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Archive for the ‘Golf Rules’ Category
Sunday, January 31st, 2010
Ben Crane ended a five year drought on the PGA Tour with a win at the Farmer’s Insurance Open. Crane was able to hold off Marc Leishman by one stroke. Many of you may remember Leishman from his fantastic run in last year’s FEDEX Cup playoff which secured his tour card for the 2010 season. While Crane won the tournament the biggest news of the week was regarding the wedges of one Mr. Phil Mickelson. Phil decided to use wedges from Ping that are older than many of the players on the Tour this season. In a complicated loophole in the rules; a lawsuit filed against the USGA by Ping allows their Eye 2 wedges, produced in the more than twenty years ago, to be exempt from the 2010 groove restrictions.
Many people have their opinions and they range from declaring him an outright cheater, to others who believe he is doing nothing wrong. While this debate can go on forever the fact is that he is not breaking any rules according to the USGA. Other players and fans may not agree, but the bottom line is he can play them all year if he chooses. I don’t believe the groove rule should have ever been enacted so I applaud him for shoving it back in the face of the USGA, an organization that seems to make it as difficult as possible to play by the rules. Having said that it his decisions may show some poor taste given the current state of affairs on the PGA Tour. Without Tiger in the picture it seems as though the PGA may have a rough year.
I am in no way condoning what Tiger Wood’s did in his personal life. However, it does remain his personal life and it should not detract from the fact the he is the greatest golfer to ever live. He lives a life that few others have to live and clearly did not handle his personal life as many expected him to. He has let down millions of fans, sponsors and more importantly his family. It is now time to move on. The fact is the PGA Tour needs Tiger Woods to thrive. He has given golf the excitement that kept it from being considered a mainstream, or cool, sport for so many years. Tiger needs to come back so Phil can have someone to take the heat off his wedge situation.
While many have speculated that he may not return in 2010 I have to disagree. Whenever he comes back he will face the backlash for months or years to come so he might as well get it over with. I just can’t picture Woods missing a Master’s in April. So until he makes his return we will continue to talk about Phil’s wedges look for a newcomer to make a rise to the top.
Posted in FEDEX Cup, Golf Equipment, Golf Rules, Major Articles, PGA TOUR, San Diego Golf Courses | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
Roughly a week away from the beginning of the new season it remains to be seen just what kind of impact the Tiger scandal will have on his schedule. Given his limited number of tournaments on a yearly basis he may not be seen until the Masters, in April. Just because Tiger is missing does not mean there won’t be great golf tournaments.
Some changes have been made to the schedule, such as Waste Management taking over as title sponsor for the FBR Open and the date being pushed back a month. Two goals will hopefully be accomplished by this move; putting an end to frost delays and getting a stronger field. The Waste Management Open will now be played the week after the WGC match play which is just north of Tucson. The hope is that with the top 64 players in the world an hour away to the week before, more will stick around for the WM Open. The tournament is famous for having outrageous crowds of over 100,000 a day and some 25,000+ on the 16th hole alone.
The player to watch has to be Phil Mickelson after his strong finish in 2009. If Tiger stays away for an extended period of time and Phil plays as well as he did last year we could have a new number one golfer in the world. Adam Scott seems to be coming back after a terrible year with some solid finishes in the fall. It seems as though every year on the PGA Tour the tournaments are more exciting and the fields are more evenly matched. Look for the spring schedule to bring some great tournaments to your TV.
The 2010 USGA Groove Rule also takes effect January 1. We may not see the full extent of the change until this spring and summer when the Tour heads to courses with long, thick rough. There is no doubt that it will have some affect but it may be hard to notice to those of us watching at home.
Overall the new season will have plenty of drama. Tiger will most likely have to dodge questions for his first few tournaments and Phil is playing the best golf of his life. It all sets up for a great year for golf fans.
Posted in FEDEX Cup, Golf Equipment, Golf Rules, PGA TOUR | No Comments »
Monday, December 21st, 2009
Roughly two weeks from today the USGA will adopt the new groove rule. It essentially limits the size and shape of the grooves
that will be allowed in USGA sanctioned competitions. While the PGA Tour, golf club manufacturers, and many players fought the rule change, the USGA refused to budge. We recently had the opportunity to test and photograph the new conforming J38 wedge line from Bridgestone Golf.
The J38 line is a continuation of the Bridgestone J series, which started with the J33 line, and continued last year with the J36 line. Bridgestone has long been known for their high quality clubs and superior array of performance golf balls. With the previous release of the West Coast Design wedge they also became a serious contender in the wedge market. The J38 continues this move with a similar design, new finish, cleaner looks, same great feel, and conforming grooves.
Looks:
Like most companies today, Bridgestone has ditched the chrome look and gone with the popular black oxide finish. Everyone that has played with a chrome wedge on a sunny day knows it can be extremely distracting. The black oxide finish takes care of the problem. The thing that first caught my eye is the simplicity of the graphic design. Too many companies are creating clubs that look more like a billboard than a golf club. The J38 brings us back to a time where a brand, model, and loft were enough. It makes for a very classy wedge.
Grinds & Design:
The J38 series has the same variable bounce technology that the West Coast line featured last year. This grind creates low bounce areas in the heel and toe of the club allowing for a more versatile wedge. The J38 is made from soft heat treated 8620 mild carbon steel and incorporates a milled face. The heat treating makes the metal 13% softer than a Vokey wedge. The micro-milling process actually increases spin when the wedge face is open for shorter shots and lessens spins on full swings. As stated previously, Bridgestone has incorporated V-Grooves to conform to the upcoming USGA rule change.
Performance:
The 52, 56, and 60 wedges were tested in a variety of lies from the sand, rough, and fairway. All three wedges exceeded my expectations. Whatever concerns I had about being able to spin the ball out of the rough were quickly dismissed. I had no problem putting spin on shots out of freshly watered two+ inch rough. The wedges performed well from the sand and fairway but the variable bounce is what won me over. Testing shots with the face wide open, closed, from buried lies, and from a flat surface
were all met with great results. Overall the J38 line was everything I expected and more. After more golfers test these wedges, I believe the bickering regarding the new rule will quickly fade. As many of us will be forced to look at wedges, along with irons, I strongly recommend testing these before making any decisions.
The J38 series wedges will be offered in lofts of 52, 54, 56, 58, and 60 degrees. They will be shafted with a True Temper Dynamic Gold shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grip. Custom options will be available as well.
Tags: Bridgestone J38, Bridgestone J38 pics, Bridgestone J38 Wedge Pictures, j38 pics, j38 pictures
Posted in Golf Equipment, Golf Rules, Golf Tips, Golf-News | 2 Comments »
Thursday, July 16th, 2009
Tim Finchem, PGA Tour commissioner, announced that the groove rule will be put in place starting January 1 of next year. Last week several PGA Tour players came forward in opposition, along with several manufacturers, and the Player’s Advisory Board met to discuss the possibility of postponing the rule one year. In the end the PGA Tour and USGA got there way and the plan is to move ahead with the rule change.
The new rule will not affect the average golfer for years but it is most likely that manufacturers will comply beginning next year and offer V Grooves in irons and wedges. The new rule limits the size of grooves allowed on irons and wedges and will essentially make all current wedges illegal. The USGA is currently compiling a list of all clubs that will and will not conform.
Posted in Golf Rules | No Comments »
Monday, June 29th, 2009
Apparently there are many PGA Tour players that are less than enthusiastic about the upcoming changes in their equipment. The USGA is attempting to put new restrictions on the grooves on wedges and irons that are played on the PGA Tour, and eventually clubs played by the public. The PGA Tour Advisory Board is currently discussing options and are leaning towards a vote that would postpone the rule change. It is scheduled to start on January 1, 2010.
The complaints coming from players is the amount it will change their games. With current rules they are able to play wedges that allow them to spin the ball from the rough and from tricky lies. If the new rule is implemented it will hamper their ability to do so, even though companies have known about the rule change for some time now.
The Advisory Board will most likely release a decision in the next day or to as to what their recommendation is. At this point it looks like they will do all they can to postpone or cancel the changes.
Posted in Golf Equipment, Golf Rules | No Comments »
Monday, May 25th, 2009
It happens to every single golfer at some point. Shots find a lake, creek, or ravine with the dreaded red or yellow stakes and lines. The only way that this can get worse is you if you compound one mistake with another. This is why it is so important to know all of your options on the course.
First of all check to see what color the stakes, or lines, are around the hazard. There are more options with red stakes than yellow. Remember that there does not have to be water for an area to be marked a hazard and if your ball is in a hazard you cannot ground your club prior to hitting the shot. If you take relief from a hazard it is always a one stroke penalty, but there are many different options and knowing them can save you strokes.
If the ball is in a hazard marked with yellow stakes you have several options. You can play the ball out of the hazard if possible, which should be considered but remember that in most cases it is best to drop the ball under a penalty of one stroke unless you have a high percentage shot out of the hazard. The next option would be to replay the shot from the spot from which it was originally hit. This does not sound like a great option but some times it is the best one. You may also drop the ball keeping the spot where the ball last crossed the hazard line in between you and the hole. You can go back as far as you want so it is best to find a nice even lie if there is a slope near the hazard. A shot that is ten yards longer from a flat lie is much better than a downhill lie closer to the green. Just remember that if the hazard line is yellow you have to keep the spot the ball last crossed between you the and the hole.
If the hazard line is red you have the options above plus two more. You can drop the ball, while incurring a one stroke penalty, within two club lengths of where the ball last crossed the hazard line but no closer to hole. You may also go to the other side of a hazard and drop the ball, must be the same distance to the hole.
Now that you know the options take the time to think it over before just throwing another ball down. Sometime there is such a thing as a good bogey.
Posted in Golf Rules | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 19th, 2009
Reading the USGA rules book is about as fun as waiting in line at the DMV. Unfortunately it is something that every golfer needs to do. I cannot even count how many times I have seen golfers cost themselves strokes by simply not knowing their options. The rules are designed to keep the game fair for every player and even the field.
The USGA offers a quiz online, that can tell you just how well you know the rules. While it is nearly impossible to know every rule, the USGA Decisions book has roughly 1,200, every golfer should know the basics. Over the next few weeks there will be articles covering rules that affect golfers on a daily basis. In the meantime pick up the latest rules book from your local course or online. It is only a couple dollars and can save you countless strokes over the golfing season.
Tags: Rules of Golf
Posted in Golf Rules | 1 Comment »
Thursday, May 14th, 2009
If you have watched any TV coverage since last August you have heard Johnny Miller talk about a new groove rule that will take affect on January 1, 2010. Essentially the new rule makes grooves less effective and will reduce the amount of spin that players can impart on the ball. The areas being affected are the depth and shape of the grooves and also the sharpness of the groove edge.
There are a several reasons for the new rule. With the advancement of technology scores on professional tours are lower than ever. Thanks to advanced research and development major golf manufacturers are able to create wedges that will create more back spin making shots out of the rough stop on a dime. This is what makes for some great highlights but some feel it has taken some creativity away from the game, and the USGA agrees. On January 1 of next year the major golf tours of the world will adopt the new groove rule along with all sanctioned USGA, R&A, and Augusta National Golf Club events. If you do not play in any of events, which 99.999% of all golfers don’t, you don’t have to worry about a thing. You can continue to use your current wedges. This rule is aimed towards the elite golfers of the world on major golf tours. So next year look for some more creativity and perhaps an extra bogey or two.
Tags: Golf Rules, New Groove Rule, USGA Groove
Posted in Golf Rules | No Comments »
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