master stroke as Ping irons in the past have usually had a duller less interesting finish.

Ping engineers have fine-tuned the amount of offset in the long irons which helps make them super forgiving whilst reducing offset in the short irons to increase control.

The darker faces frame the ball at address and extra weight located in the toe area helps raise the MOI. Meaning when you happen to miss shots you’ve a better chance the golf ball might still hit the green. Which is a real bonus when it comes to shaving the odd shot or two from a round!

The 17-4 stainless steel G10 irons are engineered with extreme low toe weighting to increase the moment-of-inertia for added forgiveness and consistency. The large, perimeter-weighted head features a new cavity shape and wider sole.

The centre of gravity is positioned away from the face and low in the club head to promote higher launching, lower spinning shots. By creating a new shape for the Custom Tuning Port (CTP), PING engineers stabilized the hitting area for consistent ball velocity across the club face. An elastomer CTP insert helps produce a solid feel and sound. The wide sole provides forgiving ground impact and contributes to the high launch characteristics of the iron.

“The cavity design of the G10 allowed us to add a lot more performance to our large headed, maximum forgiveness iron option,” said John K. Solheim, PING’s Vice-President of Engineering. “We’re able to remove weight from the face yet make it even more stable than before. The weight is then repositioned in the low toe to drive up the MOI and increase forgiveness. It’s a game improvement iron that will appeal to a variety of golfers.”

The G10 irons feature a stainless steel shot finish and Atomic Orange colour scheme and are available in 2-9, PW, UW, SW and LW.

Golf Champion Again--Tiger Woods

2009-08-04T02:26:00.000-07:00

Tiger Woods wins Buick Golf Invitational with ease yesterday . That is his 69th title on PGA tour. And he has been in the World's Top1 golfer for 559 weeks. Congratulations!!

Here are the recaps and outlook of Tiger Woods:

2008 PGA Wins: 4 (Buick Invitational, Accenture Match Play Championship, Arnold Palmer Invitational, U.S. Open)
Top 5s: 6 out of 6 events played
Top 10s: 6
Top 25s: 6
Money rank: 2
Earnings: $5,775,000

2008 Recap: Even by Tiger's lofty standards, 2008 was one hell of a start. Three wins in his first three matches, second place in one major and first in the other, top-five finishes in all six matches he played -- the field better be thanking heaven for Woods' bum knee, or they might have been bystanders in the greatest season of golf ever. It's indicative of Woods' dominance that he received strong support for Player of the Year with only six tourneys under his belt. Overrated? Not a chance.

2009 Outlook: Here's where it gets tricky, though. How will Woods' knee respond once he starts whaling those monster drives again? How will the field respond once Tiger starts his Sunday charges? How will fans respond to Tiger's return? (That one, we can guess -- they'll be all over it.) Love him or hate him -- and with Woods, there's no middle ground -- you're going to be carpet-bombed with Tiger Woods stories this year. Better just accept it now.

Mizuno MP-52 irons

2009-08-03T02:22:00.000-07:00

The Mizuno MP-52 irons are another great iron from Mizuno but it is a major innovation for them to put essentially a forgiving cavity in a better players iron. When you hit them you can feel the weight lower and further back in the head and this does make them very easy to play with. The heads are more forgiving, they still feel great and the trajectory is still very good. As you can see from the video on this page, the Mizuno MP-52 irons are meant to sit in between the MP-57s and the MX range. Certainly if you are a high single figure handicap golfer and you want forgiveness in a more compact head, then the MP-52 irons would be the ones for you. However in our view we would be tempted to go for the MP-57 irons, which have slightly larger heads or the MX-200 irons which offer even more forgiveness.

The new MP-52 irons with Dual Muscle Technology are the most playable MP irons ever! The performance of the MP-52 iron set is based upon two innovative technologies. Making up Dual Muscle technology, is an outer muscle pad allows for a precisely placed, lower and deeper center of gravity, offering enhanced playability and an ideal launch angle, and an inner muscle pad that provides the unparalleled feel and the feedback that better players demand. The second innovation that sets the MP-52 irons apart and advances MP iron playability to a whole new level is a patented CNC milled pocket cavity. Two deep crescents milled into the club head allow for the redeployment of 14 grams of mass for a lower and much deeper COG. The performance advantage of this feature is increased playability on mishits and a superior launch. These advanced features are combined with a classic head profile to deliver tour level looks, feel and playability.

It is yet another example of a great iron from Mizuno in the MP-Series. Providing that signature Mizuno feel off the club face the MP-52 has a slightly heavier topline but over the ball it still looks like a serious players iron. The dual muscle back allows slightly more forgiveness than the cut muscle in the MP-32 that is my current iron but delivers impressive distance and increased forgiveness and distance from off centre hits. I found it to be very workable and it had a confident look at address, this is an iron for better players who want a little bit of confidence on off centre hits but still want the feel provided by a quality forged iron..

The Callaway Golf X22 Tour Irons

2009-07-31T02:24:00.000-07:00

The Callaway Golf X22 Tour Irons are performance irons designed for accomplished golfers seeking premium feel and stability. To improve on the highly successful X-20 Tour Irons, Callaway Golf engineers added new features that allow the X-22 Tour Irons to play even better and feel even softer. Precision Notch Weighting and a new sleeker hosel combine to raise the moment of inertia (MOI) for better stability and allow the center of gravity (CG) to be moved lower and more in line with the center of the face. This generates ideal trajectories and significantly enhances the level of feel. The head shape has been refined with the thinnest possible topline while still using a 360-Degree Undercut Channel, and the optimized sole width progression provides better turf interaction.

Features:
Precision Notch Weighting - Precisely positions more weight to the perimeter of the iron to create a higher MOI for greater forgiveness and stability while maintaining the CG position that produces ideal trajectories and feel
Tour-Proven Head Shape - Features the thinnest topline possible while still incorporating a 360-Degree Undercut Channel. The blade length is shorter and the CG has been moved lower and in line with the center of the face to provide unparalleled performance with enhanced feel
Redesigned Hosel - The sleeker design significantly improves feel and allows the hosel to be more easily adjusted to fit a golfer's custom specifications
Sole Width Progression - The sole width of each iron has been optimized based on the length and loft to provide better turf interaction through the entire set

Callaway Golf Core Technologies
VFT Technology maximizes ball speed and perimeter weighting for more distance and forgiveness
360-Degree Undercut Channel maximizes perimeter weighting by moving the CG lower and farther back in the clubhead, enlarging the hitting area and stabilizing the clubhead for more forgiveness

Tiger Woods--Bad Putting Day

2009-07-31T02:10:00.000-07:00

6:15 p.m.: The one-under 71 that Tiger Woods shot in the first round of the Buick Open was far from his worst opening round at the event. To wit: He shot the same score four years ago and finished the tournament tied for second.

Still, on a day when Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club was as friendly as a reception line at a wedding -- it was a haven for birdies left and right -- Woods couldn’t cash in.

So heading into Friday’s second round, he faces a tall, but not impossible, order: Woods needs to shoot low to ensure he doesn’t duplicate what he did two weeks ago at the British Open, when he missed the cut.

“I didn’t hit my irons very good, and probably one of the worst putting days I ever had,” said Woods, who birdied four holes and bogeyed three. “I didn’t make anything.”

He shot 37 on the front, and 34 on the back nine.

“I not only have to play well to make the cut, I gotta play well to get myself back in contention, too, so I gotta go low,” said Woods, who won the tournament in 2002 and 2006. “Guys are only going to continue to go low. That’s the way the golf course is playing right now this week. It’s going to be 20-plus, probably, to win the tournament.”

Steve Lowery, who teed off in the morning, shot a nine-under 63 to take the first-round lead.

4:30 p.m.: A few observations about a few players not named Tiger Woods while waiting for Woods to finish his round (FYI: he’s two under with four holes to go).

The leader in the clubhouse, Steve Lowery -- who fired a nine-under 63 -- has won three tournaments this year, and all three have come in playoffs. His best season on the PGA Tour was 1994, when he was 12th on the money list. Described on one Web site as a “soft-spoken Alabama boy,” Lowery has enough experience at Warwick Hills to know that even though nine under looks good on paper, that number is going to go sky-high by Sunday.

"Obviously, nine under is a good start,” he said after his round today. “But if you (don’t) follow it up the rest of the week, it ain’t gonna hang around.”

Standing alone in second place after his eight-under 64 is John Senden, who won the 2006 John Deere Classic and has four top-10 finishes this season. Gotta like this tidbit about the native of Brisbane, Australia, compliments of the PGA Tour’s Web site: Asked what he would be doing if he wasn’t playing golf, Senden said he would be “working the sheep and cattle station owned by the in-laws.”

Y.E. Yang is tied for third with James Nitties at seven under after his round. When Yang won the Honda Classic last March, he became just the second South Korean to win on the PGA Tour (K.J. Choi).

Yang was introduced to golf at 19, when he took a job at a golf course. According to a news report, he’s the son of vegetable farmers. He can also boast that he beat Woods: Yang won the 2006 HSBC Champions in Shanghai, besting a field that included Woods.

1:30 p.m.: Lots to get you updated about at the Buick Open, where we not only have a new leader (Steve Lowery at 63), but Tiger Woods teed off for his opening round an hour ago and is one over through four holes.

Lowery might not be a household name at Warwick Hills, for good reason — he has never played particularly well here. But Lowery, who earned his third PGA Tour career victory at age 47 at last year’s AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, put on a putting clinic here today.

“You know, I putted obviously really well to shoot nine under, but the last nine holes, I made all the putts — made seven birdies there on the last nine holes, and some of them were tap-ins,” Lowery said.

Lowery, who has two top-25 finishes this year, holds a one-shot lead over Aussie John Senden, who posted a 64. Two players are currently tied for third at 65: Y.E. Yang of South Korea and James Nitties, also of Australia.

Now to Woods, who arrived at the first tee to thunderous cheers from the gallery.

“There’s Tiger’s ball right there,” said Joe Mullins, 50, of Windsor, who’s attending the tournament with brother-in-law Chris Soulliere, 62, also of Windsor.

Woods’ tee shot was indeed grand — center of the fairway — but his second shot to the 567-yard par-five (yes, he went for the green in two) wasn’t his best. The ball just missed the bunker on the right side of the green, and landed in about four inches of fluffy grass. Woods didn’t hit his best chip, leaving himself about 22-footer for birdie. He missed the putt and settled for par.

The crowd along the first hole didn’t budge, though. How come? John Daly was playing in the group behind.

Woods came back with a bogey on No. 2.

Noon: Past Buick Open champion Tom Pernice posted the first low round of the morning -- a five-under 67 -- before Tom Byrum and Marc Leishman matched the score a short time later in the first round of the tournament at Warwick Hills.

“The greens were in absolute spectacular condition,” said Pernice, who needed just 24 putts to complete his round. “There’s going to be some good scores today. I’m sure they’ll have some six- and seven-unders. I putted well today; that was the difference.”

Pernice won the Buick in 1999 and has played in the tournament every year since.

10:30 a.m.: The 51st first Buick Open got under way just over three hours ago. The first half of the field is out on the course, with the afternoon group set to tee off at noon.

Where’s Tiger? He doesn’t start his first round until 12:54 p.m., with playing partners Jonathan Byrd and Todd Hamilton.

The early leader as of this posting is Buick Open newbie Marc Leishman, who’s six under with five holes to play. 1999 Buick Open winner Tom Pernice, who started his round on the back nine, is five under, also with five holes to go.

Anybody who has shown up early to a golf tournament knows that it’s the best time to walk the course. Same thing goes for early arrivers to the media room: There are some things you can’t see later in the day.

Well, about an hour ago, I caught up with a couple of longtime Buick Open mainstays: media center manager Jim Edgar and leader board calligrapher Mike Bergsma.

The two were chatting in the corner of the press room, where Bergsma was slowly, in his precision writing, making the turn on the giant sheets of paper: He was on the M’s

Although there has been no official confirmation that this is the last event at Warwick Hills, I asked them a few of their favorite Buick memories.

Edgar recalled the 1981 event, when legendary golfer Sam Snead returned for the first time since 1969. Snead shot 77 and withdrew after the first round but stopped by the press room and talked to reporters until everyone got the material they needed.

“He was so gracious with his time,” Edgar said.

The Buick that year also was the last for Arnold Palmer, who tied for second the first time he played (1958). He shot 77-75 and missed the cut in ’81. But that wasn’t the last time fans “heard” from Palmer. He left in his jet and “buzzed the course on his way out,” Edgar recalled with a laugh.

“He flew straight up 18,” he said.

No surprise that Bergsma’s favorite press-room memories involve his longtime pal and former Free Press golf scribe Jack Saylor, who died a few years ago.

Bergsma has been working the leader board at the Buick since 1978, and he remembers a time around then when Saylor — affectionately known as “Old Fat Fingers” by Bergsma — took command of the piano in the clubhouse after a pairings party. It wasn’t long before broadcaster Jim Brandstatter, who played football at Michigan, joined in with “his terrific Irish tenor voice,” Bergsma said.

“They were great,” he said.

Another memory: Back in the day when reporters used typewriters to write their stories, Bergsma said he’ll never forger the time when Craig Stadler came into the press room asking to borrow one.

“He wanted to write a letter to his mother,” Bergsma said. “I was never a fan of Stadler before then, but I was after that.”
source: freep.com

Why Golf is such an Expensive Sports?

2009-07-31T02:01:00.000-07:00

Golf clubs are more expensive than other sports equipment. Why? Is its material, steel or graphite are much more expensive? That's not the case. In fact, the technology applied in producing golf clubs are the main costs. You see, how does a 59-year-old Tom Watson compete for a major against men half his age? Some of it had to do with guile and experience. A lot had to do with modern technology. And what makes the golf become the rich's activity is also the technology. Unlike basketball and football, golf clubs are more demanding in technologies, that's why many big companies invest huge sum of money in it wich results in the high cost.

Many golf name brands such as TaylorMade, Callaway, Nike, Titleist, PING are making every effort to update their technologies in their products. And the new technology in a club can always be its unique selling points, such as the Ping Rapture V2 irons.

The Ping Rapture V2 represents the culmination of Ping's development of multi-metal technology that combines the key properties of the materials to maximise the performance of the club. The Rapture V2's 460 cc head combines a titanium body with external tungsten weight pads that are located at the back of the club, near the heel and toe. The weight pads position the centre of gravity to allow the Ping Rapture V2 to deliver a lower spin and high launch angle together with a higher MOI, even a World Tour R9 can not reach, that improves both distance and accuracy. The head is plasma-welded and it's taller face has been machined to variable thicknesses to promote increased ball speed and is styled with an aggressively tapered crown featuring the Double-Rapture alignment aid.

However, although modern technology may help you to improve your game, it can not solve every shot in golf!

The Ping Rapture Irons

2009-07-30T02:39:00.000-07:00

The Ping Rapture Irons are a product of years of research and development dedicated to making a game improving iron as technologically advanced as possible. I was at a Ping Demo Day held at another course in the area, and was able to demo a set of the Rapture irons.

As with the other items in the Rapture line, the irons are made of a multi material blend. The frame of the iron is cast from 17-4 stainless steel, this creates a heavier body that boosts stability. The face is a titanium insert that generates maximum ball speed for increased initial ball speed for added distance. The titanium face is also lighter than the steel frame which allows 25 grams of discretionary weight to be moved to the perimeter,this helps to raise the moment of inertia to increase forgiveness on off center hits. Since the hosel is such a large percentage of the total weight of the club head, a tungsten weight is inserted in the toe of the club to balance the hosel weight. This helps to increase stability on shots hit out on the toe. Since titanium feels a little harsher than traditional steel, the tuning port on the back of the face has been enlarged, this provides more surface area contact to help dampen vibrations. The elastomer used in the tuning port of the Rapture is softer than that used in any other iron to help create the sound and feel that players prefer. A moderate off set helps to complete the game improvement design, it gives the player a greater window of time to square the club head through the impact area.

The first thing that I noticed on the range was the oversized club head. While slightly larger than I am accustomed to, it was not a ridiculously over sized head, and the top line was not as thick as some of the other game improvement irons on the market. The weighting was nice, as you could feel the club head throughout the swing, which is another area where some game improvement clubs are lacking. The wider sole and moderate offset do help get the ball in the air, the wider sole also allows you to be a little less than precise with making contact with the golf ball.

Distance wise, these clubs are a little longer than the other Ping lines, the titanium face insert does increase the ball speed. The feel was very soft, softer than other titanium faced irons available. Part of what helped create the soft feel was the fact that the club head was so stable that you felt like you hit every shot solidly. This stability of the club head promotes a high straight ball flight, the trade off is that you are not able to control the shape of your shots. I had to struggle to hit a fade and tended to overhook the ball when trying to hit a draw. The one other area that I found to be a bit lacking was the spin control. Since the ball came off of the face so quickly, I was not able to get as much spin on the shorter irons, this will hurt when playing courses with firmer greens.

I would definitely recommend this set to a higher handicap player, or a mid handicap player that has some difficulty hitting the ball consistently. They are not intended for players looking to work the golf ball, but the longer irons would serve well as long iron replacements for the better player as well.

Tee for Golf or Tea for Life

2009-07-29T02:25:00.000-07:00

Just like the tea's importance to our life, and so the tee for golf playing is also important. One thing that is more important than hitting a ball further is getting your ball play off the tee. Why should I say so, that is because a club off the tee can actually put us into play, and the distance can not.

Nike?Callaway? Titleist? No matter what, have 3-Wood to replace your driver, which features more loft than the driver (up to six degrees). There have Red tea, Black tea, and milk tea, so there are many methods for a tee. Replacement is one of the methods. This extra loft imparts more backspin on your ball, which works to lessen the amount of sidespin you’d create with the same swing with the driver. The end result is a shot that curves less and is in play more often.

When we tell about the importance about the tee, then we should concern is the place selecting. Besides, keep you mind on one thing can also help us in savin penalty shot. The simple rule of thumb is that if there’s trouble on the right, tee the ball on the right side of the tee box and aim up the left side of the fairway. Do the opposite if there’s trouble left. Don' t think this method sounds like escape, you have to know, even the professional also choose this method for hit.

Different tea can have different taste, and different tee can result in different golf scores.

TaylorMade r7 CGB Max Fairway Woods

2009-07-28T01:44:00.000-07:00

The Taylormade R7 CGB MAX FAIRWAY WOOD is a leading choice among Fairway Woods. It’s back again to give you the accuracy you need, Moveable Weight Technology incorporates three weights inside this r7 CGB Max Fairway to promote a broad range of movement, allowing you to fine tune your shots. By setting up a heavy heel weighting, you can produce a 20 yard draw. Back weighting creates a 10 yard draw and toe weighting promotes a 2 yard fade. So however you hit it, TaylorMade’s r7 CGB Max Fairway is a club that delivers distance!

Golfers seeking the best fairway wood performance money can buy will get it in the r7 CGB Max fairway. Incredibly forgiving and easy to launch high and long, it is also adjustable to promote increased distance and accuracy. The club's triangular shape makes it easy to launch the ball high and super deep, and the Movable Weight Technology (MWT) with three weights promotes change in trajectory of up to 22 yards from slight fade to large draw. The unique r7 CGB Max fairway wood shape also allows the center of gravity to be moved amazingly far back from the clubface. The large tiatnium clubhead has an exceptionally high MOI (moment of inertia) for a tremendously stable, forgiving and easy-to-hit fairway wood. Finally, the club features SuperFast Technology with an extremely light RE*AX 45 gram shaft and light overall club weight for faster swing speed and added distance.

Features:
♦ Movable Weight TechnologyTM (MWT) with three weights promote change in trajectory of up to 22 yards from slight fade to large draw for improved accuracy and distance (one 16g, two 1g)
♦ Triangular head shape incorporates an exceptionally far-back CG location makes it easy to launch the ball high and super-deep
♦ SuperFast Technology reduces total club weight and promotes faster swing speed for added distance
♦ Large titanium clubhead combined with TaylorMade's Inverted Cone Technology produces extremely-high MOI for more stability and forgiveness

Golf Tips for Beginners

2009-07-27T02:12:00.001-07:00

When you decide you want to learn the game of golf, there are lots of golf basics you need to know about at the start. But where do you begin if you are a complete newbie? Well, there are various resources on-line the Internet to help you with your golf basics.

Golfing Tips For Beginners

The golfing beginner can start by reading some free golf tips on the Internet. Golf Tips For Beginners is a growing resource that you can visit to learn about every facet of the game. The website has articles and links to particular golf sections for additional information. Two useful resources that you will find are links to a golf review blog and free golf tips videos.

The Basic Golf Tips

Basic Golf Tips articles can be found that cover the stuff you need to know about to get started. At the moment, there are 8 articles covering the basics; beginning with the scoring system, and continuing with choosing the right golf equipment, the different types of golf shots, and golf rules and etiquette.

Golf Resources

There are some carefully chosen golf resources at the golf tips for beginners' page. You will find PDF eBooks specially written for the beginner golfer, the senior golfer and the woman golfer. Also, links to the best golf balls and golf clubs for beginners.

Golf Gear

You will clearly need some golf equipment to start playing golf. The fundamental items are a golf club set, a golf bag, tees, and balls. However, you don't essentially need to purchase these at first; you can rent them out from most golf courses. But, if you are serious about taking up the game, then investing in a good set of clubs, balls and a golf bag is elemental.

If you take the decision to invest in golf equipment you will find that there are hundreds of options. Most of the top brand name golf manufacturers spend millions trying to get you to buy their equipment. But don't rush out and spend thousands of dollars on golf clubs that might not help your game.

Preferably, start off with a good set of golf clubs that are designed with the beginner in mind. Sometimes, they are called game improving clubs and they are designed to be more forgiving to miss-hits. You can have them tailor made for your physical size and swing speed by customizing the clubs with the correct shaft type and flex.

So, for your golf education, check out what the golf tips for beginners website has to offer. There will be more articles coming and more golf reviews added to the blog to help you figure out what products are right for you.

TaylorMade R9 460 driver

2009-07-27T01:36:00.001-07:00

TaylorMade R9 460 driver’s features:
TaylorMade Flight Control Technology (FCT) lets you change the face angle, loft and lie to promote up to 40 yards of side-to-side trajectory change.
Maximum size 460cc clubhead and Inverted Cone Technology promote maximum forgiveness on off-center hits.
Deeper back CG position makes it easier to launch the ball high and long.
New-classic clubhead shape blends traditional and modern lines.

Aldila RE*AX® 60-gram tip-soft shaft and 45.75" length promotes more clubhead speed and distance.

Hot on the heels of the hugely impressive R9 driver comes the TaylorMade R9 460 driver which combines the incredible Flight Control Technology (FCT) of the R9 driver with the sheer power and wonderful forgiveness of a 460cc clubhead and a longer, lightweight graphite shaft to promote greater speed on every shot. Using Flight Control Technology any golfer can easily use the TaylorMade wrench to adjust the face angle, loft and lie of the R9 460 simply by loosening a bolt and rotating the shaft into the preferred position. This allows all golfers to enjoy a driver perfectly suited to their swing that promotes straighter and longer drives. The R9 460 also helps promote draws and fades with different settings allowing for a side to side trajectory change of up to 40 yards, with the same settings also helping to reduce hooks and slices.

Compared to the R9 driver the TaylorMade R9 460 driver has a larger clubhead which combines with a deeper clubface and lower centre of gravity to deliver a much higher MOI that promotes forgiveness and a higher spin rate. Despite the larger clubhead and the technological breakthroughs the R9 460 can still boast of the classic looks and beautiful design that TaylorMade drivers are renowned for.

The Inverted Cone technology that has won TaylorMade so many fans is also included in the R9 460 driver and helps to expand those areas of the clubface that deliver high speeds allowing even mis hits to retain their shape and distance. Each R9 driver comes equipped with an Aldila RE*AX 60 gram tip-soft shaft and measures 45.75 inches. This allows the R9 460 to deliver much greater clubhead speed which, in turn, promotes distance off the tee. Flight Control Technology ensures that players using the TaylorMade R9 460 can shape the shots they want but the club also delivers the length that the modern player demands.

Callaway FT i-brid irons

2009-07-25T01:01:00.000-07:00

The Callaway FT i-brid irons are made using a multi-material construction which creates a lightweight titanium body and an oversized clubhead. Heavy Tunite weighting is put into the sole to create a stable center of gravity and a high moment of inertia. Like some of the other Callaway drivers, the FT i-brids use TPU SenSert to decrease vibration in the swing and impact. The main feature of the FT i-birds is the low center of gravity and the wider sole for interaction with the turf. The Callaway FT i-bird irons are designed to be forgiving, so they are good option for more inexperienced players.

Advanced Fusion Technology

Mulit-material construction allows weight to be shifted for optimal performance. The lightweight titanium body allows for an oversized clubhead with increased offset for greater forgiveness and an increased effective hitting area. Heavy Tunite weighting in the sole creates a higher moment of inertia and better stability with a low, deep center of gravity. The TPU SenSert decreases vibration and delivers solid feel.

i-brid

Clubs that blend the control and accuracy of irons with the forgiveness, distance and versatility of hybrids. The low, deep center of gravity (CG) helps get the ball in the air quickly and easily, and the wider sole improves turf interaction.

Super Game-improvement Mid and Short Irons

Designed for the ultimate in forgiveness in its oversized design with an increased offset, a large effective hitting area and a wide sole for exceptional turf interaction.

Fully Integrated Set Design

Seamless performance progression throughout the set provides consistent distance separation with optimal trajectories.

Modified Tru-Bore Design

An advanced version of the original Tru-Bore Design, the polycarbonate tip plug at the end of the shaft dampens vibration for enhanced feel and performance

The TaylorMade R7 irons

2009-07-24T02:17:00.000-07:00

The TaylorMade R7 irons feature inverted cone construction, the same technology that made TaylorMade’s drivers successful. This technology gives a higher COR and ball speed on mis-hits, resulting in increased average ball speed and increased average distance, while a dampening web of soft aluminum and high-tech bonding soaks up harsh vibratoins giving the TaylorMade r7 irons a phenomenally soft-yet-solid feel at impact.

Pros: I really like these irons. I think a lot of it is the fitting so this review is not perfect. Distance-wise these are about the same as my good RAC OS shots but the distance is much more consistent. It also is a little easier to draw the ball but I have no business doing that anyway. These irons are certainly much straighter than my old irons. Again, a lot of this probably has to do with fit but the results have been very good so far. I used to be scared of my 4 iron but I have found this one is relatively easy to hit and is very consistent between 195 and 210 yards out (depending on trajectory which is certainly pilot error at times). I actually like my 4 iron and dont try to not swing quite as hard with my hybrid - a true recipe for disaster.
Cons: I really have no legit complaints but there does seem to be a huge distance gap now between the pitching wedge and my 52 degree gap wedge - I think the pitching wedge is 46 degrees so this makes sense but I am now kind of lost between 125 and 110 yards - although again this is probably pilot error and I could always use a different wedge.
Quality: Great. I had jumbo grips put on so they are just standard tour velvets not the cool taylor made R7 grips but I really doubt the difference is responsible for my inconsitency.
Great irons: The ball goes a long ways and it goes pretty high which was what I wanted so I am pretty happy. I tried the Callaway X20s and didnt quite like them as much - they did not seem as forgiving to me. I really liked the Ping G5s a lot but they were $150 more and at the end of the day I probably would have paid $150 more for the R7s. An on-the-course test with the G5s might have swayed me -- point being they were pretty sweet irons too.

Golfing Warming Up

2009-07-23T02:23:00.000-07:00

Although golfing is not as dangerous as many other sports such as basketball and football. But that does not mean that there is no danger in golfing. Well the most common hurt should go to the muscle hurt. So it is necessary to have some warming up exercises to keep you from harm. Here are some tips for warming up exercises before golfing.

Be sure there is enough time.
Play golf on the course does means that you can play any time as you like, but you have to count the time for the golf shop, the restroom and changing equipments. So you can arrive at the course a minmum earlier to make sure you warm up moves slowly and relax.

Do warming up on the greens.
By spending time warming up on the green first, you will not only be prepared for the speed of the greens but you will also be starting the day with smooth, deliberate tempo.

Stretching.
Stretching can improve your range of motion by up to 17-percent. It also helps you avoid injury and it helps relieve chronic joint pain.

Walk slowly and shorten wedge shots.
Short tee can help us contact the ball crisply, and wedge shots can help us start routine with smooth rhythm and tempo.

Test the firmness of the greens.
We can choose the best greeside shots by spending time around the green, so as to think about where to land the ball. Because different types of rough can have different effects towards the hitting of the ball.

So, maybe next time you can remember the the advantages of warming-up exercises, and follow the steps to the top of your game results.

Golf Needs Discounts

2009-07-21T23:57:00.000-07:00

Let's face it. Playing golf is not one of the most economical sports in the world. Unlike basketball where a single ball is needed for two teams to play and maybe, just maybe, some specialized shoes, a golfer requires a lot more gear to get going and that gear, or at least some of it, will have to be replaced from time to time. With this in mind, smart golfers often look for good golf discount store locations to help them keep their passion in financial check.

Considering the expense of golf doesn't stop when all the gear is purchased, it is particularly smart to save money where possible. After all, a golfer will likely also have to pay for greens fees, cart rentals, perhaps even a caddy and more. So, saving a little here and there without sacrificing quality is a good idea.

Stores that specialize in golf discount equipment aren't necessarily selling used items or seconds either. There are plenty of discount locations that offer everything a golfer needs to be fully outfitted with the best or darn close to it, but they simply don't charge as much.

The cost savings without quality sacrifice can be accomplished in a number of different ways. Some discount stores only offer their items for sale on the Internet. This provides savings in several different ways. By not having an actual "storefront," the Internet discount store saves on overhead, which can be passed along to a customer. Also, by going the Internet route, the store opens its base for customers. Instead of only pulling shoppers from a set geographic location, these stores can have customers from all over the world - literally. The increase in potential sales can equate to an ability to purchase in bulk from manufacturers or suppliers, which means discounts for the customers. So, no matter whether it's brand name items or lesser names, there are still a number of ways savings can be passed along. Plus, the need for a lot of employees is also largely removed.

The large discount golf outlets that have storefronts in a number of locations can pass along savings from bulk purchases. The buying power of the bigger discount chains can be incredible and is noted in other areas as well.

In the case of smaller storefront discount locations, there's always the possibility of smart stocking and even lowered overhead due to more of an emphasis on inventory than store appearance.

There are a number of ways good golf discount shops can help their customers realize great savings without sacrificing quality. Shopping around these discount stores can help a golfer get fully equipped without breaking the bank, so it really pays to check them out.

Just make sure you buy what you truly need and pay attention to quality cues and stick with the names you're comfortable with when possible. Many discount outlets are able to provide name brands or at least name brand quality. If you have to have the Ping clubs, save money on other items to make up for the expense. After all, some things simply can't be sacrificed.

Article Source: http://www.golfarticles.net

Cloned Golf Clubs--Why not?

2009-07-21T02:15:00.000-07:00

Playing golf is a lot of fun, but the equipment can be expensive. That’s why cloned golf clubs are surging in the market. In fact, at one end of the spectrum cloned golf club refers to quality products from less well-known manufacturers. The quality and design of these clubs may rival even those of the bigger brands. However, cloned golf clubs should not be your first choice if you are able to afford the name brand clubs which give you more sound feel and confidence. Here are some suggestions about when to choose cloned golf clubs.

Once you have decided which clubs you want to purchase, you have to decide if you want to purchase clones or the manufacturer's originals. Let's get this straight: Clones are not the same as illegal knockoffs. Clones follow the same standards as the originals and do not violate copyright laws. They are less expensive, but are they better for you?

When you are just starting in the game, you probably should borrow or rent clubs for your first few rounds before you even consider buying. But once you have gotten past that point and have decided you want to purchase, you have to make a fair assessment of your game. Most beginners are shooting 100 or more for 18 holes (perhaps 110 or more), and the nuances of a hand-milled name brand will be lost on the new golfer. In that case, go with the clones.

Assess your game honestly. As an intermediate player, you probably have some strengths and weaknesses. Let's say you hit the ball close to 275 yards off the tee and you can keep it relatively straight. You may want a driver manufactured by a name brand like Nike or TaylorMade to get the most out of your shot. A clone will be an excellent club, and it will cost you less, but you may find the extra 10 yards you get from your name-brand driver are worth the difference in price.

You may also struggle with your short-iron play. You may find that there's no difference in the clones and name-brand clubs when you swing them. If that's the case, go with the clones.

You can mix and match. You can buy the manufacturer's brands for your strengths and the clones for the areas of your game that need the most improvement.

If you regularly shoot in the 70s or less, you have probably developed some level of expertise with all areas of your game. In that case, you may want the name-brand clubs. They may cost you more, but you have the skills to get the most out of your clubs.

Tom Watson Lost with Honor at 2009 British Golf Open

2009-07-20T02:04:00.000-07:00

You can't win them all. But you can always act with class and dignity when defeat comes calling. And it will, usually at the most imoportant and unexpected times. In defeat, Tom Watson showed us all what being a true champion is all about. He won with class and lost with class.

Tom Watson at FIFTY-NINE tied for the Championship of a MAJOR Tournament! Tom had won eight Majors already, he had more nothing to prove when he had that 8 foot putt for the win. He looks up at the scoreboard and sees ONLY Cink could join him in a playoff if he misses. He knows Stewart for Cink's entire career as the Next generation and that he has played well but that a Major seemed just out of his grasp, or snatched away.

I keep replaying that Watson miss on 18 and the more I watched it the more I imagine that Tom was thinking "I have done enough, let's give this guy a shot at glory". But once Stewart won the first playoff hole, I watched Tom not even taking it seriously.

Stewart did what he had to do. He was the ONLY one to put himself but one stroke back on his last opportunity. I just can't help but thinking Tom, at the last moment, settled for a tie for the best 72 hole score.

All these JERKs saying he choked should calculate how well THEY could do in a Major Golf Tournament and multiply that by thier age difference.

Steward Cink won his first Major Touney, but History will remember Tom Watson at 59, as being the oldest man with the best score (tie) after regulation play in a Major, the oldest man to enter a playoff for a Major Title, and the oldest man to finish second in a Major.

Congratulations, Stwart Cink, fantastic play on 18 and in the playoff. Thank you Tom Watson, you made HISTORY, and I believe you enjoyed yourself. Keep it up 'Old Man', us over 50s got grab the fun where we can get it.

Tiger Woods ends halfway in British Golf Open

2009-07-18T01:46:00.000-07:00

Tiger Woods' 2009 Open Championship ended at exactly 7:15 p.m. local time Friday at Turnberry. That's when his birdie chip from just beyond the back of the green decided it had better things to do than roll into the cup.

Instead, it came to a stop 3 feet short of the pin and, just like that, Woods' Open was history. Or, if Chicago White Sox announcer Hawk Harrelson were doing the Turnberry play-by-play, "He gone."

Oh, sure, it wasn't official official. If enough players still on the course shot John Daly's weight, or fell into the Firth of Clyde, or were kidnapped by aliens, then, yeah, Woods could sneak under the cut line. But they didn't, and he didn't. His rounds of 71 on Thursday and 74 on Friday -- putting him at 5 over par for the tournament -- got him exactly what he deserved: a jet ride back to the States.

The 2006 U.S. Open was the last time Tiger Woods missed a cut … and it was the only time before Friday that it happened at a major.

Obligatory dumb post-round question: "What's next for you?"

Woods: "Well, go home, get something to eat. I'm really hungry right now."

He'll have plenty of time to chow down this weekend. Maybe even mow the yard. Play with the kids. Watch somebody else win the Open Championship, the same championship for which oddsmakers made him a 2-1 favorite.

There's no nice way of describing his first missed cut since the 2006 U.S. Open and only his sixth MC as a pro. Woods played semi-awful. Jimmy Fallon could have beaten him.

"I just made mistakes," he said. "And obviously you can't make mistakes and expect to not only make the cut but also try to win a championship. You have to play clean rounds of golf, and I didn't."

Parts of Woods' rounds were so dirty that you'd need a wire brush and a can of Comet to get the crud off. He spent way too much time spraying his tee shots to the far corners of the Turnberry hay, otherwise known as shin-high rough. For the benefit of the marshals, he'd point his club to the right or left, then maybe slam the clubhead, then mutter a few bad words, then trudge down the hole in search of his ball.

The numbers are coyote ugly: only 15 of 28 fairways hit, only 21 of 36 greens in regulation. You can't even win the member-guest with those sorts of stats.

"Well, that is surprising," said 59-year-old Tom Watson, your (gulp) Open co-leader. "It seems like he's been playing awfully well this year. … [But] when you're not confident about where you're hitting it and you start hitting it sideways a few times, then it gets to you. I don't care how good you are -- it gets to you."

Woods was 1 under par for the day and even for the tournament when he stepped off the No. 7 green Friday. Then smoke started streaming from the hood of the Tigermobile.

Bogey on No. 8. Bogey on No. 9. Double-bogey on No. 10 (where he lost his ball and had to hit a provisional). Par on No. 11. Bogey on No. 12. Double-bogey on No. 13. Pars on Nos. 14 and 15. Birdies on Nos. 16 and 17. Par on No. 18. When the numbers were finally crunched about an hour later, Woods missed the cut by exactly 1 stroke.

Never before in his pro career had Woods played a six-hole stretch in 7 over par.

"I thought if I shot under par for the tournament, to end the day, I'd be right there in the championship, probably in the top 10," he said.

And he's right. Had Woods played like the Tiger Woods who just won his own tournament two weeks ago, he'd be on the leaderboard instead of on a flight to Florida. Even if he had just been in the vicinity of red numbers, he could have challenged for this major.

Nothing against Watson and co-leader Steve Marino, or the guys chasing them, but this isn't the most intimidating leaderboard of all time. For every Retief Goosen, Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk and Sergio Garcia, there's somebody named Kenichi Kuboya. (They actually list Kuboya's blood type on the Japan Golf Tour Web site bio.)

John Daly and his cartoon pants will be here this weekend. Sixteen-year-old Italian amateur Matteo Manassero will be here. Watson, closing fast on 60, will be here. But not Woods. In fact, ABC could be looking for a new golf analyst now that Watson is busy. Is it too late to get Tiger a network blazer?

"Well, you don't often see him play shots like that, some of the shots he played," said Lee Westwood, who played in Woods' threesome. "But everybody is entitled to a bad day every now and again. It happens to all of us."

It doesn't happen very often to Woods. He is 0-for-majors in 2009. He tied for sixth at the Masters, tied for sixth at the recent U.S. Open at Bethpage Black and just waved goodbye at the British. His surgically repaired left knee is good to go, but his majors performance needs some rehab.

"I just haven't put together all four rounds, and you have to play clean in order to win a major championship," Woods said. "I haven't done that."

He still has next month's PGA Championship to extend his win-at-least-one-major-a-year streak going. He won the U.S. Open in '08, the PGA in '07, the British and the PGA in '06, and the Masters and British in '05.

Woods didn't linger after his Friday round. He shook hands with Westwood and Ryo Ishikawa. He did a quickie group media interview. Then it was a brisk walk to the players' parking lot, into a black S320 Mercedes, and that was that.

(source:ESPN news)

Top Golf Companies

2009-07-18T01:14:00.000-07:00

NO.1 Dunlop
Since its inception in 1910, Dunlop has been the one of the world's most prestigious brands. Even those famous golfers such as Arnold Palmer, Seve Ballesteros, Tom Watson and Fuzzy Zoeller have already become the Dunlop brand’s loyalist owning to its good performance. Actually, Dunlop clubs help them win a lot of honor.

NO.2 TaylorMade

TaylorMade - Adidas Golf Co., Ltd. (TaylorMade-Adidas-Salomon AG, referred to TaylorMade golf. Since 1979, after the creation, TaylorMade Golf has always been a pioneer in the development of golf technology.

NO.3 Adidas

In the world of the sporting equipments manufacturers, Adidas has always represented a special kind of status symbol, and this symbol was called by some bird as the "three lines about victory." Since founded in 1948, so far, Adidas has helped countless athletes to create great scores, and a lot of the achievements of Albert Feng Gong.

NO.4 Nike

Headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike is the world's leading sporting goods manufacturer. The company is a manufacturer of sporting goods all-inclusive: clothing, footwear, sporting equipment and so on. 2002 fiscal year, the company's operating income reached a record 4.98 billion U.S. dollars, compared fiscal year 2001 with a growth of 2%.

NO.5 Ben Hogan

Since its establishment in 1953, Ben Hogan Golf is always the representative of high-end products. Over the years, the best golf equipment, such as clubs, balls, accessories and many other products always closely linked to the Ben Hogan brand. As the company entered the first of his brilliant 52 years, Ben Hogan had a significant innovation, launched a series of new products.

NO.6 Etonic

Etonic began his golf shoes production in the 50's. During the 80's, Etonic has been considered as the leading technology brand with a representation of high professionalism. In 2002, Etonic produced the first sports shoes of the double depth. Etonic DRx products are not only fashionable but also comfort and easy moving.

NO.7 Wilson

Since launched in 1914, Wilson has become the historic sporting equipment manufacturer already. Wilson is one of the first manufacturers of tennis rackets, racket, and two lines of the tennis shoes. Pepsi-Cola Company in 1970acquired Wilson, Michael Jordan signed Chicago Bulls, and joined the Wilson think-tank by 1984.

NO.8 MacGregot

Macgregor Company (MacGregorGOIf) was founded in 1897, and the company is headquartered in the United States, Atlanta, Georgia, which is the world's oldest golf equipment supplier. She is a global brand companies, has a long history, experience abundant supplies. With 108 years’ development of golf course, MacGregot continue her successful record and dazzling innovation brilliance, including 59 Championships over the field.

NO.9 Callaway

Callaway founder Ely Callaway, in 1982, founded the Callaway Golf Company, which was named Callaway Hickory Stick USA Inc. but Callaway. At the time, their main products are based on putting and wedge, but the most special part is the shaft, not used in the iron.

NO.10 PING

Since 1959, Karsten Solheim invented the heel-toe balance; PING has been good at conventional challenges. Specify series continue to develop the suitable putters, different look, feel and weight, for players at all levels.

Harrington rebuilds swing, eyes British Open three-peat

2009-07-15T01:53:00.000-07:00

TURNBERRY, Scotland — Legend holds that eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes, a kid at the time, was fascinated with a luxury car in the garage of his parents' estate in Houston and dismantled it just to see how it worked.

Padraig Harrington cites the story, knows it well and can relate.

No golfing machine — not even one named Tiger Woods— was running at a higher performance level than Harrington a year ago. The Irishman won $4.3 million last season, rose to No. 3 in the world and was the PGA Tour Player of the Year. He became the first European in more than a century to win back-to-back British Opens and the only European to win consecutive majors in a season when he followed his Open triumph at Royal Birkdale in England with his PGA Championship victory at Oakland Hills in Michigan.

So Harrington shocked the golf world and took apart his swing despite winning three of the last six majors.

He's still trying to put it back together.

The rebuilt Harrington has been sputtering all year, fueling criticism of his decision. On the eve of the Open Championship on the Ailsa Course at Turnberry, where he'll try to enter the record books again by becoming the second player since 1882 to win three consecutive Opens, his chances look bleak.

"You get to a certain point, and you like to tear it apart and see how it works and put it back better," says Harrington, 37, who concedes that his fixation with building a perfect swing makes him a wee bit like Hughes. "But it's taken longer than I thought.

"I would say my chances this week are very sketchy. We'll go with whatever we have Thursday afternoon."

Five consecutive missed cuts

Harrington hasn't had much to go with all year. He has missed eight of 16 cuts on the PGA and European tours, including his last five. He hasn't recorded a top-10 since his season-opening tie for fifth in the Abu Dhabi Championship. He became the first player to win two out of the last four majors and not be in the top 10 in the world ranking.

And despite winning last week by seven shots in the Irish PGA Championship, a tournament that is little more than a club pro's event, is not sanctioned by any of the major tours in the world and came with a $6,500 winner's check, Harrington will be hard-pressed to become the first since Peter Thomson in 1954-56 to win three consecutive Opens.

"It would be very special to win the Open a third time in a row. But I am realistic about these things," says Harrington, currently No. 12 in the world. "I want to compete in many majors. The idea that it has to be the next one is not how I go about things."

Harrington, forever a tinkerer, has been down this road before. He says that since he took up the game at 11, he's found something to work on every year. Even when the driving range workaholic finished runner-up 15 times earlier in his career on the European Tour, including five times in 1999 and six times in 2001, he worked toward the future instead of the final round.

"Many a Saturday evening when I was leading the tournament, I was trying to improve my swing to play well the following week, not the following day," says Harrington, who has 16 wins on the European and PGA tours. "I lost many a tournament because I was actually trying to get better for the next week."

His fans want him to start thinking about the present. As his play deteriorated, he started receiving advice from all walks of life, including his postman. Letters with swing tips started arriving; suggestions that he put away his analytical side started appearing in newspapers and golf magazines.

His play got so bad that six weeks ago Harrington was the center of attention during what he jokingly called an intervention with his wife, Carolina, sports psychologist Bob Rotella, swing coach Bob Torrance and caddie Ronan Flood.

"That was the first step in getting him back in the right direction," Rotella says. "He needed to start thinking about results again. Anytime you are a bit of a late bloomer, you constantly try to get better. But one of the hardest things to do in this game is to have a little of that perfectionist tendency to develop your skills, but once you get them, to say to yourself, 'That's good enough.'

"He's so open, so honest, that, unlike so many other players who won't talk at length about making changes, he does. That leads to more questions. But I think he's back on track and in a good place."

The place Harrington has been searching for is an improved impact position to give him more consistency with his bad shots. Essentially, instead of missing a shot and hitting the ball into trees on the right, he will miss the shot and end up in the right rough. Part of trying to reach this position has forced him to tinker with new shafts, the weight of shafts and the lies of his irons.

"Through it all, what happened is that I've been strengthening my weaknesses but weakening my strengths," he says. "That's obviously not a great idea when you're looking for performance in the short term.

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions. I did have good intentions. I'm comfortable with it. I'm going to be patient."

Tiger understands the logic

Some of his colleagues understand the approach. As sports reporters became perplexed with Harrington's decision, Woods started receiving queries into this type of methodology.

"You're asking the wrong guy," Woods says. "After I won The Masters by 12 (shots in 1997), I changed my swing. People thought I was crazy for that. I said, 'Just wait. Just be patient with it. It will come around.' "

Woods was winless in 10 consecutive majors after his Masters masterpiece. Then his overhauled swing started purring and he won seven of 11 majors, including four consecutively. After another swing change in 2004, he won 21 PGA Tour events from 2005 to 2007, including five majors.

"We're all trying to get better," Woods says. "The game is fluid. It's always evolving; you're trying to make adjustments here and there to try to get yourself to the next level.

"The hard part for Paddy is he's doing it in front of everyone. I've been through it. Sometimes it can be a little difficult, because you get questioned quite a bit. But you have to understand the big picture for yourself."

Harrington, according to 2006 U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, won't lose sight of that fact.

"I would imagine that most guys, if they won two majors and then started to struggle, would get deeply depressed," Ogilvy says. "I don't see that with him. He sees this as his project, and he's not getting frustrated."

At least not yet.

"Golf is always a juggling act of keeping all the balls in the air and keeping everything working together," Harrington says. "And I've obviously concentrated on one ball a lot and a few of the other ones have fallen. Now it's a question of picking them up and getting them all together again."

By Steve DiMeglio, USA TODAY

Padraig Harrington vs Bitish Golf Open

2009-07-09T02:13:00.000-07:00

Padraig Harrington is looking to "threepeat" at Turnberry. In fact, he was recently quoted as saying, "when conditions are easy, everyone has a chance. It plays to my advantage when the wind starts to blow."

His last four worldwide tournaments were:

Open de France - 72, 75 - +5 - Missed Cut

U.S. Open - 76, 76 - +12 - Missed Cut

St. Jude - 72, 72 - +4 - Missed Cut

Memorial - 75, 77 - +8 - Missed Cut

That's actually +29 for his last four tournaments.

The previous three were:

Irish Open - 73, 68 - Missed Cut

Players - 72, 72, 74, 72 - T49

Quail Hollow - 73, 75 - Missed Cut

I think Harrington is a competitor and particularly when it comes to his pride when competing for the British Open. For that reason alone I think he'll put together whatever it takes to make the cut. The problem is his well-chronicled constant tinkering and remake of his swing and particularly this year. Long-time swing coach Bob

Torrence has him on the remake trying to eliminate a slight loop in his down swing so as to simplify his motion and make him more mechanical, particularly when trying to endure the stress of winning a major.

Padraig was Player of the Year last year after winning back-to-back majors at the British Open and PGA. While it was a year in which Tiger only participated about the first half, Harrington was still the best of the rest. Or was he? His driving accuracy was 59.4% which placed him at the 156th position while his GIR was only 60.7% or 186th place. With those competition stats it's not hard to see why he felt he needed a major swing improvement to simplify it to a more mechanical state. Oh, in case you're wondering how he wins with such lousy driving and GIR stats, he's a tremendous putter. He did finish 2nd in putts per round in 2008 and is T52 in 2009.

He definitely has not mastered the swing simplification that Torrence has been working on with him as of yet. Again, you can see it in his 2009 stats as his driving accuracy is actually worse at 52.8% or 176th of Tour players and his GIR is at 60.06% or 179th place. Time will tell if he can successfully adjust his swing. However, if the wind is blowing at Turnberry and everyone has poor accuracy stats, I like Padraig's chances of being atop the leader board regardless of the effective of the swing changes.

Callaway Golf X-22 Irons

2009-07-07T01:40:00.000-07:00

The Callaway Golf X-22 irons look great at set up, have a great feel and balance and are very forgiving.
Precision Notch Weighting
Precisely positions more weight to the perimeter of the iron to create a higher moment of inertia (MOI) for greater forgiveness and stability while maintaining the

center of gravity position that produces ideal trajectories and feel.

Tour-Inspired Head Shape
Our engineers took elements designed for Tour players, like a thinner top line and narrower sole, and incorporated them into highly forgiving irons with a higher MOI so

they can be played by a wide range of golfers.

Modified Tru-Bore
An advanced version of the original Tru-Bore design, the polycarbonate tip plug at the end of the shaft dampens vibration for enhanced feel and performance.

VFT Technology
VFT Technology maximizes ball speed and perimeter weighting for more distance and forgiveness; S2H2 increases discretionary weight by removing it from the hosel and

repositioning it in the perimeter of the clubhead; 360-Degree Undercut Channel maximizes perimeter weighting by moving the CG lower and farther back in the clubhead,

enlarging the hitting area and stabilizing the clubhead for more forgiveness.

Pros/Positives-

The Callaway X-22 has proved it's salt to golfing warriors everywhere. The previous X-series irons have laid the groundwork for this great iron. The MOI and forgiveness

will match any iron out there period. The new cavity badge definitely adds a touch of pizazz as well.

Cons/Negatives-

Not much. But one thing we did find amiss was the shaft options. Great graphite selection but only offers a UniFlex in steel. This may become a big marketing snafu for

Callaway. It'll be interesting to see how this unfolds.

Overall Rating-

The Callaway X-22 needs to be on every recreational player's short list. It offers everything a game-improvement iron should - massive MOI and forgiveness.

(source: www.discountsgolfclubs.com)

Golf Updates

2009-07-06T00:10:00.000-07:00

The Sonoma Valley Golf Club took advantage of the fine summer weather of late and headed out on the fairways and greens of Adobe Creek Golf Club on June 23. The event was a blind-draw, meaning that each player did not know who would be their partner come the end of the day.

Leading the way was Bud Scheurman and Richard Sheridan, who combined to shoot an impressive score of 54. This was two shots clear of John Fanucchi and Mike Lipson, and Ray Kumli and S.R. VanDeursen, who all fired 56s, before the tandem of Fanucchi and Lipson were awarded second in the scorecard playoff. Fourth place went to Dick Moore and Ed Cebula with a 57, while Don Richards and Lou Pignati rounded out the top five with a 58. In closest-to-the-pin action, Bill Seim almost achieved that spectacular feeling of a hole-in-one on the fifth hole, with his tee-shot stopping just 6 inches from the hole.

The No. 8 saw Ron Preston almost duplicate Seim's shot, with his ball finishing just 2 feet, 6 inches from the hole. The impressive shotmaking continued on the back-nine with George Greene taking home the top-spot on the 12th, with a shot to 3-2, while Dick Severson's shot to 5-1 was the best of the day on the 16th.

•••

The Champions Tour reached the midway point in their season last week at the Dick's Sporting Goods Open in upstate New York. What looked like a walk-in-the-park victory for
Fred Funk turned into a spectacular final round comeback for New Yorker Lonnie Nielsen. Funk,
who continues to limp throughout the round due to a bad knee, opened with rounds of 64 and 65 and looked like he would cruise to victory, but Nielsen, who has lived in New York for the last 20 years, had different ideas. He opened his final round with four birdies and an eagle through the first five holes, while Funk could only manage three birdies the entire round.

Nielsen added three more birdies on the back nine to cap a 63 that gave him a three-shot win over Funk and Ronnie Black, who carded his own fine 66 on Sunday.

The win helped Nielsen break out of a slump that had seen him all the way in 41st place on the Charles Schwab Cup points list entering last week. He now sits at 18th and looks to continue his strong play and solidify his spot in the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship at Sonoma Golf Club.

With 13 of 25 events in the books on the 2009 Champions Tour, there are some familiar names atop the points lists, but also a few surprise names.

Leading the way since the first week is Bernhard Langer. The German showed that he can still compete anywhere by entering the final round of the European Tour's BMW International last week one shot out of the lead held by Retief Goosen, before a final-round even-par 72 dropped him into a tie for ninth place. Currently Langer enjoys a 442 point lead over second place Michael Allen.

Allen might be the biggest surprise so far in 2009. Having never won on the PGA Tour, he was invited to play at the Senior PGA by the PGA Of America and walked away the champion, out dueling the best the Champions Tour had to offer. Having only played one event on the over-50 circuit, and winning, he sits at second with 720 points. He plans to play a few more events on the Champions Tour, but now has the goal of being the first player to have won on the Champions Tour before claiming his maiden victory on the PGA Tour.

Third place on the points list might also be somewhat of a surprise, but the silky swing and putting stroke of Larry Mize has been working well so far in 2009. The rookie on the Champions Tour had a runner-up finish to Allen at the Senior PGA and several other top finishes to all but assure himself a spot at Sonoma.

One surprise might be the lackluster play so far in 2009 of two-time Charles Schwab Cup Champion Jay Haas. Despite hanging around the top of the leaderboard last week in New York, Haas has struggled somewhat in 2009 and, so far, has not racked up a win and sits at an unfamiliar 10th on the points list.

With the meat of the summer and four Champions Tour major's ahead, Haas is looking to get his game in shape and make another run at the tour's top prize.

With so many new players on the Champions Tour this year, the makeup of the field for the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in October might include quite a few new faces, but with the season only halfway over, look for the veterans to pick up the slack and make a run to finish in that top 30 and make their way back to the beautiful Valley of the Moon.

•••

The 18th annual Hanna Boy's Center Golf and Tennis Classic will be held at Silverado Resort in Napa on Friday, Sept. 18. There will be two flights, the morning wave, which starts at 7:30 a.m., and the afternoon wave, which begins at 12:30 p.m.

Cost for this year's event is $275 a person - a portion of the entry fee is tax deductible - and includes 18 holes with cart, tee prizes, continental breakfast, lunch, a foursome photo and a hosted cocktail hour and dinner.

The event - Hanna Boys Center's major fundraiser for the year - traditionally fills up quickly, so participants are encouraged to register as soon as possible by visiting www.hannacenter.org.

(Source: Sonoma Index-Tribune - Sonoma,CA,USA)

How to Choose a Complete Set of Golf Clubs

2009-06-24T01:54:00.000-07:00

Which clubs should you choose to carry in your bag probably depends on how good a golfer you are.
The needs of a low-handicapper are quite different from those of a beginning golfer. Some clubs are easier to control than others, and higher-handicap golfers should focus on the easiest-to-hit clubs. Highly skilled golfers are capable of playing more specialized clubs and playing a wider variety of shots.

Plus, the Rules of Golf allow you to carry a maximum of 14 clubs in your bag. (That doesn't mean you have to carry 14, though; you can carry fewer if you wish.)

Which clubs should you be carrying? Here are some suggestions based on skill level. Keep in mind, these are generalities - if there is a particular club that you hit very well but is not listed below, keep it in your bag. Results are what matter.

The High Handicapper's Bag
• 3-wood
• 4, 5 and 6 hybrids
• 7, 8 and 9 irons
• Pitching wedge
• Putter

Most high handicappers cannot hit a driver, no matter how badly they want to. Drivers are especially dangerous in the hands of high-handicappers because many view distance as the quality they most want to have off the tee. So they spend several hundred dollars on an oversized titanium driver that most of the time will only put them farther off the fairway, not farther down the fairway.

You need to own a driver - just practice with it on the driving range, and leave it at home when you hit the course. A 3-wood or a hybrid gives you a much better chance of finding the fairway off the tee. And hybrids are easier to hit than low irons.

The Mid-Handicapper's Bag
• Driver
• 3-wood
• 4 and 5 hybrids
• 6, 7, 8 and 9 irons
• Pitching wedge
• Sand wedge
• Putter

Many intermediate players will also be better off hitting 3-wood off the tee rather than driver, but certainly have a better shot at controlling the driver than high handicappers.

Mid-handicappers who are strong in their short game might consider adding a lob wedge or gap wedge to this assortment, but most will probably be better off with the hybrids rather than long irons.

The Low Handicapper's Bag
• Driver
• 3-wood
• 2 hybrid
• 3-iron through 9-iron
• Pitching wedge
• Lob wedge
• Sand wedge
• Putter

Scratch golfers will carry the same bag with one exception: Substituting a gap wedge for the 2 hybrid.

The better you are, the more specialized your game becomes. And that specialization for the best players leads to a concentration on the short game. Most top players hit the ball far enough that they rarely use a long iron, hence the ability to bypass 2-irons or 2 hybrids in favor of an additional wedge. The lob wedge and gap wedge simply increase a great player's options around the green.

Remember: No matter what your skill level, hit clubs you are comfortable with. Let results - not wishes - determine which clubs you carry.
-About.com

2009 U.S. Open champion-Lucas Glover

2009-06-23T00:54:00.000-07:00

No Mickelson, no Woods, but Glover, Lucas Glover played a steady hand in the last round to win the U.S. Open.

So many amazing stories belonged to contenders all around him Monday at Bethpage Black, from Phil Mickelson's stirring bid to win for his beloved wife as she battles breast cancer, to David Duval coming out of nowhere or what would have been his first win in eight long years.

Glover kept his cap tugged low and played the kind of golf that wins a U.S. Open under any conditions.He made only one birdie in the rain-delayed final round, and it could not have been timed any better. Glover holed a 6-foot putt on the 16th hole to break one last tie for the lead, then held on with pars to close with a 3-over 73 for a two-shot victory."It was a test of patience, that's for sure," Glover said. "It was just heart today."

Anyway, it's good to see a guy win a major thats not a household name. All said and done, it was a great major to watch even though the rain kicked in too many times

The Prediction of the 2009 Golf US Open

2009-06-22T02:10:00.000-07:00

After the manic Sunday, the 2009 Golf US open will finish on Monday, another manic day. I pick the three players as the possible champion for the tournament：

Phil Mickelson if he can knock down his putts, "Having won a couple of majors, I feel confident and I'm able to be patient much easier in a challenging event like this," Mickelson said according to The US Open Championship News. "I'm not forcing it and I'm able to shoot a round today where I didn't play flawless. ..."But again, anything can happen in the U.S. Open. There are a lot of birdies on this golf course and there are a lot of bogeys and doubles, as well. If myself or some other guys at even, 1 or 2 under can get a hot hand, the emotion of the event, the momentum can change."
Another player is Hunter Mahan - He has got a hot birdie streak left in him. And even yes folks, Tiger Woods. Woods hit a huge birdie putt on the 7th hole tonight to put himself right back in the thick of things at E, just seven shots off the lead. Now, with Tiger that is a huge momentum boost to go into tomorrow morning with that birdie and he had two birdies in the first seven holes of his round, plus you see that his score is improving with each round. If he can knock down putts and keep the ball in the fairway since he is one of the best iron players in the world, he will be in the clubhouse
on Monday at least within a shot or two from the lead.

How to do Effective Golfing Practice

2009-06-19T22:51:00.000-07:00

For practice to be productive we must first analyze what aspects of our game need the most work. This can be done best by counting how many drives hit the fairway, how many fairway wood shots reach their target, how many iron shots hit the green, how many putts we use per round, etc... After realistically determining what should be worked on, seek a Golf Professional to make necessary corrections. The watchful eye of a trained Pro can save time, and more importantly, strokes.

All practice should have a goal, weather it is trying to make a larger percentage of 10-foot putt or straightening out an erratic diver. Chart your progress on a notepad. This type of organization will prevent you from following the wrong path.

A good practice drill is the "Toe-up Toe-up Drill". Using a lofted short iron, make half swings with the hands swinging about waist high. On this length back swing, the toe of the club should also point up, and on the forward swing the toe of the club should also point up. A normal weight transfer will allow you to release your back foot so the heel is off the ground and you're balancing on your toe. If the toe of the club is not "up" on the back swing and follow through, look for corrections starting with the grip and then alignment.

We practice to improve both our score and our enjoyment. This acquires the ability to change, and most importantly, "to think". Limit the time of your practice sessions to the time you can be strong mentally and physically. Many good practice sessions do not produce the result they should because the player hit too many practice balls, got tired, and fell back into old bad habits. Instruction and information combined with intelligent practice are the ingredients to a better golf game!
http://www.golflink.com

Betting odds$picks on Bethpage----2009 Golf US Open

2009-06-16T02:10:00.000-07:00

The U.S Open is coming soon. Bethpage Black Golf Course in New York will be the center stage for world’s top golfers again. The U.S Open was held in Bethpage Black back in 2002 for the first time, and the course was extremely difficult for the world-class golfers. The defending champion Tiger woods is till the favorit. With the assitance of Ladbrokes, let's take a look at the top5 odds；

Tiger Woods, 1.625/1, Tiger Woods is in good condition recently, he might defend his title this season although no golfer has successed in the past twenty years.

Phil Mickelson, 16/1, His showing is quit weak last week. The worry about wife’s illness may influence him. Less likely to win.

Geoff Ogilvy, 16/1, The Austrilian has a U.S Open trophy and performed well in recent games. But he is not in a stale conditon. Possibly to win.

Jim Furyk, 18/1 He placed only 10th at the world ranking.

Paul Casey, 25/1 The hottest player this season, thoung his performace in the U.S Open was not quite so satisfied. Keeping the good condition, he could win.

Still expecting the Black Horse…..

Whether Golf can be called a Sport

2009-05-13T00:52:00.000-07:00

Whether Golf can be called a Sport like Basketball or Baseball or Football or Soccer. It's always been a hot topic. I gathered some opinions that I highly agreed to illustrate that golf is a true sport.

Most people will say golf isn't a sport because it's not physically demanding, but I'm not sure that classifies it. Mountain climbing might be more physically demanding, but it isn't a sport, but more of a hobby or activity.
Golf may not be as physically demanding as the other major sports, but it is, in my opinion, the most mentally challenging of them all. There is literally an endless multitude of variables which must be considered on any given shot. For example the lie, elevation changes, wind , etc. It's endless. I think to be a good consistent player of this game requires a certain mental toughness that has no comparison in any other sport. I can't imagine standing over a breaking downhill six footer to win a major. That's pressure. Peyton manning couldn't make that put any easier than Tiger could Throw the winning TD pass. Are they both athletes? YES.

How To Buy Golf Club Sets

2009-05-13T00:13:00.000-07:00

A basic set of golf clubs is all any golfer needs to start playing the game. Three woods, a collection of 3-9-irons, pitching wedge, sand wedge and a putter, are all that is required. As your game develops and you improve, certain additional, more specific clubs can be added to suit your abilities.
To start there's only one rule to remember: You can't carry more than 14 clubs in your bag at any one time.

Determining your ability level

Before buying a set of clubs, first determine your ability level.

The low-handicap golfer
A low-handicap player has a single-digit handicap, meaning he or she generally scores less than 10 strokes over par, or an 82 or less on a par-72 course.

Woods

The low-handicap player should carry a driver and at least 1 fairway wood, most likely the 3-wood

Irons

The low-handicap player will benefit from lower irons in his bag, because the three or four-iron is a difficult club to hit but can be very useful if it can be controlled

Wedges

A minimum of 3 wedges--sand wedge, pitching wedge and either a lob wedge or approach wedge--in their bags, with a maximum 4-degree difference between each one

The mid-handicap golfer

The mid-handicap golfer plays "bogey golf," meaning his or her score averages out to 1 over par on each hole, or somewhere in the 11-20 handicap range.

Woods

In addition to the driver and a 3-wood and a 5-wood, consider adding a 7-wood or even a 9-wood. These fairway woods give much better control and consistency than the harder to hit long irons.

Irons

Usually only a 3 through 9 are recommended, since the 2-iron is very difficult to hit consistently

Wedges

Three different wedges are recommended- pitching wedge, sandwedge, and either a lob wedge or approach wedge

The high-handicap golfer

The high-handicap golfer is either a beginner or has not had the time to hone his game to reach the mid-handicap level. The high-handicapper usually shoots close to or over 100.

Woods

You may not even want to have a driver in your bag. Instead, go with the 3-wood as your off-the-tee wood and add the easier-to-hit 7- and 9-wood.

Wedges

Up to 3 wedges - pitching wedge, sand wedge, and either a lob wedge or approach wedges - should be carried

Determining a basic set

While there are variations, golfers buying a basic set of clubs should include the following:

2 or 3 woods

Either a driver and 2 fairway woods (a 3- and 5-wood are common)
Consider adding a 3.5-, and 7-wood

Eight irons

A set traditionally includes a 3 through 9-iron plus a pitching wedge
Many golfers are now not carrying the longer 3- and 4- irons for an additional fairway wood

Wedges

Sand wedge (55-57 degree loft)

Choose between a lob wedge (60-64 degree loft) or a gap wedge (50-53 degree loft)

Putter

Putters are usually sold separately from full sets to allow the golfer to choose his or her own style

Buying a child's club set

Children just learning the game have certain requirements.
Children should not learn on an adult-sized set of clubs
Children should not use a cut-off set of adult clubs
because the shafts will be too stiff

Starter sets offer child-specific designs

Undersized grips
Children have smaller hands and therefore need narrower grips

Length
Starter sets are usually sized for children under 10, for
pre-teens and then for teenagers

Weight
Need to be light enough to be swung easily and balanced enough to simulate full-sized clubs

Number of clubs
Most children's starter sets have a reduced number of clubs,
decreasing the club decisions they have to make while learning the game, as well as decreasing the weight of the golf bag

Irons/Woods
The lowest iron is usually a 6-iron
The driver is now being replaced in starter sets by the
easier-to-hit 3-or 5-wood

Putter
Proper size is essential
Measure from slightly above the child's waist to the ground to determine an approximate size. This should give you the
approximate proper length of a child's putter
source: http://www.discoverahobby.com/learngolf.htm

A Lesson Learned: 2009 Players Championship

2009-05-12T02:00:00.000-07:00

May 11, 2009 -- So how about that performance by Mr. Henrik Stenson at the this past week's Players Championship? This great player now can be properly thought of as a champion golfer more than an underwear model. Congratulations Henrik on a job well done.

Henrik Stenson charged from five shots back to cruise to an easy four-shot win. The TPC Sawgrass course is one of the most recognized courses in the world. Everyone knows the layout, the greens, even the wind patterns it seems. But did you notice how many golfers struggled on Sunday to get their distances down or to hit the ball in the right areas off the tee or into the green?

Different people have different reasons why this seems to happen - but I think it all comes down to one explanation. Golfers, especially in pressure situations, have a tendency to overthink things and that makes them mechanical, robotic and it hurts their scores tremendously.

I have three quick examples:
• I was very impressed with youngster Kevin Na. He had quite the roller-coaster ride on Saturday if you watched. His back-nine on Saturday included a birdie, an eagle, two pars, four bogeys and a triple bogey. What was his response after the round? He said he was going to just go out on Sunday and have fun. Enjoy the round. And how did he do? He shot 70 and ended up tied for 3rd.

• Alex Cejka seemed to make the course and this tournament look easy for three rounds. By the time he made his birdie at 18 on Saturday, he was lookin at a five-shot lead going into the final round. And then I believe he started to think
about it. The result? Cejka shot a 42 on his opening nine on Sunday and was never really a factor after the first few holes.

• Henrik Stenson, not Tiger Woods, was the player who made a charge out of the crowded pack in second place on Sunday morning to end up comfortably running away with the tournament. Stenson played like he had nothing to lose. He looked confident, relaxed and loose. Did his play show that? Well, the man shot a 66, made no bogeys (the only man in the field to go bogey free for the final round) and won for the first time in a stroke-play event on the PGA Tour. So what do we learn from this past week? Two thoughts come to mind, one I've said for years, the other came to me this weekend -- and they both say the same thing in different ways.

1.) "Turn It Loose, Mother Goose": At the PGA Tour level, all of these guys can hit the ball. Often, what they have to do is simply get out of their own way. There's no secret position or downswing transition that will enable these guys to elevate to a new level. They all have tremendous talent. But it's when they start thinking about the big winner's check, their world golf standings, how far to bring their putter head back, etc...that's when you're going to see numbers start to balloon up.

2.) "When you start thinking, your score starts stinkin'": Players talk about getting in the zone. We've all been there. And what's the common denominator for golfers in "the zone?" You don't overthink, you don't try to figure out why you're playing well. Harvey Penick said it best: Line it up, take dead aim and fire away. When you start watching the scoreboard (or scorecard) and try to fix your swing while on the course, you'll invariably wreck your score and probably your day.

I'll give you one more analogy that explains how overthinking will hurt your game. You put a two-by-four on the ground and ask a man to walk across it, he'll probably have no problem doing so. He might even be inclined to run, spin, show off in all kinds of ways. But you take that same man and that same two-by-four board -- and raise it off the ground about ten feet, and all of a sudden, that board becomes so much more difficult to walk across. If he could block out the trouble underneath the board, he'd have no problem.

Let's talk about this same idea on the golf course. The 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass is said to strike fear into the world's best players. I'm sure it does. But why? It's a wedge for most of them, a shot that most would hit correctly 99 times out of 100 if you put the same shot in front of them without the water around it. But add the water, the pressure of the stage, the huge gallery and the late round hopes of posting a good score and it becomes what it is -- a really tough test for the world's top players.

So your lesson learned this week is to remember -- enjoy your golf! It's a game people, you're playing golf -- not playing a golf swing. Don't overthink your game, you have the shot - hit it! You'll end up feeling better, be a better person to be around and I assure you, you'll post better numbers.
By Charlie Sorrell, PGA- PGA.com

2009-05-11T00:35:00.000-07:00

Henrik Stenson, you might recall the one who created a buzz after stripping to his underwear and golf glove in order to play a recovery shot from muddy at Doral in March 2009. But he got much more attention on Sunday at Sawgrass. He won over great players by capturing the The Players Championship golf tournament. He defeated Tiger Woods, Ian Poulter, Phil Mickelson and Alex Cejka by firing a flawless, six-under 66, becoming the first Swede to win The Players Championship. Besides, he is the third European to win at one of US PGA Tours most popular events, joining the great Sergio Garcia, who won last year. And Scotland's Sandy Lyle won back in 1987.

According to CBSSport, Stenson was the only player to keep bogeys off his card on his way to a 6-under 66 that gave him a four-shot victory, the 10th of his career and by far his biggest.

“I was thinking this that if I could finish in front of Tiger, that might be good enough,” said Ian Poulter, who shot a 70 and to finish second. “But I wasn’t expecting someone to go out there and shoot 66.”

Tiger Woods struggled to 73, and managed to finish in eighth. It seems that he has not recovered from his knee operation yet. However, it’s good for golf that someone else wins now and then. As the old saying says you can't go on forever in sports.

The Second round of TPC

2009-05-09T02:11:00.000-07:00

Alex Cejka opened his second round of The PLAYERS Championship with three birdies, and then constantly moved forward. Finally, he ended with 5-under 67. He was now at 11-under 133, leading Ian Poulter by 2 shots, and will be playing in the final group going into the weekend for the first time in nearly five years.

None of the game's top superstars are in the lead. Tiger Woods, with seven shots behind Cejka after this round is still looking to solve the problem of consistency. Phil Mickelson struggled with his putting most of the round and shot 1-under 71, making birdie on the last hole to make the cut on the number. Although they have not been out yet, they need magic to win the $9.5 million tournament.

There is still change in the unpredictable course. At Sawgrass, anything is possible.

The PLAYERS Championship--Top leaderboard without the biggest stars

2009-05-08T02:36:00.000-07:00

Ben Crane had a 7-under 65 and a one-shot lead in the first round of The PLAYERS Championship. He has made four birdie putts longer than 20 feet in which he rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt on the first hole of the day. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and denfending champion Sergio Garcia were all out of the top of the leaderboard. Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia both ended their first round with a 71 while Phil Mickelson only 73.

Statistics of TPC Sawgrass

2009-05-07T01:52:00.001-07:00

The layout at TPC Sawgrass is the type of course where you remember each hole. With that in mind, here's a key statistic for every hole -- courtesy of the PGA Tour's ShotLink -- to place in the back of your head while watching this week's Players.

Hole 1: Since 1992, players have found the fairway on this 423-yard par 4 just 55 percent of the time, making it the toughest fairway on the course to hit since the tour began gathering such data.

Hole 2: This 532-yard par 5 tempts players to go for the green in two blows and since 2003 none have done it as well as Adam Scott, who has reached the green six times in 16 tries.

Hole 3: The green on this 177-yard par 4 gave players fits last year, producing 22 three-putts—the same amount as 2007 and 2006 combined.

Hole 4: A seemingly benign par 4 at 384 yards, don't tell that to Phil Hancock. He holds the mark for the highest score on this hole with a 12 during 1985's first round.

Holes 5 and 6: Hoping to see an eagle on one of these par 4s (471 and 393 yards, respectively)? Wait for Steve Stricker, the only player to eagle each in tournament history.

Hole 7: The bunker on the left forces bail outs to the right on this 442-yard par 4. But it may not be a smart play. Since 2003 only 29 percent have hit the green from the right rough.

Hole 8: A par 3 of 219 yards, this hole is anything but a pushover as tee shots stopped an average of 47 feet from the hole last year.

Hole 9: Last year saw no power outage from the tee box as players averaged 288.9 yards off the tee on this 583-yard par 5—14.1 yards more than the previous year.

Hole 10: The left fairway bunker is not where you want to be on this 424-yard par 4. Since 2003 132 shots have found that bunker but only 48 (36 percent) hit the green on their next shot.

Hole 11: If you have a choice, go for it in two on this 535-yard par 5. Last year players going for it averaged 4.65. Those laying up: 5.01.

Hole 12: This short par 4 (just 358 yards) has produced 19 eagles in tournament play, but none during the past three Players.

Hole 13: Hitting the green on this 181-yard par 3 is only half the battle—since 1992 there have been 574 three-jacks on this green, more than any other hole on the course.

Hole 14: A beefy par 4 at 467 yards, the length took its toll on the Players field last year as only 33 percent hit the green in regulation, the lowest figure on the 14th since the tour began keeping track in 1992.

Hole 15: Any player sending their tee shot right on this 449-yard par 4 should wish for the bunker instead of the rough. Since 2003 players are half a stroke over par from the right rough but only a quarter stroke over par from the fairway bunker.

Hole 16: Looked at as a possible eagle chance, this shortish (507 yards) par 5 coughed up just five 3s last year—tying lowest figure in tournament history. Only five eagles were carded in 1985 as well.

Hole 17: With a scoring average of 3.30, No. 17—at 137 yards—was the only par 3 on tour between 125 and 150 yards to play over par last year.

Hole 18: For all the talk about how tough the 17th is, the 447-yard 18 is the bigger beast, having ranked as the toughest hole on the course five of the last six years, including the last four.

The course is very tough. Who will win? Let's wait and see!

source: http://www.golfdigest.com

Famous Quotes about Golf

2009-05-07T01:43:00.000-07:00

"It took me seventeen years to get three thousand hits in baseball. I did it in one afternoon on the golf course." - Hank Aaron
"Although Golf was originally restricted to wealthy Protestants, today its open to anybody who owns hideous clothing." - Dave Barry
"I go into the locker room and find a corner and just sit there. I try to achieve a peaceful state of nothingness that will carry over onto the golf course. If I can get that feeling of quiet and obliviousness within myself, I feel I can't lose." - Jane Blalock
"Have you ever noticed what golf spells backwards?" - Al Boliska
"Golf is a game whose aim is to hit a very small ball into an even smaller hole, with weapons singularly ill-designed for the purpose." - Winston Churchill
"I throw a ball and get paid for it. Others do it by throwing the bull." - Jerome Dean
"If there is any larceny in a man, golf will bring it out." - Paul Gallico
"Elderly gentlemen, gentle in all respects, kind to animals, beloved by children, and fond of music, are found in lonely corners of the downs, hacking at sandpits or tussocks of grass, and muttering in a blind, ungovernable fury elaborate maledictions which could not be extracted from them by robbery or murder. Men who would face torture without a word become blasphemous at the short fourteenth. It is clear that the game of golf may well be included in that category of intolerable provocations which may legally excuse or mitigate behavior not otherwise excusable." - A. P. Herbert
"If you watch a game, it's fun. If you play it, it's recreation. If you work at it, it's golf." - Bob Hope
"A typical day in the life of a heavy metal musician consists of a round of golf and an AA meeting." - Billy Joel
"Magellan went around the world in 1521, which is not too many strokes when you consider the distance." - Joe Laurie Jr.
"If you think it's hard to meet new people, try picking up the wrong golf ball." - Jack Lemmon
"Drive for show, but putt for dough." - Bobby Locke
"The pressure makes me more intent about each shot. Pressure on the last few holes makes me play better." - Nancy Lopez
"I used to get out there and have a thousand swing thoughts. Now I try not to have any." - Davis III Love
"Golf is the pursuit of the infinite." - Jim Murray
"Aggressive play is a vital asset of the world's greatest golfers. However, it's even more important to the average player. Attack this game in a bold, confident, and determined way, and you'll make a giant leap toward realizing your full potential as a player." - Greg Norman
"All is fair in love and golf." - American Proverb
"Anyone who likes golf on television would enjoy watching the grass grow on the greens." - Andy Rooney
"Golf is a fine relief from the tensions of office, but we are a little tired of holding the bag." - Adlai E. Stevenson
"When I joined the Tour I studied the best players to see what they did that I didn't do. I came to the conclusion that the successful players had the Three Cs: Confidence, Composure, Concentration." - Bob Toski
"Golf is a good walk spoiled." - Mark Twain
"Life is a game but golf is serious." - Source Unknown
"In golf as in life it is the follow through that makes the difference." - Source Unknown
"A day spent in a round of strenuous idleness." - William Wordsworth

The "Fifth Major"--The PLAYERS Championship

2009-05-06T00:27:00.000-07:00

Sean O’Hair’s victory at Quail Hollow this past weekend leads to the betting odds on him at 25/1 as to win The PLAYERS Championship, following Tiger Woods’s 7/2 and Phil Mickelson’s 10/1, ranking third according to the odds courtesy of Bodoglife.com.

The PLAYERS Championship begins on Thursday at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, FL. Regarded as the “Fifth Major” by many golfers, there is no doubt that The PLAYERS Championship will attract many world famous players as well as thousands of audiences. The winner of The PLAYERS Championship can receive a fixed allocation of 80 points towards his Official World Golf Ranking and the total prize is up to $950,0000, the highest prize fund of any tournament in golf. However it is not easy to get this prize. The Players Championship is best known for what may be the single most recognizable par 3 in professional golf, the Stadium Course's 17th hole, known to golf fans worldwide as "the Island Green" and what has become TPC Sawgrass' signature hole. The final three holes are considered one of the toughest finishes in golf.

Anyway, I bet Tiger Woods could win though he didn't perform well at Quail Hollow, and the defending champion Sergio Garcia may also have the possibility.

Part odds for the Players Championship:
Tiger Woods 7/2

Phil Mickelson 10/1

Sean O’Hair 25/1

Geoff Ogilvy 28/1

Sergio Garcia 33/1

Kenny Perry 33/1

Steve Stricker 40/1

Paul Casey 40/1

Ernie Els 40/1

Jim Furyk 40/1

Luke Donald 40/1

Hunter Mahan 40/1

Camilo Villegas 40/1

Retief Goosen 40/1

Padraig Harrington 40/1

Anthony Kim 40/1

Some Golf Tips

2009-05-04T22:53:00.000-07:00

Here are a few golf tips to help golfers of all ages and levels to lower their golf handicap and improve their games.

1) Proper Practice
Practise makes perfect. However, many golfers have neglected the importance of the good stance during a swing. They just repeatedly to practice an incorrect stance which causes the practise only to be a waste of time and energy. What’s worse, this could be harmful for you may burn the wrong stance into your muscle memory and could seriously hinder your bid for better performance.

Practicing a golf swing in slow motion and pay attention to hone your stance per swing can be a great way to fine tune your swing and get the right stance while you are at it. Your mind will connect better to the proper muscle movement.

You can start speeding up a little each time while you do practice. Eventually, you can get yourself doing the right stance over and over again. Then it is when repetitive exercise can help.

2) Proper Equipment
Top-notch equipment is often costly but may not help much to improve your performance. While it’s true that the right equipment can be really helpful, it won’t magically transform your game. I’ve seen plenty of talented golfers play well with dreadful clubs while others play badly with high quality clubs. It is a good golf tip. If you’re looking to be the best you can possibly be, to invest in TaylorMade clubs to suit your build and swing. And if they don’t improve your game, at least you’ll look good.

3) Proper Self-check
The best way to make big progress is to pay close attention to your performance, knowing your strengths and weaknesses on the golf course. If you pay close attention to where you make mistakes, you’ll know which areas of your game need correction.

A mirror is a great way to monitor and evaluate your performance. You could use a video recorder as well to get better angles of your game. Mirrors and videos can help you get immediate feedback on what you are doing. You’ll soon notice where your weaknesses lie so you can practice on them.

Anyway, playing your game in a proper way is of great importance to your improvement, no matter you are a green hand or a master.
Good luck!

O'Hair made up his failure at Quail Hollow Championship

2009-05-04T00:13:00.000-07:00

Sean O'Hair, closed with a 3-under 69 -- the only player from the last nine groups to break 70 – was crowned at Quail Hollow Championship. He snatched the victory with one-shot lead over Lucas Glover and Bubba Watson to become only the third player in his 20s with at least three PGA Tour victories. The others are Sergio Garcia and Adam Scott.

O’Hair attributes this victory to his loss in Bay Hill where he lost his five-shot lead and handed Tiger Woods the title in the end. "Losing at Bay Hill," O'Hair said. "Even though it's tough to lose like that, to lose a five-shot lead against Tiger, you still learn from it. I talked to my coach. I talked to my caddie, Paul [Tesori]. And we just all said all I have to do is keep putting myself in those situations, and at some point I'm going to learn how to win. It's just nice to win as quickly as I did after Bay Hill." The painful lesson has been paid off.

Woods finished in fourrth with two shots behind. Many comments about his poor perfomance turned up. The world No.1 player is always placed on with high expectations. However, it is good to see others also get champion especially the young.

The most Amazing Courses

2009-04-29T01:39:00.000-07:00

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews

Half Moon Bay Golf Links

Scotland Gleneagles Golf Course

Augusta

Augusta National GC

Pebble Beach

Star-studded Quail Hollow Championship

2009-04-29T00:04:00.000-07:00

Woods, Cabrera, Harrington, Kim, Mickelson, Ogilvy, Scott, Furyk, Garcia, V. Singh, Villegas.....thirty of the top 50 players in the world all come to this week's PGA Tour Quail Hollow Championship in Charlotte.

Besides the famous golfers, many other sports superstars such as Jimmie

Johnson, Michael Waltrip, Julius Erving also show up attending the Pro-Am. And Peyton Manning the NFL 2007 Super Bowl Champion and MVP

Quarterback is in group with Tiger Woods in the Pro-Am round.

News from PGA:HSBC Champions to become a WGC event

2009-04-28T01:56:00.000-07:00

SHANGHAI, China (AP) -- The HSBC Champions in China has been elevated to a World Golf Championship this year with a new qualifying criteria and a $7 million purse, the highest ever for a golf tournament in Asia.

Tiger Woods already has said he will play, along with defending champion Sergio Garcia.
The HSBC Champions began in 2005 and had been sanctioned by every major golf tour except the PGA Tour. That changes with its designation as the fourth World Golf Championship, and the only one not staged in the United States.

Woods was runner-up his first two times playing the HSBC Champions, and will return for the Nov. 5-8 event.
"It is an event that symbolizes the amazing progress of golf in Asia, and its new World Golf Championships status underlines how firmly China has established its place on the global golf calendar," Woods said. "I enjoy playing around the world when possible, and having a WGC event in China is very important to the global growth of the game."

The world's No. 1 player has won every WGC event at least once since the series began in 1999.
The HSBC Champions again will be played at Sheshan International Golf Club. It will not count as official money in the United States.

"This is one of the most significant steps ever taken in the globalization of golf, and one of the most logical," PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said.
The 78-man field will be limited to winners from every major tour in the world. Along with the major championships, the three WGC events in America and The Players Championship, qualifying will include winners from 23 top-rated tournaments on the PGA Tour and the European Tour, nine tournament winners from the Asian Tour and five each from the Japan Golf Tour, Sunshine Tour in South Africa and Australasian Tour.

But it will not be known until the fall how many Americans will bother going, especially after their official season has ended and any money earned will not count toward the PGA Tour money list.

Even when a WGC event previously was played in Europe, several U.S.-based players did not attend.
source:http://www.pga.com/2009/news/pgatour/04/27/hsbc.ap/index.html

TaylorMade's new Burner 09 Iron

2009-04-27T23:02:00.000-07:00

When I recently tested the TaylorMade's new Burner irons, I could not help but feel that these eight irons probably will be the best launch of the company in 2009.

Dramatically improved SuperFast Technology incorporates progressive COR, MOI and shaft length. Advanced Multi-Functional sole design, progressively thicker toplines together with the sophisticated cavity-badge which delivers super-soft feel and sound make it longer and easier to hit.

The Burner Irons including eight weapons are separately designed for their own mission. Long-irons, middle-irons and short-irons were all designed separately . TaylorMade's iron-creation team started with the 4-iron and the goal to make it forgiving and long. That was made possible by:

Thinning the club face as much as possible to make it more flexible and faster for higher COR. A custom 450 stainless steel alloy is used for added strength, allowing 1.9 mm thickness across most of the face.

Incorporating Inverted Cone Technology into the back of the club face to promote increased ball-speed on off-center hits.

Increasing the size of the head by expanding the perimeter, which helps increase the MOI to a higher level than any previous TaylorMade iron.

Increasing the width of the sole (unusual for a long-iron) to pull the CG location low and far-back away from the clubface.

Increasing the degree of offset to make it easier to square the face at impact.

Thickening the top-line to give the appearance of more mass behind the ball at address, to inspire more confidence. Outfitting it with a lightweight, longer-length shaft and lightweight grip.

It is believed this golf club will be the most-played irons on tour.

source:http://www.tmag.com/media/pressreleases/2009/011509_BurnerIrons.htm

Jerry Kelly finally manages to taste the victory after 7 years' draught

2009-04-27T00:33:00.000-07:00

Jerry Kelly ends his seven-year draught by wining the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. It is also his first US Tour victory.

The American went into the final day three shots clear but a nervy start saw the 42-year-old fall three behind after 10 holes. However, the man from Wisconsin regrouped and took advantage of a late collapse from Charles Howell to lift the title and $1.1 million first prize on 14 under par.

Kelly birdied the 11th and par-three 14th before closing with a string of pars to snatch victory with a final round 71.

Final leaderboard:

-14 J Kelly

-13 C Howell

-13 R Sabbatini

-13 C Wis

-12 S Marino

-12 D Tom

Admittedly, Jerry Kelly has well done his job. It is truely an incredible week for him.

Jerry Kelly's profile:

Height: 5-foot-11

Weight: 165

Age: 42

Career Victories: 3

source:http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12040_5245791,00.html