AskMyGolfSpy Vol. 36 

AskMyGolfSpy is an opportunity to submit questions to our experts here at MGS. You can pass along your questions to the team on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or right here in the comments section below!  

Q: Will you be lab testing the new @pxg ball soon? – Grumbles99 

I don’t know about “soon” (it’s a process) but we’ve started ordering the PXG balls and will start testing them as soon as the Ball Lab is up and running in its new location at MGS headquarters. 

Q: How close are we to artificial turf that seriously mimics grass and is affordable? – rickh9holes 

There are certainly some brands that claim to have turf that closely mimics real grass. With more golfers getting fitted for clubs indoors, it’s certainly something that matters more than it has before. 

At a minimum, fitters need to understand how their turf (whatever they happen to be using) impacts the data on which they’re basing their club recommendations. 

With that said, I think we’re getting closer but the affordability is a different story. Reasonably, the best turf is that which most closely resembles real grass and that’s inevitably going to be more costly than the average mat. 

Q: I see a ton of Adams ads everywhere and looks like they are doing a massive social media push. Do you think their lineup will continue to be a simpler Idea line or will they expand their lineup in future years. – GolfSpy_APH 

My hunch is that things will stay relatively simple. While the direct-to-consumer angle helps create some separation, we can’t overlook that Adams remains under the TaylorMade umbrella and with that there’s always going to be some form of non-compete clause in play. 

I’s possible we may see Adams spread deeper into the super game-improvement space but I don’t think we’ll see anything that competes directly with TaylorMade like a 9064 LS revival or a serious player’s iron. 

Q: The ultimate question is WHY? Golf quieter, please! – Dr. Tee in regard to our Best Bluetooth Speakers of 2023 guide 

The simple answer is why not? We’d never encourage golfers to blare their music in a disrespectful manner. However, we’re big advocates that music on the golf course (when enjoyed softly) is a great way to stay calm and find joy in the game.  

As with most golf controversies, the more you worry about what others do, the more bitter you are to become. Life (and golf) becomes a lot more fun when you choose to stop basing your happiness on the actions of others.  

If you are in the “music on the golf course is an abomination” crowd, I’m not going to change your mind. That said, I can empathize with you in some regards. Yes, it’s annoying if an irresponsible individual turns the volume up a little too much. But that shouldn’t cause you to generalize the entire golfing population. Not everyone who listens to music on the course is inconsiderate.  

On the flip side, those of us who enjoy music on the course (me included) would do well to understand the concerns of those against it.   

“Listening to music” and “golfing more quietly” don’t have to be mutually exclusive. – Connor Lindeman 

Q: Typically, what is the difference between a “ladies’” ball and a regular ball? 

Ladies balls generally fall within the low-compression, i.e., “soft” category. Other than some fun with color (pink, pearl white, etc.), there really isn’t any difference. 

It’s all in the perception which basically explains how the Precept Lady evolved into the Laddie. 

Q: What’s going on with the Stealth 2 faces detaching from the frame and did you guys see any of that during testing? 

We’ve seen some stuff on social media (both on our feeds and our DMs) but we didn’t have any breaks during testing. 

While it’s definitely not a good look for TaylorMade, I’m not sure it’s anything to worry about. If the failure rate is abnormally high, you can guarantee TaylorMade is looking at the root cause but the reality is that nearly every manufacturer has had issues at one time or another. With the accessibility of social media, you’re just hearing about it more. 

Q: Thoughts on the new Kirkland ball? -jkguyette 

We’ll have more to say when we get it into the Ball Lab and after we’ve tested it on the robot so for now consider this speculation. 

I’d wager the new ball spins less if for no other reason than the prior model spun excessively. Like really excessively. That’s not to say it’s going to be a low-spin or even a moderate-spin ball but I would hope they cut out a few hundred rpm this time around. 

My biggest concern is that it appears to have the same cover as the prior ball. The cover is almost entirely responsible for aerodynamic performance and, with that, wind performance is abhorrent, even if most golfers will tell you they don’t notice the difference. 

Some context here: PING’s Ballnamic system assigns a wind score to every ball in the database. The best wind scores are in the high 90s. The worst—and I have to assume the previous Kirkland occupies that spot—are WAY (WAY, WAY, WAY) lower than that. 

As I’ve said before, the dimple pattern is perhaps the most complex piece of engineering in the golf world. It’s why there are, on a relative basis, so few viable dimple patterns and why the same patterns get used over and over again, even when the other properties of the golf ball may not match with the aerodynamic properties of the cover. 

The Kirkland cover was a liability on the previous ball and likely still is on the new one. 

Q: Please explain how this merger is best for the game of golf now that the Saudis have bought the tour -5rads 

Yeah. I’m not convinced either.

“Best for the game” appears to have supplanted “Grow the game” as justification for effectively allowing the Saudi government to buy men’s professional golf. 

For sure, the involved parties are telling a different story right now, but if the totality of the endgame was to give the Saudis “a seat at the table,” it wouldn’t be worth doing.  

Sure, it unifies the tours, and apparently that’s what’s best for the game, but it’s a bit like crediting an arsonist firefighter for helping put out a blaze he started.  

Golf is only split because PIF, LIV and the Saudi pawns divided it. 

I’m not one of those “government is entirely bad” types but I see very little good that comes from ceding control of a professional sport to any government, let alone a foreign one with the Saudis’ record on, well, basically everything. 

And given everything Jay Monahan has said about the Saudis in the past, the level of hypocrisy is off the charts. To my mind, Monahan has zero credibility moving forward, which isn’t actually a problem if his new role is limited to figurehead/puppet.

For those who are unaware, the Saudi Public Investment Fund owns 90 percent of LIV. It is fully controlled by the Saudi government. It has (and will continue to be) spun differently but, if the deal goes through, PIF controls the purse strings.

The structure of the proposed (and yet-to-be-named) entity positions PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan as chairman. For all the talk of the Tour retaining control, that effectively makes Al-Rumayyan PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan’s boss. If we learned one thing from FIFA’s corruption scandal, it’s that money, even with a minority stake, talks.  

On paper, Qatar didn’t have nearly enough seats at the table to secure a World Cup, but that’s exactly what happens. Money, bribes, payoffs, and plenty of leverage; I expect it’s how the Saudis will eventually assume total control of the PGA Tour. 

All of this is a little puzzling. LIV was a landlocked shark swimming circles in a pool of PIF money. Evidence to date suggests it wasn’t going anywhere. Other than the BS unification story, there was no reason for the PGA TOUR to crawl into bed with PIF, unless, as some have suggested, the PGA Tour was hemorrhaging cash and perhaps uneasy about what skeletons might have emerged should the legal battles continue.

For now, anyway, last week’s enemies are now this week’s besties.

They should call the new organization Prestige Worldwide. I think they owe us that much. 

Often overlooked in the reporting thus far is that the merger is just a proposal right now. Nothing is settled. There are still obstacles and a real chance it doesn’t go through.  

If that happens, who knows where we go from here. 

Q: Is there a huge difference in ball flight with a 4 Hybrid and a 7 wood? -@dave_Lauzon 

A 7-wood may be a suitable replacement for a hard to hit long iron or hybrd.

Broad strokes (as always) … the 7-wood is going to launch higher, fly higher and land softer. With the longer shaft, it typically will be longer as well. 

While the specific design of the hybrid is a factor, generally, the hybrid will fly lower and be more workable with lower MOI. 

If you want something that flies a bit more like an iron, the hybrid is the way to go. If you want a higher flight, go with the 7-wood. 

Sample size of one but I find the 7-wood to be the straightest club in my bag so I’d also give the trouble avoidance advantage to the 7-wood. 

Q: Is BOA a real thing or is GolfSpyT making stuff up? – @Kustoo 

When my friend Jacques returns from the outhouse where I assume he’s passing time with some combination of a newspaper and a Sony Walkman, we can get into this. My guy definitely doesn’t have a bidet. 

As a big Nike guy, it’s not surprising that you’re unfamiliar with any means other than strings to secure your shoes to your feet. 

That reminds me. I’ve been meaning to ask, does your TV have a UHF dial?  

Your shoes need BOA like your family room needs a flat screen.  

Full disclosure: This is just the latest round in an increasingly long running joke with our favorite sneakerhead but, yeah, the BOA Fit System is real and, while I’d tell you it makes golf shoes better, at an absolute minimum, it often makes golf shoes different. 

Sure, I love the convenience of the dial but the BOA Fit system can also be the difference-maker when you really like a pair of shoes but they don’t fit quite right. That’s because BOA-powered models often fit a bit differently than their antiquated (laced) alternatives. 

While many companies don’t always make their BOA versions in a true wide, often the BOAs are built on a slightly wider last which is also nice when your feet are slightly fat like mine. 

Case in point: The adidas ZG23 which is the best-fitting adidas golf shoe (thanks BOA Fit system) I’ve tried to date. 

The BOA Fit system is a bit like BASF. BOA doesn’t make shoes. It makes golf shoes better. 

Just think what the dial could do for a pair of Jordans. 

More Questions?  

As always, if you have any questions for the MGS crew (and they don’t have to be about the golf ball), drop them below for a chance to be featured in next week’s #AskMyGolfSpy!  

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