Heritage Classic Seeks Title Sponsor

by Annie Latham on April 22, 2010 in News with No comments

The recently concluded Heritage Classic was the last one with Verizon as the title sponsor.  The company decided not to renew its contract.  No immediate worries though.  The show will go on in 2011.

The Heritage Classic Foundation has will cover the roughly $8 million it will take to put on the tournament in 2011.  They have some backup too — in the form of a $10 million loan that was approved by South Carolina’s Legislature.  According to statistics, 48 percent of spectators attend for four or more days, so it is understandable why they got involved.  The money would come out of the state’s insurance reserve fund.

Five-time Heritage winner Davis Love III, along with several PGA Tour pros with ties to South Carolina and the Heritage, have stepped forward to help.

Charles Warren, a former Clemson golfer and Columbia native who received a sponsor’s exemption to play in this year’s tournament told John Boyette of The Augusta Chronicle:

“A great purse, one of the best golf courses, a great field and you’ve got a great date the week after the Masters. If you were to tell any other tournament they could have that, it’s the perfect storm for a great event. I just think someone’s going to see the value in that and the future’s got to look great for this tournament. It’s got so much to offer.”

Many Tour Pros and spectators would agree.

[Via: The Augusta Chronicle]

Cleveland CG15 Wedges: Get them Before It’s Too Late!

by James on April 22, 2010 in Golf Equipment, Cleveland, Wedges with No comments

Cleveland wedges have long been the choice of many a touring professional. The look, the feel, and the accuracy and touch they give you on those shorter shots is undeniable. I too play Cleveland wedges (588 RTG’s, 51*, 56* and 60*), and love ’em to bits. They’re nice and ‘rusty’ these days, and allow me to drop and stop shots from all angles.

The Cleveland CG15 Wedge Family

But this isn’t about what’s in my bag, it’s about the CG15 line. Let’s get started.

The CG15’s are available in 3 custom finishes, and one custom grind. The CG15 Black Pearl wedges offer a dark, glare resistant finish. The CG15 Satin Chrome wedges bring a brushed aluminum look and feel to your short game. The last finish is the CG15 Oil Quench. This finish is sort of a copper/bronze color, and may remind you of your old ‘trusty rusties’ if you have ’em.

The CG15 Oil Quench is also available in a DSG model. DSG stands for ‘Dynamic Sole Grind’ and features a reduction of material on the sole… This is a preference of many top players, as it will allow you to open up the face without too much bounce, allowing you to get through the ball and make better contact.

Without a doubt, the most important features of the Cleveland CG15 Wedges are their precision laser milled faces and ‘Zip’ grooves. With new groove regulations coming into play, it may be a good idea to pick up a set (or two) of these bad boys to ensure you get optimal spin on those short shots for years to come. The ‘Zip’ grooves offer 25% bigger grooves, complete with sharp, cover gripping edges. You’ll notice the distance not only from tight lies, but from shaggy shots out of the rough. The grooves grip, and give you that needed stopping action to control your ball. The laser milled faces also provide an extra layer of ‘roughness’ to the wedge face, giving you another edge over the competition.

For my money, Cleveland wedges are an almost must-have for any serious player. At the very least, they’re worth a look. The classic design coupled with technology and performance make them hard to pass up.

For more information, hit up Cleveland Golf.

Titleist Announces Promo: Free Golf Ball Personalization

by Annie Latham on April 21, 2010 in News, Golf Balls, Titleist with No comments

You may be familiar with the series of “How do you mark your Titleist?” ads (see example below).  Titleist just announced a promotion where no Sharpie is required.

Timed for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, Titleist is waiving personalization charges on its popular Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls, as well as the new NXT Tour, NXT and DT SoLo models.

On any order of just one dozen or more, customers can create their unique personalized message imprinted on the golf ball in up to three lines of block text in black, blue, green or red ink for no additional charge.

To learn more, visit your local golf shop or any authorized Titleist golf ball retailer. The promo ends June 30, 2010.

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Lorena Ochoa Announces Retirement

by Annie Latham on April 20, 2010 in News, Players with No comments

According to AP, Lorena Ochoa, the No. 1 player in women’s golf the last three years, has just announced her retirement.  A post on her website said the following:

“Lorena Ochoa confirms her retirement from the LPGA, as news reports in some media have said today,” her statement said. “The reasons and more details on the matter will be given by Lorena personally in a press conference on Friday in Mexico City. Lorena will share this news of a new stage in her life with her sponsors, family members and friends.”

Ochoa married Andres Conesa, the chief executive of Aeromexico airline, in December.

Here’s a link to her career highlights courtesy of Golf.com.

On the LPGA website, there is a clip of Ochoa talking about what she would do if she wasn’t a professional golfer… Rumor is she wants to start a family, but the video does provide some insight into other activities she may want to pursue:

Donald J. Trump’s Fabulous World of Golf Gets Off to a Troubling Start

by James on April 20, 2010 in News with No comments

I really don’t want to go on and on about this, but I couldn’t help notice it, and wanted to know if anyone else out there noticed the same. The other day, I was watching the first episode of ‘Donald J. Trump’s Fabulous World of Golf’ (I’ll reserve my commentary on this show for a later post, because what I’m concerned about here is the actual match that took place). What I noticed near the end of the first match was, well, it was troubling.

The match in question was between Football Hall of Fame Members Jerry Rice and Lawrence Taylor. Jerry has a half-decent swing, Lawrence, well, not so much. What’s amazing about Lawrence is how well he manages to get the ball in the hole, with a swing that looks like a full-body dry heave… ANYWAYS…

Lawrence went on to win the match 1 up (I believe that was the final score?)… But on the 17th hole, Lawrence hit his tee ball into the edge of a water hazard. His ball was playable, but it was within the hazard, which was clearly marked. While addressing his ball, I could have sworn he grounded his club within the hazard. Did anyone else not see that!? Or am I seeing things!? This could have clearly been the turning point in the match for Jerry.

Again, please correct me if I’m wrong, but I could swear this is what I noticed. I’m all about playing by the rules, and was a little shocked by this especially when the whole darn thing was televised for everyone to see.

Sound off in the comments, would ya?

Note: Then again, I wouldn’t be surprised if Lawrence didn’t know the rule (not saying that’s an excuse, he should know the rules). From some of his actions on the course he DID seem a little off… I mean, the guy walked over his own putting line at one point, on a short must-make 5 footer. What gives LT? I thought you played every day!?

Why Brian Davis is My Hero for Today

by James on April 19, 2010 in News, Players with 1 Comment

Picture this. You’re in a sudden-death playoff. You hit your approach shot into some hard-packed sand and reeds down the left side of the hole. A troubling situation for sure, but after closer inspection, you’re convinced you can pop the ball out and on to the green for a chance at par. You go for it, and are successful at extracting the ball to the green. But wait, you think you noticed a loose impediment move on your backswing. Did you hit it? Do you call a penalty on yourself?

Brian Davis waits for the ruling from on-course referee Slugger White

Brian Davis waits for the ruling from on-course referee Slugger White

That’s the situation that faced the 35 year-old Brian Davis at the Verizon Heritage last night at Harbor Town. The Englishman was locked in a sudden-death playoff with Jim Furyk, when he slightly hooked his second shot into the garbage short left of the 18th green.

Brian thought he noticed his club strike a loose impediment, and IMMEDIATELY called a rules official over once the ball came to rest. After some discussion between rules officials and Brian, it was determined that if he did strike the impediment on his backswing, that a 2 shot penalty would have to be assessed. Brian took the penalty, and Furyk won the playoff.

True, Furyk probably would have won the playoff anyway (he lagged his birdie attempt to about 2 feet for par), but that’s not the point here. The point is that Brian played by the rules, he played with heart, and put any title or monetary reward down the list in terms of his priorities. To win, he wanted to do so by the rules.

Golf is a game of character, honor and integrity. Following Brian Davis’ actions on the 18th at Harbor Town yesterday evening, I think we can all agree Brian is overflowing with those traits, and more.

After Furyk drained his par putt and Davis had a chance to reflect, he had this to say:

“I want to win a PGA Tour event more than just about anything but I play by the rules and no victory would be worthwhile if it had a cloud hanging over it. I saw the grass move, called Slugger (White, the referee) over and that’s it, end of story.”

Well done, Brian. Although you didn’t win the event, you won a lot of respect and admiration from tour players, fans, and golfers worldwide.

*tip of the cap*

Best Caddyshack Clip Ever: Ty Webb (Chevy Chase) Shares His Wisdom With Danny Noonan

by James on April 18, 2010 in Humor with No comments

During a commercial break at the Verizon Heritage at Harbour Town, I quickly grabbed the clicker to change over to the Golf Channel… and wouldn’t you know it, the best golf comedy of all-time was on. Yes, of course I’m talking about Caddyshack. Being a lazy Sunday and all, I thought I’d share with you my favorite scene from the movie.

In the clip above, Ty Webb (played by Chevy Chase) imparts some of his worldly wisdom on Danny Noonan (Michael O’Keefe). No more words are really necessary here. Hit play, and enjoy 🙂 Na-na nananananananaaaaa…

Hope you’re all enjoying a relaxing Sunday!

The Wilson Staff 8882 Putter: A Modern Take on a Timeless Classic

by James on April 17, 2010 in Golf Equipment, Putters, Wilson Staff with 2 Comments
The Wilson Staff 8882 Putter

A new take on an old classic. That pretty much sums up the Wilson Staff 8882 Putter. Based on the original Wilson 8802 putter, the 8882 brings all of the style, beauty and class you’d expect, in a revamped look of the timeless design.

The Wilson Staff 8882 Putter

The Wilson Staff 8882 Putter

The Wilson 8802 is one of the most famous putter designs in history. Designed by Ashland Manufacturing Company in 1914, it was renamed the Wilson 8802 when Thomas Wilson & Co. got into the game. To say the design is beautiful would be an understatement. To say the design is timeless would be spot-on. The 8802 is straightforward, with no head or toe weighting…

Many greats have used the 8802 over the years. The design itself was inspired by the Calamity Jane model putter that Bobby Jones used so expertly. But through the years such greats as Gene Sarazen and Arnold Palmer had the 8802 in the bag… Plus, Ben Crenshaw even had a replica of the original Wilson 8802 putter in his bag on his way to winning The Masters in 1995. You may recall that final putt on the 18th green, Ben sinking the putt, dropping the putter and putting his head in his hands. A timeless moment… and a timeless putter.

The WIlson 8802 Putter

The Wilson 8802 Putter

But I digress. You can’t deny the Wilson 8802 is one of (if not the most) famous putter designs in history… and Wilson has melded the classic gooseneck design into a new and updated version for 2010. Part of the new 88 line of putters, the Wilson Staff 8882 incorporates precision milling and VDP Alignment technology into a ‘new’ classic. Think of it as a blend of the old with the new.

The dual-milled face grips the ball for a true roll… Also, secondary master grooves in the clubface have been added to provide more forward spin, reducing skid after impact. The arched shape of the grooves will also impart a slight side-spin to help put your ball back on-track if struck off the sweet spot.

The VDP Alignment Technology (Visual Plane Differential) uses multi-surface markings to help get you into the right playing position before you make your stroke. Basically you want to get your eyes directly above the ball, doing so will ensure that the while line appears in-beteween the darker black markings on the face. Simple and easy… and it makes sense! Very reminiscent of the technology used in the SeeMore line.

Wilson Staff VDP Technology

Wilson Groove and VDP Technology

In all, 5 putters are part of the new Wilson Staff 88 line. The Wilson Staff 8881 is a traditional heel/toe weighted putter with plumber hosel. The Wilson Staff 8882 I’ve already talked about above… The Wilson Staff 8883 it a toe weighted semi-mallet with a heel shaft and gooseneck hosel. The Wilson Staff 8884 or a heel/toe weighted putter with a heel shaft and plumber hosel… and finally, the Wilson Staff 8885 is another heel/toe weighted putter, mallet style with plumber hosel.

The Wilson 88 Series of Putters

The Wilson 88 Series of Putters

You can’t go wrong with any of these new offerings from Wilson Staff. The good news is, depending on your taste and style of putter, Wilson has one that should fit your game nicely. For more information be sure to hit up the Wilson Staff 88 Putters.

Wilson Staff FG Tour Irons: A Classic Look Blended With Modern Technology

by James on April 17, 2010 in Golf Equipment, Irons, Wilson Staff with 2 Comments
Wilson Staff FG Tour Irons

I have to warn you, I’m going to be on a little bit of a Wilson Staff kick over the next little while. Out of curiosity, I tweeted the good folks at Wilson Staff (@WilsonGolf), wondering what sticks Ricky Barnes was playing these days. He’s been consistently at or near the top of the leaderboards so far this year, with 9 cuts made in 10 events, 3 top 25’s and 2 top 10’s. Not too shabby… Looks like his game is headed in the right direction. Naturally, one of the things I want to know when a player is in-form, is the equipment he or she is using. Wilson Staff kindly obliged, letting me know that Ricky is playing the new FG Tour irons, and a 48 degree Tw9 wedge. I’m going to take a look at the FG Tours below.

Wilson Staff FG Tour Irons

A meld of classic looks and modern forgiveness, the FG Tours are made from a mild carbon steel. They’re precision forged and integrate a progressive offset for more accurate short irons, and easier to hit long irons. They also feature a preference of most top pros, a thin top line and square toe blade shape. A very classic look indeed.

On top of the classic silhouette is actually some modern forgiveness. A shallow cavity redistributes weight from the heel to the toe of each iron. This moves the center of gravity to the center of the face for increased stability and solid feel through the shot.

Last but not least, the grooves on the FG Tour irons ARE conforming. The face and grooves are CNC-milled to the maximum limits of the new specs enforced by the USGA and R&A.

A couple more shots of the FG Tour Irons are below. For more information, hit up Wilson Golf.

Wilson Staff FG Tour Irons

First Impressions of the Cobra ZL Driver

by James on April 16, 2010 in Golf Equipment, Cobra, Drivers with 4 Comments
Side View of the Cobra ZL Driver

Cobra ZL Driver

Keeping in mind I haven’t even tee’d one up with it yet, I’ve been spending a lot of time today with the Cobra ZL Driver. Sent over from the good folks at Cobra Golf (Thanks Terra!), the ‘Zero Limits’ is a beauty to look at… and I’m willing to bet it’s going to be a champ off the first tee as well.

The first thing you’ll notice about the ZL out-of-the-box (besides the sharp looking headcover) is the multi-material construction. A quick once-over of the clubhead reveals a carbon fiber crown and sole, and a titanium body, face and swing weight screw. Together the package looks tight, but in a word I’d have to describe it as ‘FAST’. Looking at the ZL from certain angles reminds me of a sleek and sexy racing machine… You know, like Ferrari or some other high-end sportscar. Take a gander at the image below and tell me if you don’t agree:

Side View of the Cobra ZL Driver

Besides the obvious good looks, the ZL comes with an adjustable face. Cobra calls their system ‘Adjustable Flight Technology’, and with the help of a custom screwdriver, you can easily make adjustments on or off the course. Doing so is as easy as inserting the head in the screw, and turning counter clockwise until the head and shaft separate enough for you to rotate the clubhead. Markings of ‘O’ for open, ‘N’ for neutral and ‘C’ for closed are clearly marked on the hosel. Choosing a setting is easy, just rotate the clubhead to your desired slot, press the head and shaft together a bit, and re-tighten the screw in a clockwise direction. You’ll hear a satisfying ‘click’ when things are back in-place. I’ll get more in depth with this process in the upcoming review.

The ZL driver that Cobra sent over to me is a stock 9.5 with the Aldila VooDoo stiff flex shaft. Will let you know how things go once I’ve had a chance to get a chance to know it… The range and a loop of the course are calling.

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