Tees2Greens

Tiger Woods wants long putters banned

Golf International — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:17:00 GMT

Tiger Woods has a solution to long putters— make them no longer than the shortest club in the bag.

Woods said Tuesday at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am he has “never been a fan” of long putters that players either anchor into their belly or the broom-style putters that are pressed against the chest.

“I believe it’s the art of controlling the body and club and swinging the pendulum motion,” Woods said. “I believe that’s how it should be played. I’m a traditionalist when it comes to that.”

Woods said he has spoken to Royal & Ancient chief executive Peter Dawson the last several years about how the language could be written in the Rules of Golf that effectively would ban such putters.

“My idea was to have it so that the putter would be equal to or less than the shortest club in your bag,” Woods said. “And I think with that, we’d be able to get away from any type of belly anchoring.”

He said the putter still could be anchored to the forearm, as two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer once did.

Keegan Bradley became the first major champion to use a belly putter when he won the PGA Championship. Bill Haas used the same style when he won the Tour Championship to capture the FedEx Cup.

The belly putters gained momentum late last year with Bradley and Webb Simpson, who won twice late in the year and who nearly captured the PGA Tour money title. Both considered themselves good putters who felt as though anchoring the club to their stomach made them even better.

For years, most players believed only players who were desperate to improve used such putters.

Ernie Els once criticized the use of belly putters, but switched to one late last year and said: “As long as it’s legal, I’ll keep cheating like the rest of them.”

Phil Mickelson also experimented with a belly putter during the FedEx Cup playoffs last year. He since has gone back to a more conventional putter.

The R&A and USGA, while making no formal announcement, have said they would review such putters. While it would seem simple to ban long putters, it can help recreational players stay interested in the game, and any ban might also affect the equipment companies.

“If you look back at the interest in it, it really never changed for over 20 years,” USGA executive director Mike Davis said Saturday at its annual meeting. “Then all of a sudden in 2011 … this has become a much bigger topic. So the R&A and USGA have been talking about this at length, and we’re looking at it from the perspective as … what is good for the game for all golfers long term.”

Davis said it would be premature to speculate on a direction the governing bodies are going, except to say they are not ignoring the issue.

“It is something that we have taken a fresh look at, because there are more players in the game, both on the elite level and on the recreational level, using it,” Davis said. “I think we just want to be sure that we’re looking at all the angles and thinking about what is in the best interest, both the traditions of the game, the history of the game and what is what we think would be good for the game long term.”

Diamana X – Finally a High Modulus Carbon Model!

Golf to Impress — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:29:11 GMT

Mitsubishi Rayon has once again decided to delve into the high modulus carbon shaft segment currently dominated by Crazy, Quadra, Bangvoo, ATTAS and others. They have decided to release an all new premium high modulus carbon model dubbed the Diamana X. Unlike the limited Stinger model which used an existing boron material, Diamana has [...]...(read more)

Tourspecgolf 2011 Best Clubs Part 3

Golf to Impress — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:41:31 GMT

We're already into the second month of 2012 and I haven't finished the recap yet for 2011's best clubs at TSG. I've been swamped with the new site launch and getting ready for the Japan Golf Fair as well as helping many golfers get their 2012 bags in order. As I had mentioned in part [...]...(read more)

Kyle Stanley wins in remarkable turnaround

Golf International — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:22:00 GMT

Kyle Stanley knew exactly how Spencer Levin felt.

Taking advantage of Levin’s final-round meltdown, Stanley rebounded from a devastating loss to win the Phoenix Open on Sunday, overcoming an eight-stroke deficit in a comeback as unlikely as his collapse last week at Torrey Pines.

“I really feel for him, experiencing that,” Stanley said about Levin, echoing what Brandt Snedeker said about Stanley last week.

“You don’t want to wish that upon anybody. He’s a very good player. Way too good of a player to not bounce back or recover.”

Stanley closed with a bogey-free 6-under 65, holing a 4-foot par putt on the par-4 18th to finish at 15-under 269. He earned $1,098,000 for his first PGA Tour title.

“You go from a very low point to a high point,” Stanley said. “I’m not sure I expected to maybe recover this quickly. … I think the biggest challenge was seeing if I could put last week behind me. I think I did.”

Ben Crane had a 66 to finish a stroke back.

Levin, six strokes ahead entering the round and seven in front after one hole, shot a 75 to finish two strokes behind Stanley.

“It just wasn’t my day, obviously,” Levin said. “But I gave it away, simple as that. You have a six-shot lead and lose, you gave it away. My hat’s off to Kyle. He played a great round. He went and got it. But if you’ve got a six-shot lead and don’t win, then I think it’s on the player with the lead, for sure.”

In tears seven days ago in San Diego after blowing the big lead—dropping the final strokes with a triple-bogey 8 on the final hole—and losing to Snedeker in a playoff, Stanley cried again Sunday—this time tears of joy.

“I just want to thank my mom and dad. They’ve done a lot for me. I’m speechless,” Stanley said in the scoring area moments after the victory.

At Torrey Pines, Stanley led by seven shots early in the final round, and still had a four-shot lead as he stood on the tee at the par-5 18th.

But his third shot had too much spin and didn’t get high enough on the green, spinning down the slope and into the water. He three-putted from 45 feet for the triple bogey, then lost to Snedeker on the second playoff hole when his 5-foot par putt caught the right edge of the cup.

“I’m never going to forget that,” Stanley said. “But I think it makes this one a lot sweeter, just being able to bounce back. I’m kind of at a loss for words. I’m very grateful for the support I’ve gotten. It’s unbelievable. Unbelievable turnaround.”

The 24-year-old Stanley, one of the tour’s longest hitters at only 5-foot-11 and 165 pounds, birdied the par-5 13th and par-4 14th to take a one-stroke lead at 15 under. On No. 13, the bearded former Clemson star powered a 376-yard drive just through the desert area to set up the tying two-putt birdie.

“Got a really good break there, not quite sure how that ball ended up where it did,” Stanley said. “We only hit 9-iron in there.”

On 14, he hit a 325-yard drive down the middle and holed a 12-footer to take lead.

“Kind of a chip wedge in there,” he said.

Levin, winless on the PGA Tour, birdied the 14th to regain a share of the lead, but dropped back with a double-bogey 7 on the par-5 15th.

“I just didn’t have it,” Levin said. “Maybe I was looking ahead too much and trying too hard. What are you going to do? I tried my best.”

On 15, Levin’s drive bounced off the cart path on the right and ended up against cactus in the desert area. He took an awkward stance near the cactus and got the ball back into the second cut just off the fairway with a hockey-style shot with his driver. After his caddie removed pieces of the cactus from Levin’s shirt and pants, the fiery chain-smoker hit his third shot in the water short and right of the green.

“I pushed it a little bit, but I guess I didn’t hit enough club,”Levin said. “I thought 4-iron would go over the green and 5-iron didn’t carry.”

Stanley, playing two groups ahead of Levin, parred the final three holes, playing a great recovery shot from under cactus to the right of the short par-4 17th.

He birdied Nos. 2, 3, 8, 9 and 11 to get to 13 under, and within three strokes of the faltering Levin.

Levin birdied No. 4 to reach 18 under, but bogeyed Nos. 4 and 6 and dropped two more strokes on Nos. 11 and 12 to let Stanley into the mix.

Stanley, though, wasn’t fully aware where he stood.

“I didn’t pay much attention to the leaderboards until maybe four or five holes left,” Stanley said. “Once I made a couple birdies there on the back nine, I figured I was maybe getting close. But I didn’t really think about it too much today. I made the mistake of thinking about it probably all of the final round last week. So, this week, I just kind of tried to just let it happen.”

D.J. Trahan had a 66 to finish fourth at 12 under, and Brendan Steele (64) was another stroke back along with Kevin Na (65) and Bubba Watson (70).

Introducing the new Miura Giken WMF-06 Forged Wedge!

Golf to Impress — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:51:39 GMT

Miura Giken Japan has introduced their all new WMF-06 Forged wedge for the 2012 season (introduced late 2011). The WMF-06 is aimed at the better player wanting top notch spin control along with the purest feel in a verasatile wedge. Like all Miura Giken irons and wedges, the new WMF-06 is W.D.D. (Weight, Dimension, Density) [...]...(read more)

Golf Grip of the Future

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Check out the golf grip disclosed in a patent that issued this week as USPN 8,105,179 titled “Golf Club Having Improved Handle Configuration.” The patent describes the invention as: An apparatus and method for an improved handle configuration are disclosed. The apparatus and method include an upper handle secured to a shaft that has a longitudinal axis and a lower handle secured to the shaft opposite the upper handle at a location spaced from the upper handle along the longitudinal axis of the shaft...(read more)

The Golf Sunglasses That Actually Help You “Be The Ball”

T2G PRO — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:18:00 GMT

Since David Duvall exploded on the PGA Tour scene in the early 90’s, myself and every other golfer in the world has been wearing sunglasses on the golf course.

Even the guys who never wore sunglasses in the past are now opting to dawn shades to not only protect their eyes, but look cool doing it.

In my experiences with shades on the course I had never found a brand that could give me lasting clarity, a good fit and of course, looking cool! They were either too big, scratched too easy or they just didn’t suit the needs at different times of the day. It has been a nightmare to say the least, until now.

Playing golf the other day with a buddy I noticed he was wearing some new shades, the brand “BE THE BALL”. Now at first I thought he was just gesturing to me to back off and play my game, but he was serious, the company name was BE THE BALL – Sport Optics. I was sold simply on the company name, a line from my favorite golf movie Caddyshack, but now I needed to check these out.

As I held the glasses I was surprised how light yet incredibly tough they felt and believe me, I gave them a couple of tough twists and pulls just to see (my buddy didn’t like that).

They slide on your face with ease and feel great! A great wrap feel, total eye coverage and again, lightweight is key! I don’t want to notice glasses as I play!

The lenses were out of this world, really! Here are some of the features I looked up on their site.

100% optic clarity (De-centered lens)

HD (High Definition) Lens Technology

Lenses provide complete UVA & UVB protection

Frames are made from Grilamid TR-90 & designed using an 8 to 10 Base Curve

"Formed Fit" for comfort

Temples & Nosepieces are made from a hypo-allergenic material and coated with an Anti-Bacterial agent for heavy perspiration environments

BTB Sport Optics exceed ANSI, OSHA & Military Impact Specifications

BTB Sport Optics Lenses are "Ballistic" rated

OK, OK, I know what’s going on here…just as every other pair of glasses I try that are decent, the better they are the more they cost. So scanning the list of features in these shades I was sure good looking and feature packed was going to be out of my price range. That’s just when my golf buddy said, that’s why he had two pairs, the cost!

These glasses start under 40 bucks and for that you certainly get the best pair of sunglasses at the best price point on the market! As soon I heard the price that went along with the laundry list of awesomeness, I was sold!

Go ahead check it out for yourself

http://www.btbsunglasses.com/golf-sunglasses-s/117.htm

Oh and when you shoot your best round and look good doing it, you will know what it finally means to “Be the Ball”

T2G Pro

Best Golf Irons 2012 - Adams Golf to Make Many Golfers Happy With Idea Black CB3 Irons

GolfbloggerUK — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:14:00 GMT

PLANO, Texas – January 23, 2012 – When it comes to game-improvement irons, they can sometimes look a little thick and boxy, but not so with the latest from Adams Golf.

The introduction of the Idea Black CB3 Irons, which are finely-tuned and crafted from forged 8620 steel and designed to add forgiveness from the 4 iron through Pitching Wedge, will have a wide range of players wanting to add these to their bags. It’s the look, the feel and the performance that puts the CB3s in a class all to itself.

“With the CB3’s we wanted to create a club with great feel and striking looks but also one that would perform well for a wide range of golfers,” said Tim Reed, Vice President of Research and Development of Adams Golf. “We accomplished this with the CB3. Its design enhancements will definitely improve performance for the better player and the aspiring golfer as well.”

Triple Milled & Multi-Material Advantage

The CB3 irons use a triple milled construction technique to enhance perimeter weighting and create an extremely thin face with precision grooves that deliver a high level of feel, performance and consistency. The Idea Black CB3 Irons also feature a new multi-material badge in the back cavity which greatly improves vibration and sound.

Custom Fitting

The Idea Black CB3 Irons will be highly customizable. Authorized Adams Golf fitters will have a CB3 fitting kit which has the ability to change lie angle, length, shaft flex and shaft type to fine tune the irons for each golfer’s specific game

Shaft Offerings

The Idea Black CB3 Irons will be offered with exceptional premium shafts: KBS Tour 90 (steel) or the Matrix Ozik Program 8.1 (graphite) as the stock shaft options

M. Puglielli Black Wedge – Improved Performance

For 2012, the forged M. Puglielli Black Wedges feature a new radial sole geometry that provides heel and toe relief to reduce turf interaction for more consistent shot making from all sorts of lies. Increased spin performance and feel is delivered from a triple milling process (face, grooves and back cavity) along with a laser engraved face to achieve maximum permissible surface roughness. In addition, the M. Puglielli Black Wedges will feature the DG Spinner shaft which can further increase spin up to 700 RPM for even more control. These high performance wedges are offered in RH, LH and multiple bounce and loft combinations.

Models, Pricing and Availability

The Idea Black CB3 irons will have a suggested retail price (MSRP) for £699.99 (steel) and £799.99 (graphite). They will be offered in both right and left hand in regular, stiff and extra stiff flexes. The Puglielli Black Wedges will have a suggested retail price of £129.99. Both products will be available in stores and online beginning April 1st.

Available Models:

Idea Black CB3 Standard Set Makeup: 4-PW

Also available through custom order: 3-iron

2012 Puglielli Black Lofts and Bounces: 52-08*, 54-08. 56-11*, 56-14, 58-06, 58-10

60-01, 60-06* (* Available in Left-Hand)

Adams Golf (Nasdaq: ADGF), the maker of the #1 Hybrid on Tour, is driven to develop innovative products to allow golfers of all skill levels to enjoy the game of golf. Adams Golf produces and sells golf equipment under the Adams Golf and Yes! Putters brands.

For more information, please visit www.adamsgolf.com. or shop.adamsgolf.com.

Kyle Stanley and Phil Mickelson looking to bounce back

Golf International — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:08:00 GMT

Kyle Stanley and Phil Mickelson look forward to fresh starts Thursday in the Phoenix Open. Mark Wilson will want to savor some pleasant memories on his return to the Valley of the Sun.

Stanley was eager to get back on the course after a devastating loss at Torrey Pines on Sunday when he had a triple-bogey 8 on the final hole of regulation and ended up losing to Brandt Snedeker in a playoff.

“That’s the beauty of it,” Stanley said. “I think we’ve got to remember that the year has just started, so I have probably 27 or 28 events ahead of me, and the process doesn’t change, the mindset doesn’t change. I’m playing great golf right now.

“I’m just trying to focus on the positive things I did last week. I mean, I played some really good golf.”

Mickelson missed the cut at Torrey Pines, shooting 77-68 in his hometown event a week after opening the season with a tie for 49th in the Humana Challenge. He won at TPC Scottsdale in 1996 and 2005.

“I don’t know what happened last week,” Mickelson said after his pro-am round with former NFL star Emmitt Smith. “I’m going to put it as something I’m going to shrug off because I know that my practice sessions have been really good.

“I was able to take it a little bit better to the course today. I hit a lot of good shots today, and bringing it from the practice session and bringing it out on the golf course, that’s my challenge right now.”

Snedeker is trying to look ahead, too.

“The great thing about the PGA Tour and golf is as great as last week was, come Thursday morning it’s not going to matter a bit,”Snedeker said. “It’s a new golf tournament, a new course, and I’ve got to get my mind ready to play, and I feel like my game is really good, so I’m excited about teeing off tomorrow morning.”

Wilson, the Humana Challenge winner in his last start, won last year in a Monday finish, beating Jason Dufner on the second extra hole in the frost-delayed event.

“Last week was the first time I’ve ever had a week off after a win,”Wilson said. “So, I was able to soak it up and enjoy answering all the emails I got from friends and family and enjoy time with the family and just sort of ease into this week. It was a welcome thing to do there, to have a week off.”

The 37-year-old Wisconsin native, one of the tour’s shortest hitters, is done tinkering with his game.

“I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel every week like I was when I was 30,” the five-time tour winner said. “I don’t do that anymore. I just do the same things over and over again.”

Wilson and Snedeker will play the first two rounds with Sony Open winner Johnson Wagner. Mickelson will play alongside ninth-ranked Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler.

Sixth-ranked Webb Simpson also is in the field along with FedEx Cup champion Bill Haas, PGA winner Keegan Bradley, Bubba Watson, Ian Poulter, Matt Kuchar and two-time winners J.B. Holmes and Vijay Singh. Simpson and Johnson are the only players in the top 10 in the world ranking in the field.

Holmes is making his second start since having brain surgery in September. The 2006 and 2008 Phoenix winner had structural defects in the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls balance. He missed the cut at Torrey Pines, shooting 76-69.

“It was great to just get back at it last week. Hopefully, I can improve on that,” Holmes said. “I didn’t play that great, but it was just nice to get back out there and get back in the swing of things.”

Will Flip-Face Putters Become the Next Rage?

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

A little over one year ago I posted about a flip-face putter that I thought would sell. A lot of people at GolfWRX do not seem to agree . I suspect that will change if Phil puts this putter in play. At least Odyssey, and now Nike, seem to agree with me. In fact this week Nike had a patent application publish that has a lot of similarities to the putter I covered in THIS prior post. The Nike patent application published as US Pub. No. 20120028732 titled “Putter Heads And Putters Having Adjustable...(read more)

Learning To Win Is The Best And Worst Day Of Your Life

Sam 'Bogey' Johnson — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:03:00 GMT

Brandt Snedeker, last week’s winner at Torrey Pines, knows what runner-up Kyle Stanley is going through. On a stage even bigger than Torrey Pines, after rounds of 69-68-70, and on the cusp of winning the Masters, Brandt shot a whopping 77 on the final day and watched Trevor Immelman take home the green jacket and the place in golf history that Masters’ winners occupy.

Only a few hours before Brandt had garnered the biggest cheer of the day when he rolled in an eagle on the par-5 second hole. But momentum is a fickle lady, and as the day drew late, there were too many loose shots and too many short putts missed and 39 strokes to count on the front-side. A birdie on the par-3 12th hole got him to within three of the lead, but it was as close as Brandt would get the rest of the day. He was devastated and his tears made YouTube.

"I need a minute," he said after being driven in a golf cart to the media center. His eyes were red, and he got out of the cart and walked a few paces away to try to pull himself together. "Just a rough day out there," he said. "It's hard to put that much effort into something and get so little out of it. But it's just part of life, part of growing up. Obviously, I need a lot more of that. It's just tough right now."

Kyle Stanley understands exactly what Brandt was talking about. With his ball less than a hundred yards from the final hole with a three shot lead, the engraver was already scratching his name on the trophy. Brandt Snedeker was in the media room talking about how he almost caught Kyle and maybe next week stuff... then Kyle sucked his third shot back into the water and Brandt Snedeker put the runner-up interview on hold and headed to the range.

Still, all Kyle needed to do was hit a wedge to the middle of the green and two putt for the win. Maybe he would make a joke about making it closer than he really wanted. It would make a good story... but stories have all kinds of endings don’t they, and instead of hitting a wedge to the middle of the green he hit it long and faced a tricky downhill chip to get it close for the one putt he needed to win, but it was not to be. Instead his chip was short and he missed the putt and his three shot lead was zero. But he was still tied you say... perhaps, but the mortal wound had already been struck, and two holes later in a sudden-death playoff it was mercifully over. Kyle Stanley would have to wait for another day to win his first PGA tournament.
Sure, there is a bit of irony being that it was Brandt Snedeker crashing Kyle Stanley’s coming out party; but when all is said and done, the only thing he’ll remember is not that Brandt Snedeker beat him, but that he blew a three stroke lead with one hole to play. Granted, no matter how you say it, everything ends up in the same place, but that’s not important. What is important is to understand that we are only in charge of our game.

Someone once said, experience is not the only teacher, but experience is the only thing that teaches us that. That’s what makes learning how to win so hard. But you can take this to the bank; Kyle Stanley is not a fluke. His swing and putting stroke are things of beauty. No matter what happened last Sunday, Kyle Stanley is a good player, and good players eventually win just like Brandt Snedeker did.

Kyle Stanley looking to bounce back from Torrey Pines

Golf International — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:33:00 GMT

American golfer Robert Garrigus didn’t see any reason to stick around for the finish. He had watched enough of the final round at Torrey Pines to see that Kyle Stanley, whom he described as “exploding with talent,” had a three-shot lead and headed for a sure win. Garrigus left for the spa to get a massage.

It didn’t take long for him to figure out what had happened.

“I got back to my car, saw my phone and it was blowing up,” Garrigus said. “I had six or seven text messages. I had four or five voicemails. I wasn’t talking to anyone on Sunday, so there was no need for anyone to call me.”

He didn’t have to read a single message. He didn’t have to listen to a voicemail.

He knew.

“I looked at my phone and thought, ‘Uh-oh. He blew it,”’ Garrigus said Monday evening.

Among his priorities this week at the Phoenix Open was to find Stanley and offer the kind of advice that only comes through experience.

Garrigus has every bit of that.

He had a three-shot lead on the final hole of the 2010 St. Jude Classic when he smothered his tee shot into the water, took a drop, then tried to go at the green not realizing the size of his lead. He went left of the water into the trees and eventually made triple bogey. He lost in a three-man playoff.

Stanley can relate only to the triple bogey, the water and a playoff.

He did everything right on the final hole of the Farmers Insurance Open, even taking a sand wedge instead of a lob wedge for his third shot over the pond to a hole location in a bowl at the front of the green. What happened next surprises him still. His shot landed behind the hole and raced off the front of the green and into the water.

After a drop into the first cut to eliminate even more spin, he landed his shot on the top shelf and three-putted for triple bogey. On the second playoff hole, he missed a 5-foot par putt and watched Brandt Snedeker pose with a trophy that should have been his.

Stanley was still in shock when he faced the media. His eyes were glassy with tears. His lip quivered. He answered every question, even if he had to stop at times to compose himself. Looking back, he realizes that was part of the healing.

“I tend to wear my emotions on my sleeve a little bit,” Stanley said Tuesday at the Phoenix Open, where he agreed to another interview to help put his collapse behind him. “It was very tough to swallow. But one of the things I learned is I think you need to really be prepared for whatever this game can throw at you.

“It’s a crazy game,” he said. “It can love you; it can hate you.”

Stanley, like Garrigus, was going for his first PGA Tour victory. Both grew up in the Pacific Northwest. Both are in the top class of power players in golf. The similarities end there.

Stanley, who grew up in the Seattle area, was an All-American at Clemson who played in the Walker Cup. He is in his second full season on the PGA Tour, so naturally skilled and polished that his long-term outlook is better than some of the rookies who won last year.

Garrigus, from Oregon, didn’t have the grades to get a serious scholarship offer. He spent two years at junior college before hitting the mini-tours. Then his career was nearly derailed with drug and alcohol addiction that put him in a 30-day clinic. He remains an open book, which reads like a comedy given his self-deprecating sense of humor.

“It was a lot easier for me,” Garrigus said. “I think the personality I had made it easier to deal with. It’s just golf. I don’t know if he thinks of it that way. I want to reach out and talk to him. I don’t know if he wants to hear what I have to say, and I don’t care. He’s a good kid, and I don’t want him to get shook up over it.”

Stanley appears to be well on his way.

His family was with him Sunday night, along with a close friend and his agent. He managed to eat. The sun came up the next day. He just signed up for Twitter a few months ago and picked up about 4,000 followers in 24 hours, those who felt badly for him or were impressed how he handled himself in defeat.

He received text messages from Steve Stricker, who beat Stanley with a birdie-birdie finish at the John Deere Classic last summer, and from Gonzaga basketball coach Mark Few, whom he doesn’t even know personally.

“That’s why I thought that was so cool,” Stanley said. “I’ve been watching Gonzaga play basketball since I was 3 feet tall. I live and die with every game they play. I try not to miss any of them. So that was real special to hear from him.”

The other messages, including a phone conversation with Zach Johnson, were equally meaningful.

Eventually, anyway.

“I know I may not have believed it on Sunday night, or even Monday morning, but everybody just kept telling me I’ll be a lot stronger for it, and I agree with that. I will.”

Garrigus bounced back from that Memphis meltdown by winning the final PGA Tour event of the year at Disney. Stanley recalls watching Rory McIlroy’s collapse at the Masters last year—and how graciously he faced the press after an 80—and quickly pointed out that McIlroy was a U.S. Open champion two months later.

He believes something good is coming his way, and although the support has been overwhelming at times, Stanley is not interested in dwelling on Sunday at Torrey Pines.

After taking the 36-hole lead at Torrey Pines, Stanley was asked what appealed to him about golf when he first got hooked. It was the independence of the game, that he alone determined his success, and he alone had to cope with his failures.

That figures to serve him well.

“There’s not much anyone can say at the time to make you feel better,” he said. “It’s just kind of a gut check. I’ve got to dig deep. And out of this whole process, I’m going to figure out a lot about myself.”

Phoenix Memories

Cathy Erickson — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:20:00 GMT

This week is the Phoenix Open (er, I mean the Waste Management Open) and I'm having (mostly) happy memories of my trip to Phoenix last year...I only made it to the tourney 1 day (technically, 2 days, but everything was canceled on Wednesday!), but I spent about 6 hours on #16 that Friday and had a blast (the wagering going on was amazing!) I'm not sure if you remember, but last year Phoenix experienced record low temperatures and frost delays that prompted the cancelation of the Wednesday pro-am and eventually led to a Monday finish. I still golfed 4 times while I was out there, but my shorts stayed in my suitcase and I had to go buy some warmer clothes (dang you Phoenix!!).

Phoenix memories always bring a smile to my face...and it reminded me of a blog entry I wrote back in 2009 about my friend's Dad. Bob was a volunteer at the Phoenix Open (pre-WMO) and I still have a framed pairings sheet where he got me Amy Grant's autograph as a surprise.

So if you don't mind, instead of writing about the impending doom of Tiger Woods for finishing 3rd place (gasp!) in Abu Dhabi (some of the articles about TW are just plain silly), or Kyle Stanley's triple at Torrey that cost him his first PGA win and possibly his mental sanity according to some (hey, at least it wasn't a 16!), I'm going to fill in the rest of my blog space this week with my "What About Bob" entry...I can honestly say that my feelings are the same today as they were then. And as I see stories popping up in the golf media world about "what can golf do to make a comeback?", I think the more important question might be, "what can WE do to help (re)grow the game and help it thrive?". Remembering Bob and his passion reminds me that we can all be ambassadors of the game. And I think Bob would probably be rooting for Matt Kuchar with me this week, too. Go Matt!!

What About Bob - originally posted March 17, 2009

While still in the last few weeks of the golf "off season" my mind wanders to golf people, places, and things that have influenced me. There are many that come to mind, but lately I've been thinking about my friend's Dad, Bob.

Bob is what I would describe as the "classic golfer". He had his ‘regular guys' that he played with, was active in the leagues, had respect for the rules and the courses he played, and he wore his passion on his sleeve (literally, too - he had great golf clothes!). Bob was also one of those guys who could pull off the Greg Norman straw hat (now that's a classic golfer!). He didn't need the latest and greatest of everything, but he invested in clubs that would best suit his game. (He was the one who got me hooked on Callaway, his "go to" club was his Heavenwood.)

One of my favorite golf trip memories was being invited to go with Bob's daughter to visit Bob and his wife, Alice, at their home in Arizona several years ago. There were 2 golf courses in their community and we spent 3 days playing (we reserved one day for shopping!). The weather was fantastic and the golf was great. The weekend we were there was both Easter and the Masters, and Bob and I watched several hours of golf together on their awesome TV. A memory that makes me smile right now is that on Easter Sunday they arranged the table so Bob and I could watch golf while we had Easter dinner. I loved watching golf with Bob - we were like our own golf announcing team...excellent running commentary (I was the funny one!).

Before Bob retired and moved to Arizona, I saw him a lot at our golf course. I'm thinking now, we didn't golf enough together! But we had some fun rounds...I'm visualizing his swing...more "around" than "up", and an abbreviated follow-through - but it worked for him. When I worked at our local course he was great supporter and he encouraged others to support us, too. It meant a lot.

He was also a stickler for the rules and wasn't afraid to tell golfers to keep their carts on the paths or keep play moving (that was the educator in him!). He, like me, loved a great golf shot - it didn't matter who hit it - but he also let out his frustrations when execution didn't go as planned. He was a competitor, too, and he liked to win. If I had to guess, he was a high single digit handicap - his strengths were keeping the ball in play, a great bump and run shot, and a hot putter.

Bob had many other interests and activities to keep him busy, but golf was a true passion for him. He had his yearly golf trip with "the boys" (I loved the Myrtle Beach stories!), and I don't think there was a question that he and his wife would be moving to "warmer climates" when he was able to retire. Bob was one of the people that taught me that golf is more than just a game. And for that I will be forever grateful.

If what you've just read reminds you of someone you know, why not give them a call today and just thank them for being a great ambassador for golf, and better yet, set up a time to go play together. If this story reminds you of you, well then, THANK YOU for being you! And if you're wondering where you might find a great person like Bob, stop and take a look in the mirror - let Bob be an example to you to get out there and share the passion for golf with other people. Get involved in your club, invite a few new golfers to go play, or just make a commitment to get out with your buddies whenever you can.

Bob lost his battle with cancer just short of two years ago, and even though I miss him, I carry his passion with me and try to share it whenever I can. Golf is so much more than Tiger or Phil, Titleist or Ping, or acres of grass. Golf builds character, teaches and tests patience, rewards practice and skill, throws a little luck (good or bad) our way, and us gives the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature...and, most importantly, the beauty of friendships. I know life is busy, but it just can't be too busy for all of that. Bob embraced all that golf has to offer and he never took it for granted. I hope I continue to do the same thing. I hope you do, too.

Thanks Bob.

What Does it Take to Put the Meanest Grooves on a Club Face?

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

A ceramic face of course. This week Callaway had a patent issue directed to a ceramic club face. Interestingly, it originates from another application filed with a nonpublication request, which I have written about in the past here and here , leading one to believe that they did not want the competition knowing about this research project until a patent actually issued. This seems to be a trend. The patent issued as USPN 8,105,180 titled “Iron-Type Golf Club Head with Groove Profile in Ceramic Face...(read more)

Introducing Kamui Works’ new KamuiPro driver!

Golf to Impress — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:15:07 GMT

Kamui Works sent me two of their new KamuiPro drivers to check out. The new KamuiPro heads are available only in conforming versions with a specially designed 4 piece structure. The crown is made of BT14 Ti while the sole uses Ti 4-1-1 and 6-4 Ti in the hosel. Kamui cold forges the face using high [...]...(read more)

Teaser: New Kamui Works Forged Ti Driver

Golf to Impress — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 13:48:11 GMT

Just got this driver head in and its dark outside so I can't take pretty pictures. Here is a little teaser until tomorrow. It's a 4 piece head, white crown and an all new face shape (not the typical Kamui Works face). Check back tomorrow for more pics and details...(read more)

Verizon Eyes Golfers

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Would a phone’s unique golf-specific capabilities influence your selection of cell phone service provider? It probably would for me, which is exactly the hope of Verizon. This week they had a patent application publish as US Pub. No. 20120023152 titled “Methods and Systems for Providing Location-Based Interactive Golf Content for Display by a Mobile Device,” which describes the invention as: An exemplary method includes an interactive golf content computing system detecting a geographic location...(read more)

What Was that Putter Matt Every Used Two Weeks Ago at the Sony Open?

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Oh, that’s right, it was the BlackHawk putter . It was a broadcast that probably made a few at Callaway pucker up because they have intended to use the BlackHawk name on clubs for over 2.5 years. In fact, they have applied for registration of five BlackHawk variations since 2009, including FT-BLACKHAWK , X BLACKHAWK , X SERIES BLACKHAWK , BLACKHAWK , and BLACKHAWK X . Unfortunately all five of those applications eventually went abandoned because they ultimately did not use the mark on products. So...(read more)

Love golf? We have an App for that...

Golf International — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:45:00 GMT

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Check out the link today – and let us have your feedback. Among the highlights of this brand new issue, Sir Nick Faldo analyses the enviable action of World No. 7 Adam Scott, and there's a fascinating interview with best-selling author and Plane Truth founder, Jim Hardy.

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Yururi Iron In the Making MH-1112

Golf to Impress — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:11:07 GMT

I was in Akasaka yesterday attending the Pro Support meeting for the LPGA. I met up with Miysohi-san from Yururi and we headed out after the meeting for lunch and to talk about some new clubs in the work for Yururi. One of the clubs he showed me, and keep in mind this is NOT [...]...(read more)

Mark Wilson seals win with final hole birdie

Golf International — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:09:00 GMT

Mark Wilson’s last day at the Humana Challenge started before sunrise and ended after sunset. In between, he finished his third round, got his kids ready for daycare at his in-laws’ house, and then held off several hard-charging contenders amid the final round’s growing dark and desert chill.

Yep, Wilson certainly earned the trophy he promptly broke.

Wilson made a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win the Humana Challenge on Sunday, beating Robert Garrigus, John Mallinger and Johnson Wagner by two strokes in a dramatic dusk finish to the wind-delayed tournament.

Moments after Garrigus barely missed a 35-foot eagle putt that would have given him the lead, Wilson coolly made his birdie try in the disappearing light before celebrating his fifth career PGA Tour victory with his wife, two sons and a surprisingly fragile trophy from the erstwhile Bob Hope Classic. Even on a day chock-full of uncommon obstacles, Wilson handled everything with style.

“Robert and I, going back and forth, we really enjoyed that,” Wilson said. “It just came down to 18, and I didn’t want to give him a chance to make that putt to tie me. … That’s what we play for. You want somebody to win it, not necessarily to lose it.”

Wilson led by three strokes Sunday morning after finishing the final three holes of his third round at La Quinta Country Club, which got the most damage from Saturday’s ferocious wind. After a quick trip back to his in-laws’ place nearby, he quickly lost the lead on the low-scoring Palmer Private course, but played bogey-free over the final 15 holes.

Every other competitor dropped back—including Garrigus, who fell out of the lead when he missed a 5 1/2-foot par putt on the 17th.

“We really couldn’t see much,” said Garrigus, who finished a third-round 61 earlier Sunday. “I could barely pick up the flag on 18. We had a great day, and it got pretty dark. I wish I could have read that putt a little better.”

Wilson closed with a 3-under 69 to finish at 24 under, taking the $1,008,000 winner’s share of the $5.6 million purse despite the growing dark and cold. While most everybody else pulled on sweaters for the final holes, the Wisconsin native stayed in his polo shirt out of superstition and familiarity.

“It’s a feel thing,” Wilson said. “I’ve been playing with short sleeves all day. I didn’t just want to put it on and get a new feeling, because everything was going well.”

After wind gusts topping 35 mph caused damage on all three courses and forced an early end to play Saturday, the final round stretched well past sunset in the Coachella Valley. The first three rounds were dominated by low scores, but Jeff Maggert made the biggest move in the final round, moving up to fifth with a bogey-free 64.

Eight players were within two strokes of the lead when the final group neared the turn, but Wilson weathered every challenge with solid shot-making that added to his reputation as a fast starter. Wilson won twice in the first few weeks of last season, and each of his five career victories have come before mid-March.

“The only thing I can think of is the break in November and December,” Wilson said. “I clear my mind of golf. I tend to remember the good things I did in the season before, and when I’ve come out the last two years, I’ve really had a clear mind focused on what I’m doing.”

Wagner, who won the Sony Open last week in Hawaii, birdied two of his final three holes, hitting a 7-foot birdie putt on the 18th to finish at 22 under. Mallinger then pushed a 15-foot birdie putt inches wide on the 18th, barely missing the chance to move into a first-place tie.

Mallinger, a Southern California native who matched his best PGA Tour finish, didn’t blame the miss on the darkness.

“I’ve played golf for 20 years. I know how to read a putt,” he said. “But it was fun.”

The exciting finish in the gathering darkness capped a revitalizing week for the former Hope. The tournament signed its first title sponsor in four years and partnered with the foundation of former President Bill Clinton, who serves as its new host.

The revamped pro-am dropped its traditional fifth day of competition and boosted its purse, attracting the best professional field in several years. Attendance also increased sharply, with crowds gathering to watch Phil Mickelson and the celebrity competitors over the first three days—including Clinton, whose round was interrupted by wind Saturday.

Wilson holed a bunker shot on the par-3 12th to reclaim sole possession of the lead at 22 under, pulling one stroke ahead of Mallinger and Garrigus. Mallinger caught up on the 14th with a short birdie putt, and Garrigus joined them moments later in the next group.

Wilson and Garrigus then both holed tough birdie putts on the 16th, but Garrigus’ tee shot on the 17th landed on the fringe. He missed his par putt, dropping back to 22 under while Wilson grinded out a par.

Garrigus easily reached the 18th green in two, but his long eagle putt over a rise barely missed the hole, going 9 feet past. Garrigus played the tournament’s first 17 holes at 6 over before going 28 under in the final 55.

Snow: A rare site in Kiminomori

Golf to Impress — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:23:52 GMT

Coming from Canada, snow is nothing new for us. As a matter of a fact we got so tired of shoveling snow we moved to Japan. (^_^) Here in central Chiba Prefecture snow is a very rare sight. In fact in the nearly 4 years we have been here we only had a light dusting [...]...(read more)

They Patented What? An Invention That Will Show Any Swing Flaws

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Pull out this golf invention at the family dinner and you are sure to make an impression, especially after you ruin a few bottles of wine. The invention in question was issued a patent this month under the title “Method and a Device for Forcibly Expelling a Cork from a Bottle of Champagne or the Like.” So what does this have to do with golf? Well, check out these drawings and think about how confident you are in your golf swing. The drawings come from USPN 8087217, which describes the invention as...(read more)

TSG Demo Club & Inventory Close Out

Golf to Impress — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:31:15 GMT

If you are interested in any of these items please email Sales@tourspecgolf.com or PM TourSpecGolfer in the Community Forum! Wedges: PRGR id Forged Wedge 56* 9/10 Steel SSIII Shaft Stiff $125 Fourteen V5 Forged T.S Black 60* 9/10 DG Wedge Shaft Stiff $150 Yonex EZONE 58* Wedge 9/10 NS950 Stiff $125 Sky Dream Jump [...]...(read more)

New Social Networking Pages for Tourspecgolf.com!

Golf to Impress — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:51:07 GMT

In case you haven't noticed, we've relaunched our blog, pro shop and forum with an all new look and color scheme. Along with the new look, we've also got two new social networking pages. A new TourSpecGolf facebook page will now replace the old GolfToImpress facebook page. Joining the facebook page is an all new [...]...(read more)